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LOS ANGELES (AP) - You may pay more than ever for a late-summer drive.
There is nothing like a brush with death to make one realize what's important in life. And of course, what's important are things like family and friends and good health. What's not really all that important are things like "delayed retirement credits" and "file and suspend" rules and all the other Social Security benefit gaming tactics that have taken up so much of this column space, and my email inbox capacity, in the past couple of months.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Unemployment rates rose in 44 U.S. states in July, the most states to show a monthly increase in more than three years and a reflection of weak hiring nationwide.
NEW YORK (AP) - Facebook's stock fell to $19 for the first time on Friday, losing half its market value since the company's initial public offering in May.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple's stock hit a new high Friday after a four-month swoon, as investors looked ahead to the release of a new iPhone and possibly a smaller iPad.
NEW YORK (AP) - Encouraging earnings from Cisco and hopeful signs in a housing report lifted the stock market Thursday. The gains nudged the Standard & Poor's 500 index near the four-year high it reached earlier this year.
SAN FRANCISCO AP) - Gap Inc. reported a 29 percent increase in second-quarter net income, evidence the fashion retailer's moves to liven up its clothing with brightly colored trendy looks are winning over shoppers.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Groupon's stock hit another low, days after the online deals company issued a lackluster quarterly report.
MENLO PARK (AP) - Facebook's stock plunged to a new low Thursday as some of the social networking leader's early backers got their first chance to sell their shares since the company's initial public offering went awry.
RICHMOND (AP) - Nine people have sued Chevron Corp. over a California refinery fire that sent thousands to hospitals with respiratory issues and contributed to higher gasoline prices on the West Coast.
NEW YORK (AP) - With another six Olympic medals around his neck, swimmer Michael Phelps is once again touting the breakfast of champions.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Target Corp. raised its full-year profit projection Wednesday after the cheap-chic discounter reported better-than-expected second-quarter revenue that showed healthy spending in food, beauty, fashion and other items.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A voting member of the Federal Reserve's policy committee is cautioning that the Fed's power to fix the U.S. economy is limited now.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression.
SAN JOSE (AP) - Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of computer networking equipment, is seeing its ambitions cramped by the global economic turmoil, but results for its latest quarter were strong enough that it announced an increase to its dividend.
NEW YORK (AP) - Procter & Gamble is canceling an on-field breast cancer awareness promotion it had been planning with the National Football League, the latest sponsor to respond to the NFL's growing problems.
SUNNYVALE (AP) - Yahoo is making amends for years of blundering with one smart move: an early investment in Alibaba Group that has turned into a multibillion-dollar boon.
NEW YORK (AP) - Sure, you have a lot to do today - laundry, bills, dinner - but it's never too early to start planning for your digital afterlife, the fate of your numerous online accounts once you shed this mortal coil.
DALLAS (AP) - UPS plans to hire up to 95,000 workers to help deliver packages during the busy holiday season - an increase from last year, when the company was caught unprepared for a boom in online shopping.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's attorney general has settled a false advertising investigation at Wal-Mart, saying some store personnel were citing a nonexistent "sugar tax" on soda.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple had more than 4 million advance orders of its new, larger iPhones in the first 24 hours, exceeding its initial supply, the company said Monday.
NEW YORK (AP) - Do you leave a tip in your hotel room for the maid? Marriott is launching a program with Maria Shriver to put envelopes in hotel rooms to encourage tipping.
NEW YORK (AP) - Microsoft's decision to spend $2.5 billion for the creator of the hit game "Minecraft" could help the Xbox maker grab attention on mobile phones, a new priority for the company.
NEW YORK (AP) - Olive Garden is defending its practice of giving customers as many breadsticks as they want, saying the policy conveys "Italian generosity."
NEW YORK (AP) - Maybe there is such a thing as too many breadsticks.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Criminals from around the world buy and sell stolen credit card information with ease in today's digital age. But if they commit their crime entirely outside the United States, they may be beyond the reach of federal prosecutors.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A massive structure described by NASA as the world's largest spacecraft welding tool has been completed at the Michoud (MEE'-shoo) Assembly Center in New Orleans, which was chosen in 2011 to build components of a major new rocket system.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government says Bayer is making unsupported claims in advertisements for its dietary supplement designed to help with digestion, in violation of a federal court order.
SAN JOSE (AP) - From Apple's new smartwatch that tracks heartbeats to contact lenses that measure blood sugar - Silicon Valley is pouring billions into gadgets and apps designed to transform health care. But the tech giants that have famously disrupted so many industries are now facing their own unexpected disruption: regulation.
NEW YORK (AP) - Home Depot's data breach could wind up being among the largest ever for a retailer, but that may not matter to its millions of customers.


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Iowa City Farmers Market brings in Project GREEN
April showers will bring May flowers without stopping the Iowa City Farmers Market. On Wednesday, May 1, over 30 vendors will gather in the Chauncey Swan Ramp, at 415 E. Washington St. for the first Farmers Market of the year.
The Iowa City Farmers Market runs from May 1, through October 30 this year on every Wednesday and Saturday. The market's six-month run is planned by Tammy Neuman, an administrative secretary with parks and recreation, who has spent 14 years tending to and organizing the market, watching it grow and flourish.
This year, to celebrate the beginning of spring, Neuman has organized a prize to be won by anyone attending the May 1 market, something the Farmers Market has never done before.
“We’re doing kind of of a small profile event, since it’s starting on May Day,” she said. “We have a basket we’ve asked vendors to donate items to."
Attendees are welcome to put their names into a box, from which the winner of the basket will be selected at random. Items include goodies from arts and crafts vendors, meats and jams, and gift cards to places like Marco’s Grilled Cheese, which will have a booth at the market for the first time this year.
Another new addition, separate from the standard vendors, will be a booth for Project GREEN.
Abbreviating “Grow to Reach Environmental Excellence Now,” Project GREEN has been dedicated to promoting the environment and beautifying Johnson County since 1968.
“For about 50 years, Project GREEN had a huge sale at the Carver Hawkeye Arena,” said Project GREEN co-president Diane Allen. “We sold thousands of plants. The last few years we filled two-thirds of the concourse, around the arena, but it was getting to be too much of a strain for our volunteers who are getting to old to keep up with that.”
The event, called Garden Fair, was a way to raise money toward beautification. In the past, they were able to sell about $30,000 worth of plants at the event, money to go toward maintaining places like those on Iowa Ave., North Dubuque St. and College Green Park where the group has planted trees and shrubbery.
Though their locations around Iowa City will continue to be maintained, Green Fair will be replaced by Project GREEN’s presence at the market this year.
“We’ve got to keep [fundraising] going,” said Allen. “I think the Farmers Market is going to be a good place for us.”
Allen estimates that dozens of volunteers have been involved in planting and caring for the flowers and shrubs they’ll have on sale.
“The beauty of all of this is the plants that we sell are native to our Johnson county,” Allen said. “These plants actually have lived in our yards [and] have survived quite a winter so they are hearty and healthy.”
Project GREEN’s booth will be present all through May and June, and then again in October, allowing them to add different plants through the season.
Allen feels selling plants like this is a great way to live up to Project GREEN’s mission of improving the look of the city with things that grow, but also gives people a way to engage with each other and their community. Especially with the added benefit of them being able to mingle at the Farmers Market.
“It’s such a good starting point to help people to enjoy each other,” Allen said. “I think [individuals] gardening is a wonderful beginning and we can do it right here in Iowa.”

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Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino is trying to change the attitude of business jet buyers in the Asia-Pacific region, but especially in China, hoping to convince potential owners that the light HondaJet is an ideal fit.
Interest in business jets in Asia tends to favor large-cabin jets, and that is where most sales have trended. “We’re looking to penetrate this market by introducing a very efficient jet,” Fujino said. And to that end, Honda Aircraft brought two HondaJets to Singapore, one for display at the Singapore Airshow (Chalet CD65) and another for customer demonstrations at Seletar Aerospace Park. This is the first time that Honda Aircraft has exhibited at the Singapore Airshow.
Honda Aircraft’s new China dealer, Honsan General Aviation of Guangzhou, will play a key role helping spread the word about the benefits of light jet flying in China, by setting up alternative ownership opportunities for interested buyers. What this will look like is helping potential buyers, especially the younger generation that don’t like to own expensive assets, to take advantage of charter, fractional share, and jet card opportunities. “This is ideal for the young entrepreneur,” he said. Honsan General Aviation will help manage its customers' aircraft and make all of these ownership opportunities available, Fujino explained. “We’re trying to create a new business model, and looking for a holistic way to expand.”
Fujino is encouraged at the rapid expansion of airports in China, but he also believes that, for traditional large-cabin jet owners, the six- to seven-seat HondaJet could be an efficient sporty adjunct for short trips with fewer passengers.
Honsan’s first HondaJet is due for delivery in the first quarter of 2019. Honda Aircraft (Chalet CD65) is expecting Chinese CAAC certification in early 2019.
Despite some retrenching in deliveries of new jets in China and the Asia-Pacific region, Fujino sees plenty of opportunity in Asia. “The perception of Chinese people for business jets is much stronger than I thought,” he said. And the Honda brand recognition helps, too, as potential buyers are comfortable and familiar with the company. “Not many people know the other aircraft manufacturers,” he said, “but they know Honda. We have very good trust from our customers.”
In three to five years, Fujino believes, the Asian market will account for 10 percent of the world’s business jet deliveries. “It’s a challenging target, but I think it’s an achievable target.”


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SAN ANTONIO – Days before Halloween, one of the deadliest days for pedestrian accidents, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the pedestrian crash systems in mid-sized cars. Results were mixed.
Nearly 6,300 pedestrian fatalities were reported in all 2018.
Of the six cars that earned IIHS' “superior” rating, four were luxury model cars: the Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volvo S60. However, two non-luxury cars, the Nissan Maxima and Subaru Outback, also earned the highest safety rating. To earn a “superior” rating, the systems had to dramatically lower the car’s speed and, in most scenarios, avoid the crash-test dummy pedestrian.
On the other end of the spectrum, three cars earned no credit for their systems because they failed multiple crash test scenarios, according to IIHS. Those are the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.
“The most challenging test we perform is a child entering the street from behind a parked vehicle,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “This is commonly called a dash or dart-out type of crash.”
The systems use cameras or sensors to scan the path ahead and automatically apply the brakes to avoid the pedestrian.
Superior-rated systems means they avoided crashes or slowed “substantially,” IIHS said.
- 2019 Audi A4 (standard)
- 2019-20 BMW 3 series (standard)
- 2020 Subaru Outback (standard)
- 2019-20 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (optional)
- 2019-20 Nissan Maxima (optional for 2019/standard for 2020)
- 2019 Volvo S60 (standard)
Advanced-rated systems also saw major speed reductions, “though somewhat less consistently,” IIHS said.
- 2019-20 BMW 3 series (optional)
- 2019-20 Honda Accord (standard)
- 2019-20 Lexus ES 350 (standard)
- 2019 Mazda 6 (standard)
- 2019-20 Nissan Altima (optional)
- 2019-20 Tesla Model 3 (standard)
IIHS said these cars failed to slow significantly in one or more of the tests.
- 2019-20 Chevrolet Malibu (optional camera only)
- 2019-20 Chevrolet Malibu (optional camera and radar)
- 2019-20 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (standard)
IIHS said these cars failed to slow significantly in multiple test scenarios.
- 2019-20 Ford Fusion (standard)
- 2019 Hyundai Sonata (optional)
- 2019 Kia Optima (optional)


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AARP Oklahoma applauded Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners Dana Murphy, Bob Anthony and Patrice Douglas for approving a settlement in the OG&E rate case that will result in a residential utility rate decrease and significant consumer protections.
See Also: Affordable Utilities Now
Corporation Commissioners unanimously approved the settlement under which OG&E residential customers will receive an average nine cent rate decrease per month instead of the utility company’s requested increase of $6.60 per month. OG&E had initially asked for a rate increase that would have amounted to $73.3 million.
AARP was a party to the rate case and helped negotiate the settlement.
Watch a video about the settlement.
“We commend Corporation Commissioners for approving this settlement because it protects residential consumers from a rate increase while at the same time adding consumer protections,” said AARP Oklahoma Executive Council Member Barney Allen who provided comments on behalf of the association during the rate case hearing. “AARP members across the state sent a strong message that in these uncertain economic times, an electric rate increase would have hurt older Oklahomans.”
The settlement approved will:
- Maintain financial support for low income customers and requires OG&E to work with the Department of Human Services to study other means-tested enrollment criteria for potential expansion of these programs
- Require OG&E to track and report appropriate data of its Smart Grid deployment to determine operational and cost benefits to be provided to customers
- Revise OG&E’s tariff language to update policies regarding use and access to customer data. The ownership and use of Smart Meter Data will be addressed by the commission in a separate proceeding
- Require a study and report from an outside expert on a potential Peak Time Rebate pricing program including those that pay a credit for reduced consumption as opposed to programs that charge a higher rate
- Adds significant consumer protections to customers participating in OG&E’s Prepay Pilot program
AARP, which advocates on utility issues on behalf of 50+ Oklahomans, announced its opposition to the rate increase request in 2011, Allen said. Hundreds of AARP members signed petitions asking the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to reject OG&E’s original request that would have raised the monthly customer charge from $13 to $19.77.
Surveys commissioned by AARP last year indicated nearly half of Oklahomans 50+ had difficulty paying their monthly utility bills and 43% said their electric bill had gone up in the past 12 months.


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Tidbits: Food-based news and events in Fort Collins
Liquid Arts Festival
Fifteen Colorado distilleries will participate in the Liquid Arts Festival on Saturday, which will feature craft spirits, cocktails and appetizers.
The event is designed to offer a showcase of fine beverages, education about the art of crafting various spirits, and raise funds for The Community Foundation flood relief, Habitat for Humanity, The Food Bank of Larimer County and the Colorado Distillers’ Association.
Participants in this year’s festival include: Black Canyon Distillery, Dancing Pines Distillery, Deerhammer Distilling Company, Distillery 291, Downslope Distilling, Feisty Spirits, KJ Wood Distillers, Overland Distillery, Roundhouse Spirits, Spring44 Distilling, Syntax Spirits, Tesouro Distillery, Wilderness Spirits, Woods High Mountain Distillery and Zebra Vodka.
The event will take place from 4-8 p.m. at 2400 Midpoint Drive, Fort Collins, through the east entrance. Cost is $20 per ticket and sponsors include Feisty Spirits, Dancing Pines Distillery, The W.W. Reynolds Company and Speakeasy Design. For information and tickets, visit www.liquidartsfestival.com or contact Jamie Gulden at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Winter Farmers Market
The Winter Farmers Market is at Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21; Jan. 11, 18 and 25; Feb. 8, 15 and 22; March 8 and 22; and April 5.
New Belgium to release newest year-round beer
New Belgium Brewing announced its 10th year-round beer, which will be released in February 2014.
The 5 percent ABV Snapshot Wheat is brewed with wheat and pale malt. According to a press release, the beer “opens with a citrus note from Target hops, coriander and grains of paradise, then gives way to malty smoothness and a refreshing tart snap at the finish.”
New Belgium’s last permanent addition, Rampant Imperial IPA, was created in February 2013. The brewery introduced its latest winter seasonal Accumulation White IPA in October, and the 20th anniversary Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale was re-released earlier this month.
Starting February, Snapshot will be available in 12-ounce bottles and cans, 22-ounce bottles and on draft wherever New Belgium is distributed.
Compiled from news releases and previous Coloradoan coverage.


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A newly minted alliance between a major lender and a financial technology company highlighted the mortgage industry’s continuous drive in integrating the latest technology (such as analytics) in credit assessment.
Consumer credit reporting agency Equifax Inc. recently announced its collaboration with the Toronto-based fintech Borrowell Inc., which announced earlier this year that it would provide free access to credit scores through its website.
Equifax officials said that Canadian lenders will be a valuable testbed for this revolutionary approach towards the calculation of credit scores. Prior to this development, Canadian credit bureaus have been using a glorified, digitized version of the old credit history catalogue-card model, The Globe and Mail
“With new technologies, we can get a better picture of the consumer when they come through the door, and incorporate it into scores,” Equifax Canada chief marketing officer Chris Briggs said.
The Equifax-Borrowell partnership will cull records to be analyzed from as much as 1,600 sources, a method that would especially help new immigrants and other consumers that similarly lack Canadian credit data.
“What we’re trying to do is capture all of the data that comes into Canada before you even have a credit report,” Briggs explained.
“When we come forward and talk about some of the investments we are making, it has been very well received by the banks.”


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SONY BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group have partnered with a joint venture operating in China that develops technology for distributing music downloads and other content to mobile phones, the record companies said Tuesday.
The music companies declined to disclose how much each had invested in Access China Media Solutions, a joint venture between Tokyo-based Access Co. Ltd. and Seattle-based digital media firm Melodeo Inc.
“It’s a strategic investment,” said Michael Nash, senior vice president of digital strategy and business development for Warner Music Group.
Access China Media Solutions was formed early last year as a vehicle for Melodeo to distribute its technology to wireless carriers and handset makers in China and other markets in Asia. The company makes software through which mobile phone users can dial up digital content such as ringtones, listen to streams of audio like podcasts, or download full-length songs.
“Those are the platforms we’re hoping to launch with some of the operator partners,” said Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business for Sony BMG. “The fact that you’ve got the music companies supporting this, we believe, is going to strengthen the chance of those platforms being successful.”
The music rivals’ investment also gives them some say in how the technology works and, perhaps most importantly, helps protect their recording artists’ music from unauthorized copying.
Both Sony BMG and Warner Music have had licensing deals in place to sell digital music in China’s mobile market. While the Chinese ringtone market is growing, the record companies are eager to expand their content offerings.
“This is next generation,” Nash said.


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In a review article published on November 30, 2021, in the Journal of Cleaner Production, Anna (Anya) Phelan and co-authors from The University of Queensland, Australia, examined how the food and beverage industry addresses plastic pollution and producer responsibility and what sustainable packaging solutions they report on. The scientists chose to investigate the food and beverage sector because it significantly contributes to the issue of plastic pollution (FPF reported), has considerable potential to support a transition to sustainable packaging, but has rarely been thoroughly investigated.
The authors systemically reviewed 68 corporate sustainability reports of the largest multinational companies in the food and beverage sector. They found that “most companies do not directly acknowledge plastic pollution as an issue.” And even though the sector has started to transition to sustainable packaging, Phelan et al. report that the process is inconsistent and slow – too slow to keep pace with the global increase in plastic pollution. While around half of the companies stated to support a circular economy, many focus on consumer education and plastics waste instead of aiming for systemic change by sustainable packaging strategies. According to the review, “only a quarter of the companies are addressing the following key issues: packaging design innovation, increasing effectiveness of recycling, reducing single-use plastics, managing product end-of-life processes, and driving stakeholder engagement on plastic waste topics.” Phelan and colleagues further reported that producer responsibility is growing but still insignificant despite the increasing policies on plastics (FPF reported).
The authors conclude that “proactive efforts are needed – both in research and in practice – to reduce pre-market plastic use, expand safe disposal systems in regions lacking waste management infrastructure, and accelerate responsible innovation in the plastic value chain.”
Previous reports have analyzed plastic packaging-associated risk relevant to food manufacturers and grocery retailers (FPF reported) and elaborated on the benefits of reuse over recycling (FPF reported).
Phelan, A. (2021). “Plastic pollution and packaging: Corporate commitments and actions from the food and beverage sector.” Journal of Cleaner Production. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129827


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HOLLAND, Mich. — Tommy’s Express Car Wash announced the opening of four new franchise locations in quarter one of 2021, according to a press release.
Located in Mounds View, Minnesota; Duluth, Minnesota; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Waterloo, Iowa, these independently-owned and -operated locations will maintain the growing brand’s signature commitment to outstanding guest experience and wash quality.
Each highly-recognizable location is equipped with an approximately 130-foot dual belt conveyor system, soft cloth brushes, tire shine service, body wax as well as a license plate recognition system and mobile app for TommyClub members.
Self service interior cleaning and vacuuming is available on-site.
“We are thrilled to bring the outstanding Tommy’s Express experience to the Mounds View, Duluth and Waterloo communities,” said Ryan Essenburg, president and chief innovation officer of Tommy’s Express. “Our new guests will love Tommy’s world-class wash, smooth-ride dual belt conveyors, free vacuums, interior detail kits and on-site mat washers. Additionally, our innovative, easy-to-use TommyClub app ensures a quick, convenient and contact-free way for our guests to keep their vehicles clean.”
These locations bring the total number of Tommy’s Express Car Wash facilities in operation to 61, with over 230 future sites currently in development in the U.S. and abroad.


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As if we needed another reason to adore Beyoncé, Queen Bey recently admitted that, despite her insanely glam fashionista wardrobe, she mostly just lives in workout clothes like the rest of the world. But unlike the rest of the world, when she felt like she couldn't really find the perfect brand of fitness apparel to suit her needs, she opted to just create her own. Beyoncé has collaborated with Topshop's Sir Philip Green to design a new stand-alone activewear label called Ivy Park, and understandably, everyone will want to get their hands on it when it launches April 14. The timing means it'll be perfect for Spring, but will Ivy Park have a Summer line too? Yes — sort of. Technically Beyoncé's inaugural Ivy Park collection is Spring/Summer '16, according to the Daily Mail, so it'll cover both fashion seasons in one.
What can fans expect from Ivy Park? According to Pop Sugar, Ivy Park will consist of "modern, performance wear," that can work as both exercise apparel and general athleisure-style clothes. In a press release for the line, Beyoncé explained that she hoped to "push the boundaries of athletic wear," and to "support and inspire women who understand that beauty is more than your physical appearance."
Still not quite sure what that means? This killer promo video will explain everything you need to know.
Well, almost everything at least. One thing the video doesn't mention is how you can actually get your hands on Ivy Park clothing, and what the collection will consist of. Topshop will carry the Ivy Park line (which is kind of a given), and it'll be available both online and in-store. According to the Topshop USA website, the sportswear-meets-casual wear brand is designed to "[empower] women through sport — no matter what your sporting ability or body shape," (yas!), and will include "leggings in three rises, crop tops, drop arm tees, sweatshirts and technical jackets."
Ivy Park will be available to purchase other places, too — Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Zalora to name a few, according to Pop Sugar.
But, from the sounds of it, Ivy Park goes beyond just being another clothing line. Beyoncé named the collection after her own experience growing up running with her dad in a park in Houston, and how that came to represent learning to push her own physical boundaries and becoming mentally strong. That literal park eventually became "a state of mind" that represents overcoming difficult things, and was also the inspiration behind what Beyoncé wanted to achieve when designing her new line. Pretty cool.
Like pretty much anything Beyoncé-related, it's safe to say that Ivy Park is going to be insanely successful, so if you're hoping to get your hands on Ivy Park apparel, you'll probably want to act fast. But whether you use it to push yourself to new heights in the gym, or just to look cute during a Netflix binge, it sounds like Ivy Park has got your athletic wear needs totally covered.


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As could be expected, Fonterra's decision to supply free milk to primary school children from next year has been greeted with nothing but praise. So it should.
Who could argue with the sentiments - New Zealand's largest company investing some of its billions to give children a wholesome and nutritional daily glass of milk?
And, to avoid the unappealing, not to say unappetising spectre of warm, souring milk, Fonterra intends to investigate supplying schools with refrigerators, too.
The Milk for Kiwis plan announced by Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings last week will initially benefit 14,000 children in 110 Northland primary schools.
The trial will be monitored, but Fonterra says the intention is to provide milk to all schools from 2013. Worthy intentions aside, it is likely some froth on the top of the milk has also helped drive Fonterra's decision.
Offering free milk is a public relations coup designed to counter the ongoing criticism the company has faced about the high cost of milk.
And, quite possibly, to offset the continuing bad odour of the damage to New Zealand's waterways by the dairying industry New Zealanders want to know why milk and other dairy products such as cheese and butter cost so much in a country with an abundance of grass and dairy cows.
They do not understand the theory served up by Mr Spierings and others - that a doubling of the price paid internationally for dairy products in the past 18 months pushes up dairy prices in this country, too.
Economists may understand the mechanics of national and international pricing; it is the same theory used to explain why South Islanders cannot have cheap electricity when it is produced in abundance on their doorsteps through hydro generation; or why fruit and vegetables grown just down the road cost as much as garlic or grapes imported from halfway round the world.
To ordinary New Zealanders, it seems logical goods and food items produced locally should cost less than those grown or manufactured overseas which incur the inescapable additional cost of being freighted here. But this is the reality of being part of a globalised, largely tariff-free international trade system.
Ironically, insofar as it is criticised for its high prices, Fonterra is a victim of its own success. The company has recorded exceptionally strong financial results for its 10,500 farmer shareholders. It has just announced a record financial result for 2011, including revenue of $19.9 billion.
It will distribute milk payments and dividends totalling $10.6 billion - $2.4 billion more than in 2010 and $1.5 billion more than its previous best year in 2008.
Rising milk prices have been panned by everyone from social service agencies to nutritionists.
Sugary soft drinks are now often cheaper in the supermarket than milk and much less healthy. This has led to declining milk consumption, a trend not seen in this country before.
In his Milk for Kiwis announcement, Mr Spierings acknowledged one of the company's goals was to ensure children grew up drinking milk.
Fonterra will not reveal the cost of the scheme. A rough calculation puts the cost of the milk for Northland children at about $700,000 a year, based on each child receiving a daily 250ml glass over the school year.
The financial commitment could grow to a much more hefty $20 million-plus a year when the scheme is introduced across the country.
Then there is the cost of the refrigerators. Fonterra has wisely realised today's strict health and safety regulations would not allow schools to leave milk sitting around unchilled as happened in the days of the old school milk scheme between 1937 and 1967.
For New Zealanders who recall the sometimes stomach-churning experience of sitting in a classroom cradling a warm bottle of milk and poking a straw through the gooey layer of cream congealed on the top, refrigeration will be regarded as a welcome advance.
Of course, today's school children with a dislike for milk could always do what previous generations did - surreptitiously donate their school-issued beverage to a fellow student.


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NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Waning global economic confidence has dealt mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity another blow as boardrooms and CEOs are hunkered down in the United States (US), according to Ernst & Young's latest Capital Confidence Barometer, based on a survey of more than 1,500 senior executives in 41 countries around the world. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed in the US think that the global economy shows no signs of improvement, and the percentage of US companies planning an acquisition in the next 12 months fell to 23% from 34% six months ago.
US respondents say a recovery in the global economy is at least one to two years away or more. Despite these negative forecasts, the US remains remarkably resilient as an investment market, as global respondents rank the country behind only China as the most attractive destination to pursue an acquisition. Other top countries for global investment include India, Brazil and Germany. US companies named China, India, Brazil, the UK and Mexico as their top preferences for foreign investment.
"Corporate leaders are less optimistic about the economy and there is less urgency for companies to do deals," said Richard M. Jeanneret, Vice Chair, Transaction Advisory Services at Ernst & Young LLP. "There is plenty of opportunity for M&A, and more countries are looking towards the more stable US economy to invest, signaling that a global M&A recovery, when it does arrive, might be led by the US."
For those US companies that are planning M&A in the next year, financial services, mining & metals, consumer products and industrial products were selected as the sectors most likely to see M&A activity in the next 12 months.
Cash continues to build and access to credit remains stable
Despite declining optimism in the global economy, deal fundamentals are still relatively strong. Cash on balance sheets continues to build and access to credit remains stable. There is approximately $1.3 trillion in cash on US corporate balance sheets. Seventy percent of US respondents believe credit is either stable or improving, although this percentage is down from 80% in April. While credit is broadly available, particularly to large-cap enterprises, US companies cite a modest decline in credit availability with only 28% viewing credit markets as improving compared with 37% in April.
Companies shifting to performance-optimization
With conservatism slowing acquisition plans, despite stable deal fundamentals, companies are shifting away from buying and selling and are focusing on improving performance. The number of US companies planning to divest in the next year dropped considerably to 16% compared with 34% in April.
"Over the past 18 months, we've seen companies move decisively toward optimizing their portfolios by selling or otherwise divesting a business that did not fit their strategic objectives. With fewer divestments planned, this may indicate a shift from a divestment phase to a performance-optimization phase in the capital life cycle for many companies," said Jeanneret.
Sentiment around asset pricing and confidence in deal execution may slow M&A
With companies anticipating less M&A in the next year, executives have confidence in their deal execution and integration capabilities, but have lowered confidence in the business environment and are becoming concerned about a growing valuation gap as the top reasons for the sluggish M&A market. Twenty-one percent of US companies' expect deal prices will decrease compared with just 12% in April.
"The pace of deals could slow as buyers take a tentative stance and executives wait for a sustained recovery before taking action," added Jeanneret.
Focus on inorganic growth slows as companies hunker down and prioritize deleveraging and returning cash to stakeholders
Against a backdrop of uncertainty, companies report an increased focus on strengthening balance sheets, reducing costs, improving efficiency and maintaining stability, compared with six months ago. Growth remains the top priority for US companies for the foreseeable future. However, the focus on inorganic growth has declined as companies are positioning for a slow recovery with low or stagnant growth rates.
Companies' intentions with regard to excess cash underline the declining sentiment toward inorganic growth. More companies (52%) are focused on deleveraging and returning cash to stakeholders. Furthermore 36% of respondents plan to deploy excess cash toward organic growth, compared with 44% in April.
"Companies are taking a more conservative approach to managing capital either by paying down debt or returning cash to shareholders," Jeanneret said.
As companies predict a longer than expected economic recovery, the outlook for M&A remains muted and boardroom deal-making conservatism is expected to persist as companies increasingly focus on performance-optimization over inorganic growth.
"Companies that are actively managing their capital today and are not blinded by pessimism will be poised to take advantage of the opportunities that may be out there," Jeanneret concluded.
About the survey
The Ernst & Young Capital Confidence Barometer is a survey of over 1,500 senior executives from large companies around the world and across industry sectors. The objective of the Barometer is to gauge corporate confidence in the economic outlook, to understand boardroom priorities over the next 12 months, and to identify the emerging capital practices that will distinguish those companies and build a competitive advantage as the global economy continues to evolve. This is the seventh half-yearly Barometer in the series, which began in November 2009.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 167,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.
Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com
This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of the global Ernst & Young organization that also provides any services to clients in the US.
 Cash on the balance sheets of Fortune 1000 (excluding financial services organizations) as of 9/30/12, source S&P Capital IQ
SOURCE Ernst & Young


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A 31-year-old Virginia man, Stephen A. Owens, has been charged with embezzling over 60 Apple products as a sorter at a Springfield UPS facility. Police tell local CBS station WUSA9 that Owens is accused of stealing unopened Apple products -- sometimes by hiding them in his pants -- and then selling them at a discount. Stolen goods included iPhones, iPads, iPods, and MacBooks.
Thefts are said
to have occurred in batches starting in September 2012. In November, UPS contacted Fairfax County Police, having received a number of complaints from customers that their orders from Apple hadn't shipped. That fueled a six-month investigation, during which detectives discovered a network of mainly online buyers and sellers stretched across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.


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Kering SA intends to build new logistics warehouses in Europe and the U.S., the company confirmed in an email to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The development was first reported by fashion industry journal Women's Wear Daily on May 23.
The French luxury group said the expansion plans are part of its decision to introduce a new operating model that involves a major reorganization and simplification of its existing logistics network. This will require the company to make new investments in the U.S., Asia and Italy.
The company said it has decided to move its central warehouse in the U.S. to a new location in New Jersey, where it is building a larger facility. In Europe, Kering said most of its activities in Switzerland will be transferred to a new logistics hub in northern Italy that will also have a larger storage capacity, in line with growing business volumes. It also said it plans to address the increasing demand for connectivity with key transportation hubs.
However, Kering said that it will continue to support its operations in Ticino, Switzerland considering "the quality of the assets and expertise" that it has been building in the facility.
Kering expects the expansion project to be completed over a three-year period, from 2020 to 2022. It also noted that its plans are grounded on business and operational reasons and are not dictated by tax considerations.
The company recently settled a tax dispute related to its fashion brand Gucci with the Italian Revenue Agency for €1.25 billion.


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Furlong offloads more Datalex shares
Low-profile investor Nick Furlong has sold off nearly €12 million worth of shares in Irish tech company Datalex.
Stock exchange filings show that Furlong’s Pageant investment vehicle dumped a further 3.8 per cent of its holding – or roughly 2.9 million shares – at a price of around €4 per share.
It leaves Pageant with about 1.8 million shares in the company, worth around €7.2 million.
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Geeks Thrive at the East Coast Comic-Con
By Channon Hodge and George Gene Gustines | Oct. 12, 2012 | 3:13
For the first time, New York Comic-Con sold out all tickets before opening day, another sign that fantasy and geek culture thrives despite a dismal economy.
PlaylistUp Next in City Room
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Terrapin Beer Co. will be commemorating its 14th anniversary with a new beer aptly named 14th Anniversary Tart Belgian Red Ale, a 7.5 percent ABV ale brewed with lactobacillus and Belgian yeast along with crystal and special B malts. According to the Athens, Ga.-based brewery, the beer is inspired by the flanders red style, and was kettle soured before being moved into the fermenter.
“The yeast, a Belgian ale strain, creates spicy esters that complement the acidity created by Lactobacillus fermentation,” read a press release. “We keep the bitterness level low so the tartness comes through and balances out the malt profile.”
Dustin Watts, Terrapin’s vp of sales and marketing, told Tenemu the new release will be packaged in 22-ounce bottles and limited to 1,300 cases. It will debut at the brewery’s 14th Anniversary event being held on April 9, with bottles being shipped to Terrapin’s entire distribution footprint immediately following.


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‘Wilting agenda: Britain loses its appetite for green initiatives‘ made the front page of the Financial Times yesterday. We have a lot to learn, however, from the Brits as they struggle through hard economic times and demonstrate to us what can happen then. Some facts, first:
- With the economy rising to the top of Brits’ concerns, environmental concerns are no longer top of mind. In January 2007, 19% cited the environment as their top concern. A year later, it is down to 8%.
- Echoing its citizens’ change of heart, Gordon Brown and its government are backpedaling on green policies, from landfill, to transport, to renewable targets.
Most interesting, is the public narrative from some of the powers in charge, dismissing the green agenda as if it was either some despicable idea, as in, “People hate this green stuff” – senior member of shadow cabinet -, or some de facto dicy proposition, “Politicians will need nerves of steel to continue with this (the green stuff, he means). If the economy is doing well and we are prosperous, we can afford the luxury of dealing with climate change – or that is how it is seen. But when times are difficult for the economy and we are caught in the vice of inflation, from a politician’s point of view it becomes much more difficult to press ahead with policies that will increase prices.” – John Roberts, from Bank of Canada and United Utilities –
That’s one camp.
Then there is Together.com, a group of British businesses that are choosing a much different approach: “People can save hundreds of pounds a year by making greener everyday choices. The green penny is definitely dropping for British shoppers feeling the pinch from rising living costs.” Joined by no less than Phil Woolas, the environment minister, with some surprisingly good news: “The green pound really can go further – people can cut their carbon footprint and save money into the bargain. The signs are encouraging. We know that people want to cut their impact on the planet – recycling rates are at a record high, emissions from people’s homes are dropping, and since last June we’ve had nearly a million visitors to our online carbon calculator.”
Two paths. The latter one, the smart one, is led by the business sector. Last weekend, I caught a talk from Amory Lovins, from the Rocky Mountain Institute, and was struck by his insistence that business be the path to our salvation. Not the citizenry, not our government. One of the advantages of businesses, and even more so American businesses, is their emphasis on getting things done and on the bottom line. If business can smell money with green, as more and more do, we will have won a big part of the battle.


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The conservative boycott of Bud Light keeps gaining steam.
Bud Light’s decision to go woke is costing it bigtime.
Travis Tritt made the one announcement that Bud Light fears the most.
As Great American Daily reports:
Bud Light is learning the lesson that when you go woke, you go broke.
The beer giant is scrambling into damage control.
And now Travis Tritt destroyed Bud Light for going woke with one announcement that will have you jumping for joy.
On April 1 transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney announced an influencer deal with Anheuser-Busch to promote special cans of Bud Light with his face on it.
Mulvaney is a biological male who gained fame on social media by dressing up in women’s clothes and pretending to be female by carrying on in an almost over-the-top parody of what satire writers would portray a bubbly high school cheerleader as acting like.
Joe Biden even invited Mulvaney to the White House.
The backlash was swift.
Music superstar Kid Rock filmed a video blowing up cases of Bud Light with a rifle.
— KidRock (@KidRock) April 4, 2023
Vice President of Digital Marketing at Bud Light, Alissa Heinerscheid, made matters worse when she claimed Bud Light needed a more “inclusive” audience and too many “fratty” people drank the company’s beer.
Country music legend Travis Tritt then stepped up and said he would no longer include Bud Light on his hospitality tour bus and that many other country music artists were dropping the woke beer company.
“I will be deleting all Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider,” Tritt said on social media. “I know many other artists who are doing the same.”
I will be deleting all Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider. I know many other artists who are doing the same.
— Travis Tritt (@Travistritt) April 5, 2023
Music celebrities ditching Bud Light hit Anheuser-Busch right where it hurt.
The company’s market cap tumbled by $4 billion in the wake of the uproar over its deal with Dylan Mulvaney.
The National Pulse reports:
American “beer” brand Bud Light knocked $4 billion dollars off its parent company Anheuser Busch’s market cap this past week, following a pro-transgender advertisement featuring the biological male known as Dylan Mulvaney.
On March 31st, Anheuser Busch had a market capitalization of 132.38 billion dollars. By April 10th, that figure had dropped to $128.4 billion, with signs that the stock price will continue to fall.
Americans associate beer commercials with young people partying and sporting events.
But the left’s full embrace of the transgender movement is now being turned into an attempt to impose that lifestyle on the rest of society.
And Anheuser-Busch lost billions of dollars finding out Americans want the company to keep its woke politics to itself.
DC Swamp Tales will keep you up to date on any new developments in this ongoing story and the rest of the breaking news in politics, please bookmark our site, consider making us your homepage and forward our content with your friends on social media and email.


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California hotel owner tipped as new US ambassador to Slovenia
New York, 2 August - US President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Kelly Roberts, a California hotel owner, for new ambassador to Slovenia, New York Magazine has reported citing two well-placed sources.
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By Aaron Waldron
As previously reported by RedRC and Neobuggy, and first published by the news outlet of stock market exchange Nikkei, the Japanese financial institution Shinsei Bank has purchased Kyosho under its Silver Fund umbrella. The Nikkei article said the bank blamed the company’s financial situation on low domestic sales and that the company will now pursue greater sales across the Asian market. Katsumi Watanabe has assumed the role of President, with former company leader Aki Suzuki remaining in an advisory role.
You can read the Nikkei article here (the article is behind a paywall):
On the company information page of the Kyosho website, you can see the updated information:


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Call for applications!
EBITDA rate of up to 32% expected, based on NZ$1.7bn of sales.
EU Commission will finally activate private storage aid in the wake of Corona.
Too much uncertainty brought about by Covid-19.
Yakult increases capacity of Wuxi plant.
Paulig sets targets for 2030 to drive the sustainable future of food.
Public urged to ‘support small cheesemakers’ as Coronavirus crisis threatens future of Britain’s specialist cheese industry
Stricter maximum limits on 3-MCPDe levels.
Alain Zijlstra has taken responsibility for the packaging supplier’s business.
Lancashire Farm Dairies will install robotic-based system.
Acquisition of HSO Health Care.
SIG has been chosen as preferred supplier for Hochwald’s new dairy production site.
French dairies pay for each liter of milk non delivered.
Novozymes Saphera Fiber enables development of new dairy products.
First aseptic food and beverage products launched on the Korean market.
Creating Shared Value ‘Progress Report 2019 published.
Providing local healthcare players in France with bottles for hydro-alcoholic gel.
Photo: Kalt Maschinenbau – CFO Marcel Kuhn (left) and new CEO Daniel Martin Daniel Martin, 44, took over as …


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West Deptford, N.J. – March 12, 2015 – Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT), a leading provider of pharmaceutical services, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and catalyst technologies, has been recognised in the 2015 CMO Leadership Awards for the Reliability and Regulatory Track record of its Pharma Services to the Biotech Industry.
The CMO Leadership Awards are presented by Life Science Leader Magazine and based upon extensive industry research conducted by Nice Insight, surveying thousands of industry executives from multiple industry segments across the globe.
The awards are presented to companies achieving top decile ranking against various criteria and for specific industry segments. Johnson Matthey has achieved two awards in the following categories:
Reliability for Emerging Biotech Companies
Regulatory Track Record for Biotech Companies.
Commenting on the awards, Bernhard Paul, General Manager of Johnson Matthey Pharma Services said “We are honoured to be recognised with the CMO Leadership Awards for Reliability and Regulatory track record. This is a testament to our culture of continuous improvement, customer focus, and our commitment to quality. Our team at Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical Materials and Services focuses on creating value for our customers and providing them with the highest quality products and services.”
The Awards will be presented at a ceremony at the W Hotel, New York on 18 March.
About Johnson Matthey’s Fine Chemicals Division
Johnson Matthey’s Fine Chemicals Division provides pharmaceutical customers around the globe with a broad range of services and solutions, including active ingredients, custom development services, catalysts and chiral technologies. To learn more about Johnson Matthey Fine Chemicals, please visit: http://www.matthey.com.
+46(0) 70 238 11 49 / +44(0) 161 817 5008


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Havana residents last week welcomed the ending of a month-long coronavirus lockdown and night curfew. Such was the relief, you could have been forgiven for believing that a vaccine to protect against COVID-19 had finally been approved. A week earlier, the number of new infections dropped to an average of 21 per day.
Restaurants were allowed to reopen at half capacity, beaches and swimming pools, along with theaters and cinemas, are now operating again and local public transport is running normally. However, another key decision that affects the daily life of Cubans is still pending despite seven years of debate: currency reforms.
Leaked audio recordings and documents, circulating on social media networks early last month, seemed to indicate that a change was imminent. The rumors gained traction so fast that Cuba’s central bank was forced to deny “the alleged start of currency unification on October 1.” It said if a decision was due, it would be communicated through official channels.
October 1st came and went but the convertible peso (CUC) remains the currency of choice on the island despite there being “many signs that monetary union is imminent,” former University of Havana economist Omar Everleny told DW. In fact, the state media have been strikingly forthright about the topic in their recent coverage, and central bank experts underlined the necessity of so-called monetary union in the Communist Party newspaper Granma.
Two official currencies
Since the mid-1990s, Cuba has had two currencies in circulation. First, the Peso Cubano (CUP), the national currency that most workers receive their wages in. Second is the so-called Convertible Peso (CUC), whose value is pegged to the US dollar, and is generally used to pay for more luxury items. Often workers’ bonuses are paid in CUC.
The official exchange rate between CUP and CUC is 24:1 but in reality, most state-owned companies and banks generally use a rate of 1:1. This double exchange rate, however, obscures real production costs and distorts, among other things, the proper value of investments. In October 2013, the Cuban government announced the abolition of the dual currency, however, the plans have been on hold ever since.
When plans were made to abolish the CUC and leave only the CUP, the economic situation was not expected to be as uncertain as it is now,” Everleny explains.
This year alone, the coronavirus pandemic has fueled a collapse in tourism, which along with tightened US sanctions, has cut the vital supply of foreign exchange income, leaving the country in a deep economic and supply crisis.
To help raise urgently needed foreign currency, last year the government opened state-run foreign exchange stores, where everything from household appliances and auto parts could be bought in foreign currencies. In June, this was expanded to included food and toiletries.
Third currency — payment by card only
To buy from these stores, Cubans must have a giro card, which is fed with funds in hard currency transferred by friends or relatives abroad. The government calls them MLC (Moneda Libremente Convertible) stores — a third freely convertible currency.
“It’s an unequal measure,” Everleny told DW, as not every Cuban has access to foreign currency. Nevertheless, he believes it is the right one. “Many of these US dollars would have gone abroad and been used to buy products in Mexico or Panama.” Now they stay in Cuba.
“Once again, stores have been created where only a part of the population can shop,” he says, remembering the US dollar stores that emerged in the 1990s when the Communist-run island was impacted by the collapse of the Soviet Union. But unlike then, there is now a separate banking system in US dollars. “The US dollar does not circulate in cash in any store, but only in the form of MLC by card payment.”
Black market for dollars thrives
At the same time, however, a foreign exchange black market has emerged and as a result, the CUC has lost value against the US dollar and the euro.
“US dollars in cash are increasingly being used to buy and sell assets, especially houses and cars,” Cuban economist Ricardo Torres Perez of the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy (CEEC) at the University of Havana, told DW.
At the moment, the supply of cash in US dollars is very limited, but it is hoped with the resumption of flights and foreign tourism, “fresh US dollars” will come into the country and the informal foreign exchange market will grow further, Torres Perez believes.
The dollarization of the retail trade does, however, mean there is no longer any reason to keep the CUC. The MLC has, in effect, introduced a new currency, even if it does not circulate in cash. Abolishing the CUC will not, therefore, mean the end of the two-currency system.
Reform will boost inflation
Everleny believes that the Cuban peso will soon be devalued, which will promote exports and make imports more expensive. “This means that prices will rise, as it will be more expensive for companies to buy products and this will be reflected in the final price.” He expects wage and price reforms to quickly follow monetary reforms.
“The moment to implement the measure is now because the economic situation is so difficult that it is hard to imagine that it will improve in the coming months,” Everleny says, adding at the same time that it’s not just a matter of “abolishing the CUC, but of increasing wages, because prices will rise and subsidies will disappear.”
Adapted from German by Nik Martin


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|Day Low/High||128.71 / 132.32|
|52 Wk Low/High||114.56 / 152.84|
CEO Sundar Pichai had indicated that the firm would be more transparent, and it is.
Turning around a company such as IBM will likely require more than just a smart strategic decision or two.
Perhaps even more impressive than their revenue beat might the 10% growth in net income.
Cryptocurrencies do offer public value in their ability to move stored wealth across national borders in times of crisis.
The market can't make up its mind about the danger of the coronavirus, but traders keep buying the weakness.
Valuations for many enterprise software firms remain rich. But like chip companies, their earnings reports generally haven't done much to spoil the fun.
People's United Financial is a 4.5%-yielding dividend aristocrat that's on a path to continued expansion.
While some fear a crash like the one after 1999's party, I couldn't leave this market if I tried.
While Red Hat's growth has accelerated since IBM bought the company, many of Big Blue's other key software and services businesses are still losing share.
This time it's different? This time it just might be. Enough to buy the shares?
The company reported Q4 earnings after Tuesday's close.
Try not to become too caught up in timing the indices and focus more on managing individual positions.
This is still a market that needs a good excuse for a correction -- even after getting one on headlines of a new mysterious virus spreading from China.
IBM reports its Q4 results after today's market close and is my 2020 pick for the year.
I think we know, just based on the behavior of this Federal Reserve, that all things being equal a more normalized balance sheet is preferable.
Coronavirus scare in Asia is causing pressure, but U.S. markets refuse to embrace negativity.
Almost 200 companies are slated to report quarterly results, including 43 S&P 500 constituents.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the odds that the market reverses and goes straight down from here are very low.
I have been among the most wary of China and its ability to change. I remain that way. But the U.S. got more than I ever thought.
Capex trends, chip demand and IT spending commentary are among the things to watch as dozens of tech companies report this earnings season.
Also: People's Bank of China, the Fed, U.S./China trade deal, Brexit, USMCA.
RealMoney's Eric Jhonsa offers some predictions for what the tech world will witness in the new year.
Despite pundits saying stocks like Facebook, Amazon, Netflix or Alphabet are heading for trouble, the reality is they're nowhere close to turning into the next IBM or Cisco.
I think AMZN could provide a good very short-term trade from the long side... this week.
While companies such as HPE, Cisco and NetApp are signaling that macro headwinds are weighing on their hardware sales, major software and public cloud players are singing a very different tune.
There is no 'tech' in tech.
EPYC processor revenue and unit sales jumping more than 50% have paced the way for AMD.


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What you need to know
- Hysterical myths regarding Apple's exposure notification have started appearing on Facebook.
- Some users have taken to sharing screenshots of iOS 13.5, warning friends that it will automatically allow authorities to track their locations and who they meet.
- The posts have been fact-checked by Facebook, and Apple has released a response to Reuters.
Apple has issued a statement in response to several false posts on Facebook regarding the exposure notification feature in iOS 13.5.
As Reuters reports:
Users on social media are sharing a screenshot of the iOS 13.5 update saying that its installation will automatically allow authorities to track phone users' locations and who they've met with. **While the screenshot and update are authentic, the Facebook posts' interpretations of it are misleading and lack context. **
Several posts cited by Reuters from Facebook (and it would be Facebook), reveal a severe misunderstanding of the technology and fearmongering. One user wrote:
Make sure Automatic iPhone updates are OFF if you do not want get iOS 13.5.
It allows Apple to automatically turn CONTACT TRACING AND REPORTING ON.
Probable cause to test your family for COVID can be established, without your consent, if your phone enters 'proximity' of a person with COVID.
If you have an iPhone
DO NOT UPDATE TO THIS VERSION
contact tracing has begun and they will watch every where you go and who you cross paths with! This is the way of trying to contain you and this dumb virus!
You will be quarantined by no choice of yours and all contacts in your phone along with everyone you have come in contact with will be notified
One post in a group titled #ReopenNY further stated:
Absolutely NOT! Turn off your automatic updates ASAP!! They are going to start tracking us! Anyone who's been tested and has a positive result has been marked! If you walk past any of these people you will be tagged as being contaminated! You think I'm kidding go to your updates right now on your phones!
Whilst the screenshots of iOS 13.5 themselves are legitimate, where these people got the rest of their information is anyone's guess. As a spokesperson for Apple has confirmed to Reuters, exposure notification cannot track your location. Furthermore, the tracing of contact between people using Low-energy Bluetooth can only be enabled if you download an app from a public health agency:
A spokesperson for Apple confirmed to Reuters via email that this recently released technology does not allow the government or tech companies to track individuals without consent. "You will still need to download an app from a public health agency to use the Exposure Notifications feature," the spokesperson told Reuters.
The sharing of a positive test result for COVID-19 also requires express user consent before this is shared. Users can also turn off exposure notifications at any time. In conclusion, the Reuters fact-checking team states:
Misleading. While the screengrabs of iOS 13.5 updates are authentic, to claim the government or tech companies would automatically track users is false. The new API lays the groundwork for future contact tracing apps that governments or public health authorities may create, which will need users' consent and will have a clear scope in terms of private information collection.
Thankfully, all of the posts cited by Reuters have been labeled by Facebook as potentially misleading. If you are at all concerned about contact tracing, or Apple and Google's Exposure notification feature, check out our recent in depth look at the technology.


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Japanese Magazine Leaks Alleged 12.2-Inch ‘iPad Air Plus’ Blueprint [PIC]
In case you were wondering whether Apple is serious about pushing out a bigger iPad sometime in the future, Japanese newspaper Mac Fan may have an answer for you, and it’s affirmative. To confirm the rumours, they have also published the blueprint of the so-called iPad Air Plus unit that Apple allegedly plans to launch sometime in the second quarter.
According to information obtained by Mac Fan, the 12.2-inch iPad Air Plus (earlier reports mentioned a 12.9-inch display and iPad Pro) measures 305.31 x 220.8 x 7.0 mm, and it sports an A9 chip. By contrast, Apple uses the A8X chip in the iPad Air 2, which launched last month.
The 12.2-inch iPad has four built-in speakers for stereo playback, sources revealed to Mac Fan. Alongside the iPad Air Plus, Apple will allegedly launch the iPad mini 4, which will be powered by the A8X chip, MacOtakara speculates.
Rumours of a 12.9-inch iPad Pro gained traction this year, especially after Apple launched the two iPhone 6 models this fall. Mac Fan has been accurate before about the iPhone 6 models, posting the measurements way before the launch of the devices.
However, this still remains a rumour until confirmed by other sources, so it needs to be taken with a grain of salt.


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Little Dom's set to open adjacent takeout deli this month
December is shaping up to be an interesting month for Los Feliz residents who live near Hillhurst Avenue. A representative for Tangier confirmed reports that the restaurant is in escrow and in the midst of changes; meanwhile, Little Dom’s is expanding just a few doors down.
Little Dom's, which is still very busy despite a very real recession (especially on Monday evenings, when the restaurant serves up a prix-fixe $15 menu), said it plans to finally open its long-in-the-works takeout deli next door to the main restaurant, possibly as early as next week.
The takeout space, to be called the Deli at Little Dom’s, will likely open before Christmas, with a soft opening expected even sooner. The New York-style deli will serve pressed sandwiches, desserts and gourmet coffee. The deli will be open all day, allowing for fans of Little Dom’s to get their fix in the early morning hours (a limited breakfast menu will be served).
A few tables will be available both inside and out. A full menu is still forthcoming, but this is indeed good news for Los Feliz denizens.
-- Charlie Amter
Photo: Little Dom's. Credit: Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times


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Products You May Like
Search engine Google is within the works of permitting its Android customers to decide out from being repeatedly tracked by advertisers by means of numerous purposes put in on their telephone. Google’s choice appears to be on the strains of iPhone maker Apple permitting its customers to remain free from being tracked by the advertisers way back. The change in Google’s coverage is predicted to be rolled out from late this yr with the launch of a brand new model of Google Play companies in a phased method. The corporate is first anticipated to permit its Android customers having a tool that runs on Android 12 to go for the brand new coverage and progressively different Android customers as properly. The corporate additional knowledgeable that for different Android model customers, the coverage shall be obtainable by early 2022.
For individuals who usually are not conscious, the coverage change by Google will permit Android cell customers to cease being tracked by advertisers by means of using their cell purposes. The customers will be capable of limit personalisation utilizing the distinctive promoting ID of their Android gadgets. It’s pertinent to notice that it’s only with the assistance of the promoting ID distinctive to the telephone advertisers monitor customers and bombard them with numerous strategies.
An identical choice was made by Apple final yr and the corporate has additionally been capable of implement the coverage change on iPhone gadgets from April this yr with the discharge of iOS 14.5. Geared toward giving extra freedom and option to the system proprietor, the American firm had termed its coverage ‘App Monitoring Transparency.’ Finer particulars of Google’s coverage choice stay to be chalked out and the corporate is engaged on the method proper now. Extra readability on the coverage change is predicted to be shared by the corporate by subsequent month.
Consciousness about knowledge privateness, knowledgeable consent, and withdrawing consent is rising world wide and firms like Apple and Google are discovering methods to steadiness a manner between info entry and knowledge privateness.


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There is some good news for people as gas prices will go down from this Sunday.
The price of a 12kg cylinder of gas will go down from $38.48 to $33.94.
This is a decrease of $4.54.
Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism and Lands, Faiyaz Koya says the price of Auto Gas will decrease from $1.82 to $1.60 a litre.
However, fuel prices will increase from Sunday.
The price of a litre of Unleaded will increase from $2.03 to $2.06, Kerosene will increase from $1.49 to $1.54 per litre and Diesel from $1.71 to $1.76 per litre.
Koya says the prices reflected from the period 15th April to 14th July 2018, is mainly determined by the movement in the international prices for Petroleum and LPG products since the last quarter.
In this quarter, crude oil prices were impacted by continuing efforts by OPEC and participating non‑OPEC producers to reduce production targets which is in effect till the end of 2018, whilst consecutive weeks of high demand due to healthy economic growth, also contributed to price increases.
Geopolitical tensions and a weaker US dollar also impacted prices.
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission will conduct the next fuel and LPG price review on 15th July 2018.ADVERTISEMENT Listen to the latest news on our 5 radio stations Legend FM, Viti FM, Radio Sargam, FM96 and Navtarang.


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China, from the point of view of Ghanaians, has always been noted for the duplication, production and selling of fake goods. In places like Ashaiman, Nkrumah Circle, Nima and others, there’s a lot of murmur on the fake products sold there which has given those places a “certain” prestige. From mobile phones especially to whatever technology available, there’s duplication for them. It’s a fact.
There’s a second fact: most of us don’t ask questions based on what we’ve heard or slightly seen. We stick to the norm of whatever is said and boom, we accept it. You’d be shocked at the level of growth China is today with their many breakthroughs.
Diving deep into the economy of China, the third fact erupts; China is among the world’s leading countries in technology. Check this link out ( https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china-watch/technology/innovation-ranking/ ) which is a fact most people won’t really understand until they delve into what china actually does and how they’ve come this far.
The Maker Space
Hua Sheng Chang Science and Technology Park
With the increasing number of growth in the Chinese market, is there a possibility that the future would end up with the Asian lifestyle?
The Ghanaian economy has a lot to learn from China’s growth phase, and fast.


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Nqobani Ndlovu | December 3, 2012
Life wasn’t easy for Senzeni Maphosa after her husband succumbed to an HIV-related illness two years ago. She had four children to raise. Miss Maphosa remembers: “Life was tough as my late husband was the sole breadwinner. I had no option but to venture into vending.” She sold cosmetics and second-hand clothes that she bought from neighbouring Zambia. However, with no hawker’s licence, frequent police raids meant she sometimes spent the day evading arrest instead of selling.
Miss Maphosa has lived with HIV for five years. Because sales did not bring her enough money, she had to think of other ways to support her family. She knew there was a huge demand for potatoes, which are becoming a substitute for staple crops such as maize, rice and wheat. She also knew potatoes offer quick returns over a short growing period.
So she decided to start potato farming and joined a local potato growers association. Together with other farmers in the association, she approached Zubo Trust, a non-governmental organization that offers women loans to start income-generating projects. Miss Maphosa says: “I teamed up with six other HIV positive women to venture into potato farming. We received $1000 US dollars as a loan, and each farmer used the loans to buy inputs to produce a hectare of potatoes for a start.”
Most farmers chose to grow potato varieties with a short growing period. Miss Maphosa says the association made a profit of $16,000 US dollars. She explains, “We harvested about 30 tonnes and sold each 15-kilogram packet for $8 US dollars.”
The Zimbabwean government promotes potatoes as a food security crop. For the 2012 to 2013 farming season, the government has promised to assist potato farmers with seeds and fertilizer to boost production. With the government’s support, the farmers in the association now want to grow 30 hectares of potatoes.
Mr. Ronald Museka is the chairman of the Potato Council of Zimbabwe. The organization represents potato farmers and lobbies government on their behalf. It assisted Miss Maphosa’s association with farming techniques and machinery. The Council also links farmers with traders. Mr. Museka explains: “We want to make sure there is adequate production for the local market.”
Recently the government imposed a ban on potato imports in order to protect and promote farmers like Miss Maphosa. Mr. Museka supports the government’s decision and says it should maintain the ban. He explains: “We want the importation of potatoes to be banned unless … there is a shortage in the country. There should be punitive measures on those caught smuggling potatoes into the country.”
Potato farming has made life bearable for the HIV positive Miss Maphosa. She says. “Life is no longer a stress. I have also managed to pay back about half of the $1000 US dollar loan that I took from Zubo Trust.”


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Link Motion, one of the leading players in the field of smart cars has signed a deal with Irdeto, the top company in digital platform security for the development of a viable security platform for future cars. The two companies will collaborate on integrating Irdeto’s new smartphone-based secure vehicle access and safety solution, Keystone, into the Link Motion CarBrain platform.
The automotive manufacturers who use Link Motion’s CarBrain can now provide their customers with a safe and simple solution when it comes to operating the connected cars and autonomous vehicles that will become more prevalent in the future, especially for ride-sharing business models.
Pasi Nieminen, vice-president of Link Motion, said, “Most OEMs don’t want to source their technology offerings with multiple vendors, but rather integrate one technology platform that can deploy all offerings. We also look forward to including these features in our own smart ride business as well.”
Keystone is a mobile phone enabled, fully secure, policy-based vehicle access, sharing and safety solution.
Announced in collaboration with Conjure (a digital experience company that develops multiple programs for the automotive and motorcycle industry) at CES 2018, Keystone is a mobile phone enabled, fully secure, policy-based vehicle access, sharing and safety solution.
By integrating the solution into the Link Motion CarBrain platform, OEMs are able to provide consumers with the ability to customise their driving experience by sharing keys with authenticated drivers, including family, friends, valets, parcel delivery people and many others while setting rules around the usage of the vehicle.
From controlling the speed limit of the car, time of use, geolocation, trunk or glove box access, numbers of passengers in the vehicle and much more, car owners have the flexibility and freedom to customize their driving experience by enforcing vehicle usage policies.
Hamid Moaref has always been fascinated by cars and the automotive industry. His family has a longstanding association with the industry and has been in the tire business for the past 35 years. Raised in Dubai, Hamid attended Capilano University in Vancouver where he graduated with a BBA in marketing before attending an intensive course in magazine publishing in 2005. He has been the publisher and chief editor of Tires & Parts magazine for the past ten years.
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© 2017 Morjan Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Central bank governor Yi Gang said he expects China’s annual average inflation to be below 2 percent this year, while cautioning against both inflationary and deflationary pressure amid economic and macro policy uncertainty, Reuters reports.
China will stick with implementing normal monetary policy, and will focus on the impact from structural changes on prices, Yi told a financial forum in Shanghai.
China will also actively use structural monetary policy tools to support green transformation of the economy, Yi said.
“There are still uncertainties with the overseas pandemic situation, economic recovery and macro policies, and we must not lower our guard regarding inflation and deflation pressures from all sides,” Yi said, Bloomberg reports.
Consumer inflation accelerated to 1.3 percent in May, government data showed Wednesday, below economists estimates of 1.6 percent.
Producer prices have been surging at a faster pace though, largely due to commodity prices, fueling concerns that inflation pressures could spread more broadly in the economy. So far, there’s little evidence of that happening as factories have been absorbing rising costs.


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Andrew Green swaps The River for Mamucium - opening next to Victoria Station
The long-standing Italian on Oxford Street will be shut for four weeks
In a Mexican stand-off, this place stands out
Lucy Tomlinson is pretty happy with the food. Ordering it, on the other hand....
Gordo speaks fluent food at this new Man City-backed Catalan restaurant
This month: Crispy bits, squeezy heads and a massive crab
All the fun you need for the rest of summer and beyond
Expect Filipino adobo, fried chicken and reggae yoga
Simon Rogan, Anton Piotrowski and Mary Ellen McTague among the first to be announced for...
New waterfront restaurants form part of £26 million investment by Lifestyle Outlets
This month we've got deals from Wood, Mr Cooper's, Shoryu Ramen, Sapporo Teppanyaki and more...
Manchester seafood and champagne restaurant has gone up for sale
Chorlton is hardly Cape Cod, but Neil Sowerby still rates this new seafood shack
Boozy weekend blowout pulls together top names from the city's food, drink and music scene
Celebrate it in style with the first of their limited edition afternoon teas
Two courses for £16.50 (drama and flames included)
Flavours of summer holidays and English garden parties
The shortlist for this year’s UK Baker of the Year has just been revealed


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Mobile devices have become an increasingly important part of our daily personal and work lives. Eighty per cent of people access the Internet with mobile devices. With expanded use comes additional security threats.
“Smart cybersecurity practices extend beyond our laptops and desktops to include our phones and tablets too,” says Kevin Macnaughton, team leader security in Information Technology Services. “It boils down to: if you connect it, protect it.”
IT Services’ list of top four ways to protect your mobile devices includes:
- Enable a security PIN and inactivity auto-lock.
- Apply automatic updates for the operating system and apps.
- Use the App Store and iTunes or Google Play for apps, games, and media.
- Use the University’s GlobalProtect VPN, especially on public or free WiFi.
For more mobile device security best practices, see www.uwindsor.ca/itservices/931/power-your-hands.
Led by IT Services, Cybersecurity Awareness Month efforts highlight cybersecurity issues relevant to the UWindsor community. More information, along with how you can protect yourself, can be found at uwindsor.ca/cybersecurity.


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Jet.com will no longer deliver fresh groceries in New York. It will focus, instead, on dry goods and merchandise. As part of the change, Walmart will reportedly close the fulfillment center it was using in the Bronx, eliminating between 200 and 300 jobs, a person familiar with the situation told Bloomberg.
In a statement emailed to Engadget, a Walmart spokesperson said the company “learned a lot by testing Jet fresh grocery delivery in New York City” and will “continue to test bold concepts that can offer convenience to customers.” Though, from the outside, it looks like Walmart tried to mimic an Amazon service and failed.
Walmart’s full statement is available below:
“We learned a lot by testing Jet fresh grocery delivery in New York City, and we recognized the important role our stores play in providing an efficient way to offer groceries to customers through pickup and delivery. We will focus our grocery pickup and delivery in markets where we have this incredible opportunity. Jet will continue to offer millions of dry grocery and general merchandise items to customers in major metros like New York City. And, we’ll continue to test bold concepts that can offer convenience to customers.”


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News broke on June 12 that Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) and Duracell Powermat, a joint-venture between Procter & Gamble's (NYSE:PG) Duracell brand and Powermat Technologies, have begun a national rollout of wireless phone chargers in Starbucks and Teavana locations, beginning with stores in Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the press release, stores will be equipped with "Powermat Spots" which are "designated areas on tables and counters where customers can place their compatible device and charge wirelessly." In the release, Starbucks' Chief Digital Officer, Adam Brotman, said,
From WiFi and the in-store Starbucks Digital Network to mobile payment and digital music downloads, we have always tried to anticipate our customers' needs early in...
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kuhf houston public radio
public radio news & information twenty four hours a day from houston, tx
Bauer Business Focus: Wyatt Wainwright
January 27, 2012
by: Andrew Schneider
The 2012 Houston Auto Show is in full swing at Reliant Center. Joining Andrew Schneider on this week's "Bauer Business Focus" to discuss the show and the Houston auto market is Wyatt Wainwright, president of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
Wyatt Wainwright is president of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
For more Bauer Business Focus


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Tesla launching the Cybertruck sooner than expected. Tesla is ready to start production on the Cybertruck, and then will start delivering orders to customers. This production start date of June is slightly sooner than expected, but we will see how smoothly the process goes. Hopefully things can go as planned for Tesla, with no major snags that put the Cybertruck behind schedule. There have been some doubts over the past several months about whether the Cybertruck would even make it to production on time. The answer is a yes because Tesla decided to allocate their resources toward it.
Tesla working to complete the Austin Gigafactory
Tesla is working to complete the Austin Gigafactory. There are numerous drone videos such as this one that show the factory being constructed. There has been a lot of progress made in a short amount of time when it comes to the construction of the Austin Gigafactory.
Tesla hiring workers to work at the Austin Gigafactory
Tesla is looking for workers to fill many roles at this new Gigafactory. However, the most sought after candidates are people who have expertise in battery cell production. Tesla is also trying to find workers who can fill positions in manufacturing, equipment operating, and design engineering, and also in some other disciplines. This is going to be a big undertaking for Tesla because they also have to train all these workers.
Tesla building a pilot line of Cybertrucks
Tesla will be building a pilot line of Cybertrucks at their Fremont factory. This is important because it shows the maturation of the thought process of Tesla. Tesla, and Space X for that matter, have a long history of not releasing products on time. This initial line of Cybertrucks will be prototypes. The reason why prototypes are being built is so that a coherent assembly process is laid out. Tesla can then produce and get these trucks to market much faster than if they wing it and go straight into producing Cybertrucks at the Austin Gigafactory.
Tesla is making preparations to produce the Cybertruck, but that doesn’t eliminate the possibility that things can go wrong. Tesla is using some new technology such as the 8,000 pound casting machine. One of these machines burst into flames at the Fremont factory. This machine is being used to make the rear part of the Cybertruck. Tesla came out with a larger machine because this is a larger vehicle.
The plant doesn’t need to be finished
This may sound confusing, but the Austin Gigafactory doesn’t need to be completely finished before production begins. The cars only need what’s essential for them to be built. It is not clear exactly when construction will be 100% complete. Having unfinished parts of the factory means that even more jobs could be created once those sections are finished.
What we are seeing now
There has been a lot of Drone footage from outside the factory, but now there is more footage from inside the factory.
Also check out this article about about how Tesla hopes to end quarter one strong. Tesla's production priorities are laid out in some detail. One of these details includes Tesla devoting more resources to the Cybertruck.
Image: smnt/wikimedia commons
Daniel Cappo reports Tesla developments at Torque News. He has had a passion for cars ever since age five when his grandparents let him drive their old golf cart around their property in Upstate NY. He has attended numerous auto shows, and even got the chance to drive a Ferrari California on the track. Ever since Tesla opened up a dealership at his local mall, he's been an avid follower of their cars and technology. Dan has a B.S. in Public Communication from U Vermont. Follow Daniel on Twitter and LinkedIn for daily Tesla News.


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The company yesterday introduced a system that connects in-store LED lights with consumers’ smart phones
If you’re like me, fumbling around the supermarket looking for obscure items is a pretty common—and frustrating—occurrence. Lighting giant Philips has developed a solution: smart lights.
The company yesterday introduced a system that connects in-store LED lights with consumers’ smart phones. Using a downloadable app, people will be able to locate items on their shopping lists or get coupons as they pass products on the aisles. Retailers can send targeted information such as recipes and coupons to consumers based on their precise location within stores, while gaining benefits of energy-efficient LED lighting, says Philips.
“The beauty of the system is that retailers do not have to invest in additional infrastructure to house, power and support location beacons for indoor positioning. The light fixtures themselves can communicate this information by virtue of their presence everywhere in the store,” said Philips Lighting‘s Gerben van der Lugt in a statement.
The company is demonstrating the retail lighting system at the EuroShop retail trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, this week. Philips is already testing it with an undisclosed number of retailers.
The system uses Visual Light Communications (VLC) to talk with consumers’ smartphones. Unlike the wireless protocols Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, which use radio waves to send information, VLC relies on the store lights to transmit data to the camera on a smart phone in fast pulses. The lights blink at frequencies that are undetectable by people, according to LEDs Magazine.
There are already a number of other efforts aimed at adding communications and sensors to LED light fixtures. Last year, researchers at the University of Strathclyde in the U.K. demonstrated LED lights with optical communications, which they call “Li-Fi.” That setup was able to operate at gigabit-per-second speeds, according to a BBC article.
Startup ByteLight has developed a system similar to Philips’ retail lighting network. It also uses light pulses to communicate with consumers’ smart phones in stores. Other companies, such as Silver Spring Networks, in Redwood City, Calif., have developed street lights with sensors and radios that allow city managers to remotely monitor traffic density or air quality.
The Latest on: Smart lights
via Google News
The Latest on: Smart lights
- Cyber security labelling scheme expanded to include all smart home deviceson January 20, 2021 at 10:07 pm
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- Cyber security labelling scheme expanded to include all smart home devices, Tech News News & Topon January 20, 2021 at 9:38 pm
Cyber security labelling scheme expanded to include all smart home devices, Tech News News & Top. SINGAPORE - Manufacturers of smart home ...
- Smart changes made in Elliott Heads lighting upgradeon January 20, 2021 at 4:30 pm
The Elliott Heads lighting upgrade has seen smart technology installed along the foreshore as part of the Reducing Urban Glow project.
- Lenovo’s Smart Clock Essential plus four smart light bulbs are $ 30 at Best Buyon January 20, 2021 at 11:35 am
Lenovo's Smart Clock Essential plus four smart light bulbs are $ 30 at Best Buy Last October, Lenovo unveiled its new Google Assistant ...
- Smart Lighting Ideas for Your Homeon January 18, 2021 at 10:32 pm
We're going to show you the basics of smart lighting and how easy it is to incorporate into your life. If you love having a home full of the latest technology, smart lightning fixtures from ...
- Rapid Growth in Smart Lighting Market Driven by Smart Cities and Infrastructure Upgrades, Reports Sayon January 18, 2021 at 1:31 pm
As cities and municipalities update infrastructure and street lighting systems, the smart lighting market will grow significantly in coming years. The market is expected to reach $22 billion by 2025, ...
- Smart Lighting Market Size, Share , Trend, Growth Analysis and Forecast Research Report by 2027on January 18, 2021 at 11:13 am
The need for energy-efficient lighting systems and the increased adoption and cost reduction of LEDs are key factors driving the market growth. Market Size – USD 9.51 Billion in 2019, Market Growth - ...
- Whether You Want More Security or Help Setting the Mood, These Are the Smart Outdoor Lights To Geton January 17, 2021 at 10:00 am
There are a lot of reasons why smart outdoor lighting is a bright idea (who doesn’t like a great pun?). Beyond the convenience of lighting dark areas around your home, they also provide a layer of ...
- Save over 50 percent on this Alexa-enabled smart light from GEon January 17, 2021 at 5:26 am
Imagine a device that listens like an Amazon Echo, changes colors like a modern smart light, plays omnidirectional audio for a high-quality music experience and even manages to look great. Enter ...
- Razer Unveils Smart N95 Face Mask With RGB Lighting And Voice Amplificationon January 12, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Razer's Project Hazel concept is a smart N95 mask designed for everyday use, with features like sanitization and filtration coupled with RGB lighting and voice amp technology.
via Bing News


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- Three female fugitives wanted in New Jersey restaurant theft arrested in Illinois
- Man guilty in 2012 crash into home that injured 8-year-old
- McDonald’s: Federal complaint says company is joint employer
- T-Mobile settlement: $90M for cell phone bill cramming
- Shelter Care Ministries gets $30,000 grant
- Even more dead bees?
- Holiday travel: 98.6 million plan getaway, most on record
- Scam artists posing as utility reps, demanding payment
- Holiday mailing deadlines approach, Rockford Post Office warns
- Hispanics more than half of all renters, yet most are uninsured
Car show at Summerfield Zoo
BELVIDERE, Ill. — Belvidere’s Summerfield Zoo, 3088 Flora Road, Belvidere, Ill., will host the Third Annual Cruisin’ Classics Car Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, July 20.
Admission is $8 per adult, $6 per senior and $5 per child — all proceeds go to the care of all the animals, many of which are rescue animals. Also enjoy animal presentations, pony rides, petting zoo, and shop for gifts at the gift shop all while at the zoo. Lunch, snacks and beverages are available at the zoo at Carmen’s Café.
For more about Summerfield Zoo and the exotic animals, visit www.summerfieldfarmandzoo.com or call (815) 547-4852.
For information about entering a car in the Cruisin’ Classics Car Show, call (815) 520-5283 or (815) 540-3164. Registration for cars begins at 9 a.m.
From the July 17-23, 2013, issue


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On its meeting today the British central bank has left its key interest rate at as expected at 0.5%, the program for the purchase of securities will also remain unchanged. The Swiss National Bank, however, has not ruled out a further reduction in the prime rate. The euro, issued by negative numbers to the French consumer price inflation, lose some of its gains of the recent days, and again falls below the mark of 1.10 US-dollars.
BoE continues its loose monetary policy
At its meeting today, the Bank of England has, as expected, no changes made to its loose monetary policy . The key interest rate remains unchanged at a record low of 0.5%, on which it remains since more than six years now. The scale of quantitative easing also has not changed and remains at 375 billion. In medium term analysts expect a slight tightening of monetary policy, but the persistently low inflation in the United Kingdom argues against. This is due, primarily by the sharp drop in energy prices. The rate of the pound sterling responded behavior. After a low of 1,5112, or -0,43%, it revoverd to 1.570, or -0.8%.
Swiss National Bank calls another rate cut possible
The SNB is keen to keep the exchange rate of the Swiss franc at an internationally competitive level. By the end of 2014, the SNB ensured this by a guaranteed rate of 1.20 against the euro. After this measure was abandoned, the rate of the Swiss franc has risen by leaps and bounds. The euro fell to around 0.96 Swiss francs and is now risen to around CHF 1.08. However, the sudden strengthened Swiss franc brought the export-oriented Swiss economy distress, due to the the sharp rise in prices for Swiss products. To assess the statements made by SNB President Thomas Jordan correctly, the meeting of the Fed in the coming week has to be awaited. If the dollar appreciates by the expected turnaround in interest rates, this could relieve the pressure on the SNB in parts. A further rate cut would be, at least for now, not to be expected.
French consumer prices burden the euro
After the European single currency has appreciated in the last few days, it was burden today by the numbers of the French consumer price inflation. In forecasting no change in consumer prices, compared with the previous month, was expected, in fact, they have dropped by -0.2%. The decline in consumer prices can naturally raise the concerns of investors about the effectiveness of measures taken so far by the ECB, with the aim to raise the inflation to a level of about 2 percent. Significant signals about the development in consumer prices could be seen tomorrow, when the figures for changes in consumer prices in Germany will be published
The euro reacted with losses to today's figures and falls below $ 1.10. Currently the EUR/USD shows a decline of 0.52%, at a price of 1.0966. The yen also rose against the euro, currently at 0.60%, which corresponds to a price of 133.08.