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Almond Market Update - April 10, 2023
California has had a full week with no measurable rainfall, it has been a while since we have had a dry spell. Temperatures however, remained about 10 degrees below normal for this time of the year - in the high 30’s in the morning hours and reaching highs of 58 degrees during the day. Not exactly the most ideal growing conditions, but this is about to switch. Forecasts for the holiday weekend see temperatures rising to the low 50’s in the mornings and daytime highs in the mid-70’s. Now that is more like it! It is April after all.
With no solid indication or factual data to predict how the winter storms will have played a role in the 2023 crop, we will wait patiently for estimates to be established. Expect to hear more information in the weeks ahead. We are entering a period of time now where the trees, if they are going to shed their almonds, will do so soon. By the end of April, more indicators will be available and shared, certainly on May 12th as the first official estimate by NASS will be announced.
It does not look like this will be a bounce back year for the crop, however. The 2020/2021 crop was a 3.1 billion pound harvest, followed by the 2021/2022 crop at 2.92 billion pounds, and this current crop 2022/2023 appears to be topping out at around 2.55 billion pounds.
Upcoming Industry Milestones:
- Bloom: Weather remained very cold and rainy through March, with temperatures below normal.
- Position Report: April 11, 2023
- Position Report: May 11, 2023
- Subjective Estimate: May 12, 2023 @ 9am
Almond Market Insight - Week 13 Update
Limited transactions have occurred over the last few weeks as growers wait for crop progression or sell on a limited basis, as needed. With limited sellers, the market has firmed during this period.
March shipments are expected to exceed February’s record level of 229 million pounds. This has helped to bring the expected carry-out down to a more manageable level when compared to last year’s 836 million pounds.
The 2023/2024 crop is appearing to be a concern with poor bloom conditions prevailing, the very wet winter may also lead to quality issues with insect damage once the weather heats up and the cutbacks by many growers due to poor market levels.
Economic conditions throughout the world are still volatile with high inflation, almond consumption is down in some sectors. This also holds true for our domestic market, which is the largest most developed market there is for almonds.
Exports have been transactional to this point, if prices continue to increase, this could slow things down. Domestic is already behind and the industry can ill-afford to miss any opportunities regardless of next year’s crop.
Shipments in February and March have all been at low price levels, thus the historic record shipments. With less sales in these two months, future shipments may suffer.


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This past fall, brothers Dan and Tim Waggoner took their visionary Canadian eyewear across the pond to London Fashion Week.
Their company, Loch, was invited by the Canadian government to showcase its designs — eyeglasses crafted out of ‘500-year-old timber’ dredged from Georgian Bay — at Canada House in Trafalgar Square. Their spot on the trendiest of trade missions could help the four-year-old startup build an international client base.
Back home in Canada, Tim spoke to us from his Loch headquarters, where the view outside his window is absolutely nothing like Trafalgar Square. The fledgling global eyewear empire is based in Indian River, Ontario — a small community part of Otonabee-Monaghan Township (population 6,670, according to the 2016 census).
“It’s about 10 minutes east of Peterborough,” Tim clarified, putting things in perspective. “Sheep. We can see sheep,” he laughed. Sharing his business’ story that includes trawling for long lost logs, Tim explained how the company began turning those submerged natural relics into eyewear, surviving sibling rivalry, building a global business from a tiny town — and how technology makes it all possible.
Making a spectacle with Loch glasses
Dan and Tim spent childhood summers with their grandparents in Honey Harbour on Georgian Bay. Today, divers plunge into the same waters to recover 500-year-old timbers swept to the bottom during the logging boom of the 1800s. (The ‘loch’ in their brand name is Scots Gaelic for ‘lake.’)
“You have to scuba down and then you hook the logs to balloons to bring them up onto a boat, clean them and kiln-dry them. We use roughly nine layers of (wooden) micro veneers that we press into a strong, lightweight, flexible product,” Tim explains.
The end product is a line of fashionable, eco-friendly frames available in various styles for both prescription lenses and sunglasses. Although they’re wood, the frames are heat adjustable (cue those micro veneer layers) and fitted with FDA approved, polycarbonate, anti-glare lenses from Japan.
Brothers in business
“We’re completely opposite personalities,” Tim confessed. As the managing partner, Tim (34) is all business, with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and two other startups under his belt. Chief designer Dan (30) comes from a visual arts background that includes video and graphic design.
“You pretty much want to kill each other half the time,” joked Tim. “It’s not like we’re having screaming fits all the time, but you really have to learn to communicate in a different way.”
In the end, family ties prevail. “For Dan and me, the biggest benefit of working together is trust and love. You just don’t have that with anyone else. We disagree. But we’re always going to choose our relationship over anything else.”
Those delicate family dynamics seem to be working for Loch. The company completed a successful Kickstarter campaign, was honoured to be named the 2017 Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial grand prize winner at Peterborough and Kawarthas’ The Innovation Cluster, and won Most Disruptive Startup at Canada Post’s 2018 E-Commerce Innovation Awards.
As Loch grows, why keep the company in Indian River? “Probably because we’re hopeless romantics!” explained Tim. “Plus, it’s really not hard for a small business to take up doing business anywhere. You’ve got the Internet and you can pretty much ship (products) anywhere.”
The Waggoners are completely sold on Ottawa-based ecommerce platform Shopify. “With the number of apps available for it and the number of developers on it, you can augment Shopify and update it as your business grows,” Tim said. “We can just change it a little bit instead of hiring someone to do custom coding.”
Loch also uses Shopify’s smartphone plug-in dongle to accept credit card payments at trade shows and pop-up shop events. For website analytics, the brothers tap into tools like Hotjar. For virtual communication, the duo relies on various apps.
“WhatsApp is great to have a sort of running thread, and you can keep that and use it for reviewing notes. We’ve used Google Hangouts when we’re doing work with investors or partners because having face-to-face communication is still important. We’ve used Skype as well, of course.”
With digital tech allowing them to grow their company from Indian River, Tim reckons Loch will stay there for the foreseeable future. “I don’t know how long it’ll be good for us logistically and financially,” he said. “But be where you like to be, and where you’re happy. We really like where we are.”

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Flight Centre shares could fly higher in 2021…
The post Here’s why the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price is up 26% so far in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia. –
The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price has been on the mends this year, following a disastrous 2020. The travel agent is set to return to leisure and corporate profitability as market conditions improve.
At Wednesday’s closing bell, Flight Centre shares ended the day up 2.30% to $20.01. This means that its shares have now accelerated 31% since hitting a low of $13.74 in mid-August.
Passengers gear up for international travel
Overseas holidays without the need to quarantine for fully-vaccinated passengers are expected to soon be a reality. This has had a profound impact on the Flight Centre share price, sending it to the mid-point of pre-COVID-19 levels.
The company held its annual general meeting (AGM) last week, highlighting demand for overseas travel. Leisure enquiries and quotes have surged for key locations as people look to book a much-needed holiday.
Fully-vaccinated passengers are offered more freedoms in travelling across Trans-Atlantic and other international destinations. For example, United States travellers can fly to the United Kingdom, and Fiji is opening its borders to vaccinated passengers from November.
Flight Centre said that more countries are accepting to live with the virus, with various international routes restarting.
The company is targeting a return to monthly profitability during FY22. However, this is based on the expectation that international travel continues to gradually return and Australian domestic borders remain open.
Sales revenue increased month-on-month. In particular, leisure and corporate recovery in the United States during Q4 FY21 ticked up a notch. Flight Centre noted that corporate transaction numbers were at 50% before COVID-19, representing around 40% of total transaction value (TTV).
Coupled with its leaner and more efficient cost base model, this is expected to provide bumper profits over the long term.
Flight Centre share price summary
Over the past 12 months, Flight Centre shares have soared almost 60%, with year-to-date up around 26%. A strong recovery forecasted in the travel sector led the company’s shares to touch an 18-month high of $25.28 on 5 October.
Flight Centre has a market capitalisation of roughly $3.99 billion, with close to 200 million shares on its registry.
The post Here’s why the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price is up 26% so far in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?
Before you consider Flight Centre, you’ll want to hear this.
Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Flight Centre wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.
*Returns as of August 16th 2021
Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.


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Corporations are reprioritizing their budgets to invest in experimental artificial-intelligence (AI) projects. While this shift bodes well for Microsoft, it could spell trouble for tech hardware vendors.
In a recent survey conducted by Piper Sandler, 147 chief information officers shared insights into their future spending plans. The survey results indicate a potential moderation in IT budgets for 2023, with an aggregate growth rate of 3.6% year over year. This figure represents a decline of 1.3 percentage points compared to the findings from six months ago.
However, hidden within these numbers lies an important trend: Companies are placing greater emphasis on the development of new AI applications. Generative AI, in particular, has catapulted nine spots up the priority list, emerging as the foremost technology trend for the next three years. The survey also highlights that a significant three-quarters of CIOs are presently testing or implementing AI projects.
As a consequence of this AI-centric shift in enterprise spending, Microsoft (ticker: MSFT) stands to be a major beneficiary. The company stands to gain through increased demand for its Azure cloud-computing service and the introduction of new paid software features.
Recent evidence suggests that Microsoft is making substantial strides in both domains. According to Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin, CIOs have expressed intentions to utilize more of Microsoft’s cloud services for AI purposes. Furthermore, Microsoft’s announcement of the upcoming AI-enabled Microsoft 365 Copilot software subscriptions, priced at $30 per user per month, has generated considerable excitement. This figure significantly surpasses Oppenheimer’s estimated price point of $20 per user and prompted a surge in investor interest. In fact, following this news, Microsoft stock witnessed a staggering increase of $102 billion in market value during a single trading session, propelling its shares to a record high this past Tuesday.
The Impact of AI on Hardware Suppliers
While Microsoft is thriving in the realm of AI, other vendors are encountering more difficulties. Based on responses from Chief Information Officers (CIOs), it is predicted that hardware suppliers, particularly computer server makers, will face budget pressures later this year.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) provides further evidence of the AI-driven budget-shift trend. As a dominant player in the high-end chip manufacturing market, TSMC has valuable insights into market changes. According to TrendForce, TSMC has a 60% share of the third-party chip manufacturing business, followed by Samsung Electronics with 12%.
TSMC management recently reported a softening in semiconductor demand. They noted that the macroeconomic environment, expectations for China’s recovery, and end-market demand appeared weaker compared to three months ago. Since the majority of TSMC’s business comes from the declining smartphone and PC categories, the company significantly revised down its financial guidance for the year. They now anticipate a year-over-year decline of 10% in revenue.
Aligning with the findings of the CIO survey, TSMC also observed a notable increase in AI-related interest. However, this surge in AI orders did not compensate for the overall drop in semiconductor demand.
The most significant takeaway from TSMC’s earnings call was Chairman Mark Liu’s response to a question about whether AI would cannibalize data-center processors. Liu acknowledged that in the short term, AI would indeed divert sales from traditional server chips when cloud service providers have fixed capex budgets.
Considering the alignment between CIO sentiments and the insights from the world’s largest chip foundry, investors must be aware of the risks that AI could bring to computer server and server processor manufacturers.


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By 2018, according to a report by IDC, the smartphone market will look much like it does now—but with Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform slowly closing in on Apple’s iPhone.
A report released by International Data Corp. late Wednesday predicts that by 2018, as now, phones powered by Google’s Android operating system will continue to control over two-thirds of the smartphone market, or 77.6 percent. Apple’s iPhone will be a second-tier player, with just 13.7 percent of all phones sold..
But for both of those platforms, IDC predicts that iOS and Android market share will decline, as Windows Phone begins nibbling away at the other two. IDC said that by 2018, Microsoft’s Windows Phone will hold a 6.4 percent market share, versus a predicted 3.5 percent in 2014. In 2014, IDC estimates that Android and iOS will command 80.2 percent and 14.8 percent market share, respectively.
And BlackBerry? It’s essentially dead: With only a 0.8 percent share today, the company’s share is expected to drop to 0.3 percent by 2018, IDC said.
Mobile “good enough” computing
The trend IDC sees is “good enough” computing extending from the PC to the smartphone and tablet. If consumers don’t choose to buy phones to run high-powered, graphically intensive apps, yesterday’s hardware works just fine. And Android still carries the low-cost banner, with the average price of an Android phone expected to drop from $254 to $215 in 2018.
“Until recently, low cost has equaled poor quality in the smartphone space,” said Ryan Reith, a program director with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said in a statement. “Given the competition at the high end, vendors like Motorola are trying to skate to where the puck is going by offering extremely affordable devices like the Moto E, which offer a ‘good enough’ experience that will suit the needs of many. This goes to show that components that were used 2-3 years back in high-end smartphones are still sufficient in many aspects, and ultimately will allow vendors to come to the table with viable low-cost solutions.”
IDC’s justification to boost its Windows Phone shipments is based on the firm’s belief that its increased number of hardware manufacturing partners will inevitably result in more sales. Microsoft recently announced Windows 8.1 with Bing, which will be offered free to hardware makers developing devices smaller than eight inches.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone partners include HTC and Samsung, as well as Lenovo, LG, Foxconn, Gionee, Lava (Xolo), Longcheer, JSR, Karbonn, ZTE, Micromax and Prestigio. To date, however, virtually all Windows Phones have been manufactured by Nokia, now part of Microsoft, with bare fractions from HTC and Samsung.
The key, for Microsoft, may be the addition of Micromax and Prestigio, popular brands in India and other BRIC countries.
“What makes smartphone growth so amazing is where the growth will be taking place,” said Ramon Llamas, a Research Manager with IDC’s mobile phone team, in a statement. “Smartphone shipments will more than double between now and 2018 within key emerging markets, including India, Indonesia, and Russia. In addition, China will account for nearly a third of all smartphone shipments in 2018. These—and other markets—will offer multiple opportunities to vendors and carriers alike, but the key will be balancing affordability with expectations.”


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You can expect to hear AMD detail its strike plan against Intel's Atom processor this November. According to Reg Hardware, new AMD CEO Dirk Meyer revealed this schedule yesterday after talking about the company's latest quarterly results.
Reg Hardware reckons AMD will compete against Atom with the Bobcat core it announced a while back. In a presentation last summer, AMD stated that it would design Bobcat's processor core from the ground up, and that the CPU would scale to power envelopes as low as 1W.
That said, another presentation slide slipped out last month showing what could be a different chip with the same goal. The slide described an AMD64 processor clocked at 1GHz with 256KB of L2 cache, an integrated DDR2-400 memory controller, an 800MHz HyperTransport link, and an 8W power envelope. DigiTimes later reported on a similar chip with a K8 core. Perhaps Bobcat is still on the horizon and AMD plans to go after Atom with a tweaked Athlon 64 core for now.
|1. GKey13 - $650||2. JohnC - $600||3. davidbowser - $501|
|4. cmpxchg - $500||5. DeadOfKnight - $400||6. danny e. - $375|
|7. the - $360||8. Ryszard - $351||9. rbattle - $350|
|10. Ryu Connor - $350|
|Maxwell's Dynamic Super Resolution explored||17|
|Updated: Microsoft shows Windows 10, preps public preview build for tomorrow||101|
|Windows 9 is actually called... Windows 10||99|
|Doom looks awesome in the Lego universe||12|
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|HP's new Intel-powered Win8.1 tablet costs $99||11|
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|Catalyst 14.9 drivers improve performance, CrossFire scaling||44|


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The last seven months have been an extended crash course in social entrepreneurship for Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow.
Since establishing Birch Bark Coffee Company last spring, the Birch Island entrepreneur has followed a path strewn with a lot of hard work, a little luck, a few challenges, and valuable insight. But through the process, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow has stayed true to his dream of a world in which every Indigenous person in Canada has access to clean, potable water.
“I'm trying to make a difference, and I'm trying to show people that companies such as the one I built with Birch Bark want to make some changes and want to inspire other entrepreneurs to follow suit,” he said during an Oct. 30 presentation at The Foundry, housed in the Jim Fielding Innovation & Commercialization Space at Laurentian University in Sudbury.
“It's very important going forward."
Birch Bark Coffee Company – which takes its name from the founder’s home community, located within Whitefish River First Nation – produces a line of organic, fair-trade, freshly roasted coffee blends. All proceeds from sales go toward the purchase of water purification systems, manufactured in Canada by Can-Am Wellness, which will be installed in Indigenous homes impacted by boil water advisories.
At the outset of his journey, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow figured he’d sell some coffee and start installing the purification systems right away. But the business took off so quickly, he said, he’s had to slow down and re-evaluate his business plan to ensure its long-term viability.
If the coffee doesn’t sell, he can’t buy water purification systems, and the communities won’t benefit, he reasoned.
“I'm committed to creating an environment that's inspiring and supportive for aspiring entrepreneurs,” he said. “And I'm trying to create a new movement with this business that's really unique. I'm trying to change the way we look at business.”
Partnerships have played an essential role in laying a solid foundation for the company.
Shortly after launching, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow connected with the founders of Canadian ecommerce company Shopify, who approached him about collaborating on promotion and sales. Since then, demand for his product has taken off – he averages $7,000 to $10,000 in monthly sales, something he said is “unheard of” for a coffee startup. The product has been shipped as far as Hawaii and Jamaica, and the list of retail outlets stocking his coffee is growing.
Working with Halifax-based Just Us!, the third largest coffee roaster in the Atlantic, he’s sourced coffee beans produced by other Indigenous communities around the world, some of which still husk the beans by hand, using traditional methods. It was important to Marsolais-Nahwegahbow to pay homage to coffee’s Indigenous origins.
A team of herbologists is experimenting with coffee infused with the essential oils of traditional Indigenous medicines like sweetgrass and sage, while Ridge Rock, a new Ottawa-based brewery, is using Birch Bark as a base to create their first cold brew coffee.
In the future, Marsolais-Nahwegahbow would like to switch to more sustainable packaging to reduce the products’ impact on the environment. He’s already moved to a smaller-sized format from his original one-pound bags to reduce waste.
“We switched down to 12-ounce bags because of a market survey that showed that… the purchasing of food is weekly,” he explained. “A pound of coffee just sits in the cupboard and goes rancid, so now they've found that 12-ounce bags actually go faster because they're used up more quickly.”
There are already plans to expand the line beyond the current five blends. Marsolais-Nahwegahbow is planning to release a sixth blend, to be called "Two-Spirited," the proceeds of which will go toward educational initiatives to support LGBT2Q+ communities.
Next April, the country’s capital will host the inaugural Ottawa Coffee Fest, where roasters, baristas and coffee companies will gather to celebrate their favourite steamy beverage, and proceeds from the one-day event will go directly to Birch Bark Coffee Company.
Marsolais-Nahwegahbow is appreciative of the support his fledgling venture has received to this point, and he recognizes he still has a long way to go. Yet his vision of clean water for Canada’s Indigenous people has never been clearer.
“The main thing that drives me is that I can’t wait to see the smiles on the people’s faces, especially the kids, the families, so I’m excited to do it,” he said. “It’s a big wish list. But I’ll do it.”


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With the automotive market in the country enjoying strong demand, many brands will soon be expanding their portfolio with the launch of many new offerings for the buyers across the segments
The Indian car market is currently extremely busy and a number of carmakers are all set to launch and update a number of new offerings for buyers. As many as five new premium SUVs and MPVs will be launched in the country this year and here is everything you need to know.
1. BYD Atto 3
BYD recently introduced the new Atto 3 in the Indian market and will soon be starting with the deliveries of this electric SUV. The Atto 3 will take on the rivals like the MG ZS EV and the Hyundai Kona in the country. With a claimed range of more than 500 km on a single charge, the BYD Atto 3 is currently one of the most practical and feature-rich electric cars in India.
3. Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus
The Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus is currently one of the most talked about upcoming seven-seater cars in the country and is expected to hit the showrooms in the next couple of months. In addition to a more spacious cabin, the new Bolero Neo will also boast larger dimensions and a more powerful diesel engine. It will be positioned above the standard Bolero Neo in the Indian market.
3. Toyota Innova Hycross
The upcoming next-gen model of the new Innova is also expected to make its debut in India soon and will offer a long list of updates for buyers. To be called the Innova Hycross, this new MPV will be offered with hybrid powertrain options, a premium and feature-rich cabin, new exterior styling and a brand new platform that will help it offer better dynamics and comfort levels for the buyers.
4. MG Hector Facelift
The new MG Hector was teased by the brand a few weeks ago and is expected to make its debut in next few months. While the SUV will continue to be offered with same powertrain options, the buyers will get updated exterior styling, new features, updated cabin and better safety features including ADAS safety tech. The Hector facelift will be sold alongside the current iteration of the Hector and is expected to be around Rs 1.5-2 lakh more expensive.
5. Hyundai Kona Facelift
The Hyundai Kona was one of the initial electric cars to enter the Indian market and offers a premium and feature-rich package for the buyers. The Korean carmaker will soon launch the new Kona facelift that will boast a new exterior design, better range, and updated cabin. More details are soon expected to be shared by the brand.


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Makau Corp., a provider of the foundational learning management system (LMS) and iPod training, has formed an alliance with The Foundation House, a nonprofit that combines charities worldwide with individuals who seek their services.
These are two of several organizations, including Clubco.com, that have shared their expertise and resources to launch Shopping for Abundance, the Christmas Charity Challenge.
Individuals who participate in the challenge commit to doing all their holiday shopping online through Clubco.com, and the participating retailers (including Nordstrom and Target) will donate 5 percent to their favorite charity.
Makau shared its custom learning resources with The Foundation House to create instructional videos and podcasts for the nonprofit.
Additionally, the company helped The Foundation House launch its library this summer, and founder Kristen Lamb said she has been pleased with the results.
She also praised Makau for its role in making Shopping for Abundance a reality.
“Imagine a world where every person and every business pitches in to help — just think of the funds that could go to the world’s good causes,” Lamb said. “We’ve come up with a way to do that, and Makau Corp. is a great example of what good can be done by sharing talents and resources.”
Several Makau employees have agreed to participate in Shopping for Abundance, including Scott Robinson, financial consultant and manager.
Robinson said he has chosen to shop for It’s a Miracle Center.
“Makau and its team are happy to support The Foundation House and shopping for charity,” he said. “With the amount of money other people and myself spend online, I believe giving a portion back to charity is a smart idea.”
He also thinks it’s a smart idea to shop online.
“I don’t have much free time, yet shopping online lets me creatively purchase gifts for my family on my lunch break or at home in the evenings,” Robinson said.
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The U.S said it would delay tariffs on French cosmetics, handbags and other imports in retaliation for a digital services tax Washington says will harm U.S. tech firms, while it investigates similar taxes elsewhere.
Function of Beauty said the investment will accelerate the company's product development, support its continued worldwide expansion, and build upon its already industry-leading customized manufacturing capabilities.
Wall Street's four-week slump deepened and the Dow Jones Industrials was set to surrender all its "Trump-bump" gains on Wednesday, as the coronavirus pandemic threatened to bring the U.S. economic activity to a halt.
A sense of freshness as well as high expectations surround the forthcoming edition of Momad, which is taking place on 6-8 February alongside Shoesroom. The event marks Julia González’s debut as its new director.
Ahead of the release of its latest ReBotl shoe capsule, the outerwear brand has announced an artistic collaboration with Middle Eastern sustainability pioneer Bee’ah to highlight the problem of plastic use in the UAE.


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Restaurants across New York City had been eagerly awaiting for the go ahead on outdoor dining ever since Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that New York City could roll out Phase 2 of opening on Monday, June 22. Hair salons, many offices and more retail shops got the green light, but restaurants hoping to jumpstart their hobbling businesses with al fresco dining weren’t sure where they stood with the announcement.
“We want to get money back into the pockets of restaurants,” de Blasio said. “It’s time to move forward.”
New Yorkers can expect more sidewalk seating and the city will also experiment with curb lane seating through Labor Day, where restaurants can set up tables on closed off streets. Of the 40 or so miles of streets now off-limits to traffic under the Open Streets initiative, the additional space may be converted to restaurant seating in July.
Before the current crisis, restaurants needed a permit to offer outdoor dining, but the Department of Transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg added that the city’s “Open Restaurants” plan will make it easier for businesses to apply for permits online with a self-certification application (existing alcohol licenses will also extend to the outdoor areas).
Even before today’s official announcement, New Yorkers antsy for social interaction have been gathering outside of restaurants and bars. Government officials balked at instances where large groups spilled onto sidewalks and streets as if they were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Over the weekend, Governor Cuomo even tweeted a threat that he would shut down the businesses if proper guidelines weren’t enforced. De Blasio echoed the same sentiments.
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Sony talk up advanced motion tech
Sony's Paul Holman, research and development boss, has revealed his belief that Sony's currently in-development motion control technology is several generations ahead of anything presently on offer.
"Oh, totally. It's another generation forward, or even a couple of generations," the big cheese told Eurogamer.net when comparisons were drawn with the Wiimote.
"I know in certain games or applications which are out there, people had to sort of fluff it to make it real for consumers. But this stuff is super-accurate and the impact of that is incredible.
"I think you have to play with it to realise what it will do to games."
The executive adds that Sony have confirmed a 2010 release already in order to give game developers the chance to get cracking on new releases. We'll have more on this soon.
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Nintendo is continuing the “Super Smashing Sale” in North America today. Games on the Wii U and 3DS eShops have been discounted to celebrate the upcoming release of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS.
Check the price of Metroid. $4.99 was $3.49???
Neat... I'd prefer Super Metroid than the NES original
This week is lame... Last week I got Oracle of Seasons (epic so far) and SMB3.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Reflecting continued efforts to ramp up the Castaños, Mexico factory and to mitigate supply-chain challenges, FreightCar America, Inc. (FCA) “experienced sequential improvement” in gross margin and profitability in first-quarter 2023, according to President and CEO Jim Meyer.
While FreightCar America (FCA) finished “strong” in 2022, ramping up operations in Castaños, Mexico, and delivering 3,184 railcars, the carbuilder in the fourth quarter “continued to experience margin pressure, primarily due to supply chain issues,” President and CEO Jim Meyer said during a March 27 financial report. “These dynamics will be with us through the first quarter of this year, after which we expect to see further improvement in our financial performance.”
While FreightCar America (FCA) “delivered another quarter of strong top-line growth” and produced “another record number of railcars at the Castaños facility,” third-quarter 2022 “financial results were muted by the combined impacts of delivering lower margin orders accepted at the bottom of the cycle and elevated freight costs,” FCA President and CEO Jim Meyer reported on Nov. 7.
For FreightCar America (FCA), the benefits of transitioning its manufacturing to Castaños, Mexico were evident in 2021 with “positive gross margin for the fifth consecutive quarter and manufacturing operating income for the third consecutive quarter, despite persistent supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures,” President and CEO Jim Meyer said during a fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 earnings announcement on March 22.
FreightCar America, Inc. (FCA) reported its fourth-quarter 2020 results on March 24, including revenue of $60.6 million, up 35% year-over-year on deliveries of 477 railcars.
FreightCar America (FCA) has reported its third-quarter 2020 results, including consolidated revenues of $25.2 million on deliveries of 163 railcars—a 38% drop from the year-earlier period’s $40.7 million on deliveries of 467 railcars—as the industry “remains in a cyclical downturn, which was intensified by the pandemic.” The company continues to move all railcar production to its new Mexico facility by early 2021.


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Cautious optimism as arrivals and occupancy levels improve
Despite 2011 having being a tough year, the resilience of South Africa’s travel and tourism industry – backed by the compelling value proposition of South Africa’s products and services – carried us through.
This was the message from Mavuso Msimang, Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) chairperson, when he was speaking at a high-level industry/government leadership dialogue that took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria on 30 August 2012.
Msimang said that despite 2011 having been a tough year with a difficult trading environment, the resilience of South Africa’s travel and tourism industry – backed by the compelling value proposition of South Africa’s products and services – had carried the industry through.
He said there were a number of reasons to be optimistic. ‘Tourist arrival numbers are on the increase and the TBCSA FNB Tourism Business Index (TBI) revealed the continued positive performance in the tourism industry in the 1st quarter of 2012.’
The 1st quarter of 2012 saw a 10.5% increase in tourist arrivals to South Africa, or 216 031 more tourists, with overseas tourist arrivals increasing by 17,8%.
Although the TBI for the 2nd quarter showed a slight slowdown in business performance, Msimang said the TBCSA remained optimistic that the tourism industry was slowly on the path to recovery.
Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said that although many risks and uncertainties remained, it appeared that the South African tourism sector had turned a corner in respect of occupancies – 1 of the main reasons for the despondency among stakeholders last year.
Both Van Schalkwyk and Msimang said they were encouraged by the positive financial results of JSE-listed tourism companies like City Lodge and Sun International, achieved on the back of recovering occupancies and increased average daily room rates.
But Van Schalkwyk also pointed out that pressures remained in many parts of South Africa’s tourism value chain.
Msimang warned that the continued rise in input cost was a pressure point for businesses and a reason to remain cautious. ‘Not only has this put a strain on operations, but it has also had a major impact on the consumer’s ability to travel.’ He cited further electricity tariff increases and the possible implementation of e-tolling in Gauteng as examples of these pressures.
He added that delays in implementation of the 'Univisa' (single visa) for Southern African Development Community countries and other barriers to entry for tourists needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency if South Africa hoped to increase its tourist arrivals market share.
Van Schalkwyk said meaningful progress had been made with respect to addressing the visa issues raised by the industry last year, although much more still had to be achieved. The new airlift strategy is also being finalised. ‘It will lay the foundation for better future alignment of South African Tourism and SAA’s market segmentation, and the Department of Transport’s airlift strategy and bilateral negotiations,’ he concluded.
He added that South Africa’s tourist arrivals figures confirmed that ‘spot-on’ decisions were made in the previous portfolio review when South Africa decided to establish a solid foothold and invest early in emerging markets.
‘In the first quarter of 2012, Brazil recorded year-on-year growth of more than 70% and India 23%. A measure of our success would be if some of these new ‘investment’ markets were to grow into "core" markets in years to come,’ he continued.


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TANZANIA – The Sixth Phase Government of Tanzania, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan Tanzanian government has inaugurated the Mkulazi sugar factory to help the nation meet its demand for sugar.
Realized through a collaborative effort between the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the Prison Corporation Service (SHIMA) the factory is also expected to significantly improve the economic fortunes of Tanzania.
“Having completed rigorous testing and commissioning, the factory is scheduled to commence at the end of December, marking a pivotal moment for Tanzania,” said Cyprian Luhemeja, the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Luhemeja emphasized that the construction of the factory represents a significant step forward for the nation.
He lauded the National Social Security Fund’s role in this endeavour, highlighting the creation of 11,000 new direct jobs as a testament to the positive impact on employment.
The Mkulazi factory, in its initial phase, is projected to have a production capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes of sugar, with plans to escalate this figure to 75,000 metric tonnes per year.
The government sees this development as a revolutionary initiative, reflecting favourable policies that encourage the fund to invest in productive sectors, thereby fostering economic development.
The Tanzanian government’s commitment to addressing the sugar shortage crisis is evident in its ongoing efforts. Earlier this year, plans were unveiled to construct mini-processing facilities for sweetener production within the country.
Prof Frederick Kahimba, the director general of Temdo, highlighted the necessity of small-scale processors to complement existing large-scale plants in meeting the domestic demand for sugar.
Presently, the country relies on four main factories – Kagera Sugar Ltd, Kilombero Sugar, Mtibwa Sugar Estates Ltd, and TPC Ltd – which collectively produce approximately 370,000 tonnes of sugar annually. However, this falls short of the domestic demand of around 670,000 tonnes.
The Tanzanian government, led by the ruling political party, has set an ambitious target to become self-sufficient by producing 700,000 tonnes of sugar by 2025.
The commitment to the sugar industry’s growth is further underscored by recent announcements, such as TPC’s plan to invest $45 million in constructing a molasses plant.
This strategic move aims to strengthen the sugar value chain in Tanzania, aligning with the overarching goal of achieving self-sufficiency and addressing the sugar shortage by 2025.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered the recall of 363,000 Tesla vehicles due to its Full Self-Driving Beta software.
In a recent announcement from Tesla itself, the report indicated that the recall will affect 362,758 of its electric vehicles including, “certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation.” The FSD Beta could be the source of crashes reported, the EV giant stated.
Since Tesla announced the FSD Beta program, the NHSTA had started an investigation that goes back to August 2021 for fatal highway accidents that were documented on social media. The investigation also looks into the software’s self-destructive and rogue behavior. Back in January, NHTSA’s acting head Ann Carlson said, “We’re investing a lot of resources. The resources require a lot of technical expertise, actually some legal novelty and so we’re moving as quickly as we can, but we also want to be careful and make sure we have all the information we need.”
Due to the recall, the EV company will also release free OTA updates to its customers to fix the issue.


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This past week, HTC unveiled its newest premium handset, the U12+.
The device features high-end specs, including a Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 6-inch LCD display, with a 2880 x 1440 pixel resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio.
The phone also includes the company’s own Edge Sense 2.0 functionality that allows the user to squeeze their handset to launch apps and even tap on the side of their U12+ to perform other actions, like going into one-handed mode.
The device also includes dual selfie and rear-facing cameras, a feature that’s not typical of flagship smartphones. While the U12+ consists of a number of features and specs that are often included in top tier flagships, it also lacks wireless charging. For some users, this is an immediate cause for dismissal.
Another considerable issue is the U12+’s lack of availability. In Canada, the phone is only available on HTC’s website, meaning you’d have to purchase the phone at full price — $1,099 for the 64GB model.
So what do you think of the HTC U12+? Is it a phone you’re considering purchasing? Would you buy the smartphone if it was available at Canadian carriers?
Let us know in the comments below.


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Browser puts Macs at risk
Published 10:00 pm, Tuesday, February 21, 2006
A newfound flaw in Apple Computer Inc.'s Safari Internet browser can be used by hackers to install malicious code on Apple's Macintosh computers.
Users can infect their computers when automatically opening "safe" files from Web sites, Symantec Corp., the No. 1 maker of anti-virus software, said in an e-mail.
Safari automatically opens photos and movies the browser deems safe. Symantec gave the flaw a "high severity" rating and said it knows of no attacks.
The Safari discovery follows two viruses unleashed last week on the most recent version of Apple's Mac OS X operating system, released last April.
- People With This Occupation Are Happiest Even Without Job Security Buzz 60
- PayPal CEO: A Company's Most Valuable Resource is its Employees Fortune
- GrubHub and Yelp Expand Reach to Offer Delivery to Over 80,000 Restaurants Wibbitz
- Young entrepreneur Blake Pyron heads to UN Fox4
- Lyft Testing Netflix-Like Subscription Packages for Riders Wibbitz
- Lexus Is Getting Into the Luxury Boat Business Fortune
- Start-Up Offering to Preserve & Upload Your Brain, But There's a Catch Buzz 60
- Amazon Unveils 'Spheres' Green Space In Seattle Associated Press
- Tariffs could affect Maine businesses WMTW
- Triad CEO provides tips on how women can maximize business potential, finances WXII
- Lending business changes policies in wake of Florida school shooting Fox5Atlanta
- The Booming Business of eSports Cheddar TV
- Inside essential oils marketing, a billion-dollar wellness business with plenty of critics Mic
- Millennials fell for scams more than grandparents last year Fox29
- International reaction to Trump's tariffs Euronews
- EXCLUSIVE: Facebook Takes on LinkedIn With New Jobs Tool Cheddar TV
- Amazon Acquires Smart Doorbell Maker 'Ring' for a Reported $1 Billion Wibbitz
- Apple Admits it Uses Google's Cloud for iCloud Wibbitz
- A look into the shipping container home business Fox29
- Airbnb Appeals To Luxury Market With 'Airbnb Plus' Buzz 60
Vincent Weafer, senior director of Symantec security response, called those attacks "proof of concepts," or efforts by hackers to prove that software from Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple is vulnerable.
"The first had lots of logic flaws, so that it wouldn't propagate," Weafer said in an interview last week. "The other tried to spread using a limited demonstration version" of Bluetooth software used in wireless applications.
Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system has long borne the brunt of hacker attentions.
The Redmond-based company, the world's largest software maker, has been working to improve the security of Windows, which has come under attack from more than 17,000 computer viruses and worms.


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Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi: reasons to visit now
Motor racing, contemporary art fairs, sailing, beaches and winter sun... There has never been a better time to visit the cultural capital of the UAE. By Laura Fowler
One result of the Arab Spring is that the UAE has become a more popular Middle-East destination than ever, with its capital, Abu Dhabi, gaining a reputation as a hub of culture, sport and leisure.
Among other highlights in coming months: the F1 Grand Prix and Volvo Ocean Race are swinging by on their world tours, Norman Foster has designed a futuristic pavilion for Abu Dhabi Art as well as a stylish shopping mall, Frank Gehry is working on the world's third Guggenheim and there's even a new Louvre planned for completion in the next couple of years. There are also beaches and an astonishing number of big hotel openings taking place this year and next - plus winter sun, less than seven hours away.


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MediaCom has today announced the appointment of Willie Pang, currently Chief Operating Officer, to the role of CEO of MediaCom Australia & New Zealand.
Pang will take the reins from Sean Seamer, MediaCom’s incumbent CEO, following Seamers’ recent appointment as CEO of Supercars Australia.
Joining MediaCom in 2015 as chief digital officer, and then promoted to chief operating officer in July 2017, Pang has become an invaluable asset to the agency’s people and clients.
He has more than 20 years’ experience at the forefront of a number of technology specialities, both for major international organisations and start-ups.
With a deep understanding of the business and commercial side of digital technology, Pang has played a leadership role in the transformation of MediaCom and diversification of the services provided to clients.
He is set to bring his skill sets, intimate knowledge of MediaCom’s people and product from his current position to continue to bolster MediaCom’s capabilities through its offices in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Mark Lollback, CEO of GroupM Australia & New Zealand, said: “I am extremely pleased to announce the leadership succession of MediaCom to Willie Pang as the agency’s new CEO.
“Willie is an impressive and talented individual who I have no doubt will continue the incredible momentum Sean has created within MediaCom over the last two years.
“A valued and respected member of our group, Willie’s promotion is a natural progression for him which also truly exemplifies MediaCom’s depth and breadth of talent.”
Commenting on his appointment, Pang said: “I am incredibly humbled to have been appointed CEO of MediaCom ANZ. I am passionate about continuing to build upon an already skilled team, one that will deliver incredible business performance for our client’s brands.
“My commitment continues to be providing best-in-class service to our clients and partners. We have a wonderful culture built on putting our people first and I relish the opportunity to help each and every one of our team members be the foundation for MediaCom to grow and prosper.
“I’d like to thank Sean for his commitment, passion and guidance since I joined the team. I’m very grateful to have had his support and leadership.”
Stephen Allan, worldwide chairman and CEO of MediaCom, said: “As one of our largest markets, Australia is a key part of MediaCom’s global network, and it’s a region we’re committed to growing even further. Under Willie’s leadership, I’m confident we’ll do so.
“Since joining our network in 2015, Willie has played a pivotal role in driving innovation and spearheading new operating systems and models to benefit both our agency and our clients.
“As CEO, he’ll use his leadership and knowledge of MediaCom’s people and clients to enhance and develop our services further.
“His appointment is reflective of the outstanding contribution he has already made to MediaCom both in Australia and globally.”
The change of leadership is effective from Thursday 1 March and will see Pang continue to reside in Melbourne.
Culture-leading publisher Highsnobiety continues to evolve its local operations with the appointment of Citizens of Culture as its strategic partner across media operations within Australia. Highsnobiety is a premium global brand dedicated to cultural pioneers, with work spanning across digital platforms, print media, documentaries, cutting edge events, a shopping platform and a full service creative […]
An investigation by British broadcaster ITV has found that Amazon is destroying millions of items in unsold or returned stock. The report specifically focuses on one of the 24 warehouses the company has in the UK. According to ITV News, the destroyed items are largely unused and new, either returned items or those which never […]
Australian fashion brand Witchery has partnered with B Corp GlamCorner as part of GlamCorner’s subscription box offering as the demand for everyday essentials soars. This partnership marks another milestone for the Australian fashion industry towards becoming more circular and introducing more paths to reduce textile waste. Customers nationally will be able to rent more of […]
The media, marketing and creative industries are being encouraged to host their own ‘Curry Club for COVID’ before 30th June to help meet the ambitious $100k target set by its organisers. Curry Club for COVID, which was conceived by long-time adtech executive Peter Bray, sales director at Impact, and is powered by industry social purpose organisation […]
The UnLtd Cup is returning for its tenth consecutive year, marking a decade of soccer shenanigans that’s raised nearly $500,000 for children’s mental health charity, KidsXpress. On July 22-23rd, 28 teams from across the industry will battle it out on the soccer field in the two-day tournament at Sydney University Sports and Fitness Centre, Darlington. […]
Australian-bred company Ultra Commerce has acquired New Zealand-based company Vesta eCommerce, a global software business providing leading product data management solutions. The recent acquisition is a significant move for the business, which is Australian born, owned, and headquartered, but has built out a global presence as it pursues rapid growth in the eCommerce market. Connecting […]
Canteen’s latest campaign features the combined talents of Director Luna Laure and creative agency Crater. The campaign strives to raise awareness for young people affected by cancer. The awareness campaign centres around Harry Barentson, who at 12 years of age found out his pregnant mum had cancer. The campaign aims to bring awareness to Canteen’s […]


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Stranger Things partners with Coke to bring back ‘new’ Coke experience of 1985
Netflix’s sci fi series Stranger Things is well known for its references to 80s pop culture, especially since its timeline is set from the early to the mid 80s where big hair was in, as well as oversized bomber jackets and skinny jeans.
In a recent promo, Coca Cola shared the series’ nod to the “new” Coca Cola, in several scenes. To fully appreciate this milestone, in the summer of 1985, Coca Cola rolled out a reformulated version of their most popular beverage which eventually tanked and was pulled out of stores within 79 days.
According to a press release from Coke, it has partnered with Netflix to make available on a limited run the “new” Coke to give Stranger Things fans a feel of this era.
“In a world of shifting media consumption, we continue to challenge ourselves to find creative and meaningful ways to participate in non-advertising platforms like Netflix to engage with the millions of fans who subscribe to streaming content services. We’re excited to partner with Netflix and play a key role in recreating the summer of 1985 in a uniquely Coca-Cola way,” Geoff Cottrill, senior vice president of strategic marketing, Coca-Cola North America, said in the statement.
The product will be available on a limited run via CokeStore.com/1985 starting May 23. Make sure to get yours before it runs out. (ANGEL ONG)


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Here's what you need to know about OnePlus' next generation of smartphones.
Laser focus technology, wider LTE support and longer-lasting battery -- is this the OnePlus Two?
Details on Microsoft's flagship have never been more interesting. Armed with Windows 10, will the Lumia 940 deliver expectations?
Looking to run a home OS, the OnePlus Two is expected to arrive in six months, reports indicated.
As far as industry speculations have taken it, two Lumia smartphones are expected to arrive in the indefinite future -- this year, hopefully.
Expected to arrive soon, here's why the new Nexus 6 could be better.
With Nokia out of the way, how will the next batch of Lumia smartphones be like?
Tipped to arrive with powerful specs, OnePlus' next smartphone could be the new Android Lollipop standard.
The Galaxy Note 5 has been tipped to come as early as August, bringing incredibly huge upgrades from its predecessor.
The successor to the metal-framed Galaxy Note 4 may get a major camera upgrade, on top of a stunning display.
Here are 2015's most anticipated smartphones -- which one do you look forward to see?
It's said to be one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2015. How well do you know Xiaomi's Mi 5?
See the upgrade schedules of other HTC devices here.
Bezel-less, waterproof, more megapixels and Lollipop -- what more can you ask for? Here's everything whispered about LG's upcoming flagship.
Consiga dos boletos por el precio de uno con el código OBWW2018.
The superhero movie "Deadpool" has crushed box-office records despite the restricted rating (Rated R) given to the film.
This was the first time in their 52 years in the industry to reveal three cover girls.


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Wanda City is the company’s brand of operations that integrates culture, sports, tourism, hospitality, and commercial properties. It is the second such project greenlighted in the past days, having signed one in Hunan Province last week.
Xi’an, a former capital of China and the start of the ancient Silk Road, is already a major tourist destination. It boasts world heritage-protected temples, pagodas and relics. Wanda says that it will cooperate with the Shaanxi provincial government in commercial properties, culture, Internet technology and finance.
It will invest $7.3 billion (RMB50 million) in the Wanda City and a further $7.7 billion (RMB53 billion) across the province, including the building of a further 19 Wanda Plaza shopping malls in 10 cities.
Wanda promises to bring the Ironman competition and other sporting events to Xi’an. It acquired the World Triathlon Corporation, which operates the Ironman endurance competitions, in a $650 million deal last year.
Wanda sees its cultural tourism centers as rivals to the theme parks being developed in China by Western entertainment conglomerates including Disney, Six Flags and Comcast-Universal-DreamWorks Animation.


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Shares of The Clorox Company (CLX 2.07%) rose 10.1% in November, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, after the consumer products specialist announced solid quarterly results in spite of the impact of this year's hurricanes.
More specifically, Clorox's fiscal first-quarter revenue climbed a modest 4% year over year, to $1.5 billion. That translated to 7% growth in net earnings to $192 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, which was comfortably ahead of the $1.42 per share Wall Street was expecting.
That's not to say Clorox's rise last month came all at once, as is so often the case with more volatile names in the stock market of late. Rather, Clorox's share price rose gradually throughout the month to end up more than 10%, easily outpacing the S&P 500's modest 2.6% return over the same period.
In any case, chairman and CEO Benno Dorer said he was "very pleased" with the company's start to the fiscal year, noting its growth came despite a difficult comparison to "very good results" in the same year-ago period.
"Broad-based strength in our business from strong execution of our 2020 Strategy led to sales increases and gross margin expansion across all of our segments," Dorer elaborated.
Looking ahead to the full fiscal year, Clorox also told investors to expect 1% to 3% sales growth (down from 2% to 4% previously), and earnings per diluted share in the range of $5.47 to $5.67 (down from its prior range of $5.52 to $5.72). These slight changes might look concerning at first glance, but they primarily reflect divestiture of its Aplicare business in late August. So more than anything, Clorox's "new" guidance was effectively a reiteration of its previous expectations.
In the end, though, given its slight bottom-line beat to kick off the fiscal year, it was no surprise to see Clorox stock climbing in response last month.


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This is the next-generation Triumph Street Triple. According to international media, there’s just enough evidence to show that they are pictures of the new 800cc Street Triple that’s currently under development, albeit unclear. Just like the Speed Triple, the Street Triple is expected to get a number of changes.
According to a buyer’s survey sent out last year asking potential owners about their preferences for the machine and listing some details for the upcoming Street Triple. The bike was listed having a capacity of ‘above 750cc’ and as available in four different models. The base model features an 110bhp engine with non-adjustable Kayaba suspension and an 115bhp ‘R’ version with adjustable Showa kit and radial Nissins brakes. The survey listed an ‘RT’ variant with 125bhp and touring add-ons including a screen. The top of the range variant was an ‘RS’ also with 125bhp but gaining Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes.
According to rumours, the increase in capacity is likely to be a reaction, in part, to the significant engine updates needed to pass Euro-4 regulations. While the Euro-4 bit has taken away from the performance of the motorcycle, the extra capacity is to make up for any of those losses. The double-sided swingarm and lack of an underseat exhaust clearly shows that the motorcycle is in fact the Street Triple and not the Speed Triple.
From the pictures, the Street Triple’s styling update consists of a pair of metal cowls on each end of the radiator. The picture of the rear, shows that the bike has gained bar-end mirrors. The next-gen Street Triple is expected to be unveiled at one of the international motor shows towards the end of the year. However, we can expect to see the motorcycle in India sometime in the beginning of 2017.


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January 30, 2004
From French News.com
Bastard Chocolates from Brussels
A well-known chocolatier from the Tarn has created a 40kg bust of Nicolas Sarkozy in protest against the European commission directive permitting the sale of chocolate containing vegetable oil, as chocolate. Why Nicolas Sarkozy? Because the chef d’œuvre was supposed to be delivered on Saint-Nicolas’ day. Unfortunately, although the chocolatier Yves Thuriès convoyed his statue to Paris in person, it only reached the deputy prime minister in the New Year as he has been rushing about all over the place
The big beef is that, since August 2003, 5% vegetable oil may be added to chocolate without being mentioned in the ingredients. “This is imitation chocolate, a fish finger of a chocolate,” thundered Monsieur Thuriès. “There should be an indication on the packet. It is the beginning of all sorts of bastardisations. It is as if beetroot juice could be secretly added to wine or margarine to butter.”
Before there is too much muttering about bloody Brussels, it should be recalled that the ungastronomic nature of the chocolate directive has to be laid at the door of the British government who, some ten years ago or more, successfully fought for the right to preserve intact their own hallowed gourmet names in milk chocolate, complete with secret soap ingredient.


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2/15/2014 7:00 AM
By Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade Special Sections Editor
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Dairy farming tends to be a multigenerational business. But Jon Gilbert and Bill Morgan of Scipio Springs Dairy in Union Springs, N.Y., are the exception. They are first-generation dairy farmers.
“Neither Jon or I were raised on a dairy farm,” Morgan said at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit on Wednesday morning. “We chose a career in dairy farming.”
The pair spoke to about 300 dairy producers and industry representatives at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College.
Morgan used to spend childhood summers on an uncle’s farm in Susquehanna County and started his dairy career working as a herdsman for several farms before joining the team at Oakwood Dairy.
Gilbert started his career in the Farm Credit system before he also joined Oakwood. Both eventually became partners at the Auburn, N.Y., farm.
After spending several years at Oakwood, the pair decided they wanted to strike out on their own, and Scipio Springs Dairy was born.
They took their experiences at Oakwood and broke ground on the farm in 2002, establishing a 500-cow dairy. Employing the Oakwood model of labor efficiency and high production, they focused on building a dairy barn on a crop farm, contracting for their crops and heifer raising.
With their limited capital, purchasing feed for their dairy made the most sense. “Until ethanol,” Morgan said. “When you are a purchased-feed dairy, you are going to compete with grain.”
As grain prices rose, he said, they had to adjust. Around the same time, they decided to look for a satellite dairy to improve their land base.
The farm had to meet specific criteria for location, facilities and soil types. They purchased Windsong Dairy near Watertown, N.Y., bringing in one of their herdsmen, Diesel Hitt, as a partner in the operation.
Morgan said it was a way to keep Hitt a part of the farm team. The satellite dairy has a double-16 herringbone parlor and a 500-cow freestall barn.
“As a startup dairy, you can’t spend extra money on labor,” Gilbert said.
The partners have worked to develop systems that are beneficial to the employees as well as the cows.
Today, Scipio Spring Dairy has 800 cows with a rolling herd average of 30,700 pounds of milk and 600 acres. Windsong Dairy has 600 cows with a rolling herd average of 28,920 and 1,400 acres.
The business is a member of the Cayuga Marketing Group, a farmer-operated milk marketing organization.
Gilbert said one of the cow management goals is to keep the systems simple. Cow moves between groups are minimized because they are hard on the cows as well as the employees. There are only two rations, one for the milking group and one for the dry cow group.
Gilbert spoke of the purchase of a larger feed mixer for the dairy, which helped free up employee time to “do more than just chores.” Both milking parlors are designed to be managed with minimal labor as well.
They also pay close attention to the benchmarks for their farm, reviewing milk production, breeding programs and cow culling. In addition to setting their own goals, they look at other farms in the Cayuga Group to see how they stack up. Their goal is to be in the upper third of Cayuga farms.
To better manage feed quality with their contracted growers, they purchase crops on a per-acre basis, not by tonnage. They also prefer brown midrib corn varieties for their nutritional value.
They work with their farmers to earn credits for their manure for its fertilizer value. To address field compaction, neighbor complaints and environmental concerns, they use a drag line and injection system.
Haylage and alfalfa contracts are handled in the same way. Morgan said they look at the long term of the contracts because cyclical challenges tend to average out over the long haul for both the dairy and their partners.
Morgan said land is a “tight commodity” in their area. When a neighboring farm came up for sale, they contacted a corn silage grower who was also interested in the property.
Instead of competing with each other, they established a limited liability corporation to jointly own the farm.
“It’s worked out really well,” Morgan said. “There are plenty of other farmers to compete with” for property.
In their heifer raising system, they focus on a high milk diet to get the calves started right, plus feeding a high-quality grain. The calves are gaining about 2 pounds per day.
“We are spending a lot on groceries for the calves,” Gilbert said.
Failure to get calves started correctly can be costly in the long run. Studies have shown that the production difference can range between 3 and 5 pounds per cow per day, he said.
They meet regularly with different teams of their partners and employees to review successes as well as challenges.
Gilbert said it’s important to remember that “little things are not so little. Some of those things can make a big difference, especially if employees are away from family.”
When employees reach a long-term goal, they organize a celebration. Gilbert said that when the farm hit 90 and then 100 pounds of milk per cow per day, they took the employees on a dinner cruise to celebrate.
They also celebrate employee birthdays, saying that those investments can help generate better buy-in and value to their part of the operation.
Cayuga Milk Ingredients <\n>Set to Open Plant in July
Morgan also spoke about the decision by several dairy farms in Cayuga Milk Marketing to spin off a new enterprise, Cayuga Milk Ingredients, and construct a milk protein concentrate and isolates plant in New York state.
A total of 21 dairy farms are members of the group, which broke ground in October 2012 to construct this plant.
“We wanted to be in a product with little marketing and transport,” Morgan said. When completed, the plant will have 600 million to 800 million pounds of milk processing capacity.
They are working with the French company Ingredia, are licensed to use its processing technology and have entered into a milk marketing arrangement.
Milk from the plant is destined for the international marketplace, Morgan said, targeting North America, the Middle East and North Africa among other regions.


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A staggering 560 million pints of beer will be wasted due to limitations on pub opening rules and curbs on the sale of alcohol.
Pubs were forced to call time in England during lockdown and few are expected to open fully once the three-tier system begins after December 2.
Brewers and bar owners are still in the dark as to how lockdown and the tier system will affect their sales. Subsequently, kitchenware store, Oliver’s Kitchen, has used publicly available data to conduct research into how much beer is set to be wasted thanks to the guidelines.
Its research revealed that in 2019 over eight billion pints were sold in the UK, meaning that over England’s 30-day lockdown period an estimated 560 million pints could be going down the drain. That is the equivalent of 106 Olympic-sized swimming pools, over 1.6 million bathtubs or enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall three times over.
Additionally, studies show that the UK public spent over £5.7billion on beer in 2019, with England making up 84 per cent of the UK, this would suggest hospitality venues could lose out on almost £400 million, from one month of lockdown alone.
The research revealed that total alcohol sales in 2020 have slumped 20 per cent, while total alcohol sales in supermarkets and shops were up 35 per cent over the first lockdown period, suggesting that people are now more inclined to drink at home rather than picking up a takeaway pint or heading to the pub.
Restrictions placed on pubs in particular may be having an impact on more than just the economy; a survey conducted by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) found that 32 per cent of respondents identified the pub as the best place to meet friends, with the study also suggesting that the sense of community provided in a pub can be beneficial to one’s overall wellbeing.
Oliver Warburton, founder of Oliver’s Kitchen, said: "It really is a shame that so much beer is being wasted, not only for the owners of the venues who are losing money, but also for their regulars who rely on their local watering holes for socialisation.
"Pub culture is such an important part of the UK, whether you are a drinker or not, and to lose that would be totally detrimental to the wealth of the community both economically and socially.
“Now more than ever, the public must do all they can to follow government guidelines in the hope that life can get back to normal as soon as possible, for businesses and individuals alike.”


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PAMRO | 6 week countdown to 22nd annual conferenceSubmitted by Beverley Bradley
Countdown to PAMROs 22nd annual conference Bringing a meaningful online experience to delegates.
It’s six weeks until The Pan African Media Research Organisation (PAMRO’s) 22nd Annual Conference. PAMRO’s aim this year is to offer a bigger, better, bolder conference, within the virtual space. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and another uncharacteristic year leading to the second virtual conference; The organisation has recognised the need for adapting to change while still ensuring that the industries zest for knowledge be accommodated.
PAMRO’s virtual conference will take place from Tuesday 26th October to Thursday 28th October - meetings will commence from 11h00 to 14h00 SA time (GMT+2). Delegates will have front screen seats to presentations from global brands operating in Africa, real life case studies from the continent, and Q&A sessions where a lot of the learning takes place.
“We believe PAMRO’S annual conference is the gold standard in the latest Africa and international media trends and industry information. Last year over 700 delegates joined our conference. This year, so far, we've had over 100 registrations. There's still time, and we urge you to join the brightest minds in media and get a fresh perspective on communicating with your audience, implementing content, marketing, distribution and digital strategy. Out theme this year is “Finding certainty in uncertain times through measurement” and I look forward to hosting you there,”said Sifiso Falala President of PAMRO.
The daily sessions will cover a variety of topics from elevated media practice in Africa, consumer behaviour insights, global media trends and challenges, to research methodologies, and strategic recommendations, as well as case studies presented by numerous thought leaders and captains of industry.
If you are a media research professional, or if you represent a brand that seeks to learn more about refining your Africa business strategy, this is one conference not to be missed.
Each session will be 20 minutes with an additional 10 minutes apportioned to Q&A. “Once again PAMRO is delivering a stellar speaker line-up for delegates this year. The quality of the material submitted so far by organisations has been really amazing, making it difficult to select the final programme. Our delegates are in for a line-up that is going to be both stimulating and exciting – everything that makes a conference worthwhile attending. Furthermore, we know this will help them in their business roles in the industry,” says Jennifer Daniel Executive Director of PAMRO.
- Big data on its own, makes no sense without “small panels” and sophisticated algorithms. The future of measurement will include more modelling and be less dependent on individual respondent media consumption behaviour. You ask why measurement must evolve this way, the litany of reasons include fragmented media consumption, respondents cannot answer accurately, gaps in data, challenges in linking devices to people, privacy issues. Big data is the only way to measure granularity. This session looks at what hybrid systems could look like including panel plus modelling. Promising to be a popular session, it will be presented Robert Rudd and Brenda Wortley from 3M3A Team.
- Millennials and Gen Z are poised to drive the crypto revolution in Africa. If Africa can be the next frontier of global development and economic growth, solving many challenges - a job which may have to fall on the shoulders of Africa's youth, is necessary. Millennials and Gen Z are well on their way to solving challenges related to exchange rate policies, high inflation rates, and currency devaluations. Having already adopted mobile money through mPesa, EcoCash, GCash and Tigo Pesa, Africa's youth have also shown an enthusiasm to adopt cryptocurrencies. For this tech-savvy youth of approximately 500 million, crypto is a more reliable alternative in an unstable and volatile economy. Using Nielsen's Ad Intel Insights we monitored the buzz around "crypto" across seven key African markets. For audience, sentiment, topics, themes, and trends in the crypto revolution this session is not to be missed; Presented by Noah Makholwa, Digital Manager at Nielsen.
Gladiator in HeelsBeverley Bradley
Freelance PR consultant
Latest press releases
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Einride's autonomous T-Pod may look like a giant freezer on wheels, but it's likely to be on the road fairly soon. According to TechCrunch, the company announced today that the first customer deliveries of the self-driving transport vehicle will begin this fall.
The T-pod can transport standard cargo pallets and travel up to 124 miles on a single charge. It can drive itself on highways, but a human will take over on main roads via remote. TechCrunch says that the trucks will use the Nvidia Drive AI platform to plan driving paths and intelligently sense the environments. Einride also hopes to have a fleet of 200 with an initial route set between Gothenberg and Helsingborg in Sweden.


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Soma is getting an official “safe mode” that removes monster attacks. Frictional Games’ lauded techno-horror game will land on Xbox One on December 1st, and the developers have added a mode that removes monster attacks so the player can freely explore and experience the psychological fear without worrying about running from clumsy automatons. According to Frictional, some mamby-pamby cowards have been too frightened of the monster attacks to play the game. This new version of the game should solve that problem.
Players on PC have had a Wuss Mode mod available almost since launch thanks to the Steam Workshop.


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Balancing convenience with security is a perennial issue for banking and the movement toward mobile has only made it tougher to do.
Mobile banking needs to be fast, but security has to remain paramount in an age of evermore cyberattacks.
Moven, a neobank that partners with CBW Bank on its direct-to-consumer product, says it has greatly improved the issue for its app by tying the security features with the risk associated with various functions.
Soon, its mobile app will let users access the vast majority of its features without entering in usernames or passwords or even supplying thumbprints. In those instances, the device identification will be suffice.
For riskier transactions, like money transfers to external bank accounts or contacting customer service, the neobank will require additional authentication, including usernames and passwords or more.
For now, the approach is bold and speaks to the growing demand from consumers to make their digital experiences as simple as possible. Some banks let consumers access their balances and transactions without supplying username or password or PINs. But Moven's new model will let users do everything from categorize a transaction to view a spending insight. It eliminates one of the major reasons why people abandon a task: the hassle of having to enter passwords.
"Even a fingerprint may be considered too much friction for checking one's financial health, and we really are looking to inspire behavioral change via engagement," said Bob Savino, Moven's chief technology officer.
Moven's focus on personal financial management works best when its users interact with the platform often, so the company perhaps has more at stake in removing friction from the process. For instance, a user might turn to the app to see how the dinner she just bought fits into her overall spending.
Historically, PFM features published in banks' websites have suffered from abysmal adoption. Analysts have attributed the poor results to navigation challenges, among other things.
Savino views the upcoming security overhaul as the latest example of what the neobank truly is taking to heart.
"We are looking to reinvent banking," said Savino.
The model is being deployed in the Android App Store in the next few weeks, followed by in the Apple App Store in early January. It will require Moven to use iOS and Android secure keystores to store a device authentication token, which is encrypted, and then used in future sessions as a way to ID customers.
The approach is rare in fintech with exceptions. Prism, one of Moven's partners and a mobile bill pay provider, will not ask for credentials until someone pays a bill, said Savino.
Its other international bank partners (like TD Bank) could leverage the capability if interested.
Beyond aiming to boost engagement and improve convenience, Savino says the security update will benefit Moven's widget and wearable strategy.
The company is conservatively projecting that interactions with the app will increase by 10% to 20% per month after the update because it will be a quicker experience. Rather than taking 30 to 60 seconds to go from a locked screen to being in the app, it could take five to 10 seconds.
"We expect a pretty dramatic lift in engagement," Savino said, adding that he believes the model will eventually become the industry standard. According to a report published from Aite Group, 79% of banks expect to increase their digital fraud spending over the next two years and improving the customer experience through a device that bankers may already consider a security token was one of the drivers.
"It's a very robust device that [most]of us our carrying with us," said Julie Conroy, research director at Aite Group and author of the report.
Conroy said banks are investing in mobile security, including but not limited to, device authentication. However, she says banks are moving more toward the direction of using a biometric and the device instead of Moven's approach.
Some analysts believe a world without passwords or logins for mobile transactions is farfetched because mobile devices often still lack anti-virus and anti-trojan software and others used to mitigate malware.
"I think we're a long, long way off from mobile transactions being done directly with a bank on a no-login/no-passcode basis," said Jim O'Neill, a senior analyst at Celent.
The exceptions, according to O'Neill, include some banks displaying limited data.
Indeed, a growing number of banks like Citigroup, Bank of the West and JPMorgan Chase have updated their apps to let customers view their bank balances and recent transactions — the most common inquiries — without entering in their username and passwords.
According to Javelin Strategy & Research's most recent data, 23% of the top 30 FIs supported that feature as of 2014.
With 80% of Moven's features considered low-risk, Savino says the mobile-first company wanted to extend an easier login to much more than simply quicker balances. It is looking to incorporate the device trust model to additional features, too, such as an internal money transfers that it calls "impulse savings."
By taking away the password prompt process for many of the functions, Moven will become more like non-financial apps. There is no fingerprint requirement to access email or a Fitbit app on a phone, Savino noted. The company will still need to balance the ease of access with education about the model by reminding users to do things like lock their smartphones, he added.
Consumers are still apprehensive about using mobile banking because of security concerns, some research shows. But Savino said it has received requests for such functionality and millennials — its target user base — are more comfortable with the approach.
Moven's planned update also comes as most banks largely treat personal financial management as an ancillary feature, rather than a prominent part of their features.
By making it easy, Moven might find a way to gain momentum in PFM.
Traditional PFM has struggled because those offering it often fail to address "the needs of on-the-go consumers armed with smartphones who confront incremental financial decisions on the fly every day," said Mark Schwanhausser, a director of omnichannel financial services at Javelin Stratgey & Research.


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DigiTimes reports Acer, ASUS, Samsung and Toshiba are all developing ARM-based notebooks. These products are expected to hit the market as early as late 2011, with pricing said to be lower than $299. The site also mentions that ASUS is working on a 13" ARM-based notebook with NVIDIA's Tegra (3?) and Android.
The sources pointed out that ARM-based systems using Android were already launched under the smartbook name two years ago with Toshiba and Lenovo both launching products in the retail channel. However, due to weaker than expected demand, the related products were soon phased out of the market.
Since ARM's CPU has already been upgraded from single-core two years ago to quad-core with a significant increase in performance, while the platform's storage capacity has also seen significant improvements, and an enhanced user interface, ARM is already capable of launching notebook products that are able to run for a long period of time, and if the price is attractive, there is a great chance for the products to create a brand new market segment in the IT industry.


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The old saw “they don’t make them like they used to” has taken on new meaning as complex products make repair difficult or impossible.
Increasingly, this is by design – as a way for manufacturers to control the profits from electronics, household appliances, and machinery in the agricultural and other sectors, after the point of sale.
“They do this by putting in place design features that make it difficult for the end user to repair the product, and by using software and DRM – digital rights management – to make it difficult as well to get it repaired” says Rodrigo Samayoa, a campaigner for the digital rights advocacy group OpenMedia. “They also restrict the sale of parts.”
In response, a coalition of tech nerds, tinkers, environmentalists, small-scale manufacturers, farmers, and lawmakers are fighting for the “right to repair.” They want products to be repairable, and replacement parts, diagnostic tools, and repair information available.
The idea appears to have broad backing. In a poll of nearly 1700 Canadians, commissioned in May by OpenMedia, three-quarters of respondents said they would support right-to-repair legislation. The poll also indicated that while only a quarter of respondents said they were familiar with right to repair, support increased with awareness.
“As soon as a bill for right to repair is proposed, lobbyists from Apple, John Deere, Samsung, and Microsoft come in and immediately start lobbying politicians to oppose it.”
Such legislation would keep electronics out of landfills and create jobs in the repair sector, says Barb Hetherington, co-founder of Zero Waste Canada, a non-profit group that advocates for a circular economy.
“It promotes the local circle in the circular economy, because if you can repair locally and retain the value, you are significantly reducing the environmental impact of that product.”
Much of the world’s broken electronics are offloaded to the developing world, where the World Health Organization says workers risk their health prying copper, gold, silver, and other valuable metals from busted televisions, computers, smartphones, and other gadgets. The rudimentary recycling often happens in family homes and without protective equipment – exposing workers and their children to lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, fire retardants, and other toxic materials.
In Europe, right to repair has been cast into law for some industries. Under new EU rules, manufacturers of appliances, computers, televisions, other plug-in electronics, and lighting will have to build their products to last longer and provide spare parts for their machines for up to 10 years. The products also have to be repairable with common tools. In the US, right to repair bills have been introduced in around 20 states.
“Meanwhile in Canada, the only legislation we’ve seen was a bill in Ontario proposed by Liberal MPP, Michael Couteau,” says Samayoa. “It got voted down pretty fast.”
According to reporting by VICE media, the bill was killed after lobbying from an industry group representing Apple, Panasonic, and other Big Tech companies – a familiar fate for US right-to-repair legislation.
“It shows how entrenched powers are benefiting from this, from not allowing the right to repair to come to Canada,” Samayoa says. “It’s the same story we have seen all throughout the United States, where as soon as a bill for right to repair is proposed, lobbyists from Apple, John Deere, Samsung, and Microsoft come in, and immediately start both attacking the idea and lobbying politicians to oppose it.”
Still, Samayoa says OpenMedia is hopeful momentum is building for federal legislation, or for provincial legislation that will set a precedent, break the levy, and have national legislation follow.
Canada does have a right-to-repair agreement in place for automobiles, and Samayoa says it’s the reason you can take your car in to a mechanic of your choice, or fix it yourself.
Scott Smith is a machinery designer for Saskatchewan-based Honey Bee Manufacturing, which makes aftermarket harvesting heads for combines. He says monopolistic practices by large agricultural equipment manufacturers – behind the guise of digital copyrights – are shutting smaller players out of the marketplace.
Smith says a combine manufacturer recently told Honey Bee that the digital technology to couple Honey Bee’s combine head to a new model of combine would be kept an in-house secret. Smith says this is contrary to Canada’s Competition Act.
“Ownership is broken. We pay the money for the full product, but we only retain ownership of the physical stuff that can break and that we have to pay to repair.”
“The layer of technology they put on there gives you a marginal increase in customer value,” Smith says. “But it creates a huge revenue stream for the [manufacturer], for data collection and data sales, and it provides the ability to put digital locks and keys in place that prevent anyone else from participating on the equipment. So it stops being a platform for innovation, and it becomes a walled garden platform of market exploitation.”
The technology also creates more points of failure that, absent onboard diagnostics – and conveniently for the manufacturers – require expensive company service technicians to fix, Smith says. For farmers, this means big repair bills and costly downtime.
It’s also put used machinery dealers in a bind. Beholden to the manufacturers for parts and service information, Smith says the dealers are “on tippy toes” in hopes of not breaking the fragile relationship.
Smith is worried that language in the yet-to-be ratified USMCA trade agreement will entrench digital copyright laws that will make it impossible for Canadian companies to make aftermarket equipment for US-made machinery. He’s contacted several government departments and is now petitioning Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada for a remedy.
“Ownership is broken,” says Smith. “We pay the money for the full product, but we only retain ownership of the physical stuff that can break and that we have to pay to repair. But all the digital content – to unlock a phone, jailbreak it, put on a different operating system, modify the code to suit our application better – all of that is illegal. We sign away ownership the first time we boot up a computer, or turn the key on a combine.”
This article appears in our December 2019-January 2020 issue.


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Materials Market To
Reach USD 4.90 Billion By
www.reportsanddata.comThe global Honeycomb Core Materials Market is forecast to reach USD 4.90 Billion by 2027, according to a
new report by Reports and Data. Rising product utilization in the production of honeycomb sandwich
structured panels’ is further estimated to boost market growth in the next few years.
Further key findings from the report suggest
• Among the type segment of the honeycomb core materials market, Nomex is expected to register
the highest CAGR of 9.5% over the forecasted period.
• Honeycomb core materials are durable and strong. They also provide properties such as rigidity
and cushioning, thus offering superior protection.
• Among the regional segment of the honeycomb core materials market, Asia-Pacific is presently
leading the market with 57.6% of the global market revenue, and it will continue to dominate with
an estimate to register the highest CAGR of 9.4% over the forecasted period.
• The usage of 3D printing for the production of honeycomb panels is expected to act as a key
opportunity for the honeycomb core materials market during the forecast period.
Market Size – USD 2.49 Billion in 2019, Market Growth - CAGR of 9.4%, Market Trends – Increasing
use of recyclable products.
Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017-2027)
End-User Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017-2027)
• Aerospace & Defense
• Construction and Infrastructure
Hexcel Corporation, Honicel, Packaging Corporation of America, Argosy International, Euro-Composites, Grigeo,
Dufaylite Developments, Cartoflex, Corinth Group, and Axxion Group among others.
Ask for Sample Report at: https://www.reportsanddata.com/sample-enquiry-form/3165
www.reportsanddata.comApplication Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017-2027)


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Thousands of Amazon workers in Europe seeking better conditions and pay engaged in a coordinated strike meant to coincide with Prime Day.
Unlike a lot of other ‘smart’ toys on the market, Brio’s SmartTech train sets just work right out of the box, facilitating hands-on imaginative play.
All of which makes a lot of sense, if you think about it.
An unorthodox beauty treatment meant to rejuvenate the feet turned into a disturbing medical mystery.
We need those stories to make Star Wars feel so much bigger and richer than it does.
The Defender of the Universe will cost £160 and be available from the official Lego website from August 1st.
This time, NASA has moved the target launch from May 2020 to March 2021.
You have to wonder if any content on Facebook is worth paying for.
Encourages headteachers to do it, rather than promise an all-out legal ban.
There were some cool controllers, consoles, and weird little accessories at E3 2018. Here are some of our favourites.


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J. K. Rowling has unveiled fresh details about the world of her boy wizard creation Harry Potter with the launch of a new website.
The writer has swathes of unpublished material – comprising of background details to the series' characters and locations – which she was forced to leave out of her original books to keep the word count down.
She has now announced she will publish the extra writings on her new website, Pottermore, to "give something back" to her loyal fans who helped turn the series into a global phenomenon and make the author a multi-millionaire.
The website will also feature a social networking forum and an interactive game which allows fans to attend virtual wizard lessons at Hogwarts.
Rowling says, "I wanted to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years, and to bring the stories to a new digital generation.
"I hope fans and those new to Harry will have as much fun helping to shape Pottermore as I have."
The free site will launch in October but is accepting email addresses now for alerts on how to register.
The site will also offer the seven novels as e-books for the first time. But don't expect an eighth novel from Rowling.
"I do have closure with Harry," she said. "I have no plans to write another novel. I'm pretty sure I'm done on the novel front ... But it was fun while it lasted."
Don't forget that Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 hits theaters July 15.