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One of the most panic-inducing questions to ask a high school student has got to be, "What are your plans for after graduation?" And then there's this heart-stopper for the college-bound: "What do you want to major in?" Though of course, if The Graduate taught us anything, it's that even years later, you're never too old to avoid making real plans for the future.
It's okay to not know where you're headed. Still, there are quite a few high schoolers who do have ideas in mind — and those ideas often center around entrepreneurship. In fact, nearly three-quarters of high school students say they want to start their own businesses, according to a 2014 survey. And 81 percent of young adults admire those their age who start new businesses, according to a report by the educational nonprofit Junior Achievement and market research firm Ypulse.
But how do you go from being a teenager who wants to run her own business to a twenty-something who actually does? Thankfully, there are some great tools and programs.
To wit: Junior Achievement runs 21 programs, for everyone from kindergartners through high school seniors, on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Two of their programs most directly focusing on entrepreneurial skills, including one where students actually develop their own small businesses, have seen significant growth over the past few years. Junior Achievement spokeswoman Stephanie Bell chalks that up to the appeal of shows like Shark Tank, which spotlight the entrepreneurial experience.
The U.S. Small Business Administration offers an online course specifically for business-minded teenagers. Students interested in the growing technology startup community can also find help in their physical classrooms, as computer science classes slowly become more widely mandated.
Summer camps for kids interested in starting their own businesses are also becoming popular. But don't let the "summer camp" lingo deceive you — it's not all fun and games. The business plans middle schoolers and high schoolers often develop during these programs are viable. At Boston's non-profit EXPLO Startup camp, more than 3,000 middle and high schoolers learn how to pitch their businesses and score big investments. The founders of Instagram and BuzzFeed both have ties to the program. Forbes' 2015 "30 Under 30" lists include 12 EXPLO participants.
And that's just one camp of many nationwide. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology runs its own camp, Launch. "If we can ignite a child's passion, motivation, and interest in learning, those seeds can grow into the next great entrepreneur," Debra Campbell, who owns an entrepreneurial-themed summer camp in Florida, told CNBC.
The uptick in high school entrepreneurship interest is a great thing. Some of these kids will go on to start successful businesses of their own, creating jobs and eventually mentoring the next generation. And those who don't go into business for themselves will be armed with a hefty set of financial, networking, and creative skills that will serve them well as new members of the workforce in any industry they choose.
Companies that offer high school students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, access to internships and other opportunities for growth are setting up a win-win situation. Older, more seasoned entrepreneurs should do their part to encourage these aspiring business owners, too.


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Sony's latest tablet, the Xperia Tablet Z, isn't exactly new. While it was announced for Japan last month, Sony fans have been waiting with bated breath for news on worldwide availability and pricing. Today, we have some more information on that front: the Tablet Z is slated to be released across the globe starting in Q2. Furthermore, the US version of the device (which is Wi-Fi only), will cost $499 for the 16GB version, and $599 for the 32GB.
So, given that a Nexus 10 is $100 less, has a higher-resolution display, a newer and unmolested version of Android, and very quick software updates in the future, why would one choose the Tablet Z?Read More

domain: news


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Environmental problems such as marine debris and overfishing pose serious threats to our ocean. Not only can these problems destroy the seascape, but the lives of local animals including Chinese white dolphins, seahorses and horseshoe crabs are also in peril. Collaborating with Baleno, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK) launches a charity sale of limited-edition T- shirts and tote bag with the theme “Speak Up For Our Oceans” in order to raise awareness of marine conservation. Creative graphics and conservation messages are shown on the “Speak Up For Our Oceans” merchandise. Additionally, OPCFHK is delighted that its Education Ambassador Ms Charlie Young assisted in designing one of the T-shirts to call for even more public support. The T-shirts and tote bag will be sold at Baleno shops in Hong Kong from March 14 to April 17, 2014. Part of the proceeds will be donated to OPCFHK to support its wildlife conservation efforts across Asia.
As a token of appreciation, customers will enjoy a 10% discount on Ocean Park admission tickets from March 14 to May 31, 2014.
In addition to charity sales, Baleno has launched a new Facebook page (press here) for this charity event. For every “Like”, “Share” and “Comment”, Baleno will donate HK$1 to OPCFHK during the promotion period to generate more donations for the Foundation. Show your support to the “Speak Up For Our Oceans” campaign by hitting a “Like”, which can also express your care for the threatened marine animals!
OPCFHK x Baleno “Speak Up For Our Oceans” T-shirts Charity Sale:
|Charlie Young, Education Ambassador for OPCFHK has co-designed this t-shirt to share her faith in “peaceful co-existence”. Charlie hopes human beings try to minimize the harmful effect that may impose to marine animals and their habitat. Baleno will donate part of the proceeds from the sale of this special edition t-shirt.


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Pandemic takes a toll on women in the workforce
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McKinsey Proposed Paying Pharmacy Companies Rebates for OxyContin OverdosesCourt filings reveal consultants’ talk of a records purge during the opioid crisis, and shed new light on sales advice given to the billionaire Sackler family..
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COVID-19 has forced several businesses to reinvent in order to stay afloat. While cab aggregators and delivery platforms such as Uber, Swiggy and Zomato have partnered with FMCG companies and retailers to deliver essentials, gifting platforms such as Ferns N Petals have launched 'contactless' ways of sending messages to loved ones on their special days. Mumbai-based Tara Mehta recently celebrated the 80th birthday of her mother who lives in Delhi by organising a virtual gig through Ferns N Petals. She got a guitarist to play three of her mother's favourite songs on her special day.
Pawan Gadia, CEO, Ferns N Petals says that at a time when his regular business of delivering cakes and flowers came to a halt and he was wondering how to stay afloat, a young team member came up with the idea of doing virtual gigs. "In the last three weeks we have been doing close to 500 (at Rs 400 per gig) gigs per day and we will surely look at this as a long-term business," says Gadia.
Ferns N Petals on a regular day delivers anywhere between 8,000-10,000 gifts, but Gadia, in the new normal post COVID-19, is looking at investing significantly in the virtual gifting business. "We are already doing personalised video messages and we will shortly be offering celebrity messages," he further adds.
With multiplexes and theatres shutting down due to the lockdown, ticketing and live entertainment platform, BookMyShow's business came to a grinding halt. However, the company took advantage of the lockdown to offer three virtual properties, 'Theatre Live - The Stage Comes Home', 'Live From HQ' and '#LiveInYourLivingRoom'. "Our friends and partners like Meher Acharia Dar, Big Bad Wolf Entertainment, Represent and Instagram respectively have helped us curate and bring compelling artists all under one roof, through some of these offerings. These offerings bring elements of theatre such as dramatised readings and monologues, popular live music, stand-up comedy sessions and other performing art acts for our users that can be experienced from the safety of their homes," says Albert Almeida, COO, Live Entertainment, BookMyShow.
BookMyShow has also curated a virtual fitness series, '#StayFitIndiaChallenge' which brings together leading fitness experts across genres of yoga, pilates, strength and conditioning and zumba amongst others. "With these varied offerings, we are happy to be able to provide users a pleasant respite and a spot of safe and uncompromised entertainment in this time of lockdown. So far, we have listed over 30 events across categories that have entertained over 8,00,000 people," adds Almeida. Currently, the content is available free on the platform, but will it look at monetising the same soon? Almeida has a round-about answer to this question. "Early signs indicate that there is a vast audience demand across the country for such content offerings as this lockdown continues. We are already in talks with our partners in the content creation space as also several artists not just in India but also internationally in South East Asia and UAE to bring more of such offerings to consumers in these times," he explains.
Online real estate company, NoBroker.com, offers a service called, NoBrokerHood, through which it offers security and facility management services in over 2,000 cities. Akhil Gupta, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, NoBroker.com, says that its has started taking orders for essentials from the residents of the various residential societies it services on its NoBrokerHood platform. "We have partnered with BigBasket and ITC Foods for this service. We consolidate the orders and send to these companies, and they deliver a truckload of essential items at the gates of the residential complexes, which are delivered by the resident association's security staff to the respective homes," explains Gupta.
He says that NoBroker for the time-being is doing this free of cost, however, it may consider monetising in the long run. "As of now, we are doing this to help the residential complexes where we offer our services, but if we get a good revenue share deal, we may look at it as a long-term business."
Homestay aggregator, Airbnb has also reinvented its business model. The Airbnb web site has a segment, 'online experiences', which offers a host of services such as online tutorials on wine-making, fitness lessons by Olympic athletes, Mexican Salsa lessons and much more, for a fee. The new normal post COVID-19 is set to bring in a sea change in the way people will consume. No wonder companies are feeling the need to reinvent.
Copyright©2021 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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Smart mesh WiFi routers series launched
D-Link has announced the launch of its all-new Exo Smart Mesh WiFi Router series; a powerful addition to D-Link’s portfolio of connection solutions for the home. The series comprises of the AC1900 (DIR-1960) and AC2600 (DIR-2660). D-Link’s next-generation routers offer high-performance WiFi connectivity combined with McAfee protection.
Technology to transform smart cities
Multinational networking equipment manufacturer, D-Link, unveiled all new technologies and solutions specifically designed for the future smart city to a global audience at Mobile World Congress 2019. Engineered to meet the demands of dense, connected cities, D-Link is committed to support the digitalisation of urban environments to enable smarter, safer, more efficient cities.
Cloud solution for centralised network management
Multinational networking manufacturer, D-Link, has announced the availability of its new cloud-based network management solution, Nuclias, enabling managed service providers and business owners to remotely configure and monitor their network infrastructures from anywhere, at any time.
Smart Plug supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
D-Link has unveiled the DSP-W115 Smart Plug, along with the new mydlink app, which enables home automation functions through integration with popular Smart home platforms Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
HD WiFi security cameras for home monitoring
Two new HD WiFi cameras that provide top quality professional home surveillance at an affordable price have been unveiled by D-Link. The DCS-8000LH Mini HD WiFi Camera and DCS-8100LH HD 180° WiFi Camera are compact cameras packed with extensive feature sets needed for effective home monitoring.


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Kelowna RCMP are warning residents of investment scams making the rounds in the Okanagan that have already resulted in significant financial losses.
The suspects in these scams offer the victim an investment opportunity that has a great rate of return in a short period of time. These opportunities are often unsolicited and may appear to have some legitimacy but will not hold up to scrutiny.
Some of the various types of scams being offered include, cryptocurrency, art, comic books, and sports memorabilia and other such items.
“The Kelowna RCMP is reminding people that when considering an investment opportunity to carefully research the investment and the individual or firm offering the investment,” said Const. Mike Della-Paolera.
The suspects are able to complete the fraudulent transactions by offering a unique investment opportunity in these areas and they provide contracts that appear legitimate and which offer a higher rate of return than what might be available with traditional investments. However, once the first investment is made the suspect will offer additional opportunities and roll the original investment into a new opportunity inflating the value.
Once the victim asks the suspect(s) for a return on their investment they are told that the money is tied up and additional funds are required for the release of the money due to things like tax implications or issues with international borders. Const. Della-Paolera says the suspects have at times provided some money but never as much as the original investment.
The old adage, "if it looks too good to be true it likely is," applies to this scenario and RCMP advise investors to know the red flags of fraud.
"If you feel you’re a victim of a scam, fraud or cybercrime, contact your local police and also report to the CAFC online or by phone at 1-888-495-8501," Const. Della-Paolera says.


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PROVIDENCE — It was a strong third quarter for home sales in Rhode Island, with the median house price rising more than 10 percent from a year ago, to $218,200.
House sales in July, August and September were up 19 percent compared with the third quarter of 2012, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors. The association counts Realtor-assisted sales.
Rhode Island’s condominium market came back “in a big way,” with 502 third-quarter sales, an increase in sales volume of 57 percent, association president Victoria Doran noted. The median condo price rose 7 percent, to $199,450.
The association credited the median price increases to the declining numbers of distressed sales. Close to 17 percent of the 2,670 single-family house sales in the third quarter were distressed, meaning they were short sales or foreclosures. A year ago, distressed properties accounted for 23 percent of the house sales.
A year ago, about half the condo sales in the third quarter were distressed, but in 2013, that percentage dropped to 15 percent.
“Up until this year, the condo market was lagging in the recovery,” Doran said. “Last year, many were in a short sale or foreclosure situation, which really limited the number of sales.”
The multifamily market, which has long had the highest percentage of distressed sales, also experienced fewer of them in the third quarter. Foreclosures and short sales accounted for 32 percent of the 367 third-quarter sales, down from 46 percent a year ago, when 347 sales took place.
The median multifamily price was $140,000 in the third quarter, up nearly 17 percent from a year ago, and the number of sales increased by close to 6 percent.
The average time to sell a property also fell in the third quarter. The average time-on-market for single-family houses was 83 days, down from 100 days a year ago.
There was a wide range of changes in median house prices in the third quarter in individual cities and towns:
Burrillville, $226,250, up 17 percent
Cranston, $177,000, up 5 percent
East Side of Providence, $516,525, up 21 percent
Narragansett, $335,000, down 17 percent
North Kingstown, $251,500, down 24 percent
Portsmouth, $263,000, down 21 percent
Warwick, $170,000, up 15 percent
West Greenwich, $287,500, up 70 percent
Communities with the biggest jumps in house sales include:
Glocester, 39 sales, up 63 percent
Jamestown, 22 sales, up 47 percent
Middletown, 47 sales, up 42 percent
North Smithfield, 30 sales, up 43 percent
Pawtucket, 135 sales, up 41 percent
Scituate, 38 sales, up 100 percent
Smithfield, 54 sales, up 64 percent
Tiverton, 54 sales, up 50 percent


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08:00 | 12/07/2020
Vietnam’s economy grew 1.81 per cent in the first half of 2020
13:17 | 06/07/2020
The world has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pham Thai Lai, president and CEO of Siemens Vietnam as well as Siemens ASEAN and Singapore, ...
16:01 | 23/06/2020
Despite massive difficulties hitting the economy, the National Assembly has decided not to adjust socio-economic goals for 2020, especially the growth rate, saying efforts would ...
08:00 | 18/06/2020
Although Vietnam’s adoption of trade and investment agreements with the European Union are expected to be a boon for Vietnam, it triggers a need for ...
15:17 | 15/06/2020
Locally-invested BAC A BANK is now strongly extending its financial support for businesses which are hurt by the health crisis. With a view to supporting ...
09:00 | 03/06/2020
Investors will be allowed to pour money into five groups of projects under the form of public-private partnerships in Vietnam as per a related law ...
09:00 | 27/05/2020
The upcoming bilateral free trade between Vietnam and the EU may be a tough nut to crack unless the country can make thorough preparations for ...
12:54 | 12/05/2020
Despite a four-month high in the consumer price index, Vietnam will likely be successful in reining in inflation this year thanks to a decline in ...
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An expected decline caused by the global health crisis in exports and inflows of foreign investment and remittances is likely to weaken Vietnam’s external position ...
08:00 | 06/04/2020
On April 1, the first of a 15-day social distancing campaign battling against the outbreak in Vietnam, one of fast moving consumer goods leaders Unilever ...


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The gubernatorial race is officially under way and a Eugene gravel company is turning a more environmentally friendly leaf. But things are looking less sweet for the wine industry, while The Oregonian digs into the results of the Legislature's "Go Oregon" stimulus package.
The truth about Oregon jobs
State officials proudly state that 7,500 jobs were created or retained by the 2009 Legislature's "Go Oregon" package.
Yet an analysis by The Oregonian attempts to find out how the state package (of which $93 million has been spent so far) could have outperformed the larger federal program (which has seen $1.3 billion spent).
Read the full story at OregonLive.com.
Gravel firm turns new leaf
Eugene-based Egge Sand & Gravel is working to become more environmentally friendly.
The gravel company was notorious for butting heads with the Department of Environmental Quality in the past.
Read the full story at The Register-Guard.
Bend company works on nano level
The Bend office of Nanometrics Inc. creates machinery and systems for companies that make semiconductors, LED displays and other atomic-level products.
Among the company's semiconductors clients are Intel Corp., Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology.
Read the full story at The Bulletin.
Wine glut possible
Oregon's wine industry is raising concerns about oversupply, as the state continues to expand grape production while wine sales drop.
Oregon wine sales were down 5% in volume in 2009 from the year before. Oregon wines tend to be more expensive, which make them less attractive to distributors.
Read the full story at The World Link.
Governor race under way
With the filing deadline passed last week, the race for governor is officially underway.
Among the most prominent candidates racing for the May primary are Democrats John Kitzhaber and Bill Bradbury, and Republicans Chris Dudley, Allen Alley, Bill Sizemore and John Lim.
Read the full story at the Statesman Journal.
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|Uber considers flu shot delivery service|
|P&G plans to exit Duracell|
|Target to offer free holiday shipping|
|Caterpillar gains after raising forecast|
|Dow Chemical profit up 44%|
|Boeing profit jumps 18%|
|Verizon posts higher Q3 revenue|
Is your business ready to join us in the call for action? This opening panel includes Oregon businesses who will discuss why they signed the Oregon Climate Declaration, the investments they are making to reduce carbon emissions, and how their actions are affecting their companies.
Get ready for two days of special events produced with the EPA, Portland Timbers and ISOS before and after the GoGreen Conference on October 16.
Finding a health insurance plan that makes both financial sense for the bottom line and provides choice for plan participants is a huge challenge for employers.
The right financing at the right time is critical for small businesses to succeed.
Among Oregon universities, Oregon Tech is special in the way it incorporates applied research into the curricula of every department.
More than 400 "Change Makers" will gather to invest in a socially sustainable community.


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Coronavirus cases are rising, and we are seeing more people get vaccinated and masking up. While there’s not a steep rise in vaccinations, it’s steady.
Last week, Florida Department of Health reported more than 8,000 people were vaccinated in Southwest Florida. That’s up from 6,600 the week prior. However, we are still far from herd immunity.
We spoke to people about the rising cases and attitudes toward the COVDI-19 vaccine and mask wearing. The women told us they are back to masking up full-time. Others say they’re wearing masks when they are required.
And many people told us their friends and family — who have been hesitant about vaccines — are beginning to open up to the idea of getting the shot.
“I’ve never stopped using [the mask],” Myrna Soto said. “All the time when I was in the stores. I use [masks] in the stores all the time.”
“I’ve been wearing it the whole time since the beginning of the pandemic,” Alejandra Velez said.
Others keep it in their pocket and bring it out when it’s a requirement.
“I wear a mask when I have to,” Ryan Close said. “If there’s no mask required, then, maybe have a sign that says, ‘enter at your own risk’. I mean, it’s up to really the businesses more than the people.”
Everyone we spoke to knows people in their lives who are still hesitant about the shots.
“Some of my friends have decided to wait a little bit and see how it responded are more likely and want to get it,” Velez said.
Responses were mixed, but some said the rise in cases is making their friends and family reconsider the shot.
“They are a little more open,” Soto said. “They have some worries, but they’re a little more open.”
“I’m glad that they’re a lot more open now to getting the vaccine, and they want to,” Velez said. “Again, it’s just doing your part for our community.”
Others say they know people who still refuse to get vaccinated.
“I also have talked with a lot of people that they refuse to get the vaccine,” Close said. And, I mean, even in their line of work, if they have to, they said they’d quit.”
Some people we spoke to Wednesday who did not want to be interviewed for air or online told us they will not go back to wearing masks and will even avoid businesses that require them. Others said they have no problem if businesses bring back mask requirements.


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AmorePacific is one of Korea’s largest cosmetics manufacturers, who in recent times have admitted to discovering that some of their products contained “heavy metals”. Heavy metals are known to be very dangerous to health and can even cause cancer.
On March 19, 2018 the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety issued bans and recalls for 13 locally manufactured products that were discovered to contain over 10 micrograms per gram of the heavy metal “antimony”.
In low levels, prolonged exposure to antimony is known to produce headaches, dizziness, and depression. Higher levels of antimony can cause severe skin, lung, and eye irritation. The heavy metal is also known to be a potential cause of cancer.
Two of AmorePacific’s many brands are directly affected: four Aritaum concealers, an Etude House concealer, and an Etude House eyebrow pencil were among those named, as shown below:
On March 20, 2018, AmorePacific released an apology to its customers, promising refunds to those who purchased the named products: “As a manufacturer, we should have paid full attention to quality control. We are sorry for your inconvenience. We will try our best to minimize your inconveniences during the recall.”
It’s been years since the recall so it’s very unlikely the dangerous products can be found on authorized retailer’s shelves anymore. But keep an eye out wherever you shop, whether it be online or while travelling, and stay aware of the ingredients of your skincare!


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Fear not, cost-conscious golf ball buyers. There may be hope yet for the future of Costco’s Kirkland Signature golf ball, which took the golf equipment industry by storm over the holiday season.
The balls, which rose to prominence after a MyGolfSpy report that stacked them up favorably against the Titleist ProV1, were sold out, and according to reports, were not going to be put back into stock as a result of a one-time overrun of golf ball cores that Costco bought from another golf ball company.
However, despite the doom and gloom reports, a SeattlePI article by Zosha Millman quoted Costco co-founder Jeffrey Brotman who had good news for fans of the Kirkland Signature golf ball.
According to a comment from the Costco co-founder, the retailer’s highly-popular golf balls will return to stores.
Jeffrey Brotman, co-founder and chairman of the board at Costco, reached out to Seattlepi.com to clarify that though the golf balls are sold out for now, the Kirkland Signature brand balls aren’t gone forever.
“The golf balls will return,” wrote Brotman in an email.
Though the exact details are under wraps, this is good news for cost-conscious golfers who eagerly snapped up the supply.
Brotman’s proclamation was backed up at the annual shareholders’ meeting late last week by the Costco president and CEO, according to a Seattle Times piece by Janet Tu.
Costco President and CEO Craig Jelinek said Costco, which has “supply issues” with the popular Kirkland Signature golf balls that have flown off shelves, hopes to get them back on shelves at some point.
“The golf ball was a real coup for us,” Jelinek said Thursday at the company’s annual shareholders meeting. “We hope at some point we’ll get through the issues we have with the manufacturer and get it back in stock at some point. I’m not sure when it’s going to happen. Our goal is to work diligently to get it back in stock.”


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The differences have been revealed in regards to the graphics of the upcoming multiplatform video game, “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.” In an interview with Eurogamer on Sept. 20, Hideo Kojima disclosed that the next-generation version of the open-world action-adventure title will be visually enhanced from the current-generation iteration.
The game director stated that the development team is targeting 60 frames per second on the PS4 and Xbox One. On the other hand, they are only aiming at 30 frames per second on the PS3 and Xbox 360. Hideo Kojima also mentioned that the lighting and resolution would look “much better.” However, he assured fans that the gameplay won’t be compromised on the PS3 and Xbox 360. You can check out a few screenshots from “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain” in the slideshow near the top of this article and his gameplay comments from the Eurogamer interview below:
Gameplay wise it will be the same - we're trying to make it as close as possible. The gameplay experience won't be affected whether it's next gen or current gen.
“Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain” was originally slated for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The PS4 and Xbox One versions of the video game were formally announced at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. The sequel is being built on the Fox Engine, a graphics engine that supports all four of the aforementioned platforms.
Hideo Kojima has not yet provided a release date time frame for “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.” You can pre-order the next-generation systems from Amazon in the following links: PS4 and Xbox One


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ST. LOUIS (WFLA/KSDK) - A Missouri man received first and second-degree burns after his iPhone exploded during a Fourth of July celebration, according to KSDK, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis.
The man's mother tells KSDK her son's phone unexpectedly began to smoke and melt, causing his pants to light on fire.
"I just felt a sharp pain on my thigh," said 21-year-old Ronnie Moore, who was burned by his iPhone 6.
Moore says he threw his pants off and smoking pieces of his iPhone fell out of them.
"It was on the ground and it was just bubbling, there was smoke everywhere," said Moore.
Experts say there are a few things that can cause an iPhone to explode and they all have to do with the lithium battery. Charging your smart phone with a cheap cable, dropping or damaging the phone, and getting it wet are some of the things that can cause a phone to catch fire. The battery may swell before any combustion.
But Moore says none of those things preceded the incident, although his phone did stop charging hours earlier.
He was taken to the hospital to be treated for burns, and plans to file a complaint with Apple.
"I don't want another iPhone after this situation," said Moore.
In other cases around the country, smart phones have caught fire while charging, or under pillows, even thousands of feet above the ground on an airplane.
KSDK reached out to Apple for a comment and while they couldn't comment specifically on Ronnie's case, they say this is not a common occurrence. But there are dozens of documented cases around the country, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.What others are clicking on:
Han Solo's Blaster from 'Return of...
Zsa Zsa, the English bulldog, wins...


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Fox21 Acquire Rights For RPG Title Vampyr, TV Adaptation Planned
Focus Home Interactive has revealed that Fox21 has now attained the rights to Vampyr, and they plan to make a TV adaptation of the RPG title.
In a post on their forum, publishers Focus Home Interactive said: "Fox21 has secured the rights to DONTNOD Entertainment and Focus Home Interactive's hit RPG video game, Vampyr, for Wonderland Sound & Vision and DJ2 Entertainment to adapt for television."
THE CEO of DONTNOD Entertainment, Vampyr's developers, said: "We believe it is a fantastic premise for a television show. This is a new and exciting way for fans of the game, as well as the uninitiated, to enter and engage with Vampyr's rich, deep story.
"We cannot wait to see how the talented team at Fox21 will bring out the darkly atmospheric universe of our game into television," Jurgen Goeldner continued.
Re-imagining a video game for the little screen must be a craze at the moment, as we're already awaiting a Witcher and Halo adaptation. And even more, Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to the big screen early next year - but is Vampyr on the same level as these franchises?
More Like ThisMore Like This
I think it's safe to say this move was unexpected. The game has only been out for two months, where as the titles mentioned above have been around for years. This doesn't mean the game isn't of the same quality, however, and thanks to the post we know that this move was a long time in the planning.
According to DJ2 CEO Dmitri Johnson, it was already in the works way before the game hit shelves. He explained: "The DJ2 team loves the creative vision Dontnod & Focus devote to all of their projects.
"The great relationship we've built with them since partnering on their incredible game, Life is Strange, allowed us to get on board for Vampyr well before its release. Like them, we're excited to collaborate with our friends at Fox21, Wonderland, and the rest of the creative team we're assembling."
The game is set in a 1918 London, where, you guessed it, vampires are roaming the streets. Dr. Jonathan Reid is the protagonist, and players have to decide whether his new-found bloodlust justifies draining the lives of innocent people.
Vampyr is out now for Xbox One, PS4, and PC, and we recommend you play the game before watching the TV show. It probably won't be finished until 2020 at the very least, so you've got more than enough time to sink your teeth into the RPG.
Featured Image Credit: Vampyr


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The video game market has been contracting in recent years. According to research from ABI, sales of video game consoles dropped by around a quarter in 2012 as the big three systems came towards the end of their life cycles.
The launch of the Wii U over the festive period was reasonably successful, however, since then sales have been slow and the researchers at ABI believe this is down to the GamePad not yet resonating with core gamers.
Senior analyst at ABI Michael Inouye had the following to say on Wii U:
The Wii U will likely prove a closer fit with the current generation than the next. The software released to date also bears out this assessment with many cross-platform games that were previously available from Microsoft and Sony. While the Wii U Gamepad offers some novel gaming elements it has not yet resonated with core gamers.
There are many factors that could be stagnating the sales of Wii U. Some point to a lack of games on the console, while others are waiting to see what Sony and Microsoft have to offer with their next generation of hardware.
The video game market may appear to be a bit on the bleak side but ABI is actually cautiously optimistic, however it states it will be Sony and Microsoft that will determine the future prospects of the video game console, not Nintendo.
It believes that if the console market is to bounce back, there will be three things that will need to happen in the near future:
First, that the Wii U receives a price reduction in 2013.
Second, that next gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony launch with adequate time and production to meet holiday demand, with pricing below $450 and ideally at $350.
Finally, that the next generation consoles don`t adopt significant consumer unfriendly practices that will cause consumers to rethink their purchases, such as steps to inhibit the used game market or requiring an always on DRM/Internet connection to prevent other forms of piracy.
It appears ABI sees the Wii U as the cheaper alternative in the next generation of home consoles and one that will be closer to the seventh generation than the eighth. If it did receive a price cut then it would be much cheaper than the new Sony and Microsoft systems, which would certainly make it more appealing for many.
Core gamers out there seem to be waiting for Sony and Microsoft to reveal their consoles and prices before fully committing to Nintendo's Wii U. It's fair to say that the release of the PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox will give the video game market a boost and will most likely help the sales of all three systems.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with the analysts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.


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More than 95% of consumers live outside the United States. Selling more U.S.-made goods and services around the world is crucial to American jobs and will help businesses small and large grow. Expanding trade also enhances the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers while boosting the buying power of American families.
How the U.S. and India Can Reach $500 Billion in Trade
Among the best opportunities for the U.S. to bolster stability, security, and prosperity at home and abroad comes from leaning into the U.S. relationship with India, the world's fastest growing major economy.
U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum
Once victory is won, rebuilding Ukraine will be the biggest reconstruction effort since World War II. The public sector can’t do it alone. That’s where the Ukraine Business Initiative comes in.
2023 International IP Index
Now in the eleventh edition, the International IP Index benchmarks the IP framework in 55 global economies across 50 unique indicators.
Here are the key takeaways businesses should know coming out of the G20 Summit in India on Sept. 9, 2023.
The U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue is taking place Sept. 27-28, 2023. Read more about the exclusive forum that focuses on investment and the bilateral trade relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
Become a part of the world’s largest business organization and network
U.S. Chamber members range from small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country to startups in fast-growing sectors, leading industry associations, and global corporations.
Discover the ROI Chamber membership can deliver for you.
Around the globe, the U.S. Chamber advocates for free enterprise, competitive markets, and rules-based trade and investment as the path to economic opportunity and prosperity for all. We work every day to break down barriers to trade and investment, open new markets for American exports and investments, and make sure there's a level playing field for U.S. companies.
Global economic challenges like COVID-19 vaccines, international tax, and climate change will require countries and the private sector to work together to find multilateral solutions.
Small business advice from CO—
- WorkforceTalent ForwardWednesday, October 0409:00 AM EDT - 03:00 PM EDT
- Environment and SustainabilitySustainability and Circular Economy Summit 2023Thursday, October 05 - Friday, October 0609:00 AM EDT - 12:30 PM EDT
- InternationalAACCLA's Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean ConferenceMonday, October 23 - Wednesday, October 2509:30 AM EDT - 04:30 PM EDT
We break down everything you need to know on the benefits of free trade agreements for American business, workers, and families here.
Trade contributes to more than 41 million American jobs. When nearly half of everything American factories produce is destined for export markets, it's imperative to understand how trade benefits American businesses and families.
The U.S.-Israel Business Council hosted the official public-private sector engagement of the U.S.-Israel Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology to strengthen bilateral cooperation on critical and emerging technologies and drive solutions to global challenges.
It’s been a decade since the U.S added to the list of 20 countries where we have trade agreements in force. Meanwhile, other economies are racing to ink new trade deals. Here's why America can't stand still when it comes to trade.
Tomoko Hosaka Mullaney to lead the U.S.-Japan Business Council
The continued success of the WTO is critical to the U.S. business community. The following briefing reviews some of the basics — including the value of the WTO to the business community, its recent accomplishments, and some of the controversial issues it is working to address today.


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Scientists make wine and cheese using weeds
Scientists at South Ural State University (SUSU) have discovered that the extract of a common weed plant, Bidens pilosa, is a promising source of enzymes for the food industry. According to the authors, the technique can produce cheaper plant alternatives to expensive enzymes necessary in wine and cheese production. The study is published in the International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research.
As part of the work of the International Laboratory for the Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients, the scientists proved that the Bidens pilosa leaf extract accelerates the breakdown of proteins, which makes it suitable for obtaining biologically active compounds like tyrosine, first isolated from cheese in 1846, and among the proteins expressed by all living organisms.
"There is a long tradition of using Bidens pilosa as a medicine. Due to its prevalence, its use, in our opinion, is extremely beneficial in winemaking and milk processing, where the Bidens pilosa extract can become an alternative to many food animal enzymes," said Irina Potoroko, head of the Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology.
In the experiments, the researchers proved that fresh leaves of Bidens pilosa have high protease activity in an acidic buffer pH 4 (8.2567 × 10-7 mM / mg / min) compared to an alkaline buffer pH 10 (5.15 × 10-7 mM / mg / min) at 30 degrees Celsius. The scientists were able to determine the optimal conditions for the enzymatic activity of the leaf extract, which makes it possible to use in various technological processes.
Irina Potoroko believes that it is necessary to continue the research in order to find out which part of the plant (roots, stem, flowers) has the greatest protease activity, because the research carried out at SUSU was focused only on fresh leaves.
At the next stage of the work, the research team intends to study the mechanism of encapsulation, transportation and release of the Bidens pilosa extract to increase the efficiency of fermentation processes.
Bidens pilosa is widespread in the world as a weed imported from America. In Russia, the plant was found in the Far East. Bidens pilosa belongs to the quarantine weeds prohibited for import.
More information: Potoroko et al., Protease Activity In Flesh Leaves Of Bidens Pilosa, International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research (2020). www.ijstr.org/paper-references … ref=IJSTR-1019-23095
Provided by South Ural State University


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Between 40 and 45 percent of the applicants will be approved, a company spokesman predicted, at interest rates of 13.9 percent to 29 percent, based on the perceived credit risk. John Hashman, NextCard's chief executive, said that online retailers would pay nothing for the service, and that the transaction fees for merchants -- 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent -- would be identical to those charged on normal credit card payments that NextCard processed. He said the service would take from two weeks to two months for each merchant to put into place.
Of course, NextCard is not the only company offering such a service; nor is it the first. ECredit, for one, started offering extended payment terms to e-commerce companies on a limited basis in 1998. Peter McKay, eCredit's president, said that the company had seen increasing interest among e-tailers as the year progressed. ''It's a no-lose proposition for them,'' he said.
ECredit's system differs from NextCard's, in that it can route an application to several different lenders while the applicant waits online, increasing the chances of an approval and decreasing the amount of control one lender can have over an e-tailer's credit offerings. Mr. McKay said an applicant would wait ''a couple of minutes'' at most for an answer.
Not only can retailers make more sales with the extended credit plans, Mr. McKay said, but they can keep more revenue than they do on normal credit card purchases. That is because the transaction fees of eCredit's lenders range from 0 to 2 percent for extended payment purchases. And he said that even though eCredit charged an additional transaction fee, merchants still pay less than the industry average of 2.5 to 4 percent for online credit card payment processing.
Still, merchants must spend $10,000 to $50,000 for technology and installation of the system, and eCredit selects only merchants that it expects to generate the most transaction fees in the long term.
One such company is Hearts On Fire, which sells diamonds through its own site and through a network of 400 independent jewelry retailers. Avner Arazi, the company's director of e-commerce, said Hearts On Fire would begin offering extended payment plans before the holiday season, and would offer the program to both its online customers and to those who buy from the company's retail affiliates.
Mr. Arazi says that traditional jewelry stores are able to approve only 20 percent of those who apply for extended credit, mostly because merchants tend to deal with only one lender. But because eCredit works with many lenders, Mr. Arazi said he expected an 80 percent approval rate. Glenn Rothman, the company's chief executive, added: ''Who knows whether or not tht will actually happen. But if eCredit can do that, I really have a competitive advantage.''
When it comes to using extended credit plans to generate profit, no company may be more successful than the computer maker Gateway. Bruce Broll, senior manager of business processes for Gateway's financial services group, said the company had no extended payment plan for its customers in 1997. But after setting up one, the company quickly saw 20 percent of its customers sign up. Now, using a variety of lenders, Gateway gets $2 billion of its overall revenues of $9 billion from interest and other fees from extended financing plans, Mr. Broll said.
He declined to say how much of that financing revenue came from Gateway's Web operation, but he did say the company's extended payment system had been handled by eCredit since mid-1998, before eCredit made its system widely available. In addition to routing an undisclosed percentage of applicants to Gateway's own financing division, eCredit sends the applicants to other lenders, who pay Gateway a finder's fee for each, because Gateway delivers so much business to them.
And because eCredit's multilender system allowed Gateway to offer different financing terms to different customers -- and thereby cut down on credit rejections -- Mr. Broll said, company sales increased. ''The way it was,'' he said, ''the lender could pick and choose, if you know what I mean.''


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At long last, the decorating project has been completed. And the happy homeowner says, "I owe everything to my designer."
Six months later, though, he'll change his tune: "It was really my taste that dictated the selection," he'll say.
And later still: "I could have done it all alone -- if only I had access to all those sources."
That's the problem with so many people, according to Lester Dundes, publisher of Interior Design magazine: They overrate their own abilities to decorate, not to mention design.
Dundes was moderator of a seminar last week at the Design Center of the Americas on the direction of design into the 1990s. The program was part of the four-day DCOTA Preview '89 at the Dania design center. And amateur decoraters were clearly on interior designers' minds.
Passage of landmark Florida legislation a year ago, however, will restrict the use of titles such as "interior designer" in the future. Only those professionals who have met certain educational and experience qualifications and are duly registered by the state will be able to use those words.
Citing a recent report commissioned by his magazine, Dundes pointed out that there are now 153,000 interior designers in the United States. Of those, 60,000 are doing 97 percent of the business, which is estimated at $30.8 billion a year.
Three-quarters of them operate independently, he said. Just over half (52 percent) are women, and an equal number hold a design-related college degree.
Michael Wirtz, a Boca Raton panelist who is national president of the Foundation for Design Education Research, said that about 9,000 design students graduate every year.
Panelist Susan Preville, publisher of the Miami-based Design South magazine, said upgraded credentials should lead to an "enhanced image" in the profession. And Elizabeth Olarsh, associate editor of Contract magazine, predicted "increased credibility."
The 1990s, Olarsh noted, will be an exciting time to design interiors, particularly in view of an anticipated "humanistic" approach to design.
Lillian Barber, a Broward designer who spoke from the audience during the discussion, stressed the need to consider "the quality of life for those for whom we design."
Health care, Olarsh said, is one such "dynamic which is being increasingly addressed ... with new concepts, new styles."
Dundes recalled the preponderance of traditional furnishings -- especially French provincial -- as a status symbol four decades ago, back when "there were only seven major fabric sources ... no track lighting, no vertical blinds ... few contract designers."
There were hundreds of sources then; now there are thousands. It's "a different kind of industry," he said.
Although Early American is still the biggest seller ("and best value") nationwide, Dundes considers an imported leather sofa this generation's status symbol.
Crossover design -- combining residential and contract applications -- is increasing, bolstering the eclectic design and decor that are popular.
"The 'aesthetics of austerity' will be an additional element of style during the '90s," said Paula Rice-Jackson, executive editor of Interiors magazine. She foresees "a sleek, elegant yet affordable look of quality" that needn't cost a great deal.
"Trends are dictated by manufacturers and not by designers, a situation which should be reversed," said Orlando Diaz-Azcuy of ODA Designs in San Francisco, keynote speaker for DCOTA Preview '89. The dictates of fashion should be curtailed, he said. "We should use what we think we should use."
Already, an increasing number of factories are using advisory boards composed of design professionals, Wirtz said. And the keyword there is "professionals."
Dawn Starling, president of the Institute of Business Designers' South Florida Chapter, said the public must be convinced that only educated and experienced professionals are truly qualified to design. What's needed, she said, are more substantial, informative articles dealing with interior design, particularly in consumer publications.
During the Preview, the Joyce/Snoweiss Design Group with Miriam Torres was honored as DCOTA's 1989 "Designer of the Year" in the contract category for the Eastern National Bank installation in Coral Gables. A judges' citation was also given to Abreau & Garcia for its work for Interdevco.
Michael Wolk Designs won the 1989 Designer of the Year residential honors for a Frenchman's Creek home in Palm Beach Gardens.
More than 30 DCOTA showrooms vied for the 1989 display competition. Inspirations for this year's contest, sponsored by Design South, involved a "Carnival Latino" theme.
Winners include Todd Wiggins II, most innovative; Designer's Plumbing, most original; Treasures, most whimsical; and Rosenthal Design Studio, best display of a single product.


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PARIS -(MarketWatch)- French food company Danone SA (BN.FR) has bid $11 billion for U.S. company Pfizer Inc.'s
The report comes a few days after Nestle SA (NESN.VX) bid at least $9 billion for Pfizer's infant-nutrition business, people familiar with the matter said.
The website said several executives from Danone are currently in New York tasked with closing the deal, without citing sources.
Danone declined to comment on the matter.
Newspaper website: http://www.wansquare.fr


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The on-going global pandemic has left no sector untouched by its wave of impacts. With the escalating number of people being affected by Covid-19, it is important to comprehend the pandemics’ severe impacts on every corner of the nation’s economy. With almost all the segments that have fallen trap to the indeterminate impacts of COVID 19, even the Indian food and beverage industry is responding to the on-going crisis situation by bracing itself to combat the virus impacts.
The over-all food & beverage industry encompasses a multitude of virtual and offline food chains couple with food delivery apps. The chief aspects indicating towards the reckless growth of the food & beverages industry prior to COVID-19 pandemic include the upsurge in the number of on-the-go consumers, an amplified adoption of ready to eat edibles and an increase in the number of food deliveries. However, the temporary closures of the restaurants and a momentary halt in food delivery practices due to the fear of getting infected has disturbed the smooth flow of the industry.
Ever since the lockdown has been imposed to avert the virus from spreading, day-to-day life has become a lot more complex. One of the greatest challenges it has created is ordering food. A task as simple as ordering food from delivery apps has become fraught with questions as people are now speculating if it is safe. Customers have become aware about personal hygiene to combat the virus. Food delivered from outside would encompass numerous strangers, right from the food to it being delivery to your doorstep.
The good news is that presently there is no evidence that the COVID 19 has a possibility to be spread through the food itself. However, one cannot deny the fact that it is vital to take the necessary precautionary measures when ordering food. In times of a pandemic like this one, there are always risks involved. The major concern comes as ordering food has a possibility of exposing to deliverers encountering many people. Hence many food delivery apps are taking all the necessary precautionary measures to make food delivery a go-to option.
Following are essential steps taken by food delivery services to curb the virus spread:
Following an effective outreach
The food delivery platforms have started an operative outreach program. This is to reassure their customers about the safety involved in ordering food through virtual media. These programs have been designed to inform customers about the optimum practices that are being followed in order to enable them to order food without being wary.
The health status of the delivery partner has become one of the major concerns for customers while ordering food. As a solution to this, many food delivery apps are making use of a temperature tracker on their app. This is done to enable the customers to become aware of the body temperatures of all. The stakeholders right from the cook to the delivery boy.
No-contact delivery services
In order to maintain social distancing and to avert contact with the delivery guy. Many platforms are offering their customers with services like no-contact delivery options while ordering food. The feature ensures that you do not come in contact with the delivery partner in any way. Customers can choose from any of the digital payment methods for contactless deliveries.
PPE kits to delivery agents
Since the delivery workers are particularly vulnerable to the virus. Apps are providing delivery agents with safety equipment like gloves and masks.
Customers are majorly concerned about the hygiene conditions of places where the food is made and parcels are paced. Food delivery apps are taking measures to dehumidify and sanitize all the surfaces thus preventing the growth of the virus.
Appending their existing menus
The mindful consumers might want to opt for immunity-boosting edibles that will facilitate in nourishing their health. Hence many brands have appended their menus with customized meals based on individual requirements to boost fitness goals.
By taking the appropriate steps. Food delivery services are ensuring to bestow customers with wholesome yet tasty menus thus safeguarding their health even amidst the pandemic


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Five top production companies have come together to form an Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance at the Africa CEO Forum which recently took place in Kigali, Rwanda Capital.
Diageo, Unilever, the Coca-Cola Company and Nestle formed the alliance with the objective of turning the current plastic waste challenge into job opportunities by improving the collection of plastic waste in Sub Saharan Africa.
A statement released by the company revealed the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance was created so the companies could initiate and support their local subsidiaries to be proactive in market level public-private partnerships, industry collaboration and alliances in the area of share knowledge, encourage innovation and collaborate on technical and other solutions appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as participate in local pilot initiatives.
It was also designed to engage with the investment community, policymakers and others to accelerate the development and financing of the necessary waste management infrastructure and systems.
“Plastics will remain an important packaging material if we are to give African consumers the safe and affordable products they need. Unfortunately, a lack of collection and recycling capacity in many African markets coupled with growing populations is creating a growing problem of plastics waste.
“We see an opportunity to tackle that problem in a way that creates jobs and reduces dependency on imported materials while alternatives to plastics are developed,” the statement stated.


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RLG, in collaboration with major electronics brands such as Acer, Canon, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung Electronics America, and Vtech, is proud to announce that we will be hosting 32 free consumer electronics recycling events in Washington D.C.'s eight wards with greater schedule flexibility in 2023.
To boost participation, additional events have been scheduled for Sundays and Thursdays. These events are open to residents of the District, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. Individuals are encouraged to bring in their acceptable items, such as computers, tablets, monitors, TVs, desktop printers, mice, keyboards, video game consoles, and cell phones in their current condition, for safe and free handling by an e-Stewards certified electronics recycler.
The first event will take place on January 28th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the corner of Georgia Avenue NW and Howard Place NW.
For questions or additional information, contact email@example.com/us. We offer similar events in several states. Please find an overview here.


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Financial issues continue to weigh on the USPS
January 15, 2013
In early January, the United States Postal Service called on Congress for postal legislation in an effort to become solvent. Not too long after it is saying it cannot “wait indefinitely for legislation” at least not at the moment anyhow.
Given the myriad financial issues that the USPS is up against, coupled with the glacial-like pace that legislation for pretty much anything moves at, this is probably a good decision for the USPS, an organization that is currently losing $25 million per day and recently defaulted on $11.1 billion in Treasury payments and exhausted its borrowing ability. For fiscal year 2012, the USPS incurred a record net loss of $15.9 billion, compared to a $5.1 billion loss in fiscal year 2011.
The $11.1 billion—or nearly 70 percent—of this loss are mandated prefunding health retiree benefits which are part of a Congressionally-mandated 10-year payment schedule at an average of about $5.5 billion per year to create a fund to pay future retiree health benefit premium, among others.
So, what is the plan for the USPS now that it has decided it cannot afford to wait around for Congress?
The USPS said the Postal Service Board of Governors met last week to talk about various accelerated cost cutting and revenue generating measures at a time when it is essentially in dire straits financially.
A main edict coming out of the meeting was that the USPS Board of Governors has directed management to accelerate the restructure of USPS operations to reduce costs and improve its bottom line. They said this will occur through restructuring initiatives in conjunction with the USPS revising its 2012 five-year comprehensive plan to account for current financial and liquidity conditions.
It is not like the USPS is waiting around for good ideas to pop up. Many industry experts maintain they put themselves in this position with the prefunding of retiree health benefits, and it is hard to dispute that.
But at the same time it has reduced its annual cost base by about $15 billion since 2006 and reduced the size of its career work force by 168,000 staffers, or 24 percent.
Despite its record-setting fiscal year 2012 losses, there were some positives on display for the USPS, too.
Fiscal year 2012 shipping and package services business revenues for the USPS were up $926 million—or 8.7 percent—at $11.6 billion, and volumes were up 201 million pieces at a 6.6 percent annual growth clip.
These services include Priority Mail, Express Mail, Parcel Select and Parcel Return services and account for 2.2 percent of total USPS volume and 17.8 percent of total revenue. USPS officials pointed to e-commerce fulfillment and last-mile services as drivers for its strong performance.
The upswing in shipping and package revenues is helping to counter the ongoing losses the USPS continues to experience on the Mailing Services side, due to the ongoing diversion to electronic alternatives, including e-mailing business documents and online purchasing orders, as well as other electronic mailing processes.
But First Class Mail revenue for fiscal year 2012, said the USPS, dipped 3.9 percent to $28.867 billion, with volume down 5.3 percent or 3.826 billion pieces.
In order to regain its financial footing, the USPS is keen on coming up with a plan to counter its current dilemma, which it describes as “an inflexible business model that hinders its ability to be self-sufficient.”
That is where legislation is needed and will eventually have to factor into its long-term survival plan. And while its Board of Governors said that cannot wait around indefinitely for legislation, that will not stop the USPS from calling on Congress to “make postal reform legislation an urgent priority” either.
Jerry Hempstead, president of Hempstead Consulting in Orlando, could not agree more with that.
“Congress needs to man up,” said Hempstead. “They can, now that the election is behind us and we have two years before the next congressional election, pass legislation that allows the USPS to operate as a commercial business. I am also in favor of raising postage rates on transactions less than 1 lb., because they need to cover their operating costs and they are a monopoly. It is nuts that the government operates a monopoly, and the monopoly looses money. That speaks volumes about how we run our fiscal house.”
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Asia-Pacific Leads Global Fintech Investments: Study
Investments in Asia-Pacific financial technology (fintech) ventures, primarily in China, reached USD 9.62 billion as of July 31, more than twice the USD 4.26 billion invested in the region in all of 2015, according to Accenture analysis of CB Insights data.
Investments in Asia-Pacific have eclipsed North America, which as of July 31 garnered USD 4.58 billion in fintech investments; and also tops Europe, which attracted USD 1.85 billion in the same period. However, deal volume remains higher in North America and Europe, as the Asia-Pacific increase is due to big investments in a few select fintech companies in China. There have been 192 deals in Asia-Pacific so far this year, as compared with 509 in North America and 230 in Europe.
In fact, the top 10 investments in Asia-Pacific fintech ventures occurred in China and Hong Kong, accounting for 90 per cent of overall Asia-Pacific investments and valued at USD 8.75 billion. In total, China and Hong Kong fintech ventures have attracted USD 9 billion in investments so far in 2016.
Read Also: Data Consumption Crucial For 4G Investment
“China’s established companies, rather than nascent startups, are at the forefront of the fintech trend in the region,” said Beat Monerrat, Accenture senior managing director, Financial Services Asia-Pacific. “Fintech companies with major backers such as Alibaba and JD.com are focussed on providing positive end-to-end customer experiences, which includes payments and lending. This is transforming China’s financial services industry and is consistent with the global ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, which is bringing innovation from non-traditional competitors to the financial services industry.”
Ant Financial Services Group, the financial-services affiliate of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding that operates China’s online-payments platform Alipay, closed a USD 4.5 billion fundraising round in April. Ping An-backed Lufax, which has started using the name Lu.com, completed a USD 1.2 billion round of fundraising in January. In that same month, China’s second largest e-commerce company, JD.com, raised USD 1 billion in new funding for its consumer finance subsidiary, JD Finance.
In recent years, major Alibaba affiliates and China’s biggest social network company, Tencent, have also invested in other smaller startups, such as Fenqile, a micro-loan site which literally means “happy instalments,” Qufenqi, an electronics retailer that lets buyers pay in monthly instalments, and India’s One97 Communications, a mobile internet company whose Paytm is its flagship brand.
“The fintech trend in China continues to skew toward online payments and lending, including peer-to-peer (P2P), which is creating market-share dilution for banks,” said Albert Chan, managing director financial services China, Accenture. “China’s banks, whether building their own competitive platforms or not, should consider investing in collaborative fintech ventures in order to remain competitive.”
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This past Thursday, we hosted our annual Pitch Dingman Competition Semifinals in the Frank Auditorium of Van Munching Hall. With the recent news that University of Maryland had risen to #8 in the country in undergraduate entrepreneurship education, it was no surprise to see the room filled with attendees enthusiastically cheering for this extraordinary group of student founders.
Chaired by generous donor and UMD alumnus Robert G. Hisaoka, this year’s Pitch Dingman Competition Semifinals was preceded by an announcement for the new Hisaoka Entrepreneurs program. As part of the program, each semifinalist team will receive mentoring, coaching and additional funding to accelerate their venture toward success.
With only 4 minutes to present and 2 minutes for Q&A from judges, the 10 semifinalists all pitched their businesses admirably, but in the end, the judges chose these six exemplary startups to advance to the Finals:
BEEQBOX -Brianna Queen ’18
BEEQBOX provides vegan and cruelty-free illuminating cosmetic products with a branded feminist twist.
Dark Sonar Technologies, LLC – George Lee ’18, Simon Schlegel ’18
A cybersecurity company that prevents synthetic identity fraud on websites and mobile apps for small and medium-sized businesses.
Emprology – Sydney Parker ’18
Emprology, LLC is a digital brand consultancy and content creation shop that works to build influential personal brands for black women.
Flee – Didac Hormiga ’19
Flee is a location-based social media app that helps people find local events and entertainment.
Manta Technologies – Daniel Diazdelcastillo MS ’19
The Manta Technologies MANTA vessel efficiently eliminates water debris to save millions of sea life from water pollution.
Symbiont Health – Erich Meissner ’18, Maria Chen ’19, Kyle Liu ’20
Symbiont Health has developed wearable, automated fall detection devices for seniors.
Each finalist receives a $500 SECU Finalist Award, sponsored by SECU.
Congratulations to the remaining semifinalists on their impressive performance:
Basereach – Dan Bogachek ’18
Basereach sends personalized handwritten cards in your own handwriting to better connect with and thank your customers.
MPLEX VR – Galen Stetsyuk ’18, Stephen Walsh ’18
A virtual reality (VR) video game company creating a competitive, multiplayer game that fills a void in the market for VR game experiences.
Project Y – Shyon Parsadoust ’19, Nick Sarfaraz ’19 – Audience Choice Prize Winner – $500
A Tinder-like platform for tattoo artists and their customers to better connect with one another before the inking process begins.
Senvision – Chris Look ’20, Sanna Madan ’20
Senvision’s algorithm performs global sentiment analysis on social media to predict stock market movement.
The semifinalists who competed but did not advance to the finals receive a $500 Hisaoka Entrepreneurs Award, provided by Robert Hisaoka.
The panel of judges assessing the semifinalists brought a valuable range of skillsets and perspectives. A round of applause for our judges:
Chief Angel, Englare
Professor, Academic Director, Center for Social Value Creation
Matt Fishlinger ’07
Founder & Executive VP, Gramercy Risk Holdings, LLC
Technology Manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Ray Joyce ’17
Venture Analyst, Greenspring Associates
Director, Honors Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program (EIP)
A lot can happen on the road to Finals on March 6, 2018, and in the months that follow we expect to see tremendous growth from each of the six Finalists. Who among them has what it takes to win the $15,000 Grand Prize? Stay tuned and fined out!


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April 9 (Reuters) - Investment bank Jefferies Group LLC , owned by Leucadia National Corp, said it will sell most of Bache unit's futures business to Societe Generale .
Jefferies said in December it was in talks to sell the unit, which has been struggling with high costs and falling fees.
12:18 Warren Buffett, on CNBC, says bought about 120 million Apple shares in 201717
12:00 The Latest: Buffett says airlines fly high after bad century16
21:00 Winning $435 Million Lottery Ticket Sold in Indiana18
03:02 SK Hynix CEO says will consider fresh bid for Toshiba chip unit stake21


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D-Link Australia has launched ints new "D-Fend AC2600 Wi-Fi Router" (DIR-2680), an all-in-one solution powered by McAfee and Intel’s connected home technology, that promises "unparalleled parental controls whilst increasing security for devices on any home network".
TV advertising technologies which give advertisers the ability to show different ads to different households while they are watching the same program, already reaches over nine million Australians, according to newly published research.
Cyber security solutions vendor Trend Micro has released a new program designed to leverage its Zero Day Initiative and to minimise vulnerabilities as smart products are developed.
I wonder what the ROI on all this fluff is...
This is bad news for those communities and I genuinely hope they unite against this proposal.Where this has happened in[…]
Not surprised by drop in ICT sector jobs - been out of work from enterprise scale DBMS specialist role since[…]
As if Ajit Pai would care. It'll be up to Trump or Bolton to make a decision about that.
To say it's a "plunge" is to grossly sensationalise the situation into something it's not. A "plunge" would be a[…]


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Starbucks, Wendy's and more. Here's the latest on developments in Powdersville
Powdersville will soon be home to several new developments, including a Starbucks and a Wendy's restaurant.
Here is an update on some of the new construction happening along State 153.
- Starbucks is building a shop near Miracle Hill. The store is expected to open by fall and will employ around 25 people, according to a statement from a company spokeswoman. It is a 2,200 square foot building.
- Wendy's will be located a few miles down the road, near the former Velocity Sports building. First Sun Management, a local Wendy's franchisee, operates 18 locations in the Upstate and in Georgia. The Powdersville location does not have an opening date but construction is underway, said Marjorie Perez, marketing director for the franchisee.
- The BP gas station and convenience store off of Interstate 85 on State 153 will be expanding into a roughly 3,500 square foot shop this summer, hopefully by June 1, said Harry Patel, owner-operator. He said the traffic off the interstate is important to his business and he expects the expansion to bring more customers as nearby gas stations have expanded in recent years around him.
- Also, a new Italian restaurant is expected to open in May and construction of a new hotel is expected to begin soon.
If you know of any new restaurants or other developments coming to Powdersville or Easley, email me at email@example.com
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- TURKEY: THE ROUTE IN CRUISE TOURISM
- COSTA VENEZIA AT ISTANBUL GALATAPORT
- ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BANS CRUISE SHIPS FROM VENICE
- P&O CRUISES AUSTRALIA EXTENDS ITS PAUSE IN GUEST OPERATIONS UNTIL END OF JULY
- WINDSTAR CRUISES RETURNS TO SERVICE ON JUNE 19 WITH STAR BREEZE AND WIND STAR
- CELEBRITY APEX TO BEGIN CRUISING IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN STARTING JUNE 19
- ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S JEWEL OF THE SEAS TO CRUISING STARTING FROM JULY 10
- TUI-OWNED MARELLA UNVEILS UK-BASED DOMESTIC CRUISE PROGRAM
- STAR CRUISES STARTS ITS OPERATIONS IN MAY
- DISNEY CRUISES REVEALS 2022 ITINERARIES IN EUROPE, ALASKA AND CARIBBEAN
- BODRUM CRUISE PORT WELCOMES VIKING CRUISES’ VIKING SEA
- NAVIGATOR OF THE SEAS TO SAIL FROM LOS ANGELES IN JUNE 2022
TUI River Cruises extends its pause until late JuneTUI River Cruises has again delayed its departure due to continuing uncertainty about travel restrictions.
Crystal Serenity to start sailing in the Bahamas before August 2021Genting's luxury brand revealed today that the Crystal Serenity would begin sailing in the Bahamas in July, making Crystal Cruises the first major cruise line to return to operation in North America.
Celestyal Cruises resumes operations on May 29 from Piraeus, AthensCelestyal Cruises has announced that its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary will resume on May 29 from Piraeus, Athens.
Royal Caribbean extends cruise cancellations for four shipsThe suspension of cruising by Royal Caribbean International has been extended through May, excluding sailings onboard Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager, and Odyssey of the Seas.
Princess Cruises cancels more cruisesPrincess Cruises has announced that it will continue to suspend cruise vacations in the Caribbean, California, Mexico, and the Mediterranean until June 30, 2021.
Crystal Endeavor starts sea trialsThe new Crystal Endeavor has set sail for a series of sea trials for the ultra-luxury brand.
Windstar opens its new office in Miami, FloridaWindstar Cruises revealed today that in June 2022, it will move its headquarters from Seattle, Washington to Miami, Florida.
Norwegian Cruise Line receives green light from CDCHaving recently suspended service through May 31, Frank Del Rio, CEO and President of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, said the company's earnings call that when obtaining the green light from the CDC.
Azamara plans to extend its cruising suspension through JuneAzamara announced that it is extending its cruise suspension for all sailings departing on or before 30 June 2021.
Seabourn cancels 2021 Alaska/British Columbia departuresOn Wednesday, Seabourn announced the cancellation of its 2021 Alaska/British Columbia departures.
Holland America cancels sailings after Canada closed its ports and watersFollowing the Interim Order of the Canadian Transport Ministry, Holland America Line cancelled a number of sailings that closed Canadian ports and waters to passenger vessels.
Two newbuilds to join fleet of Royal Caribbean in 2021By the end of the first quarter of this year, Odyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's second Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship, is expected to join the company's fleet.


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V8s galore! It seems that the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is entering the final stages of development and testing. As we hear its pre-production could begin later this week , several prototypes were spied in Marietta, Ohio to provide a good look at what’s going on in Chevy’s Corvette R&D department right now. Thanks to the Corvette Blogger team, we have access to an exclusive spy video and photos of widebody C8 trial cars. As you can see in the gallery below and the video at the top of this page, there are four Corvette C8 prototypes with center-mounted exhausts, plus one with the exhausts mounted on the corners of the bumper. Our source says Executive Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter was on location to join the test session. You know it's serious business when the big guns are there. Gallery: Chevrolet Corvette Z06, ZR1 prototypes spied 3 Photos According to the available information, there was … [Read more...] about C8 Corvette Z06, ZR1 Prototypes Spied On Video With Engines Revving
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More high-tech than ever. Since Suzuki released a teaser confirming the impending introduction of the new Hayabusa for 2021, there's been speculation about how many updates the supersport would receive. While early reports regarding the updates were relatively modest, as we neared the debut, they got increasingly bolder with talks of a new engine and output increase. The new 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa debuted on February 5, 2021, and we finally got an answer to all of our questions. So, how much has changed on the new Suzuki Hayabusa? Actually, quite a few things. Inside and Out The most obvious update is, of course, the design. That much we already knew. A few days prior to the official unveiling, the model's launch video leaked on the internet, offering us our first glimpse of its new aesthetic changes. Suzuki adds that the new design allows the Hayabusa to offer "one of the best drag coefficients achieved by any motorcycle". This not only increases the ride's stability … [Read more...] about The 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa Is Here And Here’s What’s New
VW’s Voltswagen debacle was no laughing matter to authorities. Volkswagen's renaming stunt late last month has drawn the eye of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a new Der Spiegel report. The agency has opened an investigation into the company to determine if VW's poorly executed April Fools' Day joke announcing it would change its name to Voltswagen affected its stock price. Details about the investigation are scarce at the moment, though the company did confirm to the German publication that the US agency had requested information from its subsidiary Volkswagen Group of America (VWoA), and it is cooperating with authorities. Gallery: 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 17 Photos The whole debacle began a few days before April 1 when the company "accidentally" published a press release announcing it would be changing its name. A day later, on … [Read more...] about It’s Official: Volkswagen Under SEC Investigation Over Renaming Stunt
Dunlop spent the last decade supplying tyres to just the Nakajima Honda squad in GT500 following SARD Lexus’ switch to Michelin (and later Bridgestone) in 2011, severely compromising its ability to develop and test new tyres vis-a-vis the other three manufacturers in the class. Off the back of an improved showing in recent years, another Honda squad Mugen entered into an agreement to race on Dunlop rubber from 2021, ending its four-year relationship with Yokohama. However, Dunlop isn’t content with partnering just two teams in the top category and is looking at ways it can build capacity for another car, even if that means reducing its presence in the G300 class where it currently supplies tyres to five cars from four different manufacturers. “We want at least one [more] team,” Dunlop Japan's motorsport department manager Yasuda told Motorsport.com. “But any more than that would start to give us capacity problems. So, we need to think about that. [Seven cars across … [Read more...] about Dunlop aiming to attract third GT500 team in Super GT
Home Four wheelers oi-Punith Bharadwaj By Punith Bharadwaj Published: Friday, April 30, 2021, 14:19 [IST] Volkswagen India announces a new set of service initiatives in the country. Under the new initiative, VW customers will have access to information, reduced cost of ownership and peace of mind. The brand has introduced several new features and slashed the prices of spares in the country to reduce the cost of ownership. The company has reduced the Volkswagen Genuine Spare Parts pricing by up to 11 per cent. Engine oil prices have gone down by nearly 32 per cent. Additionally, the company is also offering benefits of up to 24 per cent on Service Value Packages. The reductions are part of Volkswagen India's robust service strategy. According to the company, the strategy is based on accessibility, transparency, and a customer-first philosophy. Apart from the reduction in spares, Volkswagen will also expand its … [Read more...] about Volkswagen New Service Schemes Announced In India: Spares Costs Reduced!


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Back in March we announced the Intense PC, the latest addition to our Fit-PC family and our most powerful fanless computer to date using 2nd Generation i3 and i7 cores. Well now, only a few days after Intel itself announced availability of its 3rd Generation Core i7 IVYBRIDGE processors, we can confirm that Intense PC is the world’s first, low power, miniature, fanless computer to ship with an i7 Ivybridge option! Orders are being taken immediately.
According to LinuxUser & Developer magazine, the latest member of the fit-PC family of miniature PCs, that’s what. In their recent fit-PC3 review they describe this small, tough computer as ‘an impressive amount of technology and connectivity crammed into an impossibly small package’.
How PC Selection can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
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Consumer goods stock High Liner Foods reported disappointing results in the first quarter. But its earnings per share are expected to grow quickly this year and next. The company also pays decent dividends that rise each year. It remains a buy for gains and rising dividends.
The shares of consumer goods stock, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia-based High Liner Foods, North America’s top value-added frozen seafood company, have slipped recently. But this slip gives you an attractive buying opportunity.
For one thing, High Liner’s earnings per share are expected to grow quickly this year and next. Based on these earnings estimates, the shares are cheap. For another thing, it’s a ‘dividend aristocrat’. In Canada, these are companies that have raised their dividends for at least five years in a row. High Liner has raised its dividend longer than that. Today’s dividend of 48 Canadian cents a share yields a decent 2.2 per cent. This should attract income-starved investors who will bid up the price of your shares. As a result, High Liner remains a consumer stock to buy for long-term share price gains as well as decent and rising dividends.
In the 13 weeks to April 4, High Liner earned $15.6 million, or 50 cents a share, excluding one-time items in both periods. This was up by 13.6 per cent from $13.8 million, or 44 cents a share, a year earlier.
Chief executive officer (now board chairman) Henry Demone said, “Our latest acquisition, Atlantic Trading [acquired on Oct. 7, 2014] bolstered sales and partially offset the impact of volume declines in other areas of our business.”
All the same, sales of seafood should rise in the years ahead. Seafood provides lots of protein and what’s known as ‘good’ fat. In addition, seafood is a staple of oriental diets. The growth of oriental populations in North America suggests that demand for High Liner’s seafood will continue to grow.
The lower loonie held back High Liner
A second factor hurting this consumer goods stock’s results was a drop in the loonie. Earnings in Canada turned into fewer U.S. dollars—the company’s reporting currency. Also, the lower loonie raised the cost of raw materials, which are mostly priced in U.S. dollars. Canada accounts for 22 per cent of High Liner’s sales and nearly 21 per cent of its underlying earnings.
The lower loonie also hurt High Liner’s reported sales. Its sales in loonies rose by 5.4 per cent, to $327 million. But its reported sales rose by a significantly lower 2.5 per cent, to $310 million. The sales volume declined by five per cent, to 89.5 million pounds.
High Liner is undertaking initiatives to improve its operations. One is to stop production at its leased facility in Malden, Massachusetts. The company will transfer this production to its other facilities. It expects this to cut its operating costs by $3 million a year. With the initiative implemented in early April, High Liner should save $2.25 million or so in 2015.
Mr. Demone said, “Our strategic goal to optimize our supply chain continues to be a top priority for the organization and while delays were experienced in the first quarter in certain areas, our overall expectation to achieve $20 to $25 million in annual cost savings related to this goal has not changed.”
High Liner aims to cut costs and raise sales
High Liner also plans to raise its sales. Mr. Demone said “we…believe that focusing efforts on the development of innovative product offerings is key to driving organic growth across our business.”
In 2015, High Liner is expected to earn $1.79 a share. This would be solid earnings growth of 16.2 per cent from last year’s earnings of $1.54 a share. Next year, its earnings are expected to grow by over fifth, to $2.15 a share. Convert this year’s expected earnings into loonies and you get a fine price-to-earnings, or P/E, ratio of 9.9 times. This seems attractive for a company with fast earnings per share growth. Convert next year’s estimate into loonies and it trades at an even better P/E ratio of 8.2 times.
Consumer goods stock to buy
High Liner Foods Inc. (TSX─HLF) remains a buy for long-term share price gains as well as decent dividends that increase each year.
The Investment Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St. W., Toronto, On, M5H 3M8, 1-800-804-8846


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The freight broker and third-party logistics provider also said Wednesday it has completed the integration of truckload-oriented freight broker Command Transportation, LLC, which it acquired in June 2015 for $420 million.
The railroad transportation equipment manufacturer posted net earnings of $183.2 million in fiscal 2016, ended Aug. 31, a 5 percent decrease from the previous fiscal year, even as revenues reached a record $2.68 billion.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance will release two new mobile applications, DrayQ and DrayLink, in early November as part of an effort to speed cargo flow through the ports of Seattle and Tacoma and along local freight corridors.
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
Meanwhile, Hanjin has sent a note to customers that says it will allow Hanjin-owned containers to be terminated at either Terminal 46 in Seattle or Pier T in Long Beach.
Meanwhile, a judge in STX Offshore’s Korean bankruptcy proceedings has ordered the troubled shipbuilder to put its shipyard up for sale along with its profitable cruise ship subsidiary based in France, according to multiple media reports.
Rafi Danieli, chief executive of ZIM, said in an interview with American Shipper that the carrier focuses on specific global trades, where it wants to sail, and where it has an advantage and a big market share.


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FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen Group's controlling parent company, Porsche Automobil Holding SE, today said in a statement that it has proposed Hans Dieter Poetsch as chairman of VW's supervisory board, a post that Ferdinand Piech quit earlier this year.
Poetsch, 64, has been VW's finance chief since 2003.
Volkswagen said its executive and nomination meetings supported the proposal. The decision will have to be approved by the full supervisory board and then voted on at an extraordinary shareholder meeting in November.
Evercore ISI's global automotive research head, Arndt Ellinghorst, welcomed the move. Poetsch is "well respected" in the financial community and has a "clear understanding" of the key financial problems that the VW Group is facing, Ellinghorst said in an emailed statement. These include high capital and r&d spending, along with high labor and material costs, he said.
VW CEO Martin Winterkorn, once considered a candidate for the chairman role, is set to have his contract as CEO extended until 2018 from 2016 at a supervisory board meeting on Sept. 25.
The automaker has been seeking a new chairman since Piech quit in April after losing a showdown over strategy he had provoked with Winterkorn.
Piech backs a move to install Poetsch board chairman, Porsche Automobil Holding said. In a statement, Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of Porsche Automobil Holding, said: "Hans Dieter Poetsch enjoys the unequivocal support of the entire Porsche SE supervisory board."
Piech is a member of the supervisory board of Porsche SE, which owns 51 percent of Volkswagen.
Poetsch is seen as a safe choice who will not polarize the power players at Volkswagen, but one investor criticized his shift from day-to-day management to an oversight role without a break.
“While we very much respect Mr. Poetsch as CFO, we are against his direct transition to the head of the supervisory board,” Ingo Speich, a fund manager at Union Investment, said via an email. “A supervisory board chairman needs critical distance; that’s not possible without a cooling-off period.”
Volkswagen said a successor for Poetsch as CFO will be decided soon. Rupert Stadler, head of the Audi brand, could be a candidate for that post.
Bloomberg and Reuters contributed to this report


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Montreal-based entrepreneur Nannette de Gaspé pioneered the idea after investing in Biomod, a Canadian biotech company that’s developed a revolutionary technology for dry-printing active ingredients directly onto textiles. Her namesake lineof filler-free masks are composed of 87 percent active ingredients, compared to traditional masks, which are on average 85 percent water and glycerin, with five to seven percent active ingredients. Here, the ingredients include tetrapeptides for brightening and marine extracts for fighting wrinkles, all printed on “techstile,” a woven fabric from Japan.
The masks are activated and stay on your face thanks to a combination of humidity, temperature, pH, and a gentle massage. A 15-minute session results in noticeably softer and more hydrated skin. “The technology is pretty amazing,” says Francesca Fusco, M.D., of Wexler Dermatology in New York City, who has used the masks. “Since I didn’t feel any wetness as I activated it, I was anxious to see results. But when I removed the mask, my skin was definitely glowy.”
Convenience is a key highlight of using dry masks: Users can skip all the mess and according to the instructions, rinsing afterwards isn’t necessary. That makes it possible to throw one on while getting ready for work in the morning or answering emails at night. Plus, they're reusable for a duration of three months.


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The casual gaming industry appears to be passing “Go” and preparing to collect its figurative US$200 with a new partnership announced Friday by Electronic Arts (EA) and Hasbro to create digital versions of many of the classic board games generations have grown up on.
The agreement grants EA the exclusive worldwide rights to create digital games based upon a vast assortment of Hasbro’s intellectual properties, including Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka and Littlest Pet Shop. EA will then develop “interactive experiences for a mass audience to play across key platforms including mobile, online, handheld, PC and consoles,” the companies said.
The first games are scheduled to launch in 2008. The initial term of the strategic relationship runs through Dec. 31, 2013, and may be extended. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“The gaming market has never been more primed for a revolution in how families enjoy games,” said Kathy Vrabeck, president of the EA Casual Entertainment Label. “Hasbro is the ideal partner to help propel this change. Their games define fun. These are games that we all love and remember from our childhoods.
“The combination of EA’s market leadership in the interactive space and Hasbro’s timeless franchises is a perfect partnership for today’s market,” she added. “Together, EA and Hasbro can create the next generation of fun for a new wave of kids and families.”
EA veteran Chip Lange will lead the overall Hasbro business initiative as vice president and general manager. Hasbro Senior Vice President Mark Blecher will head up Hasbro’s digital gaming initiatives.
“Our toy and game brands have been family favorites for decades, and aligning ourselves with EA will result in broadening the reach of our brands through the ‘reimagining’ of these beloved entertainment icons in all key digital categories,” said Brian Goldner, Hasbro’s chief operating officer.
“Through the years, EA has proven themselves time and again as an incredibly creative company that delivers amazing content across multiple brands,” Goldner added. “We are thrilled to work with EA in bringing our brands to the next level in the digital world.”
In a market that often seems to be dominated by highly sophisticated graphics, fast-paced action and sometimes gruesome violence, the casual games segment is quietly staking its claim with a broader segment of users. Casual games from EA, for example, include such titles as “Boogie” for the Wii, “Tetris” for mobile phones and the online gaming destination Pogo.com.
A Growing Market
Designed with simple rules and targeted at a mass audience, these games are expected to continue expanding their reach.
“I think if you look at the entire industry from all angles, you’ll see that these casual games have always been there,” Ted Pollak, senior analyst for the gaming industry with Jon Peddie Research, told TechNewsWorld. “There’s a core group of gamers who enjoy the war games, and those tend to get a lot of the press, but there’s a huge market for nonviolent games, and there always has been.”
While many nonviolent games “have been presented in a fragmented way, sometimes from lesser-known brands,” Pollak noted, that will change with the EA-Hasbro partnership, he said.
There’s no question the market is there, he added.
“These are games almost anyone could enjoy playing,” Pollak said. “They are what I call evergreen franchises — they’re such great concepts with such broad appeal that they just don’t get old.”
A ‘Friendlier’ Platform
The mobile platform, in particular, tends to be “friendlier and more casual” than other game platforms, Michael Cai, director of broadband and gaming for Parks Associates, told TechNewsWorld. Games already out there on the mobile platform include some with “Snoopy” and “The Simpsons” brands, he noted.
Ultimately, the partnership between Hasbro and EA — “a giant in casual, leisure gaming intellectual property and the 800-pound gorilla in the mobile gaming space” — could spark a land grab among other game publishers seeking brands that could be leveraged for mobile gaming, Cai said.
“There’s no doubt that EA understands the power of brand,” he said.