text:
McDonald’s and Burger King supplier Mrs Bector's Foods to launch ₹540 crore IPO on December 15
- Mrs Bector’s Food Specialities is all set to float its ₹540 crore initial public offering (IPO) on December 15.
- The company is the largest supplier of buns in India to reputed QSR chains such as Burger King India, Connaught Plaza Restaurants, Hardcastle Restaurants, and more.
- Price band for the IPO has been set at ₹286-288, and the issue will close on December 17.
- Check out the latest news and updates on Business Insider.
AdvertisementA premium biscuit-maker and leading supplier of buns to fast-food chains like Burger King and McDonald's, Mrs Bector’s Food Specialities is all set to float its ₹540 crore initial public offering (IPO) on December 15.
The company manufactures and markets a range of products such as biscuits, bread and buns. It also markets a wide variety of bakery products under its flagship brand "Mrs Bector's Cremica" and the "English Oven".
Mrs Bector's Foods IPO opens next week
|Opens on||December 15|
|Closes on||December 17|
|Price band||₹286-288 per share|
|Reservation for retail investors||35%|
|Reservation for qualified institutional buyers||50%|
|Reservation for non-institutional buyers||15%|
Investors can bid for a minimum of 50 equity shares and thereafter in multiples of 50 equity shares. Company plans to use the IPO proceeds for financing the project cost towards its Rajpura expansion project by establishing a new production line for biscuits and for general corporate purpose.
Once the IPO is concluded, the shares are likely to hit the bourses on December 28. The equity shares will be listed on both the exchanges — BSE and NSE. SBI Capital Markets, ICICI Securities and IIFL Securities are the lead managers for its initial public offering (IPO).
Mrs Bector’s Food: All you need to know
- ITC, Britannia Parle are the key rivals for Mrs Bector's Food in the biscuits and bakery products segment.
- The company is the largest supplier of buns in India to reputed QSR chains such as Burger King India, Connaught Plaza Restaurants, Hardcastle Restaurants, and Yum! Restaurants and many more.
- The company has six manufacturing facilities located in Phillaur and Rajpura (Punjab), Tahliwal (Himachal Pradesh), Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Khopoli (Maharashtra) and Bengaluru (Karnataka).
- The company’s net profit has seen a stellar growth of 282.18% from September 30, 2019 to September 30, this year, it said in its RHP.
- The Indian biscuits and bakery retail market is valued at ₹ 450.00 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 9% over the next five years.
The IPO of Mrs Bectors Food Specialities is the latest to come out with a public offering this year, which has seen 13 IPOs so far.
The recently concluded IPO of Burger King, saw a stellar response from investors — making it the second most subscribed IPO this year with a subscription of 156.65 times.
However, Mrs Bector’s Food might not be the end of IPOs this year — IRFC to RailTel and many more are on the anvil.
SEE ALSO: Facebook hit with 2 massive antitrust lawsuits from the FTC and 46 states seeking to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp
Airbnb prices IPO at $68 per share, will raise $3.5 billion
Popular on BI
- Jewellery brands deck up in hope of bumper festive sales ahead
- Xiaomi is worried that investigations in India might affect it cash flows, operating results
- Delhi and Kolkata are the two most polluted cities in the world: Report
- There is a yawning gap between the confidence of consumers and businesses
- TikTok’s in-app browser on iOS includes code that can monitor your keystrokes and taps


text:
Plantation Restaurant in Dickson to offer southern food
Chris and Marci Lucas, owners of the Tri-County Restaurant in Vanleer, have developed a very loyal clientele over the years.
“We have a lot of people coming from Clarksville and Dickson, a number of them asked if we would build a restaurant in their city,” said Chris Lucas. “Marci and I made a decision, along with our family and friends, to open our second restaurant in Dickson.”
And that new business – The Plantation – The New Restaurant – will soon be opening its doors for business in the coming weeks. It is to be located at 237 Beasley Drive in Dickson, near Walmart.
The Plantation Restaurant will feature freshly home-cooked Southern foods. It will have three buffet tables with 50 hot items and two cold bars: a full salad bar, and a homemade dessert bar with cakes, pies, homemade cobblers, and 12 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream. We will offer family-style service, serving hand-cut ribeyes, New York strips, and sirloin steaks, prime rib (cut to order), and our own BBQ (pork, chicken and beef).
Doors will open in January at the restaurant that will be located at 237 Beasley Drive in Dickson, near Walmart.

domain: news


text:
Brian Armstrong, Coinbase's CEO, said at the 2017 Token Summit that in the future Bitcoin or a number of other cryptocurrencies could be a world reserve currency.
According to Business...
A recent study suggests that forum comments predict the price of Bitcoin with 80% accuracy.
In that case I predict Bitcoin will be worth $1 million per coin by next week. Let's make this happen! Ha ha


text:
A new chart from Statista displays the 2013 growth of 10 top tech stocks, including Twitter.
In all, it was a pretty gangbusters year for tech stock.
- Netflix’s stock price almost quadrupled during 2013
- Apple’s performance was the worst, seeing only a 1% gain
- Twitter Average Ad Rates Declined By 18% In Q4 2013, Down 81% Since Q1 2012 [STATS]
- Tweets About The Oscars Were Seen 3.3 Billion Times Worldwide [STATS]
- The 10 Most Popular People On Twitter [STATS]
- The Oscars Gobbles Up The Walking Dead In Top 10 Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings [CHART]


text:
5 Companies That Had A Rough Week
The Week Ending June 23
Topping this week's roundup of those having a rough week is Lumenate, which filed for bankruptcy protection and disclosed millions of dollars in debt owed to a distributor.
Also making the list this week were the Republican National Committee, whose voter database suffered a major data leak; Microsoft and users of its Skype service, who suffered through connectivity problems, possibly caused by a DDoS attack; Infosys, which agreed to pay New York state a $1 million fine to settle a visa case; and BlackBerry, whose first-quarter results fell short of expectations.
Not everyone in the IT industry was having a rough go of it this week. For a rundown of companies that made smart decisions, executed savvy strategic moves – or just had good luck – check out this week's Five Companies That Came To Win roundup.
Lumenate Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection, Discloses Millions In Debts
Solution provider Lumenate has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. The filing came after distributor Tech Data cut off Lumenate's financing and stopped selling or shipping equipment to the company, according to a CRN report this week.
Lumenate had worked closely with Avnet Technology Solutions for years. But Avnet sold ATS to Tech Data in February and the distributor cut off financing and product shipments, according to creditors' filings that are part of the bankruptcy record. Without products to sell, Lumenate said it was unable to generate new sales or accounts receivable.
By the end of May Lumenate said it owed $25.5 million to ATS and as much as $24.5 million to other creditors.
Massive AWS Data Service Leak Exposes RNC Voter Data
It was a bad week for Amazon Web Services, the Republican National Committee and millions of voters whose data was exposed through a huge leak from a cloud database.
The data was exposed through a misconfigured database stored on a publicly accessible cloud server and hosted on AWS' Simple Storage Service. Deep Root Analysis, a firm contracted by the RNC, owned the database.
The leak of more than 1.1 terabytes of personal data on more than 198 million American voters included names, birthdates, home addresses, phone numbers, and voter registration details.
An analysis by UpGuard said the data repository "lacked any protection against access" and that another 24 terabytes of stored data was improperly configured.
Microsoft Skype Reportedly Hit By DDoS Attack; Customers Faced Connectivity Challenges
It also wasn't a great week for Microsoft and users of its Skype instant messaging and chat service. Microsoft confirmed an outage in the Skype service earlier this week and reports said the problems were the result of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.
Customers, primarily in Europe, began reporting connectivity issues Monday, some with hours of downtime. The issues continued into Tuesday with users losing connectivity and having difficulty exchanging messages.
In a tweet, a hacker group calling itself CyberTeam claimed responsibility for the attack.
Infosys To Pay $1 Million To Settle New York Visa Case
IT services outsourcing giant Infosys agreed to pay a $1 million fine to the State of New York to settle a case in which Infosys allegedly failed to adequately compensate and pay taxes for hundreds of visa workers, according to stories published by Seeking Alpha and Livemint.com.
The case resulted from a whistleblower report that Infosys brought foreign IT specialists into New York to work without obtaining the required H-1B visas. The company allegedly brought the workers in using more easily obtainable 1-B temporary visitor visas.
Infosys maintained in a statement that it had committed no wrongdoing and was settling the case to avoid protracted litigation.
In 2013, Infosys agreed to pay $34 million to settle another visa abuse case.
BlackBerry Misses Sales Forecast, Stock Falls
BlackBerry posted first-quarter sales Friday that missed expectations because of an unexpected sales decline with revenue from software and professional sales falling 4.7 percent during the quarter, according to a Reuters report.
News of the decline led to a steep plunge in the price of BlackBerry's stock, as much as 13 percent – the biggest one-day decline in the company's share price in more than two years, Reuters said.
BlackBerry has staked its future on the sale of high-margin software and the stock's price had soared 60 percent during the quarter because of expectations that sales of those software products were growing, according to Reuters. But the actual results fell short.


text:
Jamaicans will see their options for shipping connectivity increase following a recent partnership between R.S. Gamble and global operating logistics provider Kuehne+Nagel.
Under the agreement, R.S. Gamble will act as Kuehne+Nagel’s independent non-exclusive agent in Jamaica, allowing its customers to connect their businesses with 1,300 other Kuehne+Nagel locations worldwide.
R.S. Gamble was created in 1998 and is a leading shipping provider in Jamaica, offering ground transportation and freight services from two offices in Kingston and another in Montego Bay. It also operates as ship agents and marine insurance claim-settling agents representing many companies in the international assurance arena.
Additionally, the company is Lloyd’s agent in Jamaica, with other principals including the International Underwriters Association of London, W.K. Webster and the United States Salvage Association, Swedish Club, plus a range of other European and Far Eastern insurance companies.
Kuehne+Nagel also announced a similar partnership with Laparkan Trading Company Limited in Guyana, further expanding its operations. which includes 21 countries in South and Central America.
Laparkan has almost four decades’ experience in providing ground-handling services to a range of overseas cargo operations. Guyana is considered one of the fastest-growing economies globally and an emerging energy market expected to grow further in 2022.
Known as a leader in sea logistics, Kuehne+Nagel also has strong standing in air logistics, allowing its customers to access innovative and easily customisable logistics services, it shared in a release.
Regarding the announcements, Managing Director, Central America and Caribbean cluster at Kuehne+Nagel, Jan Trittin, said: “These new partnerships represent a major step for the company in South and Central America, strengthening its presence and enhancing business networks and connecting people and goods. We are delighted to collaborate closely with our new partners supporting the region’s growth and development.”
Kuehne+Nagel’s comprehensive service offering in the Caribbean region includes sea logistics full container load and less-than-container load, air logistics services, customs brokerage, delivery, warehousing, special transportation requirements for the energy sector, as well as healthcare, temperature-controlled goods, and oversize cargo.


text:
SkyGreece Airlines is celebrating the launch of its new web site, skygreece.com, by offering 15% commission for all new reservations booked between April 7 and May 15 for any departures between May 17 and Oct. 31.
SkyGreece offers service to Athens, Budapest (twice weekly, direct non-stop flights), Thessaloniki and Zagreb (direct non-stop) from Toronto.
Agents can book their clients via GDS, the airline’s call centre and now the new web site. Agents can register online or by calling 1-855-781-8585.
For further details, agent in Toronto can call Eleni Kessaris at 416-487-3886 or at email@example.com and in Montreal, Denis Codere at 450-781-8511, ext.160 or at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Google today announced that it now has 500 experiments over on ChromeExperiments.com. In fact, the search giant created the 500th experiment, an array of interactive particles, each one of them corresponding to a different submission that can be sorted by date or by category. In other words, the latest experiment is an experiment of experiments. You can check it out here: Experiment 500.
Google launched ChromeExperiments.com back in March 2009 with just 19 experiments. That means the company has seen some 481 submissions in 42 months, or more than 11 new experiments added every month.
The whole point of the website is to show that the World Wide Web “is capable of amazing things and is becoming more capable all the time.” Google’s business relies on pushing the Web forward, and that’s exactly why the company launched Chrome: it wasn’t happy with the development pace of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
So ChromeExperiments.com is all about demonstrating the Web’s potential, while also promoting Chrome, since all the submissions from the “creative coding community” have to work well with Google’s browser. It also lets the search giant keep track of trends amongst Web developers: the company says some of the original experiments are still popular today, but the new ones are where things get really interesting.
Google noted that after Chrome added support for WebGL, the company started seeing beautiful 3D graphics experiments, and when Web Audio came out, it received experiments that let users compose music. With the release of Chrome for Android and iOS, the search giant announced a new gallery of mobile experiments. The latest experiments to become popular have been ones that show off real-time coding.
Head over to ChromeExperiments.com and play around. You’re very likely to find something that will shock and awe you.
Image credit: stock.xchng


text:
Tractor Supply appoints Gregory Sandfort CEO
Sept 27 (Reuters) - Farm and ranch products retailer Tractor Supply Co said Chief Executive James Wright will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Gregory Sandfort effective Jan. 1, 2013.
Wright will stay on as executive chairman for a year.
Sandfort joined Tractor Supply as chief merchandising officer in 2007.
Shares of the company closed at $99.91 on the Nasdaq on Thursday.
- Children's corpses reveal desperate attempts to escape Korean ferry |
- Russia says it will respond if Ukraine interests attacked |
- Vote delayed on loan guarantee for World Trade Center developer
- Obama seeks to ease Asian allies' doubts during visit to Japan |
- NYPD Twitter campaign backfires, thousands of negative tweets


text: 2013's been a remarkable year for major markets, with Germany's DAX up 26% and Tokyo finishing the year up 57%. But some emerging markets like Turkey and Brazil were hit hard by the Federal Reserve's long dither about when to start the taper. China has ended a year-long freeze on new IPO, giving the go ahead for five to start out with. But despite the boost from recently announced economic reforms, the Shanghai Composite ended the twelve months down 7.1%. In London, especially after last week's strong rally, the FTSE 100 is expecting to clock up gains of around 14% on the year. But some big retailers have been hit by worries about weak consumer spending and heavy discounting in the weeks before Christmas.


text:
Ferris calls on Minister to address crisis in pig sector
The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Agriculture Martin Ferris TD has called on Minister Mary Coughlan to take immediate steps to address the crisis affecting Irish pig producers. The Kerry North TD was speaking prior to meeting an IFA delegation who are in Dublin to draw attention to the issue.
Deputy Ferris said, "It is clear that pig producers are experiencing great difficulties at the moment. Many producers are currently operating at a loss and it has been estimated that up to 30% are under threat of being forced out of business. Given the value of the sector and the fact that 7,000 people are employed, it is vital that steps are taken to address the crisis.
"One of the key factors is that producers are faced with feed prices that have risen sharply over the past year. That has not been compensated for by any increase in the price paid to producers by the processors. These are both issues that require urgent attention.
"Another factor that threatens the sector is the importation of pig meat that is processed here and then sold on to consumer without being clearly identified. It is vital therefore that all food carries a country of origin label. That should be implemented for all imported food produce and should form a part of a Department led survival strategy for the pig sector." ENDS


text:
Judge Approves TTI Acquisition of Oreck
July 17, 2013,
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-Judge Keith Lundin of the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville division, has formally approved TTI's acquisition of Oreck, which has been under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since May.
According to a statement from Oreck, the purchase has been made by OAC Acquisition Co., an affiliate of Royal Appliance Manufacturing Co., a TTI subsidiary. It gives TTI, already the parent company of the Hoover and Dirt Devil floor-care brands, another high-profile brand in vacuums. The Oreck statement said the acquisition is expected to close on July 24.
A TTI statement said the company plans to maintain production at Oreck's facility in Cookeville, Tenn. Simon Lawson, global president of TTI Floor Care, said the company will be reviewing the situation regarding Oreck's company-owned stores. Meetings with the Oreck team will be taking place over the next few days.
The Oreck statement said its June earnings statement showed sales of $10.1 million and net income of $167,000. As a result, the company reduced its loan balance by $257,000.


text:
The Annan, Dumfries and Galloway-based grower has already ordered 20 per cent more for 2010.
Representative Iain Barbour said: "I think 2010 will be the peak; after that it will settle down. People can only grow so many potatoes." He added: "Lots of suppliers just do one run in January and don't do top-ups for garden centres. We supply from December to August. We even supplied Wyevale this year, which had a booming trade. We're working with (Chelsea gold medallist) Medwyn Williams too."
Barbour supplies wholesalers such as BHGS and Solus — through which Jamieson is launching 16 new varieties for 2010 - and said the firm is "up against Unwins, Taylors and Thompson & Morgan".
He said those companies had the advantage of supplying a range of potatoes, bulbs, seeds and - in Unwins' case - compost.
Barbour said garden centres should consider buying from the supplier rather than packers. "We are saying: 'If you want the best seed potatoes, buy from the specialist producer.' The others are packing our potatoes."


text:
Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) continues to decline since disclosing its decision to acquire Motorola Mobility, the subsidiary of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) that develops smartphones for $2.91 billion.
The shares of Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) were down by more than 11% to $22.49 per share at the time of this writing, around 12:44 in the afternoon in New York.
A decade ago, no one talked about tail risk hedge funds, which were a minuscule niche of the market. However, today many large investors, including pension funds and other institutions, have mandates that require the inclusion of tail risk protection. In a recent interview with ValueWalk, Kris Sidial of tail risk fund Ambrus Group, a Read More
The stockholders of Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) started dumping their shares in the company following its deal to acquire Motorola Mobility. Investors were concerned about its acquisition strategy. Lenovo also purchased the low-end server business of International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) for $2.3 billion last month.
Market observers opined that Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) will face challenges of turning Motorola Mobility into a profitable business and swiftly integrating the low-end server business into to its corporate strategy.
Bernstein Research analyst, Alberto Moel commented “At this point, we believe Lenovo may have bitten off more than it can chew.”
According to Moel, Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) needs high investment power, financial resources, and care and feeding to make Motorola Mobility a success as well as the low-end servers it acquired from IBM.
Moel pointed out that just like Motorola Mobility, International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)’s x86 server business was also losing money, but he thinks it “could become a new profit pool [for Lenovo] even if the margin expansion is modest.” The investment research firm previously estimated that the x86 server business could add $4 billion to $5 billion annual revenue to Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992).
On the other hand, Jefferies analyst Ken Hui, said Lenovo’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility is a “correct move, but will lead to multiyear negative impact on earnings.” He added, “Without cutting expenses, Motorola has to double sales to break even, which is challenging.”
Building pillars of growth
In a recent interview, Yang Yuanqing, chief executive officer of Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (OTCMKTS:LNVGY) (HKG:0992) explained that the company’s latest moves are part of its strategy to build two pillars of growth for the next decade— smartphones and tablets business as one pillar and the second pillar is enterprise business including servers and storage.


text:
Minnesota legislators returned to the Capitol on Tuesday to clear a new COVID-19 relief package and negotiate a deal to allow bars and restaurants to sell takeaway wine and beer during the pandemic.
The bill, lawmakers’ fourth relief package since the pandemic started, doesn’t come with a big price tag, but it includes wide-ranging changes to make governing and life easier while most public spaces remain closed. Gov. Tim Walz recently extended his stay-at-home order until May 4.
Among the changes, the bill extends deadlines for court filings and allows local government to operate remotely, while also giving Minnesotans the ability to apply for a marriage license without appearing in person.
It also extends emergency powers to Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm to open temporary health facilities at places such as school gyms or armories, and it lets the state use federal transportation funds to pay for protective gear like masks, gloves and plastic barriers to protect transit workers.
The bill expands coverage of telemedicine during the pandemic and provides medical assistance to uninsured Minnesotans for COVID-19 testing and treatment.
A separate bill would allow restaurants and bars shuttered during the pandemic to sell up to two bottles of wine and 144 ounces of beer with takeaway food orders. Walz has said he supports the idea, but lawmakers were still negotiating the details of the bill.


text:
Take a cab, don’t buy a car’ is urban India’s newest trend, still nascent but likely to get stronger, as both experts and auto companies think.
MakeMyTrip has invested $5 million in Bona Vita Technologies Pvt Ltd, a startup founded by former Snapdeal chief technology officer Amitabh Misra.
He now has big ambitions for Droom. The portal which has about 6,500 listings, charges an online fee of about 2% for customers.
Companies like Myntra and Snapdeal have so far hired 8-10 McKinsey consultants each, Paytm will have another 8-9.
Realty portal Housing.com aims to close down some business units and renew its focus on building new products to generate advertisement revenue
Wrig Nanosystems, a medical technology startup founded by an IIT Delhi graduate, has raised Rs 15 crore in funding from Flipkart, Ranbaxy and Fortis and Round-Glass Partners’
ManageMySpa, a software solution startup founded by Silicon Valley returned serial entrepreneur Sudheer Koneru, has raised $6 million from Accel Partners.
The private equity arm of Fidelity is in advanced talks to lead a Rs 96 crore fundraising round in Mumbai-based CredR.
Billion-dollar cracker for Diwali: Flipkart, Snapdeal shore up capital for the upcoming festive season
Flipkart is said to be raising $1 bn from existing investors at a post-money valuation of $15 bn, according to two sources familiar with the plan.
UpGrad, in which Screwvala plans to personally invest Rs 100 crore over the next two years, will also launch courses for new tech economy.
- No blogs yet have been written by the author, we’re sure the author will contribute one soon


text:
Nintendo Switch Is The Fastest Selling Video Game Console In Spain’s History
SNAP NEWS – READ THE NEWS IN 1 MINUTE
Nintendo Switch is the fasted and best-selling Nintendo console in Spain, according to a new report, and also it had surpassed the Xbox One already.
A report out of Spain states Nintendo Switch has sold over 300,000 units in the country since it released in March 2017.
Comparing sales between both consoles. Xbox One unit sales since its 2013 release were just below the 10-month sales figure for Nintendo Switch.
According to gamereactor it will be a “Tricky” for Microsoft to handle Xbox One sales compared to US And UK.
The switch is also one of the fastest selling game consoles ever made and has broken several records already. It’s been only 1 year and Switch is already ahead of the competition, I wonder what Switch has in stores for us in 2018. Cough**Nintendo Labo** Cough
What do you think? Let us know down below
#Nintendo Switch Is The Fastest Selling Video Game Console In Spain’s History


text:
IT turns out a summer backpacking across Europe isn’t just for people with bottomless pockets.
A new report has revealed that you can visit 15 European countries for under £300, if you travel by bus.
The study by travel search platform Wanderu reveals how to plot the bargain break of a lifetime this summer.
The multi-city trip is a loop, allowing travellers to start and finish their journey from any one of the featured capitals.
It features stops in London, Brussels, Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Rome, Bern and Paris.
It has never been more affordable to travel internationally than right now, thanks to the rise of budget bus travel, with trips from Paris to Amsterdam for £16, and trips from Berlin to Vienna for £19.
On average, this trip would cost you £476.03, but if you plan enough in advance and are flexible, the lowest prices found for each route over a 30-day period came to £298.82.
In total, the journey time over the entire trip is 144 hours, but some legs can be as little as one-hour long, while the longest is just over 20 hours long.
Some do include a transfer, although that is included in the total time of the journey leg.
MOST READ IN TRAVEL
The average trip lasts around nine hours, far longer than a flight, but you would be arriving at the centre of the city instead of an out-of-town airport.
And the bus journeys are also a fraction of the price, they usually let you take a piece of luggage for free, and they allow you to take in the beauty of every region you pass by.
While train travel has been the preferred way to travel across Europe over the past few decades, bus travel has recently emerged as a viable and more affordable alternative.


text:
Dell's ready to deliver. Since February 16 when it launched Ideastorm, a customer-based crowdsourcing site, over 100,000 comments have addressed the possibility of offering leading Linux versions preinstalled in addition to, or in place of Windows. Dell spokesman David Lord confirms that the Linux buzz is being "taken into consideration" and tells us we should "certainly stay tuned." Despite the vague update, Dell no longer has the luxury of turning a blind eye to high customer demand since it's getting exactly what it asked for in the first place. Believe it or not, Dell is no stranger to Linux, according to Lord who explains that it sells custom-designed, high-end Linux desktops for use in oil and gas exploration. There's no doubt that systems pre-loaded with Linux instead of Windows would cost less, but it's hard to say how much since it isn't clear what Dell tacks on for Windows. In addition, some customers are pushing to swap MS Office with OpenOffice, which is another way to reduce system prices. So it looks like Dell's got a real (Idea)storm a-brewin' and an interesting opportunity to make some big changes -- but stalling seems to be the plan du jour for now.
Read - Dell Ideastorm site
Read - Reuters
Dell customers root for Linux option
Jeannie Choe|March 7, 2007 11:27 AM


text:
Some of high-tech’s heaviest hitters will be in New York City Wednesday to meet with President-elect Donald J. Trump. On the list of all-stars expected to attend the meeting are Alphabet CEO Larry Page, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and Oracle CEO Safra Catz. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is likely to attend as well. Bezos also owns The Washington Post, whose reporters the president-elect at one point barred from his campaign events.
The original article can be found here: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/84164.html?rss=1
Powered by WPeMatico


text:
Starting this weekend, the University League of Legends Campus Series will kick off--with 32 different schools from the U.S. and Canada duking it out for a scholarship prize pool of nearly $ 660,000. Since the money will be split among the five players on ...
- Nintendo 3DS emulator Citra adds HD support to stunning results April 30, 2016
- Minecraft: Gear VR Edition is now on sale April 27, 2016
- Push Me Pull You gets a release date and is… something April 24, 2016
- River City: Tokyo Rumble coming stateside later this year April 21, 2016
- Check out these screenshots of Street Fighter 5’s next character, Guile April 19, 2016


text:
BioShock publisher 2K Games has said to CVG it has "no update" on the status of BioShock Vita following the massive layoffs at developer Irrational Games earlier this week.
As owners of the BioShock IP, 2K Games now has to decide on the future of the franchise--and whether that ultimately includes the development and release of BioShock on Vita. Series creator Ken Levine unveiled BioShock Vita at E3 in 2011, saying the game would be built from scratch.
Despite having seen nothing on the title in years, the project has never been officially axed. "I am literally trying to make a match between the parties," said Levine in August last year, talking about establishing a deal between Sony and 2K Games parent company Take-Two Interactive.
"They have to agree and it has to be a business deal," he said at the time. "I've still very much engaged in [BioShock Vita]. I can't personally greenlight the thing myself."
Nothing of BioShock Vita has ever been shown outside of a logo. Will the project ever see the light of day?


text:
- About bilaterals.org
- Feb-2016: New ISDS platform launched
- Sep-2004: Launch announcement
- Feb-2015: Relaunch of bilaterals.org
- Mar-2013: Relaunch of bilaterals.org
- Jun-2009: Relaunch of bilaterals.org
- Dec-2008: An update from bilaterals.org and logo design contest announcement
- Dec-2006: bilaterals.org in Spanish & French
- Sep-2006: Update from bilaterals.org
- How to participate
- Key issues
- Texts of agreements
Comesa trade tops $7.8 billion as FTA membership reaches 13
The East African (Nairobi)
January 9, 2007
Comesa Trade Tops $7.8 Billion As FTA Membership Reaches 13
By Michael Mugwang’a, Special Correspondent
Business among Comesa countries has doubled in the past two years, and currently stands at more than $7.8 billion.
And the number of countries that have joined the club’s Free Trade Area (FTA) has grown to 13, with others waiting on the sidelines.
A ministerial meeting for Comesa member countries held in Nairobi last week noted that the FTA has contributed significantly to expanding business and cross-border investments among the countries.
The meeting, attended by trade ministers and their representatives from seven countries, also announced plans to launch a Customs Union in the next two years.
But the ministers, members of the Ministerial Task Force, said that, in order to ensure that the Union is launched on schedule, member countries need to put in place key implementation issues. The issues include agreeing on a common list of products, harmonising exemption and other duty relief measures and a national schedule for adjustment of national tariffs to match bands in the common external tariffs on raw materials and capital goods.
The member countries are also expected to develop budgetary measures to cut down the revenue gaps arising from the implementation of the common external tariff rates and submit implementation plans for the removal of non- tariff barriers.
To further expand the int-ra Comesa trade, member countries were asked to implement the provisions of an earlier agreement on the issuance of visas.
Speaking after the meeting, Kenya’s Trade and Industry Minister Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, who chaired the meeting, said Kenya had benefited greatly from trade within the Comesa region.
He said the trading bloc accounted for over 49 per cent of the country’s export business.
Uganda, he said, took 50 per cent of the export trade.
On Kenya’s strained relations with Egypt, Dr Kituyi said mechanisms had been put in place to iron out the "few complaints" between the two countries.
"In every business between countries, there are bound to arise a few complaints among the parties, and Kenya and Egypt have put in place a bilateral mechanism to sort out any of that," said Dr Kituyi.
Among the trade ministers at the meeting were those from Djibouti, Egypt, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Kenya.
News from the movements
5-Dec-2016 Médecins Sans Frontières
MSF press release: RCEP trade deal negotiators must reject terms that would harm access to medicinesInternational medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), along with other health groups, reiterated concerns about harmful intellectual property provisions in the proposed agreement that would increase market monopolies for pharmaceutical corporations and delay or block access to affordable generic medicines.
30-Nov-2016 No al TTIPCientos de organizaciones europeas y canadienses instan a las/los legisladores a votar en contra del Acuerdo Integral de Economía y Comercio (CETA).
30-Nov-2016 Temp.coJelang perundingan perdagangan bebas ASEAN RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) di Indonesia, organisasi masyarakat sipil dari berbagai negara mulai melayangkan protes kepada pemerintah di negara-negara yang akan menandatangani perjanjian tersebut.
30-Nov-2016Este es un llamamiento urgente de 316 organizaciones de la sociedad civil de los países de Asia y el Pacífico que negocian la Asociación Económica Regional Ampliada para que el contenido tóxico del TPPT no se incorpore al RCEP
29-Nov-2016This is an urgent call by 316 civil society organisations from across the Asian and Pacific countries negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to reject TPP rules in the RCEP
29-Nov-2016 S2BWe, the undersigned civil society organisations from Canada and Europe, hereby express our deep concern about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada.
29-Nov-2016 Collectif Stop TaftaNous organisations de la société civile d’Europe et du Canada, tenons à exprimer ici notre profonde inquiétude par rapport à l’Accord économique et commercial global entre l’Union européenne et le Canada.
22-Nov-2016 Coalition Nationale "Non aux APE"Déshabiller le peuple sénégalais pour subventionner les entreprises européennes. Préparons-nous à refuser toute augmentation ou réduction contre le peuple. Demandons la peine de mort contre l’APE !
bilaterals.org is a collaborative space to share information and support movements struggling against bilateral trade and investment deals which serve corporations, not people. Multilingual. Global. No one owns it. Open publishing. Get involved.


text:
Famous Footwear Launches App for Mobile Shoppers
St. Louis-based Famous Footwear announced the launch of its new mobile app delivering deals and steals straight to your cell phone. The app allows users to browse, shop and track their purchases as well as gain instant access to savings they can earn through Famous Footwear’s Rewards program.
In just one touch, customers can receive mobile offers, find a store, shop from anywhere and be the first to see the latest trends. The app even includes additional features exclusively for Famous Rewards members including mobile-only exclusive discounts, access to points and ability to redeem at any time, opportunities to earn bonus points and a virtual rewards card. Not a Rewards member? It’s easy to sign up directly in the app to access your extra perks.
Feed your shoe addiction and start earning points by downloading (and shopping) now.


text:
Windows-powered tablets accounted for five per cent of the market, with unit sales up some 28% at 2.7 million, the survey found.
Apple has scheduled a September 9 event to unveil its long-anticipated large-screen iPhone, the online news site Re/code reported on Tuesday.
Organisations are competing on analytics not just because they can — business today is awash in data and data crunchers — but also because they should.
Researchers have developed a more accurate Twitter analysis tool - a software programme that helps decipher 'trends' on the microblogging website.
Xiaomi has become the world's No.5 smartphone maker by market share while Samsung lead has continued to shrink, a report by Strategy Analytics shows.
The deal is the second such in the analytics space after Mastercard concluded a similar arrangement with MuSigma last year.
Wipro appointed one of its senior VP to board of Opera Solutions, data analytics firm in which it holds close to 14% stake, as it looks to balance its services-led growth model.
A computer science engineer from Anna University, Lakshminarayanan will report to Mu Sigma founder Dhiraj Rajaram.


text:
Thailand’s cabinet approved amendments on Tuesday to its narcotics act to allow private production and sale of marijuana for medical use, officials said
With a tradition of using the leaf to relieve pain and fatigue, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian nation to legalise marijuana in 2017 for medical use and research, but only the government was allowed to grow plants.
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul told reporters after a cabinet meeting that the proposed amendments would also allow patients, businesses and medical professionals to produce, export, import and sell the leaf.
“The law will promote the pharmaceutical industry and increase competitiveness, which will be important for Thailand in becoming a leader in medical cannabis,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also told reporters.
Thailand has dropped cannabis extracts from its narcotics list and opened medical marijuana clinics.
Cannabis still remains a category five drug under Thai law, however, and illegal possession is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to 1.5 million baht ($48,000). [Read more at Reuters]
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
With less than a month left in Ohio’s legislative session, a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use will need to move quickly to become law. House Bill 382, introduced…
Backers sought to ease path to passage before end of year. Some Republicans rejected adding extras on defense legislation A marijuana banking measure was left out of a must-pass defense bill,…
PRESS RELEASE Jointly Matches Empowers Budtenders with Goal-Specific Product Insights Jointly, the cannabis discovery company, today announced the launch of Jointly Matches, a first-of-its-kind, goal-based, data-driven cannabis shopping cart builder for…
Although the cannabis industry’s pace can cause time to fly by in dog years, Kyla Sirni, the co-founder and CEO of Dispense, a cannabis eCommerce platform launched in 2020, is…


text:
LONDON.The Footsie finished near its intraday highs, as it jumped back towards the 5,100 level, after a modest start on Wall Street. Global sentiment was lifted last night after on the back of comments from the European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Olli Rehn said, “There is an increasingly shared view that we need a concerted, co-ordinated approach in Europe while many of the elements are done in the member states…Capital positions of European banks must be reinforced to provide additional safety margins and thus reduce uncertainty…This should be regarded as an integral part of the EU’s comprehensive strategy to restore confidence and overcome the crisis.” However, a spokesman for Rehn, Amadeu Altafaj, told Bloomberg that the Economics Commissioner was not speaking of a “concrete plan” last night but rather “of an initiative, of discussions in progress and he pleads for a European approach.”
Nevertheless, the comments spurred a comeback for global stock markets on Wednesday with bourses across Europe making huge gains of 3-4%.
In London, the miners – sensitive to swings in the global economic outlook – were among the best performers. Vedanta Resources, Xstrata, Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton registered gains of at around 7-8%.
Investors seemingly shrugged off the news that Moody’s had downgraded Italy’s credit rating by three notches and gave a negative outlook. Among the drivers for the downgrade is the increased long-term funding risks for highly indebted countries in the Eurozone “as a result of the sustained and non-cyclical erosion of confidence in the wholesale finance environment for euro sovereigns, due to the current sovereign debt crisis,” Moody’s said.
Also not causing too much of a worry was UK gross domestic product figures which came in below expectations for the second quarter. The Office for National Statistics revised its growth forecasts down to 0.1% month-on-month, which will be disappointing to many who were expecting the rate of growth to remain unrevised at 0.2%. This means that second quarter GDP was 0.6% higher than the same period in 2010, down from initial forecasts of a 0.7% improvement.
SUPERMARKETS SOLID, BUT TROUBLES ON THE HIGH STREET
In company movements, the retailers were in focus today with some big names reporting their figures.
Despite falling early on, Tesco rose higher. While like-for-like (LFL) sales (excluding VAT and petrol) fell by 0.5% in the first half, total sales grew by 8.8%. Rival supermarket Sainsbury made good gains after announcing that revenues grew 7.6% in the first half, as sales growth accelerated in the second quarter.
On the FTSE 250, however, the retailers disappointed. High street baby clothes retailer Mothercare lost more than a third of its market value on news of a 9.6% decline in like-for-like sales in the UK in the last quarter.
Trendy fashion retailer SuperGroup saw its share price plummet over a quarter after revealing a major problem at its new Barnwood warehouse in
Gloucestershire, which it estimates will cut profits by £6-9m this year. Out-of-town homewares retailer Dunelm fell after seeing like-for-like sales fall by 2% in the first quarter.
chocolate maker Thorntons also was out of favour after sales dropped 7.6% in the 14 weeks to 1 October, owing to the tough current retail environment.
Other retailing heavyweights also fell, with Next, Kingfisher and Marks & Spencer among the worst performers of the day on the FTSE 100.
UK services purchasing managers’ index rose from 51.1 to 52.9 last month, as growth in the services sector beat expectations.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) shop price index for the month of September has come in at 2.7% on year, the same as the month
before. The Eurozone purchasing managers index for the month of September has come in at 48.8, below the ‘flash’ estimate of 49.1, according to
FTSE 100 – Risers
Vedanta Resources (VED) 1,029.00p +8.54%
Wolseley (WOS) 1,640.00p +8.18%
Barclays (BARC) 155.45p +7.69%
Aviva (AV.) 295.60p +7.37%
Kazakhmys (KAZ) 782.50p +7.19%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,905.50p +7.12%
Xstrata (XTA) 818.20p +7.09%
IMI (IMI) 681.00p +6.99%
Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 557.50p +6.80%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 95.90p +6.79%
FTSE 100 – Fallers
Inmarsat (ISAT) 444.90p -6.02%
Next (NXT) 2,447.00p -2.28%
Kingfisher (KGF) 234.90p -2.12%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 308.80p
Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,086.00p -1.27%
International Power (IPR) 308.70p -1.18%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 614.00p -1.13%
Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 2,125.00p -0.70%
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,521.00p -0.59%
Autonomy Corporation (AU.) 2,550.00p 0.00%


text:
New Delhi, Nov 27 () Industrial and automotive component supplier Schaeffler AG
today announced an investment of Rs 200 crore to set up a manufacturing unit at Talegaon, Pune, along with a new research and development unit.
The new production facility of the company's arm NA Bearings Pvt Ltd, will manufacture engine and transmission components, serving domestic and exports markets, the company said in a statement.
The R&D facility will focus on enhancing product development and engineering capabilities driving innovation for customers, it added.
Commenting on the development, Schaeffler
India CEO Dharmesh Arora said, "We see exceptional opportunities (in India) as the economy strengthens in the near to mid term and mobility environment continues to evolve for technology suppliers like Schaeffler."
This new facility will help the company add capacity and enhance product portfolio to serve our customer needs of future, he added.
"This investment is part of our larger strategic growth plan for India rolled out earlier called Mobility for Tomorrow," Arora said.
Schaeffler India's arm INA Bearings Pvt Ltd
is among the leading suppliers of engine, transmission and chassis components including needle roller bearings.
The company's existing Pune plant is currently running at full capacity and employs 700 people.
Schaeffler is currently in the process of merging its two unlisted entities, INA Bearings India Pvt Ltd and Luk India Pvt Ltd
, with the listed entity Schaeffler India Ltd. RKL MR


text:
Compliments of the Season from the Rotary Recycle Swap Shop in St Francis!
The last recycle swap shop took place last Friday (December 5th) at Talhado Children’s Haven in Sea Vista, and as always at the end of the year, we awarded three special prizes.
Our Recycler of the Year went to Nicole Kaunda who attended all 11 swap shop events for the year. She is by far the most consistent of our recyclers and a worthy winner – Well done Nicole!
The second prize for the most plastic caps collected went to another regular supporter, Frediano Bruintjies who attended 10 swap shops.
The third of our prizes which was awarded for the most recyclables collected in terms of weight as well as 10 swap shops attended went to little Anelisiwe Jongwana.
Each prize winner received a giant box of luxury cookies to share with their families. And because it’s Christmas, each of our shoppers received complimentary chocolate as they left the shop.
Please note there will be no recycle swap shop in January as the schools only open again on 21st January and many of the children in Sea Vista are sent “home” to allow their parents or guardians to take advantage of the work opportunities in the holiday Season. Many of our volunteers are very busy or away at this time too. So please diarise the first Rotary Recycle Swap for 2015 as Friday February 7th.
For those who simply cannot keep their recycling for that length of time please remember that there are recycle bins available at the SPCA in Humansdorp.
The swap shop received a wonderful Christmas present and a boost for our 2015 fundraising with a wonderful donation of R10 000.00 from the Rainbow Nation Trust in Port Elizabeth. In addition the Schaeffler South Africa golf day is scheduled for December 15th at the St Francis Bay Golf Club and CEO Len Terblanche has pledged the proceeds for the Rotary Recycle Swap Shop – so golfers please support this important event. Our heartfelt thanks go to these wonderful organisations for their ongoing support for our community.
The Langlands family who donated a bicycle in June have once again come up trumps, donating three bicycles for the project – how awesome is that? Thanks to the Barry’s for transporting the bikes from Cape Town and a special vote of thanks to Custom Bikes who restored these bikes for us at almost no cost. Custom Bikes never fail to support us in an hour of need and we are extremely grateful.
Five bicycles were earned this year and we must also thanks Cathryn Hempel, Janet Shaw, Kirsty Marmarellis, Gilly Tudhope and Bernice Katakuzinos for their donated bicycles and the organisers of last December’s Food & Wine Festival and St Francis Links who donated R4250 of the proceeds to the project.
Young Matthew Setchell and his family deserve special mention as they hauled dozens of pairs of soccer boots, balls and kit with them from their home in Australia when they came to visit family in January. With the World Cup taking place there was enormous demand for soccer kit so the timing couldn’t have been better! Thank you so much!
Last but not least my sincere thanks to our team of hard working volunteers and supportive Rotarians without whom this project simply could not happen and to Talhado Children’s Haven for hosting our project during 2014.
On behalf of Rotary in St Francis, our volunteers and the children I would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday, a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Our Recycler of Year – 12 year old Nicole Kaunda with volunteers Helen Tassioulas and Karin Fuchs


text:
London's Best Restaurants For Wine Lovers
“Hi, I'm Gaspar the sommelier.
I can help you to find the best wine-focused restaurants”
CVS opens pop-up wine bar in the Finger Lakes
The team behind New York and London wine bars Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels has opened a pop-up bar and B&B in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
The UK gets its first orange wine bar
With skin contact wine enjoying its moment in the sun, the UK’s first bar dedicated entirely to orange wine is set to open in London tomorrow.
Pol Roger to host London and Manchester portfolio tastings
The Pol Roger Portfolio is to hold two tastings this March in London and Manchester to mark its 30th anniversary.
Hakkasan Group promotes Tobias Brauweiler MS to group sommelier
Hospitality group Hakkasan has appointed Tobias Brauweiler MS as its group sommelier, several months after the departure of its longstanding head of wine, Christine Parkinson.
Amuse-bouches: The latest restaurant news bites
In restaurant news this week: UK hospitality sales fall by 87% in April through June, local lockdowns affect restaurants in northern England, and Rick Stein’s Marlborough restaurant is saved from closure thanks to a benevolent landlord.
Pedro Lemos opens pop-up at Quinta do Bomfim
Michelin-starred Portuguese chef Pedro Lemos has opened a pop-up restaurant at Quinta do Bomfim, owned by the Symington family, in the Douro Valley.
Tripadvisor’s 10 best fine dining restaurants in the UK
Review site Tripadvisor has announced the winners of its Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards. Here are the 10 winners in the UK fine dining category.
12 London restaurants with outdoor terraces
With al fresco eating proving popular as diners tentatively make their way back to restaurants, we’ve rounded up a dozen of the best outdoor dining spots in the UK capital.
New on WLC
New on Wine List Confidential: Trade
Trade in London’s Soho, a kindly priced members club for those connected to the hospitality industry, was brought into being by two star Master Sommelier operators.
New on Wine List Confidential: Bottles
At Bottles in London’s Spitalfields, guests can explore wines from Italy and beyond at the wine bar which boasts a sustainable kitchen, terrace and communal counter.


text:
Attending IFAI Expo, as well as serving as a moderator in the Advanced Textiles Program, Cheryl Gomes, project manager for the Core Research Facility at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, is working on a consortium under the label Fibers and Textiles Revolution. The goal is to create a sustainable supply chain in the textile industry for Department of Defense needs. The first wave of members includes about 40 companies, more than 20 universities and about 10 state and local governments.
“We have put in a proposal,” she says. “Funding is supposed to be awarded in December.” The consortium is not the same thing as IFAI’s Military Uniform System Technology database project, she points out. Gomes suggests that anyone interested in the new consortium can send an inquiry to firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Do you feel a rush of anxiety when you leave your phone behind - almost as though you’ve abandoned part of yourself? Well, a new study has a term for this - nomophobia - and it’s affecting everyone.
According to the study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, nomophobia (short for no-mobile phobia) affects teenagers and adults alike as our dependence on our mobile phones increases. The scientists believe that as people use their phones to store, share and access personal memories, the phone becomes an extension of who they are.
Study author Dr. Kim Ki Joon stated, “Recent smartphone and app development seems to inevitably increase users’ attachment, as the technology and related services become increasingly personalised and customisable.”
In order to prevent or lower these feelings of separation anxiety, Dr. Joon suggests cellphone users “be conscious not to become overly dependent on smartphones while benefitting from the smartness of the technology.”
Also, the simple act of turning it off or leaving it in another room can help reduce dependency and anxiety.
So take a deep breath and remember - everything will be ok… even if you forgot your phone.


text:
FROM Rachel Abrams
It's Amazon's world, we're just living in it Retail in America is undergoing a revolution. As consumers turn to e-commerce to buy everything from diapers to appliances, big box stores are becoming obsolete. Macy's, JC Penney and RadioShack are cutting thousands of retail jobs across the country. That's good news for Amazon, and other online retailers, but bad news for brick-and-mortar stores and shopping malls that are slowly vanishing from America's landscape. Cashiers and salespeople outnumber the manufacturing and coal workers we hear so much about. How will traditional retailers - and the thousands who work for them - stay alive in the time of Amazon?
Ivanka Trump navigates ethical minefield with business empire Ivanka Trump’s brand is doing great overseas, especially in China. She recently received three trademarks on the same day she met with President Xi Jinping. But now that she’s a White House employee, is she violating ethics rules?
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?


text:
PRESS RELEASE: “StubHub Celebrates Milestone 10th Anniversary with Ultimate Fan Experience Contest”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BUSINESS WIRE) July 7, 2010 — StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, will celebrate its milestone tenth anniversary this summer by giving fans a hands-on, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in some of the most memorable experiences in sports and entertainment. From throwing out the first pitch at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, to leading USC onto the field against Notre Dame, fans 18 and over are eligible for their chance to get up close and personal with some of the hottest sports teams and artists in the nation.
As the world’s first and largest fan-to-fan marketplace, StubHub reinvented the ticket space ten years ago and created a safe means for tickets to change hands — allowing fans the opportunity to choose where they want to sit. StubHub has pioneered the acceptance and adoption of secondary ticketing; among its many milestones and innovations during the past decade, StubHub:
— Introduced a FanProtect(TM) Guarantee, providing safeguards and protections for fans
— Developed interactive seat maps, making it easy for fans to find the seats they want at the price that’s right for them
— Partnered with teams in all four major sports as well as Collegiate athletics, NASCAR, UFC, and Boxing
— Provides the highest levels of customer satisfaction in ticketing
“From StubHub’s humble beginnings as a scrappy startup ten years ago, to the world’s leading secondary ticket marketplace, we’re proud to have served millions of loyal and happy customers,” said Chris Tsakalakis, President of StubHub. “We are thrilled to celebrate our anniversary by offering our fans an opportunity to win a full slate of priceless sports and entertainment experiences with their favorite teams and artists.”
The StubHub Fan Experience Contest kicks off on July 7 and will run through Sept 10. For complete rules and to enter, fans can simply visit www.stubhub.com/fans and submit a photo of their best fan experience to date, along with a short caption describing why they deserve to win. Nine fan experience winners will be announced over 10 weeks throughout the summer, with the tenth and final grand-prize winner receiving the opportunity to create their own unique fan experience through the StubHub Facebook page (www.ticketnews-on-facebook.com/Stubhub). From hobnobbing with Yankee royalty, to obtaining VIP passes to one of the hottest sold-out concert events of the year, all fan experience prizes will include travel and accommodations as necessary.
New fan experience opportunities will be unveiled each week throughout the summer, involving a variety of our team partners:
— First Pitch at Wrigley Field
— Lollapalooza VIP Trip
— UFC Ultimate Fan Experience
— Dream Day at Yankee Stadium
— USC Fight On! Fantasy
— Redskins Ultimate Fan Experience
— ESPN College Football Experience
— Unforgettable Dodgers Day
— Mavericks All Access Game Night
To cap off the contest with the tenth and final prize, StubHub is enabling one grand-prize winner to choose and submit their dream fan experience. Whether it’s 50-yard line tickets to the Super Bowl, sitting on the sidelines by “Jack” at a Lakers game, or sitting front row at a U2 concert, the opportunity is almost limitless. Finally, the contest will culminate with a fan appreciation giveaway on StubHub.com on 10/10/10, to be announced later.
StubHub is the world’s largest ticket marketplace, enabling fans to buy and sell tickets to tens of thousands of sports, concert, theater and other live entertainment events. StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead it through innovation. The company’s unique online marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient and highly reliable environment. All transactions are processed and delivered by StubHub and backed by the company’s FanProtect Guarantee(TM). Company partners include the New York Yankees, Washington Redskins and the University of Southern California along with nearly 60 teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA, complemented with companies such as ESPN and AOL.
StubHub is an eBay company. For more information on StubHub, visit www.stubhub.com.
Glenn Lehrman, 415-222-8517
Josselyn Salter, 415-249-6762


text:
Irish beef prices have been slowly creeping up over recent weeks with the strength of the British market the main driver.
Last week, the average R3 steer price was the equivalent of €4.65/kg, 79c/kg ahead of the Irish price of €3.86/kg.
Supermarket demand has been driving the British price in recent months due to lockdown but with the reopening of the hospitality sector starting next week, demand will increase for imported beef, three-quarters of which is Irish.
It is less positive in the main export markets in the EU that Ireland supplies, with outbreaks of COVID-19 causing further lockdowns and therefore restricting the demand for imported beef further than it has already been.
Wider global trade
Farm-gate beef prices have been rising in the main beef-exporting countries around the world. This is driven by tighter supply, particularly in Australia and a prediction of lower supplies in Brazil, combined with an ongoing increase in demand from China.
Supermarket demand has been driving the British price in recent months due to lockdown
The USDA has been forecasting that Chinese beef imports would level off this year after a decade of exceptional growth making it the market for 20% of globally traded beef.
However, the recent import data from Chinese customs puts beef imports 100,000t higher at 398,000t for the first two months of 2021.
There had been some disruption to trade in China during this period last year because of COVID-19 but, even with that, beef imports were up on the 210,000t imported in January and February 2019.
That makes Chinese imports so far in 2021 almost double what they were in the same period in 2019.
Chinese beef demand
Based on this, it suggests that the USDA may have underestimated Chinese beef demand for 2021 but it will be necessary to see if this trend is continued over coming months.
However, with the Chinese economy being one of the few in the world that is growing at present having brought COVID-19 under control, there are reasons to be optimistic.
The other major factor setting price is supply. Brazil is the world’s top exporter of beef at 2m tonnes in 2020.
Cattle prices in Brazil have surged over the past year from BRL 12.80/kg in April 2020 to BRL 20.70/kg this week, a 62% increase. The current equivalent euro price is €3.11/kg based on the current exchange rate but if the exchange rate was at the level it was at this time last year, the equivalent price would be €3.71/kg.
Brazilian prices are expected to hold with the strong demand from China underpinning the market.
Australia, which along with the US is next biggest global exporter of beef, is in the middle of herd rebuilding and beef supplies in 2021 are expected to be at their lowest this century. This is reflected in exceptional farm-gate prices and even though they have dropped back recently, MSA steers are the equivalent of €4.38/kg.
Australia is the biggest supplier of manufacturing beef to the US and is running at just over half the volume for 2020 and values of very lean forequarter beef are the equivalent of 58c/kg more than this time last year.
If the combination of tighter supplies and increasing demand is maintained in the coming weeks and months, it suggests a positive outlook for Irish beef prices.


text:
Japan Display Inc (JDI) has announced that it has started to mass produce a new 5-inch low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) LCD display that will pack an impressive 1440 × 2560 pixel resolution, giving it a pixel density of >500 PPI.
JDI has said that it has reduced the LCD power consumption in this WQHD resolution by using new materials that allows the panel power consumption to reduce depending on the display image signal. The LCD also uses JDI’s second generation Pixel Eyes in-cell technology, resulting in thinner borders, deeper black levels and better use with wet fingers.
The LCD module also has a driver IC (integrated circuit chip) which incorporates an embedded upscaling function from 1080p to 1440p. This would enable it to display WQHD images from a FHD designed chipset, by automatically converting the images.
JDI was formed through the consolidation of Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba’s display businesses back in 2012 and its displays have been used in various Xperia models, so there is a chance that we could see this display end up in a future model.
Sony has never released an Xperia model sporting this wide quad-HD (WQHD) resolution format before. It did come close with the Verizon Xperia Z4v, before the phone was cancelled just prior to launch.


text:
Doom Eternal – Gameplay Trailer
Bethesda has given us an official gameplay trailer for the upcoming “DOOM Eternal” which is due for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, and PC on March 20th after being pushed back from it’s original 2019 release.
The Doom Slayer is back and against the forces of Hell once more in this fast paced sequel to 2016’s franchise reboot.
There’s also reportedly a new mode called “Invasion” that allows you to join someones single player game to fight them as a demon. What a lovely twist on this brilliant series.


text:
Darden Restaurants Inc. reported it expects lower-than-anticipated fiscal first-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations.
Orlando-based Darden (NYSE: DRI) said net earnings per share for the quarter ended Aug. 24 are expected to be between 57 to 59 cents per share, including anticipated costs associated with the October acquisition of Rare Hospitality International Inc. That prediction was well below analysts' average forecast of 75 cents a share, according to Reuters estimates.
The Rare acquisition is expected to reduce diluted net earnings per share for the quarter by about 3 cents, according to a news release. Excluding those costs, estimated diluted net earnings per share for the fiscal first quarter are expected to be 60 to 62 cents share.
The news sent shares down Tuesday by nearly $4.50, or about 14 percent, from Monday's close of $32.26.
Darden also reported first quarter combined U.S. same-restaurant sales for Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse are expected to decline 1.1 percent when compared with the prior year. Preliminary first quarter U.S. same-restaurant sales results at Olive Garden are expected to rise by 2.4 percent, Red Lobster is expected to be down 3.7 percent, and LongHorn Steakhouse is expected to be down 4.9 percent, the release said.
The company expects to release its fiscal 2009 first quarter earnings on Sept. 16 after the market close.
For fiscal 2009, Darden said it now expects combined U.S. same- restaurant sales growth of about 1 percent or less for Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, and that it expects to open about 75 to 80 net new restaurants in the fiscal year.
As a result, the company expects total sales growth of between 12-13 percent in fiscal 2009 off a base of total sales from continuing operations in fiscal 2008 of $6.63 billion. Anticipated total sales growth for the full fiscal year reflects a 53rd week in fiscal 2009, which boosts the growth rate by two percentage points.
The company also expects reported diluted net earnings per share growth from continuing operations to be between 5 to 10 percent in fiscal 2009, which includes the impact of the 53rd week and anticipated costs and purchase price adjustments related to the Rare acquisition. This compares with reported diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations of $2.55 in fiscal 2008.
The additional week is expected to contribute about two percentage points, or 5 cents per diluted share, of growth in fiscal 2009.


text:
Today Amazon made it official naming New York City and the Washington, D.C. suburb of Arlington, Virginia as the two areas that will split up the 50,000 high-paying jobs the online retail giant is expected to bring.
The two winners will be hiring about 25,000 new employees per site. Plus each area will benefit from an estimated $2.5 billion in spending over the next decade as these two new Amazon headquarters come on line.
18 other cities including Miami are wondering what went wrong in their offers to land the giant jobs creator. In the end Amazon wanted a big city location with plenty of room to grow and that is what got in Queens as well as Northern Virginia.
The Northern Virginia has long been considered a favorite in the race because of the large tech area that will complement the needs of Amazon.
Plus, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos lives in the area and owns the Washington Post newspaper. It has been a not so well kept secret that Amazon favored the Northern Virginia site.
The area is already home to top name data centers where tech giants such as Facebook, Google and Salesforce connect. Amazon Web Services itself has 29 individual data centers in Northern Virginia. And Loudon County, where most of the data centers are located, claims that 70 percent of all global Internet traffic flows through it.
Add to all of that the deep talent poll makes the new site a perfect fit. Plenty of smart candidates, plus access to world class transportation, sports, entertainment venues and other things that attract top quality talent.
Long Island City at the western edge of Queens, has been on an apartment building spree. A total of 41 new apartment buildings with more to come.
The Long Island City is booming and Amazon feels that because it is close to New York City will be attractive and affordable to a very deep talent pool. Like, the Northern Virginia, the new Queens site seems like a good fit for what the company wanted in the end.


text:
Brent crude has hit lows not seen in nearly two decades. The world continues to hunker down in attempts ..
Not a lot of room for error in a newborn business. Startup businesses are popping up all over the place ..
If you’ve got to be there every day, it should be pleasant. The days of cartoonishly evil upper ..
Approximately 80 employees will be laid off. Despite recently updating their profitability forecast to Q4 2020, ..
As Walmart battles Amazon, investors tally up the damages. Walmart has been sinking millions of dollars ..
Jobs keep coming and going. The economy seems to be having difficulty finding a consistent perch lately. ..
As Brexit’s extended deadline draws closer, businesses of all kinds have to face a new reality. ..
The nationwide ban covers all tobacco products with mint and fruit flavors that are offered in cartridges. ..
Amid several scandals, Uber’s co-founder is stepping down. Uber’s co-founder and Chief Executive ..
Saudi Aramco has launched what is now the largest IPO in history. The event locked in an almost $2 trillion ..


text:
World’s most popular cryptocurrency wallet, enabling its users to manage their own private keys for Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ether. Expansion to U.S. now allows crypto trading in 22 states, including California. Bona fides: More than 23 million Blockchain wallets created Threat to: Coinbase and Xapo
Six months after eToro signed breakthrough sponsorship deals with seven Premier League clubs in Bitcoin, its Managing Director Iqbal Gandham reflects on how the football industry has adopted fintech so far and the numerous advantages it could bring in revolutionizing the sport over the next decade.
The Green Party pledge to spend £2.5 billion a year on woodchip and sawdust cycleways and footpaths has been ridiculed on social media by advocates of active-travel, who say such surface treatments quickly degrade and become impassable. But it's not mad!
When businesses begin to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies, too many focus on the hype and what’s possible in the future. But in order to quickly become an intelligent manufacturer, manufacturers need to first think about the goals they want to achieve and problems they’re trying to solve.


text:
Media personality and poet Ntsiki Mazwai says she is dismayed at BMW’s latest advertisement, labelling it “offensive and racist”.
Mazwai who never minces her words, took to social media on Sunday to express her outrage over the advert.
The ad is showcasing a black woman standing next to one of the brand’s latest BMW 5 Series models, and displayed behind her, is the phrase, “We Our Are Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams, with the word “ancestors” crossed out.
The phrase was made popular by visual artist, activist, and filmmaker from New Orleans Brandan Odums.
Mazwai expressed: “What level of racism is this now, where our things get used to sell white things? Which marketing agency authorised that? And why the fu** is BMW being racist?”
“They wouldn’t do this to any other religious practices, so why do they feel that they have a right to use African spirituality in their marketing campaigns? I am appalled. BMW is disgusting.”
Following mixed reaction on social media, Mazwai shared another video on her social media platforms, hitting back at those who said the advert was not offensive.
“If the BMW advert was not offensive, nobody would have been offended,” said Mazwai.
“I think what I’m seeing play out is how broken Black people are, how colonisation and slavery has broken Black people down for them to think that they are not worthy of being respected…that advert was not targeted at white people or Indian people.
“Those people have never talked about their ancestors. They speak about their own gods and deities, so that advert was definitely targeted at Black people. That’s where the racist begins…” said Mazwai.
Watch the full post below.
Though BMW has not responded or reacted to Mazwai’s social media posts, the advert has continued to cause a stir on social media.
See below some of the reactions.
“I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in the boardroom when this was presented @bmwsouthafrica because there is absolutely no way that this was presented without racist undertones.
“I mean how was the erasure/crossing out/invalidation of the word “ancestors” rationalised? I’m actually quite interested @bmwsouthafrica if you have the time please indulge me,” replied Lehippie herbalist.
“The fact that they scratched it out 😭😭😭😭 it would have been dope if they used mama ester’s designs rather not this nonsense,” commented Lady Du.
“They are bastardising the very thing that they deem demonic so that they can attract the black market. It’s wrong and insulting. Since when have they acknowledged our ancestors?? Now they are using this to sell cars? Not impressed 😩,” added Queen Lerato.
@HMaku tweeted: “Hay guys please try and make me understand the racism in this ad cause I can’t see it tu.”
— MissNtsikiMazwai (@ntsikimazwai) January 8, 2023


text:
Carl Pei’s Nothing has introduced Teenage Engineering as a founding partner. The company is known for its unique craftsmanship and industrial design prowess. They have been designing products for over 10 years. Teenage Engineering’s portable wonder synthesizer OP-1 that was launched in 2010 is still used by world-famous musicians. The company will now design products for Nothing.
Jesper Kouthoofd, co-founder & CEO of Teenage Engineering, is the Creative Lead and the visionary behind Nothing’s design world, while Tom Howard has been appointed as Head of Design of Nothing.
I’m really excited to welcome teenage engineering to the growing Nothing family. They consist of some of the best designers and creatives that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Together, we’ve created a product roadmap that’s unique and true to Nothing’s vision.
Carl Pei, CEO and co-founder of Nothing
There is still no concrete information on what the Nothing brand is planning to launch for the consumers. According to some speculations, the brand could launch an array of wireless earbuds with a wider focus on smart home technology.
Nothing recently acquired Essential. For the unaware, Essential was said to be working on a Home smart hub and speaker with Ambient OS. However, it didn’t see the daylight. Essential also has numerous patents relating to “Voice setup instructions” and “voice-enabled home setup.” These could help Nothing with their focus on products for smart homes. It is still unknown if former engineers from Essential have also joined Pei’s Nothing. As of now, the process seemingly only includes the branding and trademark portfolio.
Nothing has already confirmed that it will be releasing its first smart devices in the first half of this year. It plans to release products across multiple categories and build an ecosystem of devices.


text:
What this means is that the official news story can take a different shape, receiving a steaming enema of accountability.
After this story appeared in the India Times regarding kids' preference for food in McDonald's packaging rather than the same food in brand X, McDonald's spokesman Walt Ricker, who was quoted in the article gave this pestilent platitude:
"McDonald's brand has earned the trust of customers for more than fifty years. The strength of any brand depends upon its performance, every single day, and if customers decide for themselves that a brand can't be trusted then they take their business elsewhere."
Although the article went after McDonald's alleged contribution to growing obesity among U.S. kids, Ricker could respond. Whether you thought he was spewing bull or giving a good defense may determine how democratic you find this.
In my view, it's good. You can hear another side of the story or at least be amused by bland, patronizing rhetoric.
Media purists (anti-blog), however, may frown. Speaking of, a Tech Dirt posting a while back gave an interesting perspective that news agencies like Agence France Press should embrace greater traffic than whine about copywrite infringement. (Do you hear the giant volcano threatening to eat up that Brontosaurus?)
Little mammals beneath the rocks are deciding to blend with the new media, to constructively take on challenges to the original format. Many newspapers are allowing open comments at the end of stories, including blogs and forums that give easy access to the reader. News stories and organizations are including references to Facebook, Friendster and MySpace.
Such is the growing trend, notes Ragan Communications' August PR Round-up Report.
"Just because newspapers are shrinking, doesn't mean journalism will shrink," says newsman Jeff Jarvis in the Report.
Maybe just climb up a different tree?


text:
Google vows to halt searches in Australia if pressed to pay for newsEuropost
The hi-tech giant Google said it intended to block its search engine in Australia if the country’s government continues accepting new amendments to legislation that may force it, together with Facebook, to pay to media for the right to use its contents, Reuters reported.
Google’s vow to retaliate is a part of key media battle which is closely watched by a number of organizations in a number of countries.
Google’s warning may affect some 19 million users who may see their searches crippled and their Youtube experience degraded. Australia is on the move to approve laws that would make tech giants negotiate payments with local publishers and broadcasters for content included in search results or news feeds. If they cannot strike a deal, a government-appointed arbitrator will decide the price.
“Coupled with the unmanageable financial and operational risk if this version of the Code were to become law, it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia,” Mel Silva, managing director for Australia and New Zealand, told a senate committee.
Silva made no mention of YouTube in prepared remarks, as the video service is expected to be exempted under revisions to the code last month. Google’s comments drew a sharp rebuke from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison who said the country makes its rules for “things you can do in Australia.” “People who want to work with that in Australia, you’re very welcome. But we don’t respond to threats,” Morrison told reporters.
At the inquiry, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Rod Sims, who has overseen the new rules, said he could not predict what the tech giants would do but said “there’s always brinkmanship in serious negotiations”.
“They talk of commercial deals where they’re in full control of the deal,” he said. “In my view that’s not a commercial deal.” Google has called the code overly broad and said that without revisions, offering even a limited search tool would be too risky. The company does not disclose sales from Australia, but search ads are its biggest contributor to revenue and profit globally. US asked Australia to scrap the proposed laws, which have broad political support, and suggested Australia should pursue a voluntary code instead.
Australia announced the legislation last month after an investigation found Google and social media giant Facebook held too much market power in the media industry, a situation it said posed a potential threat to a well-functioning democracy.


text:
Sainsbury’s is announcing the mass roll out of its first plant-based own brand tea bag from June 2021. The innovative move comes as part of Sainsbury’s ongoing commitment to halve plastic packaging by 2025 and the company’s pledge to become Net Zero in its own operations by 2040.
Sainsbury’s current own brand teabags are made up of 75% natural fibres and 25% oil-based plastic sealing material (polypropylene). This sealing material is important to ensure the teabag remains intact and that tea leaves don’t seep into the cup.
However, Sainsbury’s has already begun moving away from oil-based plastic and is instead trialling a more sustainable plant-based plastic called Polylactic acid (PLA), made from the sugars in cornstarch, cassava or sugarcane.
PLA teabags are made from renewable plant-based material and are industrially compostable, unlike the current oil-based plastic teabags.
Sainsbury’s will move over 815 million individual teabags a year from using oil-based plastic to plant-based plastic. The retailer has found the popularity of tea has been increasing this year with sales of tea rising by 6% year on year.
To make the teabags even more environmentally friendly, Sainsbury’s will also be removing the outer plastic wrapping from 11 products. By eliminating this plastic film wrap from the box, the company will remove over 5.3 million pieces of plastic a year, which equates to 16.2 tonnes of plastic.
Claire Hughes, Director of Product, Packaging and Innovation at Sainsbury’s said: “This extensive rollout of our new tea bags, is another example of how we are looking to implement new innovative products that will reduce the impact our business has on the environment. Our move towards plant-based teabags has required significant time and multiple trials to ensure that our customers receive the same great quality teabag and we look forward to the roll out in stores this year.”
The new PLA based teabags are best disposed of in kerbside food or garden waste bins but if this is not accessible then they can be disposed of in the general household waste bin.


text:
Here's Why Cablevision Has to Stop Saying That Verizon Lies About Wi-Fi Speeds
It seems like every cable, Internet, and broadband provider makes some variation on the claim that it has the fastest speeds.
These terms have become so overused and tied to technicalities that most consumers are likely to dismiss them as marketing hype. It's like when one of the television networks proclaims a show "Tuesday night's top comedy" without mentioning that all of its rivals devote the night to drama.
It's hard to know what's real and what's an overstatement, or even outright deception. That has not stopped companies from going to extremelengthsto proclaim their own superiority, or attempting to debunk another company's claim. In most cases, this is done with dueling ads or social media wars, but in one recent case, Verizon won two court victories overCablevision regarding claims made in ads.
What happened?Cablevision was ordered in August by a federal judge to stop running ads that accused Verizon of lying about having the fastest wireless network, Reuters reported. That ruling came just days after the same judge denied Cablevision's effort to stop Verizon from using the term "fastest WiFi available."
The ads being run by Cablevision were"literally untrue and implicitly false," and were likely to mislead consumers, the judge said at the court hearing, according to the news service.
Some of the print ads for the campaign featured depictions of Verizon reps with their pants on fire, or looking likePinocchio, a fictional character whose nose grew when he lied. The ruling, which Verizon shared on its website, stated in part:
Verizon, as you might imagine, was excited by the ruling, which seemed to vindicate its claims, and it gloated a bit on its website:
"Cablevision's obfuscation of the truth is nothing but a campaign to keep accurate and factual information away from consumers," the company wrote.
Verizon touts the quality of its network, calling it "better" in its latest ad campaign. Source: Verizon's news Twitter feed.
Is it really faster?In many cases, judging speeds can depend greatly on variable factors. For example, Verizon topped the RootMetrics Mobile Network Performance survey for the first half of 2015,but its lesser rivals still equaled or surpassed its service in some parts of the country. In this case, however, which was specifically limited to the Long Island, New York, market, where Verizon and Cablevision compete, the U.S. District Court judge was very specific in his ruling:
This is part of a bigger problemWhile Cablevision must stop its deceptive ads, this ruling does nothing to clarify exactly what claims a company can make in its advertising. It's likely companies will avoid overtly calling their rivals liars, but beyond that, it remains an undefined grey area.
The Federal Communications Commission should consider issuing standards for when words like "fastest" and "best" can be used in advertising. Verizon's latest ad (seen above) calls its network "America's best and most reliable," which could easily be justified by the RootMetrics report. The commercial also heavily implies that its rivals are vastly inferior, which is just not the case if you look at the data for overall performance on the chart below.
Source:RootMetrics Mobile Network Performance survey for the first half of 2015.
The numbers are similarly close on the network reliability chart, and even the last-place finisher outscores where Verizon ranked just a year ago on the same report. Verizon's "best and most reliable" claim is true, but the visual implication of the ad -- that all of its rivals are offering poorly made products -- is simply wrong.
There need to be standards regarding these claims, or else the public will never know what to believe, and companies will be able to shade the truth, or lie outright. Until that happens, consumers should continue to take all claims made by ISPs, wireless providers, and cable companies with a big grain of salt.
The article Here's Why Cablevision Has to Stop Saying That Verizon Lies About Wi-Fi Speeds originally appeared on Fool.com.
Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He is the "best" and "most reliable" writer working today (based on his mom's opinion). The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
App keeps qualifications up to date
Sydney-based start-up TradePapers has launched an Android and iOS application for sharing and reminding users to keep trade qualifications up to date.
The app is the first of its kind combining both a document sharing platform and a reminder system that lets users and their employers know when tickets are coming up for renewal. It removes the need for carrying paper photocopies of tickets to provide proof of licensing and qualifications and also saves employers by not having to retrain staff that are already qualified.
It is downloadable from both the Apple and GooglePlay stores with provision for storing up to 10 documents and additional reminders. A premium version is also in the works, which will allow users to upload documents and images directly from a PC to the app.
Climate change, cost savings and legislation change the way we use our vehicles and get our staff...
Mazda Australia has announced a safety issue with the BT-50 series ute, available for sale...
A new knowledge management approach hopes to change the face of field service.


text:
Hand then there was one ...
Subaru dealer Motor Image invites adult readers to register for its third annual Palm Challenge at Times Square, Causeway Bay on September 21-22.
'The challenge involves 100 competitors placing a palm on a designated spot on a Subaru Impreza [worth more than HK$130,000] for two periods, of eight hours and 10 hours, respectively,' says the dealer's spokesman, Marco Tsang. 'The contestants are given special tasks to perform during the challenge to test their stamina and entertain the crowds, and anyone whose palm moves from the designated area is eliminated. The person able to keep their palm in the designated spot for the longest time wins a new Subaru Impreza.'
That's no mean feat, even for yoga fans. Last year, the dealers presented a Subaru Forester 2.0X to Lai Kam-tong, who kept his hands on the car for almost 18 hours over two days. If you think you're up to the task, you can apply to enter the Subaru, Commercial Radio and Shell- sponsored event by calling 2304 6072 or going to www.my903.com, the dealer says.
'Registration closes on September 16, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis,' Tsang says. No superglue or feather-duster tickling is allowed.
Motor Image is also launching the Subaru Tribeca 3.0 sports utility vehicle for HK$419,000. The seven-seater (above) has a horizontally opposed, three-litre, six-cylinder engine capable of 245 horsepower at 6,600rpm. It's also fitted with a direct-control type electronically controlled five-speed Sportshift automatic transmission, all-wheel drive and lots of safety, from four sensor, four channel ABS with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), active headrests and front, side and curtain airbags.
Bike show comes full cycle
The Hong Kong Motorcycle show will be held at Chater Road in Central on November 4, between 7.30am and 5.30pm, says its founding organiser, Ian Foster, of the Classic Auto-cycle Museum. Last year's inaugural event was a gleaming tourist attraction, with riders from the police, fire and civil aid services, lots of clubs and dealers showing their latest bikes and leathers. Inquiries: call 9130 4536, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
Mazda offers a wheel deal
Mazda Hong Kong is offering the top-of-the-range Mazda2 for HK$129,990, says the dealer's spokesman, Kari Chim. The 1.5-litre, 103-horsepowered runabout (above) is said to seat five people, and has safety features such as a rigid body cell, four-wheel anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, a patented 3H body shell and dual airbags up front.


text:
KATHMANDU, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total paddy production in Nepal has reached 5.23 million metric tons this year, the highest harvest in the country's history and the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has attributed the record-high paddy output to cultivation of Chinese hybrid rice.
Timely rainfall and availability of developed seeds and chemical fertilizers have attributed to the rise in paddy production by nearly 30 percent as compared to the harvest of 2017-18 fiscal year, officials claimed.
Though the Nepali government had projected the paddy production of only 5 million metric tons, the higher output has been regarded as a significant contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country and economic growth in overall. The agriculture sector constitutes 33 percent of the total GDP in which paddy accounts for as high as 20 percent.
According to the agriculture ministry, the record harvest would help cutting down the rice imports from different countries and contribute to reduction of rice deficit.
The optimism comes at a time when the Chinese hybrid rice, spreading over 300 hectares of land, is doing excellent performance in the country.
On Monday, a team of government officials from both Nepal and China, and research scientists and representatives of the World Food Program (WFP) visited the high-yield demonstration field of Chinese hybrid rice located within the premise of the National Agricultural Research Council in Lalitpur.
Noting that the performance of Chinese hybrid rice is excellent in Nepal, the Nepali side expressed willingness to produce hybrid rice in large scale to have large yields and resolve rice scarcity.
"The performance of Chinese hybrid rice is very nice and exciting," Baidya Nath Mahato, executive director of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, told Xinhua.
Under the first phase of three-year long China-Nepal agricultural technical cooperation project that started in February 2016, China has been providing economic and technical assistance in the agricultural sector for Nepal, especially for cultivating rice and maize.
The Chinese government has also been helping Nepal promote adoption of hybrid rice varieties and conducting technical demonstration and training on post-harvest processing technology, farm machinery operation and maintenance technology.
For this end, Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co. Ltd, a Chinese implementing agency, is working in cooperation with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council.
According to the officials, in the past two years, 67 hybrid rice varieties have been introduced from China and tested in various parts of Nepal. Among them, one variety has already been approved by the Seed Quality Control Centre under Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Chinese hybrid rice has been popular among the farmers of the country due to higher yield, strong tillering ability, straight leaves with no drooping, more effective panicles per unit area, more grains and good taste, among others.
Ananda Kumar Gautam, a senior scientist of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, told Xinhua that "we are very much impressed by the performance of Chinese hybrid rice and the response from the farmers is very positive."
In the budget for the current fiscal year, the Nepali government has announced a plan to make the country self-reliant in food within next few years. Experts believe that Chinese hybrid rice can resolve the food deficit and help Nepal ensure food security.


text:
The Government has been accused of stigmatising benefits claimants…*Yawns* What now?
… after a new system restricting the way they spend welfare money was unveiled at the Conservative Party Conference.Oh..? *perks up*
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the so-called ‘smartcard’ scheme would see benefit payments loaded onto prepaid cash cards. Transactions would be automatically stopped if people tried to buy anything on them but essentials. This would prevent people from purchasing alcohol, cigarettes or spending money on gambling, in a system Mr Duncan Smith claims will help lift families "on the margins" out of poverty because their benefits would not be spent on addictions.What a fantastic idea! How about blocking ready meals & sweets, as well? Make it available only for fresh fruit & veg, meat and fish, and essential cleaning products and toiletries.
However, the cards were criticised by the single parents’ charity Gingerbread, who said they could encourage negative sterotypes.Really? How?
Commenting on the scheme, Gingerbread Chief Executive Fiona Weir said: “The pre-paid benefit cards announcement capitalises on and reinforces negative stereotypes of people who need support from benefits. “Single parents, both in and out of work tell us they are struggling financially, but budgeting isn’t the problem: low wages, benefit cuts and rising costs of the essentials are.”If budgeting isn’t a problem, then the cards won’t make any material difference to them, will they?
A Lib-Dem source told the Evening Standard the party had blocked his proposals on two occasions.Third time’s the charm!
The source said: “We are not persuaded of its merits, alongside the principled objection that you should not be stigmatising people and reducing their freedom to spend money as they wish just because they spend some time out of work."No-one’s doing that. Should they get a job & earn their own money, they can do as I do, and spend it how they choose.
But while I’m paying their benefits, it’s not ‘their money’, is it?