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Commercial interior designer earns award
David Burge / El Paso Times
Posted: 08/25/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
Patty Holland-Branch, founder and CEO of Facilities Connection, stands inside her West Side office which showcases some of the office furniture and commercial design elements sold by her 22-year-old interior design company. (Victor Calzada / El Paso Times)
EL PASO — Patty Holland-Branch knows how to put together space, furniture, and color to make an office a nice place to work and also convey a company’s preferred image.
Those design skills have made Holland-Branch and her 22-year-old El Paso company, Facilities Connection, succeed in commercial interior design. But other skills have made the company click and grow.
“We always have to be re-creating ourselves. That’s how our business has survived,” said Holland-Branch, founder, owner, and CEO of the West Side company she started in 1987 in a West Side condo she shared with her children.
The company now has about 30 employees, including three other interior designers, and is headquartered at an acre site at 240 E. Sunset on the West Side.
Through the years, the company has diversified its services beyond traditional interior design. It now also sells, installs, and maintains furniture; provides move management, and offers information technology services. In the past few years, it also has shifted its customer base from mostly private companies, including the maquiladora industry, to a large focus on the military and other government agencies.
That shift, which required spending years learning the ins and outs of federal contracting, is responsible for the company’s revenues growing 411 percent from 2003 through last year, Holland-Branch said. She did not provide revenue numbers.
The success caught the attention of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers
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of Commerce, which earlier this month named Holland-Branch, 65, a native of Chihuahua City, Mexico, as Texas Hispanic Business Woman of the Year.
Cindy Ramos-Davidson, CEO of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the local chamber nominated Holland-Branch for the award because of her company’s longevity, and growth, but also because she figured out how to “re-engineer” the company to find new opportunities with the federal government. She also is focused on knowing her clients and how best to meet their needs, Ramos-Davidson said.
“There’s a difference between those who service their customers and those who really care about their customers,” as Holland-Branch does, Ramos-Davidson said.
Holland-Branch said her husband, Dave Branch, 62, president of the company, gets credit for helping the company move into the federal contracting arena.
Dave Branch said he focuses on much of the business management side of the company while his wife focuses more on the creative, and client-services side.
Holland-Branch, who said she’s always had a creative streak, said designing some homes and a restaurant years ago convinced here that interior design was her forte. She received a degree in interior design technology from El Paso Community College, and worked for an El Paso interior design company for three years before going into business for herself in 1987.
Cindy Bilbe, president of Stewart Title, which hired Facilities Connection to design and furnish the interior of its 12,000 square-foot Downtown office and three branches, said Holland-Branch has “an extremely good eye for space planning and color selection,” and also delivers what she promises. Holland-Branch was involved in all aspects of the Stewart Title project, including talking to the Downtown office’s 20 employees to find out their space and desk needs so the interior and furniture worked for them, Bilbe said.
The design featuring Southwest colors has increased employee morale, and has received great customer reviews, Bilbe said.
Facilities Management also recently designed and furnished the interior of the new JDW Insurance offices on the seventh and eighth floors of the Chase Bank Building. That design features more muted tones to convey a more “classic” executive style, Holland-Branch said.
“You see a lot of designers where everything looks like them (their tastes). For Patty, everything looks like the customer,” Dave Branch said. “She can take the personality of a person and turn it into a work space where everything works.”
Vic Kolenc may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org; 546-6421.
# Name: Patty Holland-Branch
# Job: Founder, owner and CEO of Facilities Connection Inc., a 22-year-old commercial interior design company, which also sells, installs, and maintains office furniture; does move management; and provides information technology services.
# Background: Born in Chihuahua City, Mexico. Moved to El Paso at age 6 when her father, an engineer for Asarco, was transferred here.
# Family: Married 21 years to her second husband, Dave Branch, 62, Facilities Connection president. Five children and nine grandchildren.
# Education: Austin High School graduate. Associate’s degree in interior design technology from El Paso Community College.
# Quote: “I love creating things. I also like solving problems. I have a passion to work with my customers.”
TheTexas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce gave these awards to El Paso area business people at its recent state convention:
# Texas Hispanic Business Woman of the Year: Patty Holland-Branch, CEO and founder of Facilities Connection.
# Texas Hispanic Business Man of the Year: Ray Hernando, owner of RHO Logistics.
# Texas Corporate Hispanic Business Advocate of the Year: Maria Mendez, vice chair of corporate relations, Aetna insurance.
# Large Hispanic Chamber of the Year: El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Source: El”Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
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Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:41pm EDT
EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) – Mexicans fleeing a gruesome drug war are buying homes across the border in El Paso, helping keep the Texan city’s property market afloat despite the worst U.S. housing crisis in decades.
With clashes between rival drug gangs leaving dead bodies on the streets of the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez almost daily, hundreds of middle class Mexicans are selling up and moving to El Paso, just over the Rio Grande.
The cities are a short walk apart, but there have been 12 homicides in El Paso this year compared to some 900 in Ciudad Juarez, where law and order has collapsed as Mexico’s most wanted man Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman battles local drug baron Vicente Carrillo Fuentes for U.S. smuggling routes.
The increase in the number of Mexican buyers has helped support El Paso’s housing market. While foreclosures hit a record high across the United States between April and June, El Paso estate agents report brisk sales of houses and apartments in the $80,000 to $300,000 range and broadly steady prices.
“Our market is not a plummeting market compared to the rest of the country,” said Dan Olivas, president of the Greater El Paso Association of Realtors.
“A lot of that is buoyed by a substantial number of people from Juarez coming over to buy properties for security reasons, for fear of kidnappings, extortion, cartel violence,” he said.
Already notorious for a spate of brutal murders of young women in the 1990s, Ciudad Juarez has become Mexico’s most violent city in a drug war that has killed some 2,700 people nationwide so far this year. Some 3,000 troops were sent to the city of 1.5 million but they have failed to stop the chaos.
El Paso real estate brokers say demand from over the border began rising early this year as the drug violence flared, and has ballooned since then as murders, abductions, extortions and car theft have spiraled. Many Mexicans are even paying cash.
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Student solidarity with workers at Foxconn
26 Jan 2012
People & Planet student activists give messages of support to workers at Foxconn.
Reports have shown that 150 workers who make iPhones and other technology products in China have threatened mass suicide in protest at their working conditions. The factory also makes computers supplied to many UK universities, validating People & Planet students’ Buy Right campaign for their universities to take responsibility for human rights abuses in their supply chains.
The heartbreaking story in The Telegraph says:
Foxconn, which manufactures gadgets for the likes of Apple, Sony, Nintendo and HP, among many others, has had a grim history of suicides at its factories. A suicide cluster in 2010 saw 18 workers throw themselves from the tops of the company’s buildings, with 14 deaths. In the aftermath of the suicides, Foxconn installed safety nets in some of its factories and hired counsellors to help its workers.
At the time of the last spate of suicides, People & Planet student activists protested in solidarity with the Foxconn workers.
The picture shows students holding up placards saying: solidarity to the workers in Guangdong Province.
Send in your messages of solidarity.

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In a corporate restructuring, Kentucky-based Brown-Forman Corp., which owns Fetzer, Sonoma-Cutrer and Jekel wineries in California, has reassigned several top executives to new positions or new responsibilities. As a part of the shuffle, Fetzer president Paul Dolan -- an icon in the organic viticulture movement -- will switch his focus to developing new products for Brown-Forman's wineries.
Some industry observers have questioned whether the move signals a change in the company's strong commitment to leadership in the realm of sustainable and organic viticulture.
While Dolan will retain the title of president of Fetzer, the day-to-day responsibilities of running the winery will be assumed by Pat Voss, who has been senior vice president at Fetzer for the past 10 years. In addition, Steve Dorfman, currently managing director of Sonoma-Cutrer, takes on the new position of chief winery officer, overseeing operations at all of Brown-Forman's winery holdings.
Phil Lynch, vice president and director of communications at Brown-Forman, said the company felt it would be more efficient and cost-effective to consolidate all of its wineries under one head.
Dolan, who has run Fetzer for the past 11 years, helped pioneer the organic movement in California, along with members of the Fetzer family, who sold their winery to Brown-Forman in 1993. He currently heads Wine Institute's California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, and he has written a book on Fetzer's sustainable business principles, called True to Our Roots--Fermenting a Business Revolution, which is due out in November.
"Our decision [to reassign Dolan] was based on Paul's great success at Fetzer with Sundial Chardonnay, Eagle Peak Merlot, Bonterra and Five Rivers Ranch," said Lynch. "Each of the brands has been highly successful. Paul's been telling us for years that we needed to develop new wines and flavor profiles."
Dolan, who is a founder of WineVision, a trade organization promoting wine in the United States, spoke with enthusiasm about his new role in product development. "One of my goals," Dolan said, "has been to make wine drinking a part of mainstream American culture." However, he says he hasn't given up his eco-friendly focus: "My day-to-day job will be new product development, but my primary responsibility with Fetzer will be to carry the torch of sustainability, and to achieve the stated organic goal of 2010. Team Fetzer is completely commited to the organic goal."
Currently, all of Fetzer's estate vineyards and the Jekel vineyards are farmed organically, and the Bonterra label is 100 percent organic, while Sonoma-Cutrer is working on organic and biodynamic grapegrowing, according to Dolan.
"There's no suggestion that our environmental orientation is going to change," said Ann Thrupp, who was hired in January as Fetzer's new manager of organic development. "Fetzer already has 2,000 acres of certified organic wine grapes. We also buy from nearly 200 growers. … Fetzer is committed to having all our growers go organic by 2010. I was hired to facilitate that effort."
Fetzer's organic grapegrowing workshop, held in July for growers interested in making the transition from conventional to organic farming, was sold out, Thrupp said. Sixty-five growers were put on a waiting list for another workshop in November.
But when asked about Brown-Forman's commitment to organic farming, Lynch offered a more cautious perspective. As a publicly traded company, Brown-Forman "needs to be smart about this," he said. In its effort to encourage all of its growers to invest the time and effort to be certified organic, the company has offered them long-term contracts. "And our commitment to long-term grower contracts has meant that we couldn't take advantage of the lower grape prices in the current market," Lynch explained. "We're looking for the right balance so that we can continue with our plans for organic transition while still maintaining a reasonable margin of profit."


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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Italian luxury bag and shoemaker Tod’s is to go private in a deal with LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton, ending more than two decades as a public company on the Milan stock exchange.
Following the transaction, which was announced late on Saturday, L Catterton will have a 36 per cent stake in Tod’s while the Della Valle family, which currently controls the group, will retain its majority ownership with 54 per cent of the shares.
L Catterton — which was created in 2016 through a partnership between a private equity firm, French luxury group LVMH and founder Bernard Arnault’s family investment vehicle — will pay €43 per share for its stake for a total of €512mn, a 18 per cent premium on the closing value of Tod’s shares on Friday. The deal values Tod’s at around €1.4bn excluding debt.
LVMH will retain its 10 per cent stake in Tod’s after the transaction.
L Catterton said in a statement that the “delisting is a precondition to ensure the pursuit of the [Tod’s] future growth programs [sic] and consolidation . . . [with] greater management and organisational flexibility, faster decision-making and execution times”.
The private equity firm — which also has investments in fashion brands APC and Etro and high-end gym chain Equinox — listed German orthopaedic shoe company turned fashion favourite Birkenstock in New York in October in one of the year’s biggest IPOs.
Tod’s founding family first announced plans to delist in August 2022 as part of ambitions to turn the company around. Earnings at the group have been under pressure for much of the past decade as the popularity of its brands, which include its namesake Tod’s as well as Roger Vivier, Fay and Hogan, waned. However, the plan was scrapped after the Della Valle family failed to reach the ownership threshold they needed to take it private.
At the time, the family said it would be “more difficult” to achieve its long-term objectives as a public company “given the limitations” of listing requirements, which include publishing earnings updates.
Tod’s performance improved last year with the group announcing in January that sales increased 11.9 per cent in 2023 to €1.13bn, with all brands gaining in the double digits.
The company’s shares have gained 18 per cent in the weeks since its stronger results were announced for a market value of €1.16bn, but remain below the takeover price offered by the Della Valle’s last year “despite clear improvements in Tod’s brand desirability and earnings momentum,” wrote Thomas Chauvet, analyst at Citi, in a note last month.
“[This] highlights the difficulty for small luxury businesses to execute turnarounds under the scrutiny of public markets,” he added.


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Court outcome: Joshua Anthony Ward
Joshua Anthony Ward, operator of Wards Fencing in the Moreton Bay Region has been charged after an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
The OFT investigated the trader after he accepted payment from a consumer for the supply and installation of fencing but failed to deliver the goods and services.
Mr Ward had rescheduled the commencement date but failed to appear as promised. He ceased all contact with the consumer. The consumer was left $1,200 out of pocket.
The matter was heard in the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court (14 April 2023). Mr Ward did not appear, and the matter was heard in his absence.
Mr Ward was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay $1,200 in compensation to the affected consumer.


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New Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos Facelift launched in 2023
It is no secret that Hyundai and Kia are working on several new SUVs for the Indian market. While Hyundai will launch the new Venue, the new Tucson, the Ioniq 5 and the Stargazer minivan, Kia will update its existing product lineup. Along with the new products, Hyundai and Kia will launch the facelifted Creta and Seltos respectively.
The new Hyundai Creta and the facelift Kia Seltos will be launched in our market in 2023. It is expected that the new SUVs could be presented at the Auto Expo 2023 in January. New models will receive design changes and an upgraded cabin; however, the mechanics will remain the same.
The new Creta facelift will come with an all-new front fascia inspired by the new Tucson. It features Hyundai’s new “parametric grille” with neatly integrated LED daytime running lights. Uniquely designed DRLs look like part of the grille when turned off. The SUV gets a revised bumper with a slimmer and wider air intake. At the rear, the SUV gets a revised tailgate design with sharp creases and new LED taillights. Hyundai has also removed the LED bar that connects the taillights, providing a much cleaner design compared to the outgoing model.
The SUV cabin will not undergo drastic changes in terms of look and feel; however, Hyundai will improve the technical part. It will receive an updated version of Hyundai’s Bluelink connected car technology. This technology offers new features such as stolen vehicle tracking, immobilization of stolen vehicles and a valet mode. The SUV could also receive ADAS with features like autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and others.
It will be offered with 3 engine options – a 113hp 1.5L NA petrol, a 113hp 1.5L turbodiesel and a 138hp 1.4L turbocharged petrol. Transmission options will likely be similar to the existing model.
The new Seltos facelift will come with a new design language, which we saw on the new Carens. It will have a new front fascia with a new grille design, a new bumper and new LED headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights. It gets a split headlight setup with LED daytime running lights on top and the main headlight placed slightly lower. The Kia logo will be placed on the grille instead of the hood. The SUV will come with new alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, new LED taillights and a new tailgate design with a new lower bumper.
The 2023 Kia Seltos facelift is likely to get an all-digital instrument console, which is likely to come from the global spec Kia K3. It is also likely to get ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System).
The new Seltos for India will likely remain the existing model. It is reported that the new Seltos facelift could receive a mild hybrid system, which will make it compliant with the upcoming updated CAFE and BS6 emission standards.


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Motorola Solutions Italy Appoints Magliocca as General Manager/President
Motorola Solutions has announced the appointment of Sirio Magliocca as its new general manager and president for the Italian market.
Magliocca has been with Motorola Solutions since 1986 and started his career as a technician. He currently leads the company’s channel business in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta. In his new role he will be tasked with leading the development and implementation of business strategies in Italy for both government and commercial sectors.
The company also announced the addition of telecommunications equipment and systems specialist Radiotrans to its Italian distribution network. Radiotrans will join Aikom Technology, a Riccione-based company that has been distributing Motorola Solutions’ products in Italy for the past 10 years.


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LONDON (Reuters) – The chief marketing officer of Unilever <ULVR.L><UNc.AS> has decided to retire next year, handing incoming CEO Alan Jope his first big hiring decision.
CMO Keith Weed, who oversees the marketing strategy of the world’s second-biggest advertiser, announced his retirement on Thursday in a series of posts on Twitter.
“It’s with a happy and heavy heart that I’ve decided to retire from Unilever in April,” Weed said on Twitter. “It’s been over a year in planning with exciting challenges to follow.”
Choosing a successor will be a decision for the new chief executive, Alan Jope, who will take over at the start of 2019, a spokeswoman said.
(Reporting by Martinne Geller; editing by David Evans)


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Here are the top trending news from the world of technology. News that every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
A Bug caused ChatGPT to give non-sense responses; OpenAI has fixed the bug
On Wednesday scores of ChatGPT users shared screenshots of ChatGPT giving illogical and non-sense responses to their prompts. Many claimed that the popular AI chatbot had gone rogue. It didn’t take long for OpenAI to admit the problem, claiming that the unexpected responses was due to a bug. The company later claimed that the bug has been fixed and the its chatbot has started functioning normally. The news about ChatGPT problem came amid the media reports that Google’s Gemini image generator had also gone rogue few days back. Google later officially confirmed the news. The fear of AI going rogue and out of control has been cited by many AI experts.
Xbox’s Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PS5 in March
Hi-Fi Rush, the rhythm-action game that was previously an Xbox and PC exclusive, is officially making its way to PlayStation 5 on March 19th. Although its price has not been officially announced, but it’s likely to be similar to the Xbox and PC price of $30 USD. The content will include all the previously release content, including the two extra modes from the Arcade Challenge update. However, Hi-Fi Rush games will not have cross-play functionality between PS5 and Xbox. Hi-Fi Rush rhythm-based action game that was launched in 2023 by Bethesda Softworks. Meanwhile, another popular Xbox games Sea of Thieves is likely to debut on PS5 on April 30.
Google launches two Open Source & Lightweight LLMs – Gemma 2B & Gemma 7B
Google on Wednesday announced the launch of yet another LLM in the market. Called Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B, both of them are open source and extremely lightweight LLMs. They are so lightweight that you can even use them on your personal laptops. Google said that Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B can works seamlessly with major AI frameworks like JAX, PyTorch, and TensorFlow. Both models are pre-trained on a massive dataset of text and code, while instruction-tuned versions are optimized for specific tasks like question answering or text summarization. Lightweight open source LLMs are useful for giving access to cutting-edge language models for individuals and organizations lacking massive computational resources.
Uber Eats is launching Robot deliveries in Tokyo
In an exciting news, Uber Eats will be soon launching autonomous robot deliver service in Japan’s capital city of Tokyo. Japan has become the first international market where Uber Eats will be launching the robotic service. However, in the initial months, this service will be available only in the selected parts of the Tokyo city. If this experiment is successful then Uber Eats could expand its autonomous service to other key markets. The company may have taken this decision to address the labor shortage problems in Japan, a country where robots are widely used by several companies. The on-going AI boom may have also propelled Uber Eats to take this decision.
Meta Testing cross-posting feature from FB to Threads
In an interesting news, Meta is testing a feature that allows for cross-posting from Facebook to Threads. The test is being currently conducted among limited number of iOS users. If this feature is launched then it could help boost activity on Threads by encouraging existing Facebook users to share their content there too. Threads, which was launched last year and directly competes with Elon Musk’s Twitter, is desperately trying very hard to increase its active user base. However, Meta hasn’t given any fixed timeline when it plans to launch this feature. Overall, the cross-posting feature will help users in saving user’s time and efforts as it eliminated the need to create separate posts.


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Alongside the incredibly-hyped Supreme collaboration that released back in April, German luggage makers RIMOWA‘s latest partnership with Off-White™ sold out in seconds on its first initial drop date, June 25; a second release is scheduled for June 26 via sign-ups, along with a wider release on July 2.
If you’re itching to get your hands on this highly-coveted release, Paris retailer 24 Sèvres is offering a chance to win an Off-White™ x RIMOWA suitcase of your very own, one that exclusively signed by designer Virgil Abloh. No other version sold to the public will be signed by the designer upon delivery — this is truly a chance to own one that money can’t buy.
The case has taken the fashion world by storm, with its intentionally-made clear polycarbonate construction providing the ultimate sense of expression. Style gurus have already used it to show off their wares and accessories to the highest degree and, with synonymous orange wheels being included as a replaceable set, maintains 100% Off-White™ in terms of style and utility.
To enter, follow the following steps:
1. Follow @hypebeast and @24sevres.
2. Tag two friends in our comment section in the IG post.
3. Like @24sevres’ giveaway post.
The winner of this giveaway will be chosen on Thursday, June 28 and contacted via DM. To qualify for entry, you must complete all of the aforementioned steps.
In case you missed it, catch our backstage look at Virgil Abloh’s landmark Louis Vuitton debut.
Open to Global readers. All prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians on their behalf.
The maximum number of entries allowed for this giveaway is one (1) per person. We are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, illegible, misdirected or postage-due entries, which will be disqualified. By participating, all entrants agree to abide by these Official Giveaway Rules.
Please allow 2-6 weeks for prize delivery.
General contest rules/disclaimer can be found here.


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Markets remained buoyant as NIFTY & SENSEX hit new highs but failed to break out remaining range bound over the last month. NIFTY has been range bound between 15500-15950 levels. Liquidity remains strong especially on the domestic front. The markets have hardly been impacted by the 2nd wave of COVID over the last 3 months. With markets at elevated levels we feel corporate earnings need to catch up going ahead.
FII have been marginal sellers over the last few months but insignificant compare to the buying which took place between December 2020 and March 2021. In fact in H2FY21, FIIs have been net buyers to the tune of Rs.1.80 lakh cr. In comparison, they have been net sellers to the tune of Rs.18000 cr in April-June 2021 quarter. This has partly been due to increasing COVID numbers & profit booking. Till 13th July this month FIIs have been net sellers to the tune of Rs.4888 cr.
As per AMFI, the total assets under management of the mutual fund industry jumped to Rs 33.66 lakh cr as on 30th June 2021 from Rs 33.05 lakh cr as on 31st May. The contribution from SIP also went up to Rs. 9,155 cr in June from Rs 8818 cr in May. SIP AUM at an all-time high and now forming almost 15% of total industry AUMs and number of SIP accounts breaching 4 cr mark for the first time ever, is reflective of continued retail investor confidence in the mutual fund asset class. The equity funds got an inflow of Rs 5,988 cr in June, down from Rs 10,082 cr in May. Bond funds saw net inflows of Rs 3,566 cr against outflows of Rs 44,512 cr last month. Money market funds and ultra-short duration funds saw net outflows of Rs 13,987 cr and Rs 2,439 cr. This is in line with the expectation that corporate investors will pull out money to make advance tax payments and to comply with quarter-end cash flow requirements.
Gold prices in India were up nearly 4% in the last one month. On MCX, gold was around Rs 48,300/10 gms. Globally, yellow metal prices were headed for the fourth consecutive weekly gain, as investors took comfort from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s stance that the U.S. central bank would continue to support the economy and inflation will be transitory. Gold was flat at around $1,830/oz. Large stimulus measures typically tend to support gold, which is often considered a hedge against inflation and currency debasement.
Global crude prices spiked to a three year high of $77 per barrel as Opec+ failed to reach an agreement. While Opec+ members Saudi Arabia and Russia are in favor of increasing oil production by 4,00,000 bpd from August till the end of the year, UAE has not yet agreed to the proposal. If oil production and supply levels do not increase in line with rising global demand, it could lead to crude breaching $100/bbl, according to the International Energy Agency. Petrol and diesel have a combined weight of 4.69% in the wholesale price index and 2.34% in the retail price index. Any increase in the prices of the transport fuels affect the WPI more than the CPI but what is more worrisome is the pass through effect the increase in fuel prices can cause.
Consumer Price Index inflation (CPI) for the month of June stayed over the RBI’s target band for the second month in a row at 6.26% compared to 6.30% in the previous month. Food Price Index increased by 5.15% in June 2021 against 5.01% in May. Fuel and light inflation was at 12.68% in June. If inflation is not brought under control, it could lead to a possible rate hike by RBI going ahead.
Wholesale prices based inflation (WPI) eased in June to 12.07% from a record 12.94% a month ago as food and fuel prices fell while those of manufactured items accelerated. Food inflation in June decelerated to 3.1% from 4.3% a month ago while fuel inflation eased to 32.8% from 37.6%. Manufactured products saw a marginal increase in inflation to 10.9% from 10.8% in May due to rising price pressure in textiles, apparel, leather, wood, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cement, basic metals and fabricated metal products. Core inflation excluding food and fuel items hardened further to 10.4% in June from 10% a month ago.
Index of Industrial production (IIP) witnessed a year-on-year growth of 29.3% in May 2021. The IIP had crashed (-) 33.4 % on-year to 90.2 in May 2020. This was mainly due to the nationwide lockdown which was imposed last year to curb the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic. The manufacturing sector saw a growth of 34.5 % yoy, while the mining sector saw a rise of 23.3%. The electricity sector too rose 7.5%. The growth rates over corresponding period of previous year are to be interpreted considering the unusual circumstances on account of COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.
The IHS Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) declined to 48.1 in June from 50.8 in May. The headline index slipped below the crucial mark of 50 for the first time since July 2020. Demand for labour is unlikely to improve anytime soon, , with backlogs of work decreasing for a second consecutive month. The only real silver lining is that price pressures appear to be coming under control. India’s services PMI fell to 41.2 in June 2021 from 46.4 in May, according to data from IHS Markit. Given the current COVID-19 situation in India, it was expected that the service sector would take a hit. Composite PMI declined to an 11 month low of 43.1 during the month, from 48.1 in May.
As per the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), total vehicle retail sales for the month of June 21 rose by 22.62% YoY. However, when compared to June 2019 which is a regular pre-covid month, the retail sales are still down by 28.32%. On YoY basis, all categories were in green with 2 wheeler sales up by 17%, 3 wheelers up by 22%, Passenger vehicles up by 43%, Tractors up by 14% and Commercial vehicles up by a massive 236% (on a very low base due to non-availability of BS-6 vehicles).
Goods and services tax (GST) collections for June grossed Rs 92,849 cr, dropping below Rs 1 lakh cr mark for the first time this year. During May 2021, most Indian states and Union territories were under either complete or partial lockdown due to the second wave of COVID-19. The second wave reached its peak on 7th May 2021. The Rs.92,849 cr amount includes a Central GST of Rs.16,424 cr, State GST of Rs.20,397cr, Integrated GST of Rs .49,079 cr and cess of Rs.6,949 cr.
As the frontline indexes are hitting all-time highs, have been range bound over the last month between 15,500 and 115950, we feel we have to be a bit selective in stock picking. Some sectors like PSUs, construction etc are still significantly lower than their all-time highs. The 2nd wave of COVID hit a peak of 4 lakh cases/day in May 2021. Thereafter there has been a gradual decline in COVID numbers over the last 2 months and current daily run rate is 1/10th of peak, though already talks of a 3rd wave of COVID has started. Thus we must be cautiously optimistic going ahead over the next few months. Vaccinations have gradually picked up, but we still have a long way to go and increase vaccination numbers rapidly. This could also be a good buying opportunity if there is a marginal correction in markets.
GST collections have dipped marginally due to lockdown in May/June and how it picks up will depend on an impending 3rd wave and unlocking of the economy. IIP numbers are still far away from full recovery and could be a dampener due to partial lockdown. We have to keep in mind that we had complete lockdown last year from end March. Thus yoy economic numbers will look extremely good on a low base, over next few months. Higher than expected inflation numbers coupled with a sharply depreciating INR remain a concern. This could also lead to a possible rate hike by RBI going ahead. We strongly advise investors to continue their SIPs in equity funds & if possible increase the amount. This is a very good buy on dips market & focus should be on stock picking. I think we are at the beginning of another bull run & could see positive movements over the next couple of years.
Sabyasachi Paul has been associated with equity research and advisory on equity markets in India for over 13 years & currently heads the equity research desk of Eastern Financiers Ltd, Kolkata.


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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Flirt4Free has announced the launch of a Halloween contest and promotion offering cash prizes and special giveaways.
Beginning at noon EST on October 26 through October 31, models will be competing for more than $20,000 in cash prizes and discounts during several Halloween themed events. These include the traditional Model Costume contest, Pumpkin Hunt, Scheduled Show Spooktacular, and a Customer Trick-or-Treat contest that will give away $1,000 in credits and tens of thousands of dollars in discounts all weekend long.
“Each contest was created to get everyone on the site in the spirit of one of our biggest times of year,” says Flirt4Free Director of Product Jamie Rodriguez. “We know that everyone looks forward to Halloween, and having these contests not only gives away tons of cash prizes but also allows models to grow their fan-base on the site as well.”
New to the competition this year, customers will be able to experience models up-close and personal as they host special Halloween themed performances during the Scheduled Show Spooktacular.
Models will be judged on their performances in three unique categories by a panel of Flirt experts — number of customers, total credits earned, and best Halloween themed costume and room design.
“These shows are special time slots planned specifically by the models,” says Rodriguez. “It’s something that requires a lot of preparation and thought on their behalf, so they typically have lots of unique elements, and surprises too.”
For the Pumpkin Hunt, a counter will be displayed in each performer’s chat room to keep score during the entire six-day competition. As customers give them pumpkins, their count will rise, bringing them one step closer to one of the many cash prizes that the site has set aside for the winners. Customers will vote each day for their top picks, and at the end of the competition, the top three girls and guys win.
“Another thing that makes this contest so exciting is the chance for models to give away virtual candy to their favorite customers,” says Rodriguez. “At the end of the competition, the customer who has collected the most candy will receive free credits.”
Performers or studios who are interested in broadcasting with the Flirt4Free network can apply here.
Affiliates interested in working with the Flirt4Free network can apply here.
Fans can follow Flirt4Free on Twitter @Flirt4Free.


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Claim up to 50 per cent off business software under new Help to Grow scheme
Small and medium-sized firms could get a discount of up to 50 per cent on the costs of business software under the new Help to Grow scheme, it has been revealed.
The news comes after applications to register interest in the initiative opened this month.
The Help to Grow scheme – split into a digital and management programme – was announced earlier this year to help businesses “build back better” after the pandemic.
Under the digital programme, eligible firms can access “free impartial advice” on how technology can boost their performance and get a discount of up to 50 per cent on the costs of approved software, worth up to £5,000.
According to the Government, vouchers are available for software that can help businesses:
- build customer relationships and increase sales
- make the most of selling online, and/or
- manage their accounts and finances digitally.
While all businesses can benefit from the advice portion of the scheme, your business must meet the below requirements to be eligible for a software voucher:
- employ between five and 249 employees and are registered at Companies House
- have been trading for more than 12 months, and
- are purchasing the discounted software for the first time.
The Help to Grow: Management programme, meanwhile, will include a 90 per cent subsidised 12-week professional development course, covering the basics of financial management, innovation and digital adoption.
The Government said full details of the Help to Grow: Digital and Help to Grow: Management scheme will be published later this summer.
For help and advice with related matters, please get in touch with our expert team today.


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Now that the holiday season has really kicked off, investors are busy trolling both shopping malls and the stock market for those must-have items. But where can you find the hot items that can finish off your shopping list? A handful of retail and consumer-oriented stocks may have potential to deliver holiday returns, if recent history is any guide.
According to market data and analytics firm Kensho, certain stocks tend to perform better during the holiday shopping season. We used the 100 members of the SPDR S&P Retail exchange traded fund as our universe. We then calculated stock performance for 20 trading days following Thanksgiving, which roughly equates to the time each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Only stocks that were positive at least 80 percent of the time during this season (with a minimum of seven years of history) were included. Of the 100 stocks in the universe, just 12 passed the above criteria.
The best performing stock was online travel company Orbitz Worldwide. Even though it's only been in existence as a public company since July 2007 and has just seven holiday seasons under its belt, it's gained an average of 24 percent each time—and has never posted a negative return. Shares are up around 8 percent this year and have underperformed the broader market.
The No. 2 performer during the last 10 holiday seasons is Sonic Automotive. The $1.3 billion, Charlotte, North Carolina-based auto retailer has posted an average 10 percent gain in each of the last 10 holiday seasons and has been positive 90 percent of the time. Like Orbitz, Sonic Automotive has underperformed in 2014, gaining just 6.5 percent year to date.
The company is part of a bigger theme among retail stocks that outperform during the holiday season. Of the 12 stocks being highlighted, half are related to the automotive industry. Car dealerships like Sonic Automotive and AutoNation have tended to outperform. Auto parts retailer AutoZone also passed the screening criteria.
Some experts attribute the strength in auto-related stocks to anticipation of higher sales toward the end of the year, especially for light trucks and sport utility vehicles.
"Generally when winter comes, we see an increase in these types of vehicles," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com senior analyst. "People want to be prepared for the inclement weather."
This year, consumers are being helped by lower fuel costs, which Caldwell says could make them feel as if they could use their extra cash for a car payment.
The third best-performing stock was Nutrisystem. Shares of the weight loss and nutrition company have gained more than 8 percent on average over the last 10 holiday seasons and have been positive 80 percent of the time—perhaps driven by investors considering all those New Year resolutions.
Nutrisystem, in fact, notes in its annual report that typically the first calendar quarter is the strongest for revenue in the weight-loss business, and the fourth quarter is the lowest.
See below for the full list of 12 stocks in the S&P Retail ETF that passed the screening criteria used.


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When technology & innovation meet sustainability
For the factory in Neuchâtel, the aim is to already reach carbon neutrality by the end of 2020. To this end, several measures have been put in place in recent years, including the installation of a wind turbine, solar panels, and parking spaces with charging stations for electric cars.
The biggest contribution comes from taking advantage of the factory’s lakeside location: The production facilities began using water from the lake at 6 degrees Celsius to cool machinery and buildings as early as 1964. Currently, the water is released back into the lake at 11 degrees Celsius, following the cooling process.
Going forward, the same water will also be used for heating via two newly installed 600-kilowatt heat pumps. After use, the water temperature will be lowered again to 6 degrees Celsius before being released back into the lake. This will represent a reduction of approximately 1,000 tons of CO2 per year. The heat pumps will be in operation in the second half of 2020.
"In the factory in Neuchâtel, the aim is to already reach carbon neutrality by the end of 2020."
In collaboration with Swiss nonprofit certifier myclimate, PMI managed to make its global Operations Center in Lausanne carbon-neutral for the second year in 2019. The team responsible for PMI’s Swiss buildings calculates the carbon footprint of the OC and assesses ways to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible. Any unavoidable emission is offset through myclimate.
The biggest impact so far has been achieved through the installation of a heat pump and using water from Lake Geneva to fully heat and cool the building. Compared with the previously used boilers, the heat pump saves 10,000 liters of water and 40,000 cubic meters of gas annually.
Promoting sustainability through innovation & technology
New technologies are emerging rapidly, including in robotics, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. Consumer-goods companies have been at the forefront of digital innovation in marketing and sales. Automation and digital solutions are also widely implemented in manufacturing and supply chain, but they bring risks related to employment patterns, data privacy, and human rights.
Taking a positive and proactive approach to shaping the future of work will enable companies to respond to people’s desire for income security, well-being, empowerment, and purpose, where people’s lives are enriched by advancing technology, and where society can prosper from equal access to new opportunities.
"We started using drones in tobacco-growing areas to monitor crop quality and reduce the need for pesticides."
Breakthrough developments in science and technology, including from outside our industry, such as battery technology, enabled us to develop the innovative smoke-free products that we commercialize today. We continue to actively explore and responsibly deploy opportunities brought by new technologies for application in our business.
For instance, we started using drones in tobacco-growing areas to monitor crop quality and reduce the need for pesticides. Another example relates to our fleet, where we increasingly rely on telematics to help minimize road traffic accidents.
As member of WBCSD, we are part of the “Future of Work” working group, crafting a future with workforces that are secure, motivated, skilled, and prepared for challenges posed by technological change.
Reducing waste with digitalization
Another measure currently being put in place to reduce PMI’s environmental footprint in Switzerland aims to substantially reduce operational waste. On the Neuchâtel campus, all biogenic waste – for example, cardboard, paper, and tobacco – will be heat-treated to produce energy.
The goal of this process called pyrolysis is to substitute fossil energies used on-site to produce steam and hot water, and to create a cycle whereby the waste that’s produced despite reduction efforts is recycled and reused. The waste will first be mechanically crushed and shredded, then heated in a reactor. This will produce a gas that can replace the natural gas used in the boiler. We expect this process to be fully operational by the end of 2020.
Like most other fast-moving consumer goods companies, PMI is digitalizing and automating its end-to-end operations. Being able to react quickly to shifting consumer demands while using resources responsibly is a critical factor for success. Printed materials such as folding cartons have had one of the longest lead times in the supply chain, as it can take up to 12 weeks using traditional technologies to get them produced and delivered to the factories.
"Innovative digital printing have resulted in considerable waste reduction."
As PMI changes its packs frequently, also as a result of changing packaging regulations, it has been difficult to respond in a timely fashion to market volatilities and changing consumer demand. Digital printing solutions can drastically reduce the lead time required. However, no economically viable option for PMI’s mass volumes and quality requirements was available. Consequently, PMI’s Innovation Development Center in Neuchâtel spent several years developing a hybrid digital printing and converting solution for folding cartons in-house.
Since 2019, this pioneering approach has enabled PMI to print on demand. This has not only allowed the company to achieve its objectives of speed, flexibility, high finishing quality, and efficiency, but also has resulted in considerable waste reduction. There is no waste due to minimum order quantities as only the actual demand is printed. This allows the company to avoid printing theequivalent of 1,800 tons of paper per year. Furthermore, printing digitally has the potential to eliminate up to 3,000 printing cylinders made out of copper, steel, and chrome from PMI’s supply chain.
Investing in novel technologies
With our main research facility in Neuchâtel, PMI is contributing significantly to the innovation landscape in Switzerland. In 2019, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced that PMI was their thirdlargest Swiss applicant with 424 patent applications, ranking 45th out of all patent applicants worldwide. The heating technology and other components for our tobacco heating system were developed and assessed in Neuchâtel, with the contribution of around 60 startups and SMEs from across Switzerland.
PMI actively invests in technologies and businesses that support its vision of a smoke-free future through Lausanne-based PM Equity Partner (PMEP), the corporate venture capital fund of PMI. In 2019, PMEP partnered with MassChallenge Switzerland, a nonprofit accelerator that helps startups in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe grow their businesses, to create the second edition of the PMEP start-up challenge.
During this event, 10 start-ups were invited to PMI’s Operations Center to pitch their business ideas on innovative solutions in the fields of digital, life sciences, and operations to a jury composed of members of PMI’s Company Management. In addition to increasing PMI’s presence within the Swiss innovation ecosystem and introducing a crowd of promising entrepreneurs to the company’s vision of a smoke-free future, the competition led to several R&D collaborations with the participating start-ups.
"PM Equity Partner is financially supporting several innovative start-ups."
Beyond hosting challenges and competitions, PMEP is financially supporting several other innovative start-ups. It invested, for example, in TreaTech, a start-up emanating from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.
TreaTech has developed a novel wastewater treatment that combines freshwater production with the opportunity to transform organic matter into biogas, valorize important minerals, and eradicate micropollutants. This investment contributes to PMI’s commitment to clean and sustainable technologies.


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Photo Video West Ticket Giveaway!!!
Resource Magazine is excited to announce we will be on the West Coast, April 27 & 28, 2013 to attend the PHOTO VIDEO WEST EXPO! Stop by our booth to take part in our Photo Video West social media blitz to win some awesome prizes from our sponsors. We’ll be doing a different giveaway every hour!
Share this link on Twitter using the hastag #photovideowest, & mention @ResourceMag to be entered in a drawing to win a free pair of tickets to The Photo Video West Expo in San Diego! We’ll be announcing new winners every day.
We’ll be sure to keep an eye out across all these networks to see who is sharing.
By Janet Alexander.
Photo Video West, formerly known as Photo Expo West, has got a new focus to match its new name, with added programming on videography, printing, framing and mobile imaging. Originally launched seven years ago by Martin Wood, CEO of US based flash memory card and digital photography accessories manufacturer Delkin Devices, and CEO of George’s Camera, David Rivera, Photo Video West is both a regional educational event and a retail marketplace. Initially, this event attracted a small group of professionals, but its attendance has since expanded to an estimated 6,000 photographers and videographers of all levels. Aside from San Diego, visitors come from the surrounding southern California areas, namely Los Angeles and Orange County, and in recent years, increasingly from the surrounding contiguous states and Washington. Sony, Adobe, MAC Group, Sigma, Acme Made, Tamron and Joby are just some of the big industry names you can expect to see at this year’s event, in addition to a schedule of over thirty educational seminars and presenters that includes Vice Chair of Advertising Photographers of America, Jim McHugh, New Horizons Digital Arts Founder, Scott Robert Lim, Award-winning Photoshop Hall of Fame inductee, Jack Davis and Kodak Gallery Elite Award recipient Tim Mathiesen.
Photo Video West intended for those with an interest in photography who want to learn and grow. By virtue of its massive 10,000 sq. ft. exhibit showroom, this weekend offers a rare opportunity to make direct contact with famed photographers, photography businesses, industry experts, and fellow photography and video enthusiasts alike. Catering to emerging photographers and aspiring professionals, Photo Video West is also hosting a highly affordable professional portfolio review–priced at $59–that includes three fifteen-minutes sessions during which photographers’ work is critiques on the spot. You select your choice of reviewers in advance to get the most out of your one-on-one consultation. There’ll also be a chance to win $5,000 in door and raffle prizes.
Photo Video West takes place from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm on Saturday, April 27 and 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 28. Advance tickets for a one-?day pass are $12 per person. For those who want to attend both days, weekend passes are available for $20 per person. In a single weekend, expand your professional network, learn more about your photography and video imaging, and all the while celebrate your passion for photo and video in sunny San Diego for only a mere $20. A portion of all ticket sales will benefit the Museum of Photography Arts (MOPA) in San Diego. Tickets are available for purchase online. For more information about Photo Video West, visit their event website.


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Today the United Arab Emirates is being considered to be one of the most promising blocks in the world when it comes to conducting business. Due to the numerous advantages the different international companies are noted to have a plant at the block so that to ensure they have a fair share at the trading block. Research page on products has indicated that the number of companies that are noted to be working in the UAE are numerous, therefore, by setting up a business at the UAE one is considered to be having access to a number of networks in the same line of business.
Business reports have indicated that UAE block is considered to be one of the most strategic blocks in the world from the trade routes from West to East into Asia. Therefore, based on the location many of the businesses that are in operation at the block are considered to be very advantageous based on the geographical location of the block. The number of companies that are in operation in UAE is large; there are international businesses that specialize in commerce, banking, manufacturing and modern logistics among other businesses. Therefore, when it comes to connecting with other like businesses a businessman is advantages as secondary business are available at the location with ease.
Business reports have noted given that the UAE is identified to be a free trading block many businesses that have been in operation there are noted to make a lot of credits and profits due to the free wavers that are give. Research has indicated with the free trade noted at the block, many people are noted to be encouraged to as they are able to start a business with little capital needed. Therefore, studies have indicated that with the free trade qualities foreign companies are noted to be encouraged to have plants there as they have complete ownership of their companies.
Free trade means the companies are able to enjoy significant tax reductions here. Research has indicated that the free trade encourages companies to expand easily in the trade block as they have the needed trade routes they can operate in and with the foreign companies ability to expand gives the local companies an opportunity to get the international status needed. Finally, studies have indicated that the UEA block been considered by many economists to be the best block that has ensured businesses to be capable to get the needed entries in the market for them do well in the business front.


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To achieve India’s energy security and climate change goals, the country needs to broaden its horizon to take a more holistic and systemic approach to the impact of products on CO2 emissions, Vikram said. Kirloskar, vice president of Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM). .
Addressing the 61st annual SIAM convention on August 25, he said that a “life cycle” impact assessment of all products is essential to create a “well-to-wheel” environment.
“This will help us address the entire value chain as well as efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle materials,” he said. “The country needs to focus on improving energy efficiency as we do for fossil fuel substitution. In addition, it is important to harness all technologies as a catalyst, constantly evolving and a means to the end. “
Regarding the future of mobility, Mr. Kirlosakar said: “For a faster transition to sustainable mobility policies, the country should promote energy efficiency as a basis for determining product taxation, that is – say by adopting a merit-based tax structure that encourages consumers to choose more energy-efficient devices, gadgets and vehicles, which were otherwise more expensive due to higher technological costs.
India has set itself the goal of becoming “energy independent” by 2047.


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A North Korean distillery has created its own brand of whisky and aims to launch it by the end of the year, according to a foreign tour group that recently enjoyed its first dram.
The Samilpo whisky bottle is based on the characteristic square design of Scotland’s Johnnie Walker, a popular brand in North Korea, said Young Pioneer Tours, a company based in China which organises visits to the reclusive regime and other places “your mother would rather you stayed away from.”
The distillery, which opened its doors to the YPT, plans to sell three different types of its whisky in a similar format to the international best-selling Scottish brand – a 40% “black label”, 42% “red label” and a 45% strength, which is not yet available.
One taster described the liquor as a "very interesting start" but added: "It definitely needs to be aged a little longer."
The name “Samilpo” evokes one of North Korea’s most glorious beauty spots, the Samilpo Lake, near Mount Kumgang in the country’s southeast.
South Korean media reported that the mysterious spirit may become North Korea’s first venture into a whisky market that has been long-dominated by Scotland, Ireland, the US and Japan.
Its unique selling point could be the unusual claim that its 15 types of amino acids, including eight essential amino acids, provide a health benefit that reduce harm to your liver and counter the negative side effects of alcohol abuse.
Other vital details, including the age of the whisky or the types of grain used by the distillery, have not yet been revealed.
North Koreans enjoy a tipple, although traditionally tend to favour soju, a more affordable colourless liquor made from rice, wheat or barley.
Beer is also enjoying a rise in popularity. Taedonggang Beer, the most famous local brew, also claims to promote the “health and longevity of drinkers,” reported the BBC, citing a brochure obtained by the Koryo Tour group.
Taedonggang began to thrive at the turn of the century when North Korea bought, dismantled and shipped a defunct Ushers of Trowbridge brewery from rural Wiltshire to their port city of Wonsan, said a report in the NK News.
Meanwhile, Heineken is among the foreign beers and alcohol that are not officially marketed but which have become available in the capital, Pyongyang, with an entire bar dedicated to the brand.
The YPT believes Samilpo will arrive soon in Pyongyang’s downtown Gwangbok department store, which sells a vast range of local and foreign products to the North Korean elite.
Its price of $15 a bottle makes it more within reach for budding whisky connoisseurs than current foreign options on the shelves. A bottle of 21-year-old Ballantynes whisky spotted by the Telegraph in the store last November cost $120, while Chivas Regal, 12 years, was sold for $30.
The tour group claims that Samilpo’s owner aims to export his brand as soon as the political situation in the country, which faces global sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme, improves.


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A selection of exotic and luxury vehicles, totaling more than $7 million in value, will be on display starting Saturday in the main ballroom at MGM Grand Detroit as part of The Gallery, the first of several official North American International Auto Show events to be held in Detroit this month.
“There’s not a collection of vehicles like this in one room anywhere else in the world,” says Scott LaRiche, chairman of the 2015 auto show, and vice president of Lou LaRiche Chevrolet in Plymouth.
On Saturday evening, The Gallery — which in previous years has generated more than $10 million in vehicle sales — will feature a strolling dinner inside the cocktail lounge Ignite, located on the second floor of the MGM Grand. Chef Wolfgang Puck and his culinary team are preparing the cuisine.
Following dinner, guests will stroll to the ballroom to view the luxury vehicles as well as an exclusive runway fashion show featuring attire provided by Neiman Marcus.
LaRiche says a portion of the proceeds from the evening on Jan. 10 will benefit Henry Ford Hospital. Tickets are $1,000 per person, $900 of which is tax deductible. Attire is evening chic.
To purchase tickets, call 248-283-5126.
Vehicles scheduled to appear at The Gallery at MGM Grand Detroit include:
- Vantage V 12 S
- Rapide S
- Flying Spur
- Corvette Z06
- California T
- F-Type project 7
- Range Rover Sport SVR
- Modified C7 Corvette Stingray (Z06)
- Modified C7 Corvette Stingray
- Rally Fighter
- Granturismo Coupe
- Granturismo Convertible
- 918 Spyder
- Drophead Coupe
- Dodge Viper GTS


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February 22, 2012 — Annual revenues generated by micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) devices built into mobile devices — including sensors, audio, displays and RF — will exceed $6 billion by 2016, shows Juniper Research. MEMS are both riding the growth of smartphones, tablets, eReaders and ultrabooks, and contributing to the appeal of these products.
Three categories comprise this revenue estimate: MEMS that have already deployed (accelerometers, magnetometers & gyroscopes), MEMS in initial stages of deployment (displays, RF devices, pressure sensors & microphones) and future MEMS applications, such as joysticks, temperature and humidity sensors, speakers & pico-projectors.
|Figure. Global MEMS device revenue ($M) by region. SOURCE: Juniper Research.|
Inertial sensor adoption, including accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers, has mainly depended on advanced availability and capability of gaming and navigation applications, becoming ubiquitous in most mobile devices, particularly smartphones and tablets, Juniper asserts. Increased mobile device integration is coupled with overall mobile device growth to drive MEMS sensors upward.
MEMS sensors will become "an important differentiator for mobile device manufacturers," said Nitin Bhas, who authored Juniper’s report, "MEMS in Mobile." MEMS enable new capabilities and functionalities, including location-based and navigation services. In the future, smartphones and tablets will pick up additional capabilities via MEMS integration, such as stabilization control, which is emerging now, Bhas said.
MEMS microphones and RF components have huge growth potential in mobile electronics. MEMS mics generate high-quality audio input, and multiple microphones can be integrated for better sound, voice recognition, and more. The total number of MEMS microphones in mobile devices will exceed 2 billion in 2016.
MEMS RF devices are expected to be found in most wireless products. Recently, an RF MEMS component was revealed in a major Samsung high-volume smartphone.
Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary. Access the MEMS report at http://www.juniperresearch.com/reports/mems_in_mobile


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Retailers are preparing for a 'disaster' Christmas, with gifts set to cost more - that's if there's any available to buy.
Retailers have paid as much as three times more to get goods to New Zealand in time, a cost that will be passed onto consumers.
But some businesses can't sell a thing until lockdown lifts, meaning they have to absorb that crippling cost.
David Whittle's warehouse is so full he can barely move inside it.
"All of this product is sitting here waiting, it's beautiful product and we just can't sell it," the Nirvana Eastern Imports owner says.
Inside all of the boxes are handmade Turkish homewares. They should be on shelves for Christmas shoppers by now, but in Auckland, stores are shut.
"What do we do? We're stuck," he says
Stuck surrounded by $300,000 worth of stock, and that doesn't include the high cost of getting it here.
"You put on top of that the cost of freight, used to cost $8000 for a container, it's now $24,000. That has to come from somewhere. All that's paid for, all that product's paid for, we just can't sell it at the moment," Whittle says.
Every New Zealand importer is paying through the roof just to get goods here.
Foot Science International in Canterbury imports foam to make orthotics. The freight debacle has added up to $3 million onto its annual cost of doing business.
"We're having to pay premiums of anything up to 6 or 700 percent on our normal, well what I would have considered our normal freight charges," Foot Science international director David Boyd explains.
It sells most of its orthotics offshore in 65 countries but the cost of sending one container from Ashburton to San Francisco has gone from $3000 to $19,000 - a cost businesses have no choice but to cough up.
"If you want to be in the game in a year's time, you have to pay whatever it takes at the present time," Boyd says.
Business owners don't want to hike prices pre-Christmas but say that's inevitable.
"These costs will be passed on at some point, no one can keep absorbing those sorts of level of increase," Boyd says.
"It's out of our hands, it's completely out of our hands," Whittle adds.
So is certainty. Paying painful prices doesn't even promise them space on a ship or a freight flight.
"Right now, we're extremely nervous about whether or not we'll get the space we need every week to send goods out," Boyd says.
To keep trade flowing throughout the pandemic, the Government has underwritten an air freight scheme for two years, costing $365m. Importers and exporters are now calling for that same subsidy to be applied to shipping.
"What would be helpful is if we could bring that same type of assistance into sea freighting, which is obviously where the greatest volume of freight is," Boyd says.
Transport Minister Michael Wood told Newshub he's had reassurance from international shipping lines that they're committed to servicing New Zealand.
With Christmas coming and Auckland uncertain about what that'll look like retailers are reeling.
"Christmas looks like a disaster and for us we'll get through it, but for a lot of other retailers, it's going to be game over. I'm sure of it," Whittle says.
Not a game they want to be playing.


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CSE Sustainability Chicago Workshop on July 1
The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) in North America proudly hosted its inaugural Sustainability workshop on July 1 in Chicago. The full workshop featured many prominent organizations in attendance, with representatives from Whole Foods, Armstrong, Arrowsmith, USG, University of Chicago, DePaul University, as well as a special appearance from the Director of IIT’s Center for Sustainable Enterprise, Mr. George Nassos.
The CSE workshop, titled “How to…Get Started with CSR: From Strategy to Reporting”, focused on the fundamentals of Sustainability, considered by many experts as the more Holistic Green Movement now taking place in the wake of our economic situation. The Chicago Alderman of the 1st ward, Manny Flores, kicked off the workshop with a special appearance and some insight into the city’s mission for going green.
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Reprinted from The New York Times by
While on the campaign trail last year, Donald Trump lamented the loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States and set his sights on companies like Apple to help rectify the situation. “I’m going to get Apple to start making their computers and their iPhones on our land, not in China,” he said.
On Wednesday, Apple appeared to meet President Trump halfway.
While it did not announce a new manufacturing facility with thousands of manufacturing jobs, Apple, the world’s most valuable public company, said it planned to dedicate resources to American job creation with a $1 billion fund to invest in advanced manufacturing in the United States. The company said it would announce the first investment from its new fund later this month.
The fund “can be the ripple in the pond,” Timothy Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said during an interview with CNBC in which he announced the new fund. “Those manufacturing jobs create more jobs around them because you have a service industry that builds up around them.” …


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U.S. Drone Company Skyfish on the Made in the U.S.A., NDAA Compliant Market: A Timeline
News and Commentary
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Over the last six years, the number and size of US-based drone manufacturers – and their opportunities – have grown significantly. Skyfish, US manufacturers of engineering grade drones, says this can be attributed in part to the efforts of the U.S. Federal Government to ban Chinese drone technology and grow the domestic market. The timeline they’ve published shows the government’s increasing pressure to reduce their reliance on foreign-made drone platforms from 2017 to the present. Laid out in graphic form, it’s clear that efforts to reduce US reliance on imported technology continue to influence the development of domestic drone manufacturing.
“The ban on Chinese drone technology has created an opportunity in the market for U.S. manufacturers,” says Dr. Orest Pilskalns, CEO of Skyfish. “Skyfish is one of…


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TV Gemist offers viewers the possibility to go back seven days within the EPG to watch a programme. A similar feature is now standard with Dutch cable operator Ziggo and IPTV provider KPN.
Canal Digital has also launched the Canal Digitaal Films on-demand movie service, in conjunction with the Film Europe HD movie channel, that was launched earlier this week on the platform, offering hundreds of movies.
In order to help subscribers find the content they want, Canal Digitaal has also launched the WhatsOnTV chat service. Using Facebook Messenger, viewers can receive personalised tips of programmes they might like.


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Electric Vehicle carmakers Tesla, Fisker and Coda are making headlines for their successes and failures, as other EV manufacturers are quietly -- and successfully -- supplying corporate fleets with plug-in trucks, buses and military vehicles.
We're not talking about the major manufacturers Ford, Toyota or Honda, each of which offers several pure EV or plug-in hybrid-electric models. No, there are lesser-known companies producing specialty vehicles.
The Kansas City-based Smith Electric Vehicles has sold zero-emission delivery trucks to Staples, Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, AT&T and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Smith EV trucks have a 100-mile-range-per-charge and offer fuel costs that are as much as 75 percent lower than diesel. Smith Electric has factories in Kansas City, Chicago, and a recently-opened facility in the economically depressed part of New York City's Bronx, known as Hunts Point.
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies is a global leader in natural gas, hydrogen and hybrid electric vehicle technologies based in Irvine, Calif. They've built something called the Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV) for the U.S. Army. This advanced diesel hybrid-electric truck reduces fuel costs. More importantly, this reinforced reconnaissance, counter-terrorism and rescue vehicle also saves soldiers' lives.
The Q-Force electric vehicle consumes up to 25 percent less fuel compared with conventional vehicles of comparable size. With fuel costing as much as $400 a gallon in remote military zones, such as Afghanistan, that's a significant saving. It also means fewer fuel convoys to supply troops, reducing both cost and exposure to the threat of attack on fuel convoys. A recent Army Energy Security Task Force report states that a 1 percent improvement in fuel economy results in 6,444 fewer soldier trips on fuel convoys.
With a top speed of 80 mph and a "run-silent" range of 8 miles on all-electric, the CERV prototype can produce over 5,000 lb.-ft. of torque and climb steep hills with up to 60 percent grades.
Quantum also has electrified delivery trucks for the U.S. Postal Service and modified a Ford F-150 pickup truck into a diesel hybrid. Detroit-based VIA Motors also modifies pickups and vans into electrified versions.
Late last year Chicago became the first large U.S. city to order all-electric, zero-emission garbage trucks. The $13.4 million contract is for 30 trucks from San Francisco Bay Area start-up Motiv Power Systems, which retrofits conventional trucks with off-the-shelf batteries and motors, mixed and matched to fit the exact size and power of the electric truck needed.
According to the company, the ePCS design approach cuts operating costs from 80 cents per mile to 10 cents per mile. Plus, these EV refuse trucks provide quiet, emissions-free garbage pick-up, without diesel engine noise to wake residents at 5 a.m.
The EV garbage trucks will also use an electric motor to drive the hydraulics system. These EV trucks will weigh 52,000 pounds and have a range of more than 60 miles, with a total energy storage of 200 kWh.
Motiv also is testing an all-electric 20-passenger bus, funded by a grant from the California Energy Commission. The bus contains five battery packs producing 125 kwh, and has a range of more than 120 miles on a single charge. The Motiv EV refuse trucks planned for Chicago use the same ePCS system as the pilot bus, but include a larger motor, and 10 battery packs.
At the other end of the electric spectrum are golf carts, which now can be duded up to look like a Hummer, vintage hot rod or a sleek, six-figure sports car. Still, these are classified as NEV, for Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, or LSEV, for Low Speed Electric Vehicles, and are permitted only on roads and streets where the speed limit is 35 mph, such as within gated communities or resort or college campuses.
Large or small, Electric Vehicles are proving to have definite advantages for consumers, corporations, cities, and the military.
Copyright © 2013 Motor Matters
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Visa and Mastercard have reached an estimated $30 billion settlement to limit credit and debit card fees for merchants, Reuters reported. She added that some of the savings would likely be passed on to consumers due to lower prices. The settlement, which applies only to U.S. sellers, is the result of a lawsuit filed in 2005.
The antitrust settlement of credit card providers Visa and Mastercard is one of the largest in U.S. history and, if approved by the court, would end a legal dispute that has been ongoing since 2005, Reuters pointed out.
Visa and Mastercard reached a $30 billion settlement
He added that merchants have long accused Visa and Mastercard of charging excessive card swipe fees (so-called interchange fees) when customers used credit or debit cards, and of preventing them from steering customers towards cheaper means of payment.
Under the settlement announced Tuesday, Visa and Mastercard will cut interchange rates by four basis points (0.04 percentage points) in the United States for three years and cap rates for five years, Reuters reported.
The agency added that both suppliers, while agreeing to the settlement, denied committing any wrongdoing.
According to court documents, fee reductions and caps alone are worth $29.79 billion, and Visa estimated that small businesses account for more than 90%. settling traders.
Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist hired by the traders as an expert, said in an affidavit that the settlement “significantly increases sellers' freedom to target customers using the basis of competition – pricing” and could lead to “very significant” savings for merchants.
– Competition between sellers results in these savings being passed on to customers in the form of lower prices – added Stiglitz, quoted by Reuters.
Last March, a federal appeals court in Manhattan upheld a $5.6 billion Visa and Mastercard class action settlement that covered about 12 million merchants. The settlement did not address what types of fees Visa and Mastercard could impose, and not all merchants were covered, Reuters reported.
Main photo source: Shutterstock


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According to an article in Markets and Markets, the vehicle security system market is dominated by remote keyless entry systems in terms of value. In details, over 70% of vehicles manufactured today are equipped with a remote keyless entry system, either as a standard or an optional feature. And although this is wonderful, the fact of the matter is – it remains steeped in risk – because the technology can be hacked. Police forces all over the UK are reporting that keyless car entry system can be hacked easily, causing a rise in keyless car thefts. Therefore, the presence of numerous vulnerabilities in the existing keyless entry system is a critical factor driving the growth of automotive biometric vehicle access system market.
To illustrate, Technavio reported that in the past, vehicles were equipped with conventional mechanical keys to lock or unlock vehicle doors. However, these manual keys can cause vehicle theft because they are easily to be stolen or misplaced by the driver inside the vehicle. With the advent of electronic keyless entry systems, the situation changed drastically because vehicle access is now linked to electromagnetic frequency and communication wavelengths. Although keyless entry system is perceived to be secure, certain loopholes in this technology leave the vehicles vulnerable to theft. Andy, police liaison officer at Tracker, explained that every keyless car have attached the microchips, in which thieves can intercept and copy the signal emitted by the key to start the car. Consequently, the demand for biometric vehicle access systems will rise significantly over the next few years.
Moreover, the issues with keyless entry systems have raised the doubt not only among the consumers, but also among insurance providers. Insurance companies have begun refusing coverage to drivers who own keyless vehicles but don’t stash their car in underground parking lots or other secure locations, says an article in The Guardian. This is because the incidents of vehicle theft by hacking into keyless systems drastically climbed during 2013 – 2014 due to easy availability of tools and devices that can break into this system, according to the U.S. National Insurance Crime Bureau. In other words, customers need to equip themselves with higher secure methods such as biometric to prevent these issues.
Based on the vulnerabilities of keyless entry systems mentioned above, the vehicle company and customers have a tendency to move to products integrating biometrics. According to the report uploaded on Business Wire, the global automotive biometric vehicle access system market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.55% during the period 2016-2020, in which these devices will be equipped with voice, fingerprint and iris. Beside the vehicle access and anti-theft systems utilities, the application of biometric technologies in the automotive also includes ignition permissions, and on-board communication program.
Based on the report ‘Vehicle Security System Market’, Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share of the global vehicle security system market, due to the demand of customer and leading production of automobiles in the world. Following regions are North America and Europe. Some of the major vendors mentioned like Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Continental AG (Germany), Lear Corporation (U.S.), Delphi Automotive (U.K.), and Valeo SA (France), along with numerous local players.


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State Bank launches cash back offer
State Bank on Wednesday said it has launched a 'cash back' for its debit card holders across the country, starting from July 1.
During this period, customers of State Bank of India and its associate banks using their debit cards for making payments of Rs 501 and above would get cash back up to 5 per cent, a release issued in Mumbai said.
Customers spending amount from Rs 501 to less than Rs 5,001 would get three per cent cash back, while for amount spent between Rs 5,001 and less than Rs 10,001, customers would get 4 per cent cash back.
The offer, which begins on July 1 and ends on August 31, however, would not be available on ATM withdrawals and Internet transactions and would be credited to the customers' account within 4-6 weeks of the end of the campaign.
The maximum amount of cash back during the period of offer would be Rs 1,000 per debit card.
The State Bank Group is the largest debit card issuer in the country with over 37-million debit card holders.


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- honda has announced pricing for the updated 2022 passport mid-size suv.
- there are fewer trim levels than before, with the lineup now including ex-l, trailsport, and elite.
- the ex-l comes with either front- or all-wheel drive, while the other two models come standard with awd.
honda has reworked the 2022 passport lineup, pushing it towards the higher end of the price spectrum in the mid-size suv class. the previous base sport trim level is gone, meaning the ex-l with front-wheel drive now serves as the starting point and starts at $39,095. that base price is $5080 more than the 2021 passport sport's and is several thousand dollars more expensive than the base prices of competitors such as the hyundai santa fe, ford edge, and vw atlas cross sport.
the trailsport model is new to the lineup for 2022 and starts at $43,695. it and the top elite trim, starting at $46,665, both come standard with all-wheel drive, while awd is a $2100 option on the ex-l. a 3.5-liter v-6 engine with 280 horsepower is standard across the board.
the ex-l comes with a fair amount of standard equipment for the money, including leather seats that are heated in front, 20-inch wheels, a sunroof, a power tailgate, and blind-spot monitoring. the trailsport adds visual tweaks meant to make it look more rugged, along with 18-inch wheels and different tires, an 0.4-inch wider track, a navigation system, and a roof rack. the elite adds cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats.
honda says that the 2022 models will start arriving at dealerships this winter, but some inventory of 2021 models is likely to remain if you want to try to get a deal on the less expensive sport trim level on its way out.


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Melissa Chase is named Brand Manager of Audacy hot AC “Mix 96.5” KHMX and adult hits “95.7 The Spot” KKHH Houston. Chase most recently served as OM of SummitMedia Richmond and morning host at hot AC “103.7 Your Variety” WURV.
“Melissa’s breadth of experience launching and enhancing local radio brands makes her a perfect choice to take the helm of these two stations,” Senior VP/Market Manager Sarah Frazier said in a release. “I am equally as excited about her expressed commitment to leveraging the power of our brands to play a role in our community. Connecting with our listeners is our number one priority, and I trust that our stations will be able to further grow its footprint in the Houston area under Melissa’s leadership.”


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FLOW LIVE TOUR 2013 " tour THE MAX!!! " -Grand Final -at Maihama Amphitheatre" DVD Release
Monday 30 Sep, 2013 - 10:29pm UTC
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Rounding out FLOW
's 10th anniversary year of " FLOW THE MAX!!!!
" the band has announced the release of a live DVD with songs recorded from the tour Grand Final performance made in Maihama Amphitheatre on September 7, 2013 titled,
" FLOW LIVE TOUR 2013 " tour THE MAX!!! " -Grand Final-at Maihama Amphitheatre
" which will be released on 2013.12.18 for a cost of 4,800yen (tax in).
Performances from 47 prefectures encompass this release with familiar tunes including the latest single "Tokonatsu Endless
" and the latest album "FLOW THE MAX!!!!
". The highlights of the DVD will be the shaking venue with audience participation and it promises sweat and excitment as FLOW
connects with their audience.
To obtain this release is by reservation via ASMART
or Sony Music shop
which starts today October 1st, 2013. There is also a special site set up for this release here
. Furthermore, keep an eye on the bands official Facebook
page for more news to come.


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Blind woman “stalked” by Woolworths robot in supermarket
A blind woman has lashed out at Woolworths over a “silly” robot who “stalked” her while she was shopping with her guide dog at a Melbourne supermarket.
On Tuesday, Casey Hyde took her guide dog Bridget through a Woolworths store when she was confronted by a tall, white robot.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Ms Hyde, who has 10 per cent vision, said the robot kept following her down the aisle as it yelled the word “obstruction”.
“It’s designed to find things blocking the aisle and the robot thought Bridget was an obstruction,” she said.
“It scared the dog and also distracted her.”
She said the robot followed her closely as she walked around the supermarket and believes that because Bridget is black and weighs about 39 kg she may have been mistaken for a bin.
“It was confronting for me – the robot wasn’t helping me feel comfortable,” Ms Hyde said.
She claimed that a stranger helped her complete her shopping because “she could not see if the robot was coming or not”.
The robot, which is called “Greggles” has not been popular amongst shoppers, one of them being Ms Hyde.
Modern technology might stop me from working. This robot in Woolworths checks on shelves for empty low...
“It shows a bit of ignorance towards people with disabilities – how are people in wheelchairs or with prams supposed to get through the aisle with this robot?”
She added that she’s “really concerned” is the “silly robots” gets rolled out to even more stores across the country, that it may make it difficult for people to do their shopping.
“I just want people to be able to enjoy their shopping instead of worrying about being stalked by a penis-shaped robot,” said Ms Hyde.
A Woolworths spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia that they want all customers “to feel welcome” and regret that, on this occasion it “wasn’t the case”.
The spokesperson revealed that someone has gotten in touch with Ms Hyde and “will look into details with the robot manufacturer as a priority”.
“The safety robot is part of a trial designed to improve customer safety and experience in the store, and we’re closely monitoring customer feedback on it,” they said.
“These robots operate in hundreds of stores across the world and have been subject to extensive safety testing by the manufacturer. They have sensors built in and are programmed to stop or move away from any fixed or moving objects.”
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HTL International to wind up two subsidiaries
HTL International Holdings has closed two sofa manufacturing plants in Yangzhou and Shanghai as part of its ongoing efforts to restructure its business.
As a result, the subsidiaries operating these plants, HTL Furniture (Yangzhou) Co and TBC Furniture (Shanghai) Co, will both be wound up.
"The activities at these two plants have been redistributed to the group's other sofa manufacturing plants in other cities within Jiangsu, China," HTL said.


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HMD Global remains committed to bringing the glory of the old days back to the Finnish manufacturer's smartphones, and so far has done an extraordinary job. Now information is coming for the first time about your upcoming Android One smartphone, the Nokia 8.1.
In recent times we have seen very interesting smartphones presented by the Finnish manufacturer, being able to present a very good price / quality ratio and all of them integrated in the Android One project.
Nokia 7.1 will be the next smartphone to receive Android Pie 9.0
This new Nokia 8.1 may come with some surprises that fans would probably not expect. Its predecessor presented itself as a true high end, however this new model seems to be aimed at the mid-range segment.
Thanks to its appearance on the Geekbench platform in performance testing, we have now learned for the first time some of its specifications. While not a new high-end, it will certainly deliver top-notch performance.
Nokia 8.1 to be next brand Android One to reach mid-range segment
According to the listing, Nokia 8.1 will arrive equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC processor. This is Qualcomm's latest processor for mid-range smartphones, delivering impressive performance and great AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities.
Compared to its predecessor, it might look like a "downgrade ", but surely HMD Global knows exactly what it is doing. Quite possibly, the move of this model to a lower segment indicates that its arrival will not be far from the presentation of the mythical Nokia 9 and its 5 cameras.
From the list revealed at Geekbench, we also learned that it will arrive with a modest 4GB of RAM. Although not very impressive, with the help of the SD710 will be more than enough to ensure solid performance.
One of the highlights is the presence of Android Pie. This may be the company's first smartphone to hit the market with the latest version of Google's operating system. Although not specified so far. Most likely this new smartphone will also be integrated into the Android One project.
Finally, we do not know yet when HMD Global might be planning to launch the new smartphone. However, it would not be surprising that it was introduced only in early 2019. This way, the manufacturer would not have to risk a direct competition between two of its smartphones.
EBox editors recommend:
Nokia 7.1 Plus is officially announced with Android Oreo and SD710
Android Pie will reach Nokia 5.1 Plus by the end of 2018
Nokia 3.1 Plus is now official with Android One for about 135 €
Source | Via


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Run a search for your Android phone via Google, and its search engine will pinpoint the phone's location on a map. And the feature even works with a lost tablet.
Technically Incorrect: Chris Roberts says he sent his tweet because he's frustrated that a security flaw isn't being addressed.
Wink Hub owners are locked out of the company's servers after mishandled security update. Here's how to fix it.
The latest flagship in Sony's line of sleek, waterproof Android smartphones has been announced by the company on its Japanese website.
Technically Incorrect: Chris Roberts, who was removed from a United flight by the FBI earlier this week, is now prevented from boarding another United plane.
Which has the most apps? Which has the coolest features? Which one is the best? The most popular streamers all have their merits, so we'll help you decide which box is right for you.
Technically Incorrect: In Tulsa, two men argue in a parking lot over who makes the better phones. One allegedly strikes the other with a beer bottle. And then there is blood. A lot of blood.
Get ready for rolling BB-8 toys. The droid in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is a real robot, based on the technology in Sphero's toy robotic balls. And in a galaxy not so far away, SpaceX delivers an espresso machine to the International Space Station.
You'll have to make sure your smart TV or mobile device is up to date if you want to continue to access the app.
The privately held music streaming service is said to be courting Goldman Sachs and others in a $400 million dollar fundraising round.


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Neteller Payment System Drops BitcoinPublished July 22, 2014 by Lee R
Bitcoin has lost an important currency market foothold.
In their new terms of service agreement, Neteller has banned the use of the virtual currency Bitcoin payment processor.
The revised terms of service now includes the prohibition of the use “of NETELLER to facilitate the trade, exchange, purchase or sale of bitcoins, or any other virtual currency.”
Isle of Man Friendly
NETELLER is based in the Isle of Man, a jurisdiction that is friendly towards Bitcoin.
The Isle of Man government website has in fact committed authorities to “take specific actions aimed at helping protect businesses and customers utilizing digital currencies and provide an environment for high-quality businesses in this rapidly emerging field.”
Virtual Currency: A Tough Sell
The field is emerging, but the notion of virtual currency replacing actual currency is spurious at best, akin to using poker chips or company scrip as actual currency, though each country has its own specific form of currency already.
Bitcoin is popular with online poker providers, so the resemblance to a poker chip system is inevitable—though in this case transcending national border and currency systems.
Virtual Currency Maturing?
Some have characterized the virtual currency market as entering a state of maturation, but what this means is not clear.
The virtual currency system is being more widely used, as evinced by new deals such as the Bitcoin only poker room, Bitcoin Poker's new agreement to allow players to enter all Winning Poker Network WPN tournaments.
Boom and Bust
SealsWithClubs is generally regarded as the most successful Bitcoin only game operator, but has actually experienced increased cash game traffic in the wake of last year's so-called “speculative boom and bust” in Bitcoin prices and investment.
The removal of Bitcoin by NETELLER looks to be a huge blow to the popularity and value of Bitcoin and virtual currency systems in general. Bitcoin has now lost what otherwise would be a ringing endorsement from one of the largest payment processors for online gaming in the world.


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Acura Integra Prototype pictures
Introducing the Acura Integra Prototype
Acura Shows off Styling of its 2023 Integra, in Prototype Form
Acura showed off the exterior design of its reborn Integra model tonight ahead of a fuller unveiling at the Los Angeles Auto Show next week. We’ll know more at that point about the future sporty sedan’s performance specifications, and about its interior, which was not shown this time around.


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Hair loss can cause devastating psychological effects
Put your mind to it and you can probably come up with several examples of bald men who are considered sexy. First there was Yul Brynner, then Bruce Willis, now Patrick Stewart and Jason Statham.
But there are few bald women in the public eye. So when a woman goes through hair loss the psychological effects can be devastating. And yet female baldness isn’t being treated as the medical concern it really is, with many women feeling that their doctors are dismissing their problem as cosmetic and therefore not of great importance.
Around five million women experience hair loss at some point in their lives – it’s often connected with a drop in hormonal levels (such as if you stop taking hormone replacement therapy), diabetes, thyroid problems, as well as some medications. For some women, however, it is related to stress (stress alopecia) with hair loss occurring all over the scalp rather than in patches. And now a study published in the the Journal of Applied Cosmetology reveals how such hair loss affects women.
Researchers followed women with genetic hair loss over a two-year period, assessing their psychological wellbeing throughout. They found that if the hair loss is left untreated women are likely to suffer with long-term psychological problems. The study participants were given a six-month treatment to control further hair loss and improve the appearance of their hair. This included topical treatments such as laser therapy and supplements containing niacin and Marilex, a fish extract.
All participants – both those who had severe or moderate hair loss at the start of the study – showed psychological improvements at the end of the treatment, with reduced anxiety and depression, and an increase in self-esteem and social interaction.
Further research undertaken by Nourkrin asked 2000 women how they felt about hair loss – 45% said that losing their hair was their worst fear, rated as more worrying than sagging skin or putting on weight. “Many women believe that an unidentified health issue is causing their hair loss,” says Dr. David Kingsley, leading trichologist and president of the World Trichology Society. “This can then become a vicious cycle where stress exacerbates the hair loss, making the woman more concerned... and thus more hair loss occurs.”