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Following the iOS 14.5 recalibration, some iPhone 11 users have seen an improvement in their battery health percentage
Apple re-calibrated the battery health monitoring system…
Microsoft has updated the Office for Mac beta version to support the upcoming Apple Silicon devices.
Wednesday, November 4, 2020, 19:40 GMT
Although Apple has not yet released a consumer-oriented device using the independently developed processor Apple Silicon, the company has announced that it will launch a new device equipped with Apple Silicon for the first time in the “One more thing” event on November 10th, local time in the United States.
Prior to this, Microsoft seems to have introduced certain features compatible with Apple Silicon in its Office Insider test program. For example, a new version released on November 2 includes support for Apple’s new processor in SQL Server connection settings.
More specifically, the built-in SQL Open Data Connection (ODBC) provider in Excel for Mac now supports Apple Silicon devices. Microsoft also added support for the TLS v1.2 communication protocol.
Microsoft wrote in its release note: “This feature supports SQL Server ODBC data connection, can work normally on new devices equipped with Apple Silicon processors, and supports SQL servers that require a secure connection through the TLS v1.2 protocol.”
The Excel function allows users to use the built-in ODBC driver to access data in the SQL Server database. Since this feature is still in the testing phase, it may take some time to be implemented on Apple Silicon devices.
According to rumors, Apple’s first batch of Macs equipped with Apple Silicon will be 13-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air.


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Publicis more or less matched US rival Omnicom in Q2 2022, reporting organic growth of 10.3% (Omnicom was 11.3% on weaker 2021 comparatives) with the US up 10.1%, Europe 10.1% and Asia 6.5%.
The French-based business has increased its 2022 growth forecast to between 6-7% (as has Omnicom) and expects an improved operating margin of between 17.5-18%. It says it expects free cash flow of least at €1.5bn in 2022.
Once again data businesses Publicis Sapient and Epsilon were the standout performers, up 19.3% and 13.7% respectively.
CEO Arthur Sadoun (above) says: “There are three reasons behind this remarkable performance, which comes on top of +17.1% organic growth in Q2 last year. First, very solid growth across all regions, with the U.S and Europe at +10%, and Asia at +6.5%, with China remaining positive despite the lockdowns. Second, further acceleration at Publicis Sapient and Epsilon which grew +19.1% and +13.7% respectively, confirming our ability to capture the shift of client investment towards data, technology and digital business transformation.
“Last but not least, we benefitted from the ramp-up of our new business, after a record number of wins in 2021. Our momentum since the beginning of the year continues to place us at the top of the New Business rankings for the past 12 months, in the latest broker reports.”
Nobody really know what the rest of the year will bring apart from a more than tricky macro-economic environment. Publicis claims an advantage over its ad holding company rivals, saying it should be seen as a “transformation” company as opposed to communications. Although good old communications still make up the majority of its business.

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The Open Air Market at the Phoenix Public Market is one of the many spots where SNAP customers can use Double Up Food Bucks! On Saturdays, you can head to this market to Double Up on fresh fruits and veggies. Here’s what members of the community had to say about the Double Up program, and how buying local food is beneficial for everyone.
Matlin said she also likes how Double Up puts the spotlight on farmers. With the program, more dollars go directly to local growers. She said it encourages them to put more of an emphasis on the fact that their produce was grown in Arizona and it’s seasonal.
Emphasizing locally grown food is necessary to maintain a healthy community, Matlin said.
“If we don’t have people buying locally grown produce, we won’t have local growers, and that is absolutely essential to the survival and health of our community.”
She said most of the growers featured at the Phoenix Public Market come in from less than 10 miles away. This hyper locality gives the market’s surrounding communities a more reliable source of food.
“Not only is it providing jobs and all of the economic benefits, but also vitality,” Matlin said. “We can’t always rely on stuff that is being shipped in.”
As an added bonus, she said that shopping locally gives customers “all the fun things you can’t necessarily get just shopping at the store.”
Double Up Food Bucks AZ provides SNAP customers the opportunity to foster a relationship with their community, farmers, and their food. Head to your local market to Double Up on fresh food, connect with local growers, and help build a stronger Arizona. To find a participating market near you, check out our interactive map of Double Up Food Bucks farmers markets.
Keep up with the latest news about Double Up AZ, and learn how Double Up is changing lives in Arizona!


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A fundraising campaign has been launched to help replace an eight-year-old’s Xbox and a laptop computer which were stolen from a home in Kettering several days ago.
Kettering man Damian Cox, also known as The Big Bopper DJ, decided he wanted to do something to help the family after hearing about the break-in.
The theft happened at a home in Wood Street, Kettering, some time between January 15 and 17.
A special edition Star Wars Xbox 360 was stolen, as well as a blue Acer laptop.
Both belonged to an eight-year-old youngster who has autism, and his family say the youngster cannot understand why his belongings had been stolen.
Northamptonshire Police launched an appeal several days ago, saying they were hoping for the public’s goodwill in tracing the stolen items so they can be returned to him.
Mr Cox, who last year was named the world’s best DJ in an international poll, said: “I heard about the break-in and saw messages on social media websites from a number of people who said they wanted to help.
“No-one had actually set up anything so I sent out messages and was contacted by the victim’s aunt soon afterwards and set up a fundraising website
“The response has been really good so far. Within a matter of hours people had contributed more than £100.
“I haven’t got a specific target of how much we need but I am getting in touch with PC World and Argos to see how much the items will cost to replace. I think it will be about £500 in all.”
The fundraising page can be found here.
Witnesses, or anyone with information about the break-in in Wood Street, should phone Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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Sure signs of a legacy of great customer service and love showed themselves in October as eager customers lined up outside Clifton’s Women’s Clothing store to get the first glimpse of merchandise showcased for the “store closing” sale. But the people lined up weren’t just there for the deals, they were also there for the memories – 71 years’ worth.
Mary and George Clifton opened the shop in 1946 on Washington Boulevard, just a little ways down from where the shop currently sits at 2254 Washington Boulevard. Now their two daughters, Janith Wright and Lavon Jennings, run the store. But the two are ready to retire. “My husband has been retired for 12 years and it is just time,” Wright said as she picked a stack of hangers up off the floor. There is no one to take it over from them, so they figured it would be best to close shop.
They were advised that it would be best to sell their merchandise and then sell the building. Wright said she doesn’t know what will be in store for the space, but they feel confident it will be something good. The closing sale opened to the general public October 27 and things will continue to be reduced in price until they are gone. Wright hopes it will be before Christmas, but does expect they will be open into December a bit.
“Well, I don’t know how long I’ve been coming here. More than 40 years. Maybe 50 years,” said Pleasant View resident Vivian Haag. “I nearly cried yesterday when I opened my letter,” Haag said as she stood in line with her hands full of items to buy. She visited the store more than once on Thursday.
Many others also rushed in, some waiting in line more than an hour, clutching their letters they had received with the news of the store closing. “Our family has been blessed to be a part of lives for over 71 years and we feel it is time to retire and enjoy our families. Thank you for your loyalty and support,” the letter read.
Many reminisced about shopping at Clifton’s and many other fine retail stores including Samuel’s, The Bon Marche, JC Penny, ZCMI and others. A feeling of sadness that this store, which survived the closing of the Ogden City Mall and so many changes to downtown is closing. The average age in line may have been 70
Wright said her parents also had two other shops, Joy Shop and Mary’s Cotton Shop along Washington at one time and they all started working there at a young age. Jennings got her start in second grade, even! Wright wasn’t far behind and has been working there for 64 years. Her mom did the buying and taking care of the shop and her dad did the bookkeeping. The two were a great team, Wright said. She and her sister have always enjoyed working there. “We have always had good, faithful people,” Wright said and she surveyed the room, full of happy shoppers.
The family has seen much during their years on Washington. They have changed locations a couple of times, slowly moving north, but not too far. When the shop opened, Washington Boulevard and the area around it was a bustling shopping spot with many stores being owned by local families. The stores slowly started to close as owners retired and nothing filled their spaces, but Clifton’s hung on. The Ogden City Mall was built and many wondered if Clifton’s would stay afloat. It did and they didn’t mind the mall at all. “People complain and say the mall killed downtown, but many of those shops (outside the mall) were closing anyway. We didn’t ever think that. It was a good thing,” she said. Then the Ogden City Mall closed, but Clifton’s kept going. “We have loyal customers,” Wright said.
But part of that loyalty comes because of a good sales product and excellent customer service. Haag said she could always find something appropriate to wear there, whenever she came in. It became a go-to for prom dresses and more fancy apparel as well.
Wright said they always have prided themselves on good customer service above all else. “People come in to buy clothes and we have their sizes and what they like, so it’s easy,” Wright said with a grin.
Wright’s service was apparent in October as she stopped to tell customers what shirt looked good with what skirt, or how great their matching abilities were. Ogden resident Vicki Jackson loved to stop in when shopping for a special occasion and loved that they always made her feel special when she went in. She was recently shopping for a dress for her grandson’s wedding and the clerk helped her find the right combinations for quite a while and she left feeling confident after the help.
Wright and her sister have loved watching the renaissance of Ogden these past few years and Wright expressed her appreciation for former Mayor Matthew Godfrey and his vision. “He knew how to do things, how to make things happen,” she said. She also attributes the success of the Clifton’s to the fact that she always stayed involved on different committees and events happening in Ogden. “I always knew what was going on so we could stay current and aware of any changes happening,” she said. “That has been a big help,” she added. She likes what she sees now with all the different groups and organizations showing such an interest in Ogden. She’s worked with six mayors and has seen a lot of different leadership styles through the years.
And as for fashion – she’s seen it all. “People used to have to have things a certain way and have complete outfits that matched from head to toe. Now it’s anything goes,” she said with a laugh. But she likes that. It makes buying easier, because there are such a wide variety of options and they have been able to tailor their merchandise for all ages, including that young high school prom age. “You used to have high heels, gloves and a hat to go shopping, but not anymore!” Wright exclaimed.
In the end, the family is delighted with the success its seem and attribute that success to their favorite part of the business – the customers. “They’re family,” Wright said.
The store will keep its hours of Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the merchandise is sold.


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NEW YORK — The arbiter hearing DuPont’s complaint that Unifi Inc. was not living up to the terms of a polyester manufacturing alliance between the two companies has ruled in the Wilmington, Del.-based fiber giant’s favor, awarding DuPont $16 million in damages.
That’s less than the $85 million DuPont had initially sought when it brought the complaint in February 2002.
“DuPont is satisfied,” said a DuPont spokeswoman. “The damages awarded were fair and appropriate.”
The arbitration dispute, which involved the management of three partially oriented yarn plants — DuPont sites in Kinston and Wilmington, N.C., and a Unifi location in Yadkinville, N.C. — centered on whether Unifi was buying as much POY from DuPont as it was obligated to do.
Also at issue was the question of whether DuPont could execute the put-call provision of the alliance, which would have allowed it to sell its two plants to Unifi if that company was found to have committed a “substantial breach” of the agreement. As reported, in March the arbiter, Helms, Muliss of Charlotte, N.C., found there had been no substantial breach.
DuPont and Unifi inked the manufacturing alliance in 2002, in an effort to better manage their manufacturing assets. The DuPont spokeswoman said, “The alliance continues to operate successfully, with both parties receiving significant benefits, manufacturing efficiencies and collaborating on the development of several new products.”
Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi said in a statement that the damages award would result in a $14 million charge to its earnings for its fourth quarter ending June 29. It already has charged $2 million in anticipated damages to its third-quarter results.
The arbitration squabble was seen by some sources as one of the details DuPont had to mop up before selling its DuPont Textiles & Interiors business, which it has said it intends to do before the end of the year. As reported, Koch Industries is seen as the most likely buyer, though neither company has confirmed the negotiations.
In a separate matter, also seen as needed to smooth the way for the DTI sale or spinoff, the company said Tuesday it has closed its tender offer for outstanding shares in DuPont Canada Inc. It raised its holding in that company to 93 percent from 76 percent. It plans to call a July meeting of Canadian shareholders to consider a transaction for DuPont to buy the rest of the Canadian business. DuPont wants to merge the Canadian business’ textile operations into a DTI unit.


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Nordstrom just forecast another win for the American consumer.
In its fourth quarter earnings report on Thursday, Nordstrom noted that inventory levels during the fourth quarter exceeded 12% of sales while sales grew 5.2%.
(Overall, Nordstrom’s quarter was disappointing and its outlook was even worse, sending shares of the retailer down as much as 7% in after hours trading.)
The company added in its release that, “While the Company made the appropriate adjustments to end the year with overall inventory below plan, it has incorporated the impact of a continued promotional environment in its operating plans.”
Said another way: you’re about to see great deals at Nordstrom.
And this is not unique to Nordstrom at all.
Earlier this week we noted the rising inventory level at retailers in the US and argued that this is not a symptom of consumer decline but a sign that consumers are on course to benefit.
Basically this trend, while painful for retailers who are dealing with a drastic shift in consumer habits that is taking sales out of stores and onto the internet, is one big win for the US consumer.
Right now you can order four sizes online and return three at no cost from online retailers like Zappos.
Or, as this inventory data suggests, you can probably drive to the mall and shop at retailers offering 50% off everything in the store (or, you know, at least some kind of deal).
And all this while wages are rising and inflation is low.


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e-commerce moving towards one-to-one commerce?
E-commerce is emerging as the major shop for the new mattress sales. What defines this market?Read More
From thread to bed… How smart tech is empowering the mattress journey?
The technology is the key driving force behind any industry in present world. Mattress industry is no exception.Read More
Healthcare Industry : An opportunity for the Mattress Industry
Healthcare, sleep health and mattresses have always shared an intimate relationship, but it is only now that it is coming to the surface with full forceRead More
Retail Evolution Mattress, Sleep and Beyond
Consumer beliefs and behaviors are shifting fast. To keep up with and perhaps even influence those changes.Read More
How home improvement sector will push mattress sales?
The complementary effect of one industry over another is obvious. But is it substantial and manifesting in the current scenario?Read More
How global mattress companies are managing Covid-19 situation?
The pandemic has shaken a lot of industries worldwide. Let us see how strongly, and where, has the international mattress industry felt these ripples.Read More
COVID-19 Impact and Recovery – A peek into the Bedding Industry
The pandemic has shaken up a lot of businesses all over the world.Read More
HOW to make the common man buy a mattress?
Comfort Times did a survey to check the reality, we have found that branded mattress market still has to do a lot to reach out to the common man.Read More
Dreaming Afresh and Big
The way consumer perceives and buys a ‘Sleep’ product has undergone massive leaps. Organised segment now has onethird market share.Read More
Uncovering Mattress Manufacturing
Let’s look at the manufacturing side of the mattress industry. Some new challenges, changes and platforms.Read More
How customisation of mattress work for the industry?
Believe it or not, the ager of custom-made mattresses and sleeping products has arrived.Read More
ISPF Consumer Survey How the year 2020 changed consumer preference on Mattress Buying?
A lot has morphed when it comes to the value consumers attach to a mattress.Read More
Strengthening your brand with new-age marketing strategies
Online marketing is so complex that marketers struggle with where to begin and how to navigate.Read More
Three Pillars of Health FOOD, FITNESS, and SLEEP
All for one, one for all – yes, even if one of them goes missing, the story of health stays incompleteRead More


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Retailers on Greenwich Avenue on Monday were once again the target of shoplifters, an ongoing problem for the street filled with high-end stores and boutiques.
Weve had numerous career criminals come through Greenwich over the years, and they will steal anything and everything they can get away with, said Lt. Kraig Gray, spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department. Its supply and demand. Most things that are in high demand are of high value and certainly also portable, so shoplifting at high-end stores is a common occurrence.
Three people were seen acting suspiciously Monday in Brooks Brothers and Victorias Secret on Greenwich Avenue, bringing several officers to the area.
Marie Fay Watson, 45, of 3408 Bruner Ave., the Bronx, N.Y., and Bridget Walters, 33, of 753 E. 225th St., the Bronx, were found in ZARA while Cartous Watson, 43, of 2380 Bruner Ave., the Bronx, was found walking away from the store. All were found with items from various retailers. Watson was also in possession of an allegedly forged Georgia drivers license.
Some of the property recovered were from stores in Stamford as well as Greenwich, said Gray. This was not an inexperienced larcenist crew. According to Gray, all three have criminal histories, and Walters, in particular, has an extensive criminal past.
Gray said the women were wearing large winter coats that had been cut to conceal stolen items.
They were all arrested on charges of shoplifting larceny and possession of stolen items. Watson was additionally charged with forgery. Watson was released on $1,000 bond. Watson and Walters were not able to post bond because they were wanted by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. All three are due in court April 25.
Gray said detectives were in contact with security personnel at stores, often through the Chamber of Commerce, and the department periodically holds seminars on preventing shoplifting. Its not just the merchant that suffers when shoplifting occurs, said Gray. Most people that shop end up paying the cost of the crime through increased cost for merchandise and security.
Are Greenwich Avenue shops targeted by shoplifters? Have you ever seen shoplifting occur?
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West Virginia drivers may be aware of the potential risks when purchasing a vehicle. An auto defect is a dangerous possibility for any driver. A recent lawsuit involving Ford vehicles has made headlines because of an auto defect.
The lawsuit centers around a touch screen system that has failed many owners. The paperwork filed states that Ford was in fact aware of the issues before the system was put into place but used it anyway. Ford has said they took steps to improve customer satisfaction by extending the warranty and promised that an upgrade to the software would indeed solve the problem.
Vehicle owners do not feel the upgrade worked. The suit claims the product is not only a safety risk but is a major inconvenience as well. The system controls items such as navigation, hands free voice activation controls, MP3 connection, and in some models the backup camera. Without these items and no backup in place, a person can be not only inconvenienced, but feel they are in danger as well.
Any West Virginia resident that believes they have been the victim of an auto defect may benefit from knowing the applicable laws in their state. Although recalls are put in place to protect the consumer, a person can be affected before the recall goes into place causing injury or undue stress. By knowing one’s rights they can determine the best way to move forward with any action that may be deemed appropriate and be more hopeful for a positive outcome.
Source: Source: autonews.com, “Group sues Ford, claims touchscreen systems defective,” Adam Rubenfire, July 17, 2013


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Eurochile Business Foundation is awarded a project to reactivate tourism in Coquimbo
The investment that reaches $118 million will finance the joint work of 200 MSMEs in the sector seeking to generate an offer around the circular economy.
Contributing to the reactivation and recovery of tourism in the Coquimbo Region through the generation of new sustainable and circular products and promoting the knowledge and practice of the circular economy among MSMEs is the objective of the project “Reactivation of regional tourism with circular economy” that the Eurochile Business Foundation was awarded from the Innovation and Competitiveness Fund (FIC).
The initiative, which will be financed by the Regional Government with an investment of $118 million, will benefit 200 MSMEs linked to tourism in the 3 provinces of the region and 500 indirectly, that is, at least half of the registry of tourism providers of regional Sernatur. It is expected to enhance the practices that companies already have incorporated in their businesses such as: the S seal, Clean Production Agreements or those that are part of Sernatur’s “Commitment to Good Sustainable Tourism Practices”.
To reactivate regional tourism, associativity and collaborative work will be promoted and strengthened, focusing on local suppliers, and with this reducing their carbon footprint and even their water footprint.
In this sense, Eurochile’s proposal lies in the three types of innovation that it will be applied during the 18 months of execution. In the first stage, it will generate product innovation in sustainable and circular tourism services. Then, through the networks that the foundation has, it will innovate processes and, finally, it will carry out work with the municipalities.
For the executive director of Eurochile, José Aravena, the award of this project is a wonderful news that fully supports the work that the foundation has been carrying out recently at a national and regional level, strongly in Sustainability and Circular Economy.
In fact, the possibility of successfully carrying out different projects linked to tourism has allowed the foundation to achieve well-valued results, and to have a clear vision of the needs of the region.
“In this context, it is important to emphasize that this project responds to the specific needs of the territory raised by Eurochile, such as the reactivation and incorporation of the circular economy in tourism companies, in which, through European transfer, it seeks to contribute to the competitive development of MSMEs”, highlights the executive director.
Regarding the work methodology, José Aravena explains that the companies will be trained in concepts of tourism reactivation, green marketing, circular economy, circular business models, sustainability, and adaptation to climate change with the support of European and national experts, through different workshops.
A survey of companies and their circular practices will be carried out, and simultaneously the standards for the development of circular tourism products will be developed, which will be implemented at the prototype level, and later, they will be tested in the market.
“Companies will receive European transfer in the creation and marketing of circular tourism products under a circular business model. These products will be positioned once the communication and marketing plan is executed”, he adds.
The idea is that the beneficiary companies incorporate the circular economy as a business model, sustainable over time, which allows them to obtain positive actions in their businesses, something that Europe has been working on thanks to its own circular economy roadmap and Green Deal guidelines.


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The next boss, Lord Wolfson, is seen as the Nostradamus of retail, with an astonishing ability to predict what will happen not just in retail, but on a broader macroeconomic level. In fact, he was one of the first businessmen to predict the economic crisis of 2008-09.
However, as the UK faces the biggest cost-of-living squeeze in more than 30 years, even Wolfson isn’t sure what to expect next.
“We’ve never seen anything like this before and we don’t know exactly how it will play out,” he admits.
“The uncertainties in the coming year are not what we have had in the last 20 or 30 years, in terms of the level of inflation of essential goods or the inflation of our own products.
The UK may have seen rising inflation and cost prices before, but Wolfson, who has run Next for 20 years, says inflation is ‘much more prevalent’ than even during the credit crunch .
The next boss is keen to point out that the current cost-of-living crisis is caused by what he calls a “supply-side” problem.
He explains that the disruption of global supply chains, as well as what he calls “chronic labor shortages” across many sectors of the UK economy, means there is simply no not enough goods, energy and skilled workers to maintain the standard of living at the levels we have become. used to.
Wolfson thinks government policy can — and should — help alleviate this problem.
“We are disappointed that the broader government has done little or nothing within its powers to increase the underlying supply of goods, energy and skilled workers.
“It is important to recognize that government interventions to ‘pay’ for inflationary increases do nothing to increase the underlying supply of goods and services.”
Wolfson says the government can do a lot to increase supply: “It can knock down the self-defeating barriers it has placed on the foreign workers who support our economy and speed up, simplify and reform the planning process to increase the supply of desperately needed housing.
“We hope the government will use its powers wisely and do all it can to tackle the UK’s many supply-side constraints. I have no proof yet that they will.
Skyrocketing transportation costs to alleviate in 9-12 months
Wolfson says that in terms of the cost of his own goods, rising freight costs are the biggest driver of price increases.
He explains that retailers have exacerbated the supply chain crisis by ordering larger volumes of stock.
“As the world has restocked over the past six months, there has been a squeeze in manufacturing capacity around the world, which has driven prices up. We’ve all ordered more product to account for the longer time than it takes to get here. That created a strain on capacity,” he says.
However, he expects the situation to improve by the start of 2023. “Best-case scenario, we’ll see some relief in the next 9-12 months.”
Despite Wolfson’s warnings, Next had a better year than expected last year. He revealed yesterday that pre-tax profit rose 10% from pre-pandemic levels to £823million, a whopping 140% increase on last year. The brand’s full-price sales also jumped 12.8% from 2019/20 figures.
Wolfson says this is largely due to “underlying consumer strength” and the level of pent-up demand post-lockdown.
Pre-pandemic behavior returns
There’s been a lot of talk about the pandemic transforming consumer behavior, however, Wolfson says his client has reverted to old shopping habits since restrictions eased.
There was a return to more formal dress and a noticeable reduction in homewear and “very casual” sales at Next.
“We are seeing a return to pre-pandemic habits at all levels. The participation of the different categories returns to what it was before the pandemic. I think it’s a direct reversal of trends,” he says.
“If people are sitting at home and not going to work, they won’t buy a suit or a blouse, but if they are going to work, they will buy a suit.”
Wolfson also highlights a trend toward “more investment dressing,” with shoppers spending more on outfits.
“We find that consumer preferences slightly increase our pricing architecture. They buy less cheaper items and more investments.
The Next boss acknowledged that the growth of working from home had boosted more sales during the week for the retailer.
“More business moves into the week from the weekends. I think it’s about working from home and being able to manage your time over seven days of the week rather than doing 9 to 5 and having your time off on the weekends. We’re not seeing as big of a weekend spike as we would have before the pandemic. »
READ MORE: Retail Responds: Spring Statement Fails to Avert Cost of Living Crisis
Store sales improve
Despite the headwinds encountered so far in 2022, Wolfson admits Next’s performance is “slightly ahead” of what she expected in January.
“I wouldn’t want you to think the UK’s performance is strong,” he said. “What we’re seeing so far is slightly better than expected, but you shouldn’t read too much into it as cost of living pressures are likely to increase throughout the year.”
Despite the proclamations, Wolfson says he is “less pessimistic” about the performance of his retail stores, although conversely he is not as optimistic about his online business, over the coming year.
The retailer expects stores to generate an additional £78m in sales in the current year, while online sales are expected to be £168m less, although the vast majority of this shortfall stems from the closure of Next’s Russian and Ukrainian websites.
Wolfson says Next stores benefited from the disappearance of other high street retailers. “We underestimate the effect of other people leaving the high street on our stores. There are a lot of names that were there three years ago that aren’t there today,” he says.
However, don’t expect Next to open any other stores. Indeed, Next expects to reduce its retail space by approximately 2% over the coming year due to the closure of some fifteen stores.
The retailer plans to open two department store format stores this year, one in the Atria center in Watford next month and the other in the Trafford center in Manchester due to open by the end of the year.
However, Wolfson says he won’t invest heavily in stores. “We should not expect a radical change in our store portfolio. Because retail sales continue to decline, there is simply no money to invest in redesigning the entire store. »
He predicts this will be a retail trend: “What you will see in general is less investment in physical retail. It’s much harder to justify investing the same amount of capital in a move or a change of store.
However, Next is looking to add other products and concessions to its stores.
“We look for opportunities to add other products to our stores where we have excess space,” he says.
Next’s Total Platform activity, which gives third-party brands access to the retailer’s online logistics and back-end systems, gives it the ability to team up with brands and enter into franchise deals, says Wolfson.
Next launched its first Gap franchise at its Oxford Street store this month and Wolfson says it is actively seeking other similar partnerships.
The cost of living crisis may create uncertain times that even have Wolfson scratching his head, but he’s clearly not sitting on his laurels. Instead, it continues to find other ways to entice customers to shop with Next. Some things remain predictable as ever.
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China’s regulatory storm has not deterred business, nor investors, after venture capitalists pumped more than £74bn into the country last year, new data has revealed.
The VC market looks ‘surprisingly upbeat’, after investment swelled nearly 48.9 per cent year-on-year, according to GlobalData.
Meanwhile, deal volumes jumped nearly 32 per cent to 4,302 last year, up from 3,261 in 2020.
“Investors seemed to have become wary of China for some time on the back of a series of regulatory crackdowns on domestic companies. However, funding activity picked soon after a brief downturn,” lead analyst at GlobalData, Aurojyoti Bose explained.
“The announcement of several big-ticket deals during 2021 reflects investors’ appetite for placing bets on China is still bullish.”
December alone welcomed 32 deal announcements worth more than £73m each.
Beijing has been particularly hawkish on technology firms in the country – which has seen it shun crypto, impose new curbs on internet companies, tackle monopolies, as well as alter “foreign-related rule of law”, the government said in August.
It comes as abrdn seeks a Chinese partner for its wealth management business, chairman Douglas Flint confirmed today, as the fund manager eyes a larger slice of the growing market.
China’s wealth management market hit around £3.2 trillion in September last year, after climbing 7.8 per cent from the end of 2020.
“The change in regulation allowing greater access to the end consumer has made China a much more interesting market for people that want to deploy resources,” said Flint.


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Shadows of Adam getting a physical release on Switch
Circle Entertainment, Something Adam, and PM Studios have announced a partnership with Limited Run Games for the retro JRPG-inspired title Shadows of Adam. The game will be receiving a physical release on Switch.
Limited Run Games will be offering Shadows of Adam as a standalone release and as a limited edition. There will be 4,000 units and 1,000 units of both respectively.


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The 2020 Food Waste Report by Rabobank illustrates that the Coronavirus pandemic has derailed Australia’s progress in reducing food waste, leading to a spike in the amount of food Australian households are throwing out.
An overwhelming 88 per cent of Australian business leaders believe the circular economy will be important to the future of business, according to new research from Planet Ark.
The National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC) has said that the three new funds in the Victorian state budget yesterday that are in addition to the Recycling Victoria allocation is a positive move for the industry.
The opening session of the Australian Waste and Recycling Exhibition asked, ‘can waste and recycling successfully minimise the negative effects COVID-19?’ The panellists were Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of NSW executive director Tony Khoury, Local Government NSW President Linda Scott, Veolia Head of Solid Waste Transport Jim Perry and MRA Consulting Group managing director Mike Ritchie.
A consortium led by the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation to recycle coffee capsules is another beneficiary of the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund (NPSIF).
The funding will go towards the development of an industry-wide national product stewardship scheme for all coffee capsules available on the domestic market. According to Planet Ark, the project is critical to raising recycling rates, reducing organic material in landfill and increasing access to collection points for a rapidly growing waste stream and already has the support of industry leaders including Vittoria, Kruger ANZ and Grinders Coffee.
Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko Ark said it will accelerate the expansion of an industry-led product stewardship scheme for coffee capsules. “This will enable Australians to enjoy their home-made espresso, knowing the product’s end-of-life is being managed responsibly.”
Minister Evans noted that, “Australians love their coffee, and this new product stewardship scheme for coffee capsules will reduce waste going to landfill, lift recycling rates and help consumers make a practical, positive difference for the environment.”
To execute the program, Planet Ark will lead a consortium including Nespresso and Woolworths Group. Nespresso brings the invaluable experience of running its own coffee capsule recycling program in Australia for many years. Woolworths Group will work with the project partners to evaluate the feasibility of in-store capsule collection and subsequent transport to recycling facilities.
Nespresso General Manager Jean-Marc Dragoli said the company was keen to see coffee capsule recycling offered industry-wide.
“We have developed a robust program which has been collecting and recycling them in Australia for 10 years. We are keen to work with other manufacturers so that all consumers buying capsules will have access to recycling. This is why we partnered with Planet Ark’s consortium, to make this a reality.”
Woolworths 360, director Kozlovic added develop innovative solutions like the Coffee Pod recycling initiative would make sustainable choices easier for our customers. “We look forward to offering them a convenient place to drop off their used coffee pods, knowing they’ll be saved from landfill and have a second life in a new product.
“We’re always looking for ways to support the development of a circular economy, whether it’s through smart initiatives like this one or our ongoing work to make our own packaging more recyclable.”
More than 20 accolades were awarded during the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Annual Awards ceremony covering a broad range of industry sectors, including retail, electronics, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and food and beverage.
The Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA) and its project partner Specialised Textiles Association (STA) have secured Government grant funding of nearly $350,000 to further research into the recycling of waste PVC and polyester (PES) composite textile products in Australia.
South Australian start-up Bin Shift has granted its first-ever Award for Outstanding Impact to South Australia’s Elizabeth Grove Primary School after an audit found that the school has reduced its waste to landfill by 87 per cent.


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ASUS recently launched the newest whiz graphics card designed for small form factor PCs.
GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU Mini Series can be used for mini-ITX motherboards.
GTX 670 DirectCU Mini has a dual-slot with a length of only 17cm with NVIDIA GTX 670 [...]
There is exciting news about the Galaxy S4. Samsung touted is preparing another version of this smartphone with a more advanced camera.
Quoted from Sammobile, Thursday (9/5), the predicted product named Galaxy S4 Zoom.
Camera changes quite noticeably, [...]
There are interesting from Firefox OS related use HTML5 methods in the operating system.
According to Viking Karwur as Mozilla Indonesia Community Manager, an application was made for Firefox OS could run on all platforms, with a note, there are browser [...]
Rumors that Samsung will release the Galaxy S4 Dual-SIM version became a reality.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Sunday (28/4), the South Korean manufacturer officially introduced the Galaxy S4 Duos.
Besides being able to be pinned two SIM Card at once, no more [...]
IOS Users no longer need to envy the Android users who have been enjoying Angry Birds for free.
For the first time since it was released in 2009, as a game developer Rovio decided to change the price of being free in the App Store.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, [...]
Ever occur to you to try out Android applications on Windows-based computers? If so, maybe this one could be a solution.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Monday (01/28), a program called WindowsAndroid allow it.
Although not a new series running Android, the Jelly [...]
Sony’s new hero class ‘affordable’ has arrived in Indonesia. Products named Xperia E is available in a single version of the SIM and dual-SIM.
One feature that is favored is HD Voice, where its function is to clear up the sound when [...]
AMD (03/13) announced the first time the presence of AMD Elite A-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), which was given the code name of “Richland”.
AMD A-Series APUs will present the latest innovation for users, such as log-in using [...]
Apparently, the business particularly those managing IT security will work harder. Because the business is now a prime target for hackers.
52 percent of IT specialists are confident that these targeted attacks will be more frequent, based on findings [...]
Who does not know the game Battlefield series. Games were popular through its multiplayer mode has a slick visual images and an interesting storyline.
According to an official invitation received by Gamespot, Electronic Arts and DICE plans to celebrate [...]
Sony has just announced a new game console, the PlayStation 4, the PlayStation event in the U.S. (2/21). What are the new features of the PS4? The following brief review.
Yes, PS4 will include a new controller called the DualShock 4. Controller [...]


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WESTERVILLE, Ohio (Oct. 30, 2013) – Exel, the North American leader in supply chain management and a Deutsche Post DHL company, and Borderfree, the market leader in global ecommerce solutions, today announced the opening of a 20,000 square foot distribution warehouse in Romulus, Mich. The new warehouse will be used to process international parcels for Canadian customers and is expected to generate more than 50 new jobs for the Romulus community. The facility officially opened on August 7, 2013.
Many of the world’s top brands, such as Gilt, Macy’s, Party City, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora use Borderfree’s technology and services platform to facilitate transactions with customers in more than 100 countries and territories and in more than 60 currencies.
“Leading retailers in the U.S. rely on Borderfree to help them break down the barriers to selling internationally; one of the keys to success is ensuring that packages are delivered seamlessly to customers no matter where in the world they are located,” said Michael DeSimone, CEO, Borderfree. “Exel has been an excellent partner in helping us launch and implement our global shipping platform at our hubs in Lockbourne and Romulus and we’re excited to work with them to strengthen our capabilities.”
Exel has been Borderfree’s logistics partner in Lockbourne, Ohio, since September 2010, enabling the company to successfully orchestrate logistics and seamlessly providing Borderfree with the agility and flexibility it needs to continue to grow the business.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Borderfree by opening this new facility,” said Daryl Knight, Vice President of Customer Development at Exel. “As a company with more than 500 sites throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, Exel has the cross-border expertise to provide Borderfree with fast and reliable e-commerce distribution services that will help them reach their customers globally.”


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After four rounds, negotiations to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement have taken an acrimonious turn. Disputes over rules of origin and other key provisions affecting the automotive trade have dimmed hopes for compromise, and industry leaders are confronting the very real prospect that NAFTA may unravel altogether.
So what happens next? Can NAFTA be saved? If so, how? And if not, how will the economics of automaking be transformed?
Automotive News will explore these questions in NAFTA Talks, a high-level forum for automakers and suppliers, Nov. 8 in Detroit.
Panelists are Emilio Cadena, CEO of Mexican consulting firm Grupo Prodensa; Kellie Meiman, managing partner at McLarty Associates and former official with the U.S. Trade Representative's Office; and Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association.


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Uber's ex-CEO to sell nearly a third of his stake in the company
SoftBank's investment deal will reportedly earn Travis Kalanick $1.4 billion.
SoftBank acquires large stake in Uber
For a struggling Uber, this is a big deal.
Japan’s answer to Amazon is building its own mobile network
Rakuten has applied for a license to become the country's fourth national carrier.
Honda’s connected cars will communicate over 5G
The auto-maker's AI-assisted cars will talk to each other over SoftBank's 5G network at a racecourse in Japan.
Boston Dynamics 'new' SpotMini robot looks ready for a walk
The all-electric quadruped is built for "offices, homes and outdoors."
Uber pursues an investment deal limiting its former CEO (updated)
The pact with SoftBank should end a nasty feud.
Sprint's owner increases its stake after failed T-Mobile merger
SoftBank wants to be sure its US carrier has a future.
T-Mobile proposal might salvage a merger with Sprint
A WSJ source says Sprint's owner is considering a new offer.
Uber agrees to limit the power of its former CEO
It's all because the board had to decide on new rules to move forward with its deal with Softbank.


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Another year and another CES 2015 over. It was clear from the amount of devices on the showroom floor that this year is going to be a big year for the wearable category. In fact, CEA, the organization behind CES, dedicated most of the Sands Expo (called Tech West) to showcase over 500 exhibitors of wearable tech. After wading through a sea of connected devices in Vegas this year I saw six major trends which I think will shape the rest of the year for this new wave of computing.
1. The Death of the Activity Tracker
Fitness and health continue to be the primary focus for wearables across the board. Wrist-worn wearables that track steps, monitor sleep and measure heart rate were abound at the show but one noticeably trend was the move away from the basic band to more of a smartwatch design. Fitbit, Sony, Polar, Casio and Zensorium all highlighted fitness trackers which doubled as a watch providing a screen to review fitness stats, tell the time, and in some cases get notifications.
2. Fido Gets Connected
Humans may be moving away from simple activity trackers, but pets are just getting started. Pet wearables were a huge trend this year at CES, with WonderWoof and FitBark as two great examples. These fashionable sensor devices, one a bowtie the other a bone, are worn on the collar of your pet to track its activity and behaviour throughout the day. FitBark announced at the show an exclusive retail partnership with BestBuy and Future Shop Canada making its doggy wearable available to Canadians later this year.
Tagg unveiled its Tagg GPS Plus device, which both tracks your dogs fitness as well as monitors its safety by locating your pup using GPS at all times. This same device also features a temperature sensor which alerts owners of extreme temperature conditions to ensure that their pet doesn’t overheat or get too cold.
3. Wearables Get Their Fash-On
Learning from the pains of 2014, many wearable companies were showcasing efforts to make wearable devices look like something people would actually want to wear. Misfit announced its partnership with Swarvoski, which featured two jewelled devices (one solar powered) and a line of nine accessories including bracelets and pendants. Sony was featuring a classic stainless steel SmartWatch 3 and designer bands from Ted Baker and Roxy for its SmartBand it launched last year. A wearable tech fashion show was also held during CES this year hosted by Living in Digital times, which featured LED designs by Toronto-based startup, MeU.
4. We Will All Be Geordi La Forge
Video and virtual reality headsets were a huge device category at CES this year. Avegant was showing off its impressive final design of the Glyph, a device that looks like a pair of headphones combined with an optical display. But Glyph-like designs could also be seen from the likes of Vuzix in its next generation IWear and a device called Mask from Dashbon. Samsung was demoing its Note 4 powered Gear VR and Oculus had a massive booth featuring its latest virtual reality headset Crystal Cove.
Perhaps the most impressive demo for me in this category came from Toronto-based Sulon Technologies, who demonstrated a prototype of the Cortex, a VR/AR device that creates an immersive experience using the space around you. Along with hardware players, there was also a huge push behind the creation of VR content. Samsung unveiled its VR content platform, Milk VR, along with a commitment to regularly creating VR content with partners like the NBA. And new 360-degree cameras such as the Giroptic 360cam could be found at the show which give amateur filmmakers a chance to create VR ready content.
5. Another Year of the Selfie, But From a New POV
If you thought the selfie stick was the epitome our obsession with documenting our lives, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wearable cameras were another huge trend I saw coming out of this year’s consumer electronics show. Leading mountable camera company, GoPro had a major presence this year showing off its Hero4 and competitor cameras could be found in the Polaroid, Casio and Toshiba booths.
But it wasn’t just mountable action cams that will satisfy our need to capture every waking moment. Lifelogging auto-camera Narrative launched its second generation Narrative Clip 2 at the show, which now boasts WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for easier sharing and iON announced a small wearable camera, the SnapCam, which has the ability to live stream video. For a more fashionable option, UK-based Lyte was showing its camera glasses which have a 1080p/14.2MP camera integrated into a pair of seemingly normal pair of stylish sunglasses. Of course, the most memorable wearable camera at the show was Nixie, the wearable flying drone which won Intel’s “Make It Wearable Challenge” last year. The device flies off your wrist, takes a picture and then comes back to you – perfect for the ultimate futuristic selfie.
6. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Smartglasses to Work They Go
Despite all the hoopla with Google Glass lately, the emphasis on smart glasses at CES this year was actually up from 2014. But instead of focusing on the end consumer, most of the companies were showcasing how smart specs could be used to better people in the workplace. Toshiba was featuring its Toshiba Glass at its booth, a HUD which used projector technology which they will be launching to enterprise clients later this year. Sony was featuring its HUD glasses, EyeGlass Attach and AR glasses, Eyeglass. And Epson had a handful of its partners showcase apps for the Moverio BT-200 including Metaio’s AR software which was being demonstrated to walk an employee through a procedure to fix a car.
This article originally appeared on We Are Wearables.


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Polo helmets fit for royalty are transforming Peterborough manufacturer
A manufacturer in Peterborough is enjoying royal success as the business is transformed after a sector-wide decline.
Automated Wire Bending, in Vicarage Farm Road, is using its skills to make high value, individual helmets for polo players.
The designs have been so successful the helmets, which sell for up to £500 each, are now being worn by Prince William and Prince Harry.
They are also in demand across the world including Dubai, America, Australia and New Zealand.
Managing director Silvio Perna said: “We are building on this success. In two weeks we begin making helmets for cross country riders and will expand into the equestrian sector.”
It is just one way the 26- year-old firm has diversified after the decline of manufacturing at the turn of the millennium as production moved to the low cost Far East.
Mr Perna said: “We had to reinvent the firm. We went from dealing with the giants of retail making many thousands of components for items from trouser presses to mixers to dealing with individuals who had ideas.
“In 18 months staff fell from 40 to just 15. We didn’t have a plan and each day asked ‘what shall we do today?’”
Another area of success netting £400,000 a year is strawberry growing.
He said: “We make the wire frames on which the producers grow the strawberries.”
But there is a new cloud over the market.
Mr Perna said: “Brexit is a cause of much uncertainty. We don’t know what will happen to the producers if they lose their EU grants.”
He said: “This company would not be where it is without our European workforce and the skills they have brought with them and their work ethic.”
The company has 45 members of staff and about 40 per cent are from eastern Europe.
Mr Perna said: “They have added to the economy - not taken from it.”


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Powersoft has launched a campaign called ‘One Million Channels’ as it approaches an industry milestone.
The Italian manufacturer reports that it now has almost 1 million channels of audio power spread across the world – and it needs help from its end users to get it over the line before the end of September in return for a promotional offer.
Powersoft users worldwide are being invited to visit a website where they can place their order and automatically enter a draw, which will give them the opportunity to win the value of that order in full, whatever the amount.
Each order placed via the campaign page before the end of September will be forwarded and attributed to the relevant reseller, and the winner will be decided in a random draw that will be hosted and streamed online after the goal of one million channels has been reached. The offer applies to both installation and touring amplifier platforms.
“To think that we are about to reach one million amplifier channels worldwide is mind-boggling,” said Powersoft’s brand & communications director, Francesco Fanicchi. “We wanted to promote this remarkable achievement and at the same time give something back to Powersoft users around the world who trust us with their projects every day and have helped us reach this incredible milestone. We are also extremely thankful to our partners and distributors, who have played an essential role in making Powersoft the brand that it is today.”
In 2013, Powersoft announced that it reached the milestone of delivering 600 million watts of audio power around the world, “and the prospect of crossing this new audio frontier is quite simply humbling” concluded Fanicchi.


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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: People wearing face masks hold shopping bags as they walk under a giant screen showing a news footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting, at a shopping area in Beijing, China July 31, 2020. Picture taken July 31, 2020. REUTERS/Ti
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s central government has approved setting up a special bureau within the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to promote the development and growth of the private economy, the NDRC said on Monday.
The bureau will be responsible for devising policies to promote the development of private companies, both domestically and in terms of their international competitiveness, and provide a trouble-shooting function, said Cong Liang, the state planner’s vice chairman.
The private sector is responsible for 80% of new urban jobs, but has struggled to attract investment amid a frail economic recovery over the first half of the year, with business owners also constrained by weak domestic demand.
“This is a powerful initiative … that fully reflects the great importance the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee attaches to the private economy,” said Zhang Shixin, an official within the state planner.
Few analysts expect policymakers to introduce any aggressive stimulus due to concern about debt and financial risk, with the government instead likely continuing to introduce incremental measures in the face of sustained pressure to shore up growth.


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Dear Shaded Viewers,
The Gwand Sustainable Fashion Festival did not take place this past July during Paris Haute Couture due to COVID. A new plan was put into action bringing Gwand back to where it all began, Lucerne, Switzerland.
The Gwand Festival took place in Lucerne for 11 years. In the beginning Gwand was a local event that grew into an international festival which offered the largest financial award of any other fashion festival at that time it was a prize of 100,000 EUROS. The most break through winner at Gwand was none other than Raf Simons in 2003 who showed his face for the first time when he walked down the catwalk with his two assistants, one of them is now the creative director at Azzedine Alaia, Pieter Mulier, . The focus of Gwand has always been on promoting emerging fashion talents. With the impact of climate change and increasing social tensions, Gwand felt a need to focus on how the fashion industry can impact the planet by focusing on the issue of sustainability.
The purpose of Gwand is to raise awareness and promote and enforce actions in terms of sustainability in all areas of life. The aim is to preserve and improve life on our planet:
+ Promoting sustainability in all areas of life
+ Promoting fair living and working conditions as well as fair economic and trade relations.
+ Promotion of environmental protection and protection of our livelihoods.
+ Promoting the responsible use of natural resources and a resource conserving economy.
+ Promotion of environmental education and sustainable awareness in schools and outside schools.
The Gwand Sustainable Festival 2021 in Lucerne will take place in open-air. In the event of a Covid lockdown, the Gwand will only take place on-air. The Open- and On-Air Gwand:
+ Open-Air market for sustainable products, designers and craftspeople from all sectors. In addition there will be sustainable innovations and food stalls and lounges between the market stalls.
+ On-Air Gwand Stage digital sales platform which will be the digital version of the Open-Air Market.
+ Open-Air Panels to discuss sustainable innovations, processes and solutions
+ Open-Air: Launch of Bio Design Hubs, Open-Air Workshops and Panels
+ Open-Air Fashion Show and possibly Award Ceremony for 4-6 nominated international sustainable fashion designers
+ On-Air: Expert Pre-Nomination Jury: Pre-Nomination Event in Milan
+ Open-Air: Expert jury at the event
+ Open-air concerts and comedy performances at the marketplace
+ On-Air: Live Streaming: Direct broadcast via media and technology partners to digitally accompany the festival and market.
The sustainable designers will present a catwalk show. Each of the award candidates will be introduced in a short video before their part of the show. The award ceremony will take place on the stage of the music pavilion, where the winners and the award sponsors will be introduced and interviewed. The catwalk and stage will be kept simple and LED lighting effects will be used to create an unforgettable atmosphere at dusk, against the beautiful backdrop of the pavilion, the lake and the mountains. The effect created by the interplay with nature in the open air is intended to leave a lasting impression.
Read more about the festival and the participants here.


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Public, non-traded REIT Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT II, Inc. (GCEAR) recently closed on a Class A light manufacturing building in Concord, North Carolina for $5.5 million plus closing costs.
“This marks the REIT’s first acquisition, and we are pleased that the inaugural transaction embodies the key elements of our strategy: building a portfolio of Class “A” office and industrial business essential properties, leased to a creditworthy tenant on a long-term basis,” commented Michael Escalante, Griffin Capital’s Chief Investment Officer.
Owens Corning Sales, LLC, a subsidiary of Owens Corning, Inc. the company known for its basement refinishing systems advertised on TV by the Pink Panther, leases 100 percent of the 61,200 square-foot property. Owens has occupied the building since 2000 and has 9.8 years remaining on its triple-net lease with no termination options. Its annual base rent is about $352,000 plus annual rent increases of 2 percent each January.
Robert Corry, Griffin Capital’s Managing Director of Acquisitions said, “We are very excited about the mission critical components of this extremely well-maintained property, which we believe will continue to serve as an integral piece to the company’s core business of producing and selling glass fiber products. Owens Corning not only has strong brand recognition, but also has demonstrated durability, as it has been a Fortune 500 Company for more than 60 consecutive years.”
In addition to basement refinishing products, Owens manufactures building materials for residential and commercial use, glass-fiber reinforcements, and engineered materials for composite systems. The company has a BBB- rating from Standard and Poor’s.


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People who aim laser pointers at planes could face fines of to $250,000 and five years in prison under a bill passed in early December by the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL), who authored the bill, says a series of reported incidents involving aircraft cockpits and laser beams has heightened safety concerns and that it is “only a matter of time before someone ends up killing over 200 people in a commercial airline crash.” After a spike in reports related to “laser illumination” last December, a reporting system was established so the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA; Washington, DC) could track the trend. Since late last year, 287 incidents have been documented, according to the FAA.
Cree (Durham, NC) has licensed its white LED patent, U.S. Patent #6,600,175, to Kingbright Electronic Co. (Taiwan), a LED chip customer. The license authorizes Kingbright to manufacture and sell white LEDs that incorporate Cree chips and is one of several licenses that Cree has granted under the ‘175 patent this year. Kingbright will be using Cree LED chip products exclusively in its white LED product offerings. Founded in 1980, Kingbright is a manufacturer of LED lamps, SMD displays, SMD lamps, and other LED-related products.
OmniVision Technologies (Sunnyvale, CA), a leading supplier of CMOS image sensors, announced that its OV7930 VGA CMOS CameraChip is featured in a video and music entertainment system from one of the largest toy makers in the world. The new toy puts kids on camera so they can see themselves on TV as they sing along to their favorite songs. This toy, which includes a camera, wireless microphone, and special effects lenses, is the first of its kind in the entertainment toy market, according to OmniVision; the toy manufacturer claims more than 1 million of the toys have already been shipped.
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted unanimously to investigate Lumileds Lighting’s (San Jose, CA) complaint of patent infringement by Epistar Corporation and United Epitaxy Co., Ltd. The complaint accuses Epistar’s omnidirectional mirror adhesion AlGaInP LED products and UEC’s metal bond and glue bond AlGaInP LED products of infringing one or more of Lumileds’ patents: U.S. Patents #5,008,718, #5,376,580, and #5,502,316. Lumileds is seeking an exclusion order barring entry into the United States of the accused LEDs as well as products containing those LEDs. Lumileds, which has entered into very few licensing agreements, does not intend to license the technology in question to either UEC or Epistar. Lumileds also filed a complaint against UEC and Epistar in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for infringement of the same patents at issue in the ITC.
EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (Quebec City, Canada) announced that it has been compliant with the European Union’s (EU) directive regarding the disposal of electrical and electronic equipment, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), since August 13, 2005. Legislation enacted by the EU required that companies operating within its boundaries must have recycling and environmentally sound disposal processes in place to collect and manage WEEE by such a date. In addition, EXFO says all of its manufactured products already meet a related EU directive, requiring companies to recycle at least 50% of the total product weight of a specific WEEE group and recuperate at least 70% of the total product by December 2006.
Tiger Optics (Warrington, PA) has completed a Series B financing led by Expansion Capital Partners (New York and San Francisco) on behalf of Clean Technology Fund II, LP. In conjunction with the financing, a new board of directors will be established that will initially include Lisa Bergson (CEO), Jerry Riddle (Chairman), Bernardo Llovera (Expansion Capital) and Diana Propper de Callejon (Expansion Capital). Tiger Optics designs and manufactures continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy instruments for fast and highly sensitive detection of trace contaminants in gases. The company has exclusive worldwide rights to patented technology from Princeton University that allows it to market instruments known for accurate measurement of gaseous molecules in a variety of applications.
Emtelle (Amersfoort, The Netherlands), which has been promoting its (air) blown fiber solution, fiberflow, since January 2004, says it is planning significant investment in the U.S. market in 2006. According to the company, sales of the fiberflow solution, particularly in the FTTX market, have shown significant growth in 2005, and a new U.S. stock holding agreement has been put in place to ensure shorter lead times and rapid response to customer requirements. In addition, the Emtelle U.S. sales office is being relocated from Boston to Phoenix to be closer to the housing development market. John Lupton, president of Emtelle since January 2004, is returning to Scotland and George Brown will take over as president of Emtelle Inc. in Phoenix.
Redfern Integrated Optics (RIO; Santa Clara, CA), a developer and manufacturer of optical transmitters for telecommunications, data transmission, and other markets, has secured an additional $2.2 million from GE Capital Equity Investments and Jolimont Ventures, bringing the total amount raised to $8.4 million. This additional financial support finalizes RIO’s third round of funding, which completed its first close at $6.2 million in July, and was led by Advent International, Tallwood Venture Capital, TMT Ventures and Redfern Photonics. In connection with the new financing, Stephen Ezekiel of GE Commercial Finance joined RIO’s board of directors.
Infinitesima (Oxford, England) has formed a partnership with KLA-Tencor’s Growth and Emerging Markets (GEM) division to distribute its products to selected markets. Infinitesima’s core technology is the VideoAFM, the world’s first high-speed, video-rate atomic force microscope (AFM). Under the terms of the agreement, KLA-Tencor will distribute the VideoAFM in North America and Europe. According to the company, the VideoAFM is the first commercially available atomic force microscope capable of delivering real-time images at video frame rates. With imaging rates 1000 times faster than that of conventional AFMs, the VideoAFM allows users to visualize changes in chemical or biological processes at the molecular level in real time.
Edmund Optics (Barrington, NJ) has increased its capacity to make complex coatings with more than 100 layers by adding a new 45-inch-diameter coating chamber. The large coater was manufactured by Vacuum Process Technology (Plymouth, MA) and is equipped with two electron guns and planetary rotation. It also has a high output ion gun, which produces durable “shift-free” coatings. Both quartz crystal and optical monitoring improve Edmund Optic’s ability to meet coating tolerances of less than ±1%.
Submit your news to Optoelectronics Report. Sales reports, market outlooks, and strategic moves are just a few of the items we would like you to share. Please fax information to Kathy Kincade at (603) 891-0475 or send e-mail to [email protected].


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Automotive Franchise Industry Report
The outlook for the US auto manufacturers, their suppliers and dealerships is very uncertain. There are positive signs however. There are expectations that the government's massive stimulus package could start boosting economic growth sooner rather than later. A surge in consumer confidence in April and May has added to hopes that the US economy will start to recover later this year. The latest Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index™ states that the proportion of those who said they planned on buying a car over the next six months rose to 5.5%, its highest in over a year. In short, consumers are considerably less pessimistic than they were earlier in 2009. The credit crunch is easing and this too will lead to a slow growth in new car sales in 2010.
The outlook for franchises operating in the auto industry is good. As discussed in this report there is a considerable untapped market of deferred and underperformed maintenance. Consumers are holding onto their cars for longer requiring more service and repair. The increased cost of cars relative to income means that consumers will spend more on in auto maintenance and reconditioning to help retain the value of their cars. The growing demand for navigation systems, car safety systems and entertainment and systems has created growing niche markets for auto franchises. Other niches have emerged in the delivery of “green” environmentally friendly services and products. This niche can only grow larger as more stringent emissions and fuel efficiency standards are introduced. The increased complexity of cars means that owners are far less likely to service them themselves as they might have done in the past. They increasingly rely on auto repair shops with required technology and expertise.
Above all, the American love affair with the car continues. The car represents personal freedom, individualism and the American dream. Americans will continue to drive their cars in large numbers for the foreseeable future.
Franchise Direct's Disclaimer


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Famous investor Jim Chanos thinks Alibaba’s accounting looks shady — even by China’s standards.
“The accounting at Alibaba is some of the most questionable I’ve ever seen” for a major company, Chanos said of the world’s largest retailer.
video below and see more from CNN Money here
Historically, the Chinese market has been relatively isolated from international investors, but much is changing there now, making China virtually impossible for the diversified investor to ignore. Earlier this year, CNBC pointed to signs that Chinese regulators may start easing up on their scrutiny of companies after months of clamping down on tech firms. That Read More


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According to information published by the Upper Midwest Federal Milking Marketing Order 30 market administrator's office, Wisconsin climbed to fifth place among the states or regions during three of the latest five months for which mailbox prices for milk have been calculated.
Those months in 2012 were April, July and August, which is the latest month for which the mailbox prices are available. The mailbox price is the average per hundred payment for milk received by dairy farmers after associated marketing costs such as hauling and promotion and research fees are deducted.
In August, for example, the average mailbox price in Wisconsin was $18.91 per hundred, trailing only Minnesota at $19.02, a group of five Appalachian states at $19.23, a group of five Southeast states at $19.98, and Florida at $21.41. The latter three prices are due to a combination of the high Class I fluid milk differential payment rates in those areas and the high percentage of the locally produced milk which goes into the Class I market.
During earlier months in 2012, Wisconsin's mailbox prices were $17.55 per hundred for July, $16.94 for June (sixth place), $16.81 for May (seventh place), $17.46 for April, $17.57 for March (eighth place), $18.16 for February (eighth place), and $19.31 for January (11th place). During most of those months, Minnesota was one notch ahead of Wisconsin on the mailbox price by 1-9 cents per hundred.
Where Wisconsin excels on its milk price, compared to most other states, is on the combination of milk quality and volume premiums paid by processors, along with a special over-order Class I premium that is negotiated with milk fluid bottlers.
In most cases, Wisconsin dairy farmers are also charged less for milk hauling (buyers subsidize part of the cost) than their counterparts in many other parts of the country.
That overall price advantage can be checked when comparing the state's mailbox price with the national Class III base price that changes every month. For August, the Class III base price was $17.73 per hundred while the average mailbox price in Wisconsin $18.91 or a net premium payment of $1.18 per hundred.
The spreads in 2012 between the Wisconsin mailbox and Class III prices included 87 cents per hundred in July, $1.31 in June, $1.58 in May, $1.74 in April, $1.85 in March, $2.10 in February, and $2.26 in January. Only a small portion of those differences can be attributed to the $1.60-$1.75 per hundred differential for Class I fluid milk which applies in most areas of the state because the portion of the milk produced in Wisconsin going into the fluid market has fallen to just over 10 percent in most recent months.
Although it stands in first place among the states in milk production, California is last among the states or regions in its mailbox milk price. For 2012, California's mailbox prices have been as low at $13.97 per hundred in May and in the $14s for four other months through August of this yea, while the highest prices are $16.20 for August and $16.36 for January.
The low milk prices in California are due in large part to its state-based milk pricing formula rather than being in the federal milk marketing order system. In California, the state has a cap of 75 cents per hundred in what milk buyers pay for the value of whey in milk, while the value of whey in the federal marketing order pricing has accounted for more than $3 per hundred of the Class III base price for milk during all months of 2012.
This pricing disparity has created significant unrest among California's dairy operators and their member organizations, but so far their requests to increase the pricing cap for whey have failed to gain support from the agency which establishes California's separate northern and southern region milk prices.
In 2010, the California mailbox milk price averaged $1.24 per hundred less than the national Class III base price. Since then, the gap has been running at closer to $2 per hundred.
Most recently, there has been some interest in California's dairy sector about switching from its long-standing state to the federal pricing system.
In Idaho, the Dairymen's Association has taken a similar stance in the form of a resolution which cited a $1.60 per hundred disparity between prices being paid by processors in one major marketing area compared to what the minimum price would have been under a federal milk marketing order.
New Mexico is another state near the bottom on the mailbox milk pricing scale. Its prices during most months in 2012 have been about 20-50 cents above those in California. The lowest prices have a range of $14.33-$14.67 for April through June, while the year's highest monthly mailbox prices have been $16.51 in August and $17.10 in January.


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E3's 2021 Live Event Has Been Cancelled
E3's physical event for 2021 has been cancelled, according to Los Angeles city documents published last week. From a report: In a new report published by the Board of Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Development Commission, a sales update lists E3 2021 as a "cancelled live event." The document states that the Convention board is working with E3 organiser The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) on broadcast options at the Los Angeles Convention Center and the nearby LA Live complex. The City board also claims it's "working" on a 2022 and 2023 license for E3. The cancellation would mark the second year in a row the E3 event has been called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. As exclusively revealed by VGC this month, The ESA has been pushing forward with plans for a digital E3 event this summer, but it still requires the backing of major games companies. [...] "We can confirm that we are transforming the E3 experience for 2021 and will soon share exact details on how we're bringing the global video game community together," an ESA spokesperson said. "We are having great conversations with publishers, developers and companies across the board, and we look forward to sharing details about their involvement soon." Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.


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Burt Wealth Advisors' holdings in iShares MSCI Frontier 100 ETF were worth $1,052,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. The optimists still believe there is much more room for growth in the markets while the pessimists are calling for a major reversal in the near future.
Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 5,644,327 shares of the technology company's stock worth $679,407,000 after buying an additional 60,436 shares in the last quarter. The rating was maintained by Stifel Nicolaus with "Buy" on Tuesday, May 3. Investors sentiment decreased to 0.68 in Q4 2016. Its up 0.09, from 1.15 in 2016Q3.
As per Friday, April 1, the company rating was downgraded by Moffet Nathanson. The firm has "Outperform" rating by RBC Capital Markets given on Wednesday, November 11. Since February 27, 2017, it had 0 buys, and 47 selling transactions for $1.54 billion activity. Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company.
Lee says, "We don't trust this group". "We're proceeding on the assumption that it's still happening", said Karina Ioffee, a spokeswoman for Mayor Jesse Arreguín. The group blamed San Francisco leaders for vilifying them and forcing them to cancel the event over security concerns. However, the city's mayor Ed Lee said on Twitter that no permits had been requested or granted for that location.
The Palace will be shutting down after the Detroit Pistons decision to move to downtown Detroit and play in the new Little Caesars Arena . The first show at the Palace was Sting on August 13, 1988. The Seger show - the MI rock heros 17th at the Palace - is one of two events remaining on the arenas schedule. A limited number of tickets for that concert are still available.
The firm had revenue of $224.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $217.97 million. Pure Storage , Inc. on 4/29/2017 reported its EPS as $-0.16 with the analysts projecting the EPS of the stock as $-0.23. The company has a market cap of $2.64 Billion. Many individual investors would agree that information is highly important when picking stocks. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.15, for a total transaction of $18,738,750.00.
Pure Storage had 39 analyst reports since October 8, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. Maxim Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of Pure Storage in a report on Thursday, May 25th. If you are accessing this report on another site, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of USA and worldwide trademark and copyright laws.
PTC Inc (NASDAQ:PTC) has risen 57.23% since August 25, 2016 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 16.44% the S&P500. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. FinnCap maintained the stock with "Corporate" rating in Wednesday, September 16 report. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock.
Incline Global Management Llc who had been investing in Marathon Pete Corp for a number of months, seems to be bullish on the $26.18B market cap company. The stock of Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) has "Equal-Weight" rating given on Friday, August 4 by Barclays Capital. As per Wednesday, November 25, the company rating was maintained by Oppenheimer.
USA crude oil inventories have fallen for eight consecutive weeks to the lowest level since the beginning of past year. Oil prices eased on Thursday, stuck within the tight range traded for the past month, as investors remained cautious as to whether the glut in oil supplies was finally disappearing.
At a conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen defended the regulations put in place after the financial crisis in 2008 under the Obama administration. She acknowledged, however, that lending may be less available to some borrowers with poor credit histories. Bank profits have been robust, however, and no substantive policy proposals have yet come forward.
In addition to higher capital requirements, Yellen said the financial system has been fortified by regulations requiring that the biggest banks undergo annual stress tests to help ensure that they have enough capital to withstand any future severe downturns.
First Command Financial Services Inc. increased its stake in General Electric by 0.4% in the first quarter. Sei Invs invested in 0.16% or 1.06M shares. The firm has "Hold" rating given on Thursday, June 29 by Standpoint Research. The rating was downgraded by JP Morgan to "Underweight" on Wednesday, October 28.
Against a backdrop of strengthening growth but chronically low inflation, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and other central bankers are taking their measure of the global economy at their annual conference in the shadow of Wyoming's Grand Teton Mountains.
The company has market cap of $15.83 billion. It is 0.00% or $0 reaching $111.5 per share. Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE) has risen 11.92% since August 25, 2016 and is uptrending. The firm has "Equal-Weight" rating by Morgan Stanley given on Friday, December 16. (NYSE:CAH) is 28.00000. The Q.i. Priceline Grp Inc now has $88.72 billion valuation.
The company's 50 day moving average is $63.02 and its 200-day moving average is $61.38. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.42, for a total value of $6,474,210.00. Personal Capital Advisors Corp now owns 3,864 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $235,000 after buying an additional 112 shares in the last quarter.
But changes in durable goods orders often signal where the economy is headed, so forecasters and investors watch the report closely. Durable goods are pricey items meant to last for several years. Transportation equipment, which has also been down two of the last three months, fueled the decline, $4.8 billion or 0.6% to $772.2 billion. "As this rebound in capital spending appears sustained, we are forecasting another mid-single-digit advance in business investment in the third quarter", ...
It has underperformed by 3.92% the S&P500. Gentex Corporation designs and manufactures automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and electronics for the automotive industry, dimmable aircraft windows for the aviation industry, and commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices for the fire protection industry.
According to Finviz reported data, The SMA20 of the stock is at 0.88 percent, SMA50 is 2.39 percent, while SMA200 is -1.58 percent. The stock stands almost -8.52% off versus the 52-week high and 7.08% away from the 52-week low. If you are accessing this piece of content on another site, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of U.S. and global copyright and trademark law.
The company has promised to make "significantly more " units of the SNES Classic , but when preorders for the device went live on Amazon and Best Buy on Monday night, the device sold out nearly immediately. Five of Nintendo's major retail partners offered the new retro console for pre-order on August 22. Why wasn't Toys R Us among the ranks of retailers offering pre-orders for the SNES Classic? The NES Classic Edition and the SNES Classic Edition are low-priced, sought after by ...
Prelude Management Ltd Liability Corporation has invested 0.01% in 1-800-Flowers.Com Inc (NASDAQ: FLWS ). About 209,310 shares traded or 42.33% up from the average. 1-800 FLOWERS.COM (FLWS) opened at 8.00 on Friday. FLWS has been the topic of several recent research reports. The New York-based Tiaa Cref Management Ltd Co has invested 0% in 1-800-Flowers.Com Inc (NASDAQ:FLWS).
Nissei Eco Co., an unlisted plastic molding maker, wrote the chanting software for " Pepper ", which was introduced by SoftBank Group Corp.in 2014. They are the ones to put these robots up for sale. With financial support from Japan's ageing population decreasing, many Buddhist priests are having to seek part-time work outside their temple duties - and that's where the funeral robot could step in.
After keeping Technical check on movement of stock price comparison to its moving averages like 20, 50 and 200 SMA, we detected following trends of EVV. The Williams Percent Range or Williams %R is a technical indicator that was created to measure overbought and oversold market conditions. They may also be used to assist the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock.
Beta is also an important valuation ratio for analyzing the stock of the company, CPN has Beta of 1.02 while its industry and Sector's beta remains at 1.04 and 1.1 respectively. Therefore 40% are positive. The value of the investment in Calpine Corporation increased from $328,000 to $431,000 increasing 31.4% for the reporting period.
Network Rail said the work would bring positive changes to millions of passengers, with longer and more spacious trains running on the busiest lines. Motoring organisations expect about 15 million drivers to set out for leisure trips this weekend, with congestion building from Friday lunchtime.


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Team Blitz India
THE 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) commenced in Abu Dhabi with the participation of trade ministers and senior officials from around the world.
This event brings together ministers and senior officials worldwide to discuss international trade rules and regulations.
The gathering of 175 member -states, private sector leaders, NGOs, and civil society representatives will allow the global community to work together toward advancing a more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive trading system.
Ministerial Conferences are the highest decision-making body of the WTO and serve as crucial forums for member states to address trade challenges, refine trade rules, and set the agenda for global trade policy.
Building upon the advancements of MC12 held in Geneva in June 2022, where significant strides were made in areas such as fisheries subsidies, food security, and e-commerce, MC13 will focus on enhancing the access of developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to the global trading system, intellectual property, and WTO dispute resolution mechanisms.
The conference will also provide an opportunity to explore greater collaboration and partnership with non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and civil society to enhance the effectiveness of trade policies and programmes via a series of side events.
These include the TradeTech Global Forum, promoting the use of technology in global supply chains, and sessions on trade facilitation in partnership with Etihad Credit Insurance, trade finance with HSBC, SMEs with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), the WLP Logistics Challenges with DP World, Future of Cargo in collaboration with Emirates, and Sustainable Trade Africa. Established in 1995, the WTO oversees international trade rules.
Its biannual Ministerial Conference stands as its paramount decisionmaking forum, convening ministers and senior officials from all member states to review and update regulations shaping the global trading.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Arctic Cat Inc. said Tuesday its fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed on a steep jump in demand for all-terrain vehicles.
The Minneapolis-based company’s results beat Wall Street predictions, but it also issued lower-than-expected profit and sales predictions for the current fiscal year. Its shares tumbled more than 14 percent in morning trading.
For the quarter ended March 31, Arctic Cat posted a net loss of $6.2 million, or 49 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $9.6 million, or 52 cents per share, a year earlier.
The latest results are based on about 13.7 million outstanding shares, while those of the year-ago period are based on about 18.3 million shares.
Net sales jumped 34 percent to $98.5 million from $73.5 million, as ATV sales soared 58 percent to $75.8 million on strong dealer demand for a new off-road vehicle model.
Analysts, on average, expected a loss of 55 cents per share on $92.7 million in revenue, according to a FactSet poll.
The increase in ATV sales was partially offset by losses related to snowmobile sales, which grew to a negative $6.8 million from a negative $4.5 million in the year-ago quarter, mainly as a result of an increase in sales incentives.
Sales of parts, garments and accessories fell slightly to $29.5 million from $29.9 million.
Due to the seasonality of its businesses, Arctic Cat said it typically reports weaker results for its first and fourth fiscal quarters than it does for its second and third fiscal quarters.
For the full fiscal year 2012, Arctic Cat said its net income more than doubled to $29.9 million, or $1.72 per share, from $13 million, or 70 cents per share, in fiscal 2011. Revenue jumped to $585.3 million from $464.7 million.
For the current fiscal year, Arctic Cat said it expects industry wide North American sales of ATVs to be flat to down 5 percent and industry wide North American snowmobile sales to be flat to up 2 percent.
Based on those assumptions, Arctic Cat said it expects to post a fiscal 2013 profit of $2.40 to $2.50 per share on $631 million to $650 million in sales.
Analysts polled by FactSet expect a profit of $2.70 per share on $659.8 million in sales.
Arctic Cat shares dropped $6.03, or 14.3 percent, to $36.28 in morning trading. Its shares have fallen 24 percent since hitting a 52-week high of $47.46 in mid-April. Their low for the past year was $11.55 per share last June.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Fans who have been queuing for up to three days will finally be able to get their hands on the new iPhone when it goes on sale later this morning.
Some began queuing as early as Monday evening to buy Apple's latest model, the futuristic 5S handset which is equipped with a fingerprint scanner.
The device, which comes in gold, silver or "space" grey, is expected to fly off the shelves but it is unclear whether the colourful 5C will have the same reception.
More top news
The 17-year-old posted a supportive Instagram message accompanied by a childhood photo.
"Big Sam" was spotted letting his hair down in the seaside resort weeks after securing Premier League survival for Sunderland.
Greater Manchester Police visited a property twice on Saturday - finding a body on the second occasion.


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Recreational cannabis sales are currently underway in Oregon medical marijuana dispensaries, but rules have been drawn up that will govern a permanent recreational industry in the future.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission recently approved preliminary rules for the industry when it gets up and running next year to the tune of some 70+ pages worth.
One of the major rules would eliminate the current (temporary) system completely; retail sales would only be allowed in strictly recreational shops and there would be no mixing of medical and recreational sales.
The OLCC will oversee the industry and the enforcing of regulations. Growing operations will be limited to 10,000 square feet indoors and 40,000 outdoors in an attempt to limit supply. This will supposedly reduce the amount of cannabis available to be sold in the black market, when all it really does is keep the price of legal marijuana artificially high, which in turn helps the black market by lessening competition.
Other regulations include residency requirements for owners of marijuana businesses to make sure they have lived in Oregon for at least two years.
All in all, like most regulations, the rules from the OLCC will restrict economic development and seem rather excessive. It will be the job of activists in the state to get the regulations loosened so Oregon can feel the full economic effect of legalization.
Until then, it must be remembered that excessive regulations under legalization beat the no regulations of the black market — unless you’re a drug dealer, of course. Legalization is better than prohibition and retail sales are better than meeting a guy behind the 7-11 to get a baggie of who-the-hell-knows-what.
Oregon is on the road to full cannabis legalization, a road many other states will start on in the coming years. Hopefully they can help show the way to get it done right.


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After a sudden collapse in its profits, General Electric is considering breaking itself apart.
Nestle is selling nearly $3 billion worth of its U.S. candy brands, including Butterfinger, BabyRuth and Nerds, to Ferrero, the maker of Nutella.
Steve Bannon is subpoenaed by Mueller in the Russia inquiry.
The Dow Jones briefly tops 26,000 mark.
With all 49 Democrats on board, Senate leaders sound off on plan to restore net neutrality.
YC engineer launches Leap, an online community by women for women.
Bitcoin tumbles 20 percent as fears of cryptocurrency crackdown linger.
Reality TV queen Kim Kardashian and her husband music superstar Kanye West welcome a new baby girl via surrogate.
Photo: Jars of Nutella chocolate-hazelnut paste are displayed at a Carrefour hypermarket in Nice, France, April 6, 2016. Reuters/Eric Gaillard/File Photo


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At the beginning of this year, forecasters thought 2020 would see car sales in the U.S. of just under 17 million. That would’ve been a modest decline from 2019, when car sales were just over 17 million. Then coronavirus happened, and the new reality set in.
On March 18, an analyst said that auto sales could fall to 13.5 million this year, but back then that was more of an educated guess rather than an accepted truth. But it’s looking more and more accurate, and perhaps even an underestimate, an economist with the National Automobile Dealers Association said yesterday:
NADA now estimates new light-vehicle sales between 13 million and 13.5 million units for the year – down from an original 2020 sales forecast of 16.8 million units.
“While the impact of the coronavirus is uncertain at this point, we do know that the leases on 1.8 million vehicles are set to expire between March and July according to data from J.D. Power, and most of these customers will be in the market for a replacement vehicle,” added [NADA chief economist Patrick Manzi]. “Additionally, once Americans return to work, we expect pent up demand, but just how much is still ambiguous.”
Pent-up demand doesn’t seem like an unreasonable expectation when this is all over, though it’ll be interesting to see what percentage of that will also evaporate because people who might have otherwise bought a car remain unemployed.
On top of that, automakers had a lot of debuts planned that might have goosed sales but are now delayed. That includes the new Land Rover Defender, the new Ford Bronco, and the Aston Martin DBX, alongside recent-ish introductions like the Kia Seltos, Chevy Trailblazer, and the Tesla Model Y.
Bloomberg has a nice roundup of the situation that includes this dour note:
For sales of the most anticipated cars of 2020, the timing couldn’t be worse. In a normal economy, the first few months for any shiny new machine are relative magic. Overeager customers clamor for the fanciest, most profitable versions, and dealers seldom have to offer discounts or incentives. Now, every sale (done online or over the phone) will be considered a coup.