text:
Amitabh Bachchan @SrBachchan invests in Ziddu, a company from Singapore with recently integrated Bitcoin wallet into their platform. Firm is owned by Meridian Tech Pte, which also offers a micro payment platform. Earned Bitcoin can purchase Xbox game cards, E-commerce vouchers, mobile recharge.
The Blockchain technology is certainly one of the biggest inventions of the 21st century. Many individuals believe that it was invented by Satoshi Nakamoto, who is also known as the inventor of the Bitcoin. It was not quite popular in the beginning but today it has turned into a global phenomenon. Ziddu Coins are loosely pegged to Ethereum and Bitcoin. The importers/exporters convert offered Ziddu coins into Ethereum or Bitcoin and use the proceeds for their working capital needs. Ziddu Integrates Bitcoin into Their Platform But what will really set them apart is their recent decision to offer a Bitcoin wallet, as well as other Bitcoin-related features, to their customers. Earned Bitcoin can be spent in a variety of ways, including the purchase of game cards – for Xbox and Playstation – or buying e-commerce vouchers. Ziddu is an online Bitcoin wallet company that lets users store/transfer Bitcoin from or to their wallets. It also allows users to buy e-commerce vouchers from top e-commerce websites. Ziddu Coin is a smart contract that enables SMEs, processors, manufacturers, importers and exporters using cryptocurrencies across continents. Ziddu Coins are loosely pegged to Ethereum and Bitcoin.
Amitabh Bachan Sees $ 250,000 Investments Surge To $17.5 Million YOYO Times Many who invested in the cryptocurrency for years have now seen their worth suddenly up exponentially. One such person ... Play Ziddu Games and Earn Bitcoins Register Here: http://bit.ly/1KyPYge. The crazy swings of Bitcoin prices added more than $100 million to Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s fortunes within days, but most of it was wiped out even faster — thanks to a small ... How to Invest in Bitcoin: Ride the Great Coming Wave - Duration: 1:04:30. Bitcoin Investment Plan: Ride the Great Coming Wave Recommended for you Ziddu allows you to easily back up, access and share all of your documents, music, photos and movies across all of your computers and mobile devices.


text:
New Tesco boss Dave Lewis will set out his plans to turn around the fortunes of Britain's biggest supermarket when it publishes latest trading figures on Thursday.
The former Unilever executive is due to unveil his strategy to shore up the group's position in the UK grocery sector and bolster its cash war chest.
A sell-off of Tesco's outposts in Asia and central Europe as well as non-core brands such as UK download business Blinkbox are among the options open to Mr Lewis as he seeks to focus on its main supermarket operations.
The chief executive has focused on increasing product availability and staff in stores but analysts expect head-office jobs could be at risk.
Mr Lewis has also not ruled out the possibility of a cash call on shareholders as the group gears up for the latest round of the intense price war that has gripped the sector amid a squeeze by discounters Aldi and Lidl.
Details of his plans are expected to be unveiled alongside a trading update which will include third-quarter figures as well as Tesco's subsequent six-week performance covering the key Christmas period.
It is expected to reveal more sliding sales to book-end a dismal 2014 which saw the departure of Mr Lewis's predecessor Philip Clarke as well as a £263m accounting scandal and a series of profit warnings.
The announcement comes during a key week for retailers as they publish festive trading figures, with Marks & Spencer's due on the same day and Sainsbury's due to publish a day earlier tomorrow. Morrisons reports next week.
Tesco has said its update will include measures it plans "to improve the competitiveness of the UK customer offer and to strengthen the balance sheet".
It remains haunted by the accounting scandal, which surfaced in the autumn and involved rebates from suppliers being moved around to different periods in its profit-and-loss figures, going back at least as far as 2012/13. The Serious Fraud Office is investigating.

domain: news


text:
Tech Talk: Christmas gift ideas for gamers
Apple has launched a new feature that allows some iPhone users to share their location, even if they’re off the grid. Mike explains how it works, plus there’s a new iPhone app for creating AI images.
To ‘GetConnected’ to our newsletter, fill out the details and hit the ‘SUBSCRIBE’ button. We do require you to confirm your email.
© 2020 – GetConnected. All rights reserved.


text:
Cortana is set to arrive on the desktop with the help of Windows 9, and even though Microsoft is struggling to keep details secret, a new batch of leaked screenshots confirm the introduction of this new feature in the upcoming operating system.
Photos published by editors over at WinFuture show that Cortana is currently implemented in Windows 9 as a reminder, but by the time the operating system hits the market in stable form, more feature should be available for users.
Cortana is currently available on Windows Phone 8.1 exclusively, but Microsoft has already confirmed that other versions, including a desktop one, will be released in the coming years.
Not much is known about Cortana for Windows 9, but the personal assistant is expected to get pretty much the same feature lineup as its sibling offered to Windows Phone buyers.
As you can see for yourselves by clicking the photos in the gallery, Cortana is only in very early development stages on the market, so both features and design need to be polished before it hits the market in stable mode.
At this point, it only serves as a reminder, but Microsoft does call it “Cortana,” so this is pretty much the most obvious indication that the personal assistant is coming on PCs and tablets.
By the time it hits the shelves, Cortana should have all options available on Windows Phone, including support for voice commands, which should help users perform tasks faster and easier without the need to touch the mouse or keyboard.
Cortana could make its debut in the preview version of Windows 9 later this month, but only limited features are likely to be released for now.
While Cortana could indeed show up for the very first time in Windows 9 preview, some of its features might only be available to a limited number of users, as Redmond is likely to lock certain options of the personal assistant.
Sources from within the company have said that a more advanced version of Cortana is currently available only to some Microsoft employees and the software giant is making really big efforts to keep us from this new feature.
Of course, Microsoft is really putting big hopes in Cortana for Windows 9, and there’s no doubt that this is going to be one of the most important features of the operating system, but with leaks coming every once in a while, we’ll see what she can do sooner than the company wants.


text:
Wccftech talked to the developers of Dauntless, who explained why they picked the Epic Games Store, how they're adding crossplay and lots more.
Crossplay would be great!
Bought the founders pack and grinded out for the first few weeks and haven't thought about it since. I guess I need to see where it is now.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


text:
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Roundup: Here’s what we know about the upcoming flagship so far – Smartprix
Samsung is all set to launch its next flagship S Series in February 2022. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Series is expected to have 3 smartphones- Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Although we are months away from the actual launch, various leaks and rumors have already started surfacing online. The latest report reveals that the Galaxy S23 Series might come with an innovative feature borrowed from Apple’s iPhone 14. Samsung is working to bring satellite connectivity to the Galaxy S23 Series. Here is what we know so far about the specs and features of the Galaxy S23 Plus and other devices in the series.
ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Roundup: Here’s all that we know about Samsung’s 2023 flagship
Satellite Connectivity for Galaxy S23+
A report by ET News claims that Samsung has been working with Iridium Communications for bringing satellite connectivity to the Galaxy S23 Series. The company is claimed to be working on using the new feature to provide text messaging and low-resolution image-sharing support for the Galaxy S23 via satellite connectivity. The main issue lies in building an antenna that is smaller in size and effective in smartphones.
If Samsung succeeds then it will be the 2nd smartphone brand to introduce satellite connectivity. Apple recently made the feature available on iPhone 14 line-up. Although the service is only available in Canada and US as of now it is expected to roll out to other countries as well. Huawei might be the 3rd brand to bring this feature to its devices. For now, it will be interesting to see if Samsung succeeds in bringing satellite connectivity to Galaxy S23 Series and if yes, then how the brand will make the feature accessible to a broad set of users.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Expected specs & features
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to pack a 3900mAh battery while the S23+ might pack a larger 4700mAh battery. The ultra model will have a 5000mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless fast charging. As for the camera optics, the Galaxy S23 & S23+ might have a 50MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP telephoto lens. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra is said to have a quad camera setup with a 200MP main, a 12MP ultrawide, a 10MP telephoto, and a 10MP periscope lens.
All the 3 devices will run Android 13-based One UI 5.0 out of the box. They will have a 32MP selfie camera as well. In terms of display, there will be differences. This is because the Galaxy S23 might have a 6.1-inch FHD+ display while the Galaxy S23+ may have a 6.6-inch panel. The Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel. All 3 are expected to support a 120Hz refresh rate and be powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Technology News Click Here


text:
India’s smartwatch market saw a record growth of over 274 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in 2021 shipments, as demand for sub-$100 smartwatches grew more, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Internet of things (IoT) Service.
Further, with quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth of over 8 per cent in the fourth quarter 2021 and became the market’s biggest ever quarter, the Counterpoint Research’s recently published ‘Global Smartwatch Model Tracker’, said.
Around 80 brands are present in India’s smartwatch market and over ten brands entered the market in 2021, the report said, adding that 78 per cent of the shipment came from online channels, where Flipkart and Amazon contribute 48 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively.
“The smartwatch market is showing tremendous growth, which is attributed to increased health awareness, affordable prices, growth of new entrants, discount schemes and numerous launches of feature-packed products throughout the year. More than 86 per cent of the total shipments were driven by the under-₹5,000 price band, compared to 59 per cent in the previous year,” Anshika Jain, Senior Research Analyst, Counterpoint Technology Market Research (India) said.
Many of the features which were earlier present in the ₹3,000 – 5,000 price band smartwatches are now found in the ₹2,000–3,000 segment, like SPO2, blood pressure monitoring, voice assistance and larger display. Even features of premium smartwatches like ECG and Bluetooth calling, can be seen in smartwatches priced under ₹5,000, she said.
Noise was the fastest-growing brand among the global top nine brands and it was leading the growth of the Indian smartwatch market. It was was India’s number-one brand in 2021 and 2020.
“Noise is the number one Indian smartwatch brand and leads the growth of the local market. It captured the top position in 2021 due to its diverse product portfolio targeting the budget and mid segments, as well as strong partnerships with e-commerce players, financial institutions and celebrities,” Jain said.
Noise also focused on community building and slightly shifted its price base towards the lower side to make its smartwatches accessible to a larger group, a strategy that proved to be effective. All this resulted in Noise ranking third in terms of shipments after Apple and Samsung in the APAC region except China in 2021, she added.
One of the driving forces behind the global smartwatch market growth in 2021 was due to the expansion of the Indian market, the report said, adding that this market accounted for only three per cent of the global share in 2020. However, it grew four times in 2021 to raise its global market share close to 10 per cent.
After Noise, other brands to follow the rankings include boAT, Fire Bolt (another local company), Realme, Amazfit, Samsung and Apple, the report added.


text:
Remedy's confirmed it will be the publisher of Alan Wake for PC when it launches on Steam early next year.
The confirmations comes after confusion reigned on if the Finnish studio or Microsoft would be doing publishing duties, with the latter releasing the 360 version in May 2010, as well as publishing the upcoming American Nightmare for Xbox Live Arcade.
But In the first of two confirmations, Remedy community manager Peter Papadopoulos said on its forums: "Microsoft is still the publisher of Alan Wake's American Nightmare, which is being released on XBLA in early 2012.
"As for Alan Wake PC, it's a Remedy self published title which is coming to Steam, also being released early in 2012."
Further information came from MikkiRMD, aka Remedy writer Mikko Rautalahti, who also noted the concern of PC gamers following the initial cancelation in February 2010.
"I can genuinely appreciate that people were frustrated -- and it was frustrating for us as well, because it was out of our hands at the time. These things can get pretty complicated."
It was confirmed yesterday it would use Steamworks, not GFWL, as its platform.


text:
Lego turns to pink and pastels in a push to build its popularity with girls
There was a time when Lego and magic were boys-only zones... give or take the odd glamorous assistant. Girls had their own toys, the Barbie dolls, cuddly animals and princess dressing up sets that were a no-go zone for their brothers.
However, the maker of Lego - the world's fastest growing toy brand - has risked the wrath of traditionalists by developing a range specifically for girls, with pinks and pastel colours.
Meanwhile the top selling Marvin's Magic brand has revealed its first 'Mizz Magic' set for girls, again clad in pink and glitter, including a girly wand.
At a time when parents are facing questions about whether they should gender-stereotype their children, the toy industry view that girls want pink and fluffy is controversial.
Olivia's House Lego set is up for £69.99 and has been named as one of the best new toys of the year
The new range is aimed at girls and centres around five mini-dolls and has a number of accessories like lipstick, handbags and puppies
Lego is taking a risk with the launch of its 'Friends' range for girls, and there has already been some negative reaction.
However, the £69.99 'Olivia's House' Lego set has been named as one of the best new toys of the year by the British Toy & Hobby Association at its annual Toy Fair.
The launch of Lego for girls follows four years of research with parents in the UK, the USA, Denmark and Germany.
Drew Brazer, its vice president and general manager for the UK and Ireland, said: 'It's a culmination of anthropological analyses of girls around the world over many years to understand what they expect from a toy like a Lego set.'
The answer, it seems, is a Lego beauty parlour, a vet, ponies, a café, a stage, a convertible car and a splash pool.
Interestingly, the mini-figures for the girls are significantly more anatomically correct, with a hint of curves, than Lego's traditional angular versions.
Parents have complained on the company's Facebook page that the products are too girly
Mr Brazer said: 'Our research included conversations with girls and their mothers, which showed they want very similar things to boys – but in a way that fulfils their interests in community and friendship.
'Girls, around the age of six or seven, stop playing with toys like Lego at an earlier age than boys, opting for creative and fashion play instead.
'We have therefore, responded to these findings, providing an exciting toy that delivers a creative experience, alongside the core principles of Lego construction play.'
Lego marketing director David Buxbaum, said historically, the lion's share of sales, upwards of 80per cent, have gone to boys. 'We have not had enough themes that have resonated with girls,' he said.
'If a girl wants to build a rocket ship, then we have lots of great rocket ships available for her. If she wants to build one that happens to be in pastel colours, she can take elements from these sets and build one.'
The initiative has drawn some criticism on web forums with commentators arguing it is wrong to restrict children to specific types of toys and colours.
The Butterfly Beauty Shop is one of the products in the 'Friends' range
Some complained that it was a betrayal of a 'beautifully genderless toy'. However, this was rejected by Mr Buxbaum who said: 'I would argue we are giving girls what they are asking for.
'Some people are unhappy, we think others will be more happy. Ultimately, we will continue to listen to everyone and, if it turns out that we need to change course, we will.
'But right now we are getting very strong feedback on the play experience, in terms of building and role play.
'Any child that plays with Lego will have the benefit of better dexterity, better spatial relationship skills and I believe in my heart as a parent that it is really good for kids.'
Marvin's Magic, developed by Marvin Berglas, boasts it has become the world's best known brand in the sector. Now, for the first time in 25 years, it has found it necessary to develop a range for girls.
Tellingly, the pink 'Secret Magic Wand' comes with instructions for 15 tricks and includes decorative sticker jewels hidden inside.
A spokesman said: 'It is very similar tricks, but the packaging and branding is aimed at the girls.'
There has been a resurgence in interest in magic following the success of the new celebrity based BBC series on Saturday nights and success of street magicians like Dynamo.
Probably one of the less girly products in the range is Olivia's tree house but she does have plenty of flowers and cute kitten
However, the reality is that men, from Houdini to Paul Daniels, David Blaine and Derron Brown, continue to dominate this area of entertainment.
Toy industry leaders yesterday(tue) identified 32 toys they expect to be best sellers all the way through to next Christmas.
The list includes a new take on Scalextric which allows youngsters to race Star Wars craft, Olympics themed toys , including a Team GB mini, a Playmobil pirate ship, a Tardis Smart Safe, a Sylvanian Families Ice Cream Van, and a Fireman Sam Tri-Scooter.
At the same time, the makers of Downton Abbey are leaving no stone unturned in a bid to cash in on the ITV show's popularity with a themed jigsaw puzzle. While the ultimate boys toy, Subbuteo is also being relaunched.
Most watched News videos
- Two young groups in tense standoff in Hyde Park where 'knives' are seen
- Man who 'exposed himself to teens' is beaten in the street
- Resident films building swaying in Manila after earthquake
- Pack off! Lone cat sees off a group of six nosey dogs in Turkey
- Woman dies after falling into meat grinder at Pennsylvania plant
- Brian Harvey uploads video of himself being arrested outside home
- The shocking video that showed Guatemalan army soldiers beating teens
- 'Frightening' footage shows Eddie Stobart HGV swerving to catch exit
- Leopard pounces in the air to catch its Canary 'breakfast' mid-flight
- New photos shared of Prince Louis as he turns one
- Police examine house of man accused of paedophilia and cannibalism
- Who won The National Lottery's 'EuroMillions' £38 million jackpot ?


text:
While testing cosmetics such as lipstick and shampoo on animals was banned in the European Union in 2009, elsewhere around the world animal suffering for cosmetics continues. Rabbits still have chemicals dripped into their eyes or rubbed into their shaved skin, and rodents still have substances forced down their throats or injected into their blood to observe toxic effects. Even pregnant animals are dosed with chemicals to test the effects on their unborn babies. These tests cause suffering and ultimately death - just to produce a new shade of lip-gloss or a reformulated skin cream.
In an ideal world, consumers should be able to shop anywhere and know that the cosmetics they buy haven't been tested on animals. That's why Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States want to make that dream a reality with the launch of the largest ever global campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics.
Launched simultaneously throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and the United States, the Be Cruelty-Free campaign aims to inform consumers and to change hearts and minds within the cosmetics industry and governments. The goal is to achieve a world where no animal has to suffer for the sake of cosmetics.
In a handful of countries, animal testing for cosmetics remains a legal requirement so HSI and others are working to change those laws and gain authorities' acceptance of non-animal tests. In most other countries, however, animal testing continues even though it is not specifically required. In the US and Canada, for example, the law only requires that companies assure their products are safe, but it does not prescribe animal testing as the method to prove that safety. Whilst hundreds of companies produce thousands of innovative beauty products without any animal tests, others continue to rely on inhumane and unnecessary animal testing.
Cruelty-free companies avoid animal testing by using the thousands of existing cosmetic ingredients already established as safe, combined with available non-animal test methods such as the EpiDerm artificial human skin model. However, if companies insist on using 'new to the world' ingredients without existing data and for which non-animal tests are not yet available, the 'need' for animal tests can be triggered. For these companies, the solution is simple: avoid new ingredients until their safety can be assured using strictly non-animal methods.
Even though cosmetics testing on animals may take place in laboratories far away from the EU, for as long as the resulting products continue to be sold in our shops, consumers are still unknowingly paying for testing deemed too unethical to be permitted within our own borders. But hopefully not for much longer.
Next year the EU is set to extend its domestic ban on cosmetics animal testing by also outlawing the sale in Europe of cosmetics that have been subject to animal testing anywhere in the world after 11 March 2013, if such testing was carried out for the purpose of EU cosmetics regulation.
There has been considerable opposition from the cosmetics industry and the ban has already been delayed three times. As the 2013 deadline approaches, there is again a real threat of further delays, perhaps by years.
Implementing the ban in full and on time is vital because it gives cosmetic companies a very simple choice: either stop testing on animals or lose out on the lucrative EU market. This is a persuasive financial incentive to change, and could signal the beginning of the end for cosmetics cruelty.
Preventing cruelty isn't the only reason for the cosmetics industry to end its controversial relationship with animal testing; there are also compelling scientific reasons. Most animal toxicity tests are decades old, developed when scientists had only a rudimentary understanding of toxicity, largely based on chemically overdosing animals of different species until they became ill or died. The problem is that different animal species, and even different strains or genders within species, respond differently to the same chemical. Scientists are increasingly questioning whether the results of animal tests for cosmetics have any relevance to human safety at all.
By contrast, modern non-animal test methods aren't obscured by species differences because they focus instead on data relevant to people. There are a host of human cell and tissue-based research methods that are already available and validated, but it is the next generation of 21st century toxicity tests that should make animal testing a relic of history. In one approach pioneered in the US, tests on human cells are used to predict how chemical reactions at the molecular level could lead to chemical harm in the body or its specific organs.
Whereas some companies have become defined by their refusal to stop animal testing, others are defined by their opposition to it. Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics is one such company, producing exciting and cruelty-free beauty products in 48 countries worldwide. At the heart of its philosophy is a complete rejection of animal testing and a determination to remove its stain from the cosmetics industry. The company has never tested on animals, has a strict rule of boycotting suppliers that test on animals, and is wholly independent, so it does not belong to a parent company involved with animal testing. The company lives its ethical principles in every product it produces.
That's why Lush has been the perfect company with whom HSI and The HSUS have launched the first stage in our global campaign. In more than 700 Lush stores from Dubai to Delhi, London to Louisiana, Lush customers have been signing our Be Cruelty-Free pledge to show their support for an end to cosmetics cruelty both nationally and internationally. We'll be using those pledges to demonstrate the strength of public support for an end to animal testing, and asking lawmakers to turn those pledges into action for animals


text:
State Senate votes to restrict electric vehicle sales
Among legislation passed in the Mississippi State Senate on Thursday was House Bill 401, a bill being sent to Gov. Tate Reeves that restricts how electric vehicles are sold in the state.
A popular way of buying an electric vehicle is through manufacturer dealerships, such as the Tesla dealership in Jackson. The bill would prohibit future manufacturer dealerships from being set up in the state, requiring electric vehicles be sold through local dealers, similar to gas-powered vehicles.
Supporters of the bill say it would level the playing field for local dealers. Opponents said the bill tells electric vehicle manufacturers that their sales model is not welcome in Mississippi. It is also believed that electric vehicles would start to be sold in other states and not in the Magnolia State.
The bill would have an impact in DeSoto County, because Tesla, for instance, could not set a Tesla dealership in the county, while neighboring states, such as Tennessee or Arkansas, could welcome them there. Teslas in Mississippi would have to be sold through existing local dealers, instead.
The bill passed on a vote of 39-14 and is now sent to the Governor’s desk. All three DeSoto County senators, Dr. David Parker (R-Olive Branch), Kevin Blackwell (R-Southaven), and Michael McLendon (R-Hernando) voted in favor of the bill. Gov. Reeves has not said whether he will sign or veto it.
2 thoughts on “State Senate votes to restrict electric vehicle sales ”
I thought Republicans were for free market and all about capitalism. I guess not. So if you are for these things you may need to rethink who to vote for. I know I will be.
This bill should be vetoed. If the electric car manufacturers want to establish dealers ships in the state they should be allowed to. If they would rather partner with an established dealership that should be a business decision between them. But to stop them is wrong


text:
Healthcare.gov lacks several basic cybersecurity controls -- including strong passwords and consistent security patching -- nearly a year after the troubled launch of the insurance-shopping website, a government auditor said.
A senior member of the U.S. Senate plans to introduce legislation that would require websites and online advertising networks to stop tracking Web users who ask to be left alone.
A state senator in California has introduced a bill that would allow Web surfers to opt out of online tracking efforts by websites and advertising networks.
A bill that would direct the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to create a mechanism to allow consumers to opt out of online tracking efforts tops a list of proposals that would be bad for the Internet, according to e-commerce trade group NetChoice.
A senior Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives will soon introduce legislation designed to give Web users more control of their personal data and to give the U.S. Federal Trade Commission power to enforce voluntary privacy standards ...
Gadgets & Things
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Finally! LG OLED TV 2016 range review
- 2 Fetch TV Mighty review: Better than Foxtel
- 3 Fetch TV Mini review: Make your TV a smart TV
- 4 Panasonic Viera DX900U UHD 4K smart TV review
- 5 Parrot Mambo Drone review
Join the Good Gear Guide newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- Star Wars Death Star Bluetooth levitating rotating speaker review
- Smartwatches wear out their welcome with Motorola
- The mysteries of the GPU in Apple's iPhone 7 are unlocked
- Apple reportedly betting on drones and indoor data to make Maps better
- Apple now takes your old Apple Watch for free recycling
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- Best phone of the year 2016
- TV of the year award 2016
- Finally! LG OLED TV 2016 range review
- Which flagship TV is best? Sony 4K HDR Bravia 2016 versus LG 4K HDR OLED 2016
- 10 Blu-ray movies / Best looking Blu-ray movies
- FTChief Security Officer l CISSP l ISO27001NSW
- FTFront End DeveloperVIC
- FTSenior Front End DeveloperNSW
- FTSenior Network EngineerSA
- TPSharePoint ConsultantACT
- CCUI DeveloperACT
- FTAGILE Implementation ManagerNSW
- CCHadoop DeveloperVIC
- FTServicing Financial Planner - CBDVIC
- FTDatabase Administration Team LeaderQLD
- CCSystem EngineerNSW
- FTWeb Developer/ DesignerWA
- FTSoftware DeveloperQLD
- CCCloud Automation EngineerACT
- TPSenior Project AnalystNSW
- FTDesktop Delivery Team LeaderQLD
- CCEmail Production SpecialistQLD
- TPChange ManagerQLD
- FTEnterprise Account ManagerVIC
- FTJava / API DeveloperVIC
- FTDesktop Support EngineerNSW
- TPFrontend DeveloperNSW
- TPSolution ArchitectQLD
- CCAngular DeveloperNSW
- CCExecutive AssistantACT


text:
In a possible sign of increased business activity amid the “reset” in U.S.-Russian ties, a U.S. government agency that assists U.S. companies enter and expand in Russia has seen an increase in demand over the past year.
The U.S. Commercial Service, a federal agency within the U.S. Commerce Department, helped 177 U.S. companies enter Russia or increase their sales here during fiscal year 2011 that ended Sept. 30, a U.S. Embassy source said.
That compares with 155 companies that used help from the U.S. Commercial Service in the previous fiscal year, the source said, asking for customary anonymity.
The total value of local sales made by those companies last year reached $4 billion, the person said. It included several large aircraft sales, so it turned out to be significantly higher than usual. In fiscal year 2010, the number was $1 billion.
Much has been discussed about U.S. President Barack Obama’s reset of relations with Russia, with officials on both sides touting political achievements such as the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty and cooperation over Afghanistan.
But few figures are available for how the reset has influenced economic ties — an area that both sides have declared as the next stage of the reset.
The figures from the U.S. Commercial Service, shared with The Moscow Times for publication for the first time, offer anecdotal evidence that interest from U.S. companies is growing.
The U.S. Commercial Service, whose Moscow office is based at the U.S. Embassy, offers a fee-based service to U.S. companies that seek assistance in working in Russia, including in finding partners, navigating the paperwork and creating strategies to enter the market, according to the agency’s website,
Ron Pollett, president and CEO of GE in Russia and the CIS, which works with the U.S. Commercial Service, praised the reset as a boon to his corporation’s local businesses, which include technology infrastructure, energy infrastructure, financial services and entertainment.
“In short, it has helped us a lot,” he said in an interview in November, two months after GE announced that it was expanding here with multibillion-dollar deals to set up two joint ventures in health care and energy.
“U.S.-Russia relations do affect us,” Pollett said. “When the relationship is good, it helps us open doors; when it’s bad, it creates some turbulence; so it’s definitely very important for us."
But Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, said the reset has had no impact on her company’s operations, which have grown quickly with the acquisitions of Lebedyansky for $1.4 billion in 2008 and Wimm-Bill-Dann for $3.8 billion in 2010.
“It hasn’t helped,” Nooyi said of the reset. “I mean, we have always been a friend of Russia since Don Kendall came here, way back 53 years ago,” she said in an interview in October. Kendall is the legendary Pepsi CEO who brought Pepsi to Russia.
“Russia has always been a friend of PepsiCo, and PepsiCo has always been a friend of Russia,” she said.
U.S. companies that have turned to the U.S. Commercial Service over the past year work in sectors as diverse as farming and aviation. But they all seem to have an eye trained on the strength of Russia’s economy and good prospects for growth.
Wisconsin-based CETS shipped a second piece of its potato-growing equipment to Russia in December, said Janina Petrick, the company's president. The equipment made by Controlled Environment Technology Systems, or CETS, helps farmers to grow high-quality seed potatoes in special chambers at half the current price. Russia now imports many of the seeds from countries like Holland.
This is the second deal for CETS in Russia. The first piece of equipment arrived in 2010 to the Prikubansky farm in the Krasnodar region — and drew a curious high-placed visitor, Governor Alexander Tkachyov, in November.
Halltec, an Ohio-based manufacturer of tire valves for “over-the-road equipment” such as cars and trucks, is studying Russia as a potential market.
“We are looking to expand into Russia as it is one of the countries where mining is a large business,” said executive vice president Dave Caruso.
The company needs to find out about the size of tires that are in use and the current distribution model, he said.
“The big challenge we have is the language barrier and the distribution model,” Caruso said.
Halltec will have to find a distributor that is in the tire market or a company that does tire servicing in the mining industry, he said.
The company also supplies its products into Japan, Canada, China, Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia.
The U.S. industrial conglomerate 3M plans to invest at least $15 million building local plants through 2015, its managing director in Russia, Reza Vaziri, said last March. One of the facilities will produce 3M’s insulation material Thinsulate for clothing and the other glass bubbles used as additives to cement that fortify oil and gas wells.
The company planned to invest an additional $8 million last year, mainly to increase production of face masks for the chemical and mining industries at its existing plant in Volokolamsk.
The manufacturing company's previous investments in Russia amount to $28 million, including the cost of building the Volokolamsk plant, which started work in 2008.
3M regards the lack of domestic raw materials of sufficient quality — such as resins — as one of the biggest challenges in localizing production, Vaziri said.
In the area of services, NetJets, the private jets operator, is seeking to do more business here.
The company, which performs more than 2,000 flights per year in and out of Russia, now looks to increase the number and also fly inside Russia, said its chief for Europe, Eric Connor.
“We have 150 customers in Russia and look to expand this number,” he said. “Russia is attractive because of the strength of its economy and stronger prospects for growth.”
Nearly all its flights start and end in Moscow. In Europe, the company operates aircraft at more than 1,000 airports.
In addition to macroeconomic factors that affect every market, the specific challenges for NetJets’ business in Russia include the weather and low temperatures — the kind that grounded flights at Domodedovo last year, Connor said.


text:
J.D. Power is constantly gauging how the buying public is responding to new or late model vehicles, and in many of its recent studies, Lincoln hasn’t fared too well, coming in with below average scores on the 2021 Initial Vehicle Quality Study and 2021 Automotive Brand Loyalty Study. As Ford Authority recently reported, the disappointing rankings extend across the Pacific too, as the brand came in behind some of its competitors in the 2021 China Tech Experience Study. And now, the U.S. market study has been released, with American owners not feeling terribly satisfied with the overall tech equipped on their vehicles either.
Lincoln achieved an overall score of 496 out of 1000, which placed it behind key rivals such as Cadillac (551), but ahead of other important competitors like Lexus (485), Infiniti (477), and Acura (436). Every luxury brand technically lost out to Tesla, but the company forbids owners to be surveyed in 16 states, making J.D. Power’s data on the EV manufacturer incomplete. Therefore, first place went to Korean luxury brand Genesis (634), which boasted a significantly higher score than its rivals in the premium category.
The 2021 J.D. Power U.S. Technology Experience Index Study surveyed owners of 2021 model year vehicles to gauge how they feel about the technology contained in their vehicles after 90 days of ownership. In addition to measuring the frequency of tech adoption among owners, it also gathers information about how owners feel about the execution of advanced features.
In regards to the biggest takeaways from the study, J.D. Power concluded that a substantial portion of owners are simply not using the technological features that don’t directly benefit them, but are receptive to advanced features like rear-view mirror cameras and ground-view cameras. However, other tech, like gesture controls, received poor marks and were rated negatively by respondents. Dealers also played a role in influencing how satisfied owners felt about their tech, and the showrooms that actually demonstrated advanced features to their customers helped owners become more confident with the tech, which in turn led to increased satisfaction rates.
While Lincoln’s performance in the 2021 J.D. Power studies leave something to be desired, there was one bright spot contained in the Initial Vehicle Quality Study. The 2021 Lincoln Corsair ranked second-best in the compact premium SUV segment. Additionally, Lincoln owners seem to like their dealers, as they compared favorably against rival luxury brands in the 2021 Customer Service Index study.
We’ll have more automotive insights like this to share soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Lincoln news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
This is no surprise. Lincoln lineup is composed of a bunch of boring cookie cutter SUV’s and crossovers. Without a decent sedan or a performance automobile Lincoln is way behind and has absolutely nothing to offer against competitors like MB, Audi, BMW, Lexus, Maseratti, Porsche, Tesla, Lucid or even Cadillac.
That may well be, but, at the end of the day, JE, do y’all really care what Chinese owned JD Power thinks about anything?
I agree with the lack of a true performance sedan [I’ve been begging for a Mustang derived RWD Lincoln for years]. However, I wouldn’t consider the Aviator a “boring cookie cutter SUV”.
This just shows that all of the least reliable and highest depreciating vehicles have more tech. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to see that buyers fooled by lousy tech are also fooled into buying the worst vehicles.
Wouldn’t pay a premium for a Lincoln that comes with Sync 3 that has been around for 6 years. No wireless AA/carplay no OTA updates, no Blue Cruise (except 22 Navigator) they expect people to pay a premium when they keep shoveling out old crap every year and are very slow to update. It’s been 2 model years since Sync 4 was announced and now the Android OS thing is supposed to be here in 2023 but I doubt it Ford needs to higher more developers.


text:
Glendora police received a tip that a woman was selling stolen items from the apartment, and detectives obtained a search warrant.
Officers arrived Tuesday morning, arrested Pimentel and recovered over 300 items reported stolen from the truck back on Sept. 23.
The items included designer bags, purses, luggage and clothing from brands like Juicy Couture, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Express, Tommy Hilfiger, Frederick's of Hollywood, Guess, North Face, True Religion, and Abercrombie and Fitch.
Pimentel is being held on $20,000 bail.
City News Service contributed to this report.


text:
Another historic online industry moment today with the announcement that NBC Universal is acquiring iVillage, a grassroots Internet brand, that grew out of AOL's Greenhouse project under Ted Leonsis. The Wall Street Journal article notes the iVillage deal is another in a string of mainstream media acquiring successful online brands:
In the last few years, New York Times Co. bought hub About.com, News Corp. bought social-networking site MySpace and Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal Online as well as the print Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, purchased financial-news service MarketWatch site MySpace and Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal Online as well as the print Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, purchased financial-news service MarketWatch- WSJ
The press release and webcast are available under the corporate information section of the iVillage site. The webcast lead by Beth Comstock, President of NBC Digital Media, is recommended listening as they describe the value of iVillage as "one of the nation's most successful online destinations for women", and their expectations for its contribution to NBC's digital strategy. In the words of the press release:
With this acquisition, NBC Universal will engage millions of loyal iVillage users, a community which mirrors a key demographic of the NBC Universal audience - women. Every part of NBC Universal, from television and film to home entertainment will support and drive iVillage forward. From this platform, NBC Universal will chart the next generation of digital content development and enhance user experience
For those who may have thought online "community" is dead, the value of a passionate, loyal, connected audience as iVillage has created is clearly alive and well at NBC Universal. In the webcast Beth Comstock's words include:
"..compelling content and finding engaging destinations.. marry community with content.. proprietary content and a way to engage users and advertisers.. turbocharges what we do.."
"programming and community.. experiences wherever technology can take it.. videos, community.. "


text:
On display at the Geneva Motor Show next week will be Rolls-Royce’s latest concept car: the electric-powered Phantom. Known as the Rolls-Royce 102EX, it’s a new, near-silent, emissions-free version of the old classic.
The company built the luxury road-yacht; also named as Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), to begin testing on alternative drivetrains that could power Rolls cars of the future. Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos said: “I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience.”
The 102EX will soon undergo a global testing tour, where it will see parts of the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America. Test conditions will study reliability and quality,
determine acceptable range between recharging, as well as extreme cold weather proving. Rolls said it wants to gather data on the reactions and opinions of owners, enthusiasts and the general public to find out what the world thinks about an electric Phantom.Tags: electric, luxury, Phantom, rolls royce


text:
August 26, 2022
Photo: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Hello, and welcome to Protocol Fintech. This Friday: Affirm’s stress test, Coinbase goes to the polls and the top brand NFTs.
Coinbase doesn’t want its employees to talk politics at work. But it’s hoping its customers will go to the polls. “We don’t regularly talk about politics here at Coinbase, but we’ve always said that we will engage in the political process at moments when it relates to our mission of increasing economic freedom in the world,” chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad wrote in a blog post about its new voter-education initiative. More crypto-friendly candidates are running in 2022, and Coinbase and other companies are hoping to expand the size — and maybe tilt the tenor — of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. That may be an uphill battle, since some crypto-friendly candidates like the Association for Digital Asset Markets’ Michelle Bond haven’t made it past the primary contests.— Owen Thomas (email | twitter)
Affirm spooked Wall Street with a downbeat outlook, which confirmed what many already suspected: More consumers are hurting. CEO Max Levchin said the “buy now, pay later” company is seeing “early signs of consumer stress.” It’s likely to continue and could even get worse.
It’s a major test for Affirm — and for the emerging payment method. While Levchin still argues that “buy now, pay later” is a better financing option for consumers, especially during a crisis, his team is paying close attention to “signs of significantly more stress.”
“We are going to be cautious,” Levchin said on Affirm’s earnings call. The company reported a downbeat revenue outlook that sent its shares tanking late Thursday.
Is “buy now, pay later” good for stressed-out consumers? The short-term payment plans, critics have warned, could lead to an unhealthy rise in consumer debt.
Despite the fuzzy path forward, Levchin is still a firm believer in “buy now, pay later,” a payment system his company helped pioneer before it even had that catchy moniker. Hard times are creating more challenges, but this may be the best opportunity to shine.— Benjamin Pimentel (email | twitter)
Why on-demand talent could be exactly what companies need right now: If you thought the rise of remote work, independent contractors and contingent workers rose sharply during the pandemic, just wait until the next few months when you see a higher uptick in the on-demand talent economy.
FTX has absorbed the venture capital operations of Alameda Research. The change was in the works at the two firms, which are both founded by Sam Bankman-Fried, before co-CEO Sam Trabucco announced he was stepping down Wednesday.
There are now more Visa tokens than cards, the company says. The company's chief product officer told Reuters that Visa has issued more than 4 billion tokens for digital payments, like Apple Pay.
Real estate startup Reali is shutting down. The company — which offered a "buy before you sell" product — said the combination of a difficult real estate market and slow capital-raising environment brought the decision. The firm raised $100 million roughly a year ago.
CBOE has a long list of partners for its crypto business. The options exchange is working on crypto products with a list of financial firms that includes market makers DRW, Jane Street and Virtu Financial.NFTs are increasingly the target of scammers. More than 4,600 NFTs were stolen in July, according to a report from Elliptic — the most of any month since the firm began tracking the data in 2017.
With few conventional payments options for cannabis businesses, Bespoke Financial’s backers think the returns on a “buy now, pay later” service for the sector are going to be high. Get it? It’s a marijuana joke. Anyway, Casa Verde Capital’s Karan Wadhera, who has backed Bespoke, isn’t worried about the competition: "We're not seeing Affirm or Klarna, and definitely not Apple come into our space anytime soon."Former SEC chair Jay Claytonwishes Washington and crypto would just get along: “Each group fears that yielding to the other would cost billions in either losses to innocent victims or missed opportunities for investors. In this environment, consensus is elusive.”
The NFT market, which exploded in 2021, now has an estimated value of roughly $19 billion even after the frenzy fizzled. While the NFT world initially featured offbeat digital art collections like CryptoPunks and the Bored Ape Yacht Club, major corporations have also embraced the trend as a way to enhance their brands while raking in meaningful revenue. Here are the top five consumer brands cashing in on the NFT craze, with Nike in a commanding lead.
Why on-demand talent could be exactly what companies need right now: The biggest benefit of leveraging on-demand talent is often tapping into the talent and skills that businesses can’t find elsewhere. Upwork’s recent report highlights that 53% of on-demand talent provide skills that are in short supply for many companies, including IT, marketing, computer programming and business consulting.
Thanks for reading — see you Monday!


text:
Consumer spending, which accounts for the bulk of the U.S. economy, stalled in August, according to data released Friday by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Its measure of personal consumption rose just 0.2 percent from July. It revised July's personal consumption gains lower, to 0.7 percent from a previously reported 0.8 percent.
Consumers slowed spending in August amid economic uncertainty, while incomes unexpectedly fell and the savings rate declined.
Personal income declined 0.1 percent in August. The savings rate fell from 4.7 percent to 4.5 percent, the lowest savings rate since December 2009.
The Labor Department Oct. 7 is expected to say average hourly wages rose 0.2 percent in September. The unemployment rate is likely to have remained unchanged at 9.1 percent, with market watchers expecting 53,000 new jobs to have been added in September, according to a Bloomberg survey.


text:
…Demand Ministry of Textile industry, list other measures to rejuvenate sector
By Victor Ahiuma- Young
LEADERS of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers Union of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, have remained undaunted in their struggle to see that the good old days when textile sector employed no fewer than 650,000 direct workforce and indirect millions of workers, returns.
Few days ago,leaders of the union as part of the sector rejuvenation’s drive, met with President Muhammadu Buhari, at Villa to personally brief him on the state of the sector and steps needed to return it boom as a leading job generating sector in the country.
Speaking on behalf of members, General Secretary of the Union, Issa Aremu, recalled that “in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, Nigeria was the home to Africa’s largest textile industry. Nigeria had over 180 textile mills in operations. The industry employed some direct 650,000 workforce and indirect millions of cotton farmers, traders and garment workers and tailors throughout the country. The sector indeed employed more workforce than the Federal government.
The industry also contributed over 25% of the workforce in the manufacturing sector and as much to national GDP. All the defunct regions and the newly created states relied majorly on textile mills as major source of internally generated revenues. Same with utilities like old NEPA and water corporations in all the states textile mills are located.”
Closure of factories
He lamented that “most of the factories have stopped operations. Less than 25 textile factories are operating today at below 20 percent of their production capacities. The workforce in Nigeria’s textile industry stands at less than 40,000 workers.”
While commending the President for being “the first President that has commendably raised the prospects of reviving the industry to create employment for farmers, weavers and spinners”, Aremu declared: “Since your assumption of office, there have been a number new measures aimed at the revival of textile industry.
First we commend your Excellency for putting in place for the first time a comprehensive Cotton, Textile and Garment, CTG, policy which aims at reviving the entire value chains of cotton growing, Ginneries, spinning and weaving, printing and garments production.
“The Nigerian CTG sector has the capacity to transform Nigeria’s rural economy and revive the textile and garment industries by creating over 2 million jobs, improve internal revenue across three tiers of government, reduce $4billion import bill incurred annually on textile and apparel, safeguard and earn foreign exchange.”
Ministry of textile industry
According to the NUTGTWN Scribe, “We hereby suggest that for Nigeria to realize to the fullest the textile potential for nation building your administration should establish Ministry of Textile as it has been done in India, China and Pakistan. The textile sector in Pakistan has an overwhelming impact on the economy, contributing 57% to the country’s exports. In Bangladesh 4 millions are employed in in as many as 5000 garment factories. The objective of the proposed Ministry would be regular upgrading of the textile value chains, improve on labour productivity, maximize value-addition and formulate strategies and programme to enable the textile sector to meet the challenges to attain global competitiveness.
“We commend your administration for initiating the Executive Order 003 on Support of Local Content in Procurement. In the past few weeks the CBN under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele has taken a number of bold and commendable efforts to encourage patronage of local fabrics towards driving the economic policies of your Excellency.
“Following series of engagement, CBN had initiated the signing of an unprecedented MOU between the Service Chiefs, Chief Executives of Uniformed Services, and textile/ garment manufacturers on enforcement of Executive Order 003 on Support of Local Content in Procurement by MDAs. With this MOU, uniforms for navy, police, army, NYSC, theatre wears in hospitals and medical facilities are to be sourced locally from the Nigerian CTG sector in pursuance of the current administration’s drive towards economic diversification and creating jobs for our teeming population. No administration has shown such bold commitment to local patronage.”
Buy made-in Nigeria campaign
Continuing, Aremu noted that “South Africa’s clothing and textile sector was until recently depressed due to lack of local patronage and dumping of imports. But today because of conscious efforts on the part of the government through “Buy SA campaign”, the textile sector has been revived with many workers employed. We urge your Excellency to use your good office to also encourage state governors to also use state budgets to patronize local fabrics, revive local industries, create mass jobs and get youths gainfully employed and out of criminality and insurgency indoctrination.
Aremu contended that the “fiscal authorities must try and compliment the commendable efforts of the CBN monetary and development financing measures. The major problems are Smuggling and counterfeiting of textile products. The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has recorded some achievements in combating smuggling. But more should be done. NCS should come out with the new creative measures that must include consistent raids of the warehouses of smugglers in Kano, Lagos, Kaduna and other cities of the Federation. CBN, has commendably blocked the accounts of some smugglers sabotaging Nigeria’s economy in the textile, rice and palm oil industry. The NCS should complement CBN’s efforts through more vigilance and raids of smuggled goods stores.
“We suggest that, a presidential task-force be set up. It consist of Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment , MITI, Budget Office of the Federation, BOF, NCS, Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, Textile Workers Union and Manufactures Association of Nigeria, MAN. It should have the power to confiscate goods smuggled into the country and burn them.”


text:
The City of Reykjavík’s environment and planning committee has voted to keep sections of three downtown streets permanently car-free, RÚV reports. Laugavegur, Skólavörðustígur, and Vegamótastígur will now all have pedestrian-only zones all year.
The vote was approved with votes from members of the Social Democratic Alliance, the Reform Party, the Pirate Party, and two out of three of the committee’s Independence Party members, Hildur Björnsdóttir and Katrín Atladóttir.
Hildur and Katrín’s Independence Party colleague, Marta Guðjónsdóttir, voted against the proposal saying that downtown business owners are opposed to year-round traffic closures, which contribute, she asserted, to their ongoing struggle to remain open and solvent. For their part, Hildur and Katrín said that the new car-free streets must be managed in consultation with pedestrians, shop owners, and stakeholders. “A lack of cooperation over major construction developments, constant property tax increases, wage increases, and the rise of online shopping are among the things that have created difficulties for shop owners in downtown Reykjavík,” they said.
Taking into account feedback from said stakeholders, the project will be divided into nine sections. This means that the permanent car-free zones will actually be less expensive and less disruptive to local businesses than was thought when the plan was originally proposed.


text:
"The economy is doing so well, patriotic Americans have more money to spend on customized, artistically special guns." When Kahr Firearms Group's Justin Moon said the above at the 2020 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show, he may well have been prophesying the absolutely epic response that President Trump's recent NASCAR appearance has evoked on both sides of the … [Read more...] about How to Live Rent-Free in Anti-Gunners’ Heads, by Magnum Research & President Trump
Steyr Arms rarely offers discounts on their high-end, professional-quality guns...but today is a rare exception. Like Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are uniquely American traditions...so it's a welcome surprise to see Steyr Arms, the legendary Austrian manufacturer of high-end rifles and pistols, participating. In general, Steyr rarely offers discounts … [Read more...] about EXCLUSIVE: Steyr Firearms on Deep Discount Today Only!
One hundred years ago, on the eleventh day of November, President Woodrow Wilson decreed that the end of World War One—and the sacrifice and bravery of our military—would be solemnly honored on November 11 by a grateful nation. Just in time for Veteran's Day 2019, we've learned that Steyr Arms USA is saluting this uniquely American holiday by inviting veterans to participate in … [Read more...] about Steyr Arms Offers Special Pricing for Veterans, Active Duty & Law Enforcement
Introduced 61 years ago, the iconic Weatherby Mark V Accumark series of bolt-action hunting and long-range rifles has undergone a major update--according to the company, all three models in the line have now been updated with new features, new technologies, new style...and new pricing. Given that this series of rifles has six decades' worth of history and reputation as one of … [Read more...] about Weatherby Updates Mark V Accumark Rifles
I may be hard as woodpecker lips, but that doesn't mean I don't love an easy slide. Shooters with arthritis and other hand problems will be excited to learn that SCCY Firearms has recently announced a new semi-automatic handgun designed for concealed carry: the new CPX-4. This pistol, chambered in .380 AUTO, integrates an ambidextrous thumb safety into the platform...but the … [Read more...] about SCCY Firearms’ New CPX-4 .380 Pistol: Easy Slide for Tough Geezers


text:
Facebook Local could give competition Foursquare and Yelp
Events, the app which was launched by Facebook last year for its users to get updated with events and happening in the town. Unfortunately, the app was not a big hit for the company and eventually got lost. Now, the company is relaunching the app with a new name ‘Local’ and added more features to it. Facebook Local is much more than just finding the hot events, it also helps the users in hunting down the restaurants, bars, and nearby attractions.
The social networking giant is rebranding its Events app with a new name and some alluring options. Facebook Local uses the Facebook’s 20 million business pages, reviews and the friend's check-in to source the information. The user can check the local events, shows, latest news on Facebook Local and also discover places to hang out with the friends. Facebook Local will also give the review and information about every place given by other users. “Make it a lot easier to do certain kind of looks ups that are very common when making plans with friends,” said Aditya Koolwal Facebook Local product manager. The whole idea behind the Local app is to use all the information from Facebook and provide it comprehensively on a separate platform. This will help the users to directly pin out the places and events just by opening the Local app.
According to Sensor Towers, the Events app was never crossed the #139 rank on the social networking apps chart and received only 100,000 downloads. The Events app was only capable of telling the nearby events and happening by using your Facebook circle and local business pages. The app was too slow and contained bugs in order to provide the information which annoys the user. On the other hand, the relaunched the app Local provides many options to the user, along with events the user can also find other cool places to kill the time. The app also shares the shortest route available to the cafe or bar you are planning to go. The calendar option shows your day’s event along with the nearby events and the app also guides to music events, nightlife, art and many other attracting happening on certain days in the calendar. By opening the Discover feed you can explore the trending events, places, and the locations of your friends checking in just like SnapMap in Snapchat app.
The Facebook Local is a much-advanced version of the Events and if promoted well by the company could become a new trending mobile app. However, Facebook already has all the information that is given by its Local app but buried under many tabs. Providing easier access to the events and other places information under a new social media app is a smarter move by the company. The app could help in selling the event tickets and promote nearby businesses too, by turning Facebook Local into Foursquare-like app could generate big revenue for the company. On this Aditya Koolwal cleared that “ Facebook Local won't have any ads promoting businesses and events, but the company could think about it in future”.
With a mixture of literature, cinema, and photography, Manish is mostly traveling. When he is not, he is probably writing another tech news for you!
Cut to the
chase content that’s credible, insightful & actionable.
Get the latest mashup of the App Industry Exclusively Inboxed


text:
Bitcoin Cash still needs to prove itself
Bitcoin Cash is only about 24 hours old, but on paper it's already a huge success. One listing of cryptocurrencies rates Bitcoin Cash as the world's third most valuable, behind only Bitcoin and Ethereum and way ahead of rivals like Litecoin and Dash.
But it's not clear how durable this apparent early success will prove to be. Right now, Bitcoin Cash's value is driven by a relatively small number of speculators who are making bets about the currency's future viability. But those bets could prove to be either way too optimistic or way too pessimistic.
In the short term, one of Bitcoin Cash's big challenges will be a shortage of miners. These are the people who participate in Bitcoin's decentralized transaction-clearing process. Bitcoin miners race to solve a hard mathematical problem—calculating hash functions over and over again until they find one starting with a minimum number of zeros—and the first miner to solve the problem gets to add a block to the blockchain and claim a reward of 12.5 bitcoins. The network periodically adjusts the difficulty of the problem to ensure that it's solved every 10 minutes, on average.
The difficulty of this problem was calibrated to the amount of computing power that existed on the Bitcoin network prior to the split. But only a small minority of computers that had been mining on the main Bitcoin network have switched to Bitcoin Cash. With less computing power, Bitcoin Cash miners are finding blocks much more slowly: fewer than once per hour, on average, compared with once every 10 minutes on the main blockchain. That means users of Bitcoin Cash will need to wait a lot longer—hours rather than 30 to 60 minutes—to be sure that their Bitcoin Cash payments are final.
Over the next few days, the Bitcoin Cash software should automatically adjust the difficulty level downward to speed up transaction processing. But the sluggish early start means that anyone who experiments with Bitcoin Cash in its first few days is likely to have a bad experience.
The longer-term challenge is convincing a broad range of stakeholders to start supporting Bitcoin Cash alongside conventional Bitcoin. Bitcoin's value flows from the fact that it's so widely recognized and supported by so many different service providers.
Bitcoin Cash is just a slight modification of conventional Bitcoin, so it wouldn't be technically difficult for companies to add support for Bitcoin Cash. But it's still extra work for service providers, and so far most have signaled that they won't be doing it. For example, the popular payment processor Bitpay has said it won't support Bitcoin Cash, which means that the thousands of ordinary merchants that accept Bitcoin payments using Bitpay won't accept Bitcoin Cash payments. Coinbase, a leading provider of Bitcoin wallet services, has also said it won't support Bitcoin Cash.
Of course, these service providers could always change their mind. And the thing that's most likely to change their minds is if the mainstream Bitcoin network continues to suffer from severe processing bottlenecks and correspondingly high fees. Bitcoin Cash has an 8 megabyte block size limit, immediately giving it eight times the capacity of classic Bitcoin. And it has a community that's more likely to support further increases if 8 megabytes ultimately proves to be insufficient.
So the bullish case for Bitcoin Cash would be if the mainstream Bitcoin community continues to be paralyzed by internecine conflict, preventing it from accommodating growing demand. Transaction fees could soar, causing consumers and businesses to look for alternatives. More and more frustrated businesses could add support for Bitcoin Cash. And then users could start to prefer it because it's faster and cheaper than conventional Bitcoin.
The split might wind up being better for everyone
Last week we covered a deal that offered the prospect of uniting Bitcoin's disparate factions and avoiding a blockchain fork. Obviously, a fork happened anyway, as some big-block supporters decided that the deal didn't go far enough in expanding the capacity of the mainstream Bitcoin network.
Still, that deal helped ensure that Bitcoin's divorce was an amicable one. The big danger was that we'd wind up with two warring factions both insisting they were the real version of Bitcoin, potentially creating both technical problems and massive user confusion. Instead, most people stuck with the standard Bitcoin software, while Bitcoin Cash explicitly positioned itself as a spinoff. Bitcoin Cash developers have taken measures to ensure that the split goes smoothly, including a feature called replay protection to prevent trouble-makers from re-broadcasting transactions from one network to the other.
At the same time, we can expect the existence of Bitcoin Cash to influence the direction of the mainstream Bitcoin community's ongoing block size debate. On the one hand, the existence of Bitcoin Cash could give the mainline world community a sense of urgency about addressing scaling problems. With less congestion on the network, Bitcoin Cash transactions are likely to come with much lower transaction fees. If those lower fees start to attract users away from mainstream Bitcoin, the latter will feel pressure to take their own steps to expand network capacity and lower transaction costs.
But it's also easy to imagine Bitcoin Cash having the opposite effect—of entrenching small-block ideology. Some of the most vocal big-block supporters have left for Bitcoin Cash. If the project succeeds, others might follow them. Small-block supporters might start to say that people who want a big-block version of Bitcoin should just use Bitcoin Cash. In this scenario, the two Bitcoin communities could wind up with diametrically opposed philosophies about network scaling.
This might wind up being the best outcome for everyone involved. Something similar happened last year, when the fledgeling Ethereum community had to decide whether to modify the network to reverse the theft of $50 million worth of ether, the Ethereum currency. Pragmatists argued that allowing the thefts to go unaddressed would undermine Ethereum's legitimacy. Purists argued the opposite: that the irreversibility of Ethereum transactions was a fundamental part of its design. Ultimately, the community split into a mainstream currency (where the thefts were reversed) and a rival called Ethereum Classic (which refused to reverse them).
Surprisingly, the combined value of the two currencies turned out to be higher than the value of the original, pre-fork version. Far from undermining confidence in Ethereum, the results suggests the split may have actually created value by giving both factions of the Ethereum community what they wanted. The same thing appears to be true for Bitcoin: standard bitcoins are worth about what they were before the fork, while the newly created Bitcoin Cash coins are worth more than $10 billion.
reader comments196 with
Share this story


text:
It was gathered that the Federal Government yesterday bemoaned Nigeria’s over dependence on imports for its daily needs including food items.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh said it was ridiculous that the country spends over $18m annually on importation of tooth picks.
Asked how he arrived at the figure, he said it was from a recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report, stressing that it was pathetic that Nigeria was spending its hard earned resources on non-essential items. […]
A case of the deadly Lassa fever has been detected at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State.
It was gathered that the victim who came from Edo State went to the FMC to treat malaria fever; but after a blood test, it was discovered that the victim had contacted the deadly disease.
However, the state government said it was proactive about the case and the victim has been returned to Edo State where he came from.
When contacted, the Ondo State Commissioner […]
Nigerian ports have lost a whopping N600 billion in the last three years due to diversion in the importation of vehicles from the nation’s ports to neighbouring ports, especially the Cotonou port in the Republic of Benin findings have revealed.
This figure is said to be the value of the revenue that ought to have been collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) if the vehicles were shipped directly to Nigerian ports.
This is even as activities at the terminals designated for […]
The Central Bank of Nigeria has disclosed that total foreign exchange inflow into the economy in the second quarter of 2016 was $15.33billion. This it said represented an increase of 3.7 per cent above the level at the end of the first quarter but, showed a decline of 35.3 per cent relative to the level at the end of the corresponding period of 2015.
The development the CBN said was driven by increase in oil and non-oil receipts. Oil sector receipts […]
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh yesterday reeled out worrisome statistics, which showed that the country spends over $22 billion (N7trillion) annually on importation of various food items like wheat, rice, fish, and poultry products among others.
But the Federal Government said the continued importation of products that could be produced locally was a big threat to local production.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who unveiled the agricultural roadmap christened: “The green alternative: Agriculture promotion policy-2016-2020”, said the government was […]
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and the world’s largest producer of cassava, imports many cassava products, including garri, a West African staple.
This was disclosed by Mofe Omotosho, a consultant with Patra Consult, a sales and agriculture training and consulting firm in Lagos.
Omotosho said Nigeria, the largest producer of cassava anywhere in the world, should not be importing any cassava product at all.
Speaking at a media training for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), she said Nigeria does not place premium on […]
With the country just coming out of one fuel crisis, there’s no eagerness to get into another, but that might just be the case if the oil marketers are to be believed.
The marketers, under the umbrella of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DPPMAN) have said except the CBN provides foreign exchange to import fuel, the recent subsidy payment they received from the government will remain in their naira accounts.
They made this clear on Friday, May 20, […]
According to reports, Nigeria spends N165 billion annually to import fruit juice, the president of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Frank Jacobs, has said.
In a paper presented at a workshop organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Owerri on Friday, Mr. Jacobs noted that in spite of the high rate of fruit production and a thriving juice market, the country imported fruits concentrates.
In the paper entitled “Promoting Investments in Concentrate Production’’, he said the situation […]


text:
CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Wal-Mart said late Monday that it is still looking at earnings of 45-47 cents a share in the third quarter and is tracking now at 46 cents a share. That's mostly in line with analysts reporting to Reuters Research who average 47 cents a share. The Bentonville, Ark-.based retailer also said it will open as many as 495 new stores in the new fiscal year beginning Feb. 1. Of those, 50 to 55 will be new discount stores; 220-230 are slated as super centers; 25-30 as neighborhood markets; and 35 to 40 as Sam's Club stores. Wal-Mart International also will add 130 to 140 stores in existing markets. Wal-Mart also plans to construct three new regional general-merchandise distribution centers and two new food-distribution centers. Shares of Wal-Mart WMT, +0.80% closed at $57.23, up 43 cents. The remarks were made ahead of the company's annual meeting with analysts on Tuesday.
Have breaking news sent to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Bulletin emails. Sign up here.


text:
Telltale Games appears to be shutting down. According to GameDaily, the troubled Northern California game studio behind the acclaimed Walking Dead series has entered bankruptcy proceedings, and has enlisted the help of an outside company, Sherwood Partners, to assist in the closure of the company.
Co-founder Martin Pitchinson told GameDaily that Sherwood will be overseeing the liquidation of Telltale’s assets. Not only this, but an ex-employee told the site that the remaining health benefits mandated by law for affected eligible employees will come to an end on November 30.
Telltale entering bankruptcy proceedings is no surprise. In September, the studio laid off the majority of its staff, reportedly paying no severance to affected developers. Only a small «skeleton crew» remained on staff, and now it appears the true end is in sight for Telltale.


text:
Ed Boon, the creator of Mortal Kombat and the director of the current game, has shared the MK11's cover art through Twitter. If you're unfamiliar with those, they're kind of like Mortal Kombat titles starring DC heroes and villains, though that's an admitted oversimplification.
Raiden has been corrupted from the final battle of Mortal Kombat X, and Dark Raiden is seen fighting two different versions of Scorpion.
Happy to share with everyone the official cover art for Mortal Kombat 11 here!
Dispute Between Unity, Cloud Service Shuts Down Some Online Games
Improbable said Unity has hurt projects across the industry, particularly among smaller developers, leaving games in legal limbo. This change to Unity's terms came on December 5, 2018, but wasn't clarified directly to Improbable until January 9, 2019.
One of the more surprising rumours about the new game sees current WWE Raw Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey, linked with a role in the new game. Fans of Injustice 2 can probably expect some aspects of the Gear System to carry over to the Custom Character System.
Mortal Kombat 11 will be out on April 23, 2019, for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Of course, we also know that Ed Boon is a bit of a troll considering how he laughed at a supposed leak. What do you think we'll learn during the event?
Make sure to tune into the event live on January 17 to find out for yourself, and you can expect our take on whatever is announced shortly after.


text:
Brinks Truck Robbery Resulting In $150M Worth Of Stolen Jewelry Leaves Zero Evidence, Prompting FBI Investigation
A Brinks truck carrying millions in jewelry to a trade show was robbed of over $100M in goods without evidence, prompting an FBI investigation. If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, crime everywhere is out of control. There
A Brinks truck carrying millions in jewelry to a trade show was robbed of over $100M in goods without evidence, prompting an FBI investigation.
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, crime everywhere is out of control. There is a distinct difference between regular crime and a heist—People busting out car windows and stealing things out of cars all over town is regular crime; Stealing millions in jewelry without leaving a trace is a heist.
One of the biggest heists in recent memory happened in Lancaster, California this past weekend, leaving everyone scratching their heads. According to KTLA, a Brinks truck carrying millions in jewelry headed for the International Gem and Jewelry Show in San Matro was robbed.
Brinks Truck Robbed Of Over $100M In Jewelry Not Leaving Much Evidence, Promoting FBI Investigation
On July 10, a Brinks truck loaded with over $100M of jewelry was headed to Pasadena, California, but come the morning of July 11, it was gone. The jewelry was headed to the International Gem and Jewelry show, where mom and pop shops display their most expensive goods. The worst part is: no one seems to have any answers for the 18 victims that were robbed.
“According to the information the customers provided to us before they shipped their items, the total value of the missing items is less than $10 million,” Brink’s said in a statement. “We are working with law enforcement, and we will fully reimburse our customers for the value of their assets that were stolen, in accordance with the terms of our contract.”
Here’s where things get tricky, the items were worth way more than $10M and Brinks is committed to refunding them, pointing out these people undervalue the items due to expensive insurance on their real value. The group’s director Brandy Swanson said around 25 and 30 bags were taken with 18 victims reporting more than $100 million in losses. Swanson also confirmed the theory about undervaluing the items due to insane insurance pricing.
“That’s where the discrepancy comes in. These are mom-and-pop operators,” Swanson said. “They’re devastated. Some of these people have lost their entire livelihoods.” Said Swanson.
Another weird part is seemingly no one has any information on how the truck was robbed. When KTLA contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, they didn’t have information about the investigation. On top of that how the truck was robbed can’t be answered by anyone which has promoted the FBI to now get involved.
You can watch the news report on the robbery below.


text:
A Taco Bell employee posts a picture of himself licking a stack of tacos in an actual Taco Bell. Excited about the topic of social media use on company time yet?
Employees should be encouraged to use social media -- just not in a licking-tacos kinda way.
Rise in Social Media Usage
Kendal Peiguss feels this way. The marketing programs manager and former social media manager responsible for the adoption and growth of social communities with SmartBear Software, Peiguss caught up with CMSWire after her presentation on the topic at last month's Gilbane Conference in Boston.
SmartBear, whose customers include developers, testers and operations professionals monitoring performance of their APIs, mobile, cloud-based and Web applications, began focusing on social media as a primary marketing platform late in 2012. Today, the majority of the marketing and sales teams have become regular users of Twitter and LinkedIn for business.
"People have bought into the powerful effect that it has on connecting with clients," Peiguss said.
Product teams are heavy users of Google Plus and Reddit, which is in line with the demographic of those platforms, said Peiguss, who estimated that two-thirds of SmartBear users are actively using social media.
Have a Clear Policy
So where do you start if your charged with steering employees toward valuable social-media use?
First, recognize this -- your employees are on it. According to Pew Research, 72 percent of all online adults are using social media sites.
"Ignoring the fact that your employees are on social media does not make it less true," Peiguss said.
What does a social media policy do? It allows employers, Peiguss said, to create an open dialogue with their team about what's appropriate on social. It's also, she said, a great time to encourage the use of it.
Address items like the consequences of inappropriate usage and defining harassment. "But it's also a good idea to encourage people to be active on LinkedIn two to three times per week or to participate in Twitter hashtags during live events," Peiguss said.
Have an 'Un-policy'
An informal un-policy encourages social media more than it restricts it, Peiguss told us.
It should provide guidelines and direction for appropriate use, she said, but also training on how to use social for business.


text:
While we were on vacation last week, we heard back from Pardis Stitt about the conspicuous absence of award-winning chef/owner Frank Stitt's restaurants from the Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence list. As we suspected, they chose not to participate. (And while I focused on Highlands' wine list in my original post, simply because we are most familiar with it, Paris pointed out that they are pretty proud of the lists at Bottega and Chez FonFon, as well -- and rightly so.)
Here's what Pardis said: "Frank and I made a conscious decision several years ago to not participate. I think back in the day it was perhaps even a greater honor, to be awarded their award of excellence. Over the years as they started charging more and more for it, and just seeing some of the restaurants that I was very familiar with, not necessarily locally but just around the country, [we] just [became] very concerned as to the award process, and felt perhaps it was something we did not need to be a part of."
UPDATE: An editor from Wine Spectator posted a comment in response to this post.


text:
Elgin IL , US, 23 Jan 2014 17:00 CET
Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company, has won an appeal regarding the opposition of patent EP1232198, titled, UV Curable Compositions at the European Patent Office Board of Appeal in Munich, Germany on 17 January 2014. This patent, currently assigned to 3D Systems, Inc., was revoked at the European level, thus allowing for increased development of materials in this field.
“We’re pleased with the outcome as it encourages innovation in the area of photopolymers for stereolithography. We continue to focus on delivering the best materials to fit the industry and our customers’ needs,” says Melissa Hayes, Somos® Business Director for DSM.
DSM is committed to moving the industry to new levels of performance with their Somos stereolithography materials, a distinct and unique subset of additive manufacturing. With over 20 years of industry experience, DSM offers a large portfolio of Somos products that fit a wide range of applications and is dedicated to the success of this industry for the future.


text:
Automated age checks will be trialed at supermarket tills next month under government plans to curb underage drinking.
The Home Office believes the technology, which can reportedly estimate ages to within a year of accuracy, could eventually replace ID cards.
Along with preventing under-18s from buying alcohol, it could reduce retail crime, with shop workers often abused or assaulted when they check customer ages.
The system, created by digital identity startup Yoti, has already been used by the Post Office, police, NHS, NSPCC and social media.
It can be integrated into self-checkouts but is currently banned under UK licensing laws.
Shops are required by law to ensure no one under 18 buys alcohol, and to check ID where there is doubt.
Illegal sales carry a maximum penalty of up to six months in prison or a maximum fine of £5,000.
Yoti’s system will be tested in the Home Office’s “alcohol sandbox” if given the go-ahead by local licensing authorities and police.
Customers buying alcohol will have to consent to their picture being taken by a camera, although the firm claimed the image is automatically deleted and not shared with the retailer.
Yoti, last valued at £82 million, has been lobbying for a relaxation in UK licensing laws since at least last year.
In June 2020, it told the government its technology could prevent Covid-19 transmission by avoiding ID checks, cutting out up to 10 million “unnecessary close proximity touch points per week”.


text:
Oktobuzz has won the digital marketing mandate of Westside.
The agency will be responsible for managing the social media handles and campaigns of the fashion brand from the house of Tata’s.
Oktobuzz will also work with the brand on improving their overall online presence through data-led digital communication campaigns and other mar-tech projects.
Westside offers a wide range of contemporary wardrobe solutions for men, women and children. It also offers urban and warm home decor and a range of cosmetics, ambrosial fragrances and luxurious bath and body products.
The brand has entrusted Oktobuzz with the responsibility of helping them build a strong presence and establish the legacy of Westside as a house of Tata brand in the online world.
The agency will be working majorly on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. It will also work with the brand to help enhance the brand experience across platforms including website, App, UI/UX and videos.
Umashan Naidoo, Head-Customer and Beauty, Trent, said, “Westside has already established itself as one of the leading fashion retail brands in the country. As we grow our presence across the country, we also want to leverage Digital in the most constructive way and thereby make Westside the brand of choice for consumers aspiring for efficient and accessible fashion. Oktobuzz’s robust understanding of the market and digital ecosystem made the mark for us.”
Hemal Majithia, CEO and Founder, Oktobuzz, said, “We are extremely delighted to partner with Westside in this phase of hyper-growth, especially harnessing the power of digital. We are aligned with the brand's ambitious vision of being at the forefront of fashion and intend to convert data-led insights into clutter-breaking creative solutions that not only pushes creative boundaries but also impacts business positively.”
“We are delighted to add another marquee brand and an industry leader like Westside to our clientele. With India on the rise and the fashion sector booming, Westside, over the last two decades, has played a pioneering role in making India fashionable and at Oktobuzz, we are committed to further Westside’s digital presence with strategic planning at all levels,” added Rohan Nair, Sr Vice-President - Business and Strategy, Oktobuzz.


text:
17 Oct 2019
#NCAP40 – Celebrating Four Decades of Vehicle Safety Success Born in the USA
By David Ward
The winning formula for improved automotive safety has been the combination of mandatory standards and consumer information. And the first time this was systematically harnessed together was in the USA when the Administration of President Jimmy Carter launched the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP).
In 1979 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, led by Joan Claybrook, began to publish crash test results at a higher level of stringency than required by federal standards and the NCAP era began. It has now become a worldwide phenomenon, with NCAPs – or similar testing programmes – now working in Australasia, Africa, China, Europe, India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Latin America, South East Asia and, of course, here where it all started, with the US NCAP and also the work of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Over the last 40 years the spread of NCAPs around the world has contributed hugely to making automobiles safer than ever before. They have added a powerful demand-pull factor alongside the supply-push of regulation. NCAPs have stimulated manufacturers to offer models for sale that far exceed mandated standards and they have encouraged consumers to buy the safest cars they can afford. All involved at NHTSA in the launch of the US NCAP can be justifiably proud that their initiative back in 1979 has now been replicated across the globe. NCAP, born in the USA, has proved to be a life-saving gift to the world that keeps on giving.
My role with NCAPs began 25 years ago when I was involved in a campaign to improve European Union crash test standards and to launch Euro NCAP. This culminated in the release of the first ever results in 1997 and a year later the implementation of new crash tests for front and side impact. At that time around 45,000 people were being killed every year across the EU. Today, although it is still unacceptably high, 25,000 people die annually in road crashes across the EU which is now the safest road network in the world. Vehicle occupant deaths have halved and in 2017 it was estimated that the combination of EU legislation and Euro NCAP ratings have saved around 78,000 lives. But Euro NCAP is not satisfied with that and is updating its test protocols every five years. This process of continuous evolution has made Euro NCAP the world’s most advanced consumer test programme.
In 2011 I was also proud to launch the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) which serves as a platform to promote consumer safety testing worldwide. I have been privileged to see the NCAP effect at work in the world’s major emerging automotive markets. And once again it has proved to be a remarkable catalyst for improved vehicle safety. Latin NCAP, for example, was launched in 2010 with the region’s best-selling cars all scoring zero stars, vehicles that would fail to meet either US or EU crash test regulations. Last month Latin NCAP released a five-star rating for the region’s current best seller, the Chevrolet Onix. The model even obtained a special award for meeting pedestrian protection standards that are not yet applied in the USA.
More recently I have been involved in our ‘Safer Cars for India’ initiative which is a kind of pilot project to establish a permanent NCAP in India which is now the fifth largest vehicle producer in the world. Our first test results in 2014 were nearly all zero star cars, again below minimum standards of the EU and the USA. Last December, after 30 models have been tested, we were delighted to award India’s first ever five star car to the Tata Nexon. And in parallel, the Indian Government has introduced new crash test standards for front and side impact and for pedestrian protection. In fact, their crashworthiness requirements – because they now include pedestrian protection – now exceed those applied in the USA. These examples show the power of the NCAP model as a dynamic agent for change, building a market for safety across the world.
Today I would like to highlight three principle characteristics of NCAPs which I think help to explain their effectiveness and success.
Firstly, NCAPs must have strong operational independence, integrity and outreach. NCAPs work because they are trusted by the car buying public. Of course, they must offer a level playing field to the manufacturers who are competing against their rivals to demonstrate their engineering skill and product safety performance. In addition, they must be based on sound evidence and technology assessment, so that their ratings positively influence real world crash risks and outcomes. And they need to exploit the growth of on-line media and find new ways to reach the car buying public. All of this requires secure funding and continuous research capabilities.
Secondly, NCAPs should always promote best available technologies. They work best when they encourage both innovation and real-world deployment by stretching manufacturer performance. NCAPs are not about minimum standards which is the traditional role of mandatory regulation. That is why they should include tests that are not ready or even suitable for regulation. And that is why they need to be regularly updated to keep pace with technological development. This will become more challenging and even more important as we transition to a world of advanced driver assistance and semi-autonomous vehicles. As a rule of thumb if an NCAP finds that most of its test models score five stars then that is a powerful indicator that the ratings need an upward revision.
Thirdly, it is essential to maintain a constructive dialogue with manufacturers (OEMS) but with the important caveat that OEM associations have a poor record of negative influence on NCAPs. Both when manufacturers do well or poorly in NCAP tests the dialogue that follows is enormously valuable. It empowers both engineers and those responsible for brand values to strive to do better. Unfortunately, this positive dynamic is entirely absent at the level of OEM associations. Whilst they try to represent the industry on NCAP matters, they are never truly representative of the capabilities of the automakers. Unfortunately, they always move at the speed of their least competitive member. And that is why they have proved to be so often a drag anchor on NCAPs around the world.
As we celebrate its first forty years, I hope that US NCAP can again show the same mould breaking power that it did in 1979. As other NCAPs become increasingly sophisticated it will surely be desirable for the tradition of US leadership in automotive safety to be demonstrated once again. The NCAP community around the world was encouraged to see the proposed update of US NCAP in 2015 and I think we all hope that it will be implemented soon. For it is only by continuous improvement that any NCAP maintains its effectiveness and is the way to make US NCAP great again.