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The firm refused to say whether Mark Papermaster, who was senior vice president of devices hardware, was ousted or whether he left of his own accord. However, he would have been responsible for the phone’s problematic antenna.
A statement from Apple confirmed Papermaster’s departure, and said Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of Macintosh hardware engineering, would assume his responsibilities.
Apple launched the iPhone 4, its latest must-have smartphone, to much fanfare in June. But almost immediately after it went on sale customers said the phone would lose signal and even cut out if they held it in a particular way.
The firm’s response to the fault was widely criticised, after it recommended that users buy a case or hold the phone differently.
Apple boss Steve Jobs eventually had to call a press conference on 16 July to defend the iPhone 4 and promise a free case to fix the problem. Papermaster was conspicuously absent from the press conference, leading to speculation over his future.
Apple hired Papermaster in October 2008 from IBM, where he had worked for 25 years. At the time, IBM stalled his appointment, arguing that he had signed a non-compete agreement that prevented him working for rivals.
GOLDEN APPLE SUFFERS A GLITCH
APPLE may have overtaken Microsoft as the world’s largest tech firm by market cap, but the fallout from antenna-gate has been a costly wake-up call for the golden boy of the geek world.
Steve Jobs will hope the departure of Mark Papermaster will help to draw a line under the problems with its latest launch. But the saga has highlighted a fundamental shift in the way Apple as a firm is viewed. No longer an underdog, it now has a vast, aggressive flock of vultures circling in the hope of spotting even the slightest mistake.
The impact this can have was demonstrated in no uncertain terms when a negative review from an influential US consumer magazine cut $6bn (£3.8bn) from the firm’s share price overnight.
With its famously small product range, Apple is especially exposed to attack if problems arise. Antenna-gate will pass but this is a stark warning.


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If there’s one thing I know for certain about Portland, it’s that buying local is super important. I would love to see that same “buy local” mentality motivating us to support local startups. We should be buying local. For everything. Literally buying. Spending money to support these businesses. Because being a customer of a startup is the best way to support startups.
Portland has no shortage of coworking spaces. And there are more opening every day. Providers from outside town — like WeWork and Industrious — recognize the market potential around here. But we have homegrown coworking spaces, too. And if you want to test drive a couple of them, Portland Startup Week is the perfect time to do so.
If you’ve had the feeling that it’s getting even more startuppy around these parts as of late, it’s no wonder. Last week was PIE Demo Day 2019, Built Oregon has launched a new accelerator program, and the Startup Champions Network just wrapped up a three day event, here in town. April promises to be just as awesome thanks to Portland Startup Week with concludes with TechfestNW.
PIE, the Portland Incubator Experiment, turns 10 this year. And it’s been five years since the last PIE Demo Day, where founders from the accelerator program take the stage to share stories about the companies they’re building. But now, the clock has been reset. PIE Demo Day 2019 took place on March 14 (Pi Day, course). And the replay is already available for your weekend viewing.
There was a time when the Ignite format was (ahem) hot around these parts. You couldn’t swing a HDMI cable without hitting one. But like most things Portland, there’s a certain ebb and flow to activity. So recently, they’ve been a little more difficult to come by. Which is why it was nice to see Faces of Agile: Portland Ignite Agile Event.
As always, I’ll start this with the caveat that I promised Bill Lynch, cofounder of Jive, that I wouldn’t just write posts that celebrate funding for the sake of funding. Which is actually more work. (Thanks, Bill.) But in the long run, I’m hoping my bag-full-of-cats startup-history brain full of tangential facts and likely little known context can be helpful in providing a broader picture of why these funding events are important.
It’s a little weird when you meet someone who shares your birthday. It gets even weirder when that birthday is the exact same day. Like day, month, year. Same, same, same. And then, what if you were both working a similar sort of job? Now imagine putting those two — Libras, mind you — together on a podcast. And that’s pretty much what you get with Saul Colt’s “We now join the program already in progress” podcast — with me as a guest.

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(by Tom Ozimek | The Epoch Times via Zero Hedge) – While the annual pace of inflation in the United States eased slightly in July, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals that some of the categories that hit everyday Americans especially hard in the pocketbook have soared, with the price of groceries jumping to the highest level since 1979.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Aug. 10 that the headline pace of inflation, as reflected in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) ticked down from a recent peak of 9.1 percent in June to 8.5 percent in July.
The month-over-month CPI inflation figure came in at 0 percent, meaning the overall pace of price growth stayed flat between June and July, prompting President Joe Biden to take a victory lap saying that the “economy had zero percent inflation in the month of July.”
Republicans and some economists objected to the White House messaging on “zero” inflation by arguing that Biden was cherry picking the data by focusing on the 0 percent month-over-month pace of growth, while overlooking that the year-over-year rate of inflation—which tends to be the more commonly reported figure—remained at an eye-watering 8.5 percent.
“It’s a bogus math trick. This is the overall one-month index change. Overall that means that the big drop in fuel oil and gas (following previous massive monthly increases) swamped the huge increases everywhere else,” wrote Jeffrey Tucker, president of the Brownstone Institute think tank and columnist for The Epoch Times.
But while the annual 8.5 percent pace of inflation was, indeed, a slowdown from the prior month, several categories the BLS uses to calculate the price index soared, with one key gauge hitting a multi-decade high.
The food-at-home index, which represents food purchased in places like grocery stores for consumption at home, jumped by an annual 13.1 percent, which is the fastest pace since March 1979.
“Consumers are getting a break at the gas pump, but not at the grocery store,” Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “Food prices, and especially costs for food at home, continue to soar, rising at the fastest pace in more than 43 years.”
In Monthly or Annual Terms, Food Inflation Soars
Some of the sharpest year-over-year jumps in food purchased for consumption at home include flour (+22.7 percent), chicken (+17.6 percent), milk (+15.6 percent), bread (+13.7 percent), and eggs (+38 percent).
And even though the overall month-over-month CPI index growth came in at 0.0 percent, the vast majority of food-at-home items that make up the index also saw month-over-month increases, including potatoes (+4.6 percent), coffee (+2.7 percent), peanut butter (+3.5 percent), chicken (+1.4 percent), and eggs (+4.3 percent).
The cost of shelter also rose in both annual and monthly terms, climbing 5.7 percent over the year and 0.6 percent over the month. Read Full Article >


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Congratulations to Mount Maunganui-based business Kids Ride Shotgun on taking out this year’s Business of the Year Award at the Tauranga Business Awards 2022.
The Tauranga-based export company, whose mission is to raise the next generation of mountain bikers, won the coveted award at Friday’s awards event at Trustpower Arena.
The Tauranga Business Awards isheld annually by Tauranga Business Chamber with a view to recognising and celebrating local businesses of all sizes and stages. For the first time since 2019, the awards night returned to Trustpower Arena
and played host to over 300 guests in a fan-faired event.
It was here Kids Ride Shotgun was announced as the winner by Hon Jan Tinetti.
Kids Ride Shotgun received the top honour for their unique approach to business and export sales, and their clever international marketing strategy – which has helped see more than 95% of their sales in the international market. They also won the Digital Innovation, Marketing and Communications, and Excellence in International Trade award categories.
The judges noted that Kids Ride Shotgun has huge potential for further growth and credited them for choosing to base their global operations out of Tauranga and create new opportunities to attract a highly skilled workforce.
Tauranga Business Chamber CEO, Matt Cowley, says this year saw an incredibly high calibre of entrants who all rose to the occasion and took the opportunity to enter their businesses.
“This year the entrants were all very strong businesses, which made for a robust and challenging selection process for our judges.
“Through the pandemic most businesses have had to adapt, and for the Chamber it was important that we really highlight that at this year’s awards.
“We wanted to celebrate those businesses who have come out of the pandemic stronger because they adapted and innovated.”
Head Facilitator Jamie Lunam, speaking on behalf of the judges, says this year’s entrants ranged from “teenagers who were accidentally turning over millions, mum and pop grafters that have made big calls and doubled or tripled their businesses, operators driven first by impact and then by profit, all the way through to big business showing truly outstanding corporate leadership and benchmark setting”.
“The extraordinary thing about the polarity that we always see in our entrants, is that the judging process levels the playing field right out. Having deep pockets is not one of the criteria for winning.”
Another top honour of note was the Corporate Leadership Award, which this year went to Bluelab. The Corporate Leadership Award is selected by Tauranga Business Chamber and recognises a large-scale business that is making a significant and positive impact to the region’s economy.
Vet Post took out the NZME People’s Choice Award after more than 7000 people voted through the Chamber’s website.
Tauranga Business Chamber thanks all the sponsors for supporting business excellence and the judges for the huge contribution they make to the entrants. Congratulations to all the entrants for their hard work and achievements throughout the past year.


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MEC Commerce has announced several key hires to boost its ability to help clients understand purchasing behaviour.
E-commerce director Raj Jerath joins from Holland & Barrett and will be responsible for supporting international clients exploring new marketplaces.
UK e-commerce director Hannah Stote comes from Crabtree & Evelyn as an omni channel specialist with the aim of growing e-commerce practice in the UK.
Jerath and Stote will work in a team with insight manager Chris Howe, mobile and e-commerce manager EMEA Jessica Chapplow and MEC Global Solutions digital and data partner Mudit Jaju.
“Over the last year we have seen growing demand from clients for the delivery of e-commerce strategies that drive conversions across all touchpoints,” commented Jaju.
“By bringing Raj and Hannah on board, we will further cement MEC’s leading position in e-commerce and its data-driven approach to implementing strategies that fully align with customer needs and creates growth for the agency’s clients.”
MEC Commerce works across the European region and in addition to delivering projects in UK, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Norway, the MEC Global Solutions in London acts as the hub for MEC Commerce and supports the network.
“MEC Commerce has been instrumental in helping us launch a leading e-commerce consulting practice in Norway,” said MEC Norway chief executive officer Martin Bentzen.
“This way, our clients not only benefit from best-in-class consultancy but we are also able to offer tailored strategies that deliver business growth locally.”


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Man accused of stealing more than $1,600 in merchandise
BATON ROUGE - Deputies arrested a man after he walked out of a department store without paying for his items.
The incident was reported at a Dillard's on Bluebonnet Boulevard. According to the arrest report, Eddie Marshall was seen on security video taking several items before walking out of the store.
Once Marshall was escorted back, authorities found 24 stolen items on his person. According to a store manager, the items were valued at approximately $1,692.05.
Marshall was arrested and charged with theft.
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Noon has launched its mobile wallet ‘Noon Pay’ in the United Arab Emirates without any fanfare. The launch was announced on Noon Pay’s social media accounts about three weeks ago. Noon has been working on it for over a year but never really shared any details.
Earlier this year, the company had won the initial approval of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) to launch the mobile wallet in Saudi too so it is safe to assume that the UAE launch will be followed by the launch of Noon Pay in Saudi.
In the United Arab Emirates, the mobile wallet is available as a dedicated app (for iOS and Android) that enables users to pay at partner outlets and for their Cash on Delivery orders from Noon by scanning a QR code, recharge their mobile numbers in UAE and over 50 other countries and recharge the Salik (electronic toll road system of Dubai) accounts or buy its recharge card.
According to the information available on its website, Noon Pay has partnered with different companies to provide many additional services within its app. The partnership with Mr Usta enables users to book different home services including cleaning, AC maintenance, moving, handyman, and pest control. With the help of VoucherSkout, it offers deals (with up to 50 percent discounts) from different brands and stores including restaurants, spas, and gyms. The app also enables users to book air tickets through Cleartrip and cinema tickets from Reel Cinemas.
The users can add money to Noon Pay by linking their debit or credit cards (Visa and Mastercard). The website doesn’t have any details on peer-to-peer transfers so that’s apparently not there yet.
Noon earlier this year had announced a co-branded credit card in partnership with Mashreq Bank that would offer users up to 3.5 percent cashback on purchases made from Noon and free Noon VIP membership. The ecommerce company is also building a food delivery platform.
- E&’s big bold bet on tech - May 2, 2023
- Ameer Sherif appoints a new CEO for Wuzzuf and Forasna, moves on to focus on VC, public policy - September 29, 2021
- Marham raises $1 million seed to grow into a healthcare superapp for Pakistan - August 3, 2021


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As an award winning Century 21 Fusion SASKATOON REAL Estate agent I know the city and surrounding area extremely well, and I take action to sell my client’s homes. I strive to find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. I love what I do and I take great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of my clients, I feel blessed to live in Saskatchewan and I am a TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE Agent .
Marla Janzen recipient of the WMBEXA Marketing Award
At the Warman & Martensville Chambers of Commerce Business Excellence Awards ceremony on Friday, May 27 2016 .
Marla Janzen Realty was presented with the award for marketing excellence.
The awards ceremony, held at the Brian King Centre in Warman, was a cooperative effort by the chambers of commerce in the neighbouring cities to celebrate the growth of the business sector and to “recognize the entrepreneurial passion, talent, dedication and the tireless efforts” of the businesses in both centres.
Elise Hildebrandt, President of the Warman Chamber of Commerce, said the awards give business owners and their employees a sense of accomplishment and pride, and give customers an opportunity to see how successful businesses are in the area.
Martensville Chamber President Trent Ens said business owners are aiming to inspire people.
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Steve McLellan said the packed house of 250 people at the awards ceremony reflects the dynamic spirit of the two communities.
“This awards ceremony was exceptionally well-done and very professional,” said McLellan in an interview as the evening was winding down. “It’s really hard to believe these chambers are less than three years old. There are some superb businesses here that are doing amazing things for their community. This is a very sophisticated business sector.”
McLellan said the rest of the province may be going through challenging times, but that’s not reflected in Martensville and Warman, where growth is still strong. The rest of us have some work to do to catch up with Martensville and Warman,” he said.
Dave Buckingham, the former Mayor of Borden who was recently elected as MLA for the riding of Saskatoon Westview, said the provincial economy’s strength lies in the business sector.
“People across this province work hard to create jobs and economic growth in local communities,” said Buckingham. “That’s what’s really inspiring about an event like this.”
Ernie Quintal, former President of the Warman Chamber of Commerce, said he was “amazed” at the growth of the two chambers of commerce and the success of the awards event. “This was always part of the original vision,” said Quintal. “It’s really nice to see it come to fruition. I honestly can’t believe it. We came from such humble beginnings to this. I just see bigger and better things down the road.”
I was extremely nervous and surprised to be announced as the winner – but it was important to thank everyone that has contributed to my success – here is my acceptance speech ( Thank you Lee Chillog for taking this!!)


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With the 23rd of November being Black Friday for US consumers, the day where a lot of products receive discounts, Apple is also joining in. Here in the UK we have no such thing as Black Friday, but that hasn't stopped Apple offering discounts on the day for UK consumers too.
The discounts will only be available for the one day and the discounts Apple are offering are 10 - 15% off. That's not much compared to others, but it can actually add up considering the price of Apple's products. If you were to apply that to an iMac you'd be able to get off £100 or more, which is quite a bit.
This is an ideal day for consumers to purchase new Apple products directly from Apple at a discounted price. Prices for products and what products will be discounted haven't been announced, I'm guessing Apple will do that on the day. You don't have to shop online either, you can head to your nearest Apple store and still receive the discounts.


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Kansas Corn hosts ethanol officials from South Asia: India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Kansas Corn is hosting a group of government and industry officials from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Kansas to demonstrate aspects of the ethanol industry from field to fuel pump.The group is taking the Kansas tour before they head to Washington D.C. to the Global Ethanol Summit. The summit will dive deeper into topics from octane to regulations, changes in the industry and opportunities for increased ethanol imports from the U.S. Attendees from all over the world will attend the summit. The summit is designed to bring together buyers and sellers together in one place to learn, network and work to increase sales of U.S. ethanol. Greg Krissek, Josh Roe and Stacy Mayo-Martinez from the Kansas Corn staff will be attending to continue to build relationships.
The focus on south Asia is a strategic focus for Kansas Corn. The Commission works to build markets for corn in all forms, and that includes corn, red meat, ethanol and DDGS. For the last 10 years, ethanol has been the fastest-growing U.S. agricultural export, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. India is a key growth market for ethanol. Ethanol exports to India totaled $271 million in the past marketing year and are up 37 percent to $243 million for the first eight months of the 2018/2019 marketing year. From a volume standpoint, exports to India are up 37 percent from 2017/2018’s 165 million gallons. India is the world’s fourth largest feed producer and home to the world’s largest dairy herd.
“We are seeing unprecedented expansion of export markets for ethanol and DDGS in the past few years. India, in particular, is an extremely promising export market for ethanol and DDGS. This trade team visit is a continuation of our efforts to build markets for our products in India as well as neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,” Kansas Corn CEO Greg Krissek. “Last year, we hosted a trade team from India, Bangladesh and the Philippines, and we’re supporting DDGS feeding research in India to build markets as well.”
The Council has worked for more than 20 years with the Indian feed, starch, energy and dairy industries. Thanks to funding from the Kansas Corn Commission, USGC established a dairy research and training facility in Kaira District, in cooperation with Amul Dairy.
“In addition to the growing demand for ethanol in India, there is a real future for DDGS exports to provide high-nutrient feed to dairy heifers,” Krissek said.
The Indian market has the potential to import more than 700,000 metric tons of U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) annually, but technical barriers exist. The Council continues to work with the industry and USDA to address these barriers and open this large potential market to U.S. exports.


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- The Zoe app, as it has become known, was developed by Professor Tim Spector (Kings College London) and colleagues. Since March 2020, it has captured health data and COVID-19 status from over four million users globally.
- A paper has been published, which used data from 445,850 subscribers to the app to see if there was an association between taking certain supplements and being less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 (PCR test).
- The supplements examined were probiotics, omega-3, multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc (and garlic).
- There were numerous interesting findings in the paper, from ‘two thirds of Zoe app users are female’ to ‘Sweden had more than double the positive test rate of the UK’.
- In terms of the primary outcome, the researchers found that there was a lower chance of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 among people who supplemented with multivitamins, vitamin D, probiotics and/or omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin C, zinc and garlic made no significant difference.
- There was a striking sex difference, with all but one result being significant for women but only half of the results being significant for men.
- There were a number of plausible explanations for the sex differences. There were fewer plausible explanations for the country differences observed – for example, why men in Sweden benefited from taking supplements while UK men didn't.
- The study had a number of strengths and limitations, which were reported diligently in the paper.
- The paper also noted that this is epidemiological research and thus any findings should be tested in randomised controlled trials. This is always true, but rarely shared.


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Shareholders of OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ:OVTI) can be forgiven for looking ahead to 2012. The stock capped off a miserable year by hitting a 52-week low after releasing fiscal second quarter earnings on Tuesday afternoon. Revenues of $217.9 million actually exceeded the company's pre-announced guidance (pdf) range of $212 to $217 million, while earnings per share of 35 cents were not horrific, though they did include a one-time 14 cent gain due to an operational acquisition.
The problem was that the company had originally guided for sales of $255-$275 million and GAAP earnings of 42-54 cents per share in conjunction with first quarter earnings (pdf) released in August. And that projection so spooked investors that the stock gapped down some 30%, tumbling an additional 40% since then. All told, OVTI is off over 70% from its 52-week high set in March, closing Wednesday at $10.79.
Truth be told, it's surprising that the decline is not even larger. The stock is up nearly 4% for the week despite Tuesday's report, and the guidance that went with it: revenue of $160-$180 million, with GAAP EPS between a gain and loss of 6 cents, down from 75 cents in earnings for the year-prior quarter. Wednesday's blowout market day likely took out the sting; the stock had been down 12% after-hours Tuesday, before regaining much of its losses during Wednesday's trading.
Besides the back-to-back earnings disasters, one of the main drivers of the stock's decline has been its place -- or lack thereof -- in Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 4S. Originally, it was theorized that OmniVision's image sensors would have 90% of the business in the new iPhone. Then, the August earnings miss led to fears of dual-sourcing between OmniVision and Sony (NYSE:SNE), fears that seemed to be justified in October. Chipworks cracked an iPhone 4S, finding a Sony -- and only a Sony -- image sensor inside, sending the stock down 9.4%.
The company's response to the speculation has been silence. In response to a general question on the August conference call, VP of Worldwide Sales Ray Cisneros offered the following:
Raji Gill – Needham & Company
But has that extension resulted in share loss in the smartphone market?
Well, I mean, I can’t comment for any individual customers and we don’t breakdown sort of the way we back into particular customers, but I can tell you this that when we have our plans we work very closely with our customers. Our customers understand what our plans are. And so far we have a plan in place and that’s about the extent we could say on that.
Despite the vast focus placed on the OmniVision-Apple relationship, it is worth pointing out that in its two previous 10-Ks, the company has not listed Apple as a 10% customer. (Foxconn and LG were the direct 10%-plus customers in FY2010 and 2011, respectively.) In 10-Qs, various customers are alluded to as 10% customers, though not by name. In the annual reports, Omnivision has listed one distributor as a major customer: Taiwanese reseller World Peace Industrial Group. Given Apple's attention to detail in its sourcing requirements, it seems unlikely that the iPhone maker is routing its orders through a relatively unknown, overseas third party. As such, according to the SEC filings, an investor must assume that Apple represents less than 10% of OmniVision's revenue.
This begs the question: why is the market so focused on the Apple relationship if Cupertino is not even the company's largest customer? Or, is the company lying? The company is facing a class-action lawsuit for its failure to accurately disclose the still-unresolved nature of its current relationship with Apple. But the SEC rules surrounding "10 percent customers" are far more ironclad than the disclosure requirements that would seem to surround the Apple relationship. The company can justify its reluctance to discuss specific customer and/or supplier agreements in conference calls and earnings releases (those agreements are often subject to confidentiality clauses); but its omission of Apple from SEC filings would seem to prove that Apple business falls below the 10% threshold.
Of course, there is more to the drop in stock price than just the Apple relationship. The company's failure to execute on new products, the decline in revenue -- some 35% year-over-year at the midpoint of Q3 guidance -- and a huge growth in inventory in the recent quarter have all affected investor confidence. The company has already marked down some $16 million in inventory writeoffs through the first half of the year, only to see inventory jump by over $100 million in the second quarter. CFO Anson Chan noted that OmniVision "expect[s] to get back to a more reasonable level of inventory in two to three quarters." However, the combination of that higher inventory and the rollout of second-generation sensors should hit margins over the next few quarters. Analysts at Morgan Keenan have already lowered earnings estimates for FY12 and FY13 in response, while Wedbush beat the company to the punch, anticipating weak Q3 guidance and lowering its price target from $14 to $12.
To sum up, it would appear that OVTI deserves much of its 70% haircut over the past seven months. But is a falling knife worth catching? Fundamentally, the company still appears solid. Cash net of all long-term liabilities is $6.97 per share, with twelve-month earnings at $1.71/share including the weak fiscal third quarter guidance. Even at Keegan's low estimate of 57 cents per share for FY2013, the forward enterprise value-to-earnings ratio for the stock sits at just 6.7. In addition, the company's "fabless" business model (where actual manufacturing is outsourced) results in low levels of capital expenditures -- just $10.3 and $13.5 million for FY11 and FY10, respectively. Even at a lowered revenue level, the company should be able to generate cash, particularly if some of the $100 million in excess inventory can be liquidated before it becomes obsolete. Given that the company's enterprise value is just $230 million, the company does not need to return to the levels of growth previously predicted in order to return to cash to stockholders.
Indeed, the stock appears to be priced for failure, quite simply. 60% of OVTI's revenue comes from the still-growing mobile phone market, with the company's focus on eight-megapixel cameras found in most new smartphones. The substantial cash on hand -- and a tangible book value of $12.07, 12% above Wednesday's close of $10.79 -- should provide a downside cushion. And even in the second and third quarters, which have caused so much consternation among analysts, the company should still earn $10 to $15 million on a GAAP basis, over 10% of enterprise value at an annualized rate.
Still, investors should be cautious if they are considering a long play in OVTI. The company's silence on the Apple relationship may be ethical, but caused more drama and shareholder bitterness than needed. (If OmniVision is indeed bound by a confidentiality agreement with Apple, they could have easily released some sort of statement to that effect.) The company's struggles over the past two quarters can be blamed in part on macro issues; but it is clear from reports that customers have lost confidence in OmniVision's ability to deliver its components on-time and in the proper quality. Analyst Daniel Amir of Lazard Capital Markets summed it up perfectly in the most recent call's Q&A (emphasis mine):
Daniel Amir - Lazard Capital Markets
I just wanted to get an idea here. You have been highlighting a number of times in the call that you believe that you can gain back momentum. At least I didn’t hear anything here in the call that really gives confidence here, considering your revenues are down now 100 million compared to just a couple quarters ago.
The numbers for OVTI look better than the company does. The steady streams of reports, the earnings misses, and the vague responses on the conference call do little to inspire confidence, as Amir noted. Indeed, Cisneros' answer to the question quoted above was, simply put, unsatisfactory, noting that OmniVision was "actively engaged with customers" and explaining that "the process is complex." Investors want better answers, as they should.
OVTI bulls should definitely consider the options market as a way to hedge against further bad news, another earnings disappointment, or broad market troubles, which will likely weigh on the stock (OVTI has a beta of 1.61). The January 10 put is bid at 70 cents, offering a 7.5% return and expiring before third quarter results are released, likely in late February. More aggressive investors can look to the January 2013 LEAPs; the January 2013 10 put is bid at 2.50, offering a 33.3% return over 14 months, with break-even at $7.50, near the current cash balance. These hedged plays might be the best entrance to a stock which has disappointed investors for most of the year, and does not yet look ready to truly turn around.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.


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Does Your Diet Make You an Asshole?
To get to the answer to the question straight away: it might. This was brought up in a study reported on Msnbc.com, part of which states: …new research has determined that a judgmental attitude may just go hand in hand with exposure to organic foods. In fact, a new study published this week in the … Continue reading Does Your Diet Make You an Asshole?
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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Gap (GPS) were gaining 4.1% to $42.01 after-hours Thursday after the apparel retailer beat analysts' estimates for earnings in the fourth quarter, announced a new share repurchase plan, and increased its annual dividend.
Gap reported earnings of 75 cents a share for the fourth quarter, beating analysts' estimates of 74 cents a share for the quarter. Revenue grew 2.8% year over year to $4.71 billion for the quarter, in line with analysts' estimates.
The retailer said it expects to report earnings of $2.75 a share to $2.80 a share for fiscal year 2015, below analysts' estimates of $3.01 a share for the full year.
Exclusive Report:Jim Cramer's Best Stocks for 2015
Gap also announced that its board of directors approved a new $1 billion share repurchase program and plans to increase its annual dividend. The company intends to increase its annual dividend to 92 cents a share for fiscal 2015, up from its current annual dividend of 88 cents a share.
The company's declared a first quarter dividend of 23 cents a share that's payable on or after April 29 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 8.
TheStreet Ratings team rates GAP INC as a Buy with a ratings score of A-. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
"We rate GAP INC (GPS) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its growth in earnings per share, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, expanding profit margins and good cash flow from operations. Although the company may harbor some minor weaknesses, we feel they are unlikely to have a significant impact on results."
You can view the full analysis from the report here: GPS Ratings Report


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Equities research analysts forecast that EPAM Systems Inc (NYSE:EPAM) will post sales of $467.22 million for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Six analysts have issued estimates for EPAM Systems’ earnings. The lowest sales estimate is $466.05 million and the highest is $468.13 million. EPAM Systems reported sales of $377.52 million during the same quarter last year, which indicates a positive year-over-year growth rate of 23.8%. The company is expected to report its next quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 1st.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that EPAM Systems will report full-year sales of $1.83 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $1.83 billion to $1.84 billion. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the company will report sales of $2.23 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $2.20 billion to $2.24 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of research firms that follow EPAM Systems.
EPAM Systems (NYSE:EPAM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 2nd. The information technology services provider reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.99 by $0.02. EPAM Systems had a return on equity of 18.55% and a net margin of 7.68%. The business had revenue of $445.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $447.14 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.80 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 27.7% on a year-over-year basis.
In related news, SVP Viktar Dvorkin sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.98, for a total value of $2,859,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 29,258 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,183,308.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Balazs Fejes sold 15,133 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.33, for a total value of $2,138,746.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,458 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,021,969.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 41,680 shares of company stock valued at $5,876,795 in the last three months. Insiders own 5.30% of the company’s stock.
A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Keybank National Association OH raised its stake in EPAM Systems by 7.9% in the second quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 5,428 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $675,000 after purchasing an additional 398 shares in the last quarter. Azimuth Capital Management LLC grew its position in EPAM Systems by 0.6% in the second quarter. Azimuth Capital Management LLC now owns 75,753 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $9,418,000 after acquiring an additional 448 shares during the last quarter. Denver Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in EPAM Systems by 4.2% in the first quarter. Denver Investment Advisors LLC now owns 16,690 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $1,911,000 after acquiring an additional 675 shares during the last quarter. Atria Investments LLC grew its position in EPAM Systems by 29.7% in the second quarter. Atria Investments LLC now owns 3,126 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $389,000 after acquiring an additional 715 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. grew its position in EPAM Systems by 10.5% in the second quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 7,827 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $973,000 after acquiring an additional 743 shares during the last quarter. 90.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
EPAM Systems stock traded down $0.32 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $138.40. 3,229 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 377,547. EPAM Systems has a fifty-two week low of $82.60 and a fifty-two week high of $144.19. The company has a market capitalization of $7.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.73, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 5.65 and a quick ratio of 5.65.
About EPAM Systems
EPAM Systems, Inc provides software product development and digital platform engineering services primarily in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It offers software product development services, including product research, customer experience design, prototyping, program management, component design and integration, lifecycle software testing, product deployment, end-user customization, performance tuning, product support and maintenance, managed services, and porting and cross-platform migration.
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
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TRENDING ON ONEINDIA
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- Petrol Price Increased For The First Time In Nearly Two Months
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- Nissan Kicks Review — KICK-starting A New Statement Among Five-Seater SUVs
- Things To Know About The World's Quad Camera Smartphone
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OnePlus recently launched its flagship smartphone for 2018 aka the OnePlus 6. The smartphone is available in multiple variants, where the entry-level model retails for Rs 34,999 and the high-end model with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage retails for Rs 45,000. And now, OnePlus has made an announcement along with the software maintenance schedule that the company will launch the OnePlus 7/7T in 2019 with 5G capabilities.
Pete Lau, the CEO of OnePlus said:
OnePlus might be coming to a carrier store near you. In a one-on-one at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, OnePlus CEO and founder Pete Lau said the company is working with US carriers, and that it aims to produce a 5G smartphone next year.
Though his statement did not mention the name OnePlus 7 or the OnePlus 7T, it is clear by now that the Pete Lau is indeed talking about the next flagship smartphone from OnePlus and going by the style of nomenclature, the company is most likely to call its next flagship (probably after the launch of the OnePlus 6T) as the OnePlus 7.
It is also important to note that, the company is most likely to use a Qualcomm chipset on the OnePlus 7, as Qualcomm has already demonstrated the 5G model and has also hinted that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is likely to have a 5G modem.
Good news for the US
OnePlus already sells its smartphones in the US. However, unlike Apple or Samsung, OnePlus smartphones are not available via carriers and most of the users get a smartphone via carriers (which offers voice, SMS, and data bundle). This also means the upcoming smartphones from OnePlus are most likely to support all 4G and 5G bands in the United States of America.
What about India?
He did not speak anything about launching a 5G smartphone in India. However, as he has already said about the importance of the Indian smartphone market and the company is also expected to set up a second head office in India (in Bengaluru, Karnataka). This means that the OnePlus 7 or the OnePlus 7T will also launch in India with 5G network capabilities.
Qualcomm is most likely to launch its flagship mobile chipset by the end of 2018 and we are most likely to see smartphones with 5G capabilities in early 2019. Players like Apple and Samsung will be the first brands to launch smartphones with 5G capabilities, as these brands can produce their own SoC (system on chip).


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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning to owners of more than 300,000 Honda and Acura vehicles advising them to stop driving their vehicles until the defective Takata airbags have been replaced.
A new round of tests found that some vehicles posed a much higher threat for violent explosions than previously thought. With a 50 percent chance of an airbag violently rupturing during a crash, the NHTSA says these parts need to be replaced immediately.
The NHTSA has identified the following vehicles that are at an increased risk for a dangerous rupture:
- 2001-2002 Honda Accord
- 2001-2002 Honda Civic
- 2002 Honda Odyssey
- 2002 Honda CR-V
- 2002-2003 Acura TL
- 2003 Acura CL
- 2003 Honda Pilot
According to the NHTSA, all of these vehicles were included in recalls issued between 2008 and 2011. Honda has stated that more than 70 percent of vehicles from those recalls have been fixed, but 313,000 remain unfixed and pose a severe danger to vehicle occupants.
Takata airbags are made with an ammonium nitrate trigger that sets off the airbag in the event of a crash. Over time, especially in regions with high humidity, the chemical can break down, causing a violent explosion when the airbag is deployed. The explosion can send pieces of shrapnel throughout a vehicle, causing severe injury and death. As a result, 11 people have been killed and more than 100 have been injured.
The defective airbags have been at the center of the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. The NHTSA estimates that almost 70 million Takata airbags will be under recall in the U.S. by 2019.
Due to the massive number of vehicles that have been recalled, the company is struggling to provide replacement parts at a fast enough speed. Some owners of affected vehicles have been told they must wait months before a part is available to fix their vehicle.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one because of a defective product such as a Takata airbag, contact our experienced team of class action lawyers today for a free, no obligation consultation.


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Indonesia car sales fall 4.8% y-o-y in Nov: industry group data
[JAKARTA] Automobile sales in Indonesia fell 4.8 per cent in November from a year earlier, according to industry association data released on Monday by PT Astra International Tbk, the largest automotive distributor.
Last month's annual decline was smaller than the one in October, which was 16.2 percent.
On a monthly basis, sales fell 1.6 per cent to 86,979 units.
According to association data, car sales have fallen every month, on an annual basis, since August 2014.
Toyota Motor Corp led the November sales, followed by Honda Motor Co Ltd and Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd.
Following is a table of auto sales in 2014-2015, based on data from Astra and previous data from the automotive association.


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Not Quite Smooth Sailing as BlackBerry Tries to Stay Afloat ( Continued from Prior Part ) BlackBerry is still investing in its BB10 operating system In the prior parts of this series, we discussed the state of BlackBerry's (BBRY) hardware ... Yahoo! Finance, 1 week ago
BlackBerry debunks the myth that BB10 operating system is dead - TheInquirer.net, 3 weeks ago
BlackBerry CEO Avoids Talking About BB10 - CdrInfo.com, 4 weeks ago
1 images for "Bb10 Version"
BlackBerry has moved to dispel rumours that it will abandon the BB10 operating system, following comments made by chief executive John Chen at CES last week. Chen had told CNET that BlackBerry will focus on Android-based phones in the future, ...V3.co.uk, 3 weeks ago BlackBerry claims it's still committed to supporting BB10 MyInforms, 4 weeks ago
10 OS users in a blog post on Friday that their smartphone platform is 'far from dead'. Chen had last month hinted that the company may launch another Android smartphone in 2016. Chen once again re-affirmed those plans. "At CES 2016, BlackBerry has been busy ...NDTV, 3 weeks ago
NEW DELHI: The Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry has announced that it will continue to provide software update for its smartphones running on BlackBerry 10. But the company has not revealed that weather will be launching new device running on ...Times of India, 4 weeks ago It's alive! BlackBerry 10 users lobbed fresh 'Hotfix' update The Register, 3 weeks ago
It has not been out evolved by Android, yet Blackberry has been quick to tell us that a story we ran which quoted one of its senior managers as saying that the BBOS was toast "needs up-dating." While it was true that Damian Tay, BlackBerry's ...Fudzilla, 2 days ago BlackBerry Priv: Innovative, Solid, Overpriced (Again) TechTree, 1 week ago BlackBerry Lets BB10 Rot On The Vine, Will Become Android-Exclusive In 2016 Hot Hardware, 4 weeks ago BlackBerry will focus only on power users Hindu Business Line, 3 days ago
More from: Techtree, Lowyat.net...and 9 other sources
"Windows is our 2nd largest platform by users and they have been eagerly waiting for this update, which is the biggest we have ever released for Windows, and we are excited to finally get it in their hands," Kavin Bharti Mittal, CEO and founder of hike ...Jagran Post, 1 month ago hike introduces update for Windows Phone 8.1 ProKerala.com, 1 month ago Hike 3.5 released for Windows Phone 8.1 with major features News Track India, 1 month ago
More from: , Daijiworldcom...and 3 other sources
Amazon is said to be talks with smartphone makers about creating a forked version of Android that will push Amazon's services over those of Google's. That's going to be difficult, however, since vendors are bound by agreements to make Google ...Tech Times, 1 week ago
It's interesting that, in many ways, Android represented an incomplete version of Microsoft's Embrace, Extend, and Extinguish strategy , used so successfully against Lotus in the 1980s. It came in as a virtual copy of iOS and did Apple a lot of ...IT Business Edge, 1 month ago
BlackBerry has axed 200 employees in its hometown headquarters in Ontario and Florida, in a move to trim costs. The latest layoff will affect upto 75% of manufacturing jobs in Sunrise, Florida, says a state government website. "As BlackBerry ...International Business Times UK, 1 hour ago
Mozilla's Head of Core Contributors, George Roter, has announced the end of development of Firefox OS for smartphones. Competing with Android and iOS is simply too hard, says Roter: We made an awesome push and created an impressive platform ...The Register, 1 day ago
on your WebpageAdd Widget >Get your members hooked!


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The new Mitsubishi Outlander, which will reach the market as a 2016 model, is a great new offering in the SUV segment. The Japanese automaker’s popular crossover is looking hipper and more modern than ever now, thanks to some smart moves by Mitsubishi.
The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander has been completely redesigned for the new model year. The Outlander’s new exterior features a curvier body, an attractive yet larger and more aggressive twin-bar grille, a healthy amount of chrome, and angular LED-accented headlights atop a bold black bumper. The 2016 Outlander was first showcased at this year’s 2015 New York International Auto Show, where its hot new looks wowed automotive journalists and visitors alike.
But the Outlander is more than just a pretty face. It also features an upscale interior full of beautiful materials and advanced technologies. It’s incredibly fun to drive—and just as fun to ride in, thanks to over 100 engineering and design improvements, which have led to better handling, body rigidity, and steering systems. Come see us at Randall Mitsubishi to learn more about the new Mitsubishi Outlander today.


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Galveston Wharves announced it is projecting record-breaking lay-ship revenues for the first quarter of the year. The port is forecasting a record-breaking quarter for lay-dockage revenue, with a total of 83 ship calls in 2020 to date generating almost US$1.2 million.
Last year, a total of 377 vessels docked short term at port berths for repairs, restocking, inspections, and other services, earning the port US$3.15 million in dockage revenue.
Four Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise ships that homeport in Galveston TX will be berthed at cruise terminals 1 & 2 during a 30-day voluntary cruising suspension. The cruise companies implemented the suspension on March 13 in response to pandemic concerns. No Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have been reported in association with the cruise ships or Galveston waterfront.
According to Port Director Rodger Rees, the port continues to communicate with its multi-agency infectious disease response team, including representatives of federal, state, and local agencies, on prevention, preparedness, and response protocols.
For Coronavirus updates on cruise ship quarantines (infected passengers and crew) and top-pandemic countries (COVID-19 cases and deaths, daily updated statistics) see at CruiseMapper's Norovirus page.


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Motorists cop petrol hit
Oil companies are under pressure to cut petrol prices after new research showed industry profit margins growing at the expense of motorists.
The Australian Institute of Petroleum reported yesterday that the national average price of petrol edged down 2.5¢ a litre last week to 142.2¢ a litre.
In Perth, the average price fell 3.3¢ to 141.1¢ a litre, slightly above the average across all capital cities which stood at 140.8¢.
Since their most recent peak, average petrol prices in Perth have fallen about 3.6¢ a litre.
But according to CommSec, the wholesale price of petrol over that same period has fallen 9.1¢ a litre.
Chief economist Craig James said there was now a gap of 12¢ a litre between the wholesale price and what motorists were paying.
He estimated that over recent years the widening gap between wholesale and retail prices had increased the average motorist's monthly petrol bill about $10.
"Unless motorists see another reduction in petrol prices of around four to five cents a litre in the coming week, they have a right to be more than a little disappointed," Mr James said.
The situation is even worse for motorists in Kalgoorlie where the average petrol price increased by 0.3¢ to 151.4¢ a litre.
Prices in Kalgoorlie are up 6¢ a litre since March.
Mr James said country motorists were being denied cheaper petrol.
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State and Local Tobacco Tax Increases
In recent years, many state and local governments have raised tobacco taxes to help balance their budgets and help fund new programs:
- Nearly 520 cities, towns, and counties also impose local cigarette excise taxes.
- Since FY 1999, federal and state governments increased their cigarette excise tax rates more than 100 times. In addition, since 2009, localities have increased local excise tax rates a dozen times.
- More than half of the average price of a pack of cigarettes now goes to the government in taxes and other fees.
Why Tobacco Tax Increases Matter to You
- Lost sales can hurt your business by driving consumers across state and municipal borders to purchase lowerpriced tobacco – as well as other retail products, such as milk, bread, and gasoline. This results in lost revenue,not only for retailers but local municipalities and states as well.
- Cigarette and other tobacco product sales account for 36% of all in-store sales at convenience stores nationwide, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores.
- Cigarette tax increases can create additional incentives for criminal activity, including contraband and counterfeit tobacco product trafficking.
- Tax-paid cigarette sales in the U.S. continue to decline each year. This can create funding shortfalls in state and local programs that rely on cigarette tax revenues. Those revenue gaps then create pressure for additional tax increases.
- Tax increases are not the answer, especially in this economic climate. States and municipalities are still facing record-high budget deficits, and more tobacco tax hike proposals are likely in 2011. Instead, our legislators should focus on ways to get their state budgets and spending under control.


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- The Apple Den
- Apple is Still Against Sideloading
Apple is Still Against Sideloading
For good reason.
Not yet a subscriber? Sign up here!
Good morning! ☀ *Tim Cook voice*
Today, we’re discussing Apple’s stance on sideloading, Apple Vision Pro delay, Casetify being sued, and more!
Estimated reading time: 3.4 minutes
In the last poll, I asked: Are you more likely to respond to iMessage vs Text Message?
Closer than I expected tbh
Here were some of my favorite replies:
This week: Would you feel safe downloading an iPhone app outside of the App Store? More on this below.
Would you feel safe downloading apps outside the App Store?
📲 Apple Still isn’t a Fan of Sideloading
Last week, we discussed how sideloading is coming to EU iPhones in 2024. And while some might assume that Apple is pro-sideloading, it does not appear that way.
For a refresher, sideloading is simply the act of installing applications from outside of the App Store. Just like we can do on the Mac.
In a new report from The Independent, Apple’s head of security engineering & architecture, Ivan Krstić, explained why Apple invests so much into security and also discusses the misunderstanding with sideloading.
Krstić does not agree that sideloading will give users more choice about what apps they use and how they get them. He said this:
So, based on Krstić’s views (which I agree with), it does not seem likely that Apple will expand sideloading outside of the EU.
The reality is, sideloading will likely open up a whole new world of hacking, phishing, key logging, ransomware, etc that has never been seen before on the iPhone.
And then all of a sudden, the iPhone is not the easiest and most secure phone to use. All in an effort to cater to an extremely small percentage of global iPhone users who would ever bother installing apps outside of the App Store.
Imagine trying to troubleshoot your 87-year-old grandmother’s iPhone because she installed several malicious games (with clickbait titles) from outside of the App Store - and now her Apple ID account has been hijacked. No thank you.
Sideloading for the Mac makes sense, but not for the iPhone.
🥽 Apple Vision Pro Still Not Ready
The Apple Vision Pro headset will be the biggest release of 2024 (imo), but it might not be coming in January like Apple was hoping, according to Bloomberg.
Apple planned for Apple Vision Pro to be released in January 2024. However, the company is still preparing distribution plans for the product and doing final device testing
Mark Gurman now expects the device to debut “sometime around March”
Expect Apple to host another media event in the Spring, ahead of the product’s release, to show off apps & features that weren’t presented at the WWDC 2023 unveiling
iOS 17.2 Beta 2 included the “spatial recording” feature for iPhone 15 users, allowing them to record spatial videos that can be viewed “in 3D” on the Vision Pro
Casetify is Getting Sued
Dbrand, the major iPhone/device skin company, is suing Casetify over claims that they copied their “Teardown” skins and cases. Here’s a full thread on everything copied, along with a video of everything.
Casetify responded with a cookie-cutter response on X and it made things even worse for them.
I’m sure Casetify will blame this on a designer and brush it under the rug even more, but YIKES! This is a bad look. Expect more to come from this soon.
Apple released a new stop-motion Christmas ad that was shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max! The tagline is: “Creativity has the power to change the way we see each other, and the world. Sometimes, seeing things through a new lens can make all the difference.“
Apple also shared a Behind-the-Scenes video showcasing how the ad was shot. Very cool!
📰 Quick News Bites
What did you think of today's newsletter?


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Kroger awards first grants to help innovators fight food waste
Kroger has named the first innovative companies that will receive a grant from its foundation to help find solutions to fight food waste.
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation named the winners from nearly 400 applicants who submitted interest earlier this year during the first-ever open call.
The invitation welcomed innovators to submit ideas and solutions to prevent food waste for an opportunity to receive a grant, ranging from US$25,000 to US$250,000 per project, from the US$1 million designated for the first cohort.
"We know we can't accomplish this ambitious goal alone, so we supported the development of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation – a public charity established to work with social enterprises, corporations and non-profits that are committed to creating communities free of hunger and waste," said Jessica Adelman, president of the foundation.
"The Foundation's Innovation Fund was designed to bring like-minded organizations together as philanthropic disrupters – setting a new course on how to partner and change the world."
The first cohort of innovators were individually selected due to their "big ideas, shared vision and collaborative spirit" in reducing waste.
Key criteria included alignment with the program's mission, potential for positive impact in U.S. communities, ease of implementation, geography, and measurability and scalability.
The inaugural cohort features:
- Food Forest (Cincinnati, OH)
Food Forest uses technology to source products through multiple channels, maximizing fulfillment efficiencies and minimizing the carbon footprint of delivery logistics. The Food Forest app uses dynamic pricing and recommendations to offer incentives to customers and mitigate wasteful behavior. It also provides pop-up grocery pickup points to low-access, high-need neighborhoods.
- Imperfect (San Francisco, CA)
Imperfect is a national online grocer creating a more sustainable and effective food system to better communities and the environment. The company sources imperfect produce and surplus food like grains, nuts, oil, bread, milk and cheese directly from farmers, growers and food purveyors and delivers these goods directly to customers' doors through a customizable subscription service.
- mobius (Knoxville, TN)
mobius converts industrial organic waste streams from food, forestry and agriculture into renewable chemicals and materials as part of its mission to create a world where There's Wonder in Waste. Its first products are biodegradable plastics and polymers created from industrial organic waste, with applications focused in agriculture, horticulture, and food service packaging.
- Replate (Berkeley, CA)
Replate creates technology to reliably redistribute surplus food from businesses and events directly to nonprofits in need. Leveraging the gig economy, it creates meaningful jobs while providing a simple platform for businesses and caterers to reduce their waste while supporting members of their community.
- Ripe Revival (Greenville, NC)
Ripe Revival is an innovative food brand on a mission to reduce waste and feed those in need. Its nutrient-dense protein gummies are crafted utilizing proprietary extraction technology, providing a profitable solution for farmers' excess produce. Its products are packed with purpose, maximizing the potential of fruits and vegetables through nutritious, clean and fun foods.
- Seal the Seasons (Chapel Hill, NC)
Seal the Seasons' mission is to increase access to local food by reducing on-farm food waste and providing family farms with a reliable income stream by selling locally- and regionally-grown frozen fruits and vegetables year-round. It partners with local family farms on a state-by-state basis to source local produce while in season, freeze it within 24 hours of picking, and sell it to local grocers in the grower's home region.
- Winnow (Iowa City, IA)
Winnow builds artificial intelligence tools to help chefs measure food waste and provide stakeholders with transparent, measurable, and actionable data, helping run more profitable and sustainable kitchens. The data communicates food waste reduction opportunities and details where food is being lost—whether as a result of customer food preferences, preparation, storage, or overproduction issues.
The inaugural cohort will use the non-dilutive funding provided by the foundation to implement projects over the next 12 months in cities across the U.S.
"We're excited to see our inaugural cohort work toward meaningful and measurable solutions to prevent, recover and recycle food waste, with the possibility of reducing food waste by up to 7.2 million pounds," added Adelman.
The foundation will host additional open calls with a total seed funding commitment of US$10 million.


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WASHINGTON (AP) - Biotech companies would be required to consult with the government before selling new genetically engineered foods or ingredients, under industry-backed rules proposed Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration.
Companies now are not required to have the FDA review new biotech crops, although most do so voluntarily. The FDA also issued voluntary guidelines Wednesday for food companies to follow if they label foods as biotech-free or promote biotech ingredients.
Companies would be required to notify FDA of new biotech products at least four months before they are to be put on the market. Scientific descriptions of the new products, such as genetically modified wheat, would be posted on the Internet during the agency's review.
The rules address "what is of most concern to consumers, that is making our process more open and transparent and making it mandatory," said FDA Administrator Jane Henney.
The new rules are in line with a series of proposals that the Clinton administration made this spring to respond to criticism of its regulation of the biotechnology industry. Consumer advocates and environmentalists say federal regulation of the industry is lax and have called for mandatory labeling of all biotech foods.
Under a policy developed during the previous Bush administration, the FDA considers gene-altered crops to be essentially the same as those produced by conventional breeding methods and thus not subject to the same regulatory controls as food additives. A federal judge upheld the policy last fall.
Genetic engineering in agriculture involves splicing a gene from one organism, such as a bacterium, into a plant or animal to confer certain traits, such as drought tolerance or insect resistance in the case of plants.
Genetically engineered varieties of soybeans and corn became popular with farmers in the late 1990s and are found in products throughout supermarkets. Monsanto Co. has created a herbicide-resistant wheat that is expected to come on the market as early as 2003. Biotech varieties of fruit, vegetables, fish and livestock are in various stages of development.
Biotech and food companies, hoping to head off more stringent regulation, had asked for the new review policy and labeling guidelines. The companies say further regulation is unnecessary and are concerned that mandatory labeling of gene-altered products could raise unnecessary public fears about the foods and strangle the industry.
"The increased openness and accountability that will flow from the changes FDA announced today provide renewed grounds for the confidence American consumers have in our food supply and the regulatory system to ensure its safety," said Carl Feldbaum, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.
The industry has been on the defensive in recent months because of nationwide recalls of taco shells that were found to contain a variety of gene-altered corn that hasn't been approved for human consumption.
There are unresolved questions about whether the StarLink corn could cause allergic reactions. It is the only biotech crop not allowed in food. Federal officials say they shouldn't have allowed the corn to be grown without approving its use in food.
Biotechnology Industry Organization: http://www.bio.org
** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed for research and educational purposes only. **
Last Updated on 1/17/01


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The House’s schedule on Sunday includes discussions on a draft law to set up “The Tourism and Antiquities Fund,” which aims to merge the current three funds
A parliamentary report explained that the new fund would finance national projects in the area of restoring antiquities, upgrading Egyptian museums, and promoting the tourism sector.
“The law aims to regulate and facilitate the procedures of licensing tourism and hotel establishments in terms of introducing the “One Window” system,” said the report.
“This new system will help boost tourist investments in terms of phasing out bureaucratic obstacles and hence generating more revenues from the tourism sector.”
The draft law stipulates that a tourism ministerial committee, headed by the prime minister and including concerned ministers, will be formed to facilitate all procedures related to tourist activities, overcome all obstacles that might stand in the way of promoting tourist investments, and finally raise the competitive edge of Egypt in the area of tourism.


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Brytlyt, provider of the world’s fastest data analytics and visualisation technology, has raised $4 million in Series A funding from global technology investor Amadeus Capital Partners and Finch Capital.
Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd
Amadeus Capital Partners is a global technology investor. Since 1997, the firm has raised over $1bn for investment and used it to back more than 130 companies. With vast experience and a great network, Amadeus’ team of investors and entrepreneurs share a passion for the transformative power of technology. We invest in consumer services, financial technology, artificial intelligence, cyber security, medical technology, digital healthcare and digital media.


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See our video services!
At The Guide Liverpool, we’ve been helping businesses promote themselves and reach new clients and customers for years. Our professional video crew can help you increase engagement, interaction and revenue by presenting your business to a wide audience with a creative, exciting promotional video for use on multiple online channels.
The Prime Minister said that nightclubs, theatres, gyms and leisure centres should close their doors from Friday night to slow the spread of Covid-19 and prevent the NHS coming under unsustainable pressure.
At his daily Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister said the measures were needed to reduce “unnecessary” social gatherings by 75% in order to have an impact on the infection rate.
“The speed of our eventual recovery depends entirely on our collective ability to get on top of the virus now and that means we have to take the next steps on scientific advice,” he told the daily Covid-19 press conference,” he said.
“And following our plan we are strengthening the measures announced on Monday.
“We need now to push down further on that curve of transmission between us.”
He was followed by Chancellor Rushi Sunak who said he was establishing a coronavirus job protection scheme to help employers hit by the outbreak.
He said that they would be able to apply to HM Revenue and Customs to cover 80% of the wages of staff they keep on up to £2,500 a month.
Mr Sunak said “our planned economic response will be one of the most comprehensive in the world”.
He added: “To all those at home, right now anxious about the days ahead, I say you will not face this alone.”
It followed criticism that his £350 billion emergency support package for the economy earlier this week concentrated on businesses but did little for their staff.
The announcement came after scientists advising the Government warned that restrictions to control the spread of the virus will need to be in place for most of a year – at least.
The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling said while the severity of measures could fluctuate, “stricter” measures would need to be enforced for at least half of the year in order to keep cases at a level the NHS can cope with.
These could include school closures and social distancing for everyone, while less restrictive measures include isolating cases and households.
It comes as a further 39 people in England were confirmed to have died after testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the UK death toll to 177.
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The high-profile sabotage this month of the city of San Francisco's fiber backbone network clearly shows both the extent of damage a disgruntled employee can cause and the need for controls to mitigate the risk of such actions.
You know a bug is Big News when it makes National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," the network's afternoon drive-time show.
Facebook is strengthening its product development team at the expense of Mozilla, whose vice president of engineering will join Mark Zuckerberg's social networking company.
Apple has not yet patched a critical Domain Name System (DNS) bug in its Mac OS X operating system, analysts and security researchers noted today as some criticized the company for dragging its feet.
While there has never been a shortage of so-called "Google killers" -- start-ups aiming to beat the search giant with a better mousetrap -- few have generated fanfare like Cuil. The start-up company's search engine, also called Cuil (pronounced cool)...
Just as the news hit about the unveiling of a US$130 laptop, Gartner Monday released a report stating that a $100 laptop still is three years away.
Mobile executives at a Silicon Valley roundtable discussion threw down the gauntlet to Symbian, Android and other software platforms to match the impact of the iPhone.
Microsoft will ship its virtual machine management tool in September, according to Kevin Turner, the company's chief operating officer.
Intel has launched its System-on-Chip (SoC) EP8579 integrated processor, which is said to offer lower power and customization capabilities for embedded voice, storage and security applications. The new product family is the first wave of Intel's reva...
Microsoft on Friday expanded its support for the open-source community by giving money to the Apache Software Foundation, the first time it has given money to the long-standing open-source project.
Peripheral device manufacturer Logitech has announced its first Mac-compatible webcam with autofocus technology and Carl Zeiss optics.
As wireless computing mushrooms with new devices, applications and a global move toward "openness," one analyst is suggesting some contraction is in order.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has rapped Fairfax Digital over the knuckles for misleading customers over the use of the term 'free' in conjunction with a mobile phone property listing on its Domain real estate site.
Australia's first Astronaut officially opened the inaugural National ICT Career's Week at Sydney University today, kicking off a week of more than 100 events and activities presented by businesses, state and federal governments, industry and professi...
Telstra will spend $15 billion to kill competition across its ADSL exchanges, according to Terria.
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Windsor border workers make pizza delivery to unpaid U.S. counterparts
“I think it will help lift their spirits,” said CIU Local 18 president Ken Turner.
Antonino’s Original Pizza in South Windsor made a dozen king-sized pizzas Friday, including a truly Windsor pizza — Antonino’s original super with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers and mushrooms — and Sicilian and vegetarian, as well as just cheese pizzas. Windsor-style pizza is known in part for its shredded pepperoni which, to connoisseurs, provides pepperoni flavour in every bite.
The cross-border pizza solidarity started when Canadian Air Traffic Control Association units in Gander, N.L., and Moncton, N.B., recently ordered pizzas for workers at the control centre on Long Island in New York. Turner said the Windsor workers thought it was a great idea and raised more than $600 in a few days.
“We know that our U.S. counterparts are without pay right now, and we were kind of inspired by the air traffic controllers on the east coast who did the same for their counterparts in New York State,” Turner said. “It’s kind of been catching on.”
There have been stories of hundreds of pizzas bought for unpaid American public sector workers, such as Edmonton air traffic controllers paying for pizza for Alaskan flight controllers, and customs workers in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., paying for pizza lunches in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Windsor put its own twist on it by sending over traditional Windsor pizza.
“It’s the least we could do,” said Turner, adding it shows solidarity with their counterparts in Detroit who are more worried about paying their mortgage than buying lunch.
This week, the Trump administration ordered thousands of furloughed federal employees back to work without pay to inspect planes, issue tax refunds and monitor food safety as the stalemate between the Democrats and Republicans continued. There are about 800,000 government employees who aren’t getting paid, including more than half who are required to work because their duties are considered essential.
In a notice to staff, the State Department said it can pay most of its employees beginning Sunday or Monday for their next pay period but they will not be paid for time worked since the shutdown began until the situation is resolved.


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Pakistan May Export as Much as 2 Million Tons Wheat After Export Ban Ends
Pakistan may ship as much as 2 million metric tons of wheat in the next six months after the government lifted its export ban, Agrocorp International Managing Director Vijay Iyengar said.
The shipments would be without export subsidies and go to nearby countries and Indonesia, Iyengar said at an interview today at a grains conference in Perth, citing market speculation. The country removed its shipment ban, the government’s finance committee said in a statement yesterday. The committee, headed by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, met in Islamabad.
Supplies of milling-quality wheat have been curbed by drought in the Black Sea region and rains earlier this year in Canada and Germany. A lot of buyers delayed purchases on expectation of plentiful supplies from Australia, where heavy rain has delayed the harvest and hurt quality, Iyengar said.
“It’s going to take a little bit of time before the Australian situation is clear,” he said. “The next two or three weeks will be critical.”
Wheat futures fell 1.6 percent to $7.7225 a bushel at 12:40 p.m. in Singapore, after gaining to a four-month high this week amid concerns about supply from Australia.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jarrett Banks at email@example.com


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It seems no matter what the government does or doesn’t do, the cost of energy for the UK is going up. Almost all of the major suppliers including British Gas, Npower, EDF and others have announced price increases of up to 11% just in the last few weeks.
Previously, as prices and consumer concern have escalated, government officials have suggested that shopping around for the best rate is a viable way for individuals to save money on utility bills. However, this approach hasn’t worked too well, since power companies tend to put consumers on their more expensive plans even if theoretically the consumer could benefit from a cheaper plan.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr. Cameron said laws would be imposed that will force energy suppliers to offer the lowest possible rates to their customers. According to current reports, at least 75% of customers are on their supplier’s most expensive plan, and well over half had not changed companies in the last 15 years. Quite often the hassle of switching companies negates any savings that may be obtained.
Additional difficulties arise with the new approach, since there are variables in energy charges based on the customer’s location, whether they pay by direct debit, how long their current plan is agreed to last and other factors that affect the rates charged by suppliers. Power company officials insist that the rising cost to consumers is directly tied to their own costs, which include investment in alternate, renewable energy sources.
Forcing energy suppliers to explain and offer the cheapest possible rates to customers seems an iffy proposition at best, since those suppliers insist that when their supply and distribution costs go up, they have to pass it along to customers. Shareholders do not like to see profits decreasing, and many feel that this may be a key factor in the ongoing rise in overall costs to consumers.


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For engaging in organised crime as a revenue raising method, the world’s most secretive dictatorship is perfectly positioned. This is what’s happened in Kim Jong-Un’s
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THG knows of "no identifiable reason" for £2bn drop in its shares
Online beauty retail group THG has said it is in the dark over what caused a 35% drop in its share price during a meeting with shareholders on Tuesday.
Company leaders said they had not revealed any new information that might have caused such a major swing in the embattled company’s share price. But the event, which was called to calm the nerves of shareholders, clearly had the opposite effect.
Up until the point at which CEO Matt Moulding started speaking, THG’s shares had been trading down just 2% on Tuesday. They plunged following his speech, closing down by more than a third. The drop wiped nearly £2 billion off its market value.
On Wednesday the company said: “THG notes the fall in the share price yesterday following the capital market event, and confirms that it knows of no notifiable reason for the material share price movement, and that no material new information was disclosed at the event.”
THG said that since listing in September 2020 it has consistently delivered results ahead of targets. It also has a “very strong liquidity position” going into a peak trading season, THG said.
But as markets opened on Wednesday morning, investors did not seem particularly calmed by the statement. Shares yo-yoed between a 7% rise and a 10% drop in just the first half hour after trading started.
The group’s share price has been under pressure for months. It is just 13 months since the company’s shares started trading in London at 500p each. They are now worth less than 300p.
What was meant to set THG apart when it listed was its technology, which it was able to sell to other online retailers. The platform, called Ingenuity, would position THG in a similar category to online supermarket Ocado, or energy supplier Octopus, who gained massive valuations from selling their technology to others in the sector.
But investors have been unsure about what exactly Ingenuity does. This was in part what Tuesday’s meeting was called to explain. Ingenuity has been described as anything from a social media influencer platform to a platform to handle logistics.
Following the share price collapse, analysts at Jefferies noted investors now seem to think Ingenuity to be of little or no value. It is a far cry from May, when Japanese investor SoftBank signed a deal which would let it buy a fifth of Ingenuity when THG sells the unit. The agreement valued Ingenuity at £4.5 billion.
“Quite clearly, the reassurance that today’s event should have delivered failed to materialise. And sentiment has taken over from fundamentals,” Jefferies analysts said.
But they added that an update on the third quarter results, which is due on 26 October, and more clarity on the SoftBank relationship, might help turn things around.
THG is the parent of online beauty retailers Cult Beauty, Lookfantastic and Glossy Box, nutrition brand My Protein and online fashion retailer Coggles, among others.


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South Korea-based MMO specialist NCsoft has posted its results for its Q2 period, and it took $11.5 million in net income despite a year-on-year drop in sales of 11 per cent.
The firm generated $82.1 million in sales for the period ending June 30th, whilst operating income jumped a whopping 533 per cent to $11.5 million, 59 per cent of which came in Korea. Its net income was converted to surplus.
The same quarter in 2006 saw a one-time write-off for the NetDevil-developed game Auto Assault.
NCsoft CFO Jaeho Lee said in a statement that the company is continuing to integrate its PlayNC online gaming service, and introduce casual games, according to next-gen.
We saw a noticeable growth of up to 1.3 million visitors to [PlayNC] during the quarter,” he said.


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The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), a landmark agreement in the realm of international trade, was signed in 2013 and came into force in 2017. This pivotal agreement, the first of its kind since the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) inception, sees wide participation, with 172 WTO members, including 42 African nations, as signatories. The TFA is designed to streamline international trade, encompassing aspects like information publication, advance rulings, and the establishment of procedures that adopt the least trade-restrictive measures, including ‘single-window’ systems and a prohibition on mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspections (PSI).
Of particular significance in the TFA is the freedom of transit provision, crucial for landlocked countries. This component, which involves the prohibition of non-transport related fees, is expected to facilitate smoother movement of goods across borders, a key factor for landlocked regions.
Flexibility and Challenges in TFA Implementation
The TFA adopts a bottom-up approach, granting considerable flexibility to signatories. However, this flexibility comes with its set of challenges. The absence of a legal enforcement mechanism through the WTO dispute settlement and the reliance on “should” rather than binding language means that the TFA operates more on promises than legal obligations. Nonetheless, the TFA’s specific nature allows for relatively straightforward monitoring of compliance at the country level.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The AfCFTA, aiming to eliminate trade barriers within Africa, has seen almost universal sign-on from African nations. While the agreement was enforced in May 2019, critical aspects like negotiations on common rules of origin for certain high-tariff products remain unresolved. The time and cost associated with cross-border trade, best estimated from customs-level data, indicate that customs reforms in line with the TFA could substantially boost trade within Africa.
Case Studies and Estimated Benefits
Various case studies, such as those in Peru, Albania, and Uruguay, highlight the tangible benefits of customs reforms. For instance, shifting import shipments from inspection to no-inspection in Peru showed a significant tariff-reduction estimate. Similarly, in Albania and Uruguay, a decrease in customs time correlated with an increase in import volumes and export growth, respectively.
Prospects for Africa with TFA Implementation
Implementing the TFA’s disciplines could bring substantial benefits to developing countries, particularly those in Africa, which face geographical challenges. Estimates suggest that adopting the TFA could lead to a significant reduction in time at customs for the 38 African countries engaged in the AfCFTA. On the import side, a reduction of 2.7 days in customs time could equate to a tariff reduction of 3.6-7.0%, while on the export side, a reduction of 1.7 days could translate into an 8.1% increase in exports.
Conclusion: Quantitative Gains for African Trade
The implementation of the TFA, coupled with the ongoing efforts of the AfCFTA, presents an opportunity for significant enhancement of intra-African trade. By facilitating smoother and more efficient customs procedures, the TFA holds the potential to transform the African trade landscape, contributing to the continent’s economic development and integration into the global economy.


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At Soho Studios, we understand the importance of experiences that create an everlasting effect.
(PRWEB) December 04, 2013
Miami's Wynwood Arts District has rapidly built up a reputation as an innovative center for fashion and art, even earning a spot among the top 10 of the world’s most stylish neighborhoods, according to Complex magazine.
Now, a multi-million dollar renovation in Wynwood has opened up 70,000 sq ft of event space at Soho Studios, making it the largest event and entertainment space in Miami. Beyond cutting-edge contemporary art exhibitions and production space, Soho Studios now provides a new in-house experiential marketing team to conceptualize and produce spectacular events.
Glenn Orgin is CEO of Soho Studios. “The future of entertainment and events in Miami is now in the Wynwood district. The arts district provides a playground for experiential marketing agencies to create unique experiences. We just completed a multi-million dollar renovation at Soho Studios to provide our clients with a turnkey experience.”
The district has seen a great deal of changes over the past decade since a collection of art dealers, curators and artists put together the Wynwood Art District Association in 2003. This year’s diamond anniversary of the collective sees Wynwood maturing into a nexus for futuristic experiential marketing events as well. A video introduction to the Soho Studios space demonstrates how the renovation has made it possible for the studios to handle events ranging from intimate gatherings or a massive crowds.
“At Soho Studios, we understand the importance of experiences that create an everlasting effect,” Orgin explained. “Now, with the introduction of our experiential marketing team, we are able to provide boutique experiences and collaborate with other experiential marketing agencies.”
The development of Soho Studios into the largest private entertainment venue in Miami means that Wynwood’s booming art and fashion district of Miami means that artists and families have a new haven that they can always turn to for a supportive social network.
Glenn Orgin laid out the wider economic and social implications of this latest expansion, “With the introduction of the Wynwood BID, Wynwood becomes even more refined as our neighbors unite to create a stable and secure community for the future businesses in the Wynwood district.”
About Soho Studios
Soho Studios offers Miami’s premier production, event and exhibition space. We can provide decor, catering, and large event hospitality. We represent the top choice for event planners, brand marketers and experiential marketing agencies as well, with three studios to choose from and a range of spaces from intimate to epic.
For more information, contact Soho Studios at (305) 600-4785, 2136 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33127.