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The stock market may be a tad on the expensive side, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities out there.
With vicious rotations and reverse rotations, there’s never been a better time to be a self-guided stock picker. The bond market has caused growth-to-value rotations and reversals, while coronavirus cases have caused lockdown-to-reopening rotations and reversals. Rather than trying to time exogenous events and their impact on the stock market, you’d be better advised to swing at the good pitches that are thrown in your strike zone.
Kinaxis (TSX:KXS) is a supply-chain software developer that can’t seem to catch a break. The firm’s pandemic tailwinds are slated to fade, and the latest distaste for tech has been a punch to the gut of the up-and-coming SaaS company. Moving into the post-pandemic world, I do see scenario analyses continuing to remain strong as the demand side of the supply chain explodes higher.
After taking a big hit, KXS stock now trades at 14 times sales — far lower than most SaaS peers south of the border. Management thinks Kinaxis can return to 23-25% in SaaS growth in 2022. The firm, which recently issued weak guidance, has a low bar ahead of it. And with that, I think the stage is set for Kinaxis to pole-vault right over expectations in post-pandemic quarters.
Following the latest quarterly flop, Kinaxis has been dealt with a few price target downgrades. Ultimately, I think patient investors have much to gain by going against popular opinion at this juncture.
Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX:ATD.B) got sent into a bear market, as management shocked the world by going after French grocery retail giant Carrefour. The deal fell through in a hurry as the French government “politely” blocked the deal over food security issues amid the pandemic.
Couche would love to have another go at Carrefour in the future. While a grocery giant doesn’t seem to make sense for the convenience retailer, I think investors should have applauded the deal. Perhaps management didn’t communicate its strategic plan very well?
In any case, I understand why Couche wants to acquire a grocery giant; it’s doing this to gain immediate access to a grocery supply chain. With a grocery giant aboard, the firm will be able to enhance numerous existing c-stores, ultimately bolstering overall margins for the long haul.
You see, with the rise of electric vehicles, the future of convenience retail lies in fresh food and grocery items, not fuel. Couche’s managers know this, and that’s why they’re hungry for a grocery acquisition, even if its shareholders don’t like it.
Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY)(NYSE:RY) is the priciest Canadian bank at this juncture. The top performer recently made a fresh all-time high, but don’t let the valuation fool you; Royal is still one of the more undervalued plays out there, especially if you think a rising-rate environment isn’t too far off.
The bank’s capital markets and wealth management businesses have kept Royal Bank on top through the worst of 2020. As net interest margins (NIMs) expand over the coming years, Royal will be firing on all cylinders, and its stock could be headed for even greater highs from here as it hops on the next bull market.
While all Big Six Canadian banks look like compelling bets, I think it’s tough to match what Royal has to offer, given it’s demonstrated it can hold its own far better in the face of crises.
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This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.


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Samsung has started producing the fastest embedded flash/controller combination around for mobile devices like phones and tablets. Based on their new 2xnm Toggle 2.0 flash, the embedded processor and NAND (referred to as an enhanced multimedia card, or eMMC for short) should greatly enhance storage speeds of phones, tablets, and a bewildering array of other small devices.
This newest eMMC, the Pro Class 1500, is using Samsung’s new 2xnm class flash. Not only is the smaller 2xnm lithography much faster than the Toggle 1.0 3xnm flash used in previous eMMCs, but it uses less power as well. Low power draw is particularly important in phones, tablets, laptops, and anything with a battery.
Samsung is the industry giant in every market it competes in, whether cell phones, laptops, televisions, or home appliances. But for solid state storage, Samsung is currently the king of the hill in terms of NAND flash production. Most production NAND goes into cell phones, something Samsung happens to sell more of than anyone and, as the world’s largest phone manufacturer and NAND fabricator, the Korean giant is in a position to leverage it’s vertical integration.
Usually, embedded systems aren’t all that fast, but Samsung’s new Toggle 2.0 flash can help put speed of embedded flash closer to SSDs.
The new Pro Class 1500 can read up to 140MB/s and writes nearing 60MB/s. Samsung’s faster 2xnm Toggle 2.0 is currently made in 64gbit dice (8GB), with each eMMC having two (16GB), four (32GB), or eight (64GB) die per package (and a 128GB version coming soon). The device can also manage 3500/1500 read and write IOPS which is not as fast as modern SSDs, but still many times the IOPS mechanical storage can generate.
Given that SSDs are fast because they have many die to operate in parallel, eMMC storage has typically been limited by interface speeds and lack of dice to address. Therefore, the faster the NAND, the faster the eMMC. Toggle 2.0 can do 400MB/s in dual data rate mode, and half that in the single mode employed by the Pro Class.
By way of size, the new eMMC is less than 2mm thin, helping to keep phones and tablets thinner and lighter (the 64GB version only weighs 6 grams).
The Pro Class 1500 incorporates JEDEC eMMC specification 4.5. JEDEC is an industry organization which, among other things, promotes standard interfacing methods. Having a standard protocol eases integration of the eMMC with the host device, and allows for backwards compatibility as well.
With the explosive growth of the mobile device industry, the need for solid state storage has kept pace as well. New capabilities demand more and faster storage, and devices like the Pro Class 1500 are helping to make that happen. As mobile operating systems like iOS and Android become more complicated and desktop OS-like, the more storage subsystems need to progress to keep up.
Samsung is the largest supplier to Apple and could sell these eMMCs to go inside next-gen iOS products. Since the Cupertino company bought a solid state storage company of its own this year, a firm called Anobit, it’s more likely that Apple will continue to develop it’s own embedded flash systems.

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Sony's lead system architect Mark Cerny has shared some high-level details of the next PlayStation (only referred to as "the next-gen console" in the interview) with Wired.com, confirming that it will indeed make use of the upcoming 7nm Zen2 CPU architecture from AMD, as well as Radeon Navi GPU cores in its custom chip.
Quoting from the Wired article:
"The CPU is based on the third generation of AMD’s Ryzen line and contains eight cores of the company’s new 7nm Zen 2 microarchitecture. The GPU, a custom variant of Radeon’s Navi family, will support ray tracing, a technique that models the travel of light to simulate complex interactions in 3D environments."
As if to alleviate any doubt as to the AMD architecture involved, company CEO Lisa Su took to Twitter to promote AMD's partnership with Sony, and the Wired article:
Super excited to expand our partnership with @Sony on their next-generation @PlayStation console powered by a custom chip with @AMDRyzen Zen2 and @Radeon Navi architecture! ???? https://t.co/EvdIrMNLiV— Lisa Su (@LisaSu) April 16, 2019
And this upcoming PlayStation won't be just offer a faster SoC with the latest generation of AMD CPU and GPU architecture, as SSD storage will be standard – and not just any SSD, apparently (quoting the Wired article again):
"At the moment, Sony won’t cop to exact details about the SSD—who makes it, whether it utilizes the new PCIe 4.0 standard—but Cerny claims that it has a raw bandwidth higher than any SSD available for PCs. That’s not all. “The raw read speed is important,“ Cerny says, “but so are the details of the I/O [input-output] mechanisms and the software stack that we put on top of them. I got a PlayStation 4 Pro and then I put in a SSD that cost as much as the PlayStation 4 Pro—it might be one-third faster." As opposed to 19 times faster for the next-gen console, judging from the fast-travel demo."
Check out the full article at Wired.com for more of the interview with Cerny on the next Sony console.


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Avoiding holiday traffic, skipping the long check-out lines, spending hours searching for a parking spot at the mall—the perks of shopping for holiday gifts online always seem to outweigh buying them in person.
This, though, wasn’t the case for Houston resident Al Alverson.
Alverson purchased an iPad mini for his daughter online as a Christmas present, but the package was stolen from his front doorstep by a UPS delivery man. Luckily, Alverson had installed a surveillance camera above his doorstep three years ago, and posted the video on YouTube.
The video shows a FedEx delivery man delivering the package containing the iPad at 9:29 a.m. Wednesday morning. A few hours later, the UPS delivery man shows up to deliver another package at 1:15 p.m. The UPS man leaves, but returns two minutes later, picks up the FedEx package, and takes it with him.
Alverson told KHOU 11 News that UPS did not believe him at first, until he posted the video on YouTube. Afterward, UPS told the Alversons that they’d replace the iPad for them. UPS also has told KHOU 11 News that they have identified the employee and he was fired. He has also been arrested by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and charged with theft.


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Four Roses Distillery to open new visitors center
Four Roses Distillery will open a new visitors center on Monday, kicking off Kentucky Bourbon Festival week.
The visitors center is part of a $2.4 million, 5,000-square-foot expansion of the distillery property, which has seen significant gains in tourist visits in recent years, according to a news release from the company.
Expansions included about 9,000 additional square feet of office space that was added this year. The visitors center and gift shop, which had occupied a little more than 2,000 square feet in an older building, will move into what previously was office space.
Late last year, COO John Rhea told Business First that the old visitors center was too small, particularly to accommodate weekend crowds. As previously reported, Kentucky distillers have made large investments in property improvements recently.
A special limited-quantity single barrel bourbon has been selected to mark Monday’s occasion and will be unveiled at the event. Several Four Roses officials, including Rhea and master distiller Jim Rutledge, will be at the grand opening, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday at the visitors center, 1224 Bonds Mill Road in Lawrenceburg.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival takes place next week in Bardstown. For information on the event, click here.
David A. Mann covers these beats: Health care, health insurance, distribution/logistics (UPS), manufacturing (GE, Ford), environment, travel, minority/women’s affairs and Southern Indiana.
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|Please enjoy our favorite articles related to the mailing industry!
Looking Ahead to Postage Rates in 2018
"It’s getting to be that time when companies start to think about budgets for the coming year. For mailers, this includes the annual look into the crystal ball to try to determine what postage rates they will need to build into their budgets. For 2018, this process is proving particularly challenging based on the number of moving parts..."
4 Reasons Why Direct Mail Marketing Shouldn't be Written Off
"In today’s technology-dominated world, the idea of sending mail through post is laughable, and using it as a marketing tool even more so. After all, why would anyone use this archaic system when virtually every person can be contacted through email, social media, or even text messages? Direct mail marketing sounds like a waste of time and money then. But that isn’t really the case."
Top 10 Postal Stories of 2016
"there was no shortage of news in 2016 about the Postal Service, the mailing and shipping industries, and innovations that affect the postal world. To that end, Office of Inspector General (OIG) staff sifted through the news and put together a top 10 list of postal stories..."
Dead Letter Office: Direct Mail Secrets of the Grateful Dead
"Direct mail offers surprising authenticity. Hoaxes, scams, and general fakery are fewer and farther between in the mail stream than online." - Michael Maguire shares the interesting way the Grateful Dead used direct mail to reach their fans.
Ignore the Experts and Pay the Price
"In the world of digital natives and Customer Communications Management (“CCM”), physical mail doesn’t get the respect it deserves." - Read Mark Fallon's take on how physical mail is being overlooked in the digital age.
16 Case Studies to Inspire your Next Direct Mail Campaign
"No matter the size of your business, opportunity is at your fingertips. New technology and design practices are revolutionizing the marketing industry." - Learn how companies are taking advantage of technology in their direct mail campaigns.


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In a few years, people might be able to go on vacations that are literally out of this world. Bigelow Aerospace, a Las Vegas-based private company, is reportedly hoping to launch two space stations that could, in the grander scheme of things, be used for science, but could also serve as a floating "space hotel" for wealthy tourists.
According to Space.com, hotel billionaire and company founder Robert Bigelow announced on Tuesday the creation of a new spinoff firm called Bigelow Space Operations, which was established last year, but only started hiring employees earlier this month. The new company will serve as ground zero for all products created by its parent firm, handling customer service, marketing inquiries, and operations for Bigelow Aerospace's "B330" series of "fully autonomous, standalone" space stations.
At the moment, the B330-1 and B330-2 are well into the fabrication stage, according to Bigelow, who noted that the space stations will hopefully launch sometime in 2021. When combined, this pair of 55-foot-long modules will form a larger space station that the company estimates to be capable of doubling the International Space Station's volume capacity.
The soft-bodied modules Bigelow's space stations are based on launch in compressed form but significantly expand once in space. Space.com explained that the use of inflatable modules allows for the maximization of habitable volume per unit launch mass and greater protection against radiation in comparison to conventional, non-expandable aluminum modules.
Although the stations will ideally be used for scientific research, Bigelow also announced plans to use them as space hotels for tourists. He estimates the per-passenger cost to ideally be somewhere in the low seven-figure range, though there's a chance that the cost might be closer to the "low eight figures," the Daily Mail wrote.


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As travelers seek close-to-home and private options to travel in the pandemic, Amtrak Vacations said it has seen a dramatic rise in new-to-rail-vacation customers.
Although train travel, like most tourism-related sectors, has been down this year compared to 2019, Frank Marini, president of Amtrak Vacations parent company Yankee Leisure Group, said they are seeing a surge akin to the "RV effect" that has boosted recreational vehicle rentals for road trips.
A difference with train travel, he said, is that passengers can choose to book private sleeper cars that keep them socially distanced but avoids the hassle of driving and having to learn the ropes of hooking up an RV.
"Customers are not traveling to Europe. They can't cruise. But we really are seeing an uptick in new customers," Marini said. "Ninety-three percent of those booking and traveling with us this year and next are new to us, which is amazing. And I know it's [likely] they never would have considered us before. They want to get out of the house and book something different."
About 70% of the bookings, he said, are for trips to national parks, but he's also seeing customers looking to check a cross-country trip off their bucket list.
A full 95% of this year's bookings are for private sleeper cars, up slightly from the average 90%. Since the onset of the pandemic, the private compartments come with free delivery of meals.
Feedback from new customers has been great, Marini said, and he hopes to turn some of those guests into repeat clients.
"That's the goal," he said. "I think people are pleasantly surprised. The feedback we are getting is, 'We never would have thought of this, but we have nowhere else to go, and this is kind of cool. We never realized you can actually get there by train. And the things you can see by train!' So we've really benefited from this."
Amtrak Vacations, Marini said, has myriad options for train and hotel packages to and from 500 Amtrak stations around the country.
Yankee Leisure Group's European arm, Railbookers, is also seeing new business from the pandemic as people are looking to extend river cruise trips they had to push off until next year, Marini said.
"Train travel is like the sleeping giant," he added. "It follows certain trends, both good or bad trends. In the U.S., with the pandemic, it's what's available. And with agents rebooking river cruises in Europe, all of a sudden here comes demand with add-ons or variations that we haven't seen before."


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Apple rolled out movie support for iTunes in the Cloud across eight more countries today: Austria, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Users in those countries can now re-download previously purchased iTunes movies. Notably, Apple has yet to mark the countries as now offering movie support on the iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Match Availability page. There are still a number of countries in which Apple offers support for music and music videos in iTunes in the Cloud, but not movies. [via MacRumors]
iTunes in the Cloud for Movies now in 8 new countries
By Phil Dzikiy
Phil Dzikiy was the Editor-in-Cheif at iLounge. He mostly edited and oversaw all site editorial content, managed staff and freelancers, made the final call on product review grades and awards, and led online coverage of all Apple events and live coverage of the International CES in 2015.


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SEATTLE—A little more than one year ago, I tried, and failed, to sneak into Amazon Go.Initially, it was limited only to Amazon employees.Worse, promises that the shop would open for average consumers in "early 2017" didn't come close to fruition, with insiders indicating to Ars that the store's camera-tracking system didn't hold up to larger testing scrutiny as anticipated.That same Seattle pilot shop—the one Amazon staffers refused to let us into in December 2016—finally opened its doors to anybody with a smartphone and the Amazon Go app.If you want to stroll into the world's first Amazon Go store, all you need is an Amazon account with valid credit card information and a working smartphone.a few cheerful people in official attire said as I approached, nearly in unison.
This motion tracking machine can simulate downhill snowsports.It even features courses from the 2014 Sochi Olympics.Some Olympians have even used it to train.The SkyTechSport simulator makes it feel like you are skiing indoors.It uses several engines and motion tracking to create the feeling that the user is skiing.SkyTechSport is based in Los Angeles and has sold different variations of the technology.
Amazon is breaking into physical retail in a new way.Amazon's checkout-free grocery store opens in Seattle on Monday.The online retail giant first started testing its grocery store with employees in December 2016, when it also revealed its vision for a store without cashiers.The store, called Amazon Go, doesn't work like a typical Walmart or supermarket — instead, it's designed so that shoppers will use an app, also called Amazon Go, to automatically add the products they plan to buy to a digital shopping cart; they can then walk out of the building without waiting in a checkout line.The store opening Monday is 1,800 square feet, according to Reuters, and it's located in an Amazon office building.The idea is that Amazon's machine-learning technology can automatically identify when a product is added to your cart, so you don't have to do it yourself.
WeChat announced that their media platform will regulate user’s information dissemination behavior and those trying to conduct marketing activities by distorting China and CCP history, ThePaper is reporting [in Chinese].The announcement comes one week after WeChat’s Open Class in Guangzhou, where WeChat promised to work on helping content public accounts to monetize their user base.With the announcement of now 580,000 WeChat mini programs, WeChat wants to make sure all their platform operators abide by the rule of “People’s Republic of China Cyber Security Law”, and publish only appropriate content.WeChat announced that it will permanently remove any Official Account “distorting” the national history or the Party history.Here’s the full text of the announcement (our translation):Recently, WeChat public platform (微信公众平台) found that some public accounts and mini programs that were distorting the party history and national history and were conducting marketing activities.
A downloadable demo for a fan-made recreation of that horrifying P.T.demo tease for the canceled Silent Hills game, has appeared online and it’s surprisingly good.Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4, you can experience the horrors of that claustrophobic, repetitive home along with familiar audio and sound effects in the brand-new “Corridors” experience.demo was a ‘playable teaser’ for the still-in-development at the time, Silent Hills, the next game in the franchise of the (almost) same name.The game ended up being canceled as Hideo Kojima was ultimately removed from Konami in a somewhat messy fashion and the P.T.demo was eventually removed from the PlayStation Store, making it hard to get a hold of the experience if you didn’t already have it.
Marston’s PLC has unveiled new branding for The Eagle Brewery and many of its famous beer brands, designed by creative agency Bonfire Creative Intelligence.The Eagle Brewery was born from the sale of Charles Wells Ltd brewing and brands business to Marston’s PLC last year, who briefed Bonfire to develop a new brand story and visual identity that would align the brewery with its vision for the business.The Eagle Brewery and its new branding will be presented at a grand opening ceremony on 19 January, supported by a local press campaign and social media activity.The new branding will also be appear on digital assets, brewery truck livery and point of sale material.Gordon Keen, marketing manager at Marston’s said: “The Eagle Brewery brand will be the flagship of Marston’s new venture in Bedford.We wanted a new visual identity that was representative of our innovative and future-facing approach to brewing but that also remained true to the brewery’s enviable heritage as a master brewer and its long-standing relationship with the town of Bedford and wider area.
The system, according to its developers, could enable better end-of-life care for hospital patients.Researchers have developed a revolutionary AI system, a novel deep-learning algorithm that predicts the death of hospital patients with an unprecedented 90% accuracy.Although the idea of predicting the death of an individual sounds unsettling and far-fetched, researchers from Stanford University have made it possible for a noble cause – providing appropriate end-of-life care to hospital patients.People suffering from terminal diseases are in dire need of end-of-life care, specialised treatments targeted at improving quality of life while providing him relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness.However, in order to administer the approach correctly, the first thing doctors need to know is how long a patient may live.If this goes wrong due to any unforeseeable reason, some random individual may get the care ahead of the one who is actually in need and may die sooner.
President Donald Trump tweeted a link to his so-called "Highly-Anticipated 2017 Fake News Awards."The linked website was not loading for many users.A cached version of the website showed that it featured a poll for visitors to select the "winners."The independent, nonpartisan Committee to Protect Journalists, responded by listing its "Press Oppressors" awards, naming Trump "the most thin-skinned leader."A Washington Post analysis published on January 2 found that Trump made 1,950 false or misleading claims in his first 347 days in office.President Donald Trump teased a website announcing so-called "fake news winners," but the website, hosted by the Republican National Committee, went offline almost immediately and displayed several different errors.
After a year that saw many grocers expand their e-commerce presence following Amazon's Whole Foods acquisition, 2018 will be the year supermarkets deepen their engagement with online shoppers, according to analysts interviewed by Food Dive.At the same time, as competition and pricing pressure grows, sources predict retailers will also invest in technology that helps them operate more efficiently and enhance the buying experience for shoppers.Supermarket operators have gotten better at collecting customer data over the years, but mining and using that information hasn’t always been a foolproof process.Retailers like Target and Whole Foods have deployed machine learning to make their store deliveries more precise.Earth Fare, a natural and organic chain that operates throughout the Southeast and Midwest, last year reported improved top-line sales and efficiency one year after adopting AI technology that optimizes its store promotions, pricing and demand forecasting.Still, many chains have long relied on experienced managers to guide their decision-making, and are reluctant to give up that practice.
As many as 2,000 young apprentices were “left in the lurch” by Carillion’s collapse, Angela Rayner has told HuffPost UK.The Shadow Education Secretary said it was “imperative” the Government intervenes to find placements for the scores of apprentices cut adrift by the failed outsourcing and construction giant.Carillion - which employs around 20,000 people - went into liquidation after issuing a major profits warning last year.It has public sector or public/private partnership contracts worth a staggering £1.7bn and was the UK’s largest trainer of construction apprentices.The firm had a £6.5m public contract to train 2,000 apprentices, but the youngsters’ future is now unclear.Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said: “Thousands of Carillion apprentices could be left in the lurch and millions of pounds of public money at risk, yet the Tories have said nothing about what, if anything, they will do to protect workplace learners and protect the taxpayer.
Outdoor advertising specialist JCDecaux is seeking to distance itself from a contentious abortion referendum in Ireland by refusing to host billboards conveying campaign messages from either side of the debate.With emotions running high in the country, the display specialists have imposed an outright ban on any material associated with either pro-choice or anti-abortion campaigners in a bid to avoid alienating a large swathe of the population.This follows prior incidents in which social media campaigns orchestrated against the advertiser saw it targeted by activists who destroyed and defaced billboards associated with previous abortion campaigns.Far from appeasing both sides, however, the move has angered anti-abortion group Family and Life, which deplored the ‘grim news’, warning that it would impede their ability to push their argument to the public.David Manly, the director of Family and Life, commented: “This is a huge setback for us with the Eighth Amendment referendum just months away.Outdoor advertising is one of the few advertising channels available to us and one of our most crucial types of campaign messaging.
Keir Starmer has urged Labour MPs to stop thinking how to “rub out” Brexit and instead focus on how to get the best deal for Britain outside the EU.Speaking to the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night, the Shadow Brexit Secretary said that a second EU referendum couldn’t be held until 2021 at the earliest and even then would face “obvious” practical problems.In what was seen by MPs as a hardening of his stance on a second vote, HuffPost can reveal that Starmer warned that Nigel Farage was probably backing a re-run because he thought Vote Leave would win again.His remarks follow weeks of mixed messages from Labour over a new referendum, with Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott appearing to tell constituents she wanted one only to insist she had been misunderstood.Tony Blair said earlier this month that the country should have a chance to ‘think again’ about membership of the EU, either through a general election or new referendum.Starmer was treated ‘respectfully’ by MPs as he updated them on Labour’s plans to vote against the EU (Withdrawal) Bill’s Third Reading due this week in the Commons.
Originally unveiled at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, Panasonic is now bringing its latest video-focused mirrorless camera, the Lumix GH5S to the Middle East.For the Lumix GH5S, Panasonic has ditched the 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor found in the GH5 and replaced it with an all-new 10.2MP sensor.This has allowed Panasonic to improve on the maximum ISO of 25,600 on the GH5, with an ISO ceiling of 51,200 in the GH5S.The Lumix GH5S also gives those shooting stills the option to shoot 14-bit raw files, while the newly developed multi-aspect sensor provides sufficient margin to get the same angle of view in 4:3, 17:9, 16:9, and 3:2 aspect ratios.While the Lumix GH5 was the first mirrorless camera capable of shooting 4K footage at up to 60/50p, the Lumix GH5S takes this one step further and shoots at a world-first 4K 60/50p recording in Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160).That's just part of the story, as the GH5S is capable of internal 4:2:2 10-bit recording, which should deliver even stronger color reproduction, while V-Log now comes pre-installed on the camera – something that was an additional cost on the GH5.
Officials at US border-crossing points such as airports now have new restrictions on when they can copy data from devices such as phones and laptopsThe US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has placed new restrictions on when its agents are permitted to copy data from devices such as mobile phones and laptops at border crossing points such as airports, amidst a surge in such “advanced” searches.Agents will now need to have “reasonable suspicion” to conduct advanced searches, which may include copying data from the devices of people entering or leaving the country, the patrol said in new guidance published on Friday.The new rules, an update to guidance put into place in 2009, continue to permit agents to inspect information stored on a device at random.“CBP’s authority for the border search of electronic devices is and will continue to be exercised judiciously, responsibly, and consistent with the public trust,” said John Wagner, deputy executive assistant commissioner, office of field operations, in a statement.CBP agents inspected 30,200 phones and other devices during 2017, up 63 percent from 19,051 in 2016.
LG seems poised to make one hell of a splash when CES 2018 kicks off in a few hours.The South Korean OLED specialist wowed the world with its ludicrously skinny 'wallpaper televisions' last year, and 12 months later, the firm is now ready to show off an 88-inch 8K TV.Because 2160p is a sinfully low resolution, dammit!But LG also has another new OLED to roll out at the Las Vegas event.Over the new few days in Sin City, LG is going to show off an OLED prototype display that can be rolled up like a newspaper.The company first announced the tech a couple of years ago, but now it's ready to show off a 65-inch, 4K version of this absurdly futuristic display.
More than five years after it landed on the red planet, NASA’s Curiosity Rover is still cruising around and discovering curious things that have scientists here on Earth scratching their heads.It could be a ground-breaking discovery, he told the website Inside Outer Space.“They look remarkably similar to Ordovician trace fossils I have studied and photographed here on Earth,” he said.“If not trace fossils, what other geological explanations will NASA come up with?”The rover has given us some stunning images of the red planet’s landscape, but tiny formations in a Martian rock may be the biggest find yet.The stick-like features were first spotted in black-and-white photos takes by the rover.
Ford's new subcompact SUV, the 2018 Ford EcoSport, is landing at dealerships as I write this.And if you hop online to configure one, you'll end up staring at a pretty sweet lease incentive.Ford's 2018 EcoSport configurator is now live, and there aren't many surprises.As we reported back in September, the starting price is $19,995 for a base EcoSport S with a 123-horsepower, 1.0-liter I3 mated to a six-speed automatic.An extra $1,500 will net you a larger I4 engine and all-wheel drive.As the price rises, so does the equipment.
It’s 2018, and a gang in East London has just been sentenced for cock fighting in a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.But even back then, there were some, like St Augustine, who questioned people’s fascination for the bloodsport.Increasingly, the RSPCA is also seeing more incidents of badger baiting and dog-fighting - other crimes that - like cock-fighting - are based on forcing one sentient animal into a bloody battle with another.But there are three clear, common threads which link all these illegal activities: egos, organisation and social media.Another similarity is that these cruel activities are often highly organised, rather than spur of the moment.And despite the fact that these savage organised activities hark back to a supposedly less enlightened, medieval age, the perpetrators use 21st century technology to share and brag about their cruelty on social media.
I'm doing new things every day so I need to constantly reinvent and learn fast on the job.Building trust and relationships at the highest client levels are also intensely crucial, as well as dynamically playing multiple roles at work, as it’s the only way to keep things together.But I’ve maintained resilience and positivity and have surrounded myself with a solid support network – whether that’s access to an incredible executive team who have given me air cover when I’ve needed it to nice coffee chats outside of the office to get some outside perspective.There is nothing that a brownie can’t solve.Ali [Hanan] from Creative Equals has also generously given ample advice and opportunity.Caroline Paris, creative director at Brave


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Admit it: your inner child has always wanted to talk to Mickey Mouse. Later this year, you’ll be able to do so through an Amazon Alexa-powered speaker in your home. Disney and Amazon are bringing the “Hey Disney!” voice assistant to more users. Right now, it’s only available in hotel rooms at Disney resorts. But soon, it’ll be open to anyone with an Echo device.
The “Hey Disney!” command uses Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant (ACA), which Amazon introduced about two years ago so that companies could plug in their own branded assistant alongside Amazon’s signature voice, Alexa. Disney calls their package the Disney Magical Companion, and it’s available first in select hotel rooms at the company’s Polynesian Village Resort in Florida. It’s also slowly rolling out to Disneyland and Disney World hotels. Folks with Alexa at home will soon be able to interact with “Hey Disney!” via a paid Alexa skill, though the price has yet to be announced. The Disney assistant will automatically be unlocked if you already pay for an Amazon Kids profile.
The voice assistant provides access to more than 20 Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars characters. They include Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Dory from Finding Nemo, and Olaf from Frozen. You’ll be able to request jokes, play games, and listen to Disney music and sounds.
Visitors accessing “Hey Disney” through Echo Show devices that are stationed at Disney resorts can ask questions about the parks or request service from the front desk. The assistant supports Disney’s wearable, MagicBand+, which has become a significant part of the park experience in recent years. The wearable even lights up if you set the alarm through the Disney assistant.
Amazon says that while using the Disney commands at your hotel, there is no personal information exchanged between you and the device. “We designed this as an anonymous experience so that when a customer is interacting, Alexa doesn’t know who is in the room,” said Aaron Rubenson, VP of Alexa, in a video call with Gizmodo. “We don’t need to know that.”
Amazon is also announcing a new automotive integration at CES 2023. Panasonic Automotive Systems, run by Panasonic, plans to bring simultaneous Alexa and Siri integration in select automobiles. You’ll be able to call on Apple’s Siri for iPhone-specific commands and Amazon’s Alexa for everything else. Like the “Hey Disney” assistant, cars enabled with this technology can discern whether you’re commanding Siri or Alexa.
Both of these specific announcements are meant to showcase Amazon’s commitment to “ambient intelligence” (Google calls their version of this “ambient computing.”) The idea is that you walk from a room into your car, and it’s the same experience across the board without having to interact with a screen or smartphone directly.


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Target to Carry New Hayek Line
Minneapolis Target has teamed with designer Sami Hayek—brother to actress Selma Hayek—to carry a new line of home furnishings and accessories.
Target said on Tuesday that it would launch Sami Hayek for Target, a limited-edition collection including items such as bedding, furniture and stationery.
The company added that products in the line have minimal packaging, and the packaging itself can be reused, recycled or made into other objects, like CD holders and file folders.
Target said the collection is available in stores in May; Some products will also be available online.
Krupa in talks to represent Giantto
LAS VEGAS The Giantto Group, a Los Angeles-based jewelry company specializing in original custom jewelry, announced that it is in talks with supermodel Joanna Krupa to make her the new official spokesmodel for the group.
Krupa is set to make an appearance on June 1 at the JCK exhibition. A popular model, Krupa has appeared in GQ and FHM.
Big Lots names store ops vp
COLUMBUS, Ohio Big Lots has named Christopher Chapin as senior vp of store operations, effective immediately. Chapin will report to ceo Steve Fishman.
Chapin will oversee store standards, field operations, customer service, process development, and program implementation for the company’s 1,300+ closeout retail stores in 47 states.
Chapin most recently served as president of FacilitySource, a worldwide retail facility maintenance and management business headquartered in Secaucus, N.J. Previously, Chapin was with Limited Brands as vp of store operations and YUM Brands as national director of operations.


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The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak could lead to people being forced to work from home, avoid public places, and generally not interact with other people. It could -- in extreme scenarios -- cause supply chain problems that lead to shortages in basic staples including food.
While that scenario may not be likely, many Americans are taking a better-safe-than-sorry approach that means stocking up on food as well as other staples. And that has proven to be very good for Costco Wholesale (COST 0.17%).
Customers flock to Costco
Warehouse clubs including Costco offer consumers an easy way to stock up. The chain sells items in bulk so you can buy anything from toilet paper to cereal and coffee pods in large quantities that could see you through any virus-related exiles at home.
Whether it's driven by fear or an abundance of caution, Costco has experienced a short-term boost in sales, CNBC reported. This has led to some minor shortages in some items but the shelves at most locations remain well stocked.
Buying it forward?
Many items consumers would stock up on in advance of potential coronavirus disruptions to normal life have indefinite or long shelf lives. That could mean that Costco is actually pulling sales forward which could lead to softer periods after the virus concerns pass.
If a consumer, for example, buys cereal, pasta, and toilet paper in bulk, he or she won't have to purchase those items for a while, assuming coronavirus does not lead to major disruptions in everyday life. It's also possible that the warehouse club has added some sales that would have gone to traditional grocery stores as shoppers anticipate needing certain staples in larger quantities.


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Strong Richemont hikes dividend
Cape Town - Richemont [JSE:RCH], the luxury brands business controlled by the Rupert family, was able to shrug off tough trading conditions by calling on its strong balance sheet and markedly improved operational cash flows to hike its annual dividend.
On Thursday, Richemont - despite a 14% fall in operating profits to €830m - proposed a dividend for the year to end-March 2010 of CHF0.35 per share - an increase of 17% over last year's payout.
Richemont CEO Johann Rupert reckoned the Swiss-based company had weathered the economic crisis to date and was in a strong financial position.
"Our businesses reacted quickly and positively to the downturn in demand and have grown market share."
He said Richemont was ready to capitalise on growth opportunities in new markets, and to meet demand in established markets once the economic situation improved.
While top and bottom line came under pressure in the dour global business environment, Richemont impressed with its much improved cash flow. Cash generated from operations was €1.46bn, which left Richemont with €1.9bn of net cash (last year: €822m).
The cash flow statement showed a €684m decrease in working capital. Rupert said this was largely due to lower inventory levels resulting from measures taken to reduce manufacturing output, and to movements in liabilities in respect of foreign exchange hedging activities.
Rupert also pointed out that Richemont's balance sheet remained "very strong". Shareholders' equity represented 73% of the balance sheet compared to 65% in the previous financial year.
With the balance sheet in good nick it was not surprising that Richemont on Thursday also offered details of a share buy-back plan that could involve as many as 10 million shares.
Rupert said Richemont's retail sales were lower and the wholesale business in the Americas and Europe contracted substantially as partners in the watch retail sector de-stocked. "We have seen a recovery in demand in the second half of the year, albeit measured against easier comparative figures."
A divisional review showed the mainstay jewellery Maisons recording a 5% dip in operating profits to €742m and the specialist watchmakers segment seeing a 23% fall in operating profits to €231m. The writing instruments Maisons – which includes the well-known Montblanc brand – bucked the trend with a 14% spurt in operating profits to €79m.
Rupert believed Richemont came through the recession in good shape. "The measures that we introduced in 2008 to limit capital expenditure, to focus boutique openings in high-growth markets, to limit production and inventory build-up and to keep costs under strict control were timely and effective."
Looking ahead, Rupert said sales in the first quarter of 2010 continued to follow the trend seen in the pre-Christmas period. He said sales in the month of April were 24% above the previous year’s "depressed levels" – driven mainly by wholesale sales.
* The writer holds shares in Richemont.


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October 16, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Two union ministers today joined industry in expressing concerns over CBI naming reputed industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla in coal scam case as both felt that it could hurt investor and business confidence. Corporate Affairs Minister Sachin Pilot said such a development will dampen investment sentiment while Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma termed it as unfortunate. "While no one is above the law and wrong doers have to be brought to justice, we must ensure that such actions are based on hard facts and do not create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty," Pilot told PTI. "Recent incidents will certainly dampen business confidence and investment sentiment, both domestic and foreign; and perhaps also negatively affect decision making by bureaucrats and policy makers," he said.
October 13, 2013 |
MUMBAI: India Inc is confident about fundamentals of the economy which is evident in the business confidence index of domestic firms remaining well above the global average despite the lingering slowdown. According to a survey, business confidence in the country has dropped from 137 points in April to 129 in September, but still well above the global average of 113 points, while globally it risen by 5 points to 109 in mature economies, and had dropped 9 points to 117 in emerging economies.
October 9, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Business confidence of India Inc for October-December quarter dropped to the lowest level in four-and-a-half years amid economic uncertainty in the global and domestic markets, Dun & Bradstreet said in a report. The Dun & Bradstreet Composite Business Optimism Index for the fourth quarter of 2013 stood at at an 18 quarter low of 134.9, a decrease of 4.2 per cent as compared to the same period last year. Five out of the six optimism indices - namely volume of sales, new orders, net profits, inventory levels and employees have registered a decrease as compared to Q4 2012.
September 18, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: India Inc is looking forward to "out-of-the-box solutions" from new RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in his maiden monetary policy announcement on Friday to boost investment cycle and revive economic growth. "Given that growth in the economy is at a low point, business confidence is weak and the investment cycle has come to a grinding halt, we expect the new RBI governor to initiate measures that would enthuse the market participants, boost investor sentiment and bring confidence back in the economy," industry body Ficci's Sr Vice President Sidharth Birla said.
September 15, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: India Inc's business confidence has plunged to the lowest level in 17 quarters -- reminiscent of the 2008-09 financial meltdown -- as cost and availability of credit constrain growth in a weak demand scenario, says a Ficci survey. The industry body said overall business confidence index has fallen to 49.0 in the survey period, highlighting the significant moderation in the performance of companies vis-a-vis performance over the previous six months. The participating companies are not too optimistic about the near term performance either, it added.
July 30, 2013 |
MUMBAI: The effect of the Reserve Bank's recent interest rate increase and liquidity tightening to bolster the rupee will fizzle out if the government does not move to reduce external trade imbalances, a central bank policy review says. It will be a hard road to economic recovery as business confidence is low, and rising global interest rates may throw the financial markets out of gear, says the June quarter Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments review by RBI. "While recent liquidity tightening measures instituted by the Reserve Bank to curb volatility in the exchange rate provide at best some breathing time, it is important to push through structural reforms necessary to inspire the trust and confidence of both domestic and foreign investors," says the review by the central bank's research team.
July 28, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Corporate India's confidence level dropped further in April-June quarter due to rising interest rates and weak demand, among others, a survey said. The business confidence amid India Inc is waning largely on account of prevailing global economic uncertainty, rising interest rates, weak investor confidence, devaluing rupee and other challenges, the survey by Assocham said. "The confidence level of India Inc has plummeted significantly during April-June quarter of 2013 as over 51 per cent of corporates feel that economic situation has further worsened in the previous quarter," it said.
July 12, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Global business confidence stayed constant, but slipped marginally in India in the April-June period of this year amid economic uncertainty, says a survey. According to audit and advisory firm Grant Thornton's International Business Report ( IBR ), while global business optimism stood constant at 27 per cent, Indian confidence slipped marginally to 75 per cent in Q2 from 78 per cent in Q1 of 2013. Notwithstanding the relatively weak growth over the past 12 months, Indian businesses are the fifth most optimistic globally.
July 8, 2013 |
Few new projects are coming on the drawing board despite some improvement in business confidence, says Bank of Baroda's chairman and managing director SS Mundra . The bank is, therefore, focusing on the retail, agriculture and SME sectors, Mundra says in an interview, adding that this year the bank will more than double its ATMs, set up 25,000 point-of-sale terminals and open 50 e-lobbies. Edited excerpts: Do you sense a return of business confidence and pick-up in demand from corporate borrowers?
July 5, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Business confidence of India Inc for the July-September quarter dropped to the lowest level in four years amid several macro-economic challenges, Dun & Bradstreet said in a report. The Dun & Bradstreet Composite Business Optimism Index for the third quarter of 2013 stood at a 17-quarter low of 130.6, a decline of 4 per cent compared with the corresponding quarter a year earlier and a drop of 7.8 per cent from the second quarter. Each of the six components in the index registered a decline from the second quarter, D&B said.


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Fresh out the oven
James W. Hamlin, who grew up in the Druid Heights neighborhood, wanted to bring people back to Baltimore’s historic Pennsylvania Avenue. He hoped to provide the community with a valuable service and offer a unique product to entice visitors.
The result is The Avenue Bakery, which opened in the summer of 2011. The bakery makes cakes, pies, muffins, cookies, croissants and cobblers. By Thanksgiving of that year, word was out that the Avenue’s signature item, “Poppay’s” dinner rolls, were something special. The rolls, which Hamlin has been making for around 20 years, were named by his granddaughter Bria.
Poppay’s rolls at Thanksgiving have quickly become a tradition for many Baltimore-area families. They draw people from Virginia and Pennsylvania as well. Customers place orders well in advance, but the bakery makes dozens more available on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day before Thanksgiving.
Hamlin and his family and friends baked around 400 dozen rolls this week, working around the clock since Monday night.
Jules Howie, a regular customer, picked up her rolls Wednesday afternoon and said the bakery is “a treasure, a beacon of light in the community.”
James W. Hamlin, owner of The Avenue Bakery in Druid Heights, pulls a tray of his “Poppay’s” dinner rolls from the dough proofer. Next, they’ll be transferred to the oven for baking.
Regular customers Grace, 8, left, and Jules Howie leave The Avenue Bakery on Wednesday with a dozen rolls. Jules Howie said the bakery is “a treasure, a beacon of light in the community.”


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On Thursday of last week, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) released the text of a proposed amendment to its Go Texan licensing rules for Texas wines.
Go Texan is a TDA marking program that helps to promote awareness of Texan agricultural products (including wine). It allows approved growers and producers of Texan foods and wines to add the Go Texan logo to their labeling.
Currently, the TDA allows Texan wine producers to use the logo as long as the wine is "produced" or "processed" in the state of Texas. In other words, even if none of the grapes are grown in Texas, a winemaker can still label it using the Go Texan logo.
The proposed amendment would require winemakers to use a minimum of 75 percent of Texan-grown fruit in order to be licensed as Go Texan participants. You can read the complete text of the proposed amendment on Houston-based wine blogger Jeff Cope's site, Texas Wine Lover.
In formal and informal surveys, the TDA found that a majority of Texans -- including producers, trade members, and consumers -- favor a "threshold" for eligibility.
"At the end of an informal and formal comment process," wrote the authors of a press release distributed on Thursday, "only 34% of commenters supported keeping the current standard for GO TEXAN promotion of wine, while the remaining 66% of commenters believed the standard needed some level of threshold of Texas-grown fruit to be met in order to be marketed as GO TEXAN."
"This minimum percentage is based," they note, "on other standard federal and industry-recognized thresholds for other origin requirements used for -- such as for federally-approved appellation of origin label designations."
They are referring to the fact that the U.S. government requires winemakers to use a minimum of 75 percent of state-grown fruit if the wine is to be labeled as a product of that state and shipped for sale out of state. If the wine is to be sold exclusively within the state's borders, there is no minimum required as long as the producer writes "For Sale in [State] Only" on the label.
As we reported in a cover story in June of 2012, "Texas Wines: Behind the Cellar Door," some of our state's biggest producers use up to 80-90 percent of grapes sourced beyond the Texas border in their wines. In challenging vintages, said a Texas wine industry leader, less than 50 percent of the wines sold as Texas wines are actually made from fruit grown in Texas.
While the proposed changes would address deceptive labeling practices with regard to the Go Texan logo, it does nothing to address the fact that Texan consumers regularly purchase so-called "Texan" wines that contain no state-grown fruit. If approved by the
Texas legislature TDA, the new requirement would be akin to a bandaid on a broken leg.
It's time for Texan wine bottlers to come clean and treat their country-women and men with the respect and integrity they deserve.
And it's time for the TDA and the Texas legislature to acknowledge that the Texas wine trade has engaged in deceptive and unfair marketing practices for far too long.


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Birmingham recycling event this Saturday
The city of Birmingham will host a drop-off recycling event at Seaholm High School, 2436 W. Lincoln, in the north parking lot, on Saturday, August 1, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Birmingham residents will be able to drop off electronics, household hazardous waste, cardboard and Styrofoam. Residents are to remain in their vehicle, and face masks are required. Recyclable items must be placed in the trunk, hatches or pick-up beds – no items may be placed in the back seats of vehicles. Residents will need their driver's license for proof of residency. Vehicles should enter off Cranbrook Road and exit off Midvale. The first table will be for paint and other household hazardous waste, and the second table will be for electronics. The SOCCRA recycling center recently reopened to the public by appointment only following a closure due to safety concerns surrounding COVID-19 and ongoing congestion at the site from trash haulers. In addition to appointments at SOCRRA, Birmingham’s drop-off event will help those who have accumulated many recyclable items and household hazardous waste following spring cleaning earlier this year. For more information regarding the drop-off event, contact SOCRRA at 248.288.5150. Visit socrra.org for detailed lists of household hazardous waste and electronic items that will be accepted. To view alternate locations for drop-off services, visit bhamgov.org/.


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In a recent article, CNBC noted that Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s latest tweets — which may see him held in contempt of his SEC settlement — prove that the company’s board can’t or won’t control him.
Recently, the SEC requested that a federal judge hold Tesla CEO Elon Musk in contempt after the CEO tweeted: “Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019.” A few hours later, Musk corrected himself: “Meant to say annualized production rate at end of 2019 probably around 500k, ie 10k cars/week. Deliveries for year still estimated to be about 400k.”
In response to this, the SEC said in court documents filed on Monday: “He once again published inaccurate and material information about Tesla to his over 24 million Twitter followers, including members of the press, and made this inaccurate information available to anyone with internet access.” The SEC further said that both Musk and Tesla confirmed that his tweets had been pre-approved by the company.
Following this, CNBC posted an article titled “Elon Musk’s tweets show that Tesla’s board either can’t or won’t try to keep him in check.” In the article, CNBC notes that Tesla’s board has failed to keep the CEO under control, as they agreed to do following the company’s last run-in with the SEC. CNBC writes:
“His board has to act,” said Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. “They seem to be incapable of acting, which is very disappointing.”
The board’s independence and ability to restrain Musk have been frequently called into question. Several board members have close ties to Musk either through family or business. Board members include his brother Kimbal Musk, a restaurateur and Tesla investor, and Antonio Gracias, a long-time investor who also sits on the boards of Musk’s companies Solar City and SpaceX.
CNBC notes that under the company’s agreement with the SEC, Musk’s close friend and confidant Robyn Denholm was appointed to the position of chairman of Tesla’s board:
But it is unclear how much power she [Denholm] actually has over Musk, Kelley Blue Book editor Matt DeLorenzo said Tuesday on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.”
“There was this agreement to bring in Robyn Denholm as the chairman, and the real question here is: Is that window dressing? I mean the question is, “Who is sort of Elon’s boss and how is this issue going to be addressed?'” DeLorenzo said.
After the SEC’s filed its most recent complaint, Musk took to twitter again to criticize the agency, saying “Something is broken with SEC oversight.”
Even with the new additions, Musk seems to control the board, including who is appointed and removed, Elson said. Any attempt to rein him in results potentially in their replacement.
“And they value, I guess, being on the board more than acting as normal board members would in such a situation,” Elson said. “In most companies, they would be gone.”
CNBC notes that when asked in a previous interview about Tesla’s plans to monitor his tweets, Musk stated that the company may make mistakes in doing so:
In its complaint, the SEC cited an interview Musk gave with CBS’ “60 Minutes” in December when he said the company doesn’t need to review his tweets.
Asked how the company would know if he is planning to send a potentially stock-moving tweet without being able to read it, Musk told the news show, “Well, I guess we might make mistakes. Who knows?”
Read the full article from CNBC here.


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It seems like Xbox gamers are in need of something to hang their hopes on. That's the feeling I get at least in the wake of Scalebound's cancellation and the flood of fan questions that seem to be heading Phil Spencer's way; begging for some nugget to hold on to get past the disappointment. Spencer, of course, has obliged, answering fan questions thoughtfully while playing PR damage control in a politely effective manner.
One of his latest quotes revolves around Crackdown 3, where he tweets that he has played the game with Microsoft Studios Publishing GM Shannon Loftis and was left very impressed. Here's that tweet:
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 13, 2017
As you can see, the question comes once again from a fan with concerns about Xbox's 2017 prospects. IMO, we are only 14 days into the new year, and things change a lot from month to month, so there's no point in assuming that the release calendar is the way it's going to be six months from now. January is traditionally one of the slow months of the year, which has proven not to be the case this year, with Resident Evil 7 on the horizon.
If you have doubts, have patience. Crackdown 3 looks like it's a more important title than ever for Xbox, as evidenced by its delay to focus on its campaign. And besides, would you rather have one great game or five average ones?


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The tech world had been waiting for a rival to Google Glass from Samsung, the world’s most popular Smartphone manufacturer. Everyone expected the news to get ended up as a rumour, but Samsung recently confirmed that their latest wearable device will arrive to hit the market in September, 2014 as a new member of their ‘Gear’ family of wearable technologies with a name, ‘Gear Glass’. The Tech giant will unveil this product in IFA Consumer Electronics Show in September and will be available to the world soon after the launch.
According to Korean business portal, Business Korea, the device will be powered by Samsung’s very own operating System, ‘Tizen’. Through this product, Samsung also aims at bringing their ‘Tizen’ OS to the mainstream to take down Android, the leading Smart device Operating System who holds the lion’s share of market today.
The device is looks alike with a Bluetooth earpiece, with a display that comes in front of the eye. The device is expected to beat Google Glass in matters of technical specifications and usability. Price is still not announced. It was Google who first introduced the concept of Smart Glasses, as an extension of Smart phones.
They facilitates big screen movie watching on the go and almost all smart phone features such as GPS location, video calling and social networking. Google stopped selling their smart glass and left the seat after one day of sale and therefore Samsung expects a massive profit from Gear Glass. It seems like the coming era will be of wearable technologies and we expect these technologies to give a new dimension to today’s communication concepts.


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Retailers and Quick Service Restaurants often use pop culture tie-ins as a way to amplify consumer excitement about a blockbuster movie or TV show. The risk they face, particularly when it’s a QSR investing in toys for giveaway, is that the film will flop when it’s actually released.
AT&T faced a different challenge when the retailer linked up with HBO’s Game of Thrones, a popular show that dominated consumer conversation even among those who didn’t watch it. In order to stand out and create unique brand interactions at four of its flagship stores, the retailer and experience design agency Twenty Four 7 had to “tease” the events of the final season without knowing the specific story lines, or which characters would survive. (Game of Thrones has a notoriously high mortality rate.)
On April 1, Twenty Four 7 transformed AT&T flagship stores in four cities (New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston) into Game of Thrones emporiums, with authentic costumes from the various “houses” and characters in the series showcased ahead of the show’s eighth and final season.
“In this example, AT&T came to us and said, ‘How do you create a premium retail experience and associated marketing campaign to celebrate this final season?’” said Mimi Lettunich, President and Executive Creative Director of Twenty Four 7 in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “For us, there’s an objective that they’re interested in, but we want to identify the barriers that get in the way first. We couldn’t know anything about what was going to happen this season, so how do we inspire the future by using the past?”
As many as 15 to 20 team members worked with the AT&T and HBO teams to brainstorm and implement ideas for the store experiences. The stores featured “limited-reveal video content” from the new season, along with digital games and VR/AR experiences. At three of the stores, AT&T introduced the Magic Leap One virtual retinal display VR goggles, where visitors could play “The Dead Must Die,” a game that lets consumers confront a White Walker, a particularly formidable Game of Thrones antagonist.
AT&T stores and its web site also sold Game of Thrones paraphernalia, from smartphone cases and wireless chargers to wine tumblers and water bottles.
“We have people that will walk into these locations and say, ‘What will you do next?’” Lettunich said. “It’s about programming and keeping it fresh, and not doing a ‘one and done.’ I think a lot of people look at it as a moment versus something that is part of your ecosystem as a whole. Entertainment is core — it’s not just about selling entertainment, it’s about being entertaining.”
When developing takeovers for these stores, Lettunich said that her company is careful in how it analyzes shopper data, particularly since it’s easy to fall back on traditional metrics. Instead, Twenty Four 7 uses a behavioral science-focused strategy designed to analyze metrics related to customer obsession and irrational fandom.
Interactive Store Takeovers Provide Experiences That Online, Mobile Still Can’t Deliver
The Game of Thrones takeover was the latest in a string of pop culture takeovers that Twenty Four 7 has installed within AT&T stores; the agency previously created installations based on Justice League and Fantastic Beasts. Twenty Four 7 also helped create the “Connected Life Experience” in AT&T’s San Francisco store, to immerse consumers in an interactive journey focused on the human movement of IoT technologies.
“We’re focusing on all the things that a consumer can’t get anywhere else,” Lettunich said. “With retail access being so prolific, there are so many channels for people to get basic product and service. We’re trying to provide access to the things that seem hard to get, and the things that make the experience a little bit more intimate. These experiences should feed the superfan on one hand, and on the other hand, we’re looking to figure out how to gain an entry point that attracts the novice to the conversation.”
AT&T Celebrates Pride Month In Three Flagship Stores
In June, AT&T and Twenty Four 7 celebrated Pride Month throughout three flagship locations in San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. The stores showcase the colors of the LGBT flag via larger-than-life “links,” joined together in a sculptural representation of this year’s Pride theme: Generations of Strength. The interactive experience drew people into the retail locations where they could create their own digital “link” to share their personal story of hope, determination or inspiration.
Submissions become a colorful chain of names, organized by decade, in support of LGBT rights. Multiple 3D “links” are positioned throughout the space, sharing important turning points in LGBT history. A series of social posts, highlighting key LGBT milestones in key cities, pushed the campaign global.
“Customer satisfaction is great,” Lettunich said. “It’s something that everybody wants and it suggests that your interaction went well. But we’re focused on inspiring consumers. It’s the idea that we’re in their mind far beyond that moment of time they had that interaction.”


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Slovakia’s industrial sales rebounded in April 2013 rising by 6% y/y, following a revised 5.1% drop in March, which was the biggest since October 2009, data from the statistics office showed. April’s reading showed the best performance since October 2012.
Sales of the manufacturing industry recovered to a 6.5% y/y growth in April from a 6.9% y/y decline in March. The auto manufacturing sector (which accounts for more than a quarter of total industrial sales) reported a 7.1% y/y rise in April sales, reversing a 5.3% y/y drop in the previous month. Sales of computers, electronics and optics (another important driver of the country’s export-oriented industrial sector) climbed 5.9% y/y, after a 9.7% y/y drop in March.
The April industrial sector turnover grew by 1.4% m/m on a seasonally adjusted basis following a 0.7% increase in March.
IntelliNews comment: The recovery of industrial sales in April is a bit surprising, but follows the trend observed in other major indicators for the economic conditions in Slovakia, like industrial output and exports, which also showed improvement. The rebound is surprising as external demand is widely expected to remain subdued this year, denting Slovakia’s export-driven economic growth to less than 1% in 2013 from 2% in 2012.
For the full-year 2012, Slovak industrial sales grew 6.2% y/y to EUR 82.25bn, buoyed by a 21.8% growth in the sales of the automotive industry and by an 8.1% rise in the sales of the electronics industry. Exports of cars and electronics are the main driving force of the Slovak export-fuelled economy.
|y/y change||Apr-13||Mar-13||Apr-12||2012, y/y change|
|--food, beverages and tobacco||4.8%||-1.0%||-5.5%||4.0%|
|--textiles, apparel, leather and related products||-0.3%||-13.0%||-1.4%||1.3%|
|--wood and paper products, printing||6.9%||-0.9%||2.9%||5.3%|
|--coke and refined petroleum products||28.6%||-9.7%||-27.8%||-10.4%|
|--chemicals and chemical products||-12.4%||-29.0%||-14.8%||-5.0%|
|--pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products||-42.1%||39.2%||-18.9%||-2.8%|
|--rubber, plastics and other non-metallic mineral products||4.2%||-12.2%||-2.2%||-1.7%|
|--basic and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment||6.2%||-6.8%||8.0%||4.4%|
|--computers, electronic and optical products||5.9%||-9.7%||-6.9%||8.1%|
|--machinery and equipment||15.2%||2.0%||2.2%||2.9%|
|--other manufacturing, repair and installation of machinery and equipment||-14.4%||-15.5%||1.1%||-6.2%|
|Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply||4.4%||3.9%||-0.6%||3.0%|
|Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic|
An explosion at the site of Austrian OMV’s Baumgarten natural gas hub has interrupted gas transit to Italy, Slovenia and Hungary, the Austrian government’s electricity and gas markets regulator ... more
CEFC, the acquisitive Chinese energy group, and Penta Investments, the closely-held Slovak financial group, are bidding together for Time Warner’s stake in Central European Media Enterprises (CME), ... more
A group of Slovak and Czech oligarchs are reportedly interested in buying regional media and entertainment company Central European Media Enterprises, the Slovak Spectator reported on November 8. ... more


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Angel investing network Ark Angel Alliance has appointed a new chairman and two new members to its board of directors. The group announced the board changes, which went into effect in January, this week.
Amy Hopper Swan, program manager for the Arkansas Research Alliance, is Ark Angel’s new chairman of the board. Hopper Swan succeeds Alese Johnston who served as chairman of the organization’s board since it was founded in 2020. Johnston will transition to chair emeritus.
“I’m honored to be the new chair of the Ark Angel Alliance and grateful for the mentorship and guidance of our chair emeritus, Alese Johnston,” Hopper Swan said in a news release. “Our membership continues to grow — we are poised to introduce a new generation of Arkansans to angel investing and to the positive economic impact it can have on our communities and state.”
The latest board appointees include: Marla Johnson, CEO and co-founder of LeapXL; and Courtney Little, ACE Glass president and general counsel.
“Both Marla and Courtney boast titles of investor and business owner, representing the two markets that Ark Angel Alliance serves,” Hopper Swan said in a news release. “This unique perspective has already added value to our organization, and I look forward to their continued positive impact.”
Since its inception, Ark Angel Alliance has invested $3.2 million into start-ups. The organization, which is led by David Moody, owner of Jacksson David LLC, aims to drive investment education and promote economic development by pooling investors to fund early-stage companies that could expand well-paying jobs in Arkansas.
Hopper Swan, the new board chair, also has directed an accelerator for early-stage entrepreneurs in the region and launched a healthcare software company in 2021.


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Branded content boosts brand perceptions, Channel 4 finds
Branded content is better at improving brand perception and eliciting positive emotions from consumers compared to traditional linear ads according to a new study published by Channel 4.
The research found 60% of viewers had a positive view of branded entertainment and 70% rated it highly in terms of originality, entertainment value and quality, suggesting content funded and produced by companies can have a greater impact than standard ad campaigns.
Channel 4 recently worked with Age UK to create a series of branded entertainment titled ‘Old Peoples Home for 4 Year Olds’ and it found that brand perceptions changed considerably after it aired.
The number of people that viewed Age UK as an ‘uplifting brand’ soared by 51% and 29% more saw the charity as ‘caring and compassionate’.
The publication of videos and other forms of content with a branded yet grounded and organic feel is the way forward according to Sophie Lloyd, Channel 4’s Branded Entertainment and Creative Leader.
She says the research shows that entertaining and engaging content allows brands to deliver the authentic messages and high quality storytelling that viewers and customers crave and are willing to engage with.
For the study, Channel 4 partnered with the BVA Group for the research and published many of its key findings last week.
It found branded content is particularly effective at communicating with younger audiences who are more sceptical of traditional advertising. Gen Z views this sort of entertainment as a softer sell which leads to better brand resonance and higher levels of engagement.
However, brand alignment is important. 84% of respondents believe the brand needs to be a “logical fit” for the tone and type of content it publishes. This helps brands too as they are more likely to be closely associated with the content without the need to mention themselves or showcase logos or mottos.
A seamless alignment between content and brand leads to higher rates of approval from audiences which in turn drives more positive results across all KPIs for a brand. This increases return on investment and makes campaigns more likely to succeed in the long term.
The research also found that the power of content can result in a notable boost to brand perceptions, something that is more difficult to achieve with traditional spot advertisement. This is because it is easier to put forward a compelling message in an environment where viewers are more receptive to it.
High quality content then leads to positive brand associations. 44% of respondents said they had a more favourable view of a brand after consuming branded content and programming.
Uber saw the benefits after its ‘Where to Britain?’ campaign. The perception that the brand had a ‘sense of humour’ climbed 105% afterwards, as did the view that it had friendly drivers (+95%).
Sophie Lloyd concluded: “We’ve always believed branded entertainment delivers for brands but with this – the first research of its kind – we now have proof. It’s an opportunity for brands to co create quality editorial entertainment and weave their values and messages through storytelling and narratives that viewers want to engage with.”


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10 more entrepreneurs have received cheques of N300, 000 each to grow their business at the Life Progress Booster Show, an initiative of Life Lager Beer, a brand committed to supporting small and medium scale entrepreneurs in South-East Nigeria.
The entrepreneurs were presented with the cheques by managers of the brand on Sunday, August 6, 2017 at West Point, Answai Road, Government House, Asaba, Delta State.
While addressing the audience at the presentation ceremony, Mr. Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc. stated that the brand had increased the grant from N250, 000 in 2016 to N300, 000 and will support 200 entrepreneurs through the Progress Booster platform in 2017.
“Progress Booster is a programme with the sole aim of supporting the people of the South-East who have innovative business ideas to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. This is the second set of entrepreneurs we are supporting this year, and we look forward to empowering other innovative business men and women,” Agu said.
Mr. Agu also noted that Life Progress Booster Show is a platform for budding businessmen and women to present their proposals and transform their ideas into reality.
“The Progress Booster Show was initiated to raise more entrepreneurs and self-dependent individuals in South-East Nigeria. Through the years, Life Continental Beer has focused on empowering its consumers, and it is committed to contributing to their successes and achievements,” said Agu.
The presentation in Asaba brings the number of entrepreneurs who have benefited from the grant in 2017 to forty. Other guests at the event went home with consolation prizes such as bags of rice, gallons of oil, and many more exciting prizes from raffle draws.
The ceremony also afforded past winners the opportunity to share their success stories even as they enjoined current winners to make good use of the support they received from the Life Progress Booster Show.
The radio show airs on Hot 99.5 FM, Owerri every Saturday 7:30 – 8:30pm; Odenigbo 99.1 FM, Obosi every Friday 7:30 – 8:30pm; Family Love 103.9 FM, Umuahia every Saturday 7:30 – 8:30 PM and Solid 100.9 FM, Enugu every Friday 7:30 – 8:30pm.


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Just a week after announcing sweeping efforts to restructure its business model, Swedish media company MTG appears prepared to make good on its promise to push further into the digital realm.
Jorgen Madsen Lindemann, MTG president and CEO, confirmed in a media release on Sept. 1 that the company has acquired Turtle Entertainment, a global e-sports firm based in Cologne, Germany that operates under the ESL brand.
Among its business offerings, ESL hosts various branded international and national gaming leagues and tournaments, including the Intel Extreme Masters, ESL One, ESL Pro Series, and StarCraft II World Championship Series. Beyond event management, the company’s website offer daily content, with gamers around the world encouraged to train and interact with their e-sports idols.
The move to acquire Turtle marks the third major digital investment for MTG this year. In July, the company finalized the purchase of two European MCNs, Zoomin.TV and Splay.
Lindemann said the deals, all together, represent a key part of MTG’s transformation as “a global digital entertainer.”
“They are in line with our strategy to invest in relevant, complementary and scalable digital brands, content and communities, and will enable us to bring our viewers the best entertainment we can across all of our verticals,” he said.
Earlier in August, MTG laid off 300 employees in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the U.K. Lindemann said at the time the staffing reductions were a painful, but necessary part of the company’s ongoing efforts to transform its linear business to tap an increasingly important digital market.
According to MTG reps, the restructuring is expected to generate annualized savings of approximately 600 million Swedish Krona (SEK), or U.S. $72.5 million, of which the majority will be reinvested back into the company to help fuel further transformation.
Photo: 20150831_Helena-Kristiansson_MSIMGA_1372 _ Flickr – Photo Sharing


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State takes over recall procedure 02-22-09
Special Projects Writer
Published 6:00 pm, Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Texas state health officials have taken over the responsibility of recalling peanut products shipped from the local Peanut Corp. of America plant.
State officials stepped in after the plant's owners did not respond to the recall order that was issued Feb. 12, a State Health Services news release said. The recall order applies to all products shipped from the plant since it opened in March 2005.
The recall was ordered after inspectors found rodent waste, dead rodents and bird feathers in a crawl space and determined that an unsealed air handling system was pulling debris from the crawl space into the production area.
Former employees claimed the plant was unsanitary and confirmed rodent remains, rodent feces and feathers routinely were found in the ventilation area of the plant. Dead animals also were found under ovens where peanuts were cooked. Workers didn't wear hair nets and were told to reuse peanuts that had come in contact with the dirty floor.
Jesus Garrocho, the most recent general manager at the plant, maintained that the accusations were not true.
Tests by an independent lab confirmed the presences of salmonella in several products.
Department of State Health Services food safety officials are in the process of calling manufacturers, distributors and retailers who received products from the facility during 2008. They also are going through company files to find additional customers lists.
The press release also said the state will seek reimbursement from Plainview Peanut for the costs of the recall.
Several companies have pulled Plainview peanut products off the market because of the news coverage the plant has received.
The salmonella outbreak has sickened hundreds of people and may be responsible for nine deaths around the country.
(Contact Deborah Zacher at firstname.lastname@example.org or 806-296-1360.)


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If you use Google Maps on your Android device or iPhone then you are using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation system. While GPS is very popular among smartphone users, what most people do not know is that GPS is not the only satellite navigation system. Russia uses its own GLONASS while the European Union and China have Galileo and BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).
Similarly, Bengaluru-based Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has developed the Indian version of GPS called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC). But why have NavIC when you are already using GPS? The answer dates back to the 1999 Kargil War when US refused to provide vital GPS information about Pakistani troops to India, the need for having India’s own satellite navigation system was felt for the first time. After two-decades, Isro is now in talks with chipmakers to integrate NavIC in upcoming smartphones that will be sold in India. Here is everything you need to know


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Jakob Nielsen's latest article looks at site redesign tips which will lead to increased sales and improved customer loyalty.
Nielsen has 10 redesign recommendations that are the most likely to increase return on investment for your website, most of which should be relatively simple to implement.
Lovefilm.com, the online DVD rental company, has announced the launch of the UK's first legal movie download service, which will allow customers to burn downloaded movies onto blank DVDs.
The move is prompted by Lovefilm's research into its customer's preferences, which found that 57% wanted the opportunity to create their own discs from their downloads.
In last week's post, I misquoted Terry Duddy when he predicted (and this is the corrected version) that online retail sales wouldn't be much more than 10-15% of total UK retail sales by 2015 – my apologies Terry.
With my fingers somewhat burnt, I thought I’d play it safe this week and take a quick look at what’s being said in the US about online sales, now and in the future, to see if this helps inform the debate in the UK.
A German businessman who owns the 'G-mail' trademark so desired by Google says he would refuse to sell the name, even for millions of dollars.
Hamburg-based Daniel Giersch registered the name for his postal service in 2000 and launched an e-mail adjunct in 2003, before Google launched its web-based mail client a year later.
Ask.com has launched a guerrilla-style marketing campaign designed to encourage British internet users to broaden their choice of search engine.
In the last couple of weeks, posters featuring a megaphone, a link to information-revolution.org and the slogan "stop the information monopoly" began appearing on tube trains, lamp posts and elsewhere. They warn libertarians about Google's 75% UK market share, although the name of the organisation behind the campaign was not disclosed.
A survey by shopping comparison site PriceRunner has shown that while customers love the convenience of shopping online, etailers' return processes leave much to be desired.
PriceRunner surveyed 400 online shoppers, all of whom have been shopping online for up to five years. Almost 40% were unhappy with the processes for returning goods bought online.
Isn’t it funny how we’ve been hearing that ‘This Is The Year For Mobile’ every year since, oh, about 1863?
This seems to have been driven by hugely bullish forecasts from various analysts over the past decade, and the desire among investors to get this message out to market in order to Make Things Happen. Yet mobile marketing has never been the big story, for any number of reasons.
Once you’ve optimised your website copy, you’ll find that the most important part of optimisation happens off the page – where links from external sites back to yours play a vital role in telling Google and other search engines how important your site really is.
A product listing that appeared and was hastily removed from Apple's UK website has whet observers' appetites for a forthcoming hike in processor speeds.
Searches for Mac Pro machines on the Apple Store on Monday revealed a listing stating: "Now quad-core or 8-core processing power".
Online fraud figures released yesterday by APACS, the UK payments association, show a 44% rise in online banking fraud last year.
Offline credit card fraud at UK retailers fell by 47% to a total of £72.1m, from 2005's figure of £135.9m, thanks largely to the introduction of chip and pin.
Web stats auditor comScore has introduced a new 'visits' metric to augment its 'page views' tracking after conceding its previous system unfairly represented Yahoo!
Yahoo! protested in December after comScore data placed it behind MySpace for pages viewed. Yahoo!'s increasing use of AJAX means users create fewer page views because tasks can be completed without reloading pages.
The internet group’s offer, made in January, relied on it gaining at least 90% of TradeDoubler’s equity, but was rejected by investors representing around 20% of the Swedish company’s capital. The approval deadline passed on March 14.


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HYDERABAD: THE Industries Department has convinced two jute millers from West Bengal to set up their factories in Telangana in order to meet the sudden shortage of gunny bags faced by rice millers here. According to an official of the department, the State government offered the jute millers land at a discounted rate and assured them of procuring the gunny bags at 100 per cent rate.
“This is a step towards making the State self-sufficient,” the official said. The move comes after Telangana recorded a bumper paddy produce, resulting in huge demand for rice millers. Rice milling units need large quantities of gunny bags, which are made of jute, for packaging. One of the most vital items during the milling season, gunny bags are sourced from West Bengal and Bangladesh as jute primarily grows in these regions. But the supply to Telangana was cut off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Telangana government invested a lot in irrigation, which resulted in a bumper paddy produce. But our milling capacity was not sufficient due to the shortage of gunny bags. The distribution of rice depends on gunny bags,” the official said. Nearly 90-95 per cent of the jute mills are in West Bengal and other eastern States. Most of these shut down due to the lockdown, hitting operations here in Telangana.
As a stop-gap arrangement, the rice millers tried to use other types of sacks but these were not feasible. “We found two major jute mills in West Bengal and motivated them to set up units in TS,” the official said.
- Industry And ClusterAugust 5, 2020Bangladesh Jute Mills Will Resume Production As Soon As Possible
- Industry And ClusterAugust 5, 2020Parmeshwari Silk Mill’s Net Profit Declines 61.94% In June Quarter
- Industry And ClusterAugust 5, 2020Australian Wool Market to Return From Winter Recess
- Industry And ClusterAugust 5, 2020Cotton Farmers And Agriculture Department Worry Due to Early Signs of PBW Infestation in Maharashtra


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King’s fourth grade students are getting a taste of what it’s like to own a small business at this year’s Marketplace. Each student decided on a product to make, estimating how many they thought they could sell (usually between 50 and 150). They then determined a price based on item cost and how well their peers thought the product would sell.
This year’s booths include Italian sodas, sushi candy, fuzzy friends, marshmallow roasting sticks made from recycled golf clubs, sports team swag, delicious baked goods, key chains, Christmas decorations, toys and games, mystery boxes, kettle and caramel corn, Seahawks sugar, slime, jewelry and more. Customers shop with “Marketplace Dollars” ($.25 each) and all proceeds will be donated to charity.
Students of all ages found treasures last week. This Friday, December 9th, will be everyone’s last chance to find their special Marketplace gem. (PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO FRIDAY’S SNOW DAY, OUR FINAL DAY OF MARKETPLACE WILL BE MONDAY, DECEMBER 12.)


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A new leak has surfaced on the web this weekend about releasing the new iPad by 2021. Judging by the specifications, we have in front of us is the iPad Pro 12.9 inches. The most interesting part of the leak is information about display technology.
The new iPad Pro could be the first tablet with a Mini-LED display. If this turns out to be true, we will have many devices with large and high-quality screens. According to Digitimes, the new iPad will have the same specs as the latest iPad Pro.
The next-generation iPad Pro, in turn, should be the first device with the new A-series chip to be used in Apple mobile devices throughout the year.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is likely to have a display that beats all other iPads and, more likely, the newest iPhones. Moreover, with the iPad Pro, the expansion of new Mini-LED displays is rumored to begin.
Digitimes sources also said Apple is ready to release a new iPhone lineup with flexible OLED panels. According to their materials, the next iPhone will not be a clamshell. Again, the company will make rounded edges, but with an emphasis on the “screen-waterfall” form factor.


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BMW first introduced its popular M1 sports car back in 1981 (seen below) and now it will finally receive a much awaited successor with an M8 model. Showcased above is a few concepts of the purported M1 Hommage, a modern interpretation of the classic vehicle which utilizes the same bold orange colorway, while the reported [...]
Using matte aside from shiny for the exterior finish of cars has always been a great look, especially in all black. BMW follows suit by updating their M3 and M5 with three matte colors. Coming in white, red or blue, the new matte finish is actually a limited release as only 30 vehicles for each [...]
The wagon is not dead! BMW has unveiled the latest 3 Series Sports Wagon and announced that it will again be available to U.S. customers. The new long-roof 3 goes on sale in Europe later this year as the 328i, 330d, and 320d Touring.
Set to be released this month will be a limited edition “Frozen Black” BMW M3. The blacked-out performance coupe features the M3 Competition Package with full premium and convenience packages, and black Novillo leather with red contrast stitching. From the exterior, the defining aspect of the car is the “Frozen Black” paint with painted black [...]
The BMW 328 is widely considered one of the 25 greatest cars of the century, such so that the carmaker has produced a unique concept car to mark the 328′s 75th birthday. The BMW 328 Hommage is specially crafted to mimic the design of the original ultra-lightweight 1,720 lb. sports car utilizing carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. [...]
German camera manufacturer Leica has teamed up with German automaker BMW to release another limited edition run of its X1 camera (Leica has previously released “Jochen Rindt” and “Le Mans” editions of the model). With an Emarit 24mm f2.8 ASPH lens and a CMOS image sensor, the compact 35mm X1 features retro metal casing. Only [...]


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Beleaguered game maker Zynga has cut 520 jobs in a cost cutting measure that questions the future of the company as a whole.
Zynga, based in San Francisco, stated that they have laid off only 18% of its workforce world wide. The company declined to say where, but sources say the locations are Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York. The move is intended to save $70 to $80 million, in which the game company expects a $28.5 to $39 million lost in the second quarter.
The news has caused the shares of Zynga to decline from its IPO price of $10 to $2.99 a share. “None of us ever expected to face a day like today, especially when so much of our culture has been about growth,” said Zynga CEO Mark Pinus in an email to employees on Monday. “But I think we all know this is necessary to move forward.”
The job cuts is the largest in the 6-year history of the company that has endured player defections, increased competition, and the elimination of 18 titles in the past six months. Just last fall, Zynga announced 150 job cuts.
The company has moved its focus to the mobile and so called midcore games in hopes of changing its course. Midcore games are defined by Zynga as a “blend the depth of hard-core games, traditionally played on a PC or console, with the approachability and accessibility of casual games that are mobile, free-to-lay and social,” says Steve Parks, senior vice president of games.
While Zynga struggles to retain users, the amount of people in the United States who play games on their phone and online continues to grow. The amount is expected to reach 5.6% this year, according to eMarketer.