text:
Two days after the monsoon Trawl ban was lifted, the fisherfolk was quite apprehensive as the boats did not come with a promising catch. Almost a month now, they are now a worried lot as the catch is not fetching the minimum price even to meet the expenses. Many a time, the boat owners are forced to either empty all the fish in the waters or to give them for a very low rate with the fish price dropping heavily.
The fisherfolk, who states that post trawling season usually used to fetch a good price in the last years, said that the curbs imposed on the processing units, reduction in the number of export agencies among other issues.
Talking to www.kadapuram.com, All Kerala Boat Owners Welfare Association state committee member Skanda Das said that the fishermen across the state was struggling to meet the expenses. “We used to get good price for the catch earlier. The situation is not that good this year. One of the main reasons for the drastic price drop is that fish processing units and other fish factories have cut short their buying capacity. This is because hefty GST has been imposed on these factories, which has led many to be closed down or slowing down their production,” he said.
Noting that these processing units and factories used to buy large quantities of fish catch, which had an impact on the price, he said that tons of fish have been emptied into the waters as there were no buyers. “The fishes that used to fetch Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 a basket is now sold for just Rs 500 or Rs 750. With the price coming down heavily, nothing is got for our hard work. We cannot meet labour charges, fuel expenses and also other expenses. We are forced to go home empty handed,” he said.
Skanda Das opined that the fish price would again become steady if the government relaxed the norms with respect to the fish processing units and other factories. Moreover, he opined that export was also showing a slow growth.
Stressing that all the people involved in the fish industry were going through a tough time, All Kerala Fishing Boat Owners Association general secretary Joseph Xavier said that the boat owners and the fisherfolk would be thrown into more debt if the situation persists. “We have been demanding the government for taking strong steps with respect to fixing of fish price. We have been demanding to display the daily price of fish at all fish landing centres and harbours. Once this is done, the manipulation of middlemen could be avoided and one can expect to get a good price,” he said.
Moreover, he also said that the number of exporting agencies has come down. This has also lowered the buying capacity, he added. Xavier also pointed out that people were a bit afraid to buy fish because of wide spread reports of contamination. The government should take the responsibility of testing the fish at the fish landing centres and harbours so that the people will come forward to buy them without any fear.


text:
In response to the June 10 editorial on electric deregulation, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is conducting a statewide investigation to ensure a properly functioning and workable competitive retail electricity market exists in the state.
The commission will assess the status of the market and make necessary adjustments for a more robust electricity shopping experience for consumers. As part of our investigation, we are looking into the practices and purchasing models of other states, including Texas, which has a purchasing model that has eliminated default service providers.
Looking at various purchasing models will allow us to better assess the status of the retail market and explore what changes need to be made. For customers wishing to save money on their electric bill, shopping for a competitive generation offer is in their best interest. Saving an average of $100 a year is just one reason.
It's important to keep in mind that not only are default service providers (also known as electric distribution companies) monitored by the PUC, but so are the suppliers who have to be licensed by the commission.
The electric market is being watched by us, which should help ease the minds of consumers who haven’t made the switch.
DENISE McCRACKEN Acting Press Secretary
PA Public Utility Commission

domain: news


text:
TECHFYNDER HIRING PLANS
We are delighted to announce that, due to our remarkable growth over the year and demand for contractors rising, Techfynder plans expansion to hire 200 people in Hyderabad, India by end of next year. Currently, we have employed a total of 90 people and further plan to set up office in the US and London.
Started off as a hiring platform for contract workers in the IT sector, our parent company Test Triangle launched TechFynder in October 2019 to provide contract workers for other sectors as well. “We were into hiring temporary contractors for big IT companies like Accenture, TCS, Infosys and others as this segment lacked a dedicated platform for contractors. We started witnessing the same kind of interest for contract workers in other sectors like pharmaceutical, sales and marketing and that is how TechFynder came into being,” said Praveen Madire, founder, TechFynder.
We have our development centre in Hyderabad with about 20 people and plan to increase this number to 200 by end of next year. In addition, we also plans to have a headcount of 1,000 people in all its offices combined.


text:
BBC Worldwide is launching "The Sooty Show" in ANZ with the appointment of a regional licensing agent, as well as product and broadcast partners.
Preschool digital streaming service OobEdoO has picked up three new series from BBC Worldwide and HIT Entertainment.
BBC Worldwide unveiled its Christmas product lineup at an event in London, Tuesday, featuring new offerings for "Hey Duggee," "Doctor Who" and other top shows.
BBC Worldwide, in conjunction with SME London, will produce a new, outdoor live event in the U.K.–“Countryfile Live.”
BBC Worldwide has appointed Fisher-Price as the global master toy licensee for its new animated preschool series "Go Jetters."
BBC Worldwide and CBeebies have commissioned a third season of the preschool series “Sarah & Duck” and announced new licensing deals for the brand.
Massive Audio has unveiled a new Doctor Who headphone collection created under license from BBC Worldwide.
BBC Worldwide is planning an official Doctor Who Festival that will take place at ExCel in London Nov. 13-15.
BBC Worldwide has appointed Jasnor as the master toy licensee for “Hey Duggee” in Australia and New Zealand.
Dublin-based animation studio Geronimo has tapped Brands with Influence to manage the licensing program for its new preschool series "Nelly and Nora."
Three new Doctor Who products are now available in the U.K. from scarf retailer Lovarzi, in partnership with BBC Worldwide.
BBC Worldwide has worked with Scary Beasties to develop the first preschool app for the CBeebies series "Sarah & Duck."
Massive Audio has signed its first licensing deal with BBC Worldwide for Doctor Who audio products in North America.
Penguin has signed on to develop publishing programs for two preschool series–the upcoming CBeebies show "Hey Duggee" and DHX Brands' "Ella the Elephant."
The LEGO Group has unveiled plans for a "Doctor Who" set, a concept that came from the LEGO Ideas website where fans submit and vote on set ideas.
Zodiak Kids has sold all 150 19-minute episodes of its preschool series "Waybuloo" to CCTV-14 in China.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


text:
The streaming giant has been signing big stars left and right to exclusive content deals and keeping up strong subscriber growth. And despite appearances, the merger of telecom and media giants AT&T (T) - Get Report and Time Warner (TWX) might not do anything to halt its momentum.
"You're taking two dinosaurs in a mostly outdated business and trying to get them to adopt to a new model," said DA Davidson director of institutional research Gil Luria. "Netflix is native to that model and has a huge head start."
Luria said that as other deals involving The Walt Disney Company (DIS) - Get Report and 21st Century Fox's (FOXA) - Get Report entertainment assets remain on the horizon, the platform's strength now lies in its burgeoning collection of original content, that started with programs such as "House of Cards" and "Orange Is the New Black."
"No one thought they could replicate that success," Luria said. But after years of growing subscribers and adding new content to the platform, Netflix has recently signed deals with the likes of television host David Letterman, former U.S. President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, and just this week adding Barbra Streisand as the company plans to spend $7.5 billion to $8 billion on content in 2018.
"Part of the reason Netflix is so focused on buying directly from producers and generating content directly... is that they don't want to be beholden to those large media companies," Luria said. "They want to make sure they have enough content to support their current subscribers [if large media companies pulled their content from the platform]."
Deals like the AT&T/Time Warner deal could be beneficial for Netflix, Luria said. As traditional media companies consolidate, they tend to focus more on cost-cutting and reorganizing rather than content creation or distribution, resulting in "large, distracted companies losing more ground," he said.
Still, the streaming video giant has not yet become profitable, burning through cash at a rapid rate, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter previously told TheStreet. Pachter, a longtime Netflix bear, said that the company should focus on investing in "low-cost, long-lived original content" like the Stranger Things series that will be more profitable in the long run. But Luria said that Netflix still has an expansive runway to grow.
"Right now, the numbers don't have to add up," Luria said.
Some analysts seem to agree, including Goldman Sachs' Heath Terry. This week Terry hiked his price target on Netflix stock to a Wall Street analyst high of $490, implying an upside of more than 34% from Tuesday's closing price of $363.83. He wrote that Netflix's revenue growth is beginning to outpace its content spending growth.
Netflix shares were rising 4.6% to $380.69 Wednesday afternoon; shares have almost doubled since the start of the year.


text:
Recycling Times Media Corporation (RT Media), organizer of the RT Imaging Summit & Expo, are pleased to announce that a new business matchmaking service is now available!
According to RT Media, the pre-matching service will be beneficial to both exhibitors and buyers by significantly increasing the efficiency of the products/suppliers search and screening process.
The 3-Step Matching Process:
Step 1: Online Registration
Buyers register on our online platform and fill in their purchasing requirements.
Step 2: Business Matching
We run the requirements through our global supplier database and schedule meetings for buyers and suitable exhibitors at our upcoming exhibitions. The next meeting venue will be the RT Imaging Summit & Expo – Europe which be held on 14-15 January 2016 in Barcelona, Spain.
Step 3: Face-to-face Meeting
With pre-matched requirements, face-to-face meetings at the exhibition would be incredibly efficient and effective for both buyers and suppliers to bring business deals a step closer to completion!
Over 100 suppliers of print consumables and more than 1,000 visitors will gather at the RT Imaging Summit & Expo – Europe 2016.
Register now to find your suitable suppliers!
For more information about the event, please click here.
About RT Media
Recycling Times Media Corporation (RT Media) educates, informs and provides networking and business opportunities for the 2D and 3D printing industry. The RT Media international team comprises talent from Australia, America, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Hong Kong and China.
RT Media is the organizer of RemaxWorld Expo, the world’s largest print consumables trade show event held each year in Zhuhai, China—the world capital of print consumables manufacturing. RT Media also organizes the RT Imaging Summit & Expo—Americas, RT Imaging Summit & Expo—Europe and World Toner Conference. RT Media publishes regular inTouch TV News bulletins and monthly editions of the Recycling Times magazine for the global industry-separately with Chinese, English, Spanish, Korean and Russian editions.
In the 3D printing arena, RT Media organizes the world leading professional 3D printing trade shows—Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo—Shanghai and iPrint 3D Expo. RT Media was also the first to publish a monthly Chinese magazine focusing on the 3D printing industry—3D Printing World.
+86 756 3919264
You’re Welcome to Contact Us！
You can provide opinions and comments on this story!
Or you can send us your own story!
Please contact Violien Wu, Head of News & Editorial, via firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
This year, WWDC will take place June 5-9 at the McEnery Center for the first time since 2002. Apple is expected to unveil the latest versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. They may even unveil new hardware, like a new Mac.
Like past years, Apple will unveil the latest version of iOS. The next version, namely iOS 11, is rumored to include Group FaceTime and major Siri improvements. Also, iOS 11 is said to include many iPad specific updates, like expanded Apple Pencil support. The new version should ship to the public along-side the next iPhone in the Fall of 2017.
At the time of writing, there have not been any rumors regarding macOS 10.13. The next version, though is expected to be released in the Fall of 2017.
watchOS and tvOS:
Like with macOS, there have not been any rumors as of time of writing this post.
Recently, Apple invited a small group of reporters for a discussion about the Mac. During the discussion, Apple revealed that i has no plans for Touchscreens or ARM powered Macs.
Matthew Panzarino, reporting for TechCrunch said:
It's worth noting that, when asked about a touch display here, in the context of efforts like Microsoft's Surface Studio, Schiller replies "No." "That's a whole other long discussion we can get into, but suffice to say, it's not a big need of the Mac Pro customers that we're trying to address," he says. "You mentioned again how we're talking about both the iMac and MacBook -- I do think that we have a two-prong desktop strategy with both iMac and Mac Pro, we think are each going to be important for pro desktops."


text:
Dale Farm in record annual sales of £228m
Northern Ireland's largest dairy business Dale Farm notched up record sales of £228m last year.
Major investment at its manufacturing plants - which created 120 jobs - was said to have improved its performance in a difficult year for the industry.
Growth was mainly generated by sales of cheese and butter in the British Isles and Russia and milk powder into China, the Middle East and North Africa.
Dale Farm is part of United Dairy Farmers Coop which has 1,000 employees.
United posted a group operating profit of just over £5m, up 5% on the previous year.
It said the results were "solid" for a year in which the dairy sector had been hit adverse weather and high feed costs.
Another subsidiary, United Feeds, saw sales jump by 27% to £48m.
Chief executive of the United Dairy Farmers Coop, David Dobbin, said: "Looking forward, international markets have remained firm and the group is in a strong position to deliver further growth."


text:
Latest Articles for PlanetSide 2
A new third continent, not available in the beta, will be added on release day.
Highlights trailer is now available after first being shown at GDC.
Sony Online Entertainment already has long-term plans for the sequel to PlanetSide.
PlanetSide 2 developers are looking into ways around region-locking, according to SOE head John Smedley.


text:
Apple Posts Black Friday 2013 'One-Day Shopping Event' Teaser
Apple has posted a teaser page on its Australian online Apple Store for a "one-day Apple shopping event" on Friday, November 29th.
The one-day Apple shopping event is Friday, 29 November.
Shop online and get free shipping, or visit your favourite Apple Retail Store.
Black Friday, which is a major shopping day in the United States and several other countries, marks the kickoff of the holiday shopping season. On Black Friday, retailers often offer significant discounts on popular products to lure customers into their stores.
Apple's international online and retail stores also participate in these sales, though Apple's discounts tend to be very modest. Last year's discounts for Apple's core products were as follows (in USD):
- iPad with Retina Display - $41 Off
- iPad 2 - $31 Off
- iPod touch - $ 31 Off
- iPod touch 4th Generation - $21 Off
- iPod nano - $11 Off
- MacBook Pro with Retina - $101 Off
- MacBook Pro - $101 Off
- MacBook Air - $101 Off
For absolute savings, customers will have better luck with third- party merchants that tend to offer steeper discounts on Apple products on Black Friday. We have also gathered all of the best deals on Apple products and accessories into a comprehensive roundup.
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...


text:
The motion for a resolution on fertilizer availability and affordability by the European Parliament presents a chance to acknowledge the significance of mineral fertilizers produced within Europe. This could set the stage for the continent’s strategic autonomy in low-carbon fertilizers and food in the long run, Euractiv reports.
Mineral fertilizers play a critical role in feeding 50% of the world’s population. By enhancing soil fertility and providing essential nutrients to plants, they enable farmers to cultivate high-quality crops that ultimately reach European households as food, Euractiv reports.
The fertilizers industry faced immense difficulties last year, as the exorbitant prices of natural gas in the EU caused nearly 70% of ammonia production plants to shut down by August 2022. This plunged the EU into a state of unease, with concerns about food security at both local and global levels. Although gas prices have since corrected to a significant extent, more than one-third of the EU’s production capacity remains offline, rendering the situation uncertain.
The European Commission’s efforts to ensure the accessibility and affordability of fertilizers were commendable, but it’s time to go beyond that. A comprehensive strategy is necessary to support the European fertilizer industry, end its reliance on imported fertilizers, particularly those made in Russia, and avoid the risk of carbon leakage.
On the other side of the world, a recent report by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed that fertilizer prices have been dropping in the past couple of months.
Farm Doc Daily says that it is probable that the decrease in natural gas prices and corn prices has contributed to a decline in the prices of nitrogen fertilizer. Additionally, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war may have brought some stability to the fertilizer market.
Nevertheless, any additional market disturbances, ranging from heightened global tensions to supply chain disruptions, could result in an increase in fertilizer prices. The latest financial reports suggest that fertilizer firms had a profitable year in 2022.
“Overall, ammonia prices have exhibited significant volatility since the middle of 2021, with that volatility continuing into the planning season for the 2023 crop. At the end of summer 2022, ammonia prices were $1,183 per ton, a low relative to the over $1,400 prices early in the year. Prices then rose during the fall of 2022, reaching $1,434 on November 3 before falling to $1,237 per ton,” the AMS report said.
However, more needs to be done to break the cycle.
Last year, EuroChem CEO Samir Brikho stressed that sanctions have caused serious disruption to the production of fertilizer which as a result has serious implications for grain trade.
“I am closely involved with the World Economic Forum (WEF). According to the WEF, 50 million people were starving before the war, what do you think the situation is now? Now the estimate comes out to 200 to 300 million. That is why UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for not touching the food chain and the fertilizer industry. If we do, the problem won’t get under control. I am on the same line as the UN: allow a truly free circulation of fertilizers, that will reduce prices,” Brikho said.
One positive outcome was the reopening of EuroChem’s Lithuanian facility – Lifosa.
“With the need to continue fertilizer supplies to key target markets in Europe and the Americas and the importance of Lifosa to Lithuania, we are pleased that we will be able to restart production in the short term,” Brikho noted, announcing the reopening.
The announcement further emphasized that removing restrictions on obtaining premium raw materials from EuroChem would allow Lifosa to once again meet the high cadmium limits imposed by the EU Commission.
“To ensure sustainable economic operations beyond December, additional steps will need to be taken with regards to Lifosa obtaining access to competitively priced raw materials and the permission to market its products to a broader customer base,” the EuroChem CEO underscored.
In order to restart the facility, EuroChem Group made a sizable financial sacrifice, but it did so to uphold its social responsibility obligations, support its workers and the larger Kdainiai community, for which it also provides heating through the facility, as well as to support the security of the global food supply.


text:
Ubique Networks Inc., based in Sydney, will receive funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency on Monday for its Swarmio “lag-sensing” technology platform, which drastically reduces lag through optimal control of one or more of the game servers.
It offers online gamers a level playing field regardless of location or Internet performance.
In multiplayer online gaming, one of the key challenges affecting the player experience is the lag caused by latency and packet loss.
Latency and packet loss result from the distance between the players and the game servers, and network congestion, respectively.
The company has already secured investment from Extreme Venture Partners, a Toronto-based venture capital firm, and Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early stage venture capital organization.
Vijai Karthigesu is founder and chief executive officer of Ubique Networks.
“The multiplayer online games and the e-sports sectors are growing rapidly but both the publishers and the gamers want drastic reduction in lag, and that is what we are providing,” Karthigesu said in a release issued last week.
“This funding will enable us to build out our user base, increase our production output and meet our global customer demands.”
While Ubique Networks says its technology is applicable for many sectors, the company is targeting online gaming as the first application for Swarmio. Last week the company opened preregistration for the Swarmio Intelligent Gaming Platform.
Andrew Ray, IT investment manager at Innovacorp, said online gaming is extremely popular right now around the world.
"Ubique Networks has created a product that solves the biggest challenge facing this $15-billion, rapidly growing industry. The company has had impressive traction already,” Ray said.
Karthigesu, who’s from Toronto, decided to move his business’s headquarters to Sydney last summer with the help of startup entrepreneur Jim DeLeskie.
The company has been in business since 2014.


text:
The company has won additional contracts from OEM's including Ford, general Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra
Share price of Precision Camshafts gained 4 percent in the early trade on Wednesday on receiving multiple orders worth Rs 275 crore.
The company has won additional contracts from OEM's including Ford, general Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra.
The company's Q3FY18 net profit declined 51 percent at Rs 6.65 crore against Rs 13.71 crore in the same quarter last fiscal.
Revenue of the company was down 8 percent at Rs 93 crore, EBITDA down 11 percent at Rs 18.6 crore and margin was at 20 percent.
At 09:21 hrs Precision Camshafts was quoting at Rs 121, up Rs 3.95, or 3.37 percent on the BSE.
The share touched its 52-week high Rs 166.50 and 52-week low Rs 102.95 on 01 March, 2017 and 06 February, 2018, respectively.
Currently, it is trading 27.33 percent below its 52-week high and 17.53 percent above its 52-week low.Posted by Rakesh Patil


text:
YouTube is sending the Stories feature to the fabled Google Graveyard, thus ending its attempts to compete with Instagram and Snapchat.
Like its social media rivals, YouTube Stories attempted to attract creators with ephemeral posts that only lasted a short period of time.
YouTube says that feature (previously known as Reels) will be going away on June 26, meaning there’s only a month left to go. From that point on, existing posts will expire within 7 days.
A great sounding deal on the Sony WF-1000XM4 buds
The Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds are on sale for just $188, a saving of $91.99 on the list price. You’ll love these noise cancelling wonders.
- Amazon US
- Was $279.99
- Now $188
YouTube says the decision has been made to prioritise key features like the TikTok-like Shorts and Live streamed videos as well as the traditional long form options.
“Starting on 6/26/2023 the option to create a new YouTube Story will no longer be available,” YouTube says in a community post. “Stories that are already live on that date will expire 7 days after they were originally shared.”
It probably makes sense for Google to ditch the Stories, especially given the presence of Shorts too. It makes the YouTube proposition a little less clustered. Google had initially rolled out the option for channels with over 10,000 subscribers so the vast majority of visitors to the site or app won’t have even used it.
Stories had a social media like interface, enabling users to hold down the capture button to capture a video, while there was also the option to add filters, stickers, text, and the option to trim the story before posting. However, it seems the feature hasn’t been as successful as YouTube hoped and thus the decision has been made to streamline the YouTube experience.
However, it does signal the company is waving the white flag somewhat in terms of competition head-to-head with the likes of Instagram and Snapchat.


text:
SJD Accountancy – National finalists ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ British Chamber Awards 2011
Continuing in their commitment to providing outstanding customer service, SJD Accountancy, the UK’s largest accountants to contractors with over 11,000 limited company contractors, were announced today as finalists in the ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ category by the British Chambers of Commerce.
If SJD are successful in winning this award, this will be SJD Accountancy’s third award for outstanding customer service excellence this year alone, having already won: ‘Best Professional Team of the Year’ at the UK Customer Experience awards and the ‘Customer Commitment’ award at the Institute of Customer Service UK Customer Satisfaction Awards.
The National Chamber Awards were launched by the British Chambers of Commerce in 2004, these awards acknowledge the success and achievements of its Accredited Chambers of Commerce and their members.
SJD Accountancy customer service director Charmaine Vallance – Poole commented: “The British Chambers of Commerce awards are one of the most prestigious awards which acknowledge the best in the business. We are privileged to be finalists in this category and without the fantastic team that we have at SJD this award would not be possible.”
Winners will be announced on the 24th November at the Chamber Awards Gala Dinner.


text:
January 2017 | Business Trends
As we head into 2017, Wharton faculty share insights for leaders at varying stages of their careers, including navigating changing political and regulatory landscapes, and using influencers in a digital marketing strategy.
In their book Friend & Foe, Maurice Schweitzer and Adam Galinsky explain that success, whether at work or at home, depends on knowing when to cooperate and when to compete. “We’re not hardwired to do one or the other,” says Schweitzer, “Instead, humans have evolved to do both. In all of our relationships, we are constantly navigating the tension between being friends and foes.”
Schweitzer, a Wharton professor of operations, information, and decisions, says that’s also true on the political stage, especially when power changes hands. “In the U.S., Hillary Clinton competed with Barack Obama, and then collaborated with him as Secretary of State. She also competed with Bernie Sanders, who later collaborated by campaigning for her. Politicians are constantly navigating these shifting sands of cooperation and competition,” he says.
“As the political landscapes change, we are going to see realignment. Different friends and foes will emerge.” Schweitzer, who also directs The Strategic Decision-Making Mindset program at Wharton, recently discussed these dynamics with participants and explained that those who are nimble and adept at forming new strategic partnerships will be better positioned to take advantage of what comes next. “Cooperation and competition need to be held in the right balance. Knowing when and how to do both is always important, but in uncertain times, this skill is critical.”
“Online to offline conversion is one trend I expect to see more of in 2017,” says Wharton marketing professor David Bell. “Online companies are creating a retail experience of their brands in pop-up shops that are not intended to make sales. They want consumers to get a feel for the brand.” Bell recently invited the CEO of one company that’s doing it right to speak with participants in Digital Marketing Strategies for the Digital Economy. “Jen Rubio blew them away. The online retailer experimented with a pop-up shop in New York for four months, and now has them in London and Berlin. Permanent stores opened in New York and Los Angeles. The former Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur has raised $11 million in VC funding for her company.”
Bell says another trend to watch in 2017 is the growth of influencer marketing. “Brands looking to create a presence in the digital space quickly start to realize that the way to get to their audience is through people who are already established in that space. YouTube stars’ videos are viewed millions of times, connecting with their audience in a very authentic, relevant way. Firms like Reelio are now specializing in influence marketing, helping their clients find an influencer match and develop a digital strategy.”
The third trend connects the first two. Bell says to watch the interplay between traditional and digital media. “As digital sources recycle traditional news, they influence what happens in traditional media. Companies didn’t understand how to get media without paying for it, but they are starting to catch on. Probably nowhere is this better exemplified than in the recent presidential election where President-elect Donald J. Trump was able to exert enormous influence over traditional media narratives via his forays into digital and social media. Companies in the digital economy understand more than ever, that one’s ‘audience has an audience,’ which means that narratives are cycled, adapted, and memed, in weaving stories that define what brands are, and what they stand for.”
Wharton management professor and academic director of Boards That Lead: Corporate Governance that Builds Value Mike Useem says it’s a “drumbeat” he’s hearing everywhere: companies are increasingly bringing directors more forcefully into company thinking and decision-making. It makes good sense, considering the depth and diversity of experience that board members typically bring to the boardroom. But pulling them in too closely can create problems too.
“Company executives must facilitate opportunities for directors to learn how the company operates so they can contribute to the discussion about the firm’s strategy. Yet they also have to achieve a balance, ensuring that the board is well informed while at the same time not taking the directors into what are rightfully management prerogatives.”
“Creating that balance is one of the most important decisions a CEO and general counsel can make,” he explains. “You want to give directors great information so they can appreciate the competitive landscape and provide informed strategic guidance, but not overly detailed data about the operations of the enterprise. That’s not their job.” He suggests developing a written “delegation of authority” protocol that clearly delineates which types of decisions require board approval and which don’t.
As pressure for consistent superior results continues to intensify from institutional and activist investors, Useem says tapping into the expertise of directors, and creating a collaborative relationship between management and the board, is more essential than ever. He has worked with scores of senior leaders in Wharton’s Boards That Lead program, and says, “Becoming more adept at working and leading with your board is an acquired skill, a learned capacity that can lead to significant improvement in company strategy and firm performance.” It is for this reason, he reports, that he and his colleagues launched the Boards That Lead program.
Subscribe to the Wharton@Work RSS Feed


text:
9 August 2020
The first comprehensive analysis of the small business sector since COVID-19 restrictions began has revealed local businesses are on the verge of crisis and more than half face the prospect of closure.
The findings released today by Braddon’s United Retailers & Traders (BURT) shows Government must work carefully and strategically with local commercial operators to rebuild the local economy and infrastructure or inevitable job losses will result.
Following the ACT Government’s announcement of upgrades to Braddon and Dickson to stimulate the economy, BURT undertook a survey of Braddon businesses to establish what infrastructure & projects were needed to deliver results.
With COVID-19 restrictions still not fully eased, the results should set off alarms for local politicians. Among the most concerning figures are:Revenue losses caused by COVID-19
- Over 60% of businesses were partially or completely shut down during COVID-19 restrictions.
- 84% of businesses suffered revenue loss during restrictions.
- 68% of businesses lost between 50% & 100% of revenue during restrictions.
- 68% of businesses continue to experience revenue loss.
- 17% of businesses continue to experience revenue loss of between 50% & 100%.
- 44% of businesses reduced staff during restrictions, by an average 70%.
- 37% of businesses continue to operate on reduced staff, by an average 40%.
- 55% of businesses believe they would close or face serious threat to staying open if another shutdown occurred.
Discussions with other Canberra Trader organisations provides anecdotal evidence the crisis is not confined to Braddon, but is being felt across the ACT.
Spokesperson for BURT Kel Watt said the analysis made it imperative that the activities of business and Government were in alignment, or doors would close and hundreds of staff would face unemployment.
“The Government’s investment in beautification is welcome in principle, but all the footpath flowerpots in the world won’t do a thing to grow revenue and staff levels back to normal if the failures of current infrastructure are not addressed,” Kel Watt said.
“For the same investment of time and money, the Government can deliver upgrades that will actually work and attract customers and clients back to the Braddon precinct. So far, consultation has been minimal and the vitally needed improvements to parking, traffic flow and public areas don’t appear to be on the Government’s radar.
“With the Government linking upgrade work to the impacts of the coronavirus and need to help local operators, it is a no-brainer that upgrades identified by business should be made the priority.
“Likewise, the owners and employees in the hospitality, retail and beauty sectors are still in need of significant financial support. With necessary restrictions to prevent virus spread limiting use of floor space, neither the revenue or needed workforce will be back to ‘normal’ for some time yet.
“Failure to get the right policy and programs in place now will see dozens of Braddon businesses wind up and their staff without jobs. If replicated elsewhere, the economic crisis will be like nothing ever seen before.
“Owners and managers have said the crunch will come between now and Christmas, so the time for strategic cooperation is now, ”Kel Watt said.
The full report and analysis, including BURT’s recommendations is available online at: www.braddon.online/survey
The report has been sent to the ACT Government and Opposition, as well as to Federal MPs, ACT Election candidates and the Canberra Business Chamber.


text:
The Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and the UK Health Security Agency have issued another reminder to avoid eating a range of Kinder products this Easter weekend. Following an outbreak of Salmonella linked to certain Kinder product ranges and Schoko-Bons produced at one of the Ferrero company’s factories in Arlon, Belgium, the agencies are continuing to work with Public Health sectors in Scotland, Wales and the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland – plus international public health and food safety authorities – to investigate.
As of April 15, there are 70 cases linked to this outbreak in the UK alone. The majority of the cases are in children under the age of five.
Emily Miles, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency, said: “As we go into the Easter weekend, we are strongly urging consumers to follow the advice in the latest recall notice and to check any Kinder products they might have already bought against the list detailed in the notice, as they may pose a risk to health. If they do have any products on the list, they should not eat them and should discard them immediately.
“We have emphasised to the business and the authorities in Belgium the importance of taking a precautionary approach to their recall and trust that they will continue to put consumers’ needs first in any action they take.”
Symptoms of salmonellosis – or infection with salmonella – typically resolve themselves within a few days. However, symptoms can be more severe, especially in young children, those who are pregnant and those with weakened immune systems.
Anybody with concerns that they have symptoms of salmonellosis should contact their GP or call NHS 111. Salmonella can be spread from person to person as well as from food, so anyone affected should adhere to good hygiene practices, such as washing hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and avoiding handling food for others where possible, if you have symptoms.
Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:
“We’re reminding people of the recall this Bank Holiday weekend as it’s possible these products have been bought and stored as gifts, or for events such as Easter trails.
“It’s crucial these products are not eaten and are discarded. Salmonella infection can be severe and many children affected in this outbreak have been very unwell and hospitalised, so anyone giving chocolate products to friends or family should take extra care to ensure their Easter gifts are not amongst those products recalled.
“Thank you to parents and guardians who worked with us and other public health authorities in the UK to tell us what their children had eaten prior to becoming unwell – this allowed us to rapidly pinpoint a potential source of infection and helped food chain investigations both in this country and in Europe. We understand this has been a worrying time for these families, and their responses have helped to prevent more children and vulnerable adults being affected.”
These are the products which have been recalled and the Food Standards Agency says, regardless of best-before date, should not be eaten:
- Kinder Surprise – 20g & 3 x 20g
- Kinder Surprise – 100g
- Kinder Egg Hunt
- Kinder Mini Eggs
- Kinder Schoko-Bons


text:
AMSTERDAM, April 21 (Reuters) - The CEO of Europe’s largest restaurant order and delivery company Just Eat Takeaway.com on Wednesday brushed aside competition from rival Uber Eats after it said it would launch in Germany, one of Takeaway’s biggest markets.
“We welcome competition,” Jitse Groen said on Twitter in response to a question asking whether Uber’s entrance would hurt Takeway or could trigger a price war. “We are (already) dirt cheap in Germany,” the executive said.
Shares in Takeaway were down 4.6% to 87.73 euros following the Uber news.
In an interview with the Financial Times published earlier on Wednesday, an Uber Eats executive said that Takeaway’s commissions were “extraordinarily high”.
“Europe in particular has been a bright spot (for Uber Eats), both in terms of some of the growth we’ve seen but also, frankly, in terms of the strengthening of our market position” in Britain and Spain, the paper quoted Pierre-Dimitri Gore Coty, senior vice president of delivery, as saying.
Contacted by Reuters, Uber Eats had no immediate comment.
Last week Takeaway reported a 79% increase in first quarter orders, citing strength in Britain, where it competes with Uber Eats and Deliveroo. (Reporting by Toby Sterling)


text:
The unlimited cap: Telcos called on service
In any given year, Australians lodge more than 200,000 complaints about telephone services. That's a lot. In fact, it's about twice the number of complaints made each year in the United Kingdom, which has more than three times as many phone users. Perhaps Australians a bunch of impossible-to-please whingers, and the Brits are too polite for their own good. Or could it be that there's something wrong with our telecommunications industry? The Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, has concluded that industry self-regulation is failing and has warned phone companies to reduce customer complaints... or else. ACMA has marked the end of a year-long inquiry with a report called 'Reconnecting the Customer', which considers new compliance rules for telecommunications, including banning potentially misleading advertising terms like 'cap' and 'unlimited'. Some consumer advocates say changes are long overdue, but industry bodies aren't quite as thrilled about ringing in the changes. The challenge for telcos is to explain why their Australian customers are so dissatisfied with their services.
Peter Mares: Phone companies have been put on notice: reduce customer complaints or else. After a year-long inquiry, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has concluded that industry self-regulation is failing.
ACMA is now considering intervening to set new compliance rules for telecommunications, including such things as banning potentially misleading advertising terms like 'cap' and 'unlimited'.
Teresa Corbin says such changes are long overdue. She's worked as a consumer advocate on these issues for 17 years, and is the CEO of ACCAN, that's the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network. Teresa Corbin, welcome.
Teresa Corbin: Good evening.
Peter Mares: And also joining us is John Stanton. He's the CEO of the Communications Alliance, the industry body representing telecommunications companies. John Stanton, welcome to you.
John Stanton: Hello Peter.
Peter Mares: Now I imagine you're not so thrilled by this ACMA Report, John Stanton, the report called 'Reconnecting the Customer'.
John Stanton: That wouldn't be my characterisation. I think it's important to look at what the ACMA found, and in the report, which is pretty extensive, they said firstly that Australians are generally pretty happy with the quality of the services they receive from their service providers, which is good news. Secondly they said, well, unfortunately, too many Australians are unhappy with the customer service that comes along with those products and that's not a great secret to anyone listening to your program, I'm sure. And thirdly, the ACMA noted that the industry had committed itself to improving its performance in this area, including through the revision of the communications alliance code, known as the TCP Code, that governs industry behaviour in this regard. So the ACMA actually gave a balanced view. It noted there are problems and we're aware of those as well. It signalled it's willing to keep working with industry to address those problems and that's an opportunity we're grabbing with both hands.
Peter Mares: Teresa Corbin did you read the report that way, of the balanced view? You know, good here, more work needed there?
Teresa Corbin: Well, we saw the report as a damning report. It was very well researched and it raised a lot of concerns and it reinforced what we're hearing, which is everybody's got a war story and everybody's got battle scars. And yes, I agree with John, it's about customer service. They might be happy with the fact they've got a phone, but the reality is they want it to work better and they want the service to work better.
Peter Mares: Well so particularly, one of the particular focuses has been on complaint handling, hasn't it?
Teresa Corbin: That's right. So the great difficulty is that even when you've got a problem and you contact the provider, this report actually says it can take up to three times to resolve; three times of contacting a provider before you actually get that problem resolved, and in a lot of instances our research shows that consumers don't get the problems resolved and actually give up before they've resolved them.
Peter Mares: John Stanton why? Do you acknowledge that that is a core weakness in the industry in Australia, resolving consumer complaints?
John Stanton: It certainly is a problem. It's not endemic to every provider by any means. We've got companies in Australia who've won global customer service awards in the Telco sector, but certainly the report did highlight there are issues there and that's why in the revision of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code, we've made specific provisions to ensure that the industry lifts its game in that regard. And indeed, the industry from a CEO level down, has committed itself to improving in this area and has acknowledged that there is a problem. We're not arguing about whether there is a problem, we're looking at how we get that fixed.
Peter Mares: But I mean we hear those sort of statements from industry leaders and so on, but it's a very interesting statistic that Australia had more than 200,000 complaints about telecommunications last year, more than twice the number, or about twice the number made annually in the United Kingdom, yet there are far more phone subscribers in the United Kingdom. I mean why are Australians complaining so much about phone services?
John Stanton: Well to check the facts, you're not comparing apples with apples. In the UK, an inquiry made to an Ombudsman for example, goes away for about an 8-week period to be resolved by the service provider, and it's only if it comes back unresolved it's classified as a complaint. In Australia, the Ombudsman system has a much more liberal view of what constitutes complaint as opposed to an inquiry. It classifies complaints before it's undertaken any work to see whether there's any validity to them. So it's a completely different set of figures.
Peter Mares: So Teresa Corbin, maybe the problems aren't so bad in Australia.
Teresa Corbin: Well it's interesting that you can say not comparing apples with apples, but the reality is that consumers who end up at the telecommunications industry Ombudsman and the complaints that actually get counted, are the ones that have already been to the service provider. So they do have a complaint, regardless of whether or not it's validated by the Telco. So you don't have to have a Telco say: 'Yes, you've definitely got a complaint', to know whether you're dissatisfied or not. So the interesting thing is that 90% or over 90% of these complaints that go to the TOA -
Peter Mares: The Telecommunications Ombudsman.
Teresa Corbin: Yes, the Telecommunications and Industry Ombudsman, actually get resolved at Level One, and a large percentage of them relate to customer service and relate to not taking the follow-up action that was agreed to.
Peter Mares: This can be pretty serious stuff for individual people, can't it, I mean if you - a case study for example of someone who gets a big bill, can't pay the bill, has their 'phone cut off, has their internet cut off, can't get a new connection with any other provider because they've got a bad credit record now. This can be quite difficult for people, can't it?
Teresa Corbin: It can be extremely difficult, and the thing is people talk about vulnerable consumers, but the reality is when it comes to telecommunications services, anybody can become a vulnerable consumer, because one, the technology is confusing and two, the service is actually essential. We all really rely on our telecommunications services. So that's why it's so serious when we've got such a high level of complaint numbers.
Peter Mares: John Stanton, I suppose the headline coming out of this report by the Australian Communications Media Authority was that the Authority is looking now to regulate your industry, it's basically said that self-regulation by the industry is failing, and it's more or less warning your industry that it's going to start setting the rules for you.
John Stanton: In fact what the report did in its recommendations was identify issues that it thought were best dealt with under the Code revision, which we presently have underway. It also pointed to some areas where it thought that there may be a need for some form of over-the-top regulation. Now there's a Steering Group undertaking this Code revision, Teresa's on it, so am I, so are other consumer representatives and representatives of the ACMA, the ACCC and the Federal Government, and we're in an advanced stage with that revision. What we need to do now is take the ACMA recommendation and review them and examine them in detail against the draft of the codes and our stance, beside what elements of those recommendations we ought to incorporate into the Code, and how if those are incorporated, they ought to be implemented and practised.
Peter Mares: So you're saying that self-regulation can continue to work?
John Stanton: There are many examples of how self-regulation works. I mean, two years ago we had a big problem with mobile premium services. A new code came into place and the types of complaints that we had about those services two years ago has now reduced to less than a trickle. There are self-regulatory success stories right across the industry and many of the technical areas where codes and standards govern the way that the industry operates. Yes there has been a problem with the TCP Code. It needed improvement, it particularly needed a new compliance framework because that was lacking in the existing code and that's something that we're creating for the new code, to ensure that the industry as a whole, all 1,000-odd service providers providing services in the country, comply with the code.
Peter Mares: Teresa Corbin, John Stanton's making the point that well the industry does respond, it is responsive to customer concerns, maybe it takes a little while sometimes but the industry actually does want to meet customer needs.
Teresa Corbin: I mean yes I am on the Steering Group for this review of the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, but without commenting on that process that's still underway, I'm just focusing on the current code. There's only two signatories, Vodaphone and Optus, so they've volunteered to comply to that code. It is a voluntary code unless you're directed by the ACMA to comply to it, and not only that, but the industry doesn't actually undertake any of its own compliance and monitoring in relation to the Code. So I am still wondering whether in fact the code can really, the new code, can still be effective, and I'm very pleased that the ACMA report actually gives us some hope that should the industry not provide better options with this code including enforceable options, then they will come in and actually regulate in some instances.
Peter Mares: John Stanton you gave the number of more than 1,000 service providers in Australia earlier, and in theory, this should mean robust competition, cut-throat competition in fact, and cut-rate prices where the consumer is king. But that's not my experience and I somehow think a lot of listeners might agree with me, it's not theirs either.
John Stanton: It is an intensely competitive market, Peter, in terms of prices. Let me give you one example, the ACMA's own index of mobile prices show that they have halved over the past decade.
Peter Mares: How do they compare to other countries?
John Stanton: Typically they compare pretty reasonably, and there's different market structures but if you look at Australia's value for money and telecommunications services, we stand up pretty well.
Peter Mares: And broadband costs?
John Stanton: Well again, they vary from country to country. Some of the Asian countries have lower broadband costs than us, some of the European ones have higher, some have lower. It does vary, but I think we stand up reasonably well on that comparison as well.
Peter Mares: Teresa Corbin are we getting good value for money because of competition in the industry?
Teresa Corbin: Well I think going back to the ACMA's report again, they did some research where they interviewed consumers on what stopped them from shopping around, or were they? Did they want to shop around? And something like half of the consumers said they're interested in changing providers, but something like six% of those consumers actually followed through, and the main reason given for not following through was lock-in contracts, so high exit fees and charges. So you know the -
Peter Mares: But aren't contracts like that commonplace around the world?
Teresa Corbin: No, not necessarily, I mean the second-largest market in the world, India, doesn't have any lock-in contracts, in fact I was at a conference recently where the consumers from India were amazed that we have to put up with these lock-in contracts.
Peter Mares: John Stanton, there's another example would be that telephone companies can bill us - I'm talking about mobile phone calls - you can bill us by the second, but often companies only offer to bill us by the half-minute or the minute. Now why not bill us by the second, since then we'd only pay for the amount of call we actually use.
John Stanton: Well there's a whole range of options in the marketplace. It does include, as you say, per second billing, and 30-second billing, and other variations on that theme.
Peter Mares: But that's what makes it so confusing for us as consumers. I mean if we had a standard system, everyone could bill per second and it would make it easier to compare different offers.
John Stanton: Well you also then potentially take away the potential for creative offers that better meet an individual customer's need. I think choice is a great thing, and to have the ability to choose a per second billing regime at a particular price, or a 30-second one if that suits your pattern of calling better, it's not a choice that ought to be denied the consumer.
Teresa Corbin: Look, choice is a great thing but it's been proven time and time again that informed consumers can take advantage of choice, and the reality is at the moment consumers are not informed of the telecommunications market in Australia and one of the recommendations that's being considered by the ACMA is actually unit pricing. So similar to what we've seen in supermarkets now, you actually will be able to compare on price, at the moment there are no advertisements out there that allow us to compare one plan with another, or one provider with another.
Peter Mares: But John Stanton's point is that we all use our phones differently. Some of us like to make calls at off-peak times, long chats to our loved one, on the other side of the country; others just want to text all the time, or make short phone calls. So it's hard actually isn't it to standardise the sort of pricing in this area?
Teresa Corbin: Look what's the problem with actually telling you how much you're going to be paying at peak times and not peak times? Why do you have to bundle it all up into the usual figures. We say: '$500 worth of value for $49 a month', and you don't know how many texts that is, you don't know how many calls that is, how many types of calls you can actually make, so there might be exclusions like 1800 and 1300 numbers, so it's almost impossible to really control your spending.
Peter Mares: John Stanton I have to admit that as a consumer I struggle to compare one mobile phone plan with another.
John Stanton: That can be the case. I grant you that. And that's often the case for many different products in competitive markets. But that's part of the reason why in the revision of the code we are in a to going to bring into place a mandatory summary of offer that every consumer will receive before they sign up for a service that lists all the key components, including all the elements of the pricing, so that they are informed before they sign a contract. That information is typically available today, but it's not always as readily available perhaps as it ought to be, and that's why we're taking this step and it will make it easier for consumers to do exactly what you're describing.
Peter Mares: We just come back to the point really Teresa Corbin made before. Why have lock-in contracts at all? I mean if there's competition and the consumer is king, why can't we just switch more easily?
John Stanton: Well there are many contracts that are tailored around for example, the provision of a free or subsidised handset, because consumers don't want to pay $400, $600, whatever it might be, for the greatest new Smartphone, but they do want to have that 'phone -
Peter Mares: But surely -
John Stanton: - a contract that distributes the cost of that handset across the life of the contract. That's a standard and quite reasonable contractual program. There are also services that are offered without any lock-in contracts today in Australia, and many people take advantage of those. Pre-paid is a very good example of a deal that doesn't involve a lock-in contract and there are millions of users of pre-paid mobile services in Australia.
Teresa Corbin: But often even if you bring your own handset, you do have to sign a lock-in contract, so I think we really do need to look at lock-in contracts, and I think we need to also look into the price of handsets, because it seems that they are a lot cheaper in other countries.
Peter Mares: John Stanton.
John Stanton: There are many items that are cheaper in other countries than in Australia, and there's a range of reasons for that, including what it takes to get the product here, or the taxes that may apply to it. I think we have a pretty competitive market in Australia around those sorts of items.
Peter Mares: John Stanton and Teresa Corbin thank you for joining us in The National Interest.
Both: Thank you.
Peter Mares: John Stanton is the CEO of the industry body, the Communications Alliance and Teresa Corbin is CEO of ACCAN, that's The Australian Communications, Consumer Action Network.
And you'll find a link to that report we were discussing, the Australian Communications and Media Authority Report 'Reconnecting the Customer', you'll find a link on our website where you can share your phone company horror stories or your Telco herograms by clicking the Add Your Comment tag. Or you can call the feedback line 1300 936 222.
- Teresa Corbin
Australian Communications Consumer Action Network
- John Stanton
- Peter Mares
- James Panichi


text:
SDK will have a global capacity for producing 250,000 tonnes per year of graphite electrodes when the ramp-up of the expansion of its Ridgeville, South Carolina, USA plant to 75,000 tonnes per year is completed later
The companys other plants are in Japan, USA, China, Malaysia, Spain, Germany and Austria. Its capacity for graphite electrode production was given a significant boost last year through its acquisition, for an enterprise value of 350 million euros (about $410 million), of SGL Groups graphite electrode business, comprising about 900 employees and six production sites in Germany, Austria, Spain, USA and Malaysia. SDK has delivered electrodes to more than 2,000 EAFs in over
SDKs Austrian plant, in Steeg, is the oldest and the Malaysian factory, in Banting, is the newest factory, but the company notes that it has continuously revamped and modernized its facilities in order to maintain quality and safety standards, while ensuring its plants remain highly productive and cost-effective.
The companys Ridgeville plant started up in 1983 and was acquired by SDK in 1988. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, completion of the plants expansion will see its capacity increase by 30,000 tonnes per year.


text:
Code brings new era for dairy farmers
The new year will spell the beginning of a new era for the dairy industry, with the early introduction of a new code of conduct.
The mandatory Australian dairy industry code of conduct, aimed at increasing the bargaining power held by dairy farmers, will come into effect in January and replace the current voluntary model.
The code was developed in consultation with farmers and processors and was a key recommendation from last year’s Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s report into the dairy sector.
WA Farmers dairy section president and fourth-generation Brunswick dairy farmer Michael Partridge said he welcomed the early roll out of the code, saying it will help stamp out unfair behaviours.
“It is no silver bullet in getting value out of the market place for farmers, but it will help with unreasonable clauses in contracts,” Mr Partridge said.
“Hopefully it will make it a more even playing field.”
The code will enable farmers to switch processors more easily, as well as prohibit processors from withholding loyalty payments if a farmer decides to change processors.
Mr Partridge said the odds had been stacked against farmers and the new code would help create more transparency in pricing.
“Due to the nature of the product we produce, farmers have been in a difficult position as far as negotiation contracts,” Mr Partridge said.
“It’s a highly perishable product we sell. We’ve been in a vulnerable position for a long time.”
In welcoming the code as a positive, he highlighted its restrictions in affecting change on the industry as a whole.
“The ACCC also negotiate the imbalance between processors and retailers and this code does nothing for that,” Mr Partridge said.
“The real strength in the market place is the retailers, which the code does not address.”
Forrest MHR Nola Marino, a dairy farmer herself, said the code would provide clearer safeguards.
“Dairy is Australia’s third largest rural industry, with $4.3 billion farm gate production in 2017-18, a retail value of $6.8 billion and $3.4 billion worth of products exported,” Mrs Marino said.
Federal Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie said a draft of the code would be available later this week and processors would be bound by the code from January 1.
“I expect dairy processors to keep the exposure draft in mind when developing new contracts with dairy farmers in the coming months,” she said.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails


text:
Export earnings in July soared 26.54 percent to $3.2 billion, marking a strong rebound after lacklustre performance in the fiscal year that concluded in June.
July’s receipts, however, narrowly missed the monthly target of $3.23 billion, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau.
The surge in exports was led by garment, whose shipments soared 17.08 percent year-on-year to $2.47 billion in July.
Still, the sector’s export earnings fell short of the monthly target by 5 percent.
Siddiqur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, though is not too sanguine about July’s performance.
“The large growth shown in July was due to lower volume of shipments a year earlier,” he said, adding that last month’s earning growth might not sustain all year round.
In a single month the export figure can surge for many reasons. “It is difficult to predict the future based on a single month’s earnings.”
The near-term export outlook of the garment sector, which typically contributes 82 percent to Bangladesh’s total export earnings, is not too rosy for the nervy global economic situation, he said.
Besides, Bangladesh has been losing its edge to competitors for longer lead-time due to inefficient Chittagong port operations, he said.
“The other competing countries are performing well because of the efficiency of their port operations and for having better infrastructure.”
Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union grew only 3.49 percent to $17.75 billion in fiscal 2016-17. In case of the US, the country’s single largest export destination, it declined 7.47 percent to $5.2 billion.
Saiful Islam, president of Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturer and Exporter’s Association of Bangladesh, attributed the surge in shipments to Christmas, the preparation of which starts from July and wraps up in the middle of September.
From September onwards, the retailers start stocking the products on their shop floors, Islam said.
This year, the export of leather goods might not grow at the same pace as in July due to the shift of factories from Hazaribagh to Savar.
Of the 155 relocated leather factories, the majority could not start their production due to a lack of gas connection, he said.
Last month, leather and leather goods exports grew 26.19 percent year-on-year to $116.73 million.
Some other sectors have also performed well in July.
Frozen and live fish exports grew 57 percent to $59.42 million, pharmaceuticals 23.29 percent to $7.20 million, home textile 60.31 percent to $63.77 million and footwear 84.08 percent to $25.20 million.
However, the earning from the promising jute and jute goods sector slid 7.51 percent to $64.53 million.
Source: The Daily Star


text:
ANX International Hires New Bitcoin Development Team For Mystery.On May 23 the bitcoin marketplace startup Purse announced a multi-million dollar bitcoin protocol development agreement with Bitmain Technologies, Bixin, F2.FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on.Bitcoin Seeks New Life in Africa. Now some in the Bitcoin community,. and five years writing and editing technology news coverage at New Scientist magazine.Erik Voorhees, a Bitcoin Entrepreneur and CEO of Shapeshift.io has a reddit post that calls of Core Developers to end the Civil war by meeting two demands.
Blockchain fork will create new digital currency called
Send Receive Bitcoin using ASP.NET - Bitcoin ForumBitcoin news, and technology blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
On Development Period of Bitcoin Industry | NEWS.8BTC.COMBitcoin Development Similar to 1800s Gold. publicly accept Bitcoin and make a splash in the news.Armory to Close After Five Years of Bitcoin Development Message:.He notes that what happened through all of that is the discovery of financial services as the real added value, namely legitimate exchanges that were run by competent folks who knew how to secure digital currency and could partner with banks and insurance companies to properly protect customer accounts.
Segwit locking in on Bitcoin » Brave New Coin
Bitcoin investors will receive a new digital asset called Bitcoin Cash after the.First Bitcoin Capital Corp Announces Appointment of Bitcoin Protocol Development Expert Patrick Dugan to. ecommerce and game development,. and bitcoin news.
Bitcoin Seeks New Life in Africa - MIT Technology ReviewBitcoin exchanges announce contingency plan for hard fork split L. The development of Bitcoin Unlimited.
Armory Technologies Incorporated has decided to discontinue the development of the.Although a two-week waiting period follows before full activation.Therese Helland is a prominent consultant for Bitcoin and Blockchain.
Bitcoin / News: Development process - sourceforge.netOn Wednesday morning around 10:40 UTC, the Bitcoin software upgrade known as SegWit will lock-in.
Russian operator of long-standing bitcoin exchange BTC-e indicted for laundering money including high-profile hack of funds from Mt Gox exchange.The latter was willing to send Bitcoin to anywhere in the world to receive a miner.When a lucky team would strike a big vein they would ultimately reinvest the wealth back into the community, opening banks, general stores, parlors, salons and housing for the existent and soon to arrive patrons that would have certainly heard the news and set their sights to capture some of that same luck.
Norway is such a beautiful country and has been named a top summer tourist destination for those in search of picturesque mountains, fjords, and glaciers.Author admin Posted on September 16, 2017 Tags crypto, development.
Bitcoin news, cryptocurrencies, innovation, analytics Bit.newsWhile the Bitcoin industry collectively has raised more than a billion dollars.There is no doubt that China and its huge economy has had a.
Ultimately, the most impacted industries were not retail due to the existing reluctance towards the mainstream adoption of the cryptocurrency.Financial technology startups and p2p payments, Bitcoin, Litecoin and other forks.Crypto Quick News is the bitcoin news service that covers cryptocurrency news, technical analysis and.The resolution of the Bitcoin experiment. I will no longer be taking part in Bitcoin development and have sold.
Bitcoin Hard Fork August 1st - What is happening, Latest
SmartMetric Delivers New Bitcoin Development Platform forNVIDIA introduces Quadro vDWS, and Bitcoin hits all time new record high.Present day Bitcoin and altcoin development appear to be recounting a theory that played out in the early mining industry. Latest Posts: Bitcoin Investment News.Major Japanese Retail Chain Marui Now Accepts Bitcoin Payments.
First Bitcoin Capital Corp Announces Appointment of
Issues · bitcoin/bitcoin · GitHubSign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers.Bitcoin is the clear early leader in this new digital currency arena and we.
Company News – 1st Bitcoin CapitalThe price of ether continues to struggle following news the world.
New Bitcoin Development Spurs Unnecessary Fear ofVisit daily or subscribe for updates, to keep on top of changes in the digital world of finance.Compared to the gold rush of the 1800s, Petties notes that it was not possible to have a massive stealth mining operation.Satoshi Nakamoto was a key part of the steep incline and development of the Bitcoin currency up until.
Education – ben
Re: Cryptopia Cryptocurrency Platform Services andInstitutional Investors Can No Longer Ignore Bitcoin: Goldman Sachs.
Bitcoinist - ANX International Hires New Bitcoin Development Team.Get all the latest and important updated news on Altcoin at Live Bitcoin News.


text:
Another day, another chart showing Android's spectacular growth. What you see above is Gartner's numbers for the first quarter of 2011. And in those three months, some 36.2 million Android devices were sold worldwide, for a 36 percent share in the period. Second highest was Symbian, at 27.5 million, and iOS devices totaled 16.9 million devices. BlackBerry was at 13 million, and Microsoft (Windows Phone) a meager 3.6 million. HP's webOS was relegated to the "Other" category.
Compared to Gartner's Q1 2010 numbers, Android increased nearly 600 percent for total sales, and increased its global market share by 26 percentage points. Apple's iOS, on the other hand, doubled its unit sales but only increased its market share by 1.5 percentage points.
Overall, some 428 million mobile devices were sold in the first quarter of the year, up 19 percent from the same period a year ago.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Amazon says employees are not being forced to delete TikTok
Amazon is the latest entity to lash out at TikTok, with the retail giant now requiring all of its employees to delete the app from their phones.
Everything we know (so far) about the Google Pixel 5
We're still months out from Google unveiling the Pixel 5, but that doesn't mean it's too early to speculate what it might offer. Here's everything we know so far!
Technostalgia: A series about the Golden Age of mobile tech
Join us for a look back at the best (and worst) of Android and Google over the years in our series Technostalgia.
Forget worrying about drops and scratches with these Nokia 6.2 cases
Did you just get the Nokia 6.2 but didn't get a case? We have found the best cases that money can buy to keep your new device safe from any accidental drops in your day-to-day travels.


text:
Not known Details About latest tech newsWe urge you to show off your ad blocker to the Telegraph Web page so that you can proceed to obtain our high quality articles Down the road.
'Damn close' asteroid thanks to hurry previous Earth TalkTalk fined again around purchaser information breach Facebook normally takes on rivals with video System NASA announces shortlist of 6 Room missions Vitamin can Reduce delivery defects and miscarriages NHS hack hero informed to accomplish deal about US costs Perhaps habitable 'super-Earths' uncovered Scientists acquire plant-primarily based Zika vaccine P455w0rd person states 50rry for 'bananas' information Fossil review uncovers planet's largest dinosaur Trending
August 12, 2017 Copy and paste is the apparent deal with for some situations in Excel, nevertheless it’s not often the ideal option. Get this instance: introducing a new row of data previously mentioned or underneath existing cells. As opposed to selectin... Go through A lot more »
Want an assistant to aid cook family meal, or that dessert recipe you have been dying to test? Amazon's Alexa is able to aid. Tech professional Kim Komando shows you how.
A Significantly tone deaf back-to-university sign in a Walmart retailer has gone viral for all the incorrect causes.
Through the dangerous to the fully inappropriate, these layout fails must have Charge a good few folks their Positions.
Gun-toting drone aims and fires in mid-air Army technologists Duke Robotics have created drones that can shoot at enemies remotely.
Gmail for iOS will now demonstrate phishing warnings for suspicious hyperlinks“Likely forward, when you click a suspicious link in a very Gmail message on the iPhone or iPad, we’ll present the warning down below.
The way to enhance your Personal computer For each and every age studentGood news for students (and oldsters) experiencing the inevitable Personal computer up grade: there’s never been a much better the perfect time to buy one particular.
A SYDNEY guy has actually been convicted of advertising unauthorised Foxtel solutions to 1000s of people, marking an important victory for the corporate.
Tech NewsTesla and SpaceX CEO's opinions were in reference to his non-revenue start off-up, OpenAI, defeating various of the whole world's best players at a video clip match, studies The Hill journal.
HBO is just not the primary Hollywood studio for getting hit by hackers, and they will not be the last, cybersecurity scientists explained.
Tech NewsIf a straitlaced anchor looking at headlines off a teleprompter concerns head any time you listen to the phrase “broadcaster“, you happen to be woe entirely away from touch. Every single night, A huge number of smartphones beep with this particular notification -“Dimple D'Souza is broadcasting on Bigo Dwell."
AN invisible planet that has no gravity will crash into the Earth on September 23, believers assert. But will any one even click here see?
With the unsafe for the totally inappropriate, these style and design fails have to have Price a fair several men and women their Employment.
Snap's 2nd-quarter success disappointSnap Inc.'s 2nd-quarter results for a public enterprise did nothing at all to change Wall Road fears that the company is often a slow-advancement fad.
The BBC is not really answerable for the content of exterior websites. Examine our approach to exterior linking.
3 ways to discover the genuine specials on AmazonWant to understand how to continue to be on prime of the best discounts on Amazon? Tech professional Kim Komando features three ways to uncover them.
A MAN at the time dubbed “Porn’s New King” was sentenced Friday to around fourteen decades in prison after swindling tens of a lot of bucks.
Sony A9 digital camera expensive, but photograph of performanceFastest emphasis we've seen on pro-quality digital camera. a breakthrough predicted to return to less costly versions
MELBOURNE’S Lord Mayor is fuming more than the “litter” still left guiding as jokers wreak havoc with town’s bicycles.
CNET’s Marguerite Reardon provides a few of her preferred methods to breathe new lifestyle into an old smartphone.
Three dead as violence erupts at far-right rally Arrest after mother and daughter killed Calvin Harris knocks Despacito off chart top spot GB wins relay gold as Farah requires 5,000m silver Hammond and Fox unite around Brexit changeover 7 White Helmets shot in The pinnacle at foundation Guam inhabitants advised what to do if attacked Guy held above jogging force not a suspect Mom arrested for 'publishing' newborn to orphanage Sunken sub operator held in excess of lacking journalist
Social media marketing people are heading nuts about a bit known iOS trick that permits you to jack up the amount in your audio.
A Intense temperature warning is set up amid considerations thunderstorms, rain and and winds of up to 100km/h could smash Perth.
A SYDNEY guy has been convicted of advertising unauthorised Foxtel solutions to A large number of individuals, marking a big victory for the corporate.
What you have to know relating to this summertime's solar eclipseOn Aug. 21, a total photo voltaic eclipse is going to be noticeable to mainland The us. Figure out why it really is drawing giddy pleasure from the general public, along with astronomy gurus.
Comment: Personalized data may be the gasoline of the electronic economy. It is correct that buyers should Handle it
Android O would be the final key OS update for OnePlus three, 3TIn a Discussion board publish, OnePlus has unveiled that Android O would be the last significant OS update to the OnePlus three and the OnePlus 3T.
An average of 40 products suck Vitality in your home even though they are not in use. This is certainly tips on how to slash your electric powered bill by killing 'vampire' drains! United states of america Now
Russian hackers accused of spying on motels The phishing campaign was made to target the passwords and information of Western authorities figures and organization travellers.
Can this laundry sheet keep the white apparel from turning pink?Look at it insurance towards a red sock within your white laundry
Samsung could launch two wearable units in addition to Galaxy Note 8It is truly worth mentioning that Considering that the item has handed FCC, it can in be -- in all likeliness -- ready to be launched.
Jefferson Graham weighs in on a new regulation making it unlawful to have a look at your cellphone while crossing the street. Would a high-quality cause you to halt? #TalkingTech.


text:
- CIIX recently became the first Chinese company to sell CBD products in the United States
- The company launched a pop-up kiosk in the Glendale Galleria Mall to sell industrial hemp/CBD products
- CIIX recorded an 80 percent YOY increase in Q3 fiscal 2019 sales numbers
ChineseInvestors.com Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX), having established itself as a leading financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors in the United States and China, recognized unprecedented opportunities in the U.S. cannabis industry. Seeing that opportunity, CIIX began laying the groundwork to capitalize on the growing demand for cannabidiol (CBD)-based nutrition and health products. In doing so, CIIX became the first Chinese company to sell CBD products in the United States.
The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, ChineseHempOil.com Inc., has been doing business as Chinese Wellness Center (“CWC”) in the United States since 2017. The company specializes in the promotion and sales of high-end nutritional supplements and CBD hemp oil.
In a recent press release (http://ibn.fm/EaSpz), CIIX announced the launch of a pop-up mall kiosk in Glendale, California, through CWC. The kiosk began selling industrial hemp/CBD products on May 1, 2019. Products being offered include CWC’s own OptHemp product line, as well as NuLeaf Naturals, Joy Organics, Medterra, Hemp Meds and Medix.
“We are excited to bring our brand directly to the shoppers in the Greater Los Angeles area,” CIIX CEO Warren Wang stated in a news release. “Building on the current success of CWC’s industrial hemp/CBD product offerings, this pop-up kiosk will allow us to further engage with our local consumers beyond our online presence.”
CIIX is dedicated to the education of its customers and offers only the best products and solutions as it continues to expand its reach and educational awareness to the Chinese-speaking community. The company’s vision for excellence, along with its ability to identify and act on value-enhancing opportunities while providing the highest quality service to accommodate consumers’ needs, is what drives CIIX’s success.
For the third quarter of fiscal 2019, the company reported record revenues. An 81 percent year-over-year gain, totaling $1,444,822 in revenues, was attributed to a large increase in industrial hemp and CBD product sales.
“Our financial performance and highlights for the quarter are a testament to the popularity and demand for our CBD and hemp products,” Wang stated in a news release (http://ibn.fm/uzsTb). “As a result, we continue to make significant progress in our business through our investments intended to grow the platform for our consumer product lines.”
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CIIX are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/CIIX
MissionIR is primarily focused on strategic communications. We have executed countless communications programs to address the needs of companies ranging from start-ups to established industry leaders, gaining valuable experience and the expertise necessary to determine the most effective strategy for any given situation.
For more information, visit www.MissionIR.com


text:
Leaked photos of teaser images of the next Ram truck’s front and rear ends have been circulating, and I finally realized what the headlight design reminds me of– it has the same LED accent-pincher as the current Dodge Charger.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed the eleventh death caused by an exploding Takata airbag. A 50 year-old woman died from her injuries following a collision while driving her 2001 Honda Civic on September 30th.
If you’re getting ready to make a joke like: “In Ukrainian, armored car drive you...” Yeah, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Every reformed brat knows the pain of lame Christmas presents. Like Star Trek toys when you’re really into Star Wars. Or a Sega Genesis game for your XBox One. That’s kind of what the Chevy Cruz SEMA concept feels like.
Last night, Elon Musk gave a surprise lecture in media ethics to the gathered reporters in the midst of a Q&A with reporters about Tesla’s new autonomous driving technology set to be deployed on its cars from now on. If you’re skeptical of self-driving technology, Musk said, “you’re killing people.”
Unusually for a car company, the Lynk & Co 01—the Volvo/Geely joint-venture SUV from an all-new global car brand—itself isn’t the most important part of what they’re trying to do. They want it to be a “smartphone on wheels,” and while that sounds like bad marketing hype, there’s truth to it, from how the cars will be…
Now’s the time when we escape from the office and go hunt down cool cars parked on the street. Today, I am on something of a mission.
Three-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton recently came under fire for Snapchatting from a dull press conference. Instead of snapping his own pics today, he waited for a break to let Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean take a far more obvious photo for him—right in front of some of his most vocal critics.
Not a day goes by that I don’t see a comment or email from a reader pontificating about how excellent small, diesel-powered pickup trucks are. You still can’t buy enough in the U.S., but at least next year you’ll get to see them on race tracks!
This week Ram announced it will more than double its lineup of half-ton trucks in the Middle Eastern market while adding a completely new one: the Ram 1200. It’s a rebadged Mitsubishi L200/Triton Ram’s calling “a metric ton” pickup truck. Mitsubishi and (Fiat) Chrysler are at it again!
Back by unpopular demand is a juicy new PSA, or “Pile of Shit Announcement.” My inaugural post described my intention make amends after several years as a shady used car dealer, retiring my gold chains and hair gel to start caped crusade preventing the readers of Jalopnik from buying a lemon. Here’s one to avoid: the…
Henrik Fisker, from whose pen flowed the beautiful lines of the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, the BMW Z8 and the Fisker Karma (RIP sorta), announced earlier this month that he would start up a new electric car company. Today, he took to Twitter and showed us this sleek profile of a car with up-swingy doors.
The Swedish Epa-Traktor was a phenomenon born out of wartime necessity, according to Curbside Classic. Farm equipment was hard to come by during World War II, so enterprising Swedes converted other vehicles into tractors. The conversions have stuck around by popular demand. Of course they get hooned.
Last month, DJI announced its very cool new Mavic Pro drone, a tiny, foldable, super smart UAV that can do lots of cool tricks. There’s just one problem: The shipment date has come and gone and customers who pre-ordered have no idea when they can expect to get their flying cameras.
Formula One is back in Austin, and with hundreds of thousands of people flying into the land of breakfast tacos and tourists in cowboy hats, you may be wondering what to do when the festivities at Circuit of the Americas end and you’re left to your own devices to amuse yourself. We’ve got your back.


text:
Tiziana Fausti, founder of the eponymous multibrand luxury retailer, details to FashionNetwork.com her strategy for breathing fresh energy into the legendary Milanese concept store she bought last year.
September’s Paris Fashion Week will feature a total of 92 houses, as Paul Smith and Raf Simons return, and scores of brands plan physical shows on the calendar of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men. The marriage of Jean Paul Gaultier and Chitose Abe of Sacai should have been a blockbuster collection. But after Wednesday’s debut it’s probably best there's a quickie divorce.
Fashionistas have been predicting the death of haute couture for over decade, but when the next Paris haute couture season debuts next week, it will boast more live catwalk shows than any fashion season this year.
Dior Men debuted its first full collab collection with a musician on Friday, a linkup with rapper, music producer and style setter Travis Scott - a collection where the Lone Star State met rap gods and the Wild West.
Dior revealed on Thursday that it has teamed up with hip-hop star Travis Scott for the creation of its summer 2022 men’s collection, marking the house's first full collection ever created with a musician.
Kim Jones, Dior Men’s artistic director, and Chitose Abe, designer and founder of the acclaimed Japanese brand Sacai, have been holding a dialogue in a capsule collection. It will be released this fall.
Beneath the office space of Emily in Paris, the trend-setting series, one finds another new French concept; rare sneaker store Kikikickz, the brainchild of two entrepreneurs taking sneaker trading to new heights.


text:
On Friday Vogue published an overindulgent online style icon profile of Syrian first lady, Asma al-Assad, wife of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad; the profile is scheduled to also appear in the March print version of the magazine. To anyone who has been watching the news with any regularity lately that first statement is a bit hair raising.
I think what is most alarming is the timing. According to Max Fisher’s article for the Atlantic, Vogue Defends Profile of Syrian First Lady, this shoot was done towards the end of 2010, the profile certainly could have been held for a slightly better moment, one in which several countries in the region were not in the midst of grand-scale upheaval.
What was Anna Wintour thinking; did she have a momentary lapse of reason and judgment?
The Vogue piece went on to step its Prada-laden toes into foreign policy territory it didn’t belong in, stating , “Syria is known as the safest country in the Middle East…” Let’s leave that assertion to people who actually know what they’re talking about.
Perhaps Vogue is a corporation of Paris Hilton wannabees who only salute what glimmers, shines, and poses with a pretty face. I care about fashion as much as the next woman but there is a time for thoughtless odes to vanity and there is a time to show restraint. If Vogue was intent on printing the article they should at least have waited for things to die down in Africa.
Following printing the article Vogue really should have apologized and pulled it, even if only for the sake of tact, but instead they have gone on to defend the piece which will soon be available in print for posterity.


text:
Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 07:15 am PT (10:15 am ET)
Notes: Mac OS X 10.3.3 build 7F40, FedEx and MacsMac OS X 10.3.3
Late last night Apple seeded its developers with yet another build of Mac OS X 10.3.3. As with the previous seed, Mac OS X 10.3.3 build 7F40 contains no revisions to developer notes accompanying the build.
According to sources, the latest build addresses minor performance issues and contains very few, if any, legitimate software bugs. The release of Mac OS X 10.3.3 is now said to be imminent, with a announcement likely by this time next week.
Meanwhile, FedEx officials would not confirm or deny rumors that the company is seeking to replace some if its virus-prone Windows PC install base with a significant purchase of Apple Macintosh computers.
"This is indeed just a rumor," said FedEX's Lourdes Pena, who would not comment further. FedEx Corporation recently acquired Kinko's, Inc, which is known for its Macintosh presence.
Rumors that the shipping giant was considering a move to Macintosh first appeared at rumor site, MacRumors.com.
On Topic: General
- Apple CEO Tim Cook says privacy talks with Chinese government were 'very open'
- Former Apple exec Ron Johnson wants to make online shopping personal with new startup 'Enjoy'
- Apple says its 'ambitious' sapphire manufacturing process is 'not ready for production'
- GT Advanced to exit sapphire production business, Apple to recover $439M prepayment over 4 years
- Christian Bale confirmed to play Steve Jobs in upcoming biopic, to start shooting soon


text:
For 23 years, The Picnic Café has been serving “the world’s best chicken salad” (according to one loyal and well-traveled customer) and a full menu of lunch items from 4334 Harding Road, an address in the HG Hill Shopping Center that it shared for almost all of that time with Belle Meade Drugs. When word came that the shopping center (and Hill’s) was approaching its expiration date, tenants scrambled to find new digs. The drugstore moved to White Bridge Road and partnered with Martha Stamps, who opened Molly P’s on one side of the new pharmacy and gift store a few months ago. When Picnic’s roommate moved out, Bernice Denton, Queen of the Estate Sales, temporarily moved in. It’s not the first time the two have shacked up, says Picnic owner Kathy Bonnet; for three years, Picnic Express—a mini version of the Café—operated out of Denton’s Village Marketplace on 21st Avenue South.
Since Belle Meade Drugs moved in March, Bonnet has been looking for another location. One day away from signing a lease on a store in Belle Meade Plaza, she heard that the Laundromat building, in the same parking lot, was becoming available and she struck a deal. Bonnet is thrilled, she says, that she only has to move about 50 feet across the parking lot, though her mailing address will now be 4320 Harding Road. She takes possession on Oct. 16 and will have until Dec. 31 to get rid of the washers and dryers, gut the building and re-create The Picnic Café, with the same number of seats but a kitchen more than twice the size of the current one. She expects to open Jan. 2. Hours will remain the same: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Though Picnic doesn’t cook breakfast, it does accommodate about 20 or so members of a men’s breakfast club every morning of the week. —KAY WESTGreat Scott
Scott Alderson and fans of his food are still waiting on the chef’s next culinary assignment, but in the meantime folks can find the Billy Bob Thornton look-alike at the front door of Radius10. The recent and fairly sudden departure of original GM Brent Howard had chef/owner Jason Brumm placing a 911 call to his old pal, and Alderson (formerly of 6°, Saffire and Layl’a Rul) is now assisting his former sous chef by overseeing the front of the house. There is plenty to oversee these days, since Radius10 recently began serving lunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), added a new tapas menu for the bar and patio, and will soon be turning some unused space into a private dining area, hopefully in time to book holiday parties. Meanwhile, from his perch in The Gulch, Alderson can keep an eye on the Union Station Hotel, which is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a redesign and revamp of the corner restaurant space last occupied by Arthur’s. The new owners have yet to announce what restaurant concept will occupy that prime location, though Alderson is considered a strong candidate. —KAY WESTHeated competition
Salsa varieties from sweet to smoky hot and everything in between could be found at this year’s Chili Pepper Festival Salsa Contest at the Nashville Farmers Market. Nashvillians Stephen Clyne and Bryan Rahn teamed up to take home the crown, with a zesty concoction that featured onions, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, jalapeño and the secret ingredient—white vinegar—all blended in a food processor. Rick Ousley’s “Ousley Ouch Salsa” came in a close second. —JACK SILVERMAN


text:
Connected scale proves there’s no avoiding holiday weight gain.
Smart, connected products, particularly those in the wellness space, are supposed to deliver insights that can help consumers live happier, healthier lives, right? Well, here’s an insight that isn’t of particularly good cheer: Apparently, there’s no escaping the inevitable holiday weight gain.
According to a new research study analyzing data collected from 1,800 adults making use of smart scales in the United States, Germany and Japan, the average person’s weight is at an annual low around the early fall––and pounds will start packing on from the time of Rosh Hashanah to around Christmas.
It's certainly no surprise that overindulging on holiday treats will result in a bigger middle. But what is notable is that the study found whatever gain happens in this 10 day period or so of late fall through early winter can take up to five months to come off, if it comes off at at all. The weight of U.S. and Japanese respondents’ weight rose by as much as 0.7% over the course of the year, according to a New York Times article about the study, which was conducted by Cornell University and Finland's Tampere University of Technology in conjunction with Withings, a maker of connected health monitoring devices.
This news is likely to be pretty eye-opening and depressing for those of us who have been pretty lax about the mysterious appearance of some extra LBs. I, for one, am not ready to hear what the connected scale is going to tell me.