text:
The damage from an overnight earthquake in a mountainous area of central Japan that hosted the 1998 winter Olympics proved more extensive than initially thought. A daylight assessment Sunday found at least 50 homes destroyed in two villages, and 41 people injured across the region, officials said.
Former Israeli prime minister and defence minister Ehud Barak says that while there is an urgent need to fight ISIS, the world cannot disregard other regional threats, especially Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The holidays have long been an important time for retailers, with most counting on holiday shoppers to help bolster the bottom line. But online shopping and the expansion of U.S. retailers north of the border are vastly changing the way Canadians shop.


text:
Currys is on the hunt for a new chairman as the UK’s biggest electrical goods firm hires in City headhunters.
As first reported by Sky News, the company has kicked off the process to replace Lord Livingston of Parkhead, who has held the role of chair since 2015.
Sources said that the selection of a chairman was unlikely to take place until next year at the earliest for the £1.2bn chain.
It comes just weeks after Currys chief executive Alex Baldock said that trading conditions during the peak Christmas period had been “challenging”, with sales down six per cent at the group which also includes Dixons and Carphone Warehouse.
The group, which trades from more than 800 stores in seven countries and online, said like-for-like revenue fell five per cent year on year in the 10 weeks to January 8, but was up four per cent against the same period of 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit trading.

domain: news


text:
Delhi HC restrains Flipkart from selling counterfeit goods of Cosco India
Delhi high court passes order restraining Flipkart from providing its e-commerce platform to sellers who allegedly sold counterfeit goods of sports equipment maker Cosco India on its website
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday passed an order restraining Flipkart from providing its e-commerce platform to sellers who allegedly sold counterfeit goods of sports equipment maker Cosco India Ltd on its website.
Flipkart was directed to take down the counterfeit products of Cosco India from its website within 48 hours.
A Flipkart executive said the company hadn’t yet seen a copy of the order and declined to comment.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Cosco India against Flipkart Internet Pvt. Ltd for providing a platform to “unauthorized” sellers to vend counterfeit sports goods and accessories under the trademark ‘Cosco’.
Cosco India submitted before justice Valmiki J. Mehta that it was the owner of trademark ‘Cosco’.
The sale of fake goods under the trademark ‘Cosco’ by sellers on Flipkart, which were neither procured from Cosco India nor any other authorized retailer of Cosco, resulted in a loss of crores to Cosco India, the company said.
The issue with respect to damages and policing of goods on the e-commerce website would be heard by the court in subsequent hearings.
- Mega bank mergers and the future of reforms
- US shale will continue to steal market share until late-2020s: Opec
- Govt starts consultation with states for mergers of regional rural banks
- No concern on liquidity of NBFCs: SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar
- Infosys, TCS, 3 other IT firms shortlisted to implement RBI’s CIMS


text:
Reliable camera news leaker Nokishita has released details of a new Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens set to be revealed this Thursday, June 18th.
The lens is rumored to be compatible with Sony E-mount and also the L-mount.
Two 1.4x and 2x converters are also rumored to be announced but only for the L-mount version. This begs the question as to whether or not the lens will also work with Sony’s own 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.
Sigma has a new product announcement on Thursday this week at 15:00 CEST time, when this lens is likely to be officially announced.
You can watch the announcement live on YouTube if you wish:
Here are the rumored specs:
Lens construction: 22 elements in 16 groups (including 1 FLD lens and 4 SLD lenses)
Minimum focussing distance: 112 cm (wide-angle end)/160 cm (telephoto end)
Maximum shooting magnification: 1:4.1 (at 400 mm)
Filter diameter: 67mm
Tripod mount: Optional
The rumored price in North America is said be be $949.00 and €1,199.00 in Europe.
It will certainly be interesting to see how this lens compares with the much more expensive Sony FE 100-400 F4.5-5.6 GM lens.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Friday on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market:
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., down 41 cents at $14.54
The doughnut store operator said that its fiscal fourth-quarter net income fell sharply due to a one-time gain in the prior year.
Aeropostale Inc., down 76 cents at $13.75
The teen retailer posted a loss for its fiscal fourth quarter and said it expects another loss in the current quarter.
Brown Shoe Co. Inc., down 90 cents at $17.50
The owner of the Naturalizer and Famous Footwear stores posted an earnings outlook for 2013 that missed Wall Street expectations.
Blyth Inc., down $1.78 at $15.38
The seller of candles and weight loss products posted a weak 2013 earnings forecast and disappointing fourth-quarter results.
Destination XL Group Inc., up 35 cents at $4.92
The men's retailer, which owns Rochester Big & Tall stores, said that this year would be its strongest sales growth in seven years.
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc., down $14.23 at $74.14
The beauty products retailer's fourth-quarter profit rose nearly 40 percent on strong sales, but it posted a disappointing forecast.
Zumiez Inc., up $1.29 at $25.51
Thanks to rising sales, the sports clothing and footwear retailer said its fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 22 percent.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp., down $1.62 at $7.36
The dredging services company will restate its second- and third-quarter results because of issues with the way it recorded revenue.
Picatinny Arsenal Releases Modular Handgun RFP... And It's A Trainwreck - Bearing Arms - Modular Handgun System, u.s. military
A Nation of Laws No More | RedState
War on cops: Female officer in Penn. assaulted and thrown over guardrail after stopping to help disabled vehicle
How to Write a New York Times Op-Ed in Three Easy Steps | Human Events
Jonah Goldberg - An Arsenal Of Smoking Guns In Clinton Email Scandal
Hugh Hewitt to Trump: Do you know who the Quds Force is? - Hot Air
Daniel J. Mitchell - Redistribution Is Morally Dubious, Economically Harmful, and It Doesn’t Work


text:
As you might imagine, a number of these channels are advert-supported, so there will be some commercial breaks. But if you’re short of things to watch and don’t fancy stumping up for a Netflix subscription, this could be a great alternative for Samsung Smart TV owners.
Alongside these new channels, there’s also an update to the on-screen look with the addition of a newly introduced ‘overlay bar’. Samsung says this updated design provides viewers with a brief summary of their most recently viewed channels, as well as top recommendations tailored to their viewing preferences.
From here, with a simple click, users can then gain quick and easy access to the Home Page and Channel Page. There’s even a ‘Continue Watching’ feature which allows viewers to jump back into the shows they’ve yet to finish.


text:
While many face unemployment, Amazon ramps up hiring during COVID-19
Share Now on:
More than half of the jobs in the U.S. could be at risk as COVID-19 continues to limit economic activity, according to Moody’s Analytics. But there’s also some brisk hiring.
Amazon says it’s going to hire an additional 100,000 full- and part-time workers. That’s because the company is seeing a surge in demand as more people are staying at home.
“Obviously, people are going to make more use of home deliveries, it makes perfect sense,” said Dan Griswold, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center. “And Amazon’s in a good position to ramp up and meet demand.”
Amazon says it will pay workers at least $17 an hour to work during the pandemic.
Brick-and-mortar grocery chains like Safeway and Kroger are also recruiting more workers.
“There are certain crucial jobs that people will have to still go to work even as we adjust to new lifestyle. And that’s just sort of how it is,” said Kate Bahn, labor economist at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
These companies are hiring people to go to work, so that others can avoid going out as much as possible.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.


text:
• The YouTube award winner says social media is lifting young talents
Comedian Njugush says he is currently jamming with the new kids on the block in music.
"Ethic, Ochungulo, Rico gang, Sailors are amazing artistes. They are coming up with content that anyone can relate to," Njugush told Word Is on Wednesday.
Njugush, who received a prestigious YouTube award last year, says social media is lifting young talents.
"Social media has done amazing work because if it was mainly up to mainstream media, probably three-quarters of these people would not make it and their music would not be known and it would not be played," he said.
He is among many Kenyans who use social media to share his content with his fans. "Social media is giving people a platform, and from there, the mainstream media is requesting their songs, which they play."
Njugush encourages the youth to use the platform and make something for themselves.
"It does not matter what kind of music they are doing, but the fact is that we have kids using their talents to make money for themselves," he said.
He says the government is not doing enough to create employment, and that is why we have young people joining hands to do something together.
"That is a great success to them. I love love the Odi philosophy and all other Kenyan artistes," he said.
Njugush was among Kenyan brands feted with the YouTube Silver Play Button award, which acts as recognition by YouTube of its most popular channels. The Silver Play Button Award is given to YouTube content creators who reach or surpass the 100,000 subscriber mark.
Other YouTube awards include the Gold and Diamond Creator Award, presented for 1 million subscribers and 10 million subscribers respectively.
Njugush has over 180,000 subscribers now on his YouTube channel, which he only activated two years ago. He attracted more subscribers as he generates hilarious content that appeals to many.
He says consistency is key to any online user. "Make sure you understand what your audience like so you can stick to it," he said.


text:
Winner of this year’s British Franchisor of the Year Award, Water Babies, is looking for franchise partners in the Middle East Region.
Water Babies is the biggest and most professional baby and toddler swimming programme in the world. With international success in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and now China, the company is experiencing phenomenal growth globally. (more…)
The Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA) is featured in the latest issue of the Global Franchise Magazine, Europe. The article tells information about the 3rd Middle East Franchise Expo & Forum – Dubai and enumerates the benefits of joining the premier franchise exhibition in the MENA region. (more…)
Mandilicious appoints a new franchisee in Bahrain
FIRST OUTLET OPENING IN BAHRAIN
Following a vastly region-wide success we’re more than happy to introduce The Cuisine of Arabia to Bahrain. (more…)
Roundup, a 54° East company will expand its food truck operations into Saudi Arabia after Ramadan.
The 15-month old business has signed a deal with a Saudi partner and has opened an office in Riyadh, which will have full authority over legislation for the Saudi operation of Roundup trucks. (more…)
A Chapter Affiliation Agreement has been signed between Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA) Chairman Dr. Khalid Alsharfa and Mr. Saeed Al Majed at MENAFA head office in Dubai. This agreement shall establish the very first Chapter Affiliate in the MENA region and its office will be based in Bahrain. (more…)
“DESITA Gelato Award 2016” is the first international Design Contest aiming to innovate the gelato shop experience.
The contest is an idea of DESITA and it is dedicated to designers under 35 from all over the world. (more…)
Mandilicious has joined hands with Hala Catering in Qatar to open outlets nationwide. Very soon Mandi lovers in Qatar will be able to experience authentic Arabic Cuisine Dine-in experience in Mandilicious Gourmet at Salwa Road, which will be serving to 200 guests at a time. (more…)
1ST Outlet opening in Toronto before Summer 2016
Mandilicious as part of their successful growth strategy has signed up for a master a franchise agreement with a reputed organization in Canada. The updated franchise models and the attractive business opportunity that Mandilicious has to offer has caught the attention of the many. (more…)
We are pleased to announce that MAK Law Firm continues to achieve prominence as a full service law firm in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and for another successive year has been listed in the renowned The Legal 500 EMEA directory for the 2016 edition. (more…)
Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA) has participated the launch of Business Community Engagement (BCE) by the Department of Economic Development, Government of Dubai held on 24th of April 2016 at The Ritz Carlton, DIFC. (more…)


text:
TV presenter and farmer JB Gill will head up a national search to find the champions of British game to reward their success, innovation and passion.
JB, formerly of pop group JLS, is the ambassador of the Eat Game Awards 2018. Nominations for the awards are now open.
The aim of the awards, which have been founded by Boisdale, Purdey and Taste of Game, is to identify and celebrate the ‘innovators, creators and revoultionaries’ in the wild game world.
Annette Woolcock from Taste of Game said: “The Eat Game Awards is a new movement to acknowledge wild game as a part of our heritage and recognise and develop game as a vibrant and modern addition to our food sources, encouraging the British public to discover and embrace this valuable food source.”
James Horne from Purdey said: “The consumption of game meat is a great joy. We are determined to broaden the awareness of the delights this meat brings and encourage its wider consumption across the UK. The awards are a tremendous way of recognising the significant breadth of game use and innovation that so many people, chefs, restaurants and companies have brought to our table.”
Ranald Macdonald of Boisdale said: “The eating of game is integral to the survival of the Great British countryside, the rural economy and our way of life. It is also delicious and nutritious. For everyone’s benefit we need to encourage the consumption of British game.”
The closing date for nominations is 28th September 2018. Online voting will open on 1st June until 30th August 2018. The awards will be held at Boisdale Canary Wharf in October 2018.
For more information on categories and to nominate, visit eatgameawards.co.uk


text:
Yahoo! has taken Microsoft’s demands for internet giants to slash the time they keep online search query data to six months, and raised it by anonymising most of the info after just 90 days. The search engine firm announced today that it would decrease its data retention from a standard of around 13 months to three months for …
Sounds like cost saving to me
It must cost a lot to store this data. Cutting down to 3 months sounds like a good way to save a few bucks to me.
It's not like Yahoo is exactly flush with money right now.
They've turned cost saving into PR. Clever though, full points for the effort.
You've! finally! titled! a! Yahoo!! article! properly!
Under EU data retention laws won't your search engine query URL be stored by your ISP for up to two years anyway no matter what Yahoo does ?
- Product round-up Ten excellent FREE PC apps to brighten your Windows
- Review Tough Banana Pi: a Raspberry Pi for colour-blind diehards
- Product round-up Ten Mac freeware apps for your new Apple baby
- Analysis Pity the poor Windows developer: The tools for desktop development are in disarray
- Chromecast video on UK, Euro TVs hertz so badly it makes us judder – but Google 'won't fix'


text:
So you ate a few more cookies over the holidays than you should have, and now you're weighing in at a few more pounds than you'd like. What to do?
Perhaps you should eat more cookies.
Purveyors of several all-the-rage "cookie diets" say you can lose as much as 15 pounds a month on their programs, and they boast of a sizable batch of already sized-down cookie dieters -- reportedly including Jennifer Hudson, Mandy Moore, Howard Stern, Kelly Clarkson and former Madonna husband Guy Ritchie.
But before visions of sugar cookies (or rum balls, pfeffernuesse, gingerbread men . . .) start dancing in your head, be warned: On a cookie diet, you can't eat just any cookies. You have to eat special cookie-diet cookies.
These cookies have been the toast of fan magazines and TV talk shows; on Friday, the granddaddy of them all -- Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet -- is opening its first full-fledged store in Beverly Hills.
"That's where all our customers are," says Dr. Sanford Siegal, who invented the original cookie diet more than 30 years ago. "That's why it's there, for their convenience."
The basic notion of these diets -- Smart for Life, Hollywood Cookie and Soypal, as well as Dr. Siegal's -- is to replace one or two meals a day with cookies that are much lower in calories than the meals would have been. Although the regimens vary, they are often very low-calorie diets designed to lead to rapid weight loss.
Because all the cookies are standardized in size and calorie content -- and dieters are usually told how many to eat and when -- the diets eliminate the problem of out-sized portions, generally considered a major culprit in weight gain.
James Pacella of Boston adhered to the Smart for Life diet for seven months, and the 23-year-old engineer for Procter & Gamble, lost about a third of himself -- scaling down to 225 pounds from 335.
He thought the cookie diet was as easy as pie. "It's hard to explain," he says, "because it just happened . . . I can't say enough about it. I really believe in it."
But others think the whole concept is nuttier than a fruitcake.
"It's a classic fad diet," says Judith Stern, a UC Davis nutrition professor and diet expert who co-directs the Collaborative Obesity Research Evaluation Team, an international board that reviews published obesity papers. "If it weren't serious, I would just laugh. But people spend money on these things."
In 1975, Siegal was an obesity doctor in South Florida, and his goal in devising the first cookie diet was to make his patients' poundage plummet. He believed patients did best when their results were fast and obvious. "You go to the doctor's office and see the weight coming off every week," he says. "That's a tremendous motivating factor."
Siegal settled on 800 calories a day as the optimum number for weight loss. And he came up with a plan in which dieters got those 800 calories by eating his cookies for breakfast and lunch and then lean meat and vegetables for dinner.
He says it's safe, under supervision -- "I've never seen a problem with too low a calorie diet. Staying obese, that's the danger." And he says it's very effective: "No one fails on 800 calories a day, believe me."
The trick with any diet is sticking to it, and proponents say cookie diets are highly stick-to-it-able. After all, cookies are convenient, portable and, hey, they're cookies.
But the main reason people manage to stay on the diets, manufacturers believe, is because the cookies keep them from getting ravenous.
Hunger suppression is crucial, Siegal says. "Any diet will work if people can follow it, but they can't follow it if they're too hungry."
It's no problem to curb hunger by eating a lot of calories. It's a lot harder if you get only 800 calories a day (or even a few hundred more as some plans allow). Manufacturers say cookie diets pull this off by using special ingredients -- including certain amino acids and soy byproducts -- or by prescribing small, frequent meals instead of three big ones, or by doing both.
A secret blend of amino acids -- known only to him and his wife -- is supposed to do the trick in Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet. Dr. Sasson Moulavi, founder and medical director of Smart for Life, says a patent is pending on his appetite-suppressing blend of amino acids, fiber and complex sugars. And Larry Turner, president of the Hollywood Cookie Diet, says the protein and fiber in his cookies make them so satisfying that people often don't even eat as many as the diet allows.
Taking a very different tack, Soypal Cookies -- said to be the most popular diet in their native Japan -- are designed simply and literally to fill you up. Their crucial ingredient is okara, the soy pulp left after soybeans are processed into soy milk and tofu. Dieters are instructed to drink plenty of liquids with the cookies because, according to Winnie Shepardson, customer service support representative for Soypal, "When okara absorbs water, it expands two to three times its original size."


text:
This is a paid-for submitted press release. CCN does not endorse, nor is responsible for any material included below and isn’t responsible for any damages or losses connected with any products or services mentioned in the press release. CCN urges readers to conduct their own research with due diligence into the company, product or service mentioned in the press release.
Global crypto to crypto exchange platform – Ibinex – released their White Paper earlier this month revealing a seamless new way to trade crypto.
The White Paper highlights the team’s belief that in order to unlock the limitless monetary and social possibilities delivered by blockchain technologies, there must first be a fundamental shift in societal viewpoint and people’s concept of money.
The team at Ibinex believes that until digital currency exchange is understood and embraced, it can’t be fully utilized for savings, trade, or investment. Set to expand the interconnectivity of the global crypto exchange market, Ibinex is making crypto even more accessible to pre-existing financial companies and individual traders.
The company first launched as a service providing access to Bitcoin liquidity to foreign exchange companies. Headquartered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines initially, Ibinex now has offices in New York, Israel, Panama, Manila, and Estonia. With a global fintech team made up of more than 100 experts spanning 14 countries, Ibinex has created a fully set-up cryptocurrency exchange that buyers can rebrand and manage themselves. In short – an EU licensed private-label crypto exchange that can be built for clients in 3 weeks.
The company received its Estonian license in June enabling companies to utilize the Ibinex platform and its all-inclusive bundle of cryptocurrency exchange features, most notably, the competitive advantage of EU regulation. This regulation includes banking, exchange and wallet approvals. The EU licensure is just one part of Ibinex’s robust and long-term licensing roadmap planned for the upcoming years.
The White Paper addresses the fact that due to a lack of transparency and inconsistent regulation across the crypto space along with technical issues, lack of liquidity, large price discrepancies between exchanges and the absence of exchange interconnectivity, widespread adoption is being hindered.
The Ibinex innovative plug and play solution include complete platform build-out and full 24/7 back-end support, eliminating costly fees that previously prohibited and discouraged private institutions and individual traders from setting up their own crypto exchange.
In-keeping with the ethos of the crypto ecosystem, Ibinex will eliminate intermediaries who have up until now slowed the positive flow of beneficial digital currency information and exchange. Ibinex has built a formula to build a crypto network of global interconnectivity that will further expand global peer to peer crypto networks, B2B transactions, and an international sharing community.
In addition to full build-out support, Ibinex offers KYC/onboarding, fiat to crypto processing, custodianship, a fully EU regulated environment all with zero set-up fee. Ibinex engineers and web developers customize each individual platform to meet requirements from both novice to complex traders including APIs, order types, coins, wallets, and 3rd party integrations.
The White Paper discusses the latest version of the Ibinex platform which will feature a fully integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system allowing exchanges to better organise customer data and improved versions of its KYC/AML systems, better liquidity connections as well as enhanced user interface software.
Ibinex is putting more emphasis on corporate transparency and has published the identities of its team members and founders in the White Paper as well as details of the company’s three-year product roadmap. The new release of the Ibinex platform and the added transparency will help fuel the team’s quest for innovations across all sectors of the crypto economy.
The White Paper communicates the Ibinex team’s strong effort to promote the use of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology and its related technological requirements for enthusiasts, developers, regulators, technologists, practitioners and users globally through the use of hard-data research. The mission of Ibinex is to support and coordinate the efforts of the crypto community by helping to create greater awareness of the benefits of blockchain technology through a concerted effort in educational research.
According to Ibinex, blockchain, with its myriad of benefits, most significantly creates a shared trusted value and this shared trust eliminates the need for a trustee, or an authority acting as the middleman to authorize a transaction, essentially controlling the entire process.
The Ibinex White Paper details the breakthroughs blockchain has offered and shares the ways in which blockchain can store anything of use digitally, thereby proving to be a tremendous asset to the education, science, technology, computer science and business sectors.
Ibinex points out that essentially any field that requires a safe way to collect and store massive amounts of information through a decentralized platform will benefit from the blockchain. Much like cryptocurrency, blockchain is still a virtually new technology but has vast potential and possible innovations.
Ibinex is hopeful that through the new platform release combined with the crypto community’s shared research, more information will be widely used and disseminated by all sectors of development to make the case for cryptocurrency taking the prominent position in economic development it deserves.
To know more visit our Website: https://ibinex.com/
Meet the Team: https://ibinex.com/who-we-are/
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibinexexchange
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibinexexchange
Read our Whitepaper: https://ibinex.com/Ibinex-Whitepaper-Final-Web.pdf
Join us on Telegram: https://t.me/ibinex
Contact Us Directly: https://ibinex.com/contact-ibinex/


text:
According to the company’s PR department,
Reza Ghasemi Shahri told the annual assembly of the company that it had
registered new production and sales records for polyethylene terephthalate
"Last year, about 1,140,000
tons of all types of polyethylene terephthalate products were produced in
Shahid Tondguyan Petrochemical Plant,” he said.
He further added that the company yielded
over 10,000 tons of items in the first 4 months of 1398 and only in the month
of Mehr (7th month in the Iranian calendar year – September 23 to
October 22) it supplied 109,000 tons of products.
The official went on to add that in
five months of 1398, production crossed 100% of the nameplate capacity of the plant.
Elsewhere in his address, Mr.
Shahri said the company sold 618,000 tons of items on the local and export
markets during the year.
The domestic sales of polyethylene
terephthalate products in 1398 was about 573,000 tons, which was the highest domestic
sales since 1394, he added.
Ghasemi Shahri, referring to the
threefold increase in exports of polyethylene terephthalate products in 1398
compared to 1397, emphasized: “Last year, about 46,000 tons of products were
exported to world markets, which is about three times the amount in 1397.”
He said that the leap in exports
of petrochemical products after the full supply of domestic needs and record of
the highest sales to domestic complementary industries had been materialized by
his company, adding: “It is expected this year if the required feedstock is
supplied, new production records, domestic sales and export volumes will be
The CEO of Shahid Tondguyan
Petrochemical Company emphasized that the most important program of this
petrochemical company is to diversify the production mix and supply new grades
with the aim of eliminating the need for import and supply the needs of complementary
petrochemical industries in the country.


text:
Pirelli's cash injection into its Carlisle-based factory will create around 40 new jobs, it has emerged.
As previously reported, the tyre manufacturer has committed to further investment in its Cumbrian operations despite the tough economic climate, with a total of £20 million now earmarked for developing the factory.
The Pirelli plant will soon be offering both specialist and factory floor roles, with the new workforce helping to produce the Italian company's next generation eco tyres.
Engineering Manager Alan Wilson confirmed the jobs figure, stating he was "delighted Pirelli have given permission for this level of investment".
"This is by far the biggest significant investment we have had in many, many years," he said.
Pirelli already employs 850 people in Carlisle, while interest in the firm's apprenticeship schemes has also increased.
Want to purchase reliable Pirelli tyres today? ATS Euromaster could be the perfect fit.
Posted by Danielle Barge


text:
Banned Ephedra Still in Stores
The Associated Press
More than 182 food establishments have been ordered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to stop selling ephedra-containing products since the federal ban on the dietary supplement took effect April 12, according to a report released Monday morning by the state agency.
Agency inspectors continued to find the banned products on store shelves around the state through the end of May.
To date, stop-sale orders issued by state Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson have resulted in thousands of packaged products being destroyed or returned to the manufacturer, according to agency's report.


text:
Back near the end of September, Apple announced and released its latest gadget, the iPhone 5. The company seemed to be on top of the world; in some cases it literally was. Apple was the most valuable corporation in the country, and the world. Its stock price on the 21st of September rose to $705.07 per share. But since then the company has been running into some problems.
Apple is still bogged down in multiple patent lawsuits with its competitors (like Samsung) all over the world. More importantly, the announcement of the iPhone 5, despite decent sales, might have been the beginning of the end of Apple’s dominance. I’m not sure if that’s entirely true, but it’s definitely a possibility. Why?
Apple Seems Confused
First of all, Apple believed the Apple Maps product was on par with other services from Google, Nokia, and others. This was clearly not the case. Therese Poletti at MarketWatch believes that Apple’s “decline began shortly after [the] new Maps app started to get panned by reviewers.” Since then, Apple’s stock has dropped 15% or about $100 per share. That’s a pretty precipitous drop for a company that many outsiders were deeming untouchable.
Apple’s forecasts for the December quarter, according to Therese, are also “well below what Wall Street had been anticipating.” The iPhone 5 sales – despite being rather impressive – also failed to completely impress Wall Street. But, of course, Wall Street isn’t the only measure of a company’s strength. How management runs a company and how they make important decisions are also indicators of its health.
Changes at Apple
Lisa Rapaport at Bloomberg writes Apple recently “embarked on a sweeping management overhaul.” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, announced the departures of Scott Forstall (mobile software head) and John Browett (retail leader). Most importantly, Lisa quotes an analyst who reminds us, “Both departures were likely forced by Apple’s CEO and weren’t voluntary.”
Scott Forstall had been responsible for the success of iOS for many years. However, many employees disliked his leadership style and his personality. A few articles reported that employees appeared happy about his departure, a main reason being that Forstall refused to apologize for the Apple Maps fiasco. Also, John Browett essentially failed to manage the retail aspects of Apple in a way that worked. In fact, Apple ended up calling his new policies a mistake. Out they go!
There is also a great deal of reorganization going on at Apple. Lisa explains that Cook “is revamping leadership as Apple’s stock price sags and competition accelerates from . . . Google Inc., Microsoft Corps., and Amazon.com Inc.” Apple is merging its Mac operating system with its mobile operating system to have them under one joint program: iOS. They are also merging all of their online services like Siri and its struggling Maps app under one department as well. These consolidated departments will be run by experienced management. Will this work? Maybe.
I’m no expert on the successes and failures of companies, so I won’t make any predictions about the future of Apple. But I do not there are two ways of looking at this story. One: Cook is making the necessary changes to improve harmony and creativity at Apple. And two: Apple is still reeling from the lack of leadership that Steve Jobs provided, and perhaps there is some infighting and management squabbles going on.
Sure they slipped up recently; Apple Maps was a relative failure, quarterly outlook was not as high as expected, and the flurry of new products created increased costs for the company. Personally, I think they are just going through some rough waters right now. Tim Cook has obviously shown he’s not afraid to make tough choices for Apple, and this is something he’s going to need to do more of as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google pile on the pressure with all of their new and competitive offerings. It’s going to be interesting to see where these four companies take us in the coming years.
Do you think Apple is on the decline? Why or why not?
Latest posts by Patrick (see all)
- Microsoft Adds Products to ‘Scroogled’ Campaign Attacking Google - November 21, 2013
- Twitter Now Provides Option for Multiple Timelines - November 13, 2013
- How to Piss Off Consumers: Kmart and Thanksgiving - November 6, 2013


text:
Los Angeles, CA (CNS) – DJ AM’s Nike deal won’t be hitting the markets just yet. The late disc jockey – real name Adam Goldstein – previously signed an endorsement deal with the sports shoe company giant, but the contract has been put on hold after his death.
TMZ spoke to a rep for the brand, who said that the 36-year-old celebrity DJ had been working with them for months on a limited edition line of Nike Dunks emblazoned with his own logo.
The design was complete and approved by DJ AM, but Nike won’t be releasing them just yet because they are still working with his family to determine the next step in marking the shoes.
Goldstein had admitted to owning more than 700 pairs of the brand.
He was found dead at his New York apartment on Friday; his cause of death is still under investigation. He was laid to rest on Wednesday. Friends and family, including ex-fiance Nicole Richie, attended his memorial service on Thursday.


text:
We live in three dimensions, and we sometimes think we might add more dimensions to that list as we advance. Scientists at the University of Washington may have just leap-frogged us into the future by dropping a dimension, however. Researchers there have built a two-dimensional light emitting diode that they claim is the world’s thinnest LED that can be used as a source of light. The incredible LED is only three atoms thick, yet it’s mechanically strong – and because it’s patterned after two-dimensional, flexible semiconductors, it’s far more efficient than it’s fat, 3D counterparts.
Right now, most consumer electronics use three-dimensional LEDs, but as devices continue to get smaller, there’s demand for a light source that’s even more compact, while maintaining high levels of efficiency. Current 3D LEDs are 10 to 20 times thicker than the LEDs being developed by the University of Washington.
“These are 10,000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair, yet the light they emit can be seen by standard measurement equipment,” said Jason Ross, a UW materials science and engineering graduate student, and co-author of the study. “This is a huge leap of miniaturization of technology, and because it’s a semiconductor, you can do almost everything with it that is possible with existing, three-dimensional silicon technologies,” Ross said.
The 2D LED is made from flat sheets of the molecular semiconductor tungsten diselenide, which is a two-dimensional material recently identified as one of the world’s thinnest-known semiconductors, reports a press release. “In regular microchips, work is performed via the movement of electrons within the chip,” reports a href=”http://www.gizmag.com/thinnest-leds/31295/” target=”_blank”>Gizmag. But these new ultra-thin LEDs may one day be able to use light instead of electrons, saving power and reducing heat.
“A promising solution is to replace the electrical interconnect with optical ones, which will maintain the high bandwidth but consume less energy,” said Xiaodong Xu, an assistant professor in materials science and engineering and physics. “Our work makes it possible to make highly integrated and energy-efficient devices in areas such as lighting, optical communication and nano lasers.”
Lead image via University of Washington


text:
Nature's Mace Blog
Keep up with the latest news and tips.
Do deer eat black walnuts? Folks have used wild black walnuts to make medicine for centuries. They have a bold flavor and have the highest protein content than any other nut tree. Black nut trees are also incredibly versatile and find their way into sweet and savory recipes. They also have incredible health benefits and can be used as hair dye or to treat wounds. Beyond that, their nuts, shells,…Continue Reading


text:
In Ukraine, the price of soybeans on barges is increasing. Yes, as of the morning of September 15, prices have increased by an average of UAH 34-37 per ton.
From the end of August, sea ports began to accept cars with the 2020 soybean harvest.
"Soya is a niche crop. It is estimated that the total annual volume of its transshipment for export is about 2.5 million tons. In the past 2019/20 marketing year, "NIKA-TERA SME" transshipped more than 300,000 tons of this crop, which accounted for 14% of the total volume of soybeans exported from Ukraine," said the head of the NIKA-TERA specialized port, Alim Agakishieev.
USDA's September balance sheet data for soybeans was roughly in line with analysts' earlier forecasts, so it didn't surprise the market, but Chicago soybean prices rose 2% to $366.5/t on Friday due to a sharp increase in sales to China.
The forecast of world initial stocks of soybeans in FY 2020/21 has been raised to 96 million tons, which will be significantly lower than the 113.1 million tons in FY 2019/20.
Compared to the August balance sheet, the estimate of global soybean production was reduced by 0.66 million tons to 369.74 million tons (337.14 million tons in 2019/20 MR). For the USA, the harvest forecast was reduced by 3 million tons to 117.38 million tons, although analysts estimated it at 116.8 million tons, and in the previous season it was 96.7 million tons.
This reduction will be offset by an increase in the production forecast for Brazil due to an increase in planted area by 2 million t to a record 133 million t (126 million t in FY 2019/20), Canada by 0.2 million t to 6 million t and India by 0.45 million tons to 11.2 million tons.
For Ukraine, the harvest forecast was reduced to 3.3 million tons.
The estimate of global consumption of soybeans was increased by 1.17 million tons to 369.07 million tons, compared to 352 million tons in 2019/20 FY and 343.55 million tons in 2018/19 FY. The volume of soybean consumption by China will reach 116.4 million tons, which will exceed the indicator of 2019/20 MR by 8.2 million tons, and the indicator of 2018/19 MR by 14 million tons.
The world trade forecast was increased by 0.85 million tons to 166.34 million tons thanks to an increase in the export estimate for Brazil by 1 million tons to 85 million tons compared to 93.5 million tons in the previous season. China has increased its purchases of soybeans in the United States, after the price of soybeans in Brazil has risen sharply, which will lead to an increase in the area sown.
The forecast of soybean imports to China was left at the level of 99 million tons compared to 98 million tons in the 2019/20 season.
The estimate of the world's final stocks of soybeans in 2020/21 was lowered by 1.8 million tons to 93.6 million tons, compared to the experts' forecast of 92.5-93.11 million tons and 96 million tons in the 2019/20 season. The decrease in stocks in the US will be partially offset by their increase in Brazil and Argentina.


text:
Tesla recently announced its first quarter delivery figures, indicating a slowdown in sales. The electric vehicle manufacturer is facing tough competition from Chinese companies and the overall EV market has seen some challenges, according to a report by Meghan McCarty Marino for marketplace.org. Meanwhile, the RV industry is also going through difficulties, with motorhomes and towable trailers experiencing their worst year in over a decade in 2023. However, signs are emerging that suggest this slump may be turning around, which could be a positive sign for the economy as a whole.
According to Michael Hicks at Ball State University, RV sales are a significant predictor of business cycles due to their high cost and consumer volatility. Sales tend to decrease at the first sign of economic downturn while picking up again when consumer confidence improves. While economists typically analyze bond rates or household consumption trends, Hicks pays attention to the campground sector as it is closely related to RV sales.
The report on the RV and EV markets can be found on marketplace.org. Listeners can also hear an audio player below for more information on this topic.


text:
Jessica Belasco on the latest on local fitness news, upcoming races, gym openings and how San Antonio residents are getting in shape.
Posts filtered on Category
Two-day event includes sessions on health, nutrition, fitness, beauty and mind/body wellness. [Read More]
These companies promote wellness at work. [Read More]
More than 400 running industry movers and shakers are expected to attend the Running USA 2011 conference at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio Sunday-Wednesday, Feb. 13-15. Running USA is a trade organization for the running industry. Former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros will be the keynote speaker. Despite the recession, the running industry is experiencing a boom […] [Read More]


text:
The Motor Trade Association (MTA) will support vehicle owners who recently had their warrant of fitness revoked by Waka Kotahi, after an investigation revealed they weren’t issued by a certified inspector.
Waka Kotahi has notified MTA that 677 warrants issued over the last 10 months by Newmarket Auto Repairs, an MTA member, have been revoked with effect from July 7.
MTA Chief Executive Lee Marshall says Newmarket Auto Repairs’ membership has been immediately suspended while a full investigation is carried out into the serious breach.
“For more than 100 years MTA has stood for integrity, safety and professionalism. We take that very seriously,” Lee says.
“To say we are extremely disappointed would be an understatement.
“Our first concern is for people who have been disadvantaged and inconvenienced.”
Waka Kotahi wrote to the affected vehicle owners last week to inform them that their vehicles would need to be re-tested. Now MTA is taking action to ensure they aren’t out of pocket.
“Although responsibility lies with Newmarket Auto Repairs, MTA will issue on an ex gratia basis a $50 MTA voucher to all affected customers who are unsuccessful in getting reimbursement directly from the business. Fifty dollars is the amount Newmarket Auto Repairs advertised for a warrant. Customers can use the voucher at any MTA member business.
“There will, unfortunately, always be those that let everyone down, but we want to assure motorists that the blue MTA badge still stands for honesty, quality and professionalism.”
Lee says the warrant of fitness plays a vital role in road safety, and its integrity is not negotiable.
“Safety first and foremost is our founding principle,” Lee says.
“We began our investigation as soon as we were notified by Waka Kotahi about the breach.
“MTA is extremely disappointed that one of members has broken our rules and Code of Ethics, and misled and inconvenienced so many vehicle owners.”
“We have a set of high standards to which we hold members to account. There is the opportunity for us to review and improve our member standards as a consequence.
“I would also like to commend Waka Kotahi for their rigorous audit process that first detected the issue. They have our full support, and long may it continue.
“More positively, this is an excellent opportunity for us to remind all members of their obligations,” Lee says.
More details on how affected customer can claim their voucher will be released in due course.
Earlier this month, we took the rare step of suspending the membership of an MTA member.
The Government's recent immigration announcement deals a heavy blow to the thousands of Kiwi automotive businesses already struggling with dire skills shortages.


text:
KUCHING: MASwings’ initiative to offer attractive packages from Balikpapan will greatly to Kuching boost the state’s tourism industry, particularly in the Santubong constituency.
Santubong MP Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this would increase the number of tourists coming to the state, which ultimately would increase the income of the residents in Tanjung Datu and Santubong which had become a tourism hub.
According to him, 50 per cent of residents in Santubong, which is known for its beautiful beaches, were fishermen.
With the arrival of more tourists, he believed that the fishermen would venture into tourism-related business activities to generate additional income.
“At the same time, I would like to recommend that MASwings’ routes are not confined to Sarawak, Sabah and Indonesia but also expanded to the Philippines, West Malaysia and Singapore.
“We certainly welcome MASwing’s initiative to offer packages from Kuching to Balikpapan and Kota Kinabalu to Balikpapan but at the same time, we also want MASwings to become an alternative airline to boost the tourism industry in the state,” Wan Junaidi said at a press conference prior to handing over cost of living allowance to members of Sri Muara Fishermen Association here yesterday.
He said MASwings should expand its operations to become an alternative domestic airline to Sarawak and Sabah instead of confining itself to serving regional routes as this would encourage more tourists to visit the two states.
Continue reading at: Kuching-Balikpapan route will increase tourist arrival.


text:
KALAMAZOO, MI — While many restaurants across Kalamazoo and around the state were forced into temporary closures in March as a result of the coronavirus, a downtown Kalamazoo sandwich shop stayed the course.
Artisan Sandwich Co., located at 348 S. Kalamazoo Mall in downtown Kalamazoo, “never really” closed says store owner Ryan Schmidt.
While Michigan’s stay-at-home order on March 16 stifled on-foot traffic downtown and led to a decline in business in March, Schmidt, 30, said his shop’s catering orders have actually increased as a result of the pandemic.
After losing his entire staff, Schmidt kept his restaurant open and operated the store himself, offering take-out service, until the stay-at-home order was lifted in June. Since then, he has added new and returning workers and currently has five employees on staff, Schmidt said.
Since opening in August 2017, Artisan has been serving hot or cold deli-style sandwiches that put an emphasis on fresh, homemade ingredients. Schmidt says at the ethos of his restaurant stems from two ideas: eating well and living better.
Popular specialty sandwiches include: the Kalamazoo Club, with bacon, ham, and turkey; the Albacore tuna salad sandwich, with fresh albacore tuna made in small batches daily; a turkey avocado BLT, with fresh-sliced to order avocado and hickory-smoked bacon; and the Veggie, which features a hummus spread, cheese and veggies.
After working odd jobs following his graduation from Western Michigan University, Schmidt said he decided it was time to take a risk.
“I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do so after kind of trying to figure out life, I said, ‘I’m an entrepreneur and I need to just do it,‘” Schmidt said.
After putting in the groundwork and gauging the feasibility to make his idea a reality, Schmidt said, he was able to acquire a loan from the bank and has made Artisan Sandwich Co. his passion since.
“We really scraped it together, but we made it happen and in a way that it looks mature and professional,” Schmidt said.
Inside the 980-square-foot space, customers will notice a modern, but rustic feel. Schmidt said one of the main influences behind the design of his store was the “Artisan” name itself.
“If you look up Artisan in the dictionary, it means handcrafted, specialty-made, in smaller batches, so that’s the idea when I built the space, I said, ‘I’m going to handcraft everything’ and I literally put the brick on the wall, built the counter myself, painted the ceilings on my birthday in 2017.”
All of the shop’s Sandwiches are wrapped in packaging styled to look like an old-school newspaper — which has been somewhat an unexpected hit with customers, Schmidt said.
You can find Schmidt, a new father of a four-month-old son, inside Artisan Sandwich shop on most days Artisan’s doors are open.
“Early on, I said, ‘OK, I’m going to be here and let each and every one of my customers know how special they are,’ because customer service is a huge thing,” Schmidt said. “I remember when we first opened, I had a customer who asked, ‘Why are you being so nice?’ And it’s just who I am, but you realize nobody does it like us.”
Those looking to place an order in advance can contact Artisan Sandwich Co. at 269-220-5665.
Also on MLive:


text:
(p. B1) Factories are whirring, new apartments are being snapped up, and more jobs are up for grabs. When China released its new economic figures on Friday, they showed a remarkable postpandemic surge.
The question is whether small businesses and Chinese consumers can fully share in the good times.
China reported on Friday that its economy grew by a jaw-dropping 18.3 percent in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year. While the figure is steep, it is as much a reflection of the past — the country’s output shrank 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2020 from a year earlier — as it is an indication of how China is doing now.
A year ago, entire cities were shut down, planes were grounded and highways were blocked to control the spread of a relentless virus. Today, global demand for computer screens and video consoles that China makes is soaring as people work from home and as a pandemic recovery beckons. That demand has continued as Americans with stimulus checks look to spend money on patio furniture, electronics and other goods made in Chinese factories.
China’s recovery has also been powered by big infrastructure. Cranes dot city skylines. Construction projects for highways and railroads have provided short-term jobs. Property sales have also helped strengthen economic activity.
But exports and property investment can carry China’s growth only so far.
. . .
(p. B3) A slow vaccination rollout and fresh memories of lockdowns have left many consumers in the country skittish. . . . When virus outbreaks occur, the Chinese authorities are quick to put new lockdowns in place, hurting small businesses and their customers.
. . .
Families continue to save at a higher rate than they did before the pandemic, something that worries economists like Louis Kuijs, who is head of Asian economics at Oxford Economics. Mr. Kuijs is looking at household savings as an indication of whether Chinese consumers are ready to start splurging after months of being stuck at home.
“More people still seem to not go all the way in terms of carefree spending,” he said. “At times there are still some lingering Covid concerns, but there is perhaps also a concern about the general economic situation.”
. . .
Mr. [Jinqiu] Li, who is recently married and has a baby at home, is still choosing to save instead of spend. He had planned to work for the family business, but it has been hit by the pandemic and he doesn’t think there is much opportunity for him if he stays.
“The whole family has some sense of crisis,” Mr. Li said. “Because of the pandemic and because of family business, I have a sense of crisis.”
For the full story, see:
(Note: ellipses, and bracketed first name, added.)
(Note: the online version of the article has the date April 15, 2021, and has the title “China’s Economy Is Booming. Shoppers Are Skittish Anyway.” The quote starting “More people” appeared in the print, but not in the online, version of the article.)


text:
Some relief ahead for consumers with fuel prices set to fall
Embattled consumers in a constrained economy will get some cheer from a drop in all fuel prices on Wednesday.
The central energy fund said on Friday the price of both 93 ad 95 octane petrol will fall by 19c/l, with that of both grades of diesel set to drop by 54c/l.
The fund said: “The average international product prices for petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin decreased during the period under review,” while the rand depreciated against the dollar.
The wholesale price of illuminating paraffin will be lowered by 68c/l, while its retail equivalent will fall by 91c/l.
Liquid petroleum gas will go down by 32c/kg.
The inland price for 93 octane petrol will be R15.52/l from Wednesday, while 95 octane will sell for R15.84.
Oil prices slumped to their lowest in more than a year on Friday, falling the most in four years this week, as the global spread of the coronavirus stoked demand fears.
Nigeria was the first country to confirm the presence of the virus in Sub-Saharan Africa on Friday.
At 8.10pm the price of Brent crude had dropped 3.01% to $49.84 a barrel.
Eskom reported late on Friday that no load-shedding was expected this weekend.
- With Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article or view other readers' comments? Register (it’s quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.


text:
ComNav Technology High-accuracy GNSS OEM Board was Awarded Silver Award for Innovation in CIIF 2016
Shanghai, China, November 8, 2016 — From 1st–5th November, The 18th China International Industry Fair (CIIF) was held in National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China. Along with successful delivery of the 100000th GNSS OEM board, ComNav Technology was also awarded silver award for innovation by the 18th session China International Industry Fair.
ComNav Technology Booth with silver award for innovation
As the leading brand trade show for manufacturing industry, CIIF aims to encourage enterprises with capability of advanced manufacturing, independent innovation as well as extensive market prospect. It was honor that ComNav Technology GNSS OEM board got awarded and became one of most innovative products in CIIF 2016.
The certificate of silver award for innovation
Focus on High-accuracy GNSS technology, the high-end branch of navigation terminals, ComNav Technology GNSS products have been used in a wide range of applications, including land survey, deformation monitoring, precision agriculture and scientific researches. Moreover, ComNav Technology continues to improve GNSS core algorithm, OEM board, receivers and relevant applications, forward to become the global leading enterprise in high-accuracy GNSS field in the near feature.
Since CIIF‘s launch in 1999, CIIF has become one of the most influential international industry brand exhibition in China, through implementing “professionalization, marketization, internationalization and branding” as its strategies for over 16 years. CIIF, an UFI approved event, is a leading event for manufacturing in China as well as an important window and platform open to the world for international trade, communication and cooperation on industrial scope.
About ComNav Technology
ComNav Technology develops and manufactures GNSS OEM boards and receivers for high precision positioning demanded applications. Its technology already been used in a wide range of applications such as surveying, construction, machine control, agriculture, intelligent transportation, precise timing, deformation monitoring, unmanned system. With a team dedicated for the GNSS technology, ComNav Technology is trying its best to supply reliable and competitive products to worldwide customers. ComNav Technology has listed on the China National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), Securities: ComNav Technology (Compass Navigation), Stock code: 833972.
SinoGNSS® is the official trademark of ComNav Technology Ltd., registered in People’s Republic of China, EU, USA and Canada. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


text:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Microsoft Corp. MSFT, -2.78% is investigating possible fraud on its Xbox Live online gaming service, the company said Tuesday, CNET News.com reported on its Web site Wednesday.
The investigation comes after gamers reported having their Xbox Live accounts hijacked and their credit cards used to buy "Microsoft Points," the virtual currency on Xbox Live, which has more than 6 million users, Cnet News.com added.
"Recently, there have been reports of fraudulent activity and account theft taking place on the Xbox Live network," a Microsoft representative said in a statement provided to CNET News.com. "Security is a top priority for Xbox Live, and we are actively investigating all reports of fraudulent behavior and theft."
Newspaper Web Site: http://www.cnetnews.com.com


text:
After Microsoft's E3 press conference earlier this week, we had the chance to talk with marketing chief Mike Nichols who had plenty of interesting things to tell us about the recent acquisition of several studios, Gears 5, Halo Infinite, and Battletoads.
Our interview came shortly after Phil Spencer's appearance during the conference, where the Xbox chief confirmed that Microsoft's engineers are already hard at work on the next console after Xbox One X. This is something we discussed with Nichols.
"That's an important thing for us, is to [...] continue to really push forward the state of the art for console gaming, at the same that we're expanding in new areas and trying to reach new players."
Last year we launched the Xbox One X and it's done really, really well," Nichols continued. "It's by all respects the highest quality gaming experience for all those cross-platform titles, and that's what we talked about committing to work on in the future too. Listen, that's something that's important to us, is to be the best place to play and so we're going to do that."
Nichols also implied that the ongoing plan is to create an ecosystem that has enough flexibility to engage players of all types who enjoy a variety of different experiences.
"We don't want to hear that you're doing one thing and trading off the other," he told us. "Frankly, the way we look at it is that there's all different types of players around the world and we want great experiences for all of them."
Check out the full interview below.


text:
Written by Stuart Foxman
For many businesses, it’s the bane of their existence: paperwork. Too much paper can equal too much chaos, says Gary Yip, founder of CloserCollab (closercollab.com), which launched in 2018.
People can get bogged down in paper processes, diverting attention from running the business. It’s also harder to ensure compliance and consistency when a checklist is, say, taped to a wall.
Yip is creating efficiencies through his Toronto company, which takes much of an organization’s old paper workflows into a simple and intuitive digital workspace. “We’re trying to transform processes,” says Yip.
CloserCollab is a web app, and the documentation becomes cloud-based. That puts all paperwork in one place, accessible anytime and anywhere. Among the paper processes that become digitized: tasks and checklists, performance reviews, feedback surveys, and onboarding for new hires (integrated with third-party systems like payroll).
For 2020, CloserCollab plans to add three new features: a scheduling platform, a recruiting platform and a training portal.
Yip worked for a bank and car rental company before starting CloserCollab with Jordan Tang, who was a portfolio manager. They decided to focus their business on the retail and restaurant markets. The people who run those types of operations tend to wear many hats, says Yip, so welcome the assistance to stay on top of paper flows.
Clients can be any size, from small shops to larger franchises. CloserCollab is used in multiple Boston Pizza locations, for instance, as well as at Wendy’s and Canadian Tire. Costs depend on the company size, from as low as $55 per month for outfits with under 10 employees.
With CloserCollab, Yip says clients can take processes that might have taken three hours and cut them down to 30 minutes. Beyond the time savings, CloserCollab supports operational improvements.
With online checklists, for example, a retailer can know in real time that processes are being followed, eliminating the need for on-site audits. Users can also see more quickly if there are inconsistencies in practices. And they can receive alerts for overdue or incomplete tasks.
“Now that we have this data in a digital format, we can start analyzing for trends, gaps and opportunities,” says Yip.
In 2019, CloserCollab received a grant from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). “They saw a need for our tech in the restaurant/retail space,” says Yip. “Our IRAP rep has been an amazing mentor and advisor for our team.”
Yip says his goal was to create a platform that could be easily used by everybody, allowing for what the very name of the company promises.
“We value inclusivity and collaboration. That’s a design principal in every feature we deliver. We want everyone to work closer.”
He finds that in his own workspace. CloserCollab is based at the Centre for Social Innovation. Yip loves being close to other startup companies. “We've built lasting friendships here, and also help and cheer for each other,” Yip says.
Photo credit: Glenn Lowson


text:
China's Tencent to delve deeper into Indonesia social media market
February 28, 2013 6:56 PM EST
Tencent Holdings, China's biggest online gaming and social networking company, has set up a joint venture with Indonesia's biggest media group PT Global Mediacom to tap the country's growing social media market.
The venture will further promote Tencent's highly popular mobile chatting app WeChat, which the company introduced to Indonesia late last year and other products will also be introduced in the future.
"The partnership between Tencent and MNC is our strategic step to expand our reach to Indonesian customers," said Martin Lau, Tencent's president said in a statement.
Hillhouse Capital, one of China's biggest investment funds, is participating in the venture. The companies did not provide financial terms.
Hary Tanoesoedibjo, owner of MNC group and CEO of Global Mediacom, told Reuters in 2012 that he plans to develop local social media platforms as well as online gaming to tap the growing domestic market.
(Reporting by Fathiya Dahrul; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Most Popular Slideshows
- In Photos, Typhoon Rammasun Blasts the Philippines
- Typhoon Rammasun Claims 18 Lives in China, Incurs $4.32B Losses (PHOTOS)
- Ellen DeGeneres Caught Cheating with Mutual Friend Before Portia de Rossi’s Rehab – Reports [PHOTOS]
- Malaysia Airlines MH17: Vital Black Boxes Finally Land in Hands of Malaysian Authorities, Rebels Announce Ceasefire (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)
Join the Conversation
- Tourre on stand says email in SEC case 'not accurate'
- Syrian authorities blocking access to needy in Homs - Red Cross
- Faith in European Union at low ebb, EU poll says
- Former UBS banker gets 18 months, $1 million fine, for muni bid-rigging scheme
- U.S. judge halts challenges to Detroit's bankruptcy bid
- Windows Phone 8.1 Update Rollout: 20 Nokia Lumia Phones Eligible and 13 New Features to be Added
- Moto 360 Price Speculations, Key Features, Strategic Release Date, Design: A Watch That is More Than Just Time
- Google Nexus 8 Release Date Soon Along with 2 More HTC Android Tablets – Reports
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Apps Leak Online, Five Fresh Features to Expect from the Android Smartphone
- Three New Moto G Successors Spotted in FCC Document Dubbed Moto G2, Moto M and More --Reports
- iPad Air 2 Release Date Will Skip IGZO Panel; To Rollout with Super-Slim iPad Mini Air
- Upcoming iPad Mini 3 Could be 30% Thinner and Likely be Called iPad Mini Air; Apple Q3 Results Show 9% Decrease in iPad Sales


text:
It was revealed earlier this week that Mark Cuban, would be allowing fans to use Dogecoin as a means of purchasing items of the Mavericks. Dallas became the first professional team to permit Dogecoin as a way of paying for merchandise.
After allowing fans to purchase merchandise with Dogecoin, Cuban announced with excitement on Twitter that the Mavs have completed 20,000 Dogecoin transactions
Mark Cuban unveiled that the Mavericks have already done more than 20,000 Dogecoin transactions, making them the largest Dogecoin merchant in the world. The longtime owner in Dallas went on to try and convince others to make purchases with Dogecoin to raise the value of the stock to $1.
While it remains a meme on social media, Mark Cuban believes there’s no harm in investing in a stock as cheap as Dogecoin, which has yet to eclipse the $1 plateau.
Don t forget, "your money, your rules!"


text:
Standard Life to cut 500 jobs in costs efficiency drive
Standard Life is cutting up to 500 jobs as part of an efficiency drive by the group’s chief executive.
David Nish, who was paid £1.2million last year, announced back in June that he would be introducing a series of organisational changes to save the business £100million by the end of 2011.
The pensions giant (up 7.1p at 210.9p) said it was phasing out 600 existing jobs and creating 100 new positions.
Changes: Standard Life finance director David Nish called the decision of cutting jobs ¿part of the journey towards being a more adaptable and flexible organisation¿.
Around 480 jobs are set to go at its Edinburgh headquarters, focused on its sales and marketing and IT divisions.
There are currently 6,000 workers at Standard’s Edinburgh base, with a further 1,000 at regional locations.
Nish, who became chief executive in January, called the decision ‘part of the journey towards being a more adaptable and flexible organisation’.
Of those set for the chop, 100 are contractors and a further 100 will be lost through natural attrition.
Pre-tax profits for Standard Life’s UK arm in the first half fell 5 per cent to £76million.
Most watched Money videos
- VW launches clever new 'Caddy California' compact campervan
- How will stock markets handle a second wave of lockdowns?
- New £250,000 Ghost 'most technically advanced' Rolls-Royce ever
- Rolls-Royce release new £250,000 limo called Ghost
- UK firm to build world's first electric Rolls-Royce's Phantoms
- Porsche has given the iconic Panamera a mid-life refresh
- Maserati's back! Italian brand releases first supercar for 15 years
- Tesla's Autopilot discourages drivers for engaging when driving
- Chinese government launches pilot program of digital yuan in Shenzhen
- Volkswagen reveal the first electric SUV ID 3 and 4 range
- VW's new electric car set to finally launch in Britain
- Blue Whale manager: Facebook is good value but not Tesla


text:
|By Business Wire||
|May 1, 2014 06:14 PM EDT||
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® honored U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and VOXX International Corp. Chairman and Founder John Shalam for their instrumental roles in supporting and advancing technology innovation at CEA’s tenth annual Digital Patriots Dinner Tuesday night, April 29 in Washington, D.C. The Digital Patriots Dinner was part of CEA’s D.C. Policy Week, aimed at highlighting innovation before members of Congress and the D.C. tech policy community. Other highlights this week included CEA’s Lobby Day, which brought industry executives to Washington to advocate for pro-innovation policies, CEA’s Board of Industry Leaders and Small Business Council meetings, and CES on the Hill, a showcase of technology exhibits that brought the excitement of the CEA-owned and produced International CES® to the nation’s capital.
CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro kicked off the Digital Patriots Dinner with opening remarks encouraging technology developers to share their stories with congressional representatives. “It’s crucial for members of Congress to hear from our members and see, touch and feel the most recent breakthroughs to learn how their policies can help or harm innovation,” he said. Shapiro also highlighted CEA’s efforts over the past year that contributed to the Senate’s passing of a strong immigration bill and the House passing legislation that would end the patent troll scourge.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar confirmed her commitment to immigration reform and patent reform during her acceptance remarks at the Tuesday night Digital Patriots Dinner. “From 2010 to 2012, the percentage of lawsuits filed by patent trolls increased from 29 percent to 62 percent,” she said. “This is a scourge on the economy. We have to get this bill done to protect the U.S. economy, real patent holders and innovation. Our job in Washington is to create the best policy climate for consumer electronics to keep growing and competing.” As a leader on the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees, Klobuchar has worked to advance policies that protect consumers from anticompetitive behavior and ensure businesses are able to compete on a level playing field.
Senator Rob Portman was recognized for his leadership in promoting policies to increase economic competitiveness, trade and energy security while stimulating the economy and encouraging private sector job creation. Portman continued the discussion on patent reform during his acceptance remarks, adding that the patent system is “the bedrock for American innovation and, really, economic growth.” He added "it's very helpful to me and to Amy [Klobuchar] and to others who are supporting this legislation to tell our constituents that we're actually slaying trolls! This is something that people think is good."
John Shalam accepted his Digital Patriots award after Shapiro noted his many professional achievements and contributions to CEA including creating CEA’s Wireless Division, heading the Investment Committee, encouraging CEA to buy its headquarters building and serving as chair for the CEA Foundation all while growing a small car radio business into VOXX, a $1 billion global brand. Because Shalam was an Egyptian immigrant, he was nearly forced to leave the U.S. when he graduated from Wharton Business School. He said if he had been sent back, VOXX, a 100 percent American owned company with more than 2,000 employees, would not exist today. "We don't want to turn away brains and talent and have a stagnant economy,” said Shalam. He added, "I encourage Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration bill to bring fresh new blood to the country. Let's ensure America's success as a great and powerful country."
Highlight videos of the 2014 Digital Patriots and event photos can be found here. All proceeds from the Digital Patriots Dinner are being donated to the Fisher House Foundation and the CEA Foundation.
This week’s activities also included a Lobby Day on Wednesday morning where CEA’s Board of Industry Leaders and Small Business Council advocated for the Senate to pass strong patent litigation reform legislation, and CES on the Hill which took place on Wednesday evening at the Rayburn House Office Building. CES on the Hill exposed more than 500 attendees, including 40 members of Congress, to technology companies and products at the center of some of the most critical, current technology policy debates.
Exhibit highlights included BlackBerry’s QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment software; DISH and EchoStar’s latest models of the DISH Hopper®; Google’s Glass™; LG’s brand new 79” 4K Ultra HDTV; Microsoft’s Project Spark interactive video game; Panasonic’s 4K technologies, heads-up driver safety display system and weather forecasting solutions; Qualcomm’s demonstration of wireless solutions for education; RideScout’s free mobile application available on iOS and Android that provides real-time, on-demand information and connection to available ride options; and Samsung’s new curved 65” Ultra HDTV. Other CES on the Hill exhibitors included:
- Best Buy
- ClearView Audio
- Descartes Biometrics, Inc.
- HTC America
- Motorola Mobility
- Sharp Electronics Corp.
- TiVo Inc.
- TREWGrip LLC
- VOXX International Corp.
CES on the Hill exhibitor products and technologies are highlighted in this video.
Note to Editors: The official name of the global technology event is “International CES.” Subsequent references to the show can be shortened to “CES.” Please do not use “Consumer Electronics Show” to refer to the International CES.
The International CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. And because it is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the technology trade association representing the $208 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry, it attracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers to a forum where the industry’s most relevant issues are addressed. Follow CES online at www.CESweb.org and through social media: http://www.cesweb.org/social.
2014 Technology & Standards Spring Forum
May 19-23, 2014, Seattle, WA
CES Unveiled Warsaw
June 17, 2014, Warsaw, Poland
June 23-27, 2014, New York, NY
CE Week Exhibits
June 25-26, 2014, New York, NY
- CE Week Exhibits
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2014, Phoenix, AZ
CES Unveiled Paris
October 22, 2014, Paris, France
CE Hall of Fame Dinner
November 10, 2014, New York, NY
CES Unveiled New York
November 11, 2014, New York, NY
CES Unveiled Las Vegas
January 4, 2015, Las Vegas, NV
2015 International CES
January 6-9, 2015, Las Vegas, NV
"Software-defined storage is a big problem in this industry because so many people have different definitions as they see fit to use it," stated Peter McCallum, VP of Datacenter Solutions at FalconStor Software, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 18th Cloud Expo, held June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Jul. 25, 2016 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,399
Unless your company can spend a lot of money on new technology, re-engineering your environment and hiring a comprehensive cybersecurity team, you will most likely move to the cloud or seek external service partnerships. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Darren Guccione, CEO of Keeper Security, revealed what you need to know when it comes to encryption in the cloud.
Jul. 25, 2016 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,387
We're entering the post-smartphone era, where wearable gadgets from watches and fitness bands to glasses and health aids will power the next technological revolution. With mass adoption of wearable devices comes a new data ecosystem that must be protected. Wearables open new pathways that facilitate the tracking, sharing and storing of consumers’ personal health, location and daily activity data. Consumers have some idea of the data these devices capture, but most don’t realize how revealing and...
Jul. 25, 2016 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,070
Actian Corporation has announced the latest version of the Actian Vector in Hadoop (VectorH) database, generally available at the end of July. VectorH is based on the same query engine that powers Actian Vector, which recently doubled the TPC-H benchmark record for non-clustered systems at the 3000GB scale factor (see tpc.org/3323). The ability to easily ingest information from different data sources and rapidly develop queries to make better business decisions is becoming increasingly importan...
Jul. 25, 2016 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 727
StackIQ has announced the release of Stacki 3.2. Stacki is an easy-to-use Linux server provisioning tool. Stacki 3.2 delivers new capabilities that simplify the automation and integration of site-specific requirements. StackIQ is the commercial entity behind this open source bare metal provisioning tool. Since the release of Stacki in June of 2015, the Stacki core team has been focused on making the Community Edition meet the needs of members of the community, adding features and value, while ...
Jul. 25, 2016 04:38 PM EDT Reads: 143
Using new techniques of information modeling, indexing, and processing, new cloud-based systems can support cloud-based workloads previously not possible for high-throughput insurance, banking, and case-based applications. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, John Newton, CTO, Founder and Chairman of Alfresco, described how to scale cloud-based content management repositories to store, manage, and retrieve billions of documents and related information with fast and linear scalability. He addres...
Jul. 25, 2016 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 992
You think you know what’s in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
Jul. 25, 2016 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 942
Extracting business value from Internet of Things (IoT) data doesn’t happen overnight. There are several requirements that must be satisfied, including IoT device enablement, data analysis, real-time detection of complex events and automated orchestration of actions. Unfortunately, too many companies fall short in achieving their business goals by implementing incomplete solutions or not focusing on tangible use cases. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Dave McCarthy, Director of Products...
Jul. 25, 2016 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,684
Ixia (Nasdaq: XXIA) has announced that NoviFlow Inc.has deployed IxNetwork® to validate the company’s designs and accelerate the delivery of its proven, reliable products. Based in Montréal, NoviFlow Inc. supports network carriers, hyperscale data center operators, and enterprises seeking greater network control and flexibility, network scalability, and the capacity to handle extremely large numbers of flows, while maintaining maximum network performance. To meet these requirements, NoviFlow in...
Jul. 25, 2016 03:15 PM EDT Reads: 412
"delaPlex is a software development company. We do team-based outsourcing development," explained Mark Rivers, COO and Co-founder of delaPlex Software, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 18th Cloud Expo, held June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Jul. 25, 2016 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,969
WebRTC is bringing significant change to the communications landscape that will bridge the worlds of web and telephony, making the Internet the new standard for communications. Cloud9 took the road less traveled and used WebRTC to create a downloadable enterprise-grade communications platform that is changing the communication dynamic in the financial sector. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Leo Papadopoulos, CTO of Cloud9, discussed the importance of WebRTC and how it enables companies to focus...
Jul. 25, 2016 02:45 PM EDT Reads: 859
The competitive landscape of the global cloud computing market in the healthcare industry is crowded due to the presence of a large number of players. The large number of participants has led to the fragmented nature of the market. Some of the major players operating in the global cloud computing market in the healthcare industry are Cisco Systems Inc., Carestream Health Inc., Carecloud Corp., AGFA Healthcare, IBM Corp., Cleardata Networks, Merge Healthcare Inc., Microsoft Corp., Intel Corp., an...
Jul. 25, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 866
Is your aging software platform suffering from technical debt while the market changes and demands new solutions at a faster clip? It’s a bold move, but you might consider walking away from your core platform and starting fresh. ReadyTalk did exactly that. In his General Session at 19th Cloud Expo, Michael Chambliss, Head of Engineering at ReadyTalk, will discuss why and how ReadyTalk diverted from healthy revenue and over a decade of audio conferencing product development to start an innovati...
Jul. 25, 2016 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 954
Continuous testing helps bridge the gap between developing quickly and maintaining high quality products. But to implement continuous testing, CTOs must take a strategic approach to building a testing infrastructure and toolset that empowers their team to move fast. Download our guide to laying the groundwork for a scalable continuous testing strategy.
Jul. 25, 2016 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,911
Early adopters of IoT viewed it mainly as a different term for machine-to-machine connectivity or M2M. This is understandable since a prerequisite for any IoT solution is the ability to collect and aggregate device data, which is most often presented in a dashboard. The problem is that viewing data in a dashboard requires a human to interpret the results and take manual action, which doesn’t scale to the needs of IoT.
Jul. 25, 2016 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,930


text:
Alaafin commends FG for closure of land borders
Adeyemi made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a visit to his palace in Oyo by a delegation from the Nigerian Chapter of Women in Maritime Africa (WIMAfrica).
He, however, advised that the government should ensure that genuine traders were not affected.
According to him, the government should have consulted far and wide and sought the views of people before making any policy statement and commencement of any enforcement.
“There are people who are honest traders, that are not smugglers. Now such people cannot do their business.
“If you go to Benin Republic and buy goods that you want to sell, even if it is legitimate trade before the border was banned, the police will still be harassing them.
“There is no countermeasure to know whether honest and genuine traders are being affected.
“The closure of the border is a good thing if we can adequately feed ourselves at home and government puts necessary machinery into motion to see that those cultivating rice have sufficient quantity for Nigerians before enforcing such policy,” the monarch said.
He said that the government was generating trillions of revenue yearly from trade across the borders in the Southwest, but not all the revenues were accounted for.
The Alaafin, however, stressed that the government’s action on the closure of land borders was a good policy to sanitise and put a stop to smuggling.
No comments yet


text:
Apple has pushed updates to its App Store review guidelines regarding streaming game services, reader apps, and others.
The Epic Games vs Apple App Store row has now attracted scrutiny and the airing of complaints in Japan – the world epicentre of gaming.
Apple shared an update saying that its iOS app economy led to the creation of almost 300,000 new jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ridley Scott was left underwhelmed but Epic Games’ mocking use of his famous ‘1984’ Superbowl ad to attack Apple in the row over Fortnite.
Russian lawmaker Fedora Tumusov introduced draft legislation on Tuesday that would cap the app fees at 20% for mobile app sellers.
Apple announced Monday that it has updated the app review process as announced at WWDC 2020, with a new way to suggest changes.
Facebook revealed on Thursday that Apple blocked an update to its app that displayed a message to users about App Store fees.
Major news publishers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are asking Apple for better App Store terms.
Facebook rolled out a feature to let businesses charge users to access live video streams, and Apple continues to enforce its App Store rules.
Apple has removed popular game Fortnite from the App Store, hours after the company circumvented Apple’s payment system.
Some people want Apple to let users download sideloaded apps. These are apps that can be installed outside of the App Store, like the current situation on macOS. One counter argument is security:
“It’s not that iOS is full of holes,” he said, but that “the App Store is a natural second layer that [Apple] can filter through and decide if something would be harmful.” He agreed it wasn’t foolproof, but that it can help screen out “undesirable” apps.
My worry with sideloaded apps isn’t about the device security itself. It’s that Apple probably couldn’t control what goes on inside these apps, like SDKs that harvest our data, or developers only letting people use non-private logins like Facebook and Google. I want to use technologies like Sign In with Apple and Apple Pay, because I trust Apple with my data. To be fair, App Store apps already use trackers. As a side note, I’m linking to Apple News because of Engadget/Verizon’s new consent form when you visit the website.
Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service has decided that Apple is guilty of abusing its position, following a complaint by Kaspersky.
Recent grievances against Apple from Facebook and Microsoft could feed into an EU antitrust investigation into the App Store.
Apple is introducing a new security measure for the App Store called the App Attest API and it will be used in iOS 14 and later.
Encrypted messaging app Telegram has become the latest firm to file an antitrust complaint against Apple to the European Union.
Speaking in a new interview, Phil Schiller says that the App Store creates a level playing field for developers.
Airbnb and ClassPass are the latest companies to express concerns over Apple’s 30% App Store fee after shifting to virtual content.
Apple hired economists from the firm Analysis Group who said in a study that the company’s fees are similar to competitors.
Charlotte Henry joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss Security Friday news items and tips, and the twelfth birthday of the App Store.
Apple is extending the capabilities of the App Store Connect API for developers, following its redesign of the Connect website in June.


text:
EPFL tests out self-driving delivery service
EPFL’s Lausanne campus serves as a testing ground for a high-tech delivery service that uses a self-driving van. A pioneering initiative that is set to develop further.
Most of the research conducted at EPFL takes place deep inside a laboratory, far from the public eye – but not all of it. That’s because the EPFL campus itself is a living lab. For around two months since October 12, 2020, researchers uses this living lab to test out a self-driving delivery service. The delivery van will be hard to miss – bright yellow with giant screens on the front and back and small boxes on the sides. It will follow a route from the Esplanade to the Rolex Learning Center, Estudiantines student housing complex and EPFL Innovation Park.
The research project – called ADORE, for Autonomously Delivered Orders from Restaurants at EPFL – is designed to explore the various aspects of self-driving technology: robotics, computer science, mechanical engineering, telecommunications and interactions with road users. It’s being coordinated jointly by the EPFL Sustainability office and the Catering, Shops and Hotels unit, and involves using self-driving electric vehicles to deliver meals and other products.
The electric-powered delivery van is 1 meter wide, just under 3 meters long and 1.8 meters high. It’s equipped with over 15 sensors, 5 cameras, a touch screen and a satellite antenna that employs new technology allowing the vehicle to be continuously located. It can’t carry passengers, but can carry food and other goods in its 11 side boxes, which are locked with a code. Although the van can theoretically travel at up to 50 km/h, its speed will be capped at 6 km/h on campus and a student always accompanies it. The electric vehicle was designed by Chinese firm Neolix and has been made available for the pilot test by Swiss Post, the delivery experts.
A pilot test in three phases
The pilot test is scheduled to take place in three phases. The first has last around two weeks, during which the operators have familiarized themselves with the vehicle and the EPFL community has been informed about this newcomer to campus.
The second phase has also last two weeks and has entailed delivering meals to a test group of users. The van has picked up meals independently (but with a student closeby) at the Takinoa restaurant in the Rolex Learning Center and delivered them to the Esplanade, Starling hotel, Estudiantines and Innovation Park. Users were able to select a delivery time and place, and when the van was around 300 meters from the stop, it has sent a text message containing the code for opening the box where the meal was stored. Another text message has been sent out when the van arrived at the stop. Users could put their dirty dishes from the previous day back in the box. This phase was intended to test out the technical components of the service (e.g., the systems for managing orders, pick-up and delivery locations, and delivery times) and evaluate the overall user experience.
« Our campus is a genuine living lab, and we wanted to use that opportunity to test out a novel transportation and delivery system while promoting healthier, locally sourced food, in association with our project partner. »
A pioneering venture
If the first two phases go well, the service will be expanded in the third phase to the entire EPFL community, and may include other products besides food. “Our campus is a genuine living lab, and we wanted to use that opportunity to test out a novel transportation and delivery system while promoting healthier, locally sourced food, in association with our project partner,” says Luca Fontana, who is managing the EPFL Sustainability office’s role in the initiative. Other research teams may join the venture (from EPFL or another research institution) to test out related technology such as for optimizing the van’s trajectory, enhancing the security of data transfer, analyzing images or promoting the acceptance of autonomous systems.


text:
After the disastrous 2008/9, both Ford and Chrysler showed some very positive gains. Ford was up 19 percent, Chrysler up 17 percent and GM was also up but only six percent.
Ford was very up-beat as it had expanded US market share for the second year in a row with total sales of 1.9 million vehicles. This was Ford’s first back-to-back market share increase since 1993 and came after some years of restructuring at head office Dearborn.
Unlike General Motors and Chrysler – which were forced into bankruptcy in 2009 – Ford managed to survive the 2008 financial crisis without government aid during the economic downturn.
Chrysler attributed its solid gains to the business plan developed by Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne, who took the helm after Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy in June 2009. Part of that was dropping models with dwindling sales and launching 16 new or improved models in the last quarter of 2010.


text:
One-size-fits-all ‘livestock less’ measures will not serve some one billion smallholder livestock farmers and herders
Smallholder dairying in Kenya (photo credit: Accelerated Value Chain Development/Sophie Mbugua).
‘Once again, the debate on sustainable diets and in particular on (not) eating animal-derived products is resurfacing in the media, as illustrated most recently by an article in The Guardian. The paper reported on a study by J. Poore and T. Nemecek entitled ‘Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers’, published in the latest edition of Science magazine. The article concludes that ‘avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet’. Both the study and the article recognize the ‘large variability in environmental impact from different farms’ and the need to deal with the most harmful ones. Still, they seem to overlook the evidence from the 1.3 billion smallholder farmers and livestock keepers for whom livestock is an important source of income and food security.
Family goat keeping in India (photo credit: ILRI/Christoph Weber).
The vast majority of these smallholder farmers and livestock keepers produce meat and dairy in a sustainable way (socially, economically and environmentally friendly).
They make little use of external inputs such as fossil fuels, use manure to fertilize soils in integrated crop production and grow their own animal feed.
They therefore cause less greenhouse gas emissions related to transport, manure production and use of fertilizers.
Moreover, their production systems substantially benefits the environment, thanks to its many eco-system services for climate change mitigation and biodiversity increase.
‘The importance of livestock for smallholder famers goes far beyond the economic logic of certain types of industrial livestock keeping. It benefits crop production, as animals are used to work on the land and their manure to fertilize the soil. It has a clear economic and social value; farmers derive an income from selling milk and live animals, and livestock plays an important socio-cultural role in their lives, for instance as a wedding dowry. Livestock also contribute significantly to improved food security and nutrition. . . . A reasonable consumption of animal-derived products—produced locally and using sustainable farming practices—could improve their food security and nutrition substantially. Milk, for instance, is an excellent source of macronutrients, dietary energy, lipids and proteins of high nutritional quality. It also provides carbohydrates, calcium and vitamins. But the role of animal- derived products must also be recognized in fighting the so-called “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiency, which is affecting over 2 billion people worldwide. . . .


text:
Front Wheel Drive, Tires - Front Performance, Tires - Rear Performance, Aluminum Wheels, Temporary Spare Tire, Power Steering, Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes, Convertible Soft Top, Fog Lamps, Power Mirro...
2008 Nissan Versa$5,851.00107,159 miles Atlanta, GA (520.8 miles away) 27 City/33 Hwy MPG
5-piece floor/trunk mat set ($155.00 ), Pwr pkg pwr windows w/driver side one touch auto up/down pwr locks remote keyless entry door armrest pad rear door pockets glove compartment light ($700.00 ), C...
Memorized Settings for 3 drivers, Driver seat memory, Remote power door locks, Power windows, Cruise controls on steering wheel, Cruise control, 4-wheel ABS Brakes, Front Ventilated disc brakes, 1st a...
2018 Jeep Wrangler
Jeep has released the first official images – three in all - of the all-new 2018 Wrangler JL at a news conference held late yesterday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. And while the images show that it's unmistakably a Jeep with a look similar to the current-gen JK model, there are
Six years after coming to market and three years after a mild refresh, the big news for the 2018 Nissan Sentra lineup is the addition of more standard active safety features.
2018 Nissan Sentra
Sales of compact sedans here in the US remain soft, with most brands continuing to show year over year