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Global Marketing News – 24th November 2015
YouTube facilitates better international video reach
YouTube has introduced several new options to allow users to translate their videos into different languages.
The new tools will allow video titles, descriptions and subtitles to be translated, aiding content discovery to international audiences who otherwise would not find content due to language barriers.
Users can either do the translation themselves, get a Google-approved vendor to do the translation for them, or do it through crowdsourcing.
With the crowdsourcing option, YouTube would display multiple answers to help select the most accurate translations and improve translation quality over time.
With over 60% of video views typically coming from outside a video’s country of origin, the international appeal of video content is clear, and YouTube hopes that by providing translations it will help increase international discovery and viewership even further.
Traditional shops in China fight against ecommerce
Traditional shops in China are having to change their tactics to retain shoppers as ecommerce rises in popularity in the country.
Ecommerce generated 12.3 trillion Yuan in China last year, equivalent to almost 2 trillion US dollars, but traditional physical shops also saw a rise of 7.7% in sales during the same period.
In order to attract and retain more customers, Chinese shopping malls are having to become social hubs, with restaurants, entertainment complexes and terraces for people to sit down becoming more and more commonplace.
Shopping malls are spreading fast across China, with the real estate company JLL predicting that, over the next 3 years, 40 million square metres of shopping malls will be built across the country.
Belgian ecommerce dominated by cross-border sales
The Belgian ecommerce space is a hive of cross-border activity, according to research from BeCommerce.
Looking at online purchases made by Belgians in the last year, 72% of sales were from foreign ecommerce sites, with Amazon, 3 Suisses and Bol, from the US, France and the Netherlands respectively, being the top 3 ecommerce destinations.
Things were also looking good for Belgian online retailers pursuing an international strategy. Belgian online stores are particularly popular amongst online shoppers in the Netherlands, France, the UK, the US and Canada.
Belgians have spent 2.6 billion Euros on online stores in the last year, more than double the 1.1 billion Euros they spent online the previous year.
Most popular smartphone activities in Thailand revealed
Research by DI Marketing has revealed the most popular activities amongst smartphone users in Thailand.
Social networking came top of the list, with 82% of respondents saying they accessed social networks using their smartphones.
Making phone calls came second at 76%, followed by taking photos and using chat apps which were activities cited by over 70% of respondents.
Listening to music, watching videos, playing games and checking emails were also activities done by more than half of respondents.
Mobile commerce was still relatively rare in the country, however, with just 17% saying they used their smartphones to buy products online and only 45% researching products on their smartphones.
Digital currency Bitwalking pays users for movement
And finally, a new digital currency called Bitwalking is to launch in the UK, Japan, Kenya and Malawi.
Bitwalking will track users’ footsteps via a smartphone or smart-wristband and pay them 1 Bitwalking dollar for every 10,000 steps, equivalent to roughly 5 miles.
1 Bitwalking dollar will be equivalent to 1 US dollar.
Users will be able to spend the digital currency on certain online shops, and there are plans to allow users to trade the digital currency for cash as well.
One of Bitwalking’s founders commented on the aim of the digital currency, saying: “For some it will be a free cup of coffee a week perhaps offered by local businesses to encourage people to explore their local shops. For others it could be a game changer, transforming their lives by enabling them to earn and trade in the same way with the rest of the world. And all while encouraging us to protect the planet and stay healthy.”
Webcertain’s global marketing news bulletins are daily 5-minute videos, providing marketers with the latest international digital marketing news in an easy-to-digest format.
Latest posts by Cal O'Connell (see all)
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In the in 2014 alone, the market has grown a whopping $219 million bucks and there are no indications of it slowing down. Urth Leaf CBD have gone on record claiming the marketplace can expand upwards of 700% by the end of next year. So, what’s with all the attention? Why has the fad relocated far from THC to CBD markets? What made this relatively unidentified medication impact up in the previous year?
What is CBD?
Urth Leaf CBD lab results , or CBD for brief, is a non-psychoactive chemical discovered within the hemp plant and also belongs to the same family members as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC and CBD are relevant, the two drugs differ greatly. While cbd vape is used as a long-term, non-psychoactive medicine, THC is more frequently made use of as a short-term, psychoactive medication.
This suggests that CBD experiences a lot of the very same advantages as standard cannabis, but does not place the individual right into a psychedelic mindset. Some advantages include, but are not restricted to, the suppression of seizures, psychosis relief, and additional help for your body to fight lumps and also cancer cells in some cases.
Rapid Market Development
As specified previously, lots of market professionals believe that the CBD market will undertake rapid expansion over the next couple of years. One resource by the name of The Hemp Organisation Journal even asserted that the market will expand from its current $390 million market capitalization to $1.3 billion by the year 2022. That would certainly make CBD among the most swiftly expanding non-technology markets in the country.
Also the stores are picking up on the CBD wave. This year alone CVS, Walgreens, and also numerous various other little merchants have actually begun to sell CBD items. The financial gain is just also eye-catching to these stores, particularly when CBD assists patients tremendously, bring about repeat sales. So far, CVS and also Walgreens have been more than pleased in their dry run of offering CBD as well as they expect sales to only grow a lot more quickly in the coming months. One of their following possible CBD customers goes by the name of UrthLeaf as well as agents at each shop seem happy regarding this firm’s capacity.
UrthLeaf is The Investment to Make
Among the newest gamers in the CBD market, a firm named UrthLeaf, has actually already started to make significant waves with its distinct products as well as branding framework. UrthLeaf is a CBD business based out of Los Angeles, The Golden State that is an excellent choice for financial investment today, as it has huge capacity to expand in the following year. UrthLeaf is a fairly brand-new business, the founder has a tried and tested track-record in service and also an organisation model unlike any type of other competitor in the market.
The firm represents itself to be a way of living and also medicinal company instead of a standard brand. This strategy has actually shown to assist in repeat service, specifically because UrthLeaf keeps a customer-oriented business model. They genuinely count on the products that they are providing to consumers and develop actual partnerships with their clients to offer genuine aid. The team has gone as far as reaching out to private clients and also create custom items for individuals that have had problem utilizing their existing items.
For additional information or to acquire products, visit them right here.
Why has the fad moved away from THC to CBD markets? As mentioned previously, lots of market professionals think that the CBD market will go through rapid growth over the next couple of years. One resource by the name of The Hemp Company Journal also claimed that the market will certainly grow from its present $390 million market capitalization to $1.3 billion by the year 2022. That would certainly make CBD one of the most rapidly expanding non-technology markets in the nation.
One of the newest players in the CBD market, a firm named UrthLeaf, has currently begun to make huge waves with its special products and branding framework.

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A number of items remain unavailable at supermarkets across Lichfield as residents continue to stockpile items due to the fears of a coronavirus outbreak.
Shoppers across the city have cleared the shelves of toilet rolls, while stocks of canned goods, cleaning products and pasta have also been in short supply.
The trend follows that of people across the UK as fears grow that the COVID-19 outbreak could force them to self-isolate for at least seven days.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already urged people not to panic buy and deprive others of goods.
“I am confident we have fantastic supply chains. It is very important that everybody should behave responsibly and think about others.”Prime Minister Boris Johnson
The shortage of toilet rolls comes despite supermarkets limiting the amount residents can purchase.
Aldi said it was now rationing all products in a bid to ensure supplies would not be disrupted.


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We’ve heard a lot about the evolution of the baggage process in recent months. Permanent electronic bag tags, baggage tracking devices and biometric-enabled bag drop systems are among the developments that are encouraging airlines and airports to rethink their baggage handling strategies. Now though, British Airways has made a move that could truly redefine the check-in and baggage processes by bringing bag drop to travellers’ doorsteps.
Working with AirPortr, the company that already offers same day baggage delivery services for passengers travelling to or from London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports, British Airways has become the first airline in the world to offer the ‘AirPortr + Bag Check-In’ service.
Paul Mewett, Executive Vice President at Portr and a former director at Vancouver Airport Authority, where he envisioned and delivered CBP’s Automated Passport Control system that is now commonplace in major North American airports, told FTE that AirPortr + Bag Check-In is “this industry’s biggest leap in the baggage space in over a decade and we’re delighted to be making the leap with our partner, British Airways”.
How AirPortr + Bag Check-In works
So, how exactly does it work? Passengers who have booked the service check in online with BA before the AirPortr driver arrives either on the day of travel or the day prior to collect the bag. Boarding passes and passports are scanned with AirPortr’s proprietary app, identity validation takes place, relevant security questions are asked and then all bags are sealed in front of the travel party before collection.
The bags are later screened, weighed and tagged at one of several secure Portr warehouses, before being delivered to the departure airport, ready for injection into the baggage handling system. For passengers flying the next day, and in close coordination with the airports, an overnight early baggage storage model is employed at the warehouse so that bags are only injected at a time that suits the relevant airport. Once the bag is injected into the system, the customer receives an email and SMS to confirm that their bag is on its way.
As one of the many layers of incremental security, Mewett explained that upon collection from the customer, the bag is sealed in a single-use recyclable outer-bag, so baggage staff will be able to tell immediately if the bag has been tampered with during the journey to the airport. All bags undergo an additional off-airport screening process, which adds an extra layer of security.
Importantly, during the development of the AirPortr + Bag Check-In service, AirPortr engaged with airlines, airports and regulators including the Civil Aviation Authority, the Department for Transport and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“All of this means that the passenger arrives at the airport security-ready and they don’t have to worry about transporting their luggage to the airport or spending time to check them in. It’s a big step forward for the industry,” Mewett stated, where customers not only “lighten their load” when travelling, but also benefit from a more flexible schedule on their travel day and the ability to better utilise public transportation.
Philip Osmond, British Airways’ Director of Airport Transformation, said: “We are always looking at innovative ways in which to give our customers more choice and improve their journeys. This new service, provided in partnership with AirPortr, not only highlights our commitment to streamlining the process of checking-in, but also supports our vision of delivering the world’s best airport service.
“The AirPortr + Bag Check-In service will offer our customers an even smoother travel experience – benefiting big families and business travellers with a hassle-free journey to the airport, or visiting tourists who want to maximise their time in the city.”
Should AirPortr + Bag Check-In live up to expectations, and Mewett clearly has no doubts that it will, the knock-on effect for the wider industry could be significant. If large numbers of passengers start to arrive at the airport separate from their luggage, having essentially used a “virtual bag drop at their doorstep”, this could impact the requirement for bag drop desks, self-service bag drop systems and associated queuing space, which is a “huge win for all relevant stakeholders”, in the words of Mewett. “Travel habits are changing as demand is on the rise and we need to adapt,” he added, “and additional airport infrastructure is no longer the answer.”
From a security perspective, this new approach to bag drop reduces the number of unscreened bags being carried into airport facilities, while also decentralising crowds that currently wait en-masse in the check in and bag drop zones. “Also, self bag drop systems are expensive to install and maintain, so AirPortr + Bag Check-In can help to reduce costs, while repatriating valuable airport space for other purposes,” Mewett added.
For the team at AirPortr, British Airways’ adoption of AirPortr + Bag Check-In marks just the start of their journey. Mewett told FTE that “we have a keen eye toward global expansion in the future”.
“The issue of how to successfully separate bag and customer has long plagued us all,” Mewett said, “but this finally provides the industry with a secure and viable solution.” He added: “We see AirPortr + Bag Check-In as both a standalone product and an enabler for further facilitation endeavours, which we are already working on.”


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The great family of smartphones Galaxy of Samsung He has a new member: Wide Galaxy. The company has launched an entry-level mobile device in South Korea with a 5,5 ″ display and a 13 MP camera.
The new phone Samsung have procesor quad-core Snapdragon 410, 2 GB RAM memory, 16 GB internal storage capacity (plus Micro-SD card slot) and 3.000 mAh battery. The front camera, for selfies, is 5 MP. Samsung Galaxy Wide runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and will have the cost of 275 dollars at free.
Unfortunately, Samsung He would not say whether or not the mobile terminal will be available in other markets except the Asian.


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Are you ready to find out what the future of transportation looks like?
At the London Transport Museum on the 2nd February 2023, we’ll be hosting EV Magazine LIVE—the event of the year that is shedding light on the footprint of electrification.
But, it’s not just about the cars. EV Magazine has an exclusive lineup of guests to cover a variety of topics from EV charging and infrastructure to payments and the technology behind the plug.
We’re excited to invite leading executives to the stage to bring invaluable insights to an exclusive audience and viewers online.
The inaugural EV Magazine event
Due to the success of our sister magazine, Sustainability Magazine, we’re taking a similar approach to provide industry with more entertainment, insights, and opportunities to network with like-minded people.
Joining us on stage for a panel discussion on e-mobility and the shift to more sustainable transportation, will be Alex Gilbert, Head of Energy & Electrification; Commercial Development at Transport for London, and Sara Sloman, Chief Strategy Officer at PayThru.
Transport for London electrifies urban mobility
While London is home to one of the most sophisticated transportation networks, the London Underground, there is still work to be done to decarbonise the city further. The city’s EV infrastructure delivery plan was catalysed by the Mayor’s EV Infrastructure Taskforce in 2019.
Plans identified that London’s public and private sector stakeholders could work closer to accelerate the rate at which the city adopts electric transport. As a result of continuous work in this area, London is now home to more than 3,800 hybrid-electric buses, 785 all-electric versions, and even uses 22 hydrogen fuel-cell buses.
Alex Gilbert will surely tell us what’s next for the city and, equally important, how other cities in the UK and beyond can follow suit.
Charging will be the main part of this conversation on stage at EV Magazine LIVE as he discusses how TfL overcomes inherent infrastructure challenges to support a network of buses, while also encouraging the electrification of taxis and swapping of personal vehicles.
Paying for mobility has never been easier
A key component of electrification is charging functionality and how users interact with charging stations. Technology is enabling a new era of convenience, but also encouraging the next generation of e-mobility users.
Sara Solman will also provide her thoughts on the current charging solutions available, and how secure, effortless payment is a critical factor in shifting to EVs. There is no single solution to all e-mobility adjustments that will be made over the next few years, but this poses exciting new opportunities for businesses to make the charging experience much more amenable to consumer needs.


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Yummy Town Holdings Corp (雅茗天地), which operates three bubble tea brands in China, is set to list on Taiwan’s over-the-counter market in the second half of this year, the company said yesterday.
“We plan to list the company in Taiwan [on the GRETAI Securities Market] to build up brand awareness,” group chairman Albert Wu (吳伯超), a Taiwanese, told a media briefing.
After launching its first tea house in Taiwan in the middle of this year, the group plans to open between 10 and 15 new stores under the brand HappyLemon before the end of the year, Wu said.
Yummy Town, which is registered in the Cayman Islands with NT$250 million (US$8.35 million) in capital, currently runs more than 450 tea houses in 40 cities in China under three brands — R.B.T. Tea Cafe, Happy Lemon and Freshtea.
The group has also set up stores in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Canada and Australia.
Wu said the group may gradually open tea houses under the other two brands in Taiwan in the near future and that it is ready to expand its international reach by launching new stores in the US and Europe later this year.
Following its GRETAI listing, Yummy Town plans to look for more business partners for its near-term expansion in the US and Europe, he added.


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Realme India will be officially launching the much anticipated Realme X2 smartphone and the Realme Buds Air. It is also believed that the company could launch the Realme X2 Star Wars Edition. As the company has been teasing the devices on its social media accounts, not much is left to anticipate about the devices. The launch event will start from 12:30 pm IST onwards in New Delhi wherein the company will be announcing the prices of the devices. The phone maker will also be broadcasting the event from the venue on its official YouTube channel. The interested fans can watch the launch event in the embedded video below. Realme Buds Air, Realme X2 Launching in India on December 17; Prices, Features & Specifications.
Once launched, Realme Buds Air will be available sale post-launch at 2 pm IST via a special sale hosted by the phone maker. The interested customers can purchase the devices exclusively via Flipkart and Realme.com. Realme X2 Smartphone, Realme Buds Air Wireless Earphones Launching Tomorrow in India.
Apart from the regular version of Realme X2, we will be also be seeing Realme X2 Star Wars edition. It is important to note that the Realme X2 will be the phone maker's mid-range premium offering that will be powered by a new Snapdragon 730G chipset.
Coming to Realme Buds Air, the true wireless earphones show much design resemblance to Apple AirPods. The earbuds will be offered in three exciting colours - Yellow, Black, and White. The earphones will offer support touch control features allowing the users to control the music. Previous reports also claimed that the Realme Buds Air will be launched at Rs 4,999 that was accidentally listed on Flipkart.
Specification-wise, the Realme X2, and Realme X2 Star Wars edition will be offered with the same specifications as that of China. The smartphone will get a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with 1080x2340 pixels of resolution. The device will also get a waterdrop notch above and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Realme Buds Air Wireless Earphones To Go On Sale at 2PM IST on December 17.
Under the hood, the device will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. For photography, the phone will sport quad-cameras at the rear comprising of a 64MP Samsung-sourced GW1 sensor, an 8MP wide-angle lens, two 2MP macro and depth sensors. At the front, there will be a 32MP snapper for selfies and video calling. The phone will be backed by a massive 4,000 mAh battery with 30W VOOC flash charge support.


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Academy Sports & Outdoors (Academy) reported a sales increase of 18.1% to a record of $1.59 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. Comparable store sales increased 17.9% over the previous year. Comparable sales in 2020 increased 16.6% over 2019 sales. The company benefitted from improved merchandise planning and allocation.
The outlook for Academy is very bright. During the current fiscal year, the company battled supply chain problems due to port delays and overland delivery problems, faced labor challenges on staffing their stores and warehouses and faced inflationary pressures on merchandise. These challenged really will have a positive effect on the operation in 2022 as the company develops a greater private label program, expects the supply chain problem to ease in the second half of the year and intensifies its growing e-commerce business.
Management raised their earnings expectations for fiscal 2021. Sales for the full year were raised to $6.67 billion to $6.74 billion. Previously the company projected $6.45 billion to $5.62 billion. This compares with $5.69 billion in fiscal 2020 and $4.83 billion in fiscal 2019. Net income per share is now projected $6.75 to $6.85 per share compared to the previous projection of $5.45 to $5.80 per share. The company earned $3.79 per share in fiscal 2020 and $1.60 million per share in fiscal 2019.
Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer. Some of the key categories include outdoor, apparel, footwear and sports. Its 259 stores are located contiguously in states in the south with headquarters in Katy, Texas. The company plans to expand with 8 to 10 stores next year as well as the following year. Stores will be patterned after the 2019 model which is smaller and has a more efficient layout. It is likely that the stores will be in contiguous states. The company expects to have sales of about $3.5 million in each of the new stores.
2022 will be a challenging year for the retail industry. Retailers have learned to be quicker to make effective decisions. Now they will be tested as inflationary pressures may slow their sales. Academy’s management has responded by developing a stronger private-label program. It will assure better margins. Retailers will try to enhance the customer’s shopping experience by offering better customer service which may include more pick-up stations outside the store.
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Supply problem may linger for the first half of the year and Academy has to anticipate delays.
However, the biggest worry is that inflation is at a four-decade high and retailers talk about raising prices substantially in the coming year. While wages have crept up, and minimum wage is at de facto $15 an hour. It will be difficult to image how this will come under control. Transporting merchandise from Asia and other countries to U.S, warehouses will continue to be costly and challenging in the next few years. Sporting goods is on everybody’s must shopping list and outdoor activities are almost mandatory after being locked up due to the pandemic. It is likely that customers will not postpone their purchases.
POSTSCRIPT: Academy Outdoor is in a very fortunate position. It has strengthened its controls, improved merchandising and is developing a private label program. The company has strong leadership and is developing a strong retail strategy. It will be interesting to see how the new stores will be accepted and frequented.


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In a three-pronged effort, 1-year-old JetBlue Airways is expected to debut its first e-mail campaign next month aimed at building its Web brand inexpensively, increasing its ticket sales at www.jetblue.com and boosting its e-mail list.
The airline has a customer database of more than 200,000, and about half the profiles include e-mail addresses that will be used in the campaign. To increase the list prior to the campaign, JetBlue has added an e-mail sign-up box to its flight-booking page.
The exact date and size of the e-mail drop are undetermined. The airline plans to send e-mails to more than 10,000 people, said Christian Rishel, director of interactive marketing at JetBlue, New York.
The text-only e-mails will promote the bargain airline's regular offers of regional one-way flights for less than $100, as well as perks such as 24-channel televisions for each flier and more-than-average legroom, Rishel said.
“We are sticking with text because we're not convinced people want to see all of these multimedia e-mails in their mailboxes,” he said. “We are more concerned with communicating our immediate retail messages.”
Rishel would not divulge expenses for the campaign. While his firm has no plans to use banner ads or other Internet promos, it expects to spend $12 million this year on TV, radio, newspaper and outdoor ads in the 14 markets where it has airport hubs.
The ads will prominently mention JetBlue's Web site, which is expected to enhance its e-mail lists because the ads should lead more people to opt in at the site, Rishel said.
He said e-mail is the company's most cost-effective promotions tool.
“While we have solid [financial] backing, we are not planning to do expensive marketing like direct mail,” he said. “We are a young company, and we don't necessarily have do everything traditional marketers have done.”
JetBlue receives 35 percent of its ticket sales at its Web address, while getting 50 percent from its call centers and the remaining 15 percent via distributors and travel agencies, Rishel said.
The airline also is considering renting e-mail lists in order to pitch offers to new audiences and to brand itself against its biggest airline competitor in the cheap-fare sector — Southwest Airlines.
Most airlines, including Southwest, began integrating e-mail into their online strategies last year or the year before, said Kate Rice, analyst at PhoCusWright, a market research firm covering Internet travel.
“JetBlue is so new that they don't have anything to be ashamed of in being behind in this area,” she said. “There isn't anything easy about organizing a targeted e-mail campaign. You just don't shoot one out. And if there is one painful lesson we've learned from the Web, it's that it isn't necessarily bad to take things slowly.”


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RASUWA, Nov 16: The installation of Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) at the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office has eased customs procedures for both traders and customs officials.
The office installed ASYCUDA system keeping in view rising import volume through the customs point along the Nepal-China border. The new system has eradicated problems like delay in customs evaluation, under evaluation of goods, and long queues at the customs office, according to customs officials.
“The installation of ASYCUDA system has eased customs process for us. We no longer need to visit the customs office for export and import of goods and pay duties,” Nawaraj Timilsina, a trader, told Republica. “Earlier, the paper-based documentation process used to take a lot of time.”
Similarly, Basu Basnet, another trader, said traders like him can complete customs formalities from their office in Kathmandu itself.
Not only traders, the digital system has benefited staffers of the customs office as well. They no longer need to go to the district headquarters as customs duty is collected through banking system and application process has also gone digital.
“The new system facilitates coordination between Internal Revenue Department (IRD) and Department of Customs. It will help the department to monitor its customs offices effectively,” Gopal Koirala, chief customs officer at the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office, said. “Making customs formalities technology-friendly is a step toward making import-export trade more managed,” he added.
Koirala further added that smooth customs clearance process will make trade of goods easier and hence help increase revenue collection. Koirala further said that it will make trading easier and will increase the tax collection too. According to Koirala, data integration system helps to send all the details of price and good's quantity directly to the IRD. “All the details registered at the customs office by the trader can be found easily by concerned government offices, he added.
Details like quantity of goods, estimated arrival time, price as well as staff that registered the entry are available online in ASYCUDA system.
Meanwhile, the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office has also closed its cash counter. “We have decided to close the cash counter as Bank of Kathmandu (BoK) has already been designated to collect revenue on behalf of us,” Koirala said.
Before ASYCUDA was installed, the customs office used to collect revenue itself and later deposit the amount in its account maintained at the Dhunche-based branch office of Nepal Bank Limited.


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The public beta launch of iOS 10 is here after it was unveiled at the WWDC 2016. Apple iOS 10 launch of beta version brings in amazing features that promise to thrill Apple fanboys. Though the beta release is restricted to just developers, that does not stop iOS users to install the new updates onto their devices and take their iPhone and iPads to the next level. The new changes are incremental with both tweaks and redesigns in design and functionality.
Top 7 iOS 10 features for your iPhone and iPads
The new iOS 10 update packs in following 7 exciting features and changes that not just enhance the iOS experience but make the iOS platform a more compelling experience.
Haptic feedback on the lock removed: Among the most visible change, the iOS10 update has done away with the haptic vibration feedback when an iPhone is locked.
Faster Folder Animations: Apple iOS is smooth and the new update makes it swifter when switching in and out of folders. So now the animations do not just drag out instead they instantly pop up open and shut making your time with your iOS device more efficient.
100 New Emoji:
The new iOS 10 update adds a fresh stock of 100 new emoji to make your texts more emojical. The new emoji include redesigned emoji with more depth, shadows as also freshly introduced emoticons. One interesting feature is the emoji suggestions in quick type where you can instantly replace the text with an emoji that it represents.
New Keyboard Sounds:
The new update introduces new sounds in the keyboard. There are new tunes for backspace, shift, and more.
Quick Reply Now Allows for Scrolling:
The new iOS 10 update makes quick reply on your iPhone more efficient. You can now scroll inside the conversation while on the lock-screen
One Strike to close all Tabs:
You can now close all tabs at once in the Safari browser. This comes as a breather for Safari users who are prone to open multiple tabs.
Goodbye to stock apps:
To all those users who do not use all of the stock iOS apps and are bugged by the space it covers, especially in their 16 GB device, here’s good news! You can now bid goodbye to the stock iOS apps.
The iOS 10 is expected to hit the iPhone and iPad devices soon and work wonders for your iOS devices. Looking to get a headstart for your iPhone app idea and make the most of the iOS 10 update. Visit our experts today.


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Non-Indian Ecommerce firms may soon rejoice as the Indian government may allow Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) from international companies by next month.
According to reports, India’s newly appointed Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce the allowance of FDI from foreign firms, giving companies like Amazon the ability to sell directly to Indian consumers, rather than the marketplace model used currently.
The announcement of the decision will most likely be given alongside the new budget. If true, the decision will be the first tangible signs of economic reform by Modi’s business-friendly government.
“Most stakeholders support FDI. We have pitched for opening it up completely,” said a senior government official.
A number of government officials who are privy to the details told news outlet Reuters that allowing FDI and promoting a more vigorous Ecommerce landscape in India would spur local manufacturing and consumption, reviving an economy that saw sub-par expansion these past 2 years.
$100,000 Battle: PrimeXBT Debuts New Contests ModuleGo to article >>
In December a discussion paper was released by India’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on whether to allow FDI in India or not. The paper had a deadline of January 2014, with a final decision on the matter scheduled for March 2014. Given mixed views on the subject, the paper’s deadline was elongated, and eventually not discussed further.
“The way the government is initiating discussion, it is very clear that they are extremely serious about it. They understand this will help small traders to grow their business, expand and reach out to a larger market,” stated an Ecommerce executive invited to a meeting two weeks ago between the government and foreign and domestic companies.
If approved, foreign firms will be able to tap into India’s $500 billion retail sector, a market currently blocked out to them due to FDI regulations.


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Private equity firm Huron Capital recently committed $40m to recapitalize Sock & Accessory Brands Global LLC (SABG), a Mocksville, NC-based designer and marketer of fashion casual and athletic socks.
Fifth Third Bank provided senior debt financing for the transaction.
Following the investment, which was made through Huron’s most recent private equity fund, the $350m Huron Fund III, L.P., SABG will continue to be led by its founder and CEO, Jeff Arnold.
Huron Operating Partner Jim Clegg has joined SABG as Executive Chairman and President. Both, Arnold and Clegg now hold significant ownership stakes in the business.
SABG’s products are sold under company-owned brands, licensed brands such as Eddie Bauer, Crocs, and others, and as private label socks under retail store brands.


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Glendale feeling an identity crisis, bringing in consultants
A firm hired to develop a strategy to promote Glendale as a destination for businesses, visitors and potential residents expects to begin a research effort this month that may last until October and involve a series of surveys and focus groups, an executive said.City officials agreed to terms with the firm, North Star Destination Strategies, in November, hoping it would help give Glendale a recognizable identity or brand.
“It’s basically trying to put us back on the map,” Deputy Development Services Director Emil Tatevosian said of the planned marketing effort.
Glendale’s mix of business districts and its urban expansion in recent years has left it without a clear identity to the outside world, something that an organized marketing plan could change, officials say.Read the full story here.
-- Zain Shauk
Photo: The Americana mall in downtown Glendale. Credit: Los Angeles Times


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Tesla and its charismatic, if somewhat erratic, chief executive officer Elon Musk are considered almost synonymous. In the coming year, investors might want to begin disentangling the two.
It’s been a rough ride for shareholders, who routinely endured swings exceeding 20% in either direction from one month to the next. Musk’s unpredictable behaviour and unrestrained tweeting were as much to blame for that as any concerns about Tesla’s fundamentals.
Many analysts see 2019 as the year Tesla could prove itself a bona fide automotive manufacturer with stable profits and reliable cash flow, even as competition starts heating up and liquidity concerns linger. Of course, Musk remains a potential wildcard.
Here are some of Tesla’s biggest 2019 challenges:
Model 3 production
Tesla’s ability to churn out Model 3 sedans at a steady pace is arguably the most important factor for investors next year.
"Tesla has a golden opportunity to ramp Model 3 unit sales in 2019 and beyond and thus translate into massive free cash flow and profitability as we look out into 2022-2030," Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, who initiated coverage with a buy rating this month, wrote in a note.
While third-quarter deliveries were encouraging, concerns remain that the pace of production might not be sustainable.
Tesla also had benefited from a mix of more higher-priced vehicles, a trend that might reverse, or at least weaken in 2019, as the company starts selling more affordably priced Model 3 sedans. As a federal tax incentive for electric cars phases out, sales trends in the new year may also provide greater insight into demand dynamics for Tesla.
The tax credit, which will be cut in half beginning January 1, might have caused a demand "pull-ahead" late this year, Goldman Sachs’ analyst David Tamberrino said. Consequently, there may be a lull in early 2019 "that may not be fully made up by initial deliveries across Europe," he said.
Numbers: Cash flow & margins
Tesla is one of a few automakers likely to expand profits in 2019-2020, according to Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois. Analysts on an average expect Tesla to report adjusted earnings of $6.88 a share in 2019, and free cash flow of $1.03bn.
However, with the average price of Model 3s expected to tilt lower, maintaining hefty margins will be a challenge.
"The big conundrum is that Tesla needs to ramp production of its lower-priced $46 000 mid-range and eventually $35 000 base models to drive broader consumer demand, while importantly increasing gross margins toward the mid-20% range over time," Wedbush’s Ives said.
The rate at which Tesla burns through cash has long troubled investors. While the company has said it won’t need to raise money, several analysts have said doing so might be a good idea, especially as it boosts Model 3 production, starts expanding into European and Chinese markets and needs to pay off debt.
"A potential capital raise could reduce many investors’ concerns about financial pressure during a critical time of market expansion and strategic partnership," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note dated December 18.
In a television interview with Bloomberg, the analyst said that depending on Tesla’s spending rate, a raise of $2.5bn in the fourth quarter could provide the company 12 to 18 months of "extra oxygen in the tank."
Musk said on October 24 that Tesla plans to pay off its debt and not refinance. Earlier this month, the company told holders of $920m of its convertible debt due in March that it would settle the conversion with a 50-50 split between cash and stock.
Robert W. Baird analyst Ben Kallo said Tesla has sufficient liquidity to cover debt payments and fund future investment in growth using internally generated capital. However, he also said Tesla should return to capital markets in 2019 to strengthen its balance sheet and insulate against the risk of a global slowdown.
Tesla also is facing increased competition as many luxury auto companies join the electric fray.
"Most of the electric vehicles that we see in the market or that are coming into the market are still very expensive, and even though the Model 3 is also expensive and has just become profitable at a high price point, there is an element of simplicity" that sets Teslas apart, Houchois from Jefferies said by phone. He pointed to Volkswagen as the closest rival with its focus on design simplicity. "Tesla needs be at the price point of $35 000 to $40 000 before Volkswagen gets there."
Volkswagen, which offers two battery-powered models, said this month that it plans to increase that to 20 by 2025. Volkswagen’s luxury brands, Audi and Porsche, as well as Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar, are all set to introduce electric cars over the next couple of years.
The Musk factor
While Tesla has turned the corner on the Model 3 and appears poised to improve profits and cash flow, "there is no room for major production errors or another distraction from Musk," Wedbush’s Ives wrote. He underscored the cash flow balancing act that will still be required over the coming year and the lawsuits and investigation from the "going private saga."
Investors have repeatedly shown that Musk’s actions, whether they involve Tesla or not, affect the shares, reflecting how crucial he’s considered to be for its success. Be it behaving rudely with Wall Street analysts on earnings calls, making allegations on Twitter about a rescuer involved in the Thai cave flooding, or sending the now infamous "going private" tweet, Musk’s behaviour has caused concerns about his ability to lead the company.
Consumer Edge’s James Albertine, a long-time bull, downgraded Tesla in August, saying it needs deeper "corporate restructuring" and a steady hand. Last month, Tesla named Robyn Denholm the board chairperson, as part of its settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Whether Musk can be reined in by the new chair, or not, only time will tell.


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How Walmart is Rolling Out Robots in 50 Stores to Help Stock Inventory
Walmart is rolling out shelf-scanning robots to 50 U.S. stores to replenish inventory faster and free up time for associates.
The new shelf-scanning technology uses automation to handle tasks that are repeatable, predictable and manual, such as scanning shelves for out-of-stock items, incorrect prices and wrong or missing labels.
Walmart revealed in its blog it has tested the technology in a small number of stores in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and California. Now it's expanding the tech to an additional 50 locations.
According to Reuters, the approximately 2-foot (0.61-meter) robots come with a tower that is fitted with cameras that scan aisles to check stock and identify errors. The robots pass that data to store employees, who then stock the shelves and fix errors. The company said the robots would not replace workers or affect employee headcount in stores.
“If you are running up and down the aisle and you want to decide if we are out of Cheerios or not, a human doesn’t do that job very well, and they don’t like it,” Jeremy King, chief technology officer for Walmart U.S. and e-commerce, told Reuters.
The robots are 50%more productive than their human counterparts and can scan shelves significantly more accurately and three times faster, King said.
"As with anything we roll out to our stores, the feedback from associates and customers will guide us in how and where we use this technology in the future," said Justin Rushing, Walmart Communications.


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TfL has “no plans” to reinstate a dedicated freight team for London, according to TfL transport commissioner Mike Brown. Speaking at a session of the London Assembly’s transport committee last week, Brown said TfL’s decision to disband the freight team last year and embed its former members across the organisation is producing “significant progress”. Brown was responding to the transport committee’s concerns that the lack of a dedicated freight team would impact on the delivery of London’s Freight Servicing Action […]
Transport for London (TfL) has promised to provide an update “later this year” on proposals for a new underground ring road around London to relieve congestion.
Concerns that Transport for London (TfL) was poised to extend the congestion charging zone to the North and South Circular Roads have been allayed after a bailout plan was agreed without the expansion.
TfL urges operators to apply for HGV safety permit by 26 October to comply with new Direct Vision Standard
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has issued more than 8,000 HGV safety permits as part of the Direct Vision Standard since it launched last October.


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TESLA STOCKS DIVE 20%, ERASE MORE THAN $76B OF MARKET VALUE
Tesla stock plunged as much as 20% on Tuesday, wiping more than $76 billion from its market capitalization and other tech stocks such as Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook fell sharply as well.
Elon Musk's electric-car maker was surprisingly excluded from the next round of additions to the S&P 500 last week, and a key shareholder also cut its stake, Theron Mohamed reported for BusinessInsider late on September 8, 2020.
Shares in Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Facebook all fell as much as 3%. Investors may be disappointed by Tesla's shock exclusion from the S&P 500 index. The company turned a fourth consecutive quarterly profit in the three months to June 30, meeting the last of the benchmark's eligibility criteria.
Many investors expected it to be drafted into the index as a result, especially as it dwarfs most S&P 500 companies in terms of market capitalization. However, S&P Dow Jones Indices - which manages the S&P 500 - dashed those hopes on Friday by announcing Etsy, Teradyne, and Catalent as the latest additions to the index, replacing H&R Block, Coty, and Kohl's. It made no mention of Tesla. The committee may be wary of including Tesla given its volatile stock price, which has skyrocketed more than 350% this year and hit record highs. The automaker's first-half profits were also flattered by $782 million in sales of regulatory credits to other companies. Tesla's stock drop follows its five-for-one stock split and announcement of a $5 billion share sale last week. Its largest external shareholder, Baillie Gifford, also disclosed that it cut its stake from about 6.4% to 4.3% due to internal limits on the weight of a single stock in its client portfolios.


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PHOENIX — It’s New U November on Today in AZ and we’re sharing the secrets to living your best life. You’ll see and hear lots of ideas for how to live to be 100 years old, but we went to an expert to find out what really works.
Plant-based diets are all the rage now as Americans want to live longer, healthier lives. Dr. Shad Marvasti, Director of Public Health, Prevention and Health Promotion at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix tells 12 News there’s no question, food choice can make or break longevity.
“The biggest problem in America is the standard American diet, which is sad," Marvasti explained. "It's 64 percent processed food or as I like to call it ‘Franken food.’”
Dr. Shad has extensively researched cultures around the world that have the highest numbers of centenarians sometimes called Blue Zones. So, what do they have in common?
“In most cases around the world in Blue Zones, 95 percent or more of them eat essentially a plant based or pescatarian diet," Marvasti said. "What does pescatarian mean? It's essentially mostly plants, but then adding in wild seafood because of the healthy fats. If they have meat, it's usually only two or three ounces a couple times a week or less often than that. Really, it’s like a condiment, almost like a special treat.”
Here’s some food for thought: Marvasti said there is a direct link between processed foods and cancer as well as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Many of us are living life on the go, which often means our food choices can suffer the consequences. A popular TikTok trend right now is “Nature’s Cereal” which is fruit floating in coconut water.
Marvasti gives it the thumbs up over many high fat, high sugar breakfast cereals.
“I recommend a bowl of berries every day to all my patients including my diabetes patients because berries don't raise your blood sugar," Marvasti suggested. "They're full of antioxidants. They help to prevent heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancer. So, having berries and coconut water, I think it's actually great.”
Marvasti added the only thing that would make this treat better is a sprinkling of nuts and seeds. He also said raw nuts and seeds like almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are good because they will add healthy fat and protein to make it a complete meal.
Your social media feed is probably full of so-called tips and tricks to weight loss and diet all in an effort to live longer and stronger. Marvasti said too often people go for drastic measures that only set us up for failure.
“I always tell any patient when they're making any lifestyle changes to start low and go up slow and build incrementally so that that change is lasting,” he said.
As we get ready to sit down for our holiday dinners, you may want to try a Japanese way of life that includes eating until you’re 80 percent full.
“One of the best things to do is actually eat for the first five or 10 minutes slowly, enjoying each piece of your food. Then wait," Marvasti said. "Once you've eaten half of the portion size of whatever plate you have, wait another 20 minutes before you eat more. When you wait, your body actually catches up to recognize that you're no longer hungry.”
This is just one small change that can make a big difference. Marvasti said besides diet, healthy relationships, regular exercise, stress management and adequate sleep are just as important in achieving the longevity you desire.
12 News on YouTube
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Last week the PlayStation Blog brought serendipitous news: the masterpiece Suikoden II took a top 10 slot not just on the best-selling list of PlayStation Classics for December, but for all of 2015.
For a certain subset of gamers, last December was big. Really big. Like, the biggest month in years.
Because it’s just that good.
So you've just bought Suikoden II on the PlayStation Network. Finally, for the first time ever, you're going to play through one of the finest role-playing games ever made. Exciting, isn't it?
Sony just announced that the classic JRPG Suikoden II is coming to PS3 and PlayStation Vita. Not only that, it'll be available next week.
Yep, Twitch is playing everything these days—even Suikoden II, one of the best RPGs ever made. Not quite as hilarious as Twitch Plays Pokémon, but hey. Check it out right here.
How much do you think a copy of Suikoden II costs on Amazon? $60? $150? $300?
Kirk was like "yo Jason write me something for Kotaku Melodic" and I was like "yo okay."


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There have been many rumours circulating about the Horizon franchise. Apparently, Guerrilla has partnered with another studio to make a mobile spin-off, and of course there's the scuttlebutt about a potential Horizon Zero Dawn PS5 remaster. One rumour that's persisted for a while, though, is an online multiplayer spin on the series. Well, it's not a rumour anymore — Guerrilla has now directly mentioned it.
In a big recruitment drive for the Amsterdam studio, the social media post talks up an "Online Project set in Horizon's universe":
"Featuring a new cast of characters and a unique stylised look, friends will be able to explore the majestic wilds of Horizon together," the post continues. A whole bunch of open positions follow across various fields.
So, there we go. A Horizon online multiplayer game is in the works, and Guerrilla is staffing up for it as we speak. We're certainly intrigued — some PvE action where you team up to take down the game's huge machines sounds great to us, and we wonder what the game's "stylised" visuals will look like. Anyway, whatever it is, it's probably a ways off.
Are you excited about the idea of a Horizon multiplayer title? Tell us in the comments section below.


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(Natural News) While many of us turn up our noses at the lime-green jello or spam concoctions of yesteryear, the truth is that a lot of today’s popular foods are equally disgusting; Unicorn Frappuccino, anyone? However, when you compare many of the more natural foods we have now to what it was like in the past, the difference can be shocking. The tomatoes at your supermarket might be a lot bigger than the ones your grandparents grew on their farm, but they’re also likely packing fewer nutrients and a lot less flavor. They’re also probably doused in pesticides that could kill you. If this is what it’s like now, how will we be eating 20 years from now?
If you’re brave enough to even entertain the answer to this question, Fast Company recently took a “science-fiction look” at the future direction of food – and it isn’t pretty. Although sugar has rightfully become “the new cigarettes” by then, they also see us eating fish that has never seen the sea and grilling meat that didn’t come from animals – which isn’t too far off from what’s happening now. They also see wine and eggs being synthetic and all fruit being grown using genetics.
They envision a future where obesity is a thing of the past, but that’s only because a new agency will be analyzing the way people eat using a digital implant. They see everyone being forced by the government to ingest an “edible nanorobot” on a regular basis to assess the risk their food poses to their health as well as that of the environment. These health habits will also be used to set people’s health insurance premiums, and insurers will use the implants to track what people eat in real time.
Fast Company sees farms as resembling Apple Stores rather than traditional farms, with technology taking over. They imagine robotic greenhouses replacing urban gardens and creating food for people at high speed. They say it could be 500 times faster than growing it from soil, and there will even be hybrid foods. It looks like in this scenario, the world didn’t learn anything from the dangers of the GM soy and corn crops of today.
More fake food than ever
Every food in the world could be digitized, they say, enabling people to use a 3D printer to print them. For example, instead of ordering food by phone or even online, you can get the recipes and dishes of the world’s top chefs simply by purchasing their information and having your 3D food printer replicate them. Users can select foods from a database, and their 3D printer will create tiny cubes shaped like that food and inject them with the relevant colors, flavors and nutrients. Meanwhile, powdered food synthesizers will be creating snacks with multiple flavors in each bite – as if the fake flavors and enhancers of today, like nitrates and MSG, aren’t bad enough!
They also envision a type of food police that uses technology to trace everything people eat and monitor their food waste, possibly blocking individuals from buying certain foods if they would push them over a predetermined allowable carbon level, or because they’ve already ingested enough calories for the day.
Perhaps what is most disturbing about many of these scenarios is the fact that they don’t sound like that much of a stretch. We already have lab-grown meat that “bleeds” and Frankenapples that don’t turn brown. It’s impossible to predict the future, of course, but the signs are everywhere that our food supply is headed down a very dangerous path where finding natural, real foods could become increasingly difficult – and what will happen to us then?
Sources for this article include:


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Get ready for an amazing new variant of smartwatch on One Plus, which this time will be dedicated to our beloved Harry Potter. This follows the launch of the OnePlus Watch Cobalt Limited Edition, made available outside of China starting last month. And so the Chinese company has well thought of releasing yet another variant of its smartwatch on the market, dedicating it to the most famous wizard in the world. Indeed, according to reports from the informant Ishan Agarwal, the new one OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Edition it could arrive on the Indian market in the coming weeks. So let’s go find out something more.
OnePlus: the smartwatch dedicated to Harry Potter is about to hit the market
In the coming weeks, the Harry Potter edition of the OnePlus smartwatch should be available for purchase in India. And this bodes well for the possibility of getting our hands on the watch inspired by the famous wizard. From what we know, in fact, the smartwatch will be launched with six exclusive dials, which will take up some of the most characteristic elements of the Rowling saga: Hogwarts, Hogwarts Seal, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
Aside from the new UI themes and some paint job details, the OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Edition’s internal hardware should remain similar to the original. The smartwatch will then feature a 1.39 inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 454 × 454 pixels, 4 mm dial, 326ppi pixel density and 2.5D glass design. Also, like the Cobalt Limited Edition, it should feature a sapphire crystal dial – second only to hardness – to ensure greater protection of the device.
To these technical details are added other rather interesting ones: IP68 protection degree for resistance to dust and water, 5ATM water resistance degree, 4GB of internal memory, GPS, integrated microphone and speaker. But that is not all. The new OnePlus smartwatch dedicated to Harry Potter also offers interesting features designed for sportsmen, including a heart rate monitor, an SpO2 sensor and a stress monitoring option. In addition to well 110 different training modes, tra outdoor e indoor.
Finally, the smartwatch is reportedly capable of last up to 14 days on a single charge. And up to 25 hours with continuous training tracking via GPS. Furthermore, thanks to the integration of the tecnologia Warp Charge, can offer a week’s battery life with just 20 minutes of charge. In short, a very respectable device, even beyond the fact that it celebrates Harry Potter. But there is only one flaw: the smartwatch will be made available in India shortly. And this does not mean that it will also reach the European market. In any case, we hope that this is the case. And that this happens in the shortest possible time.


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The FIFA World Cup is quite additional six months far. But that is not ending hotels in Dubai and the UAE from preparation to hook some of the tourism and stop action from the matches’ trendy in Qatar. All the deeds that will make a room in the UAE could be venue up to one huge fourth-quarter hurry for the generosity production. Qatar’s World Cup tourism. That, obviously, is the aim. Qatar World Cup fans can buy Qatar Football World Cup Tickets from our website.
UAE hotels expect football supporters – or a good figure of them – to holiday in the country earlier or later traveling to Qatar for the games. The World Cup will have its opening game on November 21 and the ending game on December 18.
By now, early payment airline ticket reservations for November and December have sighted some important points, in specific for pavilion game-ups at the World Cup. The hurry for hotel reservations in Dubai and the respite of UAE could surprise any time later in summer, or even before.
Alexander Suski, the temporary CEO at Ishraq Hospitality, which has the Crowne Plaza Jumeirah among eight belongings in Dubai, is implementing a pause and lookout method. “It will be great to see people travel to Qatar and extend their visit to Dubai,” said Suski.
“July and August have as yet not shown any large or incremental volumes (in bookings) due to the World Cup as yet. It can still change closer to the time. A trend that has impacted hospitality significantly in the past two years is last-minute bookings.”
A Covid inheritance
Whether reservation a trip or significant on a hotel visit. The whole thing over the previous two years inclined to be complete at the previous likely small since tourism plans were responsible for alteration at any specified instant because of the epidemic and the numerous waves that supplemented it.
These ways shaped through these two years are tough to break down, but tourists will shed them earlier than later. Qatar’s World Cup tourism. The Eid tourism trends obviously display that variations are captivating home. And by the fourth quarter hotels. And Air Company will be eager for a whole rearrange of how tourists make their campaigns.
“This year the forum is happening at a time when the world is increasingly looking to take a leaf out of Dubai’s successful tourism recovery strategy,” said Issam Kazim, CEO, of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing. And more, of course, highlight a “multifaceted offering that plays a pivotal role in ensuring Dubai remains at the forefront of the world’s leading and safe travel destinations”.
A Q4-22 prize
“The fourth quarter is expected to be a peak in Dubai due to various reasons. And not just the World Cup,” said Suski. “Dubai is holding/assisting an important amount of proceedings throughout this period, with above 30 events at the DWTC unaccompanied.
“If we combine this with the World Cup matches in Qatar. And the potential additional thousands of travelers coming to enjoy Dubai, we can expect strong demand. We predict occupancies would remain similar to Q4-2021 and hotel rates will also be low.”


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Tri-county bankruptcy filings surge
Bankruptcy filings in the Tri-Counties have exploded this year, jumping more than 70 percent amid a weak economy and faltering real estate prices.
Attorneys who handle the filings say the housing market crash and subsequent credit crisis account for much of the surge. The sharp increase has some firms giving up weekends and adding staff to handle the extra cases.
“I’m making an awful lot of Saturday appointments, which I didn’t used to do,” said David B. Commons, a Goleta-based bankruptcy attorney and chair of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association’s Debtor/Creditor Section. “I’ve been doing this since 1971 and I’ve never seen a time like this before.”
“We’ve added an attorney and a paralegal to help handle the workload, and we’re still busy,” said William Winnfield, chair of the bankruptcy practice group at Oxnard-based Nordman Cormany Hair & Compton, where he is a partner.
In the division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court that covers most of the Tri-Counties, Chapter 7 filings in the first five months of 2008 shot up 70 percent from the year before. Chapter 13 filings spiked 80 percent, with the overall number of filings rising about 71 percent.
Chapter 7 proceedings, which cover both businesses and consumers and are often called a “straight” bankruptcy, usually entail the liquidation of assets. Chapter 13 allows debtors to keep property and pay debts back over time, usually three to five years.
There were too few filings under Chapter 11, which covers reorganizations, and Chapter 12, which covers family farms and fishermen, in the Tri-Counties to make meaningful comparisons to years past.
“Chapter 11 was designed with Delta Airlines and Texaco in mind,” Winnfield said. “It’s very easy to get into Chapter 11 and very hard to get out.”
Bankruptcy attorneys interviewed by the Business Times said the increase in tri-county filings comes in large part from homeowners who have tapped out their home equity credit lines, credit cards and, finally, savings. When the bottom drops out, the housing market provides no refuge.
“People have gotten in over their heads in chasing this real estate thing and are paying the price,” said Jay Michaelson, a partner in Santa Barbara-based firm Michaelson, Susi & Michaelson. “Before this, if you owned a house and you were in trouble, you would sell it or you would refinance. But those options just aren’t available to people.”
Business bankruptcies are up as well, particularly for small businesses that depended on credit as grease for tight times.
“A lot of small businesses have financed their businesses with personal credit cards,” Winnfield said. “A lot of them are having a hard time holding on now that credit is less available.”
Commons said areas where housing boomed faster – Lompoc, Santa Maria, Oxnard – suffered most. He’s heard from small-scale contractors, formerly in the business of modest building and remodeling projects, that have gone under. “It’s the small businesses getting creamed,” Commons said.
Commons also has seen many independent truckers, who often pay for their own fuel, forced into bankruptcy by spiraling petroleum prices. “Two years ago his gas cost him $400 a month,” Commons said of one trucker. “Now it costs him $1,000 a month.”
In the first five months of 2008, there were 896 Chapter 7 filings, up from last year’s 527. Chapter 13 filings went from 60 to 108, and the total number of filings, which include a handful of Chapter 11 cases, jumped from 590 to 1,007.
As filings soar, changes in the bankruptcy code have made filing for Chapter 7 more difficult for consumers and attorneys alike.
A 2005 law – enacted after heavy lobbying by the credit card industry – mandated that debtors with above-median incomes pass a “means test” to qualify for Chapter 7. If a consumer has enough income, the law directs him or her into Chapter 13 or into cutting a deal with creditors.
The law was billed as a way to prevent abuse, and consumers need an attorney for the test. The result is that most Chapter 7 filings are now attorney-assisted.
Attorneys weren’t happy about this, and some quit handling Chapter 7 cases. They said the test is mostly an added layer of time and expense for both the client and the firm: Most consumers pass anyway.
The law didn’t have much effect on how many people file Chapter 13 instead of Chapter 7, Winnfield said. Just as many seem to be going for liquidation as were before the law took effect. “The difference is that it’s costing them more because the attorneys fees are higher,” Winfield added.
While businesses aren’t affected by the new law, Michaelson said many of them choose to work out a debt crisis outside the court system to save on costs.
A retailer might liquidate and move on, or a developer might realize it has nothing left in its real estate. “You can’t reorganize around no equity,” Michaelson said. “They’re going to either make a deal with the lender or give up the ghost.”


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It’s back! The long-awaited fourth season of The Expanse returns on its new network, Amazon Prime. It will now apparently also air a future fifth season.
May 2018 initially looked like an anxious month for fans of television’s best sci-fi show in years, The Expanse. The ambitious SyFy series based on James SA Corey’s beloved novels had just the right mix of visual gusto, gripping action, geopolitical drama, and addictively tense pacing to keep us glued for its three seasons. (We learned Belter! We podcasted!) But then, unexpectedly, SyFy did what SyFy does—it cancelled the show ahead of its S3 finale.
Luckily, Expanse fans know the rest of the story. Less than a month later at National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that his company would be saving the series and producing a fourth season as an Amazon original. And this weekend, Bezos and co.
Original URL: https://arstechnica.com/?p=1542775


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Kanye West may be releasing the followup to the multi-platinum album “Graduation” later this year. According to Billboard the hitmaking producer/Hip Hop star will be releasing a new single this month. Entitled “Love Lockdown,” the rumored first single from his as-yet-untitled fourth album is expected to be released to iTunes in a matter of days with West contemplating the release of the album by the end of the year. According to Billboard, West may perform “Love Lockdown” at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards. West’s last album “Graduation,” released in September 2007, has sold 2.2 million copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.View all posts by Singersroom →


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Baskin-Robbins just received a rare opportunity to capture the national spotlight thanks to the satirical website The Onion. In an article posted June 1st, the same day Caitlyn Jenner introduced herself on the cover of Vanity Fair, The Onion reports Baskin-Robbins’ apparent support of the transgender community. When I saw this article pop up on my Facebook feed, I thought it was an actual article about their support of Caitlyn Jenner until I saw the URL. That got me thinking, would a savvy member of the Baskin-Robbins social media jump on this opportunity? More importantly, should they?
Trans issues have been in the spotlight recently, and it’s been signaling a positive shift in the attitudes of Americans. A grab for attention would rightly be seen in a negative light, but for Baskin-Robbins, the work has already been done. Send out a tweet confirming The Onion article and say “nice to meet you Caitlyn Jenner!” While I don’t know the position of the company on these issues, it represents an opportunity to insert their brand in a national conversation in a positive way.
And they could do it in 140 characters or less.


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In my previous job, as editor of EU Food Law, I conducted the interview with Tim Smith, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, that the article referred to. Your commentators are perhaps too swift to dismiss the idea as a complete non-starter.
President Obama is proposing a tax on soft drinks to fund healthcare. Denmark is proposing a saturated fat tax on certain foods, such as some dairy products, and it already has one on soft drinks. Romania is also proposing a tax on a range of "unhealthy" foods, although so far it has not published a list of the foods or the level of tax.
Furthermore, the UK is unusual in that most food is zero-rated for VAT so some scope there. Mr Smith specifically mentioned VAT rates when I interviewed him.
Given the state of the public finances, whichever party wins the election the next government will be looking for revenue-raising ideas.
I do agree with your commentators that it would be very complex and controversial. Mr Smith said any tax must not be regressive, people must have a choice tap water (free) or sweetened drinks (taxed). But just because it is difficult does not mean that the FSA board will be deflected.
I would not write it off quite yet.
Kate Trollope, editor, www.eufoodpolicy.com


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Cupertino (California): Most of US Conservative Theorist Alex Jones's podcasts from his right-wing media platform. Infowars have been removed from Apple's iTunes and podcasts, cited the media news website, BuzzFeed, a spokesman for the company yesterday. Apple's move is most recently a recent suppression of Jones's programs through Facebook and other sites that suspend or remove some of its conspiracy-driven content.
Apple told Buzzfeed that it's the entire library for five of Jones's six Infowars podcasts, including the "War Room" exhibitions and the daily "The Alex Jones Show".
Only a program provided by Infowars, "RealNews with David Knight," remained on Apple's platforms yesterday. 19659002] An Apple spokesperson was not available for comment in good time.
In another recent action against Jones, Facebook suspended the internet and internet host's personal profile for 30 days at the end of July on Facebook's website because the company said pest and hate speech. Spotify, a music and podcast streaming company, also removed certain specific episodes of Jones's programs last week.


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AMMAN, Jordan — The streets of Amman are filled with shops for Syrian food, sweets and fruits. Syrian stores are popular and known for their excellent services and good products, the owner of this brand new restaurant, Hazem Akkach, said proudly.
Akkach is one of the 550,000 Syrians scattered across Jordan, but his story cannot be compared to those of Syrian refugees on the daily news. 42-year-old Akkach opened his family business last month, and he is doing well — really well. He has many customers, and he can afford to rent a big house in the city center. However, behind this wealthy mask lies a dark story of fear, abductions and terror.


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The use of the bitcoin has been a long lasting controversy among economist and politicians in the past few years. A few years ago there was a peak in this debate over whether bitcoins were a legitimate currency and whether bitcoins did any good for the economy.
The bitcoin is an online currency that was created in 2008. This is a currency that is independent from any government intervention and is different than any national currency in the fact that the government doesn’t regulate it. Its technical name is a cryptographic based currency or a cryptocurrency. What this means is that it is a currency created online. The way it works is that anyone can download the Bitcoin software and then “mine” for bitcoins. What that means is that they use the Bitcoin program on their computer to run and solve extremely difficult mathematical algorithms; the first computer to solve the algorithm gets the bitcoins. The bitcoins are then transferred to a virtual wallet address that the user creates which has a unique coding of 36 letters and numbers that acts as a sort of anonymous email address with which they can receive and send bitcoins to other users. From there, users can use the bitcoins as currency on certain websites or “convert” them into US dollars or any other currency.
And there is where the controversy lies; since the bitcoin wallets are anonymous and have no link to the person using the bitcoins (unless they link their bank account to their bitcoin wallet to convert the bitcoins to cash), a common use for the virtual currency is illegal trades on the Deep Web and back markets. One of the most popular of these sites was Silk Road, a site on the Deep Web where you could buy illicit drugs. People with bitcoin wallets could make illegal purchases online without being tracked by using a combination of methods to remain anonymous such as scrambling their IP address. Even if police or the government were to figure out someone’s virtual wallet address, each wallet is used for only one transaction so that code would be of no use after the transaction has been made.
Because of the nature of the bitcoin, it is an attractive form of currency for people making questionable purchases online. So the actual bitcoin isn’t an illegal form of currency but a large use of the bitcoin has historically been for sketchy purchases.
In 2013, Silk Road was shut down which created a big opportunity for Bitcoin to prove that the bitcoin could be used for something other than malicious purchases. For example, Overstock.com allows purchases using bitcoins and so have some other online shopping websites. There still remains a doubt whether the bitcoin should be used as a currency or not since it is not regulated by any centralized government. The organization that does exist for the bitcoin simply makes sure that the bitcoin is being transferred correctly between virtual wallets. But even that has failed. In 2014, Mt. Gox, a website responsible for handing a majority of all bitcoin transactions, shut down and declared bankruptcy because approximately 850,000 bitcoins (which at this point was valued at about $450 million) had been lost or stolen within the previous couple years. This was of large concern to the federal government since the bitcoins could be traded for US currency which would mean that US money was indirectly being stolen. But since the government can’t regulate bitcoins, they really had no power to do anything about the stolen money.
Bitcoins are the largest and most successful form of virtual currency. Because of their unstable value and nature of anonymity, they have been of interest to people making sketchy purchases and of concern to the federal government.
Carmody, Timothy. “Money 3.0: How Bitcoins May Change the Global Economy.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Coldewey, Devin. “Senator Calls For Total Ban of ‘Dangerous’ Bitcoin.” NBC News. NBC News, 16 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Cox, Kate. “Bitcoin: What The Heck Is It, And How Does It Work?” Consumerist. Consumerist, 04 Mar. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Lee, Timothy B. “Here’s How Bitcoin Charmed Washington.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Zetter, Kim. “FBI Fears Bitcoin’s Popularity with Criminals | WIRED.” Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 09 May 2012. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.


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Playtech, the popular Isle of Man based online gambling software firm, has announced that it has entered into a content licensing agreement with Australian land-based gaming supplier Ainsworth Game Technology in terms of which it will roll out the supplier’s gaming content on its mobile, desktop and tablet compatible platforms.
Playtech’s First Agreement with Land-Based Supplier
This is the first time that Playtech has signed an agreement with a leading land-based supplier. The deal will see several of Ainsworth’s most popular games made available through the Ainsworth GameConnect remote gaming server across all Playtech platforms and will be rolled out in regulated European and UK regulated markets.
Shay Segev, the Chief Operating Officer for Playtech, revealed that the Ainsworth game supply agreement is their first partnership with the world’s leading land-based content providers whose games will be distributed across all their channels. Segev added that this will give their existing and future online licensees access to proven, premium, localized land-based content that will enrich both their and their licensees’ casino offerings.
Danny Gladstone, the Chief Executive at Ainsworth Game Technology, described Playtech as a renowned online industry leader and added that he was extremely excited to sign a partnership with the supplier to bring its land-based slot content to a new audience online.
Playtech is a developer of unified software platforms and content for the online and land-based gaming industry and also provides a range of ancillary services that includes marketing, hosting and CRM services. Founded in 1999, Playtech currently employs 2,000 people who are located in development centers in five countries. Its gaming applications include casino, bingo, poker, live, mobile and social gaming as well as casual and fixed odds games.
Ainsworth Game Technology is a leading designer of innovative gaming machines and game combination software whose objective is to build a wide geographic market for both its gaming machines and links from a strong Australian base.


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Toll Has A$1 Billion War Chest For Freight Acquisitions, Macquarie Says
Toll Holdings Ltd., the largest Asia-Pacific logistics company, is able to spend A$1 billion ($925 million) on acquisitions to boost its global freight- forwarding operations, according to Macquarie Group Ltd.
“We regard Toll as the most likely player in the transport industry to undertake acquisitions, in keeping with its historical growth strategy,” analysts led by Russell Shaw said in a report today about Australian transport companies. Qantas Airways Ltd. may sell some freight operations, they said.
Toll, founded in 1888 as a coal-hauling horse-and-cart business, will likely make acquisitions in the next 12 months, Macquarie said. The Melbourne-based company has spent more than $6 billion in the past decade expanding its network in countries including China, Singapore and South Africa.
Chief Executive Officer Paul Little last year said he would focus on “bite size” purchases. Andrew Ethell, a spokesman for Toll, declined to comment today.
Freight-forwarding involves organizing the transportation of goods along with related activities such as customs clearance, warehousing and ground services. Toll gets about A$1.5 billion in annual sales from freight-forwarding, Macquarie said. The analysts reiterated an “outperform” rating on Toll.
Qantas may sell its stake in a freight venture with Australia Post, the government-owned mail service, which includes the Star Track Express and Australian Air Express businesses, according to Macquarie.
“We see some potential for an ongoing adjustment to Qantas’s freight strategy, which evolved under the previous management team,” Shaw wrote. Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce “appears more concentrated on Qantas’s key flying and cargo businesses.”
While Sydney-based Qantas last week said it expects further “consolidation” in the global aviation industry, Macquarie’s Shaw sees “little near- or medium-term prospect of any involvement from the Australasian airlines.”
Qantas remains focused on ways to enhance value at all of its businesses including ventures, spokeswoman Olivia Wirth said by telephone today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Fenner in Melbourne email@example.com


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Markforged Announces $30 Million in New Investment Funding
A lot of progress has been happening lately for Markforged, which just a few months ago introduced the latest 3D printers in its industrial 3D printer line. The company has…
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November 14, 2016
Airforwarders Association Urges Infrastructure Investment in First 100 Days
(WASHINGTON) - The Airforwarders Association urges the incoming Trump Administration to prioritize infrastructure investment in the first 100 days of his Administration. AfA’s Executive Director Brandon Fried states, “We wholeheartedly agree with President-elect Trump’s desire to build the next generation of roads, bridges, railway, tunnels, seaports, and airports.”
Further Mr. Fried adds, “We understand that President-elect Trump will have many competing objectives in the first 100 days of his Administration. We firmly believe that infrastructure investment right out the gate will have the most direct impact on U.S. citizens and businesses and will demonstrate that bipartisanship can work for all Americans.”
Airforwarders have a vested interest in improving the underlying infrastructure that supply chains depend on to facilitate the delivery of thousands of shipments every day in the United States. Freight forwarders utilize all modes of transportation. “Time is money in our business, and a better infrastructure equates to cost savings, more profits and ultimately the creation of more jobs in our industry. As a businessman, Mr. Trump gets the nexus to our industry,” states Fried.
About The Airforwarders Association
The Airforwarders Association represents more than 350 trade-focused companies and more than 300,000 employees who move air, land and sea cargo through the supply chain. The Association’s members range from small businesses with fewer than 20 employees to large companies employing over 1,000 people and business models varying from domestic to worldwide freight forwarding operations. In short, they are the travel agents for freight shipments moving cargo in the timeliest and most cost-efficient manner, whether transported by plane, truck, rail or ship.
For more information, visit our website at www.airforwarders.org


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Marvel Studios has been using the hallowed grounds of Comic-Con to make big, splashy announcements for the past seven years. However, Marvel is not only bigger than the machine at this point, they're the biggest machine. The studio had a pretty mum showcase in San Diego last year, and then held their own event in Hollywood to announce their new slate of titles (they even brought out Chadwick Boseman on-stage when it they announced that they were going to introduce Black Panther).
Was that Chinese Theater spectacle a sign of the future? James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy, casually mentioned on Facebook that Marvel won’t be at Comic-Con this summer.
While this isn't an official announcement from Marvel, could it mean that on Marvel is wanting to hold its own announcement event again on the west coast, and just do Comic-Con for the east coast? In 2011, Marvel skipped the San Diego convention, and just did the New York Comic-Con.
SlashFilm does bring up the interesting point that Sony will (most likely) be at Comic-Con. Perhaps Sony and Marvel, who are co-operating on the new Spider-Man franchise, could do a joint announcement at Comic-Con. Would that appease y'all?
Don't call Gunn a liar, either.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Synergetics USA Inc. SURG, -7.71% late Friday reported fiscal first-quarter net earnings of $377,000, or 2 cents a share, down from $486,000, or 4 cents a share, in the year-ago period. There were 24.4 million shares outstanding in the quarter, compared with 11.9 million in the same period last year. Revenue at the O'Fallon, Mo.-based medical device maker rose in the three months ended Oct. 29 to $9.91 million from $7.15 million a year ago. The company said in a statement it expects "continued significant growth across all of our product lines."
Synergetics quarterly profit falls


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The first fleet of self-driving cars may be ready by 2020. Google has said that its car should be ready by 2020 and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, says their Tesla’s will be fully autonomous by 2018. It appears that these driverless cars are still in the data gathering stage. Since increased safety is one of the top goals for these future cars, it is important for them to harvest great amounts of data in order for them to respond in the moment and react to potentially dangerous situations. One of the biggest worries of driverless car technology is that they may not be safe enough to utilize so a lot more data still needs to be gathered to help relieve this concern. Tesla’s Model S already features some self-driving capabilities known as “Autopilot” and it uses data and driving habits from many Tesla drivers in order to keep improving. Google’s self-driving cars have been driving around and collecting data since 2009 so its software already knows how to react to various real-life scenarios. As driverless cars are still gathering data, we may need another type of car technology to breakthrough before we go fully autonomous. In a sense, GPS technology could also be looked at as a tool that has been priming consumers for driverless cars for a long time. Cars that feature augmented reality may be able to further prime consumers into buying driverless cars. PSA Peugeot Citroen, a French multinational manufacture of automobiles, is working on one of the first cars that will finally implement built-in augmented reality in the cockpit. This technology aims to increase driver safety for a more convenient driving experience. If augmented reality cars become more popular, they have great potential to make the transition to driverless cars smoother. PSA Peugeot Citroen’s work-in-progress automobile features a built-in transparent display, projected onto the windscreen that allows the driver to view data and information without looking away from the road. The HUD is also able to adapt in real-time to objects on the road. The display will feature the usual driving information such as current speed, speed limits (implied from road signs) but it could also introduce new functions. Since the HUD is capable of covering the entire width of the windshield, it could, for instance, clearly give the driver directions or show dangers with a prominent graphic warning. The most important benefit for augmented reality driving is to increase safety. Since the useful driving information could be seen extremely quickly, drivers are sure to have a better awareness of the road and they are more likely to not be taken by surprise. Moreover, their response times may be much faster since they will be keeping their eyes on the road. For instance, they will be able to look up directions while focusing their eyes on the road instead of looking down at their phones or GPS. Since we may have to wait up to 5-10 years before we see autonomous care take over the roads, the process of driving automation will have to be gradual. PSA Peugeot Citroen will be an integral member of the car industry to make sure that the jump will not be so sudden since it will be retaining manual/human functionality. The driving information that will be displayed on the windscreen may help educate the consumer and give them a better understanding of how driving aids and autonomous cars will work. There is not any word yet on the release date of PSA Peugeot Citroen’s augmented reality vehicle but it is likely to release before 2020.
The next wave of automobile technology is aiming to revolutionize the way we utilize transportation. The first fleet of self-driving cars will be ready in just a few years. Based on popularity, the forerunners of self-driving car technology right now are Google and Tesla. Google Inc. says that their self-driving car should be ready by 2020 and Tesla Motors CEO, Elon Musk, says their Tesla’s will be fully autonomous by 2018. Though autonomous cars will be coming soon, we could see other types of cars that will innovate automobile transportation even sooner. PSA Peugeot Citroen, a French multinational manufacturer of automobiles plans to change the way we drive by building an augmented reality enabled windshield for their cars. This technology aims to increase driver safety for a more convenient driving experience. If augmented reality windshields become more popular they have great potential to make the transition to driverless cars much smoother. Contemporary aircraft heads-up-displays (HUD) are a type of technology we’ve seen for many years that assist pilots while they are flying. Future cars might also provide a HUD containing useful driving information. This new HUD could include augmented reality. PSA Peugeot Citroen’s work-in-progress automobile windshield features a built-in transparent display, and a projection on the inside that allows the driver to view data, visuals, and information without looking away from the road. This HUD is also able to adapt and update in reaction to real objects or dangers on the road. Below is an early demo of the PSA Peugeot windshield HUD in action: The Peugeot HUD will feature standard driving information such as current speed, speed limits, and adaptive visuals for cruise control. There is massive potential for the HUD to introduce innovative functions that can implement more enhanced augmented reality. Since the HUD is capable of covering the entire width of the windshield, it could be able to give the driver a wider view of on-the-road directions and traffic updates, alter sights on the road, and show dangers with a graphic warning. Too much visuals on the windshield has a possibility of being more distracting than helpful so it will be interesting to see how Peugeot’s software designers will handle this impending issue as they add more features. The most important benefit from augmented reality driving is increased safety. Since unique driving information could be seen extremely quickly, drivers could have a better awareness of the road and they are more likely to not be caught by surprise. Drivers may also be able to look up directions while focusing their eyes on the road instead of looking down at their phones or GPS. The two autonomous car forerunners, Google and Tesla, should be rooting for car company’s like PSA Peugeot Citroen as they are aiming to change the driving experience of the modern car. There is not any word yet on when PSA Peugeot Citroen’s augmented reality windshield will be integrated with their cars but they are likely to release before 2020. -Amanze Ugoh


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Drop tight for decades – delivering quality valves for Africa
Over the past four decades valve manufacturer Stelkon has built a reputation of delivering products suited to Africa’s unique conditions. The company recently changed hands and newly established Stelkon North is motivated to carry the baton going forward. In Africa the only industrial certainty is often uncertainty. It is an environment that requires equipment to be engineered to operate under extremely harsh operating conditions that can deal with the unexpected, while doing the expected.
to expand our footprint into Africa. We have also wanted to expand technologically and this is the ideal platform for our business as a whole.”
Rienzi Duvenage, the developer and original owner of Stelkon’s diaphragm non-return valve patents and four generations of patent improvements, knows this only too well. “Africa is a robust environment that requires solutions that are efficient, dependable and reliable,” he tells Pipes, Pumps and Valves.
“We have started production even though we are still constructing and the first orders out of the newly built facility were delivered in March and April this year.”
Next to him is Basie Heckroodt, the Managing Director of the newly established company, Stelkon North that is situated in Modder River near Kimberley and that bought the manufacturing and commercial rights for the diaphragm non-return valves from Stelkon last year. “The decision to purchase these rights was easy. We found a product that we thought not possible,” he says. “It also allows us the ability to diversify our current operations and
According to Heckroodt, a new factory has been established in Modder River and is partly completed.
Fit-for-purpose Non-return valves, also sometimes referred to as check valves are intended to close when a pump stops and to prevent any fluid flowing back. These one-way valves have one major requirement – no leakage. Duvenage made it his life’s work to deliver just that. “For non-return valves water tightness is the single most important element. This is a fourth-generation valve which has been developed and improved over the years. Hydrodynamics has resulted in a valve that is not only
Basie Heckroodt, the Managing Director of the newly established company, Stelkon North and Rienzi Duvenage, the developer and original owner of Stelkon’s diaphragm non-return valve patents. 24
Pipes, Pumps and Valves Africa - Mar/Apr 2021


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campaignlive.co.uk, Friday, 07 August 2009 12:00AM
Wendy's launched its review of the business in May, having worked with Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners for just under two years.
The brand spent $275 million on advertising last year, with the most recent campaign featuring the strapline: "It's waaaay better than fast food."
Wendy's is also reviewing its media buying and public relations accounts in the US.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk


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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Police are investigating a Thursday evening theft that happened at Academy Sports and Outdoors.
That night, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers responded to the business, located at 7640 Airport Blvd., regarding a theft complaint.
“Upon arrival, officers discovered that an unknown female had entered the store and placed multiple items into a shopping cart,” a Mobile Police Department news release stated.
“As she attempted to leave, a store employee approached her, preventing her from exiting. The subject then threatened harm to the employee before fleeing the scene without the stolen merchandise.”
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about the case can call the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-1700.
“The National Retail Federation (NRF) — the world’s largest retail trade association, according to its website — recently released its 2023 Retail Security Survey. The report contains insights from 177 retail brands, which accounted for $1.6 trillion of annual retail sales in 2022 and represent more than 97,000 retail locations across the U.S.
“Overall, retailers that participated in the survey reported that inventory loss — called shrink — clocked in at an average rate of 1.6 % last year, representing $112.1 billion in losses. That’s up from 1.4% the previous year. The greatest portion of shrink — 65% — came from external theft, including products taken during organized shoplifting incidents.”
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