text:
During the 2018 Chinese National Day Holidays, Bloomberg Business Week reported that Chinese hackers planted microchips into motherboards supplying for data center servers of tech giants Apple and Amazon. The original Bloomberg post is available at https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-04/the-big-hack-how-china-used-a-tiny-chip-to-infiltrate-america-s-top-companies, and Amazon, Apple, Super Micro and the Chinese Government all have denied the hack.
As I followed the related posts, I found despite there may(or may not) be a hack on the motherboard chips, surely the event happening and growing is a big hack on the public perception. The story of tiny chip hacking is falsifiable in the lab of tech giants like Amazon or Apple, but the story itself spreading in the public, the ongoing process, is not falsifiable. There will never be clear yes/no for the story(even the yes/no could be very sure at the lab), as more and more people read the story(and followed posts), forget the detail or even a summary of the story, remember only some keywords at last, there will be untrustworthy about the chips and conspiracy theories about hackers in the public perception.
Falsifiability is the way Karl Popper defined how scientific theories are progressing. A claim is falsifiable if it can be empirically verified to be true or false, a falsifiable claim can be either true or false; but an unfalsifiable claim can also be either true or false, but not possible to empirically verify. Here, I borrow the concept falsifiability to explain the chip implanting case both in the lab and in the public perception. The chip hack story is falsifiable for hardware people in the lab, since it is not hard to verify the specific whether the tiny chip is hacked empirically, with the help of hardware knowledge and proper devices. And noted that, here we say “the chip hack story”, the hardware people can explicitly get it as the proposition that the Supermicro motherboard is hacked by a tiny chip with backdoor implanted. The proposition could be elaborated or explicated in a more professional way, and the very proposition is falsifiable in our context. So when the Bloomberg story came out, there was nothing to be panic for hardware people in the lab yet, since they could verify the story in the lab.
And here the same story came to the public from a public media. Can the story be verified with the public?
For hardware people, as the story was out, they could abstract from the original story to one or more explicit and logic-consistent propositions. The implicit original story transformed into several falsifiable propositions, and the verification is somehow trivial for professionals.
But it seems impossible to abstract anything by the public, or say that in the public perception there is nothing abstraction. The hardware people, especially those from the big tech companies, are extensively trained with professional knowledge and skills, but the public on average have little knowledge about the hardware, the cybersecurity and the cloud computing, the public perception of those concepts are mostly from spy and Sci-Fi movies. As the original story populates, there will be a lot of followed posts, videos, podcasts discussing, arguing, explaining or manifesting, but one thing the followers must be done is repeating, repeating the summary, or just a few keywords of the original story. The opinions of followers are diversified, but those keywords repeated are rather consistent inside a narrow range, and people will read those keywords again and again. And when people talk about the tiny chip story, they will relate the story with some fragmented topics of social symbols enforced by summary or keywords repeated all over the internet. The care of the realness about the story will fade away, or the debate over the story will be forever lasting and tiring, only that the topics related will lay a step into the public memory, and finally, new social symbols will settle down in the public perception.
We can consider the public perception as a tag cloud, which reflects what concepts come up to everyone’s mind and how those concepts are weighted on the whole when an event occurs. Stories from the media giants or trending posts over the social networks could make great changes on the public perception tag clouds, like what tags, how those tags weight, the interconnection between those tags. It may or may not be true for cyber hackers implanting a tiny chip into the data center motherboard, but the story here is surely changing the public perception tag clouds towards data center, big tech companies, hardware cyber securities and so on. When cyber hackers infiltrate an internet server, they compose some data fit into the vulnerabilities of unfixed server codes. And the story here we discussed, fits into the public perception just like a Trojan Horse fits into a software system. Tags in the public perception like Super Micro, motherboard, data centers, servers now become connected with some political symbols. Someday when people sitting together talk about servers, “hackers with political target” will come up as their next topic, and that how the hack in the public perception works, even no one intentionally performs the hack.
With the never ending supply chains of modern globalized manufacturing and extra complexity of chip design, it is surely vulnerable for manufacturers from implanting malicious chips in the supply chains. The public perception is at least equally vulnerable and unprotected since there is no such a thing as falsification in the public perception. The internet today becomes a nearly full connected boosting system for populating, amplifying or transforming any changing stories. The geographical and language boundaries could not prevent internet from populating stories, but they do help to transform the stories into different public perceptions within the respective boundaries.
As in the modern world, it seems the science and the technology are so developed, that the hi-tech products like micro chips are so broadly used as there are many of them inside everyone’s cell phone. But the scientific thinking is yet a very unpopular idea, and theories like falsification are heard by very little people. The science things have already arrived in our life, except we haven’t thought deeply about them, we only know that words “the science things” have come.


text:
Fast-growing handmade jewellery and accessories company Pineapple Island has selected Brightpearl to support rapid scale and introduce more customers to ethical accessories that won’t cost the Earth.
Having experienced exceptional growth over the past year, the company was starting to be held back due to the limitations of its existing provider.
To scale quickly the brand needed an e-commerce platform and flexible digital operations that would seamlessly integrate, manage, and ideally automate the firm’s end-to-end workflows, especially on the fulfilment side of the equation.
Despite competition from single solution providers, Pineapple Island selected Brightpearl, due, in part, to its suite of integrations, retail specialism and automation, alongside advanced fulfilment features.
Born in 2008, from a journey of solo-travel and self discovery, Pineapple Island exists to introduce more people to ethical jewellery and accessories that directly contribute towards positive social change.
With Brightpearl now at the heart of its operations, Pineapple Island will resolve the exceptions impacting the business, such as the company’s previous issues with inventory management, speed and efficiency of managing orders and fulfillment, and the accuracy of reporting.
Brightpearl’s cloud-based operations platform means Pineapple Island now gains access to centralised inventory and order management, real-time product and financial reporting, and a robust platform that is built for scalability – the perfect fit to support the eco conscious brand on its next stage of growth.
Justin Press, SVP Customer Success at Brightpearl, says: “As a fast-growing business, Pineapple Island understands the need for future-proof solutions that can streamline and automate ecommerce workflows, and are built for scale. Retail focussed software – like Brightpearl – is critical for providing a robust foundation to manage demand and further growth, and we’re delighted to be powering Pineapple Island on the next stage of its journey.”

domain: news


text:
Images, video and audio from this Web site are provided without login for the purpose of editorial use only.
You must contact firstname.lastname@example.org to obtain approval for advertising, marketing or other commercial users.
Ford Media Center
In new research carried out by Ford, with the help of motion sickness experts, passengers who stared at screens for the duration of a short journey fell ill after an average of just 10 minutes. And those were all grown-ups.
“Car sickness can turn an eagerly awaited family trip into a nightmare, with mum and dad nervously looking over their shoulders and fearing the worst,” said Eike Schmidt, research engineer at the Ford Research and Innovation Centre, in Aachen, Germany. “Comfort is a huge focus for the way we design the cars of the future – and we want to do everything we can to reduce car sickness.”
Yawning and perspiring are warning signs for a condition that is caused by mismatches between signals the brain receives from the eyes and from the organs of balance, in the ear. Babies don’t get car sick. This only comes when we start walking. Pets are affected though, and incredibly, even goldfish suffer from motion sickness, a phenomenon observed by sailors.
“Car sickness is a complex problem. It is a natural reaction to an unnatural stimulus that cannot be cured as such. But we can look to alleviate the symptoms,” said Prof. Dr. Jelte Bos, of TNO, Perceptual and Cognitive Systems, Soesterberg, in the Netherlands.
In the initial testing it was found that when screens were mounted higher, and the road ahead could be seen on either side, volunteers were less likely to feel sick. Further experiments will explore alternative ways that journeys could be displayed in the cabin so
that unseeing passengers can be warned of events such as twisty roads or hump backed bridges.
“For many drivers who think their child has a problem with car sickness it might simply be that their child has a problem with their driving,” added Prof. Bos, who also holds a chair in motion perception at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, and has worked on a device that shows when behaviour behind the wheel could affect sickness-prone passengers. “Adopting a smoother driving style goes a long way towards reducing feelings of nausea – and it reduces fuel costs too.”
Here are some ways that the professor suggests car sickness can be eased:
• Move to the middle in the back seats, or preferably the front, to see the road ahead
• Drive smoothly and where possible avoid sudden braking, harsh acceleration, potholes
• Distract sufferers – even a family sing along could help
• Drink cola, eat ginger biscuits, but avoid coffee
• Use a pillow or head support to keep your head as still as possible
• Operate air-con to keep fresh air circulating
For the Arabic version of the press release, please click here: Arabic
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. To expand its business model, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities with investments in electrification, autonomy and mobility. Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products and services, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford’s history in the Middle East goes back more than 60 years. The company’s local importer-dealers operate more than 155 facilities in the region and directly employ more than 7,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals. For more information on Ford Middle East, please visit www.me.ford.com.
Ford Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen with currently three CSR initiatives running in the region including the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, Ford Warriors in Pink® breast cancer awareness campaign and Ford Driving Skills for Life safe driving awareness programme for young drivers and teens.


text:
By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Business Writer
Starbucks posted stronger-than-expected sales in its fiscal second quarter as demand in China began to recover and it opened nearly 500 new stores around the world.
The Seattle coffee giant said Tuesday that its net revenue jumped 14% in the January-March period to $8.72 billion. That was better than the $8.41 billion Wall Street had forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet.
Same-store sales — or sales at stores open at least a year — rose 11% as traffic picked up in stores. That also beat analysts’ forecast of a 7.3% increase.
Same-store sales in China were up 3%, reversing a 29% decline the company saw in its October-December period due to a spike in COVID infections. In North America, same-store sales climbed 12%, and the company reported more store visits as well as higher spending per visit.
Starbucks said it opened 464 net new stores during the quarter, including 100 in North America. As part of a larger plan to reinvigorate sales, Starbucks has been closing underperforming locations and replacing them with stores in higher-traffic areas or smaller stores that are focused on pickup or drive-thru business.
Starbucks’ earnings rose 35% to $908 million. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 74 cents per share. That also beat analysts’ forecast of 65 cents.
Shares in Starbucks fell 2% in after-market trading.
Tuesday’s earnings report was the first presided over by Laxman Narasimhan, who took over as Starbucks’ CEO at the end of March.
Narasimhan is a former PepsiCo executive who most recently served as CEO of the U.K.-based health and nutrition company Reckitt. At Starbucks, he succeeded longtime leader Howard Schultz, who came out of retirement last spring to serve as interim CEO while the company searched for a new chief executive.


text:
Tarte Cosmetics is celebrating a major milestone this week: its 21st birthday. Luckily for shoppers, the beauty brand is pulling out all the stops to ring in its over two decades of creating skin care and makeup goodies. They’re saying cheers to 21 years with not one, not two, but seven days of different, amazing deals on all of the brand’s OG favorites (yes, Shape Tape is one of them).
Introducing the Tarte 21st Birthday Week sale, which brings major discounts from Oct. 3 through 10th on the company's website. You’ll see various top sellers within the line will have their prices slashed throughout the week, with deals changing every day. To snag the cult classic Shape Tape concealer for 50% off, run — don’t walk — to add it to cart, as the deal is only here through Oct. 4. Then, from Oct. 5 through 6th, Tarte palettes, blushes, and bronzers will be half-off — so if you have your eye on a day-to-night eyeshadow palette like the Tartelette™ In Bloom Amazonian Clay Palette or some lightweight pigment like the Breezy Cream Blush, you’ll have until Wednesday to stock up.
And for those who are on the market for face coverage: All Tarte foundations will be 50% off on Oct. 7th for one day only. On Friday and Saturday, shoppers can score $10 deals on select items (hint: look out for mascara, lip, lash, liner, and brow essentials). And to close out the week, Tarte will celebrate its 21st by offering half-off its Top 21 products, aka the brand’s best-sellers. To top off the discounts, Tarte is offering free shipping, free returns, and a free Blushing Beauty makeup bag (typically $22) with orders over $55. Just use the code BDAY at checkout to take advantage of the sale.
Whether you’re new to the brand or a frequent buyer, Tarte’s birthday week of swoon-worthy deals is definitely worth taking advantage of.
We only include products that have been independently selected by Bustle's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.


text:
Boku announced today a partnership with Cookie Claus Co., the leader in providing delicious treats for Santa’s chimney delivery. The agreement will allow Cookie Claus Co.’s billions of annual users around the world to pay for their milk & cookies using Boku’s custom built ‘Cookie billing platform’ named “CookEE.” Under the agreement, purchases of delicious chocolate chip cookies are billed directly to a subscriber’s cell phone bill. Users simply enter in their mobile phone number and will receive a text where they must reply with ‘D’ (for delicious!) to confirm purchase of their Santa spread.
Cookie Claus Co. offers their users a turnkey cookie solution and access to their premium ‘Cronut‘ offering which all can be accessed and purchased via their mobile device. Subscribers also have the option to opt-in and be charged on a recurring yearly basis directly on their mobile phone bill.
Jimmy the Elf, Director of Cookie Claus Co.’s ‘Santa X Program’ said, “In this global marketplace where mobile eCommerce is becoming the dominant shopping medium, the cookies can’t be expected to sell themselves online, and bill themselves directly to a subscriber’s mobile phone bill.” Mssr. Elf continued, “To stay competitive means innovating the way cookies and milk are sold; partnering with Boku made a ridiculous amount of sense.”
Many thanks to the Cookie Claus Co.’s team and our engineers for making this “delish-integration” possible. We know success is guaranteed.
Happy Holidays from The Boku Team 😉
Best Stache: Oliver McCarthy
Bushiest Beard: Mark Sadowski


text:
Wall Street report: Monday close
ANGRY investors pushed markets to fresh four-year lows amid the deepening crisis of confidence. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average, down 15% in the past two weeks in its most dramatic slide since the crash of 1987, plunged 234.68 points or 2.9% to 7784.58.
The Nasdaq Index dropped 36.53 points or 2.8% to 1282.62. For the year, the Dow is off 22%, while the Nasdaq has retreated 34%.
'We're just seeing more of the same, with more gas being thrown on the fire,' said Bryan Piskorowski, market commentator at Prudential Securities. 'Nobody is stepping up to buy even though valuations are getting stretched on the downside. There's absolutely no bounce back, just more haze and malaise.'
Investors found more reasons to sell against a backdrop of company news which seems to feature at least one new disaster every trading.
Telco WorldCom's widely-anticipated bankruptcy filing, the biggest to date, had less impact than dismal results from a 'Baby Bell.' BellSouth, which serves consumers from Kentucky to Florida as America's third biggest local telephone service provider, plunged $5 or 18% to $22.61 after it said its business was weak and could remain so. Other telcos were buffeted in BellSouth's wake, with SBC sliding $2.72 or 10% to $23.96.
WorldCom rose five cents or 56% to 14 cents, apparently on hopes that it might receive an offer for all or part of the company. Its fate was virtually sealed a month ago after it disclosed it had rigged its books to the tune of nearly $4bn (£2.7bn). The company said service would continue uninterrupted to its 20m US customers.
Citigroup, a major lender to WorldCom, posted its biggest one-day loss in five years in slumping $3.96 or 11% to $32.04 on reports that it had guided bankrupt energy trader Enron in a scheme to inflate its figures. JP Morgan, also implicated in the alleged scheme, lost $1.58 or 6% to $24.52.
The sell-off was broad with big names sharing the pain. Alcoa shed $2.15 or 8% to $24.85, IBM eased $3.50 or 5%% to $68.50 and American Express lost $2.88 or 8.5%% to $28.97. Techs weakened as well, with Microsoft off $3.27 or 6.6% to $46.29, Dell down $1.30 or 5% to $23.77 and Sun Microsystems lower by 19 cents or 4.5% to $4.06.
Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble added $3.39 or 4.6% to $77.85 after it unveiled plans for a share buyback - a strategy finding favour in boardrooms as they seek to stem the share slide. By one reckoning, 30 companies have announced share buybacks totalling $18.4bn in the past week.
3M, which makes Post-It notes and Scotch tape, rose finished slightly higher at $109 as it topped quarterly earnings estimates.
Most watched Money videos
- Age UK explains what is Pension Credit and how it can help you
- Fiat Panda spectacularly fails Euro NCAP test with zero stars
- Analyst explains why Fiat Panda received zero stars on NCAP test
- A UK guide to buying a used car
- Top tips to add value to your home with a renovation
- 'It's time to be picky': Where to invest in tricky times
- Ruffer profited in 2008 crash: Where is it investing now?
- Was the stock market sell-off overdone?
- Philip Hammond announces new relief for first time buyers
- What the Budget 2018 means for you
- A quick tour of the VW California Ocean campervan
- Bank of England Governor warns rates could rise with 'no-deal Brexit'


text:
VideoLAN, a nonprofit that builds open-source media player software, says it's blocking Huawei phones from downloading its free VLC for Android app from the Google Play Store.
The decision came in response to the Chinese phone maker's decision to cut off all background apps except its own, which stops VLC's audio playback, VideoLAN said in a tweet.
"PSA: @HuaweiMobile phones are now blacklisted and cannot get VLC on the Play Store. Their ridiculous policy of killing all background apps (except their own) breaks VLC audio background playback (of course)," the company said.
The blacklisting apparently applies only to Huawei's newer phones. Last Wednesday, Android forum site FrAndroid noted that it couldn't download VLC to the recently released Huawei P20 Pro, but could do so on the Mate 10 Pro and P9.
Huawei says it's working with third parties to fix this issue suggested that updating phones' settings should help.
Under the Settings menu, you can tap Battery, Launch and and turn off "Manage all automatically." From here, go to "Manage batch manually" and ensure that these three settings are switched on: "Auto-launch," "Secondary launch" and "Run in background."
Huawei overtook Apple in the second quarter of 2018 to become the world's second largest smartphone vendor, according to research released Tuesday.
In mid-July, the company crossed the 100 million shipments mark and CEO Richard Yu expressed hopes for the company to ship 200 million phones by the end of 2018, despite its fraught relationship with the US government.
Updated August 1 at 2:20 a.m.: Adds Huawei's suggestion for fixing the problem and details about Huawei overtaking Apple.


text:
Follow the WDRB Newsroom, Reporters and Anchors.More >>
Tweets from the WDRB Newsroom, Reporters and Anchors.More >>
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A controversial plan to ban package liquor sales from 2 to 4 a.m. is no closer to becoming law after a lengthy discussion Tuesday during the Metro Council's public safety committee meeting.
The proposed ordinance would ban the sale of liquor in Louisville between the hours of 2 to 4 a.m. The impetus for the idea came from Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton, who argues there is a direct correlation between an increase in crime and sales during that time period.
But other council members have raised concerns, saying more data should be reviewed, that enforcement could be difficult and that such a ban would still allow the sale of beer. The committee heard from several speakers Tuesday, including a representative from the Kentucky Distillers Association who argued that the language in the ordinance needs to be changed to limit all alcohol sales.
"If your intent is stop the sale of alcohol during certain hours ... please treat all alcohol fairly," said Kristen Meador with the KDA.
David Bridgers, vice president and general counsel for Thorntons told council members including beer sales in the ban would unfairly target its 36 area stores.
"It seems unreasonable that problems in a few locations of retail sales of liquor should change the rules for retailers who obey the laws of our community," Bridgers said.
When asked if this is problem is specific to her district, why make it a city-wide law, Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton said: "Because it's not just my district. There are 13 districts that don't sell past midnight, so they don't see the problem -- they don't have the problem."
Hamilton concedes she is willing to ban the sale of both beer and liquor if the end result is a reduction in crime. The committee took no vote Tuesday.
But during the discussion, concerns were raised about how the new law, if passed, would be enforced. And council members appeared upset after it was revealed the city only fines non-compliant offenders and does not revoke liquor licenses.
"They are saying that ... they can't revoke their license. Well something is wrong with that," Cheri Bryant Hamilton said.
Some audience members in the chamber were upset they did not get a chance to speak. There's talk of hosting a town hall discussion in the Shawnee neighborhood next week.
The committee will address the issue again in two weeks.


text:
Chase Online – JP Morgan to launch digital bank in UK
Wall Street bank hired 400 staff members for Canary Wharf headquartered digital bank
The Wall Street business JP Morgan is actually to launch a new digital bank within the UK, inside a move which threatens to shake up a banking industry still dominated by a small number of high street lenders.
JP Morgan has already selected 400 staff members for the soon-to-be-launched digital bank of its, that will be headquartered in Canary Wharf and run under the consumer brand of its, Chase.
The announcement confirms rumours on FintechZoom concerning JP Morgan’s blueprints for a list bank in Britain. Known only as Project Dynamo, Chase team members based in JP Morgan’s London workplaces needed to keep their work under wraps for almost 2 years.
It will be the second main US lender to enter the UK retail banking sector, since Goldman Sachs started out offering Marcus branded digital savings accounts 2018. Marcus has already lured in 500,000 UK clients by offering higher than average interest rates. It was pressured to shut the doors of its to brand new British accounts due to a surge in demand previous summer time.
In the US, Chase is among the largest customer banks in the land, serving virtually fifty percent of American households through web-based banking as well as 4,700 branches. But by providing online only present accounts, Chase will be measured against British digital upstarts such as Monzo, Revolut and Starling, that are trying to get market share from the six largest lenders. HSBC, NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, Nationwide Building Society and santander still hold approximately eighty seven % of the list banking industry.
JP Morgan said it plans to offer a brand new take on present day accounts and said the new contact centre of its in Edinburgh will be a critical selling point, offering quickly to access, personalised services in the clock. The bank used a part of its annual $11.8bn (8.6bn) engineering spending pot to build the UK Chase wedge from scratch. Chase is currently undergoing inner testing but is anticipated to roll-out later this season.
The UK has a brilliant also highly competitive customer banking marketplace, which is the reason we have designed the bank from scratch to particularly meet up with the demands of buyers here, said Gordon Smith, co president of JPMorgan.
Chase Online has brought in seasoned City bankers to oversee the UK of its retail operations, which includes former Citibank and Lloyds chairman Win Bischoff, who’ll serve on the mini keyboard and head up its risk committee. The former Financial Conduct Authority director, Clive Adamson, will chair the business, even though the chief administrative officer of JP Morgan’s business and purchase bank account, Sanoke Viswanathan, can be chief executive.
Although JP Morgan was pushed to shift a huge selection of UK buy bankers to EU offices due to Brexit, it said the launch of the list bank was proof it had been devoted to the UK. The bank today employs about 19,000 people in Britain and it is even now hiring for the new retail operation.
The decision of ours to launch a digital retail bank in the UK is actually a milestone, introducing British consumers to our retail products for the first time, said Daniel Pinto, JP Morgan’s London based co president. This latest endeavour underscores our commitment to a land just where we have roots that are rich, thousands of personnel and workplaces established for more than 160 ages.
Chase Online – JP Morgan to release digital bank of UK


text:
Earlier this year, Australia’s Today Tonight’s East Coast anchor Matt White presented a special report on meat glue, another amazing product that has already revolutionised the way we live and die, while eating our way to an early grave.
Last year, attorney at American food poisoning lawyers of Marler Clark, Zach Mallove reported on the EU’s ban: on ‘May 20, [2010,] the European Parliament voted to ban bovine and porcine thrombin used as an additive to bind separate pieces of meat together into one piece. According to European Union lawmakers, the additives, which are commonly called “meat glue,” have no proven benefits” and create products that “carry an unacceptably high risk of misleading consumers” instead. Another consideration EU lawmakers considered was the higher risk of bacterial infection in meat products created with thrombin, due to the larger surface area of meat and the cold bonding process that is used. The decision not to authorize meat glue as an additive rejects an earlier European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) positive safety opinion on the use of ‘meat glue’ in 2005. Meat glue is an enzyme composed of thrombin and fibrogen, obtained from blood plasma. It can be used by the meat industry as a food additive for reconstituting fresh meat to create a product of desirable size and form. The method can also be applied to poultry, fish and seafood’. So, banned in the EU but apparently not in Australia, the U.S. or Asia . . . Mallove adds ominously that “[s]ome lawmakers stressed that meat glue had been declared safe and was already used in some countries”. According to the Colloids for Life Blog, “meat glue is widely used” by American and Australian meat manufacturers.
Eric Schlosser’s somewhat mistitled book Fast Food Nation (2001) details in great depth the state of the American meatpacking industry and how the need for increased profit reduces safety concerns, leading to unsafe meat products being used all over the U.S. Now, the addition of meat glue to the already hazardous recipe for carnivorous diets can only mean that meat-eaters are getting a really raw deal . . . The South African website Food Stuff, reports that in ‘the United States, meat glue is most commonly sold under the label Activa TG, which is manufactured and marketed by the Japanese food and pharmaceutical giant Ajinomoto. The company, whose name translates as “the essence of taste”, also credits itself with the discovery of umami — a taste described most simply as savoury — and is the world’s largest manufacturer of monosodium glutamate, or MSG. Ajinomoto operates in over 23 nations worldwide, where it widely markets several versions of the meat glue, each one modified for a specific type of flesh or protein, including fish, red meat, and even dairy. Long used in cheap, reconstituted meat products like chicken nuggets, the enzyme first showed up on a swanky menu in 2004 when chef Heston Blumenthal made a “mackerel invertebrate” by de-boning a fish and gluing it back together. Blumenthal owns the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, England, which some critics consider the best restaurant in the world. Since then, the binding agent has been championed by other chefs attracted to such gastronomic trickery, like Dufresne, and Grant Achatz at Chicago’s restaurant Alinea, who was once called the “love child of Julia Child and Einstein.” Meat glue is now so popular that Ajinomoto is considering offering smaller-sized, more consumer-friendly packaging for home cooks. While Ajinomoto declined a request to release specific sales figures for meat glue, the company did acknowledge a rapid uptick in sales’. How long before Ajinomoto lobbyists will be able to tear down the walls of EU Regulations???
Ajinomoto’s account executive for Canada and much of the United States Guy Tinay declared, “The business is increasing every year significantly”. And Willy Dufresne, “cook” at the swanky New York establishment WD-50 even stated that “Meat glue makes us better chefs”. With Ajinomoto’s money and high-profile chef’s endorsements, one cannot but wonder about the obduracy of EU bureaucracy . . .
 I would like to thank the Facebooker Advocatefor Savingdogs for bringing this item to my attention.
 Zach Mallove, “EU Bans ‘Meat Glue’” Food Safety News (24 May 2010). http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/05/eu-bans-meat-glue/.
 Zach Mallove, “EU Bans ‘Meat Glue’”.
 “How Much Meat Glue Are You Eating?” Colloids for Life (15 April 2011). http://blog.colloidsforlife.com/food-nutrition/meat-glue/.
 “The rise of meat glue” Food Stuff (30 June 2011). http://foodstuffsa.co.za/index.php/food-trends-mainmenu-119/food-trends-2011/1219-the-rise-of-meat-glue.
 “The rise of meat glue”.
 “The rise of meat glue”.


text:
Coca-Cola has unveiled a new Sprite campaign starring LeBron James and Oakland MC Kamaiyah. While the ad itself may be refreshing, there is one element that feels very familiar, as pointed out by Ultimate Rap League founder Smack White.
The ad, developed and created by Wieden + Kennedy New York, features James as pitcher Big Taste and Kamaiyah as the catcher. As it wraps, we hear Sprite’s new “Sprrrrrrrrite” tag, which according to White sounds a lot like his infamous ”smmmddddaaack” tagline that dates back to his infamous street DVD series, SMACK.
“I want my coins Sprite,” White wrote in an Instagram caption. “At least think about sponsoring an event! Grow the Culture.”
SMACK, which stands for streets, music, arts, culture, knowledge, was one of the first outlets to adopt and popularize the raw, acapella battle rap format that’s standard fare across all present era battle rap leagues.
Battle rap fans are bothered by the oversight from a brand which — throughout the years — has been respectful of the culture.
— Ima Barrior! (@Born_Revamped) January 25, 2018
Open season on sprite?🤔🤔🤔
— BhobBison (@bhobbison) January 25, 2018
Wow that’s crazy!😡😠 I hope u can sue they ass smack word #culturevultchers
— FACE (@face2face_mm) January 25, 2018
Obey Your Verse
Every commercial y’all have is packed with rappers and rap music
The MAIN and damn near ONLY demographic they target is the hip hop community
Fuckin balls deep in rap and you can’t even throw Smack some money for stealing his slogan? Fuck @Sprite
— Mike P (@isthismike_p) January 25, 2018
Sprite Really Owe Smack A Cheque For This ! https://t.co/ngwE1YgcmJ
— Tipp City (@ThisIsTippCity) January 29, 2018
Sprite trash anyway. Put some respek on Smack’s name.
— Sun God. (@TheSunGod__) January 25, 2018
But it seems like a boycott of the company by battle rap fans may not be necessary.
A rep for The Coca-Cola Company responded to HipHopDX and explained the campaign’s inspiration on behalf of the creative team.
“The audio tag is meant to be a play on an umpire yelling ‘strike,’” they explained.
Source: Hip Hop DX


text:
A 10% block of Hyundai Wia Corp shares changed hands last night as two of the company’s shareholders took advantage of improving sentiment in the equity capital markets to reduce their controlling stake.
Hyundai Motor Corp and its 33.7%-owned subsidiary Kia Motors raised W338.2 billion ($300 million) by trimming their combined stake in the automotive parts maker to 41% from 51%. The sellers, which reduced their individual holdings proportionally, provided no real reason for the move, but one source noted that Korean conglomerates are starting to realise that having a lot of their capital locked-up in group companies (often through cross-shareholdings) is not an efficient use of their capital. In many cases, they could easily reduce their stakes without giving up any of their control. Indeed, Hyundai Motors’ controlling stake in Hyundai Wia won’t be affected by the sale.
The two companies jointly offered 2.6 million shares at a price between W131,600 and W135,000, which represented a discount of 2.5% to 5% versus yesterday’s close of W138,500. It was priced at the bottom of the range for the maximum 5% discount. Goldman Sachs was the sole bookrunnner.
The deal was well covered — about two times, according to a source — but the key accounts were price sensitive and it seems a pricing above the low end was never really an option. The block was also relatively chunky at close to 17 days of trading volume, based on the daily average turnover during the past three months.
The offering was anchored by a number of investors at launch (at a 5% discount) and was covered within the first hour. However, the order books were kept open for three hours for Asian investors and for an extra hour for US-based accounts.
It attracted a good mix of international and domestic investors, with a slight overweight towards international accounts. The demand came predominantly from Asia, complemented by a handful of orders from the US and Europe. All in all, about 75 investors came into the transaction — a decent number for a deal this size. The source noted that the number of investors participating in equity placements is increasing, which is giving the market a bit more depth. A key reason is that people are starting to make money from these deals again.
Yes Bank’s share price has risen 2.4% versus the pre-deal close since Khazanah Nasional sold a $106 million block in the Indian lender last Friday and is currently trading 3.6% above the placement price. And in Singapore, Ezra Holdings, a provider of offshore and subsea services to the oil and gas industry, is currently 1.4% above the price at which it raised $96 million of fresh equity capital on March 9.
Hyundai Wia has a good following among domestic Korean funds, and investors also like the autoparts sector now that the global economy is showing signs of recovering. Korea’s automotive industry is also expected to be one of the key beneficiaries of the free trade agreement with the US that took effect yesterday as tariffs on car parts will be lifted immediately. Korea’s auto exports to the European Union surged 42.8% last year, partly due to a bilateral free trade agreement that took effect in July, local media quoted the ministry of knowledge economy as saying earlier this week. In January, passenger car sales in the EU dropped 6.6% from a year earlier, but Korean auto exports to the region increased by 79.7%.
Hyundai Wia’s share price has fallen 2.8% so far this year, but is up 96% in the past year. Eleven of the 16 analysts who cover the stock, according to Bloomberg, have a “buy” rating on it. Only one has a “sell”. Aside from autoparts, the company also makes machine tools, robots, industrial machinery, defence products and parts for aircraft.


text:
Welcome, www.ecosurvey.it has joined the project Zero Impact Web life gate !
Internet polluter, despite having already done a lot to reduce CO2 emissions. According to this report with the current growth rate, in 2020, data centers and telecommunication networks will consume about 2,000 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, more than triple of their current consumption levels. That’s why the site www.ecosurvey.it decided to join Zero Impact Web and doing its part to avoid global warming. The emissions arising out of your visits will be compensated through the creation and protection of growing forests. It ‘a small action that helps to create awareness for the environment. And above all, allows you to navigate with confidence between these pages! Emissions from this website are offset by the contributing to the creation and protection of growing forests in Costa Rica.


text:
Published On: October 8, 2020 10:20 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal
KATHMANDU, Oct 8: The government is looking to impose quota restriction on the import of betel nuts, peas, dates and peppercorns that are found largely imported from third countries to smuggle to India.
After India raised concern over an increasing smuggling of these goods from Nepal, the government in last April imposed restrictions and allowed only those imports done by opening the letter of credit and via shipping containers. It was just last month that the government lifted the restrictions after the importers launched a protest against the government move.
According to the officials of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the ministry has started a study to finalize the modality of the quantitative restrictions on the import of these products.
Taking advantage of the provision of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, many Nepali traders in Nepal are found importing the goods from the third country to resale them in Indian market. As the SAFTA has zero tariffs provision on goods exported from underdeveloped countries like Nepal, Nepali traders have been importing these goods from other countries paying minimum tariffs and then exporting the finished product to India with zero tariffs.
As per the records of the Department of Customs, Nepal imported betel nut, peas, date and peppercorns worth around Rs 13 billion in 2019/20. Of these, import of dried peas jumped 2.5 times to Rs 10 billion in the review period. Nepal imports a large quantity of dried peas from various countries including Canada, Russian Federation, Ukraine and the US.
Likewise, import of dates also surged to Rs 2.72 billion in the last fiscal year from Rs 244.84 million in 2018/19. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are among the main import sources of dates in Nepal. Last year, Nepal imported peppercorns of Rs 144.90 million from Brazil and Vietnam.
Citing the similar practice on the palm oil trade, India has tightened noose on the import of palm oil from Nepal since last January. In the past few years, palm oil has been giving the country a significant amount of export earnings. Last year, Nepal exported palm oil worth over Rs 18 billion to India, up from Rs 10 billion in the previous year.
Leave A Comment


text:
New Faster 5 Bay Drobo S Released for $800
Data Robotics today announced the release of two new Drobo models, a new consumer type Drobo (the Drobo S at an $800 price point) and a new enterprise type Drobo (the Drobo Elite at $3,500).
The main difference between the Drobo S and the previous Drobo is that the device now contains 5 hard drive bays instead of 4. Also, in addition to USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 capability, the new Drobo now supports eSata connection as well. With this new unit Drobo now claims that it offers not only single drive redundancy but dual drive redundancy, meaning that if two drives were to fail at once your data could likely still be recovered. To get all of the hardcore technical details on the new units check out the reviews on Engadget and Gizmodo.
I’ve personally been a big fan of the Drobo and use Drobos for the primary storage of all of my digital data. Remember hard drive failure is not a question of if, but when. I’ve got four Drobos at present with about 12 terabytes of storage and am buying a 5th one today myself as I’m running out of storage again. While a Drobo should not be considered a replacement for offsite backups (remember theft/fire), protecting against hard drive failure (probably the number one way people lose data) makes a lot of sense.
I don’t think that I’m going to pay up $800 just yet for the new Drobo, but it looks like the previous model (which has FireWire 800) has dropped in price and is now offering a $30 rebate. At $319.95, after rebate, this is the cheapest I’ve seen this model yet. If you’ve been thinking about picking up a Drobo, now might be the time to do it.


text:
Throw your coffee away, because one Penn senior design project will soon hit the streets to help you perform daily tasks with optimal efficiency.
Vigo helps its users stay awake by tracking eye and head movements with a device that attaches to the ear, which can vibrate, play a song or light up when it detects you’re getting tired, 2013 Wharton and Engineering graduate and co-founder Jason Gui said.
Vigo also links to its own app, which can show users their energy patterns throughout the day and make suggestions for activities and food choices to ward off tiredness.
Following over 1,000 pre-orders, Vigo will soon be in the hands of late-night studiers, long distance drivers and others who hope to stay awake at important times — and it all started with a senior design project.
“Something that kept coming up in our discussion of what to make was falling asleep in class, since that’s a big concern that a lot of students have,” Gui said. “So we began to work on building a device to help students stay awake in class.”
Following great feedback from judges and industry professionals, the team decided to take their project and deliver it to the public.
Gui moved to China following graduation to work with manufacturers on building a viable product. He faced some hurdles along the way, including adding and dropping additional team members.
“When we built the prototype, we built something that centers around the three of us [who designed the product,] but everyone has a different facial structure,” Gui explained. “We ended up taking a lot of measurements to figure out what the ideal size and shape of the product was. We had to change the design to make it bendable and also refine the electronics.”
Tiantian Zhang, 2013 graduate of the Integrated Product Design masters program, joined the team to help with the production.
“This kind of experience at Penn encouraged me to go to startups and try to run my own business, rather than go to a big company like Google,” Chang said.
Before long, the team launched its 45-day-long Kickstarter campaign, which will fund production in San Francisco and the start of shipping in September.
The team has found that their product especially attracts professional drivers, since it could help prevent drowsiness and keep drivers awake and safe behind the wheel.
The team is currently in talks with UPS, FedEx, taxi companies and other businesses that employ long distance drivers, in the hopes of arranging contracts with some of them by the end of the year.
“Vigo has a bright future,” Zhang said. “ We’re really a hot topic in Silicon Valley.”Comments powered by Disqus
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.


text:
ITR, the parent company of DTM, will cease to exist and will not carry on as promoter of the longstanding German series.
As previously reported by Sportscar365, DTM’s future had been up in doubt amidst negotiations between ITR and ADAC about a potential takeover of the championship.
The Munich-based promoter is now set to close its doors. The 17 employees of ITR have been informed that the company will be “dissolved in an orderly manner.”
In a statement supplied to Sportscar365, company chairman Gerhard Berger states that talks with ADAC remain ongoing even as the closure is confirmed.
“The discussions with ADAC are very constructive, but there is no final decision yet,” said Berger.
“However, since we have the entrepreneurial responsibility, we had to create clarity now. We have decided that ITR will no longer promote the DTM in 2023.”
Berger added that the motivations behind the decision are of a financial nature, but stressed that the championship could survive under new ownership.
“Against the backdrop of the given general conditions and in view of the numerous challenges, the economic risk for next year is too high,” the Austrian said.
“I personally regret this very much, because the entire team has worked very hard for the success of the DTM.
“But: even without ITR, there can be a future for the DTM brand at ADAC. That’s why we are still in dialogue with the ADAC.”
Berger had overseen the series since 2017, when he was named ITR chairman replacing Hans Werner Aufrecht.
Under the Austrian’s leadership, DTM introduced a GT3 ruleset that resulted in an increased number of teams and manufacturers joining the series, which proved to be a turnaround following a period of decline through the COVID-19 pandemic.


text:
Yesterday Ylang 23 posted a sneak peek of construction at their upcoming Preston Center location. I spoke with a sales associate at the Galleria store who confirmed that Ylang 23 will close their Galleria location in January 2014 and reopen at undetermined date sometime next year.
The associate said that the owners wanted to hold off on any interviews since it is so early in the construction phase, but I can confirm that the Preston Center location will be in Suite 700 where the maternity store, Pickles & Ice Cream just moved out of (Pickles & Ice Cream is still open in the center, just a few doors down in Suite 400).
Ylang 23 has sold high-end designer jewelry since opening in the Galleria 28 years ago. The store features jewelry from designers such as Cathy Waterman, Irene Neuwirth, Jennifer Meyer, Todd Reed, Ten Thousand Things and Jamie Joseph.
The Ylang 23 website states that in addition to running their jewelry store, owners Joanne and Charles Teichman are parents to two children and are involved with various Dallas charities including The Family Place, North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Holocaust Museum, Jewish Family Services, Vogel Alcove, The Stewpot and St. Philip’s School & Community Center.
Click to sign up for the Advocate's weekly news digest and be the first to know what’s happening in Preston Hollow.


text:
It looks like Shaquille O'Neal will have to add yet another installment to his mile-long list of nicknames: The Big Krispy.
Yes, the Diesel, aka the Big Shaqtus, aka the Big Aristotle, expanded his Shaq-size portfolio, announcing on Monday that he's purchasing a historic Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop on Ponce de Leon Avenue in downtown Atlanta, which was established back in 1965 and is considered their flagship establishment. Shaq will also serve as the brand's new global ambassador.
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) October 24, 2016
“Krispy Kreme prides itself on spreading joy and supporting local communities, and that’s a cause that I am thrilled to be a part of,” O’Neal said of the deal, “and what better way than with a box of delicious doughnuts.”
It's an agreement everyone can be happy about: Krispy Kreme gets a huge—literally and figuratively—endorsement, Shaq gets all the money and doughnuts he can recoup, and fans can get free autographed Shaq memorabilia or Krispy Kreme goodies with the new Halloween "Shaq-or-Treat" promotion. All one has to do is tag a social media post #ShaqOrTreat between October 28 and 31 to become eligible to win either something signed by Shaq or a bunch of "Krispy Kreme surprises."
“In addition to Shaquille’s status as a sports and entertainment icon and businessman, he is known for spreading joy, which aligns with our positioning and mission,” said Krispy Kreme Doughnuts CEO and president Tony Thompson. “We are confident this partnership will have a big impact for us in Atlanta and around the world.”
In case you doubt Shaq's love for the doughnut chain, here he is professing his love for their sweet and slightly crunchy goodness in a video from 2009.
This is hardly Shaq's first foray into the food business. In 2013 he and AriZona Beverages teamed up for a series of drinks called Soda Shaq—which is doing so poorly it would appear the company is repurposing the cans to encase ever-popular Arnold Palmers.


text:
Last week, McDonald’s invited its customers worldwide to “go blue this summer and be a friend of the planet” with its launch of “The Smurfs” Happy Meal. Timed with the release of the new 3-D, animated Smurfs movie, the campaign is designed to promote good environmental stewardship and family togetherness. The program focus is on the great taste of fruits and vegetables through quality food choices, toys and a digital contest that reinforces important environmental messages.
Among the thousands of McDonald’s franchises taking part in the global promotion are the seven stores operated by Jack and Dave Niggeman, including the landmark location in the Valley Fair Retail Center on Swedesford Road, Berwyn. Customers who frequent this store, which opened 29 years ago and is officially known as McDonald’s of Valley Forge, are no strangers to a “happy meal.” From early morning to well into the evening, every meal served there can arguably bear that label because of the “happy team” of employees who have a reputation for outstanding service with a smile, and most often a bit of engaging conversation as well. And that service is not accidental.
Will Scantling, the young general manager and McDonald’s University Certified Coach, takes pride in the ongoing training of both new and veteran employees to be customer-friendly and professionally skilled. With McDonald’s for 13 years, Will shares his time at several Niggeman-franchise stores, but is at the Valley Forge location every day.
“We’re rated among the top five McDonald’s in the Greater Philadelphia region (there are almost 300 stores in the region) for speed of service. In fact we serve between 75 and 150 cars in our drive-thru from noon to 1 p.m. every weekday,” he said.
Along with Will, Ray Chieves is a veteran member of the “happy team,” taking drive-thru orders daily from breakfast (6 a.m.) to after lunch (about 2 p.m.). In addition to being the “window greeter,” Ray is a part of the training staff for the Niggeman franchises. Ray, who lives in King of Prussia, also enjoys the visibility of a part-time job at the nearby Pathmark Supermarket.
Paco Quintana, an assistant manager with seven years’ service, is a Valley Forge team member as are Marlene Bussey, a shift manager with more than 19 years of service with McDonald’s, and Maureen Rivers, a five-year member of the crew. As an aside, Paco is beaming even more than usual these days because his daughter has just been awarded a full scholarship in chemistry to the University of Pennsylvania.
“We really have a solid foundation of great people here that as a franchise owner it is a pleasure to see them grow along with the business,” Jack Niggeman said. In a churlish manner, Jack suggested that that foundation “may be due to the four football fields worth of concrete that we have holding up the building.” (A number of years ago, the ground adjacent to the store developed a huge sinkhole, and the concrete was poured under the store to ensure its stability.)
In reflecting on the growth of McDonald’s throughout the years, Jack said that the 2009 grocery list for all McDonald’s stores in the United States included 800 million pounds of beef, 667 pounds of chicken, 1.5 billion pounds of potatoes, 231 million pounds of cheese, 22 million pounds of tomatoes, 60 million pounds of apples and 143 million gallons of coffee. And that’s a whole lot of happy meals to smile about.


text: Apple CEO Tim Cook is apparently open to letting his company sell everything but the kitchen sink. Heck, he might even be open to making kitchen sinks, just as long as they aren’t “crappy.” That is really the only prevailing guideline on Apple’s course for the future.That is in fact a direct quotation . In a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference, Cook said the only thing Apple won’t make is “a crappy product”. As long as there is an idea that is bold and ambitious, Cook says it’s fair game.Okay, so what? Sounds like typical CEO gobbledy-gook, right? Normally that would be the case, but this is an interesting time for Apple. The apparent openness to expand into completely different markets might be a result of a changing dynamic over at the company.Apple has, of course, been caught up in a strange news cycle over the last several months. It skyrocketed to become the most valuable company in the world, tipping the scales of record stock prices, and then suddenly began to fall off a cliff. This of course brought up piles and piles of negative headlines about how terrible Apple was doing. But then everyone had to be reminded that being the world’s second most valuable company is still a pretty enviable thing.So no one is quite sure what to make of Apple at this moment, which is probably why the question of where the company is headed — and what is fair game for future Apple products — is so relevant right now.Other companies try to stick to one specific niche and be the best at that niche; it looks like Apple is not keen on being one of those companies.


text:
BATH, Mich. (WILX) – One local family in Bath isn’t letting the pandemic stop them from keeping the spirit of Halloween alive.
“I bought the inventory of a costume shop. So, I had plenty of costumes hoping to open a costume shop this year, but that will happen next year in 2021. So I had (the) time and I am very creative. (I) just needed somewhere to put my creative outlets and this is what I came up with,” said owner and creator Matt Schultheiss.
They call it the “VanHelsteam’s Circus of Failures”. Located on Cutler Road, people are welcome to drive by and look at the display from their car or walk by keeping (a) social distance to enjoy the view for free.
“The ticket booth is just a ticket booth for the carnival. We have a candy shoot so that we can stay socially distanced and drop candy for the kids. We also have a donation bucket because a lot of times when you do this a lot of people want to give you money. I don’t want the money, but different charities can use so we’re giving to the ‘Children’s Charities of Lansing,’ said Schultheiss.
The family says all they want to do is bring happiness in their community.
“Anything we can do to bring a little joy happiness into people’s lives. We know that there’s going to be some families who aren’t going to be comfortable with trick or treating so we just want to make sure that maybe they have this as a small substitute,” said Lynn Lucas.
The family says that anyone at any age can enjoy the display.
For more information about the ‘VanHelsteam’s Circus of Failures’ click HERE.
Copyright 2020 WILX. All rights reserved.


text:
Inventories were up 8.2 percent from April 2011, the department said, while the March estimate, released a month earlier, was revised higher by $100 million to $480.5 billion, the department said.
The figures are adjusted for seasonal variations, but not for price changes.
Wholesale sales for April, also adjusted seasonally but not for prices, rose 1.1 percent month-to-month and 6.8 percent from a year earlier, reaching $415 billion. March's sales estimate was revised down by 0.1 percent or $500 million.
The inventory-to-sales ratio -- reflecting how many months it would take a company to deplete its inventory at the current sales pace -- came in at 1.17, unchanged from a month earlier and slightly higher than the ratio a year earlier, which stood at 1.15.
Gal Gadot cast as Wonder Woman for 'Batman vs. Superman'
Beyonce flaunts bikini body, Blue Ivy in vacation pics


text:
The Eastern Kentucky University Business Accelerator and the Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CEDET) are seeking innovative ideas from EKU students for a product, service, or charitable activity to enter in the 2014 IDEA STATE U competition.
Want to learn the basics of a foreign language on your own time, at your own pace, in your own way and at minimal cost?
A new business taking shape in Eastern Kentucky University’s business accelerator might be your answer.
Imagine having a successful business when you’re in your early 20s and not yet out of college.
Thanks in part to the helping hand of the Eastern Kentucky University-based business accelerator, that dream has become reality for a trio of EKU seniors plus a recent graduate of another institution.


text:
Netflix will begin its crackdown on password sharing in the coming months.
In a report sent to shareholders last week, the streaming giant said more than 100 million subscribers share passwords outside their household - a practice which "undermines our long term ability to invest in and improve Netflix".
Netflix said the global change would begin rolling out globally sometime from the end of March.
From the end of the first quarter, Netflix is likely to introduce an additional fee to sharing a single subscription across multiple households.
A spokesperson for the streaming platform said it had not confirmed an exact date for the UK or any other country yet.
Netflix - home to hit shows like Squid Game and The Crown - conducted a trial of the new, stricter rules in a number of Central and South American companies last year.
The trials saw password sharers paying an extra £2.40 a month.
"As we work through this transition – and as some borrowers stop watching either because they don’t convert to extra members or full paying accounts – near term engagement, as measured by third parties like Nielsen’s The Gauge, could be negatively impacted," Netflix told its shareholders.
"However, we believe the pattern will be similar to what we’ve seen in Latin America, with engagement growing over time as we continue to deliver a great slate of programming and borrowers sign-up for their own accounts."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know
How will Netflix stop password sharing?
In October last year, Netflix executive Chengyi Long said the following restrictions might be introduced:
Only one household will be permitted on a single Netflix account, but the account can be used across multiple devices.
An additional monthly fee will apply if extra households are added.
While travelling, the account will still be accessible by tablet, laptop or mobile.
Is Netflix losing subscribers?
The streaming service hopes the changes will help it recover its momentum after its customer base fell by 200,000 subscribers in the first three months of 2022 - the first drop it has seen in 10 years. Netflix boomed under Covid lockdowns as people stayed at home, but growth slowed as the world returned to normal.
Netflix has also seen rivals such as Apple and Walt Disney chip away at its audience with their own streaming services.
The drop also stemmed in part from Netflix’s decision to withdraw from Russia, in protest of the war against Ukraine, resulting in a loss of 700,000 subscribers.
It was one of the biggest news stories of our time - and it's still not over. So what did Boris Johnson know about Downing Street’s notorious parties? With fresh revelations from our Number 10 sources, in their own words, listen to the inside story...


text:
'On a firm foundation': Oldest family-owned Toyota dealership in mid-state celebrates 50 years
Columbia dealership Roberts Toyota celebrated its landmark 50th anniversary Tuesday as the family business reflected on its past and recognized its bright future at the center of one of the state's fastest developing regions.
Roberts Toyota is recognized as the oldest family-owned Toyota dealership in Middle Tennessee and the second oldest in the state. It was founded in neighboring Marshall County by Bay Roberts in 1971 and has remained a family-owned business for three generations.
Bay’s son, Eddie Roberts, continues to run the business from its 19,000 square-foot facility on Nashville Highway completed in 2011. To date, the operation has sold more than 19,900 vehicles. This year, the business has generated more than than $2 million in sales tax revenue for Maury County.
"Gratitude comes first," Eddie Roberts told The Daily Herald, following an anniversary ceremony held at the dealership Tuesday afternoon.
"We were welcomed into the community 20 years ago. Having all these wonderful employees that we worked with and being able to see them make a living, support their families, pay tuition and buy houses. I think that is the thing I am most grateful for."
For the past decade, Roberts Toyota has had a staff of 50 employees.
Roberts served on the Motor Vehicle Commission for the state of Tennessee for 21 years during the administrations of governors Don Sundquist, Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam. He served as chairman from 2011 until 2019.
Making people feel welcome
Roberts has been repeatedly recognized for his contributions to the automobile industry in Middle Tennessee, including the Toyota President’s Award, the Andrew Jackson Award from Tennessee Automotive Association for Citizenship, Community Service and Contributions to the Automotive Industry and the Dick Satterfield Award also from the Tennessee Automotive Association for Meritorious Service.
"Southern Middle Tennessee is being rediscovered," Roberts said. "So many people have determined that this is a great place to live and our employees are a part of that. They help people feel welcome in the community. They do a lot of community work, and we are very proud of that."
As the community grows, Roberts said the business continues to expand with more sales made out of the dealership as well as others across the region through the dealership's growing online presence. "This area is growing very rapidly, and we think we are in a good location," Roberts said.
The family also operates a Toyota dealership and a Nissan store in Manchester.
When Roberts Toyota moved to Columbia in 2001, it was the only new car dealership on the north side of the city. Now others have opened operations along U.S. 31 between Spring Hill and Columbia.
"There are not a lot of times we get to recognize a 50-year dealer," said Shane Sizemore, the Toyota Cincinnati Region General Manager. "That is something to be proud of and to be recognized."
As a gift, Sizemore presented the family with Bay Robert's original dealer agreement signed in 1970 by Bay Roberts.
"When you think of the number of families who have built this organization, it goes beyond words," Sizemore said. "We look forward to another 50 years of partnership. It is the people that make this organization. Everyone of the team members here are just as much a part of Roberts Toyota as the Roberts family themselves."
Eddie’s daughter, Cackie, has followed his leadership example through her service as General Manager of Roberts Toyota. She serves as the chief operating officer of the dealership with responsibility for all aspects of daily operation.
"Companies like this one stand on a firm foundation that hold up to the test of time," she said. "For 50 years, our firm foundation has been rooted in mutual trust with our customers and our loyal staff and a belief in our company that all people deserve to be treated with respect.
"In a time when family stores are beginning to disappear, Robert's Toyota's legacy remains intact. That is due to the foundation on which this company was founded. Car dealerships are build on relationships. Relationships with customers, the community and its employees. From its inception, our family has operated the store to reflect our values. I am proud of the way we do business and the people who are and have been a part of this company."
The businesses' legacy began in neighboring Lewisburg when Clyde Roberts, along with his two sons, Lyndal and Bay, opened a Mobil Service Station & Garage in 1945, launching the family-owned business.
"Time has been good to us, our staff and our customers," she added. "As we grow, we continue to employ more people in Maury County and as we continue to employ more people than we ever have in our dealership's history."
Lyndal Roberts went on to follow his own pursuits, but the father-son team of Clyde and Bay continued with the business from 1950 through 1955. The duo along with Stanley Thompson, sold used cars next to Baxter's Garage on Lewisburg's First Avenue.
Bay Roberts then founded the Roberts Motor Company on 2nd Avenue in 1956 shortly after Clyde's retirement.
In 1971, the family acquired a Toyota franchise, and eventually, the operation was moved to its current location on Nashville Highway in Columbia.
“My Dad would be so proud of this legacy with our third generation in place," Roberts said. "The Toyota brand was just beginning to get attention in this country when Dad started the dealership. He was a visionary to do so. Cackie and I know that Toyota has a wonderful lineup of cars and trucks, and we are proud to be part of the Toyota family.”
"It is kind of overwhelming knowing what to say to so many people who have been a part of our lives and our careers," Roberts said. "To see my grandchildren here, friends and sons in law. It is really something.
"When my dreams become their expectations, then I will be successful."


text:
Tesla considers opening its first plant in ChinaStaff Writer | June 24, 2017
Tesla confirmed that it is considering opening its first plant in Shanghai in China to cater to the growing Chinese market.
Auto industry The Silicon Valley auto maker
“Tesla is deeply committed to the Chinese market, and we continue to evaluate potential manufacturing sites around the globe to serve the local markets,” the company said in a statement cited by several US media sources.
“While we expect most of our production to remain in the US, we do need to establish local factories to ensure affordability for the markets they serve,” the statement added.
The company did not confirm recent reports by Bloomberg that it has signed a preliminary agreement with the Shanghai authorities to manufacture vehicles there.
China, which accounted for 15 percent of Tesla’s revenue in 2016, wants to boost the use of electric vehicles, which could open up an interesting market for Elon Musk’s company.
According to Chinese law, Tesla would have to form a joint venture with a local company to be able to manufacture in Shanghai and, according to Bloomberg, negotiations with the Chinese city would help the American company to avoid a 25 percent import tax on its vehicles and make them more competitive in China. ■


text:
Equities research analysts expect LKQ Co. (NASDAQ:LKQ) to post $2.88 billion in sales for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks reports. Eight analysts have issued estimates for LKQ’s earnings, with the highest sales estimate coming in at $2.96 billion and the lowest estimate coming in at $2.73 billion. LKQ reported sales of $2.46 billion during the same quarter last year, which indicates a positive year over year growth rate of 17.1%. The company is scheduled to report its next earnings results on Thursday, July 26th.
On average, analysts expect that LKQ will report full-year sales of $11.83 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $11.66 billion to $11.97 billion. For the next financial year, analysts forecast that the business will report sales of $13.17 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $12.94 billion to $13.28 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that follow LKQ.
LKQ (NASDAQ:LKQ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 26th. The auto parts company reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.04). LKQ had a net margin of 5.44% and a return on equity of 14.52%. The firm had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.49 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year.
LKQ has been the topic of several analyst reports. ValuEngine raised LKQ from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 1st. Wellington Shields raised LKQ from an “accumulate” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 31st. BidaskClub downgraded LKQ from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, March 1st. Zacks Investment Research raised LKQ from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 30th. Finally, Guggenheim initiated coverage on LKQ in a report on Tuesday, April 17th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $44.30.
LKQ traded up $0.10, hitting $31.79, during mid-day trading on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The company had a trading volume of 1,244,400 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,173,872. The company has a current ratio of 2.74, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. LKQ has a 12 month low of $29.60 and a 12 month high of $43.86. The company has a market capitalization of $9.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.99.
In other news, SVP Justin L. Jude acquired 2,280 shares of LKQ stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 1st. The stock was bought at an average price of $32.58 per share, for a total transaction of $74,282.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 66,729 shares in the company, valued at $2,174,030.82. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Robert M. Hanser sold 1,099 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.30, for a total value of $33,299.70. Following the sale, the director now owns 10,984 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $332,815.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have bought 6,780 shares of company stock worth $221,747. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in LKQ by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 18,779,286 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $763,754,000 after acquiring an additional 155,013 shares during the last quarter. Hound Partners LLC increased its position in LKQ by 9.0% during the first quarter. Hound Partners LLC now owns 10,434,209 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $395,978,000 after acquiring an additional 857,458 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its position in LKQ by 39.7% during the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,513,151 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $183,550,000 after acquiring an additional 1,283,674 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in LKQ by 3.0% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,444,670 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $139,814,000 after acquiring an additional 100,423 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in LKQ by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,320,303 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $135,036,000 after buying an additional 48,340 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.66% of the company’s stock.
LKQ Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, distributes replacement parts, components, and systems used in the repair and maintenance of vehicles in North America, Europe, and Taiwan. It operates in three segments: North America, Europe, and Specialty. The company distributes bumper covers, automotive body panels, and lights, as well as automotive glass products, such as windshields; salvage products, including mechanical and collision parts comprising engines; transmissions; door assemblies; sheet metal products, such as trunk lids, fenders, and hoods; lights and bumper assemblies; scrap metal and other materials to metals recyclers; and brake pads, discs and sensors, clutches, steering and suspension products, filters, and oil and automotive fluids, as well as electrical products, including spark plugs and batteries.
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
Receive News & Ratings for LKQ Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LKQ and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
In-n-Out, McDonalds, Carl’s Jr., and other burger places in Sacramento will soon be joined by a new burger joint opening in Citrus Heights. The new place? Checker’s burgers.
While it is a popular burger joint around the country, it sells more than just burgers. Checkers menus have hot dogs, wings, chicken sandwiches and specialized desserts.
Checker’s burgers has over 800 locations throughout the U.S., but this will be the first in Northern California, according to SacBee.
Checker’s burgers is opening its first Sacramento-area restaurant at 7911 Auburn Blvd, and is expected to open by the end of the year.


text:
MCLEAN, Va. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned global pet food, veterinary care, confectionery, snacking and food business, and KIND, a healthy snacking leader, today announced the next step in their strategic partnership, with Mars acquiring KIND North America.
KIND North America will join KIND International to create one organization operating across 35 countries, functioning as a distinct and separate business within the Mars Family of Companies. This provides the opportunity to further the KIND Promise, a set of nutrition principles that have guided the company’s innovation since its founding, and KIND’s mission to create a kinder world.
KIND Founder and Executive Chairman Daniel Lubetzky will play a key role in the future development and expansion of KIND, helping to maximize the reach and impact of the KIND mission and products, while upholding the KIND Promise as the brand expands into new categories and geographies. He will retain an ongoing financial stake in KIND, a majority of which was previously donated to charity to further his philanthropic efforts to build bridges across lines of divide.
Over the past three years, Mars and KIND have partnered to bring KIND (including signature KIND Bars) into new geographies and categories, remaining true to the KIND Promise that the first and predominant ingredient in all of its snacks and foods is a nutrient-dense food. As a result of the partnership, KIND has expanded into more than 35 countries (including China, Germany and France) and into eight total categories (including frozen and refrigerated), and has launched new products such as KIND Bark, KIND Frozen Bars and KIND Smoothie Bowls.
Grant F. Reid, CEO of Mars said: “When we began this partnership, I said it was one built on mutual admiration and a shared vision for growth. After three years, you can see the impact, as together we have grown the healthy snacking category and brought KIND and the KIND Promise to 35 countries and into new categories. We’re delighted to continue to build on this success and welcome KIND North America into the Mars Family of Companies.”
“I am so proud of how well the Mars and KIND teams have complemented and strengthened each other over the past three years,” Lubetzky said. “We are now well positioned to further advance our efforts and continue building a foremost health and wellness platform. As we said in 2017, Mars is a company that shares KIND’s passion for business as a force for good, and I am confident that together, we will be able to make our small contribution to make this world a little kinder.”
Commitment to KIND Promise
KIND remains committed to its Promise and mission and will further its purpose to build a kinder world one snack and one act at a time by committing to being:
- Kinder to our bodies: KIND will add more than 2 billion servings of nutrient dense foods to people’s diets by 2025
- Kinder to our planet: KIND will exclusively source 100 percent of its almonds from bee friendly farms by 2025
- Kinder to our communities: KIND will continue to break down barriers to create more inclusive and empathetic communities
About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.
Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™.
We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
Since 2004, KIND has been on a mission to create a kinder and healthier world – one snack and one act at a time. Its iconic KIND® bars – made with real, recognizable ingredients – sparked the growth of an entirely new healthy snacking category. Today, KIND has a family of more than 100 snacks that offer solutions for a variety of occasions. All of KIND’s products lead with a nutrient-dense first ingredient – whole nuts, whole grains or whole fruit – and do not contain genetically engineered ingredients, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.
Inspired by the belief that acts of kindness can be a transformative force for good, both the KIND brand and The KIND Foundation seek to inspire kindness and empathy. KIND was founded by Daniel Lubetzky. To learn more about KIND, please visit www.kindsnacks.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.


text:
Thu, 12/05/2011 - 15:36
Publishers need to diversify and compete head-on with other media in order to deflect the 'one-screen' effect of tablet devices, a panel discussion at the World e-Reading Congress declared.
The session sought to answer the question: "Can e-reading win the war against Angry Birds?" Jonathan Glasspool, managing...
Mon, 28/07/2014 - 09:50
Apple has acquired book analytics and recommendation company BookLamp in an estimated $10-15m deal.
The move could be seen as a bid to match Amazon in the book recommendations field; Amazon acquired Goodreads in April last year, and it is...
Mon, 28/07/2014 - 09:20
Nook has won market share in the UK over the past 12 months, the company has told The Bookseller.
Colin Eustace, general manager, international, said: “We are really happy with our performance and publishers are telling us we are gaining share in the UK market. We have seen double-digit growth in device sales and...
Fri, 25/07/2014 - 09:40
Amazon has recorded a net loss of $126m (£74m) in the second quarter of 2014, compared to a loss of $7m (£4m) in the second quarter of 2013.
Operating loss for the online retailer, which recently launched its Kindle Unlimited subscription...
Wed, 23/07/2014 - 09:10
HarperCollins is releasing an app version of its Collins Bird Guide, an authoritative guide to European bird life.
The app, which will be released for iOS on 14th August at a price of £12.99, will feature all of the information and illustrations from the print guide,...
Wed, 23/07/2014 - 08:50
Wattpad has upgraded to new Creative Commons copyright licences to give writers the “ability to search millions of stories to remix and reimagine”.
The writing and reading community now offers people the chance to list their stories using Creative Commons 4.0 (CC4).
Creative Commons licences provide a...
Tue, 22/07/2014 - 10:00
Independently published authors have responded with caution to Amazon’s launch of its new subscription service Kindle Unlimited.
Concern has been raised that the move could dilute author earnings, while limiting authors’ abilities to sell their content on other e-book sites. Some have also questioned why Amazon is paying...
Tue, 22/07/2014 - 09:50
HarperCollins in the US has signed up with Canadian start-up BitLit to allow people to buy discounted e-book versions of print titles they already own.
Readers will be able to write their name in ink on the title page of a book, take a photo using their smartphone, and then use the BitLit app to verify the book and offer a digital...
Mon, 21/07/2014 - 10:10
Consumer e-book sales rose 10% in the first quarter of 2014, according to the Publishers Association, with strong performances from children’s e-books, and digital downloads of audio titles.
The figure show the continuing slowdown in digital growth rates, after last year’s industry-wide growth rates of about 20%, but...
Fri, 18/07/2014 - 14:44
Digital book subscription service Safari has appointed Eoin Noble as product manager, as it looks to expand its product range and publisher base outside of its core technical field. Earlier this month Safari relaunched its reading interface, and it will shortly release the first version of its new iOS app.
Noble, digital project...


text:
By: Seth Colaner
HP and Google are set to debut an LTE version of the HP Chromebook 11, but the announcement came from neither company; instead, it’s from Altair, the company that’s making the actual LTE chip for the device.
We are extremely proud to have been selected by Google and HP to power the world’s first low-cost LTE Chromebook,” said Eran Eshed, Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Altair. “By focusing on 100% LTE and eliminating costly 3G components, we were able to help our partners lower the cost of this critical LTE connectivity feature.”
The Google Chromebook Pixel has optional LTE, and other than the 3G-packing HP Chromebook 14 and Samsung Chromebook, the LTE version of the HP Chromebook 11 is your primary choice for high-speed mobile chromebook connectivity. At least, it’s the most affordable option, as the LTE-equipped Chromebook Pixel costs a whopping $1,449.
The LTE- equipped HP Chromebook 11 will have Altair’s FourGee-3100/6202 chipset and costs $379–although at Best Buy you can get it for it $329 after a $50 account activation rebate.
For further reading, our evaluation of ChromeOS is here.


text:
India, with one of the world’s fastest growing economies, has by necessity looked to expand its trade relations and establishing access to new markets. One growing market is Central Asia. Pakistan’s Gwadar port is one possible route for India to access Central Asia’s markets, but due to its adversarial relationship with Pakistan, India has long looked to find alternative routes.
One of the alternative ways for the country to reach Central Asia is through Afghanistan. Afghanistan also seeks to diversify its trade routes to reach international markets and reduce its dependency on Pakistan, through which much of Afghan trade passes given that the country is landlocked. In 2003, India, Afghanistan and Iran, under the North-South Transport Corridor framework, signed the Chabahar port agreement, allowing all three countries to utilize the Chabahar port as a trade hub.
Chabahar port is situated in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in south Iran on the Gulf of Oman. Pakistan’s Gwadar is about 70 kilometers to the west along the coast. Afghanistan is connected to the port through its land border with Iran, and India via the sea. Thus, the port is readily accessible for all the three countries and acts to facilitate trade among them. Chabahar is considered to be a significant opportunity for India and Afghanistan to bypass Pakistan’s Gwadar seaport and its trade routes. The first phase of Chabahar port was inaugurated in December 2017. India committed to invest $500 million, according to the first phase agreement.
As a landlocked country, Afghanistan has mostly relied on Pakistan’s trade routes to export its commodities. Chabahar is the only port outside of Pakistan that connects Afghanistan to the sea. Iran has promised to allow Afghanistan to use the port with low port fees and only impose meager tariffs on Afghanistan’s goods. In 2009, India constructed a road from Chabahar to Afghanistan, valued at $136 million, it forms a part of the circle road that connects Herat and Kandahar provinces in southern Afghanistan to Kabul and then to Mazar-e-Sharif in the north, and finally, the full route connects Afghanistan to Uzbekistan. India also plans to build a 900 km railway track from Chabahar port to Bamiyan province, where an Indian consortium recently won a contract to mine the Hajigak iron ore deposit in the western part of Afghanistan.
Critically, the use of Chabahar would help wane Afghanistan of its dependency on Pakistan’s routes, which has always been challenging to Afghan traders. The port would allow Afghanistan another way to export its products to international markets, and will also create thousands of jobs. The Chabahar project could have a tremendous impact on Afghanistan’s economic growth. Since Afghanistan began pursuing connectivity projects, including Chabahar, in the region, it is estimated that the trade value between Afghanistan and Pakistan through Torkham border has declined to $500 million from $2.5 billion.
In November 2017, the first Indian shipment — 700,000 tons of wheat — bound for Afghanistan arrived in Chabahar. Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, inaugurated the first Afghan cargo bound for the port — 570 tons of goods — in February 2019. The second shipment — 80 tons of Afghan dry fruits — was sent to India through the port in June 2019. The current exports value of Afghan exports amount to about $1 billion, with Afghan officials confident that with Chabahar, that number can increase to $2 billion in the next year. Afghanistan may be a landlocked country, but it sits at the heart of critical trade routes between Central and South Asia, granting it increased importance in boosting regional connectivity.
Despite the United States’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Action of Plan (JCPOA) in May 2018 and re-imposition of major sanctions on Iran, these have not so far included the Chabahar port because Afghanistan’s development and economic growth are at the core of the United States’ South Asia strategy.
In addition to benefiting Afghanistan, Chabahar also benefits India. China and India have long competed over economic opportunities and resources in South and Central Asia. China has already invested in a strong strategic and economic relationship with Pakistan, and both countries are striving to increase their economic and trade cooperation through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar port, which both are part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At the same time, India has also worked to find new strategic partners through which it can enlarge its trade activity in the region. Thus, Chabahar port is in line with India’s strategic goals. It is an important pillar of Indian foreign policy aimed at finding shorter routes for its exports and imports, countering China’s influence in the Indian Ocean region, and circumventing Pakistan’s Gwadar port.
India believes that Chabahar, under its influence, will become one of the largest trade hubs in the future. The port will also connect India to Central Asian countries that are also major energy producers in the region. It is estimated that the port will help India to halve the time and cost of doing business with Central Asian countries. The port’s success also potentially takes business from Pakistan’s Gwadar, a pleasant prospect for India.
Khesraw Omid Farooq is a Fulbright scholar and holds a master’s degree from the University of Kentucky. Previously he worked as a foreign relations adviser to the Afghan minister of higher education and as a senior presenter for political shows on TOLOnews Tv. He tweets @OmidFarooq.


text:
Proton Holdings Bhd and Mitsubishi Motors Corp have agreed on a product collaboration that would see Proton source a vehicle from Japan to replace the Waja and Mitsubishi take the Persona and Proton’s upcoming MPV (multi purpose vehicle) to be marketed as Mitsubishis in certain markets.
Reader Fahmil spotted the elusive “Waja Lancer” soon to be launched out in the open near Masjid Kapitan Keling in Penang last Friday, along with an Exora ‘escort’.
It was actually raining, and Fahmil was so excited that he jumped out of his car and snapped the new Waja in the rain!
The new Waja is essentially a badge engineered Mitsubishi Lancer and this particular car clearly already has the Proton nose applied on it as the front end is completely taped up.
You can see some horizontal bars on the front grille like the ones found on the Persona and the Exora though, so the family resemblance is definitely there.


text:
Softbank Ventures subsidiary, Korea Media Lab, is launching an incubator to nuture young companies — offering them a small seed round of capital and helping through various steps of a so-called Litmus program.
It’s the latest in a number of incubators that have popped up with a similar structure — reflecting a convergence around a best-practices approach, perhaps. There’s Y-Combinator, Seedcamp, and Techstars, for example. Litmus is similar to these, only has more distinct steps in the move toward launch, explains Web 2.0 Asia:
When Litmus team receives a business plan, they review the b-plan thoroughly to assess potential and feasibility (hence the name Litmus); The business plans that have passed this initial stage get incubated through closed beta (yellow), open beta (purple), service open (blue), and “graduation” (red).
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


text:
Economic downturn plagues Burger King quarter earnings
1 of 1
Burger King's earnings fell 17 percent as sales at restaurants that were open at least a year dropped for the fifth straight quarter.
Photos: Island Images: April 2014, Part 2
Photos: Page One Gallery: April 2014
Photos: Oahu Jewish Ohana's Seder service, April 15
More Photo Galleries »


text:
Mark Zuckerbergs social network is betting big on augmented reality, hasnt given up on VR but doesnt have much to say about the Facebook killer
As Apple has WWDC and Google has I/O, so Facebook has F8: the social networks big annual conference has steadily grown, from a way to speak to developers about the upcoming changes to its platform to an event where the whole world hears about the exciting new products coming from the House of Zuckerberg.
Facebooks chief executive may not quite have Steve Jobs infamous reality distortion field the social networks ideal world is more like an artificial reality where none of the outside world penetrates but he can still wow when he wants to. Heres the eight biggest things to take away from the San Jose event.
1) Augmented reality is Facebooks big future bet
Facebook wants you to use its camera for more than just taking pictures. If theres one message from this years F8, its that.
Sure, youll still be able to snap pics and send them to friends. But the company also wants to paste more and more detail over the real world to create a second, augmented layer.
Some of the features of this camera platform sound genuinely useful or at least, fun. Facebook wants you to share pics of your run with your pace and time superimposed over the top, for instance, and it dreams of a day when youll be able to leave a review of a restaurant by pinning it to the window. (That one feels like it would have a few kinks to work out in practice, though).
Other features seem less good. Demonstrating one simpler capability of the new camera, Zuckerberg showed that you can add a second coffee mug to your picture, so it looks like youre not having breakfast alone. Which is surely the bleakest thing ever said in a billion-dollar companys presentation.
2) Its still copying Snapchat
One word that wasnt said on stage, though: Snapchat. Which is odd, because weve seen a lot of these features before. The ephemeral messaging app/social network for hip teens in rich countries popularised the idea of the AR camera, steadily upgrading its own offering from something which simply whacked a few location-aware images over the top of a pic to facial recognition-based lenses which turn you into a dog. This is something teens like.
Facebooks photocopiers have been overheating with the pace at which its been replicating Snapchats features, so it was probably looking forward to the ability to finally overtake its rival in LA. But it was not to be: six hours before F8 started, Snapchat released its own AR functionality, which its calling World Lenses. The new lenses are slightly less feature-rich than what Facebook is promising, but unlike the Camera Platform, its already on phones now. Sure, its sneaky and underhanded to gazump Facebook like that, but Snapchats owed a bit of payback. Score? Snapchat 21: 0 Facebook.
3) Facebook hasnt given up on VR
Read more: www.theguardian.com