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Jerry Brown on Climate Change: "We May Have to Resort to a Lot of Wine Drinking to Handle It"
June 11, 2019
Former Governor Jerry Brown and Anita Oberholster of the department of viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis, share the stage Monday night to discuss the impact of climate change on California wine. Photo/Mike Dunne
Former California Governor Jerry Brown, now a Sacramento Valley farmer, just can’t stop campaigning. No, he isn’t running for governor of the proposed rebellious State of Jefferson, which would include Colusa County where Brown now grows olives at his 2400-acre Rancho Venada, but he continues to stump on the issue with which he is most closely identified—climate change.
That mission brought Brown and his wife Anne Gust Brown to the University of California at Davis for a talk billed as “Wine, Wildfire and Climate Change.” Brown had little to say of wine, other than to indicate he favors Burgundy and Chardonnay. “I am a wine drinker and I don’t like smoke in my wines,” he remarked at one point.
He shared the stage with Anita Oberholster of the university’s department of viticulture and enology, who since the California wildfires of 2017 has been studying the effect of smoke on grapes and the wines made from them. She presented some of her latest research.
Between them, they drew a grim picture of the state of the environment, both globally and for California specifically, including the state’s wine business, but not without threads of optimism.
Brown focused largely on curbing carbon emissions that have been implicated in the warming of the planet. Vehicles, he said, are responsible for 40 percent to 50 percent of carbon emissions. During his first term as governor in the 1970s the world had 300 million cars. “Now there’s a billion. At the rate we’re going there will be a second billion pretty soon. In California we have 30 million vehicles, more or less, and they travel 345 billion miles every year,” Brown said.
But California, he noted, is far ahead of the rest of the country in switching to zero-emission vehicles. “California has about 600,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road. That’s about 50 percent of the zero-emission vehicles in America, so we’re doing good but we’re not doing good enough, and the rest are really doing bad.”
If the current rate of climate change isn’t tempered or reversed, the catastrophic scenarios he sees include more floods and wildfires, the spread of diseases and “a massive reduction in food production, forcing millions of food migrants to move into Europe and the United States,” culminating in social breakdown.
“We may have to resort to a lot of wine drinking to handle it,” Brown quipped.
Aside from that, coping with climate change will take “a shift in thinking, a shift in awareness, a transformation” in viewing just how serious the matter is. “It’s not just a technological challenge, or scientific challenge, it’s a human challenge,” he added.
He likened the nation’s attitude to climate change to the thinking of a friend who couldn’t quit smoking. “Transformations are not easy. A friend told me he’d smoked all his life and he could never stop until he had a heart attack, and then he stopped,” Brown said. “The question is what kind of heart attack will it take for us to make the shift?”
At a courtyard reception at Shields Library of the University of California, Davis, former California governor Jerry Brown and his wife Anne Gust Brown look through tables of memorabilia from his days as a politician. Photo/Mike Dunne
The Latest Research on Smoke Taint and Winegrapes
For Anita Oberholster, the wine industry’s climate-change heart attack took place over the last two grape harvests as wildland fires erupted about California, threatening vintages by tainting fruit with smoke, a residue on grapes that makes wines crushed from them essentially unpalatable. Those blazes and the fallout—more than 600,000 acres burned, more than 30,000 structures destroyed, more than 130 lives lost—not only alerted the wine trade to a new normal but abruptly interrupted her own ongoing research on other matters to concentrate on studying smoke taint.
“Wine is one of the more complex matrixes in the world,” said Oberholster as she slid through a series of slides to show how complicated the issue is. Not only may different varieties of grape react differently to smoke, bacterial microorganisms in the saliva of consumers may affect whether and how they recognize taint.
She has had marginal success in cleaning up smoke-exposed wines with such measures as less skin contact during fermentation and the use of a “fruity yeast” to avoid or cover up the kinds of aromas and flavors attributed to taint—typically earthy, campfire, ashtray. Initially, such procedures seem to help, but as wines age “the smoke just comes back up,” Oberholster said.
She’s now collaborating with various companies that boast of assorted methods to clean up smoke-tainted wine to see which are most effective. “We are evaluating objectively all these techniques so we can give some guidelines to winemakers,” she said.
As both Brown and Oberholster stressed, dealing with climate change won’t be cheap. “How much money are we going to have to spend so we don’t have to worry about smoke taint in California wine?” mused Brown. “A lot, and that’s only one little, tiny part of the climate-change problem.”


text: Future Forward Tourism Symposium comes to Urunga C-ex Coffs Coast Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - June 14, 2021 Be inspired by tourism opportunities going forward. FUTURE Forward is the theme to inspire attendees at Destination North Coast Tourism’s Symposium on June 24 at C.ex Urunga Golf & Sports Club. Destination North Coast along with co-host Bellingen Shire Council, will host the day-long symposium and new-look Awards Gala Dinner in the evening. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – [email protected] Michael Thurston, General Manager of Destination North Coast told News Of The Area, “Future Forward is all about opportunities going forwards and connecting to make things happen.” Attendees are a cross section from the tourism industry, local government, representatives from various stakeholders. “It gives them a chance to be together and be inspired by different ideas, and take at least two or three things out of this that they could implement themselves.” The keynote speaker is acclaimed entrepreneur and innovator Gus Balbontin. “Gus has worked across travel publishing and is globally recognised for his influence in developing cutting edge products and technologies,” said Michael. “Gus’s keynote is titled ‘Adapt’ so prepare to strap yourselves in for a thought-provoking and energetic opener to our event.” Presenters will highlight Regenerative Tourism and discuss sustainable tourism practices. The Tourism Symposium will deliver first-hand updates from Destination NSW and Tourism Australia, and presents the ideal platform for Destination North Coast to launch some exciting upcoming projects that will appeal to a broad cross-section of tourism industry stakeholders. This year’s Symposium aims to stimulate and challenge individuals, businesses and destinations to think about how they can continue to evolve to meet market and environmental challenges and remain competitive. Michael Grieve, Manager, Economic and Business Development at Bellingen Shire Council told News Of The Area, “This is a great opportunity to showcase our destination as well as providing professional development and learning for local tourism operators. ”Council is thrilled to share some of the exciting tourism projects we’ve been working on over the last twelve months. “This will cover the Shire’s new Branding Strategy, progress on the Great Koala National Park initiative, development of our Inclusive Tourism Strategy and major upgrades to some of our key nature-based tourist attractions like Dangar Falls in Dorrigo.” By Andrea FERRARI Gus Balbontin – keynote speaker delivers his inspirational ‘Adapt’ presentation.

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3DSIM Announces exaSIM Beta Software With Additive Manufacturing Simulation Tool
It goes without saying that in order to continue enhancing 3D printing technology, software must continue to evolve alongside the hardware. This is especially true when it comes to the…
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CircleUp, a company whose Helio software helps early-stage investors find and filter out the most promising startups, has announced it will be leading a Series A investment into HUM Nutrition.
HUM Nutrition is a company specializing in pills, powders and drinks for skin and hair benefits. The company's products are currently on the shelves of major retailers, including Sephora, Anthropologie and Nordstrom. HUM Nutrition also has a direct-to-consumer business on its website.
According to CircleUp, of the nearly 3,400 vitamin and supplement companies tracked by Helio, HUM was in the top 3% based on its brand score.
For more information, please visit: www.circleup.com


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US probes General Motors headlight failures, may add vehicles to recall
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 128 owners have complained that low-beam lights can fail.
Lexus, Toyota and Buick top new auto reliability survey
The magazine released its annual reliability survey Monday. It's closely watched by the industry, since many buyers look to the magazine for recommendations.
The tale behind colonial era Bengaluru gem, Liberty Begum
The strictly-English theatre that accommodated around 700 people was demarcated int...
Volkswagen plans to launch its first electric car in China next year
The Volkswagen model will be the first in a range of electric vehicles in China, said Jochem Heizmann, head of VW’s China unit.
Volvo announces plans to export China-made electric car
Volvo said its first pure-electric model will be based on the economy-size CMA platform it shares with Chinese automaker Geely, which bought the Swedish brand from Ford in 2010.
China car dilemma: Beijing wants electric, buyers want SUVs
Sales growth fell to 1.7 percent in March from last year's 15 percent. SUVs made up 40 percent of sales, while sedan purchases fell 4.9 percent.
General Motors unveils updated Buick Encore SUV in US
The Envision is GM's first China-made vehicle that it will export to the United States for sale. It is larger than the Encore but smaller than the Enclave.
General Motors will rehire 500 Michigan workers slated for layoffs
The Detroit automaker in recent months has announced other U.S. job cuts and new investments. GM said in January it would invest another $1 billion in its U.S. factories.
General Motors plans to launch 10 electric cars in China by 2020
GM will start production of a pure-electric model in China within two years, Matt Tsien, president of GM China, told a news conference during the Shanghai auto show.
Wheels on screens! Iconic cars and their movie roles
A look at how some cars have been integral to romantic movies.
GM will lay off 1,100 in Michigan after domestic production shift
GM has said the $1 billion investment would allow it to create or retain 1,500 U.S. jobs, but has not specified what jobs are impacted.
No longer a dream: Silicon Valley takes on the flying car
Silicon Valley is full of very smart people, but do they get the laws of physics. Gravity is, after all, a formidable adversary.
General Motors sells European brands to France's Peugeot
With the 2.2 billion euro ($2.33 billion) deal announced Monday, GM is giving up brands _ Opel in Germany and Vauxhall in Britain.
General Motors to recall over two million cars due to flawed engine in China
Caixin reported, "the recall was the largest in China so far this year." It affects Buick vehicles made between 2009-2015 and Chevrolet cars made from 2009-2016.


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The summer sales period began last Monday in Brussels and will last for one month. In the clothing and footwear sector much consumer activity is expected after a spring that was disappointing for many traders, according to a report released by Comeos, the trade and services federation, and SNI, the trade union for the self-employed.
Both Comeos and the SNI note that spring sales have declined compared to the same period last year. Online sales did increase, but not enough to compensate for the drop in sales in “physical” stores. Interestingly, the spring season had begun well, before slowing down from the end of April. In total, Comeos reports a 3.8% decrease in sales for the January to May period compared to the same period in 2018.


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When the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) earlier this week, it seemed like everyone and her brother had something to say about it. My RSS feed -- admittedly food-centric because I'm a food writer -- overflowed with commentary, largely positive. Why the hubbub? These guidelines, revised every five years as mandated by Congress, form the basis of federal nutrition policy, which influences every aspect of the food industry, from product recipes to school lunch. That's why cookies prominently labeled "made with whole grain" multiplied in the wake of the 2005 DGA. Those cookies are still highly processed and filled with refined sugars, but the report recommended that we eat more whole grains. Industry found a way to implement the guidelines while making a bundle.
This time around, the agencies provided a handful of "selected messages" they'd like us to note:Balancing Calories
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Avoid oversize portions.
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals -- and choose the foods with lower numbers.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Nothing controversial there, right? In fact, there's much to celebrate. These are smart, healthy messages, delivered in plain language. Heck, our government telling us to cut out sugary drinks (and, yes, that includes juice) is pretty huge, and that bit about filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables is deliciously specific. Plus, I love that they advise us to enjoy our food -- acknowledging that there's more to eating than nutrition. But when you drill down into the actual report, things get a bit murkier.
It's largely an issue of language -- the information is there, with little to complain about in terms of fact, but it's not presented as clearly as you might hope. Marion Nestle, NYU nutrition professor and the author of Food Politics, told me, "Once again, they talk about eating more foods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) but eating less of nutrients (saturated fat, sodium, trans fat etc.). People don't eat nutrients. They eat foods. Why not just say, 'Eat less meat and drink fewer sodas'? Because eating less is very bad for business, and food companies don't like it." Yup, food politics, and maybe even a conflict of interest -- the USDA, one of the two agencies that issues the guidelines, also promotes agricultural products. How can they tell us outright to, for example, avoid high fructose corn syrup, when they're trying to boost America's corn farmers at the same time?
Nestle is not the only one who's pleased overall but somewhat disappointed upon closer inspection. The American Heart Association applauds* the new guidelines but says that the recommended sodium intake -- under 1,500mg per day for children, those 51 and older, all African Americans, and people with certain health factors, and under 2,300mg per day for everyone else -- "actually take an unfortunate step backwards." It seems more people fell into that 1,500mg group in 2005 than do now. But ask salt industry folk if they're happy and the answer is an unequivocal No -- for the opposite reason. They say the sodium restrictions go too far. In my book, industry outrage means the DGA must be doing something right.


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A employee collects procuring carts at a Walmart retailer on May 19, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. Walmart reported a 74% enhance in U.S. on-line gross sales for the quarter that ended April 30, and a 10% enhance in identical retailer gross sales for the identical interval as the results of the coronavirus helped to enhance gross sales.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
Walmart is preparing to administer Covid-19 vaccinations across the nation as soon as a vaccine is accepted, the firm’s chief medical officer mentioned Thursday.
In a put up on the firm’s web site, Dr. Tom Van Gilder mentioned the firm is making ready employees at its greater than 5,000 stores and Sam’s Club pharmacies to obtain the vaccine doses — similar to having freezers and dry ice at its pharmacies to ensure the vaccine may be saved at the proper temperature.
Gilder mentioned the big-box retailer is getting into into agreements with states to have the opportunity to supply vaccinations at pharmacies or different places, similar to long-term care amenities. He didn’t specify the states or any agreements that the firm has signed.
Walmart is one in every of a number of corporations gearing up for the approval and availability of thousands and thousands of coronavirus vaccine doses. There are a number of vaccine candidates, together with one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. A Food and Drug Administration panel is assembly as we speak to vote on whether or not to suggest the approval of that vaccine for emergency use.
The authorities struck offers with CVS Health and Walgreens to administer the vaccine to employees and residents at long-term care amenities, similar to nursing properties. On Thursday, CVS CEO Larry Merlo mentioned on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the firm is prepared to begin vaccinations inside 24 to 48 hours of receiving its share of vaccines.
“Pending approval, I’m confident that we’ll be in thousands of facilities before the Christmas holiday,” he mentioned.
Gilder mentioned Walmart already has health-care employees who administer thousands and thousands of doses of different vaccines. He mentioned it is uniquely positioned to assist with the vaccine’s rollout.
“With 90% of the American population living within 10 miles of a Walmart, we will play an important part in making sure those who want a vaccine can get one when they are eligible based on their state’s prioritization, especially those in hard to reach parts of the country that have recently been hit hard by the epidemic,” he mentioned.


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The upcoming Bentley Bentayga has been revealed to a select audience in Germany today, in a brown metallic colour. The invite, shared to potential customers including SteeringNews.com reader Dames Jean, reads “Be first to see the Bentley Bentayga”.
The Bentley Bentayga will have its public debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA 2015) in September. It is said to be the company’s first model to be offered with a diesel engine and a plug-in hybrid powertrain, as per a report, and is “the most luxurious and fastest SUV in the world.”
The company announced its plans for offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain on the crossover with unveiling the Mulsanne-based Hybrid Concept at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show. Bentley said that this powertrain is 25% more powerful and emits 70% lesser CO2 (presumably compared to a conventional petrol powertrain).
The luxury crossover should, and reports claim that it will be, offered with the revised version of the 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine that was announced at the 2015 Vienna Motor Symposium in May. The direct injection turbocharged engine produces 599 hp and 900 Nm of torque, capable enough to make the car complete the 0-100 km/h run in under 4 seconds and hit a top speed of over 300 km/h.
[Image Source: Instagram]


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A.V. residents roast organic coffee beans from fair trade farmers all over the world
BY RENE DE LA CRUZ
APPLE VALLEY REVIEW
With every bag of coffee sold, John Tonyan helps a farmer in a foreign country keep their dignity by giving them the opportunity to make a decent living.
Tonyan, who purchased more than 12,000 pounds of coffee last year, is introducing High Desert residents to a variety of fresh organic coffee from fair trade farmers in places like Ethiopia, Brazil and Papua New Guinea.


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Some huge news for the future of the Steam Deck, as Valve has announced a teaming up with Komodo for the release of the Steam Deck in Asia. This is absolutely massive considering the size of the potential playerbase there, and the continued expansion only continue to show how all-in Valve are with this device.
From the press release:
"We hope that gamers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan agree with us that the performance and design of the Steam Deck makes it a great way to play the games they know and love," said Gabe Newell, President and CEO of Valve.
"We are very excited to be working with Komodo to bring Steam Deck to Asia. We have worked with the team at Komodo for years, and we have high confidence that they'll help us make customers very happy," says Greg Coomer of Valve.
"We are honored to deliver Steam Deck to gamers in Asia, and look forward to showcasing it and our first in-house game in Kyoto this weekend and at Tokyo Game Show next month," said Ricky Uy, CEO of Komodo.
Reservations for Asia will use a different reservation queue, so it will not affect anywhere else.
The first units are targeted to arrive in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan late this year which can be ordered from the dedicated Steam Deck site on Komodo. It will start off with Japan with additional units going on to Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan "in the weeks immediately following". Not only that, Valve also plans to be at BitSummit and the Tokyo Game Show.
- Ľ59,800 in Japan
- NT$ 13,380 in Taiwan
- HK$ 3,288 in Hong Kong
- KRW 589,000 in Korea
From the site, it looks like Asia will be getting a slightly different type of carrying case too:


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Plenty of OnePlus fans are likely excited for the official unveiling of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, but a new leak has revealed that there isn't much to look forward to when it comes to the former and its design.
Apparently, the standard variant is going to sport the same look as the OnePlus 6T, the new smartphones' predecessor. In other words, what's new will be what's under the hood.
OnePlus 6T 2019?
The leak comes courtesy of WinFuture. It obtained images of the OnePlus 7, and without a doubt, the phone has a similar appearance to the OnePlus 6T in more ways than one: the same tear-drop notch and the same dual-camera setup on the back. The report also says that it'll have the same 6.41-inch display as the older model and even the same 2,340 x 1,080 resolution.
Going by an alleged specs sheet that leaked recently, the OnePlus 7 will house a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, 6 or 8 GB of RAM, a dual-camera configuration that consists of a 48-megapixel primary snapper and a telephoto lens, and a 4,150 mAh battery with Warp Charge support that promises to deliver a charging rate of 30W. For comparison's sake, the OnePlus 6T has a Snapdragon 845, the same amount of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera coupled with a 20-megapixel sensor, and a 3,700 mAh battery with 20W fast-charging support.
Now there's no denying that the renders look legitimate (as pictured above), and based on just that, it's not a stretch to think that these are the real deal. Still, it's always better to take leaks, rumors, and anything along those lines with a grain of salt.
Pro Version Is Where It's At
OnePlus has been focusing on hyping up the OnePlus 7 Pro, and most leaks and rumors are centered on it too. After all, it's said to have a "breakthrough" display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz, a triple-camera system with 3x optical zoom, and UFS 3.0 storage, among other things.
The OnePlus 7 wasn't built up as much as its Pro sibling. Maybe it's because it could be considered as a simple specs upgrade from the OnePlus 6T — that is, if it indeed has a similar if not the same design.
At any rate, it won't be long until OnePlus takes the wraps off its new phones, as it's scheduled to hold the launch event at 11 a.m. ET on May 14 at Pier 94 in New York.


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BUENOS AIRES--Argentina's farmers will hold a nationwide strike for one week starting midnight Tuesday to protest higher property taxes in the key agricultural province of Buenos Aires.
Farmers in Buenos Aires province launched a nine-day strike on Saturday to protest a steep rise in rural property taxes enacted by the provincial legislature last week and pressed for the measure to be extended across the country.
"Things were bad, but are even worse now," said Eduardo Buzzi, the head of the Argentine Agrarian Federation, or FAA.
The higher taxes come after a difficult season for farmers due to drought that hit yields hard.
Early in the season, many analysts predicted Argentina's 2011-12 soybean crop would top the 49 million metric tons harvested the previous season. But a drought in December and January cut potential output to under 40 million tons, according to the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange.
The sale of cattle and grains will be blocked, although perishable goods such as milk and fresh vegetables will be allowed to pass, Mr. Buzzi said.
Argentina is the world's leading exporter of soyoil and soymeal, ranks second in corn and is the No. 3 global exporter of soybeans.
Farmers in 2008 virtually shut down grain exports and caused shortages of beef in the cities through a series of strikes and roadblocks to protest President Cristina Kirchner's attempt to increase grain-export taxes. The government eventually backed down in the face of broad public support for the farmers.
While the protest is likely to cause tight beef supplies in the capital of Buenos Aires, the effect on exports from this strike is expected to be limited due to the relatively short time frame.
However, more tension is expected as a number of cash-strapped local governments turn to the fields once again to plug swelling deficits. The provincial governments are struggling in the face of lower payments from the federal government due to a cooling economy and high borrowing costs overseas amid turbulence in global financial markets.
The legislatures of Entre Rios, Cordoba and Santa Fe provinces, all leading agricultural areas, are currently considering similar farm property-tax hikes.
Dow Jones Newswires


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Most smartphones users are concerned about the safety and security of their device as well as the data on their devices. That is why third party developers make a lot of apps that offer various security features. Manufacturers themselves bundle security softwares to make their devices more secure. The LoJack security app is now available for Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Active, the service will cost users $29.99 per year and will provide features such as recovery assistance, tracking and remote data wiping.
The unique thing about LoJack is that it is actually built inside the firmware of the device, that makes it immune to factory resets. So one can say that LoJack is persistent, though it probably won’t be secure against manual ROM flashes. In order to activate LoJack for these devices, users have to visit their website, register their device and pay the annual subscription fees. The developer of LoJack, Absolute Software, claims that they will work with law enforcement in order to recover the user’s stolen device. The firmware update required for this app has already been rolled out by AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. T-Mobile is yet to follow. LoJack is now available for purchase in North America, the service works worldwide.
|Key Specs||Galaxy S4 Active||Galaxy S4|
|Display Diagonal||5" (12.70 cm)||5" (12.70 cm)|
|Processor/Soc Name||Snapdragon 600||Exynos 5 Octa 5410|
|Street Price (Approx)||~ $-1|
Search low Galaxy S4 Active price (Amazon)
Search low Galaxy S4 price (Amazon)
|Max. Total Storage Capacity||80 GB||128 GB|
|Megapixels||8 Megapixel||13 Megapixel|
|Battery Capacity (mAh)||2600 mAh||2600 mAh|
|Complete product data||Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Full specs and details||Samsung Galaxy S4 Full specs and details|


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Newark’s outspoken mayor has taken a novel approach to gun control.Cory Booker and jewelry designer Jessica Mindich have created The calibre Collection, a jewelry line that repurposes guns and bullet casings into shiny accessories, The Daily Beast reported Friday.
The collection is “made up of metal from 250 guns and bullet casings seized by the Newark Police Department,” according to the line’s website. “The name calibre was chosen for its two meanings; the calibre of a gun and how the calibre of a city is raised when illegal guns are taken off its streets.”
The line features cuffs and bangles in steel and brass. Cuffs start at $150, and bangles start at $200.
Every piece features the former weapon’s serial number.
The calibre line is part of the larger Jewelry For A Cause company. Proceeds from the line will fund future gun buyback programs in Newark.
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Google, in keeping with its strategy of releasing a new stable version of its Chrome browser every six weeks, has released a new one today.
"In this stable release, we’ve focused primarily on hundreds of bug fixes," says Product Manager Jeff Chang. "We’ve also included a few other things that may be of interest to developers, such as full AppleScript support on Mac OS X for UI automation and implementation of the HTML5 parsing algorithm, the File API, and directory upload (via <input type="file" directory>). Also, if you choose to block sites from setting any data in your browser’s content settings for cookies, you can now use a new dialog for managing blocked cookies in bulk."
Google has a list of bug fixes for Chrome here.
That stands to increase significantly as Google TV purchases start happening, though the Chrome experience is somewhat limited on Google TV, based on my experience with the interface on Sony’s model at BlogWorld. There was no Chrome extension functionality, for example. That’s a huge selling point of the browser. Still, it’s the default browser on the platform.
We’re still waiting for Google Instant to make its way to the a stable version of Chrome. Perhaps in another six weeks.


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Fifa Mobile 19 Update News. Fifa 19 pack opener discussion. It is free with micropayments model and was created by ea mobile, being the part of electronic arts.
Out of position player search; Fifa had already announced the arrival of the new season and it is to be noted that the new season of fifa mobile was released on september 18th, 9:00 am pacific time earlier than the release of fifa. It isn't a huge step forward in terms of raw gameplay, but the sheer amount of stuff to.


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May 13 2014, 3:33pm CDT | by Ahmed Humayun
All the leaks that we previously received related to the Galaxy Prime have been falling together as well fill the puzzle. The display specs had come out last week and now we have some information regarding the availability of the phone and the pricing. The Prime is going to be Samsung’s first ever QHD smartphone and it will debut somewhere in the middle of the next month.
The pricing has also been leaked of the phone which shows that this Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime is going to retail for KRW900,000 which is €640 or $880. This is almost the same price which was attached to the Galaxy S5 when it was launched. However, now the S5 has received a considerable decline in price and can now be bought for €550 in many markets. Though it is not surprising that the company is going to launch a phone in June but the fact that a new flagship is coming out only a month later is quite intriguing.
The Prime also cannot be delayed further because then it will get too close to the launch of the next Galaxy note which is most probably coming out in May.
Ahmed Humayun is a technology journalist bringing you the hottest tech stories of the day.
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The “geek mind” is concerned with more than just the latest iPhone rumors, or which company will win the gaming console wars. I4U is concerned with more than just the latest photo shoot or other celebrity gossip.
The “geek mind” is concerned with life, in all its different forms and facets. The geek mind wants to know about societal and financial issues, both abroad and at home. If a Fortune 500 decides to raise their minimum wage, or any high priority news, the geek mind wants to know. The geek mind wants to know the top teams in the National Football League, or who’s likely to win the NBA Finals this coming year. The geek mind wants to know who the hottest new models are, or whether the newest blockbuster movie is worth seeing. The geek mind wants to know. The geek mind wants—needs—knowledge.
Read more about The Geek Mind.


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In a recent interview with MIT’s Lex Fridman, Sebastian Thrun, the founder of Google X and Google's Self Driving Car Project, remarked that he actually uses Tesla’s Autopilot system regularly. What’s more, he thinks that Autopilot, legitimately makes him drive a lot safer.
Tesla’s approach to achieving Full Self-Driving is quite different compared to other companies that are also pursuing autonomous vehicle solutions. Unlike firms such as Waymo and Cruise--both of whom use LiDAR in their approach--Tesla has adopted a system that primarily uses a suite of cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors to enable vehicles to operate on their own. Tesla’s approach is undoubtedly controversial, and CEO Elon Musk has received a lot of flak over the company’s non-LiDAR setup.
While speaking with Fridman, Thrun admitted that he owns a Tesla, and he loves his vehicle. He also said that he uses Autopilot “literally every day” and that it’s a “beautiful technology” that has kept him safe on the road numerous times.
“First of all, I’m a very proud Tesla owner, and I literally use Autopilot every day, and it literally has kept me safe. It’s a beautiful technology, specifically for highway driving when I’m slightly tired, because then, it turns me into a much safer driver, and I’m 100% confident that’s the case,” Thrun said.
.@SebastianThrun talking about his experience using Tesla Autopilot every day & @elonmusk's thoughts on Lidar. Sebastian led the Google Self-Driving Car program and is one of the central figures in the autonomous vehicle revolution. Full conversation: https://t.co/6aJlDMIxh0 pic.twitter.com/uP69I1LcT8— Lex Fridman (@lexfridman) December 23, 2019
When asked later about his thoughts on Elon Musk’s open dislike for LiDAR for autonomous cars, the Waymo founder was quite candid. Thrun noted that Tesla’s approach--and in extension, Elon Musk’s stance--is yet to be proven right. That being said, the driving process for human beings does support Musk’s thesis.
“I think, first of all, we all know that people can drive cars without LiDARs in their heads, because we only have eyes, and we mostly just use eyes for driving. Maybe we use some other perception of our bodies, accelerations, occasionally, our ears, certainly not our noses. So the existence proof is there, that eyes must be sufficient. In fact, we could even drive a car if someone put a camera out, and then gave us a camera image with no latency, we would be able to drive a car that way,” he added.
Thrun’s recent statements on Autopilot and Tesla’s camera-focused approach for Full Self-Driving holds a lot of weight, considering that they are from the actual founder of Waymo. Google's subsidiary is a company that is regarded as one of the world’s pioneers and undisputed leaders in autonomy.
If Thrun, who actually ran Waymo in the past, believes that there is a lot of validity in Tesla’s non-LiDAR approach, then Elon Musk may definitely be proven right in the long run. If a man who was among the first to help develop full self-driving sincerely believes that Autopilot keeps him safe on the road, then Musk’s statements about Tesla's driver-assist system being a safety feature really holds water.
Watch Lex Fridman and Sebastian Thrun’s conversation in the video below.
Featured Image Credit: Lex Fridman/Twitter
About the Author
Longtime writer and news/book editor. Writing about Tesla allows me to contribute something good to the world, while doing something I love.


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On the 17th of November Colombini celebrated the opening of the first ColombiniCasa store in Spain, in Madrid. There were 20 journalists from national newspapers present along with other 150 people, between architects and decoration companies.
Before the end of this year other four new stores in the country will open: in Sant Andreu de la Barca (Barcelona), Palencia, Salamanca and Mondragon. Predictions for 2012 foresee the company commit to the opening of other five one-brand sales points, one of which will be in Valencia. During the following years a further investment is foreseen in this country by looking for new customers or partners with which to share their concept, meanwhile ColombiniCasa has opened its doors even in Paris, Kiev, Stockholm and Tallinn.


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Microsoft has reportedly begun work on an improved chip for the Xbox Series X console. According to journalist Brad Sams, the new chip is claimed to be smaller, more power-efficient, and could lead to a lower cost of production. The current Xbox Series X chip is based on the same architecture as the one used in the PlayStation 5, but it is thought that the new chip will be more advanced. It is unclear whether the new chip will be ready in time for the release of the Xbox Series X, but it is possible that it could be used in a future version of the console. If Microsoft can produce a more powerful and efficient chip, it could give the company a significant advantage over its competitors.
SamARP32’s comments about a new, more power-efficient chip from Microsoft certainly seem plausible. After all, Microsoft is always working on making cooler, more efficient chips because that lowers the cost of production. And given the recent rumors about a revamp of the Xbox Series X, it makes sense that Microsoft would be working on a smaller, more power-efficient chip. Of course, only time will tell if Sams is correct or not. But his confidence in his claim certainly makes it worth paying attention to.
It’s still early days for the Xbox Series X, so it’s no surprise that there are already rumors about a potential revision. The latest report suggests that Microsoft is working on a new chip that could be used in a slimmer version of the console. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is just a rumors at this point. There’s no guarantee that such a console would ever be released, and even if it is, it’s unlikely to be launched anytime soon. So for now, Xbox Series X fans can rest assured that they’re getting the best possible version of the console.
While it’s always exciting to speculate about new hardware on the horizon, it’s important to remember that the Xbox One is still a relatively young console. In spite of this, it has already seen a number of hardware refinements, including the introduction of the Xbox One S and the upcoming release of the Xbox One X. With this in mind, it’s likely that Microsoft’s next-generation console will build on the strong foundation that has been laid by its predecessor. So while we may not see it for some time, rest assured that Microsoft is hard at work on making the next Xbox even better than the last.
Though it may have been a rocky start, the Xbox Series X and S consoles have managed to find their footing and sell quite well since launching in November 2020. In fact, as of January this year, analysts estimated that the pair have sold a combined 12 million units globally. The main reason for their success? Well, despite an ongoing supply shortage, Microsoft has managed to keep production steady. This has allowed them to stay ahead of the competition and maintain a strong presence in the market. Additionally, the company has been working hard to improve its image with gamers. It’s clear that these efforts are paying off, as more and more people are eager to get their hands on an Xbox console. With demand expected to continue to rise, it seems likely that the Xbox Series X|S will remain a top seller for years to come.


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Consumers nationwide are feeling nearly as pessimistic as New Yorkers in the wake of the prolonged stalemate over the country’s debt ceiling, according to new survey results. The consumer confidence index fell 1.9 points in New York state to 63.0 in July, while it tumbled 7.8 points to 63.7 nationally, according to the Siena Research Institute.
“The scores are in. This month’s debt ceiling crisis has driven the consumer mood nationally into the tank and in New York, while the fall wasn’t as steep, the tears are just as real,” said Douglas Lonnstrom, professor of statistics and finance at Siena College and founding director of the institute. “Gone right now is the optimism consumers had as 2011 started.
“In fact, future confidence, that is, the hope and faith that tomorrow will be better than today for me and for the economy is the lowest we’ve seen this year,” Lonnstrom added. “Did all of that talk of insolvency scare consumers? The short answer, yes.”
The future confidence component fell 4.1 points to 61.8 in New York state. It’s down 8.8 points to 56.0 nationally. The national survey is conducted by the University of Michigan.
The equilibrium point for the index is 75.
The survey is thought to measure consumers’ willingness to spend, and because consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the nation’s economic acitivity, economists follow the results.


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China and the world have been paying close attention to the novel coronavirus outbreak in the past two weeks which, according to China’s National Health Commission has infected 20,471 in China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) with an additional 150 people outside of China
The impact of this outbreak has some similarities to SARS in 2003. Kantar Worldpanel China has reviewed their consumer purchase data across 15 Chinese cities from 2002-2003 to shed light on how changes in consumer behaviour might bring new challenges and opportunities for manufacturers and retailers.
Impact on the FMCG Market
The first SARS case was discovered in Guangdong province in December 2002 and the first reported case outside of Guangdong happened in Beijing in March 2003. However, the major increase of infection happened in April and May 2003 and the spread of virus was contained by June.
The impact on the FMCG market during the first half of 2003 was significant, especially during April and May where we observed a sharp slowdown. However, by June the market had recovered returning to similar growth rates seen at the beginning of the year.
Categories in High Demand During SARS
The dine-out market was heavily impacted during SARS as consumers opted to dine at home instead. Culinary and instant food categories showed a noticeable sales increase in the 12-weeks ending May 2003. During this period, consumers also increased their purchase of household cleaning and personal cleaning products.
Handwash was a very small category in China back in 2002. This category has become more and more popular since 2003 as consumers started to purchase more handwash during SARS.
The Impact on Retailers
With the continuous spread of SARS, consumers chose to stock up mainly from the neighbourhood supermarkets back in 2003. Supermarkets and convenience stores showed a significant increase in sales during the 12-weeks ending May 2003.
Ecommerce started emerging in China during 2003. On 10 May 2003 Taobao was launched, and has since enjoyed 17 years of continuous growth, along with many other ecommerce platforms.
With the high transmissibility of the new coronavirus coinciding with the massive migration during Chinese New Year, the government’s public measures have also evolved since 2003, when home quarantine was less mandatory. In 2020, we expect to see a large switch of shoppers spend to omni-channel purchasing and an increased share of EC retailers during this past Chinese New Year. The “No Physical Contact” new OTO/EC delivery model fits very well with consumers’ needs when advised to stay at home.
Devoted to understanding consumer behaviour, Kantar Worldpanel will continue to monitor the 2020 coronavirus’ impact on consumers’ FMCG purchasing and we expect to see some differences this year compared to 2003 as the market and policies have both evolved. We will share more updates with you in the coming months.


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Tullett Prebon staff reject firm's foreign offer
Nearly a year after London broker Tullett Prebon offered to help staff avoid tax increases by moving them overseas, not a single one has taken it up on the offer.
Fears that tax increases would force a mass exodus from the UK looked to be exaggerated as traders rejected Tullett's offer last December to 'seek to facilitate, where possible and appropriate, relocation to the company's other offices around the world'.
Tullett, which is run by City bruiser Terry Smith, has offices in Singapore, Switzerland and Bahrain, where the tax rate is lower than in the UK.
Switzerland: Tullett has offices in Singapore, Switzerland and Bahrain, where the tax rate is lower than in the UK
Tullett's offer, which is still open to staff but is only available to whole teams, was made following the government's decision to put a 50 per cent tax on bankers' bonuses of more than £25,000.
Since then, the rate of income tax for people earning more than £150,000 has increased to 50 per cent, while tighter regulation on bonuses will see higher earning bankers receive less cash upfront.
The lack of takers for Tullett's scheme, the first of its kind to be offered by a London financial institution, will ease concerns in Whitehall of a flight from the City.
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NEW YORK — Consumers are changing the way they shop for health and beauty products because of the recession, according to new research from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
What is perhaps equally important, according to IRI president of consulting and innovation Thom Blischok, is that the new attitude of thrift is likely to continue after the current economic slump is over.
In a recent webinar devoted to the new report “Health and Beauty: Discovering the Real Truth About Shopper Behavior,” Blischok predicted that there will be signs of a recovery in shopper behavior by the third quarter of this year, followed by a new stability in 2010.
But that new stability will not mark a return to the spending patterns that dominated before the economic downturn.
“The shopper of tomorrow — the new conservative shopper — will spend 6% to 10% less,” Blischok said.
That means some spending habits consumers have adopted during the recession will likely continue when good times return, Blischok noted. In fact, consumers have said as much.
In surveys conducted in connection with the study, consumers made such remarks as “We have lived and learned and will continue to be more conservative,” and “We’ve gotten used to the new way and see the benefits.”
The surveys found consumers of all income groups cutting back on purchases of health care and personal care products.
Although shoppers with annual incomes below $35,000 were found to have made the biggest cutbacks, reducing spending on personal care products by 25% and on health care items by 23%, more-affluent consumers have also reduced their spending in these categories. People with annual incomes of $100,000 or more said they had cut their spending on personal care products by 13%, and their spending on health care products by 9%.
One way people are cutting back is by making fewer purchases on impulse. The IRI/NACDS study has found that shoppers — particularly the generation known as “millennials” — are making shopping lists before they go to the store.
Shoppers are planning their purchases by consulting store flyers, clipping coupons and making the most of their purchasing decisions before they leave home. While 40% of buying decisions were made in-store in 2007, by July 2009 only 17% were, according to IRI. That suggests fewer opportunities for marketers to influence purchasing decisions with point-of-purchase advertising.
Blischok said retailers and marketers will need to make greater use of the Internet (including social media), loyalty card programs and coupons in their efforts to communicate with consumers.
The consumer obsession with low prices is good news for private label items, which Blischok predicted will grow in market share past their current average of about 19% to 20%. Store brands have above-average share already in such categories as hand and body moisturizers, vitamins and supplements, bandages, pain relievers, over-the-counter cold medications, digestive aids and antibacterial creams, notes IRI.
Consumers are also looking to simplify their shopping rituals and will mainly stick with familiar products, Blischok added.
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Alexandria Capital LLC lessened its holdings in shares of The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) by 1.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 67,392 shares of the company’s stock after selling 882 shares during the period. Alexandria Capital LLC’s holdings in The Coca-Cola were worth $3,432,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA boosted its holdings in The Coca-Cola by 348.8% in the 2nd quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 552 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 429 shares during the period. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in The Coca-Cola in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Redhawk Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in The Coca-Cola in the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. Orrstown Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in The Coca-Cola by 230.8% in the 1st quarter. Orrstown Financial Services Inc. now owns 741 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 517 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Gravity Wealth Inc. bought a new stake in The Coca-Cola in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. 67.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on KO. HSBC restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of The Coca-Cola in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $60.00 target price on shares of The Coca-Cola in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of The Coca-Cola from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $52.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Barclays set a $54.00 price objective on shares of The Coca-Cola and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $60.00 target price on shares of The Coca-Cola and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 3rd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $54.10.
In other news, COO Brian John Smith sold 60,000 shares of The Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.87, for a total transaction of $3,292,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 174,302 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,563,950.74. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Lisa Chang purchased 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $53.24 per share, with a total value of $26,620.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 5,448 shares in the company, valued at approximately $290,051.52. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 299,001 shares of company stock valued at $16,206,741. 1.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Shares of KO traded down $0.53 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $54.58. The stock had a trading volume of 2,036,305 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,778,863. The company has a market capitalization of $232.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.24, a P/E/G ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $54.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $50.00. The Coca-Cola Co has a 12 month low of $44.25 and a 12 month high of $55.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44.
The Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.01. The Coca-Cola had a return on equity of 45.67% and a net margin of 21.11%. The company had revenue of $10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.86 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.61 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Coca-Cola Co will post 2.1 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. The Coca-Cola’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 76.92%.
About The Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage company, manufactures and distributes various nonalcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks; water, enhanced water, and sports drinks; juice, dairy, and plantbased beverages; teas and coffees; and energy drinks. It also offers concentrates, syrups, beverage bases, source waters, and powders/minerals, as well as fountain syrups to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores.
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The express parcels industry is coming under pressure as never before. Fundamental changes in the market structure, caused by e-retailing, technological disruption and macro-economic upheaval, have created opportunities and challenges for express companies in equal measure.
Uber's mission is to offer "transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for everyone". And perhaps "everything": it has begun experimenting with local delivery services, with the aim of becoming as disruptive in logistics as it has been in the taxi business.
Google, Amazon and DHL are working on drones that could someday deliver packages straight to your doorstep. Unfortunately, most drones would struggle to carry something as heavy as a textbook more than a dozen kilometers on battery power.


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Jordan wants to do business with Egypt
The two countries enjoy strategic interests and are signatory to several agreements in the areas of trade and investments.
Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) President Nael Kabariti said this week that the chamber will organise a visit for a Jordanian delegation to Egypt next month to look into the possibility of establishing joint ventures.
During a meeting with trade commissioner at the Egyptian embassy in Amman Mohammad Abdullah, Kabariti said the visit is part of the Kingdom’s commitment to improve economic ties with Egypt, particularly as the two countries enjoy strategic interests and are signatory to several agreements in the areas of trade and investments.
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- Joint venture to process Indonesian palm oil in Egypt


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TOP STORY >> Cabot girl gets a special treat
From left, Grace Gwin, 4, is held by her father, Rob, beside her mother, Autumn, who is holding her sister, Emily, 2. The family lives in Cabot.
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
Grace Gwin of Cabot became one of the youngest truck drivers for Walmart this week at the age of 4.
Gwin was selected as an honorary big-rig driver as part of the Walmart Heart program.
The program is made up of Walmart truck drivers who participate voluntarily.
It helps to raise the spirits of children and adults who are sick, recovering from an illness or have special needs. The truck drivers bring cheer to seniors, veterans and military families who are experiencing difficulties.
Gwin was diagnosed in June 2008 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. After a year of treatment, Gwin’s illness is in remission.
A Walmart truck driver in Oklahoma heard through a conversation with a store employee that there was a child with leukemia.
The driver, who is part of the Walmart Heart program, wanted to help.
While searching for the child’s family, Mark Turvey, a Walmart market manager in Oklahoma, was contacted.
It was discovered that Turvey had a granddaughter, Grace Gwin, who had leukemia and Walmart Heart wanted to help.
Turvey made the trip to the Cabot Walmart for Gwin.
Walmart photo-lab specialist Sondra Bayles said, “I think it is an amazing thing they do just to see the sparkle in her eyes, because what she has gone through in her short life. To bring her some joy, even if for a day.”
The special day for Gwin began as a passenger in the cab of a Walmart truck. She was dressed for the occasion in a Walmart driver’s uniform shirt. With a Cabot police and fire department escort, the Walmart truck arrived to the front of the store.
Gwin was greeted with music and cheers from Walmart employees along with the Cabot High School band and cheerleaders.
Gwin entered the store with her mother, Autumn; her father, Rob and two-year-old sister, Emily.
The surprises continued for Gwin. Cabot Mayor Eddie Joe Williams proclaimed Sept. 17 as Grace Gwin Day in the city.
Participating drivers who are in the program came from as far as Mississippi, Kentucky and Louisiana. Store representatives from Bentonville traveled to be a part of Gwin’s day.
Gwin was given an Honorary Driver for the Day certificate, a Walmart hat, a truck driver’s log book and a shirt with a message about checking blind spots while driving.
Only minutes into being a truck driver, Gwin was given several driving safety awards. She received a clock, a flashlight, a blanket, a wooden truck, an umbrella, a poncho and a cookie jar.
It seemed as if Christmas had arrived early for Gwin.
Members of the Walmart Heart program and store employees along with local businesses and the community helped to put Gwin’s young mind off her battle with cancer.
She was presented with a heart-shaped toy guitar, Barbie doll clothing along with clothing for herself. There was a table covered with gift bags with more toys and clothes for Gwin.
A local Cub Scout troop gave Gwin some merit badges.
The overnight store associates raised $700. They gave Gwin a battery-powered, toy Ford Mustang car and a shopping spree.
Another surprise for Gwin and her family were four tickets to see country and pop musician Taylor Swift in concert tonight at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. The tickets for the sold-out show were from Arvest Bank.
Autumn Gwin, Grace’s mother, was grateful and humbled by the generosity of the Walmart drivers and associates who made Grace’s day memorable. She said it was incredibly uplifting.
She said, “We want to personally thank the community, Walmart, the police and fire departments, the mayor, First Arkansas (Bank and Trust ) Arvest Bank, McDonalds and everyone who contributed.”


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Why dry bulk shipping sees continued favorable trends (Part 12 of 14)
Inflation is a key indicator that the central bank follows. Since the central bank has tools to expand and cool an economy, investors should also follow inflation. We can break inflation down into demand pull and cost push types. As the terms suggest, “demand pull inflation” refers to price increase due to increased demand. “Cost push inflation” is driven by high cost. The oil crisis in the 1970s is a common example.
Inflation fell in November
In Novembr, China’s CPI (consumer price index) grew 3.0% from the same month a year ago. This was lower than the 3.2% seen in October, easing market fears of policy tightening as policymakers meet this week to outline reform priorities and policies for 2014. The producer price index, which reflects a basket of goods sold at the producer level, rose from -1.5% to -1.4%.
Rising inflation is often considered positive if it is a reflection that demand is rising faster than supply. However, the market often becomes cautious when inflation rises above certain rates determined healthy by the central banks, as it raises potential risk of hyperinflation (a much quicker version of inflation). Conversely, a falling inflation rate is sometimes perceived as a negative.
Stable inflation expected
According to a Reuters article, an economist at Xiangcai Securities in Shanghai noted, “Inflation will not be a big problem in the coming months and we expect monetary policy to stay neutral.” Indeed, with prices for several commodities like iron ore, coking coal, and crops down this year, we’re likely to experience limited inflation from China over the next few months.
Increased commodity supply
While slower growth in China is arguably part of the reason producer prices continue to fall year-over-year, lower commodity prices appear to be a contributing factor to weak producer price inflation. So it isn’t necessarily all negative.
Impact on dry bulk shippers
Unless we see substantial supply cuts or a sharp rise in demand, inflation is likely to remain tame. Steady inflation often translates to steady but long-term growth. Current inflation data supports dry bulk shippers like DryShips Inc. (DRYS), Safe Bulkers Inc. (SB), Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NM), and Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) as well as the Guggenheim Shipping ETF (SEA), in our view.
While this might not be very relevant at this moment, reading the inflation rate and central bank policies would have helped investors avoided shipping stocks in 2007 and 2011 when they lost fortunes. So they should be on every investor’s radar.
Browse this series on Market Realist:


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Instagram unveiled plans Wednesday to expand its offerings to advertisers, opening up possibilities for global marketing efforts on the Facebook-owned photo-sharing network.
“Starting this month Instagram is open for business and available to advertisers large and small,” Instagram said in a statement.
The expansion will allow advertisers to launch global campaigns in a variety of formats including video ads of up to 30 seconds.
Instagram, which was acquired by Facebook in 2012, has had only limited advertising opportunities up to now. In 2013, it began with a small number of “sponsored” posts by well-known brands such as Michael Kors and Adidas.
The new system could help Instagram generate considerably more revenue.
“Over the past few months, we’ve been working to make ads on Instagram available to more types of businesses on a self-serve basis,” the statement said.
“We’re excited to announce that starting this month, advertisers both large and small can run campaigns on Instagram. In addition, ads are now available in more than 30 new countries including Italy, Spain, Mexico, India and South Korea and will be launching in markets around the world on September 30.”
Instagram is also launching a service called Marquee, a “premium” advertising product aimed at driving mass awareness in a short time-frame for events like movie premieres and new product launches.
Instagram has more than 300 million users around the world and is seen as a potential growth segment for Facebook, which has nearly 1.5 billion users.
The research firm eMarketer projects that Instagram can generate 14 percent of mobile ad revenue for Facebook by 2017, and generate some $2.8 billion (roughly Rs. 18,591 crores) for the group.
Last month, Instagram broke its square mold with an update that adds portrait and landscape formats to the image-sharing smartphone application, which also opened up new possibilities for advertisers.
“With the addition of new formats, we’re starting to see marketers achieve a range of objectives, from web site clicks to mobile app installs,” the Instagram statement said.


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As 2015 draws to a close, the Information Commissioner’s Office has fined the Telegraph Media Group Ltd £30,000 for a serious breach of the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (“PECR”). The PECR set out specific rules in respect of electronic communications. In particular, the PECR prevent the sending of unsolicited marketing and advertising by electronic means without the individual’s consent to such marketing and advertising.
On the day of the general election earlier this year, the Telegraph Media Group sent out its daily editorial e-bulletin which included a letter from the editor of the Telegraph newspaper urging its readers to vote Conservative. Whilst subscribers to the Telegraph Media Group had signed up, and hence consented to receiving, the editorial e-bulletin, the ICO found that by promoting a particular election campaign the nature of the e-bulletin had changed from an editorial communication to a ‘marketing communication’.
In order to amount to valid consent to receiving a particular electronic communication under the PECR, consent must be knowingly given, clear, and specific. In the circumstances, the Telegraph Media Group did not have the specific consent of the readers to send such a marketing communication and the communication was sent in breach of the PECR. The ICO Head of Enforcement considered that the Telegraph had been negligent in sending the letter from the editor as part of the e-bulletin and explained that “people signed up to The Telegraph’s email service so they could catch up on the news or find out about subjects they were interested in. They did not expect to be told who they should be voting for.”
The ICO has the power to impose a monetary penalty on a data controller of up to £500,000 in respect of such a breach. However, the relatively low amount of £30,000 was determined by the fact that only 17 complaints were received, and that the email in question was a late addition to the usual mailing. The ICO acknowledged that there was pressure to distribute it quickly and little time to properly consider whether it should be included in the mailing.
This case serves as a reminder of the scope of the PECR and the enforcement action open to the ICO for those who ignore the rules.
With the increasing use of social media (according to Twitter, the number of tweets has grown to 500 million Tweets per day and to around 200 billion a year) there is greater risk of blurring the distinction between work and home, with repercussions for employers and individuals.
It is perhaps surprising that there have been relatively few reported cases and that the courts in the employment arena are not keen to set hard and fast ground rules. So what can we learn from the cases in the last 12 months?
The majority of the cases have been claims of unfair dismissal as a result of employees sharing information and expressing views via social media, with the key question being whether dismissal can be justified (or to use the legal test, is within the range of reasonable responses). The extent to which postings, tweets or blogs are private, who has access and the impact on an organisation’s reputation are all relevant considerations in determining the appropriate response. Most important, is demonstrating that the employer has made clear what is unacceptable via rules or a social media policy and when dismissal may result.
There seems to be increased recognition by the courts that derogatory comments do impact on an employer’s reputation and that employees should take greater care when using social media to the extent of even curbing some freedoms:
In an early case from 2011, Ms Witham was found to have been unfairly dismissed for making negative comments about her colleagues – the Tribunal concluded they were relatively minor and there was no evidence that it had harmed client relationship. In this case the key relationship was with Skoda/VW and the individual was a Team Leader working with this client. She complained on her Facebook: “I think I work in a nursery and I do not mean working with plants”. Witham v Club 24 Limited t/a Ventura
Another early case rejected the argument that an employer was able to fairly dismiss an employee who had posted his views on gay marriage on Facebook; this was despite the fact many colleagues were Facebook friends and it was also clear from his profile that he was a manager at the Trust. The High Court in that view concluded that his Facebook was personal (Smith v Trafford Housing Trust)
So we move on to the cases in the last 12 months , which seem to have moved the position forward and recognised that even private postings can overlap into the work place, leading to an impact on colleagues and the employer’s reputation. It also suggests that the courts are now recognising the impact such media can have in the workplace.
Game Retail Ltd v Laws illustrates this best : As a risk and loss prevention investigator , Mr Laws was responsible for 100 Game stores and had his own Twitter account , which was followed by 65 stores including both staff and managers. He posted 28 tweets containing expletives or bad language , such as “ This week I have mainly been driving to towns the arse end of nowhere …” going on to complain about other road users. The Appeal Tribunal accepted these tweets could be read by staff and customers – even though it would be those who chose to follow him. In addition there was no need to show that employees or customers had actually been offended – Game Retail had formed an honest and reasonable belief that they might have caused offence.
During the summer there was another Facebook case before the Tribunal which contrasted markedly with Smith v Trafford. In the case of British Waterways Board v Smith the employee posted comments on Facebook about drinking alcohol whilst on standby duties and complaining about his supervisors in colourful terms: “the f****** don’t even pay us for this s***” and “why are gaffers such p********…” His dismissal was found to be fair by the Appeal tribunal, who disagreed with the original employment tribunal. It was useful that the Board’s social media policy stated “any action on the internet which might embarrass or discredit BW (including defamation of third parties for example by posting on bulletin boards or chat rooms” was prohibited.
So the legal position, from an employment law perspective, is evolving and this evolution looks set to continue. A good resolution for the New Year might well be to revisit employer social media and disciplinary policies in light of these lessons.
First proposed in January 2012, agreement has finally been reached between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council (the so-called ‘trilogue’) regarding a new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Current data protection rules are based on the 1995 Data Protection Directive, which predates mainstream internet, social media, big data, the cloud and other advances in technology which shape the way business operates today. It’s a classic case of legislation not keeping pace with technological development; its overhaul is well overdue.
A key benefit of the GDPR will be a single harmonised data protection law covering the whole of the EU. At present, each EU state has implemented its own version of the 1995 Directive and differences can apply in different member states.
The main highlights are summarized as follows:
A stricter regulatory environment
Reflecting ever increasing concerns about how personal data is used in the digital economy, and the continuous flow of news reports about data security breaches, the GDPR imposes a much higher burden of compliance on business. Specific points include:
Fines – the maximum fine for breach of the GDPR is to be set at 4 per cent. of a company’s worldwide turnover. Currently the maximum fine under the DPA is £500,000. This alone should be enough to put the GDPR onto every Board’s agenda.
Easier access to data: individuals will have (and businesses will be required to provide) more information on how their data is processed and this information should be available in a clear and understandable way.
Consent – a new more expansive and specific definition of consent requires that it must be a “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of his or her wishes” by which the data subject, either “by a statement or by a clear affirmative action”, signifies agreement to personal data relating to them being processed.
Additional administrative burden – businesses must keep a record of any data processing activities under their responsibility (referred to as documentation) and must carry out data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) if they are processing date using new technologies and this is likely to result in a high risk to personal data.
Rules for innovation – the regulation requires that data protection safeguards are built into products and services from the earliest stage of development (privacy by design). Privacy-friendly techniques such as pseudonymisation are encouraged by the GDPR, to allow the benefit of big data innovation while protecting privacy.
Data protection officers – companies will be required to appoint data protection officers if they process sensitive data or collect information from consumers on a large scale. This will be an additional cost to many companies, although there is an exemption applicable to SMEs – see below.
Data processors – the GDPR treats data processors as data controller if they process personal data otherwise than in accordance with the data controller’s instructions and subjects data to processors fines for breaches of the GDPR; under current rules, in general, only the data controller is responsible for compliance.
Data breach notification – companies and organisations must notify the national supervisory authority (that’s the ICO in the UK) of serious data breaches as soon as possible so that users can take appropriate measures.
As well as the above, the new rules strengthen existing rights to include:
a right to data portability – the GDPR will make it easier for consumers to transfer personal data between service providers such as social network platforms and SaaS service providers;
right to be forgotten– EU citizens will have a stronger right to require that their data is deleted provided that there are no legitimate grounds for retaining it, which may require a business to rethink its current policy on data retention and deletion.
Impact on non-EU businesses – the new rules will apply to companies who do not have a physical presence in the EU but offer services in the EU and collect data about EU data subjects. This will, for example, affect many US companies that provide services into the EU.
International data transfers – the position regarding transfers of data outside of the EU is unsatisfactory, highlighted by the recent invalidation of the Safe Harbor framework in respect of transfers to the US. However, it seems that the position under the GDPR will be largely unchanged from the current position.
One continent, one law – The GDPR will establish one single set of rules for the whole of the EU which will make it simpler and cheaper for companies to do business in the EU.
One-stop-shop – businesses will only have to deal with one single supervisory authority.
Exemptions for SMEs
Under the new rules, SMEs benefit from certain exemptions to reduce the burden of compliance:
No more notifications: the requirement to notify to / register with the ICO is to be scrapped.
Subject access: Where requests to access data are manifestly unfounded or excessive, SMEs will be able to charge a fee for providing access.
Data Protection Officers: SMEs are exempt from the obligation to appoint a data protection officer insofar as data processing is not their core business activity.
Impact Assessments: SMEs will have no obligation to carry out an impact assessment unless there is a high risk.
Before the GDPR becomes law, the final text must be formally adopted by the European Parliament and Council, which is set to happen at the beginning of 2016.
The new rules will then become applicable across the EU two years thereafter.
Market forecasts predict that the commercial and civil drone market will boom over the next decade. The use of drones, also called unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is becoming increasingly popular with their use already being championed by the likes of Amazon, DHL and Shell. Companies such as Royal Mail are considering both drones for air-mail as well as autonomous delivery vans and major insurance companies are investing in drone technology in order to monitor crop yields amongst other things.
The global economic potential for commercial drone use is looking extremely positive with a recent US study estimating that over the 10 year span from 2015 to 2025, drone integration within national air space will account for $82.1 billion in US job creation and economic growth. These figures aren’t surprising given the advantages of drones to assist businesses whether by offering the capability to streamline delivery, efficient aerial photography and contribute to safe infrastructure maintenance and management.
And so with the prospect of drones being integrated into businesses on a larger scale it is absolutely crucial that businesses understand the legal and other risks attributed to drone use.
A key area of concern is privacy. As a result drone use is an area that the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has looked to become more involved with as the issue of drones and their impact on privacy has become more prominent. The ICO gave evidence to a Parliamentary Committee in autumn last year, on the risk to privacy posed by UAS and underlined that their use for commercial purposes must be carried out in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA).
Earlier this year the ICO issued guidance on drone use for individuals and organisations. The ICO recommends that users of drones, also called unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with cameras should be operated in a responsible way to respect individuals’ privacy rights. Therefore, if a drone has a camera, its use has the potential to be covered by the DPA. If a business is using a drone for commercial purposes, then it is important that you understand your legal obligations as a data controller. Where UAS are used for business purposes, operators will need to comply with data protection obligations and it will be good practice for users to be aware of the potential privacy intrusion which the use of UAS can cause to make sure they aren’t in breach of any data protection or privacy provisions.
The ICO has provided guidance as to the potential data protection risks that businesses may be exposed to when using drones:
The use of UAS has a high potential for collateral intrusion by recording images of individuals unnecessarily and therefore can infringe individuals’ privacy rights. For example, there is a high probability of recording individuals inadvertently, because of the height they can operate at and the unique vantage point they can obtain. Individuals may not always be directly identifiable from the footage captured by UAS, but can still be identified through the context they are captured in or by using the devices zoom capability.
As such, it is very important that you can provide in your Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) (discussed later in this article) that there is a strong justification for the recording use of the drone. You may be able to reduce the risk of privacy infringement by incorporating privacy restrictive methods in the design of the drone. For example, you may be able to procure a device that has restricted vision so that its focus is only in one place. Privacy by design can be incorporated into your PIA and can form part of your procurement process.
It is important that the recording system on UAS can be switched on and off when appropriate. This is particularly important given the potential for the cameras to capture large numbers of individuals from a significant height. Unless you have a strong justification for doing so, and it is necessary and proportionate, recording should not be continuous. This is something which you should look at as part of your PIA.
One major issue with the use of UAS is the fact that on many occasions, individuals are unlikely to realise that they are being recorded, or may not know that UAV have a camera attached. Businesses can however introduce innovative ways of providing this information. The ICO recommends examples such as, wearing highly visible clothing identifying yourself as the UAS operator, placing signage in the area you are operating UAS explaining its use and having a privacy notice on a website that you can direct people to, or some other form of privacy notice, so they can access further information.
Coverage of the ‘whole’ system
The ICO guidelines advise organisations that data protection issues concerning UAS cover the whole system, rather than just the device in the air, so you need to ensure that the whole system is compliant. You should ensure that any data which has been collected is stored securely. This can be achieved by using encryption or another appropriate method of restricting access to the information. It is also important to ensure that data is retained for the minimum time necessary for its purpose and disposed of appropriately when no longer required.
Unencrypted data links found within drones are particularly vulnerable to jamming, interception and manipulation. There are clear cyber security risks that may arise because a drone could be hacked, its data link or live feed intercepted, or the aircraft could be “spoofed” i.e. its GPS signal manipulated during flight. Businesses should be aware that when operating in an urban environment, due to the heavy use of communications, equipment and other sources of electromagnetic spectrum/radio frequency are at risk of being manipulated or interfered with. Businesses also need to consider mitigation for the consequences of weak or lost GPS signal due to masking by buildings along with the general radio frequency saturation level.
How to be best prepared
Privacy Impact Assessments
A PIA is a process which helps a business to identify and reduce the privacy risks of a project. They enable an organisation to systematically and thoroughly analyse how a particular project or system will affect the privacy of the individuals involved. A PIA will help you decide if using UAS is the most appropriate method to address the need that you have identified.
With regard to the use of drones, a PIA should consider identifying the drone’s potential effects upon privacy and data protection compliance, how detrimental effects of the drone may be overcome and how the use of the drone can comply with data protection principles.
The DPA does not oblige organisations to conduct PIAs, but the ICO has said they are useful tools for organisations to use in order to help them comply with the requirements set out in the DPA.
It is possible that organisations who undertake PIAs can also hope to be treated more leniently by regulators if they experience a data protection breach and are subject to legal action. There is an understanding by the regulator that not all data breaches are preventable. It is possible to show through a PIA that you assessed the risks of processing personal data, took measures to mitigate those risks, or otherwise identified the reasons why it decided to proceed with certain projects, despite data protection risks being present.


text: The celebration of life for Nipsey Hussle is scheduled for tomorrow Thursday April 11th and tickets sold out in minutes. Although the tickets were free, opportunists are flipping them for a profit. Tickets have been spotted all over the Internet from Ebay to Craigslist. With Craigslist’s assistance, the FBI will be tracking down anyone who posted tickets for sale and arrest them. At the time of publishing the investigation is still ongoing.


text:
Online car marketplace heycar is to co-sponsor Sky Sports’ coverage of the PGA Tour and the European Tour as part of a drive to showcase its brand to golf fans.
Brokered by PHD, the deal will see heycar become the co-sponsor of Sky Sports coverage of the PGA Tour, World Golf Championships and European Tour, plus solus sponsor of the 2-5pm Sky Sports News.
The activity follows on from heycar’s season as the official broadcast sponsor of The Emirates FA Cup on BT Sport.
Tracy Woods, Chief Marketing Officer at heycar, commented: “As a nation, nothing unites us like our collective passion for sport. It has provided a vital respite during the challenges we’ve all faced over the past twelve months. And this summer is set to bring a wealth of events including the European and PGA Tours, not to mention the European Championships and The Olympics.
“At heycar we are delighted to have reached so many passionate football fans through our sponsorship of Emirates FA Cup coverage on BT Sport. But now we want to drive our brand awareness even further during the next six months and reach more of our core target audience.
“Partnering with an iconic broadcaster in Sky Sports News, at the same time as the renowned European Tour and PGA Tour allows us to do just that.”
Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media, said: “This is the third time that Sky Media will be partnering with heycar and we’re delighted to have them back on board. This partnership with Sky Sports’ coverage of golf and Sky Sports News is the perfect way for heycar to reach a new and incredibly passionate golf audience, raising the bar once again and reinforcing their feel-good online car marketplace positioning.”
The three sponsorship deals will see heycar’s feel good marketing theme carried forward through idents across linear, TV Video-On-Demand and Sky Go. The activity for the two golf tours is live from April 22 and will run until the end of the year.
The sponsorship with Sky Sports News begins in July and will see heycar sponsor its weekday afternoon output until the end of the year.