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03:00 PM ET, July 21st, 2014
A new food scandal has erupted in China, threatening to tarnish the reputations of McDonald's and Yum Brands.
An American-owned meat factory operating in China has been accused of selling out-of-date and tainted meat to clients including McDonald's and Yum Brands, which owns the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains.
12:45 PM ET, July 21st, 2014
She chops. She sautés. She whips up whole healthy meals.
Eleven-year-old Esther Matheny is a natural when it comes to the kitchen, using her cooking skills and creativity to contribute to her family's dinner table in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
This spring, she won a chance to represent her state at the White House Kids' State Dinner by creating and submitting a recipe for Michelle Obama and the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a contest co-sponsored by food site Epicurious. Winners from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands were invited to attend the dinner.
09:30 AM ET, July 21st, 2014
02:45 PM ET, July 18th, 2014
Caviar is the new condiment.
From tacos and flatbread to pasta and burgers, caviar - those shiny little balls usually passed on a small spoon by a white-gloved waiter - is shedding its stuffy image and lending a highbrow take to a regular meal.
"It's about sharing in that little taste of luxury," said Wesley Holton, executive chef of "Rose. Rabbit. Lie." at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
10:15 AM ET, July 18th, 2014
Ray Isle (@islewine on Twitter) is Food & Wine's executive wine editor. We trust his every cork pop and decant – and the man can sniff out a bargain to boot. Take it away, Ray.
In this week’s do-not-miss world of beer news, it appears the Icelandic brewery Borg Brugghús has created a beer that gets its unique taste characteristics from, yes indeed, sheep dung.
The malted barley that goes into their Fenrir Nr. 26 is smoked over burning Icelandic sheep excrement for several hours, resulting in a brew that is, according to brewmaster Sturlaugur Jon Björnsson, “Þetta er í raun léttur IPA bjór með sítruslegt og ferskt bragð og lykt frá humlunum. Síðan kemur svolítið þyngri, taðreyktur fílingur í þetta en þetta gengur allt saman upp.”
For the non-Icelandic among us, that more or less translates as “It’s a lightweight IPA with fresh citrus and hop notes, then comes a bit heavier taste from the...” Well. You get the idea.
09:15 AM ET, July 17th, 2014
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
09:30 AM ET, July 16th, 2014
Editor's note: The Southern Foodways Alliance delves deep in the history, tradition, heroes and plain old deliciousness of Southern food. Kat Kinsman is the managing editor of CNN Eatocracy. She wrote this essay for the place-themed issue #52 of the SFA's Gravy quarterly.
Angela H. pulled me aside in the lunchroom to tell me that everyone thought my family was poor. This was news to me. So far as I could tell, my sister and I didn’t look anything like the barefoot, swollen-bellied children on the sides of the UNICEF cartons into which we slipped spare pennies. Nor did anyone attempt to gift us with sacks of half-eaten sandwiches, the likes of which our Grandmother Ribando said starving Armenian children would be most grateful to have. (Clean your plates, girls. Clean your plates.)
I pressed her for evidence and she relished the words, tumbling them around in her mouth like a disc of butterscotch before spitting them out on her Jell-O dish: “My mom says it’s weird that your mom wraps your sandwiches in Saran Wrap instead of a Ziploc. And why do you always have carrot sticks and a couple of potato chips when we all have cookies? Did your dad lose his job or something?”
I bought my lunch for the rest of sixth grade, making sure to spring for the chocolate milk instead of white—extra nickel be damned (and sorry, faraway UNICEF urchins). It’s not that I especially enjoyed the grey-meated burgers and leathery green beans slopped on my plate by a rotating cast of conscripted parents, but I loathed the notion that my peers thought they could infer anything personal from my lunch tray.
07:15 PM ET, July 14th, 2014
"Stay home if you're sick."
That's the message to food industry workers from the nation's public health watchdog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The problem is staying home isn't an option for food industry workers - 70% of whom are low wage employees with no paid sick days.
The health agency last month issued a bulletin that said the worst food-borne illnesses originated from contaminated food handled by sick workers.
05:00 PM ET, July 14th, 2014
On America’s 190th birthday in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the “Freedom of Information Act,” a law he described as crucial to the democratic principles of our country.
And FOIA, as it now known, has since become a cornerstone of government openness and individual rights, and was most recently renewed in 2014.
The idea is simple: provide American citizens with information and space to complain regarding the country’s most pressing issues: national security, policy making and ketchup packets.
Yes, ketchup packets.


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Maersk Nigeria Limited has said that its offices remain open to customers in the country.
Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, neighbouring Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja are currently under a 14-day lockdown, but government has asked shipping and port services to remain open and continue with their operations.
The global logistics company said while customers who must, may come to its offices to transact business while observing strict safety measures against COVID-19 as outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other relevant arms of government, its online platforms are also available for use.
“We urge our customers to make full use of our online platforms to stay safe and to do business,” Maersk said.
Maersk Nigeria said it has made significant investment in its digital platforms to find new ways to simplify container transport, cut down on turnaround time, reduce costs and boost transparency for its customers.
“Maersk Nigeria Limited has digital solution that is custom-made to suite customer’s needs. This digital solution include intuitive website, Mobile App, custom site for Cargo Release and Export clearance document submission such as Maersk.com, Maersk App, MyFinance, Myeasyrelease.com, Myexportdoc.com,” the Customer Service Manager of Maersk Nigeria, Adeyemi Adenaike, said in a statement on Thursday.
He said the company’s electronic invoicing solution named Myfinance, is in line with government’s regulation on social distancing.
“This means that customers are able to view all their invoices with a few clicks, eliminating the need to manually request for an invoice via email or physically at Maersk counter areas. They will be getting information on invoices, account statement and raising disputes, once they are registered on maersk.com,” Adenaike said.
He also said that shippers can make payment for the company’s services through the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) E-bills payment platform from the comfort of their homes or offices, without having to visit the banks.
“The bank transfer option is also available to them, where their banks are not listed on the Ebills platform.
“The Maersk Shipment app offers a host of new features, including a powerful dashboard and task list. Other features like Quote, Book, Live Chat, and Share Information have also been updated. Real time tracking information you can trust is only a tap away. Customers are encouraged to download the app through the App Store or Google Play to experience cargo visibility wherever they are,” he stated.
He also said that customers can request a detailed quote that meets their specific requirements in just a few hours with Maersk 24/7 online service – maersk.com.
“Through maersk.com, Maersk has enabled customers to book shipments online at their convenience. Also, by simply entering the booking details required, customers can get instant quotes and suggested shipping schedules.
“Customers are empowered through maersk.com to print, download or verify copy having confirmed the details contained in their shipping instruction,” Adenaike said.
He also said that customers can track and trace their shipments or individual containers within a shipment or obtain up-to-date list import manifest rotation numbers that facilitate customs clearing process during this period on the company’s website.
Maersk Nigeria Limited is an agency to Maersk and Safmarine in Nigeria.

domain: news


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The bright side is that since today RadioShack. Radioshack New Richmond,wi… has formally been purchased by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), offering the struggling business a brand-new lease on life. The drawback, at least for folks like us, is that there are no immediate plans to return the iconic electronics retailer to its brick-and-mortar roots. As the name suggests, REV specializes in online retail, having actually previously revamped the Web presence of other bankrupt organizations such as Pier 1 Imports and Dressbarn.
While the press release does not straight-out prevent the possibility of brand-new physical RadioShack locations, it’s clear that REV thinks the future of retail isn’t to be found in your regional shopping center. As the US mulls further lockdowns in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to disagree. There will be countless bored kids and adults searching for something to do throughout the long winter nights, and an electronic package or two shipped to their door might be just the important things.
REV states they plan to relaunch the rather dated RadioShack site just in time for the company’s 100th anniversary in 2021. Since this writing the site presently states that sales have actually been temporarily halted to allow for inventory restructuring, though it’s uncertain if this is straight related to the buyout or not. Getting a precise count of how much merchandise the business still has on hand after shuttering the majority of their physical places in 2017 definitely sounds like something the brand-new owners would want to do.
We all know how that story ended.
RadioShack’s shambling remains were offered another shock of life today when they were purchased by another company that plans to relaunch the once-great merchant as an online-focused brand.
The store’s remains were bought by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a start-up founded in 2019 that’s been scooping up brands from other faded retail giants also, including Pier 1, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Dressbarn, and more. REV says RadioShack’s website currently has “strong existing sales and sales capacity,” and the business is “confident” it can further raise awareness of the brand globally.
REV declares it’s successfully reversed other business it’s introduced as online brands. The Wall Street Journal reported that Dressbarn more than doubled its earnings between the first and second quarter of 2020.
RadioShack was founded in 1921 and became a retail staple in the ’80s and ’90s for anyone wanting to grab tech basics. For a very long time, that implied actual radio elements, but ended up including great deals of electronic toys (one Edge editor fondly remembers his Armatron) and eventually phones. Its fortunes declined vastly as online shopping got here, and the business filed for personal bankruptcy twice in the past 5 years. RadioShack still certifies its name to third-party “authorized” shops and offers top quality products within some locations of HobbyTown, a crafts seller– similar to how you can still discover “Sharper Image” products at Kohl’s despite the fact that that retailer shut its physical doors over a decade back. REV didn’t state whether those RadioShack licenses would stick around. Radioshack New Richmond,wi
REV states it will “quickly relaunch” RadioShack’s site. For those of you still clinging on to fond memories of the shop, there’ll be a familiar enough place to go when you want to buy expensive HDMI cables and knockoff earphones.


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South African restaurant chain Nando’sis planning to open 12 more restaurants in India at an investment of around $12 million (about Rs.75 crore), taking the tally to 20 by the end of 2017.
“We plan to add 12 more Nando’s restaurants across India by 2017-end and will be investing around $12 million for the expansion. This does not include the land cost as the properties will be on a long-term lease,” Nando’s India Chief Executive Officer, Sumeet Yadav said. Continue reading →
Leading restaurant chain Delhi Darbar has marked its presence in the state with the opening of an outlet in Bhubaneswar on franchise model.
This is the 46th outlet of the restaurant chain in the world and the first one in eastern India. Abroad, the multi-cuisine eatery has outlets in Dubai, Kabul and Russia and in the country, it has presence in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Udaipur, Raipur etc.


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Charge your phone in 30 SECONDS: Quantum dots covered in fool's gold may help power batteries, claim scientists
- Quantum dots are tiny particles with powerful conducting properties
- Their use has so far been limited as they only last a few charge cycles
- Making the quantum dots out of fool's gold can make them last longer
- This is because it changes form into compound to better store energy
Scientists believe that have found a way to charge a smartphone battery in 30 seconds.
They claim that using something known as 'quantum dots' can significantly speed up charging times.
Quantum dots are tiny particles of a semiconducting material - 10,000 times narrower than a human hair - that have unique electrical properties.
The 'dots' can be altered to have certain properties, such as the ability to generate charge when strained.
Scientists believe that have found a way to charge a smartphone battery in 30 seconds. They claim that using something known as 'quantum dots' can significantly speed up charging times. Pictured is Anna Douglas holding one of the batteries that she has modified by adding millions of quantum dots made from fool's gold
WHAT ARE QUANTUM DOTS?
A quantum dot is a nanoparticle made of any semiconductor material.
This material can be silicon, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, or indium arsenide.
They are 10,000 times narrower than a human hair - that have unique electrical properties.
The 'dots' can be altered to have certain properties, like the ability to generate charge when strained.
Up until now, the effect of these dots on improving charging has only lasted for a few cycles.
This is because when the particles get very small they begin to chemically react with the electrolytes. As a result, they can only charge and discharge a few times.
But, up until now, the effect of these dots on improving charging has only lasted for a few cycles.
Now researchers have found making the quantum dots out of iron pyrite - also known as fool's gold.
They say this can produce batteries that charge quickly and work for dozens of cycles.
The research team was headed by Cary Pint, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt University.
He became interested in fool's gold because it is one of the most abundant materials in the earth's surface.
It's produced in raw form as a byproduct of coal production and is so cheap that it is used in lithium batteries that are thrown away after a single use.
'Researchers have demonstrated that nanoscale materials can significantly improve batteries, but there is a limit,' Pint says.
'When the particles get very small, generally meaning below 10 nanometers (40 to 50 atoms wide), the nanoparticles begin to chemically react with the electrolytes and so can only charge and discharge a few times.
'So this size regime is forbidden in commercial lithium-ion batteries.'
The team overcame this by adding millions of iron pyrite quantum dots of different sizes to standard lithium batteries.
Putting bulk iron pyrite in a battery works poorly because the iron must move to the surface so that sodium-sulfur material can form and store energy. Iron pyrite quantum dots, by contrast, have iron close to the surface due to their small size, and this energy storage process can occur reversibly over many cycles
Iron pyrite works so well because it has a unique way of changing form into an iron and a lithium-sulphur compound to store energy.
This is a different mechanism from how commercial lithium-ion batteries store charge.
In this process, lithium inserts into a material during charging and is extracted while discharging.
The process leaves the material that stores the lithium mostly unchanged.
According to Pint, 'You can think of it like vanilla cake.
'Storing lithium or sodium in conventional battery materials is like pushing chocolate chips into the cake and then pulling the intact chips back out.
'With the interesting materials we're studying, you put chocolate chips into vanilla cake and it changes into a chocolate cake with vanilla chips.'
As a result, the rules that forbid the use of ultrasmall nanoparticles in batteries no longer apply. In fact, the scales are tipped in favor of very small nanoparticles.
Pint believes that understanding of chemical storage mechanisms and how they depend on nanoscale dimensions is critical to enable the evolution of battery performance at a pace that stands up to Moore's law and can support the transition to electric vehicles.
'The batteries of tomorrow that can charge in seconds and discharge in days will not just use nanotechnology, they will benefit from the development of new tools that will allow us to design nanostructures that can stand up to tens of thousands of cycles and possess energy storage capacities rivaling that of gasoline,' says Pint.
'Our research is a major step in this direction.'
f you add quantum dots to a smartphone battery it will charge in 30 seconds, but the effect only lasts for a few recharge cycles. Researchers have now discovered a way to make the effect last longer
Maps showing the distribution of elements in quantum dots after sodium is inserted into the material, or after it is being 'charged' with sodium. The sodium inserting in the material is the basis for its energy storage capability. The uniform distribution of sodium in the quantum dot s represents better energy storage
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- The City Council will take this measure to the Plenary Session on 4 February to help hotel and restaurant owners in the face of the economic effects of Covid-19.
The Redován Town Council has announced the suspension of the payment of terrace installation fees for bars, restaurants and cafes in the municipality for the coming year 2021, which will be approved in the Municipal Plenary on 4 February. This measure was already adopted by the Council of Redovan last May and is now being extended to help, as far as possible, entrepreneurs in the sector. The councillor for the Treasury, Adrián Ballester, recalled that the hotel and catering industry has been severely affected throughout the year due to the pandemic, but that, “with the entry into force of the latest measures decreed by the Generalitat Valenciana, it is going to be even more affected, having to close its establishments”.
The suspension of the tax will come into force once the Plenary has provisionally approved it. It will come into effect from mid-March, and the owners of the premises will only have to pay the tax for the days they have set up a terrace from 1 January until that date, “without having to pay for the time during which the Generalitat has decreed the closure, and without having to pay anything else for the rest of the year 2021”, explained the councillor.
Last Wednesday saw the entry into force of new restrictions adopted by the Generalitat to curb the third wave of COVID-19 in the Valencian Community. These measures include the closure of hotel and catering establishments, except for those establishments that can offer take-away or pick-up service on the premises. These measures are completed with the closure at 18:00 hours of commercial premises and surfaces, except for those establishments dedicated to the essential commercial activity of food, hygiene, pharmacies, orthopaedics, opticians, hairdressers and sale of pet food.
“As a government team, we are obliged to support our shopkeepers and hotel and restaurant owners in everything we can, and after the last year, any help for this sector is not enough,” said Ballester. In this way, “from the Town Hall we continue working and considering proposals to be able to help them and make this situation as bearable as possible”, he added.
For its part, the municipal head of Trade and Markets, Maite Martinez, also stressed the importance of supporting local trade “as much as we can”, encouraging residents to consume, whenever possible, in shops and businesses in Redován. To do this, and as she has indicated, “it is necessary to comply with the indications and check in advance if the establishment offers a home delivery service to avoid crowds and the accumulation of people, try to be proactive and make purchases before 18:00 hours, and always complying with all health safety measures”.


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Dressed comfortably in a white T-shirt, purple pants and Steve Madden heels, fitness model Amrit Dhaliwal appears to be completely at ease. Dhaliwal, who is of Punjabi descent, hails from Canada. She has been a celebrity fitness model for brands such as Parasuco and Guess, authored a glamfit series of books, in addition to having been a spokesperson for Alliance Entertainment, and also a director for a clinical research company. From hosting the Naked News series in Toronto to even appearing on the Howard Stern Show, she has done it all. Commenting on the scenario in India, she says, "There is this popular misconception that if women start weight training, they will end up looking like men."
In her case, it was an accident in 2003 that forced her to take up weight training. "It brought me back to modelling and made me fall in love with myself again," she says.
Having studied the Indian market, she hopes to bring her line of glamfit books, which she has authored, along with a cookbook on nutritional foods that one can eat without compromising on taste. Sharing her fitness mantra, she says, "The important part which people need to know is that getting a good body is not about losing weight in five to six months, but about maintaining it for a minimum of five to six years. The best way to follow the plan is to allow oneself a 'cheat day' where you can binge on foods you love."
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The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Fushi Copperweld, MIPS Technologies, Career Education, Sykes Enterprises, and Stewart Enterprises. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Exar, Metabolix, Xyratex, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Apollo Investment.
Fushi Copperweld, Inc. (FSIN) stock grew 9.65 percent to $8.18 in after-market trading. The company said the special committee of its board of directors has received a revised takeover offer from its chairman and co-chief executive officer Li Fu and private equity firm Abax Global Capital Hong Kong Ltd. Another private equity firm TPG Growth Asia Inc., an affiliate of TPG Capital L.P., has joined the chairman-led group in the buyout offer. The revised proposal to acquire the company in a going private transaction for $9.50 per share in cash is higher than the $9.25 per share offer submitted by Fu and Abax in mid-November, but is lower than the $11.50 per share offer initially submitted by Fu and Abax in early November 2010. Further, the company said the latest offer does not contain customary financing commitments and is still highly conditional. Fushi's special committee will carefully review the revised proposal and notify shareholders of its position regarding the revised proposal in due course.
MIPS Technologies Inc. (MIPS) stock gained 4.52 percent to $4.39 in after-market trading.
Career Education Corp. (CECO) stock increased 4.38 percent to $7.86 in after-market trading.
Sykes Enterprises, Inc. (SYKE) stock gained 4.20 percent to $15.86 in after-market trading.
Stewart Enterprises Inc. (STEI) stock increased 3.78 percent to $5.76 in after-market trading.
Exar Corp. (EXAR) stock slid 3.75 percent to $6.42 in after-market trading. The company said it lowered its third quarter revenue outlook to range of $28 million to $30 million from previous forecast of $32 million to $34 million, while Street analysts predict $33.09 million. The company now anticipates adjusted gross margin of 48 percent to 50 percent. The company said revenue outlook across all product lines has fallen below the original expectation due to weaker economic conditions in Asia and Europe and continued inventory corrections.
Metabolix, Inc. (MBLX) stock declined 2 percent to $4.42 in after-market trading.
Xyratex Ltd. (XRTX) stock decreased 1.51 percent to $13.74 in after-market trading.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALXN) stock declined 1.30 percent to $70 in after-market trading. The company said it agreed to buy in an all-cash transaction 100 percent of the capital stock of Enobia Pharma Corp., a private biopharmaceutical company based in Montreal, Canada and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Alexion said it would acquire full worldwide development and commercial rights to Enobia's lead product candidate ENB-0040 (asfotase alfa). Alexion has agreed to pay $610 million in cash upon consummation of the transaction, and up to $470 million in cash to be paid upon achievement of various regulatory and sales milestones. Alexion intends to finance the acquisition through cash on hand and $300 million of committed bank debt. The companies currently anticipate that the transaction will be completed in the first quarter of 2012.
Alexion reiterated all areas of 2011 guidance provided in its third quarter 2011 earnings announcement in October. Alexion said it would provide 2012 financial guidance in February, including one-time expenses related to the Enobia acquisition. The company expects 2012 adjusted research and development expenses to transiently rise to about 20 percent to 21 percent of sales, due to activities associated with Enobia's programs, and then to return to the company's target of about 17 percent to 18 percent of sales in 2013. Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses associated with the proposed acquisition are expected to have limited impact in 2012.
Apollo Investment Corp. (AINV) stock decreased 1.24 percent to $6.37 in after-market trading.


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Volkswagen has teased a new ID Crossover Coupe Concept on its media site. The new concept from the ID family will be unveiled at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show.
The ID Crossover Coupe Concept is the first all electric car from Volkswagen. The German carmaker has called it an electric crossover utility vehicle (CUV) - a four-door coupe and sport utility vehicle (SUV) in one.
Like previous concepts in the ID family, the Crossover Coupe Concept has all-wheel drive and autopilot capabilities. It can be used to navigate smooth and rough terrain.
The ID family of vehicles will come to life in form of production vehicles sometime in 2020 or after. Volkswagen has shifted its focus towards electric vehicles since the Dieselgate scandal happened.


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An Investor's Business Daily editorial on Friday confirmed a couple of items which seemed intuitively obvious but which I didn't prove on Thursday in my post (at NewsBusters; at BizzyBlog) about the Department of Labor's outrageous decision to grant unionized workers at now-liquidating Hostess Bakeries "Trade Adjustment Assistance" (TAA).
The first is that it will cost a lot of money, totaling an amount which appears to have a chance to come within striking distance of about half of the annual profits in the entire commercial baking industry. The second is that there is little if any evidence supporting DOL's finding that imports have seriously harmed the industry. Excerpts from that editorial (do read the whole blood-boiling thing), followed by a bit of analysis by yours truly, follow the jump.
After Bankrupting Hostess, Union Workers Rake In The Federal Dough
... (As Hostess threatened liquidation) most workers at the bread and pastry maker, famous for its Twinkies and Ho Hos snack cakes, were willing to tighten their belts until good times returned.
They included hard-line unions, such as the Teamsters, not known for making concessions.
But there was one exception: the AFL-CIO-affiliated Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers International (BCTGM).
It refused to deal, taking the entire company, including fellow workers, down with it.
Turns out the union knew exactly what it was doing.
... TAA is a lavish program doled out by the Labor Department for laid-off workers who've lost their jobs due to "global trade."
It provides worker retraining due to the supposed evils of free trade — plus moving expenses, baby-sitting expenses and as much as two years of unemployment pay. If a worker ends up making less than his union salary afterward, Uncle Sam spots the worker for 50% of the supposed lost wages in a "free" subsidy.
What's more, "virtually anybody can qualify," said TAA certifying officer Elliott Kushner in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
... (This result is) a reward for those who refuse to negotiate, and a sop to the manipulative unions that are most adept at gaming the system.
This doesn't create value. It's corruption.
From what I can tell, the industry segment in which Hostess operated -- NAICS Code Number 1905, Baked Bread and Pastry -- had sales of $24 billion in 2007, and has seen flat growth since. It had imports of $3.2 billion in 2012, up from $2.7 billion in 2010. Industrywide hours worked have changed little in the past decade. The numbers aren't directly comparable, but a roughly 2-point increase in the market share of imports ($500 million increase divided by $24 billion or more) hardly makes the case for DOL's TAA ruling. If the industrywide profit margin on sales is about 6.5%, which is typical for food-related businesses, industrywide profit would be about $1.56 billion. If the average total benefits paid to each TAA-affected worker amount to $45,000 -- a seemingly conservative number given the two-year entitlement to unemployment benefits and the other identified perks -- former Hostess workers will receive $810 million ($18,000 x 45,000), or about half of the industry's profits in a full year.
When the government for no defensible reason distributes large amounts of money to members of one its key constituency groups -- in this case, organized labor, whose members, as IBD noted, were making about twice what other workers in the industry typically make -- it is indeed corruption.
National coverage of this travesty has been virtually non-existent, as is normally the case with corruption when a Democratic presidential administration is involved.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.


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Everton sign new kit deal
Thursday 29 March 2012
Everton have signed a three-year kit deal Nike, starting from next season.
The sportswear giant take over from Le Coq Sportif and will be the official and recognised technical partner on all of Everton's match and training kits.
Everton's new deal, negotiated in close collaboration with their retail and merchandise partner Kitbag, is the first with Nike.
"We're all excited by the prospect of working with Nike's design, marketing and retailing teams," said Toffees chief executive Robert Elstone.
"We look forward to seeing some impressive, original kits and products, as well as being on hand to take advantage of new retail opportunities that we'll be working with Kitbag to drive forward.
"Nike has an impeccable reputation and we are confident that our supporters will be excited by the new partnership, with all of us looking forward to seeing our new home shirt this summer."
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As Alibaba's founders announce their investment in Rent the Runway and Kering plans to test a new subscription system, the luxury industry is preparing to respond to a new consumption mode that heralds a revolution.
Beauty products maker Coty Inc has launched an $8 billion (5.7 billion pounds)-equivalent debt refinancing, banking sources said, after paying billions to acquire brands that appeal to younger consumers.
The Cato Corporation has reported its February same store sales are down 5% over last year. It also reported a 5% increase over sales of $63.8 million for the four-week period ending February 25, 2017.
Movado has appointed two executives to lead digital and social media, and also form a new Digital Center of Excellence. Behzad Soltani is new chief digital officer and Michelle Barna-Stern is the new VP of social media.
The chief executive of British retailer Marks & Spencer , Steve Rowe, said he and his new chairman, Archie Norman, differed very little on the strategic direction of the company and were working well together.
Extreme weather across the UK has piled misery onto fashion retailers with a ‘perfect storm’ of negative factors denting footfall, causing stores to close and dampening consumer interest in warm-weather spring product.
The social media-fueled Grab Your Wallet campaign from 2017 is back with consumers now calling for the boycott of retailers affiliated with the NRA. Apple and Amazon are being targeted for streaming NRA TV.


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Non-G.M.O., organic bring challenges
While it might be easy to assume that the introduction of the added sugars line to the Nutrition Facts Panel would be driving conversations about sweetener alternatives, that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least not in the experience of Jim Kappas, vice-president of sales and marketing for Malt Products Corp.
“At this time, non-G.M.O. and organic claims are probably the biggest driver,” he said.
These claims are just another dimension of consumers’ quest for clean label ingredients. Barley, the grain source for malt, is a non-G.M.O. grain, so this falls in nicely with the trend toward non-G.M.O. ingredients.
For honey to be considered organic, no G.M.O. crops are allowed within a two-mile zone of the beehives producing the honey. That eliminates much of the United States as available to produce organic honey. For non-G.M.O., the regulations are even tighter.
“For third party non-G.M.O. certification, there is a four-mile exclusion zone,” said Jon Bodner, vice-president of food technology for Sweetener Supply Corp. That further eliminates many supply sources outside of the US and leaves, according to Mr. Bodner, places as remote as the Amazon Rainforest as a source for non-G.M.O. honey.
“The two-mile regulation is still doable for parts of Mexico, Brazil and a little bit of Canada and India,” Mr. Bodner said. “Some of the countries that don’t allow G.M.O. crops in the first place can source non-G.M.O. honey, but those have smaller bee-keeping communities, so they’re not usually large exporters.”


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Chip maker Texas Instruments lowered its outlook for quarterly earnings and revenue in the first quarter on weaker than expected chip demand and its shares fell as much as 5.5 percent.
TI, which makes chips for everything from cell phones to televisions, cut its first-quarter earnings per share forecast to 41 cents to 45 cents from its target of 43 cents to 49 cents issued Jan. 22.
It forecast revenue of $3.21 billion to $3.35 billion compared with its previous target of $3.27 billion to $3.55 billion citing solid demand for its chips.
Shares recently were trading down nearly 4 percent. In Europe, Nokia and other technology stocks fell on Tuesday on the warning.
Analysts on average expected earnings of 46 cents per share on revenue of $3.4 billion, according to Reuters Estimates.
The company forecast semiconductor revenue in a range of $3.14 billion to $3.26 billion for the quarter down from its previous estimate of $3.20 billion to $3.46 billion.
Shares immediately fell more than 5 percent to $28.01 in late trade after closing at $29.65 on the new York Stock Exchange.
Before the news TI shares had already lost more than 11 percent of their value since the start of 2008 as investors worried it would be hurt by a slowdown in the U.S. economy.
'Pretty Significant' Revisions
Texas Instruments cut its first-quarter revenue target due to weaker than expected demand in wireless chips, investor relations executive Ron Slaymaker said on a conference call with analysts.
He said that TI had received "pretty significant downward revisions" in wireless chip demand, particularly for high-end phones such as those with high-speed Web links and cited changing plans at one customer in particular.


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Srinagar: For decades, Kashmir’s own brand, Poshish created its impactful story in Indian and international markets. However, the brand is hitting its climax due to “faulty” administrative policies, defunct machinery and pilling of long-pending issues.
According to the employees working at the only showroom facility in Solina, in summer capital, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Handloom Development Corporation was on the last leg of its survival. They say that the necessary and immediate steps were highly needed to bring the lost glory of one of the oldest corporations of the government.
“How do you expect the Corporation to grow when there are only a few windows open for its survival,” asked the employees association of the corporation.
“We have many issues confronting our corporation, administratively and at the same time our employees are suffering a great deal,” they alleged, adding “the productivity of the corporation has gone down, and we are waiting for some administrative relief.”
The aggrieved employees say that due to the “administrative failure”, a lot of its procured raw material, worth crores, was lying unattended. “One really feels bad when you see piles of raw material eating the dust at the factory outlet in Srinagar,” they say.
“We haven’t been able to streamline our workforce. All our employees have been unpaid for the last 13 months. We work for no salary. Every time we knock the doors of our higher officials, we are told that the government has no funds for the corporation,” president of Jammu and Kashmir Handloom Development Corporation, Bashir Ahmad, told Greater Kashmir.
“This development corporation has a long history of working with the rural pockets and artisans of Jammu and Kashmir. However, with each passing year not only Poshish is perishing but we are witnessing a downfall of this corporation,” he says, adding “Imagine, workers and artisans working without salary for over a year. What would be their outcome and how do you expect them to work for enhancing productivity and enhancing quality.”
The Jammu and Kashmir State Handloom Development Corporation (JKSHDC) was incorporated in 1981 exclusively to undertake the promotion of the decentralised handloom sector of the state and to implement centrally sponsored handloom projects initiated by the Government of India.
“There was a time when we used to go into the deeper pockets of erstwhile State’s rural areas and we would ensure that we give betterment and livelihood to the people living in these far-flung areas,” says, Ali Muhammad, an employee.
Jammu Kashmir’s traditional handloom weaving has, since centuries, developed a name for itself across the world. Apart from designs found specifically in the area, the raw materials are also produced within the region be it pashmina, silk or wool.
“Traditional handloom weaving has been a major source of employment for a significant part of the workforce here. However, things have changed to a larger extent now,” he says.
The employees of the corporation say that the around 11000 mts of tweet fabric was lying unattended at the Solina outlet for two years and administration wasn’t doing anything in this regard.
“This Corporation is falling, and employees are suffering. We have seen how the production has got affected from the last two years and there is no innovation happening on part of the production of the tweet or Poshish products,” the employees, posted at the main Facility centre at Solina, Srinagar.
Importantly, the JKSHDC has two manufacturing units—one at Solina Rambagh, Srinagar and another at Samba where production activities are being carried out under one roof. However, a major portion of the production activities are being carried out in the decentralised sector. Items that are being manufactured in these plants include Tweed fabric, rafal fabric, woollen, cotton fabric etc.
‘Spinning Unit and other sick units’
The officials maintained that the central government has approved the project of WWDDC Phase–II for an in-house spinning unit at Solina-Rambagh, Srinagar and the corporation intends to purchase wool locally, which is in abundance at Kashmir, and process it to make finished yarn of different colours and specifications which is currently being imported from other states.
“This yarn is utilised by the corporation for making its traditional products, including woollen tweeds,” officials say.
However, the workers of the corporation rubbished the claims, saying that the surplus yarn was to supply to the weavers at reasonable rates and at their doorsteps and a yarn bank was to be created. “Our corporation was to serve the society and elevate its resource generation capacity. However, it has defuncted itself. How can it reach out to the general public, especially artisans at large?”
They alleged that the government in an arbitrary decision decentralised the corporation—which affected the projects and the marketing of the handloom products.
“A lot of commissioned agents of the corporation who used to run the outlets also were shut and given an exit after several years,” employees revealed.
Several ongoing projects including Development of Wool and Woollen Design & Development Centre (WWDDC), Solina, Srinagar, Kani Shawl project Kanihama, Budgam, Royal Pashmina Project, Srinagar, Export Oriented Handloom Development Project, Samba, Intensive Handloom Development Project Udhampur, Pashmina Weaving Project Basohli, Kathua, too have witnessed the brunt of the “malfunctioning” of the corporation.
Managing Director, Jammu and Kashmir Handloom Development Corporation, Hashmat Yauto, told Greater Kashmir, that a lot of efforts were on to streamline the corporation. He claims that the government initiated a process to associate well established fashion designers for its ready-made products which help to establish its brand image in the state and intends to work on the skill development aspect of local artisans associated with stitching, weaving and designing.
“The corporation was aiming to increase the employment of qualified young entrepreneurs as well as artisans, weavers,” he said.
The Corporation has upgraded its showrooms in terms of infrastructure, technology, fabric designs, finishing techniques, presentation, advertisement etc to make it competitive with other brands, targeting high end customers in the process. In this regard, Corporation shall initiate to establish its existing Gandhi Nagar Showroom as model show room for high end woollens as well as cotton products.
He rebutted the claims of the employees over the government withholding their salaries for over 13 months. “We have released their salaries. However, I agree there was a lot of mismanagement as far as the production of the corporation was concerned.”
He maintained that the corporation is in full swing and working towards improving its performance on the financial as well as the service front.


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johnson Controls, whose business makes power supply and interior parts for auto manufacturers, could get a boost from its most recent unit that does the same for buildings, according to an article in Barron's August 16 edition.
The company's fastest growing business has been Building Efficiency, which makes and services products used for heating, ventilation, security and lighting large buildings, Barron's said. The division took the spotlight when it nabbed the assignment to bring the 80-year-old Empire State building to the environmentally friendly realm.
Johnson Controls raised its profile in the area five years ago when it acquired York International, an independent supplier of HVACR equipment and services. Revenue and profits from the building-controls business more than doubled between fiscal year 2005 and 2009, Barron's said.


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Air Jordan 6 “Hare” Pushed Back to June 2020
Update 03.01.20 // A release for the Air Jordan 6 “Hare” has been pushed back to June amid the current COVID-19 crisis. Stay tuned for further updates.
Update 03.01.20 // Detailed in-hand looks at the Air Jordan 6 “Hare” have landed courtesy of Instagram’s @hanzuyng ahead of the pair’s release this April. Take a peep at the pair in detail below, and keep it locked on HOUSE OF HEAT for further details as we approach its release.
Update 02.23.20 // More looks Air Jordan 6 “Hare” have filtered through by-way-of Instagram’s @upcycle.sneaks. Take in a detailed look further below, which includes a first look at the carrot-graphic box that’s in-line with the recently-previewed Air Jordan 7 “Hare 2.0”. Keep your eyes glued to our Twitter feed for further updates as we edge closer to the drop!
Update 01.04.20 // A first look at the Air Jordan 6 Retro for 2020 has arrived, and it arrives true to first reports; white leather and suede base, red pods and lace overlays, with the famous Hare 7 pattern draped across the pair’s tongue and insoles. Pairs are tipped to arrive on April 11th, a few days before Easter, but that is yet to be confirmed by the brand. Take a peep at the pair further below, and keep your eyes locked on our Twitter feed for updates over the coming weeks, including better looks and a confirmed release date!
OG Post 10.03.19 // News breaking today courtesy of @Mr_Unloved1s: There’s a “Hare” Jordan 6 on the way for 2020.
The colorway scored the named thanks to Bugs Bunny’s classic marketing campaign on the Air Jordan 7, which debuted during the 1992 Superbowl (below). It has since graced the Air Jordan 1 — but next year it looks to grace the Air Jordan 6.
While no further info was provided, you can expect more news to follow over the coming weeks and months. Until then, take a peep at our Photoshop below, and make sure you keep your eyes glued to our Twitter feed for further updates.
Wanna know what other Jordan Retros are reported for next year? Catch our full-rundown of Jordan Releases for 2020 right here.
Air Jordan 6 “Hare”
Style Code: CT8529-062
Color: Neutral Grey/White-True Red-Black
Release Date: June 2020
Where to Buy:
Mock-up + detailed looks //
First Look //


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Data, data, data. It’s said to be the new currency. What is it telling you? How are you tracking it? Does it matter?
Bacteria may light up the future. Glowee, a start-up company based in Paris, France, is developing bioluminescent lights to illuminate shop fronts and street signs.
The most wonderful time of the year is just about here, whether we’re ready or not — but what the Earth is definitely not ready for is the impact the holiday season has on it.
“Safety is the biggest barrier for people who don't cycle,” British entrepreneur Emily Brooke tells Forbes. “You could be lit up like a Christmas tree, but if you’re caught in a vehicle's blind spot you can't be seen.”
When I caught the toaster on fire as a kid, I stood still, unable to make a quick decision about how to handle it. My mom ran into the room, extinguished the flames and barely winked. I thought it was some superpower only moms had.
Mental Canvas is not the first software that attempts to save the act of sketching--we have seen 3D "sketching" tools such as SketchUp, as well as applications that simply simulate sketching on paper, such as Morpholio's popular range of sketching apps.
The following applies to entrepreneurship: people learn by doing. By making mistakes or doing things differently next time, a company can flourish. In Lesson learned, entrepreneurs share how they themselves have become wise through damage and shame. This week: Founder of iLost Hanneke Stegweg keeps her goals in focus by dancing away from everything.
Yelitsa Jean-Charles fired off the fateful tweet this past weekend from an unsuspecting place: an air mattress on the floor of her recently acquired—and not yet completely furnished—Detroit apartment.
Can a pair of socks help those with diabetes avoid foot amputations? That’s one of the ideas behind Siren, a company that’s building smart, washable fabric wearables — the first of which is a pair of socks meant to help those with diabetes monitor their foot health and detect dangerous injuries early. They’ve just raised an $11.8 million Series B to help get it done.
This month, Black Girl Sunscreen (BGS) secured a $1 million dollar investment from a private female funding source.
24-year-old company founder receives $100,000 award from UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Enter The Food Corridor: an online platform where food businesses can connect with and choose commercial production spaces and gain access to tools like scheduling and booking, payment processing, and health code documentation.
When these Latinx entrepreneurs looked at the landscape of wellness, beauty, clothing, books and even stickers, they saw a gap in Latinx representation — and an opportunity to fix it.
I met Shontay Lundy through a quick DM! She is beautiful and smart, most of all an advocate for sun-care. Yes, sun-care for women of colour. I live for summer and it’s so important to protect my maturing melanin.
Fulcrum Capital is an investment advisory company led by three women who share the same goals — to deliver investment returns to clients while making a difference in the lives of women and girls.


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ABB has launched an all-in-one EV charger which it says is the fastest charger available, adding more than 60 miles of range in just three minutes.
The manufacturer’s new Terra 360 is a modular charger that can simultaneously charge up to four vehicles with dynamic power distribution.
The new charger, which will be available in Europe from the end of 2021, and in the USA, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions in 2022, has a maximum output of 360 kW, which ABB says makes it the fastest charging option currently available, capable of fully charging any electric car in 15 minutes or less.
As well as serving the needs of private EV drivers at fueling stations, convenience stores and retail locations, Terra 360 chargers can also be installed on an organization’s commercial premises to charge electric fleet cars, vans and trucks.
Frank Muehlon, president of ABB’s E-mobility Division, commented: “With governments around the world writing public policy that favors electric vehicles and charging networks to combat climate change, the demand for EV charging infrastructure, especially charging stations that are fast, convenient and easy to operate is higher than ever.
“The Terra 360, with charging options that fit a variety of needs, is the key to fulfilling that demand and accelerating e-mobility adoption globally.”
Theodor Swedjemark, chief communications and sustainability officer at ABB, added: “It’s an exciting day for ABB, who as the global leader in electric vehicle fast charging, is playing a key role in enabling a low carbon society.
“With road transport accounting for nearly a fifth of global CO2 emissions, e-mobility is critical to achieving the Paris climate goal. We will also lead by example by switching our entire fleet of more than 10,000 vehicles to non-emitting vehicles.”
ABB entered the e-mobility market back in 2010, and has sold more than 460,000 electric vehicle chargers across more than 88 markets; over 21,000 DC fast chargers and 440,000 AC chargers, including those sold through Chargedot.
Its high-power chargers are already being deployed around the world through the company’s partnerships with international charging operators such as IONITY and Electrify America.


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CHICAGO (PRWEB) April 24, 2018
Thinkwrap Commerce, a Tenzing company, has announced today, Tracey Nero (SVP Sales) and select members of the sales and digital transformation consultancy team will be attending the B2B Online 2018 Trade Show, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, May 7-9, 2018. The team will also feature Serge Rose, retail eCommerce veteran, who joined Thinkwrap after working with ALDO for 6 years, where he was instrumental to their Digital Transformation project. Thinkwrap will be at booth #311.
“Having experience in this industry from a client side, and now working with Thinkwrap, I’m really looking forward to help companies in defining a strategic approach and enable their transformation.”, said Serge Rose.
B2B Online will feature over 75 speakers in the B2B eCommerce space, and will be the largest event this year for eCommerce, digital and marketing executives from America’s leading manufacturers and distributors.
“Enterprise B2B customers are eager to find technology partners that can provide them with solutions that combine the ease of today’s most popular B2C e-commerce platforms with a personalized experience”, said Lori Hawthorne, Divisional Director and Senior Analyst, B2B Online. “We are proud to have enterprise technology providers like Thinkwrap Commerce join the ongoing digital transformation conversation at B2B Online””.
Thinkwrap will host their client, Foxconn subsidiary Aguila’s CEO Dr. Bill Mitchell, who will speak during B2B Online on “Industry 4.0”, which combines the physical with the digital commerce technologies. Thinkwrap will be arranging private sessions with Dr. Mitchell for companies that may gain strategic knowledge for their digital transformation through his expertise.
This exhibition happens at a special time in Thinkwrap’s growth as an omni-channel commerce industry leader. Thinkwrap’s recent merger with Tenzing and Spark::red has established them as an end-to-end service provider, offering strategy, design, development, optimization, and now, managed hosting for B2B and B2C eCommerce. For companies looking to begin their digital transformation, or those looking for a missing piece of their current strategy, Thinkwrap will be able to answer questions and provide opportunities to access resources to solve their business challenges.
About Thinkwrap Commerce
Well-known brands turn to Thinkwrap Commerce to create strategic digital engagements when they want to grow revenue, increase online traffic, improve customer experience, grow a loyal customer base, achieve operational efficiencies and higher profits. From long-term strategic planning and well-architected design through robust development and ongoing optimization, we use the best available technologies to ensure our customers’ online success. We connect the online, in-store, mobile, social, call-center and warehouse; delivering a seamless omni-channel eCommerce experience. To learn more, visit http://www.thinkwrap.com. Thinkwrap is an SAP Hybris Gold Partner and in 2017 was nominated as a finalist for SAP Hybris Most Innovative Partner of the Year, and a finalist for SAP Hybris Service Delivery Partner of the Year, North Americas in 2016.
For further information, please contact:


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China is becoming a major player in UAE real estate, driven by tourism and the Belt & Road Initiative.
The Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns features an enviable location along the CBD’s main thoroughfare of Abbott Street, bounded by both the private […]
Australia’s suburbs are set to see a boost from industrial investors as more e-commerce and logistics companies look to base themselves even closer to their customers.
Commercial real estate markets could be headed for a future where big, chunky assets are more easily accessible.
Hong Kong’s infamously small apartments are set to shrink further as developers digest the city’s new vacancy tax.


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Google has confirmed that it is going to take self-driving cars from the internet to prevent their technology from hackers, according to the chief executive of its driverless car program.
It is not possible to disconnect from the outside world entirely however as autonomous vehicles require the means to communicate with other traffic and infrastructure to furnish them with advance warning of potential dangers.
Speaking to the Financial Times John Krafcik explained: “Our cars will communicate with the outside world only when they truly need to, so there will not be a continuous line that is able to be hacked, going into the car.”
Driverless cars are particularly vulnerable to criminals as their components are all connected on a central system, giving hackers multiple routes to break into the system and assume control of key functions.
The decision highlights just how seriously Google is treating cyber security after rival car manufacturers Nissan and Fiat Chrysler fell victim to criminal hacks.
Source: itechpost & thedrum.com


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S. Korea: Ill-advised Restructuring in Shipping Sector to Weaken Industry Competitiveness
Concerns that an ill-advised restructuring of the shipping industry without medium and long term strategies will end up weakening the competitiveness of related industries are becoming reality.
According to shipping industry sources on April 25, Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. (HMM) sold its 40 percent plus one share in Hyundai Pusan New Port Terminal Co. to the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) as part of its self-rescue plan in March last year when the shipping industry carried out restructuring in earnest. In the process, the sales agreement included “poisonous clauses” that are unilaterally favorable to PSA.
HMM, the then largest shareholder of Pusan New Port Terminal with a 50 percent plus one share, sold its 40 percent plus one share in the port terminal at 80 billion won (US$70.77 million), yielding to the pressure of financial authorities and creditors. Under the conditions of the sale, HMM has to process 700,000 twenty foot equivalent unit (TEU) of cargoes in Hyundai Pusan Newport Terminal annually and use only Pusan New Port Terminal when processing additional cargoes.
In addition, PSA said it would raise its terminal service fees by 3 percent every year until 2023 and HMM accepted the request. The rate of transshipment per TEU set by PSA was two times higher than China’s Shanghai port and four times higher than the Qingdao port. PSA also banned HMM from taking over other terminals for three years even when it wants to in order to avoid unfavorable conditions.
HMM handled a total of 1.57 million TEU at the Busan port in 2013 and it is also expected to process more cargoes at the port this year. An official from HMM said, “When the company handles 1.5 million TEU at the Busan port this year, it will face up to 33.1 billion won (US$29.28 million) of additional costs. If PSA sticks to the current high level of rates, HMM might have to use overseas terminals to cut down costs.”
The more HMM process cargoes at the Busan port, the more losses it has to shoulder. HMM, which needs to make profits, has no choice but to handle its transshipment cargoes at other ports, including China, though it may face public criticism.
Some said that the government’s coercive and inconsiderate restructuring plans to sell lucrative assets to secure funds for cash-strapped companies while overlooking their competitiveness brought about such result. An official from the industry said, “As all the cards of HMM were exposed to its opponent, the company’s negotiating power also diminished. The port authorities should mediate the conflicts between HMM and PSA from a broad point of view.”
Source: Business Korea


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On March 9, Apple is widely expected to let us know exactly when its much-anticipated Watch line will ship and how much all the new models will cost. But what other new products might Apple unveil?
The most important things to know when shopping for a cell phone.
Starting with Office for iOS, Microsoft is enabling its new Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps to access more third-party cloud-storage services.
The flash memory specialist announces a 200GB microSD card, drives to backup phone photos and transfer them to PCs, and a high-endurance microSD card for dashcams.
The Galaxy S5 and earlier Galaxy smartphones had replaceable batteries and storage expansion slots. But the new GS6 says goodbye to that flexibility in favor of a sleeker design.
Latest move underscores an industry in transition -- especially as Microsoft and Google seek to expand their reach by driving down cloud computing prices.
For less than $300, the pocket-size Broadcaster Mini can wirelessly broadcast live 1080p video to millions from any camera with an HDMI output.
We put the metal and glass S6 and S6 Edge next to the S3, S4 and S5 to see how Samsung's design choices have changed over time.
The company is expected to share more details about its smartwatch, as well as possibly introduce new Macs, an Apple TV and other products.
Nearly a year after filing for an IPO, Box finds market conditions more favorable for going public.


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Toyota Motor Corp.’s electric RAV4 will not be assembled at the plant in California that Tesla acquired from the Japanese automaker. Instead, Toyota will produce the model in-house in Canada in 2012. The companies revealed that Toyota’s EV, which is powered by Tesla, will be built in Woodstock, Ontario, where Toyota produces the gasoline-powered RAV4 crossover. Toyota declined to discuss volume expectations for the electric vehicle.
It also didn’t say how much the model will retail for at its dealerships beginning in 2012. Toyota has recently announced that it has entered a deal with Tesla valued at $100 million. Tesla is tasked to make an electric powertrain for the RAV4.
The deal covers its battery module, electric motor, gear box and electronic parts. The price of the investment implies that Toyota sees the deal with Tesla as a limited arrangement instead of being an open-ended supply deal.
At the same time, Tesla is working on an electric family sedan too. This sedan, which is known as Model S, will be made on an assembly line in Fremont, Calif. This is the huge production plant that’s formerly known as New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., a 50-50 joint venture between Toyota and GM. This plant was where Toyota’s Corolla sedans and Tacoma pickups were built.
GM withdrew from NUMMI while it faced bankruptcy proceedings. Tesla is currently busy with retooling the NUMMI plant where the 2012 Model S will be built. Tesla’s powertrains will be made at a smaller Tesla plant in Palo Alto, Calif., and will be delivered to Woodstock where they will be installed on the Toyota units.
The second-generation Toyota RAV4 EV Concept has been unveiled at a 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show press conference sponsored by Toyota U.S.A., Inc.
The carmaker plans to manufacture 35 RAV4 EV Concept cars to be exhibited and evaluated all throughout 2011. The final commercial run vehicle is expected to hit the markets in 2012.
The fully-engineered Toyota RAV4 EV Concept should enjoy a range of 100 miles in ordinary road driving conditions, as well as in a wide variety of weather, climate and other conditions.
TMS president and chief operating officer Jim Lentz said that when they started work on the RAV4 EV, Toyota president Akio Toyoda wanted to use a new development model that includes Tesla's quick and streamlined approach. And so the engineers worked on the development style that they referred to as flexible and fast.
The Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America Technical Center in Michigan spearheaded the new development model, which allowed for faster development times while also ensuring product quality. The team worked as it did on a mid-cycle product revision. The team fitted the RAV4 EV with a powertrain option, and redesigned the aesthetics and other minor changes.
Tesla built and supplied the battery and other related components that were up to par with Toyota’s specific and strict engineering specifications for quality, durability, and performance. On the other hand, Toyota took charge of development and manufacturing, as well as of the integration of the powertrain.
Lentz adds that they decided to focus on the customer experience from the very start, thinking of ways to deliver an unconventional product to the mainstream market. For them, it should be a mix between affordability and being interesting, plus it should offer daily convenience as well.
That also meant that the engineering team focused on drivability. They aimed to manufacture a vehicle that would feel like the traditional RAV4 when driven. For instance, the RAV4 EV is around 220 pounds heavier than the RAV4 V6, but it provides the same level of acceleration as the mainstream model.
The engineers worked hard with the major components to make sure that weight was optimally distributed. Apart from relocating some major components, the steering and suspension were also improved to ensure that better balance is achieved even with the added weight.
The demo is also currently being powered by a lithium metal oxide battery and runs at around the 30 kwh mark. This is going to change as soon as the product decisions and the business model have been finalized. As such, output ratings, volume projections and pricing are still not final, even with a 2012 market launch on the horizon.


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Indian Motorcycle®, America’s First Motorcycle Company®, proudly announced the three winners of its Project Chieftain custom motorcycle contest during Bike Week in Daytona Beach. Hollister Powersports’ (Hollister, CA) “Tequila Sunset” claimed top honors, with “America Proud” from Coastal Indian Motorcycle (Murrels Inlet, S.C.) and “Barnstorm” from Indian Motorcycle of Central Massachusetts (Worcester, MA) taking 2nd and 3rd place honors respectively.
On Monday at Noon Eastern, Indian Motorcycle dealers began accepting pre-order deposits for the company’s recently unveiled Limited-Edition Jack Daniel’s Indian Chieftain. By 12:10 p.m. Eastern, pre-order capacity of 100 units was filled.
Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, and the Jack Daniel Distillery, America’s first registered distillery, today announced the availability of a Limited Edition Jack Daniel’s® Indian® Chieftain®. The new custom-inspired Chieftain marks the second year the two iconic American trailblazers have joined forces to build a unique V-twin-powered celebration of American craftsmanship. The motorcycle brings together two brands that share a mutual commitment to independence, originality, and ingenuity.
Indian Motorcycle®, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced a comprehensive Daytona Bike Week experience that includes a custom bagger showcase, demo rides for all new 2017 models, and a 2017 Chieftain sweepstakes. From Carey Hart’s custom Chieftain bagger on Main Street to the all-new Roadmaster Classic at the Speedway, Indian Motorcycle will have a presence throughout Daytona for all Bike Week-goers to enjoy.
Rechercher des nouvelles et des offres exclusives dans vos courriels prochainement !


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“New job listings from Apple suggests the company is still hard at work at a new, advanced version of its iOS Maps application along with improvements to location services for the iPhone and iPad,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
“This week Apple advertised two new hirings on its official site (1, 2) for the position of ‘iOS Maps Application Developer,'” Hughes reports. “The positions discovered by AppleInsider are based in Apple’s corporate campus in Cupertino, Calif. ‘Come work for the team that revolutionized the mobile technology industry as it continues [to] define what computing looks like in a post-PC era,” the listing reads. ‘The Maps team is looking for an exceptional developer to join us in our mission to radically improve how people interact with maps and location-based services.'”
Hughes reports, “For years now, there has been mounting evidence that Apple is cooking up a major revamp of the iPhone’s native Maps application, perhaps in concert with new and enhanced location-based features. In 2009, the company purchased Placebase, a competitor to Google Maps, which led to speculation that Apple could be interested in eschewing Google’s mapping content for its own.”
Read more in the full article here.


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Five major publishers filed suit against Google Inc. on Wednesday, seeking to block plans to scan copyrighted works without permission and derail Google’s push to make many of the world’s great books searchable online.
The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, names as plaintiffs McGraw-Hill Cos. Inc., Pearson Plc’s Pearson Education and Penguin Group (USA) units, Viacom Inc.’s Simon & Schuster and John Wiley & Sons Inc.
The suit seeks a declaration that Google infringes on the publishers’ copyrights when the Web search leader scans entire books without permission of copyright owners.
“If Google can make...copies, then anyone can,” Patricia Schroeder, president of the Association of American Publishers, said in a phone interview. “Anybody could go into a library and start making digital copies of anything,” she said.
Legal experts say the dispute between Google and the publishing industry is shaping up as a new front in the battle over digital duplication of media, including music, movies and now books.
At issue are rights of copyright holders versus the public’s “fair use” interest in being free to use limited portions of books for commentary or review, for what resembles a kind of full-text, searchable card catalog, analysts say.
“Creating an easy-to-use index of books is fair use under copyright law and supports the purpose of copyright: to increase the awareness and sales of books, directly benefiting copyright holders,” said David Drummond, Google’s attorney.
“This short-sighted attempt to block Google Print works counter to the interests of not just the world’s readers, but also the world’s authors and publishers,” the general counsel said.
The Association of American Publishers, which orchestrated the lawsuit against Google, said in a statement that it took the action after lengthy talks broke down last week over the copyright implications of the Google Print Library Project.
The publishers’ legal action aims to keep Google from setting a precedent that would open the door for anyone to digitally duplicate books and use them as they please, said Schroeder, a former U.S. congresswoman from Colorado.
In September, the Authors Guild and U.S. writers Herbert Mitgang, Betty Miles and Daniel Hoffman filed a separate lawsuit against Google that made similar allegations.
The Authors Guild filing is a class-action lawsuit that seeks damages. The new suit seeks a declaratory judgment that Google is committing copyright infringement by scanning books.
Google, which is working with five of the world’s great libraries to digitize their collections, stopped scanning copyrighted books in August in the face of a growing outcry from publishers. But it plans to resume doing so next month.
Google’s plan to have libraries scan the full text of books goes far beyond the analogy of creating a digital version of a card catalog, Schroeder added. “If Google wants a card catalog they can scan the book’s front page for full bibliographic data.”
Supporters of the Google Print project say the scanning of the full text of the books is necessary to create a searchable catalog of the books located within the five libraries’ collections. Google says it has no plans to make full copies of copyrighted works available without their owners’ permission.
“We haven’t changed our position in support of the project,” said James Hilton, interim head of the university library at the University of Michigan. “Users of Google Print will see a snippet of a few lines of text.”
“They will see information about how to find an in-copyright work, either through a bookstore, a publisher or (the closest) library,” Hilton said. But the full text will not be available online,” he stressed.
Google operates a parallel program with major academic, technical and trade publishers to allow readers to search the text of copyrighted books on publisher-controlled Web pages that show several pages of adjoining text and feature links to publisher and other retail outlets for purchasing the books.


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Mercedes is all set to launch its first 'Made-in-India' performance car. It will drive in the launch of AMG GLC 43 Coupe on Tuesday. The intent with this launch is pretty clear – it is expected to take its performance car line-up to more customers. The 'CKD' version of AMG GLC 43 Coupe could come at a price of ₹80 lakh.
The company has already announced plans of assembling AMG vehicles at its Chakan facility near Pune which essentially means that the final cost of such high performance vehicles are in for a turn southwards. Now, by introducing locally-assembled AMG GLC 43 Coupe may make for a perfect launchpad if we consider the success it has already had in the Indian market.
This model is a great amalgamation of being sporty and quite mean. The vehicle gets an AMG-specific front main grille with vertical chrome-plated fins. These are flanked by LED high-performance headlamps which have been redesigned in the new model. The car will also introduce 19-inch wheels that features AMG lettering as standard.
If we see the rear profile of the vehicle, it is highlighted by a broad apron, diffuser, and two round twin tailpipes – which highlights its sporty appeal.
The cabin of the AMG GLC 43 Coupe will have standard sport seats with black Artico leather/ Dinamica microfiber and these will be complemented with red topstitching. Also, it will be kitted with newest iteration of the MBUX infotainment system as well as five-drive modes – Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual.
This model will come courtesy a 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo engine which is known to pump out 385 bhp of power - 23 bhp more than the preceding model - and it will have a 520 Nm of peak torque. The transmission option will come with AMG Speedshift TCT 9G unit.


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Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85% of global gross national product, 80% of world trade and two-thirds of the world population.
Significantly, this historic move means that Australia, for the first time, will have a permanent seat at the table when key economic matters are discussed by the major powers.
It will also mean that our Prime Minister will continue to have an important role in future deliberations as collaboration on world economic issues is considerably expanded.
After much lobbying, including from that of Mr Rudd, there is now realisation that the global economy requires a greater level of co-operation and regulatory reform.
The utilisation of the G-20 to discuss not only economic and financial issues, but also climate change will make the body even more important over the decades to come.
Not surprisingly, the announcement has been met with approval across the developed world as decisions will now be more representative, reflected by the addition of China, India and Brazil, and the realisation that nations from all continents will be participating. For our nation, it will mean an ongoing ability to shape the direction of an ever changing global economy.
Rod Beisel is Secretary of the Annerley Branch
(Originally published September 2009)


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You have searched for "Disney"
Showing 721-730 of 798
Apple Computer Inc probably report today that annual profit topped US$1bil for the first time as sales of the iPod music player fuelled revenue and buoyed demand for the company's computers.
London Biscuits Bhd has signed an agreement with The Walt Disney Co (Hong Kong) for the rights to use cartoon characters for its confectionery packaging.
Hong Kong Disneyland has taken its pre-opening publicity blitz to the shopping masses, launching a fashion line with the popular bargain fashion retail chain Giordano.
The Walt Disney Co. and two ex-directors who have waged a bitter two-year fight have agreed to a truce, including dropping a contentious shareholder lawsuit challenging the selection of the company's new chief executive officer.


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The news media should stick to its knitting by focusing on local content, says internet ratings researcher Brian Milne.
The advice comes after Wilson & Horton Interactive announced the axing of about a quarter of its staff “to face market reality, " (see Herald trims its internet ambitions)
Ten jobs will go as the online division of the New Zealand Herald mostly aborts future projects, claiming internet growth has not been as fast as expected.
Milne, who is AC Nielsen eRatings.com Pacific managing director, says internet use has been growing at a similar rate to previous years and maybe Wilson & Horton was too bullish.
This sector has also become “extremely competitive”, with INL’s Stuff website and more Kiwi content from Yahoo.
“The competitive nature of it is something that must be a factor,” he says.
Milne says it is easy to get international news from anywhere, but local news and sport was “still the preserve of the traditional media. That has to be the part they build up on,” he says.
On hearing W&H is focussing on the Herald brand, he says “that makes sense”.
W&H Interactive general manager Mark Ottaway says the heads that will roll are “mainly on the management front”; his own job is among those at risk.
“We are determined wherever possible to maintain the engine room … No position is sacrosanct,” he says.
The online division's editorial staff will be integrated within the New Zealand Herald, and may soon be followed by its advertising and marketing functions.
Since the Herald’s website was launched a few years ago, it has been upgraded and relaunched with new features, winning several awards, and now receiving ten million page impressions a month.
The sites include the main Herald news site, Stockwatch (sharetrading), Travel and My Town (regional sites). Ottaway stresses these are core functions that will not suffer and will instead see new features.
“What [the review] affects will be future development. We will put projects on hold or we cancel. Some of the R&D won’t happen. It would be non-core, non-New Zealand Herald [projects] affected,” he says.
Ottaway says these abandoned projects are commercially sensitive but might be resurrected.


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Disappointed at the current political instability, top business leaders on Wednesday sought necessary security measures on Dhaka-Chittagong highway to ensure smooth transportation of goods, especially export-oriented goods.
The business leaders said they have not been able to transport their goods through the Dhaka-Chittagong highway safely in recent days due to frequent countrywide shutdowns.
The top business leaders expressed their concern during a meeting with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khondkar at his office.
President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) M Atiqul Islam, Bangladesh Textiles Mills Association (BTMA) President Jahangir Alamin, FBCCI first vice president Monowara Hakim Ali, former FBCCI President AK Azad, former adviser to the caretaker government Tapan Chowdhury, and other trade body leaders, were present.
During the meeting, the business leaders mentioned that there were incidents of attacks on covered vans laden with garment goods in Chauddogram and Sitakund areas on Dhaka-Chittagong highway during recent hartals.
They said such incidents created panic in the readymade garment sector and the exporters cannot bring goods toDhakaduring hartals causing frequent shipment failures.
They sought immediate steps so that the entrepreneurs can send their goods to their destinations safely.
The IGP listened to their concerns and assured them of keeping export business unhurt at any cost.
He said the police will play more active role in ensuring security on highways. UNB


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Home Sales Are Falling: Will Consumers Force a Double Dip?
Mortgage purchase applications plummeted to near their 14-year low last week. Can the economy climb out of its tragic cycle?
As the bad news continues to pile on, Americans appear to be taking note by closing their wallets. The latest brutal report indicates that home buying demand is likely falling to even lower levels. Mortgage applications for purchases were the weakest in more than a year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. In fact, its index last week was second lowest that we've seen since 1997. This period includes the huge drop that sales experienced after the home buyer credit expired last year. Consumers are clearly nervous.
Mortgage Purchase Applications Plummet
Here's the chart to provide a little perspective (the green line represents the index value as of the week ending August 12th):
Mortgage purchase applications have been slowly declining since early April, but last week they dropped 9.1%. This data doesn't account for all potential home sales -- some all-cash transactions also occur. But cash purchases primarily occur with investors, so mortgage purchase applications should provide a fairly clear picture on how consumer demand for home buying is changing. At last week's level, demand was extremely weak.
The MBA's report is a useful for two reasons. First, it provides a very early indicator for home buying demand. For example, the National Association of Realtor's existing home sales report that comes out on Thursday provides sales that closed in July, which means it really provides buying demand for as far back as May and June. The MBA report shows us how consumer demand for homes looked just last week.
Second, the report provides a way to gauge consumer confidence on a weekly basis. Big sentiment declines don't always translate into big drops in consumer spending on a whole, because a fair amount of spending isn't discretionary. But most home buying can be delayed until consumers are more comfortable with the economic situation. Assuming that no housing market specific shocks are playing a role, a big decline in mortgage purchase applications implies a big drop in consumer sentiment.
So What Happened?
This wasn't just any week during which mortgage applications for purchases plummeted. It occurred during a week when mortgage interest rates hit a new record low, according to Freddie Mac. As a result, mortgage applications for refinancing are experiencing a mini-boom. But those ultra low rates weren't enough to convince more consumers to purchase homes; indeed, we saw the opposite. Sentiment must have been so low that even the benefit of ridiculously low mortgage interest rates couldn't prevent a big 9.1% drop in purchase applications.
We can easily guess what's causing Americans' nervousness. Last week consumers reacted to the news that the U.S. had been downgraded. The S&P 500 also fell 7.7% in the prior week, ending August 5th. Then stocks experienced crazy volatility last week, which consumers probably interpreted as significant uncertainty about the economy. Although stocks aren't moving as wildly this week, those other shocks remain intact. So there's little reason to believe that consumers are feeling much more optimistic this week than they were last week.
Pessimistic Consumers: The Most Dangerous Threat to Recovery
We've seen a lot of harmful economic shocks recently, like natural disasters, instability in Europe, political unrest, rising oil prices, volatile markets, and downgrades. Those all play a part in stifling economic activity. But their real risk is indirect, as they drag down consumer sentiment.
The biggest problem that the economy faces right now is unemployment. If the U.S. suddenly added 15 million jobs, then most of the other issues would work themselves out: home sales would jump, tax receipts would increase, the stock market would stabilize, and even rising gasoline prices would be a little easier to stomach. But firms aren't going to ramp up their hiring if consumer demand doesn't rise. In fact, if it falls they may resume layoffs.
So what we're seeing here is a sort of tragic cycle. The nation isn't seeing the unemployment rate decline, because consumers aren't comfortable spending freely. But one of the chief reasons that they aren't comfortable spending freely is because unemployment is so high. As long as consumers see a huge number of Americans out of work, they won't feel that the nation's economy is completely stable. That's why we have been seeing such sluggish job growth, even when the unemployment rate appeared to be declining a little.
But if sentiment drops and remains low, then even that anemic job growth will disappear. At that time, the chances of double dip become much greater. If consumers pull back in a meaningful way, then it's hard to see how firms will be able to resist additional layoffs, which of course would result in sentiment and spending to decline even more.
Image Credit: REUTERS/Joshua Lott


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Starlink and their low earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites have been at the forefront of tech and internet news lately, but do consumers actually realize the true potential of LEO-based networks? To help American consumers understand the difference between current satellites and Starlink’s LEO satellites, SatelliteInternet.com has created a visualization to put their respective distances into perspective.
Comparing LEO Satellites With Current Satellites
Scale And Speed
No wonder data can travel faster to LEO satellites. Previous satellite internet constellations have beamed down internet signals from 23,000 mi. Starlink’s satellites in LEO zip around the Earth at 203–360 miles above sea level— that’s up to 111 times closer than traditional internet satellites. No wonder data can travel faster to LEO satellites (in just 40 milliseconds!)
Impact & Potential
Due to the closeness and shorter data paths, LEO-based networks have a projected latency that rivals traditional terrestrial networks —including cable, copper, and pre-5G fixed wireless. LEO will especially benefit rural users by making it easier to play demanding real-time games, video calls, etc. that would otherwise not be possible on a traditional satellite carrier. For context, Latency measured in milliseconds indicates the quality of your connection within your network.
LEO Satellites Are A GAME CHANGER
Why LEO satellites are a game changer for rural communities who have until now lacked the internet bandwidth and latency available only to more populated/wealthier cities.
Sending internet satellites into low-Earth orbit has started the new space race, and many companies are jumping into the action. It’s also sparked awareness of the digital divide and where we need to improve internet access. Some companies are getting directly involved with LEO, while others are finding other ways to improve internet access for rural residents. And one of the best about LEO is that it increases competition in the satellite internet space, which is always good news for consumers.
As we look into the future of rural internet and satellite connectivity, LEO could be the game changer.4 LEO constellations will bring faster internet speeds and wider availability than rural areas have ever had, which is nothing but good news to folks who love fresh air and wide open spaces.
The post Starlink’s LEO Satellites Distance To Earth: 3 Key Concepts appeared first on ValueWalk.


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The Federal Trade Commission is considering changes to the law that would help the agency get money back to people who have been targeted by government and business impersonation scams.
The FTC said current law limits its ability to combat these scams and return money to people, so the agency wants to change the law to make it easier to sue and get refunds for people who have experienced impersonation fraud.
But they want to hear from you.
If you’ve experienced impersonation fraud, or have an opinion about the proposed rulemaking, you have until Feb. 22 to submit a comment online and have your voice heard.
The FTC said the pandemic has made things even worse when it comes to impersonation fraud.
The FTC’s data show that COVID-specific scam reports have included 14,069 complaints of government impersonation and 9,850 complaints of business impersonation. People have lost over $52 million to COVID-specific government and business impersonators since…


text: rbgrn writes "A123 Systems claims to have invented a Lithium Ion battery that not only can discharge at very high rates of current but can be recharged very quickly without damage to the cells or overheating. From their website: 'A unique feature of A123Systems' M1 cells is their ability to charge to high capacity in 5 minutes or less. That's a significant improvement over traditional Li Ion, which typically requires more than 90 minutes to reach a similar level of charge.' Using this technology, General Motors has announced a plug-in hybrid SUV and Venture Vehicles is developing a fully electric 3 wheel vehicle. Politics aside, the main technological hurdle to mass adoption of electric cars has been a fuel station replacement when driving distances beyond a single charge worth of range. Will we finally be seeing high current recharge stations in the next decade?"


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The Cupertino giant has scheduled its event tomorrow, Monday (30) Scary fast It should introduce a new generation of processors for Mac computers, and according to rumors, Apple should also revamp its MacBook Pro laptop lineup, equipping it with a new 3nm chip with expanded AI capabilities.
The information comes to us through a South Korean publication published last Saturday (28), explaining the different chipsets that make up the M3 range. Specifically, we will have the M3 Pro and M3 Max models, as well as the top-of-the-line M3 Ultra model.
Apple scheduled the event Scary fast For October 30th
However, according to the same source, we will achieve a quantum leap in performance here not only thanks to 3nm chip lithography, but also thanks to artificial intelligence. In fact, this is thought to be one of, if not the greatest, asset.
There are new tools based on generative AI that will help speed up the most diverse tasks with the M3 chips at stake. However, we do not yet have specific details about the specific products that will be presented at the event.
In any case, it is believed that Apple will respond to Qualcomm’s new developments, especially with the new Snapdragon X Elite processor. We remember that this chip promises to surpass processors such as the current M2 Max in terms of efficiency.
A revamp is coming to Mac computers with the new 24-inch iMac
So far, we don’t know exactly what the basic configuration and general characteristics of the M3 chips will be like. In any case, the precedent of the A17 Pro found in the iPhone 15 Pro gives us several clues in addition to the already expected 3nm lithography.
Thus, we will be able to get at least a 16-core Neural Engine or NPU which promises to be up to twice the speed of the NPU in the A16 Bionic chip. In addition, we also have more features for macOS, such as supporting more Mac games.
Finally, we now have to wait for confirmations of the official event as Apple does not comment or reveal specific information about upcoming releases.
4gnews editors recommend:
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RTTNews - There are some signs of recovery in the Japanese economy due to stimulus measures, but rising number of unemployed may risk the revival, the Cabinet Office said Friday.
According to the fiscal 2009 white paper on the economy and government finances, the world's second largest economy is still facing downside risks like, deflation, unemployment and slowdown in overseas economies.
For a full-fledged economic recovery, growth in both exports and personal income is very important, the report said. But, a fall in industrial production put companies under pressure to fire more workers.
Japan's exports collapsed at record pace due to sluggish demand from across the world. Companies were reluctant to hire and to make new investment in the wake of weak demand.
The economy is expected to grow in the second quarter if an improvement in demand supports exports and output.
Further, the report urged the Bank of Japan to offer its best for the economy to return to sustainable growth.
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