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In the near future, business owners may be able to look at digital maps of the economy, visual layouts that feature not only streets and landmarks, but up-to-date pockets of spending that can be used to identify areas where a certain restaurant or retail location can maximize its market performance (Jump to 9:05).
But, that’s only part of the big picture for Wisely. The newly launched, self-described search engine for the physical world uses payment data to inform consumer, and soon merchant, buying decisions in a way that it says improves upon past solutions like Yelp, Google and Foursquare (Jump to 0:22).
“Over time, Google has proven that search data is valuable, Facebook has proven social data is valuable,” Mike Vichich, Wisely’s CEO and co-founder, told PYMNTS.com. “Our view is that payments data is equally if not more important. It’s the manifestation of that behavior.”
By allowing consumers to sort listings by average bill size and popularity, Vichich says Wisely solves feelings of doubt that are common with traditional user reviews, which he believes are all too easily skewed due to a reliance on one-off consumers experiences and a susceptibility to the opinions of fake users.
Still, recent reports find that user reviews, despite their faults, have become the main driver of conversions, and Wisely, despite its promise, seems to run counter to this emerging wisdom. Vichich, however, doesn’t see his solution as an alternative. Rather, he says reviews require the context and objective data Wisely can provide.
“When I hear the trend, what I hear is people find meaning in how other people either like or dislike a place, that’s the job a review accomplishes, we’re doing the same thing, it’s just a different manifestation, if you’re going to the same place over and over and over, then that’s a review,” Vichich said. (Jump to 1:39)
Still, the company faces obstacles. Wisely is currently only powered by data from American Express users (Jump to 3:04) due to issues that stem from cleansing and processing data from major payment processors. How does wisely aim to overcome this issue to grow its network (Jump to 4:40), and how does it plan to leverage this data for loyalty offerings that can compete with Belly, Fivestar and Pirq in the loyalty space? (Jump to 6:00)
Meet Vichich in our full video interview to find out for yourself below.


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Several large retailers are starting the search for temporary help so they can have enough manpower to stock shelves during a time where people continue to buy in bulk out of fear of the future due to the health emergency surrounding the coronavirus.
Hy-Vee, Inc. announces last week that it is seeking temporary, part-time hourly employees to help fill multiple positions in stores across its eight-state region as well as its distribution centers located in Chariton, Iowa, and Cherokee, Iowa.
With the recent surge in demand for groceries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hy-Vee is looking to hire individuals for temporary, part-time positions to help with restocking as well as cleaning and sanitizing. Interested applicants can visit www.hy-vee.com/careers to view available positions in their area or text SMILES to 97211.
In addition, those who may have temporarily lost their job due to the current pandemic, are out of school, want to make additional money, or simply want to help during this time are welcome to apply at Hy-Vee.
Dollar General put out a want ad on Monday.
It states: As the heightened demand for household essentials offered by Dollar General stores continues across the country amid COVID-19 concerns, the Company plans to nearly double its normal hiring rate and add up to 50,000 employees by the end of April as it continues to diligently work to support customers’ needs.
While Dollar General currently anticipates the majority of these roles to be temporary, the Company has a strong track record of career growth and anticipates providing long-term career growth opportunities to some of these new employees.
Check out Dollar General’s website for hiring opportunities.
Walmart also is going to be looking for help.
In a press release on Friday, the corporation reported that in response to strong demand in stores, Walmart is hiring 150,000 new associates through the end of May. In Iowa, Walmart plans to hire more than 2,300 associates to work in stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.
Walmart also reported as a reward for their hard work and dedication to serving customers during this unprecedented health crisis, Walmart will provide more than $365 million in cash bonuses to hourly associates in the U.S. Every hourly associate employed by the company as of March 1 will qualify, and it will pay out on April 2.
In addition, the company will accelerate the next scheduled quarterly bonus for associates a month early. The early bonus payout will add up to $180 million nationwide.
As reminder, these steps are in addition to last week’s announcement of a new COVID-19 emergency leave policy that provides support to associates if they are impacted by the coronavirus.
Check out the walmart website for hiring opportunities.

domain: news


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YouTube Music has been competing with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify for a long time now but users in the US and Europe are yet to be convinced that Google’s YouTube Music can indeed to be a perfect companion for music consumption. However, in order to further intensify the competition, Google will soon to introducing the ‘offline’ feature for Youtube Music users.
With the ‘offline’ feature on YouTube Music, users will be able to download music files from the app in order to listen to them even when they are not connected to an internet connection or WiFi network. However, just like the conventional YouTube app, music files or songs downloaded from the Youtube Music app will be available for a certain amount of time in offline mode.
In an interview with Engadget, Elias Roman, who is YouTube Music's Product Manager, has revealed that the platform will soon be getting regular bi-weekly updates with needed changes to offer a better user experience. These updates will include a sort albums feature, a drop-down menu to let YouTube Music users filter out musicians they have followed on the platform along with an option to store music offline.
Google is also planning to introduce a new feature for YouTube Music users which will give them an option to select the audio quality for streaming as well as downloading music files or sings. This will be a huge step for YouTube Music since it will make the platform compatible in markets where high-speed data is not available to the masses, such as India. On the other hand, the conventional YouTube app has been offering the option to select video quality to its users for a long time now.
To recall, YouTube Music was launched in the US, Europe, and some Asian markets in May this year as an upgrade for Google Play Music. YouTube Music offers add-free songs and videos while it comes with a subscription charge of EUR 9.99 (Rs. 800 roughly).


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COVID-19 Shipping Delays
Since the beginning of April 2022, our fulfilment warehouses in Shanghai, China have been completely shut down along with unprecedented restrictive Covid-19 policies throughout the entire region. We had planned for the lockdown to last a maximum of a few weeks, but with the lockdown now entering its second month we are still unable to update our customers on when our business will be back to normal. At this time, orders still take about a month or more to be fulfilled and shipped.
We want to be transparent that the majority of our staff overseas are still under lockdown and our small team in New York are doing everything we can to make sure our customers receive their packages safely and in a timely manner.
We are so incredibly grateful to the loyal following that we've amassed in these few short years, and are committed to finding alternative solutions to the current situation in China. We will update you when the government has updated lockdown policies, and hopefully with some good news we can bring back the joy that Urlazh brings to everyone's wardrobes.
We deeply thank you for your understanding and support in these challenging times for our brand.


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Apple is going to be introducing a new method for e-book companies to be able to charge for subscription fees. Currently, Apple takes a 30% cut of subscription fees on the App Store, but now, if a customer stays subscribed to a service for multiple years, Apple will only take a 15% cut, leaving 85% of the profits for the e-book company.
I think the obvious beneficiary of the new app subscription policy will be Amazon and their Kindle Unlimited program. This makes the most sense to me, because the vast majority of their e-book catalog are indie authors and small publishers. These are the type of people that would really dig getting more exposure on the Apple platform, where statistically the average customer spends more money on in-app purchases and subscription fees. Amazon would likely have to adjust the royalty rates on the Apple platform, in order for the company remain profitable.
Scribd is one of the few e-book subscription sites left standing, after Entittle and Oyster went bankrupt. They currently offer 3 books and 1 audiobook, plus access to sheet music, documents, and Scribd Selects for $8.99 per month. I think they would be able to generate more revenue by locking in users for a one year subscription and offering them a discount.
The new subscription options should go live in a couple of months, while Apple puts the finishing touches on the new system.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times.


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Big Lots (NYSE:BIG) updated its FY20 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided EPS guidance of $3.55-3.75 for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus EPS estimate of $3.64. Big Lots also updated its FY 2019 guidance to $3.55-3.75 EPS.
A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BIG. Piper Jaffray Companies upgraded Big Lots from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $43.00 to $53.00 in a research note on Monday, November 19th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Big Lots from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, February 18th. Loop Capital cut their price objective on Big Lots from $43.00 to $32.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 7th. Deutsche Bank downgraded Big Lots from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Big Lots from $47.00 to $43.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $44.25.
BIG stock opened at $36.18 on Friday. Big Lots has a 1-year low of $26.21 and a 1-year high of $50.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The company has a market capitalization of $1.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.31.
Big Lots (NYSE:BIG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 8th. The company reported $2.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.38. Big Lots had a return on equity of 26.11% and a net margin of 2.91%. The business had revenue of $1.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Big Lots will post 3.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 22nd will be paid a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.32%. Big Lots’s payout ratio is 26.97%.
In other Big Lots news, CEO Bruce K. Thorn purchased 8,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 14th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $29.46 per share, for a total transaction of $250,410.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 8,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $250,410. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Big Lots (BIG) Issues FY20 Earnings Guidance” was reported by Dispatch Tribunal and is owned by of Dispatch Tribunal. If you are reading this article on another domain, it was stolen and reposted in violation of United States and international trademark & copyright laws. The correct version of this article can be read at https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2019/03/09/big-lots-big-issues-fy20-earnings-guidance.html.
About Big Lots
Big Lots, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a community retailer in the United States. The company offers products under various merchandising categories, such as furniture category that includes upholstery, mattress, case goods, and ready-to-assemble departments; seasonal category, which comprises Christmas trim, lawn and garden, summer, and other holiday departments; soft home category that consists of fashion and utility bedding, bath, window, decorative textile, home organization, area rugs, home décor, and frames departments; and food category that includes beverage and grocery, candy and snacks, and specialty foods departments.
Recommended Story: Capital Gains
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A massive container ship is currently blocking the Suez Canal, one of the busiest global shipping routes. Marine and salvage engineers tried and failed to dislodge the enormous ship on Thursday (25 March 2021) but the company, Evergreen Marine who operates the ship have said that it could take weeks before the ship is dislodged.
It became stuck on Tuesday after a sudden gust of wind and a dust storm. The blockage is causing a tailback of ships to form, all waiting to get through. Around 12% of global trade passes through Suez Canal as it provides a short sea link between Europe and Asia.
There is another route that goes around the southern tip of Africa but that makes for a much longer journey.
The question now is how long can this route be blocked as a long delay would lead to problems for businesses – delaying of goods and fuel.
What’s happening currently with this container shows what exactly can go wrong with the enormous ships like Ever Given to pass through the narrow canal, even though parts of it were expanded it remains tricky to navigate especially for bigger ships.
To give an idea of how big it is – it has the capacity to carry 20,000 20ft (6 meter) containers, 400 meters long, 59 meters wide and weighs 219,076 tonnes. This means it’s blocking access for any ship to pass in both directions since the canal isn’t wide enough
Almost 19,000 ships passed through the canal in 2020, according to the Suez Canal Authority. The canal itself crosses the Suez Isthmus in Egypt, which between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
The episode highlights the vulnerability of the global supply lines on which the international capitalist system is built. While the wholesale transfer of industry and manufacturing to the second and third world might have been good for corporate profits, it threatens massive dislocation and chaos in the case of any disruption.
Jenny Smith is a member of the YCL’s Birmingham Branch


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Trump bans dealings with Chinese owners of TikTok, WeChat
Last updated 8/7/2020 at 9:26am
NEW YORK (AP) - President Donald Trump has ordered a sweeping but vague ban on dealings with the Chinese owners of popular social media apps TikTok and WeChat on security grounds, a move China's government criticized as "political manipulation."
The twin executive orders Thursday - one for each app - add to growing U.S.-Chinese conflict over technology and security. They take effect in 45 days and could bar the apps from the Apple and Google app stores, effectively removing them from U.S. distribution. U.S. experts expressed skepticism about its legal authority.
China's foreign ministry s...


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By Joseph W. Brady, CCIM, SIOR
I wish to welcome our current and future subscribers of the 49th edition of the Bradco High Desert Report, the only economic overview of the High Desert region, covering the northern portion of San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire. We more specifically address economic issues affecting the cities of Adelanto, Barstow, Hesperia, Victorville, and the Town of Apple Valley.
As always, we wish to thank our committed article suppliers (over 135) and our newsletter sponsors for their continued commitment to our endeavor, and our attempt to find positive, factual and interesting information as it relates to the High Desert economy.
As I’ve said over the past eight (8) editions, I strongly believe that our global economy, our nation, our state, the Inland Empire, and the High Desert region are currently challenged with a very serious financial crisis, a crisis that we’ve never seen before.… Read the full article


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THE Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) potato committee are outraged to learn that several local packers and dealers have been lobbying for potatoes that have been produced outside of Northern Ireland (NI) to be imported from January 1.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, chair Robert Sibbett said, “We are shocked and horrified that a number of local processors, packers and dealers have given the impression that there is a supply and quality issue with our locally produced potatoes, going as far to state that imports are better. NI potato growers can produce the highest quality of seed potatoes, and packing and processing potatoes.
"This has been confirmed by a major retailer who stated they are happy with the quality, quantity and consistency of supply. NI has also been selected by a number of seed houses to propagate high grade seed for the international market due to our high-grade health status.
“Imported potatoes have the potential to bring disease and pathogens to our shore as some of the merchants are pushing for the importation of produce from high-risk areas. This shows no respect for NI potato growers.
“Further to this it has recently been demonstrated in Dover that a short, local supply chain has the greatest resilience for keeping shelves full. Therefore, we are calling on processors, packers and merchants to respect and work with our NI potato growers. This is vital to avail of the opportunities we now have to develop a bright and sustainable future for the benefit of NI consumers and our agriculture industry in its entirety.”


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- 21 Sep
Your Three-Step Approach to Account-Based Marketing Success
We’ve all heard it before. You cant use B2C strategies in a B2B market. However, thanks to the digital revolution, the distinctions between the two are beginning to blur. It seem that we’re witnessing the consumerization of the business buyer. They are the ones who are no longer satisfied with one-size-fits-all content offerings. Now, B2B customers desire a new level of personalization.
Enter account-based marketing (ABM)
ABM is not a new strategy by any means. But more and more B2B marketers are embracing it. This is in part because they’re dissatisfied with their current lead generation programs. A recent report on B2B lead generation, found that, in fact, only 16% of marketers find their current efforts extremely effective.
So, to learn how you can use create an ABM system for your business to boost your lead generation, read the full article at MarketingProfs
NOTE: A Free Registration pop-up opens on this site. Free Registration is required to read this article.


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Earlier this week, Samsung sent out its remarkable new folding smartphone to a number of media outlets, including the BBC.
Perhaps now it wishes it hadn’t.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman:
The Verge’s Dieter Bohn:
CNBC’s Steve Kovach:
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
Samsung said it had received “a few reports” of damage to the main display, and would “thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter”. But it’s a significant setback to the company’s hopes of wowing the world with what, at first glance, was a very impressive feat of engineering.
It appears one explanation for the problems is that some reviewers removed a film that went over the screen, thinking it was the typical protective layer you find on all new smartphones to keep the screen in good condition until you buy it.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman removed his, as did the highly-regarded YouTube reviewer, Marques Brownlee.
Steve Kovach, however, didn’t remove the film – and said he still had major issues.
The device the BBC handled, incidentally, was taken away by Samsung shortly after filming was finished, so our team hasn’t had a chance to see these issues for ourselves. Our reviewer Chris Fox said the way the screen folded together – leaving a small gap – made him nervous about accidents that might occur with small objects.
But if the device struggles to this degree in the hands of seasoned reviewers, the return-rate could be huge, if and when it goes on sale to the wider public. Remember, this is a $2,000 smartphone.
The reviewers having problems insist there’s been no rough-handling of the devices.
“Whatever happened, it certainly wasn’t because I have treated this phone badly,” wrote Mr Bohn at The Verge.
“I’ve done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket. We did stick a tiny piece of moulding clay on the back of the phone yesterday to prop it up for a video shoot, which is something we do in every phone video shoot.”
Samsung stole headlines from its competitors by getting its apparently consumer-ready device out there quicker than anyone, a technological two-fingers in the direction of Huawei, the Chinese firm breathing down Samsung’s neck in the smartphone game.
But it’s no good being first if you get it wrong – and put out a device that isn’t quite ready.


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August 15, 2019
The owner of magazines like Elle, Cosmopolitan and Esquire is now serving print ads to subscribers based on their digital activity. That’s right, they’re combining first party data with online behaviors to learn more about specific subscribers. For example, if you’re researching a particular skin care product online, your next issue of Elle may have a customized ad for that product, and could even have your name in it. This new advertising product, called MagMatch, goes live in the next issue of Elle.
Though this is not yet widespread technology, it’s something to keep an eye on as companies continue to collect more and more data on our every day activities.


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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 12, 2020 / Investors will be closely monitoring the tech sector as election season ramps up in the United States, and C-suite tech executives will be looking to make every effort to boost brand perception in that time leading up to Nov. 3. With Newswire’s Financial Distribution Platform, tech leaders can effectively distribute their company news, updates and performance reports to the nation’s most-read financial outlets and publications to effectively increase brand awareness during this crucial time in the country’s history.
Tech shares soared as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, as millions of Americans were limited to their homes during the lockdown periods that went into effect in early March of this year. Since then, American households became shared workspaces, schools, entertainment centers, and more through the usage of various technologies. According to Andrew Hecht of stocknews.com, it is suspected that the US government will likely address the dominance displayed by the leading technology companies once the dust settles after the election season concludes.
“While there is a potential for strong government regulations looming over the tech sector in the months to come, there is also an opportunity for the firms to boost investor confidence through powerful communication campaigns,” said Charlie Terenzio, Newswire’s VP of Earned Media Advantage Business.
“Additionally, smaller firms that are not as concerned with the potential of government regulation have the opportunity to market their business and highlight performance to prospective investors that may be looking to fund the next tech giant of the 21st century.”
Newswire’s Financial Distribution Platform is a trusted source for market news and industry-leading customer support. The platform also offers a comprehensive network to all major stock exchanges, such as the NASDAQ, NYSE, and the London Stock Exchange.
“For IR and communications professionals, the platform’s ability to target audiences across investors, media, analysts and financial institutions is an outstanding value to accelerate communications to the global financial community,” said Terenzio.
Newswire’s financial distribution has provided executives better brand perception and boosted investor relations through timely, accurate, and compliant content distribution and syndication.
Learn how Newswire’s Financial Distribution Platform can boost investor confidence in your company today.
Newswire delivers press release and multimedia distribution software and services (SaaS) that empower the Earned Media Advantage: greater brand awareness, increased traffic, greater return on media and marketing communications spend and the competitive edge. With over a decade of experience, Newswire continues to provide its customers with the ability to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time through the right medium.
To learn more about how Newswire can help you, visit http://www.newswire.com.
VP of Earned Media Advantage Business
View source version on accesswire.com:


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When Tesla first started, it used just 10% of the 5.4 million square-feet of factory space it purchased. Today, Tesla occupies at least half that space. With production of the Tesla Model X gearing up to begin next year. and the entry-level Model E in the pipeline for 2016, it won’t be long before Tesla needs to find even more factory space.
When it announced its lease partnership at the NUMMI factory in Fremont, California, some questioned why such a boutique automaker would need so much space. Indeed, Tesla used only about 500,000 square feet when it first moved in, though expansion has been rapid in the past year.
First, there was the purchase of adjacent land to serve as a test track. Tesla also signed a lease on another California facility that could serve as a secret skunkworks facility for new projects or concepts, prompting speculation that California could still be in the running for the vaunted Gigafactory. With Tesla already looking like it will outgrow its first factory before the end of the decade, the only real question is where the next Tesla factory will be.
My guess? China. Heck, Elon even said as much, and if demand for the Model S is really as high as Musk has hinted, then Tesla will need a Chinese factory just to keep up with all the orders. Fremont might run out of room even sooner than we thought.


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Play Network boss, Charles Okpakaleke announce Aki & Pawpaw epic run game will be available on all android and iOS phones or free.
He said ; “We are happy to announce that in line with our exclusive exploitation rights to the brand ‘Aki & PawPaw’, we are at the final stages of the first ever Nollywood Game, Aki & Paw Paw Epic Run, powered by @playnetworkafr and @playnetworkstudios. Available to download soon by all iOS and Android users,” the filmmaker wrote on Instagram.
The game was developed by Blue portal which they confirmed on their social media accounts.
“Blueportal software is pleased to announce that it has signed a mobile platform game development agreement with Playnetwork studios to develop the first of its kind video game based on the studio feature films, AKI and PAWPAW. The game will be free to play on iOS and android mobile devices.”
This news comes after the new Aki and Pawpaw sequel is set to hit the cinemas in december.


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According to the chairman of the Hyundai Assan, Umit Karaarsalan, the company is all set to build a new research and development facility, introduce motor production and produce 50,000 units of the new i10 and Hyundai sedans in Izmit, Turkey. Hyundai has invested around 1.1 billion dollars (Rs. 6000 crores) for its expansion in Turkey. Around 30 percent of the investment has been completed till date and the plan is to finish the expansion of the factory by the end of 2013.
Apart from the expansion plans, Karaarsalan announced that the company is ready to produce the next generation i10 and a compact sedan based on the i10, which will increase their production capacity up to 2,00,000 units. The sedan based on the next generation i10 will be positioned between the i10 and the i20. It is expected that both the i10 and the compact sedan will feature petrol and diesel engines. The compact sedan is likely to be under the 4-metre mark and replace the aging Accent in India.
The new models are expected to hit the Indian roads by 2014 and will be priced aggressively. Hyundai will launch the compact sedan after launching the next generation i10. Hyundai’s upcoming compact sedan, with its petrol and diesel options will take on the rivals like the Maruti Swift Dzire and Honda’s upcoming Amaze. Hyundai’s chairman also said that its market has experienced a fall of about 10 percent in 2012 by selling 8,00,000 units. Hyundai aims to increase its annual vehicle sales by 6 percent in 2013 over last year.
Source – HurriyetDailyNews


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HTC One M9 leaks in new photos – looks similar to M8
The camera seems to be a little bit more rectangular and it’s still on the upper-middle back. The device has the same M8 style with a gold/silver color scheme. The power button seems to be on the on-screen navigation bar.
There is no certainty that this is indeed the new HTC One M9, but the rumor is these are real renders of the flagship. This seems to be an HTC phone regardless of its code name.


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‘Underpaid’ staff raise pay beef with Macca’s
A former McDonald's worker allegedly lost thousands in wages after she was not paid breaks over a four-year period.
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, which represents fast food workers, yesterday lodged the landmark legal paperwork on the fast food giant, accusing three Adelaide outlets of not providing paid breaks.
The documents were lodged in the Adelaide registry of the Federal Court.
The case has the potential to affect more than 100,000 staff employed at more than 970 McDonald's restaurants across Australia.
According to the enterprise agreement which covers all McDonald's workers, any employee who works longer than four hours is entitled to a ten minute paid drink break.
Any employee working longer than nine hours gets a second paid drink break included in their pay.
In court documents seen by The Advertiser the union alleges that 14 current and previous staff across the three restaurants were denied those breaks.
Former Hiring and Training Manager at McDonald's Frewville, Madeleine Lilliburn, 23, said she did not get paid for 10-minute food and drink breaks that she was entitled to when working more than four hours per shift.
Ms Lilliburn said her management shifts would usually be eight-and-a half to nine hours, and she should have been entitled for two 10-minute breaks.
"I don't think I ever had one … and I don't think I was ever instructed to give one to anyone either."
She estimated the total sum of money lost may be in the thousands.
"It's just disappointing management expected us to follow their rules, but they're not going to do the right thing by us."
Ms Lilliburn said she was given a 30-minute lunch break, but denied the water break.
She said she finds it disturbing that there are teenagers as young as 14-years-old working at the company who may not be receiving their breaks, and is worried for the flow-on effect it has for future employment.
"Fourteen to 15-year-olds don't exactly have the courage to stand up on their own to such a big company like McDonald's, it makes me worried for them" said Ms Lilliburn, who left the company two years ago.
A McDonald's spokeswoman said the firm was aware of the impending lawsuit.
Originally published as 'Underpaid' staff raise pay beef with Macca's


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WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (GREATER WILMINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL) - The race began this morning to sell a Wrightsville Beach luxury home through a viral social media marketing campaign - reports the Greater Wilmington Business Journal.
Yesterday, the 5,000-square-foot ocean front house located at 823 S. Lumina Ave. was listed for $4.2 million. Today, it is listed for $600,000 less. For the next week, Wilmington-based social media marketing firm, Maximum Design and Advertising plans to drum up nationwide interest in the luxury home to sell it for $3.6 million.
The deal expires at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 20. The first person to put in an offer on the house this week will get it.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS STORY: http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/industry_news_details.php?id=2137


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Cold Iron Studios’ Aliens: Fireteam was unveiled just recently and also gives a 3 gamer co-op survival shooter experience set at some point after the third movie. It sees a team of marines venturing to the USS Undertaking and battling crowds of Xenomorphs. IGN First has 25 mins of raw gameplay offered, showcasing the game at work– examine it out listed below.
There are 5 different courses and also greater than 30 tools to choose from which can be tailored with over 70 mods. Each has their very own one-of-a-kind capabilities, as showcased in the gameplay, and also you can wield weapons like the weapon as well as also a gatling gun. Though it’s the default trouble, the development group is major regarding providing an obstacle at greater rates.
Therefore, there will be mutators, Challenge Cards and also problem choices. Limited resources and also pleasant fire were pointed out as some of the tougher auto mechanics to handle at higher difficulty. Aliens: Fireteam is out this Summertime for Xbox Collection X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 as well as PC. Expect more information and potentially a public beta in the coming months.


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The second-generation Maruti Vitara Brezza is all set to hit showrooms in coming weeks. While its official launch date is yet to be announced, the model is likely to arrive in the last weeks of June 2022. Interestingly, this time around the SUV will drop the prefix ‘Vitara’ and could be offered with the factory fitted CNG kit. Major changes will be made to its exterior and interior. In fact, the new 2022 Maruti Brezza is reported to come with the updated 1.5L K15C petrol engine and a new 6-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox.
New 2022 Maruti Brezza Exterior
The latest spy images reveal that the next-gen Brezza features a newly-designed grille with horizontal chrome slates. You can notice the arrow-shaped inserts merging with chrome inserts inside the headlamps. It gets slightly tweaked bumper with a faux bull bar and a silver faux skid plate, twin C-shaped LED DRLs, matte black cladding running across its sides and newly-designed, dual-tone 16-inch alloy wheels further enhance its sporty appearance. It has new badging on the tailgate. The taillamp clusters have also been revised.
New 2022 Maruti Brezza Interior
While the carmaker hasn’t yet revealed its details, the new Maruti Brezza 2022 is likely to come with more up-market interior. The automatic variants will get paddle shifters. The SUV’s new model will have a completely new dashboard along with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring new Smartplay Pro+ interface. The info unit will support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Read – Maruti-Toyota SUV Launch By Diwali; Likely To Replace S-Cross
If reports are to be believed, the new Brezza could be offered with a 360 degree camera, a factory-fitted sunroof, wireless phone charging, Head-Up Display (HUD), connected car tech, a new instrument cluster and a new flat bottom steering. The SUV’s new model is expected to be high on safety as the carmaker is reported to make a few changes to its bodyshell. Its safety kit might include hill decent assist, hill hold assist, 6 airbags and tyre pressure monitoring system.
New 2022 Maruti Brezza Engine
Similar to the Ertiga and XL6 facelift, the new Maruti Brezza 2022 is likely to be offered with a new 1.5-litre K15C DualJet engine. Compared to the existing K15B gasoline motor, the new one will be 2bhp less powerful and 2Nm less torqueier. Though, the new engine has two injectors per cylinder that makes it more fuel economically. It can be had with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox. A CNG-powered Brezza is also on cards, though it might come at a later stage.
Spy Image Source


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At the start of lockdown, The British Independent Retailers Association Bira offered independent retailers (including cookshops and housewares stockists) the opportunity to sign up for a free three-month Coronavirus Membership Package in return for a nominal donation of £1, £5 or £10 to the Rainy Day Trust (RDT).
The offer, taken up by 266 indie retailers, raised a total of £1,073 for the industry charity, which raises funds to support the housewares and home improvement workforce and their families in times of need.
Bryan Clover, ceo of the RDT, said: “The Rainy Day Trust is incredibly grateful for the amazing £1,093 raised from Bira members through the three-month free membership scheme.
“The travel restrictions may be eased but thousands of people still need our help. A quick look at the news shows that furloughed staff are starting to become redundant staff. But we can also help Bira members look after their staff through the transition back to normality; whatever that looks like.
“The Trust has a range of help that members can call upon and we are tapped into the entire charity sector, and have the specialist knowledge to hunt down the help that people need. If we can help you, give us a call.”
Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s ceo added: “We are delighted by the response from the members regarding the support for the Rainy Day Trust.
“Even when times are so difficult independent retailers have found a way of supporting a very worthy cause. I would like to personally thank everyone for their contributions.”
Top: The Rainy Day Trust helps people of all ages that work (or worked) in the home enhancement industry.


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Nave, 28, has been a self-proclaimed “tech nerd” for as long as he can remember, but last year an online video of a model helicopter inspired him to construct his own drones, which are commonly associated with unmanned aircraft used by the military. Drones are similar in concept to remote-controlled airplanes but have all the bells and whistles of modern technology. Nave said the drone built can hover as high as 10,000 feet and travel 40 to 50 mph.
By attaching a GoPro video camera to the device, Nave captures aerial footage of his friends surfing at the beach or skateboarding at a skate park. An analog television transmitter attached to the drone allows Nave to see live video footage through goggles while he steers the device with a remote. His drone also uses a GPS navigation system.
“Technology is getting so much better and drones are becoming so much more affordable for hobbyist to get into,” said Nave, who owns BN’s Lawn and Landscaping in Port Orange.
Drones are becoming an increasingly popular hobby for model aircraft enthusiasts, said Mike Roy, manager at High Fly Hobbies in Daytona Beach. The hobby store sells drone building kits and small drones that are ready for takeoff.
“I’d say the hobby has grown immensely in the last year for sure,” Roy said. “We’ve been slowly adding them to our inventory and at least one person comes in each day asking for one.”
While drones used by government agencies and businesses require operating permits from the Federal Aviation Authority, drones used for recreational purposes have fewer limitations. Concerns about using any type of drones for surveillance, however, have fueled debates about how drones should be used and monitored. While seven states, including Florida, have passed laws restricting drone use by public entities, Idaho and Texas became the first states last year to pass laws restricting drone use by private citizens.
The FAA is expected to implement guidelines next year that would integrate unmanned aircraft weighing 55 pounds or less into domestic airspace and outline regulations for recreational use. While it’s too soon tell what those new regulations will look like, it could result in requiring recreational drone operators to obtain a license or membership in a community-based organization that promotes safety standards, said Rich Hanson, director of public relations and government affairs for the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The national nonprofit organization sets forth safety and operating guidelines in line with FAA standards for its 164,000 members.
“There is a sense of responsibility that needs to be instilled in the community,” Hanson said. “Instructions for how to safely operate the devices aren’t on the packages. I think there are people who might be doing things that are questionable, but I don’t think they are trying to be irresponsible. I just don’t think they know.”
Nave began building his own drones about a year ago. He estimates the drone he currently owns is worth more than $2,000. He said he follows FAA standards requiring operators to fly model aircraft within a safe operating distance from schools, neighborhoods and churches. The standards also require operators to fly drones no higher than 400 feet and avoid flying in proximity to large aircraft.
Nave recognizes that there is a slight risk that his device could succumb to equipment failure and crash, which is why it’s important to fly responsibly, he said.
“Back in the day you’d need a helicopter to get this kind of footage,” he said. “Now you can take it on vacations and get beautiful and amazing footage. You do take risks but that’s just part of the hobby.”


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Cityplaza is collaborating with the Institute of Textiles and Clothing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to exhibit the work of 2014 graduates at the mall. From 22 October to 6 November 2014, mall patrons will be able to view the young graduates work at the mall’s 2/F Atrium and Central Bridge.
This exhibition gives Hong Kong’s emerging fashion talents a platform to showcase their work to consumer.
Held for 16-days, the exhibition will feature over 40 designs from 12 talented graduates, including three special award recipients. This exhibition will display a wide range of innovative, cutting-edge creativity and offer the young designers a platform for Hong Kong’s emerging fashion talents to showcase their work to the public.
- 2/F, Cityplaza, 18 Tai Koo Shing Rad, Tai Koo, Hong Kong. Tel: 2568 8665


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WASHINGTON—A divided Supreme Court struck down decades-old limits on corporate political expenditures, potentially reshaping the 2010 election landscape by permitting businesses and unions to spend freely on commercials for or against candidates.
President Barack Obama attacked the ruling and said it gave "a green light to a new stampede of special-interest money in our politics," particularly "big oil, Wall Street banks, health-insurance companies and the other powerful interests" that "drown out the voices of everyday Americans." He pledged to work with lawmakers to craft a "forceful response."
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It’s deja vu all over again.
After we managed to squeeze a few auto shows — Chicago, Detroit/Motor Bella, and Los Angeles — in during 2021, we’re back in a place of scheduling uncertainty and possible event cancellations due to the rise of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The pandemic isn’t over. But a good chunk of the United States is returning to normal, and at some point, the pandemic will peter out in the rest of the world.
How long that takes is anyone’s guess. And beyond the pay grade of anyone who contributes words to this hallowed site. But we can hazard a guess as to how post-pandemic car sales, perhaps with some assistance from an analyst.
Late last year we reported that thanks to the coronavirus and its impact on suppliers, Ford Bronco production would be delayed, saying “customers will receive a delivery window in May 2021. First customer deliveries will now begin in summer 2021 instead of spring 2021.”
The automotive world’s most anticipated product is now delayed again. No, not the All-New Ford EcoSport. In a communication to dealerships, Ford confirmed that the 2021 Ford Bronco would be delayed until Summer 2021. The rollout change was forced by COVID-19 challenges that some of Ford’s suppliers are facing. In a communication sent to dealers that a tipster provided to TTAC, Ford also provided an update on some Bronco options.
North America has changed immensely under the pandemic. The government tested what it could get away with under the premise of health-and-safety-related lockdowns; countless small businesses have gone belly up while larger entities seem to be thriving. Meanwhile, we’ve been informed that nature is returning to urban environments as humanity forced itself to stay indoors. Waters cleared, the air was purified, and animals ventured deeper into our territories while we sheltered in place. It was if Homo Sapiens had finally been demolished, providing Mother Earth a prime opportunity to patch herself up.
For a time, there was even a period where you could enjoy open, nearly enforcement-free roadways. Some cities, including mine, saw traffic declines in excess of 40 percent during the opening weeks of the virus response. While this ended when New York City brought in those temporary (and wildly unpopular) quarantine checkpoints at major crossings and attempted to open up for commerce, it still seems like far fewer individuals are driving overall.
That’s because there are. People just don’t need to venture out of their homes as much in 2020 and it is not just the lockdowns contributing to this change. Ordering items online has played a major factor, as does the increased reliance on at-home entertainment. In fact, a new study has suggested Americans may never drive as much as they did just a decade ago. This seems especially likely with so many companies encouraging office-based employees to continue working from home indefinitely, flushing millions of daily commutes down the proverbial toilet.
Gauging economic health during the latter stages of 2020 is proving remarkably challenging. On the one hand, there’s grievous unemployment caused by COVID-19 shutdowns; on the other hand, bicycle sales are booming and backyard pool installations skyrocketed. Contrast the fact that the Dow Jones isn’t far from its six-month high with a 32 percent U.S. GDP loss in Q2.
The same sort of diametrically opposed outcomes are visible in the U.S. auto industry, as well. Only a handful of automakers still report monthly sales figures – Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo – yet within those brands there were remarkably different results coming out as we exit the summer. We wanted to find the vehicles that destroyed reasonable recovery rates in August with significant year-over-year improvements. But we didn’t expect them all to originate from the same two automakers.
The North American International Auto Show, aka the Detroit Auto Show, is moving. Again.
It never even had a chance to take place in summer, due to COVID. Now, it will be moving to September.
That’s right – assuming the pandemic is under control enough to allow for large gatherings by then, the NAIAS will take place just over one year from now, starting on September 28, 2021. The show will conclude on October 9.
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2 charged in $18M maple syrup heist
5 more suspects sought by investigators
Three people were arrested and two have been charged in connection with the $18-million maple syrup heist in Quebec in the summer.
Quebec provincial police are still seeking five suspects, four men and one woman, in connection with the theft of maple syrup from a warehouse last summer.
Richard Vallières, 34, of Loretteville and Avik Caron, 39, of Saint-Wenceslas, face charges of theft, conspiracy, handling stolen goods and fraud.
CBC News has learned that Caron once worked as a financial adviser.
Between August 2011 and July 2012, thieves made off with 9,600 barrels of maple syrup from a warehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, about 95 kilometres southwest of Quebec City.
It was initially believed about $30 million worth of syrup was stolen, but later checks established that fewer barrels were missing than was first reported.
Police now believe the barrels were siphoned off over the course of a year.
Some syrup may have gone to U.S.
The maple syrup federation's interim director, Simon Trépanier, said it's a relief to know arrests have been made.
However, police have recovered only about 70 per cent of the stolen syrup, and Trépanier believes the rest might have already been sold in the United States.
"We're asking the government to help us with that," Trépanier said. "If there's any maple syrup ... stolen and it's now in the States, if it's our syrup, we want it back."
A spokesman for Quebec provincial police, Claude Denis, said more than 40 search warrants were executed in New Brunswick, Ontario and in the United States in connection with the theft.
"During the investigation, police officers met approximately 300 people working in the production and sale of maple syrup and transportation," said Denis.
In addition to the recovered maple syrup, police also seized electronic scales, elevator platforms and kettles that are used in the production of maple syrup.
In October, authorities seized approximately 1,000 barrels of maple syrup from S.K. Export Inc in Kedgwick, N.B.
Étienne St-Pierre, the owner of the export business, said the syrup came from his regular providers in Quebec and not from the warehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford.
At the time, the company's general manager, Julienne Bossé-Desrosiers, told Radio-Canada she had documents to prove the company bought its syrup directly from producers.
The warehouse stored about 3.4 million litres of bulk maple syrup, which belonged to the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.The federation represents the province's 7,500 producers and administers a bulk sale system with quotas on individual operations.


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Carbon offsets alone won’t help airlines and their customers meet sustainability goals. Alternatives to fossil-based jet fuel hold promise, and big corporate travel spenders are getting involved. Last month, Microsoft committed to purchasing sustainable aviation fuel for employee flights on Alaska Airlines after doing the same with KLM in 2019. More need to follow to help meaningfully scale SAF production in the coming years.
With growing awareness this year about the work needed for greater diversity and inclusion, and the benefits of taking it on, the travel community has responded. Groups like the Black Men’s Travel Network and the TAMS Breakthrough Diversity committee sprung to life following the social justice movements that swept across America this year in response to violence against African-Americans. Other content providers and event organizers like GBTA and Northstar Travel Group stepped up their attention to diversity and inclusion.
Discrimination hurts just about everyone, not only its direct victims. New research shows that while the immediate targets of racism are unquestionably hurt the most, discrimination inflicts a staggering cost on the entire economy, reducing the wealth and income of millions of people, including many who do not customarily view themselves as victims.
AmTrav Partnership With Journera Starts With Knowing When Corporate Travelers Board The Plane (Audio)
AmTrav Corporate Travel agreed to start using Journera’s data exchange platform. It is the first travel management company to do so. Founded in 2015 and launched a year later, Journera wants to be the glue in an interconnected travel ecosystem. It uses application programming interfaces to assemble complete views of trips. In that way, it can help suppliers sense travelers’ needs, convey real-time info and provide en-route service and support.
When you’re a big corporation, you can get nice volume discounts. When you’re the biggest, you get to reinvent how they’re used. Walmart seems to be at it again. The $524 billion retailer’s tech group built something specifically to optimize utilization of, negotiations for and supplier compliance to travel contracts.
Corporate Travel Buyers On What They Need From TMCs, How They’re Working With Suppliers And Why Policies Changed (Video)
According to a pair of travel managers who recently completed RFPs for travel management company services, the traveler experience was a bigger priority than ever before. That stands to reason during a pandemic that is focusing organizations’ attention on their people. Other components of a TMC’s offering that always were important to buyers, like content acquisition and seamless connectivity to third-party downstream systems, have new urgency. Beyond that, there are multiple perspectives on a TMC’s best path forward.
Hotel occupancy is down 50 percent nationally in the pandemic-stifled world of travel. While hundreds of hotels nationwide remain closed because of the crisis, new hotels — from the sleek high-rise Joseph Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, to the Kimpton Armory Hotel in a 1941 art deco landmark in Bozeman, Montana — continue to open. Whether they are banking on the swell of tourism that many predict will follow the introduction of a vaccine or bound financially to open, hoteliers are making plans for a future that now must consider new outbreaks and pandemics in the same way that public buildings permanently changed their security measures in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.


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Tech billionaire Elon Musk topped Forbes' list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States on Tuesday, far outstripping the country's second-wealthiest person.
The magazine estimated Musk's net worth at more than US$251 billion, far beyond second-place holder, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Forbes said the ex-Amazon CEO is worth roughly US$151 billion, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
Musk's fortune is US$60.5 billion more than he had in 2021 as the world began to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and is a new record for the Forbes list.
The bulk of Musk's riches come from automaker Tesla, the company he co-founded and continues to run.
Musk owns about one-quarter of the company and much of the rest of his net worth can be attributed to space exploration company SpaceX, which quadrupled in value in the past three years, according to Forbes.
Musk's net worth has crested the US$300 billion mark twice over the past year, thanks largely due to price fluctuations in Tesla stock.
Bezos now owns slightly under 10 per cent of Amazon.


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By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor
The Northern Ireland economy is losing momentum as high costs and falling confidence hit business performance, an Ulster Bank survey suggests.
The bank’s monthly survey of about 200 firms is considered to be a reliable indicator of the private sector.
It suggests that manufacturing, construction, retail and other services all saw a decline in business activity during June.
Business confidence also fell to its lowest level in almost two years.
Ulster Bank’s chief economist, Richard Ramsey, said: “The cost-of-living crisis had already become increasingly evident in May with a slump in retail demand with this trend continuing in June.”
He said June also appeared to have been a poor month for manufacturing with sharp falls in business activity and new orders.
“Anecdotal evidence indicated that the main factor underlying falls in both output and new business was sharply rising prices, with customers increasingly hesitant to commit to new projects,” he added.
Last week official data suggested that the output of the economy in Northern Ireland reached a 15-year high in the first quarter of this year.
However economic conditions have deteriorated since then as businesses and consumers attempt to deal with rapidly rising prices.
The Bank of England has warned the UK faces a “sharp economic slowdown” this year.
The bank’s policymakers expect the UK economy to shrink rather than expand in the final three months of the year.
It also expects the economy to contract by 0.25% in 2023, down from its previous forecast of 1.25% growth.


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It looks like the ArchePass will remain disabled until the start of Season 4 of Fresh Start,
“The ArchePass will continue to be disabled until the start of the 4th Season on Fresh Start. That being said, there was significant amount of feedback from you guys about the availability of Diligence Coins and Labor Rechargers and we heard that!”
The post continues, citing a purchase limit per account on Stena and Crazzian servers,
“On the Fresh Start servers Stena and Crazzian there will be a 1 per account purchase on the Fresh Start Marketplace Only that will include:
- 200 Diligence Coins
- 20 Bound Labor Rechargers”
Note that this won’t be available immediately. You’ll have to wait shortly after launch to see it in the marketplace. In related news, the team announced a Garden of the Gods contest which is set to end today, before the launch of Garden of the Gods tomorrow.
Garden of the Gods is set to include 59 quests, plus new raids, loot, and more.


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Michelle Obama has already conquered the world of magazine covers, now she’s getting her own comic book!
The Chicago Tribune reports that Bluewater Productions is releasing a biographical comic book about the first lady. It will follow her life from a girl growing up in South Side Chicago all the way to up her becoming our first lady.
The comic is part of a series called “Female Force” whose previous editions featured Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. They were released this week and reportedly flew off the shelves so fast that they’re now sold out.
Publishers predict that Michelle’s 22-page comic will be even more popular. The comic is slated for an April 25 release, but the demand has gotten so high that distributors have stopped taking orders so Bluewater can crank out enough copies.
"I feel like the guy who invented the Furby," said Darren Davis, Bluewater’s president. "The reaction has been insane."
The comic, costing about $4.00 a copy, won’t mention any controversial things Michelle said on the campaign trail. You also won’t see any fist bumps (darn!) or illustrations of Sasha or Malia Obama. We know they would have looked too adorable, but Bluewater didn’t want to get on Mama Obama’s bad side like the Ty Inc. did.
"We wanted to be respectful to all the women in the series," said Darren. "They’ve really done amazing things in their lives."
– Sonya Eskridge


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Piotr A. Głogowski
October 16, 2019
The EU – Japan BRI alternative
What happened? TOn September 27 Japan and the EU inked an infrastructure cooperation pact, which is the second meaningful agreement within the last year. On July 17 2018 UE has signed the biggest trade deal (in terms of a market size) with Japan (EUJEPA). Various commentators has recognized the increased bilateral activity as a challenge for the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The brief description. The EU pledged the amount of 60bln EUR to support further investments. Even though the latestpact between EU and Japan is at the beginning of development and no ongoing project has been established one of the EU diplomats has highlighted, that the collaboration could “include the EU financing Japanese firms looking to use drones to map roads in need of repair in Africa, and the Japanese funding European renewable companies contemplating investments in southeast Asia.” Especially the verb contemplating should be recognized as an invitation for European companies related to the renewable energy sources (RES) to look at the southeast Asia markets. There are numerous opportunities. According to the several reports published by The ASEAN Centre for Energy future demand for RES (even basing on the most conservative predictions) will grow signifcantly (type of RES depends on a country).
Focusing mainly on solar market it must be mentioned that Asia-Pacific region has 55% global market share (2017). Forecasts provide clear picture – Asia-Pacific region is assumed to possess 60% of global solar installations until 2022 (this includes 112GW in South Asia only). If the EU-Japan infrastructure cooperation pact is effective in making it will mean that all European companies involved in RES (not only business related to the solar energy but also biomass, hydropower, wind, or heat) will gain an additional opportunity to reach a new ground in Asia with the Japanese support.
Why it matters for Poland?
Even though in recent years the political atmosphere in Poland has become less friendly for RES installations, there are a lot of companies (more than 250) that manufacture complete products or components for windmills, devices for hydropower installations, biomass installations, solar collectors, PV modules, heat pumps and (mainly) devices for biogas plants. Not to mention the whole production chain including domestic suppliers of materials, semi-finished products and components for RES manufacturers.
It also must be noticed, that EU-Japan infrastructure cooperation pact is the second agreement and it could be treated as an additional opportunity within the framework created by the previously mentioned EUJEPA. The question is if Polish domestic manufacturers will look at the newest opportunities and if Polish government would like to support their efforts.


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Spam And The First Amendment
By Brian Shields
Albany, NY – The recent arrest of a Buffalo man, who allegedly sent hundreds of millions of unsolicited advertising e-mails using accounts set up with stolen credit cards, once again brought up concerns about computer security. As WAMC's Brian Shields reports the case also renewed the debate over the e-mail ads often called spam.


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The impact 3D printers seem to have made in so many industries around the world is mind-boggling. And while these high-tech machines are able to build up a variety of materials for different parts and prototypes, true impacts are made by innovators who realize the benefits of creating 3D designs that can be refined in the beginning stages with ease—and then manufactured quickly.
Countless new parts are being designed and engineered that would have not been possible without the advent of 3D printing, but many traditional components and devices are now produced much more affordably too, and in materials that may be more suitable depending on requirements for durability or lighter weight. Prosthetics are the ultimate example, with a wide range of devices now being made for patients of all ages who need replacement limbs. They can usually be made at a fraction of the cost in comparison to conventional prosthetics, and can be replaced or revised easily due to the 3D design. This is a big plus for children who are growing and need continual replacements.
Along with improving the realm of traditional prosthetics, designers are also able to create completely new devices that allow for a much broader scope of activity and function, whether for eating, playing video games, or even playing musical instruments. In the case of five-year-old Neriah Rhodes, a desire to play the violin led to help from a LeTourneau University student.
Drew Miles is a Biomedical Engineering student at LeTourneau, at the main campus in Longview, Texas. An email from a Florida violin instructor asked if students could submit designs for a device that would allow Rhodes to play the violin. Initially, Miles thought he was one of a group of students submitting designs, but quickly found out that he had the project all to himself. Although a bit intimidated by the task at first, he was dedicated to the mission of helping the young violinist-to-be, and he began preparing himself for what he thought would take about three months of work in creating and 3D printing an assistive device that would work better than what Rhodes had been using. In the end, it took seven months, but Miles and supervising professor Dr. Ko Sasaki wanted to get the design just right for the budding musician. In the end, they refined the device 15 times, sending them to the little girl to try on in Florida.
“We designed it to where it could be donned with one hand,” Miles revealed.
The final design was painted pink, honoring Rhodes’ favorite color. Her mother Elizabeth said that the assistive device has been a real life changer for her daughter, giving her a real sense of independence.
“… she wasn’t needing anybody to help her and it was pretty incredible,” said Elizabeth Rhodes.
The team made the 3D printed device at no cost to the Rhodes family, and although the design she has currently is more flexible, they created a stiffer version for her as a backup too.
“We could not thank you enough in words for what you’ve done for Neriah, who you’ve never met, and you probably will never meet her. And we get to benefit from your hard work and we are incredibly grateful for you,” Elizabeth Rhodes relayed.
See a video of Neriah Rhodes playing the violin here.
Discuss this article and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.[Source / Images: KLTV]
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Next to the outright purchase, maintenance may very well be the costliest part of owning a vehicle. After the car rolls out of the dealership and into the owner’s hands, the next three to five years will see the car being serviced and maintained by the very same people who sold it. Thus, it is but natural for a wise buyer to factor in the maintenance and ownership cost to the ultimate decision.
In a Jan. 21 virtual round-table discussion with the media, Kia Philippines’ aftersales officers were forthright in acknowledging that its dealerships’ maintenance costs for its vehicles were substantially higher compared to those of other brands, and that it was directly addressing the issue by applying specific solutions.
“When we studied the cost of ownership, we saw that we were around 30 percent higher in terms of the 5-year maintenance cost, so that led us to look for ways on how to improve that situation. That was where we looked into the price of engine oils, because in maintaining a car, the biggest chunk (of maintenance costs) will be the oil that we use. That’s when we collaborated with Total and found an alternative that would improve the cost of ownership,” revealed Rommel Ramos, Kia Philippines aftersales director.
Ramos said that using a new mineral oil from Total, up to 40-percent savings on engine oil expenses could be achieved.
He added that aside from applying the new mineral oil, ownership costs could also go further down by implementing the following: Improved parts availability using reliable partners for direct delivery, wherein parts would be available at the dealer within seven days, and; enhanced service quality and lead time with real time technical support using remote diagnosis system.
These are on top of its Promise to Care program, in which customers are assured of a worry-free experience with the five-year warranty or 160,000 kilometers, whichever comes first (the K2500 comes with a three-year or 110,000-km warranty), and the 24/7 Roadside Assistance that’s free for the first five years.
A key component in improving parts availability includes increasing Kia’s inventory five-fold, and covers maintenance, mechanical and collision parts. With Kia Philippines’ new partner DHL, parts from Korea and China can be delivered directly to the dealers within seven days. Enhanced service quality and lead time includes 100-percent skills training and certification of all its 300 dealer frontliners; and using Kia’s new remote diagnosing capability. Kia Philippines and Kia Motors Corporation can examine a car at the dealer real-time and provide expert advice, thus resolving the issue faster.
Dealership expansion is also in Kia Philippines’ to-do list, as it moves to grow its current dealer network of 40 with five more openings and appointments. This expansion would make Kia’s products more accessible to more Filipinos, while boosting the customer experience through parts and service programs.
Kia Philippines president Manny Aligada also told the media: “We have a global rebranding exercise. We will bring that to our shores when we do our own launch here. The path to growth is always there, especially since the Philippine market is a significant player in the Asean region.”
Aligada revealed that the Korean brand is poised to hit triple-digit sales growth on its way to doubling its market share in the local automotive industry this 2021. Aligada’s optimism stems from Kia Philippines’ plan to “unbox” at least two new models this year, thus adding significant sales firepower to the company’s top three sellers in 2020—the Soluto subcompact sedan, the K2500 business and utility truck, and the recently launched Stonic crossover.
The Soluto held steady at the top with 39 percent of the company’s total sales, followed by the K2500 with 17 percent. The Stonic, albeit being unveiled only in the last quarter of the year, sold 200 units in December alone en route to cornering 16 percent of the volume of total deliveries. The Seltos, Sportage, Picanto, Sorento, Carnival and the rest of Kia’s roster also contributed to total sales.


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The surgical robot market was valued at $2.4 billion in 2011, and is expected to grow into an $8.5 billion industry by 2018.
Surgical robot market growth is set to be driven by the introduction of next generation devices, systems, and instruments which are being introduced to manage surgery through small ports in the body instead of large open wounds.
The automated process revolution in surgery and communications is being implemented via robots. Robots are automating systems, while providing significant improvement in the accuracy of surgery.
Buoyed by strong demand and sales, surgical market profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years. In 2011, industry participants are expected to bring in profit margins of 11.8% on average, up from just 8.1% in 2006.
Rising profitability has also led to a wave of new entrants over the same period. Since 2006, the number of total enterprises is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 6.6% to 33 companies.
Apart from the dominant market player, Intuitive Surgical, the industry is highly fragmented. Intuitive's robotic surgical system (da Vinci) was the first to go to market, and it is also one of the only products that can be used in most surgical fields. Other companies include Accuray Inc. (CyberKnife, TomoTherapy), Hansen Medical, Otto Bock and Prosurgics Ltd.
Mako, which makes robotic devices that help surgeons conduct less invasive operations, saw its shares fall 40% earlier this week, meaning it now expects to sell 42 to 48 RIO systems in 2012, down from its earlier forecast of 52 to 58 RIO systems.
For more information on the surgical robot market, see the latest research: Surgical Robot Market Report
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One of the first steps will be a new agreement with Chinese manufacturer
Chen, who joined
"We're no longer worrying about whether we're going to be around," he said.
"We're ready to fight back."
Chen's comments helped take the sting off an otherwise dismal set of financial results.
The company's battered stock, which had fallen initially in pre-market trade after BlackBerry's announcement, rallied after the
The stock was up
Nevertheless, BlackBerry's third-quarter results showed that BlackBerry 10 smartphones, once touted as the way to recover lost ground, have hardly been selling at all.
The company said more than 74 per cent of the 4.3 million BlackBerry devices that landed in user's hands in the quarter were its older BlackBerry 7 models.
But Chen seemed undismayed.
"Whatever it takes, we're going to make money in handsets (although) it may be a small amount of money," Chen said at BlackBerry's headquarters in
"There is a way to make this company great," he added, saying the plan involves focusing on BlackBerry's software business, its enterprise services and instant messaging software.
Meanwhile, the poor handset sales weighed on BlackBerry's revenue, which was
Adjusted losses from continuing operations, which filter out various expenses like restructuring costs, were
BlackBerry recorded a number of items related to its restructuring efforts, but the company managed to increase its cash holdings to
"The cash position we have today will definitely allow us to engineer our turnaround," Chen said.
Much of the conference call was dedicated to talking about BlackBerry's future and areas of its business that could still generate profits.
"We admit the fact that in the past maybe we haven't really lined ourselves up as we probably should have done," Chen said.
"That has affected our results (and) the market has spoken. We listened and we're going to listen even more as we go forward."
Chen said that he aims to make the BlackBerry instant messaging software BBM generate revenue by fiscal 2016. The software has signed up about 40 million users since it was made available for iPhones and Android devices in the quarter.
He also highlighted BlackBerry's QNX division, which works on technology that will fuse with automobiles, and said new technology from the division will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in
Chen made it clear that he hasn't ruled out the consumer market, even though many observers had expected BlackBerry to make business users its sole focus after the failed BlackBerry 10 launch.
He said he hopes that the partnership with
Under that agreement, BlackBerry will shift much of it hardware development to Chinese electronics maker
For many people,
A year ago, BlackBerry had a small profit of
Since Chen joined BlackBerry last month, replacing BlackBerry CEO
He said parts of BlackBerry's business, including its enterprise services for organizations and its messaging products, are in good shape, and that the most immediate challenge is to improve its devices operations.
BlackBerry also cancelled its annual BlackBerry Live event in
_ with files from
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The Texprocess in Frankfurt am Main from May 14 to 17, 2019 will see the Assyst team demonstrating how companies in the apparel industry are ushering in the next stage of 3D digitalization and benefiting from 3D across all product phases.
Preparations for the Texprocess 2019 are already in full swing at Assyst. “We’re all running a high ‘trade fair fever’ here right now,” says Dr. Andreas Seidl, CEO of the Human Solutions Group. “Our booth plan has been drawn up – and I can tell you this much – we’ll be showcasing some really exciting highlights! With Vidya Sketch, working with 3D becomes even more efficient – and thanks to its outstanding imagery, we can create absolutely binding designs that provide a real basis for decision-making in product development. We will also be showcasing a digital showroom designed to meet the needs of the industry and enable the next level of digital working beyond product development.”
Digitalization thrives on integrations
Digitalization is still the topic of the clothing industry, and Assyst will be focusing on showing visitors how digital working can succeed right from the start, thanks to the perfect integration of Assyst products and solutions for fast and efficient apparel product development. Under the motto “Collaborate now”, the company will also be showing visitors how all relevant 3D content can be distributed, jointly edited and advanced – in the Cloud. The integration of technologies from other companies is also an important topic for the successful digitalization of the industry, and Assyst will also be addressing this at the Texprocess: Together with the Digital Textile Connection, Assyst will be demonstrating how the combination of technologies in the field of material and color imaging can raise 3D to a new and exciting level of reality, reliably transporting color-accurate information across various process steps. The company will also take part in a Microfactory this year again, showing how digitalization makes new business models possible.
You’ll find Assyst at the Texprocess in Hall 4.0, booth C21!
Tel.: +49 (0)631 343 593 21


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Isle of Man to give away Penny Black
A first-day cover of the six stamps issued by the Isle of Man Post Office Feb. 17 in conjunction with the 175th anniversary of Great Britain's Penny Black, the world's first stamp issued May 6, 1840.
The Isle of Man Post Office and Stanely Gibbons Ltd. are giving away a Penny Black and other prizes to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the world's first stamp.
The Isle of Man Post Office is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the world's first postage stamp by giving away an example of that stamp, Great Britain's Penny Black issued May 6, 1840 (Scott 1).
The contest is also organized by the British stamp magazine Gibbons Stamp Monthly. Like the Penny Black, the founder of Stanley Gibbons Ltd., Edward Stanley Gibbons, was born 175 years ago, in 1840.
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- Britain’s 2015 stamps to honor Penny Black, Magna Carta
The Isle of Man issued a set of six stamps Feb. 17 commemorating the two anniversaries. In addition to stamp-on-stamp designs of Great Britain's early stamps and postal stationery, the stamps include portraits of Gibbons, Rowland Hill and William Mulready. Hill is credited with inventing the postage stamp, and Mulready designed the first postal stationery. Nicknamed Mulreadys, these envelopes were issued the same time as the Penny Black.
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Ludhiana: SAD puts weight behind city bicycle manufacturers
The industrial wing of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has put its weight behind the bicycle manufacturers of Ludhiana demanding that the proposal of central government to paint all cycles in fluorescent should not be made mandatory.
Bicycle industry based in Ludhiana has been protesting as painting of bicycles in stark colours will increase the cost significantly.
The proposal of central government has come in the wake of increasing accidents of bicycle riders on roads due to non-visibility of cycles during evening and nighttime. Manufacturers say the roadster bicycle on which black paint is used is a means of transportation for poor people in different states of the country and using stark paints would increase the cost of bicycle.
Different bicycles and bicycle parts associations have united against the orders and have asked the central government that such a law should not be brought into the force that would affect the bicycle industry.
Manufacturers say that many reflectors are used on single bicycle that were “enough” during night time. A delegation of cycle manufacturers also met Shailendra Singh, joint secretary, department of industrial policy and promotion, ministry of commerce and industry, New Delhi to discuss the matter.
Interestingly, SAD industrial wing chief Satish Dhanda led the delegation to New Delhi to keep their point. Dhanda impressed upon the joint secretary that the proposal should not be made mandatory.
Dhanda said the ministry of road transport and highways had recommended that yellow and orange colors should be used on bicycles to ensure safety of riders during evening time.
“However, we kept our point that there were other means to ensure safety of bicycle riders during night, including separate lanes and good-quality reflectors on cycles. We have presented our point and were waiting for the government's response now,” Dhanda said.
On the other hand, various cycle associations have also launched an attack against the proposal stating that it would ruin the industry that is already facing recession.
“As reflectors are already fixed with different angles at pedals and spokes for better visibility and also reflective stickers are pasted on frames, it is not necessary to use stark colours on bicycles,” said Gurmeet Kular, president of Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organization (FICO).
He said bicycle and its parts industry comprises a few large plants and 3,000 to 4,000 small units with annual production of 15.5 million bicycles (10% of world production).
Even the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturer Association (UCPMA) has taken a tough stand on the issue. The association also sent a letter to the ministry of commerce and industry, and other department related to the matter.
UCPMA president Charanjit Singh Vishivkarma said, “Bicycle is a poor man's vehicles. It is very hard and difficult for them to afford bicycles due to its price. If stark colors will be used, the cost of bicycle will go up, and as a result it will be very difficult for poor man to buy it.”
UCPMA demanded that there should be separate lanes for bicycles in every city of the country as most of the accidents occur due to non-availability of these lanes.


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A Google executive, speaking at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain, hinted at the release of Android 5.0 this fall.
Although rumors had the new generation of the smartphone and tablet operating system coming out this summer, remarks by Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of engineering for mobile at Google, suggest a later release.
"After Android 4 comes 5, and we haven't announced the timing yet, which we're still sorting out," Lockheimer told Computerworld in Barcelona Monday. "There's a lot of engineering work behind it still, and there's also just the question of how to time it."
"In general, the Android release cadence is one major release a year with some maintenance releases that are substantial still," he said, a statement that suggests a fall 2012 release of Android 5.0 since Android 4.0 was released last November.
Lockheimer declined to identify the dessert name Android 5.0 will bear, following after Ice Cream Sandwich for version 4.0.
Earlier versions of the mobile operating system were called Cup Cake 1.5 , Donut (2.0), Eclair (2.1), Froyo 2.2, Gingerbread (2.3) and Honeycomb (3.0).
With the release of Android 5 a ways off, users are still complaining about the lag in upgrading older Android devices to Ice Cream Sandwich, a frustration that Lockheimer acknowledged.
The Android Upgrade Alliance announced last year was intended to facilitate efforts by phone manufacturers and wireless carriers to provide timely upgrades of devices during their first 18 months on the market, he said.
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Forum to Examine Progress as NAFTA Negotiators Conclude Third Session
by Shari Biediger (feat. Colin Robertson)
The Rivard Report
Sept 27, 2017
The third round of scheduled talks to revise the historic North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – a pact that made the United States, Mexico, and Canada the largest trade region in the world – ends Wednesday in Ottawa, Canada.
With numerous issues left unresolved after the second round of talks earlier this month, including Washington’s desire for expanded use of U.S.-made materials in automobiles and other products, and disagreements about how to resolve trade disputes, many will look for word that this session reached a positive turning point. On Tuesday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo joined the talks.
“It’s great to see progress and advances in the negotiations,” Gerry Schwebel told the Rivard Report Tuesday. Schwebel is a senior vice president at International Bank of Commerce and a leading expert on international trade and finance.
“We, the participants from the private sector, remain focused and committed to the successful conclusion of all the negotiation rounds. With over 40 different companies from the U.S. Chamber present here in Canada, many more cleared advisors and all the members of the negotiating teams and congressional staff delivering the strong message of ‘do no harm’ to NAFTA, there should be no reason not to achieve a positive outcome.”
Fresh from this week’s talks in the Canadian capital, Schwebel will give a more detailed progress report at a forum in San Antonio on Friday.
Sponsored by the Rivard Report with the Texas-Mexico Trade Coalition and the City of San Antonio, the forum at St. Mary’s University will bring together local and national leaders from all three countries to discuss the ongoing NAFTA negotiations. It will be held at St. Mary’s University Center’s Conference Room A. For tickets, click here. The event also will be livestreamed here.
“St. Mary’s has strong, historic ties to Mexico and to our alumni who are there, and our students from different parts of Mexico who study here,” said university President Thomas Mengler. “But there’s a lot of uncertainty right now around NAFTA, the border wall, and DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], and they are all traumatic for members of our greater St. Mary’s community, not only in Texas, but all over the country.”
Making the case for a fair and equitable NAFTA at Friday’s forum will be former Canadian diplomat Colin Robertson, who served as a negotiator during the original NAFTA talks. Robertson spoke with the Rivard Report on Monday.
“By Thursday or Friday, I will have a sense, I hope, of what’s gone on,” said Robertson, who now serves on an advisory committee for Canada’s deputy minister for trade. “Are they making dramatic progress? I’d be surprised. But I think they are making progress at each of the negotiating tables.”
The professional negotiators who gathered in Ottawa this week know one another well, Robertson said, and are on the same terrain as they were when the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was being negotiated – before President Donald Trump kept a campaign promise and withdrew from TPP talks in January.
“Of the 28 tables, there are probably four or five that have reached a consensus now, keeping in mind they won’t be settled until everything is settled,” Robertson said. He believes they will have made headway on some of the major issues as well, but not yet reached a consensus.
“The unpredictable factor in this is Mr. Trump, but otherwise, I wouldn’t be fussed,” Robertson said. “They are making progress, but there are still some decisions that have to be made and those will go to the leaders. But when they go there, we will already have had some give and some get. After three rounds of talks, we’re where we should be.”
Rivard Report Publisher Robert Rivard will moderate a panel of speakers at Friday’s forum that will include former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza, now counsel with the law firm of White & Case in Mexico City.
“While far from perfect, the trade agreement guides the cross-border exchange of billions of dollars in agricultural products, motor vehicles, and appliances,” Garza wrote on his blog in August. “It underpins millions of jobs from California to Kansas to Maine, and is the framework for entire industries’ business models.
“If NAFTA suddenly disappears, it would be impossible for the three region’s economies to exit unscathed. The disruptions that come from businesses’ reshuffling their operations and absorbing higher costs would cause some to shut down and others to pass along the costs to consumers through higher prices.”
Higher costs are the central concern for people like San Antonio small-business executive Ricardo Aguinaga.
As vice president of Hallco Industries, a manufacturer of bulk materials handling solutions for trucks, trailers, and stationary conveyor and bin systems, Aguinaga’s job is to expand Hallco’s business in Mexico and Latin American countries, a task he began in 2014. For help in opening those doors, Aguinaga joined the Free Trade Alliance in San Antonio, traveled with the Alliance on trade missions, and learned how to approach taxation and import duties.
Today, Hallco has a distribution center in Brazil and one in Poteet that services Mexico, and Hallco’s export business to Latin America has grown 60%. Hallco employs 100 people in countries around the world.
“The biggest precaution we have when it comes to NAFTA is how we will be affected by export-import duties for the countries we are exporting to,” Aguinaga said. “It’s a favorable rate today. It’s affordable. But if it increases, that would make our product less affordable and affects how much we can sell in that particular country.”
He also hopes NAFTA 2.0 won’t undermine stability in trade relations. “We try to keep eyes on rules and play with the hand dealt us. Once we know the rules, we can play with the rules that are there, as long as it’s stable. As long as I know the duties for my products will remain stable for a while, I can structure the business to take care of that.”
The loss of manufacturing jobs, decreased wages, and a multibillion trade surplus are common pain points for many Americans when it comes to NAFTA. Only about half of Americans say NAFTA has been beneficial for the U.S., according to a Pew Research Center survey reported in May, compared to 74% of Canadians and 60% of Mexicans who say it’s been good for their countries.
Close to 710,000 jobs were lost between 1994 and 2014 as a result of increased imports from Mexico and Canada or due to shifts in production, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics. Texas, North Carolina, and California were the states most affected.
Yet trade with Mexico supported about 1.2 million U.S. jobs in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Trade with Canada supported about 1.6 million jobs.
Last year, both Canada and Mexico ran a collective $74 billion merchandise trade surplus with the U.S. But NAFTA has more than quadrupled trade in 20 years and boosted economic growth in all three countries. It has led to lower prices on groceries and oil across the U.S.
For Texas, trade between this state and Mexico alone supports 387,000 jobs and, in 2015, Texas’ trade with Mexico added up to $176.5 billion.
“’America First’ rhetoric will lead to ‘America Last’ in job creation,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. “A strengthened and modernized NAFTA that leaves the current framework in place will facilitate more direct investment in Bexar County.”
More than 63,000 jobs have been created in San Antonio as a direct result of NAFTA, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.
“We want to protect those jobs and keep the agreement in place to provide additional trade opportunities,” he said Tuesday. “‘Do no harm’ is our starting goal for the negotiations.”
Wolff and Nirenberg will participate in the “Future of North American Trade” forum, and Nirenberg will serve on a panel about the role of cities on both sides of the border.
“I continue to emphasize the importance of NAFTA to Texas and even more so now that our economic model has been impacted by recent catastrophes,” Schwebel said from Canada. “More than ever we must protect NAFTA-related jobs in Texas, especially those related to the trade services, energy, and agriculture sectors.
“However, let’s not take any of this for granted,” he said. “We all must be fully engaged.”