text:
The just-released Safari 5 ups the ante in the browser wars, with two major improvements: a performance boost to rival speed king Chrome, the highly useful Safari Reader, which makes it much easier to read multi-page Web articles.
Software and Services
While most of the attention of the tech world is focused today on the Steve Jobs keynote at Apple's WWDC event, Microsoft is hosting its own major event this week--TechEd. At TechEd, Microsoft revealed that it is working on service pack 1 (SP1) for W...
Developers in the Eclipse open source community are becoming more inclined to use Linux as their primary desktop operating system, according to a report released Monday by the Eclipse Foundation that gauges sentiments on software development issues.
Google's Chrome OS is coming to a netbook near you sometime later this year. The Web-centric, Linux-based, open source platform will offer a lightweight, cost-effective alternative operating system for portable computing.
It's official: Google plans to debut its Chrome operating system in the fourth quarter of this year, although the company has yet to provide an exact launch date. Sundar Pichai, Google's vice president of product management, made the announcement W...
These photo editing toys are all one-trick ponies designed to do only one thing--but they do those one things pretty well.
The iPad is "magic" and all that, but it is not without its flaws and weaknesses--many of which I expect Apple will address with the next incarnation of the tablet device. However, for those looking to use the current generation iPad as a mobile busi...
When CIO Daniel Chan was first prompted to use open-source software, cost savings weren't top of mind.
You can power up your PC with extra features and functions without spending a fortune. We outline some incredibly useful downloads you can use for free.
There's a lot to love about the Windows 7 operating system: it's fast, it looks great, and it has some cool features--like Jump Lists for quickly opening recently used files, Homegroup for sharing files between computers, and Aero Snap to help you qu...
Photoshop CS5 includes some truly groundbreaking new tools.
Adobe's Creative Suite 5 has just been announced, and here we have all you need to know about the new collection of creative tools, including step-by-step guides to the main applications. It's expected to be on the shelves by the end of May, featurin...
It's been 20 years since Adobe 1.0 was released, and graphics professionals everywhere are still using Adobe's products to produce videos, Web sites, images and other creative material. We've taken a look back to see where Adobe Creative Suite has be...
Although some like to say "antivirus is dead" because of the explosion in malware that makes signature-based desktop protection harder than ever, start-up Immunet wants to bring new life to antivirus scanning through cloud computing.
With chip makers continuing to increase the number of cores they include on each new generation of their processors, perhaps it's time to rethink the basic architecture of today's operating systems, suggested Dave Probert, a kernel architect within t...
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Synology DiskStation DS215j NAS device
- 2 Fitbit Charge wireless activity tracker
- 3 HP Stream 11 laptop
- 4 B&O BeoPlay A2 portable Bluetooth speaker
- 5 Acer Chromebook 11 (CB3-111)
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- France wants to hold social media networks accountable for hate speech
- Androids will greet guests at Japanese smart hotel
- Wi-Fi growth set to drive sales of new Ethernet speeds
- Flying high, Apple readies Watch to ship in April
- Windows 10 Spartan browser will get extensions
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


text:
You are here
MONTVALE, N.J. -- A&P's 21 Sav-A-Center supermarkets in Louisiana and Mississippi could be sold as soon as October, according to speculation in the New Orleans-area, although the A&P's insistence on selling all of the stores to a single purchaser could be a complicating factor.
A local press report noted that some potential New Orleans-area bidders have neither the money nor the geographic reach to spring for all of the locations, and that a buying consortium of independent grocers might be a more workable alternative.
"It's always been our objective and focus to sell the stores as one unit," A&P executive chairman Christian Haub told New Orleans City Business. "At this point, I have no reason to believe we won't sell the business as one."
Nevertheless, the owners of local banners Breaux Mart and Zuppardo's told the business newspaper that they would be interested in only a handful of locations. Rouse's Supermarkets denied being in talks with A&P, but said it is "always interested in locations."
Speculation has pegged Keene, N.H.-based C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. and Cincinnati's Kroger Co. as major bidders for the stores, which average, 43,400 square feet.
"We're in the process of negotiating," Haub told the publication. "Once we have a signed contract we'll disclose, (but) until then we're keeping the people we're negotiating with very confidential."
The sale of the Sav-A-Center stores will allow A&P to concentrate on its core Northeastern market, where it is now in the process of merging with erstwhile rival Pathmark.
According to spokesman Rick DeSanta, the Sav-A-Center stores will stay open at least until the sale closes.
A&P and C&S couldn't be reached by Progressive Grocer for further comment. Kroger said that its policy doesn't permit it to "comment on rumors or speculation."

domain: news


text:
|Price||$849 + Free shipping|
Lenovo has the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 Intel Core i5-5200U Dual-Core BROADWELL 14" Convertible 2-in-1 Touch Ultrabook with pre-installed Windows 10 and 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 940M Discrete Graphics for a low $849.00 Free Shipping. Tax in most states.
This Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 config normally sells for $1200, so you're saving 29% off the list price. The Yoga 14 ThinkPad with its unique hinge has 4 usage modes enabling laptop/stand/tent/tablet modes. Similar to other premium ThinkPads, the Yoga 14 Ultrabook has durable magnesium-alloy chassis and heavy duty scratch- and smudge-resistant Dragontrail display.
Disclaimer: The Black Friday deal information given above is without warranties on accuracy and availability. Black Friday deals tend to sell out very quickly and as retailer only keep low inventories for doorbuster deals.
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 Core i5-5200U 14in 1080p 2-in-1 Touch Ultrabook w/ 8GB RAM, GeForce GT 940M 2GB GPU $849
Black Friday 2015 is here. The early Black Friday 2015 Sales launched. I4U News is features in-depth coverage of Black Friday 2015 ads, deals, and sales. We have more Black Friday services and content than ever before. Find below the highlights.
Black Friday 2015 on I4U News
Find the latest Black Friday 2015 Deals
I4U News is daily News site for the Geek Mind. Expect the latest technology news including the juiciest rumors. Stay up to date with the biggest discoveries in science. Other featured news topics include cars, celebrities, movies and more.Read more.


text:
All Starbucks in Korea now have paper straws
Starting Monday, Starbucks began stocking all of its stores with white paper straws, which it found during trials to be more popular than green ones. The paper straws will also be coated with soy oil both inside and outside in response to customer complaints that its original trial straws were too flimsy.
Starbucks trialed paper straws at 100 stores in Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island over the last two months.
Though all stores now have paper straws, some branches will continue to offer customers plastic ones until they deplete existing stocks.
Additionally, on Monday, Starbucks began stocking all of its stores with plastic cup lids that don’t require straws. These special lids, which resemble those used with hot drinks that come in paper cups, will be provided for take-out orders of regular cold drinks. Paper straws and regular lids will be provided for specialty cold drinks like Frappuccinos and drinks topped with whipped cream that are difficult to drink without straws.
“We developed the plastic cup lids to minimize disposable waste consumption and also offer an alternative to customers who prefer drinking without straws,” said a Starbucks spokesman.
Starbucks will also remove the straws and stirring sticks it previously left out for customers and instead place them behind counters and only provide them on request. It will replace all plastic stirring sticks with wooden ones as well.
Last year, Starbucks Korea used 180 million plastic straws, nearly enough to circumnavigate the earth if laid end-to-end. “With the adoption of paper straws, we will be able to prevent consumption of at least 180 million plastic straws from next year,” said a Starbucks spokesperson.
BY KIM EUN-JIN [firstname.lastname@example.org]


text:
log in to manage your profile and account
- Create your account
- Receive up-to-date newsletters
- Set up text alerts
Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2018 @ 7:27 AM
By: Kaitlin Schroeder - Staff Writer
Major grocery chains received mediocre scores for their efforts to reduce food wastes.
Advocacy groups Center for Biological Diversity and The “Ugly” Fruit and Veg Campaign surveyed the 10 largest U.S. grocery chains and released a new report card on their efforts.
No grocery chain received an A grade.
Wal-Mart ranked highest with a B. Kroger got a C. Target, Trader Joe’s , Whole Foods Market and Costco all got Ds.
Aldi ranked last with a F.
About 40 percent of food in the U.S. is wasted every year, the report stated, and “it’s only by preventing food waste from the start that we can begin to address the environmental footprint and inequalities of our food system.”


text:
U.S. and European Strategies to Tackle Human Rights in Global Supply Chains
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine are but two of the major factors that have catapulted global supply chains into the headlines. The reliability and sustainability of supply chains – of both strategic and everyday goods – are at the top of policymakers’ agendas around the world. Threatening those systems, however, are human rights risks that companies are failing to address. Growing economic insecurity and increasing demand for raw materials, such as minerals like mica for technology supply chains, has led to an increased risk of human rights violations, including the use of child labor. As the widespread corporate withdrawal from Russia has demonstrated, ignoring human rights risks in business decisions comes with serious consequences, both for business and the global economy.
Both the United States and European Union are taking steps to provide guidance to companies about their global human rights responsibilities – and imposing consequences for companies that fail to abide by them. In the U.S., Congress and the Biden administration have moved swiftly to ban imports of products manufactured with forced labor in China’s Xinjiang province. The Department of Labor has expanded its efforts to inform company investments, as well as to enforce the landmark labor provisions of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. In conjunction with the Democracy Summit, the Departments of Labor and State, and USAID, announced a $124 million initiative to support worker organizing around the world. The European Union is taking a cross-sectoral approach, with an effort to mandate companies carry out human rights due diligence down their supply chains. The European Commission’s proposed directive on corporate sustainability due diligence would impose legal liability on companies that fail to undertake adequate due diligence, if consequently human rights abuses are identified in their supply chains. This initiative follows the passage of similar laws at a national level in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Please join CSIS and the Heinrich Böll Foundation for a discussion of these issues. The online event will begin with a conversation between Sabine Muscat (Program Director, Technology and Digital Policy, Heinrich Böll Foundation) and Michael Anthony (Co-founder, Vertical52), co-author of a journalistic investigation into the use of child labor in Mica mining in India. This will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Marti Flacks (Director of the CSIS Human Rights Initiative) with Heidi Hautala (Member of European Parliament, Greens/European Free Alliance), Thea Lee (Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, Bureau of International Labor Affairs), Barbara Küppers (Public Affairs Manager, Terre Des Hommes), and David McKean (Acting Executive Director, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable).This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.


text:
CAC 40 Marginally Lower As Investors Look To BoE Meeting
(RTTNews) - French shares were marginally lower on Thursday as a raft of Chinese data came in below estimates and investors awaited a pivotal BoE meeting for direction.
Earlier in the day, the Swiss National Bank maintained its expansionary monetary policy and upgraded its inflation projections.
The benchmark CAC 40 was down 4 points or 0.07 percent at 5,213 in late opening deals after closing 0.2 percent higher on Wednesday.
Automaker Renault rose 0.4 percent and Peugeot added 0.2 percent.
Europe's passenger car sales grew 5.6 percent year-on-year to 865,047 units in August, up from July's 2.7 percent increase, industry data showed today.
Vivendi slid 0.2 percent as Italy's market watchdog said the French media firm had "de facto control" over Telecom Italia.
Aeronautical company Zodiac Aerospace gained 1 percent after reaffirming targets for 2016/17.
Hermes lost more than 2 percent after the luxury goods maker warned of a slowdown in profit growth in the second half due to currency headwinds.
In economic releases, French consumer price inflation rose to a four-month high of 0.9 percent in August, as initially estimated, final data from statistical office Insee showed.


text:
Microsoft Is Working On A New Windows 10 Mobile To Release This Year
Microsoft Corporation is said to be working on a new Windows 10 mobile and will launch it this year. The new Windows Phone may not be different from the much-awaited Microsoft Surface Phone. Surely, the upcoming Surface Phone is one of the most-awaited 2017 phones at the moment. However, news regarding another Microsoft Windows phone has created a little confusion.
No Microsoft Surface Phone This Year
According to the International Business Times, there won’t be any Microsoft Surface Phone this year. Consequently, fans of the Microsoft Phone will have to save on the expected Windows 10 Mobile that the firm is aiming to launch at the end of 2017. Instead, the most anticipated Microsoft Surface Phone with an ARM-compatible version of Windows 10 will come around 2019.
The latest patent filed by Microsoft with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is said to be seen on the Surface Phone that will be unveiled in 2019. The filing indicates that the Microsoft Surface Phone will come with a foldable screen. It is considered a unique feature and described as a phone gadget with a flexible hinge structure. The Surface phone may be used not like a mobile but also like a tablet that can be folded to the size of a smartphone in order to use for sending texts and making calls.
Microsoft Is Working On A New Windows 10 Mobile
A Reddit thread about Windows Phone talks about the new Microsoft phone and it was first reported by a retired employee of a Microsoft contractor. The employee revealed that the new Microsoft phone will only land later this year or early next year. He also said that the new Microsoft phone is not expected to feature the ARM-compatible version of Windows 10, not like the Surface Phone.
Softpedia, a Romanian website, points out that various German sources also suggested that a Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile-based device is coming this year. According to Tech2, the upcoming new Microsoft Windows Phone would be limited to Windows Store apps and will surely run Windows 10 Mobile. With that, it will be similar to the Lumia 950 as well as 950 XL phones.
Samsung Galaxy S8 And Galaxy S8+ New Leak Shows How It Might Measure Up To Apple iPhone
Samsung Galaxy S8 sports a bold new design that removes the old oblong home button from beneath the screen and squeezes the ear speaker and sensors closer together above the screen.
Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg And Wife Announced They're Having Another Baby Girl
Following the birth of their first child, Max, in December 2015, Zuckerberg and Chan announced the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative to give away 99 percent of their wealth to invest in education and scientific research.
Attackers Widely Exploiting A Recently Patched Vulnerability In Apache Struts
Given the availability of patches and detection rules, it’s likely that public attacks are going to be largely mitigated and as more detection rules surface, public exploits should be less useful to attackers.
Microsoft Reportedly Working On iPad 'Touch Cover'
New documents reveal the existence of an "iPad Touch Cover" from Microsoft.
Surface Book vs Surface Pro vs Surface Laptop: A Guide To Buying Microsoft Computer
There are cheaper computers out there. But if you want one that combines the premium quality of an Apple device with the flexibility and touchscreen of a Windows 10 laptop, you should check out the Surface line first.
MORE IN ITECHPOST
Link Building & Guest Posting Updates- 2020
Over the years, the importance of high-quality backlinks has only increased. What once used to be a quantitative measure, is now qualitatives in nature. In other words, the links are now scanned for the quality they bring in, along with the number of links.
How Do Personal Emergency Response Systems Work?
Personal emergency response systems, known as PERS for short, are systems that help people to raise the alarm and get immediate help when a medical or personal emergency occurs. They are ideal for older people and anyone with a mobility issue or an injury or illness that can cause falls.
New Lawsuit Alleges Fortnite Video Game Is as Addictive as Cocaine
Epic Games, creator of the popular Fortnite video game, has been hit with a new lawsuit that alleges the game is as "addictive as cocaine" and that Epic has targeted children with its marketing. The popular game is played by more than a quarter-billion people.
Netflix is Raising Prices, Here’s How it Now Compares to Other Streaming Services
Once a brand gains the trust and loyalty of its market, it is only logical that it attempts to flex its dominant muscle. Such is the tale that fits the recent price hike coming from the stable of Netflix. Having baited consumers into believing that streaming, and not cable subscription, is the right way to go, Netflix has now decided to drop its own form of a bombshell on consumers in the form of price increment. The news, which was announced earlier this year, detailed that Netflix would be raising prices across all of its plans by 13 to 18 percent.


text:
Huge crowds expected for Galway Sea fest
MORE than 100,000 visitors are expected to attend what is likely to be the largest seafood and maritime festival in the British Isles this summer.
SeaFest will be held over three days in the Irish city and port of Galway, from June 29 to July 1, and is expected to showcase Ireland’s booming seafood industry.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) chief Jim O’Toole said: ‘This year, we plan to build on our popular BIM Seafood Experience with a range of activities that will give visitors, young and old, the opportunity to experience all elements of our diverse seafood industry and resource.
‘From seafood cookery and fishmonger demonstrations in partnership with Bord Bia, to a walk-in virtual reality stroll under the sea, our exhibition this year is more exciting than ever.
‘Sustainability will be a key theme, with informative exhibits, including how fishermen around the coast are playing their part to reduce marine litter through BIM’s Fishing for Litter initiative.’
He said visitors will also be able to discover more about Ireland’s maritime history and how the seafood industry benefits the country’s coastal communities.
SeaFest has quickly become one of the most popular summer festivals in Ireland, attracting more than 100,000 visitors last year.
It is separate to another big Irish seafood celebration, the Galway International Oyster Festival, which has been running since 1954 and also attracts tens of thousands of visitors.
The world’s longest running oyster festival will be held, according to tradition, on the last weekend in September (28-30).


text:
The finalists for a Dragon’s Den-style vegan business pitching competition have been announced.
This is the third outing for Pitch + Plant, which was created by vegan events company Vevolution. It will take place on July 13 at Lush Studio in Soho.
They will pitch to a panel of investors and plant-based business experts including Matthew Glover, Chairman of Veganuary, Damien Clarkson, Co Founder of Vevolution, Swatee Deepak, Director of With and For Girls at Purposeful, Jonathan Petrides, Co Founder of allplants, andGrace Regan, Founder of Spicebox
The finalists will be pitching for seed investment in their startups made by Vevolution.
‘Overwhelmed by the quality’
“We were overwhelmed by the quality of applications this year, there is an abundance of entrepreneurs creating exciting plant-based businesses that represent a brighter way of living on the planet,” Pitch + Plant, Vevolution Co-Founder, Damien Clarkson, said.
“We look forward to investing in the winners of Pitch + Plant and helping them on their entrepreneurial journey.”
?You can learn more about the finalists here


text:
ALBANY, N.Y. – Today, the American Vaping Association, a leading advocate for the benefits of vapor products such as electronic cigarettes, reacted to tonight’s passage of A.5955 by the New York Assembly by an 85-58 vote. If enacted, this bill would prohibit the usage of vapor products — technology devices that allow for the inhalation of a smoke-free vapor — everywhere in New York State that the use of combustible cigarettes is banned.
Gregory Conley, President of the American Vaping Association, issued the following statement:
“This is the nanny state on steroids. It makes no sense to treat these tobacco-free, smoke-free, and often nicotine-free products the same as deadly combustible cigarettes.
“All across New York, vapor products are creating ex-smokers. We are hopeful that the Senate will recognize the science and defeat this bill.”
About the American Vaping Association
The American Vaping Association is a nonprofit organization that advocates for fair and sensible regulation of vapor products, otherwise known as electronic cigarettes, with the goal of maximizing the number of adult smokers who use these products to quit smoking. The AVA was founded by Gregory Conley, a consumer and industry advocate with a long track record of advocating for vapor products dating back to 2010.
We are dedicated to educating the public and government officials about public health benefits offered by vapor products, which are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine or nicotine-free solution and create an inhalable vapor. The AVA is not a trade group and does not speak for any particular businesses, including our industry sponsors.


text:
Toronto, ON (PRWEB) May 18, 2016
The appointment of Mr. Hirani, a leading telecom sales executive, shows the commitment of CrowdCare to focus on growing its lead in the first vertical market segment for its award-winning Applied AI technology and service. CrowdCare has been developing its AI-based digital care product, Wysdom, with the telecom industry for the past 4 years and has produced exceptional results for it’s clients. CrowdCare is committed to focusing on this market segment before moving on to other vertical markets.
“CrowdCare has proven their solution with multiple customers and is ready for explosive growth” says Mr. Hirani. “For the past 18 years, I have always prided myself in understanding technological trends that will be industry changing and Crowdcare is leading the charge in next generation digital care.”
Most recently Mr. Hirani was responsible for sales and business development at NetCracker Technology where he sold high value, solutions that address the entire spectrum of telecom infrastructure and customer facing issues. Prior to that, to Mr. Hirani held senior sales and business development roles at IBM, UXP Systems, Radialpoint, and Casero.
“The timing couldn’t be better,” says Ian Collins, co-founder and CEO of CrowdCare. “Our Applied AI solution has delivered unmatched results and is poised to become the dominant AI solutions for the telecom vertical market. Arif will be able to tell our story to more potential customers and help us to grow this business to support customers around the world.”
CrowdCare is a fast-growing technology company using the latest artificial intelligence technology to deliver the best self-care experiences on the planet. By providing the world’s most advanced AI based support solutions for connected devices, CrowdCare helps its enterprise customers increase satisfaction and lower service costs. Wysdom, CrowdCare’s flagship product, is a full solution incorporating the latest in AI technologies that supports the entire customer self-care experience across all contact channels. When customers ask a question through a product powered by Wysdom, context from billing, network and device data is combined with the power of AI to deliver instant actionable answers, specifically relevant to each user.


text:
Senators want law to protect vehicles from hacking
Two senators unveiled legislation Wednesday to force the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to set rules protecting driver security and privacy.
Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., proposed the bill after Markey released a report Sunday that raised concerns about vehicles being hacked.
Markey’s report said millions of cars and trucks are vulnerable to hacking through wireless technologies that could jeopardize driver safety and privacy.
As vehicles grow increasingly connected through wireless networks and become more dependent on sophisticated electronic systems, Congress and federal regulators are worried about the potential for hackers to interfere with vehicle functions. The report says vehicles are vulnerable to hacking through wireless networks, smartphones, infotainment systems like OnStar — even a malicious CD popped into a car stereo.
“We need the electronic equivalent of seat belts and airbags to keep drivers and their information safe in the 21st century,” Markey said. “There are currently no rules of the road for how to protect driver and passenger data, and most customers don’t even know that their information is being collected and sent to third parties. These new requirements will include a set of minimum standards to protect driver security and privacy in every new vehicle. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to advance this important consumer protection legislation.”
Blumenthal said automakers need to do more.
“Connected cars represent tremendous social and economic promise, but in the rush to roll out the next big thing automakers have left the doors unlocked to would-be cybercriminals,” Blumenthal said. “This common-sense legislation would ensure that drivers can trust the convenience of wireless technology, without having to fear incursions on their safety or privacy by hackers and criminals.”
The bill would require that all wireless access points in the car are protected against hacking attacks, evaluated using penetration testing; all collected information is appropriately secured and encrypted to prevent unwanted access; and that automakers or third-party feature provider be able to detect, report and respond to real-time hacking events.
The legislation will also call for new cars to be evaluated by a rating system — a “cyber dashboard” — to inform consumers “about how well the vehicle protects drivers beyond those minimum standards. This information will be displayed on the label of all new vehicles — just as fuel economy is today.”
Its release comes after CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday aired a segment showing how vehicles can be subjects of remote hacking. Just last month, BMW AG said it had fixed a security flaw that could have allowed up to 2.2 million vehicles to have their doors remotely opened by hackers.
One automaker told Markey that some owners have attempted to reprogram the vehicle’s onboard computer to increase the horsepower of vehicles or torque through the use of “performance chips.”
In November, two major auto trade associations representing nearly all automakers unveiled a set of principles to protect driver privacy and security.
Wade Newton, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers — the trade group representing Detroit’s Big Three automakers, Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG and others — said he had not seen the report.
But he said automakers believe strong consumer data privacy protections and strong vehicle security are essential.
“Auto engineers incorporate security solutions into vehicles from the very first stages of design and production — and security testing never stops.
“The industry is in the early stages of establishing a voluntary automobile industry sector information sharing and analysis center — or other comparable program — for collecting and sharing information about existing or potential cyber-related threats.”
Automakers noted that the Society of Automotive Engineers has created a Vehicle Electrical System Security Committee to draft standards that help ensure electronic control system safety.
NHTSA spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said Sunday the agency is “engaged in an intensive effort to determine potential security vulnerabilities related to new technologies and will work to ensure that manufacturers cooperate and address issues in order to keep motorists safe.”


text:
Android OS powered HTC Flyer tablet is now available for just $299.99 at Best Buy retail stores. Check out the more info about this awesome deal and by the Flyer tablet from here.
HTC has released the web based bootloader unlocking tool for the 7-inch HTC Flyer Android tablet. Check out the more details about the official bootloader unlocking tool for the HTC Flyer tablet.
A RUU of Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS has been ported to the 7-inch HTC Flyer tablet. Check out the first screen shots of the HTC Flyer running Android 3.2 Honeycomb here.
HTC Puccini is the high-end spec’d dual core CPU equipped Android 3.1 Honeycomb OS powered tablet, while the HTC Flyer is a mid-range spec’d single-core CPU equipped Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered tablet. Check out the detailed comparison between the both Android OS powered HTC Puccini and HTC Flyer tablets here.
The unannounced and unconfirmed 10-inch HTC Puccini tablet is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming HTC event in London, which is going to be held on June 27th. Check out the more details about this unconfirmed Android Honeycomb OS powered HTC Puccini’s announcement here.
Android powered HTC Flyer tablet has been approved with T-Mobile 3G bands by FCC recently. HTC Flyer comes with 1.5GHz CPU, 7″ display, 1GB RAM, 5MP rear and 1.3MP front cameras, Wi-Fi, DLNA, Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, and more. Check out the more details about the T-Mobile branded HTC Flyer tablet here.
HTC has started rolling out an over-the-air firmware update 2.00.405.3 for HTC Flyer tablet, bringing a slightly improved performance. Check out the more details about the new firmware update for HTC Flyer tablet here and start downloading it.
HTC Evo View 4G for Sprint, the HTC Flyer tablet version for the carrier will be releasing on June 24th according to a new leaked screenshot from the Sprint’s internal Rewards Me site. Check out the more details about the HTC Evo View 4G release date for Sprint.
HTC Puccini is undergoing its final testing stages and the large scale production will start this June. Hoping that the 10.1 inch Tablet to be released this summer.


text:
- About Us
- Local Savings
- Green Editions
- Legal Notices
- Weekly Ads
Connect with Us
Schools shelve bad beef
In response to national warnings that a California-based slaughterhouse had violated USDA regulations, the Mercer Island School District has restricted its use of meat products. On Feb. 1, MISD Food Service Director Cameron Danby received word from the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Schools (OSPI) that the Westland/Hallmark packing company was being investigated for slaughtering “weak cattle,” which violates USDA code. The district receives a small portion of Westland/Hallmark raw meat through its local beef processor, King’s Command.
Danby immediately posted the news on the district Web site, assuring parents that he was taking “every measure necessary to ensure that the beef products currently served on our menu are indeed safe.” A minimal percentage of the meat served at Island schools comes from Westland/Hallmark. All of these products are being set aside until the USDA verifies that further distribution of the beef is safe.
“Given the size of our district, it was fairly easy to determine if any of our current stock of beef products were on the list provided by King’s Command,” Danby said.
The food director emphasized that all parties — the USDA, King’s Command, OSPI and MISD — were taking every precaution to keep students from eating Westland/Hallmark meat.
“OSPI is in direct communication with the USDA, which is ‘using an abundance of caution’ for the situation,” he said. “The products are on hold until the [USDA] can complete its investigation, which may take as long as several weeks.”
More than 150 school districts in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Utah, Montana, Minnesota, Washington and other states stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co. and Westland Meat Co. until the investigation is complete.
In addition to supplying the USDA National School Lunch Program, Westland/Hallmark also distributes meat to several fast-food restaurant chains.
The national warning stemmed from a video released last week by the Humane Society showing workers at Hallmark dragging “downed cattle” by their legs or using forklifts and water hoses to force weak cattle to their feet.
According to the USDA, it is illegal for packaging companies to slaughter weak cattle because their inability to walk may be a sign of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease.
So far, no meat-related illnesses have been reported. The USDA will continue to ban all Westland/Hallmark beef products until an official analysis is completed. Danby will update the community as news develops via the MISD Web site.


text:
Why so blue Calvin Harris and deadmau5? You may have noticed that several musicians turned their profile pictures cyan blue (or possibly turquoise) today, and the reason was pretty surprising.
Is it Earth Day? Political? Humanitarian? None of the above. It's the launch of Jay-Z's new music streaming service.
The two high-profile DJs are just a couple of several musicians showing solidarity as part owners of the new platform. The artist's also have hashed out #TidalForAll. The service will cost either 9.99 or 19.99 per month based on your needs and promises higher quality music.
The "expensive" service is more evidence that music is moving to a non-free model. We previously reported rumors that Apple is planning its own service for around $10/month. The trouble for free services like Spotify is that if artists can see that pay-services are working, there is no incentive to offer their tracks up for free. And honestly, it's going to be hard to compete with powerhouses like Jay-Z and Apple.
As The Verge reports, "...it was also announced that Taylor Swift would be making her back catalog of albums available on Tidal but not Spotify as a protest against the latter's free tier."
The one service swimming against the blue tide right now is Beatport, who just launched their new music streaming service for free. While they've long been connected with exclusive releases and a thick electronic catalog, the winds may be changing with deadmau5 and Calvin Harris riding the Tide.
Tidal is expected to launch at 2 p.m. PST today. The Verge also reports that Tidal was initially a Scandinavian service called Aspiro. It calls itself the "first high-fidelity music streaming service with high definition music videos".
Read the original report on The Verge


text:
Convergence of Banking, Retail, Transportation and Mobile Payments the Focus of the Smart Card Alliance 2010 Payments Summit
Princeton Junction, NJ, January 6, 2010–The accelerating widespread acceptance, usage and application of contactless and NFC mobile payments in transit and retail will be the focus of the Smart Card Alliance 3rd Annual Payments Summit. The event is being held February 23rd–25th, 2010 at the Marriott City Center Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Payments Summit brings together members of the Smart Card Alliance’s Contactless and Mobile Payments Council and its Transportation Council. This includes representatives from transportation authorities, issuing banks and payment brands, retailers, mobile technology suppliers, chip and card manufacturers, terminal manufacturers, payments processors, and transit and payment systems integrators.
“With transit and retail markets both involved in successful open bank card projects involving contactless, mobile and NFC payment technologies, this unique Summit provides an intimate forum for an interactive exchange among all stakeholders to meet and discuss their experiences, as well as network with different industry representatives about the opportunities and obstacles for convergence that lie ahead,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance.
Speakers from U.S. and international card issuers, transport operators, mobile operators, and campus integrators have been invited to update attendees on implementations of advanced credit, debit, prepaid, and stored value payment systems used by millions of consumers. The Summit will include sessions on exciting new trends and projects within a broad range of topics, including: current U.S. and international transit programs, contactless payments, NFC/mobile payments technology, prepaid cards, payments industry fraud, EMV, and payments security technologies. In addition to sessions for both the transit and retail industry representatives, time is set aside in the agenda for separate breakout sessions focused on topics relevant to each market and for discussions about emerging developments.
The two-day Summit concludes with a free optional third day half-day tour of the Utah Transit Authority’s contactless fare payment system–the first commercial contactless open bank card roll-out for transit in the United States.
As part of its new Leadership, Education and Advancement Program (LEAP) program aimed at individual professional development and training, the Smart Card Alliance will also offer the second Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP) Certification exam at the conclusion of the Summit conference portion of the event on February 24th. The Alliance is offering a full-day CSCIP Exam Preparation Course on Monday, February 22nd. Information on CSCIP requirements, training modules, exam registration and fees can be found on the Smart Card Alliance LEAP Web site.
About the Smart Card Alliance
The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.
Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.securetechalliance.org.


text:
The UAE’s leading fresh produce exhibition, WOP Dubai, took place on 13-15 November, recording an increase in visitors of 23 per cent compared with the previous year.
Exhibitor numbers also rose, by 15 per cent, with new countries including Greece and Argentina taking national pavilions.
“Coming here with a country pavilion was certainly the right choice as we were able to meet and connect with the many key local players in the market,” said Michalis Xekarfotakis, president of Greek cooperative Nespar. “WOP helped us better understand the local market and allowed us the opportunity to expand. The Middle East’s geographic location, culture, and the people’s appreciation for quality fruits, make it a very important market for Greece’s imports. We are definitely coming back next year.”
The show also saw the launch of various new technologies on the Middle East market, including the Dubai Municipality’s “green” smart cart and UK company Aircoolbox’s durable, re-usable, insulated airfreight container for preserving freshness during transportation.
Keith Packer, Aircoolbox’s managing director, welcomed the chance to introduce its new technology in a region known for its high temperatures.
“For perishable goods this can be an issue,” he said. “In the past, a producer would export asparagus from Thailand to the UK by paying for expensive point-to-point freight. Now, with Aircoolbox, they can choose an airline snuch as Emirates and ship via Dubai, without worrying about spoilage. Our product is completely re-usable. We even built the pallet into the box to minimise wastage. We need to change the way people think about perishables.”
Tarek Sibai, project manager at fair organiser Planetfair, said that such feedback demonstrated the importance and significance of both WOP Dubai and IPM Dubai to the perishables and horticulture industry.
“WOP Dubai and IPM Dubai continue to be the region’s two most important events in this sector,” he said, “and we are very happy to see that, year on year, we have managed to give our exhibitors and visitors a fruitful and lucrative experience.”
The Eurofruit Business Forum was held on the show floor during the exhibition, providing a platform for those seeking to boost their presence in the Gulf market. This year, presentations explored the opportunities for Chilean, Kenyan, Belgian and Greek produce, as well as innovations designed to improve the freshness of produce from Karavan Management Consulting and Aircoolbox.


text:
No financial data was taken and no unauthorized activity has been reported as a result of the hack.
Now infamous cookie stuffer Shawn Hogan has finally been sentenced for his part in defrauding eBay of $28 million in online marketing feeds. OK. But what the heck is cookie stuffing?
Ebay's John Sheldon speaks with Direct Marketing News to break down the basics of personalization and what marketers really need to know.
On July 24 the House Judiciary Committee convened for a hearing on the Marketplace Equity Act, one of three bills empowering states to compel online merchants to collect sales tax.
A new study from IDC and Onavo indicates that mobile shopping habits are beginning to show clear usage patterns, and that some retail brands are utilizing that information to establish so-called stickiness with their respective customer base.
The controversy surrounding the collection of online sales tax isn't new, but the renewed fervor buzzing around it is.
EBay recorded $11.7 billion in net revenue for 2011, a 27% increase compared with the prior year. The company's net income for the year also spiked, jumping 79% year-over-year to $3.2 billion.
This year's Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend proved a big one for e-commerce — and mobile commerce in particular. Thanks to a combination of generous deals and increasingly savvy and mobile-focused consumers, the biggest shopping weekend of the year was bigger than ever for online retailers.
Online display advertising sellers are circling the wagons to reassert their position in a crowded market and fend off the swelling role of third parties, such as ad networks and demand-side platforms.
As we turn the page on the calendar, put away the garland and box up the pre-lit tree, the dust has just begun to settle on 2011 holiday commerce numbers. Early returns, particularly from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, signaled a major win for mobile commerce.
Retailers Toys R Us, Aeropostale and Dick's Sporting Goods have partnered with eBay to reward online shoppers with coupons to be redeemed in-store. The initiative launched Dec. 16 and runs through Dec. 19.
PayPal will begin to roll out a mobile deals service in the "next few weeks," said PayPal spokesman Anuj Nayar on Dec. 14. The eBay-owned company is partnering with approximately 200 U.S. merchants for the service, which be will opt-in only, he said.
eBay's updated iPad app converts the TV's remote control into a consumer's personal shopper.
EBay has acquired recommendation platform Hunch. The acquisition closed on Nov. 21, eBay spokesperson Johnna Hoff said via email.
E-commerce and interactive marketing services provider GSI Commerce has appointed Simone Barratt president of email and multichannel marketing service provider e-Dialog, the company said on Oct. 11. The hire took effect on Oct. 10, Barratt said.
When you want it, you want it. And these days, you can get it while on a bench in the park, on the bus, on the beach, standing in line to buy groceries, basically anywhere. While driving? Maybe it's best to ignore that urge, especially considering many state's laws aimed at inattentive drivers.
EBay has acquired social commerce firm The Gifts Project. The San Francisco-based company produces a platform that allows consumers to make purchases as a group from e-commerce sites.
Online marketplace eBay launched a rewards program August 3 that allows consumers to accrue 'eBay Bucks' that can be spent on future purchases.
Company of the Week
SK&A is a leading provider of U.S. healthcare information solutions and databases. As part of IMS Health, SK&A researches and maintains contact and profiling data for over 2 million healthcare providers, including 800,000+ prescribers. SK&A's data supports research and marketing initiatives for life sciences, medical device, managed healthcare, direct marketing, publishing, education and more. SK&A's proprietary databases are telephone-verified twice per year from its world class Research Centers. SK&A enables multi-channel marketing and sets the standard for data quality and reliability. SK&A's customers include many of America's most recognized healthcare, publishing and pharmaceutical institutions.
SK&A is a leading provider of U.S. healthcare information solutions and databases. As ...


text:
In the space of about three years, the UK and Ireland have gone bicycle hire crazy. Two years ago this month, London’s Barclays Cycle Hire launched, 12 months ago Newcastle’s Scratch hire bikes were put into action and Dublinbikes will be three years old already come November.
And it’s not just cities getting in on the act. Brompton has begun a programme of opening ‘docks’ at railway stations up and down the country, the first in Guildford and then Manchester Piccadilly in March.
As usual, we’ve been beaten to it by a number of other countries. Paris’ Velib got off the ground in 2007, the same year that Barcelona’s Bicing started running. Perhaps predictably, Copenhagen got in there even earlier. Off to a shaky start in 1995, most of the first bikes got stolen, but by ‘96 they refined the scheme – using distinctive bikes and parts that were non-standard, thereby reducing the temptation to strip them for parts. And from there the scheme has grown and become ever more successful.
The bike hire scheme bug is seemingly insatiable as the story doesn’t end there. Now we’re seeing ever more reports from North America. Round about now there will be around 10,000 hire bicycles set up in New York, no less, with 600 stations covering Manhattan, Brooklyn and more.
So what the devil is it all about? How have we done without bike hire until now?
Is it a flash in the pan? I’d say it’s still gathering steam. Is it a move that has made bicycles a permanent fixture where they are installed? I’d argue, yes. Whatever you think of city (and rail station) bike hire schemes, they’ve upped the visibility of bikes wherever they’ve been installed.
Picture the scene, if you will. Your name is Colin the non-cyclist (bit of a long-winded last name, that). You’re not especially into bicycles and it’s been a good few years since you’ve been in a bike shop. You’re stood near a bike docking station near Hyde Park, it’s a sunny day, you can see a few cyclists and you’ve got an hour to kill. Suddenly it’s very easy indeed for Colin to jump on a bike and enjoy the wind in his hair (Colin is not yet balding) and – here’s the equally crucial bit – popping into his local bike shop suddenly seems like something he should do sooner, rather than later.
There are millions of Colins out there, just waiting to be encouraged to get into biking. If bike hire schemes can boost that process, then bring them on.
Register for the BikeBiz News Digest at the registration page.
Follow BikeBiz on Twitter at @BikeBizOnline or ‘Like’ the BikeBiz Facebook page here.


text:
Ferrari is in a bind. To put it gently, the world is changing and not in way the company likes. Every other car company is working overtime to bring an electric car or two to market, even iconic sports car brands like Porsche and Jaguar. But Ferrari is having none of it. Oh, it may make a hybrid or two but only to boost performance. It says it is not all that interested in emissions standards. What it is interested in is howling, shrieking internal combustion engines, the same thing Enzo Ferrari was interested in when he founded the company 70 years ago.
“We would not follow to develop a fully electric car,” Ferrari’s chief technology officer, Michael Leiters, said at the Paris auto show. He was in attendance to show off the LaFerrari Aperta, a roadster version the LaFerrari hybrid supercar that boasts a V-12 gasoline engine for the rear wheels and an electric motor for the fronts.
“We are convinced that it’s right to have a hybrid car because, for us, the sound is a very crucially important characteristic of a Ferrari, and our customers want to have this. Definitely for us also, the electric technology is interesting, not for reducing emissions but for increasing the performance of the cars,” Leiters said.
But like everyone else, Ferrari will have to conform to various global emissions standards if it wants to continue selling cars. To get there, Leiters says, it may have to offer smaller engines coupled to fast discharging hybrid power, which is precisely what the current Formula One technical rules call for.
To keep prices high (some would say stratospheric), Ferrari limits its annual production to just 10,000 cars, which is significantly below the worldwide demand. Many of its best customers are wealthy enough that they can afford to build private roads if they wish to. It is not uncommon for owners of some of Ferrari’s mightiest cars to leave them in the care of the company until they can fly in to Maranello and take them out on Fiorano, Ferrari’s private test track. Many Ferraris are only driven a few hundred miles a year.
“For us, it’s important to have the right combination, with [engine] and battery power,” Leiters says.. “There’s a lot to do. For us, today, the weight [of batteries] is still too much to have a highly dynamic and highly agile car.” In addition, he says, “we are convinced that at a certain time there will be a step forward also for Ferrari with a hybrid car.”
In Paris, neither Leiters nor Nicola Boar, Ferrari’s product marketing director, would rule out a return to V-6 power for the first time since the 1974 Dino. Such an engine would be coupled to an electric motor to give the car the performance its customers expect while complying with European emissions rules.
“I don’t like to cover our future right now, obviously, but, yes, battery technology on electric cars and so on is going ahead very fast, and you can see quite bold steps in regard to power and capacity,” Boari added. “Obviously, if you’re thinking about a hybrid car, the [reality] is that you will have extra weight, and you have to accommodate that. You have to find a solution that is more compact than today and weighs less than today. You also have to think more about downsizing—eight cylinders, or six cylinders, or whatever—it makes sense.”
Will the absence of an electric car in the Ferrari lineup or smaller engines with hybrid power trains cut into Ferrari sales? Not as long as the final product has the bark and bite of a tried and true Ferrari engine nestled somewhere under the bodywork.
Source: Car And Driver Photo credit: Ferrari


text:
[Commentary] As global conditions worsen, South Africans set to suffer more than most
As one of the world's most inefficient consumers of energy, and one of the world's top polluters per capita, South Africa is struggling to weather the worsening energy and food crisis. Tuesday's highway carnage (a truck crashed into 25 vehicles) in Johannesburg is a metaphor for the economic destruction to come.
Statistics from two large South African banks confirm that vehicle repossessions specifically have escalated dramatically, with thousands of car owners having to hand their keys back to bank managers. Standard Bank reported vehicle repossessions are up 40 percent. Car sales overall are down about 25 percent year on year.
South African realtor REMAX estimates that 17 percent (approximately 1 in 5) of homeowners will lose their homes this year. One of the reasons for this disastrous situation is that household debt in South Africa has reached a record high, 77.4 percent of disposable income (as reflected in the third quarter of 2007) last year. This is up dramatically from 49.8 percent at the end of 2002.
Crime Trending Sharply Upwards
Unsurprisingly, crime in South Africa has increased dramatically. Bank robberies are up 118 percent year on year. Robberies are up by more than half at businesses, and by more than a quarter at residences. Automated teller machine bombings are now averaging two a day, a rise of 3,000 percent over three years. Fuel stations, citing security concerns and low profits, are seeking to close operations during the night.
Striking Seen as Solution
Trade unions unable to accept higher prices across the board will go on strike, nationwide, in early August, a move that is certain to worsen the already untenable socio-economic position. Recent xenophobic violence has been linked to ordinary criminality resulting from a sudden increase in the plight of the poor to survive. This is set to flare up again as ongoing economic woes deepen.
Meanwhile, other countries face similar worries. In Flint, Mich., 400 manhole covers have been stolen since the beginning of the year. These covers can be sold for around US$20, but cost $200 to replace. General Motors Corp. product chief Robert Lutz said recently that "no one" predicted $140 oil. Meanwhile, GM itself is hemorrhaging staff, and attempting to trim itself at historic levels in order to survive, for example its $4 billion asset selloff.
Worldwide, airlines are facing multiples of a hundred million dollars in losses directly linked to fuel premiums. South Africa's Airline, SAA, has reported over 1 billion rand (approx. US$131 million) in losses, most of which are related to the fuel price virtually doubling.
South African consumers are worried, and behaving with increasing desperation. Shoplifting in grocery stores has also seen dramatic increases, including a trend away from luxury items, and towards basic necessities such as bread and milk. False hijackings, home burglaries and miscellaneous theft claims are reported to be on the rise, say local insurance investigators. Divorces, pundits say, are also set to increase.
Is There a Solution?
A good place for consumers to start is by facing up to their bills. What can and can you not afford? What do and do not you need? Have a look at all your monthly bills. You will see some of your biggest expenses are for communication, entertainment and food. You can save on your cell and land line bills, and in some countries, Internet fees are high (in these same countries, Web-based companies ought to suffer). Look at your utility bills, and find ways to trim your consumption (you should be doing this anyway, particularly in the area of energy consumption). Entertainment expenses are easy. Watch movies on television and cook your own meals.
While many economists predict that conditions may improve over the medium term, if one looks at the depletion levels of the world's major oil fields (Cantarrell, the No. 2 supplier to the United States is crashing at over 30 percent)it is obvious that we are facing a permanent change. And the rising cost of oil is a major symptom of the troubles we face.
It is not that we are running out, just that there is just not quite enough to go around. Shortages are now imminent. And with human populations continuing to increase (and consume) unabated, and with finite oil supplies remaining, well, finite, the price -- despite recent drops -- have only one direction to go.
This necessitates that we begin to make permanent changes to our habits now, or at the least, sooner rather than later


text:
Photograph by Talia Cole
With a sleek design, catchy name, and fun flavors, Juuls have become almost irresistible for millions of teenagers across the United States. At Berkeley High School (BHS), juuling has become a popular pastime for students at lunch, in the bathrooms, and even during class behind teachers’ turned backs.
Despite the company’s claim that they intended to be an e-cigarette alternative for adult smokers, they quickly turned into the new craze for teens. Juul Labs comprises nearly 75% of the e-cigarette market, and along with the rising levels of nicotine addiction among adolescents, there is controversy over how responsible the company is. As of April 2018, the Food and Drug Administration announced they were investigating if Juul intentionally marketed their product to youth, as there is mounting evidence that the company ignored the blatant bias of Juuls towards the teen population. This argument is not unfounded. Even in the early months that Juuls went on the market, teens often were posting photos and videos of themselves using Juuls. The company could have easily exploited this to gain popularity in the e-cigarette market.
Flavor names such as “creme brûlée” or “cool cucumber” have been especially attracting for teens. According to The New York Times, one third of teen e-cigarette users reported that flavors were a big factor in their choice of product.
To give some perspective, more than three million middle and high schoolers use e-cigarettes, and the majority use Juuls. One can’t help but suspect that Juul intentionally marketed these flavors to teens. Amid rising criticism, Juul suspended selling most flavored pods this past month, and have switched to more simplistic names such as “creme” and “cucumber.” The New York Times also reported that employees at Juul were well aware that they were attracting teen customers. Even the company’s advertisements featured young models, which was clearly to attract young people.
The company has taken steps recently to address the epidemic of teen nicotine addiction, however they have lacked in addressing how their marketing may have targeted this population. Juul has a responsibility to take steps towards fixing this problem that they played a large part in creating. Whether this is through tougher restrictions or awareness campaigns, there are certainly ways that the company can discourage teens from using Juuls.


text:
China’s Youku has bought five giant screen BBC Earth films that will be made available on TV channels and mobiles.
Earthflight, Incredible Predators, Tiny Giants, Walking with Dinosaurs, and Wild Africa will be broadcast in HD on Youku digital platforms, which include a streaming service with 500 million active monthly users.
Youku also gains rights to distribute 4K version to linear channels capable of transmitting in the high-definition format.
“With our BBC Earth Giant Screen films available in 3D, HD and 4K formats, viewers will have even more opportunities to get up close and personal with some of nature’s most awe-inspiring events.”
The BBC had already signed deals to send the BBC Earth Giant Screen films to a variety of cultural outlets and museums in China in December.
Alibaba-owned Youku last year acquired rival video player Tudou, creating China’s largest on-demand player in the process.


text:
Venture Capital: Chinese Venture Capital Firm Eastern Bell Capital Hauls In US$2B For Two New Funds
Eastern Bell Capital raised the funds for a yuan and dollar fund respectively.
Eastern Bell Capital, a Chinese VC firm, announced the raise of more than 13 billion yuan (US$2.04 billion) in its latest funding round through its yuan-denominated RMB Fund VI and dollar denominated USD Fund II. The company said the round represented one of the largest raises among Chinese VCs this year. Post this latest raise, Eastern Bell has 27 billion yuan (US$ 4.2 billion) of assets under management. (Eastern Bell Capital)
The USD Fund II attracted commitments from global blue-chip sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurers, corporates, family offices and fund of funds.
RMB Fund VI saw participation by LPs including government funds, fund of funds, banks, and financial institutions, with a significant increase in the number of insurers and corporate investors.
Starting from an investing focus on logistics when it launched in 2010, the firm has branched out into industrial digitalization and consumption upgrades. These span the supply chain, consumer, enterprise services, data, and technology sectors.
Eastern Bell: Examples of portfolio investments
- Supply chain – ZKH Industrial Supply, YiHeDa (301029.SZ), Titan Technology (688133.SHA), Jia Li Chuang, Xingyun Group and more.
- Consumer – Xingsheng Youxuan, HARMAY, XPeng (XPEV), BananaIn, Usmile and more.
- Enterprise services, data, and technology – SkyEye, XForcePlus, Going-link, and Asinking.
USD Fund II and RMB Fund VI will continue to invest in similar themes as their predecessor funds, namely Industrial Internet and supply chain innovation in China, with the aforesaid two major investment focuses on industrial digitalization and consumption upgrades, the company said in a statement.
Related Story: European VC Fund Partech Closes $750M Second Growth Fund
Latest Alternative Investment News
Lloyds Banking Group (LON: LLOY), Britain’s biggest mortgage provider, will acquire a minority stake in loyalty app Bink, according to a report by Sky News for an undisclosed amount that…
An iconic property in Bel Air, Los Angeles, designed by internationally acclaimed English architect John Pawson changed hands last month for $133 million and the buyer was Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN)…
VegTech Invest advisory has launched the VegTech Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF (Ticker: EATV), its first financial product. The ETF offers exposure to publicly traded companies actively innovating with plants…
Chinese AI company Parametrix.ai has raised $100 million in a Series B round led by Sequoia China and joined by existing investors 5Y Capital and Gaorong Capital. Though the valuation…


text:
West Palm Beach, Florida – American actor Charlie Sheen is the latest celebrity to move into the Tequila business after investing in the super-premium brand, Don Sueños, last week. The Two and a Half Men star has signed on as co-owner of the Tequila company, which was launched in early 2017.
The small batch brand’s tequilas are crafted from single-estate blue weber agave cultivated in Los Altos in Jalisco, Mexico. The Don Sueños range consists of blanco, reposado and añejo variants. The farm-to-bottle agave is hand-harvested and then cooked using an autoclave, resulting in a more fruity and sweet taste.
A modern roller mill then presses the piñas to extract the juice, while preventing the agave from being pulverised, which the brand claims affects the overall quality. Once the distillation process is complete, the product is oxygenated and then left to rest for 59 days.
The American actor is now co-owner alongside Kumiko Zimmerman, who has run Don Sueños since its launch – making it the first Tequila brand owned and operated by a Japanese woman.
“As a native of Japan, where fine spirits are quite popular, I’m well aware of what goes into making a superior product, as well as the importance of having a strong team to promote the brand and tell our story,” said Zimmerman. “We believe Charlie will be a great addition to team Don Sueños.”
Doing Good with Good Taste
Don Sueños has quickly garnered widespread attention for its high quality and its commitment to charitable causes. Over the years, the Tequila maker has participated in a number of fundraising efforts, including relief for victims of Hurricane Irma in Florida.
Don Sueños also has ongoing relationships with such organizations as Autism Speaks; the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which raises funds for HIV/AIDS treatment, services, research and education; The Mercury Phoenix Trust, which has funded over 700 projects in the global battle against HIV/AIDS; and Project Angel Food, which annually provides more than 600,000 free meals to those who are affected by life-threatening illnesses in Los Angeles.
The company hopes that the involvement of Sheen, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2011, will help to further the ongoing efforts by these charities with a continued portion of proceeds going directly to the organizations.
“When Kumiko reached out to me with an opportunity to get involved, I was instantly interested and excited, as, in the past, Don Sueños’ Tequila Blanco was one of my favorite sipping spirits, due to its superior taste and quality,” Sheen said.
“While I am proud of my sobriety for over 19 months now and am firmly committed to living a clean and sober lifestyle, I chose to become a part owner of Don Sueños because I know their Tequila is of the highest quality. I’m excited to be able to work with Kumiko and the team to help the company continue to grow and to bring awareness, both to its outstanding products and to the charitable organizations it supports.”
Sheen follows a line of celebrities who have launched Tequila brands in recent years. In 2017, George Clooney sold his Casamigos brand to Diageo for US$1 billion, while Justin Timberlake has had a long association with Sauza 901. Last year, Sex and the City star Chris Noth purchased ultra-premium Tequila brand Ambhar.
This year, Country music icon Tanya Tucker added a new credit to her resume by launching Cosa Salvaje with founder Elle France in March, while pop star Rita Ora partnered with spirits marketing firm Conecuh Brands to launch Próspero in April.
Don Sueños Tequila is currently being distributed by Opulence Beverage Group in the Florida market, Old Town Tequila in select California markets, and seeking to grow distributor partnerships worldwide.
Source: Bandeas News
more recommended stories
“You don’t choose your family, they are God’s gift to you, as you are to them” (Desmond Tutu)
The Yucatan Times conducted an exclusive.
Greta Thunberg leads children and adults from 150 countries into Historic Global Climate Strike
Led by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, young.
Mexico and UK form alliance to tackle corruption and impunity
Amidst heavy rain, a good omen.
Prosecutors fined in Mexican church leader child rape case
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los.
New Culinary Tour at Cancun’s Seadust Cancun Family Resort
There’s a new culinary experience to.
AMLO casts doubt on report of Singapore interest in airport project
MEXICO CITY, Sept 20 (Reuters) –.
Head chefs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on all things Mexican cuisine
Some of the region’s foremost Mexican.
U.S. and El Salvador sign joint immigration deal
Sept 20 (Reuters) – The U.S..
Armed men tried to stop bus bound to Mérida departing out of Bacalar
BACALAR.- A group of people traveling.
AMLO says the Mayan Train will develop Southeast Mexico which was “abandoned during the neoliberal period”
During his morning press conference in.


text:
Naughty America announced a contractual arrangement with online identity and verification service, Sentry, to provide identity and background verification for its newly announced MMO, Naughty America: The Game.
It is the first such arrangement for Sentry in the world of online gaming.
The company also announced that it is moving forward with plans to make additional in-game advertising opportunities available, as well as secure additional distribution partnerships.
“We are completely committed to providing users with the safest possible gaming and social networking experiences in Naughty America: The Game,” says Dusty L., spokesman for Naughty America. “Sentry will help us to ensure that these objectives are met with the most advanced technology available.”
“Sentry is committed to creating safer and more secure online dating, social networking, and marketplace experiences,” says John Cardillo, chief executive officer of Sentry. “Bringing our services and expertise to the world of multiplayer gaming is an exciting evolution for our company and a tremendously reliable feature for Naughty America: The Game.”
Each member who subscribes to Naughty America: The Game will have the option of providing personal information, which will be instantly verified through Sentry. This includes an immediate check of the user to detect criminal and/or sexual offender history. Upon completing the Sentry process and obtaining verification, a special seal will appear on the member’s personal profile, indicating to other players that his or her background screening contained no negative information. Information is updated every three months.


text:
Senate Commerce Committee Holding FTC Oversight Hearing
September 21, 2016
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a Federal Trade Commission oversight hearing. The office of committee chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) announced that the hearing will be Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. Look for broadband privacy to be a hot topic of conversation.
Get the Media Source Newsletter on your smartphone or tablet now!
After preaching at my home congregation Sunday morning, I got into my car in the church parking lot...Posted on January 26, 2021
The Supreme Court granted the petition of Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics to reverse a ruling...Posted on January 26, 2021
Facebook and Amazon spent more money lobbying Washington than any other American company,,,Posted on January 26, 2021
The South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat...Posted on January 25, 2021


text:
Loosened Lip Balm Labeling Allowed By Optional Changes In FDA Rule
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Lip balms sold in small packages do not have to include label warnings to consult doctors if users' conditions do not clear up in seven days, according to an FDA final rule published Feb. 1 in the Federal Register
You may also be interested in...
Sunscreen labeling that claims the product "helps prevent" premature skin aging, cancer and other damage does not suggest sunscreen alone protects against these conditions, but in fact informs consumers that "complementary measures" are needed for adequate protection, according to trade groups' comments on FDA's proposal to amend the sunscreen final monograph
FDA's proposed rule amending its final monograph on sunscreens to include UVA ray protection standards could create new marketing opportunities for manufacturers (see chart: "1Selected Proposed Changes To OTC Sunscreen Monograph")
The OTC Skin Protectant Final Monograph covering products for minor cuts, scrapes, burns, chapped skin and lips, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and insect bites allows for certain cross-monograph ingredient combinations, according to the rule published in the 1Federal Register June 4


text:
Ultimate Market Recap: Alcoa Earnings Ahead, Disney Might Bid For the Dodgers
Monday Morning’s Top Stories
German (NYSEARCA:EWG) exports rose 2.5 in November from October’s 2.9 percent slump, according to the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden. This exceeded economists’ forecast of a 0.5 percent gain. November imports fell 0.4 percent from October after a a 0.1 percent rise. The country’s trade surplus expanded to EUR $16.2 billion ($20.6 billion) from October’s EUR $11.5 billion.
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) reported record China car sales in 2011, surpassing Japanese rivals affected by the Thailand’s floods and the March 11 earthquake. In statement by GM, the company said deliveries to fast-growing Chinese dealers rose 8.3 percent from the previous year to 2.55 million vehicles while Ford reported its sales grew 7 percent to 519,390 cars.
Last week, Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM), Japan’s largest carmaker, said that its China sales rose in 2011 at the slowest pace since 2004. New wasn’t great for Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC) either: it reported its first ever annual decline in China deliveries.
Alcoa (NYSE:AA), will kick off the fourth quarter earnings season today. Last week, the company announced major restructuring charges and analysts now expect that fourth quarter earnings per share will drop to $0.01 from 2010′s $0.24. This comes in lower than September’s $0.28 estimate as the weakening global economy has spurred a declining demand for aluminum, rising energy cots and lower prices. Alcoa revenue is expected to increase to $5.78 billion from $5.65 billion.
Investing Insights: Aloca Kicks Off 2012 Earnings Season with These Expectations.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) would really like to see its Google TV succeed and has made deals with numerous vendors to include Android as part of their TVs by paying them to do so. According to Neonwin.net, Google will add dollars for the vendors to include Android but the specific amount is unknown. The company is already extending its reach with Google TV as Lenovo (LNVGY) plans to include Android 4.0 with a new line of their televisions to be launched this year.
Monday Morning Hot Stocks
Shares of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) are gaining attention after saying that it flew 8.2 billion revenue passenger miles last month, which relatively flat from prior year numbers. Airline competitors include: United Continental Holdings (NYSE:UAL) and Jetblue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ:JBLU).
With the Consumer Electronics Show booting up this week, these stocks will be in play. Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC), Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), Nokia Corp. (NYSE:NOK), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Sony (NYSE:SNE) are also expected to make waves in the next-gen console industry.
Shares of Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) are slipping .35 percent early Monday morning. According to the Los Angeles Times, Disney could be about to make a bid for the LA Dodgers.
Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY) is trading .76 percent lower after announcing it has agreed to purchase hepatitis C drug developer Inhibitex, Inc. (NASDAQ:INHX) for an all-cash deal of $2.5 billion, or $26 per share.
Don’t Miss: 7 Stocks Benefitting from New Year Resolutions.
Monday’s Trending Stocks
Today the Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSEARCA:XLF) is outperforming the major indexes, up 0.3 percent. New rumors about Basel compliance and some executive changes are especially influencing these companies.
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) lets go about 20 percent of the managing directors in its Asian investment banking division, as part of an effort to cut expenses in the currently less-than-lucrative region. More than just a thinning out, an executive recruiter says, “That sounds like carnage.” Bank of America Corporation shares are up 1 percent today.
A memo from Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) CEO James Gorman says Eric Grossman will replace Frank Barron as the firm’s chief legal officer, according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, Patrick Lynch, Morgan Stanley’s head of European credit sales and trading, is leaving the bank, reports Bloomberg citing two people familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal reports that at least five employees of Deutsche Bank’s (NYSE:DB) institutional client group and fewer than 10 from Morgan Stanley’s Australian institutional equities division have been let go. The cuts are part of broader restructuring plans at both companies.
The Nikkei reports that on Tuesday Citigroup Japan (NYSE:C) is expected to promote Vice Chairman Masatsugu Nagato to chairman.
Here’s how shares of Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are reacting in trading action:
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC): BAC shares recently traded at $6.25, up $0.07, or 1.13%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $4.92 to $15.31. Volume today was 163,870,500 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 261,447,000 shares. The company’s trailing earnings are $-0.31 per share.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS): MS shares recently traded at $16.17, up $0.27, or 1.7%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $11.58 to $31.04. Volume today was 11,180,252 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 33,298,600 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 10.60, while trailing earnings are $1.53 per share.
Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE:C): C shares recently traded at $29.05, up $0.5, or 1.75%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $21.40 to $51.50. Volume today was 22,534,914 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 57,108,500 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 7.74, while trailing earnings are $3.75 per share.
Markets closed up on Wall Street today: Dow +0.27%, S&P +0.23%, Nasdaq +0.09%, Oil -0.14%, Gold -0.40%.
On the commodities front, Oil (NYSE:USO) fell slightly to $101.42 a barrel. Precious metals were mixed, with Gold (NYSE:GLD) falling to $1,610.30 an ounce while Silver (NYSE:SLV) climbed 0.76% to settle at $28.90.
Today’s markets were up because:
1) Earnings. Though the three major indexed finished positive, markets were relatively flat today as investors awaited the next big driver: earnings season. Alcoa (NYSE:AA) kicks off the quarterly reports season after the closing bell, with analysts expecting the company to report big drop in profits. Overall, earnings for S&P 500 companies are expected to be up 7.5 percent in the final three months of 2011.
2) Europe. Though earnings are expected to have increased last quarter as the U.S. economic recovery picked up and unemployment declined, investors remain nervous about the debt crisis in Europe. After meeting on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that progress has been made on a so-called “fiscal compact” that would enforce stricter budget discipline in the euro zone.
3) Economy. Though the euro remained near a two-month low today, the correlation between U.S. stocks and the euro seems to be breaking down as investors focus more on economic fundamentals. Consumer credit increased at an annual rate of $9.9 billion in November to $20.4 billion, the Federal Reserve reported today.
After Hours Radar Stocks
Shares of Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) are trading .48 percent higher after reporting a fourth quarter loss of 3 cents per share, inline with estimates. Revenue of $5.99 billion came in higher than the $5.70 billion expected.
Juniper Networks Inc. (NYSE:JNPR) are trading down 2.4 percent in late trading. The company reduced its earnings for the fourth quarter from 32-36 cents, to 26-28 cents. The company reports full results on January 26.
Investor Insight: Can Precious Metals Overcome U.S. Dollar Strength?
WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ:WDFC) is attracting attention after saying fiscal first-quarter earnings dropped 25 percent due to higher input expenses.
Shares of Standard Microsystems Corp. (NASDAQ:SMSC) closed 1.5 percent lower on Monday, and continues to fall in extended trading. The company also reduced earnings from 30 cents to a loss of 13-21 cents per share.
Credit card companies such as Visa (NYSE:V), Mastercard (NYSE:MA), Capital One (NYSE:COF) and American Express (NYSE:AXP) are happy to hear that consumer credit in November made the largest jump in a decade. According to the Federal Reserve, consumer credit increased to $20.4 billion.
To contact the reporter on this story: Stella Mariz at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at email@example.com


text:
Diamonds are a President’s Best Friend
By Devorah Isenberg
, Monday, February 07, 2011
By Devorah Isenberg
, February 07, 2011
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 – In 2009 and 2010, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdallah showed his diplomatic savvy and gift-giving know-how when he gifted President Obama and family with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of diamond jewelry. According to a State Department report, this makes the Saudi royal one of the most generous gift-givers of the year.
First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, is known for her fashion sense—she’s been hailed as the first fashion icon of the 21st century. So when the Saudi king presented Michelle Obama with a diamond jewelry gift, he knew it had to be classy, elegant, and fashion-forward. Michelle was presented with a ruby and diamond necklace and earring set valued at $132,00, plus a strand of pearls with a sterling silver pendant valued at $14,200.
A pearl necklace makes a lovely gift for any lady, not just the First Lady
You just have to wonder whether the king of Saudi Arabia knew that gemstones like rubies have never been hotter in high-end jewelry, and that pearl necklaces fit perfectly with Michelle Obama’s ladylike yet modern aesthetic
But the First Lady wasn’t the only Obama presented with stunning diamond jewelry. Malia Obama, 13, and Sasha, 10, have for the most part stayed away from the Presidential limelight, but King Abdallah still showed his diplomatic appreciation for the First Daughters with diamond jewelry gifts including diamond earrings and necklaces reportedly worth more than $3,500.
A simple diamond pendant with a floral motif is a cute and exciting gift for any girl
But before you imagine Malia or Sasha wearing dramatic chandelier earrings to middle school, remember that the Obama parents are pretty strict on keeping their daughters’ lives as normal as possible while they live in the White House.
And the President himself? He wasn’t left out of the gift-giving spree either. King Abdallah reportedly presented President Obama with solid gold figurines and a medallion valued at $34,000. Senior White House officials were also gifted with tens of thousands of dollars worth of high-end diamond jewelry and watches, including lots of rubies and diamonds.
But before you start looking for the ruby and diamond sparklers on the First Lady’s neck at the next State dinner, keep in mind that gift-giving is a time-honored tradition in foreign diplomacy. Many foreign governments give gifts representing their unique cultures to the First Family, although few display the kind of luxury and opulence of the Saudi gifts. Regardless, the gifts are primarily symbolic, because the First Family does not actually keep any gift valued at over $335.
The real moral of the story is that diamonds are simply the best gift—whether you are a Saudi royal showing respect to Michelle Obama, or just a guy trying to show your girlfriend how much she means to you.


text: Pan European pension sharks be afraid, be very afraid...The European Union finally agreed rules on cross-border selling of financial services this week, voting through the distance selling directive at a majority of 14 to one. The directive outlaws practices such as unsolicited phone calls and emails for credit services, pensions and investments. Consumer affairs ministers from the 15 EU member states finally agreed a compromise after a battle over when the directive should be introduced. The only member state to vote against the directive was Luxembourg. EU members have two years to incorporate the new rules into national law.


text:
More than two-thirds of electric vehicles (EVs) on sale in the United States may no longer be eligible for tax credits after President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act.
According to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, there currently are 72 EV models available for purchase in the country. Before the Inflation Reduction Act, these vehicles were potentially eligible for tax credits under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D. But the bill added a provision that only EVs whose final assembly occurred in North America would be eligible for tax credits, which can go up to $7,500.
The Department of Energy has published a list of vehicles eligible for tax credits, according to which only 21 models meet the criteria. This would mean more than 70 percent of the 72 EVs available in the United States would not qualify for tax credits.
“Americans who would otherwise receive the credit today will no longer be able to take advantage of this financial incentive to purchase an EV. The $7,500 credit might exist on paper, but no vehicles will qualify for this purchase incentive over the next few years,” the Alliance said in an Aug. 5 blog post.
Some models made by automakers such as Tesla, General Motors (GMC), Bolt, Cadillac, and Chevrolet had become ineligible for tax credits due to meeting the manufacturer’s sales cap of 200,000 vehicles. But the law will reportedly make a few of these eligible for tax credits once again, starting Jan. 1, 2023.
The tax credit rules apply from Aug. 16, the date when the Inflation Reduction Act was enacted. Those who have made a written binding contract to purchase a new qualifying EV before Aug. 16, but will only be taking possession of the vehicle post the date, can claim credits based on the rules that were in effect before Aug. 16, the IRS said in an update.
The decision by car manufacturers General Motors and Ford to raise prices of their EVs has attracted scrutiny, given that it comes on the back of the Inflation Reduction Act and its new EV tax credit provisions.
Ford and General Motors are two of the largest automakers in the United States. While General Motors announced a $6,250 price hike for its Hummer model, Ford has announced $6,000 to $8,500 hikes for its 2023 F-150 Lightning model.
While speaking to Fox Business, both companies dismissed claims that the price rise had anything to do with the Inflation Reduction Act. Instead, the increase in prices is due to supply chain issues and inflation, they insisted.
“In mid-June, GMC announced that new GMC HUMMER EV reservations placed on/after June 18th would see an increase of $6,250 to the base MSRP due to the increase in the price of commodity parts, technology, and logistics,” said Matt Ybarra, a GM spokesperson.
He also pointed out that the Hummer EV will not qualify for tax credits as cited in the Inflation Reduction Act due to its high price.
The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author of the article and not necessarily shared or endorsed by Conservative News Daily
All copyrights and legal uses attributed to content are located at the article origination: The Bongino Report EV Credits Ended for About 70 Percent of Previously Eligible Models
Original Image Credit: The Bongino Report


text:
They will have looked at about a million vehicles online and become a ‘prosumer’ in the process, all of which means they’ll know more about the specific make, model and cup holder design than you.
If you are lucky enough to actually get one of these people into a showroom (because recent research from CAPGemini suggests more than 25 per cent of people don’t want to talk to a dealer), you will already have been recommended to them by their Facebook family (most of whom they don’t even know).
At this point you will be required to provide the car at a price they’ve seen from a dealer in the Outer Hebrides with an extended warranty, road tax for life and all at 0.5 per cent flat rate because they don’t trust APR… and free mats.
While it may not actually be this bad, there’s a nugget of truth in there. GForces’ recent study of the Top 200 dealers in the UK reveals that in the past six months, video and social media adoption has soared by more than 20 per cent.
Major shifts in the economy and buyer behaviour have made this a challenging and competitive time for the motor trade. The economic outlook, and more to the point everyone’s perception of it, is up and down like a rollercoaster. Is it a double dip? Are we about to enter the tunnel of recovery or drop from our precipitous peak screaming and hollering? Who knows… none of the experts, that’s for sure.
Yes there is positive news for the likes of GM who have hit profit and, yes, the seismic activity that forced cracks in the banking system seems to have subsided and credit lines are starting to return. While the SMMT figures are pretty optimistic at 2.018m new units in 2010, 1.2 per cent above the 2009 market, at the consumer level, all bets are still off. That means dealers who have the hardest job of all – selling to customers – still have to think about every area of their business, not just the internet.
Many dealers are expecting a tough end to 2010 and are looking at costs in detail, seeking efficiencies in every part of the business and trying to squeeze revenue from sales opportunities until it hurts. To be honest, this is pretty good practice in general though management consultants will ensure we use terms like ‘best practice’ and ‘optimising cost horizons’ to explain this common sense approach. The bottom line is many dealers have to become more professional in order to achieve the same with less.
Jon Goodman, managing director of Peugeot, reminds us: ‘It will be a testing market and we’ll have to be at our best in terms of product offering and the service we give to the customer.’ That means people, process, service and efficiency throughout your business.
While manufacturers may do a great job, on the whole, whetting the car buyers’ appetite for product, it is dealers that must deal with customers who want to indulge in Champagne fantasies on a beer budget. And it is the internet that has made it easier for them to pick out the Cristal from the Carlsberg.


text:
Delta Apparel expects 6% decline in Q2 sales due to impact of Covid-19
Greenville, South Carolina-based Delta Apparel, Inc. released its preliminary second-quarter financial results on Friday, reporting a predicted decrease of 6% in sales as the ongoing coronavirus crisis takes its toll on the company’s operations.
The group, which owns the Delta, Salt Life, Soffe and Coast brands, expects that Q2 sales will total $96.7 million, down from $102.8 million in the prior-year period.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic began having an impact on Delta Apparel’s operations in March, the company was expecting to achieve quarterly sales growth of 9%.
Despite this initial negative impact, Delta Apparel chairman and CEO Robert Humphreys is confident about the company’s ability to emerge from the disruption caused by the coronavirus.
“About 25% of our business is generated through sales channels that have not been significantly impacted by Covid-19, including our e-Commerce sites, DTG2Go, and our military businesses,” he pointed out in a release. “In fact, in April we are actually seeing meaningful acceleration in our branded direct-to-consumer e-commerce sites and in our DTG2Go on-demand business.”
Quarterly earnings are still predicted to rise, increasing around 30%, while earnings per diluted share are expected to be in the range of $0.16 to $0.18, up from $0.13 in the same period in the previous year.
According to the company, in reaction to the coronavirus crisis, “it has taken aggressive actions to strengthen its financial position, preserve cash, and improve liquidity beyond its current levels.” No further details were provided about these initiatives, however.
Earlier this month, Delta Apparel announced that it has joined a number of its industry peers in transitioning its manufacturing facilities to the production of cotton face masks. The coalition of companies that Delta has joined expects to produce up to 10 million face masks per week in the United States and in Central America.
Copyright © 2022 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


text: Update: The Official lyric video for Good Goodbye is out now: Update: Good Goodbye has started to release at midnight across all countries and is already available in countries where it's Friday April 14th. Look out for the release in your region around midnight. You can check out a 90 second preview in your iTunes from the One More Light page or a 30 second preview from the online player. The next track from Linkin Park's new album One More Light has been leaked in full ahead of its official release. Good Goodbye featuring Stormzy and Pusha T is out now online to listen to. The song which runs at 3:31 had the official lyrics released earlier this week and an official lyric video is expected soon. They have also filmed a music video in LA. Please do not ask for or post any links but feel free to discuss the song in this thread. What do you think of Good Goodbye? Let us know in the forums!


text:
HTC and Cricket Wireless have announced the HTC One SV to meet your demands. The smartphone has some exciting features and will be available in stores from January 16 for $349.99.
An upcoming LG handheld going by the MS870 and LW870 model numbers has just been leaked, starring in a blurry image next to Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and getting FCC’s regulatory blessing.
Cricket might not be the biggest carrier in the United States, but it has become a rather popular regional choice for those that want contract-free service with no credit check. What it doesn’t offer is 4G LTE service, at least not outside of the Tucson metro area. Luckily, this is all starting to change. Next week, one unidentified city will be added to the Cricket 4G LTE service area.
Up-and-coming prepaid carrier Cricket Wireless seems to really be on a roll. On top the launch of Cricket-powered RadioShack Wireless last week, Cricket has also launched its own version of the HTC One V, which has now become the most powerful Android smartphone in its portfolio. That doesn’t seem to be enough for Cricket though, and another enticing Android mid-ranger is heading to the nation’s eighth largest carrier. We first spotted the ZTE Nova 4.0 V8000 back in May at the CTIA, and, just as we suspected, this will be a Cricket exclusive phone.
Wish that Cricket offered Muve Music with all of its Android smartphone plans? Wish granted. Today Cricket has announced that it is offering unlimited text, picture and video mesaging, mobile web and a large catalog of great music all starting at just $50.
For $50 you will get 1GB of data, $60 for 2.5GB, and $70 for 5GB, but no matter the plan you choose, Cricket has you covered with all-you-can-download access to its Muve music.
HTC might be falling behind fiscally, but that hasn’t stopped it from bringing its HTC One V to Cricket Wireless, it seems. The One V is a reasonably powered basic phone, though it certainly isn’t going to blow anyone away. The Cricket version will start selling on September 2nd for a price of $269.99, without a contract.
It seems that we won’t have to wait but a couple of weeks for RadioShack to get into the mobile carrier business. At least that’s what a leaked screenshot picked up by Engadget suggests, also “announcing” the exact date when RadioShack No Contract Wireless will be live.
Is there any more room in the crowded wireless service providers business? Well, it might seem that way, as RadioShack, in cahoots with Cricket, is gearing up to get into the game. If we are to trust some leaked internal docs, RadioShack, one of the biggest electronics retailers in America, is planning to launch its own no-contract wireless service.
Something historic happened in the first quarter of 2012. For the first time ever, the major carriers in the US have registered a combined decline in the number of postpaid (contract)... subscribers. The total number of subscriptions of the seven biggest telcos in the United States has declined with 52,000.
Sure, that’s not a dramatic fall by any means, considering that AT&T, V...
As much as we love to hear and read about Android smartphones sporting the latest and greatest technologies, there are many users who just want a simple phone that works for phone calls, texting,... and the occasional web surfing. This is in line with the results of a recent survey by comScore, which tracks the habit of smartphone users in the US. Bottom line: there’s a huge market for simple...