text:
A fifth of all food produced in Europe ends up being wasted. We look into the major strides being taken towards creating a joined-up food production system that will help drastically reduce food waste.
An enormous 20% of all food produced in the European Union ends up either in landfill sites or as animal feed. It's an expensive waste of a potential resource that costs the economy €140 billion a year.
Experts say solving this problem requires a combined, joined-up effort; they believe that in doing this, everyone from producers to consumers will be able to bring something to the table - and all will benefit.
Damaged carrots are often used to feed cattle, but the long-established vanRijsingengreen family business, based at Helmond in the Netherlands, considers even that use to be just another form of waste.
vanRijsingengreen takes a different approach; what the company can't sell as fresh snacks or peeled carrots for use in the food industry, it turns into juice and powdered ingredients. What it's producing at any given moment is continuously adjusted, based on both the supply and the demand.
Gerbrand van Veldhuizen, vanRijsingengreen's Director, says they make great efforts to ensure nothing is wasted:
"What we are trying to do is to make optimised planning for both industry, the fresh market and the ingredients market.
"Now we try to use all the ingredients — we have vegetables, we make juice, we have pulp as a sidestream and we try to use the fibre out of that."
The nearby Surplus Food Factory also endeavours to use cheap by-products from the food industry, turning them into a valuable raw material.
It's Director and Founder Bob Hutten explains what they use:
"These tops and bottoms of tomatoes are rejected by hamburger manufacturers.
"We get them and make tasty sauces and soups. We also use, for example, carrots that are too big for the food industry and for retail."
By using damaged, misshapen or discoloured vegetables which are often considered worthless, the Surplus Food Factory has increased its turnover and hired new workers, mostly recruited from disadvantaged labour market groups.
Bob wants other producers to pick up tips from their methods:
"I would invite people from other countries to come here and see what we’re doing.
"I would advise them, help them to see where the pitfalls are and to use the lessons learned by our factory — so that every country could have (similar) food producers."
vanRijsingengreen and the Surplus Food Factory are just two of the many cases studied by the European research project REFRESH across five different countries.
The project has examined how private and public stakeholders can work together to turn food waste into worthwhile commodities.
Toine Timmermans, REFRESH's Project Coordinator, says they observed many different systems - and flexibility is important:
"What we see is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it helped us to make a kind of blueprint where we could help any country in Europe and outside to learn from what _we_ have learnt - and also to help in building these negotiated agreements with the different stakeholders in the supply chain."
New technology could also play a crucial role. Orbisk, a Dutch startup company, has developed an automatic camera for restaurant kitchens: it keeps photographic track of everything that goes into the bin, providing detailed statistical analysis of the waste of food that could have been prevented.
Olaf van der Veen, Orbisk's CEO, says its service can save restaurants seven times the amount of money that it costs:
"They will see the recurring loss and can decide to buy less or produce less of particular items in order to prevent them going into the waste bin (in future).
"We see that on average, every monitor has the potential to save 4,000 kilos of food every single year. So (just) imagine if we apply this technology at scale!"
Many Dutch supermarkets sell products that are nearing their expiry date for a fraction of their original price, in the popular 'Surprise Box' format.
The Jumbo Verberne supermarket franchise also tackled the daily fresh bread surplus by partially replacing it with a frozen alternative that tastes just as good when it comes out of a toaster.
George Verberne, the franchise's owner, says it was an important step:
"Now there's always bread available, from early morning to late evening. It's a win-win solution: you waste less bread and you serve your customer better."


text:
Amazon has just released Kindle Previewer 3. It allows authors and publishers to get a sense on how their e-books will look on Kindles and Fire tablets using the new typesetting engine.
Last year Amazon released a new font called Bookerly, which replaced Caecilia as the new default font for the Kindle Fire line of tablets and their fleet of apps. Bookerly is a serif style of font that has been custom-made by Amazon to be as readable across as many different types of screens as possible. Like Google’s Literata, Bookerly is meant to address many of the aesthetic issues surrounding e-book fonts. A few months after Bookerly was released Amazon sought to address the Kindle’s typesetting problems with an all-new layout engine that introduces better text justification, kerning, drop caps and image positioning.
When publishers and indie authors submit e-books to Amazon it was a total mystery how their titles would look using the new fonts and layout engine. This mystery should be dispelled with the advent of Kindle Previewer 3, a free tool for PC and MAC.
You can download Kindle Previewer 3 Beta from Amazon.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times.

domain: news


text:
A Pakistani shoe brand is not getting the kind of attention it thought it would with its latest campaign. In fact, they might have to retract the latest campaign despite the fact that there is no issue with their product. Is this a marketing ploy gone wrong or simply a senseless creative direction for a shoot? You decide:
Zelvo trends is a footwear brand in Pakistan that operates online. The brand isn’t that visible yet but we have a feeling after this it will be very much. The brand’s campaign, the latest one, was put on KAMN, a Facebook group where all sorts of ads are discussed.
View this post on Instagram
Why was it put there? Well, let’s just say someone or in fact, many people were not happy with the concept of the shoot. We don’t blame them, it is odd, to say the least.
Shoes on Books?
This concept has never been seen before truth be told. They perhaps took the ‘be creative and original’ memo to heart. So much so that they designed this whole campaign in which the models are just stepping on books or the shoes are just placed on books. The reason is also unknown because the books do nothing for the shoes.
If they simply wanted to elevate the shoes they could have put any other object. Call it our culture or whatever, we are always told to respect books. They are a form of knowledge. Some of our parents never even let us put the books on the floor, considering it a disrespect.
What Are People Saying?
People are of the same opinion that this kind of ad is a big miss. When creative directions are so random and also disrespectful, it makes the people distracted. They no longer focus on the product, whether it is good or not rather they start fixating on how the way the product is shown is not acceptable.
People discussed the same thing altogether in the comments. They were unsure about what was trying to be achieved here. The general consensus? This just might be to get attention.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.


text:
How to negotiate a trade deal
The European Union and Japan signed a huge free trade deal on Tuesday that cuts or eliminates tariffs on nearly all goods.
The agreement covers 600 million people and almost a third of the global economy. It's also a major endorsement of a global trading system that is under increasing threat from protectionism.
It will remove tariffs on European exports such as cheese and wine. Japanese automakers and electronics firms will face fewer barriers in the European Union.
The dismantling of trade barriers stands in stark contrast to the approach taken by President Donald Trump, who has imposed tariffs on a range of foreign goods and is threatening more action.
Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, hailed the agreement as the "largest bilateral trade deal ever."
"Relations between the European Union and Japan have never been stronger," he said in a written statement. "Geographically, we are far apart. But politically and economically we could hardly be any closer."
Japan and the European Union traded roughly €129 billion ($152 billion) of goods last year, according to EU data.
With the largest bilateral trade deal EVER, today we cement Japanese-European friendship. Geographically, we are far apart. But politically and economically we could hardly be any closer. With shared values of liberal democracy, human rights and the rule of law. pic.twitter.com/ICcGTY3XI8
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) July 17, 2018
Baker McKenzie partner Ross Denton said the deal signed Tuesday sends "a very strong signal to the US Administration that the EU and Japan, two major trade partners of the US, both see the benefits of removing barriers and reducing, not increasing tariffs."
EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström said last month that Europe was willing to lower some of its tariffs and cooperate with the United States. But the Trump administration "closed the door" on the talks and subsequently slapped tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.New American tariffs on European cars could follow soon.
Trump also pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership at the start of his presidency, another trade deal that lowered tariffs and trade barriers for the 11 remaining signatories.
Average global tariffs are near record lows. EU products currently face an average tariff of 1.6% when they arrive in Japan, while Japanese products face tariffs of 2.9% in the European Union, according to the World Trade Organization.
Still, the European Union said the tariffs cost its companies up to €1 billion ($1.2 billion) per year.
The trade deal is expected to come into force in 2019 after being approved by lawmakers on both sides.
Original Article[contf] [contfnew]


text:
The Most Innovative Fintech Companies In 2021.
Fintech 50 2021
Many of the startups on Forbes’ sixth Fintech 50 list were big pandemic winners, as Americans sped up their migration to buying and banking online and some jumped into online trading of stocks and crypto. There are 20 first-timers on our 2021 list; founders of five other newcomers—involved in everything from cyber risk insurance to financial inclusion—are profiled below. #Fintech50


text:
Tuesday, 6th December 2011
In General Japan News,
Supercar pile-up most expensive Japanese crash?
A dangerous crash involving 14 cars could be among Japan’s most costly road-traffic accident as it involved 12 luxury sports vehicles.
This weekend, a convoy of flash cars took to the roads of western Japan in a rare scene where the lead player is thought to have caused the pile-up after he attempted to switch lanes.
Among the expensive brands involved in the collision were eight Ferraris, three Mercedes and one Lamborghini.
Luckily there were not fatalities and ten injured people have since been released from hospital.
Police are thought to be making speeding investigations as they deemed the incident a “gathering of narcissists”, evidently directed at the drivers’ luxurious taste in vehicles, Bloomberg quoted.
According to the Telegraph, a spokesman for the Yamaguchi Police said: “We will be questioning the 14 drivers and their customers.
“These drivers weren’t going to a car event. They were just driving. They are friends and they wanted to drive to Hiroshima.”
Last week, it was revealed car brands exhibiting at the Tokyo Motor Show would display ways that vehicles could be used to tackle the world’s energy crisis.
Posted by Mark Smith


text:
A Review of the Best News of the Week on AI, IoT, & Mobile Security
China Is Forcing Tourists to Install Text-Stealing Malware at its Border (VICE, Jul 02 2019)
The malware downloads a tourist’s text messages, calendar entries, and phone logs, as well as scans the device for over 70,000 different files.
Tracing the Supply Chain Attack on Android — Krebs on Security (Krebs on Security, Jul 01 2019)
“Earlier this month, Google disclosed that a supply chain attack by one of its vendors resulted in malicious software being pre-installed on millions of new budget Android devices. Google didn’t exactly name those responsible, but said it believes the offending vendor uses the nicknames “Yehuo” or “Blazefire.” What follows is a deep dive into the identity of that Chinese vendor, which appears to have a long and storied history of pushing the envelope on mobile malware.”
Creator of DeepNude, App That Undresses Photos of Women, Takes It Offline (VICE, Jun 27 2019)
An app that algorithmically “undressed” images of women was taken down by its creator, citing server overload and potential harms.
One of My Favorite Things
Since I started this curated newsletter in June 2017, I’ve clipped ~10,000 articles and narrowed them down into the best 20 per day & best 15 per week. This is my favorite way to cut through all the security marketing and hype. If you’re enjoying it, tell a friend. If you hate it, tell an enemy.
Thanks! – Lucas Samaras
Signs from above: Drone with projector successfully trolls car AI (Ars Technica, Jun 28 2019)
Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) installed on a Renault Captur, and the exploit relies on a drone with a projector faking street signs.
Rolling the Dice on AI (SC Magazine, Jun 26 2019)
Software is the only meaningful way to review all of that data about all logged-in users and determine a potential problem before the user has had the chance to do much damage, proponents agree.
Watching a Deepfake Being Made Is Boring, And You Must See It (VICE, Jun 26 2019)
AI-generated fake videos are hyped as a modern tech nightmare, and it’s important to understand their everyday banality.
Medtronic recalls vulnerable MiniMed insulin pumps (Help Net Security, Jun 28 2019)
Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company, has issued a recall of some of its insulin pumps because they can be tampered with by attackers.
New Linux Worm Attacks IoT Devices (Dark Reading, Jun 26 2019)
Silex has ‘bricked’ more than 2,000 Linux-based IoT devices so far.
Tesla 3 navigation system fooled with GPS spoofing (Naked Security – Sophos, Jun 27 2019)
Cybersecurity researchers have fooled the Tesla Model 3’s automatic navigation system into rapidly braking and taking a wrong turn on the highway.
NIST Issues IoT Risk Guidelines (Dark Reading, Jun 27 2019)
A new report offers the first step toward understanding and managing IoT cybersecurity risks.
Five Million IP Camera Cyber-Attacks Blocked in Just Five Months (Infosecurity Magazine, Jun 28 2019)
IP surveillance devices facing high numbers of cyber-attacks
“Silexbot” Malware Bricks IoT Devices (SecurityWeek, Jun 28 2019)
A new piece of malware is targeting improperly secured Internet of Things (IoT) devices with the purpose of bricking them, Akamai’s security researchers have discovered.
FCC lets Verizon lock cell phones to network for 60 days after activation (Ars Technica, Jun 26 2019)
Verizon, seeking to deter theft, gets FCC waiver to lock phones for 60 days.
FTC crackdown targets operators behind 1 billion robocalls (Naked Security – Sophos, Jun 27 2019)
It’s a drop in the “4.7 billion robocalls placed per month” bucket, but hey, it’s better than nothing!
Black Market T-Mobile Location Data Tied to Spot of a Triple Murder (VICE, Jun 26 2019)
In 2017, two bounty hunters and a fugitive died in a chaotic shoot-out. Shortly after their deaths, someone started tracking one of the bounty hunter’s phones.
Many Potential Backdoors Found in Huawei Equipment: Study (SecurityWeek, Jun 27 2019)
A report published this week by US-based firmware and IoT security solutions provider Finite State shows that Huawei equipment is affected by many vulnerabilities, including potential backdoors, and the company’s devices are less secure compared to the products of other vendors.
Vulnerability in Cirque Du Soleil Show App (Infosecurity Magazine, Jul 01 2019)
Because the app had no authentication protocol, Štefanko said that an adversary could scan the network and get the IP addresses of devices with the defined port 6161 opened. An attacker could then send commands to all devices running the app, explained Štefanko, a vulnerability which he said could have been avoided quite easily.
Trump Move to Ease Huawei Sanctions Sparks Anger, Confusion (SecurityWeek, Jul 02 2019)
The US trade war truce with China which could ease sanctions on Huawei has prompted a backlash from lawmakers over national security concerns amid confusion over how the deal may impact the Chinese tech giant.


text:
Exclusive: Yamaha to launch Ray 125 in India soon
At the recently concluded Auto Expo 2014, Yamaha confirmed that they are working on another scooter based on the Ray platform. We now have information that this scooter will be the Yamaha Ray 125. Dealers have already started sending their service staff for training for this new scooter. Expect Yamaha to launch the Ray 125 in India around September this year.
The Ray 125 is expected to have a bored out version of the existing 113cc engine. As has been the case before, it will not be a performance oriented machine but will look to add some zip with respectable fuel economy numbers. Yamaha may launch this scooter with a front disc brake, which competitors like Honda with its upcoming Activa 125 and Vespa with the VX already offer. The styling of the Yamaha 125 will more or less follow the Ray's lines but will be a tad bigger than the latter.
This will be Yamaha's last scooter this year for the Indian market before they shift focus back to performance motorcycles. Yamaha is already working on a big update of the R15 and FZ. Read more about them here
Starts Rs 50,817
- NewsBosch develops an automated valet parking system with e. Go
- NewsSMEV signs an MoU with TAITRA to develop EV development infrastructure
- NewsToyota wants privacy concerns addressed before it adds Android Auto
- OpinionWe make modern cars, so why not tanks?
- NewsUpcoming Lexus ES facelift teased in video ahead of Beijing Auto Show launch
- NewsHonda unveils Small RS Concept in Indonesia, preview to next Brio
- NewsDucati to offer radar, cornering ABS but not missiles on its motorcycle range
- News2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga unveiled in Indonesia, India launch soon
- FeaturesImage Gallery: Shaken & Stirred April 2018
- NewsJeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk can make 1,000PS+, ask Hennessey Performance


text:
Almost every Delhite is feeling claustrophobic. The ban on travel is like a ban on happiness for this city which makes the most of weekends by planning exciting getaways. Thankfully Delhi is blessed with a number of beautiful destinations in the vicinity that can be visited to wash off the grit and grime of the hectic city life. Most of us have secretly given ourselves a wish list of the first places we would shop or dine or visit when things turn to normal. But is it safe to travel? Can a small getaway cost us or can enjoying a serene evening sipping a glass of wine compromise our health?
Most of the top hotels that have opened or are opening are taking utmost precautions for the safety of their guests. With new policies, rules and regulations in place, the visitors can fearlessly enjoy their vacation, or so they claim.
Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur which has opened its gates now says they are maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene as per WHO guidelines to mitigate risks associated with coronavirus. They have uploaded their hygiene policy on the website which says that all touch points in public areas like door handles, elevator buttons, counter tops, table tops, railings, etc. are cleaned continuously using a sanitiser/ disinfectant, the staff are wearing masks and maintaining distance. “At The Oberoi Group, we have always prioritised the health and safety of our guests and colleagues and have been working relentlessly to welcome guests back at our hotels. It is imperative for us to take extraordinary measures to ensure the wellbeing of our guests, and our people,” says Vikram Oberoi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Oberoi Group.
The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake, Gurgaon has recently opened and is functioning as per the new policy of the group-Tajness – which the group describes as a Commitment Restrengthened and a mark of assurance of IHCL’s authentic Indian hospitality, with an added comfort of safety, hygiene and physical distancing. Keeping the well-being of guests in mind, enhanced safety protocols have been developed in accordance with the norms laid down by World Health Organization (WHO), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Government of India. Those who are desperate for a change can drive down to Damdama and enjoy the economical packages that the resort is offering.
The Roseate Ganges, Rishikesh has opened from July 1 and is ready to welcome guests with an assurance of safety. The best thing about this place is that it is tucked away in the hills, away from crowd, with fresh air, dense mountain thicket and the Ganga flowing in all its might just down the hill. With individual cottages, vast open spaces and a strategic location, it naturally promotes social distancing. With constant cleaning of doors and handles, an open kitchen, open dining spaces and a well-trained staff, Roseate claims to be ready for the guests who can enjoy unadulterated leisure and good food without any fear of catching infection.
The hospitality industry is leaving no stone unturned to attract patrons. Sarovar Hotels and Resorts is offering limited edition packages at its Southern India properties, which includes Keraleeyam – a unique Kerala dining experience, cooking session of immunity-boosting recipes by a local chef, a 30-minute insight session by an Ayurveda doctor and more. Apart from that, they are also providing cluster packages in Northern belt, each of which is safe and secured as per the government guidelines.
The ITC Hotels that have opened at Kolkata, Amritsar, Vadodara, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Jaipur, Hyderabad & Visakhapatnam have also adopted a new hygiene programme, designed in collaboration with medical professionals and disinfection experts, #WeAssure that aims to enhance the existing hygiene and cleaning protocols. The customers are encouraged to let go of their worry of catching infection and enjoy the hospitality and good food being offered.
Although the hospitality industry has been hit the hardest yet they are now all geared with new policies in place to provide safe hospitality in terms of food and stay. No wonder travelling in the ‘new normal’ is going to be quite an experience.


text:
– Women-focused online blog and ad network Glam Media on Wednesday announced
the launch of a new ad-serving platform for brands, which the company says has
been designed "to help bring emotion and accountability to display
ads." The company said that the Glam Adapt system can be used alongside existing
products like DFA, Atlas and Eyeblaster’s MediaMind, and for publishers it can
be used as "a full alternative to Google DoubleClick."


text:
Video: 1st Aston Martin Valkyrie reaches London accompanied by a McLaren Senna
Buying a ticket to an auto show is one way to enjoy looking at exclusive supercars, but residents in the UK know that simply visiting London with a phone in your hands can be just as rewarding sometimes. The city is swarming exotic vehicles, and this video shows two at once.
The author of the video claims the yellow Aston Martin Valkyrie they managed to catch on camera is the very first example delivered to Great Britain. You can hear its normally aspirated 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 rev up to 11,000 RPM and sound majestic with a Rimac hybrid system assisting it for 1,155 PS (1,139 hp / 850 kW) total.
Since it is apparently impossible to hit the streets in London and witness just one supercar, the footage also catches a glimpse of a McLaren Senna with an all-carbon body, a treatment the manufacturer claims only five vehicles received.
Editor Andrew Raspopov
- Audi RS 6 underway to getting two distinct ‘hot’ modifications
- Lincoln celebrates 100 years in business with exclusive wristwatch series
- Affordable Chinese SUV with 27 inches of multimedia real estate goes on sale
- Zeekr previews its opulent 009 MPV, reveals some specs
- BMW i3 puts on a golden dress for its farewell party


text:
In two weeks, CareerBuilder.com will enter the households of millions of TV viewers as a first-time advertiser at the mostly widely watched event of the year: the Super Bowl. Marking a major milestone in brand promotion, CareerBuilder.com is suiting up for what the company calls the biggest competition in corporate history. Spending in excess of $200 million* on marketing in 2005, CareerBuilder.com announced it is executing on a plan that will further strengthen the sought after industry leader position it took over in 2004.
CareerBuilder.com moved into the number one spot in online recruitment in 2004, bypassing its largest competitors in both job seeker traffic and job postings. It doubled its traffic year over year to more than 15 million** unique visitors per month with the addition of MSN and America Online to its distribution network and grew its Web site listings by more than 60 percent to over 600,000. The company now commands the highest market share in job listings at 45 percent and has consistently outpaced competitors in revenue growth with an 80 percent increase over prior year in the third quarter alone.
"2004 was an exceptional year for CareerBuilder.com and the competition will see we're just getting warmed up," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. "We are pushing our leadership status to the next level by significantly increasing our marketing spend and driving greater brand awareness with appearances at high profile events such as the Super Bowl, Academy Awards, the Grammy's and the NCAA Final Four. In addition, we are expanding operations, signing a diverse mix of partners and driving new job matching technology advancements."
Ferguson attributes the company's continued success to its unique business model that effectively rivals traditional job boards. Instead of focusing on one centralized site, its marketing spend includes investments in co-brand partnerships with leading sites reaching national, local, industry, diversity and niche audiences. Starting off with 16 partners in 1995, CareerBuilder.com now powers the online career sites for more than 450 partners today and plans to add 100 more in 2005.
In addition to expanding its distribution network, CareerBuilder.com doubled its internal workforce to nearly 1,000 in 2004. Combining the sales support of the 130 newspapers of its owners Tribune Company, Gannett and Knight Ridder, more than 1,600 individuals are now selling CareerBuilder.com listings nationwide. The company stands as the only online job board that offers the combination of print and online exposure on a national and local basis.
CareerBuilder.com also emphasizes the importance of technology advancements in growing its business and the online recruitment industry overall. The company signed a three-year exclusive deal with enterprise search company Fast Search & Transfer and is serving on their technology advisory board to drive development in job search and matching.
"Economists are projecting the U.S. will add more than 4 million jobs in the next two years and CareerBuilder.com is ready to take the lion's share. Our appearance at the Super Bowl is just the beginning," said Ferguson.
CareerBuilder.com publicly released the first in a series of new TV ads this morning at http://www.careerbuilder.com/TV as part of a major online marketing blitz. CareerBuilder.com purchased two 30-second spots that will air during the Super Bowl. This will kick off a year-long, national marketing program featuring primetime national network and cable television, local radio, print, outdoor ads and mobile marketing. It will be supplemented with in-kind advertising support from the 48 television stations, newspapers and Web sites of Tribune Company, Gannett and Knight Ridder.
*SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, December 2004 - includes in-kind promotions from Tribune Company, Gannett and Knight Ridder. **comScore Media Metrix, November 2004. The CareerBuilder Network is a custom aggregation of CareerBuilder.com traffic as well as job search traffic to career centers CareerBuilder powers for partner sites such as Tribune Company, Gannett, Knight Ridder and others. About CareerBuilder.com
CareerBuilder.com is the nation's leading online job network with more than 15 million unique visitors and over 600,000 jobs. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc.
Media Contact: Jennifer Sullivan (773)527-1164
CONTACT: Jennifer Sullivan of CareerBuilder.com, +1-773-527-1164,


text:
ZTE, is not a new company for the Indian market. Many Internet Service Providers in India use ZTE modems as 3G dongles to offer internet services... ...http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GAD-indian-market-attracts-another-chinese-company-zte-nubia-z7-max-ready-for-a-laun-4687485-NOR.html?HF-34=
The leaf on the Apple symbol is tinted green at the Apple flagship store on 5th Ave in New York REUTERS It is obvious that Apple fans will be... ...http://www.ibtimes.co.in/iphone-6-release-date-new-devices-2mm-thin-battery-not-powerful-similar-iphone-5-series-604686
Indian start-up, WickedLeak is known for its feature rich smartphone and tablets. This time it has come out with another smartphone with high-end... ...http://www.themobileindian.com/reviews/1089_WickedLeak-Wammy-Neo-review
Chinese smartphone Xiaomi (pronounced Shaomi) held a special event in Delhi on Tuesday where they formally announced their entry into the India... ...http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/xiaomi-mi-3-first-impressions-priced-at-13999-it-is-way-ahead-of-the-competition-in-india-227396.html
Banglore: The Japanese giant Sony is offering its new Sony Xperia M2 Dual in market for its reliable customers. This new gadget is available in the... ...http://www.pardaphash.com/news/sony-xperia-m2-dual-available-rs-19000/760473.html
Unlock AT&T Sony Xperia ION LT28at
AT&T Sony Xperia ION LT28at IMEI...
AT&T Sony Xperia ION LT28at Unlock Code
AT&T Sony Xperia ION LT28at Unlocking...
Unlock Code for AT&T Sony Xperia ION...


text:
Avis survey: ‘autonomous car is terrifying’
Car rental company, Avis Budget Group, has organized a penetrating survey among 14.000 adults from 14 different countries, including Belgium. The company wanted to know what the average citizen thinks about the connected and self-driving car. ‘Terrifying’ it looks at first hand.
A first conclusion of the inquiry is that the autonomous car causes people great anxiety. In Belgium alone, 63% of people say they would not feel safe when all cars on the road would be completely autonomous, which nevertheless will be goal in the long run and experts believe to be much safer than with human drivers.
Besides, 86% thinks you have to be sober to use such a car, and 87% means you also have to have a driver’s license for it. The same number of people says you have to be adult at least.
‘A kind of drone’
More surprising result is the vague idea people have of those cars. In Belgium, 61% could give a quite accurate definition of a connected car, describing it as a car connected with the internet and capable of communicating with other devices.
European average of the correct answer was 54%. The question about the definition of an autonomous car – a self-driving car – generated 57% of right answers, or the European average.
Strange, however, is that 17% of Belgians think that an autonomous car is “a kind of drone driven by artificial intelligence”. Another 7% thinks it’s just a car that needs to be parked in its own parking space, far away from all traffic.
Avis Budget Group concludes there’s work to be done by the industry to give people a clear and correct idea of those new car concepts because their presence in traffic probably will be inevitable in time.


text:
Stockholm 08 May 2023. A well-known European luxury car manufacturer that produces high-end vehicles known for their sleek and modern design, advanced technology, and performance, will launch CabinAir's Active Air Quality solution in large numbers globally by the end of 2025. The brand, which is often associated with innovation, precision engineering, and attention to detail, is expanding its commitment to providing a luxury driving experience with an added focus on in-cabin air quality.
CabinAir's Active Air Quality solution is based on patented two-stage technology that makes pollution particles more "sticky" and traps them in the filter more efficient. This technology is up to 15 times more effective at removing harmful ultra-fine particles than standard filters. Tests carried out by Guangzhou Institute of Microbiology show that the solution also removes 99.97% of airborne bacteria and viruses, similar in size as SARS-CoV-2. Since the solution cleans the air before it enters the cabin, drivers can enjoy a constant flow of fresh and clean air.
Traditional systems need to recirculate the air in the car to reach acceptable low levels of particulates. However, as air is recirculated, oxygen levels in the car decrease, and CO2 levels increase, causing the driver to become drowsy and react more slowly. CabinAir's technology can contribute to reducing traffic accidents by helping to keep drivers more alert.
More vehicles globally, promoting safer and healthier cabins
For several years, CabinAir technology has been on the road in Volvo Cars, some of the world's most highly regarded vehicles in terms of driver and passenger health and safety. It is an integral part of Volvo Cars' and Polestar's Advanced Air Cleaner (AAC) systems. With a new OEM contract signed, more drivers and passengers will be able to breathe healthy air inside their vehicles.
Daniel Hagström, CabinAir CEO and co-founder, states, "The automotive industry is taking in-cabin air quality more and more seriously. We are very proud to have been chosen to be a volume supplier to one of the top brands in the industry. It's proof that we are doing things right, both for the car-driving population and from a business and technology perspective."
In January 2022, CabinAir was named a CES® 2022 Innovation Awards Honouree for its Connected Health Zone System, which consists of CabinAir Active Air Cleaner solutions combined with best-in-class sensors and AI processed air quality data that can display air quality and guide drivers to healthy in-cabin air quality in all traffic conditions.
CabinAir aims to improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of drivers and passengers by producing industry-leading in-cabin air purification solutions for cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Established in 2016 as a subsidiary of Blueair, one of the world's leading producers of air purification solutions for home and professional use, CabinAir is an international fast-expanding team of passionate and committed employees, with factory and R&D in Shenzhen and sales offices in Shanghai and Los Angeles.


text:
Print this Article
F acebook are infamous for how they handles customers’ data.
“We don’t just experience the most powerful reputation for privacy at this time, to get it softly,” CEO level Zuckerberg joked earlier on this present year to a nearly dead hushed audience.
That may be part of precisely why myspace relationships, which dove to the congested US marketplace for internet dating in September, appears to have got with a resounding thud.
The inventory cost of internet dating giant Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid also online dating software, rebounded in October after buyers made the decision that Facebook, the organization running the world’s largest online community, was actuallyn’t a risk. Good hit for all the latest service might nonexistent, and an assessment of reference in search terms and conditions demonstrates it trending far below a few opponents. According to social media monitoring website socialmention.com, Tinder is pointed out online about as soon as every four moments. Fb matchmaking ekes aside a mention once every four hours.
Once anyone carry out talk about myspace relationship, it’s usually to exchange tales in regards to the visitors they want they hadn’t found.
Let us only say it wasn’t a fantastic pick. pic.twitter.com/fmwXeqlOGN
— Rob Tussin’s Ultimate adore tunes Collection (@anidthalia) September 30, 2019


text:
Tip for dealers to avoid fees
Dealers are being advised to prioritise their compliance needs to ensure any vehicles set to attract a penalty under the clean car discount are complied by the end of the year.
The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) has issued an email alert recommending its members act well before the planned January 2022 start for the government’s feebate scheme.
VIA says dealers should make sure compliance inspections for cars likely to be negatively affected by the regime are done by December.
“By doing this you can register unsold stock of ‘fee-attracting’ vehicles prior to the implementation of the fee-at-registration regime,” it explains.
It adds members should talk to compliance shops now in order to have vehicles scheduled for inspections as soon as possible.
“You also need to talk to your suppliers and shippers as vehicles you are purchasing in Japan might not be able to be shipped in time to meet the implementation date of the feebate regime,” the alert adds.
For more information, contact VIA on 0800-842-842, or email email@example.com.


text:
German e-mobility specialist QUANTRON has signed a framework agreement with TMP Logistics Group Ltd. for an order of up to 500 Class 8 trucks with fuel-cell electric drive systems.
The vehicles, which will be operated via Quantron-as-a-Service (QaaS), are scheduled for delivery by 2024. It is also intended to integrate zero-emission vehicles from third-party suppliers into the QaaS platform and offer zero-emission solutions to customers on a per-mile basis based on total cost of ownership (TCO). QUANTRON is the preferred supplier of FCEV-powered Class 8 trucks to TMP Logistics.
The framework agreement was signed by Andreas Haller, founder and chairman of the board of QUANTRON, and on behalf of TMP Logistics by Michael Watts representing Raymond F. Staples. Staples is the founder and chairman of global investment firm TMP Holdings Inc., as well as chairman and CEO of the TMP Logistics Group, an integrated group of more than a dozen trucking, logistics and logistics related software companies in the U.S., including the National Freight group of companies. National Freight is the largest linehaul contractor in the U.S. for FedEx Ground.
QUANTRON is a platform provider and specialist for sustainable mobility for people and goods, and offers a 360-degree OEM-open ecosystem through its Quantron-as-a-Service (QaaS) option. In addition to zero-emission BEV and FCEV vehicles and the corresponding customer care, the associated infrastructure from H2 generation to refueling is also encompassed.
“Bavaria backed the right horse early on with hydrogen,” says Hubert Aiwanger, the Deputy Minister President of the Free State of Bavaria and Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs. “The decarbonization of truck transport is a central task in the energy transition. The current energy crisis is calling even louder for solutions without fossil fuels, and the trend toward the use of hydrogen has been accelerated. In the US alone, the demand for heavy-duty fuel cell trucks is estimated at up to 300,000 vehicles by 2030. This Bavarian-American framework agreement marks the start of close transatlantic cooperation in the promising market for climate-neutral mobility. In Europe too, hydrogen trucks must achieve a breakthrough in the next few years.”
“We are proud that QUANTRON, with the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador Dr. Emily Haber, and Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger, is able to help advance the hydrogen economy in the heavy Class 8 commercial vehicle sector in the U.S.,” comments Michael Perschke, CEO of Quantron AG. “With our contribution of 500 heavy-duty FCEV trucks, we support the $8 billion hydrogen program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and are pleased to spearhead the effort to help businesses and communities across the country benefit from clean energy and hydrogen investments.”


text:
Electric car pioneer to join listing on July 15 after seeing shares triple this year
Electric car manufacturer Tesla is set to join the Nasdaq-100 Index next week in the latest milestone for the newly profitable company. NASDAQ OMX Group yesterday announced Tesla would replace Oracle...
Vice-president of nature and water cycle Eric Soubeiran sits down with BusinessGreen to discuss the French food giant's plans to move away from intensive farming practices in the pandemic era
Energy efficiency measures work best when designed around new green heating systems such as heat pumps, argue IPPR's Jonathan Webb and Joshua Emden
Drinks giant's European business backs Dutch technology start up in bid to establish rPET production factory


text:
Cincinnati Unchained won the Best of Cincinnati 2008 “Best Retail Promotion” award, and will take place this year the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It is a chance for Cincinnatians to go out and support their local businesses and maybe find some new places they haven’t yet been. This year there are sponsoring businesses from all over the city and tons more just looking to earn your business during the Holiday Season.
According to BuyCincy, “every dollar you spend at a locally-owned business generates approximately three times more economic activity than a dollar spent at the typical big-box chain; and by choosing to shop locally-owned for even just one day, we can help improve Cincinnati’s economy.”
There are dozens of participating businesses this year that are offering special discounts and offers for Cincinnati Unchained. To find the full list of businesses, and to find out what they’re offering, visit BuyCincy’s featured page.


text:
While click farming and impression farming have been around for a while in digital advertising, the increased use of artificial intelligence may worsen these larger fraud-related problems. It’s the last thing agencies and brands need, given how much fraud they’re already chasing down.
Whether it is farming for clicks or for impressions, which can be different based on the platform targeted, agencies say AI will likely play a big role in helping these bots and bad inventory to scale massively.
“Click farming and click fraud is getting paid to click on anything,” said Tyler Nall, group vp of platform strategy at Publicis Health Media. “Impression fraud is the same type of thing but for impressions, so it’s getting paid to generate it … We need to make changes structurally in how we think about programmatic and how we transact programmatically if we’re going to address this issue.”


text:
Featured image is the Nokia ‘Banana’ 8110 using the KaiOS operating system which MTN’s phones will run on.
Ever since feature phones made something of a comeback against smartphones in 2017, many consumer brands have been grappling to take advantage of this anomaly for the mass market. One of the most recent of them is MTN. The South African based mobile network recently announced a range of “smart feature phones” that will start retailing in South Africa and Nigeria in Q1 2019.
Before now, MTN has been aggressively pushing to get more Africans on the smartphone train. Even as recently as March 2017, the telco partnered with Google to make dirt cheap Android smartphones available for low-income Africans. The project however didn’t live up to the longevity it seemed to promise.
That failure explains MTN’s sudden shift in strategy from smartphone to feature phones. But such a bold move can only happen thanks, in no small part, to the rise of KaiOS, a relatively new mobile operating system (OS) that brings some of the best parts of the smartphone experience — 4G connectivity, NFC, virtual assistants, GPS, apps — to feature phones without compromising on the optimum cost and battery efficiency that has made them popular among low-income earners.
No mean feat, this innovation has seen KaiOS silently become arguably the world’s third most popular mobile OS — behind Android and iOS — in the space of barely a year since in it launched in 2017.
KaiOS has become so popular that it forced Google to invest $22m in it this June. Not only that, the search giant has also re-purposed some of its most popular apps like Google Assistant, YouTube and Google Maps for the OS.
Facebook is not left out, progressive web versions of Facebook and WhatsApp (limited) are also available on the KaiOS platform.
Oddly enough, the exponential growth of KaiOS has nothing to do with Africa and almost everything to do with India, where it is said to have overtaken Apple’s iOS to become the second most popular OS in the country.
Indian OEM brand, Jio Phone — the widely-acclaimed poster child for KaiOS — has already sold over 40 million devices globally, with projections to sell 100 million units by the end of 2018.
It’s no wonder that MTN is looking to replicate that success by being technically the first brand to bring KaiOS to Africa. It will not be attempting this alone. Hardware partnerships have already been sealed with Chinese companies like China Mobile and Unisoc to manufacture the phone hardware and chipset.
When MTN’s smart feature phones start shipping in 2019, they will come in 2 options — a 3G-enabled $20 variant and a $25 4G-enabled one.


text:
Hollywood Movies, Trailers, Pictures, News & DVDs
Khloe Kardashian is the sister of reality TV star Kim Kardashian, and recently made Hollywood news by posing in the nude for PETA. Khloe Kardashian is involved in the family fashion store Dash and recently married Lamar Odom a professional basketball player.
Khloe Kardashian News
Khloe Kardashian Photos
No images added yet.
No fan sites added yet


text:
CINCINNATI (CBS.MW) - Shares of Procter & Gamble rose 4.3 percent in active trading Thursday after the consumer products titan reported a sales gain for the first time in five quarters.
Shares moved up as high as $82.12 - outpacing the $81.72 high reached Jan. 18 - in intraday trading. But the stock couldn't hold that up, ending the session at $81.68, ahead by $3.39.
The maker of Tide, Pampers and Herbal Essences
The company recorded charges of $146 million related to the ongoing restructuring of operations and the business portfolio. Subtracting the costs, second-quarter net earnings were $1.3 billion, or 93 cents a share, an increase over earnings of $1.2 billion, or 84 cents a share recorded in the comparable period a year earlier.
Net sales for the quarter ending December rose 2 percent to $10.4 billion, driven by new products and last year's acquisition of hair-care giant Clairol.
That prompted a bevy of analysts to upgrade the stock to "buy" based on the strength of the fundamentals.
Unit volume surged 15 percent with Clairol; without it, beauty care products volumes rose 3 percent. New sales were $2.06 billion, up 13 percent, also driven by Pantene and Head & Shoulders brands. Profits in that segment - the second-largest in P&G - vaulted 17 percent to $334 million.
Health care also reported robust results. Sales jumped 17 percent to $1.34 billion to generate profits of $172 million, up 5 percent.
Crest hit the $1 billion mark in sales, joining a handful of P&G's other blockbuster brands.
"We are seeing clear improvements in our results, and we're pleased to have met our commitments once again," said A.G. Lafley, P&G's chief executive.
The gains, however, were still short of P&G's historic double-digit increases - a fact that was not lost on Lafley. "With this new renewed clarity of focus and strategic choices that we are implementing, I am confident in the company's ability to achieve these topline growth targets again," he said on a conference call.
"We reiterated that we expect to be at out double-digit earnings objective in the next fiscal year," he added. "This should lead to increased total shareholder return for the future."
Looking ahead, the company said it remained "comfortable" with previously-given financial forecasts for full fiscal year.
Analysts lauded the result by urging investors to buy the stock. "We believe the company's restructuring efforts are falling into place," said H&R Block Financial Advisors in its upgrade of the stock.
"The divestitures in the food and beverage segment (Jif peanut butter and Crisco shortening) coupled with new product inovationsin the health care segment and the Clairol acquisition should drive this momentum," the note said.
H&R's also upped its target price on the stock to $100 from $90.
Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Carol Wilke raised both her recommendation and target price as well. The lackluster results in previous quarters left the company's stock price in a "stuck" position in the high $70s, she said. "Given the improvement and the positive out," she added, "the stock can now make the move to $90."


text:
CHICAGO - Can you read too much into a billboard?
Tires hissing on the taxi as we made our way down Michigan Avenue on a wet and surprisingly warm Windy City day and neared the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, there it loomed, about 10 stories overhead: LEFT 4 DEAD.
That's a video game. But perhaps, also, a sign of the times, at least for some car companies and certainly particular models in their fleets.
We were heading into the reality of a struggling automotive industry, and it was not pretty. Still hundreds of cars on the floor, but a mostly muted appearance by the folks who run the companies that build them. Eight press conferences would cover the whole shebang.
And when a small commercial van from Turkey — with electric versions coming — is perhaps the most engaging idea at a big auto show, then you know there's a rip in the fabric of the industry.
Not that I did not love the execution and the idea of Ford's 2010 Transit Connect, a boxy little number that will carry 1,600 pounds of cargo in 135 cubic feet of space. Picture the big rigs you see clogging urban streets, or rumbling near a store in a small village, sometimes dropping off loads not that hefty.
Finally, American small businesses, contractors, and those urban streets and rural villages might get some relief. It goes on sale this summer, starting at around $21,500 and is available with all sorts of customization.
That was the Yin. Here's the Yang, as Ford exemplified — in the best display of true auto building — the cross-currents sweeping the industry: They are bringing back the Taurus SHO.
The Taurus, remembered mostly as an oddly flowing family car, got a tweak way back in '80s that turned it into a limited sales hot rod: a 220 hp Yamaha 3.0L V6.
SHO: Super High Output. This one has more: 365 horsepower in a car that Ford claims will get 25 miles per gallon on the highway. It will sell well, in limited numbers, to a cult that applauded this intro as SHO-time, but so, too, will the other Big Beast, the 2010 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150. Again, a fine rig, but not something that will revive the auto industry.
Nor will the concept Corvette, a movie character in the upcoming film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." Oh, and there will be other product placements from Chevrolet in the movie: a purple Volt — an electric car that has yet to zap my imagination — a pair of Beat subcompacts, and a yellow Bumblebee Camaro. But does this sell cars? And what happens if the general economic wave that has wracked Detroit does not roll gently back to sea but, instead, becomes a roller that sweeps through that economy?
Kia, a Korean company on the rise, introduced a sensible car, the Forte, adapted for the American market. Coming ashore by fall, it will come in three trim levels (LX, EX and SX) with a choice of two engines: 2.0L four-cylinder with 156 horsepower and a 2.4-liter engine at 173 horsepower. It was the only truly new car introduced at a somber, lightly attended show. And yet, the launch of a new car was not the biggest news from Kia, or from the show. That would be the harsh, straight assessment of the industry offered up by by Hyundai president and CEO John Krafcik.
His key points:
- Automakers have hurt themselves by fighting against safety, fuel economy, and environmental protections, all in contrast to a tsunami-like change in public demand.
- Too many bean counters have gotten too deep into the production of quality automobiles, save a few bucks here, a few bucks there, to increase profit.
- "Any car company can meet a cost target and deliver a terrible vehicle,” he said. Sure, you can cough up an extra $100 per vehicle to produce a car with which consumers would be far more satisfied. "Give us quality, not rebates," he said.
- Can you build a car that is too good, too dependable, too long-lasting? Krafick seemed to think, even as he pushed quality and content, that this might be so.
Why? Because, he said, too many people have perfectly good used cars in their driveways. Why swap them in unless such features as enhanced safety and fuel economy are part of the plan?
This is an industry in incredible flux. Its leaders, particularly here in the states, did not see the future coming, much as newspaper publishers and editors did not see the vibrant form that news would take on the Internet, insisting instead on reserved writing and editing.
And America's Big Three seemed, somehow, to think that the sales of SUVs and big trucks would continue to swell their coffers.
I remember Ron Zarrella, then executive vice president and president of GM North America, saying several years ago that the Koreans can have the small car market. Detroit had bigger plans.
Of course, it's not always fun to be a bearer of bad news, particularly when livelihoods, families, the economy is at stake. And yet there was a bit of tension over the presence of the press at "press days."
Even as some car company execs grumbled to me that maybe the days of the big auto show may need to be trimmed to save money. Who needs Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris, Tokyo, all in what had become a rolling display of extravagance and boondoggle? How much tension was there?
Let's close by considering what Jerry Cizek, the show's general manager, had to say to the press, which has long been overly courted and entertained: "We're happy to see each of you and deeply appreciate you being here to cover the show. We are fully aware how important you are to the success of our show."
But then came this stinger: "That being said, we're counting the hours until Friday, when we can throw open the doors of the show and welcome our most important audience — the American consumer."
And the industry had best hope those consumers show up in greater proportions and with more enthusiasm than did the press this year.
More GlobalPost dispatches by Royal Ford:


text:
GM's ongoing electrification efforts could see the release of a battery-powered crossover that bears the iconic Corvette brand. The plan is not yet in full swing but a rollout is set for 2025 at the earliest. And yes, the Corvette SUV when realized is the automaker's answer to the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
GM rolling out an all-electric Corvette was thought to happen first via the C8 Corvette that debuted last year. The mid-engine sports car proved an instant hit and it's hardly a surprise that an electric version will see the light of the day soon.
Per the report from The Next Web, GM's roadmap for the Corvette electrification is expected to be implemented in stages. It is understood that before the program gets underway, the automaker will first build a hybrid sportscar before focusing on electric vehicles for the general consumers.
The first hybrid racing car could be the Corvette ZR1 Hybrid and this machine should be ready to roar in 2023. If that goal is realized, then GM can turn its attention to the all-electric Corvette models with a fully functional variant geared for commercial release five years from now.
The automaker's blueprint to make Corvette run on electricity is thought to be under the program dubbed as "Project R." The undertaking is expected to produce an electrified powertrain that GM will label as "E-Ray" and it will be the same powerhouse that will be found on the electric version of the C8 Corvette.
GM's decision to electrify the Corvette in SUV form was likely influenced by the growing trend of sportscar and muscle-car brands morphing into crossovers. The best example so far is Porsche's push to the market segment with the Cayenne and Taycan small SUVs, which proved to be a huge commercial success despite the criticisms from purists.
Porsche led the way and Ford followed suit with the Mustang, the badge of which will now be used on the automaker's first electrified SUV - the Mustang Mach-E. So far, the electric crossover has been well received and it seems GM wants a piece of the action by cashing in on a car brand that already commands a huge following, according to Electrek.
The Corvette repackaged as an electric SUV is part of GM's ambition to accelerate its entry to the market segment that Tesla currently dominates. The automaker is banking on its in-house "Ultium" battery platform to power the next-generation EVs to come out of its production lines over the next few years.
GM is targeting to add at least 30 EV models to its electric portfolio by 2025 and possibly, the all-electric Corvette SUV is included with that massive release effort.


text:
Cape Town – The New Entrepreneurial Frontier
By Matthew Buckland, an EO South Africa – Cape Town member and managing director of Creative Spark Interactive (PTY), Ltd.
I’m an Internet entrepreneur, and part of a new wave of business creators spurred on by the invention of the Internet almost 20 years ago. When I was a university student, the “entrepreneurial way” wasn’t really a popular option. We were encouraged to join big companies, and being an entrepreneur was commonly frowned upon.


text:
Welcome to The Meadowlands with Hemp Meadows! The legal cannabis industry is exploding and there are numerous stories to be told. Each week, I'll bring you some of the best of them, along with my thoughts and comments. Enjoy!
– Mar 22, 11:42 AM
A new memo from pro-legalization advocates offers some insight for marijuana businesses, investors and consumers on how they can better support social responsibility in the increasingly legal industry. The four-page document unveiled by the Drug…
A key congressional committee is scheduled to vote on far-reaching legislation that would expand marijuana businesses' ability to store their profits in banks on Tuesday. But key Republican lawmakers on the panel are now asking Chairwoman Maxine…
Back in 2012, researchers at the RAND Drug Policy Research Center put out a book called “ Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know.” It contained some startling findings. RAND researchers calculated that 90% of the…
Marijuana Business Daily
– Mar 22, 3:21 AM
One-click authentications of a website user's age are not enough to ensure cannabis promotions cannot be accessed by young people, according to Health Canada, and the agency expects regulated parties to take corrective steps “in the coming…


text:
Postmates Gets Go-Ahead to Test Delivery Robot in San Francisco
Add robots to the traffic problems in San Francisco, now that Postmates received the go-ahead to test its delivery robot on the streets of San Francisco.
According to media reports, the San Francisco-based on-demand delivery startup that transports goods and food from retailers to consumers via bike and vehicle was granted a permit by the city of San Francisco to test its robot, which is a four-wheeled, self-driving cart.
RELATED: A PIZZA DELIVERING ROBOT IS ON ITS WAY
Postmate's robot test limited in the city
The permit issued by the Department of Public Works in San Francisco is limited in scope, with the delivery cart only allowed to operate in an industrial area of the city. Postmates can only test three robots at a time with the robot not allowed to go faster than 3 mph. The robots can only be tested between 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. During all tests, Postmates is required to have a human who can operate the robot within thirty feet, according to news reports.
Dubbed Serve, Postmates robot can cart as much as 50 pounds of goods and travel as much as 30 miles before needing a charge. When announcing Serve in December, the on-demand delivery company said Serve is designed to work alongside the existing Postymates fleet to move small objects short distances in a more efficient manner. The robot runs on electricity and moves at a walking speed.
Robots cut costs, deliver goods more efficiently
Postmates is among the startups that are trying to capitalize on the growing demand for same-day delivery. In order to cut expenses many of the startups are looking at deploying robots to do their bidding. According to the media reports Maple, a robot delivery startup also of San Francisco, applied for a permit to test its robot in the city. “Obviously, there are many cities where it would be much less time- and resource-intensive to get permission to operate, but we love San Francisco and see tremendous potential for robot delivery here,” Marble spokesman Craig Frucht told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Critics of delivery robots argue these unnamed devices cause accidents and negatively impact pedestrian access to city streets. There has been little in the way of accidents associated with delivery robots to date. The robots use a combination of sensors, cameras, GPS and machine learning to get around crowds and get the product to its destination. Companies and cities across the country have embraced the new technology.
Earlier this summer Nuro, the self-driving pizza delivery company teamed up with Domino's to deliver pizza via a robot. The test is going down in the Houston area.
An interview with Robert Lanza, creator of the Biocentrism theory and co-author of the new "hard science" sci-fi book "Observer," written with Nancy Kress.


text:
Amazon to hire 2,500 people
Amazon said Wednesday it plans to hire another 2,500 people across the country as demand for Internet shopping continues to grow.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at NBC2 News.
#1 Feb 12, 2014
With Amazon hiring so many new people due to increase in online sales, doesn't it make sense to get a piece of the pie? http://goo.gl/b6BfB5
#2 Feb 13, 2014
This linkk has nothing to do with amazon do not click it
Add your comments below
|Petersburg woman buys smaller water meter to re...||6 hr||Sam||1|
|Dinwiddie County Sheriff's race (Nov '11)||May 7||Justice||175|
|Inmate dies at Central State Hospital in Va - wtvr (Mar '10)||Apr '17||Mom||111|
|North dinwiddie area (Nov '16)||Nov '16||D_SH-T||3|
|Video Shows Sheriff Using Racial Slur During In... (Oct '15)||Sep '16||agie||8|
|Petersburg hit with lawsuit over $1.2 million i... (Sep '16)||Sep '16||True Judgement||1|
|Lyn's body and paint shop (Jul '16)||Sep '16||agie||3|
Find what you want!
Search Dinwiddie Forum Now
Copyright © 2017 Topix LLC


text:
October 2016 Newsletter, Part I
Let's get the Fed out of the way first. The futures markets are now pricing in a 63% chance of rate hike by Fed in December and 78% by March 2017--not a sure thing but the market is now pricing this move into the bond market around the world.
Political Risk: The best statistical analysis of the presidential race has a Hillary victory at 92%To investors that means a strong relief rally post Nov 8 (except for pharma and biotech stocks!) and THAT gives the Fed the green light to raise its Fed Funds rates .25 basis points to a 50-75 basis point range in December (and then SIT on its hands for the economy to start running hot...more in a moment.)
This means the great run we have had in MORL has peaked but the yield is not back above 25%. HOLD MORL with 35.6% profit including 12.8% dividends (March-October) and lower BUY UNDER to $14.50
As you see from this chart MORL runs UP when the Fed is lowering short term rates/QE stimulating and drops in value in advance of rate hikes. With 68% chance of short term rate hikes coming (mortgage REITS borrow short term money to buy long term mortgages with 4-10 times leverage) our monthly pay 2X leveraged mortgage REIT now looks like it has priced this move in. Moreover as I will get to in moment the FED is now acknowledging that long structural changes in US and global economy (aka a return to normal non-boom time GDP growth) means lower interest rates for longer as general global over-capacity vs. demand in nearly everything in NOT cyclical but secular).
We will continue to hold and get GREAT 20%+ dividends monthly as the Fed Funds interest rate cycle gets fully priced into mortgage REITS.
WHY we will hold MORL for at least another year...and for 5 MORE years for a great retirement income idea!
For the three months ending October 2016, the total projected MORL dividends are $0.8341. The annualized dividends would be $3.3366. This is a 24.1% simple annualized yield with MORL priced at $14.85. On a monthly-compounded basis, the effective annualized yield is 26.2%.
Aside from the fact that with a yield around 25%, even without reinvesting or compounding you get back your initial investment in only four years and still have your original investment shares intact.
In fact should MORL would continue to yield just 23.2% on a compounded basis, the return on a strategy of reinvesting all dividends would be enormous. An investment of $100,000 would be worth $283,390 in five years. More interestingly, for those investing for future income, the income from the initial $100,000 would increase from the $23,200 initial annual rate to $65,877 annually.
SO...if you can stand the volatility, for a $100k MORL portfolio I would ADD say $25,000 EVERY time the Fed raised rates and reinvest the distributions into new shares...why not? Our economic forecast still sees this expansion running out of gas by 2019-2020 (UNLESS by some miracle Trump were to be elected and his global trade wars start--then we change strategy quickly. The Fed seeks to roughly normalize US Treasury rates for a 2% inflation/1-2% gowing GDP economy.
Rising Rates Good News for Business Development Corp's
The good news on this rate hike is that Business Development companies ("BDCs) make MORE money on their loans with rising short term rates and the unique structured NRZ also benefits from higher rates. That bodes very well for our BDCL investment which was brutalized in early 2016 mostly by fears of oil patch bankruptcies which some BDC's had loan exposure to. With oil prices firmly in the $42-$55 price range and higher distributions coming (BDC's have to distribute 90% of their distributable cash to shareholders) we should see BDCL break out with the next Fed move (but will keep an eye on oil price futures of course).
BDCL--New Buy Under $17.50 with a 16% yield that should be growing.
Newtek Business Services (NEWT) remains a buy. They held its Analyst and Investor Day September 28, 2016, at its new headquarters in Lake Success, NY.
We still have $16 target and buy under $14 with 12% dividend.
MUST Buys: We technical breakdowns we have is with OLED--Universal Display and MobilyEye (MBLY). TIME to be Brave for 40% Upside
OLED has always been a buy below its 200-day moving average...OLED broke that support this week on NO NEWS...which usually means a large fund needed to sell shares for one of a dozen reasons not related to fundamentals. I keep our buy under at $55 and make it a STRONG BUY if the selling continues under $50. Our thesis is as the Apple 8 phones convert to OLED screens in at least the new 8Plus phone in September 2017--the 10 year anniversary of iPhones. The ONLY issue is how fast OLED 4K screens manufacturers can ramp up production...as this note from Gabelli research I think correctly points out:
"The "mega cycle" iPhone 8 and, presumably, iPhone 8 Plus, will have different displays according to new speculation from Gabelli & Co. research analyst Hendi Susanto (via Barrons). In a discussion with Universal Display executive Darice Liu, Apple's potential use of OLED displays in an upcoming iPhone model surfaced, leading to the talk about overall display technology for the iPhone 8.
Susanto agreed that 2017 is likely the year that Apple will introduce OLED displays into the iPhone, with the caveat that it may go for a "partial adoption" of OLED because the company's suppliers might not be able to meet its needs for a full rollout.
This suggests that a higher-tier version of the smartphone -- perhaps the iPhone 8 Plus, or equivalent model -- will be this "specialized edition" of the 2017 iPhone, incorporating an OLED display as its distinguishing factor against other versions.
Speculation regarding the potential adoption of OLED displays by Apple continues to dominate major discussions with investors. The current speculation anticipates Apple’s adoption of OLED displays in its iPhone in 2017 or 2018. We believe that Apple can adopt OLED displays sooner rather than later by pursuing a partial adoption and incorporating it in a specialized edition of a new iPhone version.
This will alleviate the needs of huge supply capacity and accelerate OLED display adoption. Alternatively, Apple could choose to wait and finally adopt OLED displays for all new iPhone versions. We remain cautiously opportunistic. We believe it’s a matter of when, not if.
Here is the updated chart: Our Strong Buy Under $52 has 40% upside and the OLED Apple revolution begins in 2017.
Mobileye: We are back to where we started. I have MobilEye as a hold here...they have announced new auto manufacturer partnerships will be announced this quarter...and when MobileEye ended their partnership with Tesla they expanded their relationship with BMW, GM, Nissan and Ford and Mercedes.
But the marquis value of the Tesla deal has hurt the MobileEye brand...and stock. Let's take the Buy Under down to $36 and see if the stock can get back over its 200-day average. As you can see from the chart it is MASSIVELY oversold here...its' worth one more dive in the dumpster like we did in February (at $26) but the stock requires new partnerships to get rolling again.
A development to watch in the automobile industry is the reaction to the vote last week in Germany by the Bundesrat to ban vehicles powered by gas and diesel by 2030.The non-binding resolution will place more pressure on the European Commission to promote zero-emission mobility, even with the long time frame in place.
But the relative ease with which the 16 German states on the council came to pass the measure could explain the very strong electrification push recently out of Volkswagen (OTCPK:VLKAY), Mercedes-Benz (OTCPK:DDAIF), and BMW (OTCPK:BMWYY).
Meanwhile, in its most comprehensive statement yet on autonomous vehicles, the Obama administration said it would consider seeking the power to approve technology for self-driving cars and said U.S. states should not issue separate rules.
The U.S. Transportation Department also included a 15-point set of "safety assessment" guidelines, covering issues like cybersecurity, black box recordings and how a vehicle would deal with potential ethical conundrums.
Key Point: The "Driverless Car" is fast coming and its going to be mostly powered by electricity.
Overall Market: So Far So Good
So far since the quick rebound from June Brexit surprise the market (as measured by the SP 500 Index) has gone sideways...nowhere. 2120 is the support the market needs to spring off of with final POTUS election complete in a "Thank GOD it's Not Trump" relief rally.
Big earnings surprises for Q3 are mostly not going to happen...but they don't have to. -2% expectation is very grim...they only have to less grim.
So far earnings expectations of -2% are getting crushed. With 52 S&P components having reported as of Tuesday morning, third-quarter earnings have shown growth of 8.19 percent, according to data from The Earnings Scout. Of the 52 firms that have reported, 83 percent have beaten bottom-line estimates, the data also showed.
Small Caps (most of our portfolio) continue to outperform large caps--which they should in a low growth world and rising dollar that does not effect their earnings as much a large caps.
URTY Buy Under $85. We are at key support with URTY our 2X Small Cap Russell 2000 play. I expect it to push past $95 ceiling with Election relief rally which will start BEFORE Nov 8(Irish bookmakers are already paying off my Trump will lose bet I made in July!).
At the same time Market-based US inflation expectations continue to grind slowly higher.
US economic data remains mixed. Industrial production and capacity utilization have been soft as the boost from utilities (due to hot summer) wanes. 75% industrial capacity utilization is WAY lower than the 82% rate we associate with systemic inflation (too much demand chasing not enough supply). Inflation is a LONG way off...and with oil prices stuck in the $42-$55 range but with Iraq, Libya, Iran and Nigeria all boosting output ahead of the November OPEC summit, crude supply will continue to exceed demand by 3 million barrels a day or more well into 2017.
The New York Fed regional manufacturing activity stumbles again.
OIl demand and supply are now headed to balance in late 2017 with $45-$55 oil...and $100 oil is never coming bank. Saudi Arabia is NOT in control of oil prices any more...its US shale oil. Continuous $50 oil will bring back one million plus barrels a day to make up for the one million barrels a day of depletion from the US.
Key Point: The oil market will mostly rebalance in 2017 as an unprecedented drop in investment over the past two years starts affecting supply and OPEC hammers out a deal to cap production.
“The fundamentals of the oil market are heading toward a rebalancing -- we think that is going to happen at some point during 2017,” Eldar Saetre said in a Bloomberg Television interview from London on Tuesday. “Beyond that point, we expect an uptick in the oil price, simply reflecting the fact that investment in conventional oil production has been capped significantly.”
- An increase in WTI’s 50-day moving average above its 100-day counterpart lowers the odds of a dip below $40 a barrel and indicates it may trade as high as $55, absent a disruption,
- If oil reaches $60 a barrel, U.S. shale producers would take six months to a year to react, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a Bloomberg Television interview.
- Saudi Arabian Oil Co. said a crude price of $50 to $60 is high enough to meet supply needs in the coming years.
What worries me the most NOW about Stocks? Populist Political Risk!!!
We know that the amount and rate of global trade is slowing led by China's 10% YOY decline in exports and 3% reduction in imports (adjusted for monetary differences). This means that global demand for China goods is JUST NOT THERE. Chinese trade data for September was surprisingly dour. Exports contracted 10% from a year earlier. Imports of things like coal, iron ore and oil didn’t fall in volume terms but in value terms, as measured in U.S. dollars, overall imports shrank 2%. The hoped-for rebound in Chinese demand for global goods is NOT here.
The fall in exports isn’t because China is becoming less competitive. In fact, the opposite is true. China’s currency has fallen almost 8% in trade-weighted terms over the past year as they try to fight capital flight out of the country. China continues to accumulate structural advantages in terms of dominating supply chains and the development of its domestic market, the world’s largest for things like autos, computers and smartphones. If the global economy were humming, China’s export engine would be too.
That implies demand globally remains in a rut. Other trading economies that have already reported September numbers, South Korea and Taiwan, also reported weak results.China’s response will be to continue to let its currency get weaker, as it has in recent days. Other emerging economies will feel pressure, as usual, to do the same with their currencies
Key Point: China Export Demand is the Economic Canary in the proverbial Coal Mine.
If world demand for Chinese made goods was expanding, that means the entire world economy is expanding. Well it's not. IF the world goes more populist with trade restrictions (other than just tariffs on Chinese steel which everyone knows is being dumped abroad) it has broad implications for the US and our trading partners AND the stock market.
The #1 worry for big global investors is a broad slowdown in world trade and growing populist opposition to new trade agreements will underminine flat corporate profits and could be the next big drag on the stock market. To many U.S. equity prices have been supported for the past three decades by an acceleration of global trade and a freer flow of capital. Those factors lifted economic growth and allowed companies to take advantage of new markets and economies of scale. The S&P 500 is up nearly ninefold since October 1986, according to FactSet.
But now there is worry that the party is ending. “We believe globalization has probably reached its peak,” said Marino Valensise, head of the multi asset team at Barings, a member of the MassMutual Financial Group with $275 billion in assets under management. “The market won’t like it.”
Barings’s uses the term “globalization premium" too add value to companies that trade around the world. MY worry is not economic here...its political risk .
The number of protectionist measures implemented around the globe so far this year has climbed to 338, according to researchers at Global Trade Alert, the highest for the corresponding period since they began tracking the figure in 2009 and up from 61 in the same period that year. Global Trade Alert is a trade-monitoring group coordinated by the Centre for Economic Policy Research, an independent research think tank based in London.
Companies listed in the S&P 500 derive more than 30% of their revenue overseas, according to FactSet.Global container-shipping operators have already cited the slowdown in trade as a major drag on profits, with the shipping industry facing its worst year since the 2008 financial crisis.
Here is the chart that tells the whole story: the fact is we have had flat SP 500 earnings for almost two years...and flat export growth..they are correlated. David O’Sullivan of Credit Suisse said the U.S. profit cycle correlates well with world trade. “And in the past two years we had falling profits and slowing trade,” he said.
Key Point: This is another reason why the United States as the world's largest economy can't afford to start massive global trade wars for d populist economic propaganda.
NBT Macro Market Index: 16.5 BULL MARKET INTACT. Our index is down from 17.9 last month on weaker auto sales, durable sales and total consumption. US GDP is slowing mostly as a function of the election anxiety: 55% of adult Americans are reporting "election anxiety" which basically means they are NOT out shopping and spending UNTIL they know the election results.
Latest US Q3 GDP forecast: 1.9% percent — October 17, 2016
The GDPNow model forecast for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the third quarter of 2016 is 1.9 percent on October 14, down from 2.1 percent on October 7. The forecast of third-quarter real personal consumption expenditures growth fell from 2.9 percent to 2.6 percent after this morning's retail sales report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The next GDPNow update is Wednesday, October 19. Please see the "Release Dates" tab below for a full list of upcoming releases.
Micron (MU) WHAT a buy we made dumpster diving in February on MU: HOLD ON for more gains and BUY under $18 New Target $25
Next stop $25-30 for Micron BEFORE they get taken out by Intel at $40
The news just keeps getting better for Micron and the explosion in demand from data centers for HUGE amounts of flash memory.
While the CFO Ernie Maddock continues to downplay their recovery speed...NAND memory prices are now rising 8-10% since just October 4th As the first part of the graph shows the stock price usually is in the rough gravitational pull of the DRAM spot market price. But lately the two have been diverging which makes me think Micron stock may be in for a nice rally.
And finally, one more bit of analysis. How have spot prices fared since Micron announced earnings on October 4?
So Ernie Maddock's (Micron CFO) tepid guidance for the quarter we are in hadn't benefited from a further 8.7% price surge on the 60% of Micron's revenue that DRAM represents. Hmmmm, interesting...
OK That's it for the second half of October newsletter.
We will fully update all positions with new buy unders and targets later in the month to be ready for "Thank God its NOT Trump Rally" that will mostly happen AFTER November 8th. We can assume with the Brexit surprise and the Columbian referendum surprise vote (to end 40 year narco war) that even as strong as Hillary looks traders are not going to really believe that the polls are accurate.
Frankly that should give us a little time here to ADD new positions and build existing ones.
On my add list are more fast growing high profit margin Data Center/Cloud/AI technology winners..and a few Hillary surprises. We are NOT going to play in the biotech/pharma space until WAY after the election...we all know that price controls and a "public option" for healthcare are going to come into play.
If the election has you frazzled...take a day or two away from TV and just let go...it will be over soon!
Copyright © 2016 Transformity Media, Inc., All rights reserved.


text:
As house prices soar to record levels, some observers point out that the technology-driven buying process contributes to the madness of the housing market. In a recent viral TikTok video, real estate agent Sean Gotcher said that a billion-dollar real estate company, with a website that “everyone visits, is leveraging user data to figure out where you can profitably buy homes. Some tech companies, such as Zillow and Redfin, think they can even buy and sell homes online, and dream of becoming the Amazon of what is known as “iBuying”. This anxiety isn't new, but it has been electrified over the course of the pandemic, as a hot housing market and historic housing shortages have left out young, first-time homebuyers.
In mid-September, he posted a TikTok alleging that an unnamed “billionaire” real estate company used the data it collected from users to buy homes to manipulate the price of real estate in areas known to be of high interest. But they are finding that buying and selling assets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars is a little more difficult as an online industry than buying and selling books.


text:
Witcher 2 dev stops pursuing pirates
CD Projekt CEO says developer will immediately "cease identifying and contacting pirates" as a pledge of faith to its fans.
In November last year, Witcher 2 developer CD Projekt revealed that the PC role-playing game had been pirated more than 4.5 million times, despite only selling 1 million legal copies.
A month later, the developer enlisted the help of a law firm and began to contact individuals who had downloaded The Witcher 2 illegally, seeking financial compensation for copyright infringement and threatening court action for any individual who refused to pay.
Now, CD Projekt CEO and cofounder Marcin Iwinski has released an open letter to the gaming community revealing that the studio will immediately stop identifying and contacting pirates.
"The news about our decision to combat piracy directly, instead of with DRM, spread quickly, and with it came a number of concerns from the community," Iwinski wrote. "Repeatedly, gamers just like you have said that our methods might wrongly accuse people who have never violated our copyright and expressed serious concern about our actions."
Iwinski went on to say that the studio's success could only be attributed to the faith of its fans, and he was sorry to see that many gamers felt CD Projekt did not reflect this trust.
"While we are confident that no one who legally owns one of our games has been required to compensate us for copyright infringement, we value our fans, our supporters, and our community too highly to take the chance that we might ever falsely accuse even one individual."
"So we've decided that we will immediately cease identifying and contacting pirates."
However, Iwinski reiterated that CD Projekt does not support piracy, despite its decision to remain a staunch opponent of DRM.
"We've heard your concerns, listened to your voices, and we're responding to them," Iwinski wrote. "But you need to help us and do your part: Don't be indifferent to piracy. If you see a friend playing an illegal copy of a game--any game--tell your friend that they're undermining the possible success of the developer who created the very game that they are enjoying."
The Witcher 2 was released on May 17, 2011. CD Projekt released a downloadable version of the game free of digital rights management through its own online storefront, Good Old Games. An Xbox 360 version of the game is set to be released in the first quarter of next year.
For more on the game, check out GameSpot's review of The Witcher 2.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
Nobel laureate's continued fight against child slavery
Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi talks about his nearly four decades spent combating child slavery in India and the around the world, and how he hopes that within a few decades the practice can be history.
Editor's Picks Similar Videos
Mercari hits record startup valuation in Tokyo debut
The flea market app Mercari has begun trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers market.The stock opened at 5000 yen.
Diving into interactive digital art in Tokyo
Tokyo has a new museum, and it is interactive. Mori Digital Art Museum: teamLab Borderless features exhibits full of lights, mirrors and projectors that offer seemingly endless ways to explore .
Indonesia could join the TPP
Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla says that his country is interested in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and also keen to participate in projects linked to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
The Trump-Kim summit
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met in Singapore, where the two talked one-on-one and signed an agreement that included the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
India's online grocery market's huge potential
Albinder Dhinsa, the CEO of Grofers, discusses the obstacles faced by the India's nascent but potentially huge grocery delivery industry, and how his business has already found some solutions.
China's steady buildup on Woody Island
Satellite images show China's steady buildup on Woody Island, one of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.(CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe)


text:
Do people drink more beer during a recession because they're stressed out — or less because they can't afford it?
That depends on which beer you're talking about.
The recession has taken a toll on some of the biggest names in domestic beer but the craft beer segment continues to see double-digit percent increases, including an increase of 14 percent by sales volume the first half of 2012.
For Jim Koch, the founder of Boston Beer Company and its flagship brand Samuel Adams Boston Lager, the reason is simple.
“It really is just people trading up and it's kind of, I think, when times are bad, people are willing to treat themselves to small luxuries,” Koch told CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Craft beer is still a small segment of the overall beer market at just over five percent, small enough that Koch says he doesn’t consider himself fighting for the same consumer as Anheuser-Busch InBev or MillerCoors , which account for 90% of the U.S. domestic beer market.
“Sam Adams isn't competing with Budweiser and Miller and Coors” said Koch. “They're sort of like the McDonald's and Burger King and Wendy's. We're fine dining and not really in the same business in a lot of ways.”
No matter the size, though, Koch said they're just now starting to feel the impact of higher grain prices due to the drought.
“The drought has affected all the agricultural products including barley, so beer prices are probably going to be seeing some upward pressure, like any other food. Beer is food. So grain prices affect it,” Koch said.
In the 28 years since starting the Boston Beer Company and working tirelessly to put the craft beer movement on the map, Koch has connected with some of the most influential people in business and politics — the result of being in the right place at the right time.
When he was at Harvard getting a joint law and MBA degree, one of his classmates turned out to be none other than 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
“I remember meeting him and thinking gosh if this is the quality of people going into politics, I'd better stick with beer!” Koch said.
Their paths would cross again upon graduation, with Romney and Koch ending up working at the same company post-graduation, Boston Consulting Group. But if having a future presidential nominee as a co-worker wasn’t enough, the group at BCG at the time also included future prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and John Paulson, who would go on to start a hedge fund resulting in a personal net worth of $11 billion dollars.
Paulson had an eye for business talent early, investing $13,000 in his friend’s brewing start-up in 1984.
“It was John's first, big hit!” laughs Koch. “Things turned out okay for him.”
-By Tom Rotunno, CNBC Senior Editor


text:
HTC has announced (via an email it sent to its users) that it is shutting down its Watch movies service in six countries by May 31st. The company says the service will take a closure in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden by May 31st while the store will no longer be available from May 15.
Here is the email that HTC has sent to users:
As a user of the HTC Watch service we would like to inform you that the store will no longer be available from 15 May. Until that date, you will still be able to purchase movies from HTC Watch shop as usual. Do not worry, this does not affect in any way the film that has already purchased, you will still be able to access its library and re-download them.
Thank you for being a customer HTC Watch, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We’ll stay in touch, by providing updates on our future digital services.
The Team HTC Watch


text:
Monthly Report International Fund May 2023
International Fund May Monthly Report
The fads come and go quickly these days. In 2021, all you had to do was change your name to “XYZ as a Service” and make up some annual recurring revenue and your share price would double. Then 2022 was all about the metaverse. This year it is impossible to sit through an earnings call without hearing a spiel about artificial intelligence (AI).
The frenzy was set off by the phenomenal success of generative artificial intelligence app Chat GPT.
Within two months of launch, chat GPT had reached 100 million users. It took TikTok nine months to reach that marker, and Instagram more than two years. If you haven’t already had a play around with the tool, you should. It is free and fun.
We don’t pretend to have grand insights about how the technology will progress from here. It feels a little “flavour of the month” to even mention it. But, like cloud computing and online search, this technology will change our lives over the coming decades. Some listed companies will be losers and others winners.
NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq:NVDA) is the first clear winner. It designs the pre-eminent semiconductors needed for large AI systems and applications. The stock added 31% to its market capitalisation in May, mostly in one day, thanks to results and an outlook that obliterated market expectations. It’s up more than 170% over the first five months of 2023.
Our June quarterly report will contain a wider review of the risks and opportunities across our portfolio but, while the Fund doesn’t own NVIDIA, we did make a small investment in Alphabet (Nasdaq:GOOGL) in the first quarter of 2023. It is our view that suggestions of its demise were being exaggerated.
While Alphabet certainly faces some fresh challenges, we think its treasure trove of data makes it one of the few businesses more likely to benefit than suffer from wider adoption and penetration of artificial intelligence.
NVIDIA’s result dragged other large tech companies with it, resulting in a 0.9% increase for the MSCI ACWI IMI despite share price weakness outside tech. The Fund’s unit price rose 1.2%, thanks to a few excellent results.
Norbit (OB:NORBT) takes the cake. Norbit is a manufacturer of tailored, high tech products in Norway.
Its main segments are Oceans (think compact sonar systems) and Connectivity (mainly toll tags and smart tachograph systems). Two years ago, the company laid out a three-year plan for revenues and margins that we felt was ambitious but achievable. And they’ve methodically gone about delivering, with any remaining scepticism melting away with the first quarter result. Overall, the company achieved 60% revenue growth versus the same quarter last year, with its profit margin also up meaningfully. The stock is up almost threefold on the price we paid in the 2019 initial public offering and has proven an outstanding compounder for the Fund.
The biggest mover in our portfolio this month was Open Lending (NASDAQ: LPRO) which bounced 44%. The business is currently facing a very challenging market environment given its exposure to near-prime consumer automobile loans. Revenues were hit pretty hard due to ongoing supply issues in both new and used cars, as well as the impact from rising interest rates. Despite this, margins remained strong and management indicated that pandemic supply constraints are slowly improving and dealers are now back to growing inventories.
We think there’s a wider lesson in Open Lending’s recent experience. When the stock market has senselessly beaten down small-cap share prices, don’t assume it will take fantastic operating results to send share prices soaring the other way. One half-decent quarter is often enough. It’s a story we expect to see play out elsewhere in the portfolio in the months ahead.


text:
Australian winemaker, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has received a multi-billion-dollar takeover bid worth A$ 3.4 billion from an international private equity firm, the identity of which has not been disclosed on request. Australia’s TWE is the world’s largest wine producer.
In the beginning of August, the US based private equity giant KKR came up with a renewed bid for TWE. Brands like Rosemount, Lindeman’s and Wolf Blass are owned by TWE. Penfolds, the most popular winemaker of Australia is also headed by TWE.
KKR entered into a joint venture with the Rhone Group, which is a fellow private equity firm in the US.
TWE is undergoing restructuring which will lead to almost 175 job cuts in the near future. In 2013, TWE reported revenue worth A$ 1.76 billion on sale of 385 million bottles. This trend has been observed by several private equity firms which is why they want to have business collaboration with TWE.
Private equity firms see value and scope for growth in the liquor market basically because of higher liquor consumption globally. In June 2013, the TWE Group was compelled to discard away unsellable wine worth A$ 34 million, because of unsatisfactory sale of wine in the US.
Australia has also reported unsatisfactory sale of wine as well and due to austerity drive, there has been lower than expected sale of wine in China too.
The demand for New Zealand and Australian wines is mainly driven by Asian drinking habits.
According to sources, despite the global downturns the international wines market continues to see growth.