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Tide May Rise in 2002, But It Won’t Lift All Ships It turns out that the holiday retail season was not as bad as was first feared. The studios turned in a boffo performance and are getting back to business, inventory levels have fallen and the manufacturing sector is improving, all strong signs pointing to improvement ahead. But the real question is, will it be good enough? Good enough to restore faith in investing, good enough to resume spending, good enough to get unemployment rolls shrinking? Much like 2001, the economic outlook for 2002 is a mixed bag of prognostications, but one thing is certain. If a recovery is at hand, it will not touch down in all sectors and it will not affect all companies in the same sector equally. Most analysts are arguing for a telescopic approach to the year that requires close scrutiny of each company’s fundamentals and dynamics, regardless of the industry in which they operate. Here, a look at some of the largest San Fernando Valley companies representing most of the industries that do business here, and how they are likely to fare in the year ahead. Shelly Garcia Countrywide Credit Industries Over the past five years, Countrywide Credit Industries Inc. has seen its earnings per share jump an average 10.7 percent, a decent showing by any standard, but a mere pittance compared to its latest results. Thanks to a strong home buying market and record low mortgage rates, the Calabasas-based financial services company funded more than $100 billion in loans so far in its current fiscal year, a volume that helped Countrywide to outperform industry estimates. In its most recent quarter ended November 2001, the company recorded earnings per share of $1.32 on a diluted basis, a 59-percent increase over the same period last year. Analysts expect that stellar growth to slow somewhat in the coming year. Earnings per share for Countrywide’s fiscal year, which ends in February 2002, are expected to fall between $4.47 per share and $4.80 per share, or a mean average of $4.63 per share. For the company’s fiscal year ending February 2003, consensus estimates project earnings per share between $4.30 and $4.88, or a mean estimate of $4.59 per share, according to First Call/Thomson Financial. But Countrywide is banking on a more diversified range of services to augment its mortgage banking business as the year unfolds. The company has expanded into a full range of insurance services through its Balboa Life and Casualty, Second Charter and Countrywide Insurance Services Inc. divisions. It has added securities services through its Capital Markets group and it provides mortgage banking internationally through a joint venture called Global Home Loans. Most promising, analysts say, is Treasury Bank N.A., a banking and mortgage warehouse lending operation. In addition to increasing Countrywide’s business potential, the unit will allow the company to fund certain of its operations internally, reducing the need to borrow funds, and increasing the loans it can service. “The company expects, by 2005 or (200)6, that will comprise 25 percent of its consolidated earnings,” said Richard Eckert, equity research analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. Countrywide has also won accolades for its customer service, winning the number one spot in a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey, and in technical support operations, making InfoWorld Media Group’s top 10 list of the most technically innovative organizations last year. In spite of its financial results, Countrywide’s stock has underperformed the industry average, falling by about 18 percent in the first 11 months of the year and, at about $40.62, trading at less than 10 times earnings. The reason, say analysts, is the continued interest among institutional investors in finding “the next hot thing.” The Cheesecake Factory The Cheesecake Factory’s modestly aggressive expansion plans in 2002 may seem risky in the current economic climate, but the moderately priced, casual dining chain could be well-positioned to withstand the downturn in consumer spending. For one thing, analysts point out that restaurants have historically been least affected by recessions in the early 1990s, restaurant sales were barely off from prior year levels the idea being that, whatever the economy, folks have to eat. And analysts say that restaurant stocks often lead the way to recovery, outperforming the market as the economy begins to improve. Although the uncertain climate ahead makes any consumer-dependent business seem risky, analysts say that Cheesecake Factory, a 48-restaurant chain with moderate pricing and varied menu, is perhaps best positioned to withstand the potential turmoil ahead. Thomson Financial/First Call consensus sales estimates forecast sales of $145 million in the final quarter of Cheesecake Factory’s fiscal year 2001, up from $126 million in the prior year, and $148 million in the first quarter of 2002, up from $120.5 million in the comparable period of 2001. First Call projects earnings per share of $0.97 for the full fiscal year in 2002, compared with estimated earnings of $0.77 for the company’s current fiscal year ending in January 2002. While Cheesecake Factory executives have expressed some caution about the coming months, the company is going forward with its expansion plans. In 2002 the Calabasas-based company said it expects to open about 12 new restaurants in Chicago, San Jose, Austin and San Antonio, Texas, Minneapolis, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla. and Boston, among others. The moves follow a six-restaurant expansion in 2001. While Cheesecake Factory did see sales drop off in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, its most recent public comments indicate its restaurant revenues are back to pre-Sept. 11 levels, and sales in the first two weeks of Cheesecake Factory’s fourth quarter were averaging increases of about 2 percent, the company said. For its most recent quarter ended Oct. 2, 2001, Cheesecake Factory recorded earnings per share of $0.20 on a diluted basis, up 18 percent over the comparable period last year. Revenues in the quarter increased 24 percent to $137 million. The company’s stock has been on an upward trend, trading near its high in the mid-$30 range. First Call consensus rates the shares a buy and, in November, US Bancorp Piper Jaffray rated Cheesecake Factory a strong buy. Wellpoint Health Networks Wellpoint Health Networks closed 2001 with several acquisitions, and those additions, along with the company’s track record of staying nimble in a volatile health care environment, are expected to hold it in good stead in 2002. The acquisitions of Cerulean Cos. of Georgia, completed in March, and RightCHOICE Managed Care Inc., expected to close later this month, along with a planned merger with CareFirst Inc., will likely enhance the company’s product development efforts as well as its market penetration, analysts say. A report released earlier this month by Morgan Stanley cites the Thousand Oaks-based company for its innovative pricing and product programs and tiered provider plan designs. It predicts these programs, along with similar steps in managing drug costs, will help Wellpoint to rein in costs and achieve profit margins that outperform the industry. Among the plans cited by Morgan Stanley researchers are the company’s Employee Elect product group, which will be expanded in 2002, and the One Plan PPO due to launch this summer. For fiscal 2002, Thomson Financial/First Call projects earnings of $7.73 per share. Wellpoint recently was rated the best health care company in 2001 by Forbes Magazine and landed in the No. 53 position on Forbes’ list of the “400 Best Big Companies” for its five-year stock performance and other measures. The company’s share price, currently at $124.79, has risen by 244 percent over the five-year period, and the stock is rated a strong buy by Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and others. The Walt Disney Co. The coming year is certain to bring challenges for the Mouse House on a number of fronts. Advertising revenues are down throughout the television sector, and Disney’s weak performance in prime time has not earned it any breathing room. A downturn in travel and tourism comes at a time when Disney needs to begin seeing a payoff from investments in its new Tokyo theme park, California Adventure in Anaheim, and Disney’s Grand Californian resort hotel, not to mention its ongoing theme park operations. Most analysts believe it will be 2003 before the company begins to see an upturn in television ad revenues and theme park attendance. Added to that, Disney is embroiled in a dispute with EchoStar Communications, which is threatening to drop its ABC Family Channel, and a management shakeup that began at ABC Entertainment Television Group in recent weeks with the departure of co-chairman Stuart Bloomberg, a 22-year veteran of the network. On the plus side, Disney enters 2002 with a trimmed down staff. The company slashed $600 million from its operating budget for live action films, and it closed 51 under-performing Disney Stores with another 50 set to close this year. Jill Krutick, an analyst with Salomon Smith Barney, lowered earnings-per-share forecasts for 2002 to $0.60 from $0.73, a drop of 39 percent over 2001. Most analysts are still rating Disney a buy, but there’s a caveat. The company is not expected to make significant upward progress until 2003, when Krutick projects the stock, now trading at $21.20, will reach a target of $28 per share. 21st Century Insurance Group Selling auto and home insurance directly to consumers has helped 21st Century Insurance weather intense competition in the industry. By eliminating the middleman insurance brokers and agents the Woodland Hills-based company has been able to pass savings along to consumers and keep up with the ferocious discounting pressure that has taken hold of the industry. But the strategy has not been as successful in the homeowner insurance sector. In recent months, 21st Century discontinued writing homeowner policies, after trying unsuccessfully to get approval for rate hikes in that business. The competition has also hurt the company’s earnings-per-share performance. 21st Century’s income has been on a steady decline over the past four years, with EPS plummeting to $0.15 per share in its most recent full year ended Dec. 31, 2000, compared to $1.00 per share in the prior year. A somewhat improved picture does appear to be on the horizon, however. 21st Century is expected to report earnings per share of $0.32 for fiscal 2001 and $0.51 for 2002, according to Thomson Financial/First Call consensus estimates. With its share price fluctuating within the $15 to $19 range, 21st Century is considered a stable stock with relatively low risk. But as the company’s earnings have deteriorated, its price-to-earnings ratio appears high at 58.8 projected by First Call for the full year, and analysts rate the stock a hold. Superior Industries International Prospects for auto and truck parts suppliers appear pretty gloomy these days, what with layoffs and closures announced at some of the big auto manufacturers, but Superior Industries International Inc. is expected to fare rather well in the coming year. The Van Nuys-based company entered into a number of contracts to supply aluminum wheels to auto makers like DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and Ford Motor Co., and the wheels have turned out to be a hot commodity. Superior has already opened two new factories to manufacture aluminum wheels, prized because they are lighter than steel equipment, and it continues to win new contracts to supply them. While estimates are less than sanguine for Superior’s fiscal 2001, analysts are projecting strong increases for the company this year. Earnings per share are expected to rise to $2.31 in 2002, up from anticipated EPS of $2.06, according to Thomson Financial/First Call estimates, leading many analysts to assign a buy rating to the stock. Ironically, the one drawback for Superior’s coming performance on the street may be its success over the past year. In the last 12 months Superior’s shares, trading between $28 and $45, have outperformed the market substantially, analysts say. Since Jan. 1, shares have trended downward from about $41.50 to a closing price of $36.47. Another question is the near-term outlook for auto manufacturing. Superior was stung in 2001 by unexpected plant closures at auto makers. Amgen Last November, when Amgen predicted its earnings per share would rise by more than 20 percent in 2002, a number of analysts raised their forecasts for the company. A month later the Thousand Oaks-based biotech company reached an agreement to acquire Immunex, creating the largest merger to date in the biotech industry, and the company’s star rose even higher. While the acquisition is expected to impact Amgen’s bottom line somewhat in the short term, some analysts say it also puts the company on track to see earnings-per-share growth of 25 percent and more beginning in 2003 and likely continuing until 2005. Thanks to new products that entered the pipeline in 2002, Amgen is forecasting significant revenue growth for the year, excluding the Immunex deal. The company expects combined sales of EPOGEN and Aranesp, two anemia drugs, to rise in the low 20-percent range over last year and sales of NEUPOGEN, a drug used to decrease the incidence of infection associated with cancer chemotherapy treatments, to grow in the mid-single digit rate. Kineret, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients, is also expected to contribute to the company’s 2002 revenue growth. Consensus estimates from Thomson Financial/First Call predict Amgen’s earnings per share will reach $1.4l in 2002, growing to $1.67 in 2003 and $2.14 in 2004. For its fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2000, Amgen earned $1.1 billion, or $1.05 per share on a diluted basis, on revenues of $3.6 billion. Although the company’s stock price has been volatile, ranging from the mid-$40 to the mid-$70 range, First Call consensus rates the stock a strong buy and Merrill Lynch in December forecast a 12-month target price of $75. Health Net Health Net Inc. hit some rough patches of road in 2001, but with the divestiture of some unprofitable businesses, the company is expected to see its fortunes rise considerably this year. The Woodland Hills-based HMO has provided earnings guidance of $1.83 per share for 2002, an increase of 16 percent over expected earnings in 2001, and analysts have followed Health Net’s lead, projecting earnings of $1.65 to $1.86 per share for fiscal 2002. The health care sector has generally fared better than many other industries in the current recession, but parts of the industry have felt the sting of the weakened economy, particularly in enrollments. Nearly all managed care companies continue to grapple with mounting pressure from medical costs. Analysts say Health Net is better positioned than many of its counterparts. The earnings increases projected for the HMO are right in line with industry averages of 16 percent for the full year. Nevertheless, Health Net’s stock performance has underperformed the industry, falling 17 percent in 2001. On Jan. 18, the stock closed at $22.02, down from its 52-week high of $24.90. Perhaps more problematic is that the company’s earnings growth has weakened somewhat in the past year while some counterparts have exhibited a strong upward momentum. Although analysts rate the stock a buy, they are not as enthusiastic about Health Net as they are about some other managed care companies such as WellPoint Health Networks, which has been rated a strong buy. THQ The second half of 2001 pumped up sales and earnings for video game software developer THQ Inc., and this year is likely to be even better. The new video game consoles that drove third and fourth quarter results for software makers will be rolling out to an even broader market in 2002, driving business for software developers like THQ. One of the top three video game software developers, Calabasas Hills-based THQ is expected to see earnings per share jump to $1.86 in 2002, according to Thomson Financial/First Call consensus estimates, up 26 percent from the $1.47 per share the company is expected to announce for the 2001 fiscal year. Revenues, which grew by 10 percent from October 2000 to November 2001, should see a more dramatic spike this year, more than doubling to $480 million from $190 million in 2001. The upward momentum is due to the introduction of new video game consoles Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo’s Game Cube in the fourth quarter of 2001 and the launch of Sony’s PlayStation2 earlier in the year. Those game players, faster and more visually appealing than their predecessors, have already met with strong consumer acceptance, and will be rolling out in even greater volumes in the coming year. Sales of software for the new consoles are sure to follow. “01 was the first year of a five-year cycle,” said Michael Wallace, managing director with UBS Warburg. “So yeah, THQ will have a real good year in ’02.” THQ owns several important licenses and franchises including WWF and games based on Nickelodeon programming for the kids’ market. This month, the company reached an agreement to develop games for Motorola’s mobile phones and for Sprint PCS wireless units. THQ’s stock has recently been trading in the mid-$40 range, down from a 52-week high of $65.10. But analysts say the softness in the stock price is seasonal, waning in the months immediately after the holiday selling season. First Call rates the stock a buy and Warburg, which is rating it a strong buy, set a price target of $70 by the end of the year. MRV Communications MRV Communications Inc., a maker of computer networking products and fiber optic components, continues to fight a downward trending market, but even against its peers, the Chatsworth-based company has not performed well. After losing 70 percent of its value, MRV’s stock performance ranked in the fifth percentile in 2001, with 99 being the best possible score, according to a report by Multex Investor. Shares in the company were trading at $4.17 on Jan. 18, down from a 52-week high of $21.68. With its stock price so low and the sector in the doldrums, analysts have steered their attention away from the stock, making it difficult to get a consensus on 2002 performance or a rating on the stock. Thomson Financial/First Call projects earnings per share of $0.32 for fiscal 2002, however the estimates are based on projections from just one analyst. Company officials have expressed considerable optimism in their outlook for the company, recently revising revenue guidance for 2002 upward. MRV projects that its revenues will be in the range of $220 million to $260 million for fiscal year 2002, excluding revenues from its Luminent unit, which has been merged back into the company. The company previously gave revenue guidance in the range of $180 million to $210 million for fiscal 2002. With Luminent factored back into the year, MRV said it expects revenues to be in the range of $300 million to $350 million this year. For the third quarter of 2001, MRV reported a net loss of $1.16 per share on a diluted basis, compared to a net loss of $1.06 per share in the year earlier period. For its most recent full fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2000, MRV reported a net loss of $2.23 per share. After spinning off Luminent, MRV, which has been its major shareholder, in December folded the division back into the company, and cited the group as a major cause of its performance weakness in the fourth quarter of the year.
Tide May Rise in 2002, But It Won’t Lift All Ships


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Instagram passed the 50 million mark, Google+ reached 150 million, over 50% of Facebook users are active on a daily basis while it becomes the top ad-selling company and we continue to question its effectiveness, Mobile is becoming the new personal computer…
We read everything that happens with Social Media week after week from so many sources it’s not even funny.
It all goes so fast. Specially as we begin the second half of 2012.
The good thing is that Esteban Contreras from SocialNerdia, and the head of Social Media Marketing for Samsung Electronics America, has put it all together in one place so you can keep up with this madness.
Here is some of the most interesting data in the presentation:
- The “smaller” social platforms are not so small anymore. Instagram (50M), Pinterest (12M) and Tumblr (55M) while niched apps are also turning in impressive numbers of users, like Foodspotting (2M)
- Facebook currently owns 71% share of the Social Ad Revenue pie and it continues to gain traction
- While Google is the #1 in total Online Ad Revenue, Google+ still generates $0 and there are no signs of Ads
- As social business goes public, the market is still skeptical. Facebook went down 24% from its IPO price
- The percentage of adults who access the Internet or Email from their phones has gone from 31% in 2009 to 55% in 2012
- More users access Google+ on mobile than desktop
- YouTube has grown to 800M users but views have dropped 28% since last December
- Twitter is the #2 network in unique visitors with 167.9 million in November 2011 with a reach of 11.7% of global Internet users
The list goes on, the presentation covers data from advertising, mobil usage, social-related startups, content marketing, specific platforms such as Pinterest, LinkedIn and Tumblr, Social Influence and more.

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Even with more than 18 Billion Euro so far that Volkswagen had to put aside for penalties, damage payments, and buy-backs that followed the revelation of the Diesel cheat scandal, the problems are far from over. Now the first verdicts come in from Germany. Cars equipped with the cheat device technically lose their operation license, if they cannot be repaired. This forces Volkswagen to buy those cars back from their owners.
The Volkswagen-brand is not the only one, Audi is also involved. And recent doubts were cast on Mercedes, when simple math showed discrepancies. Calculating the numbers of how much of AdBlue – an ammonium liquid that neutralizes NOx – is required would add up to hundreds of liters. With the costs included.
In 2003 Consumer Report-magazine tested a Mercedes SUV by driving 25,000 Kilometer through the US. When the testers brought the car to the mechanic, they had to add 28 liters AdBlue for the costly amount of 317 dollars. But even that quantity seemed to be too low. Experts looking at Mercedes’ claims calculated that in order to guarantee this amount of NOx-reductions owners needed to use an AdBlue-quantity of five percent of the used gas.
But back to Volkswagen. Its Management is busy getting the money together – if they are not busy blaming the Diesel scandal on their customers. The cash cow for the Volkswagen group is not Volkswagen. The majority of the profit comes from Porsche, Audi, and financial services. According to rumors Audi for instance had to send 4 billion Euro to the mother.
With the latest German verdict, which killed Volkswagen’s surprising interpretation of European law as making the cheat device legal, a Pandora’ box was opened of penalties and damage payments of up to hundred billion dollars. Billions that Volkswagen does not have and which actually should be used to invest into future technologies.
Just for comparison: the 18 billion Euros that Volkswagen has to put aside for the US is a multiple of what Tesla and Google spent so far on developing electric vehicles and self-driving cars. Tesla’s development and infrastructure cost are in the relatively low billions. Although Google does not comment on its development costs for, analysts estimate the annual amount for self-driving cars at 30 million dollars.
Imagine what Volkswagen could have done with the 18 billion dollars. And now VW not only has to pay penalties, where the final amount is still unclear, but also should have invested that money in future technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving. At the same time Volkswagen should reckon that the announced 30,000 job reductions in the next 10 years are far from being sufficient. We are talking about a company with a structural problem of employing too many workers, due to the blend of ownership-structure, influence of work council, and politics. Pile on that the dismal sales figures since the beginning of the scandal, and we are talking about job reductions of up to ten times the number of employees. That’s half of today’s Volkswagen work force.
At the same time it becomes more apparent how damaged the Volkswagen-brand already is. No matter which automotive forum you look at, the recurring statements are the same: “I drove VW for many years, but such a car I will not have in my house ever again.”
So far Volkswagen was able go on and keep up the impression that it won’ get as bad, due to the time the justice system takes. But in a short time we will see how Volkswagen will be stripped of its parts. The cash cows like Porsche will have to be sold to have cash. The Volkswagen-brand itself will disappear, it’s just way too damaged. Also Audi’s fate is unclear given the deep involvement in the scandal. And politics won’t be able to save the company either. Too much has happened in the past that cast doubts on ethical behaviors of management and work council and that make government help unpopular. Also the automotive jobs there will be lost one way or the other.
We witness the death struggle of the company. VW-CEO Matthias Müller is just the undertaker. The deathly blows were given by the former managers Piëch and Winterkorn. Volkswagen is already dead, but doesn’t want to recognize it.


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GVW Parts Distribution has opened a new distribution facility in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. GVW expects the addition to improve service in Eastern United States as well as in Canada by shortening the time it take customers to receive parts. The new facility ...
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Bethesda released nine direct feed 1080p screenshots for Fallout 4. Fallout 4 seems to be powered by an enhanced version of the Creation Engine.
You can view the images below:
Fallout 4 is going to have a big presence at E3 2015
Hopefully we will find out more details regarding Fallout 4 at Bethesda's E3 2015 press conference on June 14th.
Previous rumors suggested that a 20-30 minute gameplay demo was to be unveiled at the end of the conference, but the cinematic trailer preparation might suggest that the gameplay footage might be shown behind closed doors, which will be certainly disappointing for Fallout fans, eagerly waiting to get a glimpse of the next iteration of the apocalyptic RPG.
Bethesda is also rumored to be revealing a teaser for Dishonored 2, with a possible announcement for the Dishonored Definitive Edition for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Bethesda will likely present the first global reveal of id Software's Doom.
Get the first in-game footage from DOOM at Bethesda's E3 Showcase
Bethesda's E3 press conference will take place on Sunday, June 14th at 7 pm PT. we will bring al new information directly from the show floor.
Major exhibitors scheduled to appear at E3 2015:
Take Two Interactive
Warner Bros. Interactive
Wizards of the Coast
Below is a list of the already confirmed speakers:
A few new participants have been announced including ArenaNet, CCP Games, Creative Assembly, Fullbright, Frictional Games, Frontier Developments, Nexon, Pixel Titans, SCS Software and Splash Damage.
The Gaming Show will be hosted by Sean 'Day' Plott, and will be taking place at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 16, 2015. The whole event is being livestreamed on Twitch, and will feature new game reveals, updates on in-development games and insightful perspectives from the industry's leading figures.
We will bring you any new information from Bethesda and Fallout 4, as soon as it becomes available, as well as full E3 2015 coverage.


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Exporters say the exchange rate is their No 1 cause for concern and is "ruining" the economy.
Export New Zealand’s latest 2012 survey paints a positive picture for the industry, with just over half the respondents expecting their profitability to improve within the next year.
And 35.7% of them expect to employ more people and nearly half are holding out for a slow but steady increase in orders.
The sample size of the survey was small, with just 169 responses. Most came from Auckland (37%) and Canterbury (14%), with just 3% from Wellington.
The second most concerning obstacle facing the survey participants is exchange rate volatility. But that is number one as far as New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters is concerned.
“The protracted period of overvalued currency is ruining the export industry,” chief executive John Walley says.
“We’re seeing plenty of manufacturers, exporting largely to the US, who have doubled their productivity and their output, yet they’re barely making any more, all because of the exchange rate.”
Export New Zealand executive director Catherine Beard says demand offshore is the No 1 obstacle to exporting.
The 6% tariff on exports to the US and Europe is also seen as a major regulatory barrier within New Zealand limiting exports.
Compliance costs, taxes and freight costs for small business also rated a mention, as did a lack of connectivity to the South Island, a free trade agreement with China allowing for the importation of less expensive fabrics and an old and out-dated patents act.
Industrial action also appears to have knocked exporter confidence and depleted funds, with last year’s bitter and protracted Ports of Auckland union dispute affecting 28% of Auckland respondents negatively and 15% of Tauranga submitters.
Exporters lost between $5000 and $250,000 as a result, with one respondent having lost $4000 a week.
When asked if the Government was doing enough to support exporting, 61.3% said no (down from 65% last year) and when asked what kind of Government assistance was favoured, the majority said export market development, followed by R&D assistance.
“The emphasis on more help needed for export market development probably reflects the fact that many of our exporters are relatively small by world standards.
"The regions where respondents said they expected most growth were Australia, North America and China, and 40% of respondents expect to enter new markets in the next 12 months, which is encouraging,” Ms Beard says.
But Mr Walley told NBR ONLINE the volatility in the dollar has definitely hurt the industry, while the effects are starting to be felt more widely.
“Commodity prices are starting to fall now too as a result and that’s having an effect on the primary industry.”
Mr Walley is no stranger to the exchange rate argument. As recently as last month, he called for a lower official cash rate.
“Continued low growth, and broader economic conditions that prevent any realistic expectations of faster export growth, justify a cut.
"It is clear to anyone involved in the export sector that current performance is poor and prospects for future growth are no better. This is largely the result of the reserve bank’s high interest rate policies that drive up the exchange rate reducing export returns.
The International Monetary Fund has stated that a 15% drop in the New Zealand dollar would be needed to balance our current account – this should be an aim for the government, treasury and the reserve bank.”
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Businesses and councils invited to apply for new loans designed to help enhance resource efficiency
Announcing the move at today’s Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) conference in London, waste minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach said the new Waste Prevention Loan Fund would «aid more businesses to plot the course to a more resource efficient future».
He added that the new funding was further evidence of the government’s belief that projects to enhance resource efficiency were «not only good for the environment but also makes good business sense».
The new fund will be administered by the government-backed Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and will provide grants worth up to £50,000 for investment in new equipment and loans of between £100,000 and £1m to resource efficiency projects, as well as business development support designed to ensure projects are properly managed.
A spokeswoman for the agency said businesses, local authorities and charities would now be invited to apply for the loans or grants to fund new business models where traditional sources of finance «may not see the commercial case».
For example, the organisation expects to consider initiatives that reduce waste levels by shifting a business model from product sales to leasing, or creating customer incentives for the return of products for remanufacture, reuse or recycling.
All material streams are eligible to apply for funding, although successful applicants will have proven concepts in place and will only require financing to scale up projects to a commercial level.
While the new fund will support projects that may struggle to find finance elsewhere, WRAP insisted it would «look at each application on a case by case basis and charge a rate of interest equivalent to a commercial rate in most instances».
«WRAP’s new financial support package to businesses aims to take advantage of the great creative and entrepreneurial spirit across England,» said Matthew Broadbent, head of financial mechanisms at WRAP.
«Finding smart ways to prevent waste arising in the first place and then reuse or repair what is created makes pure business sense. We know there are lots of creative ideas out there so we’re looking for opportunities to scale these up to really make a bigger difference, driving green growth further and faster.»
The news comes just days after WRAP announced new funding awardsto seven waste contractors designed to support the development of food waste collection services for businesses such as restaurants and other food service firms.


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Daniel Crooks is jealous of adult friends who have home movie reels of their childhoods. His two young sons will never have that problem.
Crooks, a 31-year-old designer and artist, has billions of bytes worth of digital photos and hundreds of gigabytes of movie footage of his life and that of his children Elliot, 3, and Lucien, 8 months.
"When my oldest son was born, I was taking a photo of him every day with the idea of time-lapsing it," he told The Sunday Age. "That lasted about a year. I'm still going pretty hard, but I've toned it down a bit."
Crooks is not alone, according to trend-watchers, who have dubbed the practice of storing databases of personal photos, films, sound and text "life caching". While collecting personal mementoes is nothing new, trendwatching.com claims that big brand technology from Nokia, Apple and Microsoft is tipping life caching into mass consumption territory.
What started as a way to capture holiday and party snaps has become as much a part of life as living it for Crooks, who lugged 14 kilograms of camera equipment on his last overseas holiday."If I don't have a camera there, it's like, 'Oh my God, here is this amazing opportunity that's going to waste'," he said.
His biggest challenge is storing and managing his collection. "The longer I do it, the more stuff I amass that I've never looked at," said Crooks.
Enter big business: This week, Nokia 7610 mobile phones go on sale in Australia. The megapixel phone retails at $999, but the new Lifeblog software that goes with it can be obtained from the web for free.
The test software lets users download images, messages and movies from their mobile to their computer. The files slot into a timeline, forming a digital journal.
The phone, software and computer replace the pen, paste and scrapbook of yesteryear, said Nokia Australia's Louise Ingram.
"You can lock it securely on your PC, password protected, so no one can get into it or you can choose which moments to share," she said.
The Lifeblog slogan is "Hold on to the good times."
Trendwatching.com credits web diaries, or weblogs, as a precursor to life caching and points to Apple's popular iPods as an early example of the trend, with users storing a lifetime of music memories and data files on the portable devices.
Key-cord Memory Sticks and mini-MP3 players have become fashion accessories in Asia, storing up to a gigabyte of content and allowing consumers to wear their entire "digital life files" around their necks, according to the website.
Microsoft is working on life caching technology from both ends, capturing the everyday and storing it long-term. The company's SenseCam prototype is a badge-sized camera billed as a black box for humans.
Attuned to changes in light, motion or temperature, the tiny camera takes a photo of each new setting the wearer enters. Up to 2000 images can be downloaded at day's end.
The ultimate memory aid, SenseCam is being tested on Alzheimer's patients in the UK and is part of Microsoft's MyLifeBits project, run by US researcher Gordon Bell. He hopes to digitise his entire life. He has already taken his articles, books, cards, CDs, letters, memos, bills, papers, photos, pictures, presentations, home movies, videotaped lectures, and voice recordings and stored them digitally.
"I simply wanted to capture my professional life and see what it was like to be in cyberspace," he told The Sunday Age.
Microsoft developers are working on ways of sorting and retrieving data. Smaller capture devices meant increasing amounts of data coming in, Mr Bell said.
"The trick is to support them in a reasonable fashion, otherwise you have a real mess after a number of years," he said. "It takes a raft of software to make it easy to do."
Melbourne computer trainer Elliot Swart of Digital Survival said it was not just hip young things driving the trend. Many of the people he teaches to use digital cameras and software are retirees with money and time to invest in technology.


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It is estimated that between 50 and 60 per cent of the world's population now own a mobile phone.
This is a great opportunity for mobile marketing and, coupled with the uber growth of web 2.0, means it has never been easier to talk to international audiences directly - whether they are in Mumbai, Madrid or Manila.
What it also shows is that at least half the people across the globe want the same thing, believe they have the same need and have something in common. The idea of being in touch any time, anywhere has successfully travelled the world.
And it is not alone. Nor is it simply a case of bad news travels fast any more. Good PR concepts are flying faster and further than ever before. So is PR becoming increasingly globalised as a result?
It is no surprise savvy international brands that want one powerful voice, combined with the efficiencies of global PR reach, have been taking advantage of this for some time and more companies are joining in.
We are certainly seeing an increasing trend towards a more global approach and we are working more closely with our network around the world.
Tourism Queensland's The Best Job in the World campaign is a perfect illustration of the globalisation of marcoms.
When you're sitting in a French hotel room, watching a story on CNN about an Australian island while news alerts from the Daily Mail about the winner buzz through to your BlackBerry at the same time as your colleague forwards a SmartBrief about how the campaign was fuelled by social media across the world, you know that this is PR with bags of international mileage.
There's no denying that the advent of digital means ideas aren't just confined to geographical regions.
But it is the power of the idea and whether it captures people's imagination that turns it into a globe trotter - the shift in the media landscape simply means it is easier for the news to travel than before.
When an idea or product meets consumer need and taps into the human psyche, geography simply doesn't matter. If it is an interesting concept, people will talk about it, whether they are media professionals, consumers or influencers.
And that's why The Best Job in the World worked. The consumer was at the core. It tapped into an age-old dream - the chance to live in your own tropical island paradise.
Kraft's iFood Assistant application for iPhone is another example of how a good idea travels. The innovation that brings a portable menu planner to your phone hails from the US, yet the lack of geographical borders on our communication landscape means we have all heard about it.
But while the explosion of internet and social media has opened up the world communication stage, given us greater access to our consumers than ever before - and given the people we want to talk to the power and opportunity to talk back - this doesn't mean there is less need for localisation.
On-the-ground local market knowledge and execution remains critical to the delivery. Even when the idea or central theme is the same the world over, the way we need to engage our audiences, together with the messages we deliver to them, needs to be tailored - and that's where good global networks are critical.
So, as we become increasingly globalised, how can PR be successful?
Our approach is simple - think big, start with the consumer and gain global input. Once you have that silver bullet, then you need to get down to the nitty gritty of local markets.
Views in brief
If your agency was a food or drink brand, which would it be? Ben & Jerry's
ice cream. It's recognised and appreciated around the world and adapts to
changing trends, needs and tastes.
Which brand has best caught the public mood in its communications over the past six months? In an economic downturn we long to bring back the good times. There are a lot of brands that are successfully tapping into our desire for nostalgia, but Marks & Spencer really stands out. With its celebration of 125 years including the penny bazaar and retro collections, M&S is not simply evoking good memories but, crucially, getting people into its stores.


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Physician Time Study for Smartphones
According to a study performed by Manhattan Research, over 72 percent of physicians in the United States are smartphone users. Physician smartphone adoption outpaces that for the general US public. The study predicts that over 81% of physicians will use smartphones by 2012. The majority of the smartphone users prefer Apple and Blackberry devices, with Blackberry leading the pack.


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Posted by Mark J. Miller on May 3, 2013 05:40 PM
Boston Beer Takes a Big Hit
America’s drinkers are putting down their Sam Adams. Its brewer, Boston Beer Co., which has gotten a bit of press recently for putting in a trademark request for Boston Strong 26.2 Brew in the wake of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, announced its quarterly earnings Wednesday and they were not good. The company earned 51 cents per share in this year’s first quarter, “down almost 9 percent from a year earlier and well below the 62 cents a share expected by analysts,” CNN reports.
That news sent shares of the country’s top craft brewer down almost 11 percent Thursday. Their spot at the top of the heap is hurting them, the company said, as consumers are turning their tongues to other smaller craft brews that are on their way up.Continue reading...
Posted by Dale Buss on May 3, 2013 09:15 AM
Apple dodges $9 billion in US taxes with bond deal.
Google named Advertiser of the Year.
Volkswagen makes $10 million donation to the National Mall.
Adidas sales drop on weakening Reebok brand.
Barnes & Noble begins support of Google apps on Nook.
Beam sales rise because of "formula run" on Maker's Mark.
Diet Coke slims down its vending machines.
Ford adds jobs and raises capacity to make pick-up trucks.
Geritol seeks new life with younger consumers.
Huffington Post brings rapid-response "native" ads to its home page.Continue reading...
Posted by Mark J. Miller on April 19, 2013 06:37 PM
AB InBev Finally Making Deal With US Over Modelo
Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, which controls close to 19 percent of the globe’s beer market, has been trying to buy Mexico’s Grupo Modelo SAB, which owns close to 3 percent of the world’s beer market, for months now, only held up by the pesky US government, which thought the merger could mean too much power for AB InBev.
The two sides have been talking since at least February about how a deal might be structured so that everybody gets what they want. And now, just days before the two sides were requested to report to a US District Judge, the word on the street is that they have come to an agreement, Bloomberg.com reports.
In order to have this merger occur, Modelo will have to “sell control of all its brands in the US, as well as a brewery it built in Piedras Negras, Mexico, to Constellation Brands (STZ), a winemaker and drink-distribution company,” Bloomberg reports. As part of the new agreement, InBev “gave up an option to buy back a stake in Crown Imports LLC, the US distributor of Corona and the other Modelo brands.” Crown will end up being owned by Constellation.Continue reading...
Posted by Mark J. Miller on April 12, 2013 07:15 PM
Secretary of State Brings Home 24 Canadians
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry found himself to be the proud owner of a case of Molson Canadian Thursday after settling a bet with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird.
The pair had wagered cases of beer over who would win the women’s world hockey championship and the US came through on Tuesday with a 3-2 win. Baird will have to live without the case of Sam Adams, brewed in Kerry’s home state of Massachusetts, that would have been coming to him.
They made the exchange in London, where they are holed up for the G8 conference, leading one to wonder if they each always travel with a case of brewskis—just in case.Continue reading...
Posted by Mark J. Miller on April 5, 2013 06:30 PM
Gun Company Fires Back at Tommy Guns Vodka
Chicago mobsters back in the days of Al Capone favored a submachine gun known as the Tommy gun, which was then glorified in plenty of films and books about the era. But Tommy guns aren’t some relic of history. Saeilo Enterprises still makes them, and the owners aren’t very happy with Alphonse Capone Enterprises and its Tommy Guns Vodka, which is sold in a bottle shaped like the famous gun.
In fact, they are so annoyed that a lawsuit has been filed, the Chicago Tribune reports. Saeilo wants all of the Tommy Guns Vodka that is left to be turned over so it can all be destroyed. (Consumption counts as destroying, right?)Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on March 19, 2013 09:07 AM
Interbrand announces the 2013 Best Retail Brands report.
Coca-Cola honored with first Clio brand icon award.
Starbucks names new global CMO in former Sephora marketer Sharon Rothstein, as McDonald's passes Starbucks as most social brand.
Apple rumored to pull out the stops for the next iPhone to take on Samsung, which has replaced Nokia as top smartphone brand in China and confirmed it's developing a smartwatch to take on Apple's rumored wearable computer.
BlackBerry prepares to bring million-selling Z10 smartphone to U.S. on Friday with 100,000 apps.
Burger King hopes folks gobble up new turkey burger.
Carl's Jr. and Hardee's introduce Jim Beam bourbon burger.
Clorox introduces smart tube technology to packaging design.Continue reading...
Posted by Shirley Brady on March 11, 2013 08:45 AM
Adidas aims to outrun Nike with bouncier shoes (Boost), Google ad test and increased soccer focus as Confederation Cup and FIFA World Cup loom, while Nike feels the heat in China.
Disney's Oz: The Great and Powerful wins weekend box office, marking a comeback for Disney's studio arm.
Old Spice introduces wolfish marketing director to boost men's animal magnetism.
America's Brand USA global marketing arm expands reach with $200M boost and German campaign.
Apple CEO Tim Cook may testify in e-book antitrust suit.
Beam looks past corruption scandal with new brand strategy in India.
Bumblebee and Chicken of the Sea expand U.S. tuna recall.Continue reading...
Posted by Dale Buss on January 23, 2013 09:07 AM
Apple continues to demonstrate brand cachet but faces worry about budget-conscious iPhone buyers and iPad rival in China.
Boeing's largest plane buyer praises its communications during Dreamliner safety crisis as battery woes put FAA on hot seat.
Google stems ad-price drop but keeps struggling with mobile.
Acer defies PC industry downturn.
Allergan plans to buy MAP for $958 million.
Air New Zealand launches "blind gate" promotion.
Beam sells off value brands to focus on premium as Global Brands shakes up drinks portfolio.Continue reading...


text: It looks like PSN is still encountering network issues for some users. There is no explanation for these issues, and it is hard to believe that the network could still be reeling after the holiday attacks. We’re aware that some players are seeing drops on PSN. Engineers are on the case and investigating. — Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) January 7, 2015 The issues started late last night, around 11pm central time, but has only affected a small portion of PSN users. If you are experiencing issues, you can contact PSN Support via the @AskPlayStation Twitter account.


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UPS continues to deliver for customers even as Coronavirus uncertainty is requiring greater flexibility and creativity to adapt to new social distancing and other health maintenance protocols. Recently, the White House through the Rapid-Response Taskforce for Coronavirus Testing Sites asked UPS to assist with the logistics planning and operations to support the opening and regular operation of drive-up Coronavirus community-based testing sites in several cities. UPS is ready to assist with transportation support as needed for the community-based testing sites.
“UPS is proud to provide logistics and transportation support to assist with the Administration’s special Coronavirus multi-city testing program. We stand ready to assist to help keep our communities safe,” said David Abney, UPS Chairman and CEO. “We are mobilizing our air and ground network planning and operations teams and we are prepared to fully support this urgent testing program.”
In this dynamic environment, the company is informing employees, suppliers and customers of several measures it is using to avoid the spread of the disease, in line with CDC and WHO recommendations. Governments around the world have recognized that UPS’s global network, and those of other essential logistics companies, must continue to operate. They have allowed UPS to continue operating at high levels of speed and efficiency even in unusual circumstances and in locations where the public is being advised to stay home and avoid contact with others.
UPS is a significant part of the fabric of the global economy. The company transports more than three percent of global GDP and about six percent of U.S. GDP daily. UPS employees are proud of the critical role the company plays for its customers, communities and the economies in countries where it operates. The company provides extensive support to major healthcare companies with services ranging from supply chain management to shipping, storage and fulfillment of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and clinical trials specimens.
UPS is ready to assist with other critical logistics and transportation support as needed. The company and The UPS Foundation play leading roles in humanitarian assistance in times of public crisis. UPS was among the first companies to provide air cargo shipments of face masks and other personal protective equipment when the Coronavirus spread began in China in January. UPS is serving this same role in the United States and in other countries around the world, beyond China, that are grappling with this virus.
Today UPS is adapting to new business realities by temporarily modifying the procedures its drivers use for residential and business deliveries. In order to minimize contact with recipients, UPS is modifying its process related to delivery signatures. When a signature is requested by the shipper, UPS drivers will validate and record the name of the recipient of the package in lieu of obtaining a signature. In addition, where adult signature is requested by a shipper, recipients will be required to present identification with proof of age to the driver upon delivery.
“We know our customers rely on UPS to maintain the flow of goods throughout their supply chains. We are committed to rapidly adjusting our processes to ensure our employees, customers and communities can maintain normal daily life to the greatest extent possible while we adjust to the new realities of this pandemic,” said Abney.
UPS (NYSE: UPS), one of the world’s largest package delivery companies with 2019 revenue of $74 billion, provides a broad range of integrated logistics solutions for customers in more than 220 countries and territories. The company’s more than 500,000 employees embrace a strategy that is simply stated and powerfully executed: Customer First. People Led. Innovation Driven. UPS is committed to being a steward of the environment and positively contributing to the communities we serve around the world. UPS also takes a strong and unwavering stance in support of diversity, equity and inclusion. The company can be found on the Internet at www.ups.com, with more information at www.pressroom.ups.com and www.investors.ups.com.


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Read today’s daily dose of chic intel right here…
Willow Smith on Her New Role at Chanel [Fashionista]
In an interview with Elaine Welteroth of Teen Vogue, the cool teen—who covers the glossy’s May issue—said having Karl Lagerfeld handpick her as the newest ambassador for Chanel “blows her mind.”
Kendall and Kylie Jenner Design Handbags [Harper’s Bazaar]
This fall, the “it” sisters will release a collection of 18 bags in a range of sizes that will be sold at retailers including Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Social Media Concepts Winning Over Website Homepage’s [Business of Fashion]
Are websites out? A look at how in an attempt to engage with the millennial generation, companies like Obsessee, a property of Clique Media, launched a landing page that links to 10 different social media platforms like Snapchat and Spotify.
Victoria Beckham’s Vogue China Controversy [Cosmopolitan]
Photoshop probs: Intel on why fans are literally going bananas about a image of Victoria Beckham in Vogue China’s latest issue, claiming a chunk of her upper thigh was cut out.
Exclusive Look at The First Monday in May [Yahoo!]
A clip from the forthcoming documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stage the annual Met Gala and its accompanying show.


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Despite production delays for the new 2019 Ram pickup truck, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. reported record profits of 1 billion euros for the first quarter of 2018 thanks to stronger sales in North and South America and a drop in capital spending as the company completed the launch of three new vehicles.
“Overall the business is in good shape,” said FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne during a conference call with analysts, noting the company had eliminated 1.3 billion euros worth of debt out of the company’s cash flow.
“Obviously I’m pleased by the debt reduction,” Marchionne said.
Marchionne acknowledged that the launch of the new Ram pickup truck had fallen behind schedule, raising the overall cost of the launch.
In addition, FCA now plans to continue building the old Ram pickup truck at an assembly plant in Warren, Michigan, well into 2019.
(Earnings down, GM still beats Q1 forecast. Click Here for the story.)
“The ramp-up curve will run for the rest of 2018,” Marchionne said. “One of the benefits of having the old truck (is that it) will allow us to play in a price sensitive part of the market. We have never done this before. We can test the depth of demand for old to see if it can stay,” he added.
FCA also is re-calibrating its approach to the Chinese market, which it is attempting to correct, starting with the launch of the new Jeep Grand Commander, which made its debut this week at the Beijing Auto Show, Marchionne said. “We over estimated the value of the American DNA in the Chinese market.
Marchionne also said FCA had bungled the introduction of the Maserati Levante, an excellent product with a strong potential in the market. “The Levante is a great (vehicle) but the product launch was very poor,” Marchionne said, adding that sales should begin to recover quickly.
Marchionne also confirmed that FCA will start production of the Jeep pickup truck in its plant in Toledo, Ohio by the end of 2018.
The FCA CEO also dismissed suggestions that he stay on as the company’s top executive beyond his planned retirement later this year. “The starting point for my successor will be good. We don’t need me to get this done,” Marchionne said. “It’s a much better starting point than I’ve seen in 14 years,” added Marchionne, who accepted the job as head of head of Fiat when the company appeared headed for financial ruin.
The biggest challenge facing his successor will be in European market, where the margins are small and regulatory framework is very restrictive. “When I look at the economics and the efforts to make (Europe) reasonably profitable, one wonders why you’re doing it. it’s an incredibly complicated jigsaw puzzle,” he said.
If the company misses the regulatory requirements in Europe the “financial fines which are very onerous and need to be avoided like the black plague,” he noted.
(Click Here for the news on Ford’s quarterly earnings.)
Richard Palmer, FCA’s chief financial officer and a possible Marchionne successor, said the Italian-American carmaker was re-affirming its financial guidance for the full year as it expects to make 5 billion-euro profit and 8.5 billion euros in earnings before interest and taxes or EBIT on revenues of 125 billion euros.
FCA’s debt, once heavily discounted, was upgraded twice during the first quarter and the company expects to retire another 600 million in debt out of cash flow during the second quarter as the company moves in on the goal Marchionne set down five years ago of being debt free by the end of 2018.
During the first quarter, FCA net income increased 55% and the company 1.3 billion euros.
“(We) launched the Ram 1500 in the first quarter and we’ll start to see how it’s received by consumers,” Palmer said. FCA operations in Latin America also were profitable in the first quarter.
Worldwide combined shipments increased 5%, primarily due to growth in NAFTA and LATAM and worldwide Jeep shipments up 37%. Net revenues of 27 billion euros were down 2% due to negative foreign exchange translation, but up 9% at constant exchange rates, or CER Adjusted EBIT of 1,611 million euros, up 19% at CER, and the group margin improved 50 bps at 6%
Adjusted net profit of €1,038 million, up 55% up 78% at CER; Net profit of €1,021 million, up 59% up 83% at CER with lower financial charges and income tax expense.
(To see more about FCA’s ongoing talks with DOJ, CARB on diesel settlement, Click Here.)
FCA’s Board of Directors authorized management to develop and implement a plan to spin off the Magneti Marelli business.


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NAPLES, Fla. – A Naples woman was sentenced to just over eight years in prison after stealing two credits from two victims including a woman with dementia, and racking up nearly $100,00 in charges.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, 49-year-old Elena Moll was arrested in 2017 after an investigation by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
In 2014 Moll was running both a hair salon and an interior design business before she stole a credit card number from one of her friends and accepted a credit card from a woman suffering from dementia, investigators said.
The 49-year-old allegedly told the woman she was using the credit card to buy paint after being hired for interior design work.
Court records show Moll used a credit card scanning device to pay for the rent of her condo and her salon. She also used the cards to take out cash advances from the victims’ accounts.
She stole $58,860 from one victim and $37,000 from the other, investigators said. Moll tried to get more but her scanning device did not allow the transactions to go through due to her entering so many at one time.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Tino Cimato and Assistant State Attorney Jessica Horowitz.


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Hyliion has announced the availability of its trial fleet of the new Class 8 hybrid electric tractor, the 6x4HE. The trial fleet is outfitted with the 6x4HE, and available for potential customers to test in their own operations for up to a week at no charge.
“We are excited to offer our customers the chance to test a Hyliion enabled vehicle in their own day-to-day business operations. It is a big decision to adopt a new technology and the opportunity to take the truck for a trial run makes all the difference,” said Thomas Healy, Hyliion’s chief executive officer and founder.
Trucks are available starting March 12th; visit the Hyliion website for more information.


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High school senior Ally Johnson says her mom, Lori Johnson, has been lovingly pressuring her to wear her old prom dress for years now, according to The Huffington Post. Lori wore her sparkling stretch black dress to prom in 1995, and if reading that doesn't make you feel old, it should.
Weirdly, when I first saw this story I pictured Lori's old prom dress as some sort of vintage pink taffeta number with a petticoat. But it actually looks like something Kylie Jenner might wear. The nineties are back, baby!
Though Lori has suggested Ally wear the dress to other proms (multiple proms? Kids these days!), she never took the suggestion seriously until this year. Ally says she had been looking online and couldn't find a thing she liked. She was at her grandmother's house and asked her if she could pull her mom's old prom dress out of storage.
Ally tried it on and says she "loved it instantly." That's why you should always listen to your mom, people.
Obviously, Ally is working the hell outta this look. She looks as amazing as her mom did 22 years ago, and her tweet blew up, getting over 3,000 RTs in just a few days. And Ally wasn't sure that it would work at first!
“It is very stretchy, which made it fit perfectly,” she told HuffPo, “I was surprised because my mom had a very different build than I did when she was in high school.” Now she feels she's started something of a tradition and says she plans to hold onto this dress another few decades until she has a daughter who can squeeze into it. Meanwhile, folks online are getting to the heart of the matter:
True. Hmm, wonder how he's holding up 20 years later?
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19:49 | 04/04/2020
According to a directive from the Prime Minister, social distancing has been applied nationwide for 15 days since April 1, in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus, and only factories, businesses and service establishments producing and providing essential goods and services are allowed to remain open.
16:26 | 19/03/2020
Vietnam's national oil and gas group Petrovietnam may incur a loss of up to US$3 billion in revenue if prices of crude oil can not reach a higher level of $30-35 per barrel as in recent days.
16:33 | 16/03/2020
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads and impacts the entire planet, many countries have issued entry and travel restrictions, including Vietnam, we’ll try and answer some questions about travelling to and throughout Vietnam.


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Rare Kobe Bryant rookie card sells for nearly $1.8 million
A rare Kobe Bryant rookie card sold for $1.795 million Saturday on Goldin Auctions, an online auction house and repository for sports memorabilia. The sale is an all-time record for a Bryant card.
The card shows Bryant, donning No. 8, going up for a shot against a Minnesota Timberwolves defender.
According to Goldin Auctions, the “1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractors #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Card – BGS PRISTNE/Black Label 10” is one of just “two examples in the world at its level of perfection.”
The card’s condition report scores all perfects 10s in centering, corners, edges, and surface, which qualifies it for prestigious “Black Label” recognition.
“Kobe Bryant was one of the fiercest competitors of all time and truly larger-than-life figure. His rookie card is one of the rarest in existence and one of only two on Earth in black label condition, which is the highest possible obtainable grade,” said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, to ESPN.
The name of the buyer has not been released.
Rookie cards have been hot sellers as of late. A rare Mike Trout rookie card sold for nearly $4 million in August on Goldin Auctions, which was an all-time record for any trading card sold at the time.
A Mickey Mantle rookie card was sold for $5.2 million in November, crushing Trout’s record.
Bryant, a former Laker and one of the most beloved athletes in the world, died in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna and seven others in Calabasas on Jan. 26, 2020, at the age of 41.
Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, continues to carry on her husband’s legacy through his multimedia company, Granity Studios, and has relaunched his charitable nonprofit organization as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.
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FDA requests budget increase to implement food safety law
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it is requesting a budget of $4.7 billion in fiscal 2014, including $295.8 million to implement new food safety regulations.
GMO labeling forces look for a win after two defeats
Food Safety News
With the defeat of California's Proposition 37 last November and the recent signing of House Resolution 933, opponents of genetically modified foods are in bad need of a win. And with the state legislative season starting to wind down — 9 of the 50 states have already adjourned for the year — those who want food with GMOs labeled or banned are running out of venues for scoring such a win.
Burger King CEO named to take top job at Heinz after acquisition
The Associated Press via The Washington Post
Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees will take the top job at Heinz following its acquisition by investment firm 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Hees, 43, has been CEO at Burger King, another 3G Capital investment, since 2010.
Summit GPO is a group purchasing organization that provides a cost reduction service to the packaged goods industry. We’re committed to making you more competitive by decreasing your costs through effective group purchasing as we have been doing for more than four decades.
Poll: Obama approval falls 6 points
A new NBC/WSJ poll finds President Barack Obama's approval rating has fallen 6 points since his re-election, to 47 percent. At the same time, his disapproval rating has ticked up 5 points to 48 percent, the poll found.
Where's Mitch McConnell?
Thursday's Senate vote to move ahead with gun control legislation marked the fifth time in just two months that Democrats have won a procedural showdown by peeling off Republicans at the expense of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Related: Report: Progress Kentucky activists recorded McConnell meeting (Politico)
Obama meets with Wall Street CEOs
President Barack Obama met at the White House Thursday morning with a group of top Wall Street chief executives as part of the administration's efforts to forge better relations with the industry and enlist them in efforts to sell his fiscal proposals.
Obama sends NLRB nominations to Senate
This week, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominated three individuals, to serve as members of the National Labor Relations Board. The Senate is now considering the trio: Mark Gaston Pearce (current NLRB Chairman), attorney Harry I. Johnson III and attorney Philip A. Miscimarra.
Related: House committee debates bill to pause NLRB (Thomson Reuters)
Poll: Smallest businesses support E-Verify
The Wall Street Journal (subscriber story)
Nearly 6 in 10 of America's smallest businesses believe every employer should have to comply with a system to verify workers' legal status, a new survey shows. The prospect of mandatory E-Verify, a federal system to check a worker's legal status, has prompted a combination of acceptance and concern from businesses.
Related: Budget aims to boost enforcement of labor laws (The Wall Street Journal)
FAO: World food prices rose 1 percent in March
The Economic Times
Global food prices rose in March, the United Nations' food agency said Thursday, as dairy costs surged and cereals prices held steady. The Food and Agriculture Organization's price index averaged 212.4 points in March, up 1 percent from 210.7 in February.
tna is your global supplier of integrated food packaging solutions including conveying, high speed weighing & VFFS packaging systems, plus system controls & integration solutions. MORE
To find out how to feature your company in the AFFI Frozen Express and other advertising opportunities, Contact James DeBois at 469-420-2618.
Obama budget cuts US agriculture from international food aid
The Washington Post
Under a proposal in the White House budget released Wednesday, nearly half of $1.4 billion in requested funds for international food aid could be spent to purchase local bulk food in countries in need or to distribute individual vouchers for local purchases — instead of buying the food from U.S. producers.
Study: Proposed soda ban likely to backfire
Los Angeles Times
New research shows that prompting beverage makers to sell sodas in smaller packages and bundle them as a single unit actually encourages consumers to buy more soda — and gulp down more calories — than they would have consumed if larger drink sizes weren't banned.
Why all food makers should read draft guidance on what 'natural' means
In the absence of a clear legal definition of "natural," food marketers seeking to avoid legal challenges over it refer to a variety of sources for guidance. The National Organics Program is frequently cited in civil litigation to support claims that certain foods do not qualify for "natural" labeling.
AT Xpress, LLC mission is to provide the highest quality warehouse and time sensitive transportation services in the market place. It’s streamline focus bridges the gap as a manufacturer logistics partner. The coordination of all logistics services ultimately reduces expense which is past on as a cost savings to the end user.
USDA proposes sugar-for-ethanol purchase
Food Product Design
The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week sent a proposal to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs asking it to approve the sale of up to 400,000 tons of surplus sugar to ethanol producers under the 2008 farm bill Feedstock Flexibility Program.
FDA wanted to require annual on-site audits of suppliers in FSMA rule
Food Chemical News (subscription required)
It wasn't just the inclusion of supplier verification controls that got pushed out of the main body of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act preventive controls proposal, but also a requirement for annual on-site audits of suppliers, observes Maile Gradison Hermida, an attorney at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C.
Missed our previous issues? See which articles your colleagues read most.
Millennials turn up the radio
Digital and social media play a big role in the pre-shop behaviors of millennials, but surprisingly, so does a more traditional medium: radio.
Who says innovation is dead in the age of crazy cheese crust?
Looking to lure Americans with the coolest new menu item, Burger King, McDonald's, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and others are turning up the heat in their test kitchens. Move over, hamburgers and fries. Here come the sweet-chili chicken wraps and bacon-filled tater tots.
McDonald's tackles repair of 'broken' service
The Wall Street Journal (open access)
McDonald's Corp., battling back from recent earnings disappointments, is putting unusual emphasis on a longtime challenge: getting its far-flung workforce to provide service with a smile.
Related: Your McDonald's ordering ritual is about to change (The Wall Street Journal)
China bird flu threatens KFC parent's winning streak
Yum Brands Inc., the biggest foreign fast food chain operator in China, is in danger of breaking its 11-year streak of double-digit profit growth as it scrambles to deal with food scares and bird flu in its most lucrative market.
Chili's jumps into competitive pizza space
For the first time in the brand's 38-year history, Chili's Grill & Bar is offering pizza. The menu item is available at participating restaurants for lunch or dinner.
Family Dollar moves groceries to back of store
Family Dollar Stores said Wednesday it plans a new store layout that will move home and apparel items to the front of the store, ahead of food items. With groceries selling well, the company hopes the change will boost its higher-margin categories, Michael Bloom, president and chief operating officer, told analysts.
High-speed sterilizing technique wins patent
Food Manufacture UK
U.K.-based Continuous Retorts has been granted a series of European patents and expects U.S. patents to follow for its food processing technology that uses high speed to pasteurize plastic laminate pouches, pots, trays, tin cans and glass jars for a low unit cost.
Nestle: Switzerland losing its business attractiveness
Nestle SA's chairman said Switzerland is becoming more difficult as a business location after voters last month approved some of the world's toughest limits on executives' pay.
Label decoder: Protein additives
The Wall Street Journal
A lowly legume is getting more attention from food manufacturers who want to capitalize on consumers' clamoring for more protein. Pea protein — yellow peas that have been processed to remove carbohydrates and leave the protein — is being added to baked goods, snack bars, drinks and cereals.
10 tons of deli roast beef recalled on Listeria worries
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Manda Packing Company, a Baker, La., establishment, is recalling approximately 20,166 pounds of cooked roast beef deli meat after the Tennessee Department of Health found Listeria monocytogenes during routine sampling.
Misbranding forces recall of pork jerky
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Formosa Food Company Inc., of Hull, Iowa, is recalling approximately 1,133 pounds of a pork jerky product because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen, wheat, which is not declared on the label.
Editor's note: Members of the American Frozen Food Institute have access to AFFI's unique Product Recall Insurance Program. Ensure you're protected during a food safety crisis using AFFI's one-of-a-kind program. For more information, please click here.
Lithium-ion batteries seen powering reefers
Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer
Emerald Technology Partners and EnerDel Inc. announced plans Wednesday to further develop EnerDel's lithium-ion battery for commercialization with the WedWay™ Refrigeration Power System.
'Green electrochemistry' could open new opportunities in food industry
Biotech firm Dynamic Food Ingredients Corp. is a step closer to commercializing technology it claims could slash production costs for the bulk sweetener erythritol, opening new opportunities for the food industry.
How Salmonella survives dry conditions and contaminates dry foods
Virginia Tech scientists have provided new evidence that biofilms — bacteria that adhere to surfaces and build protective coatings — are at work in the survival of the human pathogen Salmonella.
7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


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FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WKRN) — Employees at a Dollar General store in Martin, KY had a pretty testy shopper pay them a visit Wednesday evening— and the claws came out.
A bobcat was found inside the store near the deodorant aisle. Floyd County Sheriff’s Department posted on Facebook that deputies, KSP troopers, and Martin Police were able to safely capture it and remove it from the store.
Thankfully, no employees or customers were injured and neither was the bobcat, who was released into the wild.
Dollar General did not immediately respond for comment, but we would venture to say that THIS customer won’t be graciously allowed back.
- Baldwin County home destroyed after generator catches fire
- Free tarps available Friday for Thomasville residents
- Judge Judy to move her gavel to streaming service IMDb TV
- Playing through! Nearly 10-foot-long alligator strolls across Florida golf course
- Colorado man denied lottery winnings after missing deadline by 3 days


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Parasole finally responds to controversy over credit card tips policy
Parasole Restaurants has finally issued a public response to the controversy over their new policy on credit card tips.
Parasole instituted a policy last week cutting 2 percent of its servers' credit card tips to pay rising bank fees on the transaction.
In statements issued via Twitter this afternoon, Parasole said its success is built on taking care of its guests and employees, then added that its servers are better off when customers use credit cards because they tend to spend more money than people who pay in cash.
Nowhere do they directly address the public relations fiasco their perfectly legal but unpopular new policy has unleashed.
We put in another call to Parasole to ask if a live human being would be willing to talk to us in greater detail than these two tweets. We'll let you know if they get back to us.
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After Facebook's struggle with one privacy issue after another this year, some in the industry are raising privacy questions about Facebook's new messaging system.
Killing recent rumours that it's launching an email killer, Facebook has unveiled a new messaging system that will envelope email, instant messages, Facebook messages and SMS.
Yahoo is denying reports that the company is in the midst of a 20 per cent reduction of its workforce.
In another high-profile departure, Michael Kirwan, formerly CIO of Yahoo, has left the company.
It was about a year ago that Yahoo!-hosted Geocities sites started going offline. For the majority of Internet users, this event was met with little fanfare; Geocities had long gone out of fashion as a free web host and been replaced by sites like My...
Yahoo caught the redesign bug and gave Yahoo Mail a big makeover.
Apple last week joined forces with Google, Facebook, Yahoo and others in an effort to dismiss patent infringement charges brought by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Yahoo's revenue grew slightly in the third quarter, even though the online advertising market has rebounded this year, as the Internet pioneer's ability to turn its fortunes around remains in question.
While it began life as a tool for indexing Web pages, the open source Hadoop framework is being marketed as a tool that could house and analyze vast amounts of data with the kind of proportions that would quickly overwhelm traditional database system...
Yahoo's BOSS platform, which lets external developers build custom search engines on top of the company's search infrastructure, will shift to a fee-based model in early 2011.
Google had a good month in September, with its search share gaining and rivals Yahoo and Microsoft Bing taking a hit.
Yahoo has implemented new features in its search engine intended to make finding photos, videos and entertainment information simpler and more engaging.
LAS VEGAS -- Vendors are increasingly trying to sell users on the idea that they need to stick RFID tags on IT equipment to keep track of it. Users are interested in this technology because they would much rather automate inventory tracking then go s...
Yahoo confirmed that the head of its North American business, Hilary Schneider, plans to leave the company.
The Web page once reserved for Google's Nexus One phone is now a monument to Android phones in general -- or at least the ones Google likes best.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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Despite promises from Wegmans representatives that its Valley Square store would maintain its family-friendly atmosphere and its employees would be trained in alcohol sales, the Warrington Township supervisors voted Tuesday to deny the market's liquor license application.
After almost two hours of debate from township residents and officials, the board voted 4 to 1 to reject the market's application. Wegmans had hoped to transfer a liquor license from a Pizza Hut in Richboro to its 225-seat self-serve cafe.
Board members' concerns ranged from fears over open containers in grocery aisles, to increased access to alcohol for minors, to the safety of the market's already crowded parking lot.
“It's bad enough being in that parking lot on its own,” said Supervisor Michael Lamond Jr. “If you add alcohol to the mix, it can only get worse.”
Though one resident spoke out in favor of the idea, most public input was overwhelmingly negative.
Steve Mendenhall, who manages Thirsty's Beer on Easton Road, brought with him a petition of more than 300 signatures of area residents who opposed a Wegmans liquor license.
“If Wegmans gets a license, who's next?” Mendenhall asked. “Is Genuardi's next? Is ShopRite next? Are there going to be taps at Wawa?”
Chairman Paul Plotnik had worried most that Wegmans would one day sell hard liquor. Secretary Glenn McKay proposed limiting the market to selling beer and wine for take-out only.
“I can promise you I'd spend three years in a lawsuit if that happened,” said Mark Kozar, an attorney representing Wegmans. “(The Malt Beverage Distribution Association) would sue us, just like they sued our client Sheetz.”
MBDA of Pennsylvania has challenged each of Wegmans other Pennsylvania liquor license applications, as well as beer sales at a Sheetz convenience store in Altoona. The Sheetz case is now before the state Supreme Court.
By SARAH BAICKER The Intelligencer


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Cisco announced a five-year agreement with Telstra to provide connectivity management for IoT services.
Telstra has already used Cisco’s IoT Control Center SaaS solution for more than 10 years to grow new revenue streams, the company noted in a statement. Telstra serves thousands of customers including Australia’s major financial institutions, retailers and government, offering more visibility and flexibility to manage their businesses and turn IoT data into decisions.
According to the company, Cisco continues to work with its service provider customers like Telstra to explore 5G use cases that will drive value, including private 5G, as the platform supports both 5G standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) networks. The collaboration is said to bridge regions together with IoT networks to support a variety of industries including financial, retail and government.
With Telstra Control Center powered by Cisco, the customers are expected to gain the visibility they need to turn IoT data into smart business decisions.
“Working with Cisco, our management platform helps customers automate and manage large-scale IoT deployments easily and cost-effectively. This means customers can be faster to market, lower costs, increase reliability and take actions through the platform ’s insights,” said Mark Chapman, group owner of industry solutions and IoT, Telstra.


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Look for the debate over raising the octane levels at U.S. gasoline pumps -- perhaps making 93 octane the new regular -- to get a lot louder between now and 2017.
Here’s why: Automakers and suppliers are spending record amounts of money on product development to meet the government-mandated 54.5 mpg fleet fuel economy average in the 2025 model year.
They very likely will need higher octane gasoline to get there.
Octane is a measurement of gasoline’s resistance to ignite when compressed in an engine’s cylinder. High octane can make a small engine produce more power. For example, if you fill the tank of a 2015 Ford Mustang equipped with the turbo four-cylinder engine with 93 octane premium, the horsepower is 310. But switch to 87 octane regular and the horsepower level drops. Ford won’t say by how much, but a Ford Fusion loses 9 hp running on regular vs. premium.
In 2017 the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plan to meet with automakers in a midterm review of the 2025 model year fuel economy standards.
Automakers are making good progress in improving fuel economy. In March, the average fuel economy of new-vehicles sold in the United States was 25.4 mpg, according to the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, up from 22.1 mpg five years ago. And automakers are not lobbying for changes to the fuel economy standards.
Weight is coming out. More gears are going in. Friction is being reduced. Aerodynamic efficiency is being increased. Nearly every component on a vehicle that uses electricity is being managed for maximum efficiency. Waste heat from the exhaust and coolant, for example, is being captured for faster warm-ups.
Automotive engineering is closing in on rocket science in technical complexity, it seems.
But fuel efficiency’s low-hanging fruit is long gone, and automakers are now spending millions for each 1 percent gain in efficiency.
On average, many automakers still must improve fuel economy about 5 percent each year to meet the 2025 model year standard. That will be a tough and costly engineering challenge.
For not much in engineering cost, modifying engines to run on higher octane fuel can deliver about a year’s worth of fuel economy improvements on that road to 54.5 mpg.
But calling for premium gasoline to become the new regular puts automakers in a tough spot. And so far, they are not doing it, at least publicly.
On one hand, high octane gasoline further opens the door to smaller, high performing engines that can yield real-world fuel economy gains of between 3 and 6 percent, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions about 2 percent, according to a panel of experts who spoke last week at the SAE World Congress in Detroit.
And those gains would come cheap by today’s engineering standards. Raising an engine’s compression ratio from 9.0:1 to 12.0:1 can be done with a simple reshaping of pistons or a redesigning of the cylinder head’s combustion chambers. Some additional expense might be involved because of the need for more robust gaskets and changes to the fuel system to handle more ethanol.
“If we were able to tune the engine and optimize spark for higher octane, we could turn that into higher fuel economy,” Dave Leone, executive chief engineer for Cadillac’s V-series performance cars, told me. He said 90 would be a good octane level for regular fuel with 95 octane becoming the new premium. Such a system would roughly align the United States with Europe in octane ratings.
(To align exactly with Europe, regular gasoline in the U.S. would be between 90 and 95 octane, premium would be above that and superpremium would be 102 octane.)
On the other hand, premium gasoline averages around 37 cents more per gallon than regular and raises ownership costs for consumers. That presents automakers with marketing and PR nightmares. Few car companies want to force customers to use premium fuel, especially when the average transaction price for U.S. light vehicles is more than $32,000. Running a car on premium instead of regular adds $1,500 in operating costs over the life of a car, according to Amir Maria, a research engineer at Chevron Energy Technology Co.
Further complicating matters: today’s cheap gasoline. The price of a barrel of oil is down nearly 50 percent since June. In many states, the price of regular gasoline dipped to under $2 per gallon this year, but the national average has bounced back to around $2.55 per gallon today. That’s still far below the $3.83 national average in March 2012.
Cheap fuel is causing American buyers to revert to old habits. SUVs and trucks are flying off dealer lots. Small, fuel-efficient cars are not. Three years ago, when gasoline was nearly $4 per gallon, cars sales reached a high of 54.7 percent of the new light-vehicle market. Today, the split is now about 45 percent cars vs. 55 percent light trucks.
Automakers are counting on strong sales of hybrid, electric, diesel and fuel-efficient vehicles to meet the 2025 model year standards.
Refiners are resisting early efforts to produce gasoline with higher octane, citing increased costs. According to Chevron, 87 percent of gasoline produced today is 87 octane; premium is a niche product. Raising octane in the refining process adds cost because the fuel produced requires more hydrocarbon molecules.
Octane also can be raised by adding more ethanol, but that brings with it another set of problems. Gasoline with too much ethanol can damage the fuel systems of today’s vehicles, especially older ones not engineered to burn fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol. And gasoline with high ethanol content carries less energy, meaning lower miles per gallon and more frequent stops to refill the tank.
If fuel prices stay low, if Americans continue to buy SUVs and trucks, and if the Feds don’t waiver on the 54.5 mpg standards, the octane debate may start moving from the quiet backwater of industry conferences and engineering seminars to the top of the agenda.


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Office 2016 for Mac is now available in Office 365 for UGA employees and students to install on personally owned devices.
Mac users can update to Office 2016 by logging into their Web-based UGAMail account and clicking on the gear icon in the top right-hand corner. Click on the Software tab to select the option to install Office 2016 for Mac.
UGA students, faculty and staff can install Office ProPlus software on up to five personal devices.
Microsoft is expected to release a Windows version of Office 2016 later this year.


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Realme is all set to unveil its upcoming Realme 6 series smartphone on March 5th, which is exactly a week away. Yesterday, Realme mobiles CEO, Madhav Sheth has teased that there’s an upcoming Realme smartphone and he had also posted a photo of himself with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, which was apparently shot on Realme 6 smartphone, hinting us the launch is imminent and actor Salman Khan would be part of Realme, at least that was indicated on CEO’s Twitter post.
After bringing you the best of Tech World, now it’s time to bring to you the best of Entertainment World.
— Madhav 5G (@MadhavSheth1) February 25, 2020
Nonetheless, Realme had now made it official that they are all set to release the new Realme 6 series smartphones including — the Realme 6 and the Realme 6 Pro on March 5th. The company had further confirmed on Twitter that Bollywood Super Star Salman Khan would be the next ambassador for Realme from now on. This comes after another Chinese OEM iQOO recently announcing Indian Cricket Skipper Virat Kohli as their ambassador at the iQOO 3 5G smartphone launch.
— realme (@realmemobiles) February 26, 2020
Also, this is surprising, as the company chose to announce the actor/superstar Salman Khan as its ambassador with Realme 6 series rather than announcing it with the latest 5G flagship smartphone – the Realme X50 Pro 5G. Nonetheless, this new collaboration with the superstar is expected to create more hype with the upcoming Realme phones this year and starting with Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro smartphones.
As far as the upcoming Realme 6 series smartphones is concerned, the details are still scarce, however, CEO tweet’s had suggested that the Realme 6 would be featuring a 64MP AI-powered Quad Rear Pro camera setup – albeit it is still unclear on whether both the phones feature the respective quad cameras or we could surely expect from the Realme 6 Pro smartphone.
Besides, the new teaser from the company had revealed the Realme 6 series phones or at least one of them either Realme 6 or the Pro variant, most likely would be featuring dual punch-hole cameras on the front with full-screen display, which the company calls it ‘Pro’ display that could be on the likes of recently launched Poco X2 smartphone. Unfortunately, with the teased tweets, there isn’t any further information provided on these forthcoming Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro smartphones, apart from the launch date, which is scheduled for the 5th of next month.
Furthermore, Realme could possibly be launching its new fitness band, which has been already teased several times including in the recent Realme X50 Pro launch.
Stay connected to PhoneRadar for more such interesting updates


text: 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition First Look Steve Cox | December 17, 2018 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition Unveiled: The KTM Factory Edition motorcycles form the base package upon which the Austrian company’s factory-supported teams build the motorcycles raced over the years by the likes of Ryan Dungey, Antonio Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings, Blake Baggett, Marvin Musquin and Cooper Webb, and KTM has just announced its newest incarnation: The 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition. 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition First Look This year’s model is not a full redesign as some previous models have been, but is rather a more-refined model over the 2018 model year, with a new piston and connecting rod, suspension settings and a floating front-disc brake. These machines should start showing up in KTM dealership showrooms starting in March of 2019. The MSRP is yet to be released. 2019 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition Unveiled Click here for more KTM motorcycle reviews and news. Click here for the latest Cycle News Motocross bike reviews and news.


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IPOs, venture capital deals both on the rise
Several new reports point to a tech market that's heating up, though not quite to dot-com bubble levels. According to an Ernst & Young report, 94 U.S. companies registered for initial public offerings in the third quarter, up from 64 in the second quarter. Tech companies led the way, with 32 firms raising about $3.5 billion in stock offerings.
On the front end of the money trail, 2007 is shaping up to be the busiest venture capital year since 2001. Information technology and life sciences were the sectors attracting the bulk of the $7.1 billion VC dollars in the third quarter, but clean technologies showed big-time growth.
Clean tech, which cuts across several traditional industry classifications, attracted $844 million, 80 percent more than in the second quarter, MoneyTree reported. Venture One’s energy group, where many clean tech companies are classified, similarly posted an 83 percent funding increase to $590.2 million for the quarter.
If you missed it yesterday, Knoxville-based Innovation Valley Partners and its affiliate fund, Battelle Ventures, are placing bets on the cleantech sector.