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Barbecue sauce wins big at competition
Carolina Pig Polish, a locally produced barbecue sauce, won the Best Mild Eastern category, of the 2012 Hot Sauce and Barbecue Sauce Contest Sept. 8, in Oxford. The N.C. Barbecue Society provided the judges for the contest. The state-recognized N.C. Hot Sauce Contest is held annually on the second Saturday in September, welcoming thousands of visitors. The 2012 festival hosted nearly 10,000 visitors and more than 130 vendors.
Owners and makers of the sauce are Robin and Teresa Starrs of Whittier. Teresa works full-time at Haywood Community College as the energy manager and associate director of campus development. Robin retired from a 27-year career in telecommunications and turned a hobby of making barbeque sauce into a new business. He attended a specialty food business class at Blue Ridge Food Ventures, Candler and received certification in good manufacturing processes from the NCDA through N.C. State University.
The Starrs utilize Blue Ridge Food Ventures and Bobbees Bottling, in Louisburg, for processing the product. The couple hopes to have a hotter version of their sauce available later this year. The website www.robinsspecialtysauces.com is being updated to provide a shopping cart, however the product is available at The Fresh Market (nationally); Affairs of the Heart – Waynesville; Barber’s Orchard Fruitstand – Waynesville; Cottage Craftsman – Bryson City; Chop Shop Butchery – Asheville; Food Matters Market – Brevard; Country Traditions – Dillsboro; Whole Foods – Greenville, South Carolina; Simply Local – Charlotte; Stovall’s Gifts and Collectables – Oxford; NoFo at the Pig – Raleigh.


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By 2014, more of us will access the Internet with mobile devices than with desktops or laptops. Android phones, iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices are quickly becoming our primary gateways to the Internet.
Everything we do online -- the ways that we produce news, organize our communities, and communicate with each other -- will increasingly depend on access to these devices and the broadband data connections they provide.
Meanwhile, wireless companies are seeking to determine what content we can see and how we can access it. As users fight for control over their mobile experience, it's fair to say that your Android or iPhone is political.
This panel of policy experts, tech journalists and public interest advocates will discuss how demographic and social shifts are changing how we use mobile devices and networks, how carriers and the public are fighting for control over them, and how good policies can protect consumers from wireless carrier abuse.
9th–13th March 2012

domain: news


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Business owners in Berkshire are set to discover just how social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, can boost their company’s profits. And this advice will be dispensed free of charge by three experts in various aspects of social media.
The Social Media Guys are Internet Psychologist Graham Jones, social media expert Ant Hodges and PR guru, Nigel Morgan. All three of them are making themselves available on 8th June from 11am to 1pm at The Bear Hotel, Hungerford for any business leader to call in and have a chat.
Graham Jones said: “The idea is that the three of us will be there and any business owner who has questions about social media can drop in, have a coffee and get us to give them answers and point them in the direction of effective use of social media for their company. It is a free advice clinic on social media.”
The Social Media Guys will be in the bar of the hotel for two hours. Anyone who wants to attend simply has to turn up and chat.
Graham Jones added: “This is not a networking meeting, it’s not a seminar, nor is it a sales pitch. All that will happen is three guys who happen to use social media successfully in their own businesses will be there to have a chat and answer questions. Simple and free.”
For more information and to register for the event go to http://www.thesocialmediaguys.co.uk.
You can also keep an eye on our Facebook Page for discussions and further information.


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Seems 2013 will go down as one of HTC’s worst years in history financially and legally. Despite having the best designed an functional Android phones on the market they seem not to have their internal issues in check. At the end of May this year HTC had several executives leave the company, and it has filed a formal complaint out of its offices in Taipei, Taiwan, that several high-level employees stole trade secrets after planning to leaving the company. Many Chinese papers have also reported that HTC’s VP of product design Thomas Chien, an R&D director Wu Chien Hung, and design team senior manager Justin Huang were among five employees that planned to leave the company after collecting their mid-year bonuses yesterday.
Upcoming Sense UI 6.0 Stolen
According to Engadget‘s Richard Lai cites several Chinese sources are reporting that HTC “caught Chien secretly downloading files related to the upcoming Sense 6.0 UI design” and sharing the data with external contacts via email. The two executives Chien and Wu were reportedly both taken into custody following raids at HTC’s R&D center and the suspects’ homes and offices.
The drama still continues, not only did they steal trade secrets– HTC also alleges the designers charged elevated fees for their
part in the design of HTC’s One smartphone. Although the design was done in-house, Lai reports that Chien, Wu, and Huang are accused of using “an external design firm to invoice HTC for over $334,000” before dividing the fee between themselves. The three culprits had reportedly registered a new design company aimed at the Chinese market, where Focus Taiwan claims they’re “likely to work with Chinese smartphone vendors to develop new models, using the technology they stole from HTC.” China Post, claims that one suspect at the scene of the R&D raid arrogated that HTC management was aware of the new business and questioned the reason for the search.
Hoping great design DNA continues
HTC has to deal with both of internal fraud, and also deal with the fact that they have to lose some very important members of its
design team. Its known that Huang personally outlined out the design for the HTC One, while Chien spearheads the entire product design team in Taiwan.We hope these events wont shadow HTC’s great design strengths in the Android realm and that the great design DNA continues after this mess.


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A week ago, Simbin announced another PC project named “Jakob”, to be released in 2009. Of course, the whole community started guessing what Jakob was right away, even though Project TOAD showed us that their project names do not always contain hints.
It might be a different case with Jakob as Racedepartment’s Ramon van Rijn has done some research and came up with some interesting facts. Jakob isn’t just the codename of Simbin’s upcoming title, it was also the nickname of the first ever built Volvo – The Volvo ÖV4 of 1927. Of course, a 72-year old car isn’t much of a hint, Jakob came back to life in 2008 though when Volvo unveiled a new hot rod design study based on their legendary first model.
The 2008 Jakob can be seen below, the car is powered by a 2.5 liter five-cylinder engine putting out 265hp. The fact that Volvo, just like Simbin, is a Swedish company throws another hint in the mix. Will Jakob be a title about Volvo automobiles?


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VALLEJO -- Solano County has unveiled a mobile fresh food truck that it's calling a "food pharmacy."
That's because it will be deployed at county health clinics in Fairfield, Vacaville and Vallejo.
Patients will get prescriptions for healthy food along with traditional medicine and get them filled on the spot for free.
The county health officer says diabetes, heart disease and obesity are maladies that can be treated with a healthier diet.
Low-income patients at the clinics are often unable to afford healthy food in the neighborhoods where they live or don't have transportation to stores where they can get it.
The Contra Costa-Solano Food Bank is a partner, as well as the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation of Native Americans.
The tribe's Doyuti T-uchkana fund, financed in part by its Cache Creek Casino, helped purchase the truck.
Tribal leaders say its members and Native Americans, in general, have historically suffered from health problems caused by the lack of affordable choices and fresh healthy food in remote tribal areas.
See the food pharmacy schedule below.


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Apple partner Globalstar hints in a FCC filing that more satellite-powered features are coming to iPhones, according to PCMag.
The article notes that Globalstar objects to T-Mobile asserting in a previous filing that “today’s ubiquitous consumer devices will not support reception of MSS (mobile satellite service) signals.” In fact, Apple and Globalstar have already been providing satellite connectivity to the latest iPhones through an Emergency SOS feature, the FCC filing says.
“Globalstar’s MSS (mobile satellite service) system will continue to evolve over time to support a growing array of direct-to-handset features and services in its licensed spectrum,” it adds in the filing.
PCMag says the statement suggests Globalstar—which already offers satellites phones—is working to bring satellite-based voice calls and internet to Apple devices. Although the company is already providing satellite connectivity to the iPhone 14, the system currently only allows people to send text messages to emergency services when traditional cellular services are out of reach.
Apple has invested early half a billion dollars into its satellite communications partner Globalstar. In February it was announced that the tech giant is giving Globalstar an US$252 million investment comes in the form of a loan, according to 9to5Mac.
A September 2022 SEC filing from Globalstar revealed that Apple plans to use 85% of its current and future network capacity for its services to iPhone 14 consumers, and pay for future satellite upgrades. All the new iPhones pack a new feature called Emergency SOS via Satellite.
The feature combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Apple says that aatellites are moving targets with low bandwidth, and it can take minutes for messages to get through. Since every second counts, with Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user’s situation, and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite.
The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centers staffed by Apple‑trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf. This technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Emergency SOS will be free for two years.
Apple will use Globalstar satellites for Emergency SOS via Satellite. The company already uses the satellite network for its location-tracking feature known as Find My. Apparently, Apple’s loan to Globalstar is to keep the company afloat during the two year that Emergency SOS is provided for free.


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Sustainable packaging that protects the planet
Climate change is a reality and it is our responsibility to take actions that will help to improve the future. It is crucial that the
Biodegradable packaging: the future
Nowadays, innovation within biodegradable packaging makes possible to replace plastics and other materials that have a higher impact in the environment than other more sustainable
We are delighted to introduce our PackinGreen range of products in USA along with Extenda Miami
On December 2nd, we visited the Extenda headquarters in Miami. Our export director, Susana Menchén R. met with the executive director of Extenda in USA,
Coverpan will be launching its new products at Intersicop
News One more year we will be present at the next edition of Intersicop, which will be held in Madrid from February 19th to 22nd
The rise in the compostable packaging during 2021
The compostable packaging industry have experienced an increase in its demand during last year. This is due to the 2030 European Agenda requirements against the
The circular economy in the European Green Deal
The circular economy, ecodesign and responsible and sustainable innovation are fundamental pillars of the “Green Deal” or European Green Pact. What is the European Green
New biodegradable and compostable doypack bag
Doypack format with zip closure The doypack bag or stand-up bag is a container packaging for bulk items. Its format provides stability to the container.
What does green washing mean in the plastic packages? Reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Due to the 2030 Agenda legislations, there are doubts about the use of terms such as “sustainability”. The new legislations established by the United Nations
Ecodesign, the key to build the Circular Economy
Sustainability, the great challenge for the packaging sector Most of the waste that citizens generate in industrialized countries is made of packages and food containers.
Coverpan launches its new PackInGreen® image
To guarantee the authenticity of our packaging, we have developed our label “Sustainable Packaging”. A compostable range of packaging that distinguishes companies who are committed
Food preservation with sustainable Packaging
The world of packaging is in full swing. Food packaging is changing due to market demand and legislative changes. This affects the production of materials


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THE MEDIA BUSINESS
THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Izvestia Opens Pages to 'Parasites'
By BILL KELLER, Special to the New York Times
Published: January 4, 1989
MOSCOW, Jan. 3— ''French perfumes, French wines, the French striving for comfort have been well known to you for a long time,'' read the notice on page 5 of tonight's issue of Izvestia, the Soviet Government daily newspaper. ''Now you have the opportunity to get better acquainted with industrial France.''
The full-page promotion for Pechiney, the French aluminum packaging company, marks the advent of another capitalist eccentricity in the land of Lenin: corporate image advertising.
Beginning tonight, the Government newspaper is making its pages available to what Lenin called capitalist parasites at the rate of $50,000 a page - no rubles accepted, thank you.
As with much of the new economic regime fostered by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, there is somewhat less to this than meets the eye. A Good-Will Gesture
Several companies that bought space for Izvestia's advertising debut said their investment was a one-time gesture of good will to protect budding joint ventures with Izvestia's publisher, the Soviet Government.
But Izvestia's advertising chief said other Soviet newspapers, even the hidebound party organ Pravda, were expected to sell advertising in the quest for some of the precious foreign currency that Western companies are determined to invest here.
Except for a few publications with specialized or limited audiences, like the weekly economics newspaper Ekonomicheskaya Gazeta and Moscow News, which has a large foreign-language circulation, Soviet newspapers have remained free of ads.
Soviet consumers have become accustomed to seeing an occasional Western ad on television. Commercials are often left unedited in sports programs and other shows bought from Western television companies.
Last summer a few Western companies began buying infrequent television spots to promote products that are sold here, like Pepsi, and others that will not be generally available here for some time, like Visa cards.
Izvestia, realizing that few companies would be interested in advertising products to consumers who cannot buy them, has made a different pitch, asking companies that want to do business with the Government to advertise themselves. Money Waiting to Be Spent
Nikolai K. Ivanov, the newspaper's director of foreign relations, said Izvestia had been selling space with the inducement that Soviet industrial managers now had greater freedom to purchase foreign equipment and organize joint ventures with Western companies.
''We have factory managers who now have a certain amount of hard currency and want to buy foreign equipment, but they don't know who to ask, where to go,'' he said. ''We are giving foreign firms a chance to present themselves to these managers, to make a first impression.''
Initially the advertisements are to be published only in the Moscow edition, which accounts for about 600,000 of the newspaper's daily press run of about 10.5 million. That makes Izvestia fairly expensive by United States standards. Using the industry measure, an ad in Izvestia costs $83.33 per thousand readers, far higher than most American publications. A full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal, for example, costs $109,000, or $55.70 per thousand readers.
Advertisements will be published about once a week, Mr. Ivanov said, depending on demand and paper supplies. The newspaper will be expanded from its usual six pages to eight on Tuesdays to accommodate two pages of ads.
Izvestia plans to use the money to buy imported equipment like computers and facsimile machines and to underwrite more foreign travel by its correspondents, he said.
Jean-Jacques Roulmann, a spokesman for Pechiney in Paris, said his company had bought the ad to support its first joint venture in the Soviet Union, a huge factory in Armenia that is to produce aluminum cans, tobacco pouches and food containers.
''It's just one time, like best wishes for the new year,'' Mr. Roulmann said in a telephone interview.
Helmut Bock, Moscow representative of the West German equipment company Man, said his company had bought its quarter-page ad at the urging of Burda International, which acts as Izvestia's overseas sales agent and which also has a joint publishing venture here with Man. 'Forced Into It'
''We were forced into it,'' Mr. Bock said. ''Or rather, Burda has more or less encouraged us to do this. It has no commercial purpose whatever. Normally our group of companies doesn't advertise at all.''
Jeffrey C. Nikolay, personnel manager at the Monsanto Company, which bought a small advertisement soliciting job applicants for planned Monsanto ventures in the Soviet Union, also described the purchase as a good-will gesture.
''To be honest, it's a one-shot deal,'' he said in a telephone interview from the company's European headquarters in Brussels. ''It seemed like a nice opportunity to communicate your name, but it's more publicity than a personnel advertisement.''
Other advertisers included Occidental Petroleum, Dresdner Bank of West Germany and Kaukasika, a West German trading company.
Facsimile of the the first issue of Izvestia to accept corporate image advertising, Pechiney, a French aluminum packaging company, telling Soviet readers that France offered much more than perfumes and wines (AP)


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iPad leads the tablet PC charge as mini-note shipments plummet, says DisplaySearch
Press release, October 4; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES
In the second quarter of 2010, shipments of mini-note (netbook)/tablet PCs were down 4% on quarter, but up 29% on year. However, without the 3.3 million iPads shipped in the quarter, shipments of mini-note/tablet PCs would have been down 14% on quarter...
The article you are trying to open requires News database subscription. Please sign in if you wish to continue.
Amid bleak outlook for downstream vendors, uncertainties surrounding the US-China trade tension, factory relocation and exchange rate volatility, global smartphone AP shipments may experience further decline in 2019, down two years in row, according to Digitimes Research estimates.
According to Digitimes Research, Taiwan-based server vendors, including suppliers of motherboards, end systems, storage devices and related network equipment, continue to enjoy growth in 2018. In terms of volume, global server shipments will show continuing growth throughout 2018 and 2019.
This Digitimes Research Special Report offers global shipment forecasts for three major mobile device market segments - smartphones, notebooks and tablets - for the year 2019 and beyond. It gives in-depth analyses of their respective market outlooks, with shipment forecasts extending to 2023.


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Shops happen. Like viral online ad campaigns, temporary big brand outlets are sneaking up on European streets, filling vacancies opened by the credit crunch and building a buzz that's relatively cheap.
India's exports slid by a third in March, their sixth straight monthly fall, figures showed Friday, as the global financial slump gouged demand in the country's main US and European markets.Exports fell 33.3 percent to 11.
U.S. consumer confidence rose in April to its highest this year with some expectations the economic downturn may be reaching a bottom. The Conference Board's sentiment index climbed to 39.2 this month from an upwardly revised 26.9 in March.
Employees of the PPR group rallied together for the first time to protest a restructuration plan, an “historic” action according to the unions whereas the management of Fnac and Conforama picked up on the low number of strikers.
Consumer goods exporter Li & Fung Ltd, which manages supply chains for retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Target Corp. expects to sign more outsourcing deals as cash-strapped retailers in the USA look to cut costs.
Japan's second-largest retailer Aeon Co Ltd will shut 100 casual women's clothing shops in fiscal 2009, the Nikkei business daily said. Additionally, Blue Grass Co and Cox Co have also announced plans to close stores and cut back store expansion plans.
Bobbi Brown has points of sale criss-crossing the USA, Europe and even Asia, but until now not a single one dedicated to its products alone. The brand will soon be opening a new boutique though in Paris.
Around 7 million metres squared worth of new shopping centres or expansions to existent ones in Europe have been cancelled because of the economic crisis, shown in a study by the agency Cushman & Wakefield on Tuesday 21 April.
Exports of Swiss watches fell for a fifth month in row in March, with sales in the key markets of Hong Kong and the United States dropping fast as spending on luxury items shrank, data showed on Thursday 23 April.


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Mesa police seek suspect in CVS armed robberyPosted: Updated:
MESA, Ariz. – Mesa police are asking for the public's help to identify an armed robbery suspect.
Police said the male suspect walked into a CVS near Ellsworth and Brown roads at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday and selected several items. He approached the checkout counter, lifted his shirt to display a handgun and told the clerk to open the register.
The clerk placed money into a CVS bag along with the items the suspect had selected.
The suspect exited the store and got into the driver's seat of a car that was backed into a parking spot on the south side of the CVS. The vehicle was seen leaving westbound on Brown Road.
The suspect is described as a white male in his early 20s, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 160 pounds with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black baseball hat with white writing or emblem on the front, black T-shirt with a long-sleeved navy blue shirt or jacket draped over his back, baggy blue jeans and white shoes.
The suspect vehicle is described as a silver or gray four-door, possibly newer model Honda Accord, with no distinguishing features.
Anyone with information about the crime or identity of the suspect is asked to call 480-644-2211 and select option 2; text information to 274-637 (begin your message with MESAPD); or fill out an online form at www.tipsubmit.com and refer to case number 20141870569.


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July 15th, 2020 | 1 hr 48 secs
amazon dash cart, animal crossing, china, gundam statue, ios, iphone, photography, photoshop camera, reality tv, siriusxm, stitcher, swimming, the sims, tiktok, work from home, xbox one
Chatting the tech news of the week! Including Animal Crossing, Photoshop Camera, Xbox One streaming, Sirius XM buys Stitcher, Amazon Dash Cart, TikTok bans and more!
April 21st, 2020 | 1 hr 41 secs
animal crossing, esports, fraggle rock, goat 2 meeting, google meet, ios, iphone se, literlaly just mowing, llama, lyft, post gazette, premier league football, science of well being, spacex, starbucks, steak umm, uber
Mike Pound returns to the show to join Katie Dudas and Mike Sorg as we take a look at this week's tech news topics.
March 3rd, 2020 | 58 mins 30 secs
ai, amazon go store, aws, bitcoin, descript, ios, konami code, lyrebird, mario kart tour, missile command, nightmode camera, openemu, shortest horror film, steven seagal, swift playgrounds, transcription, walmart+
Scot MacTaggart joins Chilla and Sorg in studio to talk this week's tech headlines.
February 19th, 2020 | 57 mins 42 secs
airbnb, back to the future, deepfake, game lounge, ios, jordan styles, macbook pro, microsoft xcloud, nintendo switch, pinball, pluto tv, redbox, robert downey jr, rotary cellphone, sonic the headgehog, tom holland, touch bar, tv streaming, uber, video game movie
We're LIVE with Marta, Chilla, and Sorg to talk this week in geeky things and tech news.
January 21st, 2020 | 52 mins 57 secs
adaptive controller, ai, android, apple, awesome cast, awesomecast, ben & jerry’s, ben and jerry’s, cats, ford, ice cream, ios, japan, mobile gaming, my modern met, netflix, netflix and chill’d, podcast, pornhub, smart home, sylvania, team android, tech, tech news, tech talk, wifi bulb, wyze, xbox
Krause is back in studio to join Chilla and Sorg as we dive into the week in tech news
October 29th, 2019 | 55 mins 24 secs
airpods, airpods pro, all access, amazon fresh, amazon prime, apple, arcade1up, awesome cast, awesomecast, black series, blizard, blizard con, bus, deep fusion, dolby, dolby vision, ios, ios 13, nvidia, pittsburgh, podcast, ps6, shield tv, sinkhole, sony, tech, tech news, tech talk, trademark, xbox, xbox bundle
Chilla joins Sorg and Krause to talk this week's tech news.
October 7th, 2019 | 1 hr 4 mins
32-bit, apple watch, audio, awesome cast, awesomecast, big ben, cleveland, dermalabyss, fine, hyperloop, ios, ios 13, jfk, le creuset, macos, mcdonalds, mit, nfl, nintendo, pittsburgh, playstation, podcast, ronald mcdonald, star wars, tech talk, technology, tesla, uber, uber copter, wendy’s, youtube
We're recording a day early due to some scheduling conflicts, but we've got Sorg, Podnar, and Producer Missy on hand to bring you this week's tech news.
October 2nd, 2019 | 1 hr 4 mins
amazon, app store, awesome cast, awesomecast, deep fusion, emulator, innovation, ios, iphone, mario kart tour, microsoft, microsoft announcement, mood settings, mto, nintendo, oculus, pandora, podcast, porn, scarehouse, scarehouse shake, scooter, sheetz, tech, tech talk, technology, words with friends, wwf, zynga —
Katie, Chilla, and Sorg are back at it this week as they talk about the news you should know in the tech world.
September 25th, 2019 | 1 hr 8 mins
aaron kleiber, ace axe throwing, amazon, apple, apple arcade, awesome cast, awesomecast, batman, batman day, borderlands, cube, force touch, fortnite, houseparty, ifixit, ios, ios 13, iphone, iphone 11, iphone 11 pro, kitten kam, nyc, overwatch, party hub, podcast, porn, pornhub, scavenger hunt, se, sega, sega mini, tech talk, technology, voice interoperability
We have a special treat as Katie, Chilla and Sorg are joined by Pittsburgh comedian, Aaron Kleiber.
August 14th, 2019 | 1 hr 21 secs
air bnb, autodrive challenge, awesome cast, awesomecast, basement, counter strike, genki, globe living, impossible mario, ios, kickstarter, loot crate, mini gaming, mixer, ninja, nintendo, nintendo switch, playstation 3, podcaster, porn, ps3, sae, scarehouse, scream district, snap, spectacles, spotify, steam, steam link, super mario bros, super mario maker, tech news, tech talk, technology, tumblr, turbo grafx, twitch, verizon, wordpress
It's a slow tech news week, but Katie, Sorg, and Chilla have plenty to talk about


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One year after ‘Safer at Home,’ these pandemic pivots at local restaurants could be here to stay
The semi-permanent shifts that could have a permanent place in Madison's dining scene
MADISON, Wis.– It’s officially been one year since the state’s ‘Safer at Home’ order took effect, upending the way we work, learn, and live. Some of the most noticeable changes immediately impacted the way we eat.
News 3 Now spoke with Wisconsin Restaurant Association President Kristine Hillmer about the pandemic-born trends that could be here to stay.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes over the past year has been the frequency at which people order takeout. Prior to the pandemic, ordering delivery from a sit-down restaurant felt like an extravagance reserved for special occasions and wasn’t even offered by many high-end establishments. Today, it’s become routine for many families and an essential way to safely support local restaurants. Hillmer said this semi-permanent shift will likely stick around.
“Throughout this pandemic, curbside and delivery has been very important for local restaurants,” Hillmer explained. “But it only backfilled about 30% of lost sales.”
In order to recoup some of what was lost in 2020, Hillmer said restaurants will need to maximize their spaces to serve the maximum number of customers. Several pandemic-born trends could help with this: outdoor dining, larger patios, and heated igloos.
Hillmer said menu changes, like take-and-bake options, family meal bundles, and virtual experiences will likely also continue, allowing restaurants to increase their customer base, without needing any additional space.
Local delivery companies are encouraged by that news, hoping business will continue to soar for them. Since the start of the pandemic, Madison-based EatStreet has nearly doubled its number of drivers, from 250 to 450.
“Things went from zero to sixty real quick for us,” said Caitlyn Kalscheur, EatStreet’s Content Marketing Manager. “We obviously saw a big boost at the start of the pandemic and that has really sustained this whole time.”
During the pandemic, the number of restaurants on the delivery platform grew as well, up to 600 in Madison and its surrounding communities.
EatStreet prides itself on prioritizing locally-owned businesses, and the company works with local restaurants directly to cut down on additional customer surcharges and delivery fees. For example, on March 29, the service is celebrating ‘Mom & Pop Business Owners Day’ by offering free delivery from all Madison-based restaurants.
You can find the full list of local restaurants offering delivery through EatStreet in the Madison area here.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.


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After years of seemingly unrestricted expansion, executives are re-thinking the MINI lineup and they have hinted the Paceman, the Roadster, and the Coupe will not be replaced. As a trade-off, the stunning Superleggera Vision concept (pictured) that was shown last year at the Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance has been given the green light for production, a new report claims.
The Superleggera will be positioned above the topless version of the MINI Hardtop as a more back-to-basics, driver-focused model aimed right at the fourth-gen Mazda Miata and the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider. Designed as MINI’s halo car, the Superleggera is expected to make the transition from concept to production with only minor visual modifications. The futuristic headlights, the overly thin side mirrors and the frameless windshield will be tossed out, but the long fin on the trunk lid and the Union Jack-shaped tail lamps will surprisingly be retained.
The concept shown at Villa d’Este was powered by a futuristic all-electric drivetrain. However, the production model will use the same BMW-sourced three- and four-cylinder gasoline-burning engines found under the hood of the standard MINI Hardtop. The roadster will be offered in both base and S forms, but whether the lineup will be topped off with a hot-rodded John Cooper Works model is up in the air.
To benefit from economies of scale, MINI will build the Superleggera on the UKL platform that underpins the aforementioned Hardtop and a growing number of BMWs including the Europe-only 2 Series Active Tourer. That means front-wheel drive will come standard, but all-wheel drive might be available as an option on high-zoot models.
Of course, MINI’s tight-lipped PR department has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor. If it turns out to be true, the Superleggera will likely be presented with a new moniker at a major auto show in 2017, and it will go on sale in the spring of 2018.
- Tech giant reveals nice price for new EV to take on Tesla
- Fiat delivers jolt of color, creativity with Panda-inspired concept electric vehicles
- Goliath car screens have arrived, and Ford’s new software takes full advantage
- Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven concept looks to the past for inspiration
- Apple’s $600 M2 Mac mini obliterates the $6,000 Mac Pro


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* Action stems from FDA’s June 25 warning letter
* Says drugs affected include versions of diltiazem
TORONTO, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Apotex Inc faces a ban on products entering the United States after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned the Canadian drugmaker about a number of manufacturing breaches at a Toronto factory, according to an industry analyst.
The action, which affects new product, follows a June 25 warning letter and a late 2008 inspection of the Etobicoke facility, which cited a number of deviations from U.S. manufacturing codes.
Neither the privately held generic drugmaker, which is a significant supplier to the U.S. market, nor the FDA immediately responded to requests for comment.
“We have learned that on Friday an import ban was placed on Apotex products manufactured in Canada...” Adam Greene, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in New York, wrote in a note.
“While details are still limited, it is our understanding that products already in inventory in the U.S. can be shipped to customers but new product cannot be shipped to the U.S. until the ban has been lifted.”
Greene said most of the products affected appear to be older items with fairly low pricing and “ample competition”, including Apotex’s generic versions of diltiazem, used to treat high blood pressure and angina.
Among the breaches cited in the June 25 letter, the FDA charged that Apotex did not thoroughly investigate the failure of batches of some drugs and also noted an unusually high number of rejected batches.
This, the FDA suggested at the time, “demonstrates a lack of adequate process controls and raises significant concerns regarding the capability and reliability of (Apotex’s) processes to consistently manufacture drug products meeting predetermined specifications.”
The FDA also said the company, which is Canada’s biggest drugmaker, failed to meet the required timeframe for alerting the agency about significant chemical or physical changes in distributed drugs.
The FDA warned in the June letter that the company could face an import ban and said it would also “recommend withholding approval of any new applications or supplements listing your firm as a drug product manufacturer.”
The action comes as the FDA continues to crack down on manufacturing breaches among generic drug companies.
Earlier this year, U.S. authorities seized all products made by generic drugmaker Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd CPD.A following repeated violations of manufacturing standards. The company was warned about manufacturing problems in an FDA letter sent in October 2008.
$1=$1.08 Canadian Reporting by Scott Anderson; editing by Rob Wilson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Global Semiconductor Shortage Update: GM Shipping Trucks Again
While the automotive industry is still in the midst of the global semiconductor shortage, it appears that there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. At its worst point, the shortage caused General Motors (GM) to pause production on newly assembled trucks as the automaker waited on new parts. However, it looks like things may be starting to turn around.
General Motors begins shipping trucks that were paused due to a global semiconductor shortage
According to a new Reuters report, General Motors is “more than halfway” through shipping out recently-assembled trucks that had previously been put on hold due to the global semiconductor shortage.
Steve Carlisle, GM’s North American chief executive, commented on the truck deliveries during the Reuters Events Automotive Summit. “We’ve made great progress,” said Carlisle. “We’re a bit better than halfway through that at the moment and our goal would be to clear out our ’21 model years by the end of the year. We’ll have a bit of a tail of ’22 model years into the new year but not for too long.”
In September, GM’s Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson warned that GM’s third-quarter deliveries could be reduced by as many as 200,000 vehicles because of the global semiconductor shortage. However, Jacobson did not detail the portion of trucks within that number.
To help speed up the process of getting the 2021 model year trucks to dealerships, GM bought extra car haulers to deliver them from factories or distribution centers, according to Carlisle. GM has also allowed dealerships to pick up the trucks themselves in specific locations.
The White House had to step in at one point
When the global semiconductor shortage got so bad that American automakers were shutting down manufacturing plants and furloughing workers, the economy started to see the effects. If the trends continued, there could have been an exponential impact on the country’s financial stability. Naturally, elected officials need to step in when an issue grows to that state.
In late September, the Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the White House National Economic Council director met with representatives from the “big three” American automakers (GM, Ford, Stellantis). The Biden administration wanted as much information as possible from the automakers about how the semiconductor shortage affected their supply chain.
Some of the info requested included inventory, order numbers, and customer segments. It is unclear if the White House’s involvement has anything to do with General Motors being in a place where it could ship out the paused trucks. However, government intervention could be possible in the future if supply chain issues take a turn for the worse.
Some experts expect the semiconductor shortage to end by 2022
The longer the global semiconductor shortage lasts, the worse it will be for economies worldwide. Some companies are taking action by planning for the near future. For instance, Hyundai is expected to build its own semiconductor plant through its Hyundai Mobis division.
Other chipmakers have expressed interest in building additional facilities in the United States to shorten the supply chain.
However, some believe that the shortage will end relatively soon. Elon Musk has speculated that the semiconductor shortage will end by next year. When asked about the shortage during an event, Musk replied, “There’s a lot of chip fabrication plants that are being built,” and added, “I think we will have good capacity for providing chips by next year.”
If Musk is correct, then theoretically, after 2022, a semiconductor shortage should not be a major issue for quite some time.
However, that is all just speculation for now.


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The Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) was held on August 1-2, 2019 in Kissimmee, Florida and has grown to become the show for the regional building industry.
“We raised the bar this year,” says Robyn Bonaquist, SEBC Committee Chairman and Founder/President of B-Squared Advertising in Naples, Florida. “SEBC, being the original regional trade show in the southeast, met and exceeded all expectations.”
In 2018, SEBC introduced Builder Exhibitor Exchange (BEX), which expanded its participants by 30% this year. This engaging and intimate networking event has proven to be the greatest return on investment for builders and exhibitors alike – as evident from the BEX 2020 wait-list.
“We take a look at each show and strive to improve for the next one,” says Kimberly Scott, SEBC Director. “We are intently focused on making sure builders, trade partners, and exhibitors experience at SEBC results in measurable business success.”
This year, SEBC resurrected one of its longstanding show features – the New Southern Home. The 2019 New Southern Home built by Steven Robertson, of Steven Roberson Construction, displayed technology integration for energy efficiency, security, and entertainment for the luxury home experience, all in a Modern Caribbean design.
During the two-day expo, builders and members of the industry experienced companies such as Bosch, James Hardie, Norbord, Mohawk Industries, Dal-Tile, and more boasting their latest products in exhibits covering nearly 129,000 square feet of hall space at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.
In addition, attendees had access to over 50 hours of education provided by industry leaders. Students learned the latest in design trends, innovative building technology, and marketing developments.
The 2020 SEBC will be held on July 30-31, returning to the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee. For more information on SEBC go to www.sebcshow.com.


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Han's Laser Technology, a Chinese-based company principally engaged in manufacturing of laser and automatic auxiliary equipment, said in response to investor questions today that the lithography machine it is developing has received a small number of orders.
The company said that the resolution of its lithography machine project under development is 3-5 μm (3,000-5,000 nm), focusing on applications such as discrete devices and LEDs.
High-end chip manufacturing photolithography machine has been the Netherlands ASML company monopoly that is priced at tens of billions of dollars. In contrast, China's semiconductor industry started late, and the gap between the lithography technology and ASML is very large.
In the Chinese market, Hefei-based Advantools Semiconductor and Wuxi Yinghuan Semiconductor both have the ability to mass-produce 200 nm lithography machines. The 90 nm lithography machine produced by the Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment is currently the lithography machine with the highest technology in China.
With Han's Laser's in-process lithography project moving forward, it is expected to provide a little boost to China's lithography research and development moving forward.
In the meantime, at an event last week, Huawei Consumer Business CEO Richard Yu said Huawei will be rooted in all aspects, breaking through basic research and precision manufacturing in physics and materials science in semiconductors.
In terminal devices, Huawei is investing heavily in materials and core technologies to achieve a close linkage between new materials and new processes, breaking through bottlenecks that constrain innovation.


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What would you buy if someone walked up and gave you $704 in cash to do some holiday shopping? The CEO of an new online retailer recently approached shoppers in New York with that very amount of money, along with a challenge to spend it only on American-made products.
The benefactor is David Seliktar, founder and CEO of Keep America, a new online company with a website that directs shoppers to products made by U.S. companies. Initially Seliktar intended the site to launch in February. But as he tells Joe Mont of NuWireInvestor.com, he thought the publicity stunt would direct consumer attention to the positive impact that spending dollars on American products can have on creating jobs:
You buy American goods and American suppliers get an increase in orders that creates more production. They hire more people, those people now have more money to spend. It’s a beautiful cycle.
The $704 challenge corresponds to what the National Retail Federation projects as the average amount each American spends on holiday gifts and decorations annually. Seliktar’s impromptu experiment demonstrated how difficult it is to exhaust that amount of cash on American-made products found in our country’s department stores, shopping malls, and boutiques.
But it did give him the desired national exposure to promote a more modest goal of spending $64 at his new site. If every American dedicated that small fraction of their holiday budget to products made in this country, says Seliktar, it could create as many as 200,000 jobs in the United States. To make it as easy as possible, every piece of clothing, jewelry, bottle of perfume, and other merchandise are available for $64 until the official site launch in February, when the full catalog will be made available.
Mont also talks to Robert von Goeben of Green Toys, a northern California manufacturer that turns recycled materials into blocks, trucks, and tea sets, among other traditional playthings. Green Toys also keeps all facets of it production process domestic, from manufacturing to packaging to product assembly and fulfillment.
As von Goeben tells Mont, thinking beyond one’s own bottom line is critical to ensuring the long-term health of our economy:
When you buy [one of our products], you are supporting not just us and our factory but the shipping company, the package printers, the warehouse, the testing labs, etc. For every direct job a purchase helps create, it supports many more jobs that exist around it.
Many of the types of jobs von Goeben describes are the ones often performed by people with disabilities, either through direct hiring or contract labor. What would the American workforce look like if some of the hundreds of thousands of seasonal temp jobs became full-time employment opportunities for these people? Spending $64 will help you find out.
Image by Paige Connors of American Training, Inc.


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If you're looking to find the best phone, you're likely to come across something like Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max. Or, if the best Android phones are more your bag, you'll find devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or the Google Pixel 7 Pro.
These days, you can even get a load of brilliant cheap phones, too. There, you'll find handsets like the Nothing Phone (1) and the OnePlus Nord CE2, which offer outstanding performance for unbelievable value.
The point is, there's already a lot of options when it comes to buying a phone, so news of another brand bringing out a smartphone is hardly headline worthy – particularly one that has absolutely no track record in the smartphone market.
What's that? Elon Musk is building a phone? Oh boy...
What is going on with Elon Musk?
If you've been living under a rock for a bit, you might be unaware that Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently purchased Twitter for an eye-watering $44 billion. That was just over a month ago now, though the ensuing saga feels like it's gone on for years.
The main points of note are this: Musk has gone on a bit of a sacking spree, clearing out the Twitter offices like Kim and Aggie. That caused Twitter and Tesla stock to decline.
Then, he decided that the verification process need changing, to make some money back. That's gone back and forth enough times to make your head spin, but the end result is that paying $8 for a Twitter Blue subscription now gets you a Twitter verified check. Within hours of the service going live, many had purchased a checkmark and duped famous personalities and companies, making audacious claims that looked very real. That caused pretty much every stock to decline.
Why is Musk building a phone?
Twitter is starting to resemble the Wild West right now. There seems to be floods of fake profiles and strange bot accounts. Accounts from people banned for inciting violence, racism and homophobia are being reinstated. It's not a pretty sight.
It's also not the kind of place you want to target your advertising. This has led Apple and Android to consider removing the app from their respective app stores.
And, when asked about it on Twitter, Musk responded confirming that he would build a phone "if there is no other choice."
Right-wing talk show host Liz Wheeler tweeted: "If Apple & Google boot Twitter from their app stores, [Elon Musk] should produce his own smartphone. Half the country would happily ditch the biased, snooping iPhone & Android. The man builds rockets to Mars, a silly little smartphone should be easy, right?"
Musk responded to her tweet, saying: "I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone."
And people were on board. Many responses suggested they would happily change tact and support a Tesla phone, should one come to fruition. Of course, this is just speculation right now, with no formal plans in the works. It's fair to say though, if Musk did want to enter the smartphone market, he'd at least have the financial acumen to do so.


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Cambodia will require an additional 1,000 restaurants by 2020 to serve the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector, Ministry of Tourism officials say.
By 2020, seven million international visitors, and as many as 10 million domestic tourists, were expected to visit the country’s tourist destinations each year, Tith Chantha, general director of the General Department of the Ministry of Tourism, said at the inaug-ural “Clean Restaurants, Clean Food Shops and Good Service” seminar last week.
“We hope that by 2020, we will have between 2,000 to 2,500 restaurants in the country,” he said, adding that Cambodia currently has about 900 restaurants that cater to tourists.
The demand for restaurants could create up to 40,000 jobs in the next nine years, he said, with the tourism industry expected to earn US$4 billion per year in revenues by 2020.
The Ministry of Tourism estimated that 2.8 million international tourists will visit Cambodia in 2011, a 15 per cent year-on-year increase on the 2.5 million that visited in 2010.
Ho Vanny, co-president of the Working Group for the Development of Tourism, said the Kingdom’s growing popularity with international tourists and the pending 2015 ASEAN Economic Community mean more restaurants are required.
“By 2015, all ASEAN countries’ borders will be open,” he said, which may result in greater numbers of tourists entering the Kingdom.


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Intel will sell $15 billion worth of its kit through ecommerce this year, according to company chief executive Craig Barrett.
Speaking at the Dow Jones chief executive forum yesterday, Barrett said that 90 per cent of Intel's business would be transacted via the Internet in two to three years time and that 100 per cent of the company's Taiwanese customers had already moved over to Internet transactions.
"Tens of thousands of phone calls, faxes and paperwork have already disappeared," he said.
Barrett said that he believed ecommerce is currently vendor centric, when it should be customer centric. He explained that software should be smart enough to select exactly what customers need.
At this point, Barrett sneaked in one of the reasons why Intel is pushing the Internet so hard.
"A lot of processing will be done offline, in the background, which means you will need more processing power," he said.
More processing power would result in more Intel manufactured chips.
Barrett said he also believes that the cost cutting days where everything depended on the total cost of ownership are coming to an end.
"Agility will replace efficiency and become the IT mantra. In the future, we'll be concerned about agility and speed in implementing applications," he concluded.
Source: VNU Newswire
Campaigners want US authorities to break-up Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger into separate companies
The perception of the industry as "a white man in a hard hat" is limiting new applicants, says Hayaatun Sillem
Almost two years late - and just as AMD is readying 7nm Zen 2 for early 2019
Eye-wateringly expensive smart speakers take just six per cent market share, claims Strategy Analytics


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(Click here to view article in digital edition)
This dialogue has continued throughout this year and the issue continues to be a shared worry across all businesses. The manufacturing sector, where the work is often physical and repetitive, is particularly vulnerable to a lack of available manpower.
This industry accounts for 10% of GDP and employs around 2.6 million people, however firms are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit the number of workers that they need to operate at the desired level of productivity. The skills gap has only been made wider in a post-Brexit environment. Traditionally, manual labour and factory jobs are heavily reliant on migrant labour but as uncertainty regarding immigration laws continues to prevail, fewer foreign workers are coming to the UK and instead view other European countries, such as Germany, as a less risky country to build a new home. As well as this, UK unemployment has fallen to a new low of 4.0% according to the Office for National Statistics, so the manufacturing industry needs an alternative plan to ensure that they can continue to operate in this current environment. This may all be beginning to sound rather negative but it doesn’t have to. Just like in other countries such as Australia, a labour shortage can be the nudge the UK needs to seriously consider greater use of robotics and automation. At Universal Robots, there has certainly been an increase in orders from UK manufacturers following the referendum.
Automate to compensate
While UK productivity levels have increased by 1.4% in the second quarter of this year, the UK is still below the levels of Germany, France and the USA. One of the reasons that the UK’s productivity level is lower is because many UK businesses have not yet invested heavily in automation. Just last month, Will Abel, the Bank of England economist, described British automation as ‘pretty rubbish’ and ‘below average’. The statistics are damning; the level of automation within the UK is about a quarter of the level in Germany and while Germany has 309 robots to every 10,000 workers, the UK only has 71, a number well below the global mean. Ultimately, this lack of investment in automation reduces the UK’s competitiveness, as European counterparts are able to deliver goods that are more attractive in terms of price and quality than their British competitors.
Investing in robotics within manufacturing has a number of advantages; robots can run 24 hours a day without supervision and undertake repetitive tasks for long periods without getting bored or developing repetitive strain injuries. This means that businesses can have a higher output at a lower cost, without having to hire more workers. This is especially important within the manufacturing sector as the price of raw materials are increasing, therefore any opportunity to lower costs is attractive. As well as this, deploying robots does not pose a threat to product quality, in fact it can have the opposite effect. Robots are highly accurate and can produce goods of a higher quality than human workers. Investing in robotics is therefore a clear solution to the Brexit-induced labour shortage that UK manufacturing businesses are currently suffering. So, what is holding companies back?
Intuitive, flexible and affordable
Traditionally, only large factories invested in industrial robots as they were expensive, difficult to program and set up, and required a large amount of space for the safety caging. However, developments within the robotics industry means that this is no longer the case. The invention of collaborative robots – small, flexible robots that can work alongside humans on the factory floor with no safety caging – has made automation accessible to all businesses, no matter the size. In many ways, a cobot is like a new colleague – a colleague that takes on the tasks that most people find trivial and physically debilitating. This in turn allows human employees to use their time and energy on solving problems that require reflection and creativity. Thus, businesses can exploit human potential to a much higher degree than we do today by implementing an automation strategy.
Furthermore, cobots have been designed with ease-of-use in mind. They are quick and easy to program and do require a robotic specialist to be added to the payroll, saving manufacturing businesses time and money. Existing employees can learn to program the cobots through the touch-screen tablet – this makes it possible to quickly and flexibly readjust the cobot to carry out different tasks and move it around in production.
Perhaps then the UK’s reluctance to invest in robots is a result of concerns about causing unemployment. However, research has proven that automation does not come at the cost of existing jobs. In Germany, where businesses are highly automated, unemployment fell to 3.7% in 2017 – the lowest since reunification. Moving to the Nordics, Danish company Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is an example to follow. It installed 42 cobots from Universal Robots within their factory system leading to reduced costs of production and higher productivity; assistance from robots meant that one worker who previously had managed three machines could now manage eight. As well as productivity, quality also increased with far greater uniformity of product and order numbers surged. Consequently 50 new jobs were created, in logistics, quality control, marketing and back office.
As we prepare to leave the EU, the case for robotic investment gets even stronger. Automation truly is the solution to the labour shortage that is affecting so many businesses in the manufacturing industry. By enrolling an automation strategy, British companies will make themselves more competitive and will be able to compete on price with Far Eastern manufacturers. However, British manufacturers need to embrace the automation mind-set and take the leap to invest in robotics, as this is the only practical solution to boost UK manufacturing productivity, lower costs and solve the UK labour shortage.
About the author:
Mark Gray joined Universal Robots in 2016 where he is UK Sales Manager. Prior to this he was Sales Director for Abtech, a company providing machine vision solutions into the automation industry across a variety of sectors. He has over 15 years’ experience within automation, having also been involved in building special purpose machinery for the packaging industry.
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Higher than expected demand for tween fashions has created a nightmare for parents shopping online at Tween Brands' Justice chain - and for the central Ohio retailer. And experts say stakes are high if Justice isn't able to remedy the problems quickly.
Higher than expected demand for tween fashions has created a nightmare for parents shopping online at Tween Brands’ Justice chain — and for the central Ohio retailer.
And experts say stakes are high if Justice isn’t able to remedy the problems quickly.
Disgruntled customers have been flooding the New Albany-based company’s Facebook page, complaining about weeks-long delays in delivery, incorrect orders and being charged for merchandise that they haven’t received.
“We’re literally experiencing an unprecedented level of demand for our product this season,” said spokeswoman
Keriake Lucas. “While that’s a great thing, and we are delighted to be providing the hottest fashions to tween girls and now tween boys, that demand has impacted our ability to respond as quickly as we would like.”
One typical complaint came from Michelle Cherveny Shook of Michigan, who said on Justice’s Facebook page that she had placed an order on Dec. 4 and received two out of three items.
As of yesterday, the final item “is 'still processing,'" she wrote. “It’s part of an outfit for my niece’s present and I saw the item in a store a week ago ... the size is probably gone now. ... I wish my daughter and niece didn’t like (Justice) stuff so much or I’d return everything I have bought for both of them.”
Customers these days have high expectations when buying online, experts said.
“Standard delivery, on time, without any issues is table stakes for retailers right now,” said Klay Huddleston, vice president of retail at local marketing firm Resource. “Amazon’s commitment to customer service has set a new bar. Five years ago, customers almost expected issues when they ordered online.”
All U.S. retailers are reporting a big surge in online purchasing this year, according to research firm comScore. Since Thanksgiving, e-commerce spending from desktop computers has been $19.2 billion, up 21 percent from the same period last year.
Justice was expecting a strong surge in orders, and “quintupled” the number of customer-service representatives this year to more than 300 people, Lucas said.
“But unprecedented is the best word I can think of to describe the situation.”
However, there are “multiple points of failure,” Huddleston said, including customer service, order fulfillment center and store employees. “It only takes one of those areas to break down and it has a rippling effect.”
The problem has come at exactly the wrong time for the retailer, as the final days are near when shipping can be guaranteed in time for Christmas.
As a result, a delivery problem right now “can really damage your brand,” Huddleston said.
While Justice officials said they have successfully delivered hundreds of thousands of packages from their distribution center in central Ohio, “no one is feeling the pain more than we are,” Lucas said.
“Obviously, we’re apologizing to our customers,” she said. “Through Facebook, email, phone calls, we are addressing every single call that comes in. We are moving quickly to find solutions."
Fast action in remedying the situation — and apologizing — will be crucial to Justice’s future, said Bob Taylor, director of strategy at retail design firm Fitch.
“The long-term impact will directly correlate to the company’s response to the issues. Justice is a popular brand. If they take steps to correct the problems, they should be able to restore trust.”


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Home Tags Investment
US cryptocurrency platform Okcoin has committed $1m to increasing diversity and inclusivity in the crypto space.
Standard Chartered has inked a 10-year partnership with Atome Financial to help the company introduce its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service in select Asian markets.
Australian buy now, pay later (BNPL) company Zip has invested $50m into Indian BNPL firm ZestMoney to expand its global grip on the payment market.
Wise has unveiled a new multi-currency investment feature that will give people and companies in the UK more autonomy in deciding how their money is held.
UK FinTech startup Hapi has launched a new app that is designed to aid parents in planning and investing for their children’s future.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced two consultation papers with an aim of liberalising the county’s overseas investment regulatory stance.
UK WealthTech firm abrdn has concluded a deal to acquire Exo Investing from FinTech firm Nucoro for an undisclosed fee.
Digital asset banking startup Greengage has secured a £2.5m investment from Gilbraltar-based portfolio business IOVlabs.
US firm Sevco Security has officially introduced its cloud-native security asset intelligence platform after it raised $15m in a Series A funding round.


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Zhejiang authorities found many shark fins sold in the market are artificial products and some contain excessive levels of cadmium, a toxic metal.
The industry and commerce department in Zhejiang province conducted a check of shark fin soup, a popular dish often served at luxurious banquets. The inspection found many restaurants serve artificial shark fins made of edible gelatin and seaweed gum. Restaurants purchase the "shark fins" at a low price, but they are sold for up to 1,000 yuan ($160) a bowl in restaurants and hotels.
An employee at a workshop in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, processes shark fins on Sept 9. [Photo by Yi Xin / for China Daily]
Similar results were found in an investigation by the province's consumer rights protection agency, which randomly selected about 10 samples of shark fin soup collected from local restaurants for DNA testing. No shark was found in any of the soups.
The consumer rights protection agency also found that about one-third of dried shark fin in the province's markets contained excessive cadmium and methyl mercury.
Local news website Zjol reported that ocean pollution can lead to high levels of metals in the sharks.
Experts said excessive ingestion of mercury will harm pregnant woman and the development of the fetal brain and nervous system.
Insiders said such artificial shark fins are widely available in local wholesale market.
"Many restaurants and hotels have bought 'shark fins' from me," said Lin Wenyu, a businessman at a seafood wholesaler that sells "vegetarian" shark fin (artificial shark fin) at the Shanghai Tongchuanlu Seafood Market.


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The doors of the Best Buy were not yet open on Thursday afternoon, but that did not dissuade deal seekers already lining up in hopes of being the first to get their favorite gadgets when the doors open at 6 p.m.
At 2:30 p.m., Truc Nguyen had only been in line for 30 minutes, but she was prepared to face four hours of waiting in the cold in hopes of getting a Samsung Galaxy S4.
While everyone is waiting for the sales to begin, some are waiting for more than just themselves. Jerry Myer's 78-year-old mother wants a new smart television. Since she could not stand in line outside for hours in the cold, Myers told his mother he would brave the cold in her stead.
Others had joined the line far earlier. Friends Josh Patel and Souvik Sarkar were near the front of line having set up their tent Wednesday night, though Patel went home and then returned early Thursday morning because of the cold. Like Nguyen, Patel knows exactly what he is hoping to get, a Microsoft Surface, but Sarkar wants to see what the best deals are before deciding what he will walk away with.
This is Patel's third year lining up outside of Best Buy, which he says is fun, especially now that he knows several people with whom he has waited in line in previous years.


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Are Pot Stocks Still Vulnerable to COVID-19 Issues?
While COVID-19 appears to be (mercifully) on the ropes—at least in terms of serious cases—it doesn’t mean that, magically, everything will go back to normal. There will be lingering consequences, and they may very well impact marijuana stocks.
One such lingering consequence is the disruption of supply chains.
For instance, a shortage of semiconductors has begun to cause havoc in a number of industries, most notably auto manufacturing. (Source: “Saagar Enjeti: A Story of How Elites Sold Us Out and Trump Did Nothing About It,” The Hill, YouTube video, February 25, 2021.)
The simple fact is, with COVID-19 precautions still in place (and likely to be in place for years to come), traveling and shipping goods between countries will become exponentially more difficult. What’s more, crowded factories and resource-extraction sites are potential outbreak hotbeds.
All this has culminated in a very beleaguered global supply chain.
Consider that the cost of sending a shipping container from Asia to Europe is roughly 10 times higher than it was in May 2020. The cost of shipping from Shanghai to Los Angeles has increased sixfold. (Source: “The World Economy’s Supply Chain Problem Keeps Getting Worse,” Bloomberg, August 25, 2021.)
According to HSBC Holdings Plc (NYSE:HSBC), the global supply chain has become so fragile that one small accident “could easily have its effects compounded.” (Source: Ibid.)
Now, you may be wondering: What does any of this have to do with pot stocks?
Well, like any producer in our globalized economy, pot companies need raw materials, technologies, and access to resources.
What’s more, as I’ve discussed in previous articles, cannabis stocks have been particularly vulnerable to pandemic-related economic slowdowns. If a new slowdown crops up due to supply chain issues, that could hurt share prices.
But there’s a lot of good news for marijuana stock enthusiasts.
As you can see in the following chart, pot stocks have made some major progress over the past 12 months, all of which have been during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
Considering how battered many cannabis stocks were when the pandemic arrived, and how resilient they’ve proven to be now, we’re seeing a new gush of enthusiasm for marijuana stocks.
After all, marijuana was one of the first industries to see major share-price plunges at the outset of the pandemic. In other words, they’ve already taken COVID-19’s best shot and are still standing.
That bodes extremely well for the future. Not only does the resiliency show that pot stocks can bounce back from pandemic-related downturns, the accomplishment actually makes future share-price falls less likely.
Why? The reason cannabis stock prices fell in the first place was panic, and that’s less likely to happen this time around.
You see, investors, faced with a once-in-a-century pandemic, were eager to fill their portfolios with safe-haven investments and other assets that would likely be more dependable in times of economic uncertainty.
Now that investors have proof that marijuana stocks can withstand a tumultuous market, it means they’ll be less likely to abandon ship if we find ourselves in another pandemic.
The second and more pertinent bit of good news about pot stocks is that, although supply chain issues will impact cannabis stocks, their impact will be relatively muted compared to the impact on other industries.
That’s because there really isn’t much of an international legal marijuana trade (yet). Most of the product is grown, processed, and sold within domestic markets; marijuana really isn’t shipped internationally at this point.
That’s due to major legal restrictions, but even in the U.S., where hundreds of millions of people now have access to legal pot, marijuana companies can’t legally ship their goods across state lines, let alone to other countries.
That’s because state borders are administered by the federal government, which means the federal prohibition against marijuana applies to interstate trade.
While technically, all of the U.S. is under federal jurisdiction, the feds’ policy on marijuana has been laissez-faire. States can regulate marijuana as they wish within their borders, but as far as the federal government is concerned, the drug is still illegal.
As such, marijuana markets around the globe have had to develop robust, self-contained ecosystems. This, in turn, has helped those markets gain some degree of protection (though not, by any means, full immunity) from supply chain issues.
In other words, investors don’t need to be overly concerned by the pandemic’s continued ability to plague our economic system. Investors can trust marijuana stocks to weather the storm and likely emerge even stronger on the other side.
As the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, we no longer inhabit the same world as before.
The virus has forced upon us many changes, and a good chunk of those changes will be long-lasting. But pot stocks have proven that they can take the worst the pandemic has to offer and remain strong.
What’s more, one of the most concerning post-pandemic economic hangovers—disruptions to supply chains—is less likely to dramatically impact cannabis stocks.
That all serves to make me bullish on marijuana stocks.


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Popular restaurant's massive re-opening giveaway
THE dessert bar Moose Lane will re-open this Thursday with a huge giveaway.
The dessert bar, previously known simply as The Moose, closed several months ago to make way for Hola! at the Walton Stores food precinct.
After months of planning, the new-look store will open as a laneway store, again in Walton Stores.
Owner Aaron Goldie said the revamped store was a more casual rendition of the previous offering.
"We've got all the same desserts, milkshakes and coffees that everyone used to know and love, but we've also got a more casual and more accessible store," he said.
To celebrate the reopening, the store will be giving away 500 free gelatos from 11.30am tomorrow.
"We had a lot of customers really anticipating us reopening, which is why we really want to show our thanks to them," Mr Goldie said.


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Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management reported its second-consecutive record performance in 2020 by returning more than 70% on its investments.
The billionaire investor said Pershing Square had a net return of 4.6% in December, bringing his overall returns for the year to 70.2% and surpassing 2019’s previous record of about 58%. The results eclipsed the gains of the S&P 500, which rose 16% in 2020.
Back-to-back wins mark an impressive return for Ackman, whose hedge fund previously racked up three-straight years of losses after a disastrous bet on Valeant Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and an ill-fated short-selling campaign at Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., among other challenges.
Pershing Square’s 2020 returns were buoyed by a lucrative credit hedge Ackman put in place in the lead-up to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent market sell-off. Ackman said in April that he had been so concerned about the potential impact of the coronavirus that he had considered liquidating Pershing Square’s entire portfolio before instead opting for a credit-hedge strategy.
The bet paid off and returned about $2.6 billion to Pershing Square by the time it was sold in March, or roughly 100 times the size of the original investment. Ackman used the proceeds to make what he called a “recovery bet” on the economy, increasing stakes in portfolio companies and reinvesting in others including Starbucks Corp.
Ackman’s attention later turned to his blank-check company, Pershing Square Tontine Holdings Ltd. In July, the special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, raised $4 billion in an initial public offering, plus a $1 billion commitment from Pershing Square, and is now seeking a private company to take public. Ackman had held talks with Airbnb Inc., Stripe Inc. and others.
Source: Read Full Article
Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest Buys for 11\/2
Samsung Electronics' Texas chip output returns to near-normal levels
Mobile looking to return of cruises by mid-summer
U.S. Senate to begin debating COVID-19 bill this week -Schumer
Market turbulence may be a theme in the holiday week as investors fret over omicron, the Fed


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Oct 22, 2018
Dutch Sailmaker, De Vries Maritiem, has installed a new Blackman and White automated Orion flatbed cutter into their sail loft located in Lemmer.
Mar 09, 2018
Manchester Print Services have just installed a new Blackman and White VersaTech™ wide bed cutter/router to help cope with the growing demand for wider format digital printing.
Jul 22, 2015
Dolphin Sails, one of the largest manufacturers of sails, covers and awnings in the UK, has just installed a new Blackman and White Mastercut heavy duty automated flatbed cutting machine which is both improving productivity and saving costs.
Jun 23, 2015
To cope with increased demand for high quality composite components Formaplex Ltd, has just installed a new Blackman and White Genesis high speed automated CNC cutting machine.
Mar 12, 2015
MGR Foamtex, manufacturer of Softwall® aircraft seat decorative panels, has just installed a new high speed CNC router/cutter as part of their ongoing product development programme.
Aug 06, 2014
Hope Technology, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of high precision bicycle components and accessories has just taken delivery of a Blackman and White Genesis digital flatbed cutter to help develop a new range of composite bicycle components.
Jun 09, 2014
Blackman and White, the UK’s only manufacturer of flatbed industrial automated cutting machines, have broadened their portfolio of entry level machines with the addition of the Graphtec FC8600 series of roller cutting plotters.
Mar 03, 2014
Blackman and White, leaders of innovation in automated cutting technology, will be showcasing their MasterCut Versa-Tech flatbed cutter at the forthcoming JEC Europe 2014 exhibition which opens on 11 March in Paris.
Feb 13, 2014
Blackman & White, the UK’s only manufacturer of high end flatbed automated cutting equipment for Graphic & Print, Marine, and Composite industries, has just appointed Jos van Eunen as International Sales Manager.
Nov 19, 2013
Service Graphics, the the UK's largest provider of high impact visual communications have just installed a Mastercut Multi-Tech high speed, wide format automated flatbed cutting machine at their Skelmersdale site.


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Siliconera recently interviewed Mitsutoshi Sakurai, president and CEO of Spike Chunsoft. While the full interview will be available later, for now they have shared that the company intends on releasing Robotics;Notes in the West.
Robotics;Notes is the third main entry in 5pb.’s popular Science Adventure series, though it tells its own standalone tale. The story takes place in 2019, which was a slightly more distant future when the visual novel originally released in 2012. With their school’s robot club in danger of shutting down, its two sole members decide to build a giant fighting robot to save it.
While the game is currently available on PS3, Xbox 360, and Vita in Japan, there is no word yet on what platforms the upcoming localization will launch on. Similarly, the release date is unknown as well. For those who can not wait, Funimation has already localized an animated adaptation of the visual novel.
[amazon_link asins=’B01EIW2REC,B073WVDKSR,B011ERY5IA,B01JHQURAU,B00KU3Y5CG’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’ticgn0a-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f822d620-2f7d-11e8-a558-d732a18c8399′]


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Legislators are barreling down on mobile privacy from multiple angles. SiliconAngle Contributing Editor John Casaretto talked all about this sudden surge in interest during this morning’s NewsDesk session with Kristin Feledy (see full video below).
The 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee launched a mobile app ahead of the Monday event to help people find their way to the ceremony, or catch it live on their device of choice. The program pulls phone numbers and location data to support extended capabilities, but no one bothered to inform users that their information is being used.
Casaretto considers this latest incident an important example of what happens when a developer overlooks the importance of transparency in mobile environments. It’s true that users can block the app from accessing their personal data, but that doesn’t change the fact that the committee botched this one.
Casaretto says that developers will eventually have to do something to make the fine print easier to understand for the consumer, preferably sooner rather than later. But he believes that forcing the mobile app ecosystem to comply with privacy standards, which is the current goal of Georgia Senator Hank Johnson, is not the way to go.
Rep. Hank is pushing a bill that would require mobile developers to incorporate a data wipe capability into their apps. Casaretto doesn’t think too highly of the proposition. He says that the overwhelming majority of app creators, who are either individuals or small studios with limited resources at their disposal, will be negatively affected should the act pass.
On the back of Hank’s efforts, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is drafting its own set of mobile privacy recommendations. Casaretto believes that this particular initiative is driven by politics rather than concern for users’ welfare, simply because is completely redundant. What consumers need today is a more responsible developer community, not additional regulations.


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JPM Coin Gains Traction with $1 Billion Daily Transactions, Plans for Retail Version Underway
JPMorgan's blockchain-based payment system is processing a significant daily volume and plans to expand to retail customers.
JPMorgan's blockchain-based payment system, JPM Coin, is making significant strides in the financial world. According to Takis Georgakopoulos, the firm's global head of payments, the system is currently processing $1 billion daily for several large corporations. Although this figure represents a small fraction of the $10 trillion that JPMorgan processes daily through its traditional platforms, it is a clear indication of JPM Coin's growing popularity.
Since its launch in 2020, JPM Coin has processed over $300 billion in transactions. With its current daily transaction pace of $1 billion, the bank is set to reach this figure again within the next year. Initially supporting only the U.S. dollar, JPM Coin expanded to include the euro in June this year.
Currently, JPM Coin is available only to the bank's wholesale or corporate customers. However, plans are underway to extend its services to retail customers. Georgakopoulos expressed the bank's intention to create a more retail-friendly version of JPM Coin to bring the same efficiencies to consumers.
JPM Coin operates 24/7 and enables faster transactions. This feature allows clients to initiate payments close to their due date and improve liquidity management. While serving as an intrabank value transfer system, JPMorgan is also part of an interbank settlement and clearing system project called Partior.
Launched in 2021 by JPMorgan, DBS and Temasek Holdings, Partior aims to improve cross-border payments. Last year, Standard Chartered became a founding shareholder in Partior after investing an undisclosed amount. This involvement in both intrabank and interbank systems underscores JPMorgan's commitment to leveraging blockchain technology for efficient and secure financial transactions.


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TSB to open 43 'pop-up' banks in community centres, libraries and town halls after axing branches - but they won't offer cash withdrawals or deposits
- 'Pop-up' face-to-face banking services to launch between April and the summer
- They will be open one day a week and customers won't be able to withdraw cash
- Services available include help with existing direct debits and bereavements
High street bank TSB has unveiled plans to launch 43 'pop-up' face-to-face services in town halls, libraries and community centres across Britain after announcing plans to close more than a third of its branches last year.
'Mobile money confidence experts' will be on site to help customers with internet and mobile banking registration, forgotten passwords, reporting stolen cards, existing payments and assistance with bereavements, the bank said.
But the pop-ups will be open only one day a week - and customers won't be able to make cash withdrawals or deposits, set up new direct debits, open or close accounts or change their bank account details.
TSB pop-ups: They will be open one day a week and customers won't be able to withdraw cash
The fact that customers won't be able to withdraw cash at the new pop-ups is expected to be criticised by consumer groups as ATMs and bank branches are closing at record levels - and the Government is under pressure to introduce legislation to protect access to cash.
It comes as TSB announced it would close 164 of its high street bank branches last year, or a third of its network, due to a decline in customers using branches.
The lender, owned by Spanish bank Sabadell, said the 43 pop-ups will be spread across the country, with 22 in England, 19 in Scotland and two in Wales.
The new hubs will be located in 'popular locations already used by members of the local community for other services' like town halls, libraries or community centres, it said.
And the majority will be in locations where it takes customers longer than 20 minutes to travel to their nearest TSB branch, the bank added.
Consumer groups have previously said pop-up operations from banks are better than nothing but cautioned they cannot fully replace the benefits of a permanent branch.
The pop-ups will be open for just a day, and customers will be able to book an appointment by phoning the supporting branch for that pop-up.
TSB pop-up branches launching between April and the summer
Pop-ups in England
Albrighton: Albrighton Village Hall
Blackburn: Bangor Street Community Centre
Canterbury: Canterbury Umbrella Centre
Ellesmere: Ellesmere Town Hall
Liverpool, Waterloo: Waterloo Community Centre
Long Sutton: The Market House
Murton: Glebe Centre
Netherfield: St Georges Centre
Ramsey: Ramsey Library
Skegness: Aura Business Centre
Winslow: Winslow Council Offices
Pop-ups in Wales
Glynneath: Glynneath Town Hall (Opened during week of 12 April)
Prestatyn: Prestatyn Library
Pop-ups in Scotland
Alford: Dog Action Rehoming
Anstruther: Anstruther Town Hall
Grantown-on-Spey: Grantown YMCA
Huntly: Orbs Community Bookshop
Wick: Pulteney Town People's Project
TSB said that if its advisers are not able to help customers on the day, they will arrange for another day or put customers in touch with someone who can help them 'by phone, there and then'.
As the new pop-ups are located in public buildings such as community halls, centres and libraries which only reopened on 12 April along with 'non-essential' retailers, they could be forced to close if new lockdowns are imposed.
'In terms of future lockdowns we are operating in third-party locations, so would have to comply with guidance relevant to that location,' TSB said - adding that their experts would continue to support customers via phone or virtually.
Carol Anderson, Director of branch banking at TSB, said: 'Although we've seen a significant rise in customers using digital banking, we know accessing banking services and cash remains important to many customers and we're always looking for innovative and inclusive ways to help them.
'The pop-up service will support our customers in parts of the country where it takes longer to get to a branch.
'The pop-ups and future access to cash pilot will test demand for these types of services, giving us insight on what more we can do for customers in the future.'
TSB also announced the launch of a pilot scheme to allow its customers to deposit cash in their accounts in local shops and supermarkets using a 'digital platform'.
Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham will be the first cities to trial the new service, which is in partnership with American payments company Diebold Nixdorf and platform Paysafe.
TSB is also part of a scheme trialling shared banking 'hubs' run by the Post Office in Cambuslang - which has lacked a bank branch since 2018- Denny and Hay-on-Wye.
The 'community access to cash pilots' project is aimed at improving access to physical money and is funded by banks taking part via trade organisation UK Finance.


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America's #1 Thanksgiving Item Is Facing an Additional Price Increase, Experts Say
Just when we can finally safely gather with friends and family to stuff ourselves silly with all forms of comfort foods, our Thanksgiving plans are now facing a different issue—sky-high price tags.
And when it comes to the price of this year's turkey, we can blame the bird flu. A rare outbreak of the poultry disease may raise prices of the Thanksgiving staple even more than expected, according to Food Dive.
After two months with no cases, the bird flu has reared its ugly head again, with ten outbreaks registered since July 14 affecting more than 600,000 birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is despite the fact that bird flu doesn't typically spread during hot weather.
Still, the avian flu has tackled heat wave after heat wave, and managed to kill about 5.4 million turkeys between January to July—which is about 2.5% of all turkeys slaughtered for consumption last year, Food Dive reports.
"Jennie-O Turkey Store has been preparing for this situation and took extensive precautions to protect the health of the turkeys in its supply chain," the company says in a statement confirming that the bird flu was found in its supply chain in one Minnesota operation.
The bird flu was first detected in Indiana in February, and has spread across 24 states, according to Iowa State University researchers.
So, how does this affect Thanksgiving? In an earnings call, Hormel Foods, which is one of the biggest turkey processors in the United States, expects its supply to be constrained throughout the first quarter of fiscal year 2023. That means volumes in the fourth quarter, aka the Thanksgiving Day quarter, will be down by 20%, according to CFO Jacinth Smiley.
"Lower industry-wide turkey supplies are expected to keep prices higher near term," Smiley noted in the earnings call.


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If you’re a concierge, start sending out your resume.
That’s what hotel chains across the world are promoting through the new brands they’re creating, focused specifically on the millennial traveler.
Millennials are surpassing baby boomers as the world’s dominant generation with more than 75 million waddling around the US, eyes and fingers tethered to the smartphone. Seeing the population shift, hotel chains are racing to launch brands that meet the needs of a generation seeking a need to be connected to everyone at all times.
Many of these brands — with laughable names like Aloft, Moxy, citizenM and Vib — have launched in the last five years, with gradual growth about to explode worldwide. Aloft — the millennial brand from Starwood Hotels — first opened in 2008 in Montreal, boasting loft-like guestrooms, one-stop charging stations and healthy food options.
In March 2015, with a new hotel in the high-tech hub of Sunnyvale, Calif., Aloft promoted its smartphone room-key system and gourmet grab-and-go food kiosk. Aloft is even employing robots to deliver snacks, and at the Yotel New York, luggage, according to a March 2015 Los Angeles Times report.
In late 2014, Marriott opened its first Moxy, a brand intensely focused on millennials. Moxy’s guestrooms are 200 square feet or less, two-thirds the size of normal guestrooms. That strategy responds to research that reveals millennials don’t mind room size as long as they have free and strong Internet access. On its website, Moxy promotes its Instagram feed: #AtTheMoxy. See wild millennials hobnobbing, drinking and — sort of — enjoying their stay. The ploy: Everyone is loving Moxy; you should come, too.
While Moxy’s only open property is in Milan, Italy, it’s expanding rapidly into Eastern Europe, the Middle East and US.
Other chains are trying to catch up, developing plans that demonstrate a misread of the audience. Welcome Radisson Red, Radisson’s attempt at a millennial hotel launching in China and South Africa, among other locations. Radisson Red is the drunkard’s design of a millennial space: Ping-pong tables outside (millennials aren’t ping-pong players); guestrooms with oddly space-age appliances; and a lobby decorated as a “modern” art gallery.


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Sergio Marchionne to serve as Ferrari CEO?
FCA\'s chief may take the reins ahead of Ferrari\'s initial public offering, despite disagreements with previous executives.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief executive Sergio Marchionne may take the reins at Ferrari in the coming months, ahead of the division's initial public offering, according to a Bloomberg report.
Sources claim the Prancing Horse brand is considering appointing Marchionne as its chief executive when the current CEO, Amedeo Felisa, retires before the end of the year.
Marchionne currently serves as Ferrari's chairman, a position he took after a public dispute with former chairman Luca di Montezemolo. The executives had disagreed over the brand's future, with di Montezemolo arguing for an annual production cap of 7,000 units to maintain exclusivity.
After taking his post as chairman late last year, Marchionne promised to not "screw up" the brand's DNA. He argued that output numbers could safely increase to 10,000 units annually, however, without threatening Ferrari's positioning against segment rivals.
The latest report suggests Marchionne could serve as CEO of both FCA and Ferrari, while Felisa will serve as an advisor following his official departure, though a decision on the new chief executive has not yet been finalized.


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Articles tagged ‘mwc 2013’
Mobile World Congress 2013 ended on 28 February. Here's a round-up of our hands-on experience with the latest smartphones and tablets, and all that you need to know about the major developments for the mobile industry in 2013.
LG is one of the few phone makers to venture into the 5.5-inch phone segment, where Samsung rules with an iron fist. Can LG's first Full-HD smartphone beat Samsung in its own game? Here's our first impressions of the LG Optimus G Pro.
Sony announced yesterday that the Xperia Tablet Z will hit global markets from spring 2013. As its availability is still some months away, we decided to drop by the Sony booth at MWC 2013 and explored the tablet further. Hit the link to find out more.
ASUS took the wraps off the latest member of the PadFone family, the 5-inch PadFone Infinity. Equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB RAM, the PadFone Infinity is set to give the other 5-inch phones a run for their money. Read on to find out more about the PadFone Infinity.
Samsung introduced yet another screen size to its ever-growing tablet portfolio - the Galaxy Note 8.0. Besides the 8-inch display size, does the Galaxy Note 8.0 has any other differences from the Galaxy Note family? Read on to find out more.
We had a quick hands-on with the latest Tegra 4 processors from NVIDIA which also include the Phoenix reference design platform. Hit the link to find out what's new in these processors.
With the Mobile World Congress 2013 coming right up, let us gaze into the crystal ball and share a quick round-up of the latest news surrounding the annual event held at Barcelona. Do read on if you are a huge mobile device buff!
HTC held a launch event for its latest flagship model, the One in London today. Join us as we check out the new features of the HTC One, and how different it is from the Butterfly and other competing smartphones.
- Security researchers show how a USB device can takeover your computer
- Apple cutting more than a quarter of Beats team
- Apple said to unveil iPhone 6 on September 16, hit retail shelves on October 14?
- Samsung to launch two new high-end smartphones soon to reverse falling sales
- Samsung to announce the Galaxy Note 4 on September 3?
- HTC's new J Butterfly is waterproof One (M8) in disguise, available only in Japan
- Petfie, a photo-sharing app for animal lovers, launches in Singapore
- Creative announces affordable T3250 wireless 2.1-speaker system


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The Cook Islands hopes to increase the number of visitors with the opening of two additional routes in 2023.
Beginning in May 2023, Hawaiian Airlines will fly once per week between Honolulu and Rarotonga. Fares will go on sale on December 7.
Jetstar will start operating a twice-weekly flight from Sydney to Rarotonga in June, and tickets are now on sale.
According to the nation’s Prime Minister Mark Brown, tourism is the “backbone of the economy,” accounting for 75% of GDP, and the new routes are crucial for the small island nation.
“The new services provide a major boost to our tourism sector and the financial impact for local tourism operators and the nation is significant,” he said.
“We are delighted that Hawaiian Airlines and Jetstar are making this commitment to the Cook Islands.”


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Movado Group Inc. said fourth-quarter profits fell, but saw gains in sales for the period.
For the three months ended Jan. 31, net income fell 9.2 percent to $7.2 million, or 28 cents a diluted share, from $7.9 million, or 31 cents, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, excluding certain charges in the quarter including a reallocation strategy connected with ESQ Movado, net income was $12 million, or 46 cents a diluted share, versus $10.5 million, or 41 cents, last year. Net sales rose 7 percent to $132.3 million from $123.6 million. On an adjusted basis, excluding the $7.8 million charge for anticipated sales return related to the ESQ Movado reallocation strategy, net sales were up 9 percent to $140.1 million.
Steve Aoki held a presentation, a runway show and outdoor concert for his men's line Dim Mak. Here's a look from his spring 2018 collection, which was titled "Paradise Found." #wwdfashion #wwdmens (📷: George Chinsee)
"It's really hard sometimes. I think I have a reputation for being really tough and aggressive and pushy but I really am a very shy person who wants to be liked, and that's the conflict constantly. There's something that takes hold - I want people to like me, I don't want to be mean - but if I see something that just cries out to be answered, I go for it," says renowned NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. (📷: @axeldupeux)


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HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia NOK1V.HE, the world’s largest cellphone maker, forecast handset market volumes would grow around 10 percent next year, more than analysts’ 8.6 percent consensus.
Nokia also said on Wednesday its market share would be unchanged in 2010.
“Going into 2010, the overall mobile devices market is stabilizing and it is growing more in the areas where Nokia has competitive advantages,” Nokia’s new finance director Timo Ihamuotila said in a statement.
Nokia forecast its handset unit’s operating profit margin to be 12-14 percent next year, in line with that reached earlier this year, but well below levels above 20 percent seen a few years ago.
Sal. Oppenheim analyst Nicolas Von Stackelberg said while the implied guidance for the top line in devices and services looked slightly better than most people were looking for, “the margin they are guiding for ... I think consensus was probably gravitating towards the higher end of that guidance. So that is a slight negative.”
Nokia’s shares were down 1.0 percent at 8.82 euros at 1200 GMT (noon BST), compared with a 0.6 percent weaker Dow Jones Stoxx European Technology Index .SX8P
Nokia’s closest rival, Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), gave an upbeat forecast for 2009 mobile phone sales earlier this week due to sharp growth in touchscreen models.
Nokia and the rest of the cellphone industry have suffered as consumers cut spending on new gadgets, with the more expensive end of the market seeing increasingly stiff competition.
Editing by Dan Lalor


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USPS sees net loss of $255M for November
The figures, made public by the PRC, are unaudited. The federal agency is required to report its finances to the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Postal Service representatives have predicted a revenue decline of $2.2 billion for the 2010 fiscal year, as well as a net loss of $7.8 billion, cost reductions of more than $3.5 billion and a reduction in mail volume of more than 11 billion pieces.
Last November, the USPS reported a net loss of $3.8 billion for its 2009 fiscal year. It also disclosed a nearly 9.1% drop in operating revenue for the 2009 fiscal year from $74.9 billion for the prior period. Congress allowed the USPS to delay $4 billion in payments to a retirees' healthcare fund last year. The USPS was charged with spending $5.4 billion on payments to the fund for fiscal year 2009.