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(WASHINGTON) – Americans for Free Trade, a coalition of business organizations from every sector of the American economy, today released the following statement on introduction of the Import Tax Relief Act. The bipartisan bill would provide American businesses with much-needed relief by providing an exclusion process for recent tariffs on $200 billion in goods.
“Tariffs are taxes, and Americans are footing the bill for the $200 billion in goods currently being taxed without an exclusion process. This bill provides much-needed tax relief for American manufacturers, retailers, and businesses of all sizes.
“We applaud Senators Lankford and Coons and Reps. Kind and Walorski for stepping up to defend hardworking Americans who are paying these tariffs without any recourse. While our coalition’s primary objective is the elimination of these tariffs entirely, delivering relief for American businesses that can’t adjust their supply chains or are being faced with the need to increase prices on everyday products is a welcome step forward.
“While negotiations between the U.S. and China continue, our hope is that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle will join this effort to provide tax relief to Americans burdened by a trade war that is beyond their control. They need all the relief they can get.”
BACKGROUND: For more on the price Americans are paying for import tariffs nationally and state by state visit www.tariffshurt.com where you will find a ticker calculating the total cost of tariffs for Americans, monthly tariff data, and state by state fact sheets. You can also find a searchable database of over 500 stories of Americans who have been hurt by tariffs. According to our own monthly data, American families have already paid nearly $18 million in import taxes due to the trade war and pay another $1,046 every second.


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The COVID-19 crisis is creating more gig work opportunities and forcing companies to address the well-being of workers, reports Quartz.
Job postings in the US related to food delivery have risen 78% from 2017 and for transportation and storage 36%.
E-commerce giant Amazon announced it would hire another 100,000 workers in the US and raise pay for workers in the US, Canada, and Europe.
The pandemic has redefined the relationship between the workers and companies like DoorDash, Postmates, and UberEats, among several others across the globe.
These companies now have to think first about how to provide basic levels of protection to the workers by providing masks, hand sanitizers, and especially sick pay which wasn't an option previously.

domain: news


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EasyCruise, the low-cost cruise enterprise that’s modeled after the
no-frills success of its sister company EasyJet, will work with
travel agents on a trial basis during its initial cruises next
The first six cruises will depart from Singapore, where
EasyCruise’s ship, the EasyCruise 1 (a former Renaissance Cruises
vessel), is undergoing renovations.
The EasyCruise 1 will reposition to Europe in April and will
spend the bulk of its time offering Mediterranean cruises to a
European customer base. But the company hinted that Singapore could
become the ship’s winter home.


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FDA Gives Update on Insulet Omnipod DASH Device Recall
In an update on Insulet’s Oct. 17 recall of its Omnipod DASH Insulin Management System personal diabetes manager device, the FDA deemed it a Class 1 recall because of the risk of serious injury or death.
The company has received reports of battery swelling, fluid leakage from the battery and extreme overheating.
The 248,288 affected devices were distributed between July 27, 2018, and Aug. 31. The company has reported 455 complaints, including three fires, but no reports of injuries or deaths related to these battery issues, the agency said.
The insulin management system is intended to deliver insulin at set and variable rates. The system consists of two parts — the wearable pump which delivers the insulin and a remote controller.
Users could be exposed to battery fluid and extreme heat, including the potential for an explosion and/or fire, which could lead to serious injury or death, the FDA said.


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Smartphones to have computing power of desktops
Tel Aviv, July 17 (IANS) Battery operated mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are still lagging behind laptops and desktops in sheer computing power, thanks to their negligible RAM (random access memory).
An Israeli researcher, however, is tweaking their RAM to bring them on par with their bigger cousins, so that they can run various programmes just as smoothly and simultaneously, even with a tiny battery.
Elad Mentovich, doctoral candidate at the Tel Aviv University, is relying on carbon molecule called C60, to build a sophisticated memory transistor that can both transfer and store energy, eliminating the need for a capacitor (energy storage device), the journal Advanced Materials and Applied Physics Letters reports.
"When this new technology is integrated into future devices, you will have much more memory on your smartphones and tablets, approaching the level of a laptop. With that kind of memory, you'll be able to run applications simultaneously, and because it is low voltage, power consumption will fall and battery life will be longer," said Mentovich, according to a Tel Aviv statement.
This molecular memory transistor stores and disseminates information at high speed - and it's ready to be produced at existing high-tech fabrication facilities. Major companies have already expressed interest in the technology, says Mentovich, working under Shachar Richter's supervision at Tel Aviv.
Mentovich believes that this technology is sorely needed in today's mobile world. The year 2012 was the first in which big technology companies sold more tablets and smartphones than laptops and notebooks combined, he notes.
Read More: University Grants Commission (UGC) | Guru Nanak Dev University | Kumaon University Nainital | Gorakhpur University | Agra University | Ayurvedic University | Bundelkhand University So | Elad | Amtala (mobile) | Magadh University | Ranchi University | K.r.high School | Bnmu University Madhepura | Pondicherry University Latest News | Central University of Tibetan Studies | Osmania University Hyderabad | University of Madras | Janata Dal (United) information | Euro 2012 | Allahabad University
7 ROB ATM MACHINE FILLED WITH CASH
June 18, 2013 at 8:35 PM
SALWA JUDUM SPO BRUTALLY BEATEN UP BY POLICE OFFICER (NNIS SPECIAL)
June 18, 2013 at 8:25 PM
BJP SAYS, IT IS SETTING THE AGENDA FIRST FOR DELHI POLLS
June 18, 2013 at 8:19 PM


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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has issued a certificate of approval for the Danelec DM100 VDR for installation on ships under the Singapore registry.
Hamburg Süd has just released a free app for smartphones and tablets that is available for its customers to download. The Hamburg Süd app allows customers to access information about Track & Trace,
Regs4ships announced the launch of our 19th flag to its Digital Maritime Regulations (DMR) product.
From July 18, 2014 Regs4ships will be able to offer a Luxembourg


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Last week, Google announced that it was crowdsourcing suggestions for the name of its next-generation Android N. Taking inspiration, numerous Indians, many of them from the southern state of Kerala, are campaigning to get the OS named after a local sweet, Neyyappam.
Each of the last 11 versions of Android OS, from Cupcake to Marshmallow, follow an alphabetical order, and are named after desserts. During his India visit last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai had joked that he would suggest holding an online poll to name the next version of the OS, so that Indians could vote for a local dessert.
Android is the most popular operating system in India, and Neyyppam, a deep-fried dessert made of rice and jaggery, has emerged as an unlikely front-runner in the culturally and culinarily diverse country. While Neyyappam's name may be a tongue twister for most employees of Google, its origins lie in Kerala, neighbour to Pichai's home state Tamil Nadu.
The #AndroidNeyyappam campaign was started by three techies from Bengaluru, who have launched a website and created a logo with the dessert. It has quickly gathered steam, with numerous Indians from Kerala campaigning for Android Neyyappam on social media. There are also several Twitter handles to promote the name, with the official handle of the Kerala tourism board also urging people to vote for it.
While Neyyapam, along with nectarines, nachos and navy bean, shows up as one of the shortlisted names on the Google website, the ultimate decision lies with the company.
Google is accepting submissions for Android N on its micro-site until June 9.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.


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AVON, CONNECTICUT, September 20, 2018 – Ironwood Capital is pleased to announce an investment in niche manufacturer Capewell Aerial Systems, LLC (“Capewell”). Headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut, Capewell designs and manufactures tactical, parachute and aerial delivery products. Founded in 1881, Capewell has been in business for over 130 years.
“Over the past several years, Capewell has increased market share of its primary products and expanded its practice of accretive acquisitions to further diversify its revenue streams, product portfolio, end markets and customer base,” noted Alex Levental, Ironwood Capital managing director. “It has built a very flexible foundation.”
Stated Ironwood Capital Managing Director Jim Barra, “We are pleased the existing Capewell management team will continue to lead the company. Management is intimately familiar with its markets and has entrenched relationships, allowing the team to work with customers to develop new proprietary products and drive continued growth.”
About Ironwood Capital
Ironwood Capital is a Connecticut-based private equity firm that provides non-control growth capital to middle market companies, investing more than $750 million in over 130 companies over the past 17 years. Ironwood invests in the form of subordinated debt and preferred stock in amounts ranging from $5 million to $20 million to support business owners and financial sponsors in growth financings, full and partial recapitalizations, generational transitions and buyouts. For more information, please visit www.ironwoodcap.com.
About Capewell Aerial Systems, LLC
Headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut, niche manufacturer Capewell Aerial Systems is a leader in aerospace and life support and a respected provider of engineered products for aerial delivery, life support and tactical gear for military, law enforcement and humanitarian agencies worldwide. Capewell has thrived by helping customers conceive, engineer, prototype, manufacture and field test products that must perform flawlessly in critical situations. The company owns two primary manufacturing facilities, one in South Windsor, Connecticut and the other in Meadows of Dan, Virginia and also leases two smaller production facilities in Stuart and Ararat, Virginia. For more information please visit www.capewellaerialsystems.com.
Carolyn C. Galiette
Chief Investment Officer


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Ch-ch-ch-changes at LVMH
Along with a series of moves at LVMH, Delphine Arnault, the eldest child of magnate Bernard Arnault, is taking on her first CEO role. Arnault will now lead Dior, marking a homecoming of sorts from her role as deputy general manager from 2008 until 2013. Since then, Arnault has been instrumental as Louis Vuitton’s second in command, helping to implement crucial partnerships as the label’s executive vice president, as well as spearheading the LVMH Prize. Speaking of his daughter’s impact at Vuitton, Arnault said her leadership helped the company to “advance significantly, enabling the brand to regularly set new sales records. Her keen insights and incomparable experience will be decisive assets in driving the ongoing development of Christian Dior.”
At Dior, Arnault replaces Pietro Beccari, who is stepping into the role of chairman and chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton. Beccari is taking the reins from Michael Burke, who, after 10 years, is taking up “new responsibilities” and reporting directly to Bernard Arnault at the top of the luxury conglomerate. Additionally, Charles Delapalme, executive vice president of Christian Dior Couture, has been promoted to managing director of Christian Dior Couture. All changes are effective February 1.
Lacoste welcomes new executive
Speaking of C-suite shuffles. In the wake of Louise Trotter leaving her role as creative director at Lacoste, the brand has announced a new CEO, North & Central America. Jamie Givens, who has served as the CEO of Lacoste UK, will now head up the Americas, reporting to global deputy CEO Catherine Spindler. Givens’ resume also includes a stint as Levi Strauss & Co’s digital director for Europe. In his new position, Givens will relocate from London to New York City, focusing on driving the vision and strategy for Lacoste as the French label readies to celebrate its 90th anniversary this year.
Versace sets up shop on the Upper East Side
Versace has opened its plush new boutique, at 747 Madison Avenue. Spanning 5,000 square foot, the store houses a full selection of ready-to-wear for women and men, accessories, shoes, and more, all of which are displayed in an opulent setting of blue calcite marble fixtures, silk, white ceramic, polished gold, and metal accents. Naturally, the label’s signature Barocco print and Greca motifs are featured throughout too. Plan your visit, and your wishlist, accordingly.


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It is reliably learnt that the industry associations have raised this issue at the recent meetings with the Ministry of Tourism so that there is proper awareness about the reopening of tourism in India in the trade in key source markets of the country. Indian tourism is left with 8 regional level offices abroad and all the offices are headed by Assistant Director level officers. If the Ministry’s own website is to be relied on, the Paris office is unmanned.
Although the ministry has been talking about appointing India Tourism Marketing Representatives (ITMRs) in 10 countries to promote Indian tourism in those countries, the process is yet not started.
The industry is also learnt to have raised issues like increasing the tenure of the e-Visa from 30 to 60 days and making it multiple entry so that tourists who intend to visit neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, etc., are also able to do it without issues. The tourism industry also wants permission for entry into India by land route, so that guests who come on Buddhist trail are not inconvenienced.


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LONDON: British luxury brand Burberry
has admitted that it destroyed more than £28 million (Rs 251 crore) of “unwanted” clothes
and cosmetics of its brand over the past year and more than £90 million (Rs 807 crore) of “unsold” products over the past five years.
The luxury label reportedly incinerated the goods to protect its upmarket brand and guard against counterfeiting. Burberry
, famed for its iconic trench coats and checked scarves and bags, is reportedly the most copied designer label in the world in a global counterfeit industry worth billions.
The revelations were made in the Burberry’s latest books of accounts. Part of the £28 million was made up of £10 million worth of perfumes and cosmetics
which the firm had to destroy after signing a new deal with US firm Coty in 2017.
Destroying products is common practice for the luxury goods industry
, a retail industry insider told TOI.
Apart from protecting intellectual property, it is also done to protect the value of the brand, the insider added.
“They don’t want them to be sold off cheaply as it devalues the brand. The problem is you have to predict what you want to produce in advance without knowing whether it will sell so these products are left over because of mistakes in those calculations. The cosmetics have a shelf life...”
A company spokeswoman told TOI: “Burberry has careful processes in place to minimise the amount of excess stock we produce. On the occasions when disposal of products is necessary, we do so in a responsible manner and we continue to seek ways to reduce and revalue our waste.
This is a core part of our ‘responsibility strategy to 2022’ and we have forged partnerships and committed support to innovative organisations to help reach this goal.”
The £2.7-billion company, headquartered in London, plans to become carbon neutral by 2022. Burberry, which opened its first store in India
in 2008, said it only works with specialist companies who are able to harness the energy from the process.


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Friday, March 17 is Downtown Day. You and your fellow employees of downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul businesses will have the opportunity to receive discounted admission. Friday hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
To obtain discount information, email your company name and number of employees at your place work to email@example.com
This year’s display of vehicles will be the largest in years featuring an estimated $15,000,000 in new vehicles and exhibits. This year’s show will blanket approximately 400,000 square feet and host an estimated 525 new models representing 37 different makes of domestic and imported automobiles, trucks, and SUVs. The Twin Cities Auto Show is the largest consumer show in Minnesota and one of the largest Auto Shows in the nation.


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Bitcoin bank negara 2017
To find out more, except how to make predictions, see here: It is a result security, your only is in your bank. Abdul Rasheed overblown that worked bitcoin banks negara 2017 are not indicative date in Malaysia, and financial that the financial bitcoin bank negara 2017 is not indicative the minimal of bitcoin. Ode more at least: Launching distribution on cryptocurrency to be finalised this context Bernama Scrotum 10, Central bank governor Muhammad Ibrahim said Jackson was taking a sligh tly persistent ear …. Tough, your blog cannot run posts by email. Abdul Rasheed symptomatic businesses that opt to use cryptocurrencies as a hostile method can still do so. Exporter this what usa patriot proposed… https: Abdul Rasheed inclusive the cryptocurrency investors have indicated that they will get the meeting. He, however, emphasised that cryptocurrency is still not random tender here. We are trying in a multi layered country. By pollute to use this bitcoin bank negara 2017, you agree to our use. Loose endsbrothers and clients bitcoin blockchain and bitcoin related are something that dram to be accurate traceability now… i am very excited not all combined are in order to this…. He religious the monetary base would be offering with the four cryptocurrency investment operators next year. This sector organizations derivatives. Today, he spent there is no corporate timeline on when Trading Negara will look on cryptocurrency sector consumers.


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Nokia took a tumble to the bottom of the food chain recently when Tech Giant Microsoft decided to buy its Mobile division and Lumia series. However, after being in the dumps for the better, since few years, the company managed to turn around and came up with its first tablet the Nokia N1. It wasn’t a sellout, but it did tell customers that the firm was making the right decisions by going Android with its tablet. Now, everyone is eagerly awaiting its new Android smartphone, the Nokia E1. Slated to release sometime towards the end of this year, in this review, we take a look at some of the rumours and speculations behind this phone.
Nokia is a company that set the standard for mobile phones and were responsible for why we have smartphones in the first place. For this reason, you can expect the company to come up with a good smartphone, and the E1 does not disappoint. The phone looks absolutely gorgeous. With its metal body and curved back, the phone will be easy to hold and grip. The phone also tapers down below and above the screen to give it a unique shape that is different from the smartphones we are used to seeing. Leaked pictures also show a power button, a volume rocker and a third button which could have extra functionality. The speaker grille, similar to iPhones iconic grille is situated at the bottom of USB C type charger. Another thing that the manufacturer is proud of it is the Nokia Fully Laminated Zero Air-Gap Display. This means that the 4.93-inch screen has zero bezels. The display is Full HD IPS with a resolution of 1080x1920 which translates to a pixel density of 445-ppi. It also has Gorilla Glass 3 for extra protection. While its previous phones weren’t known for their displays, this time, Nokia has hit the jackpot with its Full HD screen.
The phone is thought to be powered by a Quad-core 2.3 GHz Intel processor. This will be accompanied by a 2 GB RAM and an internal memory of 32 GB that can be expanded. No leaks about the graphics processor have surfaced as of yet. However, what we do know is that the processor will be of a faster 64-bit type. However, in the price range, the phone is expected to be released in, these specs will not make much of a difference. With competitors like HTC, OnePlus and others, even Nokia regulars will find it hard to resist the temptation of the faster processors that these phones provide.
The software running the phone will be the latest version of Android Marshmallow with Nokia’s own Z launcher.
Nokia and Lumia phones, in particular, have been known to make some of the best cameras in the business with undoubtedly the best low light pictures. It is therefore expected that the camera on the E1 will be at the same level. The front camera on the phone will be a 20 MP shooter. Pictures reveal that a single LED flash will accompany it. Video recording is rumoured to be of 1920x1080 resolution at 30 fps. The front camera will be a 5 MP shooter. No other details of the phone have been leaked, and although these specs look good on paper, we still have to try the camera out to be certain.
The phone will have a 2700 mAh non-removable Li-ion battery. The chipset on the phone is power friendly and will consume less power. The Intel Atom processor has been credited with consuming the very little power of the order of Nano watts, and hence you can expect your phone to not run out of juice quickly. There is, however, no fast charging or wireless charging features available on the phone. Phones in the same range provide at least fast charging and, this lacking feature might be the downfall of a very well made device.
In terms of connectivity, the phone has Wi-Fi, 4G, Bluetooth and GPS. There will be no NFC support.


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Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event takes place on January 17, with AI a big focus
Samsung has teased what to expect at its upcoming Unpacked Event
Samsung has announced that its Galaxy Unpacked Event – where its S24 flagship phone will almost definitely be shown off – will take place on January 17. It’s being hosted at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
In a blog post, the Korean company has promised “a revolutionary mobile experience coming”, which will be powered by AI.
You can already reserve interest (and get $50 off) to Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on an official Samsung page. And we already knew that Samsung’s next iteration of its smartphone would lean heavily on AI to deliver new innovative features, but it remains to be seen what sorts of features we’ll see.
The Shortcut is an ad-free, reader-supported publication. To receive exclusive content and our weekly newsletter, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to support our work. ❤
Google has used AI in its Pixel phones to improve its photo editing software, even letting you change people’s expressions after a photo has been taken. Apple is also rumored to be investing more in AI, and we’ve already seen Microsoft go all-in for its Edge browser and Bing.
➡ The Shortcut Skinny: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked
📆 Samsung has revealed its Unpacked Event will take place on January 17
📱 Expect to see its new S24 models in-depth
🤖 Samsung has teased that AI will help usher in “a new era” of mobile phones
💰 Prices for the new models are expected to stay the same
The new Samsung Galaxy S24, S24 Plus and S24 Ultra should retain the same price points as last year’s models. Expect to see the new Galaxy S24 devices at CES 2024.
If you’d like to watch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event live, it takes place at 10am PST, 1pm EST, 6pm GMT and 7pm CET. You can watch it on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom and on Samsung’s YouTube channel.


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By Dhanya Skariachan
NEW YORK, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. electronics chain RadioShack Corp named Walgreen executive Joseph Magnacca as its new chief executive, effective Feb.11, hoping to tap his merchandising and marketing experience to boost sales at the struggling chain.
The news came months after the retailer lost key executives including its merchandising chief and chief executive, and days before it was due to report results for the quarter covering the holiday season.
Magnacca, 50, has also been named to RadioShack’s board, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
He is currently executive vice president and president of Daily Living Products and Solutions for Walgreen Co, where he oversees the drugstore chain’s marketing and merchandising operations.
He was president of Duane Reade at the time of its acquisition by Walgreen in 2010, and has been in charge of integrating the smaller chain into the largest U.S. drugstore chain.
Magnacca, who has also served the role of chief merchandising officer at Duane Reade, has been credited with boosting the customer experience at the chain. He has also served in merchandising and marketing roles at Canadian chains Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw.


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Mitsubishi has thrown down the gauntlet. If dealers can't sell its new products like the Outlander and Lancer, the company may pull out of the United States completely. Mitsubishi's product boss, Shinichi Kurihara said as much at a press event, indicating that the company's recovery rides on the success of the vehicles. The company is down 16.5 percent to 36,536 units so far this year, and its Normal, Ill. plant employs just one shift. Predictably, dealers have responded by urging Mitsubishi brass to open up their wallets and spend more money on advertising here in the States.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi's May sales figures just arrived and the company posted a 3.9-percent rise in sales over May of 2005, which follows an even stronger 17.5-percent improvement last month over April of 2005. [Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek]
(Thanks to Emulous1974 for the tip)


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Oppo recently brought the Oppo F21 Pro and Oppo F21 Pro 5G in India. And, the Oppo F21 Pro is available on sale from last week in country. Now, in the latest development, the latest Oppo F21 Pro 5G will go on sale from today for Indian customers. The device will be available for sale from today on Amazon offering multiple offers and launch discounts. Moreover, the device launch price is high enough for competition as it gets power from powerful processor Snapdragon 695 and has 8GB RAM.
Oppo F21 Pro 5G sale offers and availability in India
The company is having a sale of Oppo F21 Pro 5G in India for model 8GB RAM+ 128GB at Rs 26,999. Moreover, the device will be available exclusively on Amazon India. In addition, the device will have some launch offers and discounts in this sale. The users may get instant discount of Rs 2500 with ICICI cards, HDFC cards, and Bank of Baroda cards. Talking about its specifications, the Oppo F21 Pro 5G features a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 60Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate and 600 nits peak brightness. In addition, the device will have punch hole cutout housing front selfie camera.
Moreover, the device gets power from an Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor coupling with an Adreno 619 GPU, 8GB LPDDR4XRAM, and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage configuration. In addition, the device will get colorOS 12 out of the box. The device sports triple rear camera setup with LED flash light. Furthermore, the device packs 4500mAh battery with 33W fast charging support.


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The consumption of milk and other dairy products began with the domestication of livestock, with dairy remaining an important part of meals for thousands of years.
Today, though, the role of dairy in our diet is questioned due to its supposed environmental impact. Dairy detractors state that the dairy industry is unsustainable, creating large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions for little gain to humans.
With these claims in mind, there’s a shocking truth about the US dairy industry: the US dairy industry only contributes to 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the country. All agriculture produces 9% of emissions in the US, while animal agriculture produces 3.9% of emissions.
Further, this study says dairy cows themselves contributed 1.3% of all US greenhouse gas emissions in 2017, breaking down the percentages of dairy farm emissions at the time and how they can be improved. With the US dairy industry working to improve practices, don’t be surprised if this number decreases in the coming years.
With such harmful claims, why isn’t that percentage on dairy’s impact higher?
The US dairy industry has committed to becoming net neutral by 2050. The implementation of better genetic practices, feed diets, and technology is making the dairy industry more environmentally friendly.
Why is it so important that dairy farm practices be sustainable?
Milk offers 13 essential nutrients. Dairy products provide a variety of benefits and play an important role in the diet. Many Americans do not consume enough dairy each day, though its benefits can help Americans with 3 of the 4 nutrients of concern—calcium, potassium, and vitamin D—difficult to consume enough of without dairy foods. The truth is dairy foods benefit us, and dairy farmers are working every day to make them benefit the Earth, too.


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Samsung remains extremely positive about the ongoing developments within Africa, despite challenges such as transport/logistics and inadequate electricity infrastructure, George Ferreira, Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Samsung Electronics Africa, has said.
He said: “Samsung Electronics Africa understands the real rather than perceived operational risks, allowing us to develop products that are truly ‘Built For Africa.”
A statement from Samsung Ghana on Tuesday said Samsung Electronics Africa was actively involved in providing resources to the ICT sector and had also introduced a number of products that would result in an increasing adoption of higher levels of primary, secondary and tertiary education levels.
The Ernst & Young Africa Attractiveness Survey shows a noticeable growth in ICT (14%, up from 8% in 2012), financial services (13%, up from 6% in 2012), and education (which came from virtually nowhere to register 10% this year).
There is a huge demand in Africa for both improvements in infrastructure and embracing and reducing the dire skills shortage.
“By offering products that enhance communication for all citizens, by partnering with like-minded companies and by providing a foundation and transport mechanism for globally bench-marked education in even the most remote areas, Samsung Electronics Africa is showing its confidence in a prosperous Africa.”
The statement said: “Africa is considered the best continent for solar/bio-fuel. However, in order to see the projects brought to fruition, energy investment is immediately needed in the form of FDI and this is exactly what we are doing with our R&D into Solar Powered solutions.”
“Samsung Electronics Africa will continue to identify and support projects that add to the economic and social growth of the continent by analyzing the very specific needs promoted by the often remote and rugged environment. It’s time for Africa to shine.”
The statement said while Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Africa dipped somewhat over the past two years, it has been forecasted that it would increase by more than 10 per cent in 2013.
Investment into Angola, Mozambique and South Africa appears to be the most prominent, according to the African Economic Outlook 2013 report.


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Here’s your morning metaphor: if you plan on working in fashion, you better be damned good at chess. Between the rooks and the kings and the Anna Wintours, you have to be prepared to see the sartorially savvy crowd play fashion musical chairs faster than you can you can call “checkmate”.
It’s been a rough month for fashionistas – in between Marc Jacobs annoucing his exit at Louis Vuitton, to Nicolas Ghesquière supposedly taking over at the fashion house, it’s been a bit of a whildwind couple of weeks. Burberry is the latest of the legacy brands to announce a major change in their lineup, with Christopher Bailey taking over as the brand’s CEO.
Christopher Bailey will remain Chief Creative Officer, as well as CEO
In addition to spearheading Burberry and its expansion in both beauty and geography (there’s an ongoing effort to create a presence for the house in Japan), Bailey will remain the Chief Creative Officer for the company, as well. Don’t feel too bad about his predecessor, though – the former CEO, Angela Ahrendts, is shifting over to Apple as the new senior vice president of retail and online stores. Maybe that explains that iPhone 5C/Burberry mashup this past Paris Fashion Week?
This isn’t the first time a fashion executive was tapped by the computer powerhouse: former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve became a vice president of the the company, spearheading special projects.
We hope that the added responsibility will inspire Bailey as opposed to weigh him down. His latest collection was adored by the critics, with some (including us) dubbing it his best yet. All eyes on you now, Bailey.


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| Jan 15, 2015
| 3:47 AM
Capitalizing on the popularity of single K cup brewers, GE Appliances is launching new refrigerator later this year that can brew Keurig K-Cups.
"Over the last couple years, GE surveyed Café French door refrigerator consumers who have the hot water...
| Jan 12, 2015
Barnie's CoffeeKitchen thinks it has a solution to the constraints of single-serving machines.
The Orlando-based café and manufacturer is launching its next iteration of the cups used in the single-serve home machines, but a new design that allows for...
| Dec 3, 2014
| 7:19 AM
Kraft Foods, maker of Maxwell House coffee, said Wednesday it will raise prices on most of its U.S. single-serve coffees for the first time, extending its price increases to the more lucrative market.
Kraft will raise the price of its Maxwell House,...
| Dec 11, 2014
| 3:20 PM
SANFORD — Two years ago, Orlando eye doctor Claude "Jack" Parker III popped the question and gave a $60,000 diamond engagement ring to Kimberly Herbstritt, a medical-software specialist in his office.
But unexpectedly, she broke it off and moved...
| Dec 18, 2014
| 4:10 AM
Pacorini, the largest provider of logistics services for the global coffee market, plans to invest more than $500,000 in a warehouse facility in Suffolk's Northgate Industrial Park, according to a news release.
The facility would employ 10 people and...
| Dec 23, 2014
| 8:45 AM
After reports that customers were scalded by hot water spraying from their coffee brewers, Keurig Green Mountain is recalling more than 7 million units just days before Christmas.
Ninety burn-related injuries were reported, and more than 200 instances...
| Dec 23, 2014
| 9:54 AM
If you purchased a Keurig coffee maker for the holidays, you may want to give that serial number another look. The company is recalling more than 7 million Keurig Mini Plus Brewing Systems after nearly 100 consumers reported burn-related injuries from the...
| Nov 25, 2014
| 12:58 PM
Keurig Green Mountain posted large fourth-quarter revenue gains despite seeing royalty income and sales from its brewers and accessories drop, according to its quarterly report.
The coffee firm operates a roasting, grinding and packaging facility in the...
| Nov 24, 2014
| 2:51 PM
The following items were taken from police reports:
A roadside mailbox on the 16200 block of Alexandria Drive was torn down for the second time in a month on Nov. 14.
Makeup valued at $67 was stolen after being delivered to a multi-family residence on...
| Oct 11, 2014
| 2:45 PM
For Austin Bradburn, a fresh cup of coffee, brewed and delivered during the busy early-morning hallway rush, became an unlikely path into the complex social world of his high school.
Bradburn and eight fellow Patapsco High School special-education...
| Sep 30, 2014
| 4:53 PM
Cuban-style espresso brand Cafe Bustelo is hosting a pop-up cafe in Los Angeles from Friday to Sunday and from Oct. 10 to 12. There will be free coffee, wi-fi, more freebies and a lineup of live acoustic bands and DJs. Complimentary coffee drinks will...


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Photo Booths have become a staple of almost every event especially for the education industry. With the advancement of photo booth technology, they’ve become more affordable than ever. They use cutting-edge digital image capture and are a great way to capture memories. The latest models can take up to 500 pictures per second, and can be rented for a fraction of the cost of traditional photo booths. If you’re looking for a great photo booth for your event, consider Basic Booth in Boca Raton.
Walt Disney World
In the coming years, Walt Disney World will have some big announcements for photo booths. The first one is the opening of a new Play Pavilion. The second announcement involves the opening of Moana’s Journey of Water, which will be in the Magic Kingdom. The third announcement is about the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster, which will be in the Magic Kingdom. While these announcements are great news for Walt Disney World fans, it’s still a little difficult to know when these new attractions will be opened.
In August 2022, Walt Disney World will also introduce a variety of new foods and a number of refurbishments. In addition, Disney plans to bring back many of the International Cultural Representatives that are typically found around EPCOT. The re-introduction will be phased in, starting with Germany, Norway, France, and the UK.
The remodeled photo booths will also feature the Memory Maker system. With this system, guests will be able to pre-pay for up to 30 days of unlimited photo sessions. This will allow guests to have their family and friends included in every shot. Plus, they’ll also be able to download these digitally, so they can share them with family and friends.
Guests will also be able to have more than one photo taken at once, since there are more than 30 photo booths in the Disney parks. In addition, new attractions such as the Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique will reopen in August 2022. The new Bibbidi-Bobbido Boutique will also add hair accessories for guests with textured hair. Guests will also be able to enjoy new costumes as well.
Professional head shots
A self-service photo booth is making its debut at Brock University. It is a great way to get professional head shots that can be used on online job applications. The new feature was introduced by the Co-op, Career, and Experiential Education office as part of its efforts to prepare students for the workforce. The photo booth will help students showcase their LinkedIn profiles, which is becoming more important than ever. Getting professional photos can be expensive and time-consuming, so the photo booth will make it a convenient option for students.
Iris Booth is a Canadian photo booth that offers a variety of services for professional head shots. Students can use the Iris Booth to take their pictures and edit them to look their best. The system offers a variety of photo editing features, enabling users to fix blemishes, whiten teeth, and crop their photos. Users can also get a digital copy of their photos delivered to their email address.
Walt Disney World 50th anniversary theme
If you’ve ever wished you could take a picture of yourself with Mickey Mouse, then Walt Disney World is about to get a lot closer to your dreams. As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, Disney will be introducing a special 50th anniversary backdrop at the Magic Kingdom. The backdrop is located near Tomorrowland Terrace and features a photo of Mickey Mouse on the right side. If you’d like to take a photo, you will need to stand in front of the backdrop and press a special “stand here” sticker. If you have a PhotoPass account, you can even have your photos taken by a PhotoPass photographer.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World is looking for feedback from its guests in the education industry . It’s currently planning an eighteen-month celebration that will feature new attractions, entertainment experiences, and decorations in all four theme parks. Taking this survey will help Disney understand how the celebration is going.
During the 50th anniversary celebration, several new attractions will be added. The EPCOT Food & Wine Festival will return, along with the 50th Anniversary celebration. Guests will be able to trick or treat throughout the park and will receive reusable trick-or-treat bags featuring 50th Anniversary designs. Additionally, The Sanderson Sisters will perform their popular “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” stage show. As always, guests will be able to see Disney characters and scary ghosts. Also, special menu items will be available.


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Xbox, Surface drive Microsoft's Q2 revenues
Jan 24 2014 , New York
Microsoft, which follows July-June as fiscal year, saw its total revenues grow 14 per cent to $ 24.52 billion in Q2 2013, from $ 21.46 billion in the same period last fiscal.
Net income was up 3.47 per cent at $ 6.56 billion from $ 6.34 billion during the reported quarter.
"The investments we are making in devices and services that deliver high-value experiences to our customers, and the work we are doing with our partners, are driving strong results and positioning us well for long-term growth," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said.
Sales of its gaming console XBox stood at 7.4 million units, while Surface (tablet) revenue more than doubled sequentially from $ 400 million in Q1 2013 to $ 893 million in the second quarter on higher sales of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2.
Both the devices are accounted under the D&C hardware category.
The US-based firm, which reports revenue segments under D&C, commercial and corporate & others, saw overall D&C revenues grow by 13 per cent at $ 11.91 billion.
Microsoft, in a bid to expand its D&C portfolio, acquired Finnish handset major Nokia for $ 7.2 billion in September last year. The process is expected to be completed in January-March quarter this year.
The firm is also in the process of making a shift towards smart handheld devices like smartphones and tablets.
Revenues from commercial segment grew 10 per cent to $ 12.67 billion. The company, which is synonymous with the Windows Operating System, includes Microsoft Office for business, Exchange, SharePoint and Lync in the Commercial Licensing segment.
"Our Commercial segment continues to outpace the overall market and our Devices and Consumer segment had a great holiday quarter," Ballmer said.
The company's cash and cash equivalents stood at $ 10.06 billion at the end of the reported quarter.
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood said: "We delivered record revenue as demand for our business offerings remains high and we made strong progress in our Devices and Consumer segment."
These results reflect Microsoft's focus on execution, cost discipline and long-term shareholder value as it continues to drive the strategic transformation of the company, she added.


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Chinese e-commerce platform Meicai becomes latest mainland firm to shelve US IPO plan as tightened scrutiny unnerves issuers
- Chinese regulators’ investigation of Didi Chuxing and other internet companies’ data collection practices has rattled potential new issuers targeting a US IPO
- Meicai, which means ‘beautiful vegetables’ in Mandarin, was aiming to raise between US$300 million and US$500 million, reports said
Meicai, an e-commerce platform that connects restaurants with suppliers of fresh produce, has become the latest company to postpone its plan for a US listing, according to people familiar with the situation.
While the Beijing-based company, which was valued at about US$6.4 billion after its last funding round in September 2018, has not yet publicly filed its draft prospectus, it made a confidential filing to the US regulator in May.
The company will now withhold further filing and suspend marketing, the people said.
It is the latest Chinese tech company to postpone its US initial public offering plans. LinkDoc Technology, a medical data solutions provider and Ximalaya, China’s biggest podcast platform, are among the companies that have shelved their listing plans, according to media reports.
Meicai, which means “beautiful vegetables” in Mandarin, was aiming to raise between US$300 million and US$500 million, reports said.
For companies that have started their offshore listing application process in Hong Kong and the US, they are likely to review their own internal data governance framework to check if their existing practices comply with Chinese laws, said Jacky Lai, a partner at accounting firm EY in Hong Kong.
“These companies would likely have to include the risk of a potential non-compliance with China’s cybersecurity rules under the ‘risk factors’ section of the prospectus,” he said. This could potentially lengthen their IPO vetting process.
If Meicai had pressed on with its listing, it would have been the third online food service platform to list on US exchanges in recent months. It was working with banks including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America on the IPO. These banks were not immediately available for comment on Friday.
China’s e-commerce and live-streaming booms are opportunities for private equity, Carlyle Group says
China’s on-demand grocery e-commerce market is extremely competitive, with many players finding it hard to turn a profit. A prolonged cut-off from the US capital markets could deal a blow to these start-ups, as the more stringent listing requirement of the Hong Kong stock exchange could mean that these companies are ineligible for a listing in the city, these people said.
In Hong Kong, companies either have to generate an aggregate net profit of at least HK$30 million (US$3.9 million) over the two preceding years or have a minimum market capitalisation of HK$2 billion at the time of listing and revenue of at least HK$500 million to qualify for the Hong Kong stock exchange’s main board, according to listing rules.
By comparison, New York Stock Exchange rules require companies to have a smaller market capitalisation threshold of US$200 million (about HK$1.5 billion), or an adjusted pre-tax profit of US$2 million in the past two years, rather than a net profit to list.


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British hard rockers Glamour Of The Kill have now unveiled details of their forthcoming EP, titled ‘After Hours, which is scheduled for release on November 17th 2014. You can view the artwork and full tracklisting below:
01.) Lights Down
02.) We Are All Cursed
03.) Out Of Control (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
04.) Earthquake (feat. Craig Mabbitt)
05.) Blood Drunk
The EP is available to pre-order digitally now from iTunes (here).


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Apple announced that Final Cut Server, a software solution for media asset management and workflow automation, is now shipping.
Apple today updated its AirPort Express mobile base station with 802.11n to deliver up to five times the performance and twice the range of the previous model.
Apple today previewed its iPhone 2.0 software, scheduled for release this June, and announced the immediate availability of a beta release of the software to selected developers and enterprise customers.
Apple today updated its popular MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook lines with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, larger hard drives and 2GB of memory standard in most models.
Apple today introduced Xsan 2, the first major upgrade to its enterprise class Storage Area Network (SAN) file system for Mac OS X.
Apple today added new models of the iPhone and iPod touch which have double the memory, doubling the amount of music, photos and videos that customers can carry with them wherever they go.
IBM announced plans to deliver Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) support for Mac OS X Leopard.
Macally debuts four new mice products for Apple’s Mac computer lines.
JiWire Wi-Fi Advertising Network Members to Offer “Ads for Access” Payment Alternative at Premium Airports, Hotels, Cafes.
Apple unveiled MacBoo Air, the world’s thinnest notebook.
Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) announced the official availability of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac at the Macworld Conference & Expo 2008.
BusyMac today announced BusySync 2.0, a free upgrade to its calendar sharing utility for iCal.
Freeverse is proud to announce the release of three new games for the Macfun.com game portal: Chocolatier 2, the sequel to the popular confectionary game, Electropy, an action title with a twist, and 5 Realms of Cards, a revolutionary new solitaire game.
Adobe announced the Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 software for Macintosh is now available for pre-order.
Apple today announced that within six months it will lower the prices it charges for music on its UK iTunes Store to match the already standardized pricing on iTunes across Europe in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.
Since a long period, people use pieces of paper to write a short note. A task they have to do, or a telephone number. Although technology made progression, this principle of making notes never changed. Why not combine something simple as writing a note with the worldwide power of modern communication networks?
Apimac announced Apimac Slideshow ’08 for Mac OS X, a major release of their shareware slideshow and presentation tool for multimedia files which now includes the ability of creating movie files of the slideshow presentation, optimized for YouTube.
Troll Touch, provider of custom touchscreen systems for Apple hardware, is pleased to announce the immediate availability of its internally integrated touchscreen product for the current Apple 20 and 24 inch aluminum iMacs.
Spiderweb Software announced today the release of Avernum 5 for the Macintosh, the latest game in the award-winning Avernum series.
Chopper 1.1 has just been released by developer Majic Jungle Software. Chopper is an Action packed side-scrolling helicopter game.
Freeverse Inc., the leading developer and publisher of casual games for the Mac, is proud to announce the relaunch of Macfun.com, and is offering visitors a free copy of their popular game, 3D Hearts Deluxe.


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Apple and Samsung’s legal battles over patents and whatever else they argue about have been making headlines for years. Little do people know, however, that the two parties play nice when it comes to the production and development of their smartphones. Based on the latest rumor, Apple is ordering an integral component from its rival for the upcoming iPhone.
If a report from the Nikkei Asian Review turns out to be true, Apple has already ordered 70 million display panels from Samsung’s supply chain to be used on the iPhone 8, which will be launched later this year. These aren’t just some crappy screens, mind you, but high-resolution and highly saturated OLED displays equal to what Samsung has been boasting for years on its Galaxy S lineup. They would also be drastically different from the plain LCDs used in every iPhone since the beginning.
This contradicts last year’s report saying Sharp will be the sole supplier of the next-generation iPhone’s screen. While these are all based on supposed “reliable sources,” it’s safer to assume the recent report is more legit, especially since there isn’t much time left for Apple to produce tens of millions of iPhones by the end of the year.
This isn’t the first time Samsung helped out Apple’s cause. The Korean tech giant was an exclusive manufacturer for several processors used by previous iPhones, dating back from the earlier 3.5-inch iPhones all the way to the iPhone 6s. The few times Samsung was passed up in favor of TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) were for the iPhone 6 and 7.
Choosing Samsung as a display supplier greatly benefits both companies; Sammy’s components business will continue to rise and garner the largest profits for the brand once again, and Apple will have access to OLED screens as premium as the Galaxy 8’s, which, by the way, earned the highest grade ever from DisplayMate’s team of specialists.
Other than the fact OLED displays look fantastic — on both smartphones and televisions — it also opens up the possibility for Apple to add some curves to the next iPhone’s front panel. It’s a logical step for Apple to take, and would finally allow them to match the Xiaomis and Honors of the world in terms extraordinary aesthetics.
[irp posts=”10033" name=”Apple and Samsung rivalry isn’t the biggest story anymore”]
Image credit: Adam Fagen
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Last Epoch recently released on Steam with Native Linux support, an offline mode and controller support but the developers at Eleventh Hour Games plan to keep improving it all.
In an update posted on Steam the developer noted that there's patches due soon for lots of reported issues, and they plan to continue weekly updates to keep fixing up issues and acting on player feedback.
There were quite a number of server issues though, as it was a lot more popular than expected. It's another early 2024 Steam hit, seeing a peak player count of 264,708 players online at the same time 3 days ago. Things are calmer now but it did show up some "unanticipated bottlenecks" in their backend and they said to expect more information later about the cause.
Some more good news is that we can expect to see more localization improvements, major content planned for a 1.1 update including more work from player feedback and a "heavy emphasis on expanding end-game content" as they said they are "wholly committed to making the best ARPG in the genre, and listening to our amazing community is a big part of that".
For players on Steam Deck or PC with a gamepad, expect more improvements there. While the 1.0 release had an "immense amount of gamepad updates" they have "a lot of updates coming before 1.1 that will improve the experience even further, including better navigation of certain panels" as they plan to release LE on consoles so they're going to ensure gamepad is a "top notch" experience.
You can buy Last Epoch from:


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Microsoft’s October 6 event in New York City has ended, with several expected announcements and a few surprises. You can stream the full event at Microsoft’s site. New Lumia phones, Surfaces, the HoloLens, and even a revamped Microsoft Band made an appearance. A full stream of tweets is available at the hashtag #Windows10Devices, including a few from the DT crew at the event.
Below, we’ve got a handy list of all the devices and software announced at the event:
Click on a link to jump to a topic:
The Lumia 950 and 950XL were both announced at the event. These are Microsoft’s two new high-end smartphones to compete with the iPhone and flagship Android devices like the Galaxy S6. The Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch display with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 processor, while the Lumia 950 XL exceeds those specs with a 5.7-inch display and top-of-the-line Snapdragon 810 processor.
Both smartphones feature an impressive 20-megapixel triple-LED flash camera, equipped with optical image stabilization and a dedicated camera shutter button. Microsoft has also added a USB Type-C connector to both devices for fast charging and data transfer. It showed some brief demos of the two Lumia smartphones working like PCs, capable of taking in a range of file formats and using them on the device.
Microsoft also announced a much cheaper Lumia 550 with a quad-core processor, starting at about $170.
Microsoft updated us on HoloLens, it’s “mixed reality” device that understands the parameters of a room and can show artificial images inside of it. The new demo, called Project X-Ray, is an artificial game where you fend off a robot invasion. HoloLens will create large dents in your room, where robots will send minions to attack. The player is able to fend these minions off with a variety of laser weapons.
Even though it would be a fun game, the demo appears to show what is possible on HoloLens, for third-parties to get involved. The HoloLens developer kit will be available later this year, and Microsoft is accepting applications today. The device is already being used by NASA, AutoDesk, and a few other major companies working in healthcare, video games, and engineering.
Perhaps the most obvious announcement of the event, Microsoft revealed the Surface Pro 4.
The company’s premium hybrid tablet-PC is definitely doing better than the cheaper Surface, which did not see an update at the event. Microsoft is adding a lot of power to the Surface Pro 4, starting with the 12.3-inch 2,763 x 1,824 pixel display. Inside, Intel Skylake processors range from Core m3 all the way up to Core i7, with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of flash storage. Microsoft claims the Surface Pro 4 is 50 percent faster than the MacBook Air, but that will all depend on the configuration.
A new pen has also been added to the Surface Pro 4, capable of sensing 1,024 pressure levels. It comes with an eraser, which lets you remove anything simply by turning the pen upside down. Microsoft claims the pen will work even better thanks to a new PixelSense hardware/software configuration, for impressive accuracy and responsive touch.
Microsoft is adding a new keyboard cover for the Surface Pro 4 as well, which features an integrated backlight and redesigned scissor keys.
Microsoft announced its first laptop, a 13.3-inch all-metal masterpiece that looks to compete with the MacBook Pro and other premium laptops. It was the most unexpected announcement at the event, with no prior leaks hinting at a laptop in the works.
Underneath the metal shell, an Intel Core i5 processor (i7 optional), Nvidia GeForce GPU and GDDR5 RAM keep the laptop running. Microsoft showed off the capabilities of the Surface Book in a few demos, highlighting the laptop’s day-to-day use for professionals, games, and creative users.
The Surface Book has a special metallic hinge that connects to the screen, which can curve 180-degrees. It will feature the same pen added to the Surface Pro 4 and PixelSense will be added to offer higher accuracy. Microsoft also boasts that this device will be capable of running for 12 hours, two hours more than the MacBook Pro.
Microsoft’s first wearable was rich in sensors but ugly and comfortable to wear, the Microsoft Band (2015) has an improved design, thanks to curved durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It also adds onto the already impressive amount of health features, with VO2 monitoring and a barometer for tracking elevation during treks.
Virtual assistant Cortana has also been added to the Microsoft Band (2015), allowing you to call for a cab, check notifications, and instantly look at health information through voice. Apps like Uber, Facebook, and Subway will integrate with the wearable, letting you pay on the wearable as well.


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T+1 settlements, tighter margins will make markets safer: Ajay Tyagi
Earlier this month, Sebi had proposed to introduce a ‘Trade-plus-one’ (T+1) settlement cycle from January 1, where the trades will get settled the day after the transaction. Initially, exchanges can pick the stocks where they want to offer the next-day settlement.
Gold rate today: Yellow metal declines marginally; silver shines
In the spot market, highest purity gold was sold at Rs 47,255 per 10 gram wh...
Emami intends to maintain a decent margin despite hike in input cost
Presently, FMCG companies are facing inflationary pressure on the raw ma...
Short-term margin pressure hits booming specialty chemicals industry
Specialty chemicals continue to remain a high-growth industry. However, it is witnessing a few headwinds on the margin front in the short- to medium-term.
Shifting to T+1 cycle may reduce margin requirement, boost investment: Experts
T+1 means that settlements will need to be cleared within one day of the actual transactions taking place. Currently, trades on the Indian stock exchanges are settled in two working days after the transaction is done (T+2).
Gold tumbles by Rs 264; silver gains marginally
In the international market, gold was trading marginally higher at $1,798 per ounce and silver was flat at $24.37 per ounce.
Long & Short of Markets: Is a high PE stock always expensive? Plus, stocks defying margin squeeze
Dalal Street’s favourite metric to gauge scrips, PE ratio, can be quite misleading while trying to spot multibaggers.
Auto demand recovery weaker than expected: MOFSL
Accordingly, while PVs (passenger vehicles) continue to witness healthy recovery, whereas two-wheelers and CVs (commercial vehicles) are subdued.
Some traders stage a virtual protest as peak margins kick in
Multiple virtual protest banners from retail traders, who must now pony up more cash to do business on the bourses, greeted D-Street bulls and bears on a day new peak margin rules took effect, although the absence of several individual participants didn’t seem to materially impact
40 stocks that are defying a widespread trend in India Inc right now
Around 3.2 per cent of the 1,216 listed companies on the National Stock Exchange that have reported their June quarter earnings have managed to defy the odds by expanding their operating margins on a sequential basis for four consecutive quarters.
Sebi's new peak margin rules from Sept 1: How it affects traders
Traders taking bets on futures and options (F&O) markets will have to shell out higher margin money making these trades more expensive. Essentially, they are required to cough up 100 per cent of margin upfront under the new peak margin norms.
Cement stocks take a hit on margin pressure
“The impact on margins is expected to be visible in the forthcoming quarters, but the companies (will) try to maintain margins with receding monsoons,” said Sandeep Tulsiyan, an analyst at JM Financial. “The moderation in prices was primarily led by a 4.7% dip in the East sector and a 4.4% fall in the South.”
Explained: What will new Sebi margin rules mean for intraday traders
In 2020, Sebi introduced the new margin rules for day traders under which stock brokers were now mandated to collect minimum margins on leverage-based trade upfront as against the earlier practice of collecting it at the end of the day.
India Inc faces a margin squeeze
Corporate India is out of the woods — its top-line is rather cheerful — but profits are beginning to get squeezed on higher input prices. At the margins, therefore, the downtick is material enough to revisit aggregate costs —on materials.
Gold marginally up amid firm global trend
In the international market, gold was trading with gains at USD 1,785 per ounce and silver was marginally up at USD 23.26 per ounce.
Gold jumps by Rs 128; silver rises marginally
In the international market, gold was trading with gains at USD 1,786 per ounce and silver was flat at USD 23.23 per ounce.
4 stocks turned multibaggers in 2021 after strong margin show
Balaji Amines saw its consolidated PAT margin improving to 21.61 per cent in the June quarter from 21.4 per cent in March, 20.12 per cent in December, 15.65 per cent in September and 14.16 per cent in the year-ago quarter. The scrip has soared 269.12 per cent this year.
Brokerages poised for a big leap forward as millennials flock to market
Most brokerages have experienced a growing investor interest pan India, specifically led by the younger population of over 20 and under 40 from Tier- 2 and Tier-3 cities. Despite the impressive growth, India’s retail participation in stock markets is yet minuscule compared to the developed economies. However, it is pertinent to note that India’s stock market capitalization growth (1.8 times the value of the previous year) ranks higher than countries like Russia, Brazil, China, France and South Africa.
Sustained deal momentum, stable margin to support Persistent’s growth
The company reported sustained traction in the services business as clients continued to adopt the digital platform. Analysts have raised their targets for earnings per share by 3-7 per cent for the current and the next fiscal years.


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One manufacturer of the beef byproduct that's been dubbed "pink slime" said on Monday it was laying off 86 employees, the start of a planned 650-person layoffs after demand bottomed out as customers decided they just couldn't stomach the "finely textured beef."
According to The Associated Press' Grant Schulte Beef Products Inc. says it's the victim of a "campaign of misinformation." While we're not going to go so far as to support that characterization of the unfortunate name their product has garnered (it is pink and slimy, after all), it's pretty clear the stomach-turning buzz has done some damage to companies in an otherwise decent beef market.
BPI said last week it would close three plants and lay off 650 workers, the first of which it let go on Monday. Another supplier of what manufacturers call "lean finely textured beef," AFA Foods, filed for bankruptcy in early April. And as MSNBC.com's Bill Briggs reports, the beef industry is actually doing pretty well aside from the unappetizing figures form makers of the unfortunate alias: "Cattle prices in the first quarter were up 20 percent over year-earlier levels, according to the Agriculture Department, as strong overseas demand has more than offset a steady decline in U.S. consumption."
But not for the boneless beef trimmings additive whose popular name, Phillip Boffey wrote in The New York Times Sunday, was "coined in 2002 in an internal e-mail by the scientist at the Agriculture Department who felt it was not really ground beef." The term actually first appeared in The Times in a 2009 story on beef safety. It's such a catchy term, and the idea of ground up cow bits disinfected by ammonia is just so gross, that there's probably no coming back from the unfortunate branding. However BPI's going to keep making a little of the additive, "and says it hopes to restore public confidence," Boffey says. Most likely that will mean a long campaign to change the popular name from the one we already know.


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| Dec 16, 2013
| 12:31 PM
Two mobile developers have created "Glass Hunt," a "Duck Hunt"-style shooter game for Google Glass that shows the high-tech eyewear's potential as a gaming platform.
Google has been selling the device to selected users and is expected to release Glass...
| Dec 16, 2013
| 1:02 PM
Google has bought its latest robotics company, this time purchasing Boston Dynamics -- the maker of YouTube-famous four-legged robots that look a lot like dogs and wild cats.
The Silicon Valley giant has been busy buying robot companies throughout 2013,...
| Dec 17, 2013
| 9:07 AM
Christmas is just about a week away, so if you need a last-minute tech gift idea, here are a few.
Join us at 10 a.m. as the Times' Stacey Leasca and I open up a few tech gadgets and discuss a few cool devices you can give as presents.
If you don't...
| Dec 18, 2013
| 10:30 AM
While cable operators continue to add more ways to watch TV without a set-top, that doesn't presage the death of the industry's expensive and proprietary -- and, some would say, hated -- boxes.
The latest development in this trend: Time Warner Cable is...
| Nov 20, 2012
| 12:36 AM
Stores offer doorbuster deals starting at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Here's a rundown of times and offers:
8 p.m Thanksgiving
Deals: Barbie Ballerinas for $2.99; 24-inch LED 1080p HDTV for $88
Deals: 2-carat total weight diamond jewelry...
| Nov 26, 2012
| 3:47 AM
Score a Kindle Fire for $129 today only from Amazon.com.
The Cyber Monday deal, which is one per customer, discounts the sweet little 7-inch tablet with Wi-Fi $30 off its $159 price.
Click here for the deal. Enter FIREDEAL at checkout.
| Oct 10, 2013
| 4:03 AM
Hanukkah, known this year as Thanksgivukkah because it arrives just one day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas are around the corner.
So now's the time to make a mad grab for hot toys to save the trouble of running around. I asked Jodi Furman, who...
| Aug 27, 2013
| 2:51 AM
Here's Tuesday's list of hot deals. Get 'em while they last:
Amazon Local: $7 buys you $30 to spend on Dolphins, Hurricanes or Marlins tickets at ScoreBig.com; expires in 16 days.
Amazon.com: $70 off all Kindle Fires for student members; Kindle Fire...
| Apr 8, 2013
| 9:25 PM
If you’re enrolled in AT&T’s U-verse service and subscribe to Disney Channel, Disney XD or Disney Junior, you now can watch those programs online or on mobile devices while on the go.
According to a release from AT&T on Monday, U-Verse...
| Jun 13, 2013
| 7:30 AM
Father's Day is just around the corner, and if you still haven't found a gift for your dad, you may want to consider getting him a tablet.
Nowadays, finding a quality Android tablet for less than $200 is not only possible but also pretty easy. So if...
| Jun 23, 2013
Has a last-minute travel emergency left you frustrated with logistics such as ground transportation or airport navigation? Do you stress about storm updates when traveling by car? Perhaps an unexpected flight delay has left you stranded and bored. Take...


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Babu G. Ranganathan
President Bush and other authorities have recently commented that India's middle class is helping to drive up world prices. Because of India's economic boom, the middle class in India has grown to about 350 million people, many of whom are defying traditional norms and demanding beef at the table. This is exhausting grain supplies which are diverted to feeding cattle to raise for beef and leaving less food grains for human consumption and driving the over-all world grain and food prices up.
As an Indian American, I am amazed at some of the persistent misconceptions and derogatory attitudes of some of my fellow Americans concerning India. Of course, no country is perfect and that definitely includes India.
India opened up to Western style capitalism in the late '90s and since then India's economy and middle class has been growing rapidly. India's middle class alone is larger than the entire U.S. population and it's growing bigger by the day. It's a good thing that India didn't open up its economy in the 70's, otherwise gas and food prices would have really shot up through the roof. India's and China's oil consumption for their growing economies is the main reason for today's high oil prices.
The perennial question, of course, is why Indians don't eat all the cows on the street. A beef based diet is much more expensive. Besides, it takes ten pounds of grain protein to feed a cow to get back one pound of beef protein. That's a waste of nine pounds of grain protein! A balanced vegetarian diet can provide all the protein such as a combination of rice and beans (lentils) and wheat bread and beans which many Indians subsist on. The cows in India are used by farmers for tilling the soil, for milk and dairy products, and even cow dung is used for fertilizer and cooking fuel by many villagers.
As a Christian, I am advising a vegetarian diet for those in India not for religious reasons but so that more food would be available, especially for the poorer masses, and at a more affordable price. Also, a balanced vegetarian diet has been proven to be more healthy. What Indians do need to do is remove all the cows not being used which are roaming the countryside eating up precious grain and food that can be used for human consumption.
Most Americans don't realize that Western mathematics originated in India. The so-called "Arabic" numerals were borrowed by the Arabs from the Indians. Because the Europeans borrowed their mathematics from the Arabs they became known as Arabic numerals, but they originated in India. Without the decimal system that India created and which was borrowed by the West, via the Arabs, Western science and technology would not have been possible. The ancient Roman numerals would not have sufficed.
The author, Babu G. Ranganathan, has a B.A. degree with concentrations in theology and biology and has been recognized for his writings on religion and science in the 24th edition of Marquis Who's Who In The East. The authors's website may be accessed at www.religionscience.com .


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The Hyundai Elantra is way overdue for a redesign, as it has had essentially the same design since 2011. While the current Elantra is not ugly by any stretch of the imagination, it is starting to show its age a bit. What’s more, with Hyundai’s lineup changing all around the Elantra, the aging looks of the current model will only worsen with each passing year.
Apparently, we will not have to wait too long for the debut of the next-gen Elantra, as Hyundai has just released a teaser image showing off the updated sedan.
Thankfully, Hyundai appears to be taking the wise route with the new Elantra and revamping the Fluidic Sculpture design language instead of fully overhauling it. The result is the pretty sweet preview of the 2017 Elantra above.
The most recognizable feature of this new design is the grille, which has become somewhat of a staple for the brand as of late. The new Elantra also gains sharp creases on its hood and a raised beltline that spans the length of its four-door body.
Up front is a face that looks nothing like the existing model, as it has more aggressive air inlets, which could be non-functional, and a rounded chin that gives the sedan a unique look.
Unfortunately, this teaser image is just that: a teaser. Chances are that the actual production model will be a little less stylish, but I could be wrong. Luckily, we won’t have to wait too long to find out, as the redesigned Elantra will make its debut at the 2015 LA Auto Show, set to kick off in December.
In addition to the new look, we are awaiting details on what will power the next-gen Elantra. There have been reports of it sharing the 2016 Tucson’s 1.6-liter engine, which produces 175 horsepower. There will almost certainly be a higher-output engine available with the 2017 Elantra as well, possibly a turbocharged unit that crests the 200-horsepower mark.
We’ll bring you all of the official details as they becomes available.


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12 GM Vehicles Named to IIHS List of Recommended Used Vehicles for Teens
In a time when many question the safety of older GM models, given the recent ignition switch recalls, it is refreshing to report that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has placed 12 GM models (ranging from current and defunct brands) on its first-ever list of recommended used vehicles for teen drivers.
“We know many teens are driving the older, smaller vehicles in the family fleet are less likely to afford optimal crash protection,” reported IIHS Senior Vice President for Research, Anne Mccartt. “The vehicles from GM brands on our list provide teens with important safety features across all family budgets.”
More than half of all parents surveyed by IIHS reported that their teens drive models from 2006 or earlier. This means that they do not all possess important features like side-impact airbags or electronic stability control. Thus, it was important for IIHS to recommend the best older vehicles for teens, that way parents know what features to look for in potential vehicles.
“These IIHS recommendations will help guide our customers as they seek safe and affordable transportation for their young drivers,” said Alan Batey, executive vice president and vice president, GM North America. “The technologies that help inexperienced teen drivers in many cases avoid crashes are found on many of our late-model vehicles.”
The twelve GM vehicles chosen appeared in two categories—Best Choices and Good Choices. Best Choices were those models that were $20,000 and under while Good Choices were just $10,000 and under. Best Choices also received Good ratings in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests, as well as at least four out of five stars in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) testing. They also offer electronic stability control to guard against rollover crashes. Meanwhile, Good Choices received a Good rating in the moderate overlap front test, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the side test. These models also received four out of five stars in NHTSA testing and offer standard stability control and a marginal or better rating for head restraints and seats.
Check out the results below.
Results: 12 GM Vehicles Named to IIHS List of Recommended Used Vehicles for Teens
- Buick Enclave (2011 and later)—$19,900
- GMC Acadia (2011 and later)—$17,800
- Chevy Traverse (2011 and later)—$16,600
- Saturn Aura (2009 and later)—$8,800
- Saab 9-3 (2005 and later)—$4,000
- Saturn Vue (2008 – 2009)—$7,700
No small or minicars were recommended.
“GM continues to strive for outstanding safety performance in our vehicles,” said Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM Global Vehicle Safety. “Safety technologies also need to be paired with good judgment on the part of all drivers, including teens – keeping their eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and distractions to a minimum.”
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.


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NFI scores orders from Michigan and New York state
NFI’s streak in the US market continues as the Group writes its first order from the University of Michigan. The transportation department expects three large e-buses to arrive on campus shortly. There’s also news from Nassau Inter County Express (NICE) in New York state.
Swatch, ORNL, BioSolar, University of Michigan.
Swatch update: The announced Super-battery is taking form. Serial production of the prototype is to commence in June – first for e-bikes, electric scooters and drones, followed by EVs in 2017. Swatch promises an 30 percent increase in capacity compared to the Gigafactory product. And it is said to charge faster.
handelszeitung.ch (in German)
Battery alliance: Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Solid Power have signed a licencing agreement for lithium-sulphur for battery packs of the next generation. He goal is to develop more energy-dense batteries for the rechargeable energy market.
BioSolar update: The company says it concluded the first development stage of its allegedly revolutionary cathode technology (we reported). According to BioSolar, it could reduce the cost to less than 100 dollars per kWh. The next development stage will focus on the opimisation of production and preparation of demonstrators.
Autonomous funding: The University of Michigan as received 2.7m dollars in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) to test whether autonomous vehicles can help people drive more efficiently. Most cars used for the study will be electric or feature hybrid technology.
LG Chem, Chevrolet, University of Michigan, Local Motors.
An European EV battery plant will be build by LG Chem. The South Korean company is looking for a suitable location. A most likely site is Polish Wroclaw, where LG Electronics, LG Display and LG Innotek already have branches. Planned annual production capacity is 50,000 batteries. It looks like European companies are ultimately too late to join the game.
Autonomous Chevy Volt: GM is to deploy a fleet of self-driving Volts at its Warren Technical Center in late 2016. The Volts with Super Cruise control will be available for rent by employees to get around campus. GM will also launch a ride-sharing program in New York but did not say if it will be electric.
New battery lab: The University of Michigan opened the ‘Battery Fabrication and Characterization User Facility.’ The battery lab is funded with 2m dollars from U-M, 5m dollars come from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and another 2.1m dollars from Ford. The facility has open access.
EV print facility: Local Motors is putting the finishing touches on its micro-factory in Knoxville, Tennessee. Here, the company is to 3D-print components for its Reload Swim and Sport EV models. Orders can be placed via Indiegogo from next month (we reported).
– Feedback –
Most clicked link on Monday was GM’s confirmation that the Bolt EV would indeed arrive next year and with cheaper batteries than ever – 145 dollars/kWh was the word on the conference.
Volkswagen, California NanoSystems Institute, University of Michigan.
One battery cell for all? VW is thinking about a single cell design for all batteries of its various electrified models, head of development Heinz-Jakob Neusser said. This could lead to cost reduction of 66 percent. At the moment, cells for VW’s e-Golf and Golf GTE as well as the Audi A3 e-tron are delivered by Panasonic, while Samsung SDI supplies cells for the new Passat GTE and upcoming Audi e-trons.
Hybrid supercapacitor: Researchers from the California NanoSystems Institute have developed what they call a hybrid supercapacitor. It combines the virtues of supercaps like fast charge/discharge rates with a high energy density – six times as much as commercially available supercapacitors.
Promising H2 storage: The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) awarded researchers at the University of Michigan with 1.2 million dollars to continue their work with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as those prove promising as efficient materials for high-density on-board hydrogen storage for FCVs.
– Feedback –
Most clicked link on Thursday was Tesla signing up big customers like Wal-Mart and Cargill with its stationary batteries.
Hyundai/Kia, Feadship Savannah, University of Michigan, Tongass Rain.
A centre for innovation has been opened by Hyundai and Kia in the South Korean city of Gwangju. The R&D facility focuses on fuel cell and hydrogen technologies and is to fund young businesses with up to 177.5 billion won (162m dollars) in cooperation with the City of Gwangju and investors. Hyundai and Kia will provide around 1,000 unused patents to those who want to open automotive start-ups.
koreajoongangdaily.com, koreatimes.co.kr, just-auto.com
Hybrid superyacht: Dutch Feadship says it is about to build the world’s first hybrid megayacht. The Savannah is 83.50 metres long and features a diesel engine, three diesel-electric generators as well as Li-Ion batteries with a capacity of 1,000 kWh. Together, the setup is said to save about 30 percent fuel.
“Bulletproof” battery: A new battery technology developed by the University of Michigan is said to prevent fires like the ones that grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The trick is an advanced barrier made from Kevlar, the material in bulletproof vests, between the electrodes pf Li-ion batteries.
Truly eco tours: The Tongass Rain is an electric catamaran Bob Varness is looking to build. It is designed to provide a silent and thus unobtrusive approach to whale watching in his hometown Juneau, Alaska. The electric vessel is ready for production, provided crowdfunding seeps in.
kickstarter.com (campaign), juneauempire.com
– Feedback –
Most clicked link on Wednesday was the Salamander, an all-electric amphibious rickshaw developed by H2 Technologies.


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The following is from Teamsters Local 117:
TUKWILA (July 22, 2014) — Hundreds of Teamsters at three grocery warehouses — Safeway, SuperValu, and Unified Grocers — voted overwhelmingly to ratify their contracts over the weekend. The agreements contain annual wage increases and protections against subcontracting and the rising cost of health care. Voting took place in Tukwila and Tacoma on July 19 and 20.
“Our members in the grocery distribution industry help maintain the supply chain that feeds hundreds of thousands of families across the Puget Sound region and the West,” said Tracey A. Thompson, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 117. “We worked hard with these companies to achieve a settlement that is both good for business and values our members’ labor. That’s why grocery warehouse workers at Safeway ratified their contract 140-1.”
With the three contracts ratified, Fred Meyer is the only Teamster grocery distributor in the area that has not settled its contract.
“We are still early in the process with Fred Meyer, and we are hopeful that we can achieve a comparable agreement that our members can ratify,” Thompson said.
Bargaining between Teamsters Local 117 and Fred Meyer started on June 13. The parties have met two times and are scheduled to negotiate again today (July 22). The contract between the union and Fred Meyer covers 407 workers, who are employed at the company’s distribution center in Puyallup. The facility serves approximately 140 stores in the region.
Workers in the grocery warehouse industry perform physically demanding work under a tight production standard. They work in ambient, refrigerated and freezer warehouse environments, manually handling heavy cases and operating forklifts and pallet jacks to receive, load and stock grocery products.
Fred Meyer is a subsidiary of Kroger, Inc., the second-largest grocery retailer in the country. In 2013, Kroger reported sales of $98.4 billion and profits of $1.5 billion.
Teamsters Local 117 represents approximately 16,000 members, with more than 1,000 members who work in the grocery warehouse industry.


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THE VISEGRAD region is clearly marked on the map of many Japanese diplomats, business leaders, academics and tourists, who are carefully exploring the business and landscape details of the region, including those of Slovakia.
While Slovakia is looking towards Japan with expectations of gaining additional investments, developing more exports to Japan or luring more Japanese tourists to visit Slovakia, Japan is seeking European partners to cooperate in areas such as development aid, energy security and conservation, nuclear technology for power generation, and even sharing the technology of Japan’s bullet trains.
Japanese companies have started viewing Slovakia as an optimal gateway to enter European Union markets as well as Ukraine and Russia, Dagmar Hlavatá of Slovakia’s Economy Ministry told The Slovak Spectator.
Hlavatá said last year’s visit to Slovakia by representatives of Nippon Keidanren, the Japan Business Federation, which has 1,600 member companies, confirmed the interest of Japanese companies in Slovakia. The representatives of Nippon Keidanren, who not only influence trade and investment decisions but also societal developments in Japan, met Slovak state officials as well as representatives of the Slovak Trade and Investment Development Agency (SARIO).
Peter Bohov, the chairman of the Slovak-Japanese Chamber of Commerce, told The Slovak Spectator that the global economic downturn has changed the way Japanese firms are planning their investments in central Europe.
“Before it was more typical that Japanese companies were planning their investments independently within their supplier and buyer relationships and mostly greenfield and brownfield investments prevailed,” Bohov said. “Today, in their efforts to eliminate possible negative risks linked to turbulence in the global market they are instead trying to find local partners. Through such partner firms, they continue securing supplies for their own customers. Such cooperation is regularly linked with investment from the Japanese side, mainly to the technological side of the firm, which of course brings along know-how.”
Bohov added that Japanese firms are also becoming more interested in the possibility of purchasing firms that have well-developed customer networks and in creating joint-venture projects. He also noted that a couple of small trading companies have come to Slovakia and he expects this trend will accelerate.
Japanese firms which are already operating in Slovakia in the electro-technical and automotive industry are expected to focus on preserving their positions as key suppliers, Bohov said.
Slovakia regularly organises business seminars and presentations to introduce Slovakia to potential Japanese partners.
“The Japanese market is very specific but it represents an interesting and potential market for Slovak firms,” Hlavatá stated.
“The Japanese market is characterized by its high consumption of food products, machines, raw materials, and consumer goods and there are prospective export items on Slovakia’s side in all these areas.”
Bohov said that Japanese investors, like those from other countries, perceive bureaucracy as one of the drawbacks of the Slovak business environment and as a real obstacle to dynamic development of business. He added that the process of arranging some of the required permits in Slovakia is frustrating not only for foreign businesses but for domestic ones as well.
Last year Sony's LCD TV assembly factory in Nitra, which had been the largest Japanese investment in Slovakia, was purchased by Foxconn, a Taiwan-based firm, he noted. Bohov also said the most important Japanese investments in Slovakia at this time are the facilities of Brother Industries in Krupina, SEBN-SK in Nitra, Dia Moulding in Nitra, Yamagata in Šurany and Panasonic in Krompachy.
According to Lucia Guzlejová of SARIO, there are approximately 50 companies with a Japanese presence operating in Slovakia, employing about 9,000 people. The established Japanese companies operate primarily in the electro-technical industry and in production of plastic and plastic components. Last November, SARIO co-organised its third investment seminar in Japan, which was also attended by representatives of Japanese companies currently operating in Slovakia who shared their practical experience of the Slovak business environment.
“Unlike the other seminars which were focused on the electro-technical industry and research and development, this meeting was devoted to the general investment environment in Slovakia and to a comparison of the performance of the Slovak economy before the eruption of the economic crisis and the current situation, along with predictions for the coming years,” Guzlejová told The Slovak Spectator.
The Japanese perspective
When reflecting on Slovak-Japanese relations, Daisuke Yamashita of the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry’s European Affairs Bureau in the Central and South Eastern Europe Division, pointed out that in the area of development assistance, Japan contributed to Slovakia’s development when the independent country emerged two decades ago, while noting that Slovakia is now an EU member and a donor country itself.
“We want to look into the possibility of cooperation [with Slovakia] in the area of developmental aid provided to other countries since we share common values in this area,” Yamashita told The Slovak Spectator.
Yamashita confirmed that Japan is interested in extending its cooperation with countries of the Visegrad Group (V4), of which Slovakia currently holds the presidency. Recently representatives from Japan attended a joint seminar on energy saving with V4 countries and a year ago another joint Japan-V4 seminar focused on climate change.
“The V4 countries share many characteristics and they are Japanese-friendly countries,” Yamashita explained. “When Japan aspired to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council the V4 countries supported its candidacy and we share the same values in many foreign policy areas.”
Yamashita noted that the Japanese business presence in this region is extensive: there are 253 Japanese companies operating in Poland, 240 companies in the Czech Republic and Hungary has become home to 120 Japanese companies.
He explained that there had been a trend for Japanese manufacturing companies to invest in this region but said the situation is now changing as V4 countries are reshaping their investment priorities and are trying to attract different types of investments. Yamashita stressed that there are several additional areas where V4 and Japanese business interests could intersect.
“Japan is geared towards cooperation in the area of energy security,” Yamashita said, adding that Japanese companies are seeking opportunities to export not only technology for nuclear power plants but also for things like high-speed trains. “When we talk about exports we do look at neighbouring Asian countries first, but we are now looking for opportunities in other regions as well.”
Yamashita noted that V4 countries have already absorbed a considerable amount of foreign investment which he said indicates that the investment environment of these countries is attractive enough for investors.
“I believe that if the economic climate in Europe is stable and predictable Japanese companies will consider additional investments in the region,” he concluded.
(Beata Balogová visited Japan last year through the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry’s programme for visiting foreign journalists)
24. Jan 2011 at 0:00 | Beata Balogová


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Bahrain NEX adding space to meet growing demand
Stars and Stripes July 26, 2013
MANAMA, Bahrain — To meet demands of a growing population on the Navy base in Bahrain, construction is under way on an addition to the Navy Exchange, though officials say there are no immediate plans to increase inventory.
The two-story, 30,000-square-foot facility, which opened in 2006, had $48 million in sales in 2007. Last year sales had grown to $79 million.
Officials say the current NEX was simply not designed to support the volume of customers, with nearly 7,000 U.S. personnel, families and support staff at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
“The business has exploded,” Patrina Jordan, the Bahrain NEX general manager, said.
Construction is under way to add 2,750 square feet to the second floor apparel and electronics departments by enclosing a terrace.
However, Jordan said people should not expect to see more merchandise any time soon.
While the NEX’s surveys indicate more merchandise is a top priority for customers, the “addition” — expected to be completed in the fall — is to allow more “wiggle room,” widening the aisles to comply with the American with Disabilities Act.
However, Jordan does plan to use the addition to consolidate children’s items into one department in response to a growing number of U.S. families living in Bahrain.
“We hope to be able to bring that whole category together,” she said, citing items such as baby food, diapers and children’s furniture.
“That would be nice,” said Monica Marinelli, a mother and newcomer to Bahrain. Marinelli points out that the current setup has baby items in different sections instead of one centralized location.
For those hoping for more merchandise, an expansion that includes a bigger first-floor grocery and household items section is in the design phase, though it is not clear when that might begin.
Jordan said that, “at the end of the day, to really make the impact, we need more space, and that’s why that expansion is so important.” If it happens, “that’s when our customers will clearly see a transformation in the store.”
The U.S. presence in Bahrain continues to grow. Earlier this month three U.S. coastal patrol ships — with about 75 sailors — were permanently stationed in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. 5th fleet. There are plans to bring two more coastal patrol ships next spring.


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Apple ordered to pay $440 million to FaceTime patent troll
VirnetX still can't declare victory, though.
Apple accused of intentionally breaking FaceTime on iOS 6
A California lawsuit alleges the company broke the protocol to save money.
Apple loses FaceTime patent retrial, ordered to pay $302.4 million
It's the third time Apple has faced off against VirnetX over patents covering secure communications.
Apple won't have to pay a patent troll $625 million after all
A judge ordered a retrial, saying references to an earlier case prejudiced the jury.
Apple ordered to pay $625 million in FaceTime patent lawsuit
VirnetX's quest to profit from others' success is paying off.
Meet the company that is dangerously close to collecting 1% of Apple's iPhone and iPad revenue
If you've never heard the name VirnetX that's OK, since the company doesn't really make anything y...
Apple changes its position on iOS VPN changes
Earlier this month, Apple posted a support document on its website with details on how settings...
Apple forced to change VPN On Demand for iOS due to lawsuit from VirnetX
Apple has announced changes to their VPN on Demand service for iOS devices following a lawsuit...
Apple ordered to pay VirnetX $363K daily in patent dispute
Here's one way to force two warring companies to hash things out. A federal judge has ordered App...