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Some are saying this is the most volatile cattle market ever. An evaluation of that statement would take considerable number crunching, but everyone can agree that few expected cattle prices to go above $170 per hundredweight in late-2014, and then to fall below $100 in mid-October 2016. That was an incredible decline of $75 in about two years.
Of course there is the old adage that “what goes up, must come down.” If finished cattle prices dropped by nearly $75 in the two years after the 2014 high price, how much did they rise in the two years before the high? The lowest weekly price of finished steers in 2012 was $113. Prices rose by $59 before falling by $75.
Of course the supply and demand for beef are the primary drivers of finished cattle prices. Small supplies of cattle in 2014 were the result of the devastating Southern Plains drought and of high feed prices in the 2010 to 2014 time period. Small cattle supplies meant high finished cattle prices. In 2015 and 2016, lower feed prices and more cattle coming out of feedlots resulted in lower prices. However, another little- reported potential driver of this price volatility lies in the fact that adjustments at different levels in the beef chain occur at different rates. Stated most simply, cattle prices and wholesale beef prices tend to adjust quickly to changes in cattle supply while retail prices adjust more slowly. As cattle prices rise, retailers are slow to increase retail beef prices. This keeps the quantity of beef demanded strong and more of the retail price is bid back into the cattle price. This may “overstimulate” cattle prices.
We are now on the other side of that relationship as retail beef prices have been slower to come down, keeping retail beef prices higher and weakening the quantity of beef demanded and thus lowering the share returned to the cattle price. This may cause cattle prices to drop more sharply and overshoot on the downside. This overshooting on the downside may have occurred most recently. Packer and retail margins were narrow in 2014 and the farmer’s share of the retail dollars spent on beef was 55 percent, the highest annual level since 1993. This year the opposite is true, with packer and retail margins at record highs resulting in the farmer’s share of only 45 percent.
Into 2017, retail beef prices will likely continue to decrease and marketing margins will likely decrease with a greater share of the retail beef dollar getting back to the cattle price. While it is difficult to accurately predict how large this impact will be, it seems within reason to expect about an $8 to $12 improvement in finished cattle prices just based on narrowing marketing margins in 2017.
Trade is going to help as well in 2017. As U.S. beef prices come down in 2017 there will be less beef imports and more beef exports. USDA’s current projections are for 11 percent less beef imports and a six percent rise in beef exports. Even though U.S. beef production could be up three to four percent in 2017, the positive impacts of trade mean that per capita beef supplies in the U.S. may only rise less than one percent. If demand stays similar, 2017 finished cattle prices would be expected to be modestly lower than this year’s $118 to $120.
There continues to be a wide variation of opinions about the cattle market in 2017. Cash cattle prices have recovered about $7 in the past three weeks. Futures prices also recovered. However, futures traders remain far more pessimistic than the current fundamentals seem to suggest. Using futures prices on November 7 as a proxy for cash prices suggest 2017 finished cattle would average in the higher $90’s. USDA analysts who use fundamental price models are forecasting the average finished cattle price to be $112 to $121. The mid-point of their forecast range is $116.50 per hundredweight, which is more consistent with current supply and demand expectations.
Clearly, wide swings in the cattle market over the past four years has made it difficult to establish benchmarks of what a high price, or a low price, for cattle should be. Cattle prices have lost their price reference points. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that it is the role of markets to “discover” the correct price over time.
The cattle industry has been through numerous shocks, including high feed prices and drought, in recent years. In trying to discover the right price, markets often have to overshoot and then undershoot as they continue to adjust in the search for the correct price. Finding the right price is not easy, yet markets are generally considered the most efficient way to find that elusive level. At the same time, we need to remember that the volatility implied in finding that right price has major financial consequences on participants in the entire beef chain, from cow-calf operations, to feedlot owners, to packers, to retailers.
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Best of Web: Disney Makes $52.4 Billion Deal for 21st Century Fox in Big Bet on Streaming
Brooks Barnes | The New York Times | December 14, 2017
LOS ANGELES – The Walt Disney Company said on Thursday that it had reached a deal to buy most of the assets of 21st Century Fox, the conglomerate controlled by Rupert Murdoch, in an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $52.4 billion.
While the agreement is subject to the approval of antitrust regulators – and the Justice Department recently moved to block a big media company from becoming even bigger – the once unthinkable acquisition promises to reshape Hollywood and Silicon Valley. It is the biggest counterattack from a traditional media company against the tech giants that have aggressively moved into the entertainment business.
Disney now has enough muscle to become a true competitor to Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook in the fast-growing realm of online video.
At the same time, the agreement means that one of moviedom’s most celebrated studios, 20th Century Fox, will be downsized, with some operations folded into Walt Disney Studios or refocused to make films designed for online distribution. Founded in 1935, the Fox studio championed Marilyn Monroe, produced classics like “The Sound of Music,” released the first “Star Wars” movie and, more recently, turned “Avatar” into the biggest ticket-seller of all time.
But lately, like most of Hollywood, 20th Century Fox has struggled to keep pace with the changing way younger audiences view content – namely on an internet-connected device. Disney said it expected the acquisition to yield “at least” $2 billion in total cost savings.

domain: news


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It’s been a tough couple of years for Kohl’s Corp., with recession-battered shoppers spending less at Kohl’s stores and increased competition from online retailers, CEO Kevin Mansell told Wall Street analysts yesterday at the company’s annual investor day event in Milwaukee.
But Kohl’s, No. 23 in the Internet Retailer 2014 Top 500 Guide is counting on a three-year, $4 billion turnaround plan that relies heavily on e-commerce, mobile web technology and predictive marketing analytics to achieve Mansell’s goal of becoming the “most engaged” retailer in America.
In the past three years and well into 2014, sales, especially comparable-store results, have been essentially flat at Kohl’s. But e-commerce remains a bright spot. Kohl’s for the first two quarters ended Aug. 4 reported a decline in total sales of 1.1% to $8.31 billion while comparable-store sales declined about 2%.
In comparison, e-commerce revenue for the first two quarters increased 21% to an Internet Retailer-estimated $849 million. Kohl’s won’t break out third quarter sales until Nov. 4 but is already forecasting a drop in comparable-store sales of 1.4% and an increase in e-commerce revenue of 30%. The retailer did not provide a forecast for total sales.
In recent years total sales have stagnated at Kohl’s because lower- to middle-class shoppers, the retailer’s core customer, simply hasn’t been spending as much money in stores, the retailer says. “Consumers are spending quite a bit less income because they have less discretionary income,” Mansell says. Kohl’s also is experiencing stiffer competition from a host of online retailers, especially what Mansell calls “virtual off-price” retailers. “There has been a really big shift in the retail landscape,” Mansell says. “New virtual retailers have emerged and they disrupted a lot of categories.”
To generate annual sales of about $21 billion in 2017 compared to annual sales of $19 billion in 2013, Kohl’s will continue to invest in e-commerce and build on the nearly $1 billion the retailer has invested already in a series of online distribution centers. The retailer will expedite new features such as buy online and pick up in store, which is currently available at about 100 of the retailer’s 1,200 stores, the company says. Kohl’s also over time will increase the number of stores fulfilling online orders from store inventory, from about 800 today to all stores, and use new programs such as Google Express, a same-day delivery service Google rolled out in 2013.
Kohl’s also will invest more in more mobile technology, although the company didn’t release a specific figure. That will start with introducing a better mobile app soon with new features such as completing a purchase for return shoppers in as few as two clicks, faster search. The app also will serve up coupons based on past buying history when a Kohl’s shopper uses the smartphone or tablet app to shop online or when a shopper enters a store. “Mobile lets us engage customers from the start,” Kohl’s chief digital officer Krista Berry told analysts.
Kohl’s know its shoppers well, Kohl’s executive vice president for stores Jon Grosso told analysts. The merchant has detailed shopping history and related marketing data on 75 million shoppers. About 78% of Kohl’s shoppers shop only in stores compared with 18% that shop stores and Kohls.com and 4% just Kohls.com, he says.
Going forward Kohl’s will make a larger but undisclosed investment in more sophisticated marketing analytics and business intelligence software that will help the retailer more effectively target promotions, especially to the 10 million shoppers that have signed up for the retailer’s new “Yes2You” customer loyalty program. The program includes $5 off purchase for every 100 points earned, and lets members share points with friends, receive advance notice of special sales and other perks. “We’re going to be all about the personal connection and more on-on-one,” Mansell told analysts.Favorite


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Here are the 5 biggest news stories in crypto today:
- Telegram go ahead with wallet release despite SEC lawsuit Despite being in the middle of a court case with the SEC, Telegram has released its test crypto wallet for its ‘gram’ token. Available to download on Windows, MacOS, and Linux 64 bit, Telegram boasts “Now you have a wallet only you control – directly, without middlemen or bankers”. Users are able to receive special testnet gram tokens for test transactions.
- Ex-exchange CEO loses private key storing customers’ BTC Former CEO of Zimbabwe’s biggest crypto exchange, Tawanda Kembo, alleges that he lost the private key to access the cold wallet, which stores all his customers’ BTC. Critics link this ‘accident’ in 2018 to a rise in customers withdrawing their bitcoin from the company, Golix. Kembo denies this, claiming that the issue has been exaggerated out of context.
- Bittrex sued over SIM hacks Bittrex is being taken to court over another SIM swap scam. Criminals stole 100 BTC, totalling nearly $1M by hacking SIM cards. Swapping SIMs via AT&T, hackers used Bittrex to take the funds. Bittrex is being sued as its allegedly ignored its own security standards.
- Bittrex sued over SIM hacks A recent report by the University of Texas surmises that the 207 BTC boom was likely due to one lone whale investors, as opposed to thousands of individual evangelists. Tether furiously denies any manipulation of the market.
- Daedalus wallet update goes live ahead of schedule Having been ordered to compensate his former partner 500K BTC, Craig Wright has pulled out of the deal with the Kleiman estate saying he can’t pay. The trial is now back on to settle Wright’s duty to repay half the BTC he and his partner mined back in 2014.


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Chicago – Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) sees iPhone average selling prices (ASPs) rising in last year’s fourth quarter and iPad ASPs falling based on the purchasing patterns it uncoverd in a consumer survey.
The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models, launched late in the third quarter, accounted for three-quarters of all iPhones sold in the fourth quarter, CIRP found (see chart 1). The iPhone 6 accounted for 45 percent of iPhone sales, with the more expensive iPhone 6 Plus accounting for 30 percent, CIRP said.
“Apple introduced a new higher price point with the iPhone 6 Plus, and with new pricing sold more units at higher storage capacities,” said CIRP partner Josh Lowitz. “We expect the average selling price to increase nicely when they report earnings on January 27.”
In the iPad market, “with Wi-Fi-only units at well over half of sales, and sales of lower storage capacities increasing somewhat, we expect average selling price to decrease compared to earlier quarters,” said partner Mike Levin.
The one-year-old iPad Air and recently released iPad Air 2 accounted for 50 percent of all iPad sales in the fourth quarter, CIRP said. The smaller and less expensive iPad Mini, available in three models, accounted for less than a third of sales, down from more than 40 percent in the year-ago quarter, CIRP said. The iPad Mini 3, “with only modest changes from the iPad Mini 2 and a $100 price premium,” won only 6 percent of iPad sales.
“Last year’s dominant iPad Air continued to sell well, and after the launch of the Air 2 in the middle of the quarter, together they account for half of iPad U.S. unit sales” said Levin.
CIRP based its findings on its survey of 500 U.S. consumers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac.
They were surveyed from Dec. 28 through Jan. 5.


text: OK, so recently i’ve had a lot of design inspiration from cars, and I thought it was only right to do a post about the 2010 Paris Motor Show. All the big names were on show. From Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and many more, who all dropped awesome new designs. Lamborghini used carbon fiber to chop their new Lamborghini Sesto Elemento concept down to 2,200 pounds, capable of 62 mph in 2.5 seconds. Audi released a new Audi Quattro Concept that looks has my mind melting! Lotus showed us the next generation Elise Concept. Then finally there was Jaguar’s new supercar! The Jaguar C-X75 “Green” Supercar. The truly stunning piece of automotive genius really stole the show, check out some of my favourite pics below.


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NEW YORK -- Far from encouraging social isolation, the Internet enhances communications with friends and families, according to a study released today.
The Pew Internet and American Life Project also found women are more likely than men to credit the Internet for improving ties.
''It's clear that the Internet is being woven into people's most important relationships,'' said the project's director, Lee Rainie.
In February, a study by professors at Stanford University and the Free University of Berlin found that too much time on the Internet makes some people reclusive and less likely to interact with people face to face.
The Pew study of 3,533 adults seems to dismiss that notion.
It found 72 percent of Internet users visited a relative or a friend a day earlier, compared with 61 percent for nonusers. Internet users also were more likely to have phoned friends and relatives.
Steven Jones, a professor of communications at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said the Pew findings help bring balance to the debate on the Internet's social impact. He said the new study confirms his own research that Americans are learning to treat the Internet as a communications tool as fundamental as the telephone.
Fifty-five percent of Internet users say e-mail has improved communications with family and 66 percent believe contact with friends has increased because of e-mail. Among women, 60 percent reported better contact with family and 71 percent with friends.
But much of the e-mail exchanges are in the form of jokes, news tidbits or family announcements. The study found most e-mail users still reluctant to use the Internet for advice from family or to discuss upsetting or worrisome topics with friends and relatives.
The survey also found online use among women reaching par with that of men. Women now make up 50 percent of the online population, although men go online more frequently.
On the Net:
Pew Internet and American Life Project: http://www.pewinternet.org
Brainerd Dispatch ©2013. All Rights Reserved.


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n fish imported fromin Dies ist ein Forum in der Kategorie 30.12.2018 02:37
von tujue • 1.324 Beiträge
This June 13 Cheap Jordan Retro For Sale , 2012, photo shows Asian carp, jolted by an electric current from a research boat, jumping from the Illinois River near Havana, Illinois. Scientists at a network of field stations on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers are using electric currents to stun fish so they can be collected and examined. ASSOCIATED PRESS
For the past three years, John Jia has been getting dozens of calls every day asking about one of the most talked about products heading from the US to China - Asian carp.
Jia is one of the business liaisons for the Illinois-based Big River Fish Corp. The US company started exporting frozen Asian carp and fish products to China in 2005 and is expected to ride on a wave of growth. A processing factory is also being built in the Chinese port city of Tianjin to cater to its expansion.
"This is not only good news for Chinese consumers who will get wild fish to eat; it's also good news for the US because the Chinese are 'eating' the problems that are threatening US rivers Cheap Jordan Shoes For Sale ," Jia said, smiling.
In the US, Asian carp - an aggressive invasive species - are making their way up the Mississippi River and its tributaries, threatening rivers and lakes. The fish is able to eat nearly 40 percent of its body weight every day and reproduce very quickly. Its spread can be disastrous for major waterways and water bodies like the Mississippi River and Great Lakes.
Asian carp were first introduced into the US from China in the 1970s to help enhance water quality in ponds.
The fish is considered a delicacy in China, and environmentalists have taken efforts to protect the species in the Yangtze River for years due to industrial pollution and the deteriorating water environment.
Getting more Chinese to eat the fish seems to be a win-win solution for the two countries and businessmen like Jia are making full use of the opportunity.
A sales manager of Shanghai-based Santa Food who refused to be named told China Daily in a telephone interview that the fish from the US is totally wild, tasting much better than the Chinese variety Air Jordan Retro Shoes For Sale , which suffers from a poor water environment and excessive use of medication.
The company imported Asian carp products, including frozen fish and minced fillets, from Big River Fish starting late last year.
"Once clients try our products, they will come again," the manager said.
Even as Chinese businessmen rake in the profits from selling the Asian carp, a group of US scientists arrived in Shanghai Air Jordan Retro For Sale , Wuhan and Chongqing in early September to search for solutions to prevent the spread of the fish in their country.
Yang Bo, a freshwater expert from The Nature Conservancy environmental organization, accompanied the group. Yang said one purpose of their visit is also to explore China's market for Asian carp.
They went to a seafood market in Shanghai and an aquatic product processing plant in Wuhan, and even tasted Chinese dishes made of Asian carp, she said.
"Chinese love eating the fish, and the US has too many of them. It makes sense to explore a business plan to help both sides get what they want Air Jordan Shoes For Sale ," Yang said.
Entrepreneurs in China and US are increasingly aware of the economic opportunity. Big River Fish signed a contract in 2010 to export 13.6 million kilograms of Asian carp to the Beijing Zhuochen Livestock Husbandry company every year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
The business has a lot more room for expansion, Jia said.
Photo: China Daily
Still, Yang said there are many barriers to making the business sustainable and large scale.
These include the high cost of transportation, tariffs and the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act, a US law that makes transporting live fish across US state boundaries illegal.
Businesses bank on Chinese palates to help rid US of invasive Asian carp Air Jordan For Sale , as Wang Qian reports.
Jim Garvey, director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, who was part of the visit, said he hopes that research and collaboration between the US and China will lead to greater demand for the fish and enhanced economic opportunity.
Garvey admitted that exporting the products to China and other countries has proved to be difficult because of the economics of shipping and lack of clear demand abroad.
For Sun Shihu, sales manager of the Qingdao Oceanfriends IMP and EXP in Shandong province, these barriers are actually making its Asian carp business unprofitable.
Sun's company started selling the frozen fish imported from the US in 2013 at a price of about 9 Jordan Retro Shoes For Sale ,500 yuan ($1,560) a metric ton to 11,000 yuan a ton.
"The sales record is really bad because the price is higher than clients' expectation," Sun said.
Besides the higher price, Sun said, Chinese like to buy live fish for cooking Jordan Retro For Sale , and the frozen ones are not well accepted in the market.
As US law does not allow live fish to be transported across state borders, only frozen fish or fish products can be exported.
The sales manager in Shanghai agreed and said it will take time for Chinese consumers to accept dishes made of frozen fish.
He admitted that the sale of the fish products is not satisfactory yet but he remained optimistic about the business.
For Jia, his company has a special way to "guarantee the best taste for frozen fish".
"After the fish is netted, it will be frozen alive immediately under-28 C. Within 24 hours, the fish will be cut into pieces, put in low-temperature containers and transported by ship Jordan Shoes For Sale ," Jia said. The fish will arrive in Tianjin within three weeks, he said.
Besides selling frozen fish, Jia said a processing plant will also be built to produce fish balls, patties and canned food to meet the diversified demand.
"The fish meat tastes better than the fish in China because the water is cleaner in th"


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Buildings go up and new restaurants go in
February 26, 2014 by Lisa
Construction of the new Coastal North Town Center shopping center is underway in North Myrtle Beach, bringing 348,000 square feet of retail space and 10 new restaurants.
Coastal North is one of the biggest retail centers built here recently, and some of the new restaurants will be the only location in the area.
The shopping center sits on the old Robbers Roost Golf Course, and has an anticipated opening sometime late in 2014. Among the restaurants scheduled to go into the new center are Red Lobster, McAlister’s Deli, Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits, and Panera Bread. This location will be the only Panera in the area.
Mike Mahaney, City Manager of North Myrtle Beach, noted that although some of the restaurants have other locations in what is called the ‘Grand Strand’, a virtually uninterrupted stretch of more than 60 miles of beaches running down the South Carolina coast, they are new to the center. He also said that some of the stores launching include Hobby Lobby and Publix Super Market, which are new to the area.
Since there are still parcels available for lease, the center’s developers could work with brochure printing companies to create a mailer for commercial realtors, describing the center and its amenities and why their clients should think about opening a location there.


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- Less than four months remain until the end of the UK’s transition period following its departure from the EU
- At present, a ‘no-deal’ scenario looms
- Supply chains and the labor market are likely to be adversely affected
- Organizations must recognize this and prepare accordingly
On July 28th 2016, the Great British public voted to leave the European Union after more than 40 years of alliance. In the eyes of many, this presented one of the greatest spectres the business world has faced for generations.
However, in truly ironic fashion, 2020 has brought a socioeconomic and corporate crisis of even greater proportions. As a result, the world’s attention has been diverted, and Brexit’s ominous shadow appears to have receded.
That said, this is set to change immanently. Though COVID-19 rages on, negotiations between Great Britain and the EU are reaching a critical a stage, with crucial trade talks due take place in the coming weeks – less than four months before the Brexit transition period ends.
As it stands, both sides are hoping to reach a conclusive agreement prior to the European Council meetings on October 15th and 16th, which will allow talks to progress into the so-called ‘tunnel’ phase: the final stage of negotiations, during which the legal text will be agreed upon and confirmed.
Business leaders will now be keeping one eye on the scenario and beginning to assess how the outcome of the talks could impact their organizations.
The story so far
The UK officially left the European Union on 31 January 2020, as per the withdrawal agreement. However, changes would not take effect for nearly another year. This became know as the ‘transition’ period.
During this period, talks have taken place to negotiate area such as trade, fishing access, the regulation of medicine, and security operations.
However, as yet, the period has not been as fruitful as many had hoped, with COVID-19 proving a significant barrier. What’s more, the deadline for extending the transition has now passed, which means the two sides edge ever close to a no-deal scenario.
But what would this entail? Well, most notably, failure to reach a deal would result in tariffs and border checks being applies to UK exports to the EU, and vice versa.
Secondly, the UK service industry could also face adverse effects, losing guaranteed access to the EU markets. This could impact anyone from bankers, to chefs, to lawyers.
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What’s more, any trade deals between the UK and non-EU nations will be allowed to commence from February 1st 2021. Eurosceptics argue that the UK being able to dictate its own trade policy will be beneficial for the economy – this is debatable.
Virtually for certain, however, is the fact that many UK and EU businesses will have to prepare for these changes accordingly.
Impact on supply chains
It is thought that supply chains will be one of the most critically hit aspects of business as a result of the Brexit saga. This is primarily because, as it stands, the UK’s trading relationship with the EU is founded on free movement of services, capital, goods and labour. Based on this, it has proven a relatively simple task to manage a supply chain between the two, with minimal cost and logistics involved.
However, with each passing day, it becomes increasingly likely that on February 1st 2021, customs will be introduced between the UK and the EU. This could bring about untold damage to UK business, with studies estimating that the EU accounts for 54% of all goods imported to the UK, and 49% of goods exported. With tariffs applied to these transactions, the financial impact could be one of significant proportions.
Based on this, organizations will have to rethink supply chain strategy in order to maximize profitability. For instance, many UK businesses reacted quickly by stockpiling key products. According to The Guardian, major organizations such as Jaguar Land Rover and Siemens UK began increasing their inventory of key components in 2019.
Research by McKinsey has found that adjusting stock levels accordingly can have a significant impact. The study, which comprised information obtained from 50 UK firms, found that: revenue increased by more than 3% by minimizing stock-outs; write-downs decreased by up to 45% by minimizing excess unwanted products; and capital expenditure dropped by at least 5% by eliminating the need for capacity expansion at plants to produce excess safety stock.
Besides adjusting stock, it is recommended that organizations take on initiatives such as preparing to absorb additional costs, and using new data systems in order to more effectively manage imports and exports.
Though a mere snapshot, and something that will vary greatly from company to company, this gives some perspective on the importance of adjusting supply chain strategy in order to offset the adverse affects of Brexit. Though some of the steps taking to combat the impact of COVID-19 will stand many organizations in better stead, there is still work to be done to ensure that Brexit does not cause a major blow.
Impact on talent
As is often the case with a major shift in the business climate, talent is set to be one of the other main pressure points as a result of Brexit.
Just as supply chain hinges on the UK’s trade deal with the EU, talent hinges on migration policy. In this regard, the UK government’s newly-formed system will have a major influence on the situation.
The plan was unveiled in February earlier this year, with the Conservative party fulfilling its manifesto promise to introduce a “points-based” immigration system. In short, the plan purports to award equal opportunity to all non-UK citizens by distinguishing between “skilled” and “low-skilled” workers.
Under the plan, points will be awarded for credentials such as receiving a job offer, having a job at an “appropriate” skill level, speaking English, and having a “relevant” PhD in a STEM subject. In order to qualify for a visa, individuals will be required to accumulate 70 points.
The government has described the plan as a “firm and fair system that will attract the high-skilled workers we need to contribute to our economy, our communities and our public services”.
However, there are fears that this will spark reverberations that are significantly disruptive to employers. For instance, it is anticipated that blue-collar, hourly workers will be restricted. Research has found that employers in the UK expect to lose an average of 18% of their manual and elementary service workers as a result of Brexit, with 22% saying they expect to lose 31% or more.
On top of this, the pound’s decline in value, coupled with UK wages not rising much, also has also rendered the prospect of working in the UK less appealing.
Despite this, it is estimated 28% of businesses have no plan for managing their future pipeline of these workers post-Brexit.
In order to safeguard the longevity of the business, organizations must plan for these changes accordingly. Most importantly, this will involve linking talent to value, and deciphering which critical roles are likely to drive the most value in the future. McKinsey estimates that 25-50 of these roles are distributed throughout a typical organization, and notes that “they are not necessarily the most senior roles in the hierarchy”.
Typically, the answer to this would be to conduct a strategic talent review, thoroughly analyzing each role and defining what constitutes success in that particular position.
Furthermore, it is crucial that businesses rethink their approach to talent acquisition and retention as the talent pool changes with the times. Generally speaking, this will involve analyzing the broader needs of the organization and the profile of the workforce, and tweaking the parameters accordingly.
Enjoying our new Deep Dive series? New editions will be available weekly. Subscribe to HRD Connect to read them first.


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Nike Introduce the Zoom Fly Flyknit
Lightweight Flyknit support and plush React foam are meeting on yet another Nike runner as the Swoosh has unveiled a new take on the Zoom Fly: the Zoom Fly Flyknit. Featuring an all-new slip-on-style Flyknit upper with lacing for added lockdown, these include what looks like the usual Zoom Fly sole, but inject it with React foam while employing the groundbreaking Zoom Vaporfly 4%’s full-length carbon fibre plate. Think of these as a more coppable consolation prize for those who missed out on Virgil Abloh’s Zoom Fly Mercurial Flyknit.
The kicks will debut with a neon-on-black colourway come September 13.


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LAS VEGAS -- Digital video discs will finally reach retail shelves this spring.
After almost a year of delays, as companies wrangled over copy-protection issues, marketing plans for hardware and software introductions were unveiled at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show here Jan. 9 to 12.
DVD is heralded as the next major advance in packaged entertainment, allowing movies and other content to be played from a 5-inch disc. Some proponents expect DVD to replace the videocassette, but other industry watchers caution that if this happens, it won't be for many years.
The new technology also will change the market for music compact discs, video games and computer CD-ROMs. Futurists have predicted that DVD could eventually result in a convergence of these various home entertainment formats, as well as a convergence of television sets and home computers.
"There will be a powerful packaged media format beyond VHS in this business," said Benjamin S. Feingold, president of Columbia TriStar Home Video, Culver City, Calif. "It won't all be satellite-delivered television."
For supermarkets in the video business, "it will be a real opportunity to bring in movies in a very compact format that can be impulse-purchased by consumers as they shop," he said.
Supermarkets with strong, dedicated video programs will immediately take advantage of the promotional opportunity of renting the hardware and software when it reaches the market in March and April, said industry observers.
Other chains will wait until DVD attains a greater market penetration over the next two to three years. For example, Sony predicts that 500,000 hardware units will sell in the United States during 1997, with the number rising to 10 million by the year 2000, depending on consumer acceptance and hardware price points. Initial hardware pricing will range from base models at $500 to units with a wide array of features for $1,000 to $1,700.
At the WCES, four major studios announced about 75 DVD movies will be launched this spring. Other studios are expected to follow shortly with similar announcements, while some may wait until the format achieves more of a critical mass. The initial DVD movies will be at sell-through price points, somewhere between current VHS hits ($20 to $25) and laserdiscs ($35 to $45), said Feingold. None of the studios announced specific pricing, which is expected to be revealed when they solicit orders from retailers beginning in about a month.
DVD movies priced for the rental market will be considered as the market develops, he said. "In the beginning, there will not be enough of an installed base for a significant inventory of rental titles. But there are certain titles that have more significant prospects for rental than for sell-through. It's only axiomatic that they would be brought into the rental marketplace," said Feingold.
The studios announcing the most titles were those with the closest ties to the hardware development: Sony-owned Columbia TriStar and Warner Home Video, Burbank, Calif., which has been working closely with Toshiba. Columbia will release more than 20 DVD movies and Warner more than 25.
The two other studios announcing DVD titles at the WCES have close ties to Warner: New Line Home Video, Los Angeles, with six titles, is owned by Warner, and MGM/UA Home Entertainment, Santa Monica, Calif., with 10 titles, has a distribution deal with Warner. New Line and MGM apparently made last-minute decisions to issue statements, as officials of the two companies told SN two days before the WCES that they would not be making DVD announcements at the show.
In prepared statements, top executives expressed their optimism for DVD. "We are confident that consumers will be impressed by DVD's superior quality and features," said Warren Lieberfarb, president of Warner Home Video.
"We anticipate significant support for this new format and will deliver the studio's finest films to the DVD consumer," said Richard Cohen, president of MGM Home Entertainment and MGM Consumer Products. "We are delighted to support the launch of this new medium," said Stephen Einhorn, president and chief operating officer of New Line Home Video.
"We are committed to the format in a significant way," Columbia TriStar's Feingold told SN. "We ultimately intend to bring as many titles to the market as it will absorb." Since DVD titles will initially be released at sell-through pricing, this will mean a further expansion of the sell-through market, he said.
"We think video is a great category for supermarkets, short-, medium- and long-term. We are in the video age. Movies are common currency for many people in terms of shared experience. So we think they have a significant place in the supermarket. The margin is good and it can serve both from a rental and a sell-through perspective, in addition to driving in customers and making revenues for the stores," said Feingold.


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Job: Managing Director - Opticians
Fact: He was made manager of a high street clothing store aged just 16
He says: "I thought it may come down to whether Lord Sugar would prefer me or Vincent as his business partner, and... I thought he would have gone for me."
Scientists are appealing for more people to donate their brains for research after they die.
Life on Earth may have arrived from Mars on an asteroid, scientists have claimed.
Lunar mission scheduled at the end of 2017 could find out if beer can be brewed on the moon.
A bottle used to teach children how far litter can travel ended up on Scottish beach after 8,700-mile journey.
Confused Apple customers are finding coins in their MacBooks.
High levels of iron help prevent hearing loss, a study has claimed.
A software engineer has constructed a fingernail-sized engine made of paper and it totally works!
Conspiracy theorists claim that there is a mysterious alien based pyramid in the Antarctic.
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Salesforce Gives Executive a $40,000 Watch
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took home less money in 2015, and he won’t get a raise this year. But he managed to arrange something a little extra for his heir apparent, chief operating officer Keith Block.
Aside from his traditional compensation—a package totaling more than $12.3 million, including $10 million in stock—Block received an extra “bonus” early last year, a $40,500 watch in recognition of his sales leadership, according to the company’s preliminary proxy statement.
The extra consideration isn’t exactly surprising, given Benioff’s frequent, public praise. Actually, it’s not even the most expensive form of “other” compensation listed by the Salesforce in the proxy statement. The company spent more than $1.4 million on security arrangements for Benioff during business trips. Salesforce also paid out more than $100,000 to send three top executives—Block, CFO Mark Hawkins, and President Alex Dayon—to leadership and motivational events. Plus, it covered the costs of using the Salesforce jet to evacuate one of Dayon’s family members from a foreign country because of a medical emergency.
After Benioff, Block is the second-highest paid “named” executive on the Salesforce (CRM) payroll. Since Benioff hired him away from Oracle (ORCL) in 2013, Salesforce has been reporting larger customer contracts. In late March, for example, the software company scored a $100 million deal with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to provide its cloud-delivered sales, marketing, and customer service applications.
It puts Salesforce one step closer to Benioff’s and Block’s joint vision of driving Salesforce to reach $10 billion in annual revenue faster than any other business software company. The company reported $6.7 billion in revenue for 2016. It expects to top $8 billion in fiscal year 2017, which ends next January.
Salesforce made “significant” changes to Benioff’s pay package for the upcoming year. That included reducing his total compensation by 16% and tying more than half to performance-based, restricted stock grants, according to the proxy statement.
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Benioff earned $33.4 million, including a base salary of $1.55 million and a bonus of $3.1 million. That’s 16% less than his package for fiscal 2015, which included $1.4 million base and a $2.8 million bonus.
According to the proxy statement, Benioff’s base salary and target bonus will remain the same for the current fiscal year. That’s not the case for Block, who is due to receive a 7% raise in base pay, to $1.15 million.
Salesforce has scheduled its annual shareholder meeting for June 2 in San Francisco.


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Samsung has certainly dipped their fingers into a slew of different kinds of consumer electronics devices in the past, and this particular trend does not look as though it is going to stop anytime soon. In fact, Samsung continues to grow in a strong manner, and for CES this year, they have decided to reveal a couple of new additions to its Samsung Notebook 9 series which will arrive in 15” and 13.3” models. These happen to be portable and lightweight in nature, looking sleek without compromising on build quality since it comes in a durable design, accompanied by a vibrant display and seamless functionality. In other words, this brand new Notebook 9 series happens to be perfect for professionals and ultra-productive users who are often on-the-go.
The South Korean corporation emphasizes on the ultra-light capability of the Samsung Notebook 9 series which happens to be the world’s lightest 13.3” notebook, where it tips the scales at under 1kg, offering ultimate ease and convenience when on-the-go. Apart from that, the Full HD display that it comes with delivers superior brightness with a wide angle, where the low-reflective screen paves the way for a comfortable viewing experience from a variety of positions.
As for the 15” Notebook 9, it comes with a superior battery life of up to 12 hours, where the Quick Charging feature will also allow users to fully juice it up in a matter of 90 minutes. Those who prefer to settle for the 13.3” Notebook 9 will be able to enjoy up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. Other features include Security CAM that enables users to snap and send photos through an equipped camera to a pre-registered email in the event of a theft. The Pattern Log-in, Secret Screen, and Record Block features will also further enhance the overall security of your device. Expect the new Samsung Notebook 9 series to arrive in Iron Silver and Modern Pink, as it arrives in select markets some time early this year.


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China, is probably the only country that supports blockchain technology but is unwilling to embrace cryptocurrencies. Early this year, this Asian country banned crypto-related activities due including initial coin offerings (ICOs) and trading of cryptocurrencies. This move, alongside crackdowns on cryptocurrency trading were associated with the market crash experienced at the beginning of this year. As it keeps off cryptocurrencies, China seems keen to tap blockchain, the same technology that underlies cryptocurrencies. Statistics from the World Intellectual Property Organization show that more than half of all blockchain patent applications file have been initiated by Chinese firms. At the same time, the top 6 companies to file patent applications originate from China. As a matter of fact, Chinese tech giants are now trailblazing blockchain development and application. Retail giant, JD.com set up 'Retail as a Service' (RaaS), a blockchain platform that allows enterprise clients to create applications and smart contract systems. Launching just four months after the Amazon launched its Amazon Web Services (AWS), the entry of RaaS to tighten competition.
Multiple Use Cases Blockchain has numerous use cases across sectors. In the last 18 months, numerous project ideas aimed at addressing day to day problems have been developed. In the business space, projects such as BQT and Gath3r that facilitates crypto and hedge fund trading and web mining monetization respectively have been launched. Noizchain which is focused on interactive marketing, IOU on customer satisfaction for e-commerce businesses and Qupon, a marketplace for digital coupons are hanging the marketing landscape. According to Terrence Hooi, CEO of LiveTradr, by recognizing blockchain’s importance in developing new products and services, China could be getting ready become a global leader in blockchain.He says, “There should be a clear separation between cryptocurrencies and blockchain in China, and China has recognized the importance of blockchain technology and will be using blockchain technology as one of the major projects along with AI, autonomous driving technology and quantum communication. After all, blockchain technology can and will be applied to many business areas including government, healthcare, education, manufacturing, energy and supply chain instead of just cryptocurrencies.”
Prioritizing Blockchain Media reports on the People's Daily show that China continues to develop blockchain projects as part of its 13th Five-Year Plan. With a plan in place, government investment is likely to contribute to the rise of China to global blockchain leadership. According to Maxim Garbuzov, co-founder and CFO ofIOU, the Chinese government is prioritizing blockchain technology. He says, "The largest technology companies in China such as Alibaba, Tencent, and consenSUS are very quick to introduce blockchain technology. This is because the government of China makes these developments priorities in the development of the country. China seeks to take a leading position in speed efficiency and economy within the political and strategic arenas of the world. As such, we believe that with financial capabilities and a huge number of technical specialists, China has many chances to complete this mission." Agreeing to this, Hooi says, “In the world of blockchain, cryptocurrency is just a buzz, and blockchain will remain as the winner, China wants to be a leader of blockchain technology.” Already, Chinese authorities are contributing to protection of intellectual property rights in the blockchain space by giving incentives such as subsidies to patent charges and credit rewards on tax with the aim of getting ahead of competitors. But, even though China seems to be taking the lead in blockchain development, the ban on virtual currencies could hinder it from advancing further in areas such as cross border payments. This may eventually delay its efforts to become a leader in Blockchain.
Disclaimer: David Drake is on the advisory board for most of the firms mentioned or quoted in this article.
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Carrie Lam has been urged in an open letter to find a political and policing solution to stop the domestic terrorism that aims to bring about the downfall of the government.
An estimated 73 million flights will be made in China during this year's Spring Festival travel rush, which lasts between January 21 and March 1, up 12 percent year-on-year.
China will take measures to ensure a safe and smooth Spring Festival travel rush, said officials with related departments on Friday during a press conference.
Tesla will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its electric car factory in Shanghai on Monday and plans to start production by the end of the year, the firm’s CEO Elon Musk said....
Battery life should not be seen as a barrier for the introduction of new energy vehicles, says William Li, also known as 'China's Elon Musk'.
China’s consumer price index (CPI) rose by 2.2 percent year-on-year in November, while the country's producer price index (PPI) went up 2.7 percent.
Finland’s participation in the first China International Import Expo last month shows the Nordic country’s willingness to expand economic cooperation with China.
An explosion near a chemical factory in Zhangjiakou in northern China’s Hebei Province on Wednesday has killed 22 people and injured at least 22 others.


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Roger Federer fans can now buy new apparels featuring his logo from UNIQLO
Roger Federer fans can once again buy clothes featuring his iconic ‘RF’ logo for the first time since he switched brand partners from Nike to UNIQLO in 2018. The Swiss’ signature logo, featuring a floating R and F to denote his initials, was discontinued from appearing on any apparel after his split with Nike.
However, the two brands have now negotiated a deal, following which UNIQLO released two t-shirts with the logo to kick things off in the ‘RF’ series — one black and one white. The news was announced in a short video by the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who revealed that the decision came about after a lot of requests from his fans.
“I know a lot of you have been asking about the RF logo and I am here to tell you that RF logo is here on the UNIQLO t-shirt for the first time. And I really, of course, hope you like it,” Federer said.
During the reveal, the former World No. 1 also expanded on how the original logo came about. Federer recalled a conversation with his wife Mirka, where they both decided to keep his initials instead of symbols, since it would help him stand out from the norm at the time.
“In the beginning, it came through a conversation I had with my wife Mirka. We thought we needed a logo. At the time, initials were not that popular quite yet, it was more symbols,” Federer said. “What we created way back when was very similar to this one. It also had the floating R with the floating F and it is very light. I think it is very elegant.”
The 40-year-old remarked that he had originally thought of the logo as a “personal statement.” But now that it has evolved into something more, a way of connecting with his fans, the 20-time Grand Slam champion declared that he wore it with even more pride.
The Swiss hopes his fans will continue to cherish it for years to come and feel a “sense of community” in the same way they have enjoyed it so far. The t-shirts will go on sale from June 27, available both online and in select UNIQLO stores across the globe.
“The logo has evolved. In the beginning, it was a more personal statement and then it became more of a logo for the fans. As we in tennis don’t have a number or the name on the back, it was a way for me to connect to the fans and really feel that sense of community,” Federer said. “It means so much to me. I wear it with a lot of pride. I am so happy that it is here, that it’s alive, that it’s hopefully going to make a lot of people happy, because it certainly makes me extremely happy. I wanted people to know that.”
Roger Federer to return to action at the Laver Cup in September
Roger Federer will be back in action at the Laver Cup
Meanwhile, Roger Federer is still gearing up to make his return to action after an entire year on the sidelines. The former World No. 1 last played a competitive tennis match at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships and has since been making his recovery from knee rehab. At the end of this year’s edition at SW19, therefore, the Swiss will fall off the rankings completely.
The Swiss recently confirmed that he will make his comeback at the Laver Cup in September, where he will feature alongside stars like Rafael Nadal, Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime among others.
Following that, he will play at the Swiss Indoors at the end of the year in his hometown of Basel before returning full-time for the 2023 season.
“The goal is to be ready for the Laver Cup and Basel by the end of the year. I’ll get a lot of information in the next few months because I’m running out of space now,” Federer said. “[I want to return to the tour in 2023 if my knee plays along]. How and where, I don’t know yet. But that would be the idea. Definitely.”


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Nielsen Tuesday updated clients on release dates for data impacted by the disruption of its processing systems, due to Hurricane Irma.
“We are in the process of recovering from Hurricane Irma and returning to business as usual,” the company said in an email notification. “As such, we are currently processing local and national overnight data for Sunday, September 10 and Monday, September 11.”
Sunday’s overnight data for both national and local markets are expected to be released sometime today, the company said. Some of the data may not be released until after regular business hours.
Nielsen said Monday’s overnight data for local markets may also be released Tuesday, but that customers otherwise should expect to receive both local and national overnight data from Monday on Wednesday.
The company said it expects to resume its regular delivery schedule after all the delayed data has been released to clients.


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China’s factory output expected to expand in December
BEIJING : China's factory activity likely expanded again in December on stronger external demand and an infrastructure push at home, but the pace of growth is set to ease as markets await more certainty on a US-China trade truce, a Reuters poll showed.
The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December is expected to come in at 50.1, slightly above the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction on a monthly basis, according to the median forecasts of 27 economists.
This would be notch below November's 50.2, which unexpectedly ended six straight months of contraction as Beijing's accelerated stimulus measures buoyed domestic demand.
The recovery has been supported by a rebound in external demand, a pick-up in infrastructure investment, a still-resilient property market, and a moderate inventory restocking cycle propelled by improved growth expectations, analysts at China International Capital Corporation said in a note.
Macro analyst Zhang Deli with China-based Lianxun Securities, noted that a weekly export container shipping index tracked by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange - the China Containerised Freight Index - rebounded sharply in December, pointing to improved export demand.
Growth in China's industrial and retail sectors both beat expectations in November.
A private business survey - the Caixin/Markit Manufacturing PMI - which analysts say focuses more on small- and medium-sized, export-driven Chinese companies - is also expected to show factory activity expanded in December.
But it is also forecast to show slightly more subdued growth than the previous month at 51.7, down from 51.8 in November.
The official PMI and its sister survey on the services sector will be released today.
The Caixin Manufacturing PMI will be published on Jan 2 and the Caixin services PMI survey will be out on Jan 6. - REUTERS


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The air has the acrid tang of chemicals. Flasks with colourful liquids sit in fume hoods, while purple-gloved researchers in white lab coats study chemical structures on their computer screens. Pharmaceutical sciences lecturer Dr Stephen Hilton hands over a pair of safety goggles and the tour of the lab at University College London begins.
It’s not the chemicals that are of interest per se, but rather the row of box-like machines which line the back wall. This lab is home to the Stephen Hilton Group; 14 researchers with a particular interest in 3D printing and chemicals. There are 11 3D printers here; one makes a buzzy whirr as it spits out a mould.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, takes a computer-generated design and turns it into a three-dimensional object via a special printing machine that deposits successive layers of a material, such as plastic or metal, on top of each other. The technology is well known for making quirky pieces of jewellery and plastic replicas of the Eiffel Tower. But as costs have decreased, interest has surged and the technology is now common in mainstream manufacturing from car parts to toys.
Healthcare is set to be a big winner from 3D printing, with hearing aids, prosthetics and implants already transforming the space. According to consultants Frost & Sullivan, the healthcare industry will drive 3D-printing growth, which will balloon into a $6-billion market by 2025.
But it’s what 3D printing might mean for the pills we pop that is really sparking interest and a flurry of research activity. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration approved epilepsy drug Spritam (levetiracetam), the world’s first 3D-printed pill. The tablet, manufactured by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, is printed with alternate layers of powder and droplets of liquid, creating a very high-dose drug with the ability to dissolve quickly. These features together are unachievable by conventional manufacturing.
Spritam’s approval is a milestone moment and now paves the way for a future of 3D-printed medicines. But these medicines won’t be anything like today’s. As Dr Hilton notes, 3D printing allows concepts to move “beyond imagination”. “It’s amazingly exciting,” he says. “There’s a lot of hype about 3D printing, but a lot of potential as well. In theory we can make anything we want.”
Healthcare is set to be a big winner from 3D printing, with hearing aids, prosthetics and implants already transforming the space
With this in mind, we may be popping pyramid-shaped pills in the future or 4D-printed medicines that change shape in the stomach. This is based on research by Dr Hilton’s group, which found that different shaped drugs, which can only be made through 3D printing, had different rates of drug release. Complex “polypills” could also become a reality, as seen with research at Nottingham
University, where one pill containing five drugs was successfully 3D printed.
A one pill solution
These innovations would change how patients take their medications in the future, with doses tailored to individuals and one pill a day or week replacing the multitudes of tablets that might normally have to be taken. Drugs would be easier to take, work better and have fewer side effects.
Even more futuristic is research at the University of Glasgow, where regius professor of chemistry Lee Cronin is creating 3D-printed chemical reactors that carry out reactions to make new molecules. Using a digital code, changing the shape of 3D-printed vessels and altering a mix of 3D-printed base ingredients, Professor Cronin can create chemical reactions and produce different drugs. He is validating this approach to develop a 3D-printer-like chemical robot to accelerate the discovery and manufacture of new novel drugs in the future.
Yet 3D printing won’t just change the types of medicines we take in the future, but also how we access them or rather where they will be printed. 3D printing pills at home is a possibility, but still a long way off, with numerous issues to address.
More likely, and what many experts speculate, is that pharmacies will become 3D-printing medicine hubs. Here pharmacists would be handed a prescription, download a recipe from a pharmaceutical company, then 3D print the drug from basic ingredients while the patient waits.
“This is something pharmacists are waking up to,” says Professor Jayne Lawrence, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. “They’re starting to realise this is a possibility.” And the time-frame? About ten years.
There are, of course, a number of challenges with this future scenario, including quality control, cyber attacks and illegal or counterfeit use. Meanwhile, regulatory hurdles, safety liability issues and outdated healthcare infrastructure could potentially delay adoption.
Monumental improvement for developing countries
Regardless, this future is very real. Printing drugs on demand would cut storage and shipping costs, and improve access to medicines. For developing countries, this alone would be monumental. “The beauty of 3D printing is it reduces health inequalities worldwide because medicine becomes accessible for everyone,” says Dr Hilton.
Simple tablets will be printed initially, but the ultimate outcome is for personalised 3D-printed drugs. “People would be able to have medicine tailored to their age, size, gender and medical requirements, rather than having to conform to current mass-production standards,” says Lucy Ackland, senior development engineer at the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
She believes personal information will be entered into the pharmacist’s computer where an algorithm will adjust the recipe, producing a drug tailored to the patient. In this way, people with swallowing difficulties could get quick dissolve tablets, pills in fun shapes could be printed for children, ten drugs could be combined into one pill or brail bumps added for those with poor eyesight.
Back in his lab, Dr Hilton denies 3D printing medicines is revolutionary. The technology already exists, he says. It’s just the matter of linking it together. The breakthrough is in exploring concepts you couldn’t think about before. “Now you can take the concept of ‘what if’ and use the technology to explore its limits,” he says. “This is beyond imagination. That’s exciting stuff.”
FIVE 3D-PRINTING MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
3D printing allows the customised production of prosthetics at a fraction of the cost of traditional prosthetics. Arm prosthetics are the most notable current use, with the technology particularly popular in war-torn countries. But research into other 3D-printed prosthetics such as ears is underway.
02 Equipment and devices
A variety of medical equipment can be 3D printed, such as forceps and clamps, which can drastically cut costs and could be particularly useful in developing countries where access and sanitation can be a problem. Already customised 3D-printed hearing aids are widely available.
While models of any part of the human anatomy can be 3D printed, it’s the fact these could be patient-specific based on CT and MRI scans that is exciting. Such models can be used in preparation for surgery or as tailor-made implants, such as in facial, dental or cranial reconstruction.
Researchers have been able to 3D print porous biodegradable scaffolds. These could be implanted in the body where cells migrate into the scaffold, forming new tissue and effectively regenerating a new organ. New bone has been grown in this way, while customised nose and ear scaffolds are also being explored.
05 3D-printed tissue
Researchers have successfully 3D printed live cells to produce different tissue types including, skin, liver, cartilage and blood vessels. This 3D bioprinting can be used to test new medicines, but the future potential is to 3D print new organs using the patient’s own cells, which would reduce organ rejection.


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Hidetaka Miyaaki, who you may recognize as the creator and director of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, has expressed interest in making a battle royale and/or a live service game.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the revered visionary teased that he and the studio he runs, FromSoftware, could yet make a battle royale or games-as-a-service title, which are increasingly dominating the market. Or, at the very least, he and his team are thinking about it.
"There’s always the possibility," said Miyazaki when asked if FromSoftware would ever make a game in this mold. "These games are definitely fun. And we’re interested in the patterns they are taking. If we did it, it might be a bit different! But we’re definitely interested and there’s definitely that possibility in the future. We’d love to take a crack at them some day."
That said, in the same interview, Miyazaki also stressed that single-player games -- the type the studio has made a name for making -- are an important part of the industry and keeping the market healthy
"Single-player action games don’t feel too rare in the current climate," said Miyazaki. "While Devil May Cry 5 has some online elements, it’s coming out two weeks before our game. And that’s a very single-player focused experience. We’ve also had God of War and Spider-Man." Both of those games sold over 9m copies in 2018.
"We do need this diversity in the industry. Regardless of what From Software is doing, we need people making battle royale games and live services and we need people making single-player focused experiences. We feel that this diversity is what will keep everyone going."
As you can see, while FromSoftware could one day make a battle royale or live service game or something similar to these two things, single-player will likely remain at the heart of the games it makes. And when you consider it has made some of the best single-player games of the last 10 years, that's good to hear.
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The steeper the mountain, the more difficult the first step. And if you're carrying a lot of extra weight, taking that first step toward a healthier lifestyle can be especially daunting.
Here are tips, courtesy of Prevention magazine, published by Rodale Inc. of Emmaus, to get started for those looking to lose 50 pounds or more.
Hide your bathroom scale
1 Getting the weight off — and keeping it off — is a slow process, says trainer Louise Green. Watching the number on a scale can be depressing. Plus, if you're focused on losing a set number of pounds in a specific amount of time, missing that goal can wreck your motivation. Green says losing weight should be a secondary benefit to your overall health gains, not your primary goal.
Focus on your health
2 Train your attention on how you feel, advises Michelle Steinke, founder of One Fit Widow. Steinke rededicated herself to health and lost 80 pounds after the tragic death of her husband. When you're physically active, you have more energy and you feel better about yourself, she says. "Enjoy the sensations of being active and strong," Green says. Instead of feeling like you're suffering through some kind of weight-loss boot camp, you'll actually relish the time you spend exercising.
DRINK MORE WATER
3 If you set the bar too high, you're setting yourself up for failure, says Dyan Tsiumis, founder of Get Fierce Training in New York. Tsiumis, who once weighed 190 pounds, dropped more than 70 lbs. from her petite frame. "I often have my clients start by drinking 2 liters of water every day for a month," she says. "They're amazed at how good they feel." By starting with modest goals, you can avoid the pitfalls of burnout or the debilitating repercussions of missing your targets.


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One of the key factors driving the E-commerce logistics market growth is the increase in cross-border e-commerce activities.
Due to rising per capita income and greater consumer access to foreign brands, cross-border e-commerce is becoming more and more popular with consumers.
A rise in the number of trade corridors is another reason of growing cross-border trade. Trade corridors are comprehensive transportation networks that link different geographic areas to ease trade and advance the economy. These corridors are made up of integrated infrastructure that connects cities or nations, like railroads and highways.
Furthermore, logistics is important in cross-border e-commerce because the flow of commodities is dependent on transportation and distribution networks. Hence, with the expansion of cross-border e-commerce, demand for e-commerce logistics is likely to rise concurrently during the projection period.
360 Researh Reports published a new research report on the global “Cross-border E-commerce Logistics Market“. The research gives information on market variables that affect the market, market scope, and market segmentation and casts shadows over the top market players while highlighting the thriving competitive environment and prevalent trends over time.
This report focuses on the Cross-border E-commerce Logistics in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.
The Global Cross-border E-commerce Logistics market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2029. The size of the worldwide B2C cross-border e-commerce market in 2021 was US$ 719.73 billion.
By 2030, the size of the worldwide cross-border B2C e-commerce industry is anticipated to reach US$ 6,209.29 billion, expanding at a compounding yearly growth rate (CAGR) of 26.2% from 2022 to 2030.
Cross-border E-commerce trends to look out for in 2023
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in most cutting-edge technologies, including intelligent chatbots, customized product suggestion engines, and voice searches. AI enables internet merchants to provide a more individualized shopping experience.
Sellers may utilize it to improve forecasting, order tracking, and post-sales support. 70% of online business owners believe that AI for E-commerce will enable them to customize their online stores, therefore creating a better user experience. This technology will be more crucial for the e-commerce industry as users’ and customers’ expectations are becoming at par with the online platform giants who are using this technology such as Amazon. Artificial intelligence can help create more relevant and personalized suggestions for customers that might aid their purchasing decisions.
24/7 customer service
In 2023, customer service will be a linchpin for both e-commerce businesses, especially those that are catering to international consumers transacting from different time zones. Customers want assistance – immediately – when they have questions about selecting a size, tracking a shipment, or obtaining a refund, therefore retailers must prioritize this. That entails making it simple for users to find assistance via their preferred channel, be it live chat, social media, or the phone.
Use of chatbots
With our first two points, the use of chatbots in e-commerce has also skyrocketed recently. By 2027, 25% of businesses will use chatbots as their primary customer care tool, according to Gartner. Chatbots are beneficial to businesses as it helps in saving money, provide better customer service, engage with customers through a variety of channels at scale, provide 24/7 customer assistance, and expand worldwide without adding more overhead.
Social media-based direct purchasing and selling of goods and services is referred to as social commerce. Compared to current e-commerce models, social commerce has a bigger room for expansion. During the years 2022-2028, this sector is anticipated to expand consistently by 22.8%. Customers heavily rely on their social media feeds for shopping, recommendations, and straightforward e-commerce sales. One study claims that 48% of consumers are now inclined to make a direct purchase from TikTok.
Transparency in shipping
Transparency in product and delivery has always been a must for consumers. When customers are unaware of a shipping delay, 69.7% say they are less inclined to make another purchase from that merchant. Integrating the right technology with your e-commerce storefront or marketplaces can help generate the proper data and real-time updates which can then be shared with customers for them to track and be updated about their online orders.
Green commerce is expanding. Following the pandemic, 52% of customers began to value sustainability. Consumers are now willing to spend more to purchase sustainable products, even in times of financial uncertainty.
Supply chain vulnerability and global crisis
Without addressing the problems that need to be solved, no study on retail trends for 2023 would be complete. In 2022, there was a big global upheaval that is making it difficult for shops worldwide. Retailers must be adaptable and agile in the years to come. Utilize technology, be innovative, and keep up with retail trends to find solutions to these demands.
Buy now, pay later (finance)
Unbelievably, problems with payment processing cause eCommerce businesses to lose a lot of potential customers. Cart abandonment rates skyrocket when an online retailer makes it too tough to pay for an item. Buy now, pay later schemes have been seen to quite improve the payment process for customers since they do not have to worry so much about the transactions at the moment.
Over the last few years, BNPL (buy now, pay later) has been extremely popular. Due to the pandemic’s financial instability, there was an increase in apps that allowed customers to spread payments out over monthly installments. This was advantageous for both individuals and businesses. By offering cheaper upfront costs, brands may attract more customers, and consumers can purchase more expensive goods without breaking the bank in one go.
K-Parcel provide cost-competitive and fully compliant end-to-end e-commerce logistics solutions outbound from China to worldwide destinations, and inbound from worldwide to China and South East Asia.
With K-Parcel, crossborders logistics is made easy!
For more information, contact our team at email@example.com
- Cross-border E-commerce Logistics Market 2023: Key Product Segments, Application Analysis, and Industry Growth Forecast by 2029, Market Watch, https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/cross-border-e-commerce-logistics-market-2023-key-product-segments-application-analysis-and-industry-growth-forecast-by-2029-2022-12-13
- Cross-border B2C e-commerce market trends to look out for in 2023, RSA Global https://www.rsa.global/blog/cross-border-b2c-e-commerce-market-trends-2023


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An environmental audit by Apple and a Chinese environmental group will determine whether iPods cause serious iPollution.
At the end of this month, the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs and the computer giant Apple will work with an auditing firm to assess the environmental damage caused by a factory which produces printed circuit boards for Apple.
"We think this is a very positive step made by Apple," Wang Jing Jing, vice director for the Chinese environmental group, said in MacWorld. "We hope this won't simply be a pilot project, but that more open inspections will continue."
Allegations of environmental contamination and worker abuses have been a worm in Apple's reputation for months. In August of last year, a group of Chinese environmental organizations denounced Apple's sustainability and social justice record and called for the company to reveal the manufacturers involved in their supply chain. Apple acquiesced and released the names of its parts suppliers along with a sustainability report.
An investigation published in March by Fair Labor Association into Apple supplier Foxconn found, "excessive overtime and problems with overtime compensation; several health and safety risks; and crucial communication gaps that have led to a widespread sense of unsafe working conditions among workers."
Security guards from a neighboring department store line up in protest in front of the enclosure to the construction site of the world's largest Apple Store in Dalian city, northeast China's Liaoning province. The incident occurred at noon on March 28, 2012, after enclosure boards were erected around the site of the future store in the city's Parkland Mall area. The guards from a department store near the site pulled down the boards in forcible demolition, the Xinmin Evening News reported. Insiders said the building company expanded the border of its construction site by several meters and affected the business of the department store, the paper said. (Corbis)


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Shoprite profit takes a knock as strikes, poor economy hit sales
Shoprite earnings for the 2019 year was down 18.2%, as the retail group faced a "testing year".
The retailer on Tuesday (20/08/2019) released its financial year results for the year ended June 30, 2019. Its shares which opened at R140.10 slumped 5.48% to R132.41 by 09:10 before recovering to R139 by 09:32.
Key figures show that sales of merchandise grew by a mere 3.6% to R150bn. Operating profit was down 8.2% while net profit declined 18.2% to R4.2bn.
Basic headline earnings per share was also lower, by 19.6% to 780.8c. Basic earnings per share was down 17.9% to 768.2c.
The total dividend declared for the year came to 319c, 32.1% less than the 484c declared the previous year.
While Shoprite's supermarket division in SA performed well, generating 74.9% of sales, the group's overall sales declined due to a "constrained economy, inventory shortages post-industrial action and the implementation of a new enterprise wide IT system" across stores, CEO Pieter Engelbrecht said.
To keep goods affordable for customers, selling price inflation for the year was at 1.2%, similar to the year before. "We traded throughout the year with many items in key categories in deflation." At year-end, the number of products priced lower than the previous year came to 9 679.
During the period, the group implemented a strategy to capture the "premium food segment" by repositioning Checkers. "The number of Checkers stores in the new look FreshX format now totals 21," Engelbrecht said. Shoprite targets 80 stores to be upgraded in the new format during the medium to long term.
Non-RSA stores disappoint
However, beyond South Africa, the group was challenged with forex shortages, currency devaluations and the aftermath of "rampant inflation" in Angola.
Supermarkets outside South Africa reported a trading loss of R265m.
"Despite no foreseen respite in short-term trading conditions in the region, we are committed to our customers in the 14 non-RSA countries in which we operate.
"We remain confident in the opportunity our entrenched position as Africa's leading food retailer will bring as the economic fortunes of the countries where we trade improve," Engelbrecht said.


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There has been further evidence of the pressure on health service budgets today, with muscular dystrophy patients calling for extra funding for the treatment of the condition.
They say that an extra £650,000 could save the NHS here millions in the long run.
More top news
ITV Wales can reveal thousands of patients have waited over an hour for an ambulance since the 'amber' category was introduced last year
Cardiff Bay could soon be home to a retail and leisure development made entirely from hundreds of shipping containers.
The Welsh Ambulance service has created an app for its staff and patients with additional communication needs.


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NHTSA Urges Fla. Residents to Check for Takata Air Bags
June 19, 2018—On June 7, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration joined automakers and South Florida community leaders to urge residents to check their vehicle identification numbers (VIN).
NHTSA said in a press release that South Florida is part of the highest risk area of the country. Therefore, vehicles in this region have been prioritized to get repair parts first.
NHTSA also remains concerned that owners of certain higher-risk Model Year 2006 Ford Rangers and Mazda B-Series trucks with defective Takata air bags have not gotten the free repair quickly enough, if at all. These vehicles are under a “do not drive” warning and the air bags must be replaced immediately. Last month, NHTSA issued a second public plea to owners to schedule the free repair immediately for their own safety and the protection of their loved ones.
The Sun Sentinel reported on Monday, that air bag parts ares still on back order for some vehicle models.
Although replacement parts now exist for 90 percent of recalled passenger vehicles, according to a spokesman for AutoNation, owners of some vehicles that have been waiting years to have their airbags replaced say they are frustrated by the continued delays, according to the The Sun Sentinel.
According to the report, Lincoln Motor Co., a division of Ford, said on its website that no parts are available yet to repair four of its models, including the MKZ. But the company is offering loaners “in circumstances where replacement inflators are not available for certain vehicles that fall under the Takata recalls.”
Lincoln spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandt said the company expects to repair additional models in the second half of 2018, but she did not specify which models. Loaners will be available indefinitely at no charge, apart from insurance and fuel, until parts are available, she said in the article.
According to The Sun Sentinel, other vehicle models with parts on back order include Toyota, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Taking Advantage of Recalls
CCC Information Services recently made a push to alert collision repair shops of how advantageous it can be to alert customers to recalls. By informing drivers of important repairs that can be fixed at the dealership for free, Jim Kinsherf, vice president for CCC's OEM division, says body shops can retain more customers for future work.


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A raft of profit warnings from Apple Inc (AAPL.O) suppliers this week has fueled investor concerns that iPhone sales, in terms of volume, have hit a wall that could spell trouble for the company’s plans to make services its main pillar of growth.
For the past year, investors had largely been willing to overlook stagnating unit sales of the iPhone because average selling prices kept rising. But now fierce competition from mid-priced phones from makers such as Xiaomi Corp (1810.HK) has become difficult to ignore.
Apple’s vision of becoming a company driven by paid services such as Apple Music and iCloud rests on building as large a base of device owners as possible, with the iPhone serving as a critical anchor.
Without volume growth in promising overseas markets such as India, Brazil and Russia, the worry is that Apple has at least parts of its strategy wrong with too much emphasis on its premium brand and the high prices that go with it.
A trio of Chinese smartphone makers – Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo – accounted for roughly a quarter of the global market in the first half of 2018, according to data from research firm IDC, up from just 8.9 percent for all of 2014.
But with the exception of fiscal 2015, Apple hasn’t grown its market share. It had 13.6 percent of the world market in the first half of this year, down from 14.8 percent for 2014, although its share typically rises with full-year results due to strong sales in December.
Apple currently has what it calls an active installed base of 1.3 billion iPhones, iPads and Macs, serving as the pool of potential customers for its services – a business which hit $37.1 billion in revenue for the most recent fiscal year.
That represented 14 percent of Apple’s overall revenue, up from 8.5 percent in fiscal 2015 when iPhone unit sales hit their all-time high.
But IDC expects the global smartphone market to grow only 2.4 percent on a compound basis to 1.6 billion units by 2022, indicating a saturated market in which the Cupertino, California-based firm will be fighting rivals for each customer.
Xiaomi, in particular, is gaining fans rapidly. In India, where Apple has only a minor presence, Xiaomi has in some quarters beat Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) to be the country’s top phone seller and is also racing up the rankings in European markets where it is opening retail stores.
“This is the case where it’s much different in other parts of the world,” said Ryan Reith, program vice president for IDC’s mobile device tracking program.
“Many of those brands don’t play (in the United States), but they’re playing in places where they never played before.”
In its latest earnings this month, Apple shocked investors with a lower-than-expected sales forecast for the holiday shopping quarter and with its announcement that it would stop reporting unit sales for its hardware products as has been customary for the last 20 years.
Underscoring flattening iPhone unit sales, it also said it sold 217.7 million iPhones in its most recent fiscal year, virtually unchanged from the year before and well below a high point of 231.2 million in fiscal 2015.
Its share price, hit at the time of the forecast, has since extended losses after profit warnings from suppliers like Japan Display Inc (6740.T), British chipmaker IQE Plc (IQE.L) and Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE.O). The stock is now down about 8 percent since its Nov. 1 earnings.
Apple declined to comment on the market moves. But its supply chain is vast, and the company’s executives have warned investors in the past against fixating on sparse data points from it. And Apple has for more than a decade insisted that its gadgets should not be judged on their specs alone, an argument that sales data suggest Apple made successfully.
Apple’s newest models such as the iPhone XS and iPhone XR are proving popular with its most loyal fans in wealthy economies. But they range up to $1,449 in price – out of reach for many consumers in less developed markets.
Apple’s strategy is to lure those consumers to its eco-system with older models at cheaper prices. It has also emphasized that its phones are designed to last longer than the competition, expanded its repair options and crafted its most recent operating system update to speed up older devices.
But Chinese smartphone makers have been packing their phones with higher-end chips and features like under-the-glass fingerprint sensors that seek to lure consumers who might otherwise give Apple’s phones a look.
Those manufacturers are increasingly adopting Qualcomm’s (QCOM.O) most powerful mobile phone chips, said Cristiano Amon, the head of chip operations at the U.S. chipmaker, which is locked in a bitter court dispute with Apple.
Those phones were initially sold in China but “we’ve also seen them gaining share outside China, especially in areas such as India and Europe,” Amon said.
On its home turf, too, Apple is facing new challenges from at least one Chinese maker, OnePlus, which is creeping into the U.S. firm’s traditional pricing territory.
After years of being available in the United States only via an online store and developing a following among tech enthusiasts, the OnePlus 6T is being carried by T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS.O) stores.
At $549, it sits between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 in terms of pricing. Kyle Kiang, the general manager for North America for OnePlus, said sales are beating internal expectations so far, although he declined to disclose those figures.
Source: Read Full Article


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Fashion tech app start-up Seamm gets $1.7m in funding
Seamm, a start-up digitising fashion goods for virtual worlds, has raised $1.7 million in funding “to scale go-to-market activities, attract and hire top talent, and accelerate the development of its platform”.
Launching from October as part of The Lydian Group, a tech conglomerate specialising in digital assets, it will provide a platform for brands to expand into those virtual worlds, by creating “3D twins of existing physical items” while also having the option to create and sell exclusive digital-only collections.
Describing the launch of Seamm as “somewhat timely’ it cites a fashion industry already taking a deep dive into the realms of the Metaverse, with the likes of Gucci, Balenciaga, Prada and Selfridges all launching their own projects and collaborations.
For users, Seamm “will transport real-life fashion into virtual worlds, adding new ways to personalise game characters and avatars”. Consumers will also get to explore new digital collections from a wide breadth of different fashion brands and renowned artists, use the in-app marketplace to buy items of their choice and then export their belongings into various virtual worlds and video games — they can also keep the most exceptional and rare items as personal collectibles.
Brands already on board include Outsiders Division, Alexandra Moura, Clear To Rain, Rara, Cunnington & Sanderson, Martina Spetlova, Marie de la Roche, No.Na.Me, Advait, and others. The first place where the items will be available is Decentraland, a 3D virtual world platform attracting major brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Estée Lauder, and Dolce & Gabbana.
"Devoted to “creating unique projects with incredible brands, designers, musicians and artists”, the Seamm launch will also kick off with a collaboration with artist Misha Libertee.
Marina Martianova, founder and CEO of Seamm, said: “We are going to bring selected diamonds of apparel and accessories from the real world into digital form, which can then be transferred to the majority of metaverses and video games. Devoted to supporting independent fashion designers and cult niche products, we’re starting our journey with hand-picked brands from Portugal, the UK, Spain and the Middle East.”
Martianova added: “The brands we’ve picked so far all have something unique in their approach to fashion — whether it's the women-only factory, empowering single mothers by Marie de la Roche, or producing a maximum of 120 units per any given garment in case of Outsiders Division, or creating bespoke costumes for dance performances, artists and singers, all while seasonally presenting collections, like Alexandra Moura.”
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Airbnb is banning one-night bookings over the Halloween weekend to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Starting today, guests on Airbnb will be unable to make one-night bookings for entire-home listings on Friday, October 30, or Saturday, October 31, anywhere in the United States or Canada.
For those who’ve already booked one-day reservations on one of the two days, Airbnb will automatically cancel and reimburse funds.
- See also:
As the Halloween weekend approaches, Airbnb will be deploying more stringent restrictions on two- and three-night reservations that may pose a heightened risk for parties.
“For example, we will significantly expand the radius of our technology that restricts certain local and last-minute bookings by guests without a history of positive reviews on Airbnb,” a representative told Daily Hive.
Those wanting to check on their reservations can contact Airbnb directly at www.airbnb.com.


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Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) launched its Google+ social network last year to compete with social networking giant Facebook (NASDAQ:FB). Though it saw quite a bit of traction initially, the usage has declined as many of its users are inactive and engagement levels remain much lower than that of Facebook. Google+ was launched with some very compelling features like Hangouts and Circles, most of which were incorporated by Facebook in some way or another.
However, as one of the best multi-user video calling service, Hangouts is still one of the biggest draws to Google+. Facebook rolled out Video Chat powered by Skype last year, but it supports only one-on-one calls. Google+ Hangouts also offers broadcast and content sharing features that Facebook doesn’t.
Google continues to add additional features to Hangout. In the last couple of months, it enabled Hangout users to call any phone through Hangouts and launched Hangouts on Air, a feature which enables users to broadcast their hangouts publicly to anyone through their Google+ streams, YouTube channels or websites.
This week, it added yet another feature to Hangouts – YouTube parties. Users can now watch YouTube videos with their friends in a Google+ Hangout and even create and share playlists in real-time. With this, Google is leveraging the social aspects of Google+ to drive engagement on YouTube and the popularity of YouTube to drive the usage of Google+ Hangouts.
All videos watched in a Hangout can be publicly shared on Google+, and live YouTube streaming videos can be watched in Hangouts too, making it one of the best ways to watch a live event online with friends.
If Google is able to continuously roll out features like these that Facebook doesn’t offer, it may be able to gradually attract a significant user base and generate increasing amounts of advertising revenue from Google+. The social data gathered from Google+ could also help it improve its core search experience and generate more revenue from advertising by offering better targeting features.
Search and display advertising account for more than 75% of Google’s total $680 Trefis price estimate, which stands 15% above its market price.Notes:


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Macquarie Group's telco Nu Mobile reveals its plans
Optus fears storage cost blowout to retain 5G metadata
Kleos GeoInt surveillance satellites ready for NZ launch
Newcastle Uni turns VR to primary, secondary education
ANZ says Facebook's Libra is no bank-buster
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Victoria looks for new operator to run Myki
Troubled system to get new manager.
Mar 3 2015 9:03AM
Sydney's Opal smartcard shifts to buses
Trial brought forward.
Sep 26 2013 1:04PM
NSW Govt expands transport smartcard trial
Rollout focus shifts to train network.
Jun 3 2013 10:54AM
NSW Govt to trial Opal smart cards
Ferries first, trains later.
Nov 26 2012 1:37PM
Vic Govt faces $350m myki pain
Fare evasion during smart card transition hits hard.
Aug 29 2012 4:20PM
Smartcards reduce APT exposure, vendor claims
Smartcards can be used to mitigate an advanced persistent threat (APT) due to the security of the physical card.
Jun 10 2011 2:24AM
Smartcard boss resigns over data sharing
Too many hands on customer data.
Aug 5 2010 7:13AM
Queensland 'go' card crowned best in Australia
Much maligned smartcard wins industry praise.
Aug 3 2010 3:08PM
Analysis: The 21 gatekeepers of the web
Kaminsky and Cerf hold the key.
Jul 30 2010 7:28AM
Biometrics, chips coming to Qld driver licenses
Queensland transport workers first to trial new smartcards.
May 12 2010 12:59PM
Scanner faults linked to 60,000 Go card trips
Rocky starts for Queensland and Victorian smart card systems.
Jan 21 2010 3:08PM
TransLink sells 34,000 smartcards in nine days
Commuters embrace Go card despite distribution and security issues.
Jan 14 2010 11:56AM
Qantas gives domestic flyers smartcard passes
Undisclosed technology to deal with security.
Nov 11 2009 3:39PM
Queensland smart licenses integrate Gemalto tech
Standards-based smartcards made in Australia.
Jul 8 2009 4:06PM
Unisys scores five-year QLD digital drivers’ licence deal
Queensland Transport will progressively replace three million laminated drivers’ licenses with smartcards that use facial recognition technology supplied by Unisys.
Apr 23 2009 3:09PM
Cabcharge to refresh taxi payment terminals
Cabcharge has announced a ‘multi-million dollar’ deal to buy 20,000 VeriFone POS terminals for its non-cash fare management system for taxis.
Aug 15 2008 12:22PM
Researchers crack London's Oyster card security
Researchers have successfully cracked the security of the Oyster card used for fare payments on buses and tubes in London.
Jun 24 2008 8:41AM
DigiSafe adds smartcard to encrypting hard drive
Automatic data encryption on the road.
Mar 22 2007 10:55AM
ICT security orgs blast ID smartcard, biometrics
The Federal Government’s planned national ID smartcard has come into further criticism – this time from some of the country’s leading ICT security organisations.
Jun 15 2006 12:31PM
Smartcard technology just the start
Jun 12 2006 5:09PM
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