text:
01/6Eating chocolate can slim down your waist?
Many women tend to gain weight around menopause due to several reasons, primarily the changes happening in their body. However, if they are mindful, they can try their best to be prepared for the possible changes and minimize the impact on their physical and mental health.
While general advice to manage weight revolves around eating your greens and other healthy foods, a study published in the FASEB Journal found that eating chocolate could help women going through menopause burn fat!
02/6About the study
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in collaboration with the University of Murcia in Spain conducted a study in which 19 women were assigned to eat 100g of milk chocolate. They had to eat it either in the morning with breakfast within one hour of waking up or in the evening, within one hour of going to sleep. This continued for a period of two weeks.
The women were also allowed to eat whatever they wanted throughout the day, and were given no specific calorie limit. At the end of two weeks, the researchers found that despite the extra calories from the chocolate, none of the 19 women gain any body weight.
On the contrary, the researchers noted that eating milk chocolate at a certain time of day improved the regulation of their body weight.
The researchers found that women who ate chocolate in the morning reduced their waist circumference by 1.7 percent.
It also made them subconsciously cut back on their daily calorie intake by 16 percent. They also experienced a decrease in their hunger and cravings for sweet foods in general.
Those who consumed chocolate at night also didn't have any increase in their waist circumference. However, the morning chocolate eaters burned 25.6 percent more fat than the evening chocolate eaters, who predominantly burned sugar.
The researchers also found another benefit apart from decrease in waist circumference. Eating chocolate in the morning also helped to lower daily levels of cortisol – the body’s primary stress hormone. Stress is another contributing factor in weight gain, resulting from stress overeating.
Read more: Best egg white recipes for weight loss
04/6Here's what the researchers conclude
Dr Frank Scheer, who was part of the study, explained: "Our findings highlight that not only 'what' but also 'when' we eat can impact physiological mechanisms involved in the regulation of body weight."
Dr Marta Garaulet, also involved in the research, added: "Our volunteers did not gain weight despite increasing caloric intake. Our results show that chocolate reduced ad libitum energy intake, consistent with the observed reduction in hunger, appetite and the desire for sweets shown in previous studies."
05/6Dark chocolate has benefits too
Several studies have also shown that eating dark chocolate in moderation can help in weight loss. Eating dark chocolate during menopause has been shown to satisfy sweet cravings, combat depression as well as other mood changes.
Dark chocolate contains magnesium that helps raise serotonin levels, which stabilise our mood. It also contains monounsaturated fatty acids that improve metabolism and help in burning calories.
Read more: Best detox juice recipes for weight loss
06/6Fitness is also important during menopause
Along with healthy diet and diet hacks, exercising has irreplaceable benefits, especially for women going through menopause.
Clearly, exercising regularly will prevent any easy-to-gain weight around this time. Apart from keeping your waist slim, regularly working out and maintaining a healthy weight might offer protection from various types of cancer as well as the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also helps to improve your bone strength and boost your mood, lowering risk of depression and cognitive decline.
Indian states and their traditional weaves and fabrics
11 weight-loss-friendly cookies to bake at home
10 superfoods to eat during pregnancy
12 common root vegetables and their benefits
Bigg Boss Telugu 7: Rathika is a true blue fashionista
Evolution of Shehnaaz Gill's fashion
Cool Rajasthan destinations for solo travellers
Keerthy Suresh's Power Suit Game
AI imagines Mahatma Gandhi living in 2023
Here's what your face reveals about your health


text:
With over 50 per cent of its cars produced in India exported, the Chennai-based Auto major has targeted a production of little over 5.3 lakh cars this year. However, there might be some hit, a company spokesperson told the sources on the sidelines of the function held to hand over the two millionth car to voluntary agency Childrens Rights and You (CRY) by its brand ambassador and actor Shah Rukh Khan.
Company Senior Vice President for sales and marketing Arvind Saxena said that the exports for the year would be around 2,50,000 units as against the expected 2,68,000. The Company had export orders to meet till February and a few of the 97 countries importing Hyundai cars from India had postponed the orders. Last year the export was around 2,20,000 units.
Mr Saxena, replying to a question said that the Company had conceptualised to produce a car costing lower than its high selling Santro. The model was still on concept stage and is likely to hit the roads in the 2011 frame, he added.
Hyundai India, which sold its one millionth car in March 2006, completed the second million today and was the first auto major in the country to achieve this production level in shortest time, Mr H S Lheem, Managing Director said.
Hyundai started pilot production of Santro at its plant in Sreperampudur in May 1998 and the first car made its world debut in India on September 23 the same year.

domain: news


text:
MG Motor India has released another teaser for the 2022 Hector facelift. The Next-Gen Hector inches closer to its launch, which MG says will take place by the end of the year. Though changes to the 2021 model were aesthetic and did not bring many upgrades, the 2022 Hector facelift will get a host of upgrades.
The brand also mentioned that the Next-Gen Hector will be sold alongside the existing Hector. The MG Hector was India’s first Internet SUV and continues to enjoy strong preference among customers. MG updated the SUV in 2021 and also introduced the 7-seater Hector Plus.
2022 MG Hector Facelift Teaser – What Do We See?
The new teaser from the British brand gives us a look at the front end of the 2022 Hector. The teaser highlights the SUV’s strong presence, which will get a new Argyle-inspired diamond-mesh grille. MG says this gives the SUV a bold, commanding and powerful stance. Furthermore, MG also stated that the bold design of the grille was meticulously crafted to connect with Hector’s signature LED DRLs. Thus, further amplifying its commanding presence.
2022 MG Hector Facelift – What Do We Know?
According to MG, the new exterior design of the 2022 Hector will be in line with its interior. From a previous teaser, we know the 2022 Hector facelift will get a 14-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment screen. MG claims this will be the largest portrait infotainment screen in India. The brand says the large screen will offer a cinematic and immersive experience.
In addition to this, top-end variants will also get ADAS features. MG already has the Gloster, which gets Level 1 Autonomous technology, and the Astor, which gets Level 2 Autonomous Technology. Currently, there is no confirmation if the 2022 Hector will get Level 1 or Level 2 Autonomous Technology.
Sources suggest that all the upgrades will result in a significant price hike. The 2022 Hector’s ‘Sharp’ variant could get a price hike of around INR 2 lakh. At the same time, the ‘Sharp’ variant, which will get the ADAS features, could get a price hike of about INR 2.5 lakh.


text:
Cartel to prop up prices of coffee
HA NOI (VNS)— On the eve of this year's coffee harvest, Viet Nam Coffee and Cacao Association is urging banks to once again provide credit to buy up crop surpluses.
|Farmers pick coffee beans in a garden in Huong Hoa District, central Quang Tri Province. Banks are encouraged to lend money to enterprises to buy coffee surpluses. — VNA/VNS Photo Ho Cau
This year's coffee harvest began yesterday, and the coffee growers group has already proposed buying 300,000 tonnes of the 2012-13 coffee for temporary stockpiles, an increase of 200,000 tonnes over last year.
Last year, the association partnered successfully with Agribank, Techcombank and Military Bank to finance purchases of about VND16 trillion (US$761.9 million) aimed at maintaining the stability of coffee prices on the market and regulating export volumes, the association said. Meanwhile, the association has also been encouraging enterprises in good financial condition to use excess capital to temporarily buy up coffee.
The association was also calling on the Government to establish a fund to regulate coffee supplies and advising farmers to avoid flooding the market and depressing prices by selling off large volumes.
Viet Nam Coffee Club general secretary Nguyen Nam Hai said local traders were competing with foreign rivals to purchase coffee for processing and export. Co-operation with farmers was therefore essential to developing strong working relationships and ensuring there were sufficient supplies of raw materials for processing, he said.
Meanwhile, coffee exports were expected to reach a record of 1.6 million tonnes this year, a year-on-year increase of 400,000 tonnes, due to increase in the world market demand, the Viet Nam Coffee and Cacao Association said.
Exports in the first nine months of this year totalled 1.36 million tonnes and earned $2.85 billion, a year-on-year increase of 36.8 per cent in volume and around 30 per cent in value.
During that period, the two leading export markets for Vietnamese coffee, the US and Germany, saw increases in terms of both volume and value, but exports to Belgium, another leading export markets, fell by half against the same period last year.
By August, Viet Nam remained the world's largest exporter of coffee, the association said. — VNS


text:
Royal Mail has become the first UK parcel carrier to use drones (specifically unmanned aerial vehicles) to transport parcels to its recipients.
It has joined forces with a consortium of established UK drone companies including DronePrep, Skyports and fast-growing tech firm what3words to arrange an initial drone delivery to a remote lighthouse on the Isle of Mull this month.
Next year the consortium will undertake a consultation with islanders on the use of drones to deliver to rural communities on the Isle of Mull – the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides.
It will focus on engaging with the community to explore the viability of using drones in the area, where Skyports is already using its drones to help NHS Scotland with the response to COVID-19.
To enable this for the trial, Royal Mail is asking recipients to provide the what3words address, a 3 metre by 3 metre square, that corresponds to the precise landing point for delivery of Royal Mail parcels via the drone from the Royal Mail van.
Tom Nunn, local postman for Isle of Mull, welcomed the new tech, saying some of the houses on the Isle of Mull include a thirty-minute walk to the front door.
“I am very pleased to be involved in this fantastic trial. It is an exciting opportunity to test out new ways of working to support us posties that deliver in some of the most remote areas of the UK,” he said.
Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, added: “We’ve seen a huge increase in parcel volumes this year and this is just one of the ways we are looking at to support our frontline delivery staff and deliver fast, convenient and green services for all of our customers.”
Gareth Whatmore, CEO of DronePrep & Consortia Lead, said: “We are both delighted and proud to lead on this innovative collaborative project and for the DronePrep platform to help in determining future UAV flight and delivery opportunity for Royal Mail and the local community.”


text:
At the forthcoming ministerial-level meeting on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) involving 16 Asia-Pacific nations, India will raise concerns regarding the ‘slow’ pace of negotiations on services trade liberalisation as opposed to ‘higher priority’ being accorded to commitments to open up goods trade in the region.
The mega-FTA is known in official parlance as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It involves the 10-member ASEAN bloc and its six FTA partners including India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
‘First for new Minister’
Official sources said the new commerce minister Suresh Prabhu will be representing India during the fifth RCEP Ministerial Meeting, which is slated to be held on September 10 in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and related meetings with ASEAN’s major trading partners. This would be Mr. Prabhu’s first major international trade meeting as the new commerce minister.
India is learnt to be upset that other RCEP nations seem to be focused more on “extracting as much (binding commitments) as possible on eliminating tariffs to open up goods trade”, instead of sticking to the RCEP ‘Guiding Principles and Objectives’ which state that the “negotiations on trade in goods, trade in services, investment and other areas will be conducted in parallel to ensure a comprehensive and balanced outcome.”
The sources said India will “talk tough and state that any more discussions” on opening up goods trade will be only after ensuring that negotiations on services trade liberalisation “catch up” with talks on goods trade. India is keen that in return for agreeing to open up goods trade (where most RCEP nations have an advantage), other member nations must commit to substantial liberalisation of services trade – including on easing norms on movement of professionals and skilled workers across borders for short-term work.
India is seeking support for its proposal on an ‘RCEP Travel Card’ for the purpose. India is relatively strong in services with its vast pool of professionals.


text:
Singers Seohyun and Kim Hyun Joong‘s commercial filming set has been revealed.
The photos above were posted on an online community board on the 1st under the title, “Seohyun and Kim Hyun Joong commercial shoot still cut.”
In the photo, both Seohyun and Kim Hyun Joong can be seen in pastel colored outfits. Seohyun is dressed up in a beautiful one piece dress and wearing a natural wavy hairstyle.
After seeing the photos the netizens commented, “Hmm.. the two kind of look good together”, “I want to watch this commercial so badly”, “When will it be revealed?”, and many others have voiced equal curiosity about the photos.
Kim Hyun Joong is currently preparing for the release of his 2nd mini album, which he plans to unveil in mid October.
SNSD were originally scheduled to release the group’s new album on October 5th, but the release date has been delayed for international marketing strategic reasons. You can read about it on the next page.
Source: Money Today via Nate


text:
Vodafone's marketing team believed to be in turmoil
Clare Sheikh, global brand director at Vodafone, is believed to be exiting the telecoms giant and in the process of seeking legal counsel about alleged "uncomfortable" issues with senior management at the company.
Marketing was tipped off that Sheikh had handed in her resignation last week, after just one year in the job. Neither Vodafone or Sheikh will confirm she is leaving the company due to legal sensitivities, but a Vodafone spokesman said Sheikh "is still in post and with the company".
Sheikh told Marketing in a statement: "As the third person in less than three years to have held a comparable role within Vodafone, I considered it necessary to highlight issues with senior management - even if these were likely to prove uncomfortable.
"I have placed the matter in the hands of my lawyers and have no further comment to make at this time."
Sheikh joined Vodafone in September 2011 after stepping down in May the same year as group strategy, marketing and customer director at RSA after four years in the role.
On joining Vodafone, Sheikh replaced David Wheldon, the previous group brand director, who left the telecoms firm in 2010.
After Wheldon’s departure Vodafone’s marketing operations subsequently undertook a restructure with the role of group brand director remaining vacant for more than a year and a half.
The situation appears to have come to a head only recently with an industry source claiming that their last meeting with Sheikh "was very much business as usual".
However, the source added they would not be surprised if Sheikh was leaving due to the fact her job is a "high profile role which a number of people have passed through in recent years".
In her role, Sheikh reports into Morten Lundal, group chief commercial officer and is responsible for the group’s brand framework, creative strategy and brand identity.
She has a high profile in the industry with previous roles including group director of marketing and commercial strategy at ITV, managing director at AA financial services and consumer marketing director at Prudential Financial.
Vodafone is yet to provide a comment at the time of publication.
More to follow...
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
- Affiliates Executive - No. 1 Agency! GoodEgg Digital Circa £25k + Exceptional Benefits, Central London
- Digital Display Manager - Leading Agency GoodEgg Digital £Neg + Great Benefits, South East England / London (Central), London (Greater)
- Senior Marketing Director - 9-12 month FTC Comedy Central £competitive, Camden, London (Greater)
- Account Director Brand Recruitment £40000 - £50000 per annum, Bedford
- CRM ANALYST - Luxury retail Success Digital negotiable, City of London
- Philips launches campaign for app-controlled lightbulbs
- Sorrell warns of Scotland becoming an 'outlier' and the UK 'diminished' by a Yes vote
- Publicis boss Maurice Lévy to step down in 2017 amid board shake-up
- Sometimes collaboration, not innovation, can be the key to winning campaigns
- Virgin Trains spends £8 million on advertising to refocus on its brand
- WPP challenges Govt review


text:
Marissa Mayer 'Balked' at Hiring Gwyneth Paltrow for Yahoo Food Because She Didn't Graduate From College
Free Book Preview Entrepreneur Kids: All About Money
The best leaders are able to tread a tricky balance between reason and instinct. But for Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer, these governing principles tend to be uniquely compartmentalized.
When it comes to developing Yahoo’s apps, digital services and other tech products, the Google-reared Mayer is obsessive about data, surveys and metrics, according to a new tell-all by Nicholas Carlson entitled Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo! But in honing the company’s media strategy, Mayer prefers to go with her gut.
For instance, the fact that she is a Saturday Night Live super fan likely impacted Yahoo’s decision to purchase the show’s archives in April 2013 for $10 million, writes Carlson, chief correspondent at Business Insider.
And colleagues occasionally questioned Mayer’s myopic tastes. “There was a fear,” according to Carlson, “that Mayer, who preferred to read Town and Country and wear Oscar de la Renta couture, might undermine the company’s middle-American brand.”
But most interesting of all, perhaps, was a curious bias that pervaded Mayer’s hiring processes. Namely, she “balked” at bringing Gwyneth Paltrow onboard as a contributing editor at Yahoo Food -- despite the fact that Paltrow had a best-selling cookbook and was the creator of a popular lifestyle blog, Goop -- simply because she hadn’t graduated from college.
Mayer, a Stanford alumnus, “habitually asked deputies where they attended college,” according to Carlson.
And while it’s doubtful that Paltrow would have singlehandedly saved Yahoo, Carlson notes another celebrity hire in which Mayer’s impulses led her astray. At an ad conference in the Turks and Caicos, she decided to ink a deal with Katie Couric -- despite the fact that Couric was already the host of a hugely unsuccessful Yahoo video series entitled Katie’s Take.
“Mayer ignored those metrics, and in mid-2013, she named Couric Yahoo’s ‘global anchor’ in a deal worth more than $US5 million a year,” Carlson writes.
To this day, despite several high-profile interviews, Yahoo users still aren’t clicking on Couric’s videos.


text:
The Handy family has opened the first Irving Oil gas station at 401 Main Street in Winooski, Vt., expanding the regional brand to the community.
“Our family has owned and operated convenience stores in Vermont and New Hampshire since the 1970’s,” said Charlie Handy. “We have been impressed by Irving’s cleanly, well-lit, efficient stores and competitive prices for years and always wanted to be a part of the Irving brand. We can also relate to the Irving family story. Our family moved from Lebanon with barely anything and grew our business to 20 family-owned and operated convenience stores throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. We’re excited to bring Irving to Chittenden County.”
Irving Oil, based just north of Maine in Atlantic Canada is a leading energy refiner and marketer currently growing across the Northeast. The Winooski store is one of several new sites to recently open in the state. The Main Street Irving offers complete convenience store service with a variety of products at competitive prices.
“Irving is always looking to partner with businesses that share our values for excellent customer service and a great fueling experience; we know that’s exactly what the Handy family will provide,” said Harry Hadiaris, general manager of Irving Oil Marketing. “We’re very pleased to continue to expand the Irving name in Vermont.”
The new Irving Oil station on 401 Main Street in Winooski is open for business. A Grand opening celebration to welcome new and returning customers is expected in the coming weeks.


text:
After the press shots surfaced yesterday, Samsung Galaxy A40 (SM-A405F) has been listed on an online site in Europe revealing the complete specifications of the phone. This reveals a 5.9-inch Full HD+ Infinity-U Super AMOLED display, Exynos 7885 octa-core 14nm processor with 4GB of RAM, Android Pie, 16-megapixel rear camera along with a 5-megapixel Ultra Wide-angle lens and a 25-megapixel front camera. Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy A40 with 5.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED Infinity U display, dual rear cameras, Android Pie unveiled”
Samsung announced that it will introduce new Galaxy A series smartphones at an event on April 10th. Now the press renders of the Galaxy A40 (SM-A405F) smartphone has surfaced showing the phone’s Infinity-U screen with minimal bezels, and it will likely be a Super AMOLED screen, similar to the Galaxy A30. It also shows dual rear cameras, which should be a standard lens along with an ultra-wide angle lens. It has a gradient finish on the shiny back.
Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy A40 with Infinity U display, dual rear cameras surface”
Samsung just scheduled an event on April 10th to introduce new Galaxy A Series smartphones in Bangkok, Milan, and Sao Paulo. It says that the new Galaxy A devices are designed for the way we communicate in the Era of Live. The company is expected to introduce Galaxy A90, Galaxy A40 and Galaxy A20 / A20e smartphones that surfaced recently on its UK website recently. Continue reading “Samsung to introduce new Galaxy A Series phones on April 10, Galaxy A90, A40 and Galaxy A20 expected”


text:
Industry reaction to latest Rightmove House Price Index
Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented:
“Many have been quick to jump on a consistent decline in asking prices in previous months as signs of the market running short on steam. However, even with the boost of a stamp duty holiday, the market is susceptible to the usual seasonal trends and so slower market conditions over the Christmas period and into January are certainly nothing new.
“Now that we’ve found our feet in 2021, buyer enquiries are once again starting to surge as homebuyers and sellers remain in lockdown, allowing them to focus on their plans to transact. As always, this growing demand far exceeds the stock available and this market imbalance will ensure property values stand firm despite the end of the stamp duty holiday, as they have done through far trickier market conditions.”
Managing Director of Barrows and Forrester, James Forrester, commented:
“A few thousand saved in stamp duty isn’t the make or break cost of buying a home and so while many current homebuyers are likely to be disappointed come April, the market will continue to lift as buyers largely stick with their purchases.
“Looking at life after the stamp duty holiday, we can expect further government stimulus to help aid a quick economic recovery and it’s very likely we could see a negative interest rate push mortgage rates to sub 1%. As a result, the market revival that was initially spurred thanks to a stamp duty holiday should live on long after it has expired.”
Founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk commented:
“There’s seems to be this overarching opinion that the world will stop turning once the current stamp duty holiday expires and this is quite frankly ridiculous.
“The idea that the 31st March will act as a property market Armageddon, at which point all existing and future transactions will cease to exist, is just bonkers.
“Much like the fears around the Y2K bug, we’ll wake up in our beds come the 1st April and there will be transactions continuing to complete, with property prices remaining stable as a result.”
Matthew Cooper, Founder & Managing Director of Yes Homebuyers, commented:
“Although market activity remains buoyant, there are certainly dark clouds beginning to build on the horizon. We’ve never been in a situation like the one we’re currently seeing, where so many homebuyers are delayed for months on end. There will be a serious number of sales that fail to complete before the end of March, at which point we could see mass fall throughs as buyers look to change the goalposts at the last minute in order to account for the additional cost of stamp duty.
“Such a drastic drop in transactions is almost certain to cause house prices to fall and while this may only be a temporary drop, it will no doubt be prolonged due to the tricky economic climate caused due to Covid.”


text:
DETROIT — U.S. safety officials are investigating brake problems in the Honda Pilot SUV.
The probe covers nearly 88,000 Pilots from the 2005 model year. Investigators will determine if the problem is bad enough for Honda to recall the SUVs.
The Pilot is a big seller with families because of its space and reputation for quality.
Here are details of the government investigation:
The brakes can come on without drivers stepping on the pedal, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Friday.
None yet, but investigators are looking at problems with a computer-controlled system that stops the vehicle as fast as possible in emergency situations. Honda says it's cooperating with the investigation and starting its own probe.
No crashes or injuries have been reported.
COMPLAINTS: The safety agency says it began the probe after getting a request from a consumer in April. The government and Honda have received 205 complaints about the problem. One driver says a Pilot stopped three times without warning, once on an Interstate. After each case, mechanics couldn't recreate the problem, but eventually they suspected faulty brake controls.
"If we continue driving the car, we are scared we may injure ourselves or others," the driver writes.
- Knocking doors: What to know before signing...
- Lawmakers looking to pump up gas tax this...
- Young adults prefer to share chores and...
- Are you part of the global 'baby shortage'?
- Nintendo opens 2015 with some big announcements
- Michelle Singletary: Making personal finance...
- Kimberly Rotter: 7 weird things that affect...
- Dave Ramsey says: Make changes to save money
- Lawmakers looking to pump up gas tax... 59
- Utah has fourth largest gender wage... 12
- Are you part of the global 'baby... 12
- Another study lists Salt Lake as one of... 10
- Obama idea to trim college savings... 6
- Greek radical left wins election,... 3
- Knocking doors: What to know before... 3
- Murray mayor pitches plan to increase... 2


text:
Gov’t commits to gaining 2.5%-GDP growth target
While Vietnam continues to pursue the dual target of containing the pandemic and boosting economic recovery, protecting people’s lives remain the government’s utmost priority, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.
The Vietnamese government is committed to ensuring the GDP growth target of 2.5 – 3% for this year, stressed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the monthly government meeting on December 2.
|Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the monthly government meeting. Photo: Quang Hieu.|
Among other key economic indicators, Mr. Phuc said the inflation rate is on track to stay below the 4% target, given the average consumer price index (CPI), a gauge of inflation, expanding by 3.51% year-on-year in the first 11 months of this year.
Total goods retail sales and services revenue along with industrial production are recovering, thanks to growing demand in final months of the year, he noted.
“Agricultural exports could meet the year’s target of US$41 billion, while Vietnam continues to be Southeast Asia’s top food exporter,” stressed Mr. Phuc, adding that as the trade surplus in the January-November period reaching a record high of US$20 billion, the figure would be likely to exceed the one attained in the same period of 2019.
“Vietnam’s efforts in global integration, including the signing of recent free trade deals, have contributed positively to such result, especially as global trade revenue is set to decline by 15% this year,” added Mr. Phuc.
Mr. Phuc went on as saying the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) that became effective in early August has contributed to higher exports to the EU. Notably, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is scheduled to take effect in the next 18 months, will bring “more opportunities for export, trade, tourism and serve as a key factor for Vietnam to pushing forward with administrative reform and improving business environment.”
With public investment seen as a key measure to boost economic recovery, the Government leader also highlighted a 5-year high rate of public funds disbursement at nearly 80% of the year’s target in the first 11 months of this year, representing an increase of 34% year-on-year.
|Overview of the meeting. Photo: Quang Hieu.|
The tasks ahead
At the meeting, Mr. Phuc also pointed to existing challenges to socio-economic development, including serious Covid-19 situation globally; trade and technological tensions between major economies; and climate change with associated natural disasters.
“Uncertainties surrounding financial markets could lead to asset and financial bubbles, for which government agencies should closely monitor the global situation,” he noted.
Mr. Phuc urged ministries and sectors to continue pursuing the dual target of containing the pandemic and boosting economic recovery.
Mentioning nearly 41.000 enterprises having resumed operation in the January–November period, or an increase of 11% inter-annually, as sign of positive economic prospect, the PM expressed concern over the number of enterprises temporarily ceasing operations that remained high at 44,400, a surge of 59.7% year-on-year.
“More supports are required from local authorities to aid businesses overcoming this difficult period,” stated Mr. Phuc.
In addition to public investment, Mr. Phuc called for higher mobilization of private capital, including domestic- and foreign-invested sources. In this regard, the PM expected substantial solutions to improve investment environment for business community, while grasping opportunities from a shift of global supply chains to lure more FDI to Vietnam.
Ministries and ministerial-level agencies are tasked with perfecting legal framework for new business models emanating from new technologies such as fintech, mobile money, e-verification, to accelerate the digital transformation process, stressed Mr. Phuc.
- Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces agree to strengthen bilateral ties
- Hanoi targets 500 products on shelves of foreign distribution networks
- Vietnam and Australia boost cooperation in education, agrifood
- Over 85% of major Vietnamese companies are committed to ESG standards
- Vietnam continues to push for stronger ties with US: PM
- Hanoi promotes public awareness of consumer rights
- Vietnam’s exports – in search for the magic growth catalyst
- Taiwanese firm eyes Hanoi as a key investment destination
- Vietnam wants to restore international travel with China: PM Chinh
- Central Retail may inject US$1.45 billion to expand Vietnamese operations
Vietnam, China enhance border ties
There cannot be another genocide: Ambassadors
Balade en France gastronomic festival - Walking in France in the heart of Hanoi
Vietnam considers issuing e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories
Business executives to face disciplinary action for failure to stop smuggling activities
Travel enthusiasts flock to Hanoi Tourism Festival 2023
Effective public investment as a top political mission: PM
Hanoi named among Vietnam's most beautiful places
Hanoi among cities with most trees in the world


text:
Google Allo 2.0 Brings GIF Keyboard Support, App Shortcuts And Many New Features
The incredible messaging service Google Allo released a 2.0 update that brings a whole batch of new incredible features that will be fantastic for its users, including Multitasking, splash screen, incognito key alerts, landscape, GIFs in keyboard for Android 7.1+, direct share, direct replies in notification and many more. The only bad news is that SMS/MMS messaging is not included.
A Bunch Of Options To Send Messages
According to the International Business Times, the Google Allo 2.0 update came from Google´s official Nexus Twitter account, and it was launched at the company´s I/O annual event, alongside the DUO video calling app. Also, this is the first major update after the hi-tech giant made the Allo app available for users on both Android and iOS platforms.
One of the most amazing facts about Google Allo´s updates is that you can count with the features that exists in many other messaging apps, which means that you will have a bunch of options to send any message in the way you prefer, more comfortable than you can ever imagine it. Also, when you use the Android sharing menu your frequent contacts will appear, as reported by PC World.
Two Problems Of Google Allo 2.0
The only major annoyance for users since the official release of Google Allo 2.0 update was the lack of ability to replay from the message notification. On the other hand, one of the best features is definitely the reply button, which allows to replying directly from the notifications, being a similar option as the quick replies on Hangouts and Google Messenger.
According to the International Business Times, Google Allo 2.0's most notable feature is support for Android Wear. The latest update allows users to reply with their voice and emoji on Android Wear, by tapping on the notification and start speaking or tap Draw emoji. However, another problem is that there aren´t shortcuts for specific conversations like you get on Google´s Messenger SMS app.
iPhone 8 Can Scan A User's Face While Device Is Lying Flat, HomePod Firmware Suggests
Apple's iPhone 8 is coming with an advanced facial recognition feature to give extra security to users. HomePod Firmware announced in their recent update that users can unlock their phone in any angle once their facial data registered to the device.
Cortana Is Now Ready To Replace Google Assistant On Your Android Phone
To those who would like to give the app a try, the latest version of Cortana for Android can be downloaded from Google Play. To those who already have the app installed, expect the update to arrive any time now.
New iPad Pro Review: Apple's $900 Gadget Is As Powerful As The New $1,800 MacBook Pro
Apple's newest mobile operating system, which is the iOS 11, adds some key features to the new iPad Pro that makes it work more like a MacBook Pro laptop than ever before.
Apple WWDC 2017: All Exciting Announcements You Missed
Apple unveiled a number of exciting new hardware and software at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.
iOS 11 Review: Top New Features Coming To Your iPhone And iPad
You’ll have to wait until Fall to upgrade your iPhone or iPad with the official final version of iOS 11, or in the coming weeks, you can weasel your way into an early developer version of the new OS.
MORE IN ITECHPOST
NUS 'Smart' Textiles Boost Connectivity Between Wearable Sensors by 1,000 Times
Over the past decade, a major trend in electronics has been the development of sensors, displays and smart devices that are seamlessly integrated into the human body.
A New Material for the Battery of the Future, Made in UCLouvain
Renewable sources of energy such as wind or photovoltaic are intermittent. The production peaks do not necessarily follow the demand peaks.
Top 5 Video Games to Play for a Truly Unique First Date
Video games have a way of taking us outside of ourselves and live in a fantasy world. It's even better when you're playing a game with someone special!


text:
Area Coffee Shops See Shortage In Beans From Drought
LA VISTA (KPTM)- Coffee shops around the country are seeing a shortage of coffee beans. Brazil, one of the largest coffee producers in the world, is in an extreme drought. Experts said the drought is the worst Brazil has seen in decades. The dry weather has damaged coffee plants causing distributors to raise prices on the beans.
Beansmith Coffee owner, Chris Smith, said he takes pride in providing his customers with quality coffee, but Brazil's drought is starting to limit his supply.
"We've certainly seen an uptick in some of the pricing and so then that affects some of the coffee choices that we're making," said Smith.
Smith said his roast shop carries beans from about 6 different countries every 4 months. He said Brazil isn't the only country with coffee bean issues.
"We might have to increase our price just because the cost of the coffee coming at us is becoming more and more expensive," said Smith.
Each bag of beans is about 150 pounds of specialty coffee. The beans are a higher caliber of what's on the market. So, the cost of these beans is much higher than what the average roaster is paying for because of the quality.
"We see costs of maybe four to five to $6 a pound on average," said Smith.
The average costs for regular coffee is about $1.50 per pound. Experts say, with Brazil's drought, those prices could spike as much as 800 percent within the next 10 years.
Smith said he may have to start increasing all prices within a few months if the surge gets too expensive. He just hopes the increase won't hit his business too hard.
"We're trying to balance that against what our customers can bear and what's a good price that we can meet them at," said Smith.
Experts said, as of right now, the drought is only affecting coffee shops that roast their own beans. Other coffee shops will receive blends from distributors. Still, prices for all coffee could increase within a few months.
The cause of the drought is lack of rain and intense heat. The south eastern part of Brazil is being hit the hardest. Brazil is also a large distributor of sugar, soy and cattle. Experts said those products are also taking a hit.


text:
Alberta Expansion Press Release
For Immediate Release – September 11, 2018
Localcoin, Canada’s premier cryptocurrency ATM service provider, is proud to announce the expansion of our ATM terminals in Alberta.
With the installation of 10 machines in Edmonton and Calgary, the new locations represent the start of province-wide expansion plans aimed at providing Albertans with greater access to digital currency.
“We have been observing the development of the blockchain sector in Alberta for quite some time now.” Says Jonathan Lam, “Cryptocurrency is thriving in Calgary and Edmonton, with a number of new blockchain companies choosing to operate out of the province. We decided that now was the right time to launch our ATM expansion in Alberta to help foster the adoption of cryptocurrency. We are incredibly proud to be a part of this rapidly developing ecosystem.”
Localcoin currently has over 120 digital currency ATM terminals serving customers across Canada. Moving forward, having solidified its place as the premier cryptocurrency ATM in the nation, Localcoin will continue its path to becoming the largest provider in the world.
Localcoin’s expansion of its cryptocurrency ATM terminals throughout Alberta, and the rest of the country will continue internationally. Starting in late 2018, Localcoin will be well positioned for its expansion into the United States and Asia.
About Localcoin: Localcoin is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and was founded in 2016. It is Canada’s largest Bitcoin and altcoin ATM terminal service provider. The ongoing business goal of Localcoin is to provide its customers with a simplified and safe experience while buying and selling digital currencies. Localcoin is also dedicated to upholding customer privacy throughout Canada.
Find a Localcoin Bitcoin ATM near you with the map below.
Find LocalCoin ATM
|0 results found|
Enter your search


text:
DCC to Buy Unmanned Gas Stations From Esso for $140 MillionBenjamin Katz
DCC Plc, an Irish distributor of products from food to medical devices, agreed to buy a network of French gas stations from Esso SAF for 106 million euros ($140 million) to expand in the European fuel business.
The purchase of 274 unmanned petrol stations, 48 motorway concessions and 75 supply contracts -- which generate about 2.2 billion euros of annual revenue -- will give the Dublin-based company a 4 percent share of the French market, DCC said today. The sale, to be completed by the first half, follows the May purchase of a Swedish gas retailer for about $66 million.
DCC has benefited from buying retail assets from major oil companies as consumers in Europe turn to unmanned gas stations for cheaper supplies, the company said. The automated gas stations for sale were “low margin,” yet offered “consistent and stable” returns on capital employed and would be a platform for growth in France, Chief Executive Officer, Tommy Breen said in a telephone interview today.
“Energy is our biggest business and this is something that we’ve been talking about,” the CEO said. “An area that we wanted to expand our energy business in is the whole unmanned petrol area.”
In addition to the cash payment for the assets, DCC will pay for stock in tank at the completion date.
The deal may increase DCC’s annual operating profit by about 5.5 percent, according to Merrion Stockbrokers, which retained its buy rating on the company’s stock.
“We believe that DCC will continue to make strategic and fiscally attractive acquisitions,” said David Holohan, an analyst at Merrion, who increased DCC’s target price to 3,820 pence.
DCC shares rose as much as 2.3 percent and were trading up 1.8 percent at 3,520 pence at 1:00 p.m. in London, taking the advance this year to 18 percent.
Jefferies Group LLC, which holds a buy rating on DCC stock increased the company’s target price to 4,150 pence, citing a reduction in DCC’s exposure to a “weather sensitive heating oil” business from 20 percent to 16 percent.
“If we waved a magic wand, we’d like to wake up in a few years and maybe the heating element might be slightly less,” Breen said, adding that 16 percent is still a “significant number, so we certainly haven’t removed that volatility.”
Breen said the company could spend 150 million pounds to 200 million pounds a year on expanding its energy business as well as its health-care and technology divisions.
“Over time we will see, not dramatically larger, but larger opportunities,” he said. “The lifeblood of this company is making lots of those smaller acquisitions.”


text:
We are sure that the biggest question today is going to be “when will Fallout 4 unlock,” and with good reason too, we are down to the last day before the game releases, and everyone from the physical buyers to the digital pre orders are hoping to be there before everyone else.
We know that the release date confirmed by Bethesda Softworks is November 10, 2015 but let us also confirm to you the exact unlock time of the game.
As confirmed by the developers themselves, US fans should keep 12:01 AM EST in their minds since the game is slated for being unlocked at 12:01 AM local time for all regions except Asia and Japan. Here’s an official quote from Bethesda:
Want to know exactly when you can start playing Fallout 4? Digitally the game will become available on November 10, 2015, at 12:01 am (local time) in all territories (In North America, the unlock time will be 12:01 am EST), except Asia (available at 12 am on Wednesday, November 11th) and Japan (available at 12 am on Thursday, December 17th).
That being said, the Asian release of Fallout 4 is going to be 12 AM, Wednesday, November 11 while the game will release in Japan at 12 AM on Thursday, December 17.
Are you ready for this? Go download your game on PS4 now since preloading has started moments ago.


text:
MOBILE, Alabama – Thirteen new police vehicles were added into the Mobile Police Department's fleet Thursday, according to a department news release.
The vehicles, paid for by revenue generated from last year's penny sales tax increase, are the first installment of 73 vehicles budgeted for the department this year.
The department purchased 13 Chevrolet Impalas from a Mobile General Motors Co. provider costing $271,097. The new Impalas will replace older vehicles, some which have more than 250,000 miles on them.
The vehicle purchase is part of a $5.1 million lease
agreement the City Council endorsed in December. The purchases also included
two new fire ladder trucks, which have since been delivered and cost $2.1
million. Also included in the purchase was $600,000 for new garbage trucks,
$376,000 for four knuckle boom loaders utilized by the Public Works Department
and $375,000 for five other trucks within the department.
The $5.1 million purchase is part of a five-year payment plan. The police cars will cost a total of $1.6 million.


text:
NEWARK — They are billed as child’s play — colorful iPhone and iPad apps, with a cute mouse that helps students learn math and spelling. The apps let children post pictures of themselves, and they are some of the most popular educational games of their kind.
But state authorities say they have a second, more sinister motive.
In a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa alleges the developer of the "TeachMe" apps has been collecting personal information about children and selling it without telling users or asking their parents for consent.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Newark against Los Angeles-based 24x7digital LLC, was the first of its kind in the state under a new initiative created this spring by the Attorney General’s Office aimed at Internet privacy violations and cyber fraud.
"Mobile devices can capture and transmit a wealth of personal information about users, including their identities and even their geographic location," Chiesa said in a statement. "When we find that companies are using this ability to transmit information about children without their parents’ knowledge or consent, we will take immediate action."
The "TeachMe" app series includes "TeachMe: Toddler," "TeachMe: Kindergarten," "TeachMe: 1st Grade," and "TeachMe: 2nd Grade."
The state’s lawsuit alleges the app collects information about children — including their names and a unique device identifying code that could be used to locate them — and transmits that information to a third-party data analytics company.
There is no evidence any pictures were transmitted, the state said.
Because the company does not tell users that it shares the information and does not obtain consent from players’ parents to collect it, the state alleges it is in violation of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA.
The act was passed by Congress in 1998 in response to concerns that commercial websites were collecting and disseminating children’s personal information, often to target them for advertising, without disclosing that activity and obtaining parental consent.
"We appreciate the educational component of these apps, but under no circumstances is it acceptable to transmit identifying information about toddlers or first and second graders without the informed consent of their parents," said Eric Kanefsky, Acting Director of the state Division of Consumer Affairs.
The company said in an email statement issued late Wednesday that it was committed to complying with federal law and had removed all data collection functionality from its "TeachMe" apps series. The statement also said the company was unaware of the attorney general's lawsuit and therefore declined comment.
With the lawsuit, New Jersey joins a growing debate over mobile applications, the kind of information they collect on users and how that information is used or sold. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission concluded in February that app stores and app developers were not providing enough information for parents to determine what data was being collected on their children.
"Right now, it is almost impossible to figure out which apps collect data and what they do with it," FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in February.
The commission’s report found that mobile apps can capture a broad range of information about a user, including their precise location, phone number, contacts, call logs, and other information stored on the device, which is often transmitted without a user’s knowledge.


text:
Young entrepreneurs are tapping into connections in Indianapolis, Mexico and beyond in launching an international children’s shoe brand. ESLO co-founders Ryan Eldridge and Eduardo Salcedo met at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business at IUPUI and launched the leather shoe business in late 2015. The company is one month into a Kickstarter campaign that is looking to raise $20,000.
The company is based in Indianapolis, but its production and distribution is spread out. Eldridge says manufacturing is done at facilities in Mexico that are owned by Salcedo’s family and it uses logistics resources in California. In an interview last week on Inside INdiana Business Television, Eldridge said partnerships forged in Indianapolis have been invaluable.
"What we’re looking to do is leverage third-generational experience. They’ve been doing this a long time. A lot of love, passion has gone into it. We want to be able to utilize now social media, digital marketing the local resources we have here in town," Eldridge, who handles marketing, said. "We’ve been working with some really awesome companies — The Speak Easy (entrepreneurial space in Indianapolis) — and have a lot of other encouragement from the local community to really build this idea."
Eldridge says he had wanted to start a shoe company from an early age when he customized pairs of his friends shoes as gifts. He met Salcedo, who the grandson of a shoe factory owner and son of shoe store entrepreneur and ESLO design lead Celina Lopez Orozco. While at IUPUI, the pair joined up with fellow co-founder Lorenc Qorlaze, who handles the logistics of the business.


text:
Hall of Fame, Panini Extend Partnership Agreement for Five Years
The Pro Football Hall of Fame and sports card manufacturer Panini America have agreed to extend their partnership for five years.
The deal makes Panini the exclusive distributor of trading cards featuring players, coaches and contributors elected as members of the Hall’s Enshrinement classes of 2020 through 2024.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame holds such a special place in football honoring great players in history and at the same time is committed to growing the game of football,” said Jason Howarth, Vice President of Marketing at Panini America. “Their commitment to the game, support of our marketing programs such as the Panini Super Bowl Kid Reporter and the integration of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in our Panini trading card products is what makes our relationship so special. We look forward to new efforts to integrate Panini trading cards into Pro Football Hall of Fame efforts.”
Under terms of the agreement, Panini will work with the Pro Football Hall of Fame around a number of key Hall of Fame Centennial initiatives. In addition to the partnership, Panini will create a dedicated Hall of Fame logo card “wall display” inside the Museum. This unique exhibit will not only showcase trading cards but provide an opportunity for fans to engage and share special social media moments from their visit to the Hall.
“Panini has been an exceptional partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame producing great cards that showcase the careers of the Pro Football Hall of Famers,” said Pat Lindesmith, the Hall’s Chief Partnership Officer and Senior Vice President of Gold Jacket Relations. “They are creative and engaged in celebrating the Game we all love, and we are proud to have the opportunity to continue to grow our partnership with new and innovative products to highlight the Gold Jackets over the next five years for fans to enjoy and collect.”
Panini also will provide its products to youth participants at Hall events and will serve as the Presenting Sponsor for the Pro Football Hall of Fame First Play, the Get Fit Training Camp and the Playmakers Camp.
Additionally, Panini will remain the title sponsor of card-signing sessions featuring Gold Jackets – the living members of the Hall of Fame.
The Pinnacle of Education
The Youth & Education Team at the Pro Football Hall of Fame has achieved its own level of excellence – receiving a CILC Pinnacle Award for the 11th time in 13 years.
Hall of Famer Al Davis went the extra yard for social justice
When it came to social justice and providing opportunities for minorities, Davis was eons ahead of his time.


text:
With one notable exception, most of the key apparel currencies continued to weaken against the dollar in October, continuing a trend that began in spring.
So far this year, the U.S. dollar index, a measure of the value of the dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, has risen nearly 9 percent, with many economists expecting the trend to continue through 2015.
The strong dollar is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it represents a strong economy, protects against inflation, and gives U.S. companies and consumers more buying power abroad. On the other hand, however, it’s tough on U.S. companies with big overseas businesses. Many U.S. retailers have begun to expand into markets in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America, and may find those strategies less attractive given the exchange rate trends.
The euro fell by 0.47% against the U.S. dollar during the month, to $1.25, increasing its year-to-date decline to more than 9 percent. The currency is down by over 8 percent compared to the same month last year.
The pound dropped by 1.09% percent against the dollar in the month, to $1.60, putting it behind by 1.95% on a year-to-date basis, and reducing its year-over-year gain to under 0.2%.
The Indian rupee dipped 0.33% against the dollar, intensifying its year-to-date slide to 1.12%. Compared to this time last year, the currency is flat.
The Indonesian rupiah decreased by 1.06% in October, resulting in a year-to-date increase of 0.19%, and a year-over-year increase of more than 7.5%.
The Pakistani rupee rose 0.3% in October, down 3.7% from the same month last year, and almost 4 percent for the year to date.
The Chinese yuan fell nominally against the dollar in September, and ended the month 0.4% higher for the year so far.
The Bangladeshi taka, which is loosely pegged against the U.S. dollar, was flat in the month.
In September, the Vietnamese dong fell in value very slightly against the dollar, and remains ahead by 0.63% on a year-to-date basis.
Throughout most of the month, the Japanese yen remained flat to slightly down against the dollar. Then, late last week, Japan’s Central Bank shocked markets by announcing an unexpected easing of the monetary policy to combat inflation. The yen surged, and ended the month up 1.1% against the dollar, pushing its year-to-date gain to over 7 percent.
Patagonia has joined in with a broad coalition to sue the Trump administration aiming to strike down what they claim is the President’s “extreme overreach of authority” in revoking the Bears Ears National Monument.Read more
Ethical Fashion Show Berlin and Greenshowroom expand to create a "green hub," welcoming a robust slate of resources and conferences in its new home in Kraftwerk Berlin.Read more
J.C. Penney is answering the call for more diverse sizing with its new, personalized subscription box service for Big & Tall male consumers.Read more
A consortium of Japanese Businesses involved in global trade have teamed up to start a demonstration test this month to verify the applicability of blockchain technology as a way to streamline and upgrade cross-border trade operations.Read more
Unibail-Rodamco, the leading commercial property company in Europe, has entered into an agreement to acquire Westfield Corp., the 12th largest U.S. retail property owner, for an estimated $15.8 billion.Read more
Retailers risk alienating shoppers by swapping out their complicated markdown messages for simpler terms that, in some cases, take the focus off the deals.Read more


text:
|By Kevin Benedict||
|March 6, 2014 07:00 AM EST||
Also read Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly
Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Cyber Security News Weekly
Also read Mobile Health News Weekly
Looking for an enterprise mobility solution? Read the Mobile Solution Directory Here!
Android tablets are quickly leaving Apple's iPads in the dust as the Google-centric tablets now account for 61.9 percent of sales in 2013, compared with 36 percent for Apple, Gartner reports. Read Original Content
Biometrics is increasingly being used in keeping security on mobile devices and Fujitsu plans to put more than just a finger on security for its smartphones. In a statement, the company announced it plans to deploy palm-vein scanning to address security on its mobile devices. Read Original Content
Apple has announced it is rolling out CarPlay—formerly known as “iOS in the Car”—for three manufacturers this week: Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. CarPlay lets you control your phone directly from a screen on your dashboard. Read Original Content
Catavolt is the most secure way to rapidly build mobile apps that work with all enterprise systems and all mobile devices. IT departments rest easy with Catavolt’s industry-leading “No Data at Rest” security platform, and a no-coding app creation approach that efficiently addresses the backlog of business requests for mobile apps. Business users receive apps that are custom-tailored to their business process, and a high-performance, native user experience that fully utilizes the devices they carry today. This newsletter is sponsored in part by Catavolt.
New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Congressman José E. Serrano have announced new legislation that would require a kill switch on all smartphones. If the phone were stolen, you'd call your provider and they'd have to "kill" the phone by making it completely inoperable and wiping all personal data from the device. Read Original Content
Demand for Apple's iPhone 5S smartphone remains strong six months after its launch.
Among consumers planning to buy a new smartphone in the next three months, 33 percent expect to purchase an iPhone 5S, compared with 35 percent in December, Munster said. Read Original Content
Read Original Content
Etisalat announced it has partnered with SAP, an enterprise application software provider company, to deliver a comprehensive range of enterprise mobility services and solutions to businesses of all sizes in the UAE. Read Original Content
Brivo Labs announced its first market offering, OKDoor. It is a Glassware application that provides physical access control with Google Glass. OKDoor provides notification to a person inside a building that someone outside needs to gain access. Read Original Content
Firefox OS, an upstart smartphone operating system aimed at challenging the Apple and Google duopoly, will power a new category of $25 smartphones for developing countries, the California-based nonprofit Mozilla Foundation. Read Original Content
Apple’s Australian smartphone market share has fallen to around 35 percent while Google’s Android is now more widely used than Apple’s iOS in every major market except Japan, according to new Kantar Worldpanel figures. Read Original Content
Average smartphone use in Germany was 81 minutes per day in 2013, up by three minutes from 2012, according to the Mobile Monitor report from Goldmedia. Apple users recorded above average use at 87 minutes a day, with HTC and Huawei users registering 103 and 111 minutes a day respectively. Read Original Content
Though this wouldn't be the first time Citi has been sour on Apple, Citi's forecast for the tablet market makes Apple the most vulnerable due to its leadership status. Citi sees tablet year-to-year growth in the 20 percent – or slightly above range – this year, then dipping below 20 percent by the first quarter of 2015. Read Original Content
Boeing Co. plans to enter the budding market for cryptophones aimed at foiling spies and hackers by offering enhanced protection in tough hardware. The outer shell of the forthcoming “Black” smartphone monitors for tampering while the device’s operating system and apps screen for viruses picked up from the Internet. Read Original Content
According to a report by research firm VisionMobile, the global app economy was worth $68 billion last year and is projected to grow to $143 billion in 2016. Read Original Content
The popular brand Oral-B has introduced a new toothbrush and names it as “smart toothbrush”. The problems related to the teeth will reach the smartphone while cleaning teeth through this extraordinary smart toothbrush. Read Original Content
Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict
The First Article on How You Truly Implement the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things Comes to the Smartphone
Mobile Expert Interview: SAP's Adam Stein on Enterprise Mobility Strategies
Mobile Expert Interview: SAP's Martin Heisig at MWC14
Mobile Expert Interview: SAP's Dinesh Sharma at MWC14
Mobile Expert Interview: SAP's Mimi Spier on Big Data, Analytics, IoT and Enterprise Mobility
Mobile Expert Interview: Microsoft's Rob Tiffany on Mobile Strategies for Device Management
Mobile Expert Interview: Micron's Michael Rayfield on the Latest Developments in Mobility
Mobile Expert Interview: VMware's Sanjay Poonen on Their Acquisition of AirWatch
Mobile Expert Interview: Moshe BenBassat CEO of ClickSoftware
Webinars of Note (Recorded)
Rapidly extend any enterprise application to mobile devices without coding, APIs, or integration.
Whitepapers of Note
Don't Get SMACked - How Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud are Reshaping the Enterprise
Making BYOD Work for Your Organization
Managing BYOD and Legacy Systems
The Secret to Enterprise Mobile Application Adoption
Secure BYOD Apps in a Mobile World
Solving The Mobile Developer Scarcity Problem
The True Cost of Mobility
The widespread success of cloud computing is driving the DevOps revolution in enterprise IT. Now as never before, development teams must communicate and collaborate in a dynamic, 24/7/365 environment. There is no time to wait for long development cycles that produce software that is obsolete at launch. DevOps may be disruptive, but it is essential. The DevOps Summit at Cloud Expo--to be held November 4-6 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in the heart of Silicon Valley--will expand the DevO...
Sep. 30, 2014 10:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,066
Software AG helps organizations transform into Digital Enterprises, so they can differentiate from competitors and better engage customers, partners and employees. Using the Software AG Suite, companies can close the gap between business and IT to create digital systems of differentiation that drive front-line agility. We offer four on-ramps to the Digital Enterprise: alignment through collaborative process analysis; transformation through portfolio management; agility through process automation...
Sep. 30, 2014 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,471
The Internet of Things (IoT) promises to create new business models as significant as those that were inspired by the Internet and the smartphone 20 and 10 years ago. What business, social and practical implications will this phenomenon bring? That's the subject of "Monetizing the Internet of Things: Perspectives from the Front Lines," an e-book released today and available free of charge from Aria Systems, the leading innovator in recurring revenue management.
Sep. 27, 2014 09:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,489
The Internet of Things will put IT to its ultimate test by creating infinite new opportunities to digitize products and services, generate and analyze new data to improve customer satisfaction, and discover new ways to gain a competitive advantage across nearly every industry. In order to help corporate business units to capitalize on the rapidly evolving IoT opportunities, IT must stand up to a new set of challenges.
Sep. 27, 2014 08:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,357
There’s Big Data, then there’s really Big Data from the Internet of Things. IoT is evolving to include many data possibilities like new types of event, log and network data. The volumes are enormous, generating tens of billions of logs per day, which raise data challenges. Early IoT deployments are relying heavily on both the cloud and managed service providers to navigate these challenges. In her session at 6th Big Data Expo®, Hannah Smalltree, Director at Treasure Data, to discuss how IoT, B...
Sep. 27, 2014 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,039
All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices – computers, smartphones, tablets, and sensors – connected to the Internet by 2020. This number will continue to grow at a rapid pace for the next several decades. With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo in Silicon Valley. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be!...
Sep. 27, 2014 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,216
Quantum is a leading expert in scale-out storage, archive and data protection, providing intelligent solutions for capturing, sharing and preserving digital assets over the entire data lifecyle. They help customers maximize the value of these assets to achieve their goals, whether it’s top movie studios looking to create the next blockbuster, researchers working to accelerate scientific discovery, or small businesses trying to streamline their operations. With a comprehensive portfolio of best-i...
Sep. 26, 2014 11:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,477
The Internet of Things is tied together with a thin strand that is known as time. Coincidentally, at the core of nearly all data analytics is a timestamp. When working with time series data there are a few core principles that everyone should consider, especially across datasets where time is the common boundary. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Jim Scott, Director of Enterprise Strategy & Architecture at MapR Technologies, will discuss single-value, geo-spatial, and log time series ...
Sep. 26, 2014 07:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,289
SimpleECM is the only platform to offer a powerful combination of enterprise content management (ECM) services, capture solutions, and third-party business services providing simplified integrations and workflow development for solution providers. SimpleECM is opening the market to businesses of all sizes by reinventing the delivery of ECM services. Our APIs make the development of ECM services simple with the use of familiar technologies for a frictionless integration directly into web applicat...
Sep. 26, 2014 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,260
Software is eating the world. Companies that were not previously in the technology space now find themselves competing with Google and Amazon on speed of innovation. As the innovation cycle accelerates, companies must embrace rapid and constant change to both applications and their infrastructure, and find a way to deliver speed and agility of development without sacrificing reliability or efficiency of operations. In her keynote DevOps Summit, Victoria Livschitz, CEO of Qubell, will discuss ho...
Sep. 26, 2014 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,882
Dyn solutions are at the core of Internet Performance. Through traffic management, message management and performance assurance, Dyn is connecting people through the Internet and ensuring information gets where it needs to go, faster and more reliably than ever before. Founded in 2001 at WPI, Dyn’s global presence services more than four million enterprise, small business and personal customers.
Sep. 26, 2014 01:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,010
All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices - computers, smartphones, tablets, and sensors - connected to the Internet by 2020. This number will continue to grow at a rapid pace for the next several decades. Over the summer Gartner released its much anticipated annual Hype Cycle report and the big news is that Internet of Things has now replaced Big Data as the most hyped technology. Indeed, we're hearing more and more about this fascinating new technological paradigm. ...
Sep. 26, 2014 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,069
You use an agile process; your goal is to make your organization more agile. But what about your data infrastructure? The truth is, today’s databases are anything but agile – they are effectively static repositories that are cumbersome to work with, difficult to change, and cannot keep pace with application demands. Performance suffers as a result, and it takes far longer than it should to deliver new features and capabilities needed to make your organization competitive. As your application an...
Sep. 25, 2014 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,510
SoftLayer, an IBM Company, provides cloud infrastructure as a service from a growing number of data centers and network points of presence around the world. SoftLayer's customers range from Web startups to global enterprises. Products and services include bare metal and virtual servers, networking, turnkey big data solutions, private cloud solutions, and more. SoftLayer's unique advantages include the industry's first Network-Within-a-Network topology for true out-of-band access, and an easy-to-...
Sep. 25, 2014 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,322
Despite the fact that majority of developers firmly believe that “it worked on my laptop” is a poor excuse for production failures, most don’t truly understand why it is virtually impossible to make your development environment representative of production. When asked, the primary reason for the production/development difference everyone mentions is technology stack spec/configuration differences. While it’s true, thanks to the black magic of Cloud (capitalization intended) with a bit of wizard...
Sep. 25, 2014 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,177
SYS-CON Events announced today that AppDynamics will exhibit at DevOps Summit Silicon Valley, which will take place November 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Digital businesses like yours need a way to turn data into actual results. AppDynamics is ushering in the next digital age – the age of the software-defined business. AppDynamics’ mission is to deliver true application intelligence that helps your software-defined business run faster, leaner, and more ef...
Sep. 25, 2014 05:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,362
Performance is the intersection of power, agility, control, and choice. If you value performance, and more specifically consistent performance, you need to look beyond simple virtualized compute. Many factors need to be considered to create a truly performant environment. In their General Session at 15th Cloud Expo, Phil Jackson, Development Community Advocate at SoftLayer, and Harold Hannon, Sr. Software Architect at SoftLayer, to discuss how to take advantage of a multitude of compute option...
Sep. 25, 2014 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,827
Predicted by Gartner to add $1.9 trillion to the global economy by 2020, the Internet of Everything (IoE) is based on the idea that devices, systems and services will connect in simple, transparent ways, enabling seamless interactions among devices across brands and sectors. As this vision unfolds, it is clear that no single company can accomplish the level of interoperability required to support the horizontal aspects of the IoE. The AllSeen Alliance, announced in December 2013, was formed wi...
Sep. 24, 2014 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,912
Fujitsu has a long and demonstrated history delivering world-class solutions that enable businesses to succeed in a highly competitive market and ever-evolving technology landscape. The Fujitsu Cloud ISV Partner Program is one more way we’re delivering exceptional value to our customers, where we focus on helping companies transform and deliver their solutions in an “as-a-service” model from our cloud. Our aim is to work closely with leading solution providers to take full advantage of not only ...
Sep. 24, 2014 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,336
Cloud computing is being adopted in one form or another by 94% of enterprises today. Tens of billions of new devices are being connected to The Internet of Things. And Big Data is driving this bus. An exponential increase is expected in the amount of information being processed, managed, analyzed, and acted upon by enterprise IT. This amazing is not part of some distant future it is happening today. One report shows a 650% increase in enterprise data by 2020. Other estimates are even higher....
Sep. 24, 2014 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,554


text:
Latest Purifiers Stories
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- "Alive, A Life" Air Purifier launching conference was held by PHNIX in Beijing JW Wanhao Hotel on Sept. 23, 2014.
BURNABY, British Columbia, July 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TechSci Research [http://www.techsciresearch.com ] announces its publication on 'Global Water Purifiers Market
DUBLIN, June 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/w4rbtc/united_kingdom)
BuyDig.com has deals so hot they sizzle! Edison, New Jersey (PRWEB) May 13, 2014 BuyDig.com, the Internet's #1 Superstore, is pleased to announce
Air Purifiers Direct 2U LLC announces new website features Including hot items, complimentary shipping, specials & FAQs.
Air Purifiers Direct 2U LLC expands and simplifies the shopping experience for government clients with a clear and concise capability statement. Peoria, IL (PRWEB)
Air Purifiers Direct 2U LLC receives highest rating from renown Dr. Daniel Hanley M.D., M.S. for earning the Dr.
DUBLIN, April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3228t3/united_states_air) has announced the addition of the "United
DUBLIN, April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pnhrfs/india_air) has announced the addition of the "India Air Purifiers
- The governor of a province or people.


text:
Our 2010 Trend Reports have just been released, along with a stellar new service called TREND HUNTER PRO. TREND HUNTER PRO is a private online site that lets trend report customers quickly explore 700+ PRO clusters with quick access to 4,000+ video and gallery examples.
2010 Trend Reports Regarding the new trend research: With the world’s #1 largest, most popular, most updated archive of micro-trends, we have developed an unrivaled platform to leverage more than 55,000 ideas and 115,000,000 views to identify patterns and opportunity.
Check out our new 2010 Trend Reports today!
1,191,540 clicks in 224 w
More Stats +/-


text:
Juniper Networks, an industry leader in network innovation, finds the cyber black markets have a mature economy with characteristics akin to those of a thriving metropolitan city. A new global report, sponsored by Juniper Networks and conducted by the RAND Corporation, reveals several economic indicators that cyber black markets have reached unprecedented levels of maturity and growth.
While there has been significant research measuring different parts of the hacker black markets, RAND's report, "Markets for Cybercrime Tools and Stolen Data: Hackers' Bazaar," examines for the first time these markets in their entirety and applies economic analysis to better understand how they function. RAND found significant levels of economic sophistication, reliability, accessibility and resilience in the products, distribution channels and actors involved in the black markets.
RAND's report, confirmed by Juniper's vast experience in the network security ecosystem, suggests the cyber black markets are a mature and growing multi-billion-dollar economy with a robust infrastructure and social organization. RAND found these black markets, like any other economy, react to market forces like supply and demand, and continue to evolve.
Juniper Networks likens the hacker black markets to a thriving metropolitan city with diverse communities, industries and interactions.
When phone calls, video conference information, pictures, chat logs, etc. are all stored in a central location via social media, a potential hacker has access to just about everything, quickly and easily. ... More >>
Unearth the real story behind five commonly held myths about distributed denial-of-service attacks. ... More >>
IT security ultimately depends on making sure employees use the appropriate tools and comply with policies designed to protect them and their data/applications. ... More >>


text:
It’s become almost a tradition that with the launch of a new supercar, the collective Internet waits with baited breathe for the first accident, fire, or racing failure, and the Porsche 918 Spyder is no exception. This weekend one of the $845,000 hybrid supercars caught on fire at a gas station (of all places) in Toronto.
Jalopnik was tipped off to the Porsche BBQ via Twitter, and while details are still scant, the 887 horsepower hybrid may have suffered either from a mechanical fault, or user error. I noticed at several auto shows that the exhaust pipes were quite close to the fuel cap, and a few straw drops of gasoline could be all it took to start a devastating blaze and insurance claim.
Thankfully it seems the driver managed to escape, as did the gas station, as I have yet to come across any reports of an exploding gas station taking out a chunk of Toronto.
The lesson here? Gasoline is still infinitely more dangerous than battery electric vehicles, and even high-end hybrids aren’t immune to the volatile nature of our primary energy source. While the media was quick to make a big deal out of a couple of isolated Tesla Model S fires, one has to wonder what reaction the media will have to an almost million-dollar supercar meltdown.
Isolated incident, or the beginnings of a recall?


text:
Horsten International Signs an Agreement with Alibaba Group's Tmall Global Platform to Sell Belgian Food & Beverage Brands to Chinese Consumers through the Belgium Flagship Store20/11/2019
Horsten International today signed an agreement with Alibaba Group’s dedicated cross-border e-commerce platform Tmall Global to set up the first and only Belgium flagship store dedicated at selling Belgian food & beverage brands directly to Chinese consumers. The agreement is signed at the occasion of the Belgian Economic Mission to China, presided by HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium and in the presence of several high-level officials from Belgium and more than 600 businesspeople.
The flagship store will be operated by Horsten International in close cooperation with Arctic Solutions, a Dutch service provider based in Shanghai, offering a unique chance for Belgian brands to enter the Chinese market without having their own legal entity or distributor in China and sell directly to Chinese consumers.
Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) is the process of Chinese consumers buying products directly from foreign suppliers via the internet, without the specific need for an intermediary business entity in China. This is different from the traditional e-commerce platforms in China which require a Chinese legal entity or a Chinese importer/distributor.
Chinese consumers buying products via CBEC platforms search for a higher level of quality and better product safety. Consequently, food products are one of the best sold product category on CBEC platforms, making cross-border e-commerce the perfect first entry into China for Belgian food brands.
With this project Horsten aims to provide the 654 million annual active consumers across Alibaba’s marketplaces with access to high-quality food & beverage products from Belgium. Horsten joins a growing list of international brands that have chosen Tmall Global as their partner of choice to grow their online business in China, one of the most advanced and fastest growing digital consumer markets in the world.
The cooperation between Horsten and Tmall Global underlines the growth potential of the food & beverage category in China and in particular high-quality products from Belgium, such as chocolates, beers, cookies, biscuits, bakery products, candies and other food & beverage products.
“The new Belgium flagship store on Tmall Global will introduce Belgium’s renowned food and beverage culture and heritage to Chinese consumers and aims to enable them to enjoy an excellent shopping and food appreciation experience. Alibaba is the biggest e-commerce player in China, but it is not easy for food brands from a small country such as Belgium to sell their products on one of Alibaba’s platforms. Through this exclusive Belgium flagship store many Belgian food brands can share resources and maximize their chances of success.” said Bart Horsten, Managing Director of Horsten International.
About HORSTEN International and MyChinaWeb
Horsten International is a China consulting company, set up in 1996 by the late Joos Horsten, the man behind the successful joint venture of Janssen Pharmaceutica in China. With its 13 professionals in its offices in Belgium and China, Horsten International is by far the most experienced and broadly skilled China consultant in Belgium. In 2016 Horsten started MyChinaWeb, the first China online marketing agency in Belgium, helping its customers to be active on e-commerce and social media in China.


text:
Health and Safety Concerns
This audit was partly prompted by two explosions at two factories in Chengdu last year, in which 77 workers were injured and four were killed. Workers reported that they are worried about their safety and health, especially after the explosions.
With over 43 percent of workers reporting that they have experienced or seen an accident, Foxconn said it is now committed to more closely monitoring health and safety issues. A number of health and safety violations, including blocked exits and protective equipment have already been remedied.
Foxconn said it is also taking steps to bring workers into the conversation. It has agreed to "enhance workers' participation in committees and other union structures," says the report.
In line with what ABC News Nightline exclusively reported in February, the FLA report says that no issues of child labor, forced labor or payment of the legal minimum wage were discovered at the factories. The FLA said it had "unfettered access" within the factories.
Apple and Next Steps
Apple's promises are not detailed directly in the report, but in a statement the company said it will comply with the FLA's recommendations.
"Our team has been working for years to educate workers, improve conditions and make Apple's supply chain a model for the industry, which is why we asked the FLA to conduct these audits," Apple told ABC News. "We share the FLA's goal of improving lives and raising the bar for manufacturing companies everywhere."
However, Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, the Founder and President of SumOfUs, an actvist group based in Washington, DC, says Apple's made these promises before. "The promises are empty until we see actual improvement in workers lives."
Stinebrickner-Kauffman also called attention to the July 2013 date. "Foxconn will be breaking the law for the next 15 months. If Foxconn can't hire workers quick enough, Apple would just have to reduce demand. We shouldn't be buying things that are produced illegally."
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been in China all week, meeting with local business as well as visiting Foxconn. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs never visited China or Foxconn when he was CEO of the company.
Still, Van Heerden said he is confident that Foxconn will make the changes recommended in the report. "I know they will do this because we will monitor it. And they have made this commitment publicly now. It is such a high profile and major commitment, there is no way they wouldn't do it."
Full Disclosure: Apple and the Walt Disney Company, the parent company of ABC News, have strong ties. Disney CEO Bob Iger serves on the Apple Board of Directors.


text:
By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
and NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
The government's top labour official says web shops "don't need to put Bahamians out of work" because they are still making good profits despite the tax hikes.
John Pinder, pictured, acting director of labour, told Tribune Business that no confirmations of domestic gaming industry lay-offs had "reached my desk" prior to the new sliding scale taxation's introduction on July 1.
Dion Foulkes, minister of labour, yesterday said Island Luck was the only web shop operator to-date that had provided him with formal notice of impending staff terminations. But Mr Pinder suggested to this newspaper that lay-offs were more likely to come from smaller, less profitable operators - the likes of Asure Win and Paradise Games - rather than the market leader.
"I'll believe that the smaller houses that weren't doing too good, the one with the closing of 11 locations [Asure Win], that's more realistic than the Island Luck group because Island Luck is doing good," Mr Pinder told Tribune Business.
"It'll [the increased taxation] impact their profits to some extent, but they will still make a good profit return... They don't need to put Bahamians out of work. They're making money."
Mr Pinder added that the web shop industry's suggestions of mass staff lay-offs and location closures "was more of a public announcement" in the wake of the taxation increase.
He added, though, that the Department of Labour was preparing for the worst. "It'll be our responsibility to take the necessary precautions and register those persons in our skills bank if they're going to be unemployed and find them some work," Mr Pinder said.
Mr Foulkes, meanwhile, said Island Luck was the only web shop operator from whom he has received formal notice of staff terminations, telling this newspaper he remains hopeful "they will change their mind".
Island Luck, the Bahamas' largest web shop chain, last month warned staff to brace for up to 350 job losses after it was unsuccessful in mitigating the impact of a 184 per cent tax hike on its business model.
ASure Win has also revealed it plans to close 11 of its locations - and terminate 50 jobs - as it seeks to shed underperforming sites in a move also blamed on the Budget's tax increases. It indicated that further closures and terminations may follow once an in-depth review of its business model is completed.
Paradise Games chief executive, Kevin Knowles, has also warned his staff that redundancies and store closures may be a possibility following the government's increase in taxes for the domestic gaming sector. He advised that the web shop's human resources department will begin employee performance reviews should layoffs become necessary.
Mr Foulkes told Tribune Business: "Island Luck said that they had planned to terminate 'x' amount. A 30-day notice was given. I'm hopeful that during that 30 days maybe they will change their mind.
"We live in a democracy. It's a free enterprise system and business people will make their decisions. They have to comply with the labour laws, with the Employment Act, to ensure that everyone gets their benefits."
Mr Foulkes added: "It's the only web shop that has formally communicated with me. I'm very happy that Mr Craig Flowers has decided not to lay-off anyone. He's one of the major players in the industry. He said his interest is to preserve jobs. I'm hoping that other owners will follow his example."
The FML chief said last month that he has opted not to lay off employees because it is not known if his company will suffer loss due to increased government taxes, which includes a 5 percent stamp tax on patron deposits and over-the-counter lottery sales.
The Government has consistently argued that the web shop industry was already in the process of consolidation, and that sector operators are using the Budget tax increases as 'cover' to accelerate actions they would eventually have taken anyway.
But the web shop industry's consultants, Christiansen Capital Advisors, warned that the likely first reaction of Bahamian web shop operators to any tax increases would be to cut costs through closing marginal or unprofitable locations, resulting in significant job losses.
"The combined impact of declining revenues and a higher tax rate will undoubtedly lead to downsizing and the closing of marginally performing locations," the Christiansen study warned.
"In a first quarter 2018 performance review, the largest operator of gaming houses, Island Luck, identified 14 marginal performing locations and 26 marginally performing franchisees representing estimated gross gaming revenue of approximately $37.3 million, or 35 per cent of gross gaming revenues.
"If these new tax rates go into effect, these identified locations will almost certainly be forced to close, and as this review was conducted before these new taxes were proposed, there could be more locations forced to close as well," Christiansen added.
"Island Luck had 54 store locations and 62 franchisees in 2017. Thus, these marginal operations constitute approximately 26 per cent of Island Luck's stores, and 48 per cent of its franchisees.
"If we assume that other operators on the island have a similar ratio of poor performing locations and franchisees, that means that these new taxes will likely lead to the loss of 69 stores and 711 employees at 10.3 employees per store, and $13.5 million in wages and indirect employment of 114 indirect jobs and between $2.1 million in wages."
But the projected impact to-date has been far less than the web shop industry's own initial estimates of 2,000 job losses and 192 location closures.


text:
In an otherwise ho-hum year for stocks, investors piled back into technology companies in 2005.
Tech firms recapture buzz in market
The electronic exchange Archipelago Holdings Inc., poised to merge with the New York Stock Exchange later this month, led the list of local winners. Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. climbed 61% as electronic trading volume surged. [View Q4/2005 Chicago stock scoreboard]
"With the electronic platform we can distribute our products globally now and trade 24 hours a day. That's driving the new volume," says Richard H. Redding, managing director of products and services at the Merc.
Industrial stocks also fared better in a year that saw the Standard & Poor's 500 index rise just 3%. Caterpillar Inc.'s shares advanced 19%. "A lot of technology stocks had been oversold before last year and investors finally recognized that," says William Hummer, chief economist for Wayne Hummer Investments LLC in Chicago. "Capital spending is going to be strong in 2006 and the industrial sector has been benefiting from that."
But Vernon Hills-based Zebra Technologies Corp., which makes bar-code printers, suffered when a new technology for tracking inventory was slow to catch on. Chief Financial Officer Charles Whitchurch blames that on a shortage of computer chips for the new radio frequency identification systems but says "large quantities of the chip are now available" and predicts "greater adoption by our customers."
©2006 by Crain Communications Inc.
Out of 16 large U.S. cities, only one ranked lower than Chicago in a new Gallup poll.
The death of the scion of one of Chicago’s richest families on his 70th birthday last month stunned the city's business, civic and philanthropic communities.
Inflation has driven up prices of alcohol and other beverages, while some food items cost less and lower gas prices make leaving town cheaper than last year.


text:
Is Your Daily Salt Intake Causing Headaches?
A heavy amount of salt in our day-to-day diet has, for many years, been linked to causing problems with the heart. Medical scientists have proved that a lot of salt each day can lead to developing high blood pressure, hypertension and heart disease. But now research is suggesting too much of the salty stuff could be bad for our heads too and cause more misery in the form of headaches.
Research led by John Hopkins University in the US suggests too much salt may actually trigger headaches. The study, which involved 400 people, showed that going from an intake of 8g (grams) to 4g a day caused a 31% reduction in headaches. Therefore, it concludes that cutting our salt intake could, in fact, reduce headaches by a third.
Before you decide to go and throw away the table salt in your kitchens cupboards, it is important to know that our bodies actually do need the stuff. The UK Salt Association even goes as far to say that we need it to function, with it playing a crucial role in the functionality of our bodies. The association says every gram of salt is made up from 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. Both of these play a “vital” role in keeping our bodies functioning. This means too little salt could perhaps be as bad for our health as too much. If we dramatically reduce our intake, “it could be damaging,” the UK Salt Association’s website says. “Extremely low levels of salt can even be fatal.”
Recent reports suggest that it is in fact sugar, not salt, which may be more responsible for causing high blood pressure and heart disease – see The Best of Health article: Sugar Could Contribute More to High Blood Pressure than Salt.
But regardless of whether or not its effects are worse than sugar, according to Blood Pressure UK, too much salt in your daily diet is, quite simply, bad for your health. It can raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and puts strain on your brain, which can lead to a stroke. Blood Pressure UK says salt works on your kidneys to make your body hold more water. This extra stored water “raises your blood pressure and puts strain on your kidneys, arteries, heart and brain.”
Salt in Processed Foods
Most of the sodium contained in salt is obtained from pre-packaged and processed foods in which it is often added as a preservative and flavouring. This includes bread, pasta, white rice and tinned meat, as well as convenience foods, such as pizza, breakfast cereals and pre-cooked and frozen dinners.
The NHS says 75% of the salt we eat comes from processed foods. Recent reports have found that pizzas and processed sauces from UK leading supermarkets contain “shockingly” high levels of salt. The group CASH (Consensus Action on Salt and Health), which is concerned with salt and its effects on health and is supported by scientific experts, conducted a survey looking at selected pizza. The results showed the pizzas contained more than the recommended 6g maximum limit for our daily salt intake.
Sonia Pombo, nutritionist at CASH, says: “Most of us aren’t aware of how much salt we actually eat on a daily basis, and the danger we are putting ourselves in. With three-quarters of our salt intakes coming from processed foods such as pizza, how are any of us able to choose a healthier diet?”
Controlling Your Daily Salt Intake to Control Your Headaches
It seems, when it comes to salt, you really can’t do right for doing wrong. Too much will lead to high blood pressure and heart problems, while with too little, well, simple put, you can’t properly function. The NHS recommends our daily salt consumption should not exceed 6g of salt per day. This is probably easier said than done, as it can be hard to keep track of measuring our salt intake through the day. The solution is to just control your daily salt intake as best you can.
A good way to avoid excessive amounts of salt in your daily diet is to make your own food as often as possible. A very small percentage of your daily salt intake will come from homemade foods, so, when doing the weekly shop, buy plenty of fresh foods, such as meat, fish and vegetables.
If you do buy pre-packed and tinned food, the products will be labelled to show the percentage of salt per 100g it contains. The government has also launched colour-coded labelling for food products, which are being used by all major supermarkets. The labelling system combines colour-coding, from red to green, with nutritional information, making it easier and quicker to check if a product contains high salt content.
CASH says on its website, the colour-coded labelling “makes it easy to see at a glance if a product is high (red), medium (amber) or low (green) in certain nutrients, including salt.”
If you would like to read more from the UK Salt Association or Consensus Action on Salt and Health , please click on the link.
If you are concerned about headaches or other issues more specifically concerning over 50s health, please follow us on Facebook for regular updates.