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$60 million lawsuit alleges unfair practices in water heater rentals
The water heater war heats up with a $60 million lawsuit by Reliance Home Comfort against National Home Services for unfair practices.
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Reliance Comfort LP, which has rented water heaters to Ontario consumers for 40 years, is suing a newer rival, National Home Services, for $60 million for allegedly using unfair practices to persuade customers to switch.
National, a subsidiary of TSX-listed Just Energy Group Inc., is contravening the provincial Consumer Protection Act and the federal Competition Act, Reliance alleges in its lawsuit claiming $60 million in damages. The charges have yet to be proven in court.
“We’ve heard from thousands of our customers saying that National agents aren’t representing themselves as National,” says Paul Slinger, Reliance’s vice-president of operations.
“They represent themselves as Reliance, the city or a government agency. It’s important that customers get the right information and aren’t deceived.”
In a news release, Reliance cited media reports stating that the Ontario consumer ministry had received 52 complaints about National’s practices in the first 10 months of the year.
“That information is false,” said Gord Potter, chief operating officer of National Home Services.
“I can confirm we have received a small number of consumer complaints from the consumer ministry this year.”
Water heaters are a huge issue for the consumer ministry. Spokesman Stephen Puddister said the ministry had received 120 written complaints about National in the first 10 months of this year.
In 2011, the ministry had 2,518 complaints and inquiries about water heater rentals and removals – second only to collection agencies.
Slinger agreed there were many companies going door to door trying to induce people to replace water heaters. But National was the biggest rival and generated the most complaints among Reliance customers.
Last June, the Competition Bureau started an investigation into Reliance’s requirement that residential clients get a removal reference number when replacing water heaters. It said this was possibly anti-competitive.
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World's growing sweet tooth pushing prices higher.


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Eastern Europe led the world in software piracy last year, followed closely by the Asia-Pacific region, the only area to see a rise in software copyright infringement, according to a new survey released by an industry trade group.
The "Global Software Piracy Study," released last week by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), found that after declining for six years, piracy rates worldwide remained level last year, at about 37 percent.
Piracy in the Asia-Pacific region jumped from 47 percent to 51 percent, resulting in a loss of US$4.1 billion, according to the study. Vietnam had the highest rate of pirated software at 97 percent, followed by China at 94 percent and Indonesia at 89 percent.
Bob Kruger, vice president of enforcement at the Washington-based BSA, attributed the increases in part to a slowing economy.
"Businesses under pressure financially might not be as rigorous in assuring they have licenses on all software installed on their computers," he said.
Eastern Europe continued to have the highest piracy rate, at 63 percent, leading to a loss of nearly $404 million. By country, Russia and Ukraine have the highest regional piracy rates, at 88 percent and 89 percent, respectively. Poland, the third-largest country in the region, reduced its piracy rate between 1999 and 2000 by 6 percent, to 54 percent.
The survey, conducted by Maynard, Mass.-based International Planning & Research Corp., showed that losses resulting from software theft worldwide dropped 3.5 percent, from $12.2 billion in 1999 to $11.8 billion last year. The drop was mainly the result of a decline in the U.S., the largest software market in the world, where piracy rates fell to 24 percent last year, down 1 percent from the previous year. Piracy rates in Canada dropped 3 percent, to 38 percent.
Charles Kolodgy, a research manager at International Data Corp. in Framingham, Mass., said the vendors hurt most by the thefts aren't the big players, such as Microsoft Corp., but smaller competitors whose products are less expensive. For example, he said, corporations are more likely to illegally copy Microsoft Office than to buy a new copy of Sun Microsystems Inc.'s StarOffice or Ottawa-based Corel Corp.'s Office. "It's just as easy to rip off what everyone else is using, rather than using some cheaper version," he said.
According to the BSA, education and law enforcement have made the biggest dents in the areas where piracy fell. In the U.S., for example, companies can be fined up to $150,000 for each piece of pirated software. "Clearly, this is not a traffic ticket," Kruger said.

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New Zealand's largest listed wine company Delegat Group has posted a 24 per cent decline in annual profit as it wrote down the value of its grapes and financial instruments.
Net profit fell to $NZ32.5 million ($A29.56 million) in the year ended June 30, from $NZ42.6 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said.
Excluding the writedowns, operating net profit after tax increased 10 per cent to $NZ34.4 million, ahead of the company's $NZ34 million forecast.
Delegat met its target to increase global wine case sales by nine per cent to 2.21 million in the 2015 financial year, and expects to increase sales a further eight per cent to 2.379 million cases in 2016, in line with its plan to sell 3.17 million cases by 2020.
Its net debt rose 31 per cent to $NZ202 million as it invested $NZ78.9 million in additional property, plant and equipment, including vineyard development in New Zealand, extending its Marlborough winery and starting construction of its Hawke's Bay winery, as well as in the Barossa Valley in Australia.
It plans to invest a further $NZ101.9 million in 2016 to provide earnings growth in future years.
"The group in investing for growth to support its strategic goal to build a leading global 'super premium' wine company," said executive chairman Jim Delegat.
The winemaker will pay an 11 cent final dividend, unchanged from the year earlier.
Delegat shares last traded at $5.25 and have gained 14 pe rcent so far this year.


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Walmart’s Indian arm Flipkart on Wednesday introduced a smart assistive interface feature called “Saathi” which aims at mimicking the typical real-life shopping experience for consumers who are comfortable being assisted by a salesperson. It uses a combination of text and audio-based instructions to guide new users in their e-commerce journey.
With the new shopping assistant, Flipkart aims to target the customers in rural India as well as Tier II and III cities. The company said the smart assistive interface also aims to reduce consumers’ reliance on others to experience e-commerce.
Flipkart Saathi mimics real-life shopping experience for customers who are comfortable being assisted by a salesperson. The shopping assistance uses text and audio-based instructions to help new users make their purchase over Flipkart’s e-commerce platform.
The assistant icon is available at the header of the app at almost every screen. It provides visual and voice guidance on what to do next when you tap on the icon starting from searching for a product or deal to checkout. However, you cannot talk to Flipkart Saathi and can only tap on the assistant icon for limited help.
“Flipkart Saathi” will help first-time e-commerce users on the platform enhance their overall shopping experience, the company said.
Flipkart said the feature aims to empower consumers across tier-2, tier-3 cities and beyond in rural India, as it seeks to bring the next 200 million consumers online. “Flipkart is committed to bringing the next 200 million consumers online and solving for that in every possible manner,” Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Group Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart, said in a statement.
This first-of-a-kind feature from Flipkart is available in Hindi and English to start with.
In the Hindi interface, Flipkart also added colloquial languages, instead of opting for the bookish phrases. Meaning the Hindi interface will host terms that people use in their day to day life.
While Flipkart is providing a shopping assistant to help buyers on its platform, Amazon’s AI assistant, Alexa has a different approach to help people shop online. An Alexa-powered smart speaker like Echo Dot allows users to order an e-commerce platform without actually visiting the website. You can tell Alexa to buy an item available at Amazon, which searches for the item on the website.


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President Trump’s last and worst shot at overturning the 2020 election will come on Jan. 6, as the new Congress meets in joint session to tally the votes from the Electoral College. Mr. Trump wants Republican lawmakers to lodge formal objections to Joe Biden’s electors, and this kamikaze mission already has a few volunteers.
Here’s what would happen next, at least according to the Electoral Count Act: If a state’s electors are challenged by both a Senator and a Representative, then each chamber is supposed to retire to consider it. If they rejected the electors of enough states to deny Mr. Biden 270 electoral votes, then the House would choose the President.
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Now that most of the large hotel companies have reported their Q3 earnings, HotStats has released a new analysis examining how the big brands stood up to the aggregate numbers in Europe.
While European hotels reported rooms revenue improving at a higher year-over-year pace for the quarter, profit actually declined. Report author David Eisen, HotStats’ director of hotel intelligence and customer solutions (and former editor-in-chief of Hotel Management) noted that this disparity illustrates how strong revenue doesn’t always equal bottom-line success.
Revenue per available room was up 1.1 percent in Q3 over the same period last year and average room rate grew 0.9 percent against a 0.1-percentage-point uptick in occupancy. Total revenue in Europe’s hotels grew at a lower rate, up 0.7 percent in the quarter over the same period last year. Expenses increased, however, with a 2 percent year-over-year growth in total overheads on a per-available-room basis and a higher 2.5 percent year-over-year increase in hotel labor costs per available room.
Ultimately, Europe’s hotels reported a 1 percent decrease in gross operating profit per available room over the same period last year, indicative of a small uptick in revenue whittled down by cost, resulting in overall profit drop.
This did not, however, hurt London’s hotels, which reported a “generous” 3.7 percent RevPAR increase in Q3, corresponding with a 2.1 percent growth in profit.
How the Chains Fared
These trends match the Q3 numbers from most of the publicly traded hotel companies. Marriott International reported comparable global systemwide constant dollar RevPAR growth of 1.5 percent for the quarter, but in Europe, the company’s RevPAR was 2.1 percent over Q3 2018. But while Marriott’s revenue was up year over year, its profit was not. The company reported net income of $387 million in the third quarter—compared to 2018 third quarter reported net income of $503 million—a 23 percent drop.
Marriott’s total expenses for the third quarter were 5 percent higher than the same period in 2018, and the company exceeded the year-over-year rise in RevPAR by 350 basis points. “This lopsidedness naturally is a profit killer and proof of how Marriott’s Q3 net income dipped so much,” Eisen wrote in the report.
For Hilton, systemwide RevPAR increased 0.4 percent in Q3 over the same period last year, another example of slowing industrywide RevPAR growth trends.
“RevPAR is contracting and expenses are rising, which is a recipe for profit deterioration over time,” the report claimed. “The issue at hand is that operating expenses are not receding and some, such as payroll, are increasing on a quarterly basis.”
Talking with Hotel Management, Eisen acknowledged that while there is no “silver bullet” for making sure a hotel is profitable on a month-to-month and quarterly basis, there are things operators can do to improve flow-through, or how much revenue falls to profit over a given period of time. “The greatest deliverer of revenue is from the rooms department, so make sure rate is optimized [because] it’s the greatest contributor of performance,” he said. “But even [if] rate and top-line revenue are optimized, expenses can quickly erase those gains. Beyond expenses incurred in the rooms and [food-and-beverage] departments, hoteliers need to watch their costs in nonoperating departments, such as [administrative and general] and maintenance. A strong balance and vigilant eye on both revenue and cost is key to ensuring bottom-line profitability.”


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By Hugo Pinto, Innovation Officer IBM iX
The result of disruption, in any industry, is often greater innovation.
In the 90’s, the music, photography and video rental businesses gave way to a new generation of Internet based services that not only disrupted these industries but also changed consumer expectations forever. In the 2000’s, this disruption, and resulting innovation, has only continued with the proliferation of social and mobile.
The innovators of the recent past have themselves been overtaken. Sony took on the Kodak Empire, but is already facing stiff competition from the iPhone led smartphone camera. It’s a phenomenon that is now cross-industry and cross-region.
Innovation is not necessarily about leveraging completely ‘new’ ideas to solve a problem however. It is often about looking at how others have approached the same problem, and leveraging their learnings in a new way. None of the technology used by Uber, for example, was actually new. Rather, they have used existing technology and data in a new way, bridging an ecosystem of demand with one of supply and providing a great user experience in the process.
Many innovators are recognising the power of the crowd to get things done more quickly, to generate additional ideas or even more funding. This is not only happening in technology, the financial sector is also beginning to catch up to this type of innovation. Fin-tech start-ups are increasingly delivering innovation facilitated by crowd sourcing, capitalising on the lack of consumer trust in traditional banks. In addition to new services, some start-ups are even moving in on the areas banks would traditionally own – from mortgages to money transfers and even business loans.
Another particularly successful example taking on traditional retail banking is Fidor Bank, founded in Germany. Based around a social media community, users can join the community to discuss finance and share experiences with peers, use Fidor’s payment services or even become a full retail banking customer with a current account, loans and savings. With low overheads but high consumer trust, Fidor already has more than 200,000 people registered, 150,000 community members, €160m worth of deposits, and its lending totals about €100m.
Despite some larger companies creating their own innovation labs in response to this fin-tech challenge – many are too hampered by the boundaries of their legacy business models and systems to make a play at the opportunities being created by the ‘sharing economy’ brought about by mobile and social capabilities. So in this increasingly crowded and disrupted marketplace, where can banks look to deliver value?
While the bigger financial institutions may not be agile enough to provide some of the digital innovation being delivered by smaller fin-tech start-ups, they can facilitate digital innovation that delivers benefits to their customers and employees in other ways.
Last year, Citi launched its Mobile Challenge initiative in partnership with IBM, a global virtual competition that brings together the most innovative developers and leading technology sponsors to build, test and deploy new FinTech solutions. From the inaugural Challenges, Citi has selected 23 top innovations and is working with several of the teams to bring solutions to market.
Other banks are looking at how they can deliver their services in more innovative, and convenient ways to their customers. Nationwide, for example, has developed a mobile banking app for Android smartwatches. Developed in collaboration with IBM Interactive Experience, it is the first app capable of delivering such services.
Some financial organisations are also beginning to incorporate more advanced forms of analytics into their systems known as ‘cognitive computing’. This encompasses the latest developments in artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing.
Through the deep content analysis this type of technology enables, organisations can accelerate and improve their decision making. They can ensure regulations are being met and that offences such as money laundering and insider trading are detected.
With so much tech disruption entering the market, we are on the cusp of a wave of innovation in the financial industry. We live in the consumer driven era of show me, don’t tell me, and businesses are no different. Teams have to be able to flexibly mix proprietary technology and knowledge with crowd-powered and open source solutions to be able to rapidly turn a vision into a product, a business model or a new process.
Externally, we see market forces changing to adapt to a new technological reality. Only by absorbing that change internally, and reflecting it in an innovation driven business culture can today’s companies stay competitive.


text: Related:As for the issue, the reports increasingly include that the Bixby Voice skips off news info and weather after the alarm. More significantly, many users went on to Twitter as well with their reports of the briefing not working properly. Hovering over the tweets and the reports do feel like the assistant seems to have its 'own mind!’ The Samsung moderators are actively involved in the discussion and it looks like the brand is working on the fix. But there is no info on how long it will take for the resolve. We do hope that Samsung fans don’t have to suffer long anymore, as the brand has its reputation to keep up with!


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Sling TV users will be excited to see that they currently have a free trial period of NBA League Pass. This works for users on both the Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans.
This weekend, Sling TV is giving their users a free weekend with four free Extras from their Extras plans.
BBC America is celebrating the beginning of the 13th Doctor with 13 days of a non-stop Doctor Who marathon on their network.
Happy first day of fall 2018, readers! Today is the first day of fall and Hallmark Channel is one of the top cable channels to go to for movies and TV shows since they are known for creating great original… Continue Reading →
The NFL season has begun and with that comes the many different options of how to stream the games for either free or lower cost than paying for traditional cable or satellite plans.
With college football season literally starting tomorrow, Sling TV has announced that they will be having a free preview of six of the PAC 12 Network channels.
Contrary to popular belief, the 2018 college football season actually begins this weekend for some schools across the country, with Saturday being the day when the season kicks off.
It’s not a secret that we as people and consumers are getting away from traditional cable and satellite plans left-and-right, with the internet and streaming services taking off and replacing those old traditional ways of watching TV.
DirecTV NOW has added NFL Network to their live TV streaming service. This news was originally reported last week, but the channel has recently been added to the DirecTV NOW channel lineup on their website.
No, this is not the channel from the early 2000’s that we are reviewing 10 years too late. This is the new ESPN+ streaming service that was just launched less than two weeks ago.
Are you a person who uses a live TV streaming service such as Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, or DirecTV Now and cannot find or use an accurate TV guide listings? Well, you’re in luck!


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NYC openings: Brooklyn gets its first Apple Store, Manhattan gets another Trader Joe’s and another WholeFoods, and that controversial so-called Ground Zero Mosque is finally getting built in Lower Manhattan, blocks from the World Trade Center. Here are the details:
Brooklyn’s first Apple store: It opens soon in Williamsburg, at 274 Bedford Ave., in a two-story brick building at the corner of North 3rd St. Apple has six other retail stores in New York City, including the flagship at Fifth Avenue and 57th St., Grand Central, SoHo, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and West 14th Street locations, plus one each in Queens and Staten Island. Apple also is rumored to be planning another store at the Westfield shopping complex at the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan later this year.
Trader Joe’s: The Upper West Side is getting its second TJs, at the corner of 93rd St and Columbus Ave., a couple of blocks from rival Whole Foods, which is at Columbus and 97th. The new location is in the newly extended shopping addiition to a high-rise condo. Trader Joe’s has more than 450 stores nationwide. It arrived launched in NYC in 2006 and has been expanding since its first store at 142 East 14th Street in Union Square. There also are are stores at 675 Sixth Avenue in Chelsea, 130 Court Street in Cobble Hill and 9030 Metropolitan Avenue in Rego Park. Two more stores are planned for Brooklyn, at 1 DeKalb Avenue in Williamsburg and the City Point megaproject in Downtown Brooklyn.
Whole Foods: The organic food chain is taking over some pricey real estate in Times Square. There’s no official word when the location on Sixth Avenue, between 42nd and 41st Streets will open, but it’s unlikely to be in time for all the summer picnicking in Bryant Park, across the street.
Ground Zero Mosque: This controversial project, now called the Islamic Cultural Center, will be within a 43-story luxury condo tower at 45 Park Place in Tribeca. According to The Real Deal real estate report, developer Sharif El-Gamal of Soho Properties, has gotten a $219 million construction loan for the project, which will include 50 luxury apartments, a pool, a fitness center, a children’s playroom, and a 2,821 square foot public plaza along with retail and green space. The cultural center, originally to be a 15-story complex, has been downsized to just three stories. It’s all due to be completed in 2018.


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Enertor, the Usain Bolt-endorsed orthotics brand, has hired Well Hello to enhance its position within the sports and fitness sectors.
Enertor launched in the UK earlier this year with an integrated comms programme, which featured Usain Bolt (pictured) wearing the orthotics when competing. The Olympic champion sprinter, described as the “fastest human ever timed”, has also invested in the company.
Well Hello has been briefed to deliver editorial and social content, and will handle influencer relations, as well as develop brand partnerships.
Its team will also target people for whom various forms of foot pain is a regular problem.
The account will be led by Well Hello’s co-founder, Nick Woods.
Nick Beresford, co-founder and CEO of Enertor, said: “Nick and his team showed great understanding of our brand, audience, challenges and opportunities from the outset. We feel very confident that together we change the perception of insoles and lead a revolution in injury prevention and pain relief.”
Woods added: “Well Hello was born to work with brands who do good in the world and what could be better than helping millions end the tyranny of tendonitis and shin splints through the joy of insoles.”


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Update: Hands-on impressions added below.
LAS VEGAS--At its Thursday morning CES press conference, Dell briefly announced plans to release a slate-style tablet PC, in the same vein as the rumored Apple Tablet or theshown earlier in the week.
Details are scarce, but the 5-inch device would be smaller than rival ideas coming from HP and (presumably) Apple. Describes as a "tablet concept," there's no guarantee the product would ever reach the public in its current form.
Update: We had a chance to check out the device behind closed doors after the press conference, and even hold it in our hands for a few minutes. The device seems like a larger evolution of a smartphone more than a Netbook, but the larger screen created a much more user-friendly environment.
The silver casing had a sturdy feel, and the back of the unit had an area that looked like it could support a replaceable battery. Haptic vibration kicked in when we tried launching a few feature buttons. While it seems like it could be a compelling product with some Adamo-esque design, we wonder about price, whether it will have phone functionality, and whether anyone will chip in to own such a 3G-enabled device if they already have a smartphone.
Check out a few photos of the concept 5-inch Dell tablet below.


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Tesco says that its investigation into how horse DNA was found in three of its frozen beef burger lines has found that its supplier used meat from outside the UK and Ireland.
The evidence tells us that our frozen burger supplier, Silvercrest, used meat in our products that did not come from the list of approved suppliers we gave them.
Nor was the meat from the UK or Ireland, despite our instruction that only beef from the UK and Ireland should be used in our frozen beef burgers.
Consequently we have decided not to take products from that supplier in future.
We took that decision with regret but the breach of trust is simply too great.
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Scotland's top prosecutor and an FBI director met to discuss the progress of further investigations into the Lockerbie bombing.


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Xbox will continue to exist if the Activision merger is not approved, Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer says.
The Microsoft-Activision merger is so big that it could ultimately shape the future of the games industry and help the Xbox brand unlock it's full potential. With the inclusion of Activision Blizzard King properties, Microsoft would effectively own more than a dozen billion-dollar video game franchises, including the $31 billion Call of Duty series. The sheer power behind the buyout--in both the $68.7 billion price and overall business scope--has prompted significant regulatory scrutiny from worldwide antitrust agencies
While regulators are trying to their best to determine what happens if the merger goes through, Microsoft's Phil Spencer has a few quick responses to a potential merger block. Spencer indicates that Xbox may keep operating as it always has if the merger is not approved by regulators.
"This is an important acquisition for us [but] it's not some lynchpin to the long term. Xbox will exist if this deal doesn't go through," Phil Spencer said in a recent interview with UK paper The Times.
This seems to directly counter recent reports that Microsoft could sell the Xbox games division if the merger does not go through. This is indeed a stretch considering the Xbox brand is profitable and remains in second place in terms of revenues.
Spencer has also previously confirmed that the Xbox Game Pass subscription turns a profit for Microsoft despite the service's tremendous value-oriented content offerings. There were previous indications that Microsoft may be taking a loss from Game Pass in an effort to pull more subscribers in over time.


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Year 2015 could be the year of wearables. There are a lot of smartwatch models running Android Wear that are being introduced left and right even before Apple releases the Mac fans’ highly anticipated Apple Watch. But Google was first to enter the wearable industry with Android Wear and the wearable OS now actually runs on various models from different manufacturers. Android Wear apps have been developed specifically for the smartwatches and we can expect more to arrive on the Google Play Store.
The PaperWear is a special app for Android Wear devices that displays top articles from popular websites like Vox.com, qz.com, and Medium.com among others. The app refreshes content every 12 hours to keep you regularly updated about the stuff you want to know. Instead of constantly checking news apps or websites on your smartphone or Android tablet, you can choose to receive notifications instead.
The PaperWear app makes it possible for news to be delivered to your smartwatch screen. You can save the article to read later or if reading has become challenging. You can then read the article right on your smartphone. User interface is limited because of the small screen size but PaperWear should be very useful.
Download PaperWear from the Google Play Store


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UofG’s year-long Food Product Development course brings students from food and nutrition, food science, engineering and Lang Commerce to explore innovative food product development concepts.
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South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry’s (the DTI) Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA) division and ProMexico will sign the agreement in Pretoria on Friday.
DTI’s Minister Rob Davies said that the MoU will enhance the export of South African products to Mexico through more targeted export promotion activities.
“The potential for exporters of South African products and services to Mexico will have the benefit of increased market information, better access and penetration to the Mexican market. This will also enhance the diversification of South Africa’s export destinations as it will facilitate export growth into a fairly new market for South African products,” he said.
He added that the MoU will also promote and facilitate investments between the two countries by providing dedicated information on each region’s investment environment.
(READ MORE: Trade conditions remain tight & in negative territory )
Using the respective countries as manufacturing and distribution hubs, the agreement will also highlight opportunities in supply chains across a number of the countries’ industries.
Davies said that ProMexico and TISA will also develop a plan of action that will include events to promote two-way trade and investment between the two countries
“South Africa and Mexico are emerging economies strategically located as gateways to larger markets in Africa and North America,” said the DTI in a statement.
In 2013, the total trade between the two countries amounts to just under one billion US dollars, with South African exports at 228 million US dollars and imports from Mexico at 772 million US dollars.
(READ MORE: Is the weaker rand really improving S.African trade?)


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New Ford EcoSport Launched At A Lower Price With More Features
Ford India Pvt. Ltd. on Tuesday launched the 2019 Ford Ecosport with prices slashed by up to Rs 57,400 while offering new features and updates.
The new Ford EcoSport will be available at a price range of Rs 7.69 lakh to Rs 11.33 lakh in both petrol and diesel engine options, with an additional ‘Thunder Edition’ priced at Rs 10.18 lakh for petrol and Rs 10.68 lakh for diesel engine option.
The new EcoSport will go up against the recently launched Hyundai Venue Maruti Suzuki's Vitara Brezza, Tata Motors’ Nexon, Honda W-RV and Mahindra XUV300 in the compact SUV space.
The petrol variants of the car will be available with 1.5-litre and 1-litre EcoBoost engine options while for diesel it will be a 1.5-litre engine.
The 2019 Ford EcoSport line-up showcases Ford India's continuous efforts to increase localisation, resulting in greater value being passed on to customers across the variants, the company said.
“Backed by a strong product development team and ongoing localisation efforts, we are not just keeping up with the evolving consumer needs but also surprising them with enhanced value on offer across 2019 model line-up of Ford EcoSport,” said Anurag Mehrotra, president and managing director of Ford India.
Depending on the variant, the new line-up of the Ford EcoSport will be cheaper than last year's in the range of Rs 8,300 to Rs 57,400. The outgoing line-up of Ford EcoSport was available between Rs 7.83 lakh and Rs 11.90 lakh.
Ford India said the 2019 edition of the compact sports utility vehicle will have new sporty 17-inch alloy wheels, dark theme throughout the exteriors, including black-painted front grille and rear-view mirrors; dual-tone bonnet and decals on doors.


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Media executives back VR platform Blend Media
February 9, 2017
The co-founder and CEO of The LADBible Group, the co-founder and former President of Maker Studios and senior management executives from ITN Productions, Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) and Bell Pottinger are amongst the investors backing media entrepreneur Damian Collier’s latest digital venture Blend Media.
Blend Media is a 360° video and Virtual Reality content and creator platform founded by Damian Collier, founder of viral video management consultancy Viral Spiral. He is joined in this new venture by co-founder and COO, Chris Helm, a rights management expert and former Finance Director of Sony Music and EMI Music Publishing.
The business has been created as a complete immersive content solution for brands, agencies and publishers seeking to capitalise on the burgeoning new immersive digital media format. Blend Media reduces the time, costs and risk involved in creating or licensing premium quality immersive video. The company has already supplied content for a number of commercial clients including the Orange VR 360 app. Through the marketplace business model, Blend Media also provides valuable revenue and networking tools for creators of immersive content around the world.
“Until now there has been no organised marketplace for brands, agencies, studios and publishers who are looking to produce new, or license existing, premium quality 360° video or Virtual Reality content, or seeking creators who are skilled in the complex production and post-production techniques. We’re launching Blend Media at a time when immersive content has moved into the mainstream following its implementation by the key social networks. With a deeply experienced group of investors on board, a cutting-edge tech platform and the world’s largest network of immersive content creators signed up we’re set for an exciting 2017” said Collier.
“With considerable appetite for VR and 360 content from advertisers and consumers, it’s exciting to see a new market emerge. Damian’s track record in developing digital media businesses with a focus on content licensing makes this an ideal opportunity. We’re all looking forward to working closely with Damian and the team, and will make further investments in innovative companies like this.” commented co-founder and CEO of The LADbible Group, Solly Solomou.


text:
BAE Systems in talks with Mubadala and several other companies in the UAE
As per the media reports, in order to explore the possibilities of partnerships in defense-related industries, BAE Systems, a leading global defense, security and aerospace company has entered talks with Mubadala and several other companies in the UAE.
The information was given at a joint table in UAE on Sunday, by the officials of BAE Systems Simon Keith, Managing Director for Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific; Dennis P Morris, President, Global Tactical Systems; and Martin Bennett, Regional Vice President, Middle East.
They specified that it is the land and armament sectors on which the talks mainly focused. They explained that it was too early to give any details as nothing has reached near final stages.
Keith said, "We are ready to transfer the technology along with systems and equipment. We are also keen to support the development of the capabilities of the Emirati youth in these areas."
New Zealand News
- Porsche reportedly developing electric version of 718 sports car
- Tesla Model Y Performance becomes little bit more expensive to order in China
- Porsche’s recently unveiled Mission R Concept previews electric race cars of future
- Chinese manufacturer GAC’s Aion V e-SUV can charge 0-80% in just 8 minutes
- Oshidori International exits Japanese casino race, citing serious ethical irregularities
- Italian motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi enters e-bike business with VR46 MTB range
- Micro Mobility shows off production version of Microlino 2.0 and 3-wheeled e-scooter
- Chinese electric motorcycle maker Evoke Motorcycles to set up shops in Spain
- TenneT adds more electric BMWs to study use of EVs to support power grids
- Italy’s ASPI announces plans to install cross-country ultra-fast EV charging network


text:
POTSDAM While families gathered with loved ones this Christmas and most businesses put up closed signs, there were still the few who came to work to provide the community with needed services.
Sitting behind the glass windows at the Potsdam police station, Patrolman Kyle E. Fink and dispatcher Jerrid L. Lavoie said the generosity of coworkers and neighbors makes working the holiday a bit easier.
The good thing about it is that youll never go hungry, Mr. Lavoie said Wednesday, laughing. By the time I leave tonight, I will be 10 pounds heavier.
Appreciated were the homemade peanut brittle and fudge by dispatcher Robin Schneider and the chicken pot pie with edible bread bowls made by Sgt. Charlie Daniels wife. The fondest tradition, though, Mr. Lavoie and Mr. Fink said, is the tin of coffee brought in by Potsdam volunteer firefighter Bill Enslow.
For 25 years he has been bringing in that tin of coffee, Mr. Fink said. It started in 1988 at the old police department on Christmas to shoot the breeze.
A police officer at the time came out of the back office in a fit of anger over the absence of coffee, Mr. Fink said.
So he decided, with that, that he would start bringing it in, and he has ever since, Mr. Fink said.
Mr. Fink, who has two young sons, said he was able to take a few vacation hours before coming into work, so he could have breakfast with the boys and watch them open their gifts.
But nothing substitutes for the feeling of spending the day with your loved ones, Mr. Fink said.
I would much rather be home watching my boys running around screaming at each other, he said.
Down the road from the police station at the Stewarts shop at Route 56 and Sandstone Drive in the village, store manager Cathy A. Moore and employee Kierston R. Wilson said they were getting nothing but thanks from customers who needed last-minute items.
We hear a lot of, Im sorry you have to work, but Im glad you are here, Mrs. Moore said.
Mrs. Moore, a resident of Massena, left her sleeping family in the early morning hours to work her shift.
A senior at SUNY Potsdam originally from Washingtonville, Ms. Wilson said she was unable to get home for the holidays and volunteered to work so that coworkers with families could stay home.
While shoppers were picking up those last-minute items for their own families, they also demonstrated some Christmas spirit.
As one customer cashed out, he bought a scratch-off lottery ticket for each woman, one of whom won $5.
One year we had a woman that came in and bought three $20 gift cards, Mrs. Moore said. She filled out the first two and on the third one she wrote my name and said, Merry Christmas.
Mrs. Moore than paid it forward and purchased the groceries of her next customer.
That kind of generosity was demonstrated anonymously at the Nice N Easy convenience store in Canton. While all the other storefronts were dark as night fell in the village, Kasey T. Murray and Christina M. Doughty where dealing with the hustle and bustle of customers coming in for sandwiches, gas and other items.
Ms. Murray said she didnt mind working the 3 p.m. to midnight shift on Christmas because she was able to spend the morning with her family. Ms. Doughty said the same.
I get to have my cake and eat it, too, Ms. Doughty said. I got up with my kids and watched them open their gifts and then I get to come in here and help others.
Everyone is a lot more cheery, Ms. Murray said. I was told a customer came in and bought snacks and left them for us at the counter.
Attached to a bag of cookies was a note that read: These cookies and chips are for us! Some young man bought them for us. How nice. Merry Christmas!!
He also brought in banana bread, Ms. Murray added.
Ms. Doughty said that kind of generosity doesnt seem to happen a lot, only because it isnt spoken about as frequently as it should be.
I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping others, Ms. Doughty said. I like the idea that we are the only place in town open so we can be here for people if they need something.


text:
Update: Apple Announces Dividend for Q4, $10B Share Repurchase for 2013; Closes Above $600
March 19, 2012 5:12 PM
comment(s) - last by
Apple plans to use $45 billion of its cash reserves over the next three years
It's no secret that Apple is a cash machine. The company rakes in billions of dollars thanks to a legion of loyal fans that lineup hours in advance to purchase its latest and greatest phones and
. The company has also seen a surge in its traditional PC business thanks to strong sales of its MacBook Pro/MacBook Air lineup of notebooks and iMac all-in-one desktop computers.
In late January, Apple reported profit of $13 billion on revenues of $46 billion for
fiscal Q1 2012
. The company saw its
stock price cross the $500/share threshold
in early February, making it worth more than Microsoft and Google combined. More recently,
has danced with the $600/share mark. In addition, Apple has
roughly $100 billion in cash/securities on hand
– a figure that CEO Tim Cook said is “more than we need to run the company.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook [Source: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg]
This morning, the company announced a $10 billion stock buyback program that will start in fiscal 2013. The buyback will take place over the course of three years with the primary goal being to "[neutralize] the impact of dilution from future employee equity grants and employee stock purchase programs."
A more immediate action being taking place is a quarterly dividend starting in fiscal Q4 2012. The quarterly dividend will equal $2.65/share.
“Even with these investments, we can maintain a war chest for strategic opportunities and have plenty of cash to run our business. So we are going to initiate a dividend and share repurchase program," said Cook.
According to CFO Peter Oppenheimer, these programs will burn through $45 billion of Apple's cash reserves over the next three years.
Updated @ 5:12pm
AAPL just closed
for the first time in its history.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Investors win!
3/19/2012 4:25:48 PM
OMG so much...
(1) How do you know that Jobs left no money to education or foundations? The contents of his will (and what he did with his money beforehand) have been kept secret --- he was a private man who did not want his name in the news, even in the context of things like the name of a hospital wing.
(2) What is "saturating a stock"? And why is it a bad thing?
(3) So you think that the nominal price of a share is important? The stock is cheap if it goes through a split and costs $70 a share, but is expensive if it does not split and costs $700 a share? Good luck with that investment strategy --- there are a whole lot of penny stocks available outside NASDAQ, through pink sheets that will, I'm sure, make you rich.
And if this is something that upsets you, by all means don't go look at the price of Berkshire Hathaway.
Did Steve Jobs save Apple? That is highly debatable.
Right. And did Al Qaeda attack the US? Highly debatable. Does Intel make faster chips than ARM? Highly debatable. Was Obama born in the US? Highly debatable.
"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." -- Scientology founder L. Ron. Hubbard
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text:
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Around this time every year, our smartphones remind us to always be ready for change.
Indeed, Apple and Google are announcing updates to the operating systems that power our iPhones and Android phones. Soon the software that powers the devices will have design tweaks and new features – in other words, new things to learn.
On Monday, Apple unveiled iOS 16, the next version of its iPhone operating system. It will include new features like a redesigned lock screen and the ability to edit text messages. Last month, Google presented Android 13, which offers a simplified wallet app for storing credit cards and important documents such as vaccination records. Both companies also said they were improving their apps for sending text messages.
The new iPhone and Android operating systems will be coming to our phones as free updates this fall.
Apple and Google often accompany these software updates with loud language and promises. “Today we’re going to push our platforms further than ever before,” said Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, in a pre-recorded video for the event announcing the new software.
But in reality, many of the changes – especially the ability to retroactively edit text – are incremental improvements that feel like they should have happened a long time ago. Here are the most notable updates to look out for.
Apple is revising the iPhone lock screen
Apple said it’s making a change to the first thing you see when using an iPhone: the lock screen.
In the past, users could only change the wallpaper of their lock screens. But with iOS 16, iPhone users can customize the lock screen by choosing from different fonts and colors for the clock. Users will also be able to pin “widgets,” which are essentially shortcuts to apps like the phone’s calendar and fitness data tracker, to the lock screen.
These customizations could help us adapt our phones to our lifestyles. Consider that the new software will allow an iPhone user to create a number of custom lock screens for different scenarios.
For example, a lock screen dedicated to work could display a wallpaper of your office building and contain a calendar widget with your next meeting appointment. Personal time lock screen can show your dog wallpaper and exercise widget. The idea is that people will be able to switch between lock screens to better suit their needs throughout the day.
Google’s Wallet app is catching up with Apple
The pandemic has accelerated the use of mobile shopping as many people have turned to contactless digital payments to avoid touching cash. Apple has had a strong offering for electronic payments for more than five years with its Wallet software for iPhone, which allows users to make credit card purchases and carry important documents such as boarding passes and data. health.
Google, which has been struggling to bring its mobile payments technology to market, took the opportunity last month to dive deeper into payments with Android 13. For years, its Google Pay system has been severely delayed Apple’s payment system because few Android users have understood how to use the technology.
Last month, Google renamed its digital payment app google wallet. The company has simplified the technology by integrating a wallet shortcut into the Android lock screen. It also plans to expand the software beyond credit cards, to include documents such as boarding passes, movie tickets and proof of Covid-19 vaccination.
Google and Apple are expanding their messaging apps
Anyone who has texted with a phone knows the digital divide between the so-called green bubble and the blue bubble.
When a text message is sent from an Android phone, it appears as a green bubble on the recipient’s screen, with often pixelated and distorted images and videos. Indeed, a green bubble message is sent via the network of the telephone operator, which automatically degrades the quality of the image.
In contrast, blue bubble messages sent between iPhone users go through iMessage, Apple’s proprietary messaging service, which maintains a high-quality look for photos and videos.
With Android 13, Google is trying to create its own blue bubble experience. The company integrates a technology called Enhanced Communication Services, which can send high resolution images and large files. It will also allow people to create group chats like most modern messaging apps.
Apple, meanwhile, is making changes to iMessage so that iPhone users can edit or recall messages after they’ve been sent. Retroactive message editing, which would save us the embarrassment of weird typos or accidental pocket text, is a feature people have been looking for for years.
Both companies boost user privacy
These days, no software update would be complete without a Big Tech company claiming that they care about our privacy. Indeed, tech companies want users to feel safe sharing personal data, especially since European regulators and others have cracked down on them about it.
So naturally, Apple and Google have said they are offering more protections to user data in their upcoming operating systems.
Apple, which has long allowed iPhone users to give family members and romantic partners permanent access to their location data, said it would provide deeper controls for that data sharing if an intimate relationship went wrong. Its new software feature, Safety Check, will allow users to quickly review and revoke access to this data so they can protect their information from abusers.
Google said it would give users more control over data shared with third-party apps. In the next version of Android, users will also be able to give apps access to certain photos instead of their entire camera roll – a measure of protection against malicious apps disguising themselves as photo editing software.
If many of these changes seem long overdue, that’s because they are. Just as smartphone hardware upgrades have become increasingly incremental, software is also improving, albeit unremarkably.


text:
Oh jeez, just as 73 year old perfumer, Jean-Paul Guerlain has put out a book of memoirs called Parfums d'Amour, his character is getting publicly attacked for a racial remark he made (twice!) on a French television news show last week. The Guerlain brand is embarrassed and offended by the fourth (and last) generation family of noses and want to make it clear that Jean-Paul Guerlain has not been a shareholder since 1996 and he officially retired from the company in 2002. According to WWD, the Guerlain brand made a statement saying that Jean-Paul Guerlain's comments were:
"intolerable and went against the culture, values, and ethics practiced by the enterprise, which promotes the diversity of talents of all origins."
Since the show aired, Jean-Paul Guerlain has apologized in a statement, saying, "My words do not reflect in any way my profound thoughts but are due to an inopportune misspeaking which I vividly regret." How do you feel about this? In my opinion his apology is not sufficient and speaking like that is unacceptable.
To read what he said in the interview, which started off as a lovely story about making the Samsara fragrance, and to watch an earlier clip of Jean-Paul on French telly, just read more.
"One day I told her — and I still called her Madame — 'What would seduce you if one was to make a perfume for you?' and she told me, 'I love jasmine, rose and sandalwood,"' Mr. Guerlain recalled.
"And for once I started working like a [bleep]. I don’t know if [bleep] ever worked that hard," he said.


text:
FIFA 08 tops UK Charts
Assassin's Creed still up there.
Electronic Arts' FIFA 08 as started the new year as the number one game in the UK.
Sales across the country are down for every title in the top forty, with Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed suffering a 70 percent drop in sales, as it falls from first place to number four. Mind you, nothing is true.
Sales of the number two game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare were down 56 percent and this week's number three title The Simpsons Game saw a drop of 58 percent.
Need for Speed: ProStreet is at five this week, with Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 at six, SEGA's The Golden Compass at seven and Nintendo's More Brain Training at eight.
Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a non-mover at nine and THQ's WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 drops from the top rope whoops I mean number seven to number ten.
GamesIndustry.biz is already an active prophet.


text:
Pitch perfect for Morag
Asda Scotland deal for Mo’s Cookie Dough
It is the latest success for Mo’s Cookie Dough which already sells through a number of blue chip stockists. The Asda deal follows a pitch to chief executive Andy Clarke at an event at the Entrepreneurial Spark office in Glasgow.
Ms Pavich said: “Our new-founded relationship will allow us to go from strength-to-strength and it also allows us to bring our products to a much wider audience.”
Brian O’Shea, Asda’s regional buying manager for Scotland, said: “We look forward to working with the business closely and hopefully increasing the range of products available in–stores in due course.


text:
02-24-2014 07:34 PM
"The majority of married respondents said finances are a two-person job in their relationship: 54% said they make credit and debt decisions together, while 28% of divorced respondents said they made joint decisions when they were married."
myFICO is the consumer division of FICO. Since its introduction 20 years ago, the FICO® Score has become a global standard for measuring credit risk in the banking, mortgage, credit card, auto and retail industries. 90 of the top 100 largest U.S. financial institutions use the FICO Score to make consumer credit decisions.>> About myFICO


text:
Walmart to Sell New iPads Starting at Midnight, iFixit Disassembles the New Tablet
March 15, 2012 4:42 PM
comment(s) - last by
Walmart to jump the gun on iPad sales
that its retail stores would open early at 8am on Friday morning to accommodate the masses that want to purchase a new iPad and
missed out on the pre-order opportunities
. In addition to the U.S., potential customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will also have their chance to grab the fresh new tablet.
Apple also made its clear that its U.S. retail partners -- Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sam’s Club, Target -- will also carry the new iPad.
Today, however, Walmart informed us that it would jump the gun on competing stores -- and even Apple stores -- by offering the new iPad at 12:01am on Friday.
"A limited supply of the new iPad will be available at your local 24-hour Walmart," said a Walmart representative in an email to
. "Other retailers’ doors don’t open until 8 a.m. local time, so you can get to work on time and beat the rush by coming to Walmart."
The company notes that it will have the 16GB Wi-Fi models in both black and white. It doesn't, however, indicate if it will sell the higher-capacity models or models with LTE.
Analysis from Apple's
handpicked, "top tier" reviewers
has been overwhelmingly positive, but we'll have to wait until the ever-critical consumers get the devices in their hands to see how the tablet crowd feels about the device and its slightly expanded dimensions.
In other iPad news, iFixit has already gotten its hands on the tablet and disassembled it. For those that are into gadget teardowns, head on over to
to seen the new iPad in the buff.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
3/15/2012 9:53:53 PM
idk, $500 shouldnt be a lot hopefully for readers on this board, stereotyping a bit that geeks should have good talents that land them decent jobs.
but those bitter people who are too lazy to make it happen prolly get even more upset and just hate on the pricey toys.
droid, apple, doesnt matter what, these are all luxurys. dont/hate/player/game
"Let's face it, we're not changing the world. We're building a product that helps people buy more crap - and watch porn." -- Seagate CEO Bill Watkins
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text:
The QNX technology will support CARIAD’s software stack for automated driving
WATERLOO, Ontario, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) announced today that CARIAD, the software company of the Volkswagen Group, has selected BlackBerry® QNX® technology as a component of its VW.OS software platform. Announced as part of Volkswagen Group’s NEW AUTO strategy, CARIAD is developing a unified software platform consisting of VW.OS, the Volkswagen Cloud VW.AC and a scalable, end-to-end unified electronics architecture. The platform will be available for Volkswagen Group brands from the middle of the decade.
BlackBerry will license its BlackBerry QNX technology to CARIAD, including its QNX® OS for Safety 2.2. It will be integrated into CARIAD’s VW.OS software platform, specifically into the stack for driver assistance systems and automated driving functions (ADAS/AD). Within this VW.OS ADAS/AD stack, QNX OS for Safety 2.2 will serve as a reliable and secure foundation. As part of the agreement, BlackBerry QNX will also provide professional engineering and consulting services for system-level integration, performance optimization and solution validation.
“From the chip to the cloud, the world’s leading automotive companies trust BlackBerry QNX for our leading embedded software solutions that deliver safety, reliability and security,” he said John Wall, SVP and Head, BlackBerry Technology Solutions. “As the industry converges around the pursuit of the software-defined vehicle, we look forward to working closely with CARIAD to help enable the cutting-edge cars of the future.”
Based on BlackBerry’s advanced and secure real-time operating system (RTOS) QNX® Neutrino®, QNX OS for Safety is a fully POSIX-compliant, open standards-based operating system that embedded developers can use to build safety-critical systems and has been certified to ISO 26262 ASIL D, the highest functional safety standard in the automotive industry. With a pre-certified, scalable microkernel RTOS, the solution enables automakers and embedded software developers across a variety of industries to shorten their development schedules and reduce the cost of moving projects from research to production.
BlackBerry’s pedigree of security and continuous innovation has resulted in the use of its QNX technology in production programs with 45 different OEMs, 7/7 of the top Tier 1 companies and over 215 million vehicles worldwide.
For more information on how BlackBerry QNX can help build the safer vehicles of tomorrow, visit: BlackBerry.QNX.com.
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to businesses and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints incl 215M Vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ontthe company uses AI and machine learning to provide innovative solutions in cybersecurity, security and privacy, and is a leader in endpoint security, endpoint management, encryption and embedded systems. BlackBerry’s vision is clear – to ensure a connected future you can trust.
Blackberry. Smart security. Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.
Trademarks including but not limited to BLACKBERRY, EMBLEM Design and QNX are trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, used under license and exclusive rights in such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for third party products or services.
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
SOURCE BlackBerry Limited


text:
- Mukesh Ambani: Above the league. // India Today;3/22/2010, p17
The article features Mukesh Ambani, the world's richest Indian with over 30 billion U.S. dollars. This industrialist is able to make Reliance Industries expect 1,90,000 crore Rupees from over 1,51,000 crore Rupees despite the economic downturn and the nation's largest gas producer, defeating the...
- The world in 2014 according to Forbes. Kumar, Arun // Asian Pacific Post;9/16/2010, p16
The article reports on the prediction by "Forbes" magazine that Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani of India will become the world's richest man in 2014 with a net worth of 62 billion U.S. dollars.
- Mukesh Ambani. Mehta, Suketu // Time International (Asia Edition);5/2/2011, Vol. 177 Issue 17, p63
The article features Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh D. Ambani and his popularity as an Indian business magnate.
- Ambani Regains Richest Indian Spot From Shanghvi. // Business World;4/28/2015, p9
The article reports on Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani's regaining of his richest Indian status with a net worth of 19.6 billion dollars as of April 28, 2015. Topics discussed include pharmaceutical tycoon Dilip Shanghvi's slipping to second place after a seven-week stay on top, and Ambani's...
- Mukesh Ambani Is Richest Indian at $22.6 Billion: Forbes. // India -- West;11/4/2011, Vol. 36 Issue 50, pB9
The article informs that according to the periodical "Forbes," Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd., is the richest Indian with a net worth of 22.6 billion dollars.
- Mukesh Advani Tops Forbes List of India's Richest. // India -- West;10/8/2010, Vol. 35 Issue 46, pA2
The article reports that Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd., has topped in Forbes magazine's list of 100 richest Indians in India.
- India's 40 Richest. Karmali, Naazneen; Kumar, C. N. Krishna; Vorasarun, Chaniga; Miller, Matthew // Forbes Asia;11/26/2007, Vol. 3 Issue 20, p52
The article presents information on the 40 richest people in India in 2007. The four richest Indians are worth an astonishing $180 billion. Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who lives in London, England is No. 1 again, worth $51 billion, but Mukesh Ambani, whose Reliance Industries is India's most...
- 4 Indian Americans Make Forbes' Richest List. Springer, Richard // India -- West;3/16/2012, Vol. 37 Issue 17, pB1
The article offers information on an annual survey of the world's richest people by Forbes magazine in which Indian Americans were also ranked. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman Reliance Industries Ltd. is reported to be the richest Indian. Azim Premji Hashim, Savitri Jindal, Sunil Mittal and Kumar Birla...
- Mukesh Ambani. Mehta, Suketu // Time International (Atlantic Edition);5/2/2011, Vol. 177 Issue 17, p65
The article profiles businessman Mukesh Ambani of India, named as one of the magazine's 100 most influential people in the world for 2011, who owns India's largest private company Reliance Industries.


text:
A Seattle couple is living their dreams off-land, and they have an interesting reason for that, according to KOMO.
Angelyn Burk told Australian TV station 7 News that she and her husband, Richard, have made cruise ships their permanent residences. Burk, who's an accountant, did the math and found out that they could retire now and save money living aboard cruise ships than paying for housing.
"Our original plan was to stay in different countries for a month at a time and eventually retire to cruise ships as we got older," Burk explained to reporters. "We love to travel and we were searching for a way to continuously travel in our retirement that made financial sense."
The Burks then took the dive. They quit their jobs, abandoned their bills, and started traveling to different countries aboard different cruise ships. To finance their bold plan, the couple used their savings while taking advantage of loyalty points and sales. They're also trying to sell their Seattle home. So far, their journey has taken them to Italy, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Iceland, and other countries.
"We have been frugal all our lives to save and invest in order to achieve our goal. We are not into materialistic things but experiences," Burk says. "We don’t plan to permanently live on land in the future."


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Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has appointed Emmanuelle Noyer as VP and General Manager for Tom Ford Beauty in the UK and Ireland.
The appointment comes a week after ELC fully acquired luxury fashion brand Tom Ford for US$2.8bn, the beauty brand owner's biggest deal to date.
Noyer, who will start the role on 1 January 2023, will also be responsible for managing Le Labo, Kilian Paris, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle and Balmain Beauty.
She joined ELC in 2015 as Regional Director for Travel Retail after a 15-year career with LVMH, where she served as Managing Director for Guerlain UK and Ireland.
Prior to this, Noyer held the role of Managing Director for Acqua Di Parma, Pucci and Fendi Fragrances at the luxury beauty conglomerate.
“Emmanuelle is a strong and transformative leader, with a track record of delivering solid business plans and a true change champion,” said Sue Fox, President of ELC UK and Ireland.
“Emmanuelle serves as the Executive Sponsor of ELC UK&I’s Women’s Leadership Network Employee Resource Group and is deeply passionate about building, mentoring and supporting programmes for colleagues across the region.”
Noyer will continue in her role as Vice President General Manager of Estée Lauder, Aerin Beauty and Aramis UK Ireland, with Luke Evans slated to take over the position in January.
Luke joined ELC UK and Ireland in 2011 as the National Sales Director of Aramis & Designer Fragrances and Lab Series.
His CV boasts over 20 years of experience in the prestige beauty market, including a role as Commercial Director at LVMH Fragrance Brands UK and Ireland division.
Evans will report directly to Fox.
“With a seamless ability to inspire his team members to achieve their full potential, Luke has
built effective, high-performing teams who have produced incredible results,” added Fox.
The end of a saga
After months of rumours and back and forth, ELC managed to fight off stiff competition from rivals such as Kering to snag Tom Ford in a near $3bn deal.
Fabrizio Freda, CEO of ELC, said the acquisition, which included Tom Ford's apparel, accessories and eyewear businesses, will "unlock new opportunities" for the luxury fashion brand.
The business’ namesake founder will also step down as CEO and creative lead at the end of 2023.
Ford owned an estimated 64% of the business and is expected to receive $1.1bn from the deal.
Domenico De Sole, Chairman of Tom Ford and the designer's long-term business partner, will also stay with the brand until Ford's departure.
"I could not be happier with this acquisition as The Estée Lauder Companies is the ideal home for the brand," said Ford at the time.
"They have been an extraordinary partner from the first day of my creation of the company and I am thrilled to see them become the luxury stewards in this next chapter of the Tom Ford brand."
Luxury Italian firm Zegna will now licence Tom Ford's clothing business from ELC.


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US: Toyota Prius reaches 1m US milestone as hybrid sales climb
Toyota has sold its millionth Prius hybrid in the US, six months after global sales of the world’s first mass-produced hybrid petrol-electric vehicle reached 2m and a month after the company announced that its total hybrid sales had passed the 3m mark.
The news came as Edmunds.com, the US-based auto data provider, announced that around 78,500 hybrid and electric vehicles were sold in the US in the first quarter, up from 57,200 last year.
The growth is attributed to rising petrol prices with fuel now averaging US$3.69 a gallon and predictions that it will reach as much as $5 a gallon by the end of the year.
According to Edmunds, sales of the Prius climbed 52% to 42,800 units while demand for Honda's hybrids surged 84% to 11,400 units.
“Since the Prius went on sale 11 years ago not a year has gone by when it hasn’t been the number one selling hybrid vehicle in the US,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “Prius has become synonymous with the word hybrid and, as we see fuel prices starting to rise again, it has accounted for more than 60% of hybrid passenger car sales so far this year."


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Posts tagged Office 2010 Beta
Attention all Office 2010 Beta users, the Beta version of your favorite Microsoft Office Suite is nearing its expiry date. The Beta version of the sensational Office 2010 will expire come Halloween which of course is 31th October.
Want to know how the trip and response has been for Office 2010 Beta since its launch? Well, let’s just say it has experienced one of most successful runs and promises better things once the final version is released and people start purchasing it. Ok here it is, more than 7.5 million copies of the beta version of Office 2010 have been downloaded by the general public. What does that mean? The upcoming version is definitely the Office suite to have.
Businesses and organizations love and use Microsoft’s premium range of Office products to fulfill their daily business needs. Microsoft recognizes this very fact and as a result has decided to roll out their next iteration of Office, Office 2010 for business users in May. 12 May is the date that the interested business users should set their calendars to.
A new year means a new leakage of one of the Microsoft products. This time the focus is on none other than Microsoft’s premium product, Office 2010. A post Beta build of Office 2010 has been leaked and unleashed onto the Internet. The source of this news is none other than Wzor who has earned a reputation of bringing the latest leakage and rumor information. Did I just say rumor? Well, according to Wzor, Microsoft will be rolling out Office 2010 RTM in April. I repeat this is one that belongs to the rumor category.
By now, you would probably be aware of the fact that Office 2010 Beta is available for public download. Outlook 2010 is one of the interesting product of the ever impressive Office 2010 suite. The 2010 version of desktop mail client from Microsoft brings the much appreciated ribbon interface. But it turns out that it is not the only change it brings. Outlook 2010 brings with it other impressive changes and additions such as the Unified Messaging enhancement we shared with you earlier and more. In this post we will talk about Navigation Pane and the changes that have been made to it.
Microsoft has put on its thinking cap and has already started planning for the next version of Office , Office 15. Well this is a surprise, a pleasant one I must say. Microsoft Office 2010 Beta was revealed to the public during last month, but that has not stopped the IT giants to start thinking about the next version of its ever successful Office suite.
Microsoft during the last month’s PDC (short for Professional Developers conference) released a public beta of Office 2010. By now, many of you would have downloaded the recently launched Office 2010 Beta. Well we got exciting news for you, and it’s not about Office 2010 Beta for starters, even though it is related to Office 2010. Bruno Silva of livebetas has shared the leaked images of Office 2010 boxes from CentrumXP. And boy, are these box images mind blowing or what. (Box Images included below)
Microsoft Office 2010 Beta has reached a new milestone. The Beta of Office 2010 has been downloaded for more than 1 million times. Office 2010 Beta is currently being tested by more than 1 million testers and users.
It has been around one week since the launch of Office 2010 Beta. Microsoft hasn’t forgotten its vision of serving global users. I say this because Microsoft has launched Language Interface Pack (LIP) for Office 2010 Beta. LIP in simple words enables you to use and experience Office in their native language.
Language Interface Packs (LIP) enable you to change the user interface (UI) language for the Microsoft Office programs installed on your computer, as well as use a spell check dictionary and some proofing tools in the LIP language
It has been just a few days, less than a week since Microsoft announced the availability of Microsoft Office 2010 Beta for the general audience. By now, many users would have already downloaded the latest sensation from Microsoft Office family of products. One thing which every single user has to go through is, activating the Office 2010 Beta edition. So I thought, it would be useful to list out the steps that you need to activate your product.


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A new suit shop stocking fashion inspired by the Peaky Blinders has opened on Lincoln High Street.
Cavani at Coneys took over Elliots Framing just next door to their original Lincoln shop before opening on Friday, November 1.
The new shop has created three new local jobs and it has more of a focus on formal wear for weddings, dates or even for the office.
Peter Phillips, the general store manager, told The Lincolnite: “There’s a lot of doom and gloom on the High Street so it’s nice to see this as a success story.
“The original Coneys store has been very popular over the years, so much so that it was starting to get a little crowded.
“So we decided that we needed a new shop and it was the perfect opportunity when the unit came on the market.”
Coneys opened its original Lincoln store in 2011 and since then it has built up a loyal following of customers.
At the new store, a three-piece suit costs around £180 with other accessories like flat caps, ties and shoes also available.


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Blood iPhones: Despite Wage Hike, Another FoxConn Employee Commits Suicide
Americans love Apple products—I am typing this on a MacBook now—but beyond the price-gouging and the cool-branding, like most mass-market consumer goods it's impossible to reconcile the manufacturing conditions with our privilege. Case in point: the working conditions at FoxConn, the Chinese factory responsible for making iPhones, iPads, Dell and Hewlett-Packard computers, among other electronics, is so oppressive that its employees keep killing themselves. Yahoo:
At least a dozen Foxconn employees have jumped to their deaths or tried to do so since 2010, casting spotlight on the world's largest contract maker of electronics. The Taiwan-based companyhas been besieged with reports of poor working and living conditions for its workers at factories and dorms. The company installed nets in 2010 to prevent such deaths after the spate of suicides.
A public security bureau in Chengdu city announced the death Wednesday on the Sina Weibomicroblogging site. The post identifies the employee only by the surname Xie and says the cause remains under investigation.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the man was 23.
Because of protests this year, FoxConn has sought to improve some working conditions, like raising wages. But clearly, 18-25 percent is small compensation when your whole job is based on becoming a militarized robot, churning out luxury goods for those of us who are better-off. Read much more on FoxConn at AlterNet here.


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When the world shifted to working from home, criminals pounced. Never wanting to miss a chance to capitalize on people in a time of weakness, they stepped up their phishing attacks, created fake COVID-19 information sites, and spoofed government health sites in efforts to access potentially valuable account information.
While those types of attacks and scams have been around for years, people have been more exposed these last few months. With schools closed, students have switched to online learning programs and video calls. Parents find themselves sharing their work laptops with kids to do their schoolwork and join virtual classes. All of a sudden, family and personal accounts for Facebook, Nintendo, Xbox, and Netflix are right alongside office tools like Zoom, Microsoft Office, and corporate email clients.
In some cases, parents have used their work email to create new accounts for their children. They may have even reused the same passwords and shared the credentials with the family. It's easy to imagine parents letting their kids use company Zoom credentials for school calls, and then someone goes and reuses the same login and password to create a Fortnite account.
Then there's the huge boom in online shopping to think about. With stores closed, consumers have turned to e-commerce to get products delivered. In the first half of the year, online spending with US retailers grew 30% — up $60.4 billion — compared with the same period last year, according to the US Department of Commerce. As shoppers have placed online orders with grocery and retail stores for the first time, it's also easy to imagine how many new accounts have been created with reused work credentials — and then shared with family members.
Although security experts recommend using unique passwords for each account, the prevailing practice for most people is to reuse passwords across multiple sites. In fact, SpyCloud's report on password reuse among Fortune 1000 employees found that 76.5% have reused the same password paired with their corporate email on more than one breached account. With the shift to e-commerce likely permanent, along with the continued acceptance and prevalence of remote work, the consequences of those reused and shared logins have staying power.
Criminals love this. If a login and password is ever stolen in a data breach, the information will eventually circulate on Dark Web marketplaces where bad actors buy and sell breach data. Those breached credentials are then available to criminals for credential stuffing, where credentials are tested against other sites to see which additional accounts they can take over. Some criminal tools can even test for common password variations, like changing certain letters to numbers (Password vs. [email protected]) or adding numbers or symbols to the end of a word (password123). If a password has been exposed in one data breach, any other account with a variation of the same password is at risk.
That's exactly what happened to Nintendo account holders earlier this year. On April 24, the company confirmed that attackers were able to access 160,000 Nintendo accounts that were vulnerable because people used passwords that had been exposed in previous data breaches. The criminals behind it were able to extract specific billing and account information from the breached accounts, including rewards points, Nintendo Store, and Nintendo eShop balances, PayPal subscription IDs, credit card types, card expiration dates, currency denominations, the first six digits of the credit card numbers, and the last four digits of the credit card numbers.
So, now what happens when your employee's 10-year-old has one of their online accounts exposed in a breach, and your employee has set up the account with their corporate email and password? Suddenly, the risk to sensitive company email skyrocketed. At work, the company can monitor corporate credentials for breach exposures to keep attackers locked out of work accounts, but when employees reuse exposed passwords across personal logins, they can create a dangerous blind spot for corporate security teams.
Security awareness education — and constant reminders — are necessary. Share relatable scenarios like the ones in this article to teach the dangers of reusing passwords and the need for smart and safe online habits. It may be awhile yet before offices reopen en masse, which means the threats from intermingling personal and professional account credentials will continue. And even after we start going back to the office, criminals will be lurking, waiting to exploit our bad habits.
Security leaders, stay vigilant. Even if you can't see your employees in the office, you need to tell them that criminals are always trying to find a weak link in the chain.


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Shares of Suzlon Energy crashed 5% on Tuesday to hit lower circuit after the company reported its earnings for the quarter that ended June.
What Happened: The renewable energy company’s profit for the quarter slumped over 96% to ₹100.90 crore, as compared to ₹2,432.55 crore. However, the company had exceptional items in the June quarter of 2022, that boosted its profit. Before exceptional items, the company had booked a loss of ₹37 crore in the June quarter of 2022. In this quarter PAT before exceptional items stood at ₹93 crore.
The company’s revenue from operations went down around 2% to ₹1,347.52 crore compared to the 1,377.58 crore revenue it booked in the same quarter last year. The company’s order book as of June 30 stood at 1,433 MW.
The company’s gross debt contracted to ₹1,806 crore in the June quarter from ₹1,905 crore at the end of the March quarter. The company’s net debt however expanded to ₹1,223 crore in the June quarter from ₹1,180 crore at the end of March 2023.
Price Action: Suzlon’s share price was down 5% to hit lower circuit at ₹19 in the late hours of trading on Tuesday.
Read Next: Why Are Spicejet Shares Cruising Today
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Newest TV Is 110 Inches
Never mind the Sony 84-incher pictured here, Westinghouse will introduce it a new 110 inch TV at the Consumer Electronics Show.
That size will join 50-, 55-, and 65-inch 4K models in the company’s booth. Few other details, aside from a 120Hz refresh rate and shipping information, were revealed. The 110-incher will be available as a custom order in the first quarter, says the company, while the smaller sizes will hit retail shelves around the same time.
Pricing was not disclosed, but since current pipsqueak 84-inch 4K TVs from LG and Sony start around 20 grand, I gotta believe this wild Westy will cost at least as much.Click here for reuse options!
Copyright 2012 Liberaland


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Dallas-based hospital operator Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) saw its fourth-quarter earnings more than triple, driven by strong pricing growth, continued cost performance and a boost in patient visits.
The company, which rejected a $3.3 billion takeover bid by rival hospital chain Community Health Systems, said its net income attributable to common shareholders rose to $74 million, or $0.14 per share, up from $21 million, or $0.04 per share a year earlier, and ahead of analyst estimates of $0.08 per share.
Tenet's revenue increased 1.8 percent to $2.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2010, nearly on point with analysts' expectations of $2.35 billion.
"Our volume trends showed significant improvement in November and December compared to the first 10 months of the year. Those strengthening trends have continued into January and February 2011," said President and CEO Trevor Fetter in a statement.
Looking ahead, Tenet expects its adjusted EBITDA to be between $1.15 billion and $1.25 billion in 2011, compared to $1.05 billion in 2010--the company's highest in seven years.
- here's Tenet's Q4 results


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Gov. Bob Taft listens to Jim Flanary, of First Solar LLC, as Dewayne Bridge does a quality check on a solar-panel part at the $16 million production facility in Perrysburg Township.
Allan Detrich Enlarge
After years of frustrating delays, First Solar LLC of Perrysburg Township has sold solar panels to commercial customers and is making 600 panels a week now and hopes to make up to 1,000 a week by late summer.
The company declined to reveal customers, but Vince Poleo, vice president of operations, said they are businesses and other facilities, not test sites the company sold panels to last year. Homeowners are not expected to be customers in the near term.
“A possibility would be if a utility district wants to put in a grouping of these panels to lower the cost of electricity, say in California,” he said.
A 50-watt panel, about two feet by four feet, sells for $130. The company, which has owners from Arizona but has its only manufacturing plant in suburban Toledo, has the capacity to make 7,000 panels a week, he said. The factory has 135 employees,
Last fall, company president Michael Ahearn said First Solar moved too quickly to build its $16-million local state-of-the-art facility without first ironing our problems with the manufacturing process.
Mr. Poleo said yesterday the plant is slowly ramping up for commercial production and will someday be totally automated.
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft yesterday toured the plant in the Cedar Business Park, calling it an example of the type of high-technology companies the state hopes to attract.
“It's potential is enormous,” Mr. Taft said of First Solar. “They said they're hoping to grow by 25 percent per year.”
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Colorado co-op donates $30,000 to local businesses shut out of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Challenged by the pandemic, one electric co-op leader is reaching out to promote a positive outloo
The American Rescue Plan Act includes potential broadband funding opportunities.
Utilities face an estimated $30 billion in overdue bills from consumers because of the pandemic.
Vaccinations are just the start for a Michigan co-op determined to help control the pandemic.
Learn how co-ops will elevate their policy priorities with a new Congress and new administration.
Hear from more than a dozen co-ops about their efforts to provide masks, sanitizer, Wi-Fi and more
2020's most-read stories encompass topics from COVID-19 to the election to hurricanes.
NRECA and its members will work to educate more than 60 new Congress members about co-op issues.


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Kylie Minogue hasn’t let the damp British summer get her down, as she was spotted around Bond Street in London treating herself to some much-needed retail therapy.
The Australian singer opted for a casual look with some chic black accessories.
Clad in a lace pink Dolce & Gabbana jacket and fitted black pants, Kylie added some patent black Louboutins and the Nina Ricci ‘La Rue’ bag to her look.
This is our first celebrity sighting of the coveted bag from the Fall 2012 collection.
The ‘La Rue’, which will be available from late August, comes in three sizes in calfskin, python and limited edition crocodile.
Head over to Barneys.com to pre-order this ‘IT’ bag now.


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Last week, Mark Bittman published the New York Times column “A Food Manifesto for the Future,” in which he proposed ways to “make the growing, preparation and consumption of food healthier, saner, more productive, less damaging and more enduring.” Among his suggestions was outlawing concentrated animal feeding operations, so it wasn’t surprising to see a letter to the editor from Randy Spronk, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the National Pork Producers Council in the Times a few days later (hat tip to Maryn McKenna’s Twitter feed). It’s interesting to see how Spronk responded to Bittman’s criticism of CAFOs’ environmental impact:
Yes, there were a couple of highly publicized manure spills involving hog farms in the mid-1990s. But pork producers have made changes to assure that they won’t be repeated. If they are, producers are subject to fines up to $37,500 per day under tough new federal regulations.
See what Spronk’s doing? He’s using the existence of federal regulation to argue that we should feel good about pork production. And he’s right. If the public is concerned about the direct or indirect health and safety impacts of a product, they’ll probably buy less of it. There are other ways regulation can help businesses (for instance, by leveling the playing field between companies that are investing in safe practices and those that are cutting costs by producing dangerously), but regulation’s ability to increase consumer confidence may be the benefit industry groups like the National Pork Producers Council appreciate the most.
I’m sure the NPPC will continue to have differences of opinion with public health advocates regarding the extent to which CAFOs need to be regulated, but they seem to understand that some regulation can be good for their business. Personally, I don’t think our regulatory system has done nearly enough to address CAFOs’ effects on air and water quality, antimicrobial resistance, greenhouse-gas emissions, or the health of communities and workers, and that’s why I don’t eat meat.
So, as the Obama administration advances the erroneous assumption that regulations must cost jobs, it’s important to remember that regulation can be good for business. Even the National Council of Pork Producers agrees.
5 thoughts on “Pork Producers Council Chair Highlights a Benefit of Regulation”
Surely the environment wouldn’t suffer too much if more chopped off thumbs & fingers were added to it?
And think of all the job openings that would be created by the turnover of workers in the meat processing industry!
Yes, deregulation is the way to go (back to the 19th century).
Thanks for the h/t! Especially appreciate your post as it comes on the day that EU legislators called for extra regulation on their CAFOs, with the goal of putting them out of business to protect food safety and decrease antibiotic resistance.
That’s fantastic news from Europe! I hope the US catches up soon …
In fact, “our regulatory system” hasn’t had to do much on modern pork operations. That’s because the industry did most of the work of ensuring the environment is protected on its own. That said, it worked with EPA to develop the 2008 CAFO rule, which includes a zero-discharge standard for all pork operations, and it participated in the agency’s landmark air monitoring study to determine the amounts and types of emissions coming from farms. The data from the study will be used to set science-based emissions standards. As for greenhouse gases, U.S. livestock production contributes very little. Judicious antibiotics use is a top priority for the pork industry. Producers do use FDA-approved antibiotics, in consultation with their veterinarian as part of a herd health plan, to keep animals healthy and food safe. (Would anyone really rather have meat from an animal that was sick?) CAFOs allow producers to better manage the health of their animals, protect pigs from temperature extremes and from predators and diseases, make workers safer and offer better manure management. The National Pork Producers Council believes that there should be standards to which pork producers should adhere. But the ones that exist in our industry were developed by our industry, and they are science-based and sustainable, meaning they aren’t costly, job-killing rules. That can’t be said for so many of the thousands and thousands of federal regulations now on the books.
The pork industry defends horrendous cruelty to animals — factory farmers keep breeding pigs locked in two-foot-wide crates where the pigs canât even turn around for nearly their entire lives. Eight states have passed laws against this type of animal abuse, yet groups like the National Pork Producers Council still support it.
More info at this link: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/12/smithfield_pigs_121510.html


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Rafael Nadal now wearing a $690,000 Richard Mille watch on the court
One would think it wouldn’t be the most responsible idea to strap a watch onto one’s wrist worth $690,000 before taking the court to play tennis. But apparently, for Rafael Nadal, the absurd amount of money he earns on the court, not to mention is affiliation with the company that makes the extravagant timepiece, makes it a much easier decision.
Nadal has upped the ante with costly timepiece tournament apparel now that he is wearing the RM27-01 model from esteemed watchmaker Richard Mille. Weighing only 19 grams, the $690,000 watch also is reportedly remarkably durable and able to withstand up to 5,000 Gs of force.
Despite the ridiculous value of the new watch, Rafael Nadal is no stranger to the pricey timepieces Richard Mille designs and creates. Last summer, a Mille watch worth an estimated $370,000 went missing from Nadal’s Paris hotel room during the French Open. With that in mind and despite the risk inherent to a watch while returning 100 mph-plus serves, maybe the watch is a lot safer on Nadal’s wrist then anywhere else.
[Via Forbes, by way of Business Insider]