text:
Way back at the beginning of the electric car era (2010), Tesla and Nissan decided to forego plug-in hybrid strategies and make battery electric cars instead. Chevrolet decided to go in a different direction. It chose the plug-in hybrid route but with a twist. Instead of a car that drives mostly thanks to an internal combustion engine with assistance from an electric motor, it decided to make a car that drives mostly thanks to an electric motor and with assistance from an internal combustion engine.
Nissan has gone on to sell the most electric cars in the world. Tesla has established itself as a maker of premium electric luxury cars. But Chevrolet may have arrived at the best compromise between electric mobility and real-world convenience. For drivers of electric cars, range anxiety is an issue. True, there are more electric chargers available today than there were in 2010, but once you unplug from your charger at home, you always have this question nagging at the back of your mind — where can I recharge my car if I need to?
With the Chevy Volt, there is no range anxiety ever. As long as there are gas stations, you can drive whenever and wherever you want with nary a care for how much electric power is available from your car’s battery. Even in gasoline mode, the Volt gets a very respectable 42 mpg on the highway — better than 95% of all other cars on the road.
Now Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota are beginning to see that Chevrolet had the right answer. Together, they have decided to make plug-in hybrid technology an important part of their core business model, at least until battery technology and charging infrastructure combine to eliminate range anxiety as a factor in ordinary driving.
Dave Zuchowski, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, tells Automotive News that plug-ins do more than just help car companies to meet tighter fuel economy and emissions regulations. They also are less expensive to buy and own than ordinary hybrid vehicles, once government incentives are factored in. Hyundai currently has a full range of hybrid models but expects to add plug-in variants in the near future. “Every one of our hybrids will have plug-in derivative,” Zuchowski says.
Car companies always have an eye on how much it costs them to make a car. Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor America told the press at the New York Auto Show in March, “The next iteration of extending mileage is probably going to be plug-ins, because that takes the least amount of r&d. Every time you improve the battery or you improve the [internal combustion engine], then you improve the overall range and mileage of a PHEV,” Lentz said. “So to me that’s the next big move in volume.”
Toyota will introduce its next-generation Camry in 2017. Industry observers think that may be the perfect time for Toyota to add plug-in technology to the Camry.
Honda announced recently that two thirds of its vehicles will be electrified by 2030. It will introduce the new Clarity later this year. Originally designed as a fuel cell car, the Clarity will also offer a plug-in hybrid and battery electric version in 2107. “Globally we’re committed to offering a plug-in variant on our major core models in the future,” John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., said in announcing the Clarity plans last month.
Honda’s next-gen CR-V is due next year. It is a likely candidate to get a plug-in hybrid powertrain, especially since the new Toyota RAV4 plug-in is enjoying strong sales since it was introduced. The CR-V will share the same platform as the current Civic and next-generation Accord, so if a PHEV powertrain fits one, it should fit all.
The market has responded favorably to plug-in cars. Plug-in sales were up 40% in the first quarter of 2016 according to Edmunds.com, due in part to strong demand for the second-generation Chevy Volt. Purists bemoan the fact that plug-in hybrids are a compromise. They would prefer car companies to push battery development as hard as possible instead of wasting time on some in between solution that has one foot in the internal combustion past and one in the battery electric future.
They have a point, but in a world where total auto sales exceed 40 million per year, automakers have to figure out how to meet tougher regulations, satisfy customer expectations, and still build millions and millions of cars at a profit. For right now, the plug-in hybrid is the answer they are all coming up with.


text:
- News & Analysis
- Strategies & Tactics
As it does periodically, Southwest this week bumped the sign-up bonus for its Rapid Rewards credit cards to a hefty 50,000 points. There’s no published end date to the 50,000-point offer, so it could be scaled back at any time.
For the Rapid Rewards Plus card (annual fee: $69), the 50,000-point bonus kicks in after a new cardholder charges $2,000 within three months. With the Rapid Rewards Premier card (annual fee: $99), the spend threshold is also $2,000 within three months, down from $3,000 the last time this promotion was in place.
Other card details:
Deal or No Deal
In Southwest’s program, 50,000 Rapid Rewards points translate into more than $800 toward Wanna Get Away award tickets — probably two free round-trip flights. But take note: There’s a devaluation set to take effect on March 31, 2014, that will reduce the value of those 50,000 Rapid Rewards points to just over $700.
Still. as credit card sign-up bonuses go, this is a solid one. And as Southwest offers go, it’s as good as it’s ever been, and probably as good as it’ll ever get.
Unless you’re a serial card acquirer — a flipper, who signs up solely for the bonus, and then moves on — the question posed by credit-card bonuses has less to do with the card itself than it does with the program it’s linked to. In this case, the question is: Is Southwest’s Rapid Rewards a program that meets your needs?
If so, this would be a good time to pull the trigger.
Stay in Touch

domain: news


text:
The West may be leading technological advancement when it comes to the ingenious invention of “blockchain,” a global crypto currency trading, but this won’t be for too long if South African born entrepreneur Tumelo Ramaphosa has anything to do about it. Tumelo, the founder of Unlocking Blockchain Africa Series, hopes to change the lives of entrepreneurs not just in his home but across the continent.
“With Unlocking Blockchain Africa we aim to be the main bridge between developed and developing nations in terms of facilitating international co-operation, increasing technological advancement as well as championing mass scale financial inclusion throughout Africa,” he said.
The first successful conference, UBA Series 1 took place on 25 August 2018 in Sandton, Johannesburg with well over 550 enthusiastic business and crypto traders in attendance and 25 experts from around the world. The industry heavyweights included Charles Hoskinson, first CEO of Ethereum and the founder of Cardano and Ethereum Classic; Benjamin Ramaeu, Director from Binance; Ran Neu-Ner the Crypto Trader as well as Kwame Rugunda the Chairman of the Ugandan Blockchain Association. The second conference, UBA Series 2 took place on 7 and 8 December in Cape Town in partnership with the Blockchain World Summit.
“The platform was created last year to build a blockchain community of innovative founders and stakeholders in Africa and now I want to expand on that. While technology is always moving in the West, Africa is not left behind, we have a real time internet and artificial intelligence is the next big thing we need to tap into!” he added.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) & Blockchain in Retail Conference is the main focus of the Unlocking Blockchain Africa (UBA) Third Series event at Sandton’s Summer Place executive conference venue on Tuesday, 3 and Wednesday, 4 December 2019.The conference is not to be missed for those who would like to learn from in-depth presentations and thought-provoking panel discussions. Tumelo promises delegates would meet local and international industry experts, thought leaders and decision-makers and build bankable relationships through the conference’s carefully curated networking sessions.
With a Masters Degree in International Business from Hult International Business School, San Francisco where he is based, Tumelo continues to educate himself and is pursuing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. His goal is always to bring back his experience and expertise home to develop South African and the African continent.
He hopes to inspire youth and Africa’s captains of industry, players in the booming digital economic world and the gateway for business folk who aspire to make gains in the undeniably ingenious world of blockchain technology. “When you look at the internet now, it is about learning, a person is learning how to do make up, how to cook, do a gym exercise or learning how to trade crypto currency. Learning is the foundation of AI. You’re learning different data sets and you need to train data. When you learn and know something, you can do greater things and that’s how computers work,” he added.
Tumelo is CEO of StudEx is the first investment platform for rare and endangered species trading and breeding which he patented in the USA and operates in San Francisco. The platform uses blockchain technology that places sustainable profits for its farmers and wildlife conservation at the centre and was selected in the Top 20 Initial Coin Offering Start-ups at the World Crypto Currency Economic Forum. Tumelo is also a global partner of Mobiry, a patent pending behavioral AI marketing solution that uses the behavior of unique customers to autonomously deliver coupon and loyalty rewards personalized to their individual buying preferences.
During his studies at HULT, Tumelo acquired a Federal Aviation Association license for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from California USA.
Visit the Unlock Blockchain Africa event website for more info and tickets for the AI & Blockchain in Retail Conference: unlockingblockchainafrica.io


text:
Mumbai: Frosts and drought in Brazil have impacted the sugar sector in the country. Sugar production is also expected to fall down and as a result, there will be a drop in the supplies of sugar from Brazil. This also provides opportunities for India to export raw sugar.
As per the news report published by Reuters, buyers are securing supplies by signing contracts in advance from the South Asian country.
According to the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Limited (NFCSF), the latest discussions with the major sugar export houses confirms that, they are doing a forward contract with sugar mills for the export of raw sugar for the deliveries in December and January months at a price range of Rs 3240-3280/Qtl on a free-on-board (FOB) basis.
“If the sugar mills are able to produce raw sugar at the beginning of crushing season; sugar mills will get the economical advantage,” NFCSF further added.
Usually, Indian traders sign contracts one or two months ahead of starting cane crushing operations by the sugar mills.
To receive ChiniMandi updates on WhatsApp, please click on the link below.
WhatsApp Group Link


text:
South Africa, 17 March 2020 – In response to the 15 March statement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, which include the prohibition of gatherings of more than 100 people, the following events planned for the next few months have been cancelled/postponed.
This post will be updated periodically as more event cancellations are announced. Here, then, is a list of events that have been cancelled/postponed to date:
Africa Travel Week
Reed Exhibitions Africa has confirmed that Africa Travel Week, which is comprised of World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) and International Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTMA), due to take place in April this year, has been postponed to 2021. Read more on this story here.
Africa’s Travel Indaba
South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, has confirmed the industry will play its part in stemming the spread by postponing the INDABA, which was scheduled to take place from 12 to 14 May, indefinitely. South African Tourism, through its National Convention Bureau (NCB), will be contacting participating exhibitors about the postponement. Further, the organisation will consult with the broader industry on workable future dates for INDABA. Read more on this announcement here.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival
espAfrika, a member of Sekunjalo Group, announced on 13 March that this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will be postponed for the foreseeable future, as a public health precautionary measure. The Festival was scheduled to take place on 27 and 28 March 2020 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
For queries on ticket refunds, consult the Frequently Asked Questions section at www.capetownjazzfest.com. For refunds on Hospitality Packages, contact the espAfrika hotline on 021 671 0506 or email [email protected] to be assisted by the team.
Harvest Music and Wine Celebration
Black Elephant Vintners has made the difficult decision to cancel their planned Harvest Music and Wine Celebration which was to have taken place at the Franschhoek wine farm on Saturday, March 28. “We apologise for any inconvenience caused but obviously the health and safety of all South African citizens comes first! We want everyone to stay safe and healthy,” said Kevin Swart. Those who have already purchased tickets will be contacted by Quicket for a refund.
Johannesburg Cap Classique & Champagne Festival
The Johannesburg Cap Classique & Champagne Festival 2020 has been postponed and will no longer take place on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 at the Inanda Country Club. The organisers have, however, announced new dates for the event, which will now take place on September 5 & 6 at the Inanda Country Club. All tickets already purchased will be honoured for the new dates. Further details to be announced soon on their Facebook page at https://web.facebook.com/bubblesfestival/.
Juliet Cullinan Standard Bank Wine Festival
This year’s Juliet Cullinan Standard Bank Wine Festival was due to have taken place from 5-6 May at Summer Place. The new dates will be announced soon. For more information visit http://julietcullinan.co.za.
Pink Loerie Mardi Gras & Arts Festival
The 2020 Pink Loerie Festival has been postponed indefinitely, as has the Mr Gay World competition. The organisers of the event will confirm the new date for 2020 on their website and this will be based on the trajectory of the coronavirus and how it affects the world and South Africa. For more information visit pinkloerie.co.za.
Old Mutual Music at the Lake Concert
The upcoming Old Mutual Music at the Lake concert, featuring Sho Madjozi, Shekinah and Nipho Hurd set for Sunday 29 March, has been postponed. Event organisers Impi Concept Events have asked fans to demonstrate patience in this trying time, as they work out new potential dates to bring these great acts to the Durban Botanic Gardens. Once a new date is announced, fans will be able to use their pre-bought tickets or apply for a refund. For further information contact the Durban Botanic Gardens on 031 322 4021.
Oppiwater Arts Festival
RSG, Lefra Productions and MSC Cruises announced that the Oppiwater Arts Festival that would have taken place from 5 – 10 April 2020 on board the MSC Orchestra has been postponed to 25-30 January 2021 and will now be presented on the MSC Musica. Bookings for the Oppiwater Festival will automatically be transferred to the new dates. MSC announced that all Oppiwater Passengers will receive a $50 voucher to spend onboard the MSC Musica. For more information visit www.oppiwater.co.za.
Smokie Music Concert
The Smokie concerts that were due to be held at the end of March 2020 at Carnival City on the East Rand, GrandWest in Cape Town, and Time Square in Pretoria, have been postponed. Frans Swart, Managing Director of Lefra Productions said that the SMOKIE tour is only postponed and definitely not cancelled. Lefra is currently in discussion with Smokie’s management and the venues to find suitable dates later this year for the concerts to continue. The new dates will be announced shortly. Tickets holders may transfer their tickets to the new dates without having to get a refund and rebook their tickets. Patrons that already booked tickets are requested to hold on to their tickets until the new dates are announced, whereafter tickets can just be transferred to the new date(s). For more information visit www.smokie.co.za.
Splashy Fen Music Festival
Due to haven taken place on 09 April 2020, Splashy Fen 2020 is being postponed to 23 -27 September, with early camping available on Tuesday 22nd September. This new date will be during the school holidays, with Thursday (24th September) being a public holiday (Heritage Day). All tickets bought for Splashy Fen 2020 (Easter dates) will be valid for the new September dates. Should fans be unable to attend the new date, Splashy will offer a 75% refund accordingly, in line with their refund policy. For more information visit http://splashyfen.co.za.
Vegan & Plant-Powered Show
The Vegan & Plant-Powered Show (VPPS) – South Africa’s first dedicated vegan and plant-based exhibition presented by Live Events – has been postponed to 5 and 6 September 2020. t was originally scheduled to take place at the end of May. The venue remains the same – the CTICC in Cape Town. For more information visit www.veganandplantpoweredshow.co.za.


text:
Progress and innovation in almost any industry may take a considerable amount of effort and time. Very regulated fields—such as science and medicine—can take also longer, as brand brand new breakthroughs meet at once because of the rigors of appropriate research alongside other hurdles. Progress inside the cannabis industry reaches an all-time extreme, yet ongoing scrutiny, legal issues, and other hurdles continue to be barriers that are creating CBD research and slowing efforts to locate the real potential with this powerful ingredient.
The greatest barrier that is current CBD research could be the glut of continued legalities and basic confusion surrounding the cannabis industry. CBD is one of the more researched and well known cannabinoids found inside the cannabis plant. Legalization of cannabis on a continuing state by state degree has allowed constant research and ongoing developments to boost during the last ten years. Although this extensive research has developed a heightened understanding and better knowledge of the effective results CBD may have on a range of medical conditions, the stance that is long-held of prohibition because of the government has restricted research by maybe perhaps not enabling key resources and funding to be used by the clinical community at big.
The 2018 Farm Bill permitted for federal legalization of hemp and hemp based Products across the national nation, having a category of hemp being any plant or product which contains 0.3% or less total THC content. This does express some progress towards the ongoing future of CBD research, but has additionally increased confusion regarding the distinction between cannabis and hemp while additionally enabling many brand new CBD items and companies which will make or have a glance at the weblink that is exaggerated unfounded claims into real effectiveness.
Another major barrier to CBD research could be the intensive regulatory procedure scientists must go through. Scientists trying to conduct studies on cannabis flowers or items must proceed through a number of reviews via various federal and state regulatory agencies. Even though many of those laws are very important to proper research that is clinical make it possible to make sure customer security, much red tape still exists particular to cannabis based research. For Instance, some continuing states nevertheless need cannabis scientists to utilize for A managed Substance License, which is often expensive and difficult to get.
Ongoing study, along with continued general public help and interest into CBD along with other cannabinoids, contributes to a future that is optimistic the cannabis industry overall. Barriers to research that is proper remain, and need certainly tobe re-examined and modified for researchers in order to understand the complete potential of CBD.


text:
Rumors of a PS3 Slim with a 250GB hard drive have been thrown about since the middle of August when PS3News uncovered a document filed with the FCC listing a 250GB PS3 model. Gaming website Eurogamer.net has over the past week received two confirmations from retailers that the model exists and is arriving next month.
If these latest off-the-record confirmations are to be believed then the 250GB model will cost £299 (most likely $399 in the U.S.) and will be bundled with a game. Depending on the region you’ll either get a choice of game or a predefined pack. For example, the UK is expected to have a choice between Assassin’s Creed II, Gran Turismo 5 and Uncharted 2. Where as gamers in Spain are getting a Fifa 10 bundle.
Eurogamer has also been informed that the Tokyo Game Show starting on September 24th will be where Sony announces the new model. For now Sony are not saying anything and probably will continue to do so until TGS.
If you were in the market for a PS3 Slim it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks to see if this rumor is true and what the game choices will be where you live.
Don’t forget that an Xbox 360 250GB model has also been spotted, so maybe we’ll get a Microsoft announcement before the end of the month too.
Read more at Eurogamer.net


text:
Australia’s smartphone market in the third quarter of 2023 experienced a notable 9.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) decline, shipping 1.81 million units, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of YoY decreases, IDC said.
Apple has increased its share to 52 percent from 49.7 percent in Australia’s smartphone market during Q3 2023.
Samsung has lost marginal share in Australia’s smartphone market to 28.9 percent from 29 percent.
Oppo has also lost marginal share to 5 percent from 5.1 percent in Australia’s smartphone market during Q3 2023.
HMD (Nokia) has 3.8 percent share in Australia’s smartphone market as compared with 3.8 percent in Q3 2022.
Lenovo has enhanced its share in Australia’s smartphone market to 3.3 percent from 2.5 percent.
Key highlights from the report include:
Sales Trends: Despite a slight uplift in July attributed to end-of-financial-year sales, overall consumer demand remained subdued due to economic instability, contributing to the sustained decline in smartphone shipments, the latest data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reveals.
Average Selling Price (ASP): The ASP surged by 5.1 percent YoY in 3Q23, reaching US$813. Notably, smartphones priced above US$1000 witnessed growth, primarily driven by the recent releases of flagship series such as the Samsung Galaxy Z5 and Apple iPhone 15.
New Market Entrants: Low- to mid-price brands such as OPPO and Lenovo introduced new models during the quarter, contributing to successful sales in open channels and the prepaid market.
Vendor Positioning: The rankings of the top five smartphone vendors remained relatively stable, with minor shifts observed between HMD and Lenovo, similar to the previous quarter.
“Economic uncertainty is prompting consumers to exercise caution in their spending habits, resulting in restrained demand for smartphones. The ongoing rise in interest rates, coupled with recent cost-of-living pressures, is anticipated to further dampen consumer demand within the domestic market,” Yash Gupta, Lead Analyst for Mobile Phone Research at IDC Australia, said.


text:
USDA cafeterias get a healthy makeover
No more fryers for the agency in charge of the push for healthy meals.
Feb. 4—Ken Choi, chief operating officer for I.L. Creations in Rockville, has a good idea of what federal workers like to eat. The food service company runs cafeterias at the Energy Department, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the State Department, and while I.L. Creations has been touted for its healthful offerings, Choi knows that some of his most popular items include foods dipped in a hot-oil bath: fried chicken, fried catfish and french fries.
Which explains why I.L. Creations’ newest government contract presents such a challenge. The Agriculture Department—the agency tasked with improving public health—made a groundbreaking decision last year when soliciting bids for cafeteria vendors at its headquarters: The USDA would go fryer-less.


text:
Good news, Target shoppers - the retail store is finally launching their own rewards program!
Target Circle will debut nationwide on October 6th, and will be FREE to join.
It'll give customers 1% back on all purchases, plus early access to sales and deal days, personalized coupons, and a birthday reward!
The program has already been tested in a few places like Charlotte, NC; Phoenix, AZ; and Dallas, TX.
As for Target's current Cartwheel program, the company says it will NOT be going away - contrary to some reports. Instead, it will likely be rebranded as just a part of Target Circle.


text:
The Amaze compact sedan will be the Japanese carmaker's first diesel model in India and hopes to take the Indian entry level sedan market by storm. The Amaze is based on Honda's Brio small car, which itself has been doing well, with the car's compact but modern design appealing to car buyers. It remains to be seen how consumers take to the sedan version of the Brio, considering the Amaze looks slightly different, with a redesigned lower front grille and fog lamps.
Naturally, the Amaze is a lot more spacious on the inside, even in comparison to its chief rival, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. Finally, it will come down to how competitive Honda manages to price the Amaze.
Honda Amaze will come with a 1.5 liter diesel engine and the 1.2 liter petrol unit that also powers the Brio. Considering the recent tax hike for cars with 1500cc engines and larger, the Amaze diesel could be slightly more expensive than previously assumed. Nevertheless, our informed guess is that Honda has the opportunity to lead the market from the front with the Amaze.


text:
Previously expected to be unveiled in October, the so-called “iWatch” was yesterday reported by Re/code to be introduced by Apple alongside the so-called “iPhone 6″ on Sept. 9 instead. Bloomberg agrees, and it provides an interesting reason.
Citing “a person with knowledge of the plans,” Bloomberg claims that Apple is indeed going to launch its long-rumored wearable device along with its next-generation smartphone on said date. And the company is planning to do so in order to manage expectations for the iWatch, which is apparently less a standalone product than an iPhone accessory:
Apple will give the new wearable a boost by pairing its debut with its flagship product, the iPhone. The company also may be trying to manage expectations for the new device, signaling that it’s more of an accessory instead of a category that stands by itself. By contrast, when the iPad was introduced in 2010, Apple held a special event just for that product.
As an iPhone accessory, the iWatch may be paired with an iPhone as a companion device. For the most part, the wearable device has long been rumored to come with health and fitness tracking features, suggesting a tight integration with the Health app in iOS 8, which is expected to be launched with the iPhone 6 on Sept. 9.
Apple made the date official earlier today when it sent out invitations for a media event on Sept. 9. The invitations came with the teasing tagline, “Wish we could say more.“


text:
The processor is expected to power upcoming flagship smartphones from the Samsung including Galaxy S10 series and Note 10.
A chartered accountant with over 20 years of experience, Sanghrajka has spent 13 years in Infosys over two stints and has performed various leadership roles in the finance department.
Here's the complete look of what can be expected from the Mahindra stable in electric vehicle space
The gaming industry is expected to reach new heights with more than 300million gamers by 2021 engaged in mobile games and fantasy sports. This means exciting growth opportunities for youth as new career avenues open up for game streamers, professional e-sports players and game developers
The researchers conducted modelling work to understand the improvement of Li metal anodes.
The motorcycles have been developed from the ground-up and don a retro look reminiscent of the golden era of the past
Here are some valuable business and life lessons that you can learn from your favourite gaming title.
Wall Street analysts have expressed concerns that slower overall smartphone sales will make it harder for Apple to hold smartphone market share as people put off buying its generally more expensive phones.
Following the missions, Sivan said, in January next, ISRO would launch the Chandrayaan-II mission (lunar lander) which will be the first operational mission of the GSLV-Mk III-vehicle.
The consistent rise in raw material prices such as steel has come as a double whammy for auto makers who are staring at poor operating margins
Earlier this week, Dorsey landed in India and visited the Dalai Lama, Jaipur city, attended a townhall with students at IIT-Delhi, and also met with PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi
The new incentive is applicable in Mumbai to begin with, Uber India said in a statement on Wednesday.
Technology is the enabler of entrepreneurial ideas and crowdfunding is one of them. It could earlier be defined as raising small amounts of money for new ventures but now, it has taken a much bigger leap in with the rise in technology and social media.
Safety Centre will be like a one-stop shop for information and adjusting preferences on how users allow Google to use their data.
Vivo Y95 is available in two colours options, starry black and aurora red and has features like Google Lens integrated camera.
This is the second such investment Mindtree has made in an educational grant, focused on emerging technologies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in his Independence Day address that India will attempt to send an astronaut to space by 2022 on board 'Gaganyaan'.
Every auto expo these days are showcasing an increasing number of electric vehicles and this year's EICMA was no different
While stressing the challenge of identifying the culprits, he noted that a website claiming to be associated with the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russia-based troll farm, published a list of Instagram accounts they said that they had created.
Google Lens is an application that allows smartphone cameras to not just click a picture but to also scan and analyse its contents
Company Managing Director Vinod K Dasari said the electric vehicle plant was ready in Chennai and the first batch of vehicles would run in Gujarat by January 2019.
The Apollo Tyres board had last met on October 1 where it commissioned an independent report from Ernst & Young
The 52 year old chief executive also admitted to have contemplated resigning from his post back in 2011-12
Here are 10 Android apps which had the most downloads in 2018.
Royal Enfield hopes that India will be the biggest market for the two models followed by developed markets such as the US


text:
Inspection of the Federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary control of the Russian Federation “Roseljhoznadzor” will visit BiH today, confirmed the Directorate for Protection of Herbs in BiH.
The Directorate confirmed that the Russian delegation will go to the field immediately after arrival and that time and location of meetings with officials are still not known.
The Russian phytosanitary inspection will visit BiH in accordance with the agreement with the Director of the Federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary control of the Russian Federation “Roseljhoznadzor” Sergej Aleksejevič Dankvert.
In early August the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary regulatory service “Roseljhoznadzor” prohibited the export of products from BiH due to lack of certificate on the safety of products.
“Temporary ban will be introduced due to the lack of information on the phytosanitary status of BiH and because the Ministry of Foreign Trade of BiH refused to approve the inspection of ‘Roseljhoznadzor’ which was supposed to implement a phytosanitary control of the system,” this regulatory service stated.


text:
Ex-Jaguar designer Julian Thomson moves to GM
Julian Thomson, the former head of Jaguar design who left Jaguar Land Rover in May 2021, is to lead General Motors’ new UK-based European Advanced Design studio, which is due to open by the end of this year. Thomson, who previously worked for Lotus and was responsible for the Elise S1 of 1996, will head up a staff of around 35. With GM having little representation in Europe since its sale of the Vauxhall and Opel brands in 2017, the European Advanced Design studio’s influence will be more far-reaching.
Thomson has reportedly been studying GM’s product range since January, although his appointment has been kept secret until now. He is said to be an admirer of the latest design developments at Cadillac, although his dream is to take on the styling of a future-generation Corvette. According to specialist press reports, Thomson will be working on GM projects for the USA, Korea and China: “We will be a kind of think-tank and contribute to everything that happens inside the mother ship.” Julian Thomson stepped down as head of Jaguar design at the end of May 2021. Before taking on the role of design chief, he’d spent 18 years working alongside Ian Callum to redefine Jaguar styling leading the team responsible for the RD6, R Coupe and C-XF concepts.
Thomson was a significant figure in the reinvention of Jaguar design


text:
Infosys Ltd ADR (NYSE:INFY) is one of the best products India gave the world of information technology. The company is one of the best solutions providers in the realm of blockchain technology. Therefore, as Infosys joins hands with R3, one can only expect quality products and services.
According to a news release, the partnership will see the two companies collaborate on certain blockchain-based solutions. Infosys, through Infosys Finacle develops blockchain solutions that target the traditional financial institutions. Particularly, it creates suites of digital banking solutions that facilitate seamless operations.
On the other hand, R3 provides blockchain software that enables institutions to utilise blockchain technology. Particularly, the company developed Corda, an open-source blockchain platform which utilises smart contracts to manage financial agreements for institutions.
Interestingly, the partnership will be something like an integration of Finacle and Corda, the Economic Times explains. In particular, the integration will enable banks to utilise Finacle’s blockchain solutions on Corda blockchain platform. The two companies are popular for their unique products especially in the blockchain space.
Clients will be able to access the two-fold solutions created by Finnacle and available on Corda, the press release reveals. These include Finacle Trade Connect and Finacle Payments Connect. With the former, banks will be able to interact with their trade partners over a unified distributed network.
Infosys joins hands with R3 to create essential efficiencies in banking industry
As a result, the institutions can share sensitive information instantly given that the platform is peer-to-peer. Further, the platform supports products that are central to commercial relationships. These include Open Account, Letter of Credit, Invoice Financing and so much more.
On the other hand, users will get access to Finacle Payments Connect which helps banks automate payments processes. Importantly, the banks can automate huge transactions like bank-to-bank payments.
As Infosys joins hands with R3, banks will be able to experience efficiencies never seen before. According to David E. Rutter, Chief Executive Officer, R3, the banks will substantially cut costs and mitigate risks.
Sanat Rao, Chief Business Officer, Infosys Finacle, agrees with the assessment saiying:
“Blockchain is poised to help banks automate inter-organizational processes to drive unprecedented efficiencies and customer value.”


text:
Twitter is outsourcing its PR. Airbnb launches a concierge service, no fluffy bathrobes included. The US Senate passes the biggest patent reform in US history.
You can catch The Daily Dose every Monday through Friday right here on The Next Web. Make sure to hit the subscription button of your choice below to get The Daily Dose as soon as it’s available.
TNWDailyDose 09-09-2011 by TNW Daily Dose
Twitter outsources consumer PR, chooses Edelman as first ever agency
Airbnb launches its free Concierge service for your travelling needs
US Senate passes biggest overhaul of patent system in 60 years
Click an icon to subscribe!
This post is part of our contributor series. The views expressed are the author's own and not necessarily shared by TNW.
Sprint reportedly to entice iPhone customers with unlimited data


text:
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc begins visit to Czech RepublicWednesday, April 17,2019
AsemconnectVietnam - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc landed at the Vaclav Havel international airport in Prague, the Czech Republic, on the afternoon of April 16, starting an official visit to the country at the invitation of his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis.
PM Phuc is scheduled to have talks with his Czech counterpart, meet with the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament, pay a courtesy visit to the Czech President, and attend a Vietnamese-Czech business forum.
During the visit, both sides are set to discuss and adopt specific agreements to offer favourable conditions for ministries, sectors and localities, as well as businesses to seek partners and boost collaboration.
India and Vietnam enhance co-operation in silk sector
Prime Minister arrives in Russia, beginning official visit
APEC economies vow support for free trade
PM’s Russia visit to deepen all-round cooperation
Governments should act to tap into Vietnam-Brazil trade potential: diplomat
Cuba welcomes Vietnamese businesses, investors: chamber head
PM Phuc to visit Russia, Norway, Sweden
HCM City, Austria tap cooperation potential
US works to attract Vietnamese investors: VOA
Vietnam steps up trade promotion in South Africa
Vietnamese, Lao businesses seek to boost alliance
Vietnam, Nepal issue joint statement
Vietnam treasures ties with US
Vietnam welcomes India’s investment: Prime Minister


text:
What’s On: Young Justice Comes to Netflix... April 19, 2014 | Trav Pope
Update for Xbox Music app (Windows Phone) coming next week. Here’s some de... April 17, 2014 | Marques Lyons
Stream Nas’ Illmatic Album For Free in Xbox Music... April 16, 2014 | Trav Pope
Xbox Music, Video and Podcasts Improvements Arrive with Windows Phone 8.1... April 14, 2014 | Trav Pope
Xbox One Preview Program Users Get Blu-ray Fixes & Update Changes... April 8, 2014 | Trav Pope
Fixes & New Features Coming to YouTube on Xbox One... April 7, 2014 | Trav Pope
What if we told you that the greatest animated super hero television show to ever take its inspiration from the characters and worlds of DC Comics was now available for users to watch if they have a Netflix subscription? Young Justice is available on the world’s largest internet-based streaming video service. Now grab your pretend cape and meet us in the living room.
If you’re out on spring break this week than you’re already starting to feel it. Dubbed the Spring Break Blues, the phenomenon starts to hit grade school and college students at the tail end of each Spring Break vacation, especially victims of the “Staycation.” Never fear bored Xbox Live users, Microsoft is throwing you a life raft loaded with discounted entire seasons of your favorite shows like Heroes and Duck Dynasty.
A new post by the Xbox Music team outlines some details around an update to the Xbox Music app for Windows Phone. Many in the community have found the current iteration of the app to be lackluster, at best. Seems
Typically, music lovers enjoy celebrating the anniversary of their favorite albums in unique ways. There are even a few folks here at the office who’ve crated a calendar to relive all of their favorite albums on their release date. Microsoft isn’t exactly suggesting users go that far in celebrating the 20th anniversary of Nash’ iconic Illmatic album, however it is letting users listen to the album for free in celebration.
Microsoft is giving users cheap add-on content and entire Batman games as part of the Xbox Live Deal of the Week for April 15th. Excuse us, we mean Deals With Gold for April 15th. We’ll explain in a bit.
Windows Phone 8.1, the long awaited update that contains a plethora of new experiences for Windows Phone 8 users who enjoy music, video and podcasts, is now available for any Windows Phone user to download — with a catch.
Xbox One owners who’ve joined the console’s Update Preview program just keep getting all sorts of new features to play with. Take today for example. Those users can expect an updated Blu-ray experience, a new controller update for dealing with the console’s headset audio issues, and a small system change that could have a huge impact on the update experience.
Are you a big fan of Game Of Thrones? We aren’t, but clearly we’re in the minority. So many people tried to watch the show on HBO Go this past weekend that it crashed the delivery system, their loss is all of our gain though. Until April 4th Xbox One and Xbox 360 users can watch the show’s première episode absolutely free of charge.
Video uploading and multitasking is coming to the YouTube on Xbox One app tomorrow.
What do you say about an egotistical and eccentric billionaire who spends his money on increasingly flashy technology filled suits and fast cars? This Saturday night you don’t say anything. Instead you rent Iron Man 3 and watch as Tony Stark slowly borrows from the Howard Hugh rule book.
Microsoft confirmed that it does have plans to allow developers to create one application and generate versions for Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and the Xbox One.
Microsoft is marking down the biggest game in wrestling in the Xbox Live Deal of the Week for April 1st. Yep, we’re talking discounted pile drivers and body slams in WWE 2K14.
Browsing for television shows and scheduling a show to record is about to get a lot easier for Xbox One owners in Europe, United States and Canada.


text:
UAE fuel prices at 6-month low: Grocery bills to come down by 15%
Transport prices will certainly boil down for sellers and also providers, this will inevitably profit customers
Grocery store rates in the UAE are anticipated to find down by about 15 percent complying with the decrease in retail gas rates by the federal government for the 2nd month on a trot.
Retail gas rates in the UAE have actually come by over 27 percent from their optimals in July after the UAE gas board introduced lowered rates by 62 fils per litre for September.
The federal government decreased petroleum rates by over 16 percent on Wednesday (Aug 31) for September.
Merchants stated customers will absolutely gain from the trickle-down result in the kind of reduced prices for transport and also logistics companies to move items within the nation.
” Transport prices will certainly boil down for sellers and also providers and also this will inevitably profit customers. When gas rates had actually risen in July, market prices complied with. So currently gas rates boiling down, grocery store rates will certainly likewise visit about 15 percent,” stated Dr Dhananjay Datar, chairman and also handling supervisor, Al Adil Trading.
He stated the gas rates decrease is a great indication of renovation in the economic climate and also service. “Additionally, individuals will certainly take a trip much more within the nation after gas rate decrease and also this will certainly produce even more financial task and also provide a fillip to the financial development,” stated Dr Datar.
Kamal Vachani, team supervisor and also companion of Al Maya Team, stated products prices are anticipated to find down after the federal government decreased the gas rates.
” Products fees will certainly fall victim to the decrease of retail gas rates in the nation and also customers will certainly gain from its trickledown result. Decrease in retail gas rate was a great choice to lower the price of living,” he stated.
Vijay Valecha, primary financial investment police officer at Century Financial, stated the decrease in gas rates will certainly lower the grocery store expense.
” Food rates might boil down by 8-10 percent by the end of the year. However be cautioned, the decrease might be area certain. As an example, food from Europe might remain raised while South Asia/Northern African ones may witness a decrease. This is due to the fact that the war-like situation in Europe has actually caused high manufacturing prices,” stated Valecha.
Century Financial CIO included that the devaluation of arising market money versus the United States buck will certainly lead to an added price advantage for the UAE consumers due to the fact that the UAE dirham is fixed to the cash.


text:
Anders la Cour, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of ground-breaking financial utility, Banking Circle, has been appointed Chair of the newly-launched non-profit business association, Emerging Payments Association EU. The new trade association builds on the international network of its London-based sister organisation, the Emerging Payments Association (EPA), which consists of 150 members from across the payments industry.
Based in Luxembourg, the EPA EU is a new, separate legal structure created to promote and defend the interests of the payments industry across the European Union. The latest payments businesses to join the EPA EU include Visa and Mastercard.
Banking Circle is one of three founding members of the new EPA EU, alongside the UK-based EPA and Luxembourg for Finance (LFF) – the Agency for the Development of the Financial Centre. The European organisation is headed by Banking Circle’s Anders la Cour as Chair and Thibault de Barsy, ex-CEO of Keytrade Bank Luxembourg, as Vice-chairman and General Manager.
Tony Craddock, Director General of the EPA commented: “We’ve received an incredibly enthusiastic reaction to our launch in Luxembourg from right across the industry, and we are delighted that the organisation will be led by Anders la Cour, as Chair. This is a period of great importance for the payments industry across Europe, as we wait to see how Financial Services will be handled within the ongoing Brexit negotiations. The importance of banking and payments must not be underestimated, and the newly launched EPA EU will play an important role in representing the interests of our members.”
Anders la Cour added: “Having just secured our Banking Licence from the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) in Luxembourg, we are delighted to be involved in the newly formed EPA EU, and I am both honoured and excited to be taking on the important role of Chair.
“Businesses across the EU are in the midst of big market changes, with many challenges and opportunities to come. The EPA EU will play a vital role in supporting payments businesses as they negotiate the changing landscape and we all work together to find the best way to support industry and consumers across the region and the rest of the world.”


text:
MTI Systems (West Springfield, Massachusetts), a provider of cost-estimating solutions for manufacturing, secured a record number of international sales in 2010 for its flagship Costimator product. The orders include companies based in Poland, India, China, Canada, Belgium and Mexico, among other countries.
The system is designed to enable manufacturers to quickly and easily produce
cost estimates that are accurate, consistent and representative of their manufacturing capabilities or those of their suppliers. David LaJoie, vice president of sales, says a major benefit of the system is the quantity and reliability of its data, more than 95 percent of which comes from users and all of which is continually validated and shared with customers through regular software updates.


text:
MEMORY MAKER Elpida will issue a boat load of fresh shares and bonds in a bid to raise close to $1bn in order to get into the smartphone memory chip business.
Elpida is the third largest DRAM manufacturer and last year it sold a stake in the US memory module manufacturer Kingston in order to raise cash for its business. Now the latest stock offering and convertible bond offer is a bid to move away from DRAM manufacturing and into the growing NAND flash memory business.
Following last week's news that number two DRAM manufacturer, Hynix, was about to report that its buyout talks with Hyundai Heavy Industries are about to fall apart, Elpida's latest attempt to drum up some cash shows just how bad things are looking in the DRAM market. According to Reuters, DRAM makers in the first three quarters of 2011 suffered close to a 30 per cent drop in revenue due to falling PC sales, and its source said, "Investors realize that semiconductors are capital intensive. What they want to know is how and when will the investment be turned into profit."
Elpida will use the money it raises to build NAND flash memory chips that end up in smartphones and tablets. Unlike PCs, sales of both are expected to grow, although research by IDC has recently shown that tablet take-up has been less than expected. That said, from Elpida's point of view the same memory can end up being used in all kinds of smartphones, and the future of those devices is looking undeniably bright.
The problem for DRAM manufacturers such as Samsung, Hynix, Elpida and Micron is not just the huge costs of building fab plants and tooling them, it is the fact that these plants have to be retooled every few years to stay competitive. Now, with demand for DRAM drying up, even the big outfits have to look at diversifying in order to stay in business. µ
Next-gen devices enabled by integrating novel materials on silicon
Plus there's a new way to read comics in town
Find out which six games have most impressed us so far this year
Video shows off upcoming handset in Rose Gold compared to iPhone 6S predecessor


text:
Sweden’s Alexander ‘The Mauler’ Gustafsson, the no.1 UFC light heavyweight contender, is the winner of the EA SPORTS™ UFC Cover Vote presented by MetroPCS. Gustafsson will share the first ever EA SPORTS UFC cover with current Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, who EA announced last month as the first cover athlete. The two also met in the Octagon earlier this year, in what is shaping up to be Fight of the Year for 2013 and one of the most riveting fights in UFC history.
Fans cast over 11 million votes throughout the cover vote program. Gustafsson edged out legendary welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in the final round, emerging victorious from a field of 16 fighters that also included champions Anthony Pettis, Ronda Rousey, Jose Aldo, Chris Weidman and Demetrious Johnson. EA SPORTS UFC will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in the spring of 2014.
“It’s a thrill and an honor to appear on the cover of the first ever EA SPORTS UFC game,” said Gustafsson. “I want to thank all my fans who tirelessly campaigned and voted for me. I am proud to have the support of not only my home country, Sweden, and Europe, but also from people all around the globe. This is a huge win that motivates me to become the best light heavy weight fighter in the world.”


text:
Safety checks ordered for Beijing playgrounds
A third school in Beijing has reported potential problems with its synthetic playground surface as the capital’s education authority ordered citywide safety checks on all synthetic playgrounds.
Children allegedly developed symptoms such as nose bleeds, coughing, drowsiness, hair loss, and skin irritation in the past two months at north Beijing’s Shangdi Experimental Primary School, parents said. They said they believe the man-made playground surface may be linked to the symptoms.
According to a product testing report released by the school, the playground was made mainly of polyurethane, widely used in the making of outdoor sports surfaces in China.
Industry insiders said quality products don’t smell or cause health hazards but some producers might add materials like toluene, lead, and plasticizer, which could cost health problems after prolonged exposure.


text:
On 5th May, over 20,000 leading international travel operators will gather in Dubai for the 20th Arabian Travel Market conference and trade show. ReviewPro’s VP of sales, Michael Kessler, and Michael Chin, Regional VP of sales in Asia, will attend the event.
This year, we expect guest satisfaction, service and reputation management for hotels to be core themes among hotel operators and customers alike. Sabre, the leading provider of technology solutions to the global travel and tourism industry (including ReviewPro), will sponsor the Travel Technology Theatre.
ATM’s latest news article also discusses the overwhelming power of online consumer opinion in “Travel and the changing social landscape.”
“When the capacity for viral spread online is underestimated, things can quickly turn nasty,” says Simon Harrington, citing several social media disaster stories that could have been avoided with better service and review management across social media.
But he points out that social service shouldn’t just focus on damage limitation. Over the last 12 months, many hotels have been moving towards a pro-active and immersive social experience. Harrington cites ReviewPro client, Meliá’s Sol Hotel Wavehouse, the world’s first “Tweet Experience” resort, as an exemplary hotel that has built social interaction into the fabric of its business.
“The social landscape is changing. As travel professionals, you’re more than aware of just how competitive your industry is. That’s why it’s more important than ever to keep up-to-date with the latest innovations and to change with them,” the article says, highlighting the importance of effective social service and review management in today’s consumer and tech-driven climate.
ReviewPro aggregates thousands of consumer reviews into one simple platform, allowing hotel and restaurant professionals to glean a comprehensive picture of what’s being said about their business online – and which areas need improvement – whether in terms of value, service or other departments.
You can also follow the event on Twitter.


text:
UK: Heinz names UK sauces marketing director
Heinz has named a marketing director to oversee the promotion of its sauces business in the UK.
The food group has appointed former Northern Foods executive Adrian Mooney to the position, in which he will handle the marketing of brands including the iconic tomato ketchup and Lea & Perrins.
Mooney, who worked at marketing Northern Foods' pizza brand Goodfella's, has also held marketing roles at Remington and Tate & Lyle.
"Adrian's experience of managing and growing top brands will be invaluable as we continue to execute our ambitious plans for sauces," said Heinz chief marketing officer Suzanne Douglas.
"Heinz is at the forefront of this long-established, growing grocery sector with key innovations such as the Top Down plastic bottle and 'reduced sugar and salt' and 'organic' varieties."
The issues that dominated the food industry last year - the enviornment and obesity - are likely to be high on the agenda as we head through 2008. But will the continuing rise in commodity costs lead ...
Christmas is a time for lists, lists and more lists. As we near the end of 2007, it seems an ideal time for just-food to create one of its own and detail who we think has thrived - and who has suffere...
Nelson Peltz, the billionaire investor, has once again set his sights on Cadbury Schweppes, the world's largest confectioner. After last year's food fight with Heinz, what does Peltz's fresh investmen...
Research published by the pressure group, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH), has shown that many foods eaten by children in the UK still contain large amounts of salt, in some cases more than...
Germany-based retailer Rewe has appointed Armin Rehberg to take charge of its discount business....
Growing sales from its chilled business has again boosted quarterly revenue at Northern Foods, the UK food group....
Northern Foods said today (11 January) that its acquisition of a soup manufacturing plant from Baxters Food Group would improve its production footprint in the UK....
Northern Foods, the UK food group, has bought a soup manufacturing plant from Baxters Food Group for an undisclosed sum....
- Focus: Nestle CEO plan to balance sales, earnings
- Does Kraft Heinz want to swallow Unilever whole?
- Will Kellogg's DSD exit help it grow in US snacks?
- Comment: Meal kits in US - don't believe the hype
- Is Mondelez's margin target hurting sales?
- Nestle plans restructuring as 2016 profit misses
- Danone eyes efficiency, agility with new structure
- Kraft Heinz pursuing Unilever in takeover move
- Kraft Heinz returns to organic growth, ups margins
- Danone sales dampened by Europe, China


text:
When it comes to booking a corporate event, whether it’s an annual conference for hundreds of attendees or a team-building activity for a dozen employees, New Jersey venues, ranging from hotels and conference centers to secluded B&Bs, are offering an array of options that cater to each company’s individual needs.
For many businesses, location is everything when it comes to planning meetings and conferences. Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch is just steps from the beach, and with four large conference rooms, it has become a popular choice for corporate events. The resort’s indoor meeting capacity consists of two rooms that can host 800 people, as well as two smaller rooms that can both accommodate 200. But according to Anna Reynolds, vice president of sales for Ocean Place, its outdoor facilities are the main draw for businesses, as companies often take advantage of the opportunity to plan events such as team-building exercises and informal corporate gatherings on the beach.
“Today it’s really about giving our clients an experience, and businesses love that our property is on the beach and they can plan events that allow people to enjoy our outdoor ambiance while still being able to take advantage of amenities like a full-service spa, fitness center, and indoor and outdoor pools,” Reynolds says. Ocean Place’s indoor/outdoor meeting space totals close to 100,000 square feet.
The National Conference Center at the Holiday Inn of East Windsor offers more than 13,000 total square feet of meeting space, which includes 12 meeting rooms that range in size from boardrooms with a capacity of eight attendees to ballrooms that can host more than 200 people. According to Andrea Maturo, catering sales director for the National Conference Center, one of the features that business clients appreciate the most is flexibility when it comes to customizing the available space at a venue. “Corporate clients want to be able to tailor a space to meet their needs, and here they can host a formal conference during the day in one of our meeting rooms, a lecture in our auditorium, and a semi-formal dinner in a ballroom,” she explains.
The state’s meeting and conference facilities are also taking their offerings a step further to design customized packages for their corporate clients, which Maturo says can include everything from hotel accommodations to meals to audiovisual (AV) equipment, all in one set per-person price. Most conference venues will also provide access to event coordinators who ensure that the event runs smoothly from start to finish.
“Food is also a major draw for us. We keep up with the trends in the meeting industry through our dining options,” Maturo adds. The venue designs customized snack breaks and meals for meetings and conferences, with themes ranging from chocolate lovers to heart-healthy options. “Business clients are happy to discover they can offer a simple breakfast buffet or grab-and-go options to a full southern barbecue buffet or a buffet with ballpark favorites like hot dogs,” she says.
The state’s meeting and conference facilities are also prepared to meet companies’ IT needs, and often come equipped with the support and technology that today’s businesses rely on; the National Conference Center and Ocean Place, for example, offer on-site AV equipment and support to eliminate the need for rentals and address any technological issues that may arise during the event.
In Sussex County, Crystal Springs Resort’s in-house team executes more than 500 conferences each year, and is equipped to provide IT, AV, catering and conference services to successfully execute corporate events. Crystal Springs is also able to accommodate the trend for both fine and unique dining options for corporate events; the resort boasts 10 dining venues, including Chef’s Garden, located in the middle of a one-acre organic working garden with an open-air kitchen and Restaurant Latour, one of the state’s most highly-acclaimed restaurants, as well as an expansive award-winning wine cellar. The resort also offers business clients more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and catering space, including ballrooms, breakout rooms, trade show, and conference spaces, in addition to a clubhouse and/or pavilion at its Black Bear and Ballyowen golf clubs.
“More and more corporate clients are seeking to enhance their events with experiences they can’t get when they stay in the city, and there’s a desire for these experiences to be authentic,” says Linda Alloco, regional sales director for Crystal Springs Resort. The resort offers a range of innovative team building activities, from Iron Chef competitions and blind wine tastings to foot golf and archery tag, and new for next year is “Inspiration Collection,” a curated collection of group experiences with common themes revolving around local agriculture, sustainability, nature and wellness. “While we’ve always had the advantage of the beautiful setting that serves as a backdrop to our resort, we’re now providing experiences that incorporate multiple elements of our local environment, whether it’s ingredients in the food we serve from local producers or our own gardens, a guided nature hike to forage botanicals that can be used in a mixology class, or goats from a local farm in one of our goat yoga sessions,” Alloco adds. “Sustainability and environmental responsibility are becoming more and more important to our corporate clients.”
For smaller meetings and more informal corporate events, the state has venues such as the Woolverton Inn, a 14-room bed-and-breakfast venue in Stockton that offers a more relaxed option for company gatherings. “We’re an alternative option for companies that want to get away from presentations and are looking for more interaction … employees can step outside and see the sheep and stretch their legs, or they can gather around the firepit and hang out in Adirondack chairs. It can be an inspiring setting to get the creative juices flowing,” says Mary Passalacqua, owner of the Woolverton Inn.
The inn was renovated to create a retreat for up to 10 guests, complete with a roundtable, and the facility boasts 10 acres of property with endless options for outdoor meeting spaces; companies can organize team-building exercises or enjoy time relaxing on the grounds. Companies needing a dozen guest rooms are offered the exclusive use of the property to eliminate distractions or concerns about confidential issues being overheard.
“Sometimes businesses realize they need to go off-site to help their people focus, and there’s a trend to unplug and take a break from multi-tasking. … We’re seeing companies asking employees to close their laptops or put their phones away to interact, plan and brainstorm together,” Passalacqua says.
Such activity can likewise be accomplished at the more urban Resorts Casino Hotel’s “The Resort Conference Center.” Opened in 2015 in Atlantic City, the center has more than 64,000 square feet of meeting and function space. Although the site features state-of-the-art technology installations allowing up to 1,000 people to “wirelessly connect laptops and personal media devices simultaneously, while sharing screens even with colleagues in remote locations,” the facility also has the ability to house some 10 visitors groups in 450 different guestrooms, even on certain peak nights (the overall Resorts Casino Hotel recently completed a $125- million renovation).
From the edges of Atlantic City to the Hudson River’s west bank, New Jersey’s hotels and conference centers continue to cater to endless iterations of their clients’ and employees’ needs and desires.
To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.Related Articles:


text:
As disruptions ranging from rapid digitalization to widespread inventory shortages shake the automotive industry, success for auto dealers continues to be defined by how well teams can adapt and embrace change.
It’s not just how consumers are researching and buying vehicles that’s evolving – they’re increasingly opting for remote and digital purchasing options. What consumers are shopping for is also changing, fueled by factors including changes to consumer finances, government regulations and shifting product mixes from OEMs.
To navigate today’s changing automotive retail landscape and adapt to changing car buying behaviors, proactive dealers are turning to data to look ahead and plan their next steps to understand what influences car buying decisions.
In this blog post, we identify three current market trends affecting car buying behavior in 2021 that are critical for dealers to consider while planning ahead, including:
Increased Demand for Mid-size Vehicle Models
While sedan sales in the U.S. have been slowing for a number of years, American’s shift to mid-size vehicles reached a new milestone in 2021. For the first time in recent years, mid-size vehicles captured more share of registrations in January than compact vehicles, according to research from IHS Markit.
This movement away from sedans and compact vehicles is in part fueled by an ongoing shift in consumer preferences toward sport utility vehicles. In the same report, IHS Markit noted that in January 2021, mid-size utility vehicles were 60% of mid-size vehicle registrations, up from 56% a year earlier.
This consumer car buying trend is even more evident in the luxury space, where SUVs represent 64% of the total segment according to earlier research from IHS Markit. Combined with sedans, with a share of 27%, these two styles account for 91% of all new luxury vehicle deliveries.
With consumer demand high and new vehicle inventories still strained, it’s critical dealers take a data-driven approach to inventory management. By leveraging predictive marketing technology, dealers can identify localized car buying trends and areas of demand to both turn their new inventory faster and acquire in-demand pre-owned models in the process. This includes identifying which makes and models have consistently sold well in the past, as well as which customers in your portfolio are most likely interested in the vehicles you currently have on your lot.
New Interest in EVs
Like SUVs, growing consumer interest in electric vehicles spurred by seemingly endless factors has been well documented in recent years. However, IHS Markit reported consumer adoption reaching new heights in 2020 as EV loyalty climbed to 55%, increasing from only 34% five years ago.
This growth is expected to continue, with U.S. sales of EVs expected to exceed a 3.5% overall market share in 2021 and climb to a more than 10% share in 2025, according to IHS Markit. On a global scale, IHS Markit forecasts EV sales to grow by 70% in 2021.
From sales to service work, dealerships will be critical to electrification on a mass scale, explains NADA President and CEO Mike Stanton. “There’s 17,000 franchised dealers waiting to sell electric vehicles, excited to sell electric vehicles,” says Stanton in a recent video dispelling the myths surrounding dealerships and EV sales.
In an earlier blog post, Stanton notes dealers’ attitudes toward selling and servicing EVs has changed considerably in recent years, using Cadillac as a real-world example of dealerships embracing change. Dealerships will be critical to widespread electrification explains Stanton, offering “a large, expansive network of retailers and service providers who are experts at marketing locally, and who are invested in the future sales and service opportunities that these products promise.”
Greater Captive Loan Penetration Offers New Opportunities
As the industry continues to recover, many OEMs and dealers remain focused on maintaining customer loyalty as buyers return to market. Loyalty is playing a larger role at the brand-level, explains IHS Markit. And despite the pandemic, loyalty rates remained relatively high in 2020.
This may have been, in part, driven by attractive OEM incentives, namely low and no-interest loans with extended terms and payment deferrals offered by many automakers at the peak of the pandemic. As a direct result of these incentives, new vehicle purchases via captive loans spiked. While the captive share of financed new vehicle registrations has continually increased over the past few years, captive loans represented 51% of new vehicle registrations that were financed in 2020, according to IHS Markit.
With captive loans facilitating about 90% of leases in 2020, these buyers represent numerous opportunities for brands and dealers alike. By facilitating leases, captive customers will naturally return to market faster, with lease terms about half of that of an auto loan. Further, IHS Markit research finds lessees are typically more loyal to brands when they do return to market, providing dealers both continuous sales opportunities, as well as a sustainable source of CPO vehicles from those coming off-lease.
As many of these OEM programs have faded away, it’s now up to dealers to ensure they can identify and engage customers who are preparing to return to market with attractive financing offers tailored to their unique purchasing situation. This starts with your very first customer touchpoint, underscoring the importance of data-driven dealership marketing technology.
Ensure your sales and marketing teams can identify which customers in your database will likely return to market soon, as well as detail any financial considerations that may dictate their purchase. Your marketing messaging should speak to these pain points and build on that customer’s brand loyalty, exchanging bait-and-switch deals for personalized and transparent offers including any available OEM CPO programs, automotive financing terms or other special offers.
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that while we certainly can’t predict the future, planning for your dealership’s success in the future requires you to look at the past. By understanding the car buying trends shaping customer buying behaviors in 2021 and beyond, dealers are empowered to identify areas of opportunity in their market – even in the uncharted territory ahead.
Interested in exploring how Market EyeQ can help your dealership embrace new opportunities in 2021? Contact us for a free demo.


text:
Bengaluru: Wendy Doniger's On Hinduism, Ramachandra Guha’s India After Gandhi and Nathuram Godse's Why I Assassinated Gandhi occupy pride of place in Blossom’s, one of Bengaluru’s best-known bookshops.
There are various groups that would like both Doniger and Godse to be well-hidden from the public eye, but it clearly, city’s intellectual curiosity isn’t so easily suppressed.
Mayi Gowda, owner, Blossoms, says Godse's book, which includes his final recorded statement in court before his assassination, has been flying off the shelves. "We have sold about 600 copies in the last six months," he added.
Nathuram Godse's statement, which was originally called ‘Why I Killed Gandhi’, was published in Marathi by his brother Gopal Godse and subsequently banned. The ban was lifted in 1968 and editions in English began to appear in 1970, but copyright issues kept it off the shelves. "Farsight Publishers and Distributors reprinted it in 2015," Gowda said.
Sapna Book House, another leading chain of bookstores, is in agreement with this. "The book was brought in about a year ago, very quietly, because it could have resulted in trouble," said an official from Sapna Book House, on condition of anonymity.
"We have been selling about three copies a day, close to a 1000 in all. Sales are neck-and-neck with Wendy Doniger's The Hindus: An Alternative History."
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world....


text:
HMD Global stated no personally identifiable information had been shared with third parties, after it was found that some Nokia 7 Plus devices were sending information to servers located in China.
In a statement, the company said it had analysed the issue and found that device activation client software meant for the Chinese market version of the smartphone was included on a “single batch of Nokia 7 Plus phones”. Due to this, the affected devices were trying to send data to a third-party server, although HMD Global said that “such data was never processed, and no person could have been identified based on this data”.
The company also said that, following speculation about other Nokia-branded phones sending data to third-party servers, all device data other than from Chinese-market smartphones is stored on HMD Global servers in Singapore, powered by Amazon Web Services.
To comply with local legislation, data from devices sold in China is stored within the country.
The vendor said it uses data for two primary reasons: to activate the device warranty; and to collect diagnostic data from owners who participate in its user experience programme.
“HMD Global takes the security and privacy of its consumers seriously and complies with all applicable privacy laws,” it said.Subscribe to our daily newsletter Back


text:
Solved: Why Are Some Stores in Dutchess Still Using Plastic Bags?
Are stores breaking the law by handing out plastic bags to customers in Dutchess County?
The answer is yes. But it's actually a little more complicated than you might think. On January 1, a new plastic bag ban went into effect throughout Dutchess County. The law forbids businesses from supplying one-use plastic bags. According to officials, there are only a few exceptions to the law. Pharmacies can provide plastic bags for medications, but not for the rest of your shopping; take-out restaurants and delis can also provide their customers with plastic bags if they wish; and all grocery stores are allowed to provide plastic bags in the butcher and produce sections to hold lose items and raw meat, but not for regular groceries.
So why are some stores still giving customers banned plastic bags?
If you've been out shopping this week you've probably noticed that many stores have continued to hand out the banned bags, despite the new law. Shoppers have reached out to us claiming that they've been given one-use plastic bags at Shoprite, Wal-Mart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Lowes and other stores throughout Dutchess County.
While these businesses are technically breaking the new law, there won't be any violations given out -- at least for now.
According to County Executive Marc Molinaro, the law was passed with plenty of time for businesses to prepare for the plastic bag ban. However, while stores were figuring out a strategy, New York State threw a wrench into the plan by passing their own law that is scheduled to go into effect on March 1. The two laws are slightly different, so in order to allow for businesses to comply with the state law, the county is giving them a little extra leeway with theirs.
So what exactly does that mean? Molinaro says that the county's main goal over the next two months is to "inform, educate and encourage" businesses to comply with the new plastic bag ban. Stores with extra supplies of bags are being told that they can continue to use them up before the state law goes into effect without receiving a violation. As a result, you may still encounter some stores handing out plastic bags over the next few weeks.
While this may seem a bit confusing to consumers, the goal is to get everyone on the same page by March 1. Meanwhile, the Dutchess County Health Department, which has been tasked with enforcing the new law, will continue to visit local businesses to make sure they are complying with the ban. But Molinaro says as long as those businesses aren't "flagrantly" violating the law, there will be no strict enforcement for now.
The county is also reaching out to businesses that are incorrectly notifying their customers that the new law requires them to charge for paper bags. Molinaro says that's just not correct. While businesses are allowed to charge for bags if they like, there is no provision in the law that forces them to do so. The County Executive says stores can still hand out free bags as much as they want, as long as they're not single-use plastic bags.
So if you happen to see a store continuing to use plastic bags, don't be fooled. The end of plastic is here, and you're still going to have to get used to remembering those reusable bags wherever you go.
- Hudson Valley Snow Closings & Delays
- This Restaurant's Tipping Policy Left Me Speechless
- Idiot Crashes Car Attempting to 'Drift' on Route 44 in New Paltz
- We Tour 21 Abandoned Businesses on Route 9
- Hudson Valley Waitress Brought to Tears Over Surprise Tip
- New York Lake Named Most Beautiful in America
- Top 6 Hudson Valley Restaurants Featured on Food Network
- Enormous Fish Live in Hidden Cave Under City of Poughkeepsie


text:
We've got a fresh solid-state storage deal this week, although if you're not crazy about flash memory, we also see Valve is running a juicy Halloween sale at the Steam store.
Our solid-state deal is Corsair's Force 60GB, which Newegg now has on sale for $124.99 with free shipping—or $114.99 after a mail-in rebate. That's got to be the lowest price tag we've ever seen on a SandForce-based SSD with that capacity. (You might recall us featuring 60GB SandForce drives in deal posts when they dipped to $139.99 and then to $129.99 earlier this month.)
Valve's Halloween Steam sale should sate those who have a little less cash kicking around. I see a generous helping of quality titles priced anywhere from $4.99 to $14.99, including a couple of bundles. Here are some highlights:
You can view the full list of deals by heading to the sale page on Steampowered.com. Valve says the sale will continue through November 1.
|Aorus' X5 v7 gaming laptop reviewed||7|
|HyperX Cloud Alpha headset improves on all fronts||2|
|PowerVR celebrates 25 years with a look to the past||8|
|Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is dressed to impress||16|
|Rumor: Intel eighth-gen CPU prices spill out of Canadian e-tailer||33|
|Corsair's Void Pro gaming headsets arrive in style||2|
|Alienware Area 51 desktop gets a Core X CPU infusion||10|
|The TR staff traveled across the country to catch the 2017 eclipse||35|
|Tuesday deals: a pair of monitors and a mini desktop gaming PC||3|
|Those core counts be Ryzen||+28|


text:
The Rose Hall enclave on Jamaica's northwestern coast last month received its latest inventory boost with a Phase II property at the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach & Spa Resort complex, and more is on the way. Set to open this month is Iberostar's Phase III property, and in March 2009, hotelier Horst Schulze, of Ritz-Carlton fame, will debut his new resort brand at Rose Hall—already the location of a 427-room Ritz-Carlton resort with 25,000 sf of meeting space.
Solis Hotels & Resorts, Schulze's high-end brand, will debut in North America with Solis the Palmyra Resort & Spa, which will comprise three luxury-suite towers on 16 oceanfront acres of a Rose Hall plantation. On deck are 23,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space, five F&B options, and a 30,000-sf Espa spa with 14 treatment rooms.
The 299 accommodations will be a mix of one- to four-bedroom suites, penthouses, and 645- to 2,600-sf private villas with terraces. Leading the indoor meeting spaces will be a 5,500-sf ballroom; outside, it will be a 10,000-sf lawn and a gazebo that stretches 300 feet into Montego Bay.
The Palmyra will give guests access to golf courses in the Rose Hall area, including the White Witch, Cinnamon Hill, and Half Moon courses. The resort is expected to challenge the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, which renovated all of its meeting spaces in 2007 and guest rooms this year.
While Solis works on completing its premier Caribbean resort, already operating since Oct. 1 is the 319-suite Iberostar Rose Hall Suites. It is the second property in the brand's resort complex, following the 366-room Rose Hall Beach hotel, which opened in May 2007. Now on the way is the third property, the upscale, 293-suite Grand Hotel Rose Hall.
Although the three all-inclusive properties have small meeting rooms, they all share a conference facility at the resort.
Meanwhile, the 398-room Half Moon resort is not standing idle, recently refurbishing its 14-seat boardroom, plus the Montego, St. James, and Rose Hall meeting suites. At the forefront of its AV upgrades is a globally capable videoconferencing system for groups to communicate with three offices simultaneously.
All of the resort developments coincide with American Airlines' capacity increase to Sangster International Airport (MBJ).
Beginning on Dec. 18,American will operate daily service from Dallas/Fort Worth. In Miami, it will add a third daily flight to MBJ. On Jan. 31,American will launch a morning flight from Chicago O'Hare five times a week. The MBJ outbound to O'Hare takes off in the afternoon.
Originally published Nov. 10, 2008


text:
Pubs get digital jukebox network
The company is also planning to launch broadband-linked games machines flexible enough to allow frequent changes of content designed to keep customers stimulated.
“People don’t want to watch the same episode of Coronation Street over and over again; neither do they want to keep playing the same games every time they walk into the pub,” said Norman Crowley, the chief executive.
Crowley said the concept had caught on across Europe and that machines such as these now accounted for up to 30% of bar profits in the UK.
The company has more than 9,000 entertainment and gaming terminals across the UK and is planning to have 2,000 in Ireland by the end of next year. Charges for games will vary but it will cost customers


text:
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has thrown his agency's support behind the greater use of portable electronic devices on airplanes during flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration should "enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices," the FCC's Julius Genachowski said in a letter today to FAA acting chief Michael Huerta.
The FAA currently prohibits airline passengers from using devices during takeoff and landing for fear that transmissions will interfere with the airplane's equipment, but the FAA recently formed a committee to reconsider its policy on when electronic devices can be turned … Read more
One might say Bertrand Piccard has daring adventure in his blood.
The 54-year-old Swiss balloonist's grandfather set an altitude record, while his father was one of the first people to explore the deepest part of the world's oceans. But now Piccard and his partner Andre Borschberg are aiming to enter the record books with an around-the-world flight in a solar-powered plane that can fly at night without fossil fuel.
Between crowded airports, winter delays, and luggage loaded with gifts, holiday travel can be stressful. But with a little planning, you can make your trip a little easier from start to finish. So rather than gathering up a collection of apps that help you book flights, we decided to make a different kind of travel collection.… Read more
SAUSALITO, Calif. -- With thousands of fans looking on from around the San Francisco Bay, the space shuttle Endeavour soared over the Golden Gate Bridge this morning en route to its final home in Los Angeles.
After taking off a little after 8 a.m. PT from the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California's Mojave Desert, and piggybacked on top of a specially-outfitted Boeing 747, Endeavour made its way north to Sacramento and then turned west toward San Francisco. The journey was a farewell tour for what was called the "Baby" space shuttle, a replacement for the ill-fated Challenger, which exploded after liftoff in 1986. Endeavour made 25 launches during its lifetime, the first in 1992, the last in May 2011. … Read more
It's kind of strange timing for Gogo to quietly raise its in-flight Internet prices -- with airplane Wi-Fi usually being frustrating rather than helpful and JetBlue just announcing it's offering it for free -- but according to PandoDaily, the wireless service has upped their costs.
In what used to be $17.95 for Wi-Fi on a long flight on Virgin America now costs at least $30. Because rather than offering a one-time flight pass, Gogo is now charging by the hour. One hour of in-flight wireless costs $10, so a cross-country flight could be about $60. That's … Read more
JetBlue will begin offering free in-flight Wi-Fi that is supposedly faster than anything its competitors have, according to The Verge.
An internal company e-mail recently sent updated employees about the new high-speed wireless plans that should be hitting the fleet in the first quarter of 2013. The official announcement is expected to be made at the World Low Cost Airlines Conference this week, but The Verge got a copy of the e-mail today.
Here are some more details from the e-mail:… Read more
American Airlines will be the first commercial carrier to have all of its pilots replace their paper-based reference flying manuals with Apple's iPad.
The airline announced today that it received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to "to use the Apple iPad in the cockpit during all phases of flight."
All pilots fly with a kitbag that contains necessary flight information, navigation charts, and reference materials for when they're in the air. American is dubbing its new kitbag with the iPad an "Electronic Flight Bag." Switching from paper manuals to the iPad will save … Read more
Keep your seat belt fastened for Tuesday's tech news roundup:


text:
America’s biggest cash crop has rarely been more expensive. Corn prices have risen 50% in 2021 and a bushel costs more than twice what it did a year ago.
Corn has been one of the sharpest risers in the broad rally in raw materials that is prompting companies to boost prices for goods and fueling concern among investors that inflation could hobble the post-pandemic economic recovery.
Lumber prices have shot to more than four times what is typical, pushing up home prices and obliterating renovation budgets. Copper, a cog of industry found throughout the home and in electronics, hit record prices Friday. Crude oil hasn’t cost so much since 2018 and soybeans are trading at their loftiest level since 2012.


text:
The unicorn food trend has been there for quite some time now. But a Malaysian café has stepped up the game by introducing a new toast that actually looks like a unicorn.
The café, which is known for Japanese Desserts, released the limited edition Unicorn-Berry toast recently. It has Marshmallow meringue berry ice-cream and an ice-cream cone with a charcoal thick toast base. It has been a huge hit so far and was sold out over the weekend.


text:
The collaboration aims to optimize credit, debit and digital payment transactions, offering secure and scalable payment capabilities tailored to BMO’s diverse client base, the companies said in a Thursday (March 14) press release.
“Elavon is excited to bring our capabilities to support BMO’s business clients,” Elavon CEO Jamie Walker, said in the release. “Our range of digital payment capabilities reflects the evolving demands from clients for greater payments integrations with their own technology, faster access to funds, and top-tier client service.”
The services offered through this partnership include core acquiring and processing, omnichannel acceptance (in-person, online or on-the-go), dynamic and multi-currency conversion for international payments and advanced fraud management with state-of-the-art security solutions, according to the release.
“Our partnership with Elavon aligns with BMO’s digital-first strategy supporting progress for our clients through significant enhancements in technology capabilities that enable speed, scale and elimination of complexity,” Hugh McKee, head of BMO Partners, said in the release. “With Elavon, we’ll continue to accelerate high-value service and convenience to meet the diverse needs of our clients.”
BMO Financial Group, with total assets of $1.3 trillion as of Oct. 31, offers a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services, per the release.
In another recently announced partnership, BMO teamed up with Visa in October to offer BMO credit card holders access to Visa’s Installments program, a payment option that lets consumers convert qualifying purchases into smaller, equal payments made over a set period.
Elavon, a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, provides end-to-end payment processing solutions to over 1.3 million customers in the United States, Europe and Canada, according to the Thursday press release. The company is a leading provider for airlines and a top five provider in hospitality, healthcare, retail and public sector/education.
In a recent product introduction, Elavon launched a next-generation model of its Android-based point-of-sale (POS) system called talech Terminal in August, saying this system aims to help small business owners streamline their operations and enhance customer payment experiences.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Sign Up for the Houston Business Journal Afternoon Edition Newsletter
Send this story to a friend
HBJ's looking for the best office holiday party pictures in Houston
More employers nationwide plan on holding holiday parties for employees this year, and Houston Business Journal wants to know how the Houston business community celebrated.
An annual, nonscientific survey conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. found 83 percent of businesses are planning to hold company parties this year. That's up from 68 percent that reported celebrating the holidays last year, according to Challenger's Wednesday statement.
In addition to more parties in general, some employers increased the budgets for 2012 festivities. According to the report, 17 percent of the 100 surveyed businesses are planning to spend more than last year, while 83 percent are spending the same amount. None of the surveyed employers planned to cut their budgets.
While 2012 is expecting an increase in celebrations, the number of companies celebrating isn't quite level with prerecession numbers reported in 2007, when 90 percent of the businesses surveyed planned to hold parties, according to the release.
“For many companies, 2012 probably feels like the first time in a while that there is reason to celebrate,” Challenger, Gray & Christmas Executive Vice President Rick Cobb said in the statement. “The economy and job market continued to make strides this year. While employment did not grow as fast as many had hoped, company profits did increase due to increased sales as well as cost-cutting initiatives.”
HBJ wants to see pictures from Houston-area companies' holiday celebrations, which could be featured on our website.
Send your favorite pictures from your office celebrations to Web Producer Olivia Pulsinelli at firstname.lastname@example.org by Dec. 20. Be sure to include the names of those in the picture, the company and where the picture was taken.
Editorial department staff members will vote on their favorite pictures, and a winner will be announced in a special slideshow.
- Most popular
- Houston family cracks top 10 on Forbes' Richest Families list
- Longtime Houston tech company plans to move HQ to Silicon Valley
- Exclusive: San Antonio homebuilder to develop luxe Katy neighborhood
- Beck's Prime reconsiders locations, eyes expansion
- Exclusive: Details revealed on office project at River Oaks District
- UH football stadium gets corporate sponsor
- Multibillion-dollar merger includes veteran Houston homebuilder
- Powers is out: UT president to leave post next June
- Grand Parkway, lot inventory game changers for community home sales
- Local Internet service provider becomes fastest in Houston
Advertising Consultant Houston Business Journal | Houston, TX
General Manager Rachel's Hallmark Stores | Houston, TX
Mechanical Engineer Bayard Advertising | Houston, TX
Controller Genomma Lab USA Inc. | Houston, TX
Commercial Leasing Agent Tarantino Properties Inc | Houston, TX


text:
Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. has purchased a 20 percent stake in Ipanema Coffees, one of Brazil’s largest coffee producing farms.
“(T)he demand for certified coffees which Ipanema produces, has been growing by roughly 10 percent a year in developed nations such as the U.S., Europe and Japan,” Mitsubishi said in a statement.
In a separate transaction, Tchibo Austria Holding, the owner of the Tchibo coffee roasting house, bought a 16.5 percent stake in the coffee company, according to sources in a recent Reuters news report. Imanema CEO Washington Luiz Alves told Reuters that the sales will allow Ipanema to invest in equipment to make harvesting more efficient. Harvesting this season’s crop in Brazil — which is expected to be larger than average — will begin within weeks.
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. Feedback and story ideas are welcome at publisher (at) dailycoffeenews.com, or see the "About Us" page for contact information.


text:
The rivalry that sends pizza sales through the roof
STATE of Origin and pizza - name a more iconic duo.
Arguably the greatest sporting battle on the Australian calendar, the series' opening clash between Queensland and New South Wales also represents one of Domino's busiest nights of the year.
In a recent GPS Driver Tracker Pizza Poll, 55 per cent of customers ranked pizza as their 'meal of choice' on Origin night.
Domino's CEO for Australia and New Zealand Nick Knight said Origin could be up to two times busier than a typical Wednesday night for stores.
"Origin Game 1 was the busiest night of the year for our Queensland and New South Wales stores last year, with BBQ Meatlovers the biggest seller across both states,” Mr Knight said.
"It's a challenging night because in addition to the sheer quantity of pizzas going out the doors, most people are keen for delivery in a precise window - either around kick-off, or at half-time.”
This year New South Wales will be defending more than one title, with Domino's New South Wales stores selling three per cent more pizzas than the company's Queensland stores across the last Origin series.
Mr Knight said the preparation for Wednesday's game had kicked off weeks ago, with stores ordering extra ingredients, hiring and training new team members and rostering up to handle the rush.
"Just like the players, it's all about the preparation our stores put in ahead of the game,” he said.
"Preparing fresh dough in-store, stocking fridges full of drinks, putting aces in their places when it comes to team members and making sure every scooter and car is fuelled and ready to go, and every e-bike fully charged.”
Due to the popularity of pizza on game night, Mr Knight is encouraging people to pre-order.


text:
BENGALURU & NEW DELHI: Online retailer Snapdeal, which owns a sizeable stake in logistics provider GoJavas, does not plan to sell its holding even as the promoters of the Gurgaon-based company aggressively scout for buyers.
In recent weeks the logistics company has suspended operations and handed out pink slips, as the management team led by the promoters looks to sell their stakes in the company to the highest bidder. However, that strategy appears to have run into rough weather with Snapdeal indicating it will not dilute its holding in the company.
“There is no change with regard to our shareholding at Go-Javas,” said a spokesman for Snapdeal in response to detailed query sent by ET. Delhi-based Courier Company Pigeon Express and (Delhi-based) Trackon are among those in the running to buy GoJavas, according to reports in news portal VCCircle and Mint. “There is a third entity which is in the running and the deal has not been finalised yet.
Pigeon Express has been the fastest to move,” one person close to the GoJavas management, told ET. Snapdeal’s parent company — Jasper Infotech — has invested a total of Rs 273 crore to acquire a 42 per cent stake — making it the largest shareholder in the company.
Separately, Snapdeal has also invested Rs 36 crore to build out its own logistics unit, Vulcan Express for end-to-end delivery. GoJavas, has placed itself on the blocks in search of a buyer after talks with Snapdeal fell through a few weeks ago, according to two people directly aware of the issue.
The company has also failed to reconcile the payments due from its clients from November-December 2015 with “account receivables of upwards of Rs 50 crore”, said one person aware of the developments.
The bulk of these payments are due from Snapdeal and Jabong (which is now a part of Flipkart), said the source. A lack of working capital and the burden of overdue payments had stretched GoJavas’ resources. The company suspended operations citing ‘technical reasons’ since August 2.
It has also served notices to its delivery personnel to look for alternative employment by August 24, according to one of GoJavas’ clients. “They have let go of the field-force and given them a months’ notice to find alternate employment.
They will be firing the operations staff in the next tranche,” said an investor in the logistics space. Meanwhile, merchants who used the logistics service say their shipments have not been transported.
“We received an email on August 2 indicating that there will be no pick-ups for our shipment. They haven’t sent back our packages,” said Abhishek Jain, founder Ethnickart, a Mumbaibased online retailer of handicrafts and handloom products which also sells on multiple marketplaces.