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The Bolero was first launched in August 2000, after which it quickly became a popular choice for the police and armed forces, apart from the civilians.
Mahindra has launched a special edition of the Bolero SUV. Dubbed the Bolero Power+, the SUV is an upgrade over the standard Bolero and is offered in three trim levels.
The Bolero was first launched in August 2000, after which it quickly became a popular choice for the police and armed forces, apart from the civilians. The company states that the Bolero holds the highest utility vehicle (UV) cumulative sales number, with 12 lakh cars sold since its launch.
Mahindra has decked the Bolero Power+ with a new set of decals, seat covers, floor mats, a new scuff plate set, steering wheel cover, larger fog lamps on the front bumper, and a roof-mounted spoiler which comes with a stop lamp.
The company also updated the car’s safety features with additions such as an airbag, anti-lock braking system (ABS), while complying with full-frontal, front offset, and side-impact crash norms which came into effect on October 1.
Mechanically, the car remains unchanged. It is offered with an option between a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine which makes 70PS of maximum power and 195Nm of peak torque and a 2.5-litre, turbocharged diesel motor making 63PS and 180Nm.Both engines are offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It has a price range of Rs 8.07 lakh to Rs 9.08 lakh (Ex-showroom) and is offered in three trim levels including SLE, SLX, and ZLX.The Great Diwali Discount!
Unlock 75% more savings this festive season. Get Moneycontrol Pro for a year for Rs 289 only.
Coupon code: DIWALI. Offer valid till 10th November, 2019 .


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|Philippe Merk attends Royal Oak 40 Years: From Avant-Garde to Icon at Park Avenue Armory on March 21 in New York City. Photo credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images North America|
Swiss luxury watch brand, Audemars Piguet, put out a brief statement Thursday saying that its CEO, Philippe Merk, is no longer with the company. The board of directors named François-Henry Bennahmias as interim general manager. The company did not say whether it would seek a permanent replacement.
“Due to differences in company strategy, the board of directors and Mr. Philippe Merk, Chief Executive Officer, have decided to terminate their collaboration,” the company said in its statement. “The board appreciates the work accomplished these past years and wishes Mr. Merk continued success in his future endeavors.”
Bennahmias, 48, began his career at Audemars Piguet in 1996 and since 1997 he was assistant marketing and sales manager for Asia-Pacific and Europe.
In 1999 he was promoted to president and CEO of Audemars Piguet (North America Inc.) in New York.

domain: news


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Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida told the audience at EGX last week that rise in smartphone use meant the company was unlikely to launch another handheld like the PlayStation Vita.
"People have mobile phones and it's so easy to play games on smartphones, and many games on smartphones are free, or free to start," he told Eurogamer's Oli Welsh on stage.
"I myself am a huge fan of PlayStation Vita and we worked really hard on designing every aspect. Touch-based games are fun - there are many games with really good design. But having sticks and buttons make things totally different. So I hope, like many of you, that this culture of playing portable games continues but the climate is not healthy for now because of the huge dominance of mobile gaming."
You can watch the full talk below:


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Grindsmith, the Manchester-born independent and self-professed coffee-connoisseur, has expanded across the city centre with the launch of its third coffee shop. This follows a cash injection arranged by Manchester business, Sedulo Funding Solutions.
A chain, run by Luke Tomlinson and Peter Gibson (pictured above) had a successful 2018 which saw saw the five-year-old brand end on a high as it expanded with a move into newer, bigger premises ( See www.northwest.fdmb.co.uk/new-coffee-laboratory-and-roastery-to-launch-in-manchester )
The new store on Bridge Street will replicate the existing Grindsmith’s DNA and allow the team to build new partnerships for 2019.
Speaking on the expansion, Grindsmiths co-founder, Luke Tomlinson, said: “The Grindsmith brand has gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years with significant growth, culminating in the move to our fantastic new site on Bridge Street.
“Everything with the refurb of the site was going to plan, but a last-minute curve ball from an investor meant we needed some extremely urgent financial support.
“Thankfully Andy Chadwick of Sedulo helped us secure the finance we needed and, considering the circumstances, I was really impressed with their five-day turnaround.”


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New SuperValu opens in Athlone
24 September 2015
A new SuperValu store on Ballymahon Road, Athlone officially opened today. The 10,000 sq ft store, which local retailer Mary Croughan will operate, represents a total investment of €5.3 million and the creation of 55 new jobs.
Today’s announcement marks the second SuperValu store opening this month; the retailer celebrated the opening of its first Newbridge store in early September, creating 70 new jobs and representing an investment of €2.2 million. These developments are indicative of the growing momentum behind the SuperValu brand, with the retailer investing €18 million in store developments in 2015, adding 280 jobs to the SuperValu network. SuperValu now serves over 2.6 million customers every week and has 223 stores nationwide.
Supporting over 2,200 local Irish suppliers, SuperValu says it is committed to supporting the Irish agri-food industry and investing in the local economy, and these new stores are no different. The new Athlone and Newbridge stores are supporting emerging Irish food producers through the Food Academy range, which showcases start-up food companies and helps give small producers a big chance.
Martin Kelleher, managing director of SuperValu described the opening as “a very exciting development” and said: “Today’s store opening demonstrates the strength of SuperValu’s independent community retail model, with this Athlone store owned and operated by local businesswoman Mary Croughan.”
Mary Croughan said: “We are very proud to be generating employment and helping to boost the local economy of Athlone with the creation of 55 jobs for Athlone. As an independent local retailer I am proud that I have the opportunity to invest locally by employing people from the Athlone area and sourcing from local suppliers, all of which will add to the overall shopping experience for our customers.”


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For the past few years, touch screen devices have been the spotlight not only for giant technology producers and consumers but also for developers. Applications on smart phones open-up many possibilities including integration to televisions and car; iphone for example, allows user to connect to xbox game console and acts like a second screen that can be used as a remote control; and can assist driver to get direction using GPS through siri or voice recognition. Tech industries have time to copy and add features to the existing one and produce much cheaper devices. And lastly, Developers have many challenges in terms of creativity, specifically on combining software and hardware.
However, despite this fact, pundits see changes as surface isn’t going to draw attention in the upcoming years. Consumers want more and different invention e.g. Glass Project or IGlass. Google as expected is starting to change the recently highlighted smart phone, and going to unveil glass as its new invention. The giant search engine lets developer to build application base on their enthusiasm; special edition is by invitation that worth $1,500 .
New challenges for all, but for some it is the beginning of gadget shifting. Experts learn from the past particularly the surface era where iphone produces a strong communities of application developers. Google as the first company who will reveal the actual usage of the extraordinary glass will benefit from a hug ecosystem to strengthen its brand.


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Schüco UK is using a dramatic online format to introduce its new products and its vision for the future.
As a modern method of construction, sectional modular buildings using timber frame are far more versatile than you might think.
Creating flexible space, Style has installed two sophisticated moveable wall systems at the Berkeley Hotel, a five-star hospitality venue in the heart of Knightsbridge.
When Goldman Sachs called upon Gross Max and the City of London to provide plans to landscape the area surrounding their newly built headquarters, nobody could envision the unique designs they would dream up.
The ease of installation and all round performance characteristics offered by Marmox Multiboard have led to a leading dry-lining contractor recommending the versatile tile-backer boards to a client engaged in the redevelopment of a former convent near Kettering.
Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme Anti Bacterial paint range offers the best of both worlds – a paint with added anti bacterial protection which will not diminish over time, no matter how many times it is scrubbed clean.
Jon Dore, one of the building envelope sector’s most prominent commercial experts is to join CA Group as the firm’s Business Development Manager, in a newly created role that will see further expansion of its existing commercial department.
Quantum Flooring is excited to announce the release of their new and most innovative Stair Nosing to date, which marks a new evolution in Stair Nosing specification.
Sika’s Concrete, Waterproofing and Engineered Refurbishment division has launched a CPD module designed to provide specialist guidance on concrete repair and protection.


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At long last, the hotly anticipated Union Market will throw open its doors this Saturday, allowing many Washingtonians their first look inside the multi-use space at 1390 Fifth Street, Northeast. The market will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only through November, after which it moves to a six-day-a-week schedule.
We checked in with a bunch of vendors to see who’s ready to go this weekend and who will delay their debut. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list—development group Edens says there are more than 40 purveyors in total—and that opening dates are always subject to change.
Don’t forget that Sunday, September 9, is the second annual DC Scoop artisanal ice cream competition at the market—judges and attendees will evaluate treats from local ice cream, custard, and gelato purveyors. You’ll find detail about that on the Union Market website.
Arondo Holmes will have his full inventory of sweet and sour salties available on opening day.
Rappahannock Oyster Company
A rep for the family-owned bivalve business says its oyster, small plates, and beer-and-wine bar should open inside the market on Saturday.
Owner Carolyn Stromberg, who used Kickstarter to help fund her project, says her cheese bar will be open this weekend with beer and wine pairings, but will have a limited retail supply. Once the market expands its hours in November, she’ll have the full inventory.
Trickling Springs Creamery
Joe Miller, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania dairy, says the TSC booth is still under construction, but that there will be a temporary stall operating on the 8th at which shoppers can order ready-to-eat and take-home ice cream, along with milk and butter. Once they’re fully operational, expect a “whole dairy section” with yogurt, eggs, cream products, and cottage cheese, along with hand-dipped ice cream, soft serve, and milkshakes. The creamery is starting out with nine flavors of ice cream, including sweet potato pie and coffee bean frappe.
Maybe Open Saturday
Anna Leis, who owns DC Empandas with her husband, Shawn, says they might be up and running on debut day. “It depends what can happen between now and the weekend,” she told us when we contacted her yesterday. In any case, this stall should be serving up its fried pockets of goodness in short order.
Will the local java company be fully operational this weekend? “Yes, fingers crossed,” says owner Ryan Jensen. “We are definitely planning to be there with coffee on Saturday morning.”
Opening Very Soon
Red Apron Butchery
The Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s meat-mongers—who are planning a commissary nearby—will also have a retail stall inside the market, but it won’t be open this weekend. A rep tells us to look out for the project “later this fall.” (Red Apron will open a brick-and-mortar location at Merrifield, Virginia’s Mosaic District—another Edens development—this fall.)
The food truck will park it at the market in the coming days, says founder Mike Lenard, but won’t be ready to serve its kimchi- and Napa-slaw-topped tacos on Saturday.
Opening Not So Soon
The gelato chain will not have a stall inside the market, but will open a production facility at nearby 550 Penn Street (along with Red Apron) in spring 2013 (see our earlier post for more on that).
Exact Opening Date Unknown
Buffalo & Bergen
Gina Chersevani says her soda shop will not debut on September 8. We’ll bring you an update on when it will open as soon as we have one. UPDATE: Chef R.J. Cooper and bartender Bryan Tetorakis will host a pop-up at Buffalo & Bergen this weekend, according to Eater DC. Rumors circulated this week that Chersevani had pulled out of the Union Market deal but she told us this was not true.
Salt & Sundry
Amanda McClements—a well-known local food writer—says the space for her retail venture is “under construction” and will open later this year. According to the boutique’s Facebook page, Salt & Sundry will carry “tableware, barware, linens, artisanal foods and covetable vintage finds,” plus rustic farm tables made by her North Carolina father. The 1,200 square-foot shop will also host events with chefs, bartenders, and other guests from the culinary world.
Harvey’s Market, Almaala Farms, and Lyon Bakery
We’re still waiting to hear back from these three vendors. Check back here for updates.
Union Market. 1390 Fifth St., NE; unionmarketdc.com. September and October hours: Friday from 11 to 8, Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 8.


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No No, The Trade War Is Awesome It'll All Be Fine!
Sorry to interrupt this very happy day, but it looks like we may be in for a wee smidge of economic turbulence. Yesterday morning, President Arty McDeals played Game of Sycophants while dribbling onto a giant poster of himself emblazoned with the words, "Sanctions Are Coming." Just hours later, Apple halted trading of its shares to announce that its first quarter expected profits will be down substantially. Seems that sanctions are already here, and they're taking a huge bite out of the American economy. Trade wars are good and easy to win!
Despite Donald Trump's constant insistence that the Chinese are paying when we sanction their imports, here on Planet Earth, it is actually American importers coughing up the cash and then passing the additional cost on to consumers. Do you see Xi Jin Ping ranting about American farmers paying for a new Great Wall through the yuuuuge soybean tariffs enacted by his government in response to American levies? No, you don't! Because President Xi is not A IDIOT. And also because Chinese pig producers can simply buy their soybeans from Brazil instead, leaving North Dakota farmers with silos full of rotting legumes.
But since the Chinese economy is heavily dependent on exports to America, Chinese consumers currently have a lot less money to spend buying iPhones. Or as Tim Cook puts it,
China's economy began to slow in the second half of 2018. The government-reported GDP growth during the September quarter was the second lowest in the last 25 years. We believe the economic environment in China has been further impacted by rising trade tensions with the United States. As the climate of mounting uncertainty weighed on financial markets, the effects appeared to reach consumers as well, with traffic to our retail stores and our channel partners in China declining as the quarter progressed. And market data has shown that the contraction in Greater China's smartphone market has been particularly sharp.
Since Apple halted trading yesterday, its shares are down more than 10%. Turns out that undermining the Chinese economy and calling them a bunch of rapacious thieves is a bad way to get them to buy more of our stuff. Who knew!
Never fear, because White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Kevin Hassett is here to reassure the markets with a promise that the losses will be spread across all major sectors. So cheer up, Apple!
With the Dow down 500+ points...A major warning about corporate earnings from @WhiteHouseCEA who just told me “a he… https://t.co/NtPQuHlrNb— Poppy Harlow (@Poppy Harlow) 1546531009.0
It's not going to be just Apple. I think that there are a heck of a lot of US companies that have a lot of sales in China that are basically going to be watching their earnings being downgraded next year until we get a deal with China. And that puts a lot of pressure on China to make a deal.
ARE YOU NOT REASSURED?
Hassett's argument goes something like this: America is the indispensable market, and if we can just crash the Chinese economy, they'll eventually knuckle under and start buying cars from us while simultaneously accepting slave wages to assemble the cheap electronics we've come to love. Then Apple and Ford's share prices will soar, and Americans can still buy infinity shit without forcing corporations to increase wages. Hooray!
Let's see, if you multiply A by the square root of B and carry the one you get ... a great, steaming pile of BULLSHIT!
Leaving aside the implicit assumption that China will remain the world's workshop for all eternity, Hassett's gleeful predictions that the American bull market will go on forever under Donald Trump's wise and temperate guidance (LOL) are already provable bullshit. GDP growth continues to slow as we get over the sugar rush from the Republican tax boondoggle. No WALL will exempt us from the global slowdown, and no matter how much the MAGA loons refuse to believe it, the law of gravity still applies in US America.
Politico reports, as the Chinese and American economies soften, they each run out of ammo to fight.
"I think personally that the trade war is coming to an end and there is really nothing Trump can do about it," Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at The Leuthold Group, said in the latest edition of the POLITICO Money podcast. "If you have the United States and China both with very weak economies, the negotiation around trade just evaporates. Neither party has any negotiating power left. They both have to stop what they are doing."
We're not immune from a global recession, and unlike China, our farmers can vote. The Chinese Communist Party can withstand a lot of economic pain, but two more years of moderate economic slowdown will tank the GOP in 2020. And no amount of insane grinning from Kevin Hassett can change that.
Okay, that's enough economy talk for one day. Please to enjoy the obligatory Trade War Happy Face picture of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross pretending to enjoy his regular lunch of canned soup and domestic beer from a Capitol Hill bodega.
Nothing to fear, kids, we're in good hands!
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Please click here to buy your Wonkette a can of condensed soup and a tallboy so we can be cool like Uncle Wilbur!
Liz Dye lives in Baltimore with her wonderful husband and a houseful of teenagers. When she isn't being mad about a thing on the internet, she's hiding in plain sight in the carpool line. She's the one wearing yoga pants glaring at her phone.


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Thrifty Thinking: Avoiding Holiday Overspending
DECEMBER 7, 2018
thriftyI recently had the chance to interview Nicole Lapin, personal finance expert, about budgeting during the holidays. What are some general tips for people to know if they want to avoid overspending during the holidays? The holiday season is supposed to be merry and bright, but due to the high cost of the holidays and the interpersonal “politics” of things like gifting, shopping and entertaining, it can also be filled with friction between family, friends and loved ones.


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Earlier today, the Futures Financial Association of Japan (FFAJ) announced the monthly operating metrics of its members that offer Forex and binary options trading over the counter. The data for June 2015 provided a nice piece of news for both segments of online trading, as Forex volumes and binary options volumes showed a robust rise from somewhat subdued levels recorded in May this year.
Let’s look at the particular numbers, starting with the Forex segment.
- A total of 56 members of FFAJ submitted their OTC Forex reports for June 2015 with the regulator.
- The data showed that their OTC retail Forex margin trading volumes amounted to JPY 529 trillion ($4.29 trillion), up massive 24.8% from the JPY 424 trillion recorded in May 2015.
- For sake of comparison, FFAJ refers to numbers for on-exchange Forex trading too. Let’s note that June Forex volumes on the Tokyo Financial Exchange were 34.5% higher than in May 2015.
- The three most traded currency pairs OTC remain the same: USD/JPY, EUR/USD and EUR/JPY. The sharpest month-on-month rise in trading volumes was registered by EUR/JPY – whooping 50.8%.
And now let’s examine binary options statistics for June 2015.
- A total of 8 members of FFAJ submitted data about their OTC binary options trading volumes.
- Binary options trading volumes amounted to JPY 44.12 billion in June 2015, up 5% from May 2015 levels and up 14.5% from levels registered in June 2014.
- Trading payment also grew. It amounted to JPY 19.44 billion in June 2015, up 6.2% from the result registered in May 2015.
- The number of active accounts, however, fell slightly (0.9%) in monthly terms from 14,227 in May 2015 to 14,100 in June 2015.
To download the report on OTC Forex volumes for June 2015, click here.
To download the report on binary options volumes for June 2015, click here.


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Smiths up to £134m on anti-terror demand
Smiths Group predicts a boom in security detection gear as the world's airports make the grim assessment that they are on permanent terrorist alert.
The company, which is set to become the global dominant player in airport security after its move to a joint venture with main rival GE of the US, today said it expected strong growth because much airport technology is becoming out of date.
After a year in which it landed big contracts to install X-ray and trace detection systems at Dubai, Singapore and Shanghai airports, Smiths today announced $38m (£19.5m) of new contracts from the US military ahead of a pipeline of expected new work.
Chief executive Keith Butler-Wheelhouse said: 'More than five years after the events of 9/11, many units installed as a consequence are approaching the point where they need replacing with more advanced technology.'
Profits at Smiths' detection business rose by 12% to £27m last year, ahead of the joint venture with GE in which Smiths expects to retain a 64% holding.
The company said earlier this year that it is selling it aerospace business, also to GE, in a deal worth £2.5bn. There will be a £2.1bn return of cash to shareholders when the deal is completed.
Outside the aerospace business, earnings from Smiths' remaining medical devices, security detection and specialist engineering business helped increase pre-tax profits by 7% to £134m on sales marginally ahead at £1.02bn.
The dividend is being lifted by 6.6% to 10.5p.
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Ever since the truck cartel scandal broke and the compensation proceedings were launched, there have been constant rumours that it is not worth claiming compensation because there could be “consequences”.
We often hear that “we do not want to claim compensation because we are afraid that our good relationship with the truck dealer will be damaged”.
First of all, a very important distinction needs to be made here. Compensation comes from the truck manufacturers, whereas truck owners are in a relationship with truck dealers.
Some fleet owners also believe that they have not been harmed by the truck manufacturers’ hidden price fixing because “we have always got the best deal”.
Looking only at recent developments on the issue, we see that Royal Mail, BT and Waberer’s have so far reached out-of-court settlements with truck manufacturers in 2023.
Is it fair to assume that these 3 corporate giants have a long history of strategic cooperation with truck manufacturers and have always got the best possible conditions due to their size? Nevertheless, they thought they were eligible for compensation, which they eventually received, but first they had to go through a complicated legal process that took many years.
Do you think the truck manufacturers will now be angry with them?
Not likely, is it?
A few thoughts to help you see things clearly
(1) IS THIS REALLY A “RED LINE” FOR THE TRUCK MANUFACTURERS?
Definitely not! Truck manufacturers have a strong interest in selling their trucks now and in the future. They face intense competition, particularly in challenging market conditions like those in 2023.
Production bottlenecks due to parts shortages are suddenly no longer a problem. More than enough trucks are available for sale. Currently, solvent demand is the problem.
(2) ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES
It’s unrealistic to expect truck manufacturers to set up a system that identifies companies involved in legal action and instruct their dealers to discriminate against them. This would be a complex task, especially with multiple manufacturers involved. Furthermore, customers often purchased trucks from various manufacturers, making it difficult to implement such discrimination effectively.
(3) AVOIDING ANOTHER SCANDAL
Truck manufacturers have learned from the truck cartel scandal and its consequences. They are unlikely to take any action that would risk further escalation of the biggest anti-competitive case ever. Attempts to hide discriminatory measures are never likely to succeed, as past examples show that such abuses will eventually come to light.
(4) THINK IN NUMBERS
Why should a company with typically 100-500 trucks fear unlawful sanctions when there are 250 000 trucks pending before the Munich District Court alone, and the big players in the transport sector have filed claims for thousands, sometimes more than 10 000 trucks? Moreover, all of them have had and still have impeccable relations with the truck manufacturers. Business is business.
(5) LIMITED ECONOMIC INCENTIVE
Is it even worth it? The answer is clearly no! The potential gains are actually very small. The irony is that the exercise of sanctions would involve enormous risk and organisational difficulties. Paradoxically, simply generating fear of potential sanctions may effectively discourage truck owners from claiming compensation, leaving money on the table for sentimental reasons.
(6) COORDINATION CHALLENGES
What happens if there is no background agreement between all truck manufacturers? The customer buys where he finds better conditions. Only a new cartel (involving all truck manufacturers and their entire dealer network) could sanction buyers.
This is completely unthinkable.


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Online ad spending going native
Most of the money spent on digital display advertising will soon go to native ads — where the advertising is designed to look like editorial content — according to a new eMarketer forecast. That kind of ad spending has grown to $22 billion, most of it spent on social-media platforms.
Why this matters: A recent survey found that trust in ads is rising while trust in news sinks. Ads that are designed to look like news could confuse readers.
Data: eMarketer; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios
Why it's happening: Publishers are creating more native ads because other types of digital display advertising aren't working. Advertisers are reacting to the rise of ad blockers and increased frustration with banner ads. And Google and Facebook are eating the digital display market, leaving publishers no choice but to try to monetize through engagement with native ads instead of trying to reach the most viewers with broad display ads.


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For 16 years, Camilo Pardo, a former Ford designer, has hosted this go-to event for automotive designers at his loft space on Woodward Avenue. Mr. Pardo, wearing a proud smile, instructed a model to turn around and show off the skintight shimmery pantsuit that he painted to match the design scheme of the Ford GT car. “It was cool they had the girl, the car and when they pulled the cover off the car it was like the 1960s,” he said. Spotlights shone on Mr. Pardo’s paintings of vintage Ferraris and a projection was screened on the hood of a Fiat in the gallery space.
Young designers gathered around Chrysler design chief Ralph Gilles for a photo opportunity. “I knew you from CCS,” was the common refrain overheard in the crowd over the strains of a jazz trio in reference to the automotive design program at the College of Creative Studies. Anthony Prozzi of Ford, Peter Horbury of Geely and Klaus Busse of Chrysler were in attendance. At least one designer had a sketchpad out. Tyree Guyton, the artist who created the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, made his way through the packed room.
“The budget has grown from fifty dollars in the first year,” said Michael Chetcuti, who has joined as a partner in the event and also has an automotive design background. “Ford sponsored the party until 2006. When Ford pulled out we all came together.” The party format has become standard fare — the only variant is the cars and art on display, which this year included Steve McQueen’s Shelby Cobra on loan from Dave Wagner. “If people knew that this was here they would try to get in just to see the car,” Mr. Chetcuti said.
Richard Drew/Associated Press2013 SRT Viper, on Wednesday in New York.
Introduced on Wednesday, April 4: 2013 SRT Viper.
What is it? The return of the ultrahigh-horsepower halo car that wore the Dodge badge from its introduction in 1992 to its demise in 2010. Reincarnated, and no longer a Dodge, the Viper is the first stand-alone model in Chrysler’s emerging line of SRT performance cars.
A look at high-profile vehicles making their debut.
Is it real? Craftsmen will begin later this year to build each one by hand at the same Conner Avenue plant where the Viper had been produced since 1995. It’s a revival for the Viper and the Detroit plant, which sat idle in recent years.
What they said: “When the decision to bring this car back was made, one of our colleagues, Dan Knott, who has been with this program since its beginning, said, ‘Today we are a car company again,’” Ralph Gilles, the SRT brand chief and head Chrysler designer, said at the introduction. “We won’t really make a lot of money on this car. But at least we have our soul back. This car, like this company, truly is a soul survivor.”
What they didn’t say: The car is indebted to the Shelby Cobra. Carroll Shelby, the racecar and sports-car builder, was heavily involved in the original design, which improbably advanced from auto-show styling exercise to a wildly impractical road car. The Viper has resisted all efforts heretofore to tame it, or make it more socially acceptable or politically correct. The species has evolved into a somewhat more refined package, but nobody would expect this new-old bad boy to have learned how to behave.
What makes it tick? A time bomb of an engine: the 8.4-liter V-10 produces 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Equipped with launch control, the car is expected by Mr. Gilles to achieve 60 m.p.h. in the low 3-second range; the 600-horsepower 2010 Viper could do it in about 3.5. With a 3,295-pound curb weight factored in, the 202 m.p.h. top speed of the last Viper should also be easily exceeded. By how much, nobody’s quite sure. “We need more track time,” Mr. Gilles said. “And a bigger track.”
How much, how soon? This Viper, available in two flavors, is expected to crack the six-figure price barrier. The outgoing model nudged that number, of course, but the new one will do more than nudge. Mr. Gilles would not even disclose an estimated price. Expect the top-of-the-line Viper GTS, shown here, to be tens of thousands more than the base, topless Viper. Both models will go into production late this year.
How’s it look? There’s no mistaking it for anything but a Viper, even though Mr. Gilles said this fifth-generation model was a redesign of the entire car. What’s gone is the original Viper’s rough edges. Power generates heat, and the original was a fireball on wheels; you could fry an egg on the hood, a disc in the CD player and a leg on the side exhausts. “It was known before as a bit of a kit car,” Mr. Gilles said. “We’ve evolved it now into something a bit more civilized, although it is still a snake that will bite you. But I think it has become one of the most beautiful sports car designs ever.”
In an interview with The Detroit Free Press, Ralph Gilles, the chief executive of Chrysler’s SRT division, said that the 2013 Viper scheduled to be shown at the 2012 New York auto show in April would be an SRT, not a Dodge, product. Mr. Gilles also noted that contrary to some reports, the Viper, which was discontinued in 2010, would not incorporate components or systems from Ferrari or Maserati, the corporate cousins of Chrysler under the Fiat Group. Read more »
ROSAMOND, Calif. — Could the station wagon make a comeback at Chrysler?
The Dodge Magnum wagon was one of several vehicles that were killed during the dark days of Chrysler’s bankruptcy and reorganization in 2008 and 2009.
The vehicle, introduced in 2004, was initially quite popular, especially with customizers who admired its chopped-top look. A similar vehicle was also sold in Europe and Australia as the Chrysler 300 Touring, essentially a Magnum with a nose borrowed from the 300C.
Jason Smith/Getty ImagesRalph Gilles, at a Nascar Sprint Cup promotional event earlier this year.
“That vehicle was single-handedly killed by one executive who is no longer with the company. He’s retired. A lot of people in the company still like that vehicle — a lot,” said Ralph Gilles, the Chrysler design chief who helped style the Magnum, in an interview here Thursday. “A lot of things that weren’t possible back then, now are.”
Mr. Gilles was at a Chrysler event at Willow Springs Raceway, introducing high-performance SRT versions of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Challenger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Mr. Gilles was being asked about the possibility of more vehicles being added to the lineup of the SRT program, which he heads after his stint as president and chief executive of the Dodge brand; he continues also as Chrysler’s senior vice president for design.
Scott Olson/Getty ImagesRalph Gilles, the newly appointed head of SRT, with the Dodge Charger SRT8 at the Chicago auto show in February.
In which we bring you motoring news from around the Web:
• Chrysler has spun off its SRT tuning division into a standalone brand, the company reported this week. Ralph Gilles, the former Chrysler design head who was appointed chief executive of Chrysler’s Dodge division in 2009, was named the team leader for SRT. In practice, however, SRT will continue to create high-performance variants of existing Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. No plans to develop SRT-branded vehicles from the ground up were announced. (The Detroit News)
• Saab, which was able to restart production at its principalplant in Trollhattan, Sweden, late last month after receiving emergency funds from Pang Da, its new partner, has been forced to stop work again, citing a shortage of components. Liquidity remains “tense” at the Swedish automaker, according to a company spokeswoman. (Reuters)
• With new-car sales slowing, China is expected to stimulate purchasing by enacting a program similar to cash for clunkers, with the central government buying vehicles six to 15 years old at prices up to nearly $2,800. According to Bloomberg, new-car sales in China dropped 14 percent in May relative to April figures. (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
• A team of engineers and scientists at M.I.T. has developed technology that may improve a battery’s ability to hold a charge as well as its energy density. The team claimed a tenfold improvement in energy density over present designs of lithium-ion battery packs. Such technology eventually could find use in electric vehicles, the team said, but supplied no timetable for testing the system in automotive applications. (M.I.T. News)
• According to a report in Der Spiegel, General Motors has renewed its desire to sell its Opel division, which produces passenger cars for the European market. G.M. tried to sell the brand in 2009, attracting interest from the Italian conglomerate Fiat Group and the Canadian-American component manufacturer, Magna, but ultimately decided to retain it. Though bids are expected from Volkswagen and unnamed Chinese manufacturers, Karl-Friedrich Stracke, the Opel chief executive, called the sale reports “pure speculation.” (Der Spiegel)
DETROIT — Ralph Gilles, Chrysler’s vice president for design, enthusiastically welcomed the carmaker’s new partner, Fiat, while giving a speech Wednesday night. He inserted images of the Italian flag into his PowerPoint presentation several times and declared himself a longtime admirer of Fiat’s Alfa Romeo and Ferrari brands.
“It’s a good thing I love Italian food,” he said.
Ralph Gilles, vice president for design at Chrysler.
Mr. Gilles also hinted at some of the changes the alliance with Fiat would bring for Chrysler, besides the potential for more authentic lasagna in the cafeteria.
The deal, announced Tuesday and subject to regulatory approval, gives Fiat a 35 percent stake in Chrysler and allows Chrysler to build and sell vehicles based on Fiat platforms in North America. Chrysler, which is less than two years removed from the end of its marriage to Germany’s Daimler AG, will get access to Fiat’s distribution network in Europe and other parts of the world.
Mr. Gilles showed a Fiat-styled rendering of what he said could be the next generation of Chrysler’s smallest car, the Dodge Caliber, and he spoke excitedly about the Fiat 500, a minicar popular in Europe that he said “Americans, given the chance, could fall in love with.”
“There may be situations where we can bring their vehicles in as is, and there will be great opportunities to do products based on the Fiat DNA,” Mr. Gilles told an audience at the Automotive News World Congress.
But, he added, with an air of disappointment, “We’re not going to be doing any Chryslerized Ferraris.”
On Monday, Chrysler announced that Trevor M. Creed, its longtime senior vice president of design, would retire at the end of August and will be succeeded by Ralph V. Gilles, now head of truck and Jeep design.


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- McGowan Government allocates almost $4 million to install power and progress the establishment of a cotton gin in the East Kimberley
- Cotton gin to support a resurgent cotton industry in the Ord, generating economic growth and local jobs
A job-creating cotton processing plant in the East Kimberley is another step closer, with the McGowan Government allocating almost $4 million to upgrade, with the assistance of Horizon Power, electricity supply infrastructure and progress approvals.
A total of $3.5 million will support the installation of a high voltage power supply line and network upgrade to supply clean, renewable power from the Pac Hydro's Lake Argyle generation system to the proposed site for a cotton gin on Mulligans Lagoon Road.
A further $481,000 in matched funding has been allocated to progress preliminary design work and approvals for the cotton gin.
The establishment of a gin to separate and clean the cotton fibre is central to the development of a viable industry in the State's north, which would otherwise need to transport cotton for processing to Queensland, reducing profit margins.
A recent study indicated a new cotton gin could create more than 1,000 local jobs in its first 10 years, generating $1.19 billion in cotton lint exports and additional value add benefits from retaining cotton seed as feed for the local cattle industry.
Cotton trials in the Ord River Irrigation Area over the past four years using the new generation Bollgard3 variety, with improved pest and disease resistance, have proven successful, with 1,200 hectares grown across the irrigation area in 2020.
The McGowan Government continues to support efforts to build a sustainable local cotton industry in the north with a group of local investors led by the Ord River District Co-operative (ORDCO), Kimberley Agricultural Investment Pty Ltd and the MG Corporation.
This latest commitment is in addition to a State Government Value Add Agribusiness Investment Attraction Fund grant to ORDCO in 2020 to assist the development of a business model and governance arrangements for the cotton gin.
Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:
"Today's announcement will ensure a reliable, efficient, clean power supply for the Kimberley cotton gin, using hydroelectricity with zero carbon emissions, highly desired by the discerning global marketplace - increasing the competitiveness of the business.
"I look forward to seeing this vision realised and the enduring economic growth and jobs it will create for the East Kimberley and beyond."
Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"With the State Government, growers and traditional owners working towards this shared vision, we are confident we can get a cotton gin off the ground in Kununurra - and this funding is a major step forward.
"Commercial cotton trials demonstrate the Ord region can grow a high-quality, high yielding crop, which has given local growers confidence to push ahead with establishing a sustainable cotton industry including local processing.
"We have seen fantastic collaboration between the East Kimberley groups involved in this project, including growers and traditional owners, working towards a common goal to bring transformational economic and social benefits to the region for generations to come."
Premier's office - 6552 5000
Agriculture and Food Minister's office - 6552 6200


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Canada-based cryptocurrency exchanges Bitbuy and Newton have imposed new rules on their respective platforms, restricting users based in Ontario to an annual limit of CAD 30,000 on the purchase of “restricted coins.”
Bitbuy and Newton Impose CAD 30K Annual Limit
Bitbuy, the first crypto trading platform to be regulated as a marketplace in Canada, and the Toronto-based exchange Newton have imposed new rules limiting its users to altcoin purchases of CAD 30,000 in a year.
On Newton, the new CAD 30,000 “net buy limit” applies to all altcoins, excluding Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ether (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). The limit resets every 12 months from the first purchase of restricted coins.
However, on Bitbuy, customers are classified as Retail Investors, Eligible Investors, or Sophisticated Investors. Retail investors are limited to CAD 30,000 purchases, eligible investors CAD 100,000, while there are no purchase limits for sophisticated investors.
In the newly announced regulatory changes, Newton revealed that the rules were put in place to “protect crypto investors” and ensure that “investors are aware of the risks associated with investing in crypto assets.”
Newton announced the changes to its rules as it secured regulatory licenses with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). The exchange is also working to register securities with regulatory authorities in other provinces and territories of Canada.
On the Flipside
- Crypto.com has signed a pre-registration to become the first global crypto exchange authorized to conduct its business across all jurisdictions of Canada.
Why You Should Care
The new purchase limits are put in place to protect customers as the government tightens regulations on the crypto industry.
Read about Canada’s crypto regulations in:
Bank of Canada Official Calls for Faster Crypto Regulation
The OSC has fined exchanges. Read in:
Canada’s OSC to Fine Bybit & KuCoin


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Estron Chemical Inc. — a maker of specialty resins and polymer additives — will invest $4.9 million to build a new plant in Calvert City, Ky.
Building the new 10,000-square-foot facility will allow the Calvert City-based firm to retain 54 jobs there, officials said in a Jan. 8 news release from the office of Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority will provide Estron with up to $800,000 in tax incentives connected to the project.
The new site will be twice the size of Estron's current location. It will include process design and manufacturing, as well as additional lab space, and is expected to open in mid-2016. In the release, Estron president Alexander Skora said that the new plant “will bring state-of-the-art technological capabilities to the area, and will create well-paying and rewarding jobs.”
Estron was founded in 1976 and has been located in Calvert City since the mid-1980s. The firm's products include epoxy and polyester resins used in cosmetics, as well as acrylic resins and epoxy curing agents used in powder coatings. Estron also offers toll polymerization and other services.


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Seven-year-old Faith Lennox never thought much about putting a prosthetic limb where her missing left hand had once been.
In autumn 2014 Toyota Motor Corporation announced the start of the commercial sales of the 'Toyota Mirai'—the world's first commercially available hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.
Average fuel consumption by American drivers is at its lowest level in at least 30 years, says a University of Michigan researcher.
Electric vehicles are cool, research shows. Literally. A study in this week's Scientific Reports by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) and in China add more fuel to the already hot debate about whether electric ...
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has found that some types of rubber provide corrosion protection—and potentially better ballistic protection—for amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs). This is important to the U.S. ...
Chinese authorities have announced plans to boost the number of electric, hybrid and other alternative fuel-powered vehicles used for public transportation, while sales of such cars for private use have spiked in recent months.
Gyroscopes measure rotation in everyday technologies, from unmanned aerial vehicles to cell phone screen stabilizers.
In a first of its kind study, an international research team onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor will conduct a data gathering expedition using coordinated groups of underwater robotics.


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DEARBORN - Ford Export & Growth (E&G) not only surpassed expectations in 2011 it shattered them, setting a new all-time record for annual sales. Fresh off a record-setting performance in 2010, E&G’s sales momentum continued throughout 2011, with monthly sales records set for 13 consecutive months, beginning in December 2010.
Those additional sales translated into increased market share. Overall, E&G market share is up 1.2 points through November. Individual markets that saw significant increases in market share were Saudi Arabia (up 3.1 points), Puerto Rico (up 2.3 points) and Malaysia (up 1.9 points).
In total, E&G sold 146,524 vehicles in 2011, 33,290 more than in 2010. By any measure, it was a tremendous year, said Director Hal Feder. “The E&G business was up 30 percent in an industry that was only up 5 percent – an outstanding delivery by all regional teams and all our products.”
Each of E&G’s four regions experienced growth. Leading the way was Ford Middle East, which sold 81,238 vehicles, up 28 percent versus 2010 – more than half of which (47,437) were sold in Saudi Arabia.
The Asia Pacific (AP) region recorded sales of 17,075 in 2011, a whopping 45 percent increase over 2010. Malaysia led the way with 7,180 sales – an increase of 145 percent from 2010. In all, 15 of AP’s 19 markets experienced year-over-year growth.
Calendar year sales were up 23 percent in the Caribbean and Central America region, totaling 18,670. In Puerto Rico, Ford increased market share by more than 2 points, finishing the year with 12 percent market share and the number-two brand in the market.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s sales were 31 percent higher than in 2010, totaling 11,562. Leading countries included Zambia, which achieved 150 percent of its objective. Overall, Nigeria and Angola remain the top-selling countries in the region.
Although Ranger continues to be E&G’s highest-volume vehicle, E&G dealers sold record numbers of Fiestas, Tauruses, Edges and Explorers in 2011. As the new global Ford Focus continues to launch in markets around the world, it – along with the all-new global Ford Fusion launching this year – will play an increasingly important role in E&G showrooms.
As impressive as they are, vehicle sales are only part of E&G’s growth story. Five new markets were added to E&G in 2011 – Suriname, Burundi, Sao Tome E Principe, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste. In addition to the dealerships added in those countries, there were new dealer appointments in Iraq and Panama.
Additionally, E&G estimates it invested more than $80 million in new and renovated sales, parts and service facilities in 2011, including a new Middle East Parts Distribution Center in Dubai and the world’s first Quick Parts stores in Honduras, Cambodia and the Dominican Republic.
Looking ahead, even more new markets are expected to be added this year, and nearly 30 major facility actions are planned, including the construction of a number of new facilities. Also:
• E&G will establish a permanent presence in Saudi Arabia, where it is opening a sales and service office in Riyadh
• E&G will add at least six new dealers in key markets, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Panama and Lebanon
• 13 Quick Lanes are slated to open
• 10 Quick Parts are also expected to open
All the anticipated actions are important as E&G looks to build on the success of 2011. “We have great momentum,” said Feder. “Now we must Go Further. We have to provide even better service to our dealers and our customers to meet the challenge we’ve set for ourselves to become a great export company. Our journey toward that goal begins in 2012.”


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Conversocial Recognized for Innovation
It's been a proud week for me as CEO of Conversocial. The Silicon Review named us as one of their 'Top 50 Innovative Companies 2020'. I want to show my appreciation for the team's efforts over the past 12 months.
It's not been a straightforward year - we have been transitioning as a company from a best-of-breed social care platform to an all-in-one customer experience platform during a global pandemic. It's an impressive achievement to go through this transition and provide support to our partners, while enabling them to deliver exceptional customer experience through our platform.
Our remote teams in EMEA and the US have quickly adapted to the changes COVID has brought to businesses across the world. It's also shifted how customers and brands interact and we have had to learn quickly what this means for our partners' needs. This ability to adapt is how we stay ahead of the curve.
Instagram Messaging for Business Launched
Facebook announced the launch of Messenger API to support Instagram messaging, with Conversocial as one of the developer partners. It's further confirmation that private messaging is the only way to ensure consistent, exceptional customer experience.
Plugging into Messenger’s API is a game-changer for larger enterprises. They can handle more messages, more efficiently through automation and rich media. and being able to scale messaging for Instagram's 1bn users is huge. With Facebook, WhatsApp, Google and Apple's business messaging, that's more than 7bn users and devices available to communicate with brands via messaging platforms.
We are really excited to start working with our partners to help integrate the API into their CX strategy and create more 1:1 customer/brand relationships for a new demographic of users on Instagram's app.
WhatsApp Enters the E-Commerce Game
We also found out this week that WhatsApp is turning comms into commerce. Customers will be able to see products and make purchases direct from chats, so the app will become a tool for brands to engage across the customer lifecycle.
Until now, WhatsApp Business has mainly been used as a post-purchase channel - for tracking orders or customer service queries. The new features open up the possibilities to engage at the acquisition stage too.
This announcement is the latest move by Facebook to develop its platforms to dominate the customer engagement landscape. WhatsApp and Messenger offer different solutions for customer experience, but they're both becoming platforms vital for engagement at every stage of a customer's journey.
And that’s all from me for the next couple of weeks. As usual, I would love to carry on the conversation at @idohacohen.


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Train-maker Bombardier lines up Bertling as new boss
BOMBARDIER has lined up a new man to help turn around its train-making business.
The firm, which has its UK manufacturing site in Litchurch Lane, Derby, is appointing Lutz Bertling as president of Bombardier Transportation.
Mr Bertling, who will be based at the company’s headquarters in Berlin, will leave his current post at European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Co and replace Andre Navarri from June 3, who is retiring.
He will be tasked with turning around the fortunes of the firm’s train-making business, which last year saw sales fall by 17%.
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Last year, Bombardier announced plans to make millions of pounds worth of cutbacks, including shedding 1,200 jobs in its train division and the closure of a factory in Germany.


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Japanese camera maker Canon has launched a bid to acquire Belgian firm I.R.I.S., which specialises in electronic management of documents, Belgium's stock market regulator FSMA said Tuesday.
The Japanese group is offering the Belgian company 44.40 euros per share.
The I.R.I.S. posted revenues of 121 million euros in 2011 and employs 500 people.
Explore further: David Goldberg, tech exec married to 'Lean In' author, dies


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Videos by OutKick
Unfortunately, Little Caesars says it has raised the price of its Hot-N-Ready pizza above $5 for the first time in 25 years. Little Caesars, America’s third-largest pizza chain at the time of the price hike, will now charge $5.55 for a Hot-N-Ready pizza, an 11% increase.
So who’s to blame? There’s a fair argument that President Joe Biden is, as the Daily Wire first suggested. It’s natural that Little Caesars would raise the price of its pizzas in response to inflation. Inflation has caused a spike in prices for products of all kinds.
However, Little Caesars claims it’s bulletproof from inflation and yet has still raised its prices. Little Caesars says the mandatory $0.55 hike comes with 3% more pepperoni. Worth it? I hope so.
“Our franchisees were highly accepting of this proposition. They want to treat their customers like gold and make sure they get the best product possible and they love the idea of more pepperoni,” Little Caesars CEO Dave Scrivano told Fortune.
“We think we’ve got something good here with delivery and our Pizza Portal and our Hot-N-Ready pizza. We’ve got a good structure to really drive overall growth.”
There you have it: pepperoni or inflation. You decide, you buy.


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"Ann, with credit services" is a busy woman.
According to The Associated Press, she calls a gentleman in Shawnee, Kan., nearly every day, offering to lower his credit-card interest rates. She must work long hours, because she calls us, too, in the Pacific time zone, and sometimes on weekends.
Of course, it's not really "Ann." It's a recording of "Ann's" voice — a robocall — designed to get us to respond. We can practically recite the script from memory. "There is no problem with your account at this time."
Boy, that's a relief. Of course, "Ann" would have no way of knowing even if there were, because she's not calling from one of our creditors. No, she's trying to help us save money by lowering the interest rate we currently pay.
"Press 1 now to speak to a representative."
Federal authorities advise against pressing anything. Just hang up. As with spam email solicitations, responding in any way, even supposedly to "opt out" of further contacts, only alerts the people on the sending end that they have reached a living, breathing prospect.
Telephone solicitations became such a problem in almost 10 years ago that in 2003 the Federal Trade Commission created the do-not-call list where consumers could register their phone numbers. Solicitors are supposed to check the list regularly and program their equipment not to call those numbers.
The number of companies complying with that requirement has dropped nearly in half in the past five years, while complaints have soared.
Despite that, the associate director of the FTC's marketing practices division told the AP that the do-not-call list is "absolutely working."
We beg to differ.
If the system were working, we wouldn't be getting unwanted calls. And if the FTC were doing its job, robocalls from "Ann" and her ilk — which are illegal regardless of whether the recipient's number is on the do-not-call list — would be rare.
Of course, it's not easy to track down violators. Modern technology allows telemarketers to change numbers frequently and fool caller ID systems, making them hard to track.
Still, consumers are fighting back. The do-not-call list wasn't created in the first place until the public demanded it and consumer advocates pushed for it. The same thing is happening with robocalls, and the FTC is looking for ways to step up enforcement.
In the meantime, keep one fact in mind.
Telemarketers do what they do for only one reason: It works. If no one responded, they would make no money and have to find another line of work.
So, take the FTC's advice. Just hang up. And file a complaint at www.ftc.gov, or call 888-382-1222.


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While Chris DeZelle supports the Wal-Mart project on Twin Cities Road, she still has concerns about how the addition of the major retailer would affect traffic.
She is worried that the number of vehicles will continue to increase on her street, Mingo Road, as more people realize they can take it to bypass Twin Cities Road. Because her street is in Sacramento County, she wanted to make sure the city has talked with the county about the increased traffic.
Surrounded by propped-up diagrams of the proposed project, DeZelle made it a point to talk with city staff about her concerns Monday night at a community open house. Wal-Mart organized the information session, which drew about 40 Galt residents to the Galt Police Department to ask questions about the proposed 133,000 square-foot store.
The store is planned for the southeast corner of Twin Cities and Fermoy Way. Even though it is not as big as a Wal-Mart Supercenter, the retailer will still sell groceries.
At the meeting, Wal-Mart had several representatives, including the project's architects, available to answer questions.
In many communities, Wal-Mart holds informational sessions to get feedback from the community, said company spokeswoman Angie Stoner.
"We want the information to be out to the public," she said. "We want to be open and upfront on what we are proposing."
The new Wal-Mart will have design features incorporated from other buildings in the Galt area, said architect Mike Salmon, of Perkowitz and Ruth Architects.
The new Wal-Marts are more pedestrian friendly, he said, and are not as oversized with large columns and tall entry ways as previous stores.
"The architectural intent is for it to be brought down, so people don't feel like they are going into the Parthenon in Greece," Salmon said. "It's more their scale."
The city also had associate planner Chris Erias at the meeting to talk about the plans to add roundabouts and make improvements at the Twin Cities and Highway 99 interchange. He said the improvements will move forward regardless of the Wal-Mart project, but it was a good opportunity to educate concerned residents.
Galt resident Jeanette Munsill was one of the people at the open house who did not support the project because of the location. For seven years she has lived off of Fermoy Way in a senior development, and while she said Galt needs a Wal-Mart, she is worried the traffic will not allow her to easily get in and out of her complex.
"We are just upset with the traffic and noise. It is not going to be safe, and the traffic will be so bad," she said. "We can't understand why it had to be that corner. There are so many areas it can be."
Got an opinion on Wal-Mart?There is still more time to comment on the proposed Wal-Mart project.
Read the plan: The link to the project's environmental impact report is on the city's Web site at www.ci.galt.ca.us. The public has until Jan. 25 to comment on the planning documents.
Comment in writing: To comment on the Wal-Mart EIR, send your comments to: Attention: Chris Erias, Galt Planning Department, 495 Industrial Drive, Galt, CA 95632. Comments can also be faxed to 744-1642 or e-mailed to email@example.com.
Comment at a meeting: The Galt Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive feedback at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Galt City Council, 380 Civic Drive, Galt.
Also, the city will have a meeting 5:30 p.m. Monday at the City of Galt Police Department, 455 Industrial Drive, to educate residents about plans to modify the interchange of Highway 99 and Twin Cities Road.
Traffic was also a concern for Diane Vaira, who also lives off of Fermoy Way. At the very least, she said the city should put in a pedestrian crossing light, so people will be able to safety walk across the road between Wal-Mart and the Raley's shopping center.
"It's dangerous to cross the street there now," she said.
She sat next to Willy Hinsz, who said he is concerned that the store is too big for the lot, and it only has a 60-foot buffer between the building and the homes behind it. For big-box stores, he said usually the buffer is 100 feet.
While she understands people have concerns, Galt resident Lois Trant said she volunteers to drive seniors with South County Services, and she believes they could really benefit from a local Wal-Mart.
"I wanted to make sure Wal-Mart gets in here," she said. "I'm tired of going to Lodi everytime I want to get something."
Standing with Bradley Williams, her 8-year-old son, Pam Williams said she already shops at Wal-Mart in Elk Grove. By having the store closer, Williams said she won't have to plan special trips or make her husband pick up goods as he is driving home from work.
"We want it now," she said. "It can't come fast enough."
Even with her concerns about traffic, DeZelle still believes Wal-Mart is a good addition for Galt because it will provide the community with needed goods and services. She does not believe it will take business from Raley's, because local grocery store chains are able to give you more individualized service.
"Wal-Mart is a different commodity," she said. "Why can't we all co-exist?"


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KKR completes acquisition of Capital Safety
By Alyssa Dalton
January 26, 2012 – Capital Safety, the manufacturer of fall protection equipment under the DBI-SALA, Uniline and Protecta brands, has announced the completion of its acquisition by KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.), a global investment firm. All transfers of the previously disclosed $1.12 billion agreement are complete, and the new ownership is currently in place.
KKR says it will continue to strategically invest in Capital Safety’s position as the “world leader in supplying fall protection solutions” and expects continued expansion both in terms of products and markets served.


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Michigan Tech research in 3D printing was covered by Reason in the article “The 3D Economy.”
The 3D Economy
Forget guns, what happens when everyone prints their own shoes?
Already, according to a study authored by Michigan Technological University engineering professor Joshua Pearce and six others, there are significant economic incentives for consumers to pursue 3D printing. According to Pearce’s calculations, a person who constructs an open-source 3D printer called the RepRap at a cost of around $575 for parts can theoretically avoid paying between $290 and $1,920 a year to retailers simply by using the device to print 20 common items (iPhone case, shower curtain rings, shoe orthotics, etc.).
John Irwin (SoT), Pearce (MSE/ECE) and Jerry Anzalone (MSE) coauthored “Implementing Self-Replicating Rapid Prototypers (RepRaps) into a Mechanical/Manufacturing Program,” which was published in The Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) 2013 Conference Proceedings. pp. 387-406.
In the News
Pearce is quoted in Italy’s Scienze Naturali in an article about the environmental benefits of 3D printing and in 3D Printer World on how recycling milk jugs into 3D printer filament saves money and the environment.
Recycling Milk Jugs into 3D Printer Filament Saves Money and the Environment
The energy savings is only about 3 percent in urban areas, where the plastic has to travel less during the collection and recycling process.
“Where it really shows substantial savings is in smaller towns like Houghton (where Michigan Tech. is located), where you have to transport the plastic to be collected, then again to be recycled, and a third time to be made into products,” Pearce said. The energy savings is as much as 80 percent in small towns and rural areas.
In the News
Joshua Pearce (MSE/ECE) is quoted in the UK’s Business Reporter in an article about supply chain disruption, which is distributed with the Daily Telegraph.
Pearce was interviewed on the John and Kane Show of Indio Radio discussing open source hardware which is available online.
Will 3D printing transform the supply chain?
Joshua Pearce, a materials science and engineering professor at Michigan Technology University in the US has produced research based on the idea of a colourimeter for water testing.According to his estimates, the printable version would cost just $50, instead of $2000, and it worked just as well with raw materials that can be easily sourced in developing countries.
John and Kane On Indio Radio- Monday 03-31-14
We talk to Dan Reus who you can find on Twitter @danreus and also at http://openlydisruptive.com…. He has a guest who is Joshua Pearce on the phone who we will be talking to today…. Joshua is Professor at Michigan Tech and he specializes in open source technologies so we will talk to him more about that…. Very Interesting…. We also talk about 3D printing for those of you that don’t know what it is, this is so cool…. You can find Joshua at http://appropedia.org/MOST….or: http://mtu.academia.edu/JoshuaPearce


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Cargo volumes increased last month at the Port of Los Angeles, although the neighboring Port of Long Beach saw a decline in activity after what officials there characterized as mismatch between last year’s peak shipping season and this year’s.
In all, 758,000 shipping containers moved through the Port of Los Angeles in August, a 7 percent increase over the same month last year. Imports were up 8 percent while exports rose 6 percent. Through the first eight months of the year, cargo volumes in Los Angeles have risen nearly 8 percent to more than 5.5 million containers moving in and out of the port.
Port of Long Beach officials, however, reported on Monday that total shipping activity in August decreased 9 percent year-over-year to roughly 573,000 containers. Imports to Long Beach were down 8 percent, while exports fell by nearly 18 percent.
Officials there said some shippers moved goods through the port earlier than they did last year to avoid possible delays related to ongoing port labor negotiations, resulting in a slower August.
The contract between West Coast port operators and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union expired on July 1 and labor talks between the two sides are ongoing. Negotiators reached a preliminary deal on health benefits in late August.
Through August, shipping activity at Port of Long Beach is up 1 percent to more than 4.5 million containers.
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Divido launches embedded retail finance platform, ‘Divido Connect’
By Gloria Methri
Checkout finance provider, Divido, has announced the upgrade of its UK direct-to-merchant platform to give merchants easy access to retail finance across Europe. With ‘Divido Connect’ merchants can now uniquely offer retail finance from a network of lenders across the UK and Europe.
Previously available in the UK, and now in France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Romania, Divido Connect makes it straightforward for merchants to offer their customers’ checkout finance for single payments and for European merchants to enter the UK.
This will give merchants access to a full range of finance options in each of these markets, including pay-in-three, 0% APR finance, and installment finance for up to 10 years with purchases up to £25,000, depending on the country.
The ready-to-use Divido Connect platform is powered by many trusted lenders. Novuna will offer UK retailers financing options and Oney will provide finance across Europe, with more tier-one lenders set to join the network in the next 12 months. Using one integration and one set of management tools saves costly engineering work.
CEO of Divido, Todd Latham said, “Checkout finance in all its forms has exploded in the last 18 months. Consumers are increasingly seeking out embedded finance offerings to better manage their finances and we expect demand to continue to grow. Having a checkout finance option that helps consumers pay in smaller repayments is going to have to be a first thought, not an afterthought, for merchants looking to convert sales. On the flip side, lenders have a huge opportunity to grow their market share by working with these merchants, but the two parties are rarely connected to offer the best solution.
He added, “The launch of Divido Connect will see merchants able to easily grow their checkout finance offerings into new markets and have full visibility into all their checkout finance payments in multiple markets, via one single integration.”
IBSi Daily News Analysis
September 27, 2023
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Written by Jen Finn
As legislators work on a plan to provide millions of dollars to market and promote Maine lobster by adding a surcharge to licenses, some lobstermen are balking at paying for an advertising campaign that they say will take money out of their pockets without giving them much in return.
"We are being forced, extorted, in an advertising scheme that we don't benefit from," said Nelson King of East Boothbay, who has been a lobsterman for more than 50 years.
"Advertising directly benefits the dealers' market," he said, so the campaign wouldn't affect prices that lobstermen get for their catch.
Lobstermen already provide about $350,000 a year to the Maine Lobster Advisory Council's budget for promotion of Maine lobster, through a surcharge on traps.
Read the full story at Portland Press Herald>>
National Fisherman Live: 3/10/15
In this episode, Online Editor Leslie Taylor talks with Mike McLouglin, vice president of Dunlop Industrial and Protective Footwear.
National Fisherman Live: 2/24/15
In this episode:
March date set for disaster aid dispersal
Oregon LNG project could disrupt fishing
NOAA tweaks gear marking requirement
N.C. launches first commercial/recreational dock
Spiny lobster traps limits not well received
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker is required by state statute to appoint someone to the Board of Fisheries by today, Tuesday, May 19. However, his efforts to fill the seat have gone unfulfilled since he took office in January. The seven-member board serves as an in-state fishery management council for fisheries in state waters.
The resignation of Walker’s director of Boards and Commissions, Karen Gillis, fanned the flames of controversy late last week.
Keith Decker, president and COO of High Liner Foods, will take over for the outgoing CEO, Harry Demone, who will assume the role as chairman of the board of directors. The Lunenburg, Nova Scotia-based seafood supplier boasts sales in excess of $310 million (American) for the first quarter of the year.Read more...


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Huawei’s new Ascend D2 smartphone was announced and unveiled last week at CES, and we even got our hands on the new device, but it looks like the 5-inch 1080p smartphone will be officially released tomorrow for China Telecom customers at a price of ¥3,990, or around $640. The new phone will go on sale starting at 5pm local time.
Specifically, this will be a China Telecom (CDMA2000) variant with dual-SIM support, so users wanting this new phone who live outside of China will probably want to wait for the WCDMA version. The company will be selling the new phone unsubsidized (hence the $640 price tag), and while we don’t think the company will sell out of units quickly, they do warn that you should pick one up “while stock lasts.”
The Ascend D2 is one of Huawei‘s newest devices that the company announced at CES last week. It packs a 5-inch 1080p display with 443 ppi. It’s running a 1.5 GHz quad-core Hi-Silicon K3V2 + Balong V7R1 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 13MP rear camera. It’s really the whole package, and Huawei claims it’s the most powerful smartphone available.
Alongside the D2, the company announced the Ascend Mate and the Ascend W1. The Mate is the world’s largest smartphone, with a huge 6.1-inch display, but with specs that are surprisingly lacking — only a 720p display and an 8 MP camera for instance. The W1, however, is Huawei’s first Windows Phone device, and it marks the company’s first steps into Microsoft’s mobile platform.


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Dimension Data launches cybersecurity business and sells head office
With more business processes going online or being made digital, opportunities for infiltration by cyber criminals is growing, the company says
Technology group Dimension Data launched a new business unit to focus on cybersecurity on Wednesday, saying businesses and organisations are increasingly moving more of their operations online, making them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Dimension Data, which is headed by Grant Bodley, is made up of four business units: the traditional Dimension Data systems integrator business; business process outsourcing unit Merchants; digital business solutions arm Britehouse; and internet services provider for public and private sector organisations Internet Solutions.
The company, which delisted from the JSE in 2010, now forms part of Japanese technology firm NTT’s operations.
With more business processes going online or being made digital, opportunities for infiltration by cyber criminals is growing, the company says. Having traditionally integrated security features into its products, the Bryanston-based business has decided to launch a separate (fifth) unit to tackle this potentially large market.
Dimension Data Security unites all the security offerings previously managed by the other four brands into one business. The unit will be led by Tony Walt, managing executive of Security.
Walt said the size of the cybersecurity market in which Dimension Data operated was $3.6bn (about R52.44bn).
“This is across the Middle East and Africa,” he said.
“We have looked at the geographies in which we operate and approximately 60% of that is addressable by this new business, which makes it a $2bn market. In rand terms at 15 to 1, it’s a $30bn opportunity,” he said.
“So it’s a massive market. The opportunity is incredible and we’ve actually got a 38-year history in securing everything that we sell,” said Walt.
Regarding their other businesses, Bodley said their Merchants unit is in “advanced contract negotiations” with two large US companies that, if concluded, could see the company providing services to the US, which would create 3,000-4,000 new jobs in SA over the next two years.
Dimension Data, which employs 15,000 people across 15 countries, has also concluded an empowerment transaction that resulted in the company achieving a 51% black ownership recognition status.
The transaction has two elements: the first is the sale of Dimension Data’s head office and premises in Bryanston, Johannesburg, called The Campus, which has been its home since 2003 and owned by the company since 2006. The commercial property has been sold to a black woman-owned company, which is part of the recently established Identity Property Fund, managed by Identity Fund Managers.
The company occupies less than 50% of The Campus and said the sale of the premises is part of a wider restructuring exercise to enable the company to focus on its core business. It would continue occupying the premises.
The second element is a 15% equity transaction through an employee share option plan, which would vest in three years for qualifying employees.
Bodley also confirmed that Dimension Data has fully resumed its services to the City of Johannesburg after the technology company suspended its business in November for nonpayment. This was around the same time that the city had faced a spate of cyber attacks by a group of hackers.


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The main cannabis magazine wants to enter the financial markets. Like a start-up, High Times wants to position itself on the Nasdaq.
The new management of High Times, the world's largest cannabis magazine, has announced plans to issue headlines on the Nasdaq. Initially, shares valued at $ 11 will help launch a fundraising campaign.
High Times is heading for a initial public offering of shares. Investors now have the option of buying a share of High times Media Corp. as part of a crowdfunding campaign.
Between Nasdaq and crowdfunding for High Times
The share price under this form of crowdfunding will be set at $ 11, a 10% discount from the early Nasdaq opening price.
So no brokerage account will be needed to buy shares. A simple visit to hightimes.com/invest.
High Times CEO Adam Levin explained crowdfund's decision before the company's official debut.
“We are making history by becoming one of the first cannabis companies listed on the Nasdaq. "
Investors now have the option to buy a share of Hightimes Media Corp. as part of an IPO crowdfunding campaign.
An offer open to all
High Times CEO Adam Levin explained the decision:
“It was important to me that this offer was open to anyone interested in joining this historic team, not just those with brokerage accounts,” said Levin.
“We got here in large part because of our incredible audience, who have supported this iconic brand for decades. "
As the legalization of cannabis progresses and interest in the industry grows nationwide, Mr. Levin expects High Times and his brand to continue to grow as well.
With the money raised by the public offering, High Times Holding Co. plans to invest and expand content creation. Indeed, product lines and brands such as its events and tours will develop. We obviously think of the Cannabis Cup and High Times Records, launched last year. The company will remain focused on media, events and (broadly defined) cannabis culture. However, High Times will stay away from the production or distribution of cannabis.


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(Pocket-lint) - Huawei's P40 and P40 Pro look set to be with us in late March after serial leaker evleaks revealed the release date and a detailed image featuring a new variant of the phone - the Premium Edition complete with five rear cameras.
He also tweeted a date - 26 March - which presumably is the launch date of the new phones. We've known for a while that the reveal would take place in Paris in March, but this date is new.
The main takeaway from the image shared by evleaks is the fact there are five lenses on the rear of the new Kirin 990-based flagship phone. Previous predictions had set the number of lenses at four, but it appears that this Premium Edition could sit above the P40 Pro.
As well as the Sony IMX686 64-megapixel sensor, we're expecting a telephoto 10x zoom lens, a wide-angle camera and time-of-flight sensor, too. The fifth lens could be a macro camera. This load-out matches one of the previous sets of camera stats that leaked.
There are also two cameras punched out of the front of the phone (there's no notch as a result), which we were expecting. Crucially the renders also reveal physical volume buttons are present, unlike on September's Mate 30 Pro which had virtual volume buttons.
However, in addition to the previously announced finishes, there is also set to be a ceramic variant. We suspect that this will be limited to the so-called Premium Edition seen here.
The future of these devices is a little up in the air though - while they'll undoubtedly provide hardware worthy of following up the P30 Pro and Mate 30 Pro, we still don't know if they'll be able to run Google apps after Huawei's US trade ban that's still rumbling on.


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You’re probably not surprised to find out that of the top 10 AdTech startups that raised the most investment in 2014, five of them are based in New York. But, you may be surprised to find out that none are based in Europe and that two are based in China, including the one that raised the most capital last year, Beijing Feixiangren Information Technology.
Founded in Beijing, this startup is quickly rising to become a leader among AdTech startups. In 2014 the company raised $200m in investment. Beijing Feixiangren Information Technology is focused on the curated web aspect of advertising technology, mainly through it’s platform called Ganji.com.
Rounding up the top three AdTech startups are two New York based companies, MediaMath, which received $176m, and AppNexus, which received $110m, in 2014 and are both directly competing with each other. These two companies are focused on delivering unique solutions for businesses to better manage their online advertising.
San Francisco is the home for two of these top 10 AdTech startups, AdRoll and Sharethrough. Founded in 2007, the former recently raised $70m in a Series C funding round and is the global leader in retargeting as it works with more than 15,000 active advertisers around the world today. The latter was founded a year later and is focused on delivering in-feed and native advertising solutions for publishers.
Joining these businesses are three other companies based in the United States (one in Georgia, and three more in New York). It’s clear that as far as 2014 was concerned, it’s American AdTech startups that led the way in terms of the funding received. The question is how long that can last, particularly as investment across Asia soares and 2014 already saw two Chinese AdTech startups make the list with one leading it.


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Windows Mobile is steadily losing market share as consumers look to more frequently updated devices with a larger availability of apps. Despite the launch of Windows Marketplace for Mobile with 246 apps, and the opening of the store to Windows Mobile 6.x devices, developers don't seem as interested as Microsoft would hope. The company is hoping to reverse all the negative trends with the release of Windows Mobile 7, the upcoming version of its mobile OS that has seen multiple delays.
Microsoft is working hard to make Silverlight an important platform for building native applications in Windows Mobile 7 and on future generations of Windows Phones. We already knew that Silverlight for Mobile would arrive with Windows Mobile 7, the release date for which many expect will be announced at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona this month. But how much emphasis Microsoft will put on the technology in its mobile OS is yet to be determined. One thing is certain though: the company is going to try to use Silverlight as a way to kick start mobile development on Windows Mobile 7, hopefully giving it enough momentum to push both technologies forward.
From the little that we've seen Silverlight used, we have to say it's very powerful. Some may think it's too resource-intensive for the mobile world, at least in its current form, and we would have to agree. That said though, if Adobe can bring Flash to just about every platform but the iPhone, then we think Microsoft can pull off the same with Silverlight. It won't be easy—at least one major delay has proven that. The first community technology preview for Windows Mobile 6 was originally expected in the second quarter of 2008, but the whole project was pushed back to coincide with the release of Windows Mobile 7. Microsoft has no plans (that we know of) to bring Silverlight to Windows Mobile 6.x.
Microsoft hasn't said much recently about when Silverlight for Mobile will be released, as evidenced by a FAQ entry touting a "final version" in 2009. When that entry was originally posted, Silverlight for Mobile was to support Silverlight 2 content and .NET languages. It's quite possible that Microsoft is now working on porting some part of Silverlight 3 or even Silverlight 4, which went into beta two months ago, to the mobile world.
We're not the only ones surprised with the delay of Silverlight for Mobile. "The original promise of Silverlight was a unified RIA platform that worked on both desktop and mobile computers—recall that it was originally codenamed Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E) way back when it was introduced at the 2005 PDC," Matt Rosoff, Research VP at Directions on Microsoft, told Ars. "I'm actually stunned that will have taken almost five years to get it implemented in Windows Mobile."
The only official word we could get out of Redmond was that development has not halted. "Microsoft is in the process of developing Silverlight for mobile, which will allow developers to optimize Silverlight applications for mobile form factors or run existing Silverlight applications on mobile phones," a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars. "At this time, Silverlight for mobile is currently under development, and we haven't announced any further details around availability at this time."
That sounds suspiciously similar to the statements we get back from the company whenever we ask about Windows Mobile 7, so we're not surprised the two products are closely tied together.
How closely tied together?
Silverlight in Windows Mobile would make it easier for Microsoft partners to develop applications because so many of them are already using .NET. Silverlight for Mobile will let developers reuse their existing .NET desktop code, content, and skills. Furthermore, it would be much easier to develop a single Silverlight application for the desktop (Windows, Mac OS, and Linux via Moonlight), for browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari), and for mobile (Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Symbian, and probably others). Sure, there would be some tweaking required to get said Silverlight application working on more than just one of those platforms, but it would still take a lot less effort than developing separate apps for each environment.
As a side note, Microsoft last week also posted this short message on its MIX10 website:Yes, at MIX10 you'll learn about developing applications and games for the next generation of Windows Phone. Yes, we'll have Phone sessions, and we can't say more…yet.
The first part sounds like Silverlight to us, but since it's not explicitly mentioned, we can't take that as confirmation. Unfortunately, none of the Silverlight sessions posted on the MIX10 website mention Windows Mobile, and that's probably because there's only a Windows Phone Sessions Placeholder page right now.
Could the second part mean Silverlight for the iPhone? As much as we'd like to think so, we just can't see it happening unless Apple and Microsoft have been working on this behind closed doors. It would be a huge selling point if Microsoft could tell mobile developers that their apps for Windows Mobile 7 could easily be ported to work on the iPhone, but it's doubtful Apple would allow Silverlight on the device given that the far-more-popular Flash is unsupported. The iPhone part might simply be referring to Bing on the AppStore and how you can take advantage of it.
Another piece of the Silverlight for Mobile puzzle came to us last month when the Silverlight version of Bing Maps shed its beta status and was set as the default option (the alternative option is AJAX). Given how important mapping applications are in the mobile space, Microsoft will make sure the Silverlight for Mobile that will come included with Windows Mobile 7 will be more than capable of handling Bing Maps.
Rosoff agrees that Silverlight will play a role in Microsoft's own mobile applications. "I think it'll be most important for Microsoft's own development efforts. It could be used to enhance Office Web Apps for mobile browsers on WM7, or to enhance Windows Live/Bing sites and services for mobile browsers on the platform. I've got a lot of faith--perhaps unwarranted--that Microsoft's Windows Live story will become much clearer with Windows Mobile 7, and we'll finally begin to see the idea of instant automatic sync between clients and the cloud (using Mesh, perhaps) once that platform comes out, along with Windows Live Wave 4. I'm not sure how Silverlight will tie into that, but it seems like a quicker and easier way to create rich apps for a mobile device than the current model."
Speaking of mobile apps and browsers, it's important to take a look at the next generation of Office Mobile, as it will play a key role in Windows Mobile. Redmond has emphasized time and again that the Office Web Apps from Microsoft Office 2010 will work well across different browsers without any plugins installed, but Silverlight will play an optional role. We already know that Silverlight will be used to improve the experience of at least two Office Web apps (Word and PowerPoint). We also know that Office Web Apps will support mobile browsers, suggesting that Silverlight might play a role there, but this has not been confirmed.
As for Office Mobile 2010, which will also be available for Windows phones and non-Windows phones, Microsoft hasn't said whether it will require Silverlight. The technology is not even mentioned once in the most recent posting on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile as well via other unofficial resources. Microsoft probably wants those to work with Windows Mobile 7 and later (though some rumors have pointed to Microsoft breaking backwards compatibility with version 7, it would be a terrible thing to do).
"For third-party developers, I don't know if it'll make much difference," Rosoff told Ars. "The problem with Windows Mobile development isn't the complexity of the platform. It's the static (shrinking in terms of market share) installed base and the perception that Microsoft's mobile strategy is dead in the water and about to undergo a major platform transition. (Maybe, maybe not, but that's the perception.) As with PCs and game consoles, developers go where they have the best chance of recovering their investment, and right now that seems to be Apple."
For this reason alone, Microsoft will have a tough time getting developers interested in developing Silverlight applications for mobile. Add to that the fact that we haven't seen very many intriguing Silverlight applications for the desktop or browser. Nevertheless, Microsoft will most likely push Silverlight for Mobile as a platform for developing small lightweight Web apps, similar to the current widgets for Windows Mobile 6.5, but more intensive applications like Office Mobile won't have to be developed with Silverlight exclusively. There's a lot of hype in developing for the mobile space though, and if Microsoft can somehow redirect that into the Silverlight world, it should get mobile developers started whether they continue using Silverlight for Mobile or not, and it might just play a part in giving Windows Mobile the boost it needs. While it's too early to tell if Silverlight can save Windows Mobile, and it's unlikely that it can do so by itself, one thing is certain: Microsoft is sure as hell going to try.
Source: ars technica


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Dell Founder Was The Record-Setting Buyer Of One57's Penthouse Condo
The identity of the buyer in New York City's most expensive condo sale ever has been revealed.
Michael Dell, founder of computer and tech manufacturer Dell, paid $100.47M for the two-story penthouse at Extell Development's One57 supertall in 2014, the Wall Street Journal reports. The nearly 11K SF apartment contains six bedrooms and six bathrooms, and Dell enlisted Miró Rivera Architects to renovate the unit after he purchased it.
Dell is currently the owner of the most expensive condo in two of the biggest cities in the U.S., as he is purchasing a penthouse in Boston's Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences One Dalton, which was listed at nearly $40M, placed under contract last year.
When the 1,004-foot One57 began listing condos in 2011, it was among the first forays into new, ultra-luxury condo developments that defined 57th Street along the southern edge of Central Park as Billionaire's Row. Though Dell's purchase remains the only sale in New York to crack $100M, Extell's fortunes at the building have since turned.
In May, a 56th floor apartment at One57 went into foreclosure, the first Billionaire's Row condo to do so. The three resales at the tower since the start of 2016 have gone for an average of 24% less than their original prices, according to the WSJ. Mayor Bill de Blasio also recently announced that the city would be converting the building that abuts One57's rear into a homeless shelter, angering some residents at the building.


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BERRYVILLE, Ark. Red rubber wristbands, retailing for just $1.50 each, have raised a quarter of a million dollars for Compassion International.
The "Live for Him" campaign, launched in January, surpassed the million unit mark in May. The Berryville, Ark.-based Kerusso, a leading Christian apparel and gift company, is selling its 'Live For Him' wristbands and donating 25 cents of every one sold to Compassion, Christian child development organization and contributor to the tsunami relief efforts in Southeast Asia.
Kerusso's goal is to raise a $500,000.
"We continue to be amazed at the brisk sales of the 'Live for Him' wristbands," said Kerusso President Vic Kennett. "People from all over the country, and literally around the world, are using these bands as a symbol of their faith and taking the opportunity to show their support for the missions work Compassion International does throughout the world."
The 53-year-old Christian aid organization lauded the efforts of the apparel company.
"We are grateful to Kerusso for all they are doing to help impoverished children around the world," said Wess Stafford, president and chief executive officer of Compassion International.
"Kerusso is a wonderful example of a company who is truly seeking to make a huge impact for the Kingdom of God by donating to worldwide missions."
Compassion, which is committed to long-term holistic development of children living in poverty, is working with more than 65 denominations and hundreds of indigenous church partners in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Compassion currently serves more than 700,000 children. Since 1952, the organization has touched the lives of more than a million children. For more information, on Compassion, visit compassion.com
The half-inch-wide red wristbands, with the words 'Live For Him' etched into the rubber are available individually in Christian retail stores across the country or in 10 or 100 packs online. For more information, visit kerusso.com.