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Kia Motors Corp. posted its third straight quarterly loss Friday, hit by a stronger South Korean currency, production losses from a line retooling and marketing costs.
Kia Motors, South Korea's second-largest automaker, lost 30.6 billion won ($33 million) in the three months ended March 31, the company said in a statement. Kia posted net profit of 38.4 billion won a year earlier. Sales during the quarter at Kia, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., fell 12% to 3.85 trillion won ($4.2 billion). The loss was unexpected and came just two days after Hyundai Motor recorded its fifth straight quarterly decline. The average forecast of nine analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires was for Kia to report net profit of 29.84 billion won ($32 million). Company spokesman Michael Choo said the loss resulted from the South Korean won's strength, the shutdown of a production line at the company's Hwaseong plant for a model addition and overseas marketing expenses.
Export-dependent Kia said that the US dollar weakened 3.7% against the South Korean won during the quarter from the year before. A stronger won makes Kia's exported vehicles more expensive in overseas markets and can also reduce the value of profits earned abroad when converted into won. Choo said that Kia incurred various overseas marketing expenses during the quarter, including those related to its new cee'd compact five-door hatchback being produced at the company's plant in Slovakia. The cee'd was conceived, designed and produced totally in Europe. "That is a very strategic model for us," Choo said in explaining the marketing push. The company sold 53,733 of the vehicles, which it began producing late last year, during the quarter, Choo said. The assembly line at the Hwaseong plant in South Korea needed to be reconfigured to prepare for the addition later this year of a second sport utility vehicle model to the line, Choo said. The changeover caused production losses of 22,000 Sorento mid-size sport utility vehicles, Choo said.
Kia said that sales of vehicles produced in South Korea declined 7.4% to 271,140 from the year before. Domestic sales gained 8.1% to 67,128, but exports, which accounted for 76% of domestic production, declined 11.6% to 204,012. The figures don't include vehicles made at Kia's at plants in China and Slovakia, where it has annual total annual production capacity of 430,000 vehicles, Choo said. He said sales figures for the China.made vehicles would not be available until Monday. Shares in Kia, which released earnings after the stock market opened, rose 0.5% to close at 11,200 won ($12). (mlive.com)


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Comcast yesterday announced that the company would be making a few branding changes; namely changing the name of the company's technology platform and products to XFINITY. That means rebranding the company's products to XFINITY TV, XFINITY Voice and XFINITY Internet.
"XFINITY is the culmination of years of work to transition Comcast’s network and products to a platform that will now offer 100+ HD channels, 50 to 70 foreign-language channels, approaching 20,000+ VOD choices, incredibly fast Internet speeds (50 Mbps growing to 100+ Mbps) and thousands of TV shows and movies online for our customers to watch whenever and wherever they want," said David Watson, Executive Vice President of Operations.
So far, customer reaction to the change has been mixed. Comments on the blog post on Comcast's website range from, "I'd rather see you rebrand your infrastructure so I don't have to call you every six months," to "In my entire life, there was only one company that I would never do business with again, ever, forever. Now there are two: Comcast and XFINITY."
There's even a lone call to, "Bring back Conan," but there's little in the way of positive feedback.
However while most customers would see this as a "fresh start" or an effort to mask the fact that some customers have been less than happy with their service in the past, a Comcast employee assures them this is not the case. In response to one comment, Scott McNulty says, "We aren't changing the name in an effort to address any service issues we might have had in the past. The entire company has been working very hard to improve our customers' experiences. … we as a company are dedicated to taking care of our customers."
What do you make of the new name? Let us know in the comments below!


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CHILDREN can test their sporting knowledge in a competition to celebrate the Commonwealth Games when the Farmers' Market comes to Swadlincote at the end of the month.
On Thursday, July 31 youngsters will be invited to find the 10 sports dotted around different stalls at the market to be in with a chance of winning a prize.
There will also be a bouncy castle, an exhibition by the Magic Attic history archive and locally produced ice cream, plus tourist information centre staff will be on hand to give details about events, activities, workshops and days out in the area during school holidays.
The award-winning farmers' market takes place on the last Thursday of every month between 9am and 3pm on The Delph in Swadlincote.
Stalls sell local and fresh produce grown, raised, made, brewed, baked or caught within 35 miles of the National Forest.
Free parking is available and the market is close to the bus station.


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Sep 25, 2012, 12.18 PM | Source: Moneycontrol.com
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya-led UB group's Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers rallied as much as 11% intraday Tuesday as two bidders are eyeing stake in the company.
The Times of India reported that two strategic bidders are conducting due diligence to acquire UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya's 30.44% stake in Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers (MCF), as the beleaguered billionaire looks to raise cash by selling non-core assets to recapitalize debt-laden Kingfisher Airlines.
Its group company United Spirits (USL) today confirmed that Diageo Plc, world's biggest drinks company, is in talks to buy a stake in the Vijay Mallya owned firm.
"United Spirits and Diageo confirm that Diageo is in discussion with United Spirits and United Breweries (Holdings) in respect of possible transactions for Diageo to acquire an interest in United Spirits," it said in a notice to stock exchanges. However, there is no certainty that the discussions will lead to a deal, USL said.
At 12:06 hours IST, MCF was trading at Rs 47, up 7.43% amid hefty volumes. Market capitalisation of the company currently stands at Rs 557.02 crore.
USL share jumped 3.5% to Rs 1,090.90.


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One of the hot spaces in the startup ecosystem, foodtech has been delivering something special for the audience almost every week. The segment is largely driven by two foodtech majors Zomato and Swiggy, and today the former has caught attention with the acquisition of TongueStun, a caterers and restaurants aggregation platform.
Unlike a slew of recent distress acquisition deals, the cash and stock deal has been disclosed by the Sequoia Capital-backed company, which is around $18 million, reports TOI.
The acquisition should uplift the positioning of the six-year-old startup which has so far raised about $5 million from the likes of Uniqorn Venture and Haresh Chawla, a partner at private equity fund, True North.
Founded by Manjunath Ramkrishnan and Sundhar Varun, TongueStun has over 1,000 curated food partners along with 1,500 companies on its platform in six cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gurugram, and Pune.
TongueStun’s community connects corporate companies to caterers and also provides simplified food ordering and secure payments options, enabling clients to organize a great meal experience at the workplace.
It claims to enable 1 lakh meal per day and has tied up with Accenture, Mindtree, Genpact, Deloitte among others to deliver the meal.
The company works on the similar model of PapasTiffin and Hungerbox.
Following the acquisition, Zomato will integrate TongueStun app into it. From Zomato point of view, TongueStun’s acquisition will help it to scale its business in corporate segment. Over the years, ToungueStun managed to retain a major chunk of acquired clientele base who place over 20 orders in a month.
The development comes against the backdrop of Zomato’s announcement of delisting non-licenced restaurant partners from its platform. After FSSAI stringent clampdown over non-compliance restaurants, Zomato has taken the decision, which has over 50,000 partners on its platform.
The number of delisted partners is yet to be disclosed but it will surely affect the number of orders in a month, where Zomato claims over 13 million monthly order run rate.
This is the second acquisition for Zomato in last one year. In September 2017, it had acquired hyperlocal logistics startup Runnr with 1600 strong workforce in an all-stock deal. Since the acquisition, Zomato has been able to ramp up its online ordering part.
Ever since raising $200 million round from Ant Financial in February, Zomato has been exploring several avenues to accelerate its scale. Besides online ordering, it had announced to get into farm to fork business. It actually wants to supply raw materials to 50,000 strong restaurant partner base.


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Windows Camera snags a minor update on Windows 10 Mobile
Microsoft is soon expected to roll out Windows 10 Mobile update to existing Lumia devices running Windows Phone 8.1. In the meantime the company is working hard to improve core system apps like Music and Video.
Today, Microsoft pushed new update to Windows Camera app for Windows 10 Mobile devices. Microsoft did not provide any changelog regarding what’s new in this update. However, we assume minor fixes and performance improvements included in this update.


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Alpina specialists from BMW revealed a new model called the B3 GT3. At a first look you might think it has as base the M3 coupe, but really doesn't. The new car is powered by a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder twin turbo engine and the power produced has been increased to 408 horsepower and 540 Nm of torque. Because of this upgrade, the model is now able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds and it can reach a top speed of 300 km/h.
With all the extra power the Alpina B3 GT3 Series really needed better brakes and this is why it was equipped with very big brakes, 380 x 35 mm discs and 6-piston calipers on the front axle and 355 x 32 mm discs with 4-piston calipers on the rear one.
The list of features does not stop here. The new model also has a new front spoiler, a boot lid wing, but also an Akrapovic Titanium exhaust system that is actually lighter than the standard one.
We have no news about the price yet.
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A lire sur: http://searchconsumerization.techtarget.com/news/2240220158/IT-embraces-BYOPC-as-mobile-and-PC-management-merge
Published: 06 May 2014
Published: 06 May 2014
IT administrators have long preached, "manage the data, not the mobile device." Now that concept is coming to PCs, too.
Despite the rise of mobility, organizations still must support PCs. Increasingly, these machines are personal laptops or notebooks that employees bring to work or use to access corporate systems from home. In response, some enterprise mobility management (EMM) vendors are adding bring your own PC (BYOPC) controls and PC management and security capabilities to their products.
"Whatever people choose to buy and use for their personal device, they'll want to use at work, as well," said Richard Absalom, senior analyst at Ovum, a global research firm based in the U.K.
More than 55% of full-time employees said they access corporate data from a personal laptop, according to Ovum's Global BYOD Survey. For users that want to do work after hours, for instance, it's convenient to access corporate email, stored documents or even some business applications on a home PC.
IT's interest in the BYOPC trend is growing, as well. Twenty percent of small businesses said they have already implemented or are expanding an implementation of bring your own PC or Mac, according to Forrester Research's Forrsights Hardware Survey, from the third quarter of 2013.
IT wants mobile-PC merger, but do users?
When mobile devices first became prevalent in the enterprise, Apple's iPhone was the immediate focal point. Soon, with the growing consumerization culture, employees brought smartphones with other OSes -- plus tablets and personal PCs and Macs -- into corporate environments. At first, vendors provided point products to manage specific device types. Now, IT wants a way to manage all endpoints through one system.
It doesn't even matter what the endpoint is, said Michael Thompson, an IT contractor for a large financial institution and technology consultant. His organization has developers and contractors that use Citrix Receiver to access XenApp virtual desktops and apps from various endpoints. IT manages those by having different certificate and authentication policies for different devices, whether they're corporate-issued Macs, personal iPhones or anything else.
The company uses MobileIron Inc. for mobile device management (MDM) and has considered holistic EMM products such as Citrix XenMobile, but Thompson said a centralized console for mobile and PC management would be key.
"Having one pane of glass to hit everything is a big, big deal for support," he said. "The more things we can get shoved into one panel, and then have entitlements based on that panel … that's definitely something important."
While IT might want to manage workers' personal computers, it's unlikely BYOPC is a win for the employee, said Matt Kosht, IT director for a utility company in Alaska.
"Since [workers] would likely also have personal apps and data on [the PC], they don't want organizational IT having the opportunity to surreptitiously monitor their activity," Kosht said. "IT naturally embraces and wants EMM since it re-establishes the control they lost over the endpoint, [but] I think full-blown EMM on a BYOPC is simply a non-starter since users will reject it."
Rather than get involved with a BYOPC or corporate-owned, personally enabled program, many employees simply use personal laptops without IT's knowledge, Absalom said. In fact, 34.7% of users that bring their own PC do so against corporate policy, according to Ovum's survey.
EMM products add PC containerization
EMM vendors have turned to PC management because they must round out their offerings in the face of increased competition, Absalom said. VMware made it clear that one of itsreasons for acquiring AirWatch was to develop a single console for managing desktops and mobile devices. AirWatch allows for PC management through the same MDM techniques it uses for iOS devices.
Then there's the container approach, where a secure container separates the personal from the work environment -- something that many EMM vendors already offer for mobile devices. Moka5 supports PC containerization in its new LivePC product for client management. The container runs locally on the user's device regardless of network connectivity. It includes IT controls, such as the ability to revoke the work container when an employee leaves the company.
"While mobile device managers have been using some form of container for security for a while now, they have yet to bring it up to the PC," said David Applebaum, a senior vice president at Moka5. "The PC is really the heart of the enterprise. Tablets are great for consuming information, phones are good for interactivity, but those are not work devices."
Dell EMM also offers a secure container for PCs. Using features from Dell's acquisitions of Credant and SonicWALL, IT can configure PIN access to the encrypted mobile container; plus, users don't need VPN connection to access the business container.


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The company confirmed the feature to Re/code in a statement.
“As an Apple Music member you can add anything from the Apple Music library — a song, an album or a video — to your collection,” Apple said in a statement to Re/code. “And that’s just the warm-up act. From there you can create the perfect playlist from anything you’ve added. You can save it for offline listening and take it on the road.”
There had been some concern the feature wasn't available since Apple didn't explicitly mention it during its keynote.
Take a look at the chart below to see which features of Apple Music are accessible with or without a membership.


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Amazon is trying to stop its Amazon Echos, powered by the Alexa voice-activated assistant, from suddenly laughing.
The online retail giant told to tech news publication The Verge on Wednesday that it is aware that some Echo Internet-connected speakers have a laughing problem and is “working to fix it.”
Amazon’s (amzn) acknowledgement of the issue comes after several people have reported on Twitter and Reddit that their Amazon Echo speakers have started laughing, for no apparent reason. People typically activate their Echo speakers by saying the word “Alexa,” which triggers the device to listen and respond to commands like changing the volume.
The latest laughing is causing some customers to feel unsettled and confused. Other say it’s spooky, like something out of a horror film.
A Reddit user also described problems with the Amazon Echo Dot two weeks ago:
It’s unclear what’s causing the errors and Amazon’s brief statement did not say when the problem would be fixed or if other Alexa-enabled devices are also affected.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
Fortune contacted Amazon for more details and will update this story if it responds.
Update: Wednesday 4:35 PM PST.
An Amazon spokesperson told Fortune that Amazon has addressed the problem:


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When we imagine mowing the grass, we might think of our front yards. But, in the modern world, there’s a lot more green space than that. Commercial landscaping includes the greenspaces for hospitals, shopping centers, city parks, industrial centers, golf courses, and beyond. All spaces considered, the landscaping services industry is worth $105.1 billion, according to the IBIS World Landscaping Services Industry Report.
The industry has limitations, however. Though there’s a lot of grass to mow, landscaping businesses often face a shortage of skilled labor, limiting their business growth potential. And from an environmental perspective, even though the grass is green, the standard gas-powered tools of lawncare aren’t.
But new lawn care technology is changing that. Nature and technology don’t have to be at odds, especially in the world of landscaping, says Billy Otteman, Director of Marketing at Scythe Robotics in Boulder County, Colorado. Instead, technology can be used to better care for the environment and grow business.
Here’s how he describes the company’s mowing robot that’s taking on greenspace one yard at a time.
What is Scythe Robotics building?
We acknowledge that green spaces are some of our most frequented environments and that landscapers are environmental stewards. Even so, there hasn’t been a lot of innovation in the industry, leaving most landscapers stuck using gas-guzzling, high polluting equipment.
At Scythe Robotics, we build powerful tools designed to help take care of the planet more sustainably, starting with the commercial landscaping industry.
Our first green space management product, M 52, is a 52-inch commercial-grade mower that applies cutting-edge robotic and computer vision technology to outdoor equipment. This all-electric solution nearly eliminates emissions while expanding the amount of green space that landscapers can care for with the staff that they have.
How much does being in the Boulder ecosystem matter to you?
The Boulder County robotics scene is blossoming right now, specifically in Longmont. The area has really become a hub for robotics talent, which gives us a lot of talent to tap into.
The other unique thing about being in Boulder County versus being in other robotics hubs or startup hubs like San Francisco or Boston is that it puts us in a place where outdoor environments are more easily accessible. The outdoor environment is important because it allows us to develop and test our products in different outdoor settings, bringing a different mentality to the product itself.
In San Francisco, for example, there are a lot of robotics companies focused on last-mile deliveries, or robots that can get products to doorsteps, whether via drones or sidewalk robots. But, when you take that robotic system and put it in an off-road environment, the challenge becomes entirely different.
We need people who understand the different types of outdoor environments, and we need access to those types of environments to be able to test, develop, and validate our products. Not to mention there are a lot of physical manufacturing capabilities in Boulder County.
So, I’d say both from a talent and a product development perspective, being where we are in Colorado is extremely important.
What else is coming for the company?
Right now, we’re laser-focused on landscaping as we scale the production of our first product, the 52-inch mower. But, we’ve got a big vision beyond that. From the 52-inch mower product, we’re building the autonomy stack to suit other applications within landscaping, like aeration, trimming and edging, which use similar hardware and software.
Beyond landscaping, we see a lot of opportunity in agriculture, which actually requires a good bit of mowing. From there, we see other adjacencies in construction and forestry, which again have very similar applications for electric power advances.
At Patents Integrated, we know how important IP can be for growing companies. We also know that, for many founders, the patent process can feel like scaling Mount Everest. Our approach is simple: to use our expertise to make entrepreneurship that much easier for you, helping you build a patent strategy that protects your work both now and down the road. Ready to take a smarter approach to IP? Click here to get started.


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TWO shoppers have taken their followers to show what one of the biggest Poundland stores in the UK looked like – and it’s got heaps of bargains.
What’s better than Poundland? Visiting one that’s 18,380 ft in size – and not only is it massive, but it’s also got trolleys so you can pile high.
According to the brothers, the discount retailer is so big, it offers trolleys to its customers, so they can go on a shopping spree and bag all the goodies.
Whilst browsing around the store, the siblings were surprised that the majority of the items, including dishware and DIY tools, were a pound.
After some inspection, they discovered that a lot of it was by George at ASDA – just discounted.
The best part, however, was the sweets selection, they chuckled.
”This did not disappoint.”
Despite not bagging loads apart from the odd random bit here and there, the brothers advised fellow shopping fans to visit the store when possible.
”For you bargain hunters out there, the UK’s biggest Poundland is definitely worth the visit.
FABULOUS BINGO: Get a £20 bonus & 30 free spins when you spend £10 today
”Although this chewing gum is a bloody rip-off,” they added, zooming into a £1.50 mini packet.
But of course, Poundland enthusiasts didn’t need telling twice – close to 200 flocked to comments to tag their pals.
”It’s actually quite sad that I’ve been looking forward to a day off work today to go here,” wrote one person.
”Was there today so good,” another penned.
However, some claimed it wasn’t even as affordable, with one warning: ”loads of stuff is cheaper in home bargains.”
”Oh no that’s giving me aniexty [anxiety] as it’s too big!” someone else would not be visiting the store any time soon.


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On October 31, the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon and the Chairman of the Majlisi millli Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mayor of Dushanbe, Honorable Rustam Emomali, put in commission the second stage of the carpet manufacturing factory “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC on Zebuniso Street, Shohmansur district, and visited an exhibition of the company’s products.
The second stage of “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC was put into operation based on the instructions of the Head of State Emomali Rahmon in honor of the 35th anniversary of state independence of the Republic of Tajikistan and “Years of Industrial Development”.
The enterprise was built by the native businessman Navruz Abdullozoda within the framework of the implementation of the goals of rapid industrialization of the country using the favorable environment for investment and entrepreneurship.
With the activation of two additional production lines in the carpet factory, the number of workers, mostly women, has increased to 600.
It was emphasized that the production capacity of “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC has already approached the volume of production of “Kolinhoi Kairokum” company, which is a sign of the well-established production of the product and its competitive production. “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC has opened special stores in the capital of the country and Jaloliddin Balkhi district of Khatlon Province, where the company’s products are sold. The Head of State Emomali Rahmon instructed the company’s officials to establish such sales centers in the cities and districts of Kulob, Khorugh, Vahdat, Hisor, Bokhtar and Rasht, so that residents have more access to modern carpets.
The area of “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC is 2.7 hectares, the production capacity of the enterprise is 4500 square meters per day and 13.5 thousand square meters of carpets of different shapes and designs per month. The annual capacity of the enterprise reaches 4 million 860 thousand square meters per year.
The Leader of the Nation, while familiarizing himself with the activity of the second stage of the enterprise, evaluated the actions of entrepreneurs as worthy of support and interpreted it as an outstanding example of the implementation of the initiatives of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in the direction of industrialization of the country.
After the commissioning of the second stage of the carpet weaving enterprise “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, visited an exhibition of the enterprise’s products. Here are the best examples of carpets on display. The Head of State during his visit highly appreciated the quality of the products produced by this industrial enterprise of the country and tasked the officials to control the production process of high-quality products and pay special attention to the issue of strengthening exports.
During the visit to the exhibition, the Honorable Head of State Emomali Rahmon tasked the officials to seriously approach this proportion.
It was reported that as a result of the measures taken by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, by 2022, the volume of carpet production in the country was brought up to the level of 1991, and the volume of production amounted to 6.4 million square meters. Currently, the demand for carpets in the republic is 8.0 million square meters per year. In recent years, all 6 carpet weaving enterprises of the republic have been operating with the most advanced industrial technology, including 26 production lines of the “Vandevil” company of the Kingdom of Belgium, producing goods in accordance with accepted standards. It was noted that 3 million 921.82 square meters of carpets were produced in the country during 9 months of this year. This indicator was 5 million 515.09 square meters in nine months of 2022. The annual capacity of carpet weaving enterprises of Tajikistan is estimated at 13 million and 700 thousand square meters of carpet per year. During the nine months of this year, 3 million 328.8 thousand square meters of carpets were imported into the country, which is much more than the export.
The Leader of the Nation, Emomali Rahmon praised the creative initiative of the management of “Kolinhoi Dushanbe” LLC, building a carpet production enterprise in the capital of the country for the purposes of the state and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in the direction of the implementation of an important strategic goal – the rapid industrialization of the country and providing as many residents as possible with jobs was considered favorable.


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The downtown Kyiv is blocked, and the car traffic in the city's government quarter went to a halt. It is due to protests by the drivers of cars with EU license plates; at about 6 a.m., about a hundred cars blocked the major passage in the city center, paralyzing the traffic in that area.
According to NGO AvtoYevroSyla (AutoEuroPower, - 112 International), the car drivers joined the rally called 'Action for Protection and Customs Clearance'. They demand that the government approve the police checks of the cars with foreign license plates and apply sanctions according to the customs law.
The drivers say they intend to make the rally a timeless event until the government agrees to their conditions.
No violations of public order are reported. The police hold the cordon around the Parliament's building.
Earlier, UNIAN reported that sales of used cars in Ukraine’s primary market formed by imports grew by 78% in year-over-year terms in March 2018, to 7,400 units. Second-hand vehicles accounted for 52% of the country’s primary market of passenger cars, the press service of the Ukrautoprom Association has informed.
The rise in the share of used vehicles in the primary market is believed to be due to the fact that a lower excise duty on imports of used cars is about to expire at the end of the current year. The increase is also allegedly linked to a drop in the average offer price of such vehicles, as eight-year-old cars are also subject to the reduced rate in 2018.
“In March, Volkswagen used cars ranked first among imported second-hand automobiles. 1,252 Volkswagen vehicles acquired Ukrainian license plates. Renault came close second, with 1,126 used vehicles, while 696 Skoda automobiles were freshly equipped with Ukrainian license plates,” the report said.


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(By Balaseshan) Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN) reported wider first-quarter loss due to flat revenue and higher expenses. Revenue marginally missed consensus and the loss was wider than market expectations.
Looking ahead for fiscal 2013, the Broomfield, Colorado-based company said it expects that it will be more difficult to achieve the 27% to 32% Resort Reported EBITDA growth guidance, based on certain most recent booking trends.
Loss per share for the first quarter widened to $1.70 from $1.54 in the year-ago quarter, wider than market expectations of a loss of $1.59.
Net revenue was $116.4 million, roughly flat from last year, yet missing consensus estimates of $116.69 million.
[Related -Futures Gain After Payrolls Data; Quiksilver, Inc. (ZQK) Retreats]
Revenue from the company's Mountain segment increased 4.5%, while down 2.0% at Lodging. Real Estate segment revenue declined 9.2%.
"Our first fiscal quarter is historically a loss quarter since our mountain resorts are not open for winter ski operations during the period. The quarter is driven primarily by our late summer mountain activities, dining, retail and lodging operations, and administrative expenses for our year-round employees," said Rob Katz, Chief Executive of Vail Resorts.
Vail Resorts said it observed improving trends in summer business in both Mountain and Lodging operations from improved summer visitation in mountain resorts driving increased summer activities revenue, higher lodging RevPar and improved dining revenues.
[Related -Stock Upgrades And Downgrades: CA, JNJ, JNPR, LLL, MTN, NOC, WLL]
The company said its Lodging business also benefited from increased group business at Keystone, as well as the addition of a new national park property, Flagg Ranch, partially offset by lower results at Grand Teton Lodging Co. (GTLC) summer national park business, which was impacted by the effects of wildfires in the area.
Sales of season passes through December 2, 2012 for the upcoming 2012/2013 ski season were up about 5% in units and about 8% in sales dollars versus last year.
"We will know more about the season after the holidays and intend to address our fiscal 2013 guidance when we release our ski season metrics in mid-January," said Katz.
In addition, Vail Resorts said its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on common stock of $0.1875 per share, payable on December 27 to shareholders of record on December 19.
MTN is trading down 9.01% at $50.81 on Tuesday. The stock has been trading between $37.54 and $59.49 for the past 52 weeks.


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Gruvi Weekly Digest #94 – EU Cinema Attendance Thrives
A weekly catch up on things we’ve found interesting over the past week.
Cinema-going in Europe is thriving and remains one of the most popular leisure activities across the region
UNIC (Union Internationale des Cinémas, or, International Union of Cinemas) has released their brochure “European Cinema: Facts and Figures”, and it seems it’s good news all around! Ticket sales in 2017 show that European cinema goers are in no hurry to abandon the hobby. The 1.34 billion admissions in 2017 are up a total of 2.5% from 2016, with the box office coming in at €8.6 billion (up 1.8% since 2016).
The effect these admissions continue to have on the industry is equally positive.
“Europe is a key building block of an increasingly connected and international
industry, representing a quarter of the global theatrical market for films” UNIC
UNIC itself, as a trade association, certainly seems to be taking much pride in their work of promoting and representing the cinema operators, boasting 40 500 screens across 37 EU territories. The approach of personalised marketing is cited as a reason UNIC believes the EU film industry is thriving, while their data analytics predict it will continue to increase by 10% – 20% if implemented effectively.
When it comes to box office vs home entertainment revenue, going to the cinema still accounts for most of the film industry’s revenye, (61%in 2016). It will be interesting to see whether the battle of personalised marketing, which both home cinema and streaming are heavily invested in, will result in a significant shift.
Read more here.
Other articles of note
Viacom’s Advanced Advertising Takes Movie Marketing to the Next Level
Data analytics is the new black. It seems like if you’re serious about marketing in the film and TV industry, you’re going to have to go for the personalised approach. We’ve covered Netflix’ entire website dedicated to their new department, and above you can read about UNIC citing analytics for one of the reasons why admissions and box office figures soared in the EU territories in 2017.
Viacom seeks to use the fragmentation of audience’s attention to their advantage. Their solution seems to be leaning heavily on the area of experiential marketing, citing a study that found that 70% of the youth audiences choose to watch content that they find postable or shareable on social media.
Read more here.
‘Solo’ Crash-Lands With $103 Million 4-Day Holiday Opening
Not exactly the result Disney was expecting… It’s a whopping 46% below the “Rogue One” holiday release, but Disney reps say they’re not worried about the long term box office revenue for the film. Maybe it’s the Memorial Day release slot? Because all three of the other Disney Star Wars films released in the December slot certainly grossed huge amounts at the box office. The recently announced Bobba Fett spin off hasn’t got a release date yet, so perhaps they’ll consider keeping that one out of the Memorial Weekend as well, and aiming it for the December release slot.
Read more here.
Cross Channel Measurement: How Does Television and Facebook advertising work together to impact brand metrics
In more marketing news, Facebook are sharing how media agencies use research and analytics to connect their users with the content that’s most personal to them. The event came in the form of a seminar, hosted on the Facebook Business platform. One of the headlines related to how budgets for TV advertising are 17 times larger than that of digital advertising, while the reach of TV is only 4 times that of digital platforms. The most effective cross channel combination is shown to be a combination of TV and Facebook.
Watch the full seminar here.
If you would like to know more CONTACT US


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When: Fri., July 10, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sat., July 11, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 2015
Kick off your summer in style with Milford’s annual Sidewalk Sales, July 10-11. This two-day, open-air shopping event is made possible by the Milford Business Association in partnership with the Milford Downtown Development Authority. More than 20 Milford merchants and local vendors will take it to the streets offering incredible deals on apparel, art, jewelry, children’s toys, home furnishings and much more. Visitors will enjoy the ease of outdoor shopping and up to 75 percent off select retailers along the downtown walkways from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit MeetMeInMilford.com.


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MONITORING (SW) – A dedicated exhibition of top class agriculture products from Afghanistan was held in Mumbai, India under the label of ‘Nature’s Best’.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, officials from Afghanistan, India and the USAID were present at the launching ceremony also attended by the business community members from both the countries.
At this two-day fair, a variety of products would be put on display in some 57 well-decorated stalls in the Indian commercial hub. As per the MAIL, some 800 businessmen have been registered to take part in this exhibition. The Ministry is hopeful to attract business contracts worth some $ 30 million at this exhibition.
In this exhibition, fresh and dried fruits, saffron, herbs, honey and some other Afghan agricultural products are on displayed for the two days.


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Press Release – Beef And Lamb NZ
New Zealand’s red meat sector is encouraging all negotiating parties in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to work tirelessly to ensure this agreement can be completed by October 2013. Key outcomes from the completion of TPP must be the elimination of …11 December 2012
TPP negotiations need to deliver for agriculture
New Zealand’s red meat sector is encouraging all negotiating parties in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to work tirelessly to ensure this agreement can be completed by October 2013. Key outcomes from the completion of TPP must be the elimination of agricultural trade barriers and the opportunity for greater economic integration across the Asia Pacific region, Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and the Meat Industry Association (MIA) say.
The B+LNZ and MIA chairmen, Mike Petersen and Bill Falconer (respectively) reinforced the need for reduced barriers to agricultural trade, including the elimination of tariffs and other technical barriers as a priority. Achieving that would create benefits and opportunities for all TPP members exporting red meat products.
“The TPP agreement has the potential to create new opportunities for all red meat exporting countries through improved market access, reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers, and trade facilitation in the Asia Pacific region,” Falconer said.
The TPP agreement also offers the opportunity to do business more easily and transparently.
B+LNZ and MIA are present at the TPP negotiating round in Auckland, meeting with the agricultural trade negotiators and talking with agricultural and meat producer representative organisations from partner countries.
Petersen said the New Zealand red meat sector had well established links with a number of producer organisations, including the Canadian and Mexican beef producers.
“Both Canada and Mexico are part of the Five Nations Beef Alliance along with Australia, the United States and ourselves. Together, we represent producers from countries that account for one-third of global beef production and approximately half of global beef exports.
“The Alliance will be presenting its views on what it considers would be a successful outcome for the beef trade from these negotiations. Our view is that we must achieve a high quality comprehensive agreement that acknowledges the importance of beef production and consumption for all participating countries.”
B+LNZ and the MIA will continue to monitor progress over coming months and where desired assist negotiators to address the key issues relevant to the red meat sector in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz


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(Yicai Global) Nov. 10 -- WeChat, Tencent Holdings Ltd.'s [HK:0700] social media app, had 902 million average daily users in September, marking a rise of 17 percent annually, Securities Times reported, citing a report the WeChat team unveiled at the 2017 Tencent Global Partners Conference.
Some 50 million of the users were aged 55 to 70. WeChat users sent 38 billion text messages and 6.1 billion voice messages and made 205 million calls per day in September, representing annual increases of 25 percent, 26 percent and 106 percent, respectively.
They made an average of 19 calls, lasting 139 minutes, during the month and posted 68 million videos a day.
WeRun, a fitness-promoting WeChat official account, had 115 million daily active users, up 177 percent annually.
The platform for official accounts had 3.5 million monthly active accounts, marking a 14-percent jump. Its monthly active followers rose 19 percent to 797 million. WeChat users were most interested in Mini Apps for travel, e-commerce, life services and information technology.
The number of online and offline WeChat Pay transactions increased 23 percent and 280 percent, respectively, over the previous year.


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Gov. Janet Mills signed a proclamation Monday declaring Maine’s solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and called on state regulators to delist all Russian-made spirits as soon as possible.
The largely symbolic move follows similar bans on Russian-made vodka and spirits in New Hampshire, Ohio, Utah and Pennsylvania and local stores already pulling the liquor from their shelves. Only two brands of Russian-made vodka are sold in Maine and neither is a major seller.
The State Liquor and Lottery Commission by statute must vote to delist a product, which would prevent any additional Russian-made spirits from going to Maine retail and restaurant shelves until further notice.
The Democratic governor also asked all Maine spirits retailers and restaurants to remove Russian-made spirits from their shelves.
“Maine stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of this abhorrent, unprovoked assault on their country, their freedom, and their lives,” Mills said in a statement. “I ask Maine people to join with me in expressing our support for Ukraine, for its people, and especially for our fellow Mainers with Ukrainian roots.”
Maine controls spirit sales at the wholesale level. It does not own or operate retail liquor stores. State regulators cannot require the removal of spirits once they go to store shelves. Some Maine stores stopped selling Russian-made vodka before Mills’ statement came out.
Russian Standard and Hammer + Sickle are the only two Russian-made spirit brands sold in Maine. They include Russian Standard Original Russian Vodka, Russian Standard Gold Vodka, Russian Standard Platinum Vodka and Hammer + Sickle.
The governor’s move came after former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican running against Mills in 2022, issued a Monday statement calling for Mills to institute a ban on Russian-made vodka and spirits from Maine stores.
“It is a move which will signal our state’s resolve against Russian aggression. We should stand up and show support for Ukraine,” LePage said in a Monday statement.


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An Edinburgh marketing communications company has been nominated in four categories in one of the marketing industry's top awards.
Multiply's shortlisting in the Marketing Industry Awards (MiAwards) is in the categories of Best Integrated Agency, Best Marketing Agency, Marketing Personality of the Year and Scottish Company of the Year. Depending on how it fares, it could go on to win the Grand Prix award.
The 40-strong company is looking to go one better than last year when it picked up three titles in the inaugural MiAwards. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Manchester on Thursday.
The personality title has shortlisted founding partner, Mark Fowlestone. A speech by him will help determine whether Multiply reach the Grand Prix final.
Founded seven years ago, Multiply's clients include Highland Spring, RBS, Standard Life, Huggies, Highland Park, The Macallan and Pilsner Urquell.
In a statement, Multiply director Kate Fenton said: “We were blown away to win three categories at the first MiAwards so just to be nominated again in these various disciplines is an achievement in itself.
“Regardless of the results, being nominated shows our staff and their collective talents are creating a very strong impression amongst our peers in what is an incredibly competitive industry.
“We will all be rooting for Mark in his bid to lift the Marketing Personality award and I am sure his Grand Prix speech won't be a run-of-the-mill awards-style affair.”


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Windows 10 News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third-party or mass audience.
Here at WindowsReport, we share daily news and occasional tips about Microsoft, Windows 10 and all the devices around it. We strive to be the most heavily updated Windows website on the web with breaking stories and thorough coverage.
Microsoft is all set to launch its next big update, Windows 10 version 1809 in October. While that should be a nice piece of news […]
The Windows 10 October 2018 Update (otherwise 18H2) rollout might now be two to three weeks away. For the last few months, new build previews […]
Microsoft released a new Windows 7 update to the general public. Update KB4457139 is actually a preview of the upcoming monthly rollup update and allows users […]


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216 Users Online
Online Apparel Market Segmented By Demography such as Men, Women, Kids in Low, Medium, Premium Price Range
Fashion brands are experiencing a dip in online sales owing to the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) era. E-commerce sales of essential goods such as food and personal care products are gauging an uptick as consumers fear the exposure to the novel virus, while the online apparel market bleeds due to dropping online sales.
Retail therapy seems to have taken a backseat due to the tough times ahead of the Coronavirus outbreak. Companies in the online apparel market are suffering heavy losses due to poor consumer sentiment. Right from fashion brands dealing in jeans to shoe companies, it has been found that online apparel sales are taking a beating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is because the world economy is experiencing a recession period due to lack of free revenue flow. Poor consumer sentiment against online apparels stems with the need to buy only immediate and important items amidst the lockdown period.
International fashion brands such as Benetton, who are heavily dependent on online apparel sales are predicting that market situations could plummet if the Coronavirus outbreak fails to subside.
Governments in India are relaxing COVID-19 regulations in non-hotspot zones - an opportunity that companies in the online apparel market can capitalize on. However, restrictions in transport services are likely to delay deliveries for customers.
Moreover, prime cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad amongst others, who contribute a large share in online apparel sales in India, fall under the virus hotspot zones.
Manpower is another major concern that has slowed down growth of the online apparel market in India. Self-isolation and social distancing norms have become far stricter as the number of COVID-19 patients surge in India. Most delivery personnel are practicing self-isolation and social distancing, thus resulting in inadequacy of workers to manage warehouses.
This is evident since more than 50% of the manpower in China took over a month to come back to work.
Unique challenges such as huge wage inflation demands for meeting health and safety protocols are becoming troublesome for companies in the online apparel market. However, fashion brand stakeholders such as Siddharth Bindra, MD of BIBA India, are leveraging the opportunity through online apparel sales, as the brand’s brick-and-mortar stores are not generating any revenue due to the nationwide lockdown period.
Positive indications from the manpower domain are reassuring certain level of revenue flow as most delivery personnel are sole earners in middle class and below middle class families in India.
Companies in the India online apparel market are breathing the air of new hope as many individuals place orders for non-essential items post Lockdown 3.0. However, inadequacy of manpower poses as a hurdle for brands in the online apparel market. Online apparel companies are now being permitted to circulate deliveries in orange and green zones of the country.
The concept of circular apparel is increasingly grabbing the attention of customers. For instance, in July 2019, Intellecap — a global pioneer in taking an entrepreneurship-based approach towards development, announced the launch of their online platform CircularApparel.co, to establish a sustainable ecosystem for sourcing circular textile and apparel innovations in India.
Such novel initiatives are bolstering the credibility of stakeholders in the online apparel industry. Since the fashion industry is one of the top most polluting industry in the world, bringing environment and sustainability in the picture is helping to reduce the carbon footprint.
Sustainability and circular economy initiatives are helping brands in the online apparel industry to collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs who are willing to innovate through circular fashion. Novel digital platforms are leveraging the business of the circular online apparel market with a list of curated innovators who have earned a significant presence in the global market landscape.
Such digital hubs are helping brand owners to stay upbeat with the latest on goings and events associated with the sustainable online apparel industry.
Acquisitions and brand partnerships are becoming increasingly commonplace in the multi-billion-dollar online apparel market. Moreover, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is virtually penetrating in almost all industries, including the online apparel sector. AI-enabled shopping apps are helping customers to make the right choices when it comes to fashion, thus allowing its customers to take screenshots of clothes they see online.
E-commerce giants such as Amazon and Walmart are using machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze sales trends and understand the various dynamics of the online apparel market.
Online personal styling service provider Stitch Fix has also kept AI-applied fashion at its forefront to offer improved customer experience. Also, companies in the online apparel market are using ML algorithms to make supply chains more efficient.
Tech innovations are redefining the online apparel space. Personalization and prediction are becoming the key focus points for companies in the online apparel market.
For instance, Virtusize - an online fashion expert, is capitalizing on the trend of prediction and personalization by suggesting the right size of online apparels for buyers by allowing shoppers to measure their clothes kept in the closet with the help of intuitive AI algorithms.
As such, there is a growing demand for exact-fit clothing, especially in the online apparel sector.
Tech companies are increasing their R&D efforts by innovating in AI algorithms that help to eliminate the uncertainty associated with clothing size for online shoppers. Such innovations are benefitting the business of online apparels, resulting in increased uptake of clothes and decreased return rates.
A lot of mobile apps today help online buyers to identify different materials. AI and data capabilities are helping brands to identify customer’s shopping behavior and preferences. Moreover, the influx of social media and fast fashion models such as e-commerce platforms are generating incremental opportunities for brand owners.
|By Price Range


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It is expected that LPG price will be stabilized next month. Recently, LPG showed sharp price rise.
February¡¯s importing price of LPG which affect March¡¯s price has gone down. Propane was $800/Ton and butane was $805/Ton. These prices are $70/Ton low than January¡¯s. However, the foreign exchange rate recently scored 948 korean won per dollar and it stiffens than January. Moreover, last month¡¯s price freezing in spite of LPG price rise causes has to be considered.
Considering various main causes, next month¡¯s LPG price is carefully expected to be decreased by 30~50 Korean Won per Kg.
If LPG local price of March decreases, consumers get the effect of price reduction in 4 months. Recently, local LPG price has started to rise(about 56 Korean Won per Kg) in November 2007, 92 Korean Won per Kg rised in December 2007, 150 Korean Won per Kg rised in January 2008, and price was freezed in February 2008.
In this situation of expecting LPG price reduction, the LPG price is expected to keep the steadiness after this time. In the early March, it was expected 20~30 dollars per ton. However, recently oil price re-rises and LPG importing price gets similar to last month. In addition, the Naphtha price smashed through $900/Ton and it hold up. So, butane which has a replacing effect to Naphtha may rise together.
However, there comes some expectation that overseas oil price which recently smashed through $100 per barrel may be stabilized. Therefore, importing price trend of LPG should be watched more.
This article is from ¡°The Korea Gas News¡±(Feb. 22, 2008)


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Canadian companies tend to be overconfident or unprepared to protect sensitive information from data breaches — mostly because they have an incomplete or inadequate picture about the evolving challenges they face.
A study conducted by Ovum for FICO — a California-based data analytics company that operates a global fraud detection system for banks, credit card companies and others — found 84 per cent of Canadian executives surveyed felt their organization was “better than average” or a “top performer.”
The report asserts this is an “unrealistic” scenario and Canadian organizations “should look at their ability to prove how good they are.”
“If you can’t measure whether you’re vulnerable or not, can you really say you’re covered,” FICO Canada vice-president Kevin Deveau said.
Ovum conducted telephone interviews with 500 senior IT executives in several countries.
This week, the owner of Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, East Side Mario’s and other restaurants was the latest business to report that its operations had been disrupted by a malware virus.
Recipes Unlimited Corp. learned of the outbreak on Friday and said that as of Wednesday, a “small percentage” of restaurants were still impacted.
Spokeswoman Maureen Hart says there was no evidence that any data was compromised, or that the company was being held for ransom by hackers.
Cyber security strategist Eldon Sprickerhoff, founder of Toronto-based eSentire, said in an interview prior to the Recipe Unlimited crisis, that research has shown humans have a universal tendency to be too optimistic.
But Canadian companies also have a mistaken belief that they’re too small or insignificant to be a target — and therefore, they may be overconfident that they’re prepared, he said.
“If you’re not actively watching for attacks that are going on, it’s very difficult to be able to say you’re in a good space,” Sprickerhoff said.
The good news, from his perspective, is that more Canadian boards have begun to make cybersecurity a regular agenda item.
That’s at least partly because private-sector organizations will be required to report all leaks of personal information to the federal privacy commissioner starting Nov. 1, Sprickerhoff said.
David Masson, the Canada country manager for Darktrace — a cybersecurity software company headquartered in San Francisco and Cambridge, England — agreed that businesses are paying more attention because of increased regulation in various jurisdictions and general awareness of the risks.
Nevertheless, he said, most have inadequate knowledge of what they’re facing because “they’re missing proper visibility of their networks, they can’t really see what’s going on.”
Of the Fortune 500 very large companies that have done trials of Darktrace software, Masson said 85 per cent of the time “we find malware and malicious behaviour they had no idea was on their network. And when you’re outside the Fortune 500, that figure goes up to 95 per cent of the time.”


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Canberra’s first ever electric vehicle (EV) community bulk-buy has grabbed the attention of hundreds as they register to be a part of the launch at the Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU on 25 February.
Good Car Company co-founder Anton Vikstrom explained that the idea behind the bulk buy is to make EVs more affordable.
“We work on a campaign with the local community to order in a lot of electric cars and that drives down the import prices and changes the narrative of electric vehicles,” he said.
“By purchasing quality second-hand electric vehicles for Canberrans and importing them to Australia from Japan, we are able to pass on savings of up to tens of thousands of dollars compared to new vehicles, with the added benefit of battery warranty for peace of mind.”
Good Car Company started in Tasmania in 2019 to bring affordable EVs to more people to help accelerate the transition to a carbon-free future. The company’s co-founders are all sustainability experts who have worked for years in Australia and overseas to help transition communities to emerging green technologies.
“We’re used to working in this format and we’re involved because we need to reduce our emissions rapidly,” said Mr Vikstrom.
“The goal is to accelerate decarbonising communities across Australia through rapid uptake of affordable electric vehicles.”
Research from the Climate Council has revealed that cars are responsible for roughly half of Australia’s transport emissions, collectively emitting the same as Queensland’s entire fossil-fueled electricity supply. Mr Vikstrom said Canberrans should consider making the swap to an EV for three reasons.
“One, it’s a great way to reduce your household by three tonnes of carbon per year,” he said.
“The second reason is to show leadership within the community and the third reasons is they’re much more fun to drive. It’s a zippy little automatic vehicle that’s quiet, doesn’t smell and takes off from the lights really fast.”
According to The Good Car Company, the cars are cheaper to run and service while also providing better fuel security, reducing the need to depend on foreign oil. For those interested in buying an EV, there are several things to consider.
“The key one is working out their usage patterns and what sort of vehicle can patch in to meet their needs. That has to do with range and charging,” Mr Vikstrom said.
“All our cars charge off a normal power point. Most Canberrans can charge the car at home, you tend to use it like your mobile phone; when you get home you plug the car in.”
The launch is also unveiling a four-week community education program that will take place from 25 February until 26 March to show the Canberra community how easy it is to make the change to emissions-free travel. The program will include video content, information sessions and Zoom calls for those interested in learning more about EVs. Canberrans can also test drive the EVs from Thursday 11 February until the end of the bulk buy.
Mr Vikstrom said he’s excited to work with residents to bring more EVs into Australia and is impressed by the leadership the ACT has shown in its adoption of renewable energy.
“It’s now leading the way in EV transport. We’re really excited to be a part of that story.”
WHAT: Canberra community electric vehicle bulk buy launch
WHEN: Thursday 25 February 6.30-8.30pm
WHERE: Courtyard of Kambri Cultural Centre, Australian National University Building 153, University Avenue, Acton. The event will be held outside in the courtyard.
REGISTRATIONS: Due to Covid-19, limited tickets are available. Register to attend in person at www.goodcar.co/canberra
LIVESTREAM: Via The Good Car Company Facebook page
Book a test drive in a Nissan Leaf at www.goodcar.co/canberratestdrive


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We'll always have Paris
What the new Champs-Elysées says about France
At the lower end of the avenue
A GIANT naked male torso towers over the lower end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. Or, rather, a black-and-white photograph of a male model's glistening muscles is draped across the four-storey façade of a soon-to-open Abercrombie & Fitch store. The unveiling next month of the first French outlet for the American retailer, renowned for improbably toned, half-dressed sales assistants and hooded sweatshirts, will delight teenagers, bemuse parents—and confirm that France's best-known avenue has gone global.
When the first majestic lines of trees were planted in the 17th century by André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV's landscape architect, the Champs-Elysées was a shady walk. It has long since been built up and turned over to shops, cafés and offices. But the avenue still has special meaning, both as an embodiment of French elegance and as a stage for displays of national pride and military might. Unlike London's Bond Street or New York's Fifth Avenue, the Champs-Elysées is where soldiers march, tanks roll and planes fly past in the annual Bastille Day parade every July 14th.
These days, though, it is getting hard to find much that is French on the Champs-Elysées, besides a few cinemas, car showrooms and luxury brands. International chains such as H&M (Swedish) and Tommy Hilfiger (American) have opened big stores, joining other foreign implants like Zara (Spanish), Virgin Megastore (British), Disney, McDonald's and Gap (all American). Even Britain's Marks & Spencer, which quit Paris a decade ago, is coming back soon, bravely hoping to sell women's clothes and English sandwiches on the Champs-Elysées.
Plenty of Parisians are dismayed. Earlier this year, owing to soaring rents that make the Champs-Elysées the world's fourth most expensive shopping street, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, a property firm, the post office closed its doors. “It will no longer be anything but a clothing street,” sniffed Lyne Cohen-Solal, a Paris councillor. A few years ago the town hall unsuccessfully appealed to the courts to block H&M's arrival. “The Champs-Elysées is mythical,” declared François Lebel, mayor of the local borough. “The image of France is at stake.”
Like their politicians, the French always sound defiantly anti-globalisation. In polls they are far more hostile to free markets than Germans, Chinese or Russians. Yet when it comes to buying or eating foreign stuff, they are as enthusiastic. France is one of the most profitable markets for McDonald's. Judging by the dress code of French teenagers, there will be long queues outside Abercrombie & Fitch—though whether to buy the hooded tops or to eye up the sales staff may be another question.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline "We'll always have Paris"
From the April 30th 2011 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
More from Europe
Russia is persecuting dissenters by taking away their children
A father imprisoned for his daughter’s anti-war drawing is just one case
The Kremlin escalates its war on truth
The FSB levels “spying” charges against a Wall Street Journal reporter
Belarus’s beleaguered opposition is flirting with violence
Is a liberation army forming?


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OCT 29, 2020 | US
Global Data Alliance Highlights Benefits of Cross-Border Data Flows in NTE Comments
WASHINGTON – October 29, 2020 – The Global Data Alliance highlighted priorities for digital trade and cross-border data flows in comments submitted to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for the National Trade Estimate (NTE) report. The seamless flow of data across borders powers innovation and job growth in all sectors – and this growth is especially important as the global economy struggles to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Companies rely on cross-border data flows to create jobs and make local industries more competitive. In fact, research shows that 75 percent of the value of data transfers goes to traditional industries like agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing,” said Joseph Whitlock, Director, Policy at BSA | The Software Alliance. “A strong commitment to forward-looking cross-border data transfer policies will help offset the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and set the stage for future economic growth.”
The Global Data Alliance looks forward to working with governments around the globe to safeguard the ability to responsibly transfer data across borders. Find the Global Data Alliance’s full comments on the NTE here: https://www.globaldataalliance.org/downloads/10292020GDA2020NTESubmission.pdf
About the Global Data Alliance
The Global Data Alliance (globaldataalliance.org) is a cross-industry coalition of companies that are committed to high standards of data responsibility and that rely on the ability to transfer data around the world to innovate and create jobs. The Alliance supports policies that help instill trust in the digital economy while safeguarding the ability to transfer data across borders and refraining from imposing data localization requirements that restrict trade.
Alliance members include BSA members and American Express, Amgen, AT&T, Citi, ITB360, LEGO, Mastercard, Medtronic, Panasonic, Pfizer, Roche, United Airlines, Verizon, VISA, and WD-40 Company. These companies are headquartered across the globe and are active in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, electronics, energy, financial services, health, supply chain, and telecommunications sectors, among others. BSA | The Software Alliance administers the Global Data Alliance.
소프트웨어 연합(BSA | The Software Alliance, 이하 BSA)(www.bsa.org)은 각국 정부를 대상으로 세계 시장에서 전 세계 소프트웨어 업계를 대변하고 옹호하는 선도적 연합체입니다. 세계의 가장 혁신적 기업들이 회원사로 참여하며 경제에 활기를 불어 넣고 현대의 생활을 향상시키는 소프트웨어 솔루션을 만들어 내고 있습니다.
워싱턴 DC에 본부를 두고, 30개국이 넘는 국가들에서 운영되는 BSA는, 합법적 소프트웨어 사용을 증진시키고 기술 혁신을 촉진하며 디지털 경제의 성장을 추진하는 공공 정책을 지지하는 준법 프로그램들을 선도합니다.


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CVE Technology Group, Inc., considered among the fastest growing high-tech after-market service providers for cellular handsets and consumer electronics, has relocated its headquarters from Riverdale, N.J., to Enterprise Business Park in Allen, Texas.
According to CVE officials, 300 employees currently occupy about 40 percent of the 196,000 SF flex-space facility at 915 Enterprise Blvd., which also serves as a service center, and the company is averaging 20 new hires weekly in response to new and expanded contracts with cell phone carriers. At the Allen location, CVE expects to employ 600 by the end of this year, and 1,200 by the end of 2015. The company currently employs 1,100 people throughout the U.S.
“We relocated the headquarters here because the Metroplex is the epicenter of cell phone growth and activity,” said CVE Vice President Ruben Alvarado. “All of the top carriers along with all of the top OEMs are here in the DFW Metroplex. Even if their headquarters are located elsewhere, their hubs and inventory most definitely are here.”
Although CVE maintains a national receiving center in Plano, Texas, and service centers in Fort Worth, and Riverdale, N.J., Alvarado said the key factor in site selection was Allen’s competitive lease rates for spaces that were ready to move in immediately. Allen’s Enterprise Business Park afforded less than 30-minute commutes to DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field, and many dining and retail options within minutes at the nearby Watters Creek and Village at Allen centers. Alvarado said the Allen Economic Development Corporation also offered a strong economic incentive package.
“Allen is focused on helping businesses expand and relocate here in order to drive the growth of our employment base,” said Allen Economic Development Corporation Executive Director/CEO Dan Bowman. “At full employment, CVE is expected to rank among our largest employers in Allen.”
Bowman said Enterprise Business Park has attracted several large employers in addition to CVE, including Experian Information Solutions, Frontier Communications and Jack Henry & Associates. Combined, the four companies currently employ over 2,500 people.
According to Allen Economic Development Board President Scott Sutherland, the city has fostered a true live, work, play community that has untold potential for additional expansions and relocations.
“At the end of 2013, Allen had an estimated 25,000 daytime employees working here and that number continues to grow,” said Sutherland. “It is immensely rewarding to work with companies like CVE, who can grow along with Allen.”
Lee & Associates Director George Tanghongs represented the landlord, IndCor Properties, and CVE on the transaction.
“The City of Allen was very accommodating and responsive,” said Tanghongs. “The whole process took two months and, ultimately, it came down to the right property, right location and the right incentives Allen offered.”
About CVE Technology Group
CVE Technology Group is a leader of high-tech after-market services and provides total lifecycle care solutions for the world of Mobility (Cellular Handsets) and Consumer Electronics. The lifecycle services ranges from reverse logistics and simple repairs to the most sophisticated technological and electronic solutions that include LCD reclamation, parts reclamation and complex board repair. Our customers include the top handset OEMs in the world and the biggest wireless carriers in the U.S.
About Allen Economic Development Corporation
In 1992, the citizens of Allen passed a citywide half-cent sales tax in support of an economic development corporation. Since its inception, the Allen Economic Development Corporation has been charged with facilitating company relocations and assisting the expansion of existing businesses, which creates jobs and additional tax revenue to the community. Since 1992, the AEDC has recruited over seventy new businesses and industries to Allen that have contributed to increasing Allen’s total ad valorem tax base from $729 million in 1992 to over $8.3 billion in 2013. The AEDC Board of Directors, appointed by the Allen City Council, governs the corporation’s operations. These individuals represent a diverse spectrum of interests and expertise, which is invaluable to making prudent decisions with regard to the quality of Allen’s economic development.


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So Amazon has released a new version of their kindle and escalated the so-called "E-Reader Wars." The Kindle 3 has a larger storage capacity, increased battery life, better contrast, and has 3G available in over a hundred countries (whereas the Barnes and Noble Nook only offers 3G service in the U.S.). Additionally Amazon is now offering a WiFi only version device that retails for 139.
I naturally think this is a smart move by Amazon. As soon as they began selling Kindle 2's at Target it was clear that they were unloading back stock in preparation for for a new release. With a WiFi model I definitely think that competition between Barnes and Noble and Amazon will definitely heat up but I certainly don't think it knocks the Nook out of contention (Although I think this deals another blow to the poor Kobo).
While Amazon is definitely doing great - the New York Times recently reported that ebooks are currently outselling hardcovers - I think Barnes and Nobel's stores give them access to customers that Amazon may never be able to reach. Moreover, there is still the selling point that the Nook's android operating system updates automatically every month or so. The very existence of a Kindle 3 underscores the differences between the two products. Amazon keeps coming out with new devices, whereas the Nook keeps coming out with free firmware updates that everyone gets.
Barnes and Nobel certainly doesn't appear to be giving up without a fight regardless. The superstores are planning on increasing the size and staff of their dedicated nook stations to bring greater emphasis on the store's digital future.
While of subject of bookstores, Publisher's Weekly had an article about Border's hiring new tech specialists to help push their various e-reader devices. I can only imagine that they read my post about my visit to their store last week and decided to fix the problem. :P
In others news:
- Narrative Magazine has launched an application for Ipad and Iphone users that allows access to their entire database of stories.
- The Huffington Post has an interesting breakdown of the e-reader/book market here.
- The New York Times has an article describing videos, hyperlinks, and other additions ebook publishers are adding to their releases.
- The Daily Beast has a great piece reporting on Skip Prichard, CEO of the Ingram Book Company, and his optimistic view of the book business in the wake of the digital revolution.
Coming soon: The second installment of my Comic Con Recap on Digital comics and a review of the Pandigital Novel by a guest blogger, my mom!


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VW Says Profit Won’t Grow as BMW Sees Global Economy WoesChristoph Rauwald and Dorothee Tschampa
Volkswagen AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG predicted a “difficult” 2013 as the European auto market contracts, vehicle prices in the region drop and growth in China slows.
VW fell to almost a four-month low after Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said the automaker, Europe’s biggest, is confronting “tougher competition and difficult economic conditions.” BMW, the world’s largest luxury-vehicle manufacturer, sees conditions as “likely to remain challenging in many markets,” CEO Norbert Reithofer said.
Industrywide car sales in Europe, already at a 17-year low in 2012, fell in January to the least for that month since records began in 1990, according to the ACEA trade group. BMW and VW have both been counting on Chinese and U.S. growth to offset the contraction in their home region. Munich-based BMW said today profitability at its automaking unit narrowed last year, and analysts estimate earnings will drop in 2013.
“Europe is not the only market where conditions are deteriorating,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. “Growth in China declined to a one-digit percentage rate last year, and the U.S. market will probably level off in 2013. At the same time, costs to expand sales and services organizations are rising.”
Volkswagen, whose Audi brand ranks second to BMW in global luxury-vehicle sales, will post an increase in earnings before interest and taxes in 2014 after profit this year matches the 2012 figure, Winterkorn said today at a press conference at VW headquarters in Wolfsburg. Daimler AG, which owns the Mercedes-Benz luxury-car marque, also forecast last month that operating profit in 2013 will remain unchanged from last year.
BMW, which said it expects to release more forecasts for 2013 on March 19, reiterated today that it’s planning on a third consecutive record this year in annual deliveries.
Vehicle prices in Europe have been declining amid carmakers’ unsuccessful attempts to stem the market decline, a strategy that has led to losses at Paris-based PSA Peugeot Citroen and the regional divisions of General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. Discounts in Germany widened to an average 11.8 percent of the list price in January from 11 percent a year earlier, according to Autohaus PulsSchlag industry magazine.
“Pricing will remain tough, because the market in Europe is going down,” and there are discounting pressures in other regions, Christian Klingler, VW’s head of sales, said today at an analysts’ conference in Wolfsburg.
VW fell as much as 3.8 percent to 160.10 euros, the lowest intraday price since Nov. 23, and was trading down 1.2 percent at 3:41 p.m. in Frankfurt. BMW fell 0.3 percent to 71.05 euros.
“Investors seem to be questioning if VW is really as price disciplined as claimed,” David Arnold, a sales specialist at Credit Suisse in London, said today in a report to clients.
BMW reported a 3.5 percent increase in full-year earnings before interest and taxes to 8.3 billion euros ($10.7 billion). Ebit at the carmaking division increased 2 percent, while earnings as a proportion of sales declined to 10.9 percent from 11.8 percent in 2011, the company said today in a statement. That compares with an 11 percent margin posted by Audi in 2012.
Audi and Mercedes-Benz both have targets of taking the top luxury-car delivery spot from BMW in coming years. China is key to their growth plans, and the country is also part of VW and GM’s strategies for world car-market dominance. Volkswagen plans to add as many as seven factories in China by 2018, the German company’s target year for becoming the world’s No. 1 carmaker, Winterkorn said today.
China’s passenger-car market expanded 7.1 percent last year to 15.5 million vehicles, and growth may accelerate in 2013 to 8.5 percent, according to the country’s vehicle-manufacturers’ association. That compares with jumps of 33 percent in 2010 and 53 percent in 2009.
“There’s still enormous potential in China, but the market has slowed from double-digit growth to single digits, and that will remain so in the future,” the Center of Automotive Management’s Bratzel said. “The risk of over-dependence and overcapacity naturally rises with such a plan. It’s up to VW to manage that.”


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A new codec, LC3, included in Cadence's HiFi 1 DSP, is set to bring new features for designers to exploit in their Bluetooth Audio (LE Audio) profile applications, including Multi-Stream and Broadcast audio.
November 01, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
Distracted by the noise caused by the many appliances in your home? TI’s newest BLDC motor drivers claim to quiet appliances by up to 3.3 dBA using trapezoidal and field-oriented control.
September 08, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
MUS-IC, ROHM Semiconductor’s specialized family of audio electronics has a new member: a 32-bit DAC designed for high-res playback. What does this DAC teach us about the tenets of Hi-Fi electronics?
April 19, 2021 by Adrian Gibbons
ADAS and AVAS are known to add a number of speakers to an automotive audio system. Class-D amplifiers, however, may be a useful solution for cutting size, costs, heat, and power consumption.
March 05, 2021 by Antonio Anzaldua Jr.
When traditional combustion engines aren't drowning out typical road sounds, outside noise pollution can become a nuissance—or even dangerous—for EV occupants. ANC sensors, commonly used in noise-canceling headphones, can be a useful solution.
January 28, 2021 by Jake Hertz
In this electrical engineering edition of the 12 days of Christmas, we take a look at a few familiar highlights of the season and zoom in on the technologies electrical engineers have contributed to make them possible.
December 25, 2020 by Hannah DeTavis
Active noise control is a principle technology in noise-canceling headphones. But there's a nuanced part of the ANC conversation that warrants discussion: adaptive controllers and cancelation paths.
November 17, 2020 by Dr. Steve Arar


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For startups, selling advertising agencies on your technology can be fraught with difficulty. As startups emerge from their development cycles, investors begin clamoring to get the prototype to market. What follows is a flurry of meetings with brand marketers and advertising agencies in an attempt to secure funding and a business application for the new product. Many startups assume that their brilliant, game-changing products will sell themselves.
Archives for July 2011
Appropriately, in a conversation that took place on Twitter, a White House aide said Sunday night that Twitter influenced the recently announced agreement on the U.S. debt ceiling. The tweets were exchanged between Brian Stelter, a reporter at The New York Times, and Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the debt ceiling bill Monday.


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Greggs to appoint Shine Group's chief financial officer Allison Kirby as non-exec director
Allison Kirby, chief financial officer for media production company Shine Group is to join the board of high street bakers Greggs as an independent non-executive director.
Kirkby, who until 2011 was executive director of finance operations and transformation at Virgin Media, will take up the position from 30 January.
Derek Netheron, chairman of Greggs, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Allison to the Board. She will bring additional financial expertise and experience, and her background in consumer brand businesses and media organisations will be of great value in the next phase of the development of our brand."
She is set to take over the chair position of the company’s Audit committee following the appointment of Ian Durant as board chairman in May.


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Ghost of Tsushima Sells 8 Million Copies
During their CES 2022 presentation, Sony revealed a new sales update for Ghost of Tsushima confirming that it sold more than 8 million copies.
Ghost of Tsushima was a brand new IP developed by Sucker Punch that is set on the Island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasion of Japan. Players assume control of Jin Sakai, a samurai who is in a fight against the Mongols. It generated a lot of buzzes when it launched back in 2020 for the PS4, and it has continued to garner sales after launching on the PS5 with an expansion.
The last updated figures for Ghost of Tsushima put the game at 6.5 million copies sold as of March 2021, and during their CES 2022 presentation, Sony has now confirmed that the game has sold over 8 million copies.
This is an incredible milestone since this was a brand new IP. It also puts to rest the power of this IP since it shows that the game has sold incredibly well despite being set during the Mongol invasion and featuring a Samurai-themed gameplay experience. It is the second most popular new IP for Sony after Horizon Zero Dawn, which led to the birth of a sequel and spin-off featuring VR.
It is not hard to imagine that Sony will pull the same with GOT, making it one of their top IPs and focusing on sequels/spin-offs for the franchise.


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THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. — Digi-Key Electronics was busting at the seams when it began planning a 2.2 million-square-foot, $400 million expansion in 2017.
Now, as the Thief River Falls company on Wednesday showed off the new space, one of the 10 largest warehouses in the country, it is growing at a pace that will outgrow the current addition in the next decade.
"Today is clearly a celebration," said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key's president, at a celebration lunch. "But this book is far from over."
In 2016, Digi-Key had annual sales of $1.86 billion and 3,200 employees. Annual revenue last year was $4.7 billion, and the company now has about 5,200 workers, 3,600 of whom work in Thief River Falls in the northwest corner of the state.
Digi-Key is a distributor of electronic components and automation products offering more than 13.4 million products to more than 857,000 customers each year in 180 countries.
"What's unique for us is we deliver lots of small shipments everywhere," Doherty said in an interview before the celebration for dignitaries and the community. "This model is about having inventory and having high service levels to get out the door."
Doherty refers to Digi-Key as a "broken pack" distributor. That means it takes any size order, including small custom jobs that many suppliers cannot handle.
The company began 50 years ago as a mail order catalog business. Thief River Falls remains Digi-Key's largest location, with additional support and distribution facilities in Fargo and a dozen other cities across the world.
The new building — which is the size of 22 football fields — will allow Digi-Key to not only ship more products but also offer more services to their customers and suppliers. The new building has automation built in as well, eliminating the long walks workers had before to fulfill orders.
Steve Grove, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, attended the grand opening as part of his "Summer of Jobs" tour and later held a panel discussion on the area's economy at Digi-Key's next-door neighbor, Textron's Arctic Cat facility.
"It's a unique regional economy that I don't think a lot of Minnesotans know about, " Grove said in an interview before events on Wednesday.
One big impediment to the Thief River Falls companies — and others in northwest Minnesota including Marvin in Warroad, Polaris in Roseau, and Altoz and Central Boiler in Greenbush — is promotion. People might not know about the job opportunities.
The effort to sell Minnesota more broadly, similar to efforts in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wisconsin, is critical, Grove told the audience Wednesday.
"We advocated last legislative session to get DEED's first-ever marketing budget for talent, attraction and promoting our state to business," Grove said. "We're just not in that game."
Thief River Falls expansion
22 football fields: Size of new Digi-Key warehouse
4: Number of stories
27: Miles of automated conveyor inside the building
$400 million: Cost to build complex
$40 million: State of Minnesota grant for job creation
640: New jobs added since construction started
1,700: New parking spots added


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Our last confirmation that Verizon Wireless was releasing an OS was a few weeks back when blackberry users were able to view the change log. Well, another confirmation for this release is out. This time by InformationWeek.com.
"Verizon Wireless is preparing to roll out an over-the-air software update for the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm that should fix multiple bugs and will add a few features.
The update will be known as 220.127.116.11, and it will be the first major update since December. The Storm was highly anticipated when it was released last November because it promised to marry the robust messaging functionality of a BlackBerry with the large display and multimedia functionality of an iPhone. The device sold well at launch, but it shipped with multiple software glitches, which led to mixed reviews.
The latest software update is expected to fix numerous bugs, including glitches that would cause the device to freeze when using voice dialing, as well as a bug that caused the display to show small, multicolored dots across the entire screen. The firmware also will bring some improvements and new functionality, including letting users have a full QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode, and boosted speeds when composing messages.
Verizon didn't say when the update would be pushed out, but it should be within the next few weeks. Adventurous users can find, download, and install the full 18.104.22.168 software build from various BlackBerry forums, but there's no guarantee it will operate properly.
Storm fans may be a little jealous that its firmware is not as robust as the iPhone 3.0 software, but it took Apple about a year to provide a major update for its mobile platform. It's unclear if Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM) will employ a similar strategy of releasing major software updates, or if it will place a stronger emphasis on new hardware. "


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Rayman Legends will be given a second demo exclusive to the Wii U, Ubisoft has revealed.
On the publisher's Facebook page, it announced the new demo as an apology to Wii U fans after the game was delayed from March until September.
"Thanks for all your feedback regarding Rayman Legends in all of its forms. We have heard you and we will continue to listen. We understand your frustration and that you want to get your hands on the game," Ubisoft said.
"We are working with the development team to provide you with a new, exclusive demo for the Wii U soon. Stay tuned for more."
It was recently announced that Rayman Legends will also release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and that all three versions will launch in early September.
Ubisoft offered an explanation for the Wii U delay, citing the simultaneous multiplatform release as one of the reasons.
An anonymous developer from the game also posted on a forum about frustrations with the Wii U version's delay. In the developer's post it was noted that constantly building new demos for expos like E3 and gamescom was a contributing factor for Rayman Legends not being ready in time for the Wii U launch.
It is somewhat ironic then that yet another new demo is being made now that the game has received a six-month delay.
Watch the Rayman Legends E3 demo below: