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At a glance
Bicycle theft has exploded along with the sale of electric bikes. In the EU alone, three to four million bikes are stolen each year. In Amsterdam, for example, one in three bikes is stolen annually, and most stolen bikes are never recovered.
“Bicycle theft has become a major socioeconomical problem. Globally, e-bike theft is the highest return-on-risk crime, and now organised crime rings are involved,” explains Sunde.
BikeFinder is a tracking device that uses GPS, GSM, LTE, WiFi and Bluetooth technology to pinpoint a bike’s location. The state-of-the-art technology easily integrates into any type of bicycle in any country in the world.
“We have the most advanced tracker on the market. We combine hardware and an IT approach to provide the best possible location information. This is new in the bike industry,” says Sunde.
Learn more: Track your bike from your mobile
The IoT device is secured inside the handlebar with a patented expansion mechanism, making it virtually impossible to remove without the special tools included with the tracker.
In addition, BikeFinder comes with a free mobile app, where the bike owner can check the bike’s position 24/7, receive push notifications if it is moved, and report a theft. If the bike is stolen, customer service guides the owner through the retrieval process with the local police.
A full 80 per cent of BikeFinder-equipped bikes are returned to their owners following a theft. This compares to the typical 5 per cent return rate of reported thefts.
“From day one we focus on finding bikes instead of just tracking them,” says Sunde.
Once a bike is reported stolen through the mobile app, BikeFinder’s customer service jumps on the case. The bike’s precise location is pinpointed, and short-range finding is used to establish a live connection to the bike. Police will then send a patrol to the location.
“We have a good collaboration with the police,” says Sunde. “Our secret sauce is understanding how the police work, adapting to them and providing them with solutions. For example, vital information about the owner and the bike is already stored in our system.”
Moreover, when bike ownership is safe and secure, more people are more willing to choose bikes over cars. “We are passionate about enabling green personal transportation,” she adds.
Given this, BikeFinder has reinforced its focus on the OEM market, selling directly to bicycle manufacturers which preinstall the IoT device on their newly produced bikes.
“Most bike producers realise they need to do something about the risk of theft. If customers have a choice between buying a typical ‘stealable’ bike and a bike equipped with BikeFinder, they will choose ours every time,” says Sunde.
Launched in 2019, BikeFinder is currently in use in 34 countries. The company has a strong presence in the Nordics, the UK and Germany, which is its newest and largest market.
3. Good health and well-being
BikeFinder helps to reduce ambient air pollution by making it more secure and more appealing to choose bicycles over cars.
11. Sustainable cities and communities
BikeFinder promotes the use of green personal transportation in urban areas by making it more secure and more appealing to choose bicycles over cars.


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High-tech baby monitor allows parents to keep closer eye on children
Baby monitor measures breathing, movement
New technology that allows parents to watch their babies like never before, and is becoming increasingly available.
The next generation of baby monitors measure everything from temperature to body movement and breathing. One such device is being made right in New England
Thomas Lipoma and Carson Darling are two Massachusetts Institute of Technology grads who are in high demand.
For a project their senior year, they developed a shirt to detect breathing patterns in adults with sleep apnea.
"When we started talking to parents, they got really excited about it and basically asked if we could make it for their babies," said Lipoma.
That request was answered with Mimo, a smart onesie.
"The baby's position, how much they're moving around, shows their breathing. An idea if they're too hot or too cold also can tell how deeply asleep they are," said Darling.
All of that is measured by green strips on the front of the onesie. The data is collected by a little turtle that snaps on, beaming information to a lily pad, then relaying that data to a smartphone.
"We look for things like the baby rolling over, waking up or abnormal breathing so we can send an alert to the parent's phone," said Darling.
Dr. Alisa Niksch, director of pediatric electrophysiology at Tufts Medical Center, said she sees real value in monitors like the Mimo but warns none has been proven to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
"Most of them are some type of suffocation mechanism," said Niksch. "Some SIDS cases are in fact cardiac-related. Many cases of SIDS are still somewhat of a mystery."
Mimo states clearly that it is not meant to prevent SIDS. That said, certainly parents buy it with that mind.
"What these devices enable parents to do is certainly potentially respond faster if there is an alert," said Niksch. "It still doesn't replace your instinct to check on things."
When we tried it, our product tester was awake on her back, and sure enough, every breath was right there for us to see on our mobile phone.
The makers of Mimo said the data it collects not only can help with sleep training, but with product development.
Soon the company will be selling a bottle warmer to work with the onesie.
When the Mimo detects the baby is waking up, the warmer automatically kicks into heating mode so that everything is ready when the baby wants to eat.
The Mimo and a set of washable onesies sell for nearly $200.

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Nintendo fans are starting to get more than a little stir crazy thanks to the company’s refusal to talk about the NX. We are now six months away from what would be an end-of-March launch, the release window being the only thing Nintendo has said about the system in 500+ days, other than its name. But at least one other company is talking up the NX for them, if Nintendo can’t be bothered to do it themselves; the eternal true-believers, Ubisoft.
Ubisoft has been a seemingly solid ally for Nintendo at least at the launch of their new systems, supporting the Wii and Wii U with third-party releases that actually employ Nintendo’s hardware gimmicks, unlike their rivals who were content with poorly-optimized ports of existing games. Ubisoft, like everyone, mostly abandoned the hardware eventually after poor sales, but now they’re back and seeming to say that this time, it’s going to be different with NX.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot spoke to IGN at an event this week, and had this to say about Nintendo’s new hardware:
"I think, once again, the interface is very attractive," he said. "It's a machine that will be easy to use for all gamers. They have built in something that will give us chance to really have a different experience from what exists today. That's what I like -- that they come with something new that is adapted to what we actually want now."
He goes on to call it a “fantastic machine” and believes it’s another example of Nintendo’s innovation and their ability to push gaming forward. He did not confirm longstanding rumors about the NX, like whether the unit is portable or merges Nintendo’s home console and handheld divisions, but he seems psyched about the prospect.
It doesn’t seem that Ubisoft’s seeming staunch support for Nintendo over the years is some affinity for the brand directly, however. Rather, Ubisoft likes to dive into all sorts of new tech when it’s first getting off the ground because it theoretically makes business sense. If they can get in on the first floor of something and it takes off, they benefit greatly. If it doesn’t work, they cut their losses and move on. We also see this with Ubisoft taking a pointed interest in VR, above and beyond what rivals like EA and Activision are doing. Again, the thought is that by getting in early, they’re making a bet that they can establish themselves in the space before their competition.
Still, essentially being twice burned by Nintendo already across their last two consoles, I’m a little surprised to hear this much enthusiasm from Guillemot. "It's easier at the beginning of the console cycle to astonish people and bring them new experiences than at the end of the cycle. So the risk that is seen as a big risk by many is actually the contrary," Guillemot said back in 2012 before the launch of the Wii U, which seems similar to the strategy with NX today. Then again, he also said that Nintendo would sell 5 million Wii Us in the first six months of release, and they didn’t even sell 4 million in the first year, so it’s unclear how much stock we should be putting in his predictive powers.
I wouldn’t read too much into Ubisoft’s comments because Guillemot has everything to gain and nothing to lose from hyping up the NX, and more specifically, his company’s games on NX. Like he says, it’s easy to make a bet and try to support a system early in its life cycle as you might wow people with a brilliant new concept (I assume this is the same bet they’re making with say, their flying eagle-battling game in VR). But Ubisoft doesn’t feel the need to remain a Nintendo ally if things are going well. When they didn’t carve out a big enough market on the Wii or Wii U, they removed key franchises from the systems and simply relied on Xbox, PlayStation and PC like they always have.
What’s clear is that when a third party is the only one talking about your new console, and you’ve remained almost completely silent for a year and a half, it’s time to start talking. I don’t know how many times I can say this at this point, but it would almost be silly to release the NX in March now with so little time for ramp-up and promotion, and I’m absolutely expecting a delay if we move into October and Nintendo still isn’t saying anything. But any day now we might get a Direct sprung on us, so we’ll have to wait and see.
Why does The Walking Dead have such lasting appeal? Find out below:


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The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied more than 250 factors early Friday before cutting gains, rebounding from Thursday’s stock market sell-off. Dow Jones leader Apple reversed reduced, while Tesla rallied nearly 1 %. Peloton soared almost as eleven % on earnings, while Nikola dived almost as eighteen %.
Dow Jones stocks Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) were mixed in morning hours change. Tesla (TSLA) jumped almost as three % first Friday, after Reuters reported the company’s approach to export Model 3 automobiles manufactured in China.
Apple, Microsoft and Tesla are actually IBD Leaderboard stocks.
Stocks on the move Friday are actually Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) and Etsy (ETSY). Both were enhanced this morning. Domino’s rallied two %, and Etsy advanced 2.5 %. Meanwhile, Nikola (NKLA) dived almost as eighteen % of the wake of the company’s response to short-seller fraud allegations.
Stocks near purchase zones include an application leader Adobe (ADBE). The inventory is actually rebounding from the 50-day support amount of its and it is above a recent investment stage.
Among companies reporting earnings, Chewy (CHWY) and Peloton (PTON) had been blended. Rubbery fell six %, while Peloton soared as much as 11 % prior to cutting gains.
Dow Jones Today
Original Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average received 0.7 %, although the S&P 500 moved up 0.4 %. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.1 %.
Among exchange traded funds, Innovator IBD fifty (FFTY) traded up 0.3 % Friday morning. The Nasdaq 100 linked Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) ETF rose 0.1 %. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) moved up 0.4 %.
Amid the coronavirus stock market rally, the tech heavy Nasdaq is actually up 21.7 % for the year through Thursday’s close. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 is actually up 3.4 %, while the Dow is printed 3.5 % season to day, through the Sept. 9 close.
According to the Worldometer data tracker, the snowball number of established U.S. cases topped 6.5 million on Friday. Entire deaths topped 196,000.
The cumulative total of Covid 19 cases confirmed since the start of the outbreak globally topped 28.3 million Friday, with more than 914,000 virus related deaths.
Coronavirus Stock Market Rally
In accordance with IBD’s The Overall picture, the coronavirus stock market rally is actually seeing good marketing strain after rebounding from lows for more than five weeks before, on March 23. The key stock indexes confirmed the rebound as a brand new uptrend on April 2.
Thursday’s Big Picture commented, “The Nasdaq and S&P 500 each fell sharply Thursday in higher volume, incorporating a division working day. The Nasdaq now has 3, while the S&P 500’s matter rose to 5. The expansion in division many days, along with the huge sell offs, signal the market’s character has transformed for the worse.”
Following Thursday’s sell off, the Nasdaq is actually aproximatelly nine % off of its all time high. On Tuesday, the tech-heavy composite closed below its essential 50-day support level for the first time after the beginning of the new uptrend on April two.
Amid worsening general market conditions, investors have to be far more focused on locking in profits and cutting losses quite short. An additional way to lower risk is actually to move from margin. Take care with new buys. The increased risk in the marketplace must supply you with pause.
Stocks to view include IBD Long Term Leaders, organizations with sound earnings growth as well as price tag general performance.


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Despite the ups and downs of the cryptocurrency market, the Web3 and NFT gaming industries continue to attract the attention of business leaders who are betting on technological innovation to drive the entire ecosystem forward.
On February 24, Trip Hawkins, co-founder of Electronic Arts (EA), announced that he would be joining gaming startup Web3 Games for a Living (GFAL) as co-founder and chief strategist.
GFAL develops a set of tools that allow the development of Web3 games. Its main objective is to support the creation of AAA-grade video games that can be easily integrated into the blockchain.
Web3’s Potential to Transform the NFT Gaming Industry
During a press conference, Hawkins stated that “Web3 is the bridge to the metaverse,” which is why he wants to build a more secure and less hackable metaverse.
Furthermore, the new GFAL executive said he will focus on building an economy in the metaverse as close as possible to the real world.
“If we’re going to make a metaverse, the economy of the metaverse has to be more like the real world.”
Hawkins is known in the tech industry for being one of Apple’s earliest employees. He then left Apple to found Electronic Arts, a company with more than 13,000 employees and a valuation of $30.85 billion, according to Macrotrends data.
Electronic Arts is one of the most successful companies in the video game industry thanks to the release of titles such as The Sims, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Mass Effect and the sports video games FIFA and Madden NFL.
Launch of GFAL token pre-sale in March
Hawkins’ signing comes two weeks ahead of the launch of Games for a Living’s native token, $GFAL, which is scheduled for March 9, with a starting price of €0.0038.
Those who want to buy the company’s token can buy it on Seedify, Bit2Me and EnjinStarter, and then wait for it to be released on other exchanges or in “Elemental Raiders”, the first game the company will launch on March 13, which will offer rewards in the form of NFTs and other tokens.
Hawkins’ extensive experience in the video game industry and recent involvement in the Web3 and NFT space could significantly impact the state of the emerging crypto gaming scene. As GFAL continues to push the boundaries of blockchain gaming and introduce new concepts, the launch of its $GFAL token and “Elemental Raiders” game could potentially attract more players and investors to the world of NFT gaming.
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Crowdbouncer LLC has closed out a significant fundraising round, setting the stage for a major rollout of its product throughout 2014.
The Buffalo-based company, headquartered at downtown Z80 Labs Inc., currently has three employees, though another may be added this year if the projected growth is realized. Its product aims to act as an intermediary between crowd funding websites and individuals who want to invest in startup communities.
Crowdbouncer was co-founded in late 2012 by Keith Blakley, president and CEO of The InVentures Group, and Robert Carbone, InVentures' general counsel and VP of business strategy and operations. Brian Fending joined the company early on at chief technical officer.
Its website will serve as a “nucleus of knowledge network” for crowdfunding portals by aggregating transactional data and verifying income information for potential and existing investors, both Carbone and Fending have said.
Crowdbouncer raised $437,500 from two Buffalo-based investment firms, including Rand Capital Corp. and Z80. Rand committed $270,000 and Z80 $167,500.
Those firms have given Crowdbouncer leeway to raise about $160,000 more during its current round, but Carbone, the company’s CEO, said the focus will be shifting to developing the company’s product and growing its customer base.
Crowdbouncer has signed contracts with six customers amidst strong interest after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission formalized crowdfunding rules last year.
Carbone said the goal will be to have from 25 to 35 customers at the year end.
“Now we’re really ramping up the implementation process,” he said. “We’re getting the product into the hands of our customers.”
Carbone pointed out that the company acts in an emerging marketplace that has been slower to develop than anticipated, particularly as the legal parameters are sorted out. But he said the company is confident of its space in the industry and momentum related to the product and customers.
“We’ve been fundraising for five months now and we have enough cash in the bank to sustain our operations for the next 12 months,” he said. “I’m going to put my sales and product hat back on for a little while and we’ll see how much interest comes from other investors.”


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If you’re a fan of tactical RPG’s (a style of play made more relevant to the laymen and casual gamers thanks to the recent release of Fire Emblem Heroes on mobile devices) then you’ll want to check out Disgaea 5, which is set to release this Spring from Nippon Ichi on the Switch. It came out on the PS4 back in 2015, but the Switch version is subtitled “Complete,” which likely means it will come packaged with all dlc on the disc.
We’ll find out for sure, however, on February 17, as the developer has issued a press release tonight announcing a live press event. Disgaea 5 will undoubtedly be featured, but the release also hints at the Western release of RPG Maker Fes on 3DS.
You can live stream the event on their Twitch page on February 17 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET.


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Hurricane Commerce and ELI Holdings support Chinese cross-border e-commerce
Cross-border trade specialist Hurricane Commerce has joined forces with leading UK-China business organisation ELI Holdings to help Chinese companies involved in international eCommerce.
The partnership was agreed during a prestigious event in Oxford, attended in person or virtually by senior Chinese delegates from the worlds of eCommerce, logistics and government.
Martyn Noble, Chairman and CEO of Hurricane Commerce, said: “We are excited to have formed a partnership with ELI Holdings. ELI has been enabling businesses in China and the West to trade successfully for over 25 years.
“We will be working with James Wang and the ELI team to enable companies and organisations involved in Chinese eCommerce to capitalise on the many opportunities available while also successfully meeting the challenges of a fast-moving regulatory environment.”
James Wang, Chairman of ELI Holdings, said: “ELI is delighted to have agreed this important partnership with Hurricane Commerce. Together, our two companies can offer businesses the required technology, knowledge and skills to succeed in the complex world of global cross-border trade.”
In addition to the agreement between Hurricane and ELI, the two companies also launched the China Europe eCommerce and Logistics Club (CEELC). The club brings together senior leaders from both sectors to create opportunities and share best practices.
Hurricane provides businesses with a range of solutions including data enhancement, product classification, duty and tax calculation, prohibited and restricted goods screening and denied parties screening.


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Construction is heating up at the $4 billion Miami Worldcenter, with nearly two-thirds of the 300,000 square feet in the retail pipeline breaking ground. The shops and restaurants eventually will serve hundreds of residents and overnight visitors at the sprawling downtown development.
The 27-acre project along NE 1st Ave. is one of the largest mixed-use projects being built in the United States.
The developer, Miami Worldcenter Associates, said it is adding 50,000 square feet of retail space and two public parking garages to the project. It previously had started construction on close to 150,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. Plans call for an additional 100,000 square feet of retail space, though construction and leasing details have not yet been disclosed.
Worldcenter developers originally wanted to have an indoor mall anchored by Bloomingdale's and Macy's but scrapped those plans in favor of street-level experiential retail amid an industry shift brought about by online shopping.
"That's a great move," said Christos Costandinides, a market economist with CoStar Market Analytics. "That's where retail is headed, toward the experience. If you're trying to create a classic mall, you will have a problem."
Caoba, a 444-unit apartment tower, opened in January, while Luma, a 434-unit rental, has broken ground. The 60-story Paramount condo, with about 85% of the 569 units pre-sold, is due to be complete in June, the project developer said.
The amount of retail already underway at Worldcenter “reflects the strong feedback we’ve received from brands from around the world and across South Florida,” Nitin Motwani, general partner for the developer, said in a statement.
No tenants have been announced, but leasing agent Michael Comras told CoStar News last month that the project likely will have a movie theater, experiential retailers and “clubstaurants,” establishments that are restaurants during the day and clubs at night.
Miami retail vacancies have increased in recent years due to the level of construction in the market, according to the latest report from CoStar Market Analytics. Development is projected to stay elevated in the next few years, potentially causing the vacancy rate to eclipse the historical average.
Aside from the remaining 100,000 square feet of retail, Worldcenter is expected to have an office tower of up to 500,000 square feet, a 348-room CitizenM hotel and a 1,700-room Marriott Marquis hotel and expo center. Some of those projects are due to be finished by the end of 2020, but completion dates for the planned office building and the Marriott Marquis have not yet been announced.
PAUL OWERS, Co-Star
Read more here: www.costar.com/


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Global Speech Analytics Market to Reach $4.1 Billion by 2027
Global Industry Analysts estimated the global market for speech analytics at $1.3 billion in 2020 and expects it to reach $4.1 billion by 2027, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.9 percent.
Of that amount, the U.S. market was valued at $380.5 million in 2020. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecasted to reach a market size of $701.5 million by 2027, showing a CAGR of 17.2 percent. Japan and Canada are forecasted to grow at 16 percent and 15.4 percent respectively through 2027. Within Europe, Germany is forecasted to see a 13.1 percent CAGR.
Among the major players identified in the report are Almawave, Avaya, Calabrio, CallMiner, Clarabridge, Genesys, Hewlett Packard, NICE, Verint Systems, Voci Technologies, and ZOOM.
Companies and Suppliers Mentioned


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A Leicestershire company which sold children's toys containing toxins above the legal safe level has been fined £16,500.
Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards officers conducted a test purchase operation and found a plastic doll contained 70 times the legal level of phthalates and a bow and arrow set was 33 times over.
The doll was bought at a 99p store in Loughborough.
At court, the company admitted to two charges of failing to comply with legal regulations and received a fine of £10,000 in total.
More top news
A new app will allow users to see what Coventry Cathedral would have looked like, had it not been bombed during the Second World War.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service have released a fire safety warning ahead of Diwali.
Police have issued guidelines for trick or treaters as well as vulnerable residents about how to approach Halloween and 'trick or treating'.


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The Fiat brand will be focused around the 500 and its 500X and 500L derivatives for the foreseeable future and may anchor itself outside of Europe as it looks to grow, according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Reflecting at the Geneva motor show on the brand’s poor sales and fall to a market share of less than 5% in Europe, Marchionne said: “We can't be emotional. I know Fiat has 100 years of heritage and so on, but the truth is that its relevance has shrunk.
“We've had to make space for other brands to grow, and that has taken a lot of resources. Building Jeep as an SUV brand in Europe has required investment and chasing the attractive margins that Alfa Romeo and Maserati could deliver has taken time and resources; these things have been our focus in Europe.
“We need to be careful that we don’t switch our focus to chasing the mass market in Europe at the expense of potentially higher-margin businesses.
“We are lucky to have the Fiat 500 family, which we have extended, and you will see in our future plans that these models will be the focus of our efforts in Europe.
"The Fiat Panda family also continues to be interesting.
“But the Fiat Tipo - notwithstanding its sales success and the value that brings - I am less encouraged by, because that sector of the market is very crowded and not very profitable. It may have been a part of the market where Fiat traditionally stood, but perhaps we need to move on. I can even see that Latin America could be more relevant than Europe for the brand.”


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U.S. dairy exports are currently valued at $6 billion and the country is the world’s leading exporter of skim milk powder, cheese, whey, and lactose products. USDA Photo Courtesy of Scott Bauer.
Every June, USDA joins the rest of the country to celebrate Dairy Month. It is a time to thank our nation’s dairy producers and processors for their tireless work to produce quality dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Here at USDA, besides getting our fill of our favorite dairy products, we celebrate our nation’s dairy industry every day by finding new markets where people can enjoy their products. This often entails working with other countries’ governments to negotiate export and import requirements as well as helping businesses meet these requirements.
Our nation’s dairy exporters reach new markets with the help of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Export certificates are often the critical piece in the trade puzzle. On this front, AMS offers certificates for more than 80% of the countries that accept U.S. dairy exports. Our Dairy Programs can verify that businesses’ dairy products meet export requirements. The AMS Dairy Grading Branch provides export certificates for products or conditions for which they have documentation for or from plants they inspect. Read more »
Farming has always been a backbone of West Virginia. Check back next Thursday for another spotlight from the 2012 Census of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture.
West Virginia’s climate and topography earned our state the Mountain State nickname. Our rugged mountains also ensure our agricultural community remains extremely diverse. Since West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, farms have been the backbone of the state. According to the first agricultural census, conducted in West Virginia in 1870, there were 39,778 farms with 8,528,394 acres in production, with an average farm size of 214 acres. In the 2012 Census of Agriculture there were 21,480 farms in West Virginia with 3,606,674 acres in production, with an average farm size of 209 acres.
Unlike in many other states, West Virginia’s small farms (those farms selling less than $250,000 in agricultural products) account for nearly 29 percent of total farm sales in 2012, contrasting the US average of 11.1 percent. An even more telling statistic is that nearly half of sales of agricultural products were from farms selling less than $1,000,000, compared to the U.S. average of 33.6 percent. West Virginia has one of the highest ratios of small farms to total number of farms based on the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Read more »
A monarch butterfly, a honey bee and an alfalfa leafcutter bee gather nectar from a showy milkweed. Photo by John Anderson of Hedgerow Farms.
Every year, millions of tourists fly from central Mexico into the United States, first stopping in the deep American South and then continuing northward even into parts of southern Canada. How all of this is done without passports, customs agents or airplanes?
This is the annual journey made by monarch butterflies, one of the best-known and most beloved butterflies in North America.
The fact that the annual migration of these distinctive black and orange butterflies spans three countries and thousands of miles makes it an important and prolific pollinator over this large area. Read more »
Second Harvest holds ribbon cutting ceremony for a new 65,000 square-foot regional distribution center in Thomasville, Georgia.
Across the country, food banks are committed to providing healthy food for those in need. Food banks also have a vested interest in building stronger local economies and creating additional opportunities for the communities they serve.
There are currently more than 200 food banks in the country, with more than 63,000 affiliated agencies like (food pantries and shelters). This network distributes more than 2.5 billion pounds of food to needy Americans each year.
Strategic integration of local foods into a food bank’s operation is one way to create economic opportunities for farmers and provide fresh food to families and children. This is especially important in rural areas, which have rich agricultural assets but tend to experience higher poverty rates than metropolitan areas. Read more »
FAS Administrator Phil Karsting visits the USA pavilion at SIAL China 2014.
It seemed as though the entire world was in Shanghai in mid-May, celebrating World Trade Week at SIAL China, Asia’s largest food and beverage trade show. The booming, bustling city was the perfect place for a show of its magnitude, where 99 U.S. companies and organizations showcased their products to the main players from China’s food and hospitality sectors.
The USA Pavilion was the largest international venue at the event and, of the U.S. companies exhibiting there, over half (54) were small or medium-sized businesses, 23 were new to the Chinese market, 16 were minority-owned and nine were completely new to exporting. Read more »
Loveless uses smoke to calm the bees when he opens the boxes for inspection. Smoking the bees allows the beekeeper to work in the hive while the colony's defensive response is interrupted.
This post is part of a disaster assistance program feature series on the USDA blog. Check back every Wednesday as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
Larry Loveless of Gillespie, Ill., works full-time at a factory by day, but spends his evenings and free time beekeeping.
The harsh winter of 2013 brought devastating losses to many livestock producers, including beekeepers. Loveless lost more than half of his colonies due to several days of sub-zero temperatures. He started with 20 colonies and was down to only seven by the end of the winter.
“I’ve lost a few colonies here and there, but I’ve never experienced this horrific of a loss,” said Loveless, whose hives were already at a disadvantage because of last year’s drought. Read more »


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Up to $132.75 in coupons in Sunday's RGJUp to $132.75 in coupons in Sunday's RGJYour weekly savings.
Here are the 5 best Amazon deals right nowHere are the 5 best Amazon deals right nowDon't dread hump day. Just shop instead.
Nordstrom ends buyout talks with founder's familyNordstrom ends buyout talks with founder's familyDepartment store operator Nordstrom ended buyout talks with family members of the company's founder, saying Tuesday it couldn't get the group to raise its price.
Take a look at the massive Shoppes at BelmontTake a look at the massive Shoppes at BelmontSince January, the massive shopping complex off of Route 30 has begun to open stores. Here's when everything is scheduled to open.
City gives marketplace more time to meet TIF asksCity gives marketplace more time to meet TIF asksOwners of the marketplace have exceeded investment and valuation requirements, but did not meet others as of the original Nov. 1, 2017 deadline.
Man convicted of punching online nemesis at mallMan convicted of punching online nemesis at mallThey'd never met in person, but got into an online argument before the incident.
Memphis Council eyes 7-cent plastic bag taxMemphis Council eyes 7-cent plastic bag taxThe Memphis City Council could charge grocery store customers a 7-cent tax for using plastic shopping bags.
You can soon ship a FedEx package from WalmartYou can soon ship a FedEx package from WalmartFedEx will open 500 FedEx office locations in Walmarts across the country over the next two years. The news comes after Amazon's plans to test its own delivery service surfaced.
Start spring right with a new charcoal grill at an incredible priceStart spring right with a new charcoal grill at an incredible priceCan you hear the sizzle?
These are the 5 best Amazon deals for the first day of springThese are the 5 best Amazon deals for the first day of springSay hello to better weather with a new charcoal grill, a water resistant speaker, one of the best chef's knives, and other great deals from Amazon.
San Francisco considers ban on fur salesSan Francisco considers ban on fur salesSan Francisco could become the largest U.S. city to ban the sale of fur, a move that would hearten animal lovers but frustrate niche business owners who say they are fed up with city officials dictating what retailers can or can't sell.
Walmart battles Amazon to deliver groceries to your doorWalmart battles Amazon to deliver groceries to your doorInstead of browsing the aisles, you’ll be able to shop for your groceries online and Walmart will deliver them right to your door the same day in as little as three hours. Buzz60's Sean Dowling has more.


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US business travel spending growth slowed during the tail end of 2012 due to political and economic uncertainty, but 2013 spending should see modest growth, according to a new report.
The Global Business Travel Association's outlook forecasts US business travel to rise 4.6 percent in 2013 to $266.7 billion, fueled by growth in international outbound travel and group travel for meetings and events.
"While companies will approach the first half of the year with some caution, pent-up demand to get back on the road should hopefully fuel accelerating growth in business travel spending through the end of 2013," said Michael W. McCormick, the association's executive director, in a release.
Among the key growth drivers for travel in 2013:
- International travel spending is projected to rise 5.9 percent
- Group travel spending is forecast to gain 5.2 percent
US business travel spending for 2012 is estimated at $254.9 billion, according to the report sponsored by Visa. The spending increase was mainly due to the rising cost of airfares, car rentals and other travel services.
The full report is available by clicking here.
More from our partner, CNBC:


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A new WebKit-based browser for BlackBerry devices was demonstrated at Mobile World Congress in Spain. You will see in the video below this is going to be sweet. No exact release date has been offered up by RIM but lets hope it is sooner than later.
I guess the acquisition of Torch Mobile by RIM a while back has paid off with this new browser. The upcoming release of Flash Capabilities for BlackBerry devices that we covered back in November appear to be part of this browser as well.
Source: (Inside BlackBerry)


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Education News Archive - November 28, 2011
LifeStorage's Chicagoland locations are acting as drop-off locations for the nationally renowned Toys for Tots charity. Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 28,
Booneville, MS Resident and Long-time 10K Member Wins Dream Golf Trip Through SweepstakesToday.com (PRWEB) November 28, 2011 Ken Pugh, resident of Boonville,
The Wood Library-Museum Of Anesthesiology (WLM) Has Embarked On A Digitization Project That Will Bring Its Extensive Collection Of Rare Books, Multimedia Materials, And Artifacts To People Around
Located at South Beach's Murano at Portofino, this townhome offers 2,786 sf of living space on three levels, with direct access to the Miami Beach marina. Miami
The Fruit Production Magazine Pomology.org has newly included the category Orange to its collection of crops.
Home Health agencies nationwide have rated Axxessâ€™ Agencycore the best home health software.
The Mesothelioma Victims Center is urging individuals, who have been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer called mesothelioma, or their family members to take advantage of their Mesothelioma
Bride extremely happy to have lost 55 pounds with the Virtual Lap Bandâ„¢ Hypnosis.
The US Drug Watchdog says, "We want to hear from every recipient of a ASR DePuy hip implant, out of fear their device has not yet failed, or it has started to fail, or victims may not know
Everlast Composite Siding has rolled out a brand new photo gallery on their website that allows customers to better view siding choices online. Boston, Massachusetts
- An uxorious, effeminate, or spiritless man.
- A timorous, cowardly fellow.


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Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Rogers delays some Android Jelly Bean upgrades
Rogers has once again updated its OS Upgrades Schedule found on its Community Forums. All devices on the list are scheduled to receive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean but ETAs for many have slipped a bit.
The Motorola RAZR HD is now slated for its update in early February (from late January). It will be followed by the Sony Xperia T (LT30a) in mid-February. Bringing up the rear are the the Samsung Galaxy S II (SGH-I727R) and Galaxy Note (SGH-I717R) with late February ETAs.
On a more positive note and just in case you have missed them somehow, the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X updates are now available.
Rogers does warn “release dates are subject to change.” There could be more changes so you will have to hang on (patiently) a bit longer. If nothing else, kudos to Rogers for updating the timelines regularly.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Samsung Galaxy S sales top 100 million units
Samsung today announced that cumulative global channel sales of its Galaxy S series devices have now topped 100 million units. The series is made up of the original Samsung Galaxy S which launched in June 2010 as well as its successors, the Galaxy S II and current flagship, the Galaxy S III.
The original Samsung Galaxy S has now shipped over 24 million units to global channels. Its successor, the Samsung Galaxy S II, has now topped shipments of 40 million units. The Samsung Galaxy S III has now passed the mark of 40 million unit channel sales, or average daily sales of 190,000 units.
The company named the Galaxy S II as the “driving force behind Samsung Electronics’ rise to the top on the global smartphone market.”
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Rogers updates Android Jelly Bean upgrade schedule
Rogers has updated its OS Upgrades Schedule posted on its Community Forums. All devices on the list are scheduled to receive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in the near future but it’s a mix of bad and good news.
Let’s start with the bad news: Upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy Note (SGH-I717R) and Samsung Galaxy S II LTE (SGH-I727R) have slipped to “Early January” and “Late January” respectively from an earlier “Late December” ETA.
And now the good news: Three devices have been added to the list: The Motorola Razr HD, the Sony Xperia T, and the HTC One X. All three are currently scheduled for “Late January” updates.
As Rogers warns, “release dates are subject to change.”
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Rogers provides ETAs for Samsung Galaxy S III and Note Jelly Bean upgrades
Samsung Canada has already promised that the Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note will be upgraded to Android 4.1 before the holidays. Rogers is now providing a better estimate as to when the updates will roll out through its Community Forums. The current schedule is as follows:
Samsung Galaxy S III (SGH-I747M) – Late November
Samsung Galaxy Note (SGH-I717R) – Late December
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE (SGH-I727R) – Late December
As usual with upgrade schedules, Rogers warns that “release dates are subject to change.”
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Some Samsung Galaxy devices vulnerable to malicious HTML hack (Updated)
Potentially bad news for Samsung device owners today. A number of Samsung Galaxy devices running Samsung’s TouchWiz UI have been found to be vulnerable to a malicious hack that could wipe them clean. The exploit occurs when a website runs a USSD code (essentially a dialer code) via the browser to trigger the full factory reset. It can also be triggered with a QR code or by NFC. Among the devices that are affected are the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Beam, and Galaxy Ace.
The exploit was demonstrated by Ravi Borgaonkar, a researcher at the Technical University Berlin, at the Ekoparty security conference last week:
The Samsung Galaxy S III is also among the vulnerable devices but some units have been shown not to be affected. It appears that a recent update has removed the vulnerability. For example, the unlocked international version does not reset when the exploit is run on it. A fix is also reportedly included in the Android 4.1 upgrade that has now begun to be rolled out.
It also appears that the exploit does not work in the Chrome browser, suggesting it could be limited to the stock browser.
One thing is clear: The vulnerability is out there but Samsung appears to be on the case already and busy releasing updates to patch it. Let’s hope that it moves quickly to patch all affected devices and not just its more recent models.
Update: Samsung has issued a statement in regards to this issue:
“We would like to assure our customers that the recent security issue concerning the GALAXY S III has already been resolved through a software update. We recommend all GALAXY S III customers to download the latest software update, which can be done quickly and easily via the Over-The-Air (OTA) service.”
Samsung is also working on a patch for the Galaxy S II but it has yet to issue a statement on the situation for other devices.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Rumour: Android 4.1 updates coming to Samsung Galaxy S II, S III, Note and Note 2
Samsung will reportedly update a number of its higher-end devices (both older and new) to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean by the end of the year. According to SamMobile, updates will begin this quarter and stretch into the fourth quarter.
The Galaxy S III will be first device to be updated. Since the first reports in July, Samsung has apparently succesfully tested test versions of the new firmware and is now readying the public version. Once completed, it will require Google approval for the deployment to begin. Samsung expects this to happen sometime in Q3.
Updates for both the Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note are expected to follow in Q4. Testing is currently underway and going well. Should further testing not go as well though, Samsung could still cancel the update and instead issue a “value pack” update.
As for the upcoming Galaxy Note 2 (likely to be announced on August 29th), it remains to be seen whether it will ship with Android 4.0 or 4.1. Testing was done with 4.0 so it may well ship with this version with an update to then follow “a couple of months after.”
Samsung for its part has not confirmed its Android 4.1 plans beyond saying that it would “soon” provide an update on which devices it plans to update.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Rumour: Samsung readying Android 4.1 update for Galaxy S III
Samsung is already testing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S III according to SamMobile sources. Testing appears to be going well with Samsung being “almost ready” to provide an update to customers. No date is confirmed but an August or September time frame appears likely.
The report adds that Samsung has also begun to test Android 4.1 on the Galaxy S II. An update could well be in the cards if further testing goes smoothly. The success that Samsung has had with the Galaxy S II may well play a factor in the company’s decision to offer the update as well.
Other devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Note, could also see updates in the future.
For its part, Samsung has yet to make any announcement about Android 4.1 Jelly Bean updates for any of its devices.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Samsung sells 50 million Galaxy S and S II and 7 million Galaxy Notes
On the heels of the launch of the Galaxy S III (available in Canada on June 20th), Samsung today announced that its predecessors, the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II, have together topped sales of 50 million units. The original Galaxy S, available since June 2010, has now sold some 24 million units. Its follow-up, the Galaxy S II has sold 28 million units in 13 months, making it Samsung’s fastest selling device to reach this milestone. Since Samsung’s last sales announcement in February it added an additional 8 million sales.
The Samsung Galaxy S III could well top these impressive numbers. Samsung announced about two weeks ago that pre-orders for its latest Galaxy flagship had topped 9 million.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note phablet also continues to do well. It has now sold over 7 million devices in the 7 months it has been available. It was only two months ago that the Note topped sales of 5 million units.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Samsung Galaxy S II Android 4.0 upgrades start rolling out today
Samsung today announced via Twitter that it has begun to push out Android 4.0 updates to its Galaxy S II smartphones. The rollout began in a number of European countries and Korea with other markets to follow:
#ICS for #GALAXYSII will be available today in Europe including Poland, Hungary, Sweden, & Korea, & gradually roll out to other markets.
Pocket-Lint has also learned that the UK deployment will begin the week of March 19th. Specific availability will depend on “each network’s own software approvals process.”
There are no dates yet for Canada and the U.S. According to a leaked document seen last year, Bell Mobility will deploy its Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy S II in the April timeframe. Certainly sounds plausible…
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Android 4.0 upgrades for Samsung Galaxy S II coming March 10th? (Updated)
It appears that Samsung is getting close to releasing its Android 4.0 update for its Galaxy S II (model GT-I9100). The Samsung Philippines site today announced that the update will be available starting March 10th. The same News Alert does not show up in all other countries though. For example, there is no mention of the update on the Samsung Canada site.
In an accompanying FAQ, Samsung lists the following changes:
Addition of Face Unlock and Android Beam
Addition of Mobile Network Data usage function
Improved multi-tasking and general application usability
Adobe Flash and Bluetooth 3.0 HS no longer supported (Bluetooth 3.0 will still be supported)
Samsung warns that homescreen layouts and some application settings may be lost due to the upgrade.
The FAQ also indicates that the upgrade will be available over FOTA (requiring at least 350MB of free device memory) or through KIES 2.0 (requiring at least 60MB of free device memory).
Assuming that the date is accurate, it is unlikely that all versions of the Galaxy S II will be updated on March 10th. For example, carrier-specific versions are likely to receive updates only after they have undergone carrier testing and certification.
Update: That March 10th date was too good to be true. Samsung confirmed via Twitter that the date posted by its Philippines website was a mistake. There is no confirmed date yet and Samsung reiterated that it will announce it announce via Twitter when it is set.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Samsung Galaxy S II tops sales of 20 million in 10 months
Samsung today announced that its Galaxy S II (model GT-I9100) has topped sales of 20 million units into global channels since its launch less than a year ago. According to JK Shin, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business:
“Since its launch in late April 2011, the Galaxy S II has seen tremendous growth reflecting its tremendous popularity with customers around the world. We are thrilled that 20 million customers around the world has [sic] enjoyed the smart life Galaxy S II has brought us. We will continue to introduce products to satisfy our customers’ high expectation.”
Samsung will launch the Galaxy S II’s successor, the Galaxy S III, sometime after next week’s Mobile World Congress but still within the first half of the year.
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Latest Samsung ad: “We just got Samsunged”
Samsung is at it again! It has released a new ad, called “Samsunged” which takes aim at Apple and its die-hard customers. This time, the ad highlights turn-by-turn navigation which requires a third-party app on the iPhone but is standard on its Samsung Galaxy S II (and other Android smartphones).
Is the verb “samsunged” about to enter our vernacular?
Posted by Jerome SkalnikComments Off on Samsung announces Galaxy device Android 4.0 update plans
Samsung has already committed to updating its Galaxy S II lineup to Android 4.0 but missing so far was a timeline. It today announced a longer list of devices that will be upgraded and gave the first clues as to when users can expect to see Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on their devices.
Updates will start with the GALAXY S II and GALAXY Note in Q1 2012. Other Galaxy devices will follow afterwards. The following are now confirmed: the GALAXY S II LTE, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 10.1, GALAXY Tab 8.9, GALAXY Tab 7.7, and GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus.
Samsung will make further announcements on the updates “according to market situation and carriers’ requirements.”


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Mitsuteru Tanigawa is the new CEO of Falken Tyre Europe
Mitsuteru Tanigawa has been appointed as Falken Tyre Europe’s new CEO. Joined Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) in 1980, Tanigawa has expertise in the rubber industry, especially in tyres. Earlier, he was director of SRI’s Indonesian tyre manufacturing as well as leading the sales activities in China. Falken Tire is a brand of passenger car, light truck, and medium truck tires owned by the Japanese company Sumitomo Rubber Industries.
Tanigawa will lead Falken’s expanding European operations from its headquarters outside Frankfurt. He will oversee the expansion of Falken’s distribution network and growth in OE business for the Falken brand.
Since 2012, Tanigawa has worked for SRI’s Sports division that develops and manufactures sporting goods such as golf clubs and tennis racquets. He was mainly responsible for the golf brands XXIO and SRIXON, leading to a deep passion for the sport. In March 2017, Tanigawa was appointed managing executive officer.
Falken is still a young brand. Thanks to the efforts of the dynamic team in Europe, it has become an established and trusted brand for consumers and the automobile industry. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with my colleagues in Europe and continuing to expand Falken’s presence in the region,” said Tanigawa.


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New Langen production facility is planned to produce up to 600 MWh of batteries per year, for use mainly in e-buses
AKASOL has opened a new semi-automated production facility for high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for commercial vehicles, investing €10 million into the new commercial plant at Langen.
From November, AKASOL will begin serial production at the facility, which is now the largest production line for commercial vehicle battery systems in Europe. With a capacity of 600 MWh, the plant can produce high-performance battery systems for up to 3,000 hybrid or electric vehicles or other large commercial vehicles each year.
The Langen plant will manufacture the company’s AKAsystem OEM for commercial vehicles, such as buses and trucks.
As recently announced, AKASOL will supply this lithium-ion system to two leading European bus manufacturers in contracts to build approximately 10,000 buses within the next few years. AKASOL won the two contracts after an extensive process ensuring the highest automotive industry safety standards.
The company says it is currently the only mass manufacturer in Europe able to offer flexible solutions for battery sizes and chemistry while fulfilling all industry reliability and safety requirements.
In October the manufacturer announced that two well-known European bus manufacturers will be using its AKASYSTEM OEM battery technology in Germany form next year, with plans to equip around 10,000 e-buses over the next few years.
The new site will be capable of supplying between 1,000 (300 kWh) and 1,500 (200 kWh) electric buses can be equipped each year.
AKASOL currently also supplies technology and consulting to leading companies including VDL Bus & Coach, Alexander Dennis, Alstom, Bombardier and Bucher Municipal.


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Rumor has it that, although Facebook is working on a native BlackBerry 10 Facebook client, the company has no plans to release Instagram for BlackBerry 10. Instagram is the popular photo sharing mobile app recently acquired by Facebook which boasts over 100 million users.
In software company speak saying there are no plans to do something is almost identical to saying maybe in the future, however, the wait and see if BlackBerry 10 pops before we develop for it approach that Facebook is taking with Instagram could be a problem for RIM if other big name, cross platform, mobile app developers take the same approach.
RIM could find itself and a chicken or the egg situation… Developers won’t develop for BlackBerry 10 until they see that BlackBerry 10 is a hit. BlackBerry 10 struggles to become a hit because developers haven’t developed for it.
As I’ve said before, I believe that BlackBerry 10 success has more to do with application support than it does with how good the BlackBerry 10 operating system is. So long as BlackBerry 10 is competitive Android, iOS, and Windows Phone, RIM has a shot. If application support isn’t there, however, BlackBerry 10 will be dead in the water…
Lack of Instagram support alone probably isn’t enough to make or break BlackBerry 10. Let’s just hope that we don’t hear of too many other big, cross platform apps for which their developers have no plans to release on BlackBerry 10.
[ Via VentureBeat]


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Retailers, consumers and prices
Check out the latest wave of strong quarterly earnings from the consumer world.
Under Armour, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Estee Lauder, Ford Motor, Energizer Holdings and Group 1 Automotive were among the consumer-focused companies reporting stronger-than-expected profits, supporting the view that a corner has been turned in the economy.
Athletic clothing and shoe maker Under Armour posted higher-than-expected quarterly profit fueled by strong apparel and online sales, and raised its earnings outlook for the full year. The largest bottler of Coke beverages, Coca-Cola Enterprises, with growth in European markets, did the same.
Estee Lauder, the maker of Clinique, M.A.C. and other cosmetics, saw its profit more than double as women treated themselves to small luxuries such as new skin creams. It also raised its full-year outlook.
Ford posted a big profit as North American sales picked up and raised its 2010 outlook to “solidly profitable.” The U.S. automaker cited market share and pricing gains and also raised its second-quarter North American production plan.
The world’s biggest appliance maker, known for its namesake, Maytag and KitchenAid brands, was aided in the unexpected good news — analysts were expecting a loss — by its cost-cutting efforts. The company has frozen salaries, reduced its contribution to retirement plans and taken other steps to save money amid the recession.
Despite the profit, sales tumbled 23 percent in the first quarter. Whirlpool also said it now expects 2009 industry unit shipments in the United States and Europe to decline more than previously expected.


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While alarms ring about debt in Canada, changes in the way Canadians finance their car purchases are fuelling a debate about whether the auto loan business needs to be restructured.
Loans that drivers are taking out to buy new vehicles are growing much faster than inflation and gross domestic product, jumping 13 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from a year earlier. The Bank of Canada raised a caution flag last December about auto debt generally, and fretted that the terms of loans might be growing too long.
That concern stems from a drastic change in how drivers finance car purchases. Before the 2008-09 recession, leasing represented nearly half the new vehicle financing market in Canada.
When the credit crunch wiped out leasing, lenders moved in with loans as long as eight years – including interest-free offerings – to address the No. 1 concern among most car buyers, which is to keep monthly payments as low as possible.
But the fear raised by the central bank and shared by some bankers, auto industry executives and even some dealers is that things have gotten out of hand.
“We’re now starting to recognize that longer-term loans are not good for the industry, it’s not good for the consumer and it’s not good for anyone,” Ray O’Kane, managing director and head of national dealer finance for Bank of Montreal said in an interview. “An awful lot of customers that have a really good credit rating in my mind are making ill-informed or poorly informed financial decisions.”
Auto debt has grown as auto makers revel in what is the best of times for the Canadian market. Vehicle sales topped a 10-year-old record in 2013, broke that record last year and were 4 per cent higher than the 2014 pace through the first four months of this year.
Loans of six years or longer are helping to fuel those sales. They accounted for 66 per cent of auto loans in April, which was down from a recent peak of 69 per cent in August, 2014, according to data compiled by consulting firm J.D. Power and Associates.
Mr. O’Kane’s worry is that even though vehicles are more durable than ever, the technology in them is changing so quickly that drivers will want to trade them in long before the term of the loan is complete and the vehicles paid off.
“Somebody has a two- or three-year-old car and their neighbour gets a new car – all of a sudden their car feels old,” he said.
But if the owner of the older car is only two years into paying off a seven-year loan, he could find the amount remaining on the loan is more than the car he’s trading in is worth.
Mr. O’Kane believes dealers and lenders should make sure consumers are aware that a five-year loan will cost less than an eight-year loan even though the monthly payments are higher on shorter-term financing.
“If after three to four years you get disillusioned with the car, you have built up some equity and you can turn it,” he noted. “The problem I’m having is we’re not having these conversations with the consumers.”
Industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers is a firm believer that concerns about auto debt and long-term loans are overblown. If drivers plan to hang on to their vehicles for six, seven or eight years, there’s nothing wrong with financing them over those same periods, Mr. DesRosiers said.
“What the vehicle companies worry about is longer amortizations lead to longer ownership cycles,” he said. “I think it’s the exact opposite. Because we have a longer ownership cycle, we have longer amortizations.”
He noted that leasing has bounced back from the low levels it hit during the recession to about 25 per cent of the market.
The return of leasing helps, Mr. O’Kane said, but he added that consumers need to realize that a lease is effectively a long-term rental, they can be liable for wear and tear and are subject to penalties if they exceed the annual kilometre limits.
Consumers need to be as well-educated on what he calls the “back end” of a car purchase as they are when they walk into a dealership fully armed with knowledge about the features of the vehicles on display, he said.
“I’ve asked my team here to talk about how we can talk to the dealers, but we’re leaving it up to them to have that conservation [with buyers],” he said.
There’s no doubt that people taking out auto loans or any kind of debt need to live within their means, said Jeff Schwartz, executive director of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada Inc.
“As consumers, we have to be fiscally responsible,” Mr. Schwartz said. “We have to look and say, ‘what can we truly afford?’ Just because somebody is willing to give it to us doesn’t necessarily mean we can afford it.”
Brian Moynihan found that out the hard way. Through a series of trade-ins, the 61-year-old Vancouver retiree found himself owing $43,000 last year on a pickup truck. Then his pension was cut and his income fell from $4,000 a month to $3,100.
He was paying $580 a month on the truck plus insurance, so he gave it up and now he doesn’t own a vehicle. He is in the process of moving in with a friend to reduce his rent and help pay off other debts.
“I should not be in the position I’m in, but I am,” he said. “That’s my doing.”
The pension didn’t help, he acknowledged, but he plans to be debt-free in a couple of years.


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CHICAGO, May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com™ (NYSE: CARS) announced today the appointment of Fred Lee as its new senior vice president of technology. Lee will lead the end-to-end product engineering function, including data engineering, platform engineering, consumer/buyer portfolio, partner/seller portfolio and native mobile applications. He is responsible for driving the technical strategy, cultivating continuous innovation, delivering the architecture and infrastructure to support a more personalized user experience for consumers and advertisers and nurturing the company's Lean-Agile engineering culture.
Tony Zolla, chief product officer at Cars.com, said: "We are excited to welcome Fred as part of the Cars' leadership team. For 20 years Cars.com has been a digital trailblazer, delivering an online marketplace for car shoppers to research and connect with local auto retailers across the country while driving the industry forward. Fred's deep technical and architectural experience perfectly blends with his ability to transform technology platforms and accelerate growth."
Prior to joining Cars.com, Lee served as the chief technology officer (CTO) of Gamut.com, a funded startup within Grainger, where he spent a year as the company's vice president of digital architecture. He was responsible for engineering and technology functions, including front-end, API, platform, infrastructure, tech operations and data. He also developed the ERP, order fulfillment and CRM for an MRO e-commerce site with more than 400,000 products. From March 2014 to August 2016, Lee was the CTO of Belly, a VC-funded startup, where he led strategy and execution of the company's product, design, mobile and technology roadmaps. Prior to Belly, Lee was the chief information officer (CIO) of Enova, a financial services technology company, where he scaled the technology team from 100 to 225 employees, managed five data centers and launched eight products in six countries.
"It is an exciting time for Cars.com, and it is a privilege to be a part of the company's next chapter," said Lee. "When I first considered the role, I was blown away by the quality and caliber of the team – all top notch. I look forward to learning from them and contributing to Cars' growth as we scale its world-class technology organization."
Cars.com™ is a leading two-sided digital automotive marketplace that creates meaningful connections between buyers and sellers. Launched in 1998 and headquartered in Chicago, the company empowers consumers with resources and information to make informed buying decisions around The 4Ps of Automotive Marketing™: Product, Price, Place and Person, by connecting advertising partners with in-market car shoppers and providing data-driven intelligence to increase inventory turn and gain market share. A pioneer in online automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting thousands of local dealers across the country with millions of consumers. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile features and intelligence, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of pricing and research tools, and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com is transforming the car shopping experience.
SOURCE Cars.com, Inc.


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29th november, 2011.
My Southern Highlands Launched
Wisdom are proud to launch the new and exciting My Southern Highlands campaign for Tourism Southern Highlands. The campaign includes a new logo and branding with the tag line "Our Badge of Pride". The campaign includes a discount coupon booklet, and a new website featuring online coupons and specials. The new campaign also features an interactive competition calling on locals and visitors to submit "their Southern Highlands story" by submitting images and You Tube videos. Others are then called on to "vote" for their favourite story and also have an opportunity to win a prize. The website features full interactive social media with the ability to share coupons, stories and merchandise pages via Facebook, Twitter, Google +, email and other means.


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A new video released by the developers of Rogue Company reveals that game’s next crossover event will feature some characters from The Walking Dead. Rogue Crompany is a free-to-play hero shooter, comparable in parts to games like Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch 2. The game officially came out of beta earlier this year and has increased its roster of playable characters from the initial 11 characters since its initial beta launch in November 2020. Now, a new crossover event will see some of the most iconic characters from the popular Walking Dead series enter the tactical shooter’s arenas.
With its free-to-play model, Rogue Company has routinely added new content to expand the game, which have included new characters to play as, referred to as Rogues, in the game. This isn’t the first crossover event for the game either; a previous Rogue Company update added Rambo as a playable character. This new crossover event will also feature more than one costume for the Walking Dead characters.
In a new video posted to YouTube by the official Rogue Company account, the details regarding the characters in the crossover emerge. The new crossover event will happen on October 18. Three of the most popular characters from The Walking Dead will act as skins to replace existing Rogues in the game. Rick Grimes will be a skin for Dallas, Michonne will be a skin for Lancer, and Negan will be a skin for Dima. All three of these crossover characters will also have two different outfits, with their alternate outfit being referred to as the character’s “classic” look. All of the designs for The Walking Dead characters are based off their comic book appearances, not their appearances from the TV show. While these characters are cosmetic-only and won’t change the way the game is played, unlike the character Mack being added into Rogue Company during its second season, it is still a fun way to add new content to the game.
Crossover events can bring an entire new audience to a game, or at least get new players to try the game. Some of the games with the biggest crossover events are other free-to-play titles, like Fortnite crossing over with Dragon Ball Z, and there are some normally priced games that also have crossovers with popular franchises, like Dead By Daylight featuring horror icons like Freddy Krueger, Ghostface, and Michael Myers.
With the game finally out of beta this year and with it consistently adding new updates and content, like the Rogue Company Arms Dealer Event, this could be yet another step towards making Rogue Company more popular. With the official release of this horror crossover event coming just in time for Halloween, it might be the time for a lot of new players to try this free-to-play hero shooter.
Rogue Company is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: Rogue Company: The Best Rogues For Beginners, Ranked


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Building on the success of its inaugural startup competition and digital innovation held in October 2016, the Digital Africa Challenge is now calling for application to the second edition.
The first edition saw some 500 applications from startups from across the African continent, and the top 10 walked home with awards. Digital Africa Challenge is calling for another cohort of startup to apply for the 2017 and second leg of the competition.
This challenge was initiated and is being backed by the Agence Française de Development, La French Tech, and Bpifrance who say they are committed to seeing the top startups mature and solidify their presence in the digital space. While at it, they aim to ensure the startup scale their products or services for economic growth. The AFD Executive Director, Rémy Rioux, said the following on the Digital Africa Challenge:
“Digital innovation is abundant in Africa. Africans are making a technological leap that accelerates the emergence of the continent. Through Digital Africa, AFD supports emblematic startups of the digital African ecosystems, and fulfills its mission of development in the service of education and innovation, in the digital age. Development is now moving in both directions, between the two shores of the Mediterranean.”
His counterpart, Nicolas Dufourcq, the Bpifrance Executive Director added: “We are proud to participate in the Digital Africa challenge and to support 5 French startups in their development on the African continent which nowadays offers great opportunities. This challenge represents a straight continuation of our action for the internalization of enterprises and their cooperation with the African continent.”
Digital Africa Challenge goodies for participating startups
Startups that successfully apply for this second leg of the competition will have benefits including:
Ø Startups that emerge winners of this competition will profit from the free publicity to a crowd made up of international investors, clients, and partners.
Ø They will join an exclusive community that gathers the top talents in digital innovation across Africa, who jointly share their experiences and skills to better the Africa digital space.
Ø The top 5 startups will get AFD’s acceleration pack, technical, and financial support to the tune of 30,000 euros.
Awards for the top 5 French Startups
Participating French startups that emerge top 5 will get Bpifrance funding to the tune of 10,000 euros. This fund will go towards strengthening their expertise and developing new digital opportunities for the continent of Africa.
Additionally, they will also get access to Bpifrance Université training, networks, and go on a discovery trip to Cape Town and Abidjan accompanied by the French entrepreneur’s community in the French Tech Hubs.
Qualification for considerations
Startups wishing to participate in the 2017 Digital Africa Challenge, you must meet the following minimum threshold requirements:
Ø Territory – urban challenge, smart city, and rural transformation, etc.
Ø Knowledge and creativity – education, cultural industries, creative, and formation, etc.
Ø Environment and climate – green technology, sustainable transportation, renewable energies, blue economy, clean technology
Ø The relevance of the solutions proposed; their sustainability, feasibility, and impact.
Pre-selected startups will be reviewed by the AFD and Bpifrance experts. They will next proceed for the final selection by a jury made up of experts from the technology and entrepreneurship space in Africa. Members of the jury include:
Ø Erick Young – CEO, Greentech Capital Partners
Ø Emeka Okofore – TED Global, for Africa
Ø Tidjane Deme – General Partner of Partech Venture
Ø Pauline Mujawamariya – Director of the Innovation Prize for Africa; African Innovation Foundation
Ø Aissatou Sow – Director of Development in Africa, Intel Corporation
Interested startups from across Africa are hereby invited to apply for the Digital Africa Challenge at this link before the October 22nd, 2017 deadline.


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Del Monte gifts banana and pineapple scented wrapping paper
Del Monte Fresh Produce is providing its consumers with a limited-time offer this holiday season - banana and pineapple scented wrapping paper.
In December, the North American produce marketer and distributor is giving away the holiday-themed paper which is scented to resemble the smell of the company’s two most popular products.
The paper’s design features “colorful and festive nondenominational graphics from Fresh Del Monte Fresh, inspired by each fruit product’s new holiday tag and sticker design”.
According to Pablo Rivero, vice president of marketing for Del Monte, the wrapping paper is a way to provide a cheerful element to this year's celebrations.
“We know the holiday season will be a bit different for many this year,” he said. “So we are excited to offer a way for our consumers to brighten up their Decembers with this fun, interactive scented wrapping paper. We think of our consumers like family, and being a part of their holiday traditions is something we’ve always been proud of. Helping them wrap their gifts to match their favorite fruits this year is the cherry on top for our brand. "
Those interested in taking advantage of the offer are instructed to send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org to claim their sheets. Only U.S residents are eligible for the offer as U.S. based home address will be needed for shipping.
Additionally, as there is a limited amount of wrapping paper available, it will only be available while supplies last, operating on a first-come, first-served basis.
Holiday-inspired Fresh Del Monte tags and stickers, which have been updated for the season, will also be available to consumers during the holiday season.


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Private equity firm KKR is in advanced talks to buy a stake in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd., a unit of India’s largest retailer Reliance Industries Ltd., according to a Bloomberg report.
KKR & Co. (KKR) is planning to invest as much as $1.5 billion in the Reliance’s retail business led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, according to the report. The news followed Wednesday’s announcement that US-based private equity firm Silver Lake has invested about $1 billion for a 1.5% stake in Reliance Retail Ventures. Silver Lake has already invested $1.35 billion in Reliance Industries’ telecommunications and digital services unit Jio Platforms.
Recently, KKR has agreed to sell its business software company Epicor Software to Clayton Dubilier & Rice for $4.7 billion. John Park, Head of Americas Technology Private Equity at KKR said that “We are confident that CD&R will provide valuable support as the company continues these product- and customer- centric investments to accelerate growth in the cloud.” (See KKR stock analysis on TipRanks).
Following KKR’s 2Q results last month, Citigroup analyst William Katz raised the price target on the stock to $47.50 (38.7% upside potential) from $40 and maintained a Buy rating, calling the earnings call “increasingly favorable” around its “flywheel drivers and scaling footprint.” Further, he sees potential upside to current estimates saying the impacts of Global Atlantic, “nascent” retail opportunities and Asia platform expansion “reflect a degree of conservatism”.
Currently, the Street has an optimistic outlook on the stock. The Strong Buy analyst consensus is based on 9 Buys and 3 Holds. The average price target of $39.96 implies upside potential of 16.6% to current levels. Shares have gained over 17% year-to-date.


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The Union Ministry of Finance said on Thursday that the Centre will borrow Rs 1.1 lakh crore under a special window to meet the shortfall in the Goods and Services Tax compensation.
“Under the Special Window to States for meeting the GST compensation cess shortfall, the estimated shortfall of Rs 1.1 lakh crore [assuming all states join] will be borrowed by Government of India in appropriate tranches,” the finance ministry said in a press release. “The amount so borrowed will be passed on to states as a back-to-back loan in lieu of GST Compensation Cess releases.”
The ministry said that the borrowing will not have any effect on the fiscal deficit of the country. “The amount will be reflected as the capital receipts of the state governments and as part of financing of its respective fiscal deficits,” it added.
The total shortfall in collection of GST is estimated at Rs 2.35 lakh crore, Mint reported. As per the Centre’s estimates, the states’ GST revenue gap in 2020-’21 will amount to about Rs 3 lakh crore, while cess collections are only projected to reach Rs 65,000 crore, leaving a shortfall of Rs 2.35 lakh crore.
The Centre had on August 30 formally proposed two options for borrowings to meet the shortfall and given states seven days to choose one of them. The first option was to provide a special borrowing window to states, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, to provide Rs 97,000 crore at a reasonable interest rate. The other option was to meet the entire GST compensation gap of Rs 2.35 lakh crore this year itself after consulting the central bank. However, only 21 of the 36 states and Union Territories had agreed to borrow.
A GST Council meeting with finance ministers of states was held on October 12. Following the meeting, Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman said that no consensus had been arrived with the states yet on ways to make up for the shortfall in GST collection due to the coronavirus crisis and the economic impact of lockdowns imposed to combat it. Sitharaman had added that the Centre cannot afford to borrow at present.


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MARKS & SPENCER GROUP PLC
The Hang Seng is up for an overhaul: Here's what's in store
The result of the first review will be released after the market close in Hong Kong today.
RBI cash, yields draw investors to dollar bonds
The RBI will inject 500 billion rupees of liquidity and allow new loan-relief for small bus...
Reliance all set to buy iconic British Country Club Stoke Park for 60 mn pounds
The King family has been looking to sell this 49 bedroom marq...
An epic year of market events shook China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
In Hong Kong, colonial stalwart HSBC Holdings Plc fell to its lowest price since 1995 before becoming one of the city’s best trades.
Short sellers got crushed in 2020 as Tesla, Moderna soared
A monthly index of short-selling hedge funds is down 32% this year through October, according to data provider Hedge Fund Research.
Wall Street ends higher on tech rally to snap three-day skid
Tesla Inc shares rebounded 10.92% after suffering their biggest one-day percentage drop in the prior session, while Apple Inc , Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc - the top three U.S. public companies by market capitalization - each rose by at least 3%.
Tata Group getting huge digital makeover in ambitious ecommerce push to take on Amazon, Reliance
The Mumbai-based group is stepping up efforts to have a significant presence online. Reliance just finished raising more than $20 billion from investors, including Facebook Inc. and Google, for its digital services platform, while Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has bet $6.5 billion on growth in the world’s second-most populous country.
Wall Street ends lower as coronavirus surge prompts renewed restrictions
The benchmark index ended below its 200-day moving average, an indicator of long-term momentum.
Market Movers: Damani boost to Spencer's, RJ cuts stake in Escorts; airline stocks slip
The broader market performed better, as smallcaps ended flat.
Wework turmoil raises high-stakes questions about office sharing
WeWork shook up the world of co-working spaces with more amenities and efforts to create communities for its tenants, who are frequently small groups or even individuals.
When end of season sales don’t work, plan more sales
Doomed discounts: Weak sentiment, slowdown keep consumers at bay
GroupM names Prasanth Kumar as South Asia head, Sam Singh quits
Kumar will take up the new role with immediate effect, while Singh will leave GroupM at the end of next month.
Product innovation: 4 factors to drive growth for Indian apparel exports
Product innovation, rather than process innovation may be a great start for small enterprises setting their first footstep into garment exports.
High debt at holding co of Vedanta group may hit minority interest
The debt at the holding company level in the Vedanta group may come under scrutiny.
As US retail buzzes, TCS sees huge opportunity
The business “opportunity was huge” across sectors and the only limitation was the company’s ability to execute deals, CEO Rajesh told ET.
Chennai leads retail space growth in first half
India’s top seven cities witnessed an addition of about 1.9 million sq ft of fresh supply led by Chennai, Hyderabad and the National Capital Region (NCR), showed CBRE South Asia report.
TCS on client win spree,expands pact with US acoustic co Shure
This is the third deal announcement by the Tata group company since reporting its December quarter numbers last week, where profits slid marginally.
Faced with labour unrest, Jaya Shree Textiles beefs up security at its West Bengal factory
Extra security is being provided to company officials ‘so that nothing untoward happens to them outside the factory premises’, company officials added.
Trent names Marks and Spencer Reliance India MD Venu Nair as its new commercial officer
Nair is expected to join Trent by the end of April. He will report to Philip Auld, who took over as the chief executive of the BSE-listed company three years ago.


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22 Nov Don’t like your Google results? Rank your own
Los Angeles Times, By Jessica Guynn, November 20, 2008
Google is letting you get personal with your search results. The Internet company today introduced a new feature, called SearchWiki, that allows users to change their results from Google searches. You can move items up and down in the rankings, remove them entirely, leave notes about whether you found a particular site useful and add sites that either don’t show up in the search results or are buried. Then it remembers those changes the next time you log in. And that is a catch, with privacy implications: You must be logged in to use the service so Google can remember you. Once you are, you can check the bottom of a Google search results page to “see all notes for this SearchWiki.” By clicking on the link, you will see how other users ranked results and what comments they left. The new feature should come in handy for searches that people do on a regular basis. About 40% of searches are repeats of ones the users have done before, research shows. The way people modify their search results, at least at first, will not influence how Google ranks sites or returns results, Google Product Manager Cedric Dupont said. But Dupont did not rule out the possibility that the new data could influence results in the future. A small fraction of Google users have been testing the service for about a year. “It’s a way to make search a more participatory medium,” Dupont said. “The Web is becoming more participatory, and search should take part in that movement.” This is the first time Google has given its users the ability to customize search results. Other websites have experimented with personalized search results. There is Wikia Search. And Santa Monica start-up Mahalo is a “people-powered” search engine.


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Diamond Foods to release restated results on Nov. 14
Diamond Foods said Monday that it will release its much-anticipated restated results after the market closes on Nov. 14.
The company will also host a conference call to discuss the restated financial results for fiscal years that ended July 31, 2010, and July 31, 2011, as well as the first three quarters of fiscal 2012.
Investors are eager to see how the company is faring with its product portfolio that includes Pop Secret popcorn, Emerald snack nuts and Kettle chips along with its namesake walnuts.
Revelations of an accounting scandal last year led to the ouster of the CEO and chief financial officer and scuttled a deal to buy Pringles from Procter & Gamble, (NYSE: PG) which would have made Diamond (NASDAQ: DMND) the second-largest player in the snack aisle after PepsiCo's (NYSE: PEP) Frito-Lay unit. Instead, that designation went to Kellogg (NYSE: K) after it purchased Pringles this year.
Word of the forthcoming results pushed Diamond's shares up 3 percent in after hours trading, where the stock was changing hands at $18.41 per share, up 56 cents.
Mark covers banking and finance.
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By Lee Mielke
Happy June Dairy Month! Unfortunately, it starts with the announcement of a May Federal order Class III milk price of $10.83 per hundredweight (cwt.), down 10 cents from April, $2.94 below May 2005, and $9.75 below May 2004, but this should be the bottom. The Class IV price is $10.33, down 3 cents from April and $1.87 below a year ago. The 2006 Class III average now stands at $11.69, down from $14.26 a year ago and $15.65 in 2004.
Class III futures were trading late Friday morning as follows: June $11.42, July $11.92, August $12.22, September $12.47, October $12.55, November $12.44, and December $12.22. That portends a 2006 average of $11.98, down from $14.05 in 2005 and $15.39 in 2004.
The NASS cheese price averaged $1.1694, virtually unchanged from April. Butter averaged $1.1635, down 2 cents. Dry whey averaged 28.05 cents, down 2.5 cents, and nonfat dry milk averaged 82.88 cents, down 1.4 cents from April.
Memorial Day is behind us and summer is on its way. Downes-O’Neill dairy economist, Bill Brooks, predicted in Tuesday’s DairyLine that the cash dairy markets will likely move sideways for a while, similar to the beginning of May.
He reported that a lot of milk moved to manufacturing over the Memorial Day holiday and more will come with schools closing for summer. On the bright side, demand is good, according to Brooks. He looks for block cheese to remain close to $1.20 for awhile until we get a better handle on the impact of the heat that some parts of the country are currently seeing. Brooks is headquartered in Kansas City and said they are experiencing July type temperatures already.
Butter stocks are growing dramatically as more milk is shifted from the cheese vat to butter powder. Butter prices are “holding in there at a fairly decent level, relative to our stocks growth,” he said, and had been trading sideways, between $1.17-$1.18 in May “so there’s good support in there but these stocks are keeping a lid on price movements.” The heat should rev up ice cream demand, he concluded, and that should “Move butter prices higher, as we get through the flush and school closings and move into June.”
Cash block cheese closed the first Friday of June Dairy Month at $1.20 per pound, down 2.5 cents on the week, and 31 cents below a year ago. Barrel also closed at $1.20, up a penny on the week, but 27 cents below a year ago. Four cars of block traded hands and three of barrel. The NASS U.S. average block price hit $1.1729, up 1.7 cents. Barrel averaged $1.1761, up 2.5 cents.
Butter closed at $1.1750, down a quarter-cent on the week, and 27.5 cents below a year ago. Six cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.1576, down 0.7 cent.
Price support purchases totaled 1.2 million pounds of nonfat dry milk. That put the cumulative total at 48.8 million, compared to 31.8 million a year ago.
With the 2006 planting season wrapping up, our eyes turn to growing conditions and feed prices. Dairy Profit Weekly editor, Dave Natzke, said Friday that USDA’s weekly crop progress report shows corn and soybean planting slightly behind last year, but progress on both crops is well ahead of normal for this date thanks to warmer, drier conditions in many corn and soybean growing areas.
He reported that 97 percent of U.S. corn acreage was planted as of this week, with about 87 percent of corn seedlings emerged. More than two-thirds of producers surveyed rated the crop as good to excellent. Soybean planting was estimated at about 80 percent complete, with emergence at about 42 percent. The early positive crop progress report is good news for dairy producers who must buy feed, according to Natzke.
However, USDA’s latest milk-feed ratio shows that lower milk prices and higher feed costs are turning what was a healthy margin situation just five to six months ago into a cash flow challenge, Natzke said. The May index, at 2.33, is the sixth straight month the ratio dropped from the previous month (from a peak of 3.46 in November 2005) and is at its lowest point since June 2003.
May all-milk prices were lower compared to April among all major dairy states except New Mexico and Texas. The preliminary national average price in May decreased 10 cents per cwt. from April, to $12.00 per cwt. The May 2006 average all-milk price is $2.70 per cwt. lower than May 2005, Natzke said.
May U.S. average soybean prices increased 10 cents per bushel. Corn prices rose 6 cents per bushel from April and baled hay prices were up another $8 per ton. Corn prices seem to be attracting the most attention, Natzke reported, as the fast-growing ethanol industry fuels competition and higher prices.
National Milk’s latest Import Watch reports that dairy product imports in first quarter 2006 were down from a year ago and, for some commodities, the level of imports track with U.S. prices at the Chicago Mercantile. NMPF’s Chris Galen said in Thursday’s DairyLine that, in the case of butter where prices have dropped significantly in the past six months, in the first three months of 2006, butter, butter oil, and butter substitutes were down significantly from a year ago.
Cheese imports are about the same, he said, down a little but a reflection of the soft cheese market here in the U.S. The exception is milk protein concentrate.
MPC imports in first quarter 2006 were down 1 percent, Galen said, that’s the good news the bad news is that they’re up from 2004 by about 60 percent and the largest volume that has entered the U.S. in the past five to six years. So, while butter and cheese imports for the most part have tailed off so far in 2006 that is not the case for MPC, according to Galen.
MPC imports do not seem to be tied very closely to domestic dairy product prices, according to the Import Watch. Galen said, “To the extent that there is an impact, it is more noticeable for products like butter and cheese.”
CWT bid acceptances this week included 220,000 pounds of butter to Egypt via California Dairies of Artesia, 880,000 pounds to Morocco through Seattle-based WestFarm Foods, and 660,000 pounds to Egypt via United Dairymen of Arizona. 220,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat will go to Mexico from Dairy Farmers of America, and 95,700 pounds will go to Mexico from Select Milk Producers of Artesia, New Mexico. CWT butter exports now total 10.58 million pounds. Cheese exports total 4.97 million, whole milk powder 3.53 million, and anhydrous milkfat 2.34 million pounds.
This farm news was published in the June 7, 2006 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.


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Analyst Walter Winnitzki at First Albany upgraded the shares of Dell Computer DELL, -1.18% to "buy" from "hold," and established a $30 price target, citing a favorable reward-versus-risk profile. He remains concerned about the overall information technology spending environment and competition, but believes most of the concerns are already reflected in the share price. Winnitzki added that the expiration of a put option program could provide "some uplift" to the stock price. The PC maker's stock is rallying 98 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $24.23 in pre-open trading over the Island ECN. The company reported fourth quarter earnings late Thursday that matched expectations and reiterated its first quarter outlook.
Dell upgraded at First Albany on favorable risk/reward