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USA: Cotton Production Will Fall Below 1994 Record, Says USDA
The August forecast is also below industry expectations that averaged nearly 19.4 million bales. Upland production is forecast at 18.7 million bales, the highest since 1994, while the extra-long staple (ELS) crop is projected at only 419,000 bales, 40 pe rcent below last season and the lowest since 1995. Past differences between the August forecast and the final production estimate indicate that chances are two out of three for the 2000 US cotton crop to range between 17.6 and 20.8 million bales.
Compared with last season, upland production is projected to rise in each region of the Cottonbelt. The largest increase, however, is anticipated for the Delta, where production is expected to increase by 763,000 bales (15 per cent) this season to 5.9 million. Similarly, the Southeast is projected to expand 689,000 bales (19 per cent) to 4.2 million. If realized, production in each of these regions would be the largest output since 1996.
In the Southwest, upland production is forecast to increase 565,000 bales (11 per cent) to nearly 5.8 million, the largest since 1981. The region is led by Texas which accounts for 5.5 million of the total upland output. With dry conditions in various parts of the State, abandonment in Texas is projected at 16 per cent. However, a yield of 498 pounds per harvested acre is projected to provide the largest crop in nearly two decades.
In the West, upland production is projected to rise 430,000 bales (18 per cent) to 2.8 million bales. With a larger area planted in high-yielding California, the region's yield is forecast at 1,205 pounds per harvested acre, the highest since 1993. On the other hand, ELS production in the West is expected to decline more than 200,000 bales as better prospects moved nearly 100,000 acres to upland production this season. California continues to take the lead in ELS production and is projected to account for 88 per cent of the ELS crop in 2000.
Total planted area to cotton is estimated at 15.5 million acres, and abandonment is projected close to the 10-year average at 8.7 per cent. As a result, cotton area to be harvested is forecast at 14.2 million acres, 6 per cent above last season and the highest since 1995/96. Based on the harvested area, the national yield is estimated at 648 pounds per acre, 41 pounds above 1999/2000 and 19 pounds above the 5-year average.
Despite recent declines, overall US cotton crop conditions remain similar to a year ago. As of August 6, 53 per cent of the cotton acreage was in good or "excellent" condition, compared with only 51 per cent in 1999. Similarly, 18 per cent of the crop is rated "poor" or "very poor" this season, compared with 17 per cent in 1999. While crop conditions are slightly better than last season, this year's crop development has surpassed that of 1999. As of August 6, 86 per cent of the cotton area was setting bolls with 8 per cent having bolls opening. In 1999, these percentages were 84 and 6 per cent, respectively. As a result of an early start this season, ginnings are also reported higher than a year ago. As of August 1, about 245,000 running bales had been ginned, compared with only 81,000 at this time last year and above the 146,000 bales ginned in 1998.
US Demand and Stocks To Rise This Season
Based on the August production forecast and carryin stocks estimated at 4.1 million bales, total US cotton supplies for 2000/01 are projected to rise 11 per cent to 23.3 million. Meanwhile, total use of US cotton is also projected to increase, but not as fast as production. In 2000/01, total US cotton demand is forecast to reach 18.4 million bales, 9 per cent above last season and the highest since 1997/98.
Despite the abundant supply expectations this season, US cotton mill use is projected to improve only slightly. US mill use is currently estimated at 10.2 million bales, marginally above the 10.1 million for 1999/2000. While demand for all fibres is expected to grow this year, the level of cotton textile trade will play a crucial role in the amount of raw cotton consumed by US mills. Exports, on the other hand, are expected to expand further in 2000/01. US exports are forecast at 8.2 million bales, 21 per cent above last season, and the largest shipment rate since 1994.
With these US supply and demand projections, cotton ending stocks for 2000/01 are projected to jump 800,000 bales from the beginning level to 4.9 million. As a result, the implied stocks-to-use ratio for the season is currently near 27 per cent, about equal to that of 1998/99.
Foreign Consumption Higher, 2000/01 Beginning and Ending Stocks Lower
USDA's forecast of foreign cotton consumption in 2000/01 was raised in August, up 200,000 bales from the previous month, to 82.3 million bales. Larger, but essentially offsetting, month-to-month declines occurred in the forecasts of 2000/01 foreign cotton imports--down about 550,000 bales--and cotton exports--down about 450,000 bales. Foreign imports in 2000/01 are forecast at 28 million bales, and foreign exports at 19.4 million. There was little change in the forecast for foreign production, forecast 80,000 bales higher than during the month before, at 68.2 million bales. Foreign ending stocks in 2000/01 are forecast 800,000 bales lower in August than during the month before, at 30.3 million bales.
Foreign production in 2000/01 is forecast at about the same level it was a month earlier, as smaller expected crops in Central Asia largely offset improved Southern Hemisphere prospects. Reports from Central Asia indicate that the volume of water available in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya Rivers is its smallest in decades, necessitating reduced irrigation applications in some parts of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. With expected 2000/01 output in these countries reduced this month, Central Asia's output forecast fell 440,000 bales from the month before. With reduced prospective supplies available for export, Central Asia's 2000/01 export forecast fell about 400,000 bales.
Mali's expected 2000/01 crop was also reduced this month, by 150,000 bales to 800,000 bales. USDA's forecast for total production in West Africa's Franc Zone in 2000/01 is now marginally below 1999/2000's estimated level of 4 million bales. Relatively low world cotton prices during the last 2 years have resulted in financing difficulties in the region and difficulties in assuring timely and renumerative purchases from farmers in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
On the other hand, recent events in Brazil and Australia suggest better prospects for their as yet unplanted 2000/01 crops than expected a month earlier. An unexpectedly good finish to Australia's 1999/2000 crop resulted in a 100,000-bale increase in last year's estimated output, for a record 3.3-million-bale crop. Similarly, Brazil's 1999/2000 area and yield were adjusted upward, raising production 200,000 bales to 2.9 million. In each case, higher yields in 1999/2000 have suggested better yields are likely in 2000/01, and higher area as well is expected in Brazil, due partly to depressed soybean prices. Brazil's 2000/01 expected output was increased 300,000 bales, and Australia's 100,000 bales.
Brazil's 2000/01 cotton output is now forecast to rise 300,000 bales from the year before, to 3.2 million bales. This would be the largest crop since 1991/92, and an increase of nearly 2 million bales since the 1996/97 crop. Brazil's production fell early in the 1990's as economic reforms reduced trade protection and support for agriculture. The advent of the Mercosur regional trade agreement, economic recovery in Brazil, and the opening of new production areas in the state of Mato Grosso have helped drive a revival in production. With larger production, Brazil's imports have fallen from a peak of 2.4 million bales in 1996/97 to 1.3 million bales in 1999/2000. The forecast for imports in 2000/01 was reduced 300,000 bales in August, to 1.2 million bales.
Foreign consumption in 2000/01 is forecast slightly higher than a month earlier in August as increases in China, Syria, and Taiwan offset reduced consumption prospects in Indonesia, Romania, and a few other countries. In each case, the revised forecasts resulted from adjustments in consumption in earlier years. In the case of Syria, adjustments stretched back to 1995/96.
Foreign beginning stocks in 2000/01 were reduced from the month before by about 600,000 bales. The historical revisions in Syria accounted for 300,000 bales, and increased 1999/2000 consumption and exports by China accounted for 350,000 bales. Expected foreign ending stocks were reduced 800,000 bales from the month before in August, to 30.2 million bales, their lowest since 1994/95.
US exports in 2000/01 continue to be forecast at 8.2 million bales, unchanged from July's estimate. With little month-to-month change in expected net foreign trade, and little change in US export availability compared with the previous month, and export sales to date accounting for such a small share of likely exports, there was little reason to revise the outlook. However, with a lower forecast for 2000/01 total world trade this month, the expected US trade share rose marginally, from 29.2 per cent to 29.7 per cent.
Textile Imports Rise in May
May textile imports, at 1.1 billion pounds (raw-fiber equivalent), rebounded from a month earlier and were 27 per cent above a year ago. Imports of all fibres and all end-use categories increased from a month earlier. Cotton textile imports, at 621 million pounds, were 15 per cent above April and 27 per cent above a year ago. Cotton apparel imports accounted for 70 per cent of the shipments in May. Cotton imports from Asia rose to 275 million pounds, up 14 per cent from a month earlier.
Textile exports declined in May for the second consecutive month to 428 million pounds. Total May exports were 2 per cent below April but 9 per cent above a year earlier. Exports of all major fibres and all end-use categories except home furnishings were lower than April shipments. Cotton textile exports, at 194 million pounds, were 1 per cent below a month earlier. However, cotton shipments were 8 per cent above May 1999. Cotton textile exports to North America at 177 million pounds, decreased slightly from a month earlier.
Overall, the May textile trade deficit was 674 million pounds, with cotton accounting for 63 per cent of the total. The May deficit increased 42 per cent from a year earlier when it totaled 474 million pounds. In addition, the deficit for the first 5 months of 2000 was 3.1 billion pounds, compared with 2.6 billion a year ago. The cotton trade deficit reached 2.0 billion pounds (4.1 million bale equivalents) during January-May, up 18 per cent from 1999.
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Intel's upcoming family of Core processors, code-named Haswell, will offer 50 percent more battery life in laptops than did their "Ivy Bridge" predecessors, Intel said on Thursday.
Intel's upcoming family of Core processors, code-named Haswell, will offer 50 per cent more battery life in laptops than did their Ivy Bridge predecessors, according to the company.
Advanced Micro Devices hopes to regain share in the PC processor market with its upcoming chips based on the Jaguar core, which will bring console-like gaming and wireless displays to laptops with Windows 8 and its successor, Windows Blue.
Advanced Micro Devices has opened the door to embrace Google's Android operating system, but said it would continue to focus on Windows with its upcoming tablet and laptop chips.
Samsung will soon release its first Android tablet based on an Intel Atom processor, according to a source familiar with the plan, in what would be a vote of confidence for Intel chips in mobile devices.
A strong stock market could open the floodgates for more tech IPOs in the wake of Friday's solid debut of Marketo and Tableau, but not all segments of IT may be able to ride the wave.
The first mobile devices to use Nvidia's Tegra 4 chips will be announced this quarter, meaning smartphones and tablets based on the new processor should be available soon.
Samsung has built several different Galaxy S4 smartphones, including a U.S. version running a Snapdragon processor that requires an extra image processor to enable heavily promoted user functions such as eye-movement recognition.
A standards organisation has created a boot environment for tablets and PCs that could potentially run a 64-bit version of Windows RT.
Nvidia will stay on board with making Tegra ARM-based processors for Windows RT tablets despite sluggish early sales of the devices, making the same commitment that Qualcomm has made, an Nvidia executive said
Intel will advance Moore's Law for the foreseeable future, but keeping up with it is becoming more challenging as chip geometries shrink, according to a company executive.
Intel's upcoming Atom chips with new CPU architecture will be up to three times faster and five times more power efficient than their predecessors and break the "myth" that ARM processors are more power efficient, Intel said.
Semiconductor company MediaTek wants to improve the performance of low-cost Android-based smartphones with its latest system-on-a-chip (SoC), the MT6572.
Armed with a contract to build chips for Sony's PlayStation 4 gaming console, Advanced Micro Devices has now officially established a custom-chip business unit in an effort to break away from its heavy reliance on the slumping PC market.
Intel is expected to announce its fourth-generation Core processors code-named Haswell for laptops and desktops in June, but the company is already releasing teasers that talk about their performance.
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India#39;s PC market grew 15.8% to 3.1 million units in Q3: IDC
The PC market in India grew 15.8 percent year-on-year with shipment touching 3.1 million units in September quarter, research firm IDC said on November 14.
The shipment volume, which includes desktops, notebooks, and workstations, stood at 2.7 million units in the July-September 2018 period, IDC said.
“This growth was mainly driven by the second phase of shipments to the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (ELCOT) under its ongoing initiative of free distribution of laptops in the state. Also, as Windows 7 is near to its scheduled end in early 2020, corporate and enterprise users accelerated their upgrades to Windows 10,” it added.
Lenovo led the tally with 28.5 percent share in September 2019 quarter, followed by HP (26.4 percent), Dell Technologies (19.7 percent), Acer (11.9 percent) and Asus (5.3 percent).
The commercial segment witnessed 39 percent year-on-year growth as vendors shipped a total of 1.7 million units in the quarter under review. Excluding the ELCOT deal, the commercial segment grew 15.7 percent annually, driven by strong traction for both desktops and notebooks.
The consumer segment, however, was down by 4.2 percent from the same quarter a year ago. It grew 49 percent sequentially driven by multiple mega online festivals and Diwali offers.
“As we see consumers shifting entertainment and content consumption to smartphones, PCs are becoming a conscious purchase in India. Consumers are comfortable to wait for discounts and offers while looking to buy or upgrade their PCs,” IDC India Associate Research Manager Jaipal Singh said.
Looking at opportunities, branded PC gaming is a growth area in the next few quarters, he added.
“Although India’s gaming market is dominated by mobile phones, gamers have already started preferring PCs for a more immersive experience as their best alternate,” Singh said.
The desktop category saw a 10.6 percent y-o-y growth in its shipments, mainly contributed by Windows 10 refresh buying from the banking sector.
Notebooks grew 18 percent annually on the back of education deals as well as growth in both corporate and SMB segments, as these enterprises scaled up their purchases for Windows 10 migrations.Get access to India’s fastest growing financial subscriptions service Moneycontrol Pro for as little as Rs 599 for first year. Use the code “GETPRO”. Moneycontrol Pro offers you all the information you need for wealth creation including actionable investment ideas, independent research and insights & analysis For more information, check out the Moneycontrol website or mobile app.


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* Smart meters deliver detailed private data
* Concerns over utilities switching off appliances remotely
By Gerard Wynn
CAMBRIDGE, England, June 25 (Reuters Life!) - Wary homeowners could scupper the rollout of smart technologies meant to boost energy efficiency, without secure controls over data and access to appliances, executives said this week.
“Smart grid” technologies potentially allow utilities greater control over household energy use, helping smooth demand surges and curbing overall use.
Technologies centre around home meters which display live energy use to consumers and allow two-way wireless communication with utilities, so these can forecast demand, charge more at peak times and even switch off individual appliances remotely.
Rollout is at an early stage, drawing comparisons with broadband internet a decade ago, but gathering pace. Britain, for example, plans a nationwide deployment, seeing energy security and carbon emissions benefits.
But the data-gathering power of meters has prompted comparisons with “spies” in people’s homes.
“We, Siemens, have the technology to record it (energy consumption) every minute, second, microsecond, more or less live,” said Martin Pollock of Siemens Energy, an arm of the German engineering giant, which provides metering services.
“From that we can infer how many people are in the house, what they do, whether they’re upstairs, downstairs, do you have a dog, when do you habitually get up, when did you get up this morning, when do you have a shower: masses of private data.”
“We think the regulator needs to send a strong signal to say that the data belongs to consumers and consumers alone. We believe that’s a blocker to people adopting the technology,” he told the Smart Grids and Cleanpower conference in Cambridge.
Supporters stress consumer benefits, for example to programme individual appliances to switch on when power is cheaper, or when their roof-top solar panels are working.
The technology allows utilities to motivate customers to turn on washing machines or charge electric cars at night, for example, by charging more at peak times.
Proliferating service companies are focused on how to help consumers interact with meters.
“An ugly grey box which spies on you and makes bills bigger won’t go down well but smart meters don’t need to be seen in that light,” said Pilgrim Beart, founder of AlertMe, which specialises in online displays.
Beart pointed to concerns in the Netherlands over data ownership and complaints in California following hiked bills.
AlertMe sells a web-based “hub” which downloads meter data online, displaying what it calls “actionable information” such as trends in energy use or the cost of your last clothes wash.
Another concern, however, is about potential mis-use of energy companies’ new ability to switch off appliances remotely.
“There’ll be a lot of resistance to being told by your utility when you can do your washing,” said Chris Wright, chief technology officer at Moixa Technology.
Consumer agreements may focus on utilities controlling only particular appliances such as freezers, air conditioners or luxury items such as swimming pools.
In a U.S. pilot of behaviour based on the extra information smart meters provide, householders were happy to change the time they used the microwave, but not washing machines, said GE Energy’s Martin Ansell.
“The customer response was don’t control when I can do the laundry and use the dishwasher,” he said.


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Ripple price on the XRPUSD chart inched higher over the weekend and this Monday, as news of a new partnership emerged within the hour. U.Today is reporting that a significant Ripple partner, Finastra, has developed a new payment solution designed to connect international payment firms and banks in the US, Europe and South Africa.
According to the story, Finastra’s Fusion Payments to Go is a new payment solution which will integrate small and medium-scale banks and cross-border payment firms in Europe, South Africa and the US. The solution is cloud-based, deployed on Microsoft Azure and will have a fixed implementation cost. The unique selling proposition happens to be the cost of maintenance, which is said to be lower than conventional systems being used. Finastra, which signed up with Ripple Net last year, is aiming to make the system compatible with the SWIFT transnational payment system to improve its reach.
Ripple price is also benefiting from renewed weakness in the US Dollar on the day. Ripple price currently sits at 0.24738 at the time of writing.
Technical Outlook for Ripple Price
The XRPUSD daily chart shows that Ripple price has broken above the descending channel, and price action is currently in a pullback mode, having hit intraday highs of 0.25378. A bounce on the channel’s upper border, which also intersects the 0.24425 former resistance-turned-support line, could provide the impetus for a move towards the 0.27082 resistance level (12/25 August lows). This move would require strong follow-through buying. A break above 0.27082 is required to bring in 0.28581 into the picture as a potential upside target. Only when this price level is broken via buying activity can a 30-cent price level become a reality.
Conversely, a breakdown of the 0.24425 support level brings in 0.22928 as the next downside target, with 0.21955 coming in closely behind. Only a breakdown of the 0.21155 price level leads to a drop below the lower border of the channel, which postpones any moves to the 30-cent level by a significant amount of time.
XRPUSD Daily Chart


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The hotly anticipated launch of Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone hit a bit of a snag last week when users reported faulty camera software, which causes the Samsung Galaxy S5 camera app to lock up after displaying a “Warning: Camera Failed” error message. The extent of the issue is unknown, but it has been experienced by consumers in several regions after the Galaxy S5’s global launch.
Just as these faulty camera reports have begun gaining traction online, Samsung has responded to the controversy. In an email statement obtained by The Financial Express, a Samsung spokesperson dismissed rumors of a widespread issue, saying, “We have discovered that the issue has been seen in a very limited portion of early production Galaxy S5 units and was caused by complications in the ROM (Read Only Memory) component, which stores the information necessary to operate the camera.”
The spokesperson noted that any users who are experiencing the issue should contact Samsung customer support immediately. Several user reports online suggest that Samsung is replacing phones that experience this error, since general troubleshooting steps like factory resets have been unsuccessful at getting the camera app to function correctly.
Though Samsung declined to comment on how many handsets were affected or which regions received devices that are experiencing the camera error, they did confirm that the U.S. was one of many regions that have been impacted by this issue.
Could This Snag Affect Sales of the S5?
If the Samsung Galaxy S5 camera issue is impacting sales, the phone maker certainly hasn’t felt the heat yet. Tech Times reports that Samsung has sold more Galaxy S5 handsets during its launch weekend than the iPhone 5s in its launch weekend, and Mashable reports that day one sales of the Galaxy S5 have doubled that of the S4 in some markets. Though overall numbers are not yet available, these preliminary figures are certainly encouraging: The Galaxy S4 broke records in its first month of release, selling 10 million units, and Samsung is likely hoping that lightning will strike twice with the Galaxy S5.
With these reports of widespread camera app issues, however, consumers may hold back on purchasing the S5 until the problem has been resolved, which could affect the 30-day bottom line. Though Samsung is reassuring consumers that the issue is isolated, reports of the Samsung Galaxy S5 camera failure error are increasing, and Samsung itself may not yet know the extent of the issue.
Have you bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 yet? If so, did you experience any issues with the camera software?
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


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The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is making a couple of major bets on shopping malls, announcing Friday that it is investing more than $700-million in deals in New England and Germany.
It is spending $350-million (U.S.) on a 36.9-per-cent stake in the Mayflower partnership, which owns 13 regional malls concentrated in the New England area. That deal is its first major regional mall acquisition in the U.S.
It is also spending €270- million (roughly $370-million Canadian) on a 50-per-cent interest in CentrO Oberhausen, a super-regional shopping and leisure centre in Germany. It is buying the stake in the 150,000-square-metre mall, which houses fashion, entertainment and dining establishments, from Stadium Group.
Both deals are being done by CPPIB's real estate group, which has been scouring for shopping centres that it believes will provide long-term, stable cash flows that are largely resistant to economic downturns.


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As the coronavirus pandemic accelerates, Richfield-based Best Buy has decided to temporarily close its stores aside from curbside pickup starting Sunday.
The electronics chain has also now suspended all in-home installations and repairs.
Earlier this week, Best Buy said it would keep its stores open, but would restrict access to only 10 to 15 customers at one time starting next week for at least two weeks. But that plan changed as the week went on.
“The situation we’re facing as a company and as individuals is unprecedented and changing at a pace all of us are working to keep up with,” Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said in a statement. “We are making the best decisions we can with two goals in mind: protecting employees, customers and their respective families, while trying our best to serve the millions of Americans who rely on us for increasingly vital technology.”
Through curbside pickup, customers will be able to pick orders purchased online or through the retailer’s app. Customers who are unable to place an online order can also use curbside to see if a product is in stock in the store and employees can go inside the store to get it, the company said.
It is not clear how long the curbside-only service will last.
While some employees have been questioning why Best Buy has remained open while many other retailers have closed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, the company has emphasized that it provides a number of “necessities” such as technology that allows people to work and learn from home as well as appliances to prepare and store food.
“We are seeing a surge in demand across the country for products that people need to work or learn from home, as well as those products that allow people to refrigerate or freeze food,” Barry said.
The company added that recent such sales increases means that it is ahead of its plan for the quarter. But because of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it is withdrawing all of its guidance it gave last month for the current quarter and the full year. A number of other retailers have done the same in recent days.
While grocery stores as well as other retailers such as Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Walgreens remain open, albeit often with reduced hours, many nonessential stores such as Macy’s, Kohl’s, and J.C. Penney temporarily closed stores this week as well as some, but not all, shopping malls.
As Best Buy closes its stores except for curbside pickup, Best Buy will have lower staffing in stores and is paying employees for two weeks at their normal wage rate even if their hours have been eliminated. In addition, the company said employees who don’t feel comfortable working don’t have to come in and will also still be paid.
Best Buy also noted that customers can still buy products online and have them shipped to their homes. Large products such as appliances will be delivered in areas where that is still permitted, but everything will be left by the customer’s door.
On Saturday, the company said it has also drawn the full amount of its $1.25 billion revolving credit facility to increase its cash position and flexibility and has suspended all share repurchases.


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Newest Trader Joe's could open in time for holidays
The Trader Joe's in Montrose is starting to come to life, with opening day for the store at Honolulu and Sunset avenues expected before the end of the year.
Late last month, construction workers started building the foundation for the store at the western edge of the Montrose Shopping Park. In the fall, workers were surprised to find old walls from the site's previous incarnation as an auto dealership buried in the soil.
Trader Joe's spokeswoman Alison Mochisuki said the store will open later this year.
The city and nearby store owners hope the market opens by October or early November, when the holiday shopping season shifts into high gear.
-- Bill Kisliuk, Glendale News-Press / Times Community News
Photo: Construction is underway Monday at the site for the new Trader Joe's in Montrose. Credit: Roger Wilson / For the Glendale News-Press


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Online taxi service firm Uber Wednesday launched operations in Mombasa even as it asked police for protection after one of its drivers was attacked and his car burnt in Nairobi earlier in the day.
Uber spokeswoman Samantha Allenberg told nation.co.ke the online taxi platform is “engaging with authorities and working to understand more” about the latest incident which saw an Uber driver flee a gang of criminals who later burned his car.
Uber is in open dialogue with the authorities, and we remain committed to that dialogue in response to today’s incident," Ms Allenberg said in a statement.
"Any situation where driver or rider safety is put at risk is unacceptable to us. Safety, reliability and choice, not violence, are what continue to draw people towards Uber's driver-partners as well as alternative transportation service providers”.
In the Wednesday morning incident, police said the driver of the taxi was hired by a man at Yaya Centre in Nairobi who said he needed to pick up his girlfriend from Naivasha Road in Riruta.
On reaching Satellite, police said, he asked him to stop so that he could relieve himself but on doing so, four men emerged and set the car ablaze.
Consumer lobby Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) called the latest incident an organized crime against a legitimate business.
Cofek Secretary-General Stephen Mutoro urged police to protect Uber drivers as such incidents were instilling fear in consumers and restricting free consumer choice.
“If you cannot protect investors, you are sending a very bad message. This is an indictment against the government that it has not dealt with this issue very well,” Mr Mutoro said.
This, however, came as Uber exuded confidence in its growth prospects in the country.
On its expansion to Mombasa, Uber Kenya acting General-Manager Nate Anderson said with the launch, Mombasa joins the list of “smart transportation hubs in Africa”.
“We’re really excited to be launching Uber in Mombasa. Giving locals and visitors in Mombasa an affordable, easy and flexible choice to move around the city safely and reliably.”
Uber Kenya Operations Manager Kagure Wamunyu said the taxi service would help “improve urban mobility in Mombasa [and] reduce traffic congestion and the environmental impact of vehicles at the same time”.
“Uber is a new and exciting platform that is changing the way Kenyans move around their cities and we are shaping the future of cities across the world.
"Mombasa is a cultural and economic hub as well as a popular tourist destination that has a need for safe, reliable and efficient transportation and we are so excited to be launching here,” he said.
Uber launched its online taxi hailing service in Kenya in January last year, making Nairobi the sixth African city where it has a presence. The San Francisco-based Uber now operates in more than 399 cities.


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In keeping with tradition I’m re-posting a wonderful bit Chris wrote a few years back, but I’ll precede it with a quick “message from our sponsor”:
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23 THROUGH MONDAY NOVEMBER 26!
‘Thought you’d want to know. No code required, free shipping will apply to all domestic U.S. orders. More deals to follow in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned. Thanks.
Now, back to our regular programming….
In response to a perceived discourtesy, November’s holiday-spirit, simply referred to as “Thanks,” is sending December’s patron saint, Santa Claus, a bucket of coal for Christmas this year.
Disturbed by Santa’s increasing intrusion on the month of November, Thanks feels forgotten and rudely ignored. “It’s just so inconsiderate,” she said. “We used to share the parade with him, but now he’s coming with the full-color newspaper inserts, direct-mailings and television ads before the turkeys even reach the stores.”
Public concern over Santa’s expansion appears to be mixed. “I wish it was Christmas every day,” one seven-year-old boy confided.
Thanks, however, is convinced “St. Nicholas” has committed an egregious mistake. “That fat, old elf is finally going senile,” she said. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing and he’s confusing the kids.”
The facts suggest Claus did start the Christmas campaign earlier than usual this year. Toy catalogs began trickling into mailboxes almost as soon as the trees surrendered their leaves, and electronic solicitors began flooding email accounts just after the recent elections.
When questioned, Claus admitted to a misunderstanding, though he blamed it on the complexities of varying international customs. “I might have gotten a little mixed-up,” he confessed. “The Canadians have their thankful thingy in October, and the missus is always nagging me about needing to ‘check the list twice’ and everything, so I didn’t want to dawdle this year.”
Is it merely an accident, or instead, a growing trend? Ever since Kris Kringle endorsed “Black Friday” as the unofficial start to the Christmas season, retailers have been utilizing his likeness earlier and earlier to promote their sales.
“Santa is good business,” one store-manager concluded succinctly.
Statistical analysis indicates consumers, in turn, are beginning to shift their attentions to the Christmas season sooner than ever before.
“Thanksgiving?” one mother of four shrugged, “I’m thankful when my shopping’s done and all the presents are wrapped.”
In the U.S., Thanksgiving has legally controlled the fourth Thursday in November since December 26, 1941 (the day after Christmas). Traditionally, the holiday has occurred on this date since 1863, however a source close to the Ministry of Christmas contends, “Nobody has ever said anything about the following Friday, or any of the weeks prior, for that matter.”
This same source, in an exclusive interview, revealed that Santa is no longer solely in charge of the Ministry, and that he is most likely not the one responsible for the increased promotional effort. Tech-hungry consumer demands have allowed corporate retailers and manufacturers to muscle in on the North Pole’s operation.
“Kids don’t just want dollies, tin soldiers or BB guns anymore,” the source instructed, “they want an iTouch, an X-Box or a Nintendo DS. Who do you think makes those, the elves?”
For her part, Thanks is unwilling to let Kringle off the hook. Interviewed in a grocery store parking-lot, next to a row of leaning fir trees, she confirmed that she had heard the rumors but added, “Santa not in charge anymore? I simply won’t believe it.”
Regardless of who’s to blame, Thanksgiving has clearly been slighted, and the effects of this negligence have yet to be fully realized.
“I don’t mean to seem ungrateful,” Thanks explained. “Everybody loves Santa, especially the children, but I just think we need to stop and appreciate what we already have, before we begin asking for something new.”
When asked what she hoped to accomplish by her symbolic gesture, Thanks replied, “Gratitude should precede bounty in action and acknowledgment; it is the parent of all other virtues. Santa should understand.”


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New car sales in the United Kingdom fell 29.4% last year, indicating their biggest annual drop since 1943 and the toughest year for the market since 1992, led by COVID-19 lockdown measures.
Demand for new cars was 1.63 million in 2020, according to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A 10.9% decline in December wrapped up a turbulent year.
Through coronavirus restrictions, an acceleration of the end of sale date for gas and diesel cars to 2030 and Brexit uncertainty, the industry suffered a total turnover loss of some £20.4 billion.
The year also saw 31.1% fewer vehicles joining large company car fleets.
Demand fell across almost all segments bar. Britain’s most popular class of car the supermini saw a 25.9% decline in registrations, SMMT found. Meanwhile, although falling by a combined 32.9%, petrol and mild hybrid (MHEV) petrol cars made up 62.7% of registrations, while diesel and MHEV diesels, down 47.6%, comprised almost a fifth (19.8%) of the market.
On a positive note, demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) grew by 185.9% to 108,205 units, while registrations of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) rose 91.2% to 66,877.
The performance leaves new car sales suffering the biggest drop since the U.K. was fighting in World War Two and the industry was repurposed for the war effort, Reuters reported. The car sector again faces challenges of new national lockdowns that were announced in England and Scotland this week.
Though, with the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 there is the potential to drive a recovery that would also support the UK’s environmental goals.
Additionally, with the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement now in force, the industry has avoided a catastrophic “no deal” scenario and can plan for a future with more certainty over trading conditions, SMMT said.
“2020 will be seen as a ‘lost year’ for Automotive, with the sector under pandemic-enforced shutdown for much of the year and uncertainty over future trading conditions taking their toll,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. “However, with the rollout of vaccines and clarity over our new relationship with the EU, we must make 2021 a year of recovery. With manufacturers bringing record numbers of electrified vehicles to market over the coming months, we will work with government to encourage drivers to make the switch, while promoting investment in our globally-renowned manufacturing base – recharging the market, industry and economy.”


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Heidi Klum is already feeling in the Halloween spirit!
On Thursday, the America's Got Talent judge teased her upcoming plans for the spooky season in a Instagram video.
In the black
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There's nothing like slipping into a comfy
The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.
IDAHO FALLS — Do you think you can sing? Would you like to sing the national anthem at Idaho’s Oldest Rodeo, The War B
Are braids your go-to hairdo? Here are the ways to give it some attention with glam elements.
Our hair is getting as moody as the current weather given the humidity. Monsoon has hit the ba
This is the Caterham CSR GT, it’s the only one that was ever built, and it was developed by a former Sauber F1 Team designer as a 21st century version of the iconic Caterham 7 sports car.<
Meghan Markle dressed up her daughter, Lilibet, in a pretty baby blue outfit for her first birthday, and if royal fans are correct, the designer behind the dress is not in business anymore.
Are you looking for hardcovers out right now with a clever design under the dust jacket? You have come to the right place. The excitement of buying a hardcover book, bringing it home, and realiz
UPDATE: Danielle has been found safe, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.
The Milwaukee Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating 11-year-old Danie


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A national anti dog theft campaign is set to launch in Eastbourne.
This comes after huge concern among local dog owners of suspicious people loitering near to them when walking their dog.
Sammie Kelt has posted: “I have been liaising with the founder of a national anti dog theft campaign in preparation of bringing the nonprofit scheme to Pevensey Bay, Pevensey and the wider community of Eastbourne.
There are a few more details to sort and a Facebook page to create but this should be up and running shortly.
The specific Facebook page will be aimed at supporting and helping to keeping us and our beloved fur family safe.”


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There's a new way to find discounts at some top retailers. A new iPhone app called Shopkick launched Tuesday. Turn on the app at stores including Best Buy and Macy's, and you'll get messages about special deals. Users also get points for doing everything from entering a store, to scanning items, to trying on clothing. Those points can then be exchanged for gift cards, music downloads or Facebook games. Shopkick will be available in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago initially.
HBO on iPad
HBO is coming to the iPad. The co-president of the cable channel tells Bloomberg News that subscribers will be able to get streaming movies at no extra cost on the iPad and other mobile devices in six months. But Netflix customers are out of luck. He says it's unlikely HBO will make a deal to allow Netflix to stream movies it owns the rights to.
Shooting Pics that Pop
Fuji Film is adding a new 3-D camera to its lineup. The FinePix Real 3D W3 will be available the first week of September. It captures both pictures and videos. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Boehret says the 3-D images and videos look incredible, but there's a big drawback.
"The problem is you can't really share this content out very well," Boehret said. "You will have to look at the images on the camera itself or the videos on the camera itself or you'll have to use a 3-D TV and not many people have 3-D TVs yet".
The camera costs $500. You can read Katie's full review on the Wall Street Journal's website.
Drawing Tablet for Wii
Nintendo Wii players will soon be able to tap into their artistic side. A new tablet launching in time for the holidays lets users make drawings and play games like Pictionary. Players will be able to save their work so they can move it to a computer. The The uDraw Tabletwill cost $70 and comes with one game.
More From TechBytes
YouTube Adds Captions to its Videos
Google Launches Person Finder


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DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines store has been barred from selling synthetic marijuana and the owners have been ordered to pay a $50,000 penalty by a Polk County judge.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller made the announcement Thursday. The case stems from a first-of-its-kind lawsuit.
Shop N Save, owned by Sarbpreet Singh and Sandeep Kaur located at 4685 NW 2nd Street, was accused of violating the Iowa Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act and the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.
Police found an estimated 960 packages of synthetic substances during an undercover investigation which were labeled bath salts, plant food, and metal polish.
Despite the labels, Miller alleged the substances were marketed and sold to consumers for the specific purpose of being used as a drug.
DCI tested the products and found they were coated with tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical found in marijuana.
“This is the result we had hoped for,” Miller said. “We took these poisonous products off this store’s shelves, they won’t ever return, and the hefty penalty sends a strong message about selling synthetic drugs.”


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How will the establishment of a commercial issues working group between the commerce departments of both countries improve trade relations?
The establishment of a commercial issues working group between the commerce departments of both countries will improve trade relations by providing a platform for ongoing communication and collaboration. This working group will enable the timely resolution of commercial disputes and the development of fair and balanced trade practices. By addressing and resolving these issues, both countries can foster cooperation and strengthen their trade relationship.
What specific measures are being discussed to strengthen the protection of trade secrets?
To strengthen the protection of trade secrets, specific measures being discussed include the implementation of stronger legal frameworks and regulations. This would ensure that trade secrets are effectively safeguarded from unauthorized use or disclosure. Additionally, measures may involve enhancing cybersecurity measures to prevent intellectual property theft and conducting regular audits to assess compliance. Collaborative efforts in education and awareness programs can also be explored to educate businesses and individuals about the importance of trade secret protection.
How will the export control enforcement information exchange enhance transparency in export control policies?
The export control enforcement information exchange will enhance transparency in export control policies by facilitating the sharing of information between the U.S. and China. This exchange will ensure that both countries have access to accurate and up-to-date information on export control regulations, enforcement actions, and best practices. By exchanging this information, businesses can have a better understanding of the regulatory environment, reducing potential misunderstandings and improving compliance. Enhanced transparency will also promote trust and cooperation between the two countries in export control enforcement.
In a bold move, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo recently visited Beijing to tackle crucial commercial issues and re-establish senior-level dialogue with Chinese officials. The discussions centered around trade restrictions, protection of trade secrets, and the strained U.S.-China relations, aiming to foster cooperation and find common ground.
II. Key Discussions and Outcomes
During her visit, Secretary Raimondo participated in various events and meetings that focused on key areas of concern, including trade restrictions on advanced technology, protection of trade secrets, and the strained U.S.-China relations. These discussions were vital for fostering cooperation and finding common ground.
One of the significant outcomes of the visit was the establishment of a commercial issues working group between the commerce departments of both countries. This working group aims to address and resolve ongoing commercial disputes while promoting fair and balanced trade practices.
In addition, there was a launch of an export control enforcement information exchange, which will facilitate the sharing of information and enhance transparency in export control policies between the U.S. and China. This exchange will contribute to the development of a predictable regulatory environment for businesses in both countries.
The 14th China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit was also held during Secretary Raimondo's visit. This summit provided an opportunity to foster collaboration in the tourism sector, promoting people-to-people exchanges and cultural understanding between the two nations.
Furthermore, technical discussions were convened to address the protection of trade secrets. Trade secrets are essential intellectual property rights that must be safeguarded. These discussions focused on strengthening protections and ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of trade secrets.
III. Informal Discussions and Concerns
Informal discussions between Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo served as a platform for candid and constructive conversations. During these discussions, Secretary Raimondo emphasized the importance of protecting national security, advocated for U.S. businesses and workers, and raised concerns about subsidies, raids on U.S. firms, and intellectual property theft.
IV. Engagement with Business and Educational Institutions
Throughout her visit, Secretary Raimondo met with U.S. business leaders, leaders from educational institutions, and students from both countries. She also had the opportunity to visit iconic American companies like Boeing and Disney, highlighting the significance of these companies in the U.S.-China trade relationship.
The visit of Secretary Gina Raimondo to China marked a significant step in re-establishing regular communication and face-to-face discussions between the U.S. and China on critical trade and investment issues. The meetings were fruitful, with no setbacks and a constructive atmosphere of cooperation.
Moving forward, the focus will be on launching different mechanisms and solving problems through communication. Both countries recognize the challenges ahead but remain committed to achieving a predictable and mutually beneficial trade relationship.
This visit demonstrates the importance of direct dialogue and increased transparency in addressing commercial issues. It also highlights the need for a predictable regulatory environment that promotes fair and equitable trade practices and fosters innovation.
Secretary Raimondo's visit to China is a step forward in strengthening the U.S.-China trade relationship and finding common ground on key issues. It sets the stage for further engagement and collaboration between the two nations, paving the way for a long-lasting and mutually beneficial trade partnership.


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Australian Vintage has announced its FY23 results, with its final dividend due to net profit after tax falling by 77% to $4 million.
Australian Vintage said that while revenue was in line with the prior year at $258.6 million, it had been one the toughest external operating environments in decades.
The value of wine exports from Australia declining 10%, Europe and North America recording declines of 15% and 14% respectively, and China tariffs and inflationary pressures in the UK resulting in a profound impact on the sale of Australian wine.
“Oversupply of grapes from the prolific 2021 and 2022 vintages coupled with shrinking export markets has seen unsustainable grape sourcing and marketplace pricing behaviour from key competitors,” the company said.
“Vintage 2023 will be remembered as one of the most challenging for decades. A long, cool, wet spring and summer resulted in significantly reduced yields, with an overall crush of only 1.3 million tonnes, one of the worst vintages in decades.”
Update on Australian Vintage strategic review
The company said its strategic review, announced in early July and being conducted by Evans & Partners, was continuing and had found there was too much processing capacity and grape supply in the industry, with the recommendation that rationalisation was required in the cheaper wine segment.
“Whilst a strategic transaction is not required to support future profitability, Australian Vintage have appointed
Evans & Partners to examine opportunities, in the interests of maximising shareholder returns,” the company said.
“The fundamentals of Australian Vintage’s business are well placed for the future. Continuing to invest in brands, innovation and people to premiumise the portfolio and improve mix to higher margin products, driven by consumer needs, is crucial.”
The company said action was being taken to offset continuing hyper-inflationary pressures through removing $9 million in annualised costs out of the business.
“AVG is on track for FY24 with 90% of the actions underpinning those savings implemented.”
Among the pathways being explored for Australian Vintage enhancing profit were working closely with existing Chinese partnerships in anticipation of the China wine market reopening in the next 12 months.
Australian Vintage said it also saw the Middle East and India as “significant business opportunities” for Australia with a strategic partner appointed to establish new business in both markets.
“This combined with China reopening, rest of Asia double digit growth and a strong innovation pipeline are encouraging for the future,” the company said.
Chief Executive Craig Garvin said: “Our strategic plan is working. The relentless pursuit to drive our pillar brands, innovate and expand geographically has shored up our platform for future growth. FY23 saw us absorb significant inflationary costs and realign our business to be a lower cost producer.
“This sets us up well for FY24 and beyond. We have continued to invest in our brands and innovation. Our people remain our number one priority with engagement, safety and diversity improvements versus prior year.
“Given the trading environment, I am very encouraged we have been able to maintain revenue in line with the prior year of $258.6 million, as we continue to improve our mix of higher margin business. As cost reductions occur, I am very confident in our future performance.
“We are the global leaders in no-and-low, reflected through substantial increases in product ranging and increased
market share and supported by our world leading technology. Innovation now represents 15% of our total margin, which did not exist three years ago. When the growth in premiumisation is added, margin contribution now represents 35% of our business.”
UK, Europe and Americas
With the UK/ Europe market contributing 49% to revenue, Australian Vintage said this market was one of significant focus, especially with the introduction of the UK duties tax in August.
“This duties tax provides opportunities for suppliers with a lower alcohol by volume (ABV) by lowering the duties tax payable by retailers,” Australian Vintage said.
“Through AVG’s leadership in the no-and-low category the Company has achieved significant ranging of new products setting up FY24 well. In the no-and-low category AVG have grown market share by 34 points.”
Australia and New Zealand
Australian Vintage said there had been strong competition in Australia in all categories, however, despite this competition Australia had grown share by 1 percentage point.
“Growth was driven by premiumisation and innovation, where the Australian market has seen overall value segment reductions post COVID-19, reinforcing the importance of premiumisation and innovation. AVG is one of the only producers to
take price,” the company said.
Australian Vintage said it was pleased with how its new spirits range was performing.
“The Tempus Two Shiraz Gin is already recognised as one of the best global gins, winning double gold in the San Francisco World Spirits Competitions, double gold in the Singapore World Spirits Competition, and the Masters Medal at the 2023 Gin Masters Awards,” the company said.
A number of collaborations had also been launched including: Sevenly by Sarah Jessica Parker, The Butchers Cellar, and Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Vino by Sooshi Mango.
“Sooshi Mango has been awarded the Best Brand Activation of the Year at the Endeavour Group Supplier of the Year Awards,” the company said.
“This innovation is strategically important in the move towards a more diverse and higher margin business, led by consumer needs. These new revenue streams will continue to grow margin and contribution over the coming few years. Australia is the test market for these products, however the intention is for them to become global.”
Australian Vintage profit prospects in China
Australian Vintage said the premiumisation opportunities identified through Asia’s strategic market reset offered excellent profit prospects and has enabled growth by 14 points.
“AVG is being proactive, ahead of the anticipated China opening, with multiple market visits over the last six months and working closely with strong partners,” the company said.
“The reopening will deliver significant upside to the strategic plan.”


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The Kentucky Economic Devopment Finance Authority on Thursday approved tax incentives for companies including Belcan Engineering Group, Kentucky Building Systems and Thorntons Inc.
The approval of tax incentives outlines the state's commitment to a project if it should occur in Kentucky.
Projects approved Thursday include:
■ Belcan Engineering Group of Lexington, $34,000 on a $1.3 million investment to add space to its existing location to accommodate the telecommunications and data sharing requirements of customer work as well as purchase furniture and computer equipment for the new space.
Cincinnati-based Belcan, an engineering company specializing in the aerospace industry, said Tuesday that it would add 100 engineers in an expansion of its downtown Lexington office. Belcan said the 100 new jobs would mostly be entry-level engineering positions with an average wage of $27.45 an hour.
■ Thorntons Inc. of Louisville, $2 million and $600,000 in tax incentives on a $27.8 million investment for the proposed expansion of its headquarters location.
In a Thursday release, the governor's office said Thorntons would be relocating from its current 46,000 square foot building to a new 92,500-square-foot store support center, with construction expected to begin later in 2015. Thorntons, established in 1971 and a family-owned, privately-held company, has 182 convenience stores in six states.
■ Kentucky Building Systems of Owensboro, $320,000 and $25,000 in tax incentives on a $3 million project to expand its facility for additional processing space with improved efficiency and the installation of a paint room to add a coating process to its product.
■ 3 Ten Enterprises of Louisville, $1.5 million in tax incentives on a $5.9 million investment in a startup glass tempering operation, which would produce and sell fabricated tempered glass and shower door hardware to glass installers.
■ Jacobs & Thompson of Wurtland in Greenup County, $150,000 in tax incentives on a $3.6 million investment for a new foam fabricator operation.
■ Homecare Homebase of Louisville, $1.5 million in tax incentives on an investment of $7.8 million to move into a larger office space as well as transferring some employees from its headquarters operation in Dallas.
■ Sabert Corp. of Shepherdsville, $500,000 in tax incentives on an $8 million investment to expand its manufacturing capabilities to serve new customers. The expansion would create up to 35 jobs earning an average of $18 an hour including benefits.
■ Transmarine Propulsion Systems of Calvert City in Marshall County, $1.8 million in tax incentives on an investment of $26.4 million to expand its sales, service and manufacturing company of marine and diesel engines into the inland waterway market. The expansion would create 65 jobs earning $31 an hour including benefits.
■ TWB Co. of Glasgow, $360,000 in tax incentives on a $7.7 million investment to locate a new operation in Glasgow to weld together metal blanks for use in the automotive industry. The expansion would create up to 12 jobs earning an average hourly wage of $35 including benefits.


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MINI: Credit Where Credit Is. . .
Earlier this year, after considering the sales number of MINI, I wondered whether the brand continued to have any relevance in the market, at least in the U.S.
According to the latest sales numbers, MINI is doing fine compared to itself.
That is, in June 2015, there were 6,174 MINIs sold in the U.S., up 14.8% from the 5,376 sold in June 2014.
From January through June, MINI has had U.S. sales of 30,260 units, up 25.3% from the 24,152 units sold in the comparable period last year.
However, if you want to know how BMW’s bread is buttered (yes, BMW owns MINI), know that in June the company sold 6,891 3 Series vehicles and has moved 42,783 units so far this year. That’s just the 3 Series.
But it seems as though the folks back in Munich had a bit of a reconsideration of MINI because the company recently announced that it is taking the brand in a bit of a new direction.
Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad and After Sales, said, “Since its creation in 1959, the MINI brand has always stood for ideas, inspiration and passion. That will not change. The new MINI Clubman is the symbol of our refined brand philosophy: We will concentrate in future on five core models with strong characters. We will open ourselves up to new ideas and new business areas. We will develop the brand’s visual identity. We are expanding our offering into the premium compact class, which will attract new customers and avid MINI fans. I firmly believe that this comprehensive realignment will enable us to continue the MINI brand’s unique success story.”
Put more simply: They’re going bigger. They’re going more upscale.
The new MINI Clubman is a bigger vehicle than the company has heretofore had on offer (bigger by more than a foot in length, 12.4 inches).
What’s interesting to know is that of those 6,174 units sold in the U.S. in June 7 were the current generation Clubman. Seven.
Compared to the Hardtop 4 Door, which was second in overall sales in the U.S. in June (1,886), the new Clubman is 10.9 inches longer, 2.9 inches wider and its wheelbase is 4 inches larger.
What MINI is banking on is that moving upscale with MINI will help the brand. According to BMW, studies show that there is going to be a 4% annual growth in the premium compact segment, and that by 2020, that compact segment will account for 27% of the global premium car market.
So based on this new rationalization, the question of whether MINI matters is a resounding “Yes.”
The previous-generation Hyundai Elantra (2010 to 2015) had the edgy Fluidic Sculpture design forming its sheet metal; it’s bigger brethren, the Sonata, was more visible in this regard, though the smaller size of the Elantra gave the skin a greater tautness than was the case on the Sonata.
Outside of a pickup truck, there is no vehicle that’s sold in greater units than the Toyota RAV4. So when they developed the new generation, they had a whole lot to consider.
Often when there are vehicles that have ceased production and are in the process of being completely moved out of the system there are sales numbers that look like this: Honda Insight: June 2016, 9; June 2015, 126; % change: 93.1% Sometimes there is a vehicle that has just gone into production and it catches the sales at just the right time so that there are numbers that look like this: Honda Ridgeline: June 2016, 2,472; June 2015, 7; % change: 33,856% OK.


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58 percent of workers said they'd give up free coffee in lieu of being able to use their own device in the workplace.
Hands off my iPhone! A recent survey of 500 workers in the US and UK found that some users feel so strongly about having a choice of what mobile phone they use in the workplace that they'd be willing to give up another perk, even coffee. The survey, conducted by Sybase, showed that half the respondents would rather choose the mobile device they use at work rather than have the company make that decision for them. Here's a look at what else they said.
This article was originally published on 2011-08-08
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For today: Lift joins up with Waymo, Musk boring underground LA
Lyft partners with Waymo: Ride-hailing firm Lyft has forged a partnership with the Waymo self-driving car firm. The partners will work on pilot projects and product development in self-driving car technology, with the end goal of bringing needed transportation to fast-growing cities. The timing of the deal comes about as Waymo has taken ride-hailing giant Uber to court over allegedly stealing that technology. Uber had acquired the Otto startup, which led Waymo filing the lawsuit based on claims of intellectual property theft. Yesterday, the federal judge ruled that Uber must return Waymo documents. The judge also said that Uber can continue working on self-driving car technology, but Anthony Levandowski must be removed from any work relating to a key automated technology called lidar. Levandowski had been a leader in Google’s self-driving car research and a founder of the Otto self-driving truck firm.
Boring in LA: In a set of photos and video on his Instagram page Friday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed what’s been happening with The Boring Company concept. What started in late 2016 as a set of Twitter posts about his frustrations being stuck in traffic while driving to Hawthorne (SpaceX HQ and Tesla service center), shows an “electric sled” that can go up to 125 mph through an underground tunnel somewhere in Los Angeles. The word “Boring” has to do with boring a tunnel underground. Musk has been secretive about where it’s located, and how much ground it covers. The tunnel has got to be at least a mile long, if you watch the videos. Musk said that the tunnel will run from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Culver City, Santa Monica, Westwood, and Sherman Oaks. There will be more tunnels, and they’ll cover all of the greater Los Angeles area, he said. No word yet on whether Musk has regulatory approval to continue the track – or Boring Machine 1, which he’s nicknamed Godot.
Chinese EV plant: Guangzhou Automobile Group, or GAC Group, has started building a vehicle assembly plant in China’s southern Guangdong province that will have the capacity to product up to 200,000 electric cars a year by the end of 2018. It should cost the company about $700 million to get there. The company’s first electric car, the GE3, was introduced at the 2017 Detroit auto show in January. Its new plug-in hybrid sedan, the GA3S, and plug-in hybrid SUV, the GS4, were unveiled at the Shanghai auto show in April.
Propane fueling acquisition: Agility Fuel Solutions’ Powertrain Systems unit has acquired the assets of CleanFUEL USA and some of its employees. The company will add business locations in Wixom, Mich., to focus on fuel systems, and Georgetown, Texas to focus on refueling equipment. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Powertrain Systems will be able to offer complete propane fuel systems for commercial vehicles based on patented liquid propane injection technology. The company said it will be able to offer “turnkey propane fueling packages for both private fleet and retail locations, enabling a complete propane solution for commercial fleets globally.”
Renewable diesel station: Ryder System has begun to offer renewable diesel (RD) fuel at its San Francisco fueling facility, located at 2700 3rd Street. With this implementation, Ryder customers will be better able to address their sustainability goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while still utilizing diesel vehicles. Based on production levels and availability of RD, Ryder will continue to monitor other markets with plans for expanding this offering. The company also plans to analyze market opportunities that would benefit its customers to have RD available for their fleets.
GM’s sustainable tires: General Motors Co. is taking on another corporate sustainability drive by changing over to tires made from sustainable natural rubber. The automaker is working several tire suppliers to create an industry first. The definition of sustainable tires includes that the natural rubber “did not lead to deforestation,” was harvested to aid an area’s economic and social development, and is “managed in a transparent and traceable manner.” This will apply to about 49 million tires that the Detroit automaker buys each year. GM is also known for its going “landfill-free” at its facilities around the world, with all waste from daily operations recycled, reused or converted to energy.


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It’s never too early to begin protecting yourself from the prying eyes of advertisers and bad guys. A VPN Land lifetime subscription is just the thing to help protect you, and your personal information.
Microsoft has officially launched its Office 2016 for Mac productivity suite, including new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Keeping your personal information confidential in the Internet age is one of the toughest things you’ll ever do. Today’s MacTrast Deal, the SplashID Pro Lifetime Plan, can help you keep your info safe and secure!
Fans of third-party keyboard will be glad to know that Flesky has announced that it will be making its popular iOS and Android keyboard free forever, from this date forward.
Apple sent an email to developers on Tuesday, announcing that it will be increasing prices in the App Store in Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey, while introducing new low-priced tiers in some emerging markets.
Apple released updates of all three of its iOS iWork apps on Tuesday. The update of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote returns full VoiceOver navigation and functionality to the apps. The update brings all three apps up to version 2.5.4.
You think you have what it takes to make a popular iOS game? Well, MacTrast Deals does too! That’s why were offering you this free iOS game hacking course! Grab it, and prove us right!
Amazon has released an official iOS client for its Cloud Drive service, allowing iOS users to access their files stored on the service via their iPhone or iPad.
Is your iOS device’s memory packed with so much crap that you have no idea at all what is exactly on there? Enter PhoneClean iOS Cleaner!
While streaming these songs or playlists over and over may be über convenient, it can play hell with your wallet if you have a metered data plan. Here’s how to download the songs to your iOS device or Mac for offline listening.
Apple has announced the upcoming survey areas for its Apple Maps vehicle initiative. The company’s sensor burdened “black vans” will be motoring through a total of 27 new locales in the U.S., with an expansion into 13 states come mid-July.
Developer INNOVATTY has a great deal for iPad users who live in an area where fireworks aren’t allowed. For a limited time, you can download Real Fireworks Artwork 4-in-1 2012 v1.3.1 for free, a $4.99 value.
Tired of having your every move on the web tracked? You need TigerVPN, the most complete VPN ever built. Your entire communication via TigerVPN is 128/256-bit encrypted to ensure your privacy is secured. They don’t keep any logs or record any private data, period!
A number of Apple’s online services were hit by slowdown and outages on Wednesday, with some users reporting slow performance, while other reported the services were completely inaccessible.
Citibank users will be pleased to know that the bank has updated their Citi Mobile iPhone app, adding Touch ID and Apple Watch support.
BlueStacks launched a Mac version of their Android emulator software on Wednesday, giving Mac users access to the app that BlueStacks says already has 90 million users on Windows.


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World News: 12:49 GMT Friday 12th January 2018. [Transparency Market Research via Globe Newswire via SPi World News]
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LOS ANGELES — WESTEC, a biennial event produced by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), was held September 12-14, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
On the show floor, 539 exhibitors displayed their innovations in advanced manufacturing technologies, including optical 3D measurement, precision machining and tooling, automation, software, advanced materials, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing for the aerospace, medical, industrial machinery, and consumer goods industries.
In addition to performing technology demonstrations at the booths, industry leaders participated in various panel discussions and educational Huddle Ups in theaters around the exhibit hall. The event also offered a Student Innovation Tour and Machining Academy for younger attendees, many of them students, to learn more about the future of manufacturing and the current state of Industry 4.0.
New to WESTEC this year was the Smart Manufacturing Hub, a show floor area presenting the latest technology in automation, advanced materials, additive manufacturing, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Los Angeles was, once again, the perfect setting to bring manufacturers together, as the West Coast has become one of the fastest-growing manufacturing regions in the country. Citing the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), WESTEC reports that California has almost 36,000 manufacturing firms that employ nearly 1.3 million people, and the state exported almost $144 billion in manufactured goods in 2015. Considering that the state is home to SpaceX, Tesla, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard, not to mention technology giants Apple and Google, continued growth seems inevitable.
- Learn & Lunch: Obtaining valuable information didn't stop at lunchtime. WESTEC attendees had the option of attending several industry-themed luncheons, including "Integrated LA," "Change Management in Manufacturing," and "Prepare for Launch: The Technology and Skills for Today's Space Industry."
- "Shop Talk" with the stars of the hit History Channel series, Counting Cars: In an onstage interview, Kevin Mack and "Horny" Mike Henry discussed their show and work at Count's Kustoms (a one-of-a-kind hot rod and chopper customization/restoration shop in Las Vegas), followed by a meet and greet with fans.
- The world's first 3D-printed car: At the Local Motors/Mouser-Strati display, attendees learned from the original team members themselves how the car was conceived, designed, and built. Fun fact: The printing took 44 hours to complete and consists of 50 individual parts, far less than a traditional vehicle (which is manufactured with roughly 30,000 parts).
Three inspiring keynotes:
- "Why Cognitive Matters in Manufacturing"
- Anirban Bhattacharyya, associate partner in Cognitive Process Transformation- Digital Operations and Cognitive Manufacturing at IBM, explained how manufacturing shifted at the intersection of IT and OT, and how manufacturers can best access, control, and leverage all the possibilities of Big Data and Industry 4.0.
- "American Built: Inspiring the Next Generation of Manufacturers"
- Titan Gilroy, executive producer and star of TITANS of CNC and the CEO of TITAN America MFG, shared his expertise in running an elite aerospace CNC shop and getting young people excited about manufacturing.
- "Industry Transformation — Reinventing How Vehicles Are Built"
- Justin Fishkin, chief strategy officer at Local Motors, revealed how his company has leveraged o-creation, crowd-sourcing and micro-factories to transform the way vehicles are designed and built.
- "Why Cognitive Matters in Manufacturing"
And some news
- ASTM International: A new online journal, "Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing Systems," is ready for your papers. To learn more and submit, please visit astm.org/SSMS.
- Autodesk: The new AutoCAD 2018 software includes enhancements and new features such as external reference path repair and recognition of SHX font files.
- HP: The company announced HP Z8 G4, a new workstation they call "future-proofed" in order to support the growing fields of virtual reality, machine learning and advanced design.
- LiquidPlanner: The online project management software company is now courting manufacturers with their easy-to-use program, accessible via iPhone, iPad, and Android operating system-based devices.
- Universal Robots: At the booth, personnel demonstrated the new UR5 robot arm with Actin simulation software, part of the company’s Universal Robots+ platform featuring plug-and-play products for its robot arms.
- Verisurf: The new Verisurf 2018 Software comes with several new features, including universal CMM compatibility, an increase in I++ CMM probing speed, a report manager, added programming shortcuts and productivity features, and an intuitive Windows interface.
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ADAIR TURNER: Tech companies like Facebook may be contributing to the next credit crisis
|01/24/2018||Posted by BusinessMediaguide.Com under General World News||
- Lord Adair Turner talked to Business Insider about the effect of the tech sector on inequality, debt, and property.
- Tech companies create fewer jobs and concentrate more wealth than non-tech companies, he said.
- The prices of the products they create fall quickly, so they under-contribute to GDP growth.
- Tech companies also buy a lot of expensive property, driving up prices.
- Not-so-rich people need to take on debt to buy houses near that land — and banks are happy to extend that credit.
- Tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple thus drive credit booms due to land purchases, he argues.
DAVOS, read more >>>


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Social media give and social media take, more so when your principles are aligned with those of Millennials that love streetwear. The “black face” case, the controversial jumper launched and then recalled by Gucci caused the luxury brand to slow sales numbers in its first quarter of 2019 (the first since 2016) in the North American marketplace. The cause-and-effect relation was neatly pointed out by The Wall Street Journal. The month of March is the one setting the difference, as it is noticeable that Gucci loses ground in that moment, according to Tribe Dynamics, in the race for the luxury brands’ social engagement ranking. If the song Gucci Gang of the American rapper Lil Pump in 2017 was recognition of the North American boom that the brand was having, the fact that rapper T.I. has posted, two years later, an angry picture against the brand, is sign of the public disappointment. The same public, moreover, that had been supporting the brand.
During the period going from January to March 2019, reports the WSJ, Gucci lost 2% of its total turnover in North America. Not a catastrophe, but a fairly (for a market that is worth 20% of total revenue) alarming fact. Kering’s management linked the issue to the slowdown of tourists’ influxes into the United States and, in contrary, the increment of North American individuals shopping abroad. But maybe, there is more. “While it is innovative – commented Nicole Fischelis, ex creative director of Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s and now a consultant -, Alessandro Michele’s style is becoming a bit stagnant”.
Called on by the WSJ, Kering’s spokespeople answered by saying that Gucci still shows as the top brand by List’s revelation, and the most searched brand on the RealReal, thus the alarm isn’t quite that serious. Meanwhile the brand has recuperated the losses during the whole first semester of 2019, with a final +1.1%. Of course, the +57.4% of 2018’s first semester is extremely far away: maybe the trend is more complex than the black face case alone.


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Sony Mobile has announced that it's pushing out new software updates for four of its ST-Ericsson NovaThor-based mid-range smartphones, the Xperia P, Xperia U, Xperia Go and Xperia Sola. The latest firmware is still based on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich; Xperia owners will be waiting until 2013 before Jelly Bean lands on their devices.
Bug fixes and performance tweaks are the order of the day, including stability fixes, as well as improvements to Wifi connectivity, tethering, camera, NFC and messaging.
Owners of Xperia U, Go and Sola already running ICS-based firmware should get the new update automatically over-the-air. Xperia P owners may have to wait a little longer, as roll-out will depend on carrier approval and other conditions. Sony advises anyone still running Gingerbread on one of these phones to download the PC Companion or Mac Bridge app to update manually.
All 2012 Xperia phones are due to be updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in early 2013, although Sony has not yet offered upgrade timeframes for early 2012 Xperias. An announcement regarding release timing for Jelly Bean on the Xperia S is expected in mid-December.
Source: Sony Mobile


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Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin recently held its annual Thought Leaders Luncheon. Tom Kunz, former president and chief executive officer of Century 21 Real Estate was the featured Keynote speaker at the event. He spoke on the topic of connecting corporate investments to branding and community impact. Kunz, who recently retired as president and CEO of Century 21 in February, was a large part of Century 21’s contributions to the Easter Seals organization. Over the past 30 years, Century 21 has raised more than $100 million for Easter Seals.
"We’re really proud of that accomplishment," Kunz said. "But I know deep down it shouldn’t have taken us 30 years, and that we could probably do better," he said.
Kunz teamed up with consultant and business owner Mark Boersma to write a book, Community & Business Partnerships, from the science of success series. According to Kunz, the book outlines a five step process for increasing a company’s revenue through business and community partnerships.
“As presidents and CEO’s of companies we have a strong responsibility to our shareholders or those who have a vested interest in our company that the money we are giving out to charitable organizations is a worthwhile investment and it’s even better if it equates to money coming back in,” Kunz said. “Now, some will frown upon this notion and say that a company does it to feel good and that it’s the right thing to do. I absolutely agree with that but it has the chance to offer a nonprofit organization a competitive advantage as well.”
A nonprofit organization that can actually show that a company who has supported its mission has actually increased its own internal revenue has a competitive advantage over organizations who can’t make that claim, Kunz said.
“It’s all about dynamics, and it might even be as simple as just getting donors of the organizations in a room together to talk about how they can add value to each others business,” he said.
At Century 21, Kunz was able to form partner relationships with companies who supplied investment planning for his agents, home good stores and even pharmacy goods and services for individuals who purchased homes from Century 21. Those relationships also led to more money being given back to Easter Seals as part of the proceeds, he said.
“Community organizations are fighting for every dollar these days,” Kunz said. “I have a passion for Easter Seals and its mission so if I can spend a dollar doing some good for Easter Seals and they can in turn introduce me to other donors who may be able to increase my business opportunities and revenues the likelihood of me donating more to that organization is pretty high.”
Kunz talks more about the concepts behind his book in the video below.


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WELCOME TO The human resources REPORT
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Higginbotham | February 16, 2022
Higginbotham, a leading finance, insurance, and HR service provider announced on February 15th that it has partnered with HR advisory service, WhitneySmith Company. Higginbotham is ranked as the 20th largest independent broker in the U.S. The Texas-based organizations have joined forces, allowing Higginbotham to expand its HR services capabilities by adding insurance to its repertoire.
"We have a long relationship with WhitneySmith Company that helped demo...
Sodexo - Employee & Consumer Engagement | August 12, 2020
Sodexo Engage has launched its 2018 Brand Loyalty Index looking at how loyal customers really are towards different brands and why. This year, consumers voted M&S Food as their favourite supermarket, with 57% stating they’ve always had a positive experience with the brand.
The research surveyed 5,000 consumers about hundreds of household name brands across supermarkets, technology, food and drink (including alcoholic beverages), personal care and household. The final Ind...
APSCo | August 11, 2020
With research revealing a stark increase in UK talent migrating to EU countries since the referendum, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has warned that the lack of viable options for highly skilled professionals will exacerbate the UK’s loss of valuable talent.
Joint research between the Oxford-in-Berlin partnership and the WZB Social Science Centre, also in Berlin, which studied OECD and Eurostat data, revealed a 30% increase in migration from the U...
BambooHR | June 10, 2021
BambooHR, the industry's leading cloud-hosted software provider dedicated to powering the strategic evolution of human resources, today released a new study revealing the average remote worker estimates that they lost more than $9,800 in promotions that were delayed or denied during the last year.
As corporations across the country claim hybrid work is here to stay, the study of more than 1,000 remote workers looks at how the shift in workplace realities is impacting pay, gend...
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The number of victims of identity fraud in the US decreased 3% to 12.7 million in 2014 and total fraud losses declined to US$16 billion — a decrease of 11% from 2013 — a study from Javelin Strategy & Research has found. However, a series of high-profile card data breaches had a great impact on consumer purchasing decisions, with 28% of fraud victims saying they avoided affected merchants after the fraud, say the authors of the 2015 Identity Fraud study.
- Thinfilm raises US$110m to support growth in NFC market
- Facebook Messenger adds PayPal P2P payments
- Mastercard to eliminate signature verification at the point of sale
- The Clearing House to secure real-time payments system with tokenization
- Visa makes it easier to integrate emerging authentication technologies


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In a significant development for the electric vehicle (EV) market, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department have issued guidelines to enable buyers of electric vehicles to transfer their tax credits to automobile dealers.
This groundbreaking move allows consumers to receive advance payments, effectively reducing the cost of their EV purchase.
This initiative, which stems from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, is set to take effect on January 1, 2024.
Under this program, buyers of electric vehicles can transfer their new clean vehicle credit, which can amount to up to $7,500, and their previously owned clean vehicle credit, which can be worth up to $4,000, to a car dealer.
The practical implication is a lowered purchase price for EVs, as consumers will receive an upfront down payment on their vehicle at the point of sale.
This is a departure from the traditional method of waiting to claim the credit on their tax return in the following year.
It’s important to note that only vehicles purchased under consumer clean vehicle credits are eligible for this tax benefit, which offers a new incentive for individuals looking to switch to eco-friendly transportation.
The guidance is detailed in Rev. Proc. 2023-33 also outlines critical information related to registration requirements and the mechanics of the tax credit transfer for car dealers.
To provide clarity and transparency for consumers, the guidance includes proposed eligibility rules for the previously owned clean vehicle credit, ensuring that eligible consumers can transfer the total value of the new or previously owned vehicle credit, regardless of their tax liability.
IRS Unveils Informative FAQ Page for Pioneering Clean Vehicle Credit Transfer Program
The IRS has taken additional steps to inform the public about this groundbreaking tax credit transfer program.
They have posted a frequently asked questions (FAQs) page that addresses the transfer of new and previously owned clean vehicle credits from the taxpayer to an eligible entity.
This program applies to vehicles placed in service after December 31, 2023. For further details and clarifications, Fact Sheet 2023-22 updates FAQs related to new, previously owned, and qualified commercial clean vehicles.
This new policy shift is expected to drive consumer interest in electric vehicles and contribute to the ongoing effort to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.
It provides consumers with a more immediate financial incentive to adopt green transportation options, aligning with the broader push for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
The guidance from the IRS and the Treasury Department is a promising step forward in making electric vehicles more accessible and affordable, ultimately helping to shape a greener and more sustainable future for all.
Source: Accounting Today


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Like all good New York stories, this is a tale of jewelry, real estate and a little bit of luck.
For years, French luxury brand Chanel has been seeking a prime location along Manhattan’s storied Fifth Avenue. “We knew we had to be in the epicenter, and we’d wait as long as we had to,” says Frédéric Grangié, who serves as Chanel’s global president for watches andCg fine jewelry. “We had no choice.”
When a space became available in the Crown Building at 730 Fifth Ave., Chanel pounced. “As you can imagine,” Grangié said during an interview with Bloomberg ahead of the boutique’s opening today, “the competition was extraordinary.”


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If you have been reading Luxury Lifestyle Magazine closely enough, you will know that we have been extremely bullish about.
Bitcoin rose Wednesday after undergoing an eagerly awaited adjustment that occurs every few years to limit the amount of the.
0141.mediawiki At Master · Bitcoin Barron’s Beyond Bitcoin 27 Feb 2020. After its past three quarterly reports, Beyond Meat stock (BYND) has risen more than 39%, dropped 12%, and dropped another 22%. Today, Wall. U.S. stock-index futures fell sharply in thin trading Sunday evening as investors contended with state reopenings, with. 1 Dec 2018. Beyond Bitcoin: What's Next for Blockchain?
The price of Bitcoin fell from $9,800 to $9,200, and it was most likely caused by five key factors. The price of Bitcoin (BTC.
Bitcoin price prediction 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. DON'T BUY OR SELL BITCOIN UNTIL YOU READ THAT. Bitcoin price predictions and forecast for ery month.
Find information for Bitcoin Futures Quotes provided by CME Group. View Quotes .
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28 Jan 2020.
There's no shortage of price predictions for the value of Bitcoin by the end.
“The future of cryptocurrencies is promising,” he told BBC Mundo.
In the best case, PI price prediction 2020 is $1 – Pi Network crypto value should raise to create conditions for healthy growth. It is hard to predict Pi Network.
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Still, the difficulty of divining the future doesn't stop people from continuing to make predictions about Bitcoin's price. In this article, I'll share with.
The next bitcoin halving is likely to occur in May 2020 and could have a dramatic impact on bitcoin's price. Learn what bitcoin halving is and how to trade it.
In the top categories, the Bitcoin and Ethereum are constantly used to perform hundreds of transactions every day. We are happy with these trends and beginners, and the trained traders can benefit.


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How excited are you for the upcoming double-treats from the Jumpman rack? Sneak freaks are totally head over heels for the Cactus Jack colourways dropping for the Summer line-up. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 Cactus Jack recently coming with
The 35th anniversary of the classic AF 100 is nothing less than a big celebration as the collaborative pack of Nike and Travis Scott takes place to blow you away. Several packs are being scheduled to drop in this
FastSole.co.uk is a web portal for UK and Europe Sneaker News & Release Updates with confirmed stock list of released and upcoming products. We will provide you with the information of the popular brands and series such Nike, adidas, NMD, Yeezy, ASICS, PUMA, Reebok, Balenciaga, Valentino and much more. Our dedicated team works hard to bring you the latest images, both off and on foot so that you can have a clear view of what you are purchasing. Stay connected and never miss a thing.