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Mothercare Plc (MTC.L), a British retailer focused on products for expectant mothers and children up to eight years of age, on Friday reported a rise in pre-tax profit for the first-half, amidst a decline in costs and expenses. However, the company registered a fall in revenue.
For the six-month period to September 23, the retailer posted a pre-tax profit of 2 million pounds, compared with 0.8 million pounds, recorded for the same period last year.
Pre-tax income before adjusted items moved up to 1.8 million pounds from previous year’s 1.7 million pounds.
Net profit stood at 1.7 million pounds or 0.3 pence per share as against 0.4 million pounds or 0.1 pence per share a year ago.
Net earnings before adjusted items rose to 1.5 million pounds or 0.3 pence per share from last year’s 1.3 million pounds or 0.2 pence per share.
Operating profit was at 3.6 million pounds, compared with 2.9 million pounds a year ago.
Cost of sales stood at 19 million pounds, lesser than 27.5 million pounds a year ago.
Administrative expenses were at 6.4 million pounds as against last year’s 8.1 million pounds.
Net finance costs declined to 1.6 million pounds from 2.1 million pounds in 2022.
Mothercare noted that its franchise partners’ international retail sales dropped to 137.2 million pounds from last year’s 162.1 million pounds. This is mainly due to continued global economic uncertainty, alongside the need to clear old inventory.
Revenue was 29 million pounds, lesser than 38.5 million pounds a year ago.
Looking ahead, the company said: “Our medium-term guidance for the steady state operation, in more normal circumstances, is unchanged and we believe our continuing franchise operations remain capable of delivering approximately 10 million pounds operating profit.”
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In one of the largest-ever signed single wafer supply agreements, GCL-Poly will supply approximately 4,400MW (4.4GW) of multicrystalline wafers to China Sunergy over the next six years. Under the terms of the long-term agreement, wafer shipments will commence this month for completion in December 2016 and include a price adjustment mechanism based on wafer market price. No further financial details were disclosed.
“This agreement will strengthen our supply chain and solidify our competitive cost position in the dynamic solar industry,” noted Stephen Zhifang Cai, CEO of China Sunergy. “We expect that the partnership will positively contribute to CSUN's rapid growth in the global solar industry.”
The massive wafer supply deal would seem to underline China Sunergy’s push to become a major PV manufacturer in the year to come. In its last (third quarter) financial results, the company only shipped approximately 87.8MW in that quarter.
However, China Sunergy had also acquired CEEG (Shanghai) Solar and CEEG (Nanjing) New Energy, which provided the company with a total annual module capacity increase of 480MW. In order to further reduce production costs and respond to industry demand, China Sunergy expected to reach 400MW of solar cell capacity by the end of 2010 and 680MW of module capacity by the end of first quarter of 2011.

domain: news


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Reflecting on air quality, the pandemic, and tiny things you don’t want in your home
Interest in indoor air quality spiked significantly during the pandemic. People were spending more time at home, and wanting to ensure a healthier environment. The pandemic may have sparked the…
3 signals that it’s time to replace your contactor
Within your HVAC unit, the contactor is a small electrical relay that delivers a signal when it’s time for the cooling cycle. Here are three warning signs to look for.


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Michael Kors Stock Is in a Dangerous Position explained by professional Forex trading experts the “ForexSQ” FX trading team.
Michael Kors Stock Is in a Dangerous Position
Even if you are a fashion challenged male like yours truly, you probably have a more stylish and hip women in your life. And if you’ve paid just passing attention to what she wears and accessorizes with, chances are you’ve noticed a number of Michael Kors items.
The company, which trades under the symbol KORS, first came to the attention of the investing public with its IPO in 2014, which at the time was largest ever in the fashion industry.
After that the stock went on a tear, at one point quadrupling its IPO price. But lately things have not been so good for this icon of fashion, and the stock has dropped almost 25% from its highs.
The problem is not in the numbers. KORS recently beat analyst expectations on both earnings and revenue, coming in at $0.91 and $919.2 million respectively. Total revenues were up $43.4% and gross margins ticked up to 62.2% from 62.0%.
And in fact, according to the press release accompanying the earnings, overseas numbers look even better;
“In Europe, we were extremely pleased with our revenue growth of 128%, which was driven by a comparable store sales increase of 54.2%, as well as strength in our wholesale business. Lastly, revenue in Japan increased 89%, driven by comparable store sales growth of 48.8%.”
So what then has caused the stock to take such a hit? Valuation.
As a trader or investor, it is important to know what stage a stock is in so you can better construct a strategy to profit from it.
KORS now exists in that always challenging transition period between being a momentum stock and a value stock. It is a particularly tough spot to be in because momentum investors tend to push a stock up based not on its fundamentals, but on price and the speed in which they think that price can accelerate.
Problem is, once they decide — for whatever reason — that momentum is slowing in a stock, they begin to bail en masse, causing the type of drop we’ve seen recently in KORS. And because the stock price has been driven past any reasonable valuation, there are no investors, at least in the short-term, that are willing to come in and support the stock.
With a company that is healthy and growing company like Michael Kors, with time, earnings should grow to the point where they justify price, and longer-term buys will come in. However, if earnings should falter, the stock price will keep dropping until such a point that it comes into equilibrium.
The same thing has just happened to another stock in the fashion space, Kate Spade — which trades under the symbol KATE — a brand started by Kate and Andy Spade, who happens to be the brother of comedian David Spade. However, the difference between KORS and KATE is that the later dropped 25% in one day after announcing better than expected earnings.
Once again, the problem is one of momentum. The earnings pace has not kept up with the rate at which short-term traders have pushed the stock price. It now too moves into that limbo land of no longer being a momentum player, but not yet an attractive value stock.
Michael Kors Stock Is in a Dangerous Position Conclusion
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Shop Scan Save is gearing up for another re-launch - and hoping the popularity of smartphones will make it third time lucky.
The mobile-based loyalty scheme for c-stores was originally launched in 2005 and revamped in 2007. The latest smartphone version is undergoing testing across 23,000 stores equipped with PayPoint terminals.
Developers Mobilize (previously The Light Agency) said the new version offered a “far richer experience” and would be ready for a full launch in two months.
Shoppers who download the app will receive money-off promos that can be redeemed at PayPoint-equipped stores including The Co-op and Costcutter shops. They are also assigned a unique ID, meaning they can redeem multiple offers in one go through a patented “single-scan solution”.
Mobilize said offers would become more personalised over time - something commercial director Claes Kockum suggested was essential to the success of the app.
“Personalisation is the future of promotion,” he said. “Consumers don’t like being bombarded with generic offers. Over time we can see what you have redeemed and begin to tailor the offer to suit you. And the companies we have partnered with can see exactly who is redeeming their offers in real time.”
Kockum added that the emergence of smartphones as a retail channel meant fmcg companies could see the potential of the service far more than in 2007 - and that they would be actively helping to drive awareness via social media. Shop Scan Save will also launch its own Facebook page.
The 40,000 users of the sms service will be sent details of the new app. Enhancements for the new version include a greater number of offers every week and a store finder that highlights participating stores.


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Why do beauty brands ignore curvy models?
Guelph Mercury / Posted 20 days ago
CoverGirl featured Gabourey Sidibe, one of the show's actresses. And four years ago, MAC did a collection with musician Beth Ditto.
"There is no formula," said James Gager, creative director and senior vice-president at MAC Cosmetics, speaking... Read more


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Plastiques Flexibülb Inc Obtains the Prestigious Bombardier Diamond Certificate for a Second Consecutive Year.
TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Quebec–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Plastiques Flexibülb Inc, a Canadian manufacturer of non-metallic components for the aerospace industry, was awarded the prestigious Bombardier Diamond Certificate for their 2019 performances, repeating the previous 2018 achievement.
The Bombardier Diamond Award Supplier program recognises suppliers for their outstanding operational performance and competitiveness, and for their continued commitment to improvement in 2019. Only 5 suppliers received the award for 2019.
Plastiques Flexibülb’s products include interior panels and assemblies, structural honeycomb core components, non-metallic machined parts and various elastomeric items.
Plastiques Flexibülb participated in every Bombardier program over the past 35 years, and currently supplies numerous components for the Learjet, Challenger and Global business jet platforms.
“Last year we were proud of being one of the three initial Diamond Suppliers awarded throughout Bombardier’s global supply chain. To be selected a second year in a row is truly an exceptional achievement considering that we are releasing products almost every day to Bombardier’s worldwide sites and is a testimony of our drive for excellence. I would like to personally thank our skillful employees for their passion, dedication and commitment, and Bombardier for supporting the Quebec and Canadian aerospace community. We truly look forward to growing our relationship with Bombardier for many more years,” said Mr. Louis-Martin Tellier, General Manager, Plastiques Flexibülb Inc.
Plastiques Flexibülb Inc.
+1 514 952 5025


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500px, an online photo sharing community, is this week celebrating its four year anniversary with the relaunch of its most popular feature, Flow.
Flow allows users to see an aggregation of all the interactions of the people they follow on 500px. The feature first debuted in February 2012 and has since become the most viewed page on the site.
The Toronto-based company has revamped Flow for the second time in three months with the purpose of enhancing the photographer’s experience when interacting with the uploaded photos. New product features include larger displayed photos for a better viewing experience; inline actions that let the user like and favorite photos without leaving Flow; and intelligent grouping that displays similar actions together.
500px's fourth year was a big one.
"Almost one third of the staff was hired in the past year," the company says, adding that it also received post-Series A funding from Andreessen Horowitz and Harrison Metal valued at $8.8 million. "The launch of the iPhone app last October was the first of many app launches of the year. Expanding across multiple platforms, we also pushed a Windows 8 Surface app as well as the Chrome OS app. And the amped focus on the Android app helped it reach the 1M - 5M download category in Google Play."
500px also partnered with Bing.


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Barely a week since finalizing the terms for a $465 million low cost federal government loan, Tesla Motors Inc. has filed for an initial public offering, disclosing among other financial information that the electric-car maker is deep in the red.
Market watchers have bundled the maker of luxury sports all-electric vehicles as one of the likely exits of 2010, so the filing doesn’t come as a surprise. It does, though, bring to light many details about the company headed by Musk and backed by a who’s who of Silicon Valley.
Back in February 2009, Musk addressed Tesla enthusiasts and customers in a newsletter, indicating Tesla would reach profitability by the second half of 2009, thanks to a $40 million Christmas present Tesla received from investors in December 2008. Later in August, Musk proudly declared that Tesla reached profitability for the first time after analysts had doubted the company could meet that target. The company said then it recorded $1 million in earnings on $20 million in revenue during the month.
But according to Tesla’s IPO filing, the company came nowhere close to profitability during most of the year, recording a bottom-line loss of $31.5 million for the first nine months of the year. The losses have improved compared with the $57.2 million in 2008 and $78 million in 2007 on high R&D costs, but Tesla states it will continue to reap losses for at least the forseeable future.
“If we are to ever achieve profitability it will be dependent upon the successful development and successful commercial introduction and acceptance of automobiles such as the Model S, which may not occur,” Tesla said in the filing.
Risky, unprofitable ventures haven’t been well-received by the public markets, and this offering will test investors’ appetite for risk. Tesla will eventually need to prove that it can build these cars profitably.
Still, Tesla’s sales are growing fast, bringing in $93.4 million in the first nine months of 2009, while the cost of those sales were $85.6 million. Sales in 2008 were just $580,000, as Tesla started selling its Tesla Roadster, its first vehicle, to the masses toward the end of that year.
The most basic Tesla Roadster retails for $109,000, before the tax incentives. Tesla had sold a total 937 Roadsters by Dec. 31, of which a large number had been reserved in previous years, the filing says. It also says that 324 of those sales had been recognized in the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2009. At the end of the year, the company had reservations for 220 Roadsters and 2,000 of its Model S sedans.
The offering document doesn’t disclose how many shares each shareholder will be cashing in. As is well-known, it shows Chief Executive Elon Musk is by far the largest shareholder, with 81 million shares held by its Elon Musk Revocable Trust. Musk also has an undetermined amount of shares to be issued to him from warrants due at the IPO. Other backers with at least a 5% stake listed by the filing include Blackstar Investco, which is 60% owned by Daimler AG and 40% owned by Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Blackstar Holdings; VantagePoint Venture Partners; Valor Equity Partners and Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahada Capital Investment.
Other firms that have invested in Tesla, include Capricorn Management, Compass Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Fjord Capital Partners, J.P. Morgan Bay Area Equity Fund, Technology Partners and Westly Group.
Of note, the DOE will get 9.3 million shares of Tesla’s common stock when it exercises a warrant in connection with the closing of the loan, at an exercise price of $2.5 per share. The DOE also was assured that 50% of the net proceeds from the IPO will be set aside to fund a dedicated account under the loan facility to fund project costs, which will then be reimbursed by the DOE.
Tesla said it anticipates capital expenditures will reach between $100 million and $125 million in the current year.
-With Scott Austin


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The fact that the world needs help from us all is no news, but it is wonderful to share some of the eco news that is actually happy. Among them you’ll find the efforts of many talented people between companies and nations. Doing your part involves embracing the wooden watches revolution and try to make a cleaner world yourself too.
Great news coming from Scotland since their Eolic energy sources are enough to power the country twice according to the responsible authorities. Between January and June, the turbines installed by the Scottish government generated the equivalent to almost four and a half million houses, which is currently almost twice as many as Scotland actually has. This is breaking news not only for Scotland but for the entire world since the model can easily be replicated with similar results in other parts of the planet. The more humankind drifts away from fossil and non-renewable energy sources, the closer we’ll be to live in a sustainable ecosystem.
Biosolids is what 3 Metro Vancouver is using as power and fertilizer after getting the approval by Lillian Zaremba, who is a manager currently working with the liquid waste services of the regional district. Biosolids are a derivate from human waste that can be treated to be turned into fuel for cement kilns and also as a blended fertilizer. Reutilizing human waste is a great step forward for all humanity since it is one of the most common pollutants (organic, of course) thrown into rivers and small watercourses all over the world. Great news coming from the north too!
The biggest purchase of renewable energy at a corporate level ever done is under the name of Google. With the expansion of current projects and the addition of others, the biggest search engine on the planet is about to turn into a much greener company. It will start fueling databases all around the world with solar power and the projects in countries like Belgium, Sweden, Chile and more will start very soon. According to close sources, the company will also start buying renewable energy from North Carolina, Texas and South Carolina too. Google is giving a huge step forward, a leap into a greener future and we hope many companies will follow its leadership into a new world.
People from all over the world went out on the streets to unite their voices in a claim for governments and companies to take notice and act upon the alarming ecologic situation that our world lives through right now. This is healthy news coming from different sides of the world because the more aware consumers are of their choices and the more regulations governments can put on companies, the more chances we all have that they choose the planet over money. It is the start of a long process that hopefully Will take us all to a brighter future.
Designing and building a completely green town from scratch takes a lot of work and also a lot of money. For this endeavor, the German firm FAKT signed paperwork for a 1.1 billion investment to create the perfect eco-town. The project includes 1000 apartments and all the facilities needed for the population including schools and a kindergarten. Everything is to be run by solar and biogas powers and will create 5000 stable jobs. The idea is to create a pilot that will be unique in the world and then replicate the process in other areas to turn the world into a more sustainable one. Europe is to give the first step, who would give the next?
Another great news coming from all over the world is that the wooden watches revolution is taking over the world. It is more and more common to spot wooden timepieces on people on the streets in different cities and it has been a great year for most wooden watch manufacturers. The fact that they are raising awareness of such a complex and delicate topic makes them crucial for a better future. Not only because they have created an alternative in a business that seemed to be closed to a number of brands but also because these big brands are starting to realize that making the change to wood could be profitable and eco-friendly at the same time.
Wearing a wooden watch is unlike many other things in life, it is not like choosing a white or a red shirt, it is to stand for something, it is to show that you care and to raise awareness on peers and friends. Being the spokesperson is not an easy task, but it really is a rewarding one; you can be the start of something great. Buying a Seventh Watches wooden timepiece you won’t even need to open your mouth, you will be asked what it is and where you bought it!
Also, picking a company as Seventh Watches, you’ll be choosing to buy the product of a business that really cares about the environment. Each luxurious, hand-made wooden timepiece you buy from them contributes to a worthy cause in the world. The company donates 10% of all profits to those who need it the most. You’ll be helping the environment and also the social cause that needs it more desperately. When thinking about a wooden watch, Seventh Watches is the best option.
Helping the world become greener and a better place is an effort that has to be done by all humans. Nobody can be exempt from this task if it is to be successful. In this sense, there are a lot of good news and countries and companies doing their bit to make the world an eco-friendlier place to live in. Seventh wooden watches are the best way for you to make your part too.


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The U.S. Public Interest Research Group last week released its 27th annual Trouble in Toyland report, noting that there are still many toxic and dangerous toys on store shelves. Risks posed by these toys, according to a CNN news report, include choking, strangulation, lead poisoning and lacerations. The toy industry has, of course, flippantly referred to the group’s report as “needlessly frightening.” But hard numbers tell a different story. Over the years, the organization’s findings have led to more than 150 product defect recalls and other regulatory actions.
Toy-Related Injuries and Deaths
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2010 received reports of 17 deaths and 251,000 injuries that were linked to toys. The report states that balloons and small balls were associated with 47 percent of the reported deaths in 2010. A majority of the deaths (11) were from asphyxiation while drowning caused four deaths.
Toy Safety Tips
There are several steps parents and others buying toys for young children can take to prevent serious injuries. First, check toys for small parts, breakage, chipped or peeling paint. Damaged or dangerous toys should be fixed or discarded. Do your homework. Look for toy recalls and do not purchase or gift recalled toys. Instruct children not to put toys in their mouth.
When buying any sporting goods such as bikes or scooters, it is important that you buy a helmet and appropriate safety gear including knee and elbow pads. Only allow adults to use battery chargers. Teach children to put their toys away so they don’t trip over and fall on them. Younger children should not be able to access toys that are not age-appropriate for them. Report any injuries or unsafe toys to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Rights of Victims
If a dangerous or defective toy has injured you or a loved one, it is important to understand that you have legal rights. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages by filing a product liability claim against the toy manufacturer. Damages may be sought for medical expenses, hospitalization, treatment costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In the case of a fatal injury, family members may file a wrongful death lawsuit, seeking damages. An experienced defective product lawyer will be able to advise victims or their families in such cases about how to better protect their rights and hold the negligent manufacturer accountable.


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Jagan Mohan Reddy Government had aggressively promoted Amul to damage Chandrababu Naidu’s family-owned Heritage and Sangam Dairy. The Government even announced special incentivies to the farmers who sell their milk to the dairy which created a huge uproar.
But then, the plan seems to have backfired. Amul’s Andhra Pradesh stint seems to be going through a rough patch. According to a story in Andhrajyothy, 45% of the collection centers in Prakasam district are closed. The milk collection has fallen from 23,000 liters to 7,000 liters daily.
In many villages, the farmers are complaining about delayed and controversial payments. In some cases, the payments are not released even for months they claim. The farmers, despite the pressure from the officials, are going back to the old dairies due to easy and timely payments.
Sources say that the situation is more or less the same in all the districts of Andhra Pradesh.


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When Apple (AAPL -0.57%) unveiled the newest iterations of its iPhone, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, most were pleasantly surprised by the off-year upgrade. Generally, the company does a hardware refresh, which Apple did with the new A9 chip and much-needed RAM upgrade, along with a user-interaction upgrade -- this year Apple added its 3D Touch feature.
There were some disappointments with the official unveil, however, where many expected Apple to increase entry-level storage from 16GB to 32GB, Apple held firm at the 16GB model. Considering the iOS 8 upgrade required 4.5GB of open space to download, many users had to delete photos, songs, or apps to perform the upgrade. In the end, 16GB device owners using more than 11.5GB of storage didn't have enough space simply to download the then-newest version. As a result, Apple's upgrade adoption percentage slowed when compared with prior generations.
The problem of storage is complicated by a second issue -- Apple's increasing use of non-removable default apps. However, it appears Apple is rethinking its relationship with storage and may reverse a long-standing policy of not allowing default apps to be removed.
One man's app is another man's bloatware
Although the situation isn't as bad as its Android counterparts, Apple is increasingly adding more default apps to versions of its iOS. Right now, there's a myriad of apps: Compass, Weather, Calculator, Tips, and Newsstand, among others, that take up valuable space on both the home screen and in the internal storage. Of course, many people use these apps and find them worthwhile, but the problem is Apple doesn't allow users to delete these apps if you're among those who don't use them.
Perhaps the culmination of Apple's bloatware problem was its inclusion of an Apple Watch App on the iPhone iOS 8.2 release. For those without the supporting watch, this is nothing more than on-device marketing bloatware at the expense of storage space. To date, you still can't remove the Apple Watch App from the device.
The inclusion of bloatware can hurt the user experience in two ways: First, the mere inclusion of unwanted apps -- especially ones you cannot remove -- degrades the experience. Second, for those with limited storage, they take up space that would otherwise be available for desired apps, photos, and videos.
More recently, however, it seems Tim Cook has gotten the memo on this issue. In an interview with Buzzfeed, Cook addressed potentially allowing users to remove some default apps:
There are some apps that are linked to something else on the iPhone. ... If they were to be removed, they might cause issues elsewhere on the phone. There are other apps that aren't like that. So over time, I think with the ones that aren't like that, we'll figure out a way.
iOS 9 should be easier to update, but it'll probably take up more space
However, for those wary of deleting new games, apps, or songs, simply to have enough space to download Apple's next-gen iOS 9, there's relief around the corner. Apple says it's going to allow you to update the operating system without first downloading and unpacking it first. Instead of having the aforementioned 4.5GB of available storage, that number drops to 1.3GB.
And while the added size of the newest OS upgrade hasn't been disclosed, iOS 8 was roughly 750 MB (or eight Facebook apps) larger than the prior version. With the new added functionality, iOS 9 is bringing public transportation additions to Apple Maps, improved and expanded Siri functionality, and the introduction of the new Apple News app. So you can expect iOS 9 to take up more storage. It would be nice to dump a few default apps to save space.


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Drug makers Merck and Schering-Plough never published the results of studies regarding Zetia, an anti-hyperlipidemic drug often prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. The studies raise issues about Zetias effect on the liver. Enhance, one research study of Zetia, was completed in April of 2006.
The results of Enhance have recently been discovered. The study contains information about Zetias risks on the liver. Some patients showed elevated liver enzymes and were dropped from the study. Merck and Schering-Plough who have been criticized for not releasing the results of the Enhance study, are said to probably earn around $5 billion from Zetia … Read the rest
The F.B.I. is investigating how it was that more than 200,000 amateur football players in the United States wore used helmets this fall that were returned to the field without proper testing.
The investigation concerns the purported failure of Circle System Inc., of Easton, Pa., in an apparent effort to save on labor and insurance costs, to perform a formal drop-testing procedure in which helmets are subjected to strong forces in different locations on about 2 percent of the helmets they handle as part of a safety protocol mandated by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (Nocsae).… Read the rest
As if it was not enough to learn that there is lead paint on toys, that small magnets can come loose from toys and perforate intestines, and that children’s Aqua Dots beads turn into “Date Rape Drug”, now asbestos has been found in a variety of consumer products, including one of this season’s biggest-selling Christmas toys, the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit.
The kit, made in China, is one of several items licensed by CBS after its popular “CSI” science-crime shows. The model has an array of plastic tools, inks and three types of very fine powders — white, … Read the rest
The state Consumer Protection Board’s (CPB) Safe Toys NY Campaign has found that toys with unsafe lead levels remain on store shelves across the state, Governor Eliot Spitzer announced last week. The CPB, with the help of the Departments of Health (DOH) and Agriculture and Markets, conducted sweeps of more than 2,800 stores looking for recalled products and found approximately 620 recalled toy items still on the shelves.
The CPB launched Safe Toys NY, a massive public awareness campaign, in November to assist consumers in discerning the safety of toys, to educate consumers, inform toy makers and retailers about safety … Read the rest
Don’t be surprised if one day you’re out somewhere and you hear someone plead, “Don’t tase me, sis!” The manufacturer of Tasers, the controversial stun gun used by police and other law enforcement officials, has started selling a consumer version of this gun known as the “C2.” The C2 can be found at regular sporting good stores, it sells in multiple colors and can be purchased for a rate as low as $299.00. The C2 is marketed for its small size and noted for the fact that it can easily fit in a woman’s purse.
Essentially it seems that the … Read the rest
Downing an energy drink (ie. Red Bull, Full Throttle, Amp and Rush) may boost blood pressure and heart rate as well as energy, posing a particularly significant risk to patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, or in those who consume energy drinks often. This finding was based upon a small study of healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink presented by researchers at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions 2007 earlier this month. The increases did not reach dangerous levels in the healthy volunteers.
Most energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and … Read the rest
Exposure to the chemical known as diacetyl, which adds the buttery flavor to popcorn, has been tied to hundreds of cases of workers whose lungs have been damaged or destroyed. When it is heated diacetyl becomes a vapor and when it is inhaled over a long period of time, it can cause various problematic symptoms. Exposure to this chemical can cause one to experience difficulty breathing and exhaling, and one’s lungs can become scarred. The severe form of the disease is called “bronchiolitis obliterans,” also known as “popcorn workers’ lung,” which can be lethal.
In fact, in July of 2005, … Read the rest
Health officials in New York City earlier this year linked three cases of hepatitis C to an anesthesiologist who administered intravenous pain medication. Although they are still investigating the exact cause, officials are notifying 4,500 patients who received treatment from the doctor from December 2003 to May 2007 that they should get tested for the disease, according to a report in The New York Times (11/17/07). The officials would not name the doctor.
This report comes on the heels of last week’s disclosure that the New York Department of Health (DOH) has known for three years that Dr. Harvey Finkelstein … Read the rest
On September 27, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the risk of potentially fatal overdoses with Fentora, a narcotic painkiller manufactured by Cephalon. The action came less than two weeks after the company sent a letter to doctors notifying them of three drug-related deaths. Cephalon has just recently agreed to settle the U.S. Justice Department investigation of its allegedly illegal off-label marketing of Fentora (fentanyl buccal) and Actiq outside the indications on their labels. Cephalon denied it marketed the drugs improperly and claims the problems are a result of improper prescribing.
In settling, they have … Read the rest
The German pharmaceutical company, Bayer AG, announced that it will withdraw Trasylol, its controversial drug used for heart surgery, from the market. The withdrawal was due in part to a study performed in Canada which suggested that Trasylol increased rates of death.
The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a study it conducted finding that Trasylol increased the risks of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and death. The research concluded that stopping the use of Trasylol would result in the prevention of 10,000 to 11,000 cases of kidney failure per year along with the savings of over … Read the rest


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The network compared what Cyberpunk 2077 looked like and what it looks like now
The 15-minute video compared the demo version of the game from five years ago and version 2.0.
A new trailer for Total War: Pharaoh has been released
The promotional campaign for the upcoming strategy continues.
The development of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has come to an end - the project has gone to gold. The time for completing the game has also become known.
The superhero action film will be released as scheduled.
A record 10 million players played Starfield
The game came out two weeks ago.
Information has appeared on the size of the EA Sports FC football simulator on PlayStation consoles
The data appeared on the PlayStation Game Size page on the X social network.
Panda joins the list of playable Tekken 8 fighters
Bandai Namco spoke about the character's introduction to the roster at its own booth at the Tokyo Game Show 2023 event.
The roster of Mortal Kombat 1 fighters could be replenished with a famous action hero
The head of NetherRealm Studios, Ed Boon, has been wanting to get the character into the series for a long time.
A comic book anti-hero is coming to Call of Duty
The announcement of another crossover between a shooter and another franchise took place.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will have one feature familiar to GTA V players
She is connected with the main characters. Assistant Animation Director James Ham spoke about this.
Fans chose GTA with the best soundtracks
Players made their choices in a thread on Reddit.
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Google has applied to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for registration of the Pigweed trademark. The documents indicate that “computer operating software” will appear under this identification.
In translation, pigweed is an amaranth, an annual herbaceous plant with small flowers. What lies behind the new brand, besides its name, can only be guessed.
Perhaps Pigweed has something to do with Fuchsia, the new Google operation which is also under development. This platform is being created as a replacement for the out-of-date Android, which will fit a variety of devices and will have a more advanced core and voice control functions. In November last year in the code of the project was found a reference to pigweed, which was soon removed and replaced back to fuchsia.
It is also not clear when a new branded product can be announced. The Android brand was registered just five days before its launch in 2007, while Chromebook was registered a couple of months before chrombooks shipments began in 2011. Meanwhile, the rights to Fuchsia were granted to the company more than two years ago, but the OS has still not been officially introduced.


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Perry’s Ice Cream Co. Inc. is introducing a lactose-free ice cream.
The Lactose-Free Vanilla, which is available at ice cream stands and retail locations throughout New York, Western Pennsylvania, Northeastern Ohio, Vermont and Virginia.
Perry’s Lactose Free Vanilla was unveiled with new flavors revealed at company headquarters on March 22 as part of a panel taste test. On that date, the company also unveiled other new flavors to be sold at area ice cream stands: Movie Time, Oh My, Cherry Pie!, Queen of Hearts and Sponge Candy. New retail products include All-Natural Black Cherry and 6-pack Party Sandwiches.
Source: Buffalo Business First


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Biography for Mariko Hewer
Mariko Hewer is the associate editor for FierceEnterpriseCommunications, FierceOnlineVideo and FierceCable. She has lived in Washington, D.C., all her life and graduated from the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism in May 2012. Mariko has previous B2B experience working with Hanley Wood LLC on publications concerning architecture and construction and is excited to be editing for and learning about the wireline industry. You can contact her at email@example.com or by following @FierceEntComm, @FierceOnlineVid and @marikohewer on Twitter. TESTING
Articles by Mariko Hewer
Aereo CEO and founder Chet Kanojia said Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia in New York that his company has seen its subscriber base grow times 10 in the last three to four months.
Aereo founder and CEO Chet Kanojia is all about pleasing his customers. That's what he told FierceOnlineVideo in a recent interview.
The annual National Association of Broadcasters show is this week, and Fierce's Sue Marek and Steve Donohue are covering the action live in Las Vegas.
A study by Socialbakers monitoring 3,684 YouTube links and 458 videos uploaded directly to Facebook over 6 days showed the Facebook videos have a 40 percent higher engagement level than YouTube links.
Netflix announced Thursday that it would offer prize money of $100,000 to innovators who suggest improvements for the streaming video industry giant.
Week in research: Ooyala reports live video trumps VOD; Videology shows online video helps ad recall
New research from Ooyala shows several positive trends for the online video industry during 2012, most notably a 91 percent conversion rate between Black Friday and mid-December. Consumers also watched live video on desktops 18 times longer than VOD content, proving live video is "highly engaging," said the report.
Week in research: Online views of Russian meteorite set record; ads in longer videos viewed more often
The meteorite that broke windows and injured over 1,500 people as it disintegrated over Russia became the fastest video event ever to hit a True Reach of more than 100 million views, reported Visible Measures in a blog post. True Reach is a method that combines video clips related to the event being measured.
Week in research: Australian real-time video ad industry booming; Super Bowl ads benefiting from online sharing
A quarterly research report by online video marketing firm TubeMogul found the Australian online video market is experiencing strong growth and high demand, particularly for real-time ads.
According to an FCC filing published Jan. 29, Apple may soon release an updated version of the Apple TV.
Twitter's new video sharing service experienced some problems during its launch on Thursday.


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Influencers Using Fruits & Veggies for Colorful Coat on Pets Spark Debate
Controversial Pet Dye
Turns Out to Be Using Fruits and Vegetables
Viewers Show Mixed Reactions
A popular video on Chinese social media showcasing a dog with colorful fur sparked a debate. While some viewers were concerned about the dyeing process, it was later revealed that the coloring came from pet-safe fruits and vegetables.
Recently, videos of pet dogs with dyed fur in colors like green and pink went viral in China.
The video featured a dog sporting a colorful coat achieved using a natural dye made from fruits and vegetables like dragonfruit, spinach, and pumpkin. The creators explained a simple process: fruits and vegetables are chopped finely, blended, and strained to create a thin, dye-like solution.
The stunningly vivid colors achieved with the fruit and vegetable dye amazed viewers, mistaking it for commercially produced pet dye.
Viewers reacted with comments like “It’s adorable,” and “I’m amazed that you can dye with fruits and vegetables,” though some expressed concern about whether the dogs would be uncomfortable during the dyeing process.
Some viewers expressed anger, commenting, “I think the dogs will be stressed,” “Unnecessary stress,” “Who came up with this idea,” and “Leave the dogs alone.”
In one video, too much dragon fruit juice was applied, causing the dog’s fur to become tangled and sticky.
“Such natural dyes do not harm the dog’s health. It can be easily washed off after a bath,” according to a veterinarian.
The practice of dyeing pet fur has sparked a lively discussion online.


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The US Federal Aviation Administration has revealed its proposed new rules for small unmanned drones in a bid to accommodate future technological advances.
FAA administrator Michael Huerta said in a statement the rules were written with flexibility in mind.
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“We want to maintain today’s outstanding level of aviation safety without placing an undue regulatory burden on an emerging industry,” he said.
However, in a blow to the scalability of drone delivery startups, commercial drones under 55 pounds will only be allowed to operate in daylight and – more critically – in “visual line-of-sight” of the drone operator.
The FAA is seeking public comment on whether it should permit operations beyond line of sight.
The Civil Aviation and Safety Authority is in a consultation stage regarding potential major overhauls of drone regulations in Australia, however, it is expected that red tape surrounding drones under two kilograms will be scaled back.
Ashton Kutcher says augmented reality will be the next big thing in tech
Actor and tech investor Ashton Kutcher spoke at the Tech My Way event in Sydney on Friday, predicting what he thinks will be the areas of technology to watch in the near future.
Kutcher says virtual and augmented reality, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, identification software and the disruption of government and local councils are the next big things in tech, according to Fairfax.
Kutcher is a product engineer at Lenovo and also has investments in well-known tech startups such as Uber and Airbnb.
August Capital announces new $450 million fund
August Capital – the high-profile venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California – has announced it has raised $450 million for a new fund.
August VII will be the firm’s seventh fund, aimed at supporting a range of startups “independent of stage”.
In a statement, August Capital partner David Hornik said he is looking forward to working with “more amazing people solving valuable problems”.
“My partners and I consider it a great privilege to work with entrepreneurs day in and day out, and we are excited to continue that tradition with August VII,” he said.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.26%, rising 46.97 points to 18,019.35. The Australian dollar is currently trading at 77.7 US cents.


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Kickstarter. GoFundMe. Indie-gogo. Crowdfunding websites like these provide a do-it- yourself way to raise money from a large number of people by asking for financial backing. Seeing the potential in this idea, many entrepreneurs have turned to crowdfunding to help launch their startups, usually offering a sampling of their upcoming products in return for contributions.
Now thanks to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission ruling, entrepreneurs can offer more than a gift in return for money. Beginning this May, startups and small businesses can sell equity in their companies through crowdfunding portals. The SEC devised rules aimed at protecting both businesses and investors. For example, companies are limited to raising $1 million per year, and individuals can invest only a certain percent of their income or net worth annually.
“It’s an exciting development in the financing of entrepreneurial ventures,” says Erik Noyes, associate professor of entrepreneurship. “The changes will be disruptive,” he says, “as we are seeing the birth of a new marketplace.” But, on the positive side, entrepreneurs gain an avenue for raising funds.
Dick Mandel, associate professor of law, has been following these rulings. He believes entrepreneurs can benefit from the changes but cautions anyone thinking of going this route. “There are a lot of concerns around these new rules,” he says. “Entrepreneurs are just starting a business, and soon they could have two hundred shareholders clamoring for their attention. They don’t have time to spend placating shareholders—they’re trying to get their business off the ground.”
Mandel also notes that many investors will never see a return on their investment. “Many companies fold or go under in their first few years,” he says. “Others just chug along forever, and a very few get sold off for substantial profit. It’s not clear that there will be an efficient secondary market for these shares.” Generally, people make money on an investment by waiting until the company is sold or by reselling their stock, explains Mandel. But there may be no market for resales of this stock, so the only way out would be to hope for a sale of the company.
Emily Lagasse, MBA’15, founder of startup Fedwell, which makes nutritious dog food, considered equity crowdfunding. “It is an intriguing idea, but the timing wasn’t right for my company,” she says. Lagasse ultimately ended up doing a Kickstarter project, which she felt served her well because it allowed her to personally interact with backers.
Whether this new opportunity proves advantageous for entrepreneurs remains to be seen. Mandel and Noyes advise entrepreneurs to weigh all their financial options before making a decision. Noyes believes equity crowdfunding might be more valuable for businesses that are somewhat established because they have a better idea of potential growth than early-stage startups. “Crowdfunding is here to stay,” he says, “but it’s not a panacea for all companies.”—Alexa D’Agostino


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LOUIS Vuitton may have fallen out of love with Edinburgh but Karl Lagerfeld is definitely a fan.
Fashionistas in the Capital have been left drooling at the prospect of Lagerfeld, the creative director of legendary French design house Chanel, bringing his star-studded Metiers d’Art show to the city.
The show – previously held in the style meccas of Paris, Tokyo, New York, Shanghai and London – is expected to see a string of A-listers from the worlds of fashion, film and entertainment descend on the city for a celebration of the latest creations to emerge from Chanel’s cutting-edge design studio.
Previous shows have seen French actress Vanessa Paradis, right, the ex-wife of Johnny Depp, and German actress Diane Kruger, far right, attend the glitzy exhibition but organisers are remaining tight-lipped about Edinburgh’s celebrity guest list.
The location of the December 4 event is also shrouded in mystery but fashion insiders have revealed it is likely to be held in a ruined castle close to the Capital. Bosses of Historic Scotland were unable to confirm which of their properties would host the gathering.
News that Edinburgh is to host Metiers d’Art comes only days after it was reported the Capital had been dropped from Louis Vuitton’s latest world style guide. But designers and retailers today hailed the selection as evidence of the Capital’s clout in the fashion world.
Anna Freemantle, a Dutch-born supermodel who lives in the city and organises the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival, said: “It’s not a surprise to me that this event is coming – what is a surprise is that something like this hasn’t come before.
“Any time I bring designers and buyers to the city, they’re so impressed by its beauty and that’s something that works well with a fashion event.”
Mrs Freemantle urged citizens not to read too much into Edinburgh’s removal from the Vuitton style guide and said hosting Metiers d’Art could be the first of many major fashion events to come.
She said: “People here seem to think that we cannot handle something as big as this in the fashion world but this show could be the start of something – it could create a snowball effect. If the city can set a good example with this event then I think there will be many that follow.”
Paula Reed, group fashion director at retailer Harvey Nichols, which has a flagship department store on St Andrew Square, said the arrival of the Chanel tour bore testament to the city’s prominence as an international fashion hub.
She said: “The Chanel brand is very, very concerned to protect its heritage but what’s also important to it is that its design is contemporary and modern at the same time. Karl is a very enthusiastic modernist.”
Karina Baldorf, owner of fashion boutique Kakao by K, said: “It’s an amazing opportunity for Edinburgh to be selected for such a high-profile event. There’s a lot of great work going on – with the city’s boutiques, the fashion festival and places like Multrees Walk – which is helping to push the profile of Edinburgh as a fashion city.”
Where will it be held?
SPECULATION is mounting on where exactly Chanel’s Metiers d’Art show will take place.
Paula Reed, of Harvey Nichols, told the News the event would happen in a “non-functioning castle” near Edinburgh which has “romance” and a “stunning setting”.
One possibility is the ruined Dirleton Castle, a fortress-residence for three successive noble families over 400 years.
Alternatively, there’s Crichton Castle, Midlothian, which was home to the Earls of Bothwell and has a stunning 16th century courtyard facade.
Another contender is Tantallon Castle, set atop cliffs on the Firth of Forth and the seat of the Douglas Earls of Angus, one of the most powerful baronial families in Scotland.


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Frito-Lay Strays from the Middle Market
The Frito-Lay company has been analyzing its market share and they plan to move out to the edges in search of new customers. A New York Times article details the company’s basic strategy to get customers that purchase more expensive snacks and also make to products for those customers that want to spend less.
An analysis of salty snack buying by Goldman Sachs shows a 7% increase in sales for companies that sell more expensive niche products and a 4% increase in sales for the least expensive snack products. The middle of the pack in cost is where Frito-Lay dominates with its line of snacks that includes Doritos, Lays potato chips and Rold Gold pretzels. A Goldman expert notes that sales of trail mixes, energy bars and nuts are growing at a faster rate as well.
The fact is that those last items have been shown to be better for health than many other types of snacks. An all natural snack like the almond should have a place in anyone’s food cabinet. Our delicious flavored almond snacks are a great way to satisfy snack time urges without the guilt associated with the majority of snacks that line grocery store snack aisle shelves.


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Wyevale Garden Centres has announced that John Browns Garden Centre near Ringwood in Hampshire will be sold to Hillier Garden Centres. It will continue to be run as a garden centre and the sale is expected to complete by the end of September.
This is Wyevale’s second transaction with Hillier, following the sale of four centres (Cheddar, Dorking, Marlow and Lechlade) in April.
Anthony Jones, chief operating officer of Wyevale Garden Centres, said: “I’m very pleased that John Browns will continue to be operated as a garden centre, – and by an operator that we now know well, thanks to having sold centres to Hillier over the last year. I would like to take the opportunity to thank our colleagues for their hard work and passion over the years, and wish them all the best for the future under new ownership.”
Chris Francis, retail and wholesale director of Hillier, commented: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of John Browns Garden Centre, growing the Hillier family business to 17 garden centres serving customers across the south of England. The Hillier team look forward to working with our new colleagues and getting to know the local gardening community, inspiring them with our great quality products and wide range of home-grown plants, all backed by renowned Hillier expertise.”
Wyevale Garden Centres has also announced the closure of a leasehold centre: Thatcham Garden Centre in Berkshire. The freehold and leasehold interest have been acquired by the current landlord, who has asked for vacant possession. The centre will therefore close by the end of September.
Anthony said: “We strive for a positive outcome with all our centres, so I’m disappointed to announce that Thatcham Garden Centre will close by the end of September. We have informed our colleagues and would like to wish them all the very best for the future.”


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Rockstar Games has unveiled a new trailer to promote the next major Grand Theft Auto Online update. Scheduled to go live next Tuesday, June 13, the forthcoming GTA Online revamp — which impacts PS4, PC and Xbox One versions of the game — will feature new Weaponized Vehicles and all sorts of enemy-shredding items revolving around the Southern San Andreas “arms trade.” As the new GTA teaser reveals, there will be several new ways to take out everything in your warpath in GTA Online.
To get an exclusive look at what the next Grand Theft Auto update has in-store, check out the vignette above. Past updates have brought everything from “streetwear ripoffs” to restructuring of the game’s economic system.
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China Bitcoin Ban by the government, ForexSQ financial experts say the China financial services authorities banned Bitcoin trading in China.
China Bitcoin Ban
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China’s financial services authorities required major executives of the Shanghai-based bitcoin trading platform BTCC on Friday to rectify misbehavior in the trading of the virtual currency – and to raise awareness of risks as the value of bitcoins experienced wild fluctuations.
The value of each bitcoin jumped more than 14 percent on Friday, after hitting an all time high of $1,180 on Thursday. The currency’s value fluctuated by more than 30 percent within the past two weeks.
A statement of the People’s Bank of China Shanghai Head Office released on Friday called the changes in the virtual currency “abnormal”, and said authorities have required the trading platform to operate in compliance. They urged the platform to probe investors’ behavior and to rectify misbehavior.
The statement said authorities would like to reaffirm that the bitcoin as a virtual currency which cannot and shall not be regarded as currency in circulation.
Investors flocked to the bitcoin market in recent days in a bid to gain from its fast appreciation, which rose 200 percent in 2016, while analysts warned that wild fluctuations of the virtual currency’s price and the lack of transparency of its flows may bring risks.
More investors have joined the bitcoin trading market in recent months in a bid to gain profits from its price appreciation. According to data of Shanghai-based BTCC, a bitcoin trading platform, more than 100 new investors started trading the virtual currency in the past three days, a fast growth compared to some 20 new investors before October in 2016.
The bitcoin model limits the currency to a total of 21 million units, of which 16 million have already come into existence. The method to create new bitcoins involves complicated computer processes. This has become increasingly difficult and on average no more than 7,000 new bitcoins are supplied to the market per year.
“This trend shows that the bitcoin market’s appeal has been rising to a new level,” said a market review by BTCC dated Jan 4.
Feng Xin’an, 43-year-old sales manager with Shanghai-based Maoxin Trade Ltd, said he invested some 135,000 yuan ($19,515) in the bitcoin market as he regards bitcoin as a “haven asset”.
“The young generation, like my son and his friends, love to pay with digital currencies. Their demand for bitcoin can grow further, as I observe,” he said.
Analysts warned that bitcoin is not a tool that “guarantees” yield – and especially for new investors who have limited knowledge about the history of the virtual currency’s prices and understanding of the its nature, entering the market blindly could be risky.
“Investors should always remember that bitcoin lost more than 75 percent of its value in 2013. We do not recommend it as a long-term investment tool, particularly because of compliance concerns,” said Zhang Yufang, investment adviser with Shanghai Shangding Investment Consultancy.


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Whirlpool Threatens to Leave Energy Star Program
Whirlpool is threatening to withdraw from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program unless Congress ban lawsuits associated with the program, the New York Times reports. A flurry of class-action lawsuits were filed against product manufacturers after government testing revealed that many products did not actually deserve the listing.
Rep. Robert Latta (R-Ohio), whose district is home to several Whirlpool factories, introduced a bill to prohibit class-action lawsuits if the EPA came up with a remedy, such as reimbursing consumers for products that did not live up to their billing.
Consumer advocates are opposed to the bill, saying that such lawsuits help to hold product manufacturers accountable for the quality of their products.
According to the Alliance to Save Energy, Whirlpool, along with LG and Samsung, have faced class-action suits over products that fell out of compliance with the Energy Star program. Products with the Energy Star rating can fall out of compliance for a number of reasons, such as a change by a parts supplier that increases the energy consumption of the product during the production run or a change in the quality of the raw materials.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers said the EPA already has sufficient authority to protect consumers and make the determination of whether compensation is appropriate.
The Consumers Union disagreed, saying that EPA and the Department of Energy cannot catch every small violation and that consumers need the courts to protect them in cases where there are a lot of small injuries, such as appliances that use a few extra dollars worth of electricity each month.
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- 2016 Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards
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The Sony Corporation today introduced the product lineup and pricing for the recordable music disk system that it hopes will become the heir to its wildly successful Walkman line of portable cassette players.
Sony said it would begin selling three different models of its mini-disk system in Japan on Nov. 1 and another by early December.
In the United States, the company expects to start selling two Walkman-like portable players in December, with a car player scheduled for early next year. One portable player, with the ability to record, will have a list price of $750. The other, which will play prerecorded disks but not record, will sell for $550. Blank disks capable of recording 60 minutes of music will sell for $14 each in the United States; prerecorded disks are likely to sell for prices comparable to those for CD's.
The mini-disks, about 2.5 inches in diameter, are about half the size of compact disks and, like CD's, store music in the digital computer code of ones and zeros. But unlike the compact disk, the mini-disk system can also record music and can therefore compete with magnetic tape. The new system, whose official name is the Minidisc, is being counted on by Sony to revive the consumer-electronics business.
But it is unclear whether consumers are ready for a new music format, and even if they are, whether they will prefer the digital compact cassette or a new digital tape system that will be sold by Philips, the Dutch electronics company, starting this fall. Philips's first model will be an $800 tabletop unit.Continue reading the main story
Sony said it anticipated passage by Congress this year of a law that would provide royalty payments to recording artists to compensate them for the record sales presumed when consumers have the means to make high-quality digital recordings. A Sony spokesman said the company might have to reconsider its plans for the United States if the legislation did not pass by December.
One reason for Sony's emphasis on portable players is that it wants to keep the mini-disk system from cutting into sales of compact disk players.
To truly tap the Walkman market, the new mini-disk players will have to shrink. Even though the mini-disks themselves are tiny, the new players are larger and, at 1.5 pounds, about three times as heavy as a Walkman. They are also heavier and about the same size as a Discman, Sony's portable CD player. But Sony expects to be able to shrink the mini-disk players, just as it has shrunk the Walkman.
Sony officials said they expected United States sales by all manufacturers of mini-disk players will exceed 70,000 units in the first year, twice as much as first-year sales of compact disk players.
A key factor in the competition between the new formats is the availability of prerecorded software. Until now, the Philips digital compact cassette has seemed to garner more support from record companies. But Sony said it expected to have 500 titles available in Japan and about 300 in the United States during the introductory phase. That is not too different from Philips's offerings.Continue reading the main story


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Microsoft says it’s investigating a new issue in Windows 10 and Windows 11 where printers are randomly being renamed to HP LaserJet ones. “Some issues related to printer configurations are being observed on Windows devices which have access to the Microsoft Store,” explains Microsoft in a support note. “Microsoft is investigating this issue and coordinating with partners on a solution.”
The problem affects both Windows 10 and Windows 10 devices running the 22H2 update and results in the HP Smart app being automatically installed and printers being renamed even if they’re not HP ones. “Printers are renamed as HP printers regardless of their manufacturer,” says Microsoft. “Most are being named as the HP LaserJet M101-M106 model. Printer icons might also be changed.”
If an IT admin has blocked the use of the Microsoft Store, printers aren’t being renamed, and the HP Smart app won’t be installed. Microsoft says the problem isn’t caused by an HP update, suggesting that it’s a Windows issue instead. Windows 10 / 11 users can still print, but if you attempt to double-click on a printer, you might be met with a “No tasks are available for this page” error message.


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Consumer prices in Argentina climbed more than expected last month, prompting President Alberto Fernández to expand unconventional price controls.
Inflation accelerated by 3.5 percent in September from August, above the three percent median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and a full percentage point higher than the previous month. From a year ago, inflation reached 52.5 percent, according to government data published Thursday.
Clothing, food, healthcare, restaurants and hotels led price increases in September. The monthly reading was the highest since April.
Seasonal factors, supply chain disruption, increased money printing to finance government spending and an ongoing reopening of economic activity from the pandemic helped drive prices higher. On Wednesday, Fernández’s administration extended temporary price freezes to more than 1,200 household items, doubling down on an unorthodox inflation strategy that’s proved futile in the past.
Fernández took the measure a month before Argentines’ cast ballots in the November 14 midterm vote. Economists expect monthly inflation to accelerate in the final months of the year.
by Patrick Gillespie, Bloomberg


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Some of the most fascinating topics covered this week are: Culture (The story of how Bill Ackman took ESG investing to next level), Technology (Software is eating the car), Business (Coming regime shift towards capital-heavy companies), Economy (American renaissance has begun) and Education (Chinese parents are sacrificing everything at the altar of education).
Image: ShutterstockAt Ambit, we spend a lot of time reading articles that cover a wide gamut of topics, ranging from zeitgeist to futuristic, and encapsulate them in our weekly ‘Ten Interesting Things’ product. Some of the most fascinating topics covered this week are: Culture (The story of how Bill Ackman took ESG investing to next level), Technology (Software is eating the car), Business (Coming regime shift towards capital-heavy companies), Economy (American renaissance has begun) and Education (Chinese parents are sacrificing everything at the altar of education).Here are the ten most interesting pieces that we read this week, ended June 25, 20211) Bill Ackman sent a text to the CEO of Mastercard, what happened next is a parable for ESG [Source: Institutional Investor] Last December, Bill Ackman was scrolling through Twitter when an article in The New York Times caught his eye. “The Children of Pornhub,” by Nicholas Kristof, told how unauthorized sex — and rape and torture — videos were being spread across the internet on a website called Pornhub, one of the most popular in the world. Mr. Ackman started thinking about what can be done. He was friendly with Mastercard’s then-CEO Ajay Banga, whom he had met through a mutual friend. Ackman texted Banga, providing a link to Kristof’s story with his tweet: “Amex, VISA, and MasterCard should immediately withhold payments or withdraw until this is fixed. PayPal has already done so.” This was taken positively, and soon other credit card companies took action. Within 24 hours of the credit card companies’ actions, Pornhub said it had taken down 10 million videos, or 80% of those on its site.
“The banks that connect merchants to our network will need to certify that the seller of adult content has effective controls in place to monitor, block and, where necessary, take down all illegal content,” John Verdeschi, Mastercard’s senior vice president of customer engagement and performance, said in a blogpost. Ackman is still watching events closely. Although he applauds Mastercard for taking the lead in the battle over Pornhub, the hedge fund manager remains incensed that more hasn’t been done to stop similar abuses elsewhere.
2) How software is eating the car [Source: spectrum.ieee.org] The shortage of semiconductors has resulted in lost global vehicle production. The semiconductor shortage has underscored not only the fragility of the automotive supply chain, but placed an intense spotlight on the auto industry’s reliance on the dozens of concealed computers embedded throughout vehicles today. “Once, software was a part of the car. Now, software determines the value of a car,” notes Manfred Broy, emeritus professor of informatics at Technical University, Munich and a leading expert on software in automobiles. “The success of a car depends on its software much more than the mechanical side.” Nearly all vehicle innovations by auto manufacturers, or original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as they are called by industry insiders, are now tied to software, he says.
Peter Mertens, former-head of Audi AG’s R&D and board member, stated in a recent interview with CleanTechnica, “The German auto industry gives their most critical new products, which will determine if they survive as companies in their existing structure, to the responsibility of managers who have the least experience and knowledge about their most critical part, the software.” Mr. Mertens goes on to say that what is needed is a way to weed out executives that are not fit for their position. “Run a job assessment with all top managers at VW, Audi, Porsche, BMW, and Daimler tomorrow and ask them to code a small game or a simple but working virus,” he says. “If they are not able to do so, fire them immediately, because they are not fit for the job.” How many will be left, asks Mertens? The blood left on the floor will be a clue.
3) The Boy Who Could DeFi: Meet the 13-Year-Old Who Built a $7M Money Manager on Ethereum [Source: decrypt.co]As the vice president of growth for the fast-rising Indian crypto company Polygon, Arjun Kalsy is used to working with coders across the world. But, a message on LinkedIn from a teenager crypto developer, Gajesh Naik, made him thinking. Mr. Kalsy felt that he was a scammer. It was only after a few more unanswered messages that he conceded to a Telegram chat, which evolved into a face-to-face video call on Zoom. Gajesh Naik is, in fact, 13 years old. But he’s also chief architect of PolyGaj, a DeFi protocol built on the Polygon blockchain. Today, PolyGaj manages around $1 million in cryptocurrency. Late last month, after the billionaire Mark Cuban made an investment in Polygon, that number was nearly $7 million.
As for how exactly a 13-year-old kid was able to code a multi-million dollar ecosystem on his own, Mr. Kalsy explained that Gajesh is probably more of a shrewd creative than a coding genius, since PolyGaj is “essentially a clone of Goose Finance,” a DeFi project built on a different blockchain called the Binance Smart Chain. “When you talk about coders,” Mr. Kalsy said, “there are two broad types. One is your mathematician coder, who's into algorithms and data structures. And then the second is something like Gajesh, who's more on the execution/business side. It’s not all about praise, Gajesh has been criticized as well. In a message to Decrypt, Chris Blec, a DeFi researcher, stressed that Naik is too young to understand the risks associated with DeFi. For better or worse, blockchains are mostly transparent. Naik has nearly 18,000 followers on Twitter, and his full name is out in the wild; if he were to use his administrator privileges to run off with the money, Mr. Kalsy reasoned, his reputation would be destroyed.
4) The coming regime shift towards capital-heavy companies [Source: Financial Times] Investors used to invest in capital-light business models, but now they flocking towards capital-heavy business models. The trend towards more capital-heavy companies is driven by four structural themes: investment in “reshoring”; a shift from investment in information to infrastructure; the need to develop climate-transition technologies and, finally, investment in technologies needed to secure geopolitical leadership. These all require shifts from investing in ideas and information to investing in stuff.
Investing in infrastructure, not information, is a theme for governments, companies and investors. The Global Infrastructure Hub estimates global infrastructure needs $94tn of investment over the next 20 years to keep pace with demographics and replacing ageing infrastructure. After decades of neglect, this will boost demand for commodities and capital-heavy companies. the shift towards capex-heavy business models will initially be driven by those sectors that have been starved of capital over the past 20 years as they benefit from reshoring and increased infrastructure spending. However, longer term it could be the nascent technologies required for the climate transition and geopolitical “proxy wars” that deliver increased returns to investors from capital-heavy companies.
5) Will charging electric cars ever be as fast as pumping gas? [Source: National Geographic]Electric vehicles are slowly but steadily gaining prominence. But, few are still skeptical about the slow charging of these vehicles. While drivers today are accustomed to filling their gas tank in less than five minutes, EVs, depending on the size and specifications of the battery, typically take at least 30 minutes to get 80% charged at the fastest charging stations out there. But, in the next few years, far faster charging might be possible. Companies are developing new lithium-ion battery materials, as well as new “solid state” batteries, which are more stable at faster charging speeds. They could place recharge rates of 20 minute or less within reach.
But the challenges remain. At high charging speeds lithium batteries can overheat, causing them to degrade over time. Because of the problems with fast charging, all EV batteries have built-in charging speed limits, set by the car’s on-board charge ports. Even if EV batteries that can charge in less than 10 minutes are technically possible, it’s not clear that ultra-fast charging will ever be practical. If all Americans were driving EVs and everyone expected ever-faster charging to be available all the time, that could place some serious strain on the grid. Jenny Baker, a battery storage expert at Swansea University in the U.K., isn’t sure ultra-fast charging is the right goal . Charging up at home overnight when demand is lower, she notes, is more affordable and environmentally friendly, since grid operators have to draw less on backup power plants, which tend to burn dirtier fuels.
6) Decentralized Finance: What it is, why it matters [Source: future.a16z.com]Decentralized finance aka “DeFi,” the ecosystem of blockchain-enabled products and services that replace traditional financial intermediaries with freely accessible, autonomous, and transparent software, has been most talked about when it comes to cryptocurrency. In this article, the author tries to explain the features and benefits of DeFi, outline some challenges ahead, and consider the road to mainstream acceptance and adoption. With DeFi, anyone in the world can lend, borrow, send, or trade blockchain-based assets using easily downloadable wallets without having to use a bank or broker. But, as with any new and evolving technology, there are challenges ahead for DeFi.
These challenges are: 1) Scaling: The underlying backend infrastructure for DeFi, Ethereum, must continue to scale in order to support higher bandwidth demands. However, scaling must not come at the expense of security and decentralization. 2) Better onboarding: The DeFi onboarding experience is still too overwhelming for the average user. The process of moving fiat money (dollars, euros, sterling, etc.) into the crypto economy remains full of friction, with fiat on-ramps still limited to specific geographies and processor fees uncompetitively high. 3) Clear regulatory framework: Global regulators have a lot on their plate as technology upends new markets. In the financial sector alone, regulators today are dealing with various forms of fintech ranging from neobanks and crowdlending to gamified stock trading. The regulators are evaluating the technology, the markets, and the participants to decide on the appropriate rules. There will be many challenges, but DeFi is here to stay.
7) The Amazon that customers don’t see [Source: Economic Times] This article throws light on the grim side of working at an Amazon facility. It questions whether the towering success of the company is accruing till the lowest rank. As the pandemic struck, workers like Alberto Castillo at JFK8 warehouse were told to take as much unpaid time off as they needed, then hit with mandatory overtime. When Amazon offered employees flexible personal leaves, the system handling them jammed, issuing a blizzard of job-abandonment notices to workers and sending staff scrambling to save them, according to human resources and warehouse employees. While Amazon said publicly that it was disclosing confirmed cases to health officials, New York City records show no reported cases until November. The company and city officials dispute what happened. Also, workers were asked to do mandatory overtime.
“It is very important that area managers understand that associates are more than just numbers,” an employee wrote on JFK8’s internal feedback board last fall, adding: “We are human beings. We are not tools used to make their daily/weekly goals and rates.” Jeff Bezos’ commitment in April to become “Earth’s best employer” raised questions — about what exactly that meant, and how far he and his successors would go. Soon the company announced safety initiatives and diversity plans, including a goal to “retain employees at statistically similar rates across all demographics” — an implicit admission that the numbers had been uneven across races. In Seattle, Paul Stroup, whose teams studied Amazon’s hourly workforce, watched the recent events and read Bezos’ letter. He felt caught between skepticism and hope that the company would finally deploy what he considered its best qualities — a penchant for fresh, open-minded thinking and tackling ambiguous, hard problems — in service of its workers. “Now,” Mr. Stroup said, “let’s see if they can innovate their way out of this.”
8) COVID gives Japan 'last chance' to reverse digital defeat [Source: Nikkei Asia] Japan had planned to give its citizens a 12-digit My Number card, which can be used in making online applications for administrative procedures as well as for opening bank accounts and other services that require ID verification. The government launched the project in 2015 and spent 880 billion yen ($8 billion) to make and distribute the cards. But only 15% of the population had received a card by the time the outbreak began. Japan was not always a laggard in digital technology. It built out its internet infrastructure by 2000, when it had the second most internet users in the world, just behind the U.S. In 2001, then Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori had a plan drafted for Japan to become a global IT leader within five years. The lack of change came to haunt the country during the pandemic. The recent embarrassments have renewed a sense of urgency and prompted Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to launch an all-out effort to go digital.He is setting up a powerful digital agency that is expected to eventually control the government's entire IT system budget, worth about 800 billion yen in fiscal year 2020. By streamlining the software and standards across all ministries and local governments, he plans to expedite a digital overhaul of administrative procedures, as well as key sectors like health care and education. Japan plans to bring 98% of administrative procedures online by 2025. The targets seem ambitious. In reality, they are goals that Japan's peers have already been tackling for years. India launched its national identification system, Aadhaar, in 2010, and nearly all of its 1.3 billion people have since registered. Singapore plans to make all government services available online by 2023. Only 7.5% of Japan's 55,765 administrative procedures could be completed online as of 2019, according to the Japan Research Institute. The time will tell how good Japan does digitally.
9) What’s driving Chinese parents to sacrifice everything at the altar of education [Source: Economic Times]Everyone is entitled to a better life, but if one needs to enjoy the good life, education is the key. In this article, the author explains how parents in China believe that…”if you want to secure a place in a top-tier high school for your child, you have to start preparing when your child is in fifth grade!” The author attended the parent-teacher conferences for her elder daughter, and he was astonished by the intense session. The meeting reminded him of a popular phrase in internet slang “Jiwa xian ziji”. This roughly means: “Before parents give their children chicken blood, they should first educate themselves.” This is the No. 1 euphemism of the jiwa world. It refers to a teaching method that has made the rounds among parents in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Shanghai in recent years.
Jiwa refers to the behavior of “tiger moms” or “wolf dads” who constantly sign their children up for all sorts of classes and activities and who ensure that they study well and do not slack off. The word ji refers to pumping their children with “chicken blood”, or not wasting a single opportunity to improve. Jiwa is getting one’s child to study and learn, while “ziji” is learning and studying on one’s own. Today’s parents realize that if their children fail to advance to a higher social class, hardly anything else can change their fate. To scale the social ladder and ensure that they do not fall off or lag behind, young parents who have just found their place in society would naturally educate and better themselves as well. To jiwa, they believe that they must first ziji to set a good example for their children.
10) The American renaissance has begun [Source: The New York Times] Covid-19 has come as a big blow to all the economies around the world. It has disrupted daily American life in a way few emergencies have before. But it has also shaken things up and cleared the way for an economic boom and social revival. After decades of slowing entrepreneurial dynamism, 4.4 million new businesses were started in 2020, by far a modern record. A report from Udemy, an online course provider, says that 38% of workers took some additional training during 2020, up from only 14% in 2019.
Global economic growth is expected to be north of 6% this year, and strong growth is expected to last at least through 2022. In late April, Tom Gimbel, who runs the recruiting and staffing firm LaSalle Network, told The Times: “It’s the best job market I’ve seen in 25 years. We have 50 percent more openings now than we did pre-Covid.” Investors are pouring money into new ventures. During the first quarter of this year U.S. start-ups raised $69 billion, 41 percent more than the previous record, set in 2018. Americans are searching for ways to make more money while living more connected lives.


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This week, the president of the national Fraternal Order of Police – one of the largest police unions in the US – successfully lobbied Walmart to remove the Black Lives Matter “Bulletproof” shirt from their shelves. Walmart agreed to remove the shirt, but refused to remove other Black Lives Matter clothing items. The letter was penned by FOP President Chuck Canterbury, who also sent a similar letter to Amazon.
The overall tone of the letter is one of disdain and flattery. Disdain for the very existence of Black Lives Matter, and flattery for Walmart, in hopes they will acquiesce to their request.
The letter opens, “I am writing on behalf of the membership of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you that third-party sellers are using your website to sell offensive shirts and sweatshirts with the slogans “BULLETPROOF” and “Black Lives Matter.” I urge you to prohibit the use of the Walmart name and website for the retail sale of these products.” Here, Canterbury clearly states that the slogan “Black Lives Matter” is offensive.
He goes on to praise Walmart as the American success story and “a testament to the reality of the American dream.” Canterbury demonstrates just how out of touch with reality he is on both fronts, condemning a genuine civil rights movement, while upholding the epitome of what is wrong with western capitalism. “At a time of year when we as a nation and indeed, as a world, should be coming together in hopes of peace on Earth and goodwill toward men, these third-party sellers are profiting from racial division.” It is truly hard to fathom how thick the bubble around Mr Canterbury’s head really is.
Walmart responded by stating, “Like other online retailers, we have a marketplace with millions of items offered by third parties that includes Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise. After hearing concerns from customers, we are removing the specific item with the ‘bulletproof’ reference.” Thankfully, Walmart pushed back and declined to remove any additional Black Lives Matter merchandise, pointing out that the distributor of the ‘bulletproof’ shirt, Old Glory, also sells shirts that say Blue Lives Matter, as well as All Lives Matter. Walmart’s defense, that they and their supplier are equal opportunity panderers, is nothing if not brutally honest.
According to James Pasco, the executive director of FOP, “The bulletproof thing goes to the new assertiveness of some violence prone individuals to take action directly against police. We find it offensive for that reason.” That sounds good, but the reality is that cops hate anyone who calls them out on their bullshit, and Black Live Matter are on the front line of keeping cops accountable. The reality is that the “BULLETPROOF” logo is a direct message to police that it’s gonna take a lot more than bullets to hold them back.
The FOP has already sent a letter to Amazon making the same request. Fortunately, as of the time of this printing, Amazon still carries the “BULLETPROOF” BLM logo on both a sweatshirt and a women’s tee. There has not been a public response from Amazon yet, however, it is unlikely that Amazon will cave into the pressure.
Amazon Link to Bulletproof Sweatshirt & Women’s Tee is here and here.
Email FOP President Chuck Canterbury at [email protected]
Below is a list of Amazon customer service numbers to call to show support for Black Lives Matter and the “BULLETPROOF’ line of clothing:
Automated Customer Service – 1-888-280-3321
Toll Free Customer Service – 1-888-280-4364
Customer Service Email – [email protected]
Canadian Customer Service – 1-877-586-3230
Amazon UK – 0800 496 1081
Amazon India – 1-800-30009009
This article (Police Union Tries to Bully Walmart, Amazon into Removing Black Lives Matter Shirts) is a free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ.com.
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watch out consciousness, freedom, access to free pure natural energy and nature… they are trying to lock us in…


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BSNL customers in Kerala have been missing out on 4G, but it seems that these days will soon be gone, since, according to a new report by Mathrubhumi, the consumers of the telco in South India might soon get the ability to enjoy 4G.
According to a new plan, around 15,000 network towers in Southern India will be upgraded to offer 4G connectivity. Out of these 15,000 towers, around 80% are present in Kerala.
The towers, which come equipped with Nokia's BTS or Base Transceiver Station, will now get an additional system to transmit the 4G network.
Is BSNL 4G Really Coming to Kerala?
The management of BSNL (Bharti Sanchar Nigam Limited) recently approved the project, which mandated the need for the permission of the board director. This 4G spectrum, which was allocated to the telco back in 2018 as part of a revival package can finally be used to offer the service.
In case you were wondering, generic mobile towers feature two units, namely a radio part that is present on the top and a base part that is present on the bottom. BTS or Base Transceiver Station is a combination of the two and will be added to the radio part of the existing towers in and around Kerala.
Once this process is completed, BSNL customers will finally be able to access better internet facilities. BSNL will be required to pay a whopping Rs 30 crore on a monthly basis to make use of 4G connectivity in the country, to use the spectrum that had been allotted to the telco by the Indian government.
Interestingly, it seems that BSNL does not think of this to be any sort of burden, despite having lost ground to competitors such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, since this move could provide better service and could result in increasing revenues by capturing more customers in the region.
Do note that this plan was proposed earlier, with the process of installing 4G systems by BSNL having been dropped due to the tender invitation which included a new guideline that mandates 20% Make-in-India equipment. As of now, BSNL owns around 60,000 towers spread across the country of India.
BSNL had recently taken steps that could take it closer to the private telecom companies with the telco having has finally started the rollout of an SMS based sign up service. The consumers who wish to subscribe to a BSNL service can do so by sending the right message depending on what kind of connection they would like to have.


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The Toyota RAV4 logo is displayed on the back of a brand new RAV4 at a Toyota dealership on February 24, 2011 in Oakland, California.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan
Copyright Getty Images
DETROIT - Toyota is recalling 778,000 RAV4 SUVs and Lexus HS 250h sedans to fix a suspension problem that could cause crashes.
The company says if rear suspension nuts aren't tightened properly after a wheel alignment, the arms can rust and separate from the vehicle.
Toyota reported nine crashes and three minor injuries from the problem.
RAV4s covered by the recall are from the 2006 to 2011 model years. The Lexus sedans are from 2010 only.
Toyota says it's developing a plan to fix the problem. It will notify owners by mail when it's time to take the vehicles into dealers for a free repair.
In the meantime, the company is telling drivers to contact their dealers if they hear an abnormal sound in the rear of the vehicle.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Commerce Minister Visits KSA To Finalize ‘Investment-Related Part Of GCC FTA’
Umer Jamshaid Published December 02, 2023 | 05:00 PM
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Dec, 2023) Dr. Gohar Ejaz, Pakistan’s Commerce and Industries Minister, led an official delegation in Saudi Arabia comprising Secretaries of the Ministry of Commerce and board of Investment (BOI) and officials from the Attorney General's Office.
The technical teams from the two sides held extensive discussions on the remaining details of the investment chapter, including investment protection and facilitation.
They also discussed the potential impact of the FTA on bilateral trade and investment flows.
“This is a major step forward in our efforts to strengthen economic ties between Pakistan and the GCC.” said Ejaz.
The GCC FTA is expected to boost trade and investment between Pakistan and the GCC.
Mr. Gohar Ejaz thanked the GCC for its warm hospitality.
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Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is promising to be away from the job for just a "limited time" when she gives birth to twins later this year, but the development only adds to the uncertainty some investors have long had about Yahoo.
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Google is refining its famous logo as it prepares to become a part of a new holding company called Alphabet.
German media giant Axel Springer and Korean electronics group Samsung said Tuesday they are joining forces in a mobile media partnership.
Hilton is hailing the ride sharing service Uber to help guests reach its hotels and then explore the city where they are staying.
French luxury giant LVMH said Tuesday it had recruited former Apple music heavyweight Ian Rogers as chief digital officer to the group that produces Louis Vuitton bags and Moet Hennessy spirits.
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Apple is leaning on Cisco Systems' Internet networking expertise in its latest attempt to sell more iPhones and iPads to corporate customers.
Embattled dating-for-cheaters website Ashley Madison insisted Monday that a massive hack and release of user data had not affected the site's prospects, with hundreds of thousands of new members—including real women.