text: Construction Tecom to expand logistics facilities as profit rises 34% By Pramod Kumar November 1, 2023 WAM The company will add 200,000 sq ft of total gross leasing area for logistics and storage in Dubai Science Park Tecom Group plans to develop new Grade A storage and logistics facilities as demand for high-quality commercial space surges across Dubai. The Dubai-based business park operator will add 200,000 sq ft of total gross leasing area for logistics and storage in Dubai Science Park. The expansion comes as the company posted a 34 percent year on year increase in net profit for the third quarter of 2023 as a result of increased revenue from high occupancy levels across its business parks. Net profit stood at AED283 million ($77.05 million) in the third quarter compared to AED212 million, driven by “favourable” commercial real estate market conditions in the emirate. Revenue jumped 10 percent year on year to AED541 million, while Ebitda rose by 13 percent year on year to AED410 million. The company reported a decline in operational expenses and lower financing costs supported by the recent refinancing of a loan facility at lower margins and favorable terms. Net profit increased by 20 percent annually to AED768 million due to strong growth across all business segments. Revenue was up seven percent year on year to AED1.6 billion on continued improvement in occupancy levels and sustained strong customer retention rates. “Our 10 business districts are almost near full capacity, with our existing customers continuing to renew their leases with us and new customers coming on board,” said Abdulla Belhoul, chief executive officer, Tecom Group.


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Howies release Cromarty hooded top
Casual post-ride hoody that looks good on the bike too
There are plenty of city dwelling cyclists who prefer to shun Lyrca in favour of regular clothes and with those people in mind Howies have released the new Cromarty zip hoody.
Continuing their push back into the cycling market, this is the latest garment from Howies that could be happily used on the bike for riding to work or down to the shops while being a stylish top for post-ride relaxing. We just think it looks really good.
It's made from 96% Italian fleece and 4% organic cotton and has a mix of elastane to give it some flexibility when you're twisting and manhandling the bike around the city streets. Fit is described as regular, there are two side pockets and the hood has a drawcord.
Available now from www.howies.co.uk costing £59.

domain: news


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MUMBAI: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Monday rose by 31 points to close at a 33-month high on sustained buying by funds and retail investors.
The 30-share index closed 30.69 points higher at 20,475.73 points, matching the level seen in January 2008. The barometer had touched an intra-day high of 20,706.74 points but profit selling in last 30-minute pared some of the gains.
The broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty crossed the 6,200 level for the first time in 33 months before ending 16.05 points higher at 6,159.45 points.
A lower opening in the European markets this afternoon triggered profit selling and reduced the gains, brokers said.
ICICI Bank, the country’s largest private lender, rose by 2 per cent to Rs 1,157.75.
Market also got a boost from Reliance Industries, the heaviest in the Sensex, which rose by over 1 per cent, or Rs 18.60, to Rs 1,017.90.
Tata Motors, the country’s biggest truck maker and owner of Jaguar Land Rover, advanced by 1.85 per cent, or Rs 16.50, to Rs 1,139.60, its highest level so far after pledging to cut debt.
The healthcare sector index gained the most by rising 1.69 per cent to 6,210.92 followed by consumer durable sector index by 1.47 per cent to 6,529.42. Banking index also rose by 0.79 per cent to 14,365.29. The auto sector index rose by 0.63 per cent to 9,818.75.
In 30-BSE index components, 14 stocks gained while other 16 led by software exporters ended in the negative zone.(PTI)


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Smiths Medical, Inc. Awarded MedAssets Supply Chain Systems Platinum Vendor Designation
Published: Jun 10, 2008
ROCKLAND, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. today announced it recently earned MedAssets Supply Chain Systems’ Platinum Vendor status. The platinum level is the highest vendor designation awarded by MedAssets Supply Chain Systems, a MedAssets company (NASDAQ: MDAS). 71 vendors were awarded the Platinum Vendor designation at the MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit in Las Vegas in March 2008, attended by more than 3,000 healthcare professionals.


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MARKS & Spencer has been slammed for its Jubilee sandwich with shoppers saying it was “a farce”.
The ham and egg concoction has been created for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years on the throne, with celebrations kicking off today.
But royal fans said it looks like a whole boiled egg has just been plonked in between the slices of bread.
One – called Gilly – couldn’t work out what made the sandwich special to Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
She fumed: “Let's slam a hard-boiled egg in a sandwich.
“’Yes. A whole hard-boiled egg!’ said the M&S sandwich maker who was p****d as a fart.”
Bally Singh called it “a farce”.
Jeremy Lune asked: “Is it 70 years out of date?”
Flora Mountford joked: “I think The Queen made them.”
Others weighed in that the sandwich was a ‘Jubilee’ one because it had bunting on the packaging.
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Not everyone though was negative about the foodie offering.
Many commentators on Instagram showed their appreciation.
One simply wrote: “Tuck in.”
Another added: “The eggy dream.”
A third posted: “M&S have done well… our fav.”
The sandwich contains smoked British dry-cured ham with egg mayonnaise and a whole soft poached egg.
It is only available to purchase in store but for an eye-watering price of £4.25 and should be available for around eight weeks.
The Sun Online has contacted M&S for comment.
In honour of Her Majesty’s seven decades on the throne, M&S has also released Caramel Corgi Mousse Cakes and a giant honey roast ham sausage roll – which says ‘HRH’ on top.
The M&S sandwich platter containing 30 pieces, priced at £20, has gone down a storm with royal and foodie fans.
Posting a pic of the tasty looking selection on Instagram, it has picked up more than 2,800 likes in just three days.
One poster wrote: "PLEASE BRING THESE BACK!!!!!!! Not just for the jubilee…. No one does a sandwich platter like M&S,” which got the reply: "I agree!!"
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Another said: “M&S do the best sandwiches.”
While a third simply added: “Ooh lovely.”
All you need to know about Queen Elizabeth…
The Queen has reigned for more than 70 years, becoming the longest-serving British monarch. But what else do we know about her?
- How old is The Queen?
- Who are The Queen's grandchildren?
- Who are The Queen's great grandchildren?
- Why was Queen Elizabeth called Lilibet?
- Who was The Queen's father George VI?
- What properties does The Queen own?
- What does ER stand for in the Queen's signature?
- What is Trooping the Colour?
- Were The Queen and Prince Philip cousins?
Get all the latest news on Queen Elizabeth II right here


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Podcast future not all talk
Podcasting is becoming big business, at least in the US. According to the latest IAB/PwC Podcast Advertising Revenue Study, US podcast advertising revenues came to $314m (€271m) in 2017. That's year-on-year growth of 86pc.
Sure, it's small beans compared to size of the overall digital pot in the US. According to eMarketer, that will amount to an eye-watering $107bn in 2018. But the humble podcast is showing impressive growth, nonetheless. And showing the audio opportunities for canny marketers looking to connect with audiences that are all ears.
So what else does the research tell us?
It tells us that financial services, retail brands, entertainment, and business to business are the categories making the most of the podcast opportunity.
These account for 59pc of ad and sponsorship spending in the podcasting arena. The types of podcasts that are proving most attractive to advertisers are arts and entertainment, technology, news and current events and business - these four genres captured 56pc of all revenues.
Marketers buying podcasting advertising are doing so on a medium- to long-term basis. Annual and quarterly buys make up 71pc of buy types. And despite a dearth in independently-verified listening data, the research shows that a cost per thousand or CPM model is the most popular way of selling podcasts. About 85pc of all ads are sold this way.
According to Anna Bager, EVP of Industry Initiatives for the Interactive Advertising Bureau, producers are overcoming the lack of standardised measurements that CPM requires with calls to action. "In cases where ROI metrics are a campaign objective, some direct-to-consumer advertisers use a code with a discount offer, which enables them to measure the response and calculate ROI," she says.
The IAB is also predicting that US podcast revenues will continue to grow, reaching $659m by 2020. Key to this is audience growth, and this is being driven by technology, according to Bager. "Smart speakers have contributed to growth in audience and advertising investments as well," she says. "Voice and audio are central to interactions with everything in the home from smart speakers to appliances, smart TVs and home audio systems. Over 70pc of people with a smart speaker listen to more audio."
So if US marketers are profiting from podcasts, are advertisers on this side of the Atlantic being left behind?
Well, the recent Reuters institute Digital News Report shows that podcasts aren't as popular as they should be in Northern Europe. Why? Possibly because large public broadcasters aren't incentivised to undermine their radio offering by producing or promoting podcasts.
But there are regional differences: podcasts are twice as popular in Ireland as in the UK, and 38pc of Irish audiences listen to a podcast at least monthly. In the UK this number is 18pc, despite the BBC's excellent and extensive podcast output. Regional variances aside, the Reuters report indicates that globally, young people are far more likely to use podcasts than listen to speech radio. Almost 50pc of 18- to 34-year-olds have used podcasts in the last week as a source of news.
And just under half of under 35s are using news-related podcasts. At the same time, 22pc of over 55s rely on podcasts on a weekly basis, while 38pc of this demographic listen to radio on a weekly basis. Reuters also found that podcasts seem to perform best among audiences accustomed to on-demand services, such as Spotify and Netflix. Loyalty to radio, levels of supply, the amount of promotion, and the amount of time users spend in their cars are also important factors.
The Reuters report does point out that podcasting in the US is far more developed, in terms of audience adoption. American respondents mentioned over 500 different podcasts, ranging from political talk shows like Ben Shapiro and Rush Limbaugh to adapted public radio shows like This American Life and Freakonomics. So it's no surprise that, commercially, the US podcasting ecosystem is more developed, as indicated by the IAB/PwC research.
This means opportunities abound in other markets. The Reuters report states that podcasts offer a significant commercial opportunity for publishers and marketers looking to attract hard-to-reach millennials. "Critically, the demographics of podcasting are explosive," it says. "The younger generation is embracing content at a time and in a format that works for them - a trend that looks unlikely to be reversed any time soon."
Sunday Indo Business


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The government’s cash for clunkers program has been so popular it's close to running out of money.
The Transportation Department called members of Congress on Thursday to say they might have to suspend what is formally known as the Car Allowance Rebate System as early as Friday due to extremely heavy demand that threatens to exhaust funding.
The rebate plan, which pays $3,500 or $4,500 to owners of old cars and trucks who trade them in for new, fuel-efficient vehicles, had started operation only last week.
Head to your dealership on Saturday
"If you are going to buy a car this weekend, if you want to go take advantage of this program at a dealership on Saturday, the program will be in place," Mr. Gibbs said. "The administration and bipartisan leaders of Congress are working this morning to find ways to continue to fund this program."
On a day when the government announced that economic output (gross domestic product) fell at an annual rate of 1 percent in the April to June quarter, a program that boosts car sales is especially appealing to automakers, who find themselves in the middle of the worst slump in a quarter-century.
“By all accounts this program appears to be a success for car buyers, for car dealers, for car companies, and for taxpayers who are seeing people choose more fuel-efficient cars,” Gibbs argued. The cash for clunkers effort “can, should, and will be” extended, he said.
Uncertain end date
But Gibbs acknowledged that he could not say how long the rebates will be available. That will depend on how much additional cash Congress and the administration can find to devote to the effort. The program was designed to last until Nov. 1 or until the money ran out.
A survey of 2,000 dealers by the National Automobile Dealers Association found about 25,000 rebate deals were pending but had not yet been approved by the government, the Associated Press reported. With some 23,000 dealers taking part in the program, those survey findings gave rise to concern that available funds had already been committed.
Hey, if we start our own Cash for Clunkers program, we'll tell you about it on Twitter. So follow us!


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The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has told TheShout that it will begin a public review of Asahi’s proposed $16bn deal to buy Carlton & United Breweries, once a submission is received.
The deal, which was revealed on Friday, would see Asahi become the biggest brewer in Australia, and would also mean that over 80 per cent of Australia’s beer market is owned by Japanese companies.
An ACCC spokesperson told TheShout: “The ACCC has been notified of this proposed transaction by the parties involved. We will begin a public review once we receive a submission.”
John Kettle, a competition lawyer and partner with McCullough Robertson, told Fairfax Media that because of Lion’s market share and the growing strength of Australia’s craft beer category, he believed the deal was unlikely to face regulatory hurdles from the ACCC.
CUB’s CEO, Peter Filipovic, said he was looking forward to growing the business with Asahi.
“Carlton & United Breweries is very excited to be joining Asahi,” he said.
“We are a great Australian business, with iconic brands, world-class breweries and great people. These have made us the market leader in Australia and we look forward to growing the business and the beer category with Asahi.
“Not only will we continue to brew our famous beers such as VB and Carlton Draught in Australia, but we’ll join a company that has fantastic beers such as Asahi and Peroni.
“We look forward to continuing to be a vital part of the Australian community that we’ve served for more 180 years as we grow the business with Asahi.”
Peter Margin, Executive Chairman, Asahi Beverages added: “This is an exciting proposition for our business, and will support our vision to be the first choice in beverages.”
Dr Tim Cooper, Managing Director of Coopers Brewery, welcomed the news, saying he hoped he could lead to a more rational approach to business.
“I think [the sale of CUB] will be a good thing. The Japanese companies and particularly Japanese brewers will take a longer-term view of their investments than what obviously Anheuser-Busch InBev have done, and they will be more likely to invest in the market,” he told The Australian.
“It is generally positive and will see a more stable market.
“In terms of taking a longer-term view it means that not only might Asahi invest in the infrastructure, namely the breweries, but also I think take a less transactional approach.
“By which I mean CUB under Asahi might be less likely to chase short-term results and be focused more on how to build the business.
“Obviously CUB represents nearly half the whole market and if you add Asahi (brands) that’s 50 per cent, and to have such a big player adopting a more rational approach to business as opposed (to a) short-term transactional approach will be a good thing.”
The deal represents the latest investment by Asahi in growing its presence not just in Australia, but globally. In 2016 the company bought Peroni, Grolsch, Meantime plus a number of Eastern Europe brands including Pilsner Urquell from AB InBev (ABI), as part of ABI’s purchase of SABMiller.
The ACCC’s review may see Asahi have to sell some brands in order for the deal to go ahead, which is what happened to ABI when it bought SABMiller. If the deal goes ahead it see CUB have its fourth owner in eight years after SABMiller bought Foster’s Group in 2011, and then ABI bought SABMiller in 2016.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sony Corp. has breathed new life into its handheld Vita and announced a tie-up with author J.K. Rowling that could cause Harry Potter fans to fly on broomsticks into the world of games.
The Japanese console maker indicated Monday it could be years before it comes up with new version of its PlayStation. But at the world’s biggest video game expo, E3, it announced plenty to keep gamers busy this coming holiday season.
Sony unveiled plans for a second-screen function for the Vita that keeps it in step with Nintendo’s new tablet-controller-equipped console, Wii U. It also presented a Harry Potter-inspired book game called “Wonderbook: Book of Spells” that turns the Move motion controller into a magic wand.
Jack Tretton, the president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, suggested it may be a few more years before a new PlayStation console is due. He told a packed Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena that Sony’s 6-year-old machine “continues to shatter expectations” and called it “the industry’s most powerful palate” for game-makers.
“Back to the original PlayStation we always thought in 10-year product life cycles,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press after Sony’s E3 news conference. “I think you’re seeing those generations be longer and longer because the technology is so great, it’s difficult to surpass it.”
A few games did appear to defy expectations even on the aging console.
“Beyond,” which Sony showcased to kick off its 75-minute presentation, depicts “Juno” star Ellen Page in much more authentic animated acting scenes than were seen in its 2010 predecessor, “Heavy Rain,” which was also from game studio Quantic Dream.
“Technically, there’s some really impressive stuff,” said John Davison, vice president of programming for GameSpot.com. “We’re seeing all publishers really stretching out this generation of hardware.”
The video-game industry is seeking to reverse a five-month slump in U.S. sales dragged down mainly by a lack of new hardware.
All three console makers sought to use mobile devices with another screen in tandem with their consoles.
Sony unveiled plans to bolster the Vita’s use with PlayStation 3 consoles by making use of its front and back touch screens and giving different players different perspectives in the same game. New game “PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale” allows PS Vita players to fight PlayStation 3 players over the Internet in real time.
Sony has sold 1.8 million PS Vitas worldwide since the handheld was launched in December in Japan and February in North America. That’s relatively small when considering there are 65 million PlayStation 3s in the world and 13 million Move controllers sold.
“We realize that it’s a marathon and not a sprint,” Tretton said. “I’ll stack up our success against other 4-month-old platforms.”View Entire Story
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Employees of companies who regularly travel overseas may now be able to have an easier time making credit card payments when abroad thanks to a new offering from a major credit card lender.
The new Global EMV Corporate Card from U.S. Bank will allow business travelers to make purchases using the credit card payment system that is prevalent in all other major countries, allowing for greater ease in completing transactions. These cards, which use an embedded microchip and require the user to enter a PIN code to verify the purchase, are more widely accepted overseas than the traditional magnetic strip cards that are still popular in the U.S.
"For international business travelers, the U.S. Bank Global EMV Card delivers greater convenience and compatibility with overseas merchants," said Jeff Rankin, senior sales and marketing officer for U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems. "It allows cardholders to go anywhere in the world with confidence."
EMV cards are far more secure than traditional cards because of how they store payment data, but consumers who want to protect their finances should also be sure to order copies of their credit reports. Doing so may help them identify unfairly reported items within those files.


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Another quarter has come and gone marking the time for us to examine what happened in the world of data and database management during the past three months.
The first quarter of 2012 was highlighted by the usual antics including acquisitions, lawsuits, product announcements, and employee news… and as usual, we’ll take a look at the financial performance of the Big Three DBMS vendors. So without any further ado, let’s commence the quarter’s edition of The Database Report, and review all of the news that’s fit to review within the realm of data and database systems.
Quarterly Earnings AnnouncementsLet’s being our coverage of this quarter by taking a look at the earnings of the Big Three DBMS vendors, as well as earnings at SAP.
Oracle’s Fiscal Second Quarter
Oracle announced disappointing fiscal 2012 second quarter results. Total revenue was up 2% to $8.8 billion and new software licenses were also up 2% to $2.0 billion. According to Oracle, these results were helped by an increase in last-minute additional approvals required for previously-scheduled and expected deals in some regions.
Hardware revenue was $953 million for the quarter, a 14% decline over the same quarter last year. Oracle attributed the hardware result in part to a product transition to T4 processor-based products, which caused some customers to significantly slow buying the older systems. The company asserted that it saw good early demand for the new SPARC Super Cluster but since it was only released for general availability at the very end of the quarter, only a couple were shipped. A potential bright spot: hardware gross margins were 51% for the quarter on lower volumes
Software license and product support revenues were up 9% coming in at $4 billion. The database and middleware product line performed well, with new software licenses of $1.48 billion (up 4% over the same quarter last year). Database software updates and support came in at $2.7 billion (up 11%) for a combined total of $4.186 billion (up 8%).
The news was not as rosy on the applications front, where new license revenue was down 2% at $569 million. However, overall applications revenue rose by 4% to a total of $1.848 billion.
Oracle highlighted the growth of the Exadata and Exalogic products with triple-digit growth rates as compared to the second quarter of last year. “Sales of our engineered systems accelerated in Q2,” said Oracle CEO, Larry Ellison. “Exadata growth was well over 100% compared to last year, and Exalogic grew more than 100% on a sequential basis.”
Additionally, Oracle announced that its Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $5 billion of common stock under its existing share repurchase program in future quarters. The Board of Directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share of outstanding common stock. This dividend was paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 11, 2012, with a payment date of February 1, 2012.
Microsoft’s Fiscal Second Quarter
In mid-to-late January Microsoft announced quarterly revenue of $20.89 billion for its fiscal second quarter, representing a 5% increase from the prior year period. Operating income, net income, and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $7.99 billion, $6.62 billion, and $0.78 per share, compared with $8.17 billion, $6.63 billion and $0.77 per share, respectively, in the prior year period.
The Server & Tools business posted $4.77 billion in second quarter revenue, an 11% increase from the prior year period, reflecting double-digit revenue growth in Windows Server and SQL Server premium editions and more than 20% growth in System Center revenue.
“We saw strong demand for our business products and services, despite the soft PC market and continuing economic uncertainty in key parts of the world,” said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. “We delivered record earnings per share by continuing to manage our costs while investing for future growth.”
IBM’s Fiscal Fourth Quarter
And the third member of the big three, IBM, announced its fiscal fourth quarter 2011 earnings this quarter. Total revenues for the quarter were $29.5 billion an increase of 2% over the same quarter last year. Fourth quarter net income was $5.5 billion compared with $5.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, an increase of 4%. Operating net income was $5.6 billion compared with $5.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, an increase of 5%.
“We had a strong fourth quarter performance, capping a year of record earnings per share, revenue, profit and free cash flow,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM president and chief executive officer. “We delivered outstanding results in all four of our strategic initiatives for the quarter and the year, as we continued to realize the benefit of our long-term investments in growth markets, business analytics, Smarter Planet solutions and cloud. We are well on track toward our long-term roadmap for operating earnings per share of at least $20 in 2015.”
Revenues from the Software segment were $7.6 billion, an increase of 9%. Software pre-tax income of $3.7 billion increased 12% year over year. Revenues from IBM’s key middleware products (which includes WebSphere, Information Management, Tivoli, Lotus and Rational) were $5.2 billion, an increase of 11% versus the fourth quarter of last year. Operating systems revenues of $710 million increased 3% compared with the prior-year quarter. Focusing on just the Information Management product line (which includes DB2), software revenues increased 9%. IBM highlighted the fact that distributed database products grew by double digits led by a strong performance from Netezza, which was up nearly 70%. Since acquiring Netezza, IBM has expanded its customer base by over 40%.
Turning our attention to hardware, revenues from the Systems and Technology segment totaled $5.8 billion for the quarter, down 8% from the fourth quarter of the previous year. Systems and Technology pre-tax income was $790 million, a decrease of 33%. So it was not just Oracle that experienced difficulties on the hardware front; it is just that Oracle gets more focus on that segment since they are so new to the hardware business. IBM clarified the hardware earnings by explaining that last year the company had a great fourth quarter with over 20% growth driven by a new mainframe (the z196) that had almost 70% revenue growth. Given that, mainframe revenue declined 31%. So the decline in this quarter was not unexpected.
The company went on to explain that when you look at the full year, Systems and Technology delivered solid performance with revenue up 6%, gross margin up 1.6 points, and $1.6 billion in pre-tax income, up 12% year to year.
And being that it was the end of a fiscal year, IBM wrapped up the year with some figures and provided high level guidance for the upcoming year. At the beginning of the year IBM said it expected growth in the first half of the year to be higher than the second half, and that was true. For the year, IBM delivered operating pre-tax and net income growth of 9%, and operating earnings per share growth of 15%, with double-digit growth in each of the four quarters. For the upcoming year, the company said that it expects to deliver full year 2012 earnings per share of at least $14.16 along with operating earnings per share of at least $14.85.
SAP’s Fiscal Fourth Quarter
Finally, let’s take a look at SAP’s fiscal fourth quarter earnings, which came in above estimates. In mid January the company announced revenue of 4.5 billion Euros (approximately $5.75 billion). Analyst estimates were at 4.36 billion Euros. Overall software revenue was up 16% and total revenue was up 10%.
Entire year results were impressive, too. For the full year, operating profit came in at 4.71 billion Euros, ahead of SAP’s forecast of 4.45 billion to 4.65 billion Euros.
“SAP performed exceptionally well in 2011 clearly exceeding its guidance for revenue and profit. This record performance was driven by strong top line results with double-digit software revenue growth in all regions, resulting in year over year total revenue growth of 1.7 billion Euros and a record cash flow,” said Werner Brandt, CFO of SAP. “We are well positioned to exceed our 20 billion Euro revenue target and reach a 35% operating margin in 2015.”
At this point, one could compare SAP’s results to Oracle’s and come away with the conclusion that Oracle was unwise to make all of the applications acquisitions it made over the past years in its bid to compete head to head with SAP. But I think that might be a bit rash. Oracle is also trying to become a hardware vendor and perhaps it is the combination of both that is causing some heartburn. But I would not underestimate Oracle. With some more time under their belt, things will likely improve… and we will be here each quarter to watch, analyze, and comment on their efforts.
On the Acquisition FrontIBM buys Emptoris and Green Hat
IBM made two strategic acquisitions during the first quarter of 2012. Let’s first take a look at the acquisition of Emptoris. The acquisition of Emptoris expands IBM’s cloud-based analytics offerings that provide supply chain intelligence for the purpose of improving inventory management and cost efficiencies.
Emptoris offers a suite of sourcing, contract management, spend analysis, supplier lifecycle management, services procurement and telecom expense management solutions with the goal of providing “Smarter Commerce.”
“Developing the right procurement strategy and an adaptive supply chain are keys to achieving the business objectives of Smarter Commerce,” said Craig Hayman, general manager, IBM Industry Solutions. “Together, Emptoris and IBM’s integrated solutions will transform how clients manage compliance and mitigate supply risk.”
With the closing of this acquisition, approximately 725 Emptoris employees joined IBM’s software group.
Also in the first quarter of 2012, IBM announced it was acquiring Green Hat, a provider of software quality and testing solutions for the cloud and other environments. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Green Hat customers include British Airways, H&M;, T-Mobile, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Virgin Mobile.
Green Hat helps customers improve the quality of software applications by enabling developers to leverage cloud computing technologies to conduct testing on a software application prior to its delivery. Using Green Hat’s solutions, a virtual test environment can be set up in a matter of minutes versus weeks, and at a lower cost than traditional testing solutions.
“This acquisition extends IBM’s leadership in driving business agility and software quality by changing the way enterprises can manage software development cost, test cycle time and risk,” said Kristof Kloeckner, General Manager, IBM Rational. “Together, we offer the most complete solution available today for agile software development and testing, with flexible options such as the cloud. Green Hat’s application virtualization capabilities will help our customers accelerate their delivery of business critical software.”
Oracle Snaps Up Taleo
Of course, Oracle participated in the acquisition activities of the first quarter of 2012, too. In early February the company announced that it was buying Taleo for $1.9 billion. Coming hot on the heels of SAP’s acquisition of SuccessFactors (see coverage later in this column) the move was widely viewed as a reaction to SAP’s action. Taleo’s Talent Management Cloud helps organizations attract, develop, motivate and retain human capital to improve performance and drive growth.
Taleo’s software is used by 5,000 enterprises and Taleo estimates that about half of the world’s top career websites run Taleo software. After the acquisition closes, Oracle and Taleo expect to create a comprehensive cloud offering for organizations to manage their Human Resource operations and employee careers. Taleo’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the deal and the transaction is expected to close in the middle of 2012.
“Human capital management has become a strategic initiative for organizations,” said Thomas Kurian, Executive Vice President, Oracle Development. “Taleo’s industry leading talent management cloud is an important addition to the Oracle Public Cloud.”
What About SAP’s Acquisitions?
SAP was busy this quarter, too. The company closed on the acquisition of SuccessFactors, Inc., begun in December 2011. SAP paid $40.00 per share in cash for the company, representing a valuation of approximately $3.4 billion.
SuccessFactors billed itself as a provider of cloud-based human capital management solutions. The announcement of this acquisition sparked waves of rumors about Oracle’s reaction, which we just read about as Oracle bought Taleo.
“The cloud is a core of SAP’s future growth, and the combination of SuccessFactors’ leadership team and technology with SAP will create a cloud powerhouse. The acquisition will help us address the top priority for CEOs globally – managing people and talent,” said Bill McDermott, Co-CEO, SAP. “Together, SAP and SuccessFactors will create tremendous business value for customers, with potent synergies to accelerate our growth in the cloud.”
According to SAP’s press release on the acquisition, SuccessFactors is believed to operate the largest scale of paying cloud users with 15 million subscription seats. With more than 3,500 customers in 168 countries, SuccessFactors is growing rapidly, recording 77% revenue growth year-over-year in the third quarter 2011 and 59% revenue growth year-over-year in the first nine months of 2011.
So it would seem that both Oracle and SAP gobbled up the two leaders in this space. It will be interesting to see how the companies integrate their acquisitions and compete with one another.
Additionally, in mid January SAP also announced the acquisition of software and relevant assets from datango AG, a leading provider of workforce performance support software. The datango solution provides content development, translation and deployment capabilities for electronic training, documentation, and user support.
“The workforce performance tools market has become increasingly strategic and critical to our customers’ success, and datango is a proven leader in this space,” said Markus Schwarz, senior vice president and global head of SAP Education. “By having its own product in this market, SAP can now deliver and accelerate innovations and produce robust content for our customers in the future.”
So, all in all, it was yet another busy quarter in terms of acquisitions.
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Release for General AvailabilityIn the works for some time now, SQL Server 2012 saw the light of day as a GA product in March. Microsoft launched the product on the web at a Virtual Launch Event on March 7th. The event consisted of more than thirty sessions that highlighted the features and functionality of the latest and greatest version of SQL Server. The sessions were broken down into three separate tracks:
- Mission Critical Confidence highlighting the technical aspects of the release that would be of interest to DBAs.
- Breakthrough Insights focusing on the business intelligence (BI) and analytics features added to SQL Server 2012.
- Cloud On Your Terms covering SQL Server’s cloud features such as integration with Apache Hadoop and SQL Azure.
Although we have covered some of the highlights of this release in past editions of The Database Report, it is important to note that Microsoft changed its pricing as it announced the GA version of SQL Server 2012. The new approach prices SQL Server per core, which allows for a more granular metric for its customers.
Microsoft also announced a revamped set of editions that it will market and sell. At the entry level, Microsoft continues to offer the Standard Edition designed for departmental use. Next is a new Business Intelligence Edition for customers looking to access Microsoft’s BI capabilities as well as all of the Standard Edition features. Developer, Express, and Compact Editions will continue to be available as well, And at the top end is SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition which is designed for customers seeking a mission-critical database implementation.
Microsoft also offers a Web Edition of SQL Server 2012, but only to organizations that sign a Service Provider License Agreement.
Amazon Launches DynamoDBAnother interesting product launch this quarter came from a non-traditional player in the database market, amazon.com. In January, Amazon made a splash by announcing DynamoDB, a cloud service offering to bring a big-data, NoSQL system to its customers.
The announcement actually came from Amazon Web Services, a division of amazon.com. Amazon Web Services offers IT infrastructure services to businesses in the form of web services, a.k.a. cloud computing.
Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service that provides fast and predictable performance with seamless scalability. Using a web console DynamoDB customers can easily create and manage tables, or scale a table’s request capacity to the needed level without incurring any downtime. Amazon touts that customers can achieve average latencies in the single digit milliseconds for database operations.
High availability can be achieved because DynamoDB stores data on Solid State Drives and replicates it synchronously across multiple Availability Zones. And you can grow your DynamoDB table from a thousand writes per second to 100,000 writes per second using the AWS Management Console.
Amazon additionally touts the ease of administration using DynamoDB, as it is a fully managed service. Customers need not worry about hardware or software provisioning, setup and configuration, software patching, and so on.
You can learn more about Amazon DynamoDB on the web at http://aws.amazon.com/dynamodb/.
Additional First Quarter Product AnnouncementsSeveral additional product announcements were made this quarter, including several from Oracle.
First up in January was the general availability release of the Oracle Big Data Appliance. The company originally announced the Big Data Appliance at last year’s Oracle Open World conference, but without an official release date. As such, some industry analysts were skeptical of Oracle’s desire or ability to move quickly enough to matter. Well, Oracle eliminated that skepticism by releasing the Big Data Appliance in January.
The Oracle Big Data Appliance bundles Cloudera’s distribution of Apache Hadoop and Cloudera Manager (an administration and management console for Hadoop). The appliance also comes with the open-source distribution of R software called Oracle R Enterprise, as well as the Oracle NoSQL database.
Oracle also released another new product in February, the Oracle Advanced Analytics Package. The “new product” is basically an integrated offering combining two existing Oracle products with additional statistical analysis features. The Advanced Analytics package unites the Oracle Data Mining product with Oracle R Enterprise, an Oracle branded version of the open source R analytics environment that was released into the world in January 2012 as part of the Oracle Big Data appliance. So Oracle was busy this quarter trumping up its ability to support advanced analytics, which is important for them in order to compete with the current leaders in analytics which includes IBM, Teradata, SAS, and EMC Greenplum.
But IBM was not standing still. In March, IBM unveiled new consulting services and software in the predictive analytics space. The new analytic offerings address the emerging opportunities of big data to manage financial operations, decrease fraud and nurture next-generation customer relationships. The software is based on experiences drawn from more than 20,000 analytics engagements, combining innovations developed by IBM Research with new predictive technologies from dozens of companies IBM has acquired.
“These new capabilities target the agendas of global business leaders operating in a world of accelerating complexity, unpredictability and massively available information,” said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, IBM Global Business Services. “By integrating analytics into business processes and converting new insights into action, IBM is helping organizations transform big data from a threat into an opportunity, one that will be their most valuable natural resource.”
IBM Cuts StaffAt the end of February, IBM laid off more than 1,000 employees, according to Alliance@IBM, an IBM employee organization. The alliance keeps a running tally of cuts by IBM business units and provides a bulletin board for affected employees to post comments.
IBM never comments on the specifics of any workforce reduction, but “word on the street” is that the cuts were made to better optimize the workforce. And seeing as how IBM employs more than 425,000 people, the loss of a thousand jobs is not a significant portion of the company’s workforce.
Legally SpeakingNow let’s turn our attention to the court house and take a quick look at the outstanding legal issues in the database market. First up, remember the ongoing Oracle v. SAP trial? This is the case that Oracle won against SAP because an SAP subsidiary named TomorrowNow accessed Oracle proprietary data. But late last year a judge threw out the $1.3 billion jury verdict against SAP, claiming the penalty was “grossly excessive.”
At this point, the two parties are wrangling with each other regarding a retrial date. The retrial is for damages only, the entire case will not be retried. SAP has admitted wrongdoing but will not have to pay the $1.3 billion. The new case will determine how much has to be paid. Although Oracle is balking at retrying the case so early, the court is moving forward with a pretrial conference on May 24, 2012 with the intent of starting the trial on June 18, 2012. Why would Oracle be against that? Well, they claim that they will not have sufficient time to prepare because of so many other legal disputes. The court is unlikely to care about that, though… I mean, after all, the right to a speedy trial is a Constitutional right, isn’t it?
And what about Oracle’s ongoing legal battles with Google? Remember that Oracle is asserting that Google has violated Oracle’s patents on Java and was demanding as much as $6 billion from Google. Well, the claims are not substantially reduced, coming in at $230 million now. Who knows, if the claims keep going down I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one settled out of court eventually.
Synopsis…which brings us to the conclusion of yet another edition of The Database Report. Be sure to log on to TDAN.com to keep up to date on the activity in the data and database system market.


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UK fresh produce industry can grow with the right support
The British Growers Association has responded positively to the Government’s consultation on its future agricultural policy. Replying to Defra’s ‘Health and Harmony’ consultation paper, the Association has outlined a future in which it believes there are extensive opportunities to improve competitiveness, increase profitability and increase market share for British growers.
Chair of British Growers, Jason Burgess said: “Given the right support and encouragement we believe that the UK fresh produce industry can improve its competitiveness, develop new technologies and drive growth in some markets. Food sales in this country represent a huge market of £200 billion, and it doesn’t take much movement in a market of that size to make a big difference. In particular, there are a number of sectors where we are a long way from being self-sufficient and there is room to grow the UK industry share of these markets.”
The response points out that although the fresh produce sector has not been a major beneficiary, the limited support provided through the EU Fruit and Vegetable Regime has made an impact and, in some cases, been transformational.
Jason Burgess said: “On the one hand, if the government does not provide the kind of support for innovation and collaboration that has been provided by Europe in the past, British growers will be at a disadvantage compared to European growers. On the other hand, relatively modest investment by Government in the future can help innovation, collaboration and research and development which will bring benefits in terms of both productivity and sustainability.”
Other areas covered by the response document include the need to ensure a future immigration framework that will be in the best interests of the UK, while allowing the fresh produce industry access to the labour it requires; and a commitment to mandatory reporting of price and volume data in order to protect the interests of smaller processors and producers.


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At China Mobile 2019 Global Partner Conference, held in Guangzhou in 2019. ZTE announced a ‘5G+One Network Enables Wanye Exhibition’ to showcase its series of multi-model 5G products and 5G cloud games, 5G+MR, and other 5G applications.
During the Conference, ZTE was even awarded the ‘2019 Best 5G Mobile Phone of the Year for its ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G smartphone. And along these, the company took the opportunity to announce its new 5G established products, such as the 5G industrial module ZM9000 and the new generation 5G indoor router MC801A.
ZTE’s next-generation 5G indoor router MC801A is officially unveiled. This product can support 5G NSA and SA networks at the same time. It is compatible with the global mainstream 4G/5G frequency band and is expected to be launched in February 2020.
The ZTE MC801A adopts the industry’s fastest Wi-Fi 6 technology to increase the throughput of each user in a dense environment, supporting up to 32 Wi-Fi users, enabling ordinary intelligent 4G and Wi-Fi signals to be advanced.
The router also supports dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, a flexible connection of various types of wired devices, providing stable, high-speed, low-latency 5G network services for industrial applications.
ZTE 5G indoor router MC801A also has superior heat dissipation capacity to the previous generation. With vertical chimney air duct design, aerodynamic self-accelerating heat dissipation, and built-in custom powerful radiator, it can increase heat dissipation efficiency by 10%. With its compact appearance, unique Nebula Ring and runway streamlined design; the ZTE MC801A won 2019 iF Design Award.


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MADISON, AL (WAFF) - City leaders broke ground on the first retailer at the Town Madison development on Friday.
Duluth Trading Co. is opening its first store in Alabama, and company officials say they were attracted to the growing community in Madison.
The 560-acre development will have restaurants, stores, offices, and a luxury apartment complex.
City leaders say the ripple effects of this announcement go beyond just creating a new hub for the community.
“These dollars that will be created here will lead to the next fire station in Madison, the next high school, the next middle school. This is how you build an economy, letting the people spend their money here locally,” said Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong.
Officials say the store will be ready to open in about six months.


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North Arkansas dispensary reports busy summer months
HARDY, Ark. (KAIT) - At a medical marijuana dispensary in North Arkansas, business is booming.
In August, Arkansans purchased a total of 4,245 pounds of medical marijuana in the state.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, 90,5770 medical marijuana ID cards are distributed.
Spring River Dispensary opened in January of 2021.
Owner Renee Clay Circle says the entire process has been a learning one but thinks the company is headed in the right direction.
Lucas Collins is a manager at the dispensary, and he says the business has been excellent during the recent travel months.
“We’re a tourist town, so most of our sales come during the summer and springtime,” said Collins. “Overall it has gotten better with the market in general. Prices are going down, meaning the consumer gets better prices.”
In two of the summer months, the dispensary was among the top sellers in Arkansas.
“In June and July, we were #13 in the state for medical marijuana sales, which is pretty big, considering we’ve been open since last January,” said Collins.
A patient at the dispensary says the last two years have been extremely stressful, and the medical benefits of cannabis have been a great help to her.
Sarah Banta is a psychologist on staff at SRD, she says more and more people are realizing how medical marijuana can help them.
“Since transitioning over here to the medical cannabis industry, I’ve seen a lot of those patients get their medical cards, and I’ve seen that they have a better quality of life and are getting a lot more relief than they ever did with opioids, so it’s been really rewarding to see that,” said Banta.
Spring River Dispensary said they’ve averaged around 12 new customers per day over the past 90 days.
Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved.


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Farmers Markets of the Shore
Buying fresh produce, eggs and baked goods from local farmers and artisans is easy at a local farmers market, where people also gather for music, camaraderie and a sense of connection to people who produce their food.
The weekly markets are held Saturday mornings in Easton and St. Michaels, Thursdays on Kent Island, and Wednesdays in Denton. At each of these locations, farmers, artisans, locals, and tourists come together for food and community.
The St. Michaels Farmers Market is entering its 20th year. After a positive history under FreshFarm Markets, the St. Michaels Market is now an independent, community organization led by a dedicated board of directors. The market operates in affiliation with Maryland Farmers Market Association, a nonprofit that connects people with Maryland farmers markets and provides resources to market managers, farmers and consumers. This season, the St. Michaels Farmers Market is being managed by Amanda Rzepkowski who brings to the position a background in farming, nutrition education and event management.
Elizabeth Beggins, a longstanding local food advocate and current production manager with Chesapeake Harvest has been associated with the St. Michaels Market since its inception. She knows the benefits of shopping at local farmers markets.
“Aside from the delicious foods, markets have the potential to be rich sources of community connection and education,” Beggins said. “The St. Michaels Farmers Market has a 20-year history of vetting its vendors, making sure they operate under producer-only guidelines, meaning they can only sell what they grow or produce themselves. We like to say we’re positively local.”
The St. Michaels Farmers Market is held 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. each Saturday from April to November, at 204 S. Talbot St. in St. Michaels.
Easton’s Farmers Market is held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through December 15, in the parking lot of the 100 block of North Harrison Street. It’s been going on in some fashion for more than 35 years. The market is run by the Avalon Foundation and coordinated by Marie Nuthall. With great farmers, artisans and vendors, and live music from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., it’s a community party each week.
“We hope that people come to the market and have an immersive experience,” Nuthall said. “We want them to stroll through with their families and dogs, engage with the vendors, reconnect with old friends and make new ones, enjoy the live music, sip a latte, buy what they need for their dinner, a bouquet to brighten a room or a gift for a special someone.”
Easton’s farmers market offers a diverse mix of local goods, such as seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs, fresh eggs and cheese, artisanal bread, rolls, and muffins, dog treats, nature photography, locally-crafted kombucha, handcrafted jewelry and locally distilled rum.
“The food you’re buying is fresh, real food that is locally sourced, and every dollar spent stays in our community,” Nuthall said. “The Eastern Shore has a long agricultural and watermen history, and shopping the farmers market is a great way to connect to that tradition.”
The Kent Island Farmers Market will turn seven in October. It was founded and is run by Diane Bedlin, who wanted to know more about local farms and the origin of the food that ends up in markets. She found that Maryland is ranked sixth in the country in terms of loss of farmland. She wanted to help stop that, and the farmers market seemed like a way she could help.
“Many farmers aren’t large enough to wholesale and really need a retail outlet,” Bedlin said.
“And it has kind of turned into a mini food-hub—we try to make it a venue not just for customers, but also for restaurants needing things. I like to be a conduit for small businesses.”
Bedlin has witnessed a cultural shift in awareness since she started talking to customers.
“More and more people are starting to want to know where their food comes from,” she said.
“Setting up local food markets and a food shed is going to be something that has a huge impact in a short time. We are so disconnected from our food source now, when you can look your farmer in the eye, it makes a difference.”
The Kent Island Farmers Market is open 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays year-round at Christ Church, 830 Romancoke Road, Stevensville.
The Denton Farmers Market is coordinated by Holly Foster, who first co-founded and ran Chapel’s Country Creamery in Easton for 13 years before she sold the farm and the business in 2017. She understands the farmer’s side of the local markets, because she spent years talking to customers about and selling cheese and local food. She is now community outreach coordinator for Shore Gourmet at Chesapeake Culinary Arts Center and hunger coordinator for Caroline County.
“From owning a business that was a part of farmers markets, I know the importance of connecting directly with customers,” Foster said. “And I want to communicate to the customers the impact of buying directly from a farmer, supporting local businesses so that money stays in our community.”
The Denton Farmers Market is held 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through fall at Chesapeake Culinary Arts Center at 512 Franklin Street in Denton. Regular offerings include seasonal fruits and vegetables, micro greens, mushrooms, seafood, pastured pork and grass-fed beef. Shore Gourmet’s popular weekly dinners also are available on Wednesdays. The market is working with Caroline County Arts Council to schedule performers. For Foster and the Denton market, it is about more than just a sales transaction.
“A farmers market is a place where there is a passing of the passion from the seller to the buyer, you can see people getting excited to talk about and share what they love,” Foster said. “That’s one of the things that makes it so cool.”


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Bitcoin Price, subsequent to surging to $42,000 a bitcoin somewhat earlier this month, has started a sharp correction that’s noticed $200 billion wiped from the value of its over the past 2 weeks.
The bitcoin price, that had been trading for under $9,000 this particular time last year, has risen about 300 % throughout the last 12 months – pushing quite a few smaller cryptocurrencies even greater, according to FintechZoom.
Today, bitcoin has dipped under $30,000 premature Friday morning after survey data revealed investors are actually afraid bitcoin could halve over the coming year, with fifty % of respondents providing bitcoin a rating of ten on a 1-10 bubble scale.
When asked if the bitcoin price is much more apt to double or half by January 2022, a vast majority (56 %) of respondents to a Deutsche Bank survey, initially described by CNBC, mentioned they believed bitcoin is much more likely halve of value.
Although, some (twenty six %) said they believe bitcoin can will begin to get, meaning bitcoin’s large 2020 price rally could have much further to run.
It is not just bitcoin that investors are worried about, however. A whopping 89 % of the 627 market professionals polled between January thirteen and January fifteen think some financial markets are currently in bubble territory.
Stock markets all over the world have soared in recent weeks as governments and central banks pump money into the system to offset coronavirus lockdown economic downturns.
The U.S. Federal Reserve recently indicated it’s nowhere near thinking about switching off the faucets, while U.S. President Joe Biden is preparing a fresh near-1dolar1 two trillion stimulus package.
The electric car-maker Tesla has surged a staggering 650 % throughout the last year, pushing chief executive as well as cryptocurrency fan Elon Musk toward the top of world’s wealthy lists, and it is actually frothier compared to bitcoin, based on investors, with sixty two % indicting Tesla is a lot more likely to half compared to double in the coming season.
“When requested specifically about the twelve month fate of Tesla as well as bitcoin – an inventory emblematic of a potential tech bubble – a greater number of viewers assume they’re a lot more likely to halve than double from these quantities with Tesla much more weak according to readers,” Deutsche Bank analysts wrote.
Amid cultivating bitcoin bubble concerns, Bank of America BAC 1.8 % has revealed bitcoin is presently the world’s most crowded change with investors it surveyed.
Bitcoin price knocked tech stocks from the best spot for the very first time since October 2019 and into second place, investors noted.
The two surveys were carried out ahead of bitcoin’s correction to around $30,000 this specific week, a sign that institutional sentiment has developed into a genuine element for the bitcoin price.
However, bitcoin and cryptocurrency promote watchers are not panicking just however, with many previously predicting a correction was likely to arise after such a big rally.
“The level of the sell off will also rely on how fast the value falls,” Alex Kuptsikevich, FxPro senior economic analyst, said through email, adding he does not now notice “panic in the market.”


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Arianna Huffington’s uber-blog went live today, with commentary from a variety of well known names (although no way to talk back), including Hilary Rosen who, God bless her, rants about Steve Jobs, iPods, and iTunes.
I’ve been railing against this nasty set-up since it went live, despite the desperate attempts by Mac users to tell me that this system was the end-all-beat-all in digital music. While I can appreciate Mac-addicts who never want to use anything that isn’t created by Jobs, for consumers, this type of closed device is exactly what is wrong with digital information.
I enjoyed Hilary’s company when she worked with the RIAA, even when we disagreed on the future of the business. In this case, though, there is no disagreeing (well, except that I’d never own an iPod, not with Nokia’s smart phone that holds 3,000 mp3s coming out this year).


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Caffeine powder banned to anyone under 18 in Suffolk County
Suffolk County lawmakers approved a ban on powdered caffeine Tuesday.
Lawmakers call the substance downright dangerous for teens. According to the FDA, a single teaspoon of the powdered pure caffeine is equivalent of at least 25 cups of coffee.
Dr. William Lawson says the powder can have side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
So far, at least one death has been linked to the powerful powder. Ohio wrestler and prom king Logan Stiner died just days before graduation.
According to package labeling, the recommended dosage is only 1/16th of a teaspoon. It's an amount medical experts say is nearly impossible to measure accurately.
Suffolk lawmakers unanimously approved a law banning the substance for anyone under 18. The move is the first in the nation that bans powdered caffeine from minors.
Caffeine powder is currently sold as a dietary supplement and not subject to the same federal regulations as certain caffeinated foods.
At least one U.S. senator is already calling on the FDA to ban caffeine powder nationwide.
The FDA issued a warning and said it is investigating the supplement and will "consider taking regulatory action."


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Bethlehem adapts to life in shadow of Israeli wall
Most of the thousands of pilgrims expected in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve probably won't venture far beyond the lights of Manger Square.world Updated: Dec 23, 2008 12:08 IST
Most of the thousands of pilgrims expected in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve probably won't venture far beyond the lights of Manger Square. A few streets away, Palestinians struggle with a tough reality, including a towering wall choking their town. Some have found ways to adapt.
Claire Anastas lives in a three story house that is ringed on three sides by Israel's separation barrier, a gray cement wall that reaches just below her roof. The wall deprived her family of its livelihood, a car repair business that went under because customers could no longer get there.
Now Anastas, 39, is using the wall to make money. Since October, she's been selling Bethlehem's traditional olive wood carvings on the Internet, and one of her most popular items is a nativity scene with a wall running through it. It's her design, with a removable wall, just in case holiday shoppers occasionally want a more festive display.
Anastas said she's sold 90 nativity with wall scenes so far, out of 300 in stock. "This symbolizes the situation and so they demand it," Anastas said of her customers.
Before getting into the souvenir business, she often hosted foreign solidarity groups in her home, which became a draw for political tourists because of its setting.
The wall outside her house went up in 2003. It's part of a barrier of cement slabs and fences that is to run the length of the West Bank, and is two thirds complete. Israel says it's meant to keep out Palestinian attackers, but the barrier also slices off 10 percent of the West Bank in what Palestinians call a land grab. The barrier not only cuts off Bethlehem from nearby Jerusalem. It also meanders through Bethlehem, to separate Rachel's Tomb, a site revered by Jews, from the rest of the city.
Anastas' house is close to the loop formed by Rachel's Tomb. Three families used to live in her building, all related. But with Bethlehem's economy hit hard by years of Israeli Palestinian fighting, the wall and other restrictions, Anastas' brother-in-law moved his family to Jordan. Anastas is also thinking of leaving if the financial situation does not improve.
For now, she tries to cheer up her four children, ages 11 to 19, particularly at Christmas time. She'll put up a Christmas tree soon and promised a gift bearing Santa would come to the house. On Christmas Eve, the family will attend open air choir concerts in Manger Square.
"These make us happy," she said. "We feel there's something beautiful left."
Several businesses in Anastas' neighborhood have shut down because of the wall.
But one of her neighbors, John Hazboun, saw an opportunity. One day he brought a wooden ladder, two pots of paint and a brush, and wrote the menu of his Bahamas Seafood Restaurant on the wall. "I thought of making something positive out of a negative situation, using this wall as an ad for the restaurant," he said. He said he has bookings for Christmas and New Year's, including tour groups.
He also expanded his business, building a glass-enclosed terrace he calls the "Wall Lounge." There, he offers coffee, water pipes and fast food. One of the specialties is the "Wall Chicken Sandwich."
Customers have a view of an Israeli watchtower and wall art, including anti occupation graffiti. There are also huge paintings, including one of a black camel with tiny people trying to climb on its back, seemingly as a stepping stone to get to the other side. Hazboun shuttered the restaurant in 2000 after the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, but reopened in July. "We felt the situation had improved a bit," he said.
The organic cotton T-shirts with the "Made in Bethlehem" label are a Christian-Jewish-Muslim co-production.
The Christian owned Al Arja textile factory in the town of Beit Jalla, next to Bethlehem, produces the shirts for the US label "No Sweat," owned by American Jewish businessman Adam Neiman from Boston.
The more than 800 workers in the Beit Jalla factory are Christians and Muslims, including veiled women sitting behind rows of sewing machines.
Neiman does business with textile companies in the US and in developing countries, as part of a campaign against sweatshops. He's been working with the Al Arja factory for the past two years, getting 50,000 T-shirts made there. Many of his customers are Christian and Jewish institutions, such as schools and summer camps. Bethlehem's unemployment rate is 16 percent, and factory jobs are in short supply. Workers at Al Arja get 21 paid holidays per year, and work 48 hours a week. Wages for seamstresses range from 86 cents to $1.60 an hour, while the top skilled workers make $3.66 an hour. Neiman said the wages, even if they seem low to Westerners, place the workers well within the Palestinian pay scale. "Decent conditions, pay that offers a path to the middle class, no forced overtime, paid holidays this is a huge step up from the truly brutal sweatshop conditions that these factories must compete with," he said.
He said he chose a Bethlehem factory as a business partner because he felt the town deserves a break.
"I thought this would be a way for people to give something back to Bethlehem," he said. "The world has gotten a great deal from this town, and Bethlehem hasn't gotten anything back." Having Muslims, Christians and Jews do business together is also good for peace, he said. "In order to work with each other, you have to talk to each other."
First Published: Dec 23, 2008 11:55 IST


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PepsiCo Scores New Official Soft Drink Title with United Center, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks
PepsiCo Partnership Will Fuel All-New Fan Experiences, Helping United Center Guests Enjoy Concerts and Sporting Events Like Never Before
Today the United Center, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks announce a new multi-year partnership with PepsiCo, a global leader in the food and beverage industry. As the official soft drink provider, PepsiCo will deliver a variety of thirst-quenching beverages – including some of its most popular products, like Pepsi Zero Sugar, and its new lemon lime flavored soda STARRY – to passionate fans at all concessions and beverage stands throughout the arena, as well as the newly designed Pepsi Grab & Go store in the United Center Atrium.
Beyond these new beverage offerings, Pepsi and STARRY will go the extra mile and offer one-of-a-kind experiences to United Center guests all year long — starting with Bulls Fest August 19 – 20 where fans can have a chance to win beverages, game tickets, pre-game access and exclusive appearances. Later this year, shoppers at local retail stores can enter for a chance to win access to concert tickets, game tickets and gear from their favorite teams. To help fans enjoy more moments of unapologetic enjoyment at the United Center, Pepsi will create unique VIP experiences and activations that span across sports, music and entertainment for select fans to have opportunities of a lifetime.
"Chicagoans live and breathe sports, entertainment, and creativity. Our athletes, artists, and fans are some of the most passionate in the world and the United Center hosts the city’s most unforgettable moments," said Kalen Thornton, VP of Sports, Gaming and Entertainment, PBNA. “Our company’s longstanding presence here in Chicago goes back more than 100 years, where we’ve fueled iconic athletes in the game and celebrated fandom off the court. The expanded partnership with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks is the ultimate opportunity for us to continue giving back to our neighbors and support our culture. We can’t wait to lift up Chicago fans, its teams and players, and our city’s vibrant community with epic experiences brought to you by iconic brands like Pepsi, our new lemon lime flavored soda STARRY, fan favorite MTN DEW and more.”
Recognizing social injustice in Chicago, PepsiCo will partner with both the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks to advance racial equality with local community organizations. This includes PepsiCo stepping up as thePresenting Sponsor of the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation’s new Job Exposure Pilot Program, which aims to increase awareness of career fields and job opportunities among young people through a partnership with West Side after school and school organizations. PepsiCo will also provide funding and development resources to minority-led nonprofits, advancing Chicago Bulls’ existing partnership with AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits, which strengthens the organizational health and supports long-term development of Black and Latine-led nonprofits on Chicago’s West and South sides.
"Together with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, the United Center is committed to elevating the fan experience by partnering with brands who lead with innovation and offer best-in-class products," said Joe Myhra, Senior Vice President, United Center. "We are thrilled to collaborate with PepsiCo in the coming years as we work to create iconic experiences for fans at the arena in addition to expanding our collective impact in our surrounding community."
Fans are invited to celebrate this legendary new partnership on July 20 at Chicago’s Union Station’s Great Hall with Pepsi, STARRY, the United Center, the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks. Join the party between 3:00 – 7:00PM CT tosample Pepsi Zero Sugar and STARRY, test your basketball and hockey skills with games like the pop-a-shot and shoot the puck, have the chance to win prizes including Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks tickets, and have your photo taken with Benny the Bull and Tommy Hawk while other Bulls and Blackhawks personalities cheer you on!


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Tayside’s music loving public has received a much-needed boost with news a new second-hand record store is to open in the city centre.
Following the sad announcement last week the iconic Groucho’s Record Store in Nethergate was closed for good, Thirteen Records will open its doors to the public for the first time on Thursday.
The new business has been set up by three former staff members at Groucho’s – Frank Mills, Morag “Moog” Rogers and Lee Scott – who have been working for the past few weeks to prepare the Union Street shop for opening.
Their former boss and close friend Alastair “Breeks” Brodie passed away just over a year ago and the staff had kept his store running until the lockdown in March.’
After becoming jobless in the summer, Moog, Frank and Lee got together and decided they all wanted to continue in the trade and maintain a second-hand record store presence in the city centre.
While their new shop is a completely independent venture, Moog revealed they might have been working in the same shop two years ago.
“When the lease for Groucho’s was running out in 2018, this place came up and Breeks looked at it but his illness was such that he just felt he couldn’t do the big move. His lease got extended so we stayed there until lockdown.”
When the vacant premises at 13 Union Street became available they seized the opportunity.
“We wanted to speak to Breeks’ family before we said anything and they’ve been really supportive. They were obviously upset about the shop shutting but they’ve been great with us.
“We’re now just really looking forward to opening.”
Lee said: “We’ve got more than 75 years of experience between us, selling records in Dundee.
“People know us, so it’ll be familiar for the customers. We wanted to make sure there was still a place selling second hand records in the city centre and as well as that we wanted to make sure Breeks’ legacy continued.”
Frank said: “The ethos will be the same, the essence of what Groucho’s was and how it operated will still be there, but it will be a wee bit more modern.
“Thirteen Records will still be buying and selling second hand CDs and vinyl.”


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Ahimi can now be found at sushi counters
in 7 Whole Foods Market locations in the Bay Area.
We're excited to announce that Ahimi, the world’s first plant-based alternative to raw tuna, has expanded to three more Whole Foods Market locations in the Bay Area - Fremont, San Jose and Santa Clara! Our tomato-based umami-bomb can be found at the sushi counter in two delicious grab-and-go options - an Ahimi California Roll for $8.99 and an Ahimi Sushi Combo for $11.99.
Check out all of our Northern California locations below!


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U.S. jobless claims dropped by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 367,000 in the week ended Jan. 28, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had estimated claims would drop to 370,000. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up by 2,000 to 379,000. The four-week average of claims, meanwhile, fell a smaller 2,000 to 375,750. The monthly average smoothes out seasonal quirks and provides a more accurate assessment of labor-market trends, economists say. Also on Thursday, the government said continuing claims decreased by 130,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.44 million in the week ended Jan. 21. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag. About 7.67 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Jan. 14, virtually unchanged from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.
U.S. productivity rose 0.7% in the final three months of 2011, according to a preliminary reading by the Labor Department. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expected productivity among nonfarm businesses to increase by 0.6%. The amount of goods and services produced, known as real output, grew at an annual rate of 3.6%. Yet hours worked rose almost as fast, up 2.9%, and hourly compensation climbed 1.9%. As a result, unit-labor costs went up 1.2% after a revised 2.1% decrease in the third quarter. Unit-labor costs had been forecast to rise 0.8%. The increase in third-quarter productivity, meanwhile, was revised down to 1.9% from 2.3%.
Facebook launched the process for its highly anticipated stock market debut, filing papers for a $5bn initial public offering that will turn key shareholders into billionaires, most notably Mark Zuckerberg, the 27-year-old chief executive and co-founder.
China supports European efforts to stabilize the euro and is looking into how it can help resolve the region’s debt crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said at a briefing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Wen said solving the European debt crisis is “urgent,” and called for greater international cooperation. “China is also considering more participation” in those efforts via the European Financial Stability Facility and the European Stabilization Mechanism, he said.
Merkel’s three-day visit comes as European leaders are trying to raise money to address the region’s sovereign debt crisis. China, owner of the world’s largest foreign currency reserves, has said that while it’s willing to help, it wants more details on Europe’s plans, which could include setting up funding through the International Monetary Fund.
China is “investigating and evaluating ways, through the IMF, to be more deeply involved using the ESM and EFSF channels in solving the European debt issue,” Wen said.
Stocks to Watch
Among the companies whose shares are expected to actively trade in Thursday’s session are Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM), Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR).
Qualcomm’s fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 20% as the chip maker’s strong exposure to surging smartphone sales continued to boost revenue. The company also raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast and boosted its top-line estimate. Shares were up 5% to $62.54 after hours on the better-than-expected results and bullish guidance.
Chipotle’s fourth-quarter earnings rose 24% as the fast-casual burrito chain’s price increases and higher traffic offset increases in commodity costs. Shares were down 1.9% at $363.40 after hours as the company predicted same-store sales growth would abate in 2012 and reported earnings per share short of expectations in the fourth quarter.
Green Mountain’s fiscal first-quarter profit surged as sales of K-Cup portion packs more than doubled. Shares of the company jumped 22% to $65.25 after hours as results beat the company’s expectations.
Overnight Headlines (Links) WORLD/U.S.


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Hexagon Modern Classics are moving
New address will be 82-92 Great N Road, East Finchley
As of last week, Hexagon got the keys back to the premises they occupied as a BMW dealership for more than 28 years!
So 2016 is shaping up to be a very exciting time as we get the builders in to start revamping the place.
It’s going to be an exciting time as we move our stock of porsches, Ferrari’s, Aston Martin’s, Mercedes, BMW’s, and not forgetting Lotus, where we will continue our relationship as the exclusive dealer within the M25.
Paul Michaels, Hexagon Chairman, is also in discussion to make sure the display of cars is complemented by some modern art, a good coffee shop, a restaurant or two, and other exciting spaces that for the moment will have to remain top secret!
We’ll keep the news rolling in as we have it. In the meantime, we are still at 90 Fortis Green for the next 6-8 weeks.


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Facebook Hashtags and combining social conversations together for marketing
June 25, 2013 at 1:00 PM
by Mikul PatelDigital Marketing Consultant at Matraxis
A little late to the market, Facebook have finally added support for clickable/searchable hashtags. Hashtags have become the de-facto standard for people to summarise topics they are discussing online - whether it's the latest in breaking news, sporting events or celebrity gossip.
In an official blog announcement, it appears Facebook are playing the long game by gradually releasing features “including trending hashtags and deeper insights”
How does it differ from any other hashtag service?
Whilst some may jump the bandwagon and accuse Facebook of copying Twitter, there appears to be some subtle differences between the two:
- No character limits to hashtags length
- Currently supported on desktop version of Facebook only
- Hashtags automated on status updates that originate on other services such as Instagram
- Feed only shows tagged statuses from friends and posts open to the public (remember to change your settings!)
Following on from my recent article on social media standardisation, there does appear to be a trend towards social media sites adopting very similar features. In fact, Facebook recently added a verified pages feature aimed towards authenticating high-profile accounts with a visible blue tick...sound familiar?
Unified hashtags for marketers
You've probably seen offline television or print adverts where a hashtag is displayed in the hope to initiate online conversations on Twitter. Now that we see hashtags used by multiple platforms, marketers can now have unified hashtag campaigns, without the need to plaster multiple social media images and pleas to 'Like us' or 'Follow us' – which can often distract the marketing message.
As far as I can see, there is no limit on hashtags so there is an opportunity for marketers to join in topical discussions and promote themselves...whether this will lead to spam statuses is yet to be seen but there is no doubt that Facebook will look to monetise this for marketers in the future.
It will be interesting to see the insights features that will be made available in the future. Marketers have in the past had to manually search and measure people who used unclickable hashtags in facebook status updates.
Will the hashtag turn around Facebook's recent slump?
Since going public last year, Facebook hasn't had the easiest time with shares recently falling around 20% since the social network reported results May 1.
At a time where Facebook is losing ground to other services such as Twitter or Instagram, especially amongst the younger teenager/adult audience, it appears hashtags are just one part of a strategy to regain a less engaging audience. The key will come with hashtag support for Facebook mobile and apps, and how Facebook can monetise the feature for marketers to use and target consumers.
Are you measuring the impact of your social media marketing? Or are you interested in Facebook Analytics and understanding how people engage with your Facebook pages and apps? Get in contact with Matraxis today to discuss all things analytics and getting the most out of your digital assets and campaigns.
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MILAN — Italy’s fashion industry is nothing if not forward looking.
With the country’s economy reeling and its government collapsing, bankers, executives and entrepreneurs gathered in the headquarters of Milan’s stock exchange for the annual summit organized by Pambianco consultancy, this year titled “Fashion and Luxury: The Size Challenge.”
According to Gregorio De Felice, chief economist of Intesa Sanpaolo, one of Italy’s main banks, Italian fashion industry sales grew 7.2 percent in the January-August period, led by exports. De Felice said sales increased in all the main markets, like France, Germany and the U.S.
Exports to Russia also picked up as well as Asia — especially Hong Kong and China. However, the economist said there was a very real possibility of a European recession in 2012 — “although not as bad as in 2009.”
He also warned that in the last months of 2011 and in the next two years the business climate for Italian fashion firms will worsen as the global economy slows and as austerity measures in Italy impact consumer spending.
Mario Boselli, president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, said the trade group sees Italian fashion industry sales growing by about 4 percent in 2011, nearly half of Camera Moda’s previous estimates for growth of around 7 to 8 percent. “There are vague fears that 2012 could be another 2009, when industry sales dropped 15 percent,” Boselli said, “but we don’t see this happening because many things have changed and lessons have been learned. However, 2012 will be a long year.”
During the summit, executives discussed the advantages and disadvantages of three main growth paths: listing on the stock market, bringing in private equity funds or going it alone. Michele Norsa of Ferragamo SpA, which listed in June, said that a key reason behind the family’s decision to list the company was to make a “qualitative jump” and not just to raise capital for growth. He said, “If everything goes well, the visibility you acquire is extraordinary.”
Listing raises the bar in many ways. “Being public is a constant challenge,” Norsa said, adding that there is a risk of disappointing investors. “If you increase your profitability by 1 percent, then next year analysts expect you to raise it more. If you open 29 stores instead of 30, then the market reacts.”
Commenting on the market situation three months after the firm’s initial public offering, Norsa said that despite recent economic turmoil, Ferragamo “continues to have a positive outlook for the sector.” The executive also said that in order for a firm to be able to compete on the global market, it must have scale. And while mergers may be a way to greater scale, they don’t always work or generate the expected synergies. “Cultivating your brand and focusing on emerging markets is important,” Norsa said. Also, “it’s important to be fair with the market, from the roadshow on,” he added, “it’s one of the most important aspects [of listing] and it helps to grow a company’s value over time.”
Brunello Cucinelli, who despite recent market volatility is still planning to take his company public next spring, said that he is motivated by a desire “to be more international, to recruit excellent managers, also from other countries, and to ensure [the firm’s] longevity.” Listing is a way to strengthen the firm. He said he wants investors for the long haul.
Commenting on whether he felt that Italy needed large luxury conglomerates like France’s LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Cucinelli said: “I like the Italian system very much. We are excellent artisans and creative. Many French companies come and produce in Italy. What worries me is not so much who will purchase our products in 10 or 20 years, but who will be the skilled workers who will make them. It is necessary to bring back moral and economic dignity to manual work.”
Marco Palmieri, chief executive officer of Milan-listed travel accessories maker Piquadro SpA, said that to go public a company must have “a solid story to tell.” Palmieri said that listing has the advantage of bringing greater transparency and that regular discussions with analysts “can generate useful insights.” Going it alone is increasingly hard, especially for small companies, the reasoning goes, as success nowadays requires lots of capital. “Until recently we [in Italy] were not a very capital intensive industry; we made up the gap with our creativity.”
However he pointed out that today distribution costs alone require access to abundant capital.
Andrea Guerra, ceo of Italian eyewear maker Luxottica SpA, said that one thing entrepreneurs thinking about listing need to do is consider “what they want to do with their company. Being listed means you are scrutinized every day.” He added that successful Italian fashion companies have five characteristics in common: they are very focused, they always look at the world as their market, they aspire to be large, they are very attentive to their customers and they recruit outside managers.
The need for international scope is an element all the participants agreed upon and much remains to be done, especially in terms of distribution networks. Guerra said Luxottica has 300 stores in China, which may seem like many, “but it’s like having one store in all of Italy.” Travel retail is also an important channel to develop, he said.
Asked by the panel moderator what advice he would give to entrepreneurs thinking of listing, Guerra replied: “Open up the company. It can be done in many ways, widening the board, creating an advisory board, opening the company in financial and management terms. Opening the company up today is crucial.”
For firms who need to grow but are unwilling to go public, private equity is another option — but only in those cases where there is a clearly defined set of objectives. “We help companies with a plan we believe in,” said Andrea Ottaviani of L Capital, the private equity fund of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. “Private equity is a system for sustaining growth, it’s an alternative to bank funding and precedes a stock market listing.”
While the stock market may not be for everybody, it may be an option for more companies than is generally believed. Italy, which has 17 listed fashion companies, according to David Pambianco, of the Pambianco consultancy, is ripe with IPO candidates. In a booklet distributed during the summit, Pambianco identified 50 firms which have the right characteristics for a stock market listing. Using criteria like revenues and sales and profitability growth, Pambianco generated a point system to determine the most likely candidates.
Leading the pack is Dolce & Gabbana, followed by Giorgio Armani, Calzedonia/Intimissimi, Only the Brave (Diesel) and — rounding out the top five potentially best-suited candidates — Ermenegildo Zegna. The list includes other well-known Italian brands, like Brunello Cucinelli, Max Mara, Roberto Cavalli, Liu Jo, Gruppo Coin and Missoni.


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Clean Franchise Brands (CFB) announces Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Martinizing Cleaners
Clean Franchise Brands (CFB), the largest dry cleaning and laundry company on the planet, recently issued its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Martinizing Cleaners. CFB will now begin efforts to sell franchise locations to prospective buyers.
CFB purchased Martinizing Cleaners in Spring 2021, along with 1-800-Dry Clean, Pressed4Time and Dry Cleaning Station. CFB is also the franchisor for Lapels Dry Cleaning. All totaled, CFB has more than 400 locations in seven countries including Canada, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and Peru—making it the largest dry cleaning company on the planet!
“The pandemic has been a very difficult time for dry cleaners. Many local independents have not survived. Yet recent industry reports indicate a strong trend in growth for the dry cleaning and laundry industry,” said Kevin Dubois, CFB CEO. “We are very excited to have finalized the FDD for Martinizing Cleaners and make that opportunity available to prospects literally across the globe.”
According to a report put out by Research and Markets, “The dry-cleaning and laundry services market is poised to grow by $13.62 billion during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost five percent.”
“That report is one reason why we’re excited,” said Dubois. “Yet it is more about what we can offer prospective Martinizing owners. With the five other companies, we can provide a level of support that’s just unheard of in the dry cleaning industry.”
Added Dubois, “For example, a prospect could open up a Martinizing Cleaners satellite location and utilize a Lapels Dry Cleaning plant to clean customers’ clothing—or vice versa. Or a Martinizing store could utilize the delivery services of a Pressed4Time location. There are any number of scenarios like this.”
For complete information on the Martinizing Cleaners franchise opportunity, visit martinizingfranchise.com. To schedule an information call about the Martinizing opportunity, call 248-505-3710 or go to https://calendly.com/martinizing/introduction.
About Martinizing Cleaners
As part of Clean Franchise Brands, Martinizing is among the largest U.S. based dry-cleaning franchise systems with more than 400 locations in seven countries including Canada, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and Peru. Martinizing was founded in 1949 and remains a trusted, iconic name in dry cleaning in the U.S. For more information, visit https://www.martinizing.com/.
Clean Franchise Brands, LLC
Based in Naples, Florida, Clean Franchise Brands, LLC is now the owner of the following brands: Lapels Dry Cleaning; Martinizing Cleaners; 1-800-DryClean, Pressed4Time, Dry Cleaning Station and Bizziebox. Collectively, the brands have 500 plus stores in 40 states and nine countries. Clean Franchise Brands corporate offices are located at 711 5th Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102.
For more information, go to https://calendly.com/martinizing/introduction or contact John Powers at email@example.com.


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Panasonic Commercializes R35K Series Board to FPC Narrow Pitch Connectors for Wearable Devices
Panasonic’s Industrial Solutions Company has commercialized the R35K Series of Board to FPC Narrow Pitch Connectors for use in wearable devices and will launch full-scale mass production in December 2020. The new connectors reduce the board mounting areas and are configured to be highly resistant to vibrations and impacts, contributing to reducing the size and weight and improving the reliability of such small electronics devices. Wearable devices such as wristbands, earphones, and AR/VR glasses are widely used in various fields, including healthcare, entertainment and manufacturing. Current mainstream connectors used in wearable devices require large board mounting areas due to complex wiring routes caused by their double-row terminal structure.
The newly developed Panasonic connectors, with a single-row terminal structure, enable wiring from terminals of only one side, achieving an approx. 49% smaller board mounting area than Panasonic’s conventional products (S35 series), which helps reduce the size and weight of wearable devices. With Panasonic’s unique structure, the header and socket cannot easily be removed or break, which also improves device reliability. The connectors have achieved large currents despite their small size, with the power terminal supporting up to 3 A and the signal terminal 0.3 A, meeting needs fast battery charging, thereby further promoting the widespread use of wearable devices.


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BY TC News Desk
Agartala, February 21: In a resounding declaration, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath emphasized that organic farming transcends mere chemical-free production, highlighting its crucial role in nurturing soil, ecosystems, and life itself.
Minister Nath’s fervent advocacy for organic agriculture was on full display as he attended the prestigious 4-day Organic Trade Fair organized by Biofach at Nuremberg, Messe, Germany, in collaboration with the International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA). From February 13th to 16th, Nath immersed himself in the vibrant atmosphere of the fair, which served as a beacon for organic enthusiasts worldwide.
The Organic Trade Fair, an annual extravaganza of global significance, attracted participants from over 100 countries, each eager to showcase their organic produce and explore new avenues for sustainable agriculture. Against this backdrop, Minister Nath seized the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders, fostering collaborations that promise to reshape the landscape of organic farming.
During the event, Nath held a pivotal meeting with Amir Bashir from the Consulate General of India at Munich, delving into strategies to facilitate the sale of Indian organic products in Germany. Discussions also centered on enhancing exports and ensuring equitable benefits for Indian farmers in this burgeoning market.
In a remarkable display of international outreach, Minister Nath ventured to The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Zurich, Switzerland, where he convened with a group of esteemed scientists. This institute, renowned globally for its pioneering work in organic agriculture, provided a fitting backdrop for deliberations on enhancing productivity and embracing transformative technologies in organic farming.
Nath’s exchanges with leading experts underscored his commitment to harnessing innovation for sustainable agricultural practices, with a keen focus on empowering farmers and ensuring food security. As he returns from his diplomatic foray, Minister Nath’s vision for a greener, more resilient agricultural future resonates on both local and global scales.


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According to an analyst, Apple News Plus which is Apple’s news and magazine service is all set to reach 19 million paid subscribers by 2023. The analyst, Krish Sankar is positive that Apple News Plus had about 11 million paid subscribers in 2020 and brought in a revenue of $550 million.
According to Apple Insider, the Investment bank Cowen analyst believes that Apple might be having 19 million subscribers by 2023. This would bring in a revenue of $1.14 billion in subscription along with a revenue of $1.02 billion in digital ad revenue from ad impressions thus adding up to a total of $2.2 billion.
Sankar wrote, “We believe Apple’s News app and the News Plus paid subscription service (News Platform) are well-positioned to not only benefit from incremental subscriber additions but also accelerating advertising revenue growth.”
Sankar believes that the app could be propped up by improving advertising platforms. It can also be propped up by shifting away from the identifier for advertisers tracking tags used on mobile devices after the release of App Tracking Transparency.
The report mentions that the analyst further says that the privacy feature might be a “disruptive event” that makes the field for ad networks at the same level for an iOS environment.
Further, he adds that the advertising ventures of the company might see growth because of the development of Apple Search Ads (ASA) on the App Store. Apple supporting ASA along with the recent developments made to IDFA will boost the ad revenue from Apple News in the next few years.