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A menu for success in Russia
By Courtney Weaver
When McDonald’s opened its doors in Soviet Moscow in 1990, the US fast- food group received a welcome fit for The Beatles.
On the first day of operations, customers lined up outside in frigid February temperatures and waited up to four hours just to enter the Pushkin Square restaurant. A total of 30,000 people went on the first day.
Working in the restaurant proved nearly as popular. After McDonald’s advertised in the local newspaper, about 25,000 applied to work as cashiers, cooks and cleaners.
Two decades later its fast-food competitors are trying to re-create the magic of the initial success of McDonald’s in Moscow, piling into Russia and setting up outposts as far afield as Irkutsk in Siberia and Vladivostok on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Since 2010, Cinnabon, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts and Wendy’s have entered Russia at speed. Now the competition is intensifying.
Burger King recently announced it would increase its 64 locations to several hundred by 2017 together with a new partner, VTB Capital, the state-owned investment bank. Doughnut chain Krispy Kreme has said it will be working with Arkady Novikov, a restaurateur better known for posh eateries both in Russia and London’s Mayfair district. The first Moscow Krispy Kreme is expected to open this year.
The new entrants arrive as chains that have been in the Russian market a little longer – KFC, Subway, and McDonald’s – are launching aggressive expansion campaigns that put them in cities up to seven time zones fr om the Russian capital.
US fast-food giants expanding into emerging markets is not new, but the effect in this case has been dramatic for a country that has typically been considered “second or third priority” for multinationals after China and often Brazil, says Sergei Plykine, a director at Boston Consulting Group’s Moscow office. “It took time for McDonald’s to develop the [Russian] market, and it took time for the others to realise that the market was there,” Mr Plykine says.
By trying to enter the market early – McDonald’s started talks with the Soviet government as far as back as 1976 – the restaurant group formed a close relationship with the Soviet and then Russian governments and with Russian consumers, a strategy its competitors found hard to replicate.
Nor was it deterred by Russian volatility. During the 1998 debt crisis, Pizza Hut, another early entrant, scaled back its operations, while Dunkin’ Donuts, which arrived in 1996, left until 2010.
The decision to see out the debt crisis and the fall of the Soviet Union paid off for McDonald’s in the long run, while the interim volatility was enough to deter competitors.
Today the Russian market may not offer the same scale as China. But it does offers a more upmarket clientele, says Jeffrey Welch, vice-president Krispy Kreme. “You do look at when the middle class and purchasing power start growing when deciding when to enter the market.”
For Cinnabon, this means the company can charge about 20 per cent more for its classic pastry than it would in the US, which helps offset import costs.
At the recent opening of its third location in Vladivostok, an industrial city of 600,000, a dozen customers were nibbling on pastries and sipping coffee within a couple hours of the store opening. “A lot of people complain that they are losing their figures – but they come just the same,” laughs Maria Antiforova, the local manager. “There are people who come here every day. We are in shock.”
Mike Shattuck, president of Focus Brands International, Cinnabon’s parent company, says that while Cinnabon’s customers in the US usually take the pastries away, in Russia the outlets are seen as sit-down cafés, with most customers preferring to eat in. “Our operation hours tend to be longer [in Russia]. We see a lot more full-meal type purchases,” Mr Shattuck says.
Mr Plykine says: “Unlike most western countries, for a lot of Russians going to a fast-food joint is almost like going out to a restaurant. It’s a celebratory thing.
“Even if you look at McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, they always have a peak in sales over the weekend. That’s why the average [bill] is high. People just buy more, and go in with larger crowds,” he says.
To adjust to this, most fast-food groups in Russia try to make restaurants places where people want to sit down with their families, including making their menus more diverse.
Cinnabon Russia, for instance, offers not just its well-known pastries but full meals: sandwiches, Russian blini, and beer – the latter two being exclusive to Russia. The average bill in the chain’s restaurants is about 50 per cent higher than its global averages.
The growth in Russians travelling overseas has enhanced foreign fast- food brands’ appeal. Mr Shattuck says customers know Cinnabon from their favourite tourist destination – Dubai – while Tim Demchenko, head of private equity at VTB Capital, says Russians are increasingly receptive to western brands. The Russian fast-food market “is approximately 50 per cent captured by international, well-known brand names. The percentage could reach 75-80 per cent of the market over next few years, and then M&A activity will ramp us as well,” he says.
Western brands face little competition from local players. “There have been attempts to take the Russian cuisine and adapt it . . . But I haven’t seen many successful examples,” Mr Plykine says. “You don’t eat hamburgers at home. Wh ereas with [Russian] pancakes you are comparing fast food pancakes with the pancakes you eat at home and they are obviously inferior.”
The western fast-food groups’ rise has not pleased everyone. This month Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s chief public health official, denounced McDonald’s after a customer reported finding a worm in a chicken sandwich. “I would like to remind our fellow citizens that hamburgers, even without worms, are not a good choice of a meal for residents of Moscow and of Russia. This is not our food,” Mr Onishchenko sniffed in a radio interview.
McDonald’s has weathered the incident, denying the presence of any “foreign objects” in its food, and is choosing to focus instead on its expansion to Irkutsk and Vladivostok, which takes it east of the Urals for the first time in its 22 years in Russia.
And, while it may not have a fan in Mr Onishchenko, McDonald’s got a boost earlier this year from Igor Shuvalov, Russia’s powerful first deputy prime minister. “We have no McDonald’s in Vladivostok and I would like it to appear there,” he told the company’s vice-president in February.
For Russia’s fast-food market, the golden arches are still ahead.


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Editor’s note: This will be of great interest to many ONA member newspapers
From Ad Age
Kohl’s has put its media account into review, Ad Age has learned.
The retailer is seeking an agency to handle all media, according to executives familiar with the matter. Interpublic’s Universal McCann currently handles media. Consultancy SRI is handling the review. … Sibling agency McCann Erickson currently handles creative for Kohl’s, but the company has been reaching out to agencies such as DeVito Verdi in New York for additional creative. Kohl’s earlier this year sought a new agency for strategy work, but it’s not clear who they tapped for that area of the business.

domain: news


text: 505 Games has introduced a noteworthy line-up of interesting games for both gaming consoles and mobile platforms alike. In a recent showcase presented by 505 Games we, at Game Rekon, were able to get exclusive access to some upcoming titles. We were able to take a look, as well as play, How to Survive: Storm Warning Edition. The game will include additional content adding hours of gameplay. It goes a step further with new modifications. It added more to the environment and its effect on gameplay, a brand new character, cool game modes, extra difficulties, and innovative locations. How to Survive: Storm Warning Edition is set to release on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 later this month for $19.99.


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31st May 2016 , Dubai . Hakan Agro DMCC was adjudicated as finalist in record 6 categories namely “Corporate Social Responsibility Award” , “Most Successful Company Award “, “Best Agricultural Company Award” , “Best Commodities Company Award” and Mr. Sudhakar Tomar , Managing Director of Hakan Agro DMCC was nominated for the “Business Leader of the Year Award” and “Free Zone Personality of the Year Award “ In the inaugural DMCC Members Awards. The DMCC Members Awards recognizes the very best organizations chosen from nominations from over 12000 companies in DMCC across 21 business categories and judged by independent members of the DMCC community . Award ceremony was held on 31st May in Almas Tower.
Dubai, UAE: After the remarkable success of the launch edition of the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition which received 350 innovative business ideas, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is launching the 2nd edition of the competition whose aim is to stimulate a culture of innovative entrepreneurship in the emirate.
Most of these businesses, which have acquired Dubai Chamber membership, are small and medium enterprisesIn its report on Tuesday, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said some 8,000 new companies joined this year, expanding its membership base to 193,000, up 4.3 per cent. A spokesperson told Gulf News that the majority of newly opened companies are small and medium enterprises.


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UK Cruise Line Cunard recorded the busiest booking day in ten years. The company underscores the pent-up demand for cruising that has seen cruise companies worldwide record numbers in the last months.
The bookings coincided with the release of the maiden season for its newest cruise ship, Queen Anne. That ship won’t be sailing until early 2024 but is already a popular addition to Cunard, which currently has three vessels operating, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria.
Maiden Season For Queen Anne Boosts Cunard Bookings
Cunard recorded the busiest day in the last ten years during the opening day for its newest cruise ship, Queen Anne.
The maiden voyage for the first new ship in the Cunard fleet since Queen Elizabeth in 2010 sold out on the first day. The cruise will sail from Southampton on January 4, 2024, with demand for the Princess & Queens Grill Suites incredibly high for the first ten voyages on sale.
“Since we began to unveil details of our fourth ship, the reaction to Queen Anne from guests and travel advisors alike has been phenomenal,” said Matt Gleaves, VP, Commercial, North America and Australasia, for Cunard. “The first day of sales shows the incredible strength of demand for our new ship and the Cunard brand is at record levels.”
Cunard has seen hectic booking periods, with the busiest three in the last decade occurring since March 2021. These were fueled by the UK sailings as the brand returned to service, the launch of the summer 2023 program, and now the launch of Queen Anne’s maiden program.
The ten voyages on sale include the 7-night maiden voyage to Lisbon, with an overnight in the iconic Portuguese capital. A 35-night roundtrip Caribbean cruise from Southampton sails on January 27, visiting Fort Lauderdale, Barbados, St Lucia, St Maarten, and St Thomas USVI, returning to the UK on March 2.
From March, the ship will be sailing roundtrip cruises to various destinations, including Norway for the Northern Lights, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. All voyages sail roundtrip from Southampton.
The Fourth Cunard Cruise Ship
Queen Anne will be entering service in 2024. Based on the Pinnacle-class of ships sailing for Holland America Line, the vessel shares many of the same features as seen on MS Koningsdam. Queen Anne is the 249th ship sailing for the Iconic cruise line.
With space for 3,000 passengers and a gross tonnage of 113,000, Queen Anne will be the second biggest ship in the Cunard fleet, just behind the world-famous Queen Mary 2. The building is underway at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia shipyard.
Master for the newest member in the Cunard fleet will be Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge. A native of the Faroe Islands, her first tour onboard cruise ships was with Cunard’s MS Vistafjord as the second officer.
Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge: “Working for Cunard is something that I started 25 years ago, and in all those years I have been extremely proud of working for the brand and it will never change, that feeling. When I discuss Queen Anne with Cunard crew it is so clear how excited and proud they are too, to welcome a new ship to the fleet,”
Thorhauge also worked with Seabourn, Princess Cruises, and P&O Cruises. She rejoined Cunard in 2010 onboard Queen Victoria when she became the first female Captain for Cunard.


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PARIS — When he announced a new coronavirus lockdown in France, President Emmanuel Macron said the government had learned lessons from the first wave.
But a series of unforced errors from his government is making it a tough sell. Some 73 percent of French people say they find communications over the second lockdown incoherent, according to a YouGov poll published Wednesday. Only 29 percent said they trusted the government to handle the second wave.
Government spokesperson Gabriel Attal announced on Tuesday a curfew in Paris that was contradicted within an hour by the prime minister’s office, among other communication blunders.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and Prime Minister Jean Castex have been struggling over what products and stores should be deemed “essential” during lockdown (and thus remain open).
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Essential vs. non-essential
Responding to an uproar from politicians and academics in favor of small, independent bookshops, which were deemed non-essential, the government prevented large chain stores from selling books last week.
The decision opened a Pandora’s box, forcing Le Maire and Castex to ban big retailers from selling all “non-essential products” such as toys, make-up or clothing.
The measure, critics said, is unlikely to help small shop owners fighting for survival and more likely to benefit giants such as Amazon.
It also added to other lockdown headaches for retailers.
“We’re selling toothpaste and the mascara next to it can’t be sold,” Jacques Creyssel, general delegate of the large retailers’ federation, told AFP.
“It’s a mess!” said Michel-Edouard Leclerc, head of the E.Leclerc retail cooperative. “I’m sorry for the shop staff, they deserved better than this farce.”
The government is trying to defend its track record by comparing its decisions to those of other European countries.
“If you need further proof of their necessity, you should know that they are also being taken by most of our European neighbors as well as by countries across different oceans as the virus progresses,” said Health Minister Olivier Véran to opposition parties in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was one of the strongest voices among the outcry in favor of bookshops.
“She should say this to care workers who are fighting, are overwhelmed and afraid they won’t be able to admit every patient in the days to come,” said Attal on Tuesday.
Mayors of smaller cities are also defiant. According to government numbers, 71 of them issued legally dubious municipal orders to let non-essential businesses open over the past week. They were challenged in administrative court by the French state, and some of them are already suspended.
The government is also facing heavy criticism over safety measures (or lack thereof) in schools.
Snes-FSU, the leading teachers’ union in middle and high schools, has issued a week-long strike notice, to allow teachers who aren’t feeling safe from the virus in their school to go on strike. The union has posted pictures of cramped school halls on social media over the past days.
“We are, in the world, one of the countries which succeeded the best in putting back pupils to school, and that’s a good thing,” Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said to the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Even if the French agree on the necessity of a second lockdown, Jean-Daniel Lévy, an analyst at the Harris Interactive polling institute, observed that “their dissatisfaction is about implementation rather than the general orientation.”
While the second wave continues, the measures taken by the government are still slow to show their effects — a new record of more than 52,000 cases in 24 hours was recorded on Monday and the COVID-19 pandemic is “significantly accelerating” in France, according to government agency Public Health France.
Some 430 people have died from the disease over the past 24 hours and 2,716 patients have been admitted to intensive care units over the past week.


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Merchant e-Solutions Completes Acquisition and Partnership with Synovus
Merchant e-Solutions (MeS), a California e-commerce payments company, has completed the acquisition of the Columbus Bank and Trust (CB&T) merchant business from Synovus, the Georgia-based financial services holding company. As part of this acquisition, MeS and Synovus have agreed to a 10-year joint marketing agreement to continue providing payment processing services for new Synovus bank merchant customers.
“This transaction continues and expands our 10-year old partnership with Synovus for many years to come and provides MeS and Synovus with significant growth opportunities,” said Sharif Bayyari, MeS chairman and chief executive officer (CEO). “Synovus and its affiliate bank merchant customers will continue to get the superior service and support they deserve and have come to expect from their merchant service provider.”


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Grass Valley unveils EDIUS X editing software
Grass Valley is this week showcasing EDIUS X, highlighting its new core with intelligent background rendering for an uninterrupted workflow experience. The latest EDIUS enhancement builds further on its functionality to bring tighter integration for the user, increased flexibility and delivers more creative power. EDIUS X is scheduled to ship in September 2020.
Pete Semerak, Grass Valley’s vice president of production, said: “The demand for captivating, stunning quality content is at an all-time high; it is therefore imperative for broadcasters, content owners and production companies to have tools that are reliable, fast and flexible.
“Building on the industry proliferation of cloud technologies and software-based workflows, the launch of EDIUS X ensures that we continue to provide our customers with the most enhanced capabilities and functionalities. We are excited to bring this latest iteration to the market and look forward to welcoming our industry peers to the preview event.”


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GST reform a “Game-changer” for independent India, biggest beneficiary will be government.by DebriN Synergy Business Simulation Services
A half day round-table discussion on “GST: Perspective and Prospects” was organized at FORE School of Management, New Delhi. India has become the 4th country after Canada, Brazil, Malaysia to adopt the dual structure of GST at the state and central level which echoes from the basic doctrines of cooperative federalism enshrined in our constitution.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Jitendra Das, Director, FORE School of Management, spoke about the importance of this landmark reform in indirect tax regime in independent India and how it is relevant for management students and practitioners alike to be abreast with the nuances of this new tax landscape that could streamline the Indian economy going forward.
Mr. Chandan Goyal (Chartered Accountant and CEO; Blue Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Noida) shared his views on the various components of GST - GST Council (comprising State and Central Government and whose Chairman is Union Minister Finance), GSTN (GST network, non-profit, public private partnership company which manages the front end IT infrastructure and services of the GST portal), Statutes providing it statutory backing (Central GST Act, State GST Act, UT GST Act which are further supported by Rules), GST Siddha Provider, or GSP and Application Service Providers or ASP (support to taxpayers in the IT ecosystem for GST by providing application interface).
Prof. Kavitha Rao from National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, shared how GST would now help move from a cascading regime of taxes - Customs, Excise, Service, VAT etc. to a more robust tax structure unifying the whole of India into one market thereby promoting efficiency of scale and effective business decision making.
Dr. Amit Bagga, practicing Chartered Accountant, touched upon the reverse charge mechanism of GST where the recipient of the goods (who is registered under GST) and/or services is liable to pay tax instead of the supplier (who is not registered under GST). He emphasized that biggest beneficiary of the GST reform will be government which will net huge tax revenues as besides the increase in tax collections under a simplified GST regime there might be a positive spillover to direct tax collections.
Mr. Kapil Sharma, partner, Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan Attorneys, talked about the input tax credits (reducing the tax liability if one has already paid on inputs) in this new tax regime which he termed as “Game-changer” for independent India. He emphasized that input credits being claimed shall be matched and validated and hence compliance will increase and leakages to be plugged which will subsequently making the tax net wide. He mentioned that GST could lead to better supply chain management and vendor management.
Mr Vipin Kumar Khatri, GST Faculty with ICAI, opined that GST is a consumption based tax and consists of 4 pillars - Input Tax Credits (flowing seamlessly through the supply chain), Integrated GST ( mechanism to transfer between states in interstate trade), uniformity in tax system (one nation-one tax which would lead to increase in ease of doing business) and supply (includes sales, transfers, barter, exchange).
The roundtable discussion was moderated by Prof. Vinay Dutta, FORE School of Management, who concurred that although GST is not that simple tax system but it is a tryst with destiny that independent India is making by simplifying and rationalizing the indirect tax regime and will in all accounts hopefully, shall be hailed as a landmark in the economic history of India.
The floor was open for questions. The panelists patiently responded to the queries ranging from effect of GST on individual food bill to the GST differential rate of levy and calibration, rushing of GST implementation is a motive to boost short term revenue or otherwise, anti-profiteering clause of GST, inflationary effects of GST much to the satisfaction of faculties and students. The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Prof. Vandana Gupta, Area Chair, Finance & Accounting, FORE School of Management.
Created on Sep 6th 2017 03:08. Viewed 809 times.


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Christmas is just around the corner and the average person is already thinking about their favorite festive dessert, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 Christmas-celebrating Americans found the average respondent begins fantasizing about their favorite treat three weeks before their first bite.
Whether it’s fruitcake, Kringle or cheesecake, 63 percent of people have a traditional dessert that they eat year after year, and 79 percent say their holiday spirit would be deflated without it.
Sixty-four percent cited desserts as a top reason to anticipate the holidays with other top traditions being holiday movies (64 percent), holiday music (65 percent) and decorating the Christmas tree (65 percent).
Many embrace the spirit of the season by spreading cheer — commissioned by ohdanishbakery.com and conducted by OnePoll, the survey found 65 percent frequently exchange baked goods during the holiday season, with three-quarters of exchanges being a family affair with relatives.
Others get in on the sweet action, too, with 71 percent also swapping holiday goodies with friends, and 52 percent sharing that spirit with neighbors.
“There’s something special about holiday food traditions in America and really worldwide,” said Eric Olesen of O&H Danish Bakery, which delivers traditional holiday treats around the globe. “The traditional desserts elicit wonderful memories that people want to relive, recreate for the next generation and share with others far and wide.”
The survey also looked to find the traditional holiday flavors people will be craving – and revealed them to be chocolate (51 percent), apple cinnamon (48 percent), cheese (48 percent), gingerbread (48 percent) and raspberry (45 percent).
The desserts respondents want over the holidays include sugar cookies (42 percent), carrot cake (32 percent), pumpkin pie (26 percent) and Kringle (17 percent).
“We find that people aren’t willing to forgo the food traditions, but they will take help to lessen the load of holiday stress,” Olesen added. “We’ve seen guests increasingly looking for items to contribute to their holiday host’s table or as a nod of thanks.”
The trend is a huge relief as seven in 10 respondents admit to being stressed about not having enough time to prepare food for Christmas guests and events.
Baking doesn’t come without its perils since half of Americans (48 percent) have been the victim of a holiday baking disaster.
From forgotten ingredients and oven fires to lack of cooking fuel and burnt items ‒ those are just a few of the kitchen nightmares that can breakout during the busy holiday season.
TOP CRAVED HOLIDAY FLAVORS
1. Chocolate 51%
2. Apple cinnamon 48%
3. Cheese 48%
4. Gingerbread 48%
5. Raspberry 45%
6. Pecan 38%
7. Cream cheese 38%
8. Red velvet 37%
9. Cherry 36%
10. Cinnamon 36%
11. Peppermint 36%
12. Almond 35%
13. Cranberry 35%
14. Caramel 34%
15. Eggnog 34%
REASONS TO ANTICIPATE THE HOLIDAYS
1. Time with family 79%
2. Dinners 74%
3. Parties 71%
4. Giving gifts 68%
5. Holiday music 65%
6. Decorating Christmas tree 65%
7. Holiday movies 64%
8. Dessert 64%
9. Holiday spirit 61%
10. Time off 61%


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Is the future of motoring in the global marketplace in the good hands of the Golf, Forte and Fiesta? Not if you’re Ford’s vice president of Global Marketing, Jim Farley. In his mind, it’ll be a page from the 1991 Explorer’s successful playbook that will help his employer gain market and mind share the world over.
The rumor mill has been grinding away as of late regarding the possible return of Ford CEO Alan Mulally to helm either one of two of Seattle’s many economic engines: Microsoft and Boeing. In the face of these rumors, Mulally has opted not to dispel the rampant speculation.
One of the biggest changes implemented by Ford in the post-bailout area is the “One Ford” policy, which calls for an end to regional specialty products. While this has led to Ford’s mainstream lineup moving towards the European Fords that enthusiasts previously longed for, it also means that vehicles like the rear-drive Falcon will get the axe.


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NEW YORK — A word of warning to those who believe in lucky numbers, auspicious colors and star-crossed dates: beware. The Ides of March are upon us.
Only those familiar with history or William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" readily may recognize the reference to March 15, the day of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 B.C. The Roman calendar designated monthly Ides, or midpoint, days that fell either on the 13th or 15th day, depending on the month.
After Caesar's untimely exit, superstitious Romans well may have avoided launching a business, marriage or other important venture on a date so cloaked in doom it eventually entered the lexicon as a metaphor for impending catastrophe.
Despite vast advances in knowledge and technology over the last 2,000 years, it turns out people today are not so different from the ancients when it comes to superstition and the way it affects decision-making and the economy, according to new research.
Researchers estimate that U.S. businesses lose $800 million to $900 million every Friday the 13th -- bad luck on that day is one of the most prevalent superstitions among Americans -- due to factors including absenteeism and reluctance to travel or make decisions. It is estimated that as many as 9 percent of Americans are paraskevidekatriaphobics (pronounced pair-uh-skev-vee-day-cat-tree-uh-foe-bicks), that is, fearful of Friday the 13th. That is not to be confused with triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13.
Otis Elevator Co. estimates 15 percent of its elevators around the world omit the 13th-floor button, according to Elizabeth Young, its manager of communications.
There are a number of explanations for the belief that Friday the 13th is unlucky. The most common has a Christian root, according to Phillips Stevens, professor of anthropology and an expert on magic, sorcery and witchcraft at the University of New York at Buffalo.
"Thirteen is the number of people at the Last Supper and the crucifixion took place on a Friday. So, when you have both coming together, that's a double whammy," Stevens said. He noted that it, like many superstitions, offers an example of "magical thinking" involving "establishing these connections through which power can flow."
Playing it safe
Clearly, Americans prefer to play it safe on those days, according to a study by researchers at Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business in New York. The goal of the study, to be published in the April issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, was to increase scientific evidence in the relatively new field of examining the marketing implications of superstitious beliefs for consumer behavior.
"We began this because there was more and more anecdotal evidence that managers were designing into their promotional programs the idea that consumers are responding to superstitions," said Lauren Block, professor of marketing at Baruch, who conducted the study with Thomas Kramer, an assistant professor of marketing.
For instance, they cited a Continental Airlines advertisement -- "$888 to Beijing. Lucky You" -- prominently featuring the number eight, considered the luckiest by Chinese, as an example of using cultural superstitious beliefs in marketing. They also note that "the Bank of China opened its doors in Hong Kong on Aug. 8, 1988 -- considered to be the luckiest day of the century." And the Beijing Olympics are slated to open on Aug. 8, 2008, at 8 p.m. No coincidence.
While the researchers knew superstition sometimes plays a role in marketplace choices, "it's the magnitude of the effect, I think, we weren't expecting," Kramer said.
He cited one aspect of the study that indicated Taiwanese consumers were more likely to pay more for a radio with the "lucky" price of $888 in Taiwan dollars than the same radio tagged at a lower but neutral price of $777. Those consumers also were more likely to buy a digital camera with the higher but neutral price of $6,555.55 than when it carried the lower but "unlucky" price of $6,444.44. The number four is unlucky in Chinese and Japanese cultures because the word for four sounds like the words for death in those languages.
The number is considered so unlucky and stress-producing that on the fourth day of each month, cardiac deaths among Chinese- and Japanese-Americans spiked 7 percent compared with other days, according to a 2002 study led by David Phillips, a sociologist at the University of California, San Diego.
"That's what it looked like. The mortality for Chinese and Japanese spiked on the fourth of each month, and you find no such spike in Anglos on that date," said Phillips, who noted no similar phenomenon among non-Asian Americans on Friday the 13th. As for Americans and Friday the 13th, in a study involving 95 students at an East Coast university the Baruch researchers found that having a group of participants think about Friday the 13th and qualities associated with it rendered them more risk-averse than a group instructed to think about Tuesday the 19th, a neutral date.
Subjects then were introduced to what they were told was an unrelated study in which they were given a choice in a wagering situation between a bet that would pay a guaranteed $18 or one with a 20 percent chance to win $240. Those participants who earlier had pondered Friday the 13th chose the guaranteed or safe option 49 percent of the time compared with 35 percent of those who had reflected on the neutral date.
Sonya Gotz, a fitness instructor in New York, said she also avoids taking risks on Friday the 13th. She added, "I also think the full moon is more auspicious for starting things" but "definitely not the new moon."
The persistence of irrational beliefs in the modern day doesn't surprise Stuart Vyse, professor of psychology at Connecticut College and author of "Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition."
"Although the products of science are all around us, people don't think scientifically. They still are very intuitive and don't think about evidence and reason and logic in their everyday lives," he said.
But as superstition may affect economics, so, too, is the reverse true.
"One of my favorite examples is the use of salt to dissipate the bad luck of spilling salt," said Edmund Kern, a professor of history at Wisconsin's Lawrence University, referring to the practice of throwing salt over one's shoulder.
"This superstition emerges only in the 18th Century and becomes prominent in the 19th Century as the price of salt drops dramatically," he said. "So, I think that's a good example of a superstition having an economic basis."
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Luck, it's like a flip of a coin
Four-leaf clover: Finding one brings good luck. Some legends claim Eve took a four-leaf clover with her when exiled from the Garden of Eden and thus the clover represents a bit of paradise.
Horseshoe: Considered lucky because it resembles a pair of horns. The horn is a universally powerful symbol that repels evil.
Walking under a ladder: Ancient Egyptians placed ladders in tombs so the dead could climb heavenward. It was thought that spirits gathered in the space between the ladder and the wall and that to walk there would disturb them.
Black cat crossing one's path: This became a bad omen because it was believed such cats were witches in disguise.


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Jan. 9, 2019 By Nathaly Pesantez
One of the six Queens Boulevard businesses that was destroyed in the massive five-alarm fire last month has already found a new place to call home right in the neighborhood.
Better Line Hardware, once located off Queens Boulevard on 45th Street, will be reopening about two blocks away at 43-24 Greenpoint Ave. by the end of the month.
Roy Ramlall, who has owned the hardware store since 1993, said he found the corner site, once home to Greenpoint Grill, just two days after the Dec. 13 fire.
Ramlall, 50, and his three employees began working on fixing up the shop last Thursday, with about one-fourth of their shelves stocked so far.
The new store will retain its name, and will also carry the same line of products and offer the same services to customers.
The hardware store had been located at the 45th Street site since 1990, and saw a steady stream of customers in its 28-year run there.
Ramlall, who bought the business from the prior owner three years later, said it was actually a customer who called him in the early morning hours of the fire to tell him about the store.
“I was shocked,” Ramlall said. “But I just sat on my bed—and went back to bed because there was nothing I could do.”
“It’s burning,” he added. “I can’t come over here. What am I gonna do, just look at that?”
But Ramlall eventually went to the site after waking at 5 a.m., only to find the charred remains of his business.
“Everything was gone,” he said.
The new corner store is about the same size as the prior location, with Ramlall estimating that every inch of the shop, from floor to ceiling, will be stocked just like the arrangement of the former store.
Ramlall, a Guyanese native who lives in Jamaica, said the Greenpoint Avenue location marks the third move for the hardware store.
The shop, he said, had been located at the corner of 41st Street and Queens Boulevard, now the site of a TD Bank, since 1939 before it moved to 45th Street in 1990.
Ramlall worked for the prior owner of the hardware store during his college years before eventually buying the business from him.
Apart from Better Line Hardware, the UPS store that was also destroyed in the fire is inching closer to opening back up as a pop-up store in the area.
Tony Tang, who opened the UPS store in 2009, told the Sunnyside Post that he is working out a deal with a Queens Boulevard landlord for a store near his prior location.
Tang did not provide specifics just yet on where the store might go, but said that the deal would likely go through this weekend. He added that the store would require permissions from UPS corporate before it opens.
Other business owners impacted by the fire have also indicated their interest in reopening nearby, including Bryan Chunton, who owns Zen Yai.
Fire relief efforts, meanwhile, are ongoing. Sunnyside Shines, which has led fundraising and other organizing events, launched a week-long online charity auction on Jan. 4 to raise money for those impacted by the fire.
Auction items include entertainment tickets, a golf outing, a dinner cruise, YMCA membership and more.


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Bob sees profits demolished at HIT
BOB the Builder failed to fix it for his owner HIT Entertainment as a combination of a weak dollar and comparison with bumper video sales after 9/11 knocked sales of the cartoon construction chappie's products by 29% in the six months to the end of January.
Bob makes up 23% of the group's sales and it was only a steaming performance from Thomas the Tank Engine, who accounts for 15% of sales, that kept HIT's first-half profits within brokers' forecasts. Barney the purple dinosaur's sales saw a 7% fall in revenues.
Profits before goodwill and exceptional charges dipped from £25.5m to £24m on sales down 3% at £92.8m. But the price of HIT's acquisitive past is shown after goodwill is written down, with pre-tax profits falling from £21.5m to £14.6m.
Ever since HIT's warning at the end of last year that Bob was in need of refurbishment, the group has been on bid alert with speculation that one of the US majors could take it over.
Chief executive Rob Lawes said current trading was in line with internal forecasts and, looking ahead, he saw great opportunities in new digital TV channels and taking direct control of US distribution.
The US accounted for 60% of HIT's revenues last year. It suffered from an average dollar rate 10% lower than in the preceding period. However, Lawes said that in the second half the group had partly protected its revenues by hedging the dollar at 1.74.
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Heard the latest? Check out our notices about special talks with Tom Kamber of OATS and tech experts at the end of the article!
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brings tech innovators from around the world together to preview what new products will hit the market over the next three to five years.
This sneak peek into the future of technology highlights the devices of today and tomorrow’s connected world.
What is CES?
CES is an annual trade show hosted in Las Vegas by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).
If you’ve never heard of it, that’s likely because it’s a tradeshow meant for both big companies and small startups looking to showcase emerging tech products or form business connections with innovators in the industry.
It’s geared toward individual attendees with affiliations in the tech industry and not open to the public.
Naturally, Senior Planet has a spot on the “guest list.” (For past coverage of the last real life visit by Senior Planet, look here.)
Last year, CES was held completely virtually but this year the Las Vegas Convention Center opened its doors to a smaller pool of CES attendees and exhibitors.
While many companies decided not to attend in-person because of the pandemic – AARP and Senior Planet included – we still saw some amazing new tech products roll out of the conference.
Four large areas of interest this year included digital health, transportation (a staple innovation moment for CES), AR/VR, and smart home technologies.
Senior Planet took a look at the hot trends in popular categories of particular interest to older consumers.
Apple Watch continues to lead in wrist technology but didn’t participate in CES this year – but Garmin unveiled a new watch with a speaker and microphone built-in (at left).
You can use the brand’s traditionally excellent sports tracking technology and voice assistant software all from your wrist. Omron Healthcare also announced the first-ever wearable blood pressure monitor in watch form.
Hearing amplifiers – often considered less personalized hearing aids – made waves at CES this year. BeHear SMARTO rolled out a hand-held amplifier and Eargo put their newest version of a hearing aid on display, with even more automated adjustments built in to mirror the user’s environment.
BMW unveiled the BMW iX Flow with E Ink that can change the exterior color of a car with the touch of a button.
- Transportation trends are typically a crowd favorite at CES, but rarely do they make it from the trade show floor to the actual pavement. This year, BMW unveiled the BMW iX Flow with E Ink that can change the exterior color of a car with the touch of a button. The car also boasts a multi-sensory experience, digital art in the far, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Want to watch?
— Out of Spec Studios (@Out_of_Spec) January 4, 2022
- The team behind PoliMOVE brought to life self-driving race cars at CES this year, winning them first place at the Autonomous Challenge @ CES. The self-driving cars set a top speed of 173 mph and marked great strides in self-driving technology.
- AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) headsets have been the hot story at CES for a few years now. (Augmented Reality adds digital elements to a live view: Virtual Reality is a completely immersive digital experience). Meta’s next-generation VR headset, Cambria, is setting itself up as the leader in the category. The new device features a sleeker design with face-tracking technology that boasts the mixed reality features that lead into the metaverse.
- The Shiftall MeganeX by Panasonic is a unique example of a VR headset that could almost pass for a pair of bulky sunglasses. Touted as “ultra-lightweight, ultra-high-resolution,’ these digital goggles have displays in each eye and can fold up into your pocket
Smart Home Technologies
- Sengled’s new Smart Health Monitoring Light Bulbs monitor the movement and health of individuals. These smart lightbulbs use a Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar to map a room and detect its occupants. They can then sense if a person has fallen, and monitor vital signs such as heart rate and breathing.
- Belkin unveiled its Wemo Smart Video Doorbell which provides extremely high video quality, a wider view for the user, night vision, and zoom capabilities. The smart home device connects with Apple products to store selected video clips to your iCloud account.
What’s next? 3G and more
As major phone companies roll out new 5G networks this year, older 3G networks are being phased out; mobile phones from 2012 or earlier, older home security systems, smartwatches, medical devices, and medical alert bracelets all rely on 3G service networks and will be affected by this change. Please join us on Thursday, February 3 from 11:00am – 12:00pm EST for Phasing Out of 3G, an online forum on this important topic. The discussion will be led by Senior Planet Founder and Executive Director Tom Kamber, AARP and a representative from the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC). Learn more here.
Want to hear more about CES and how to stay on top of the emerging technology coming out of the conference this year? Senior Planet Founder and Executive Director Tom Kamber will be speaking with Executive Director of the Consumer Technology Association Steve Ewell on Thursday, February 24. For those who can’t join live, a recording will be posted to YouTube following the event!


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SAP New Zealand’s revenue lifted sharply from $123 million in 2018 to $158 million in 2019, an increase of 28 per cent, the company reported over night.
The $35 million increase for the year ended 31 December was supported by improved revenues across all product and service categories.
Software and support revenue increased 19 per cent to $81 million, while services lifted 31 per cent to $46 million.
It was cloud, however, that provided the highest rates of growth, 60 per cent to reach $32 million.
The company also received revenue in the form of a $2.5 million government R&D grant to support innovation in the New Zealand market.
Net profit after tax was $14 million, double that recorded in the previous year.
SAP New Zealand managing director Phil Cameron said the New Zealand business was in good shape and continued to grow:
“The cloud business has grown significantly over the previous year and we’re confident we can continue our strong momentum,” he said.
SAP has a wide range of local customers across both the government and private sectors including Mercury Energy, Frucor Suntory, and Zespri.
“We’re proud to work with some of New Zealand’s biggest companies, with digital transformation more important than ever as we deal with unprecedented disruption,” Cameron said.
“Our revenue from cloud customers exceeds revenue from licensing customers, but we’d like to do more to help New Zealand businesses run in the cloud, as recent events have demonstrated the benefit of flexible and agile access to critical business information from wherever you are working.”
The company’s accounts also confirm an Inland Revenue audit of the New Zealand business for the years 2014 to 2016 is ongoing.
This article first appeared on Reseller News.


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Pru scraps chief's £18m pay package
THE Prudential bowed to shareholder protests and scrapped plans for a controversial pay package for chief executive Jonathan Bloomer that could have given him up to £18m over three years.
In a letter to shareholders, Sir David Barnes, chairman of the board pay committee, said the insurer had decided not to try revising Bloomer's package, but to 'start afresh from first principles with our thinking'. Incentives for Pru bosses have been in place for seven years and the board says they are now outdated.
The row caused red faces at the Pru, which is a large shareholder in many companies and takes them to task for their governance.
The Pru will bring forward its proposals at next year's shareholder meeting. Some 41% of shareholders were planning to vote down its first plan.
The company said it had a majority that would have allowed it to push the resolution through, but had opted instead to take investors' views into account.
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Youtube VideoAfter taking out the big one at the Marketing Awards last year, selling its wares to over 580,000 customers and bringing home a few other weighty accolades in its 18 month history, 2degrees and TBWA\ are already well-accustomed to winning. And it can add another trophy to the box sitting in Rhys Darby’s attic after the new Bruce and Brian spot was judged the winner of the March edition of Colmar Brunton’s Ad Impact Awards.
“Rhys Darby’s voiceover instantly links these ads to the brand. Add to that a really distinctive look and feel, ‘sit forward’ interest levels and really clear messaging, and you’ve got a winning combination,” says Jacqueline Ireland, Colmar Brunton’s managing director. “The upfront and tongue in cheek humour is so distinctly 2 degrees, and it’s great to see this carried through as the campaign develops. This is also one of the most persuasive and motivating ads we’ve seen all year, driving great brand appeal with new, different and credible information.”
241 people were surveyed in March, 133 of whom had seen the 2degrees ad, which was the only solid performer of the new ads that went to air in March across all the aspects Colmar Brunton looks at (branding, engagement and response).
Youtube VideoWhile this comparative, more explanatory animated approach is a departure from the brand ads of the past, 2degrees’ chief marketing officer Larrie Moore says focusing on products and educating the market—and trying to balance that with humour and entertainment—is a logical progression. And while it may be different, he thinks it remains true to the core values and has managed to maintain its cheeky challenger brand personality with a rather pointed commentary of what it deems to be the underhanded minute-stealing tactics of its un-named but all too obvious competitors. And because Darby’s voice is now so recognisable, he believes viewers know that it’s for 2degrees instantly.
“People don’t know the detail of what they’re paying. We have to educate the market in a very simple way… So it’s got to break down into pieces.”
And this, he says, means the Carryover Minutes and Pay Monthly offers will be the first of many appearances for Bruce and Brian, who will be wheeled out to explain the various 2degrees offers and how they differ from those of its competitors.
While he wouldn’t discuss numbers, or what those upcoming ads would focus on, he says there’s been very good response from the market to the first lot and “before and after are looking pretty good”.
Sarah Williams, group account director at TBWA\, says it was important to find the right tone of voice for this more specific phase of the brand’s evolution. But, like Moore, she says the animated spots, which were created by Digipost, perfectly combine some of the cheekiness viewers have come to expect with an effective explanation of what she feels is a very compelling offer.
With recent customer numbers indicating 2degrees has had over 580,000 sign ups, or around 11 percent of total mobile market, Moore believes there’s still over four million people who are paying too much to keep in touch. The company started out in the pre-pay market, because that’s where it thought New Zealanders were getting the least value. And it’s still there, with its most recent ad for its new Combo Pack going live recently. But this lack of value is certainly not confined to the pre-pay market, he says, and it’s now starting to gain a foothold in the more lucrative post-paid and business markets. So it looks like Bruce and Brian might be kept busy in the coming months.
ECD – Andy Blood
CD – Connan James & Craig Farndale
Creatives – Chris Childerhouse & Carl Lough
Agency Producer – Marg Slater
Animation – DigiPost
GAD – Sarah Williams
AD – Mark Wilson


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Street Fight Daily: Comcast Expands Everyblock, Bing Books With TripAdvisor
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology…
Comcast Expands Reach Of Hyperlocal Info Service (Multichannel)
Comcast has expanded the reach of EveryBlock, a hyper-local news and information service, to the Boston area and has plans to introduce it in Houston and Florida “in the coming months.” The free, neighborhood-level service provides an interactive, personalized feed of local news and information.
Case Study: How a Hardware Store Measures Hyperlocal Marketing Success (Street Fight)
From flash sales and local delivery, to social promotions, email marketing, text message customer service, and even print newsletters, Cole Hardware uses it all. The San Francisco store takes a more-is-more approach to hyperlocal marketing.
Bing Rolls Out International Hotel Booking Feature & Updates Mobile Search Results (Search Engine Land)
Bing released two updates today, adding a new hotel booking feature in partnership with TripAdvisor, as well as updating its mobile search results to include details like deep links and time-stamps. Now when users search for a hotel on Bing.com, they will be able to see reviews and information about the hotel, select dates, and get rates – all via TripAdvisor.
Communicating With Mobile Consumers in the ‘Experience Age’ (Street Fight)
Stacy Adams: In 2015, the customer experience will be more critical than ever before, as consumers’ attention spans continue to shorten. Brands must engage consumers in the most personal, relevant and timely fashion to grab their attention.
Patent Fulfilled: Apple’s New iOS 8 Location-Based Passbook (Patently Apple)
Apple’s invention generally relates to providing location-based services on a mobile computing device using beacons via as in a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) beacon. The service automatically works with Apple’s Passbook App which the patent filing refers to as a “ticket book.” Anywhere you read ticket book, it means Apple’s Passbook.
Square Shuffles Executive Roles as Product Portfolio Grows (Recode)
local commerce company Square shuffled some chairs in its executive suite recently, creating a clean split in responsibilities between its two top engineering execs, according to multiple sources. Gokul Rajaram has moved into a role running engineering and product teams for Square’s consumer products.
Google Moves Local My Business Phone Support To India — Expect The Call Times To Be Longer (Blumenthals)
Mike Blumenthal: Google has moved My Business Phone support to India and, at least for now, expect your call times to take longer. My experience on the call was less than ideal and it had nothing to do with the rep, who was ineffably polite, patient, well intentioned and well spoken.
Ford Dumps Microsoft in Favor of BlackBerry to Power Car Entertainment System (Recode)
Ford announced the latest version of its in-car entertainment and mapping system today. And while it touted all kinds of new features, the carmaker downplayed the really big change that took place — under the hood, if you will. The change underscores how cars are becoming a key battleground for mobile operating systems.
Uber Gets Investment From Baidu To Aid China Push (Bloomberg)
Baidu is buying a minority stake in Uber, giving the car-booking company a boost as it expands in China, according to a person familiar with the matter. Uber will receive cash and non-cash assets, including Baidu’s online resources as owner of China’s biggest Internet search engine.
LBMA Podcast: Snapchat’s Geofilters, Vistar Media CEO (Street Fight)
On the show: Barclay’s Bank enlists beacons to help customers with disabilities; Girl Scouts launch their cookie-finder app; Proxama + Exterion bring beacons to the bus; Location Guard for FireFox;Target + Google’s Art Copy & code program.


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The District of Squamish and Squamish CAN organize a KIDS clothing, toy, and book swap event to promote a circular economy and reduce waste.
The event is scheduled for April 6 at The 55 Activity Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parents can bring in pre-loved clothes, toys, and books and exchange them for other items their kids can use. To make the process smoother, bagged items can be dropped off in advance at The 55 Activity Centre on April 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. or on April 6 from 10 to 11 a.m.
However, it is essential to ensure that all items are clean and in good condition before dropping them off. Adults’ clothing will not be accepted, as the event is exclusively for children’s clothing.
The leftover items will be donated to local charities and Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to save money and help reduce waste by giving new life to gently used items. Email email@example.com if you have any questions.


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Cars drive past an office of VTB bank in Moscow, April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Sergei KarpukhinVTB CEO Andrei Kostin said in an interview with Russia Izvestia newspaper on Thursday that the bank had experienced unusual demands from the Bank of England in relation to its subsidiary in London which he suspected had political motives.The Bank of England declined to comment.The European Union and the United States have imposed targeted visa bans and asset freezes on Russian and Ukrainian individuals, aimed at punishing Russia elite for annexing Crimea, but have stopped short of broader economic sanctions. VTB has not been targeted officially.The bank chief financial officer Herbert Moos later said at a press conference to announce the bank three year strategy that the Bank of England unjust additional moncler outlet https://www.thebeastmark.com demands were regarding capital and liquidity.The Russian bank said it aims to grow profits by nearly 80 percent by 2016 but that profits this year may be harder to achieve due to provisions related to its exposure to Ukraine.VTB has previously said it has exposure to Ukraine of 20 billion roubles and that its operations there amount to about 2 3 percent of the bank total operations.
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The volume of email cloaked in encryption technology is rapidly rising as companies try to shield online communications from government spies and other snoops.
A look at the top stories from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites.
Most Americans who recently learned about a major breakdown in internet security have been trying to protect themselves but a group nearly as large is unaware of the threat, according to a new survey.
The number of Americans who say that they have had important personal information stolen online is on the rise, according to a new report released on Monday.
Students at an Arlington school are helping to refurbish and donate used computers.
After Tuesday April 8, 2014, support and security updates for Microsoft Windows XP will no longer be available.
Web surfing through the internet’s main gateway now looks slightly different on personal computers, thanks to a few cosmetic changes to Google’s search engine this week.
When it comes to figuring your taxes, should you rely on software or turn to a pro?
Google wants to offer ultra-fast Internet service in 34 more cities scattered across eight states, including Texas, in the company’s boldest challenge to cable and telecommunications providers.
If you have electronic devices hooked up to the internet, then there is a good chance that you are using the cloud. But what is the cloud and should you be worried?
There are new problems for the Prime Prep Academy in Dallas. The school’s interim superintendent said that dozens of laptop computers have been stolen.
Apple started taking orders for its high-end Mac Pro desktop computer on Thursday. The cylinder-shaped machine is being assembled in Austin, and starts at $2,999.


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2015 will see the largest-ever gathering of LION Publishers
The 2015 conference of local indie online publishers will be the largest gathering that LION has convened. We already have
The 2015 conference of local indie online publishers will be the largest gathering that LION has convened. We already have more attendees signed up than for our previous annual summit, and we have almost two weeks of registration left. With
84 89 99 101 publishers and editors, academics, foundation representatives, industry experts and vendors already attending, you won't want to miss the vigorous exchange of ideas that'll take place in Chicago at the 2015 LION Summit.
Is your name on the list? Reserve your spot now!
Buy an early bird ticket for the 2024 Independent News Sustainability Summit in Chicago
Members who purchase an early bird ticket will be entered to win a raffle for a free hotel room upgrade.
Become a LION community ambassador to help connect and support independent news publishers
Community ambassadors will facilitate connections and community-building with fellow LION members.
43 LION members selected for Sustainability Audit’s 2024 February-April cycle
Publishers will receive expert guidance and $20,000 in direct funding.


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Solaria and Krannich Solar, a photovoltaic wholesaler, announced that Solaria’s PowerXT 350-Wp modules, optimized for residential deployment, are now available to Krannich customers. The innovative PowerXT 350-W modules will be featured in Krannich’s exhibit at the upcoming Solar Power Northeast conference, taking place February 5-6th at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.
Highly powerful and aesthetic, Solaria’s patented PowerXT 350-W modules maximize system power and performance.
“There’s keen customer interest in deploying high value, technologically advanced solar modules that deliver when it comes to performance and profitability,” said Ean Kyler, CEO of Krannich Solar USA. “Customers value solar modules that address rooftop space constraints efficiently and attractively. Solaria’s attractive black-on-black modules are the most efficient, aesthetic and cost-effective solar products on the market today. Highly efficient and competitively priced, PowerXT modules exceed customer expectations. We’re pleased to be providing these high energy yield solar panels that are both affordable and aesthetic.”
“Property owners appreciate premium high energy yield, high density panels,” said Solaria CEO Suvi Sharma. “They want solar modules that provide aesthetic, elegant appearance, excellent value and reliable performance. We’re thrilled that Krannich Solar, a visionary distributor, will meeting the high demand for these attributes by supplying their customers with PowerXT 350-W modules.”
Solaria’s high output PowerXT 350 modules–60-cell equivalent, with a black back sheet–are built on the company’s proprietary technology, which utilizes advanced cell interconnect and module production processes. Through these patented technology/techniques, Solaria has created a new standard in PV module efficiency and reduction in system costs. Providing labor savings on racking and system components, PowerXT modules significantly boost power generation while eliminating reliability challenges that can reduce conventional PV modules’ long-term performance. This ensures that solar installers maximize power deployment on customer roofs, enabling them to install attractive, cost-effective distributed power plants that accelerate payback period and profitability.
Solaria PowerXT 350-W modules build on the success of the Solaria PowerXT 325-W and 330-W, which have been in high demand among solar installers. Solaria PowerXT 350-Wp modules are available through Krannich Solar and other quality solar distributors.
News item from Solaria


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The deadline for the imposition of higher customs duties on 29 products, including almond, walnut, and pulses, imported from the US, has been extended by 45 days. According to a notification from the Finance Ministry, the duties would now come into effect from September 18.
As per a June notification, the duty hike was to come into effect from August 4, but according to a PTI report, the 45-day extension was a result of positive expectations from the ongoing talks between the two countries. In a notification issued late on Friday night, the Finance Ministry replaced the August 4 date with September 18.
As per the notification, import duties on 29 American items would be hiked. While import duty on walnut is to be hiked to 120 percent from 30 percent, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and Masur dal will be hiked to 70 percent from 30 percent. Levy on lentils will be hiked to 40 percent from 30 percent.
The duty hike move by India was in retaliation to the March 9 decision of US President Donald Trump to impose heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminum items, a move that has sparked fears of a global trade war. India has said the duty imposed by the US has affected steel exports by $198.6 million and aluminum shipments by $42.4 million.
India has also dragged the US to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminum. India exports steel and aluminum products worth about $1.5 billion to the US every year. Exports to the US in 2016-17 stood at $42.21 billion, while imports were $22.3 billion. Other products which would attract higher duties include boric acid, phosphoric acid, diagnostic reagent, flat-rolled products of iron, certain flat-rolled products of stainless steel.


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Exclusive: Blockchain platform developed by banks to be open-source
By Jemima Kelly
LONDON (Reuters) - A blockchain platform developed by a group that includes more than 70 of the world's biggest financial institutions is making its code publicly available, in what could become the industry standard for the nascent technology.
The Corda platform has been developed by a consortium brought together by New-York-based financial technology company R3. It represents the biggest shared effort among banks, insurers, fund managers and other players to work on using blockchain technology in the financial markets.
Blockchain, which originated in the digital currency bitcoin, works as a web-based transaction-processing and settlement system. It creates a "golden record" of any given set of data that is automatically replicated for all parties in a secure network, eliminating any need for third-party verification.
Banks reckon the technology could save them money by making their operations faster, more efficient and more transparent. They are racing to build products using the technology that will generate new revenue, with dozens of patent applications filed for blockchain-based products by Wall Street's top lenders.
R3 says it hopes its platform will become the industry standard, although its intention is indeed for firms to build products on top of it.
"We want other banks and other parties to innovate with products that sit on top of the platform, but we don't want everyone to create their own platform ... because we'll end up with lots of islands that can't talk to each other," R3's chief engineer, James Carlyle, told Reuters.
"If we have one platform with lots of products on top, then we get something that's more like the internet, where we still get innovation but we can still communicate with each other."
Corda's code will be contributed on Nov. 30 to the Hyperledger project - a cross-industry project led by the non-profit Linux Foundation to advance blockchain technology by coming up with common standards. Continued...


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5-fold increase in rates for organic farmers
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett has announced a proposed 5-fold increase in rates for farmers participating in the Organic Farming Scheme. These are subject to approval by the European Commission as part of the ongoing discussions on approval of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan and would apply from 1 January 2023.
Announcing the new rates the Minister said;
"The budget proposed for this scheme under the next CAP is a 5-fold increase on what was previously available. This is my commitment to growing and investing in the Irish organic sector. I have engaged with stakeholders and industry and there is broad acceptance that the environmental and socio-economic benefits of Organic farming are needed now more than ever.
“The new enhanced rates are reflective of my commitment to ensure that our Programme for Government target of 7.5% of farmland to be under organic production by the end of the CAP cycle of 2027, is achieved. I am confident that these new rates will entice in many new farmers to organic farming and I would encourage every farmer to consider it and be ready for when the new scheme opens this autumn.”
The overall objective of the Organic Farming Scheme is to deliver enhanced environmental and animal welfare benefits and to encourage producers to respond to the market demand for organically produced food. The Minister announced a €5m increase in funding for organic farming in 2022, allowing the organic farming scheme to open for new entrants in response to high demand in 2021. The total budget of €23m marks a doubling of the organic sector budget since the Green Party entered government.
"The new enhanced rates are reflective of my commitment to ensure that our Programme for Government target of 7.5% of farmland to be under organic production by the end of the CAP cycle of 2027, is achieved." - Minister Pippa Hackett


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The government is advancing Canada's future space exploration
The CEO of the e-commerce firm decided to offer a highly unusual benefits package, reimbursing his fulltime employees for their wedding expenses.
The luxury car dealership was sentenced earlier today following safety failures which saw one young worker seriously injured.
Consider the neurotic film director and tap into distinct personalities, says one industry academic.
An Ontario organization has been hit with a hefty fine after two poorly informed workers were seriously injured in separate accidents.
How you measure employee performance can mean some staff misrepresent the number of hours worked, says one leading business professor
Over 60 per cent said they were looking for an employer that would support them in this area.
The pontiff criticized unfair employment contracts and slammed “bloodsucker” bosses who grow rich by exploiting others.
HR may be able to direct support more efficiently after a recent survey reveals exactly where new managers are struggling.
Staff lined the corridors for a standing ovation as the phenomenally popular leader made his way into the officer for a final time.
With the rise in devices like smart watches and fitness trackers, how can HR bring these into the business without becoming Big Brother?


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Tech Companies vs Trump: Apple, Facebook, Google And Others To Release Joint Letter Opposing Immigration Ban
It has been reported that around 97 organizations plan to send a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, which includes Alphabet, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Uber and Stripe, alongside a consumer packaged goods company and others. The companies have been cooperating on a letter contradicting U.S. President Trump's travel ban on seven primarily Muslim countries.
The giant technology companies leading the effort are attempting to include different ventures and media organizations, as well as manufacturing giants and customer product outfits. The letter will be the main significant push from enormous U.S. companies to support immigration in the wake of a current travel confinement order by Trump.
The expected companies to sign the letter include Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Microsoft and Yahoo. Amazon.com and Expedia, which are based in Washington DC, have already shown support of the Washington judge's temporary hold on the EO, as per Fortune.
Joint Letter Opposing Immigration Ban
The joint letter's main objective is ensuring that the company migration framework meets today's security needs and protects the nation. The giant technologies are concerned that the current executive order will affect many visa holders who are working hard in the United States and add to the nation's prosperity.
According to Recode, the letter stressed the point that in a worldwide economy, it is important that the companies keep on attracting the best and brightest from around the globe. They pointed that they respect the progressions of the administration.
The Department of Homeland Security will actualize the executive order and the giant companies will stand prepared to help their organization to recognize different chances to guarantee that their workers can travel with consistency and immediately without undue delay.
President Trump signed the executive order a week ago banishing all refugees from entering the United States. Trump's activity started a kickback, emitting in dissents throughout the end of the week at air terminals around the nation, including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Boston.
SpeedX Unicorn: A Kickstarter High-End Bike, Equipped With Key Metric
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CTOnews.com, Nov. 25 (Xinhua)-- supercar manufacturer Pagani recently unveiled the latest version of its Huayra car line, the Huayra Imola Roadster, on Thursday local time. The car is limited to 8 units worldwide, and the price has not been announced yet, but this does not affect all CTOnews.com partners to set it as wallpaper for their mobile phones or computers.
According to reports, Pagani launched the Huayra Imola Coupe version in 2020, with a global limit of 5 sets, designed to pay homage to the legendary Italian track San Marino Imola. The launch of the model has also improved in performance, with a maximum power of 850 horsepower, a maximum torque of 1100N ·m and a weight of only 1260kg.
The car carries a 6.0T V12 twin-turbocharged engine provided by Mercedes-AMG, matches the seven-speed Xtrac serial transmission and the top-speed 350km/h.
The new car uses a more advanced and complex design than the Imola Coupe launched in 2020, and officials say the Imola Roadster combines the cutting-edge technology of Huayra Roadster BC with the design and aerodynamics of the Huayra R sports car.
In order to achieve stronger performance, the ventilation and heat dissipation opening area on both sides of the front of the new car is increased, and the ventilation opening on the front wheel wing plate is also optimized.
Officials say every detail of the new car's body is designed to provide drivers with 600kg pressure in 280km/h conditions. In addition, the chassis is made of Carbo Titanium HP62-G2 (literally carbon-titanium alloy) and Carbo Triax HP62 lightweight material, and the weight of the vehicle is further reduced by new painting technology. 5kg.
Welcome to subscribe "Shulou Technology Information " to get latest news, interesting things and hot topics in the IT industry, and controls the hottest and latest Internet news, technology news and IT industry trends.
CTOnews.com October 12 news, Blizzard issued an announcement today, on the "watch vanguard"return" recent problem explanation, apology compensation and follow-up activities. Blizzard announced that it will provide all players with a free login bonus: new legendary skin: cursed Captain.
On February 19, CTOnews.com, Doug DOOGEE, a domestic rugged smartphone brand, announced its participation in the MWC 2023 Mobile World Congress, where a number of new products of the brand were displayed. Doug officially said that during MWC, DOOG
According to CTOnews.com news on March 23, China Mobile announced its annual results on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange today. China Mobile's operating income in 2022 was 937.3 billion yuan, an increase of 10.5% over the same period last year, and the profit attributable to shareholders was 125.5 billion yuan, compared with the same period last year.
CTOnews.com, February 26 (Xinhua)-- in a recent tweet, PlayStation officials reminded players to keep the PS5 in a ventilated place and clean up dust regularly. Officials say they need to pay attention to the following points: first, be sure to place the PS5 in the


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Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY)
|Net Income (ttm)||-1.19B|
|Day's Range||112.15 - 115.08|
|52-Week Range||94.68 - 127.25|
|Price Target||136.00 (+19.9%)|
Ryanair Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides scheduled-passenger airline services in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Germany, and other European countries. It is also involved in the provision of various ancillary services, such as non-flight scheduled and Internet-related services; in-flight sale of beverages, food, and merchandise; and marketing of car hire and accommodation services, and travel insurance through its website and mobile app. In addition, the company offers aircraft and passenger handling, ticketing... [Read more...]
Financial PerformanceFinancial numbers in millions EURFinancial Statements
According to 4 analysts, the average rating for RYAAY stock is "Buy." The 12-month stock price forecast is 136.00, which is an increase of 19.89% from the latest price.
European aviation should be set for a multi-year recovery, say JPMorgan Cazenove analysts, as COVID-19 moves from a pandemic to an endemic.
Ryanair expects a 10-15% fall in available short-haul seats across Europe next summer to push up average fares in the sector compared to pre-pandemic levels, a senior executive told journalists on Thurs...
Wolfe Research analyst Hunter Keay downgraded Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) to Peer Perform from Outperform as part of a broader Airlines Quarterly research note. The analyst cites valuation while no...
Two of Europe's largest airlines have revived a spat over the environmental impact of Europe's take-off slot rules, with Ryanair accusing Germany's Lufthansa of exploiting climate concerns to stifle com...
Ryanair (RYAAY) reduces expectations for fiscal 2022 as Omicron-induced travel restrictions across Europe hurt its bookings for December and January.
Low-cost airline Ryanair said Wednesday that the Omicron coronavirus variant would have a strong impact on its financial performance as it more than doubled the forecast for its annual loss and cut back...
Ryanair (RYAAY) intends to trim its January capacity by nearly 10%.
Ryanair expects to fly around 10% fewer passengers in December and January due to customer concerns around the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Group Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told the Guardian newspa...
Load factor at Ryanair (RYAAY) improves to 86% in November 2021 from 62% recorded a year ago.
Further spread of the Omicron variant is likely to diminish the recent uptick in air-travel demand, eventually hurting stocks like DAL, UAL and RYAAY.
Ryanair Group Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday he saw no reason to cancel flights because of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and his airline's flights were heavily booked for the n...
Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth lowered price targets for several airline stocks. New travel restrictions around the globe are expected to hamper the sector's recovery in an effort to prevent the tr...
Ryanair's (RYAAY) opening of a new base in Madeira during summer 2022 is expected to boost its connectivity with 10 new routes. The base will connect Madeira with several European destinations.
Ryanair (RYAAY) is set to operate more than 500 services from UK airports next summer, which includes adding 24 new routes to popular European destinations.
Covid surge in Europe before Christmas also delaying passengers' early summer 2022 plans, says Michael O'Leary
DUBLIN (Reuters) -European airlines are in for a fraught period between now and the end of the year due to renewed COVID-19 concerns that will disrupt Christmas travel and early summer holiday bookings,...
Ryanair (RYAAY) offers more than 100,000 seats for sale to Europe's popular destinations like Brussels, Budapest, Prague and Vienna, among others.
Ryanair's (RYAAY) seat sale for November and December across more than 530 routes in Europe is expected to boost the carrier's winter travel demand.
With continued recovery in air-travel demand in the European Union, Ryanair's (RYAAY) October traffic rises year-over-year as well as sequentially.
Ryanair exec on holiday airline travel, mass flight cancellations
Ryanair Group CFO Neil Sorahan joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss whether airlines are prepared for a busy holiday travel season.
Despite falling short of estimates, Ryanair's (RYAAY) Q2 results reflect significant improvement on a year-over-year basis due to surge in traffic with easing coronavirus-led restrictions.
Ryanair Holdings shares rose on Monday as investors looked past a pessimistic outlook that will see the budget airline recording a worse loss for the fiscal year than analysts anticipated.
Christmas 2021 bookings look strong, Ryanair CEO says
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary discusses the Irish airline's third-quarter earnings and the outlook for bookings for Christmas, 2022 and beyond.
Ryanair said on Monday it is considering delisting from the London Stock Exchange due to a fall in trading volumes this year after British shareholders' voting rights were restricted post-Brexit.
Ryanair on Monday said that Boeing was "delusionary" for imposing a double-digit price increase for an order for the 737 MAX 10 during talks earlier this year.


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General Motors will start an orderly wind-down of Saab operations after GM failed to complete a sale transaction with Dutch car builder Spyker Cars. Spyker said that during the due diligence, certain issues arose that both parties believe cannot be resolved prior to the December 31st deadline set by GM. Spyker became involved in acquiring Saab after the withdrawal of Koenigsegg Group AB last month.
GM says it "expects Saab to satisfy debts including supplier payments, and to wind down production and the distribution channel in an orderly manner while looking after our customers. Saab will continue to honor warranties, while providing service and spare parts to current Saab owners around the world."
Last week, Saab Automobile AB announced that it had closed on the sale of certain Saab 9-3, current 9-5 and powertrain technology and tooling to Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings Co. Ltd.
BMW Is Favorite To Gain Saab Buyers - AutoTrader.com
With the announcement today that GM will shutter its Saab division, BMW may be a winner, according to cross-shopping data from AutoTrader.com. Thirty-three percent of Saab shoppers also looked at BMW vehicles while researching and comparing new and used vehicles on AutoTrader.com, a larger percentage than looked at any other brand.
31% of Saab shoppers also looked at Audi models listed for sale on AutoTrader.com. 29% looked at Volvo, 27% at VW and Toyota, 24% at Honda and Mercedes-Benz, 23% at Ford and 22% at Chevrolet. Having said that, Saab's year-to-date 2009 sales in the U.S. through November stands at 7,812, a 61.3% drop from 2008, so when that kind of low volume is scattered around, will it really make a difference?
In other GM news, the company says it will begin loan repayments to the U.S. and Canadian and Ontario governments, paying $1.0 billion to the U.S. Treasury and $192 million to Export Development Canada.


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Until this week, Microsoft officials presented an unambiguous position on search: Microsoft is No. 3, but it would keep trying and trying until it unseated Google. To get there, Microsoft planned to pour time and money into building both its desination search (www.live.com) search and convenience search (i.e., Live Search integrated into Microsoft and third-party sites and products) offerings and strategies.relevance, speed and size of the Live Search index. Nadella told News.com:
"I would say that in the fall you will see us, just because these 70 million users (who have tried Live Search) today are our lowest hanging fruit in terms of being able to increase the engagement with them, that we will put a lot of energy in just marketing ourselves through MSN."
On the advertising side of the house, Microsoft, Microsoft is downplaying even more its one-time goal of catching Google. Brian McAndrews, Senior Vice President of Microsoft's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions (APS) Group, told the New York Times that Microsoft is trying to decouple online advertising from Web search. Instead of tying advertising to search results, Microsoft is proposing a new ad-measurement system called "conversion attribution," which, the Times explains
"would track all of the online places where consumers see ads and give advertisers a fuller picture of the various ways that consumers reach them. Tracking is important, because the site that gets credit for prompting a user’s visit is the one that gets paid for it."
Instead of assuming that users click on an ad because they discovered it via Google's search engine, Microsoft's contention is that people often go to an ad after seeing information elsewhere. The Atlas division of Microsoft's aQuantive subsidiary will allow advertisers to see "a log of all the places on the Internet where people see ads before going to the advertisers’ Web sites," the New York Times said. "The data is based on individual computers’ electronic signatures, not individual people."
Microsoft is not going quite so far as to say that search market share doesn't matter -- to vendors, consumers or advertisers. But company officials are definitely trying to change the way success is measured in the search space, which isn't surprising, given that Microsoft still can't seem to break the 15 percent search market share milestone.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Microsoft is attempting to change the ground rules around search in a different way -- by testifying before Congress as to why Google's proposed merger with DoubleClick is anticompetitive. Read my ZDNet blogging colleague Larry Dignan's dueling-banjos take on the Microsoft and Google testimony here.
Will any of these moves give Microsoft a leg up in the growing online-advertising space? The jury's still out on that one (pun intended).


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The black cab is to make its debut in China after a businessman from the country fell in love with the distinctive vehicles on a visit to London.
The TX1 cab is already exported to more than 25 countries, including the United States, Singapore and Japan. Its manufacturer, London-based Manganese Bronze, has sold exclusive rights to make the car in China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong to China's largest maker of petrol engines and light-duty vehicles, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings (BCAH).
Dr Yang Rong, BCAH's chairman, contacted the company after riding in a TX1 on a visit to London. "It provides far better safety, comfort and passenger accessibility than all existing taxi products in the country," he said.
Chinese taxis are usually saloon cars, and Dr Rong was impressed by the contrasting spaciousness of the TX1's interior. But "the knowledge", a cab-driver's instruction in mysterious back-road shortcuts, is harder to replicate.
Ian Pickering, Manganese Bronze's chief executive, said talks with the Chinese company had been under way since the beginning of last year. "This deal is extremely important for us – the Chinese taxi industry is significant and growing," he said.
Production will initially be restricted to Shenyang in the north-east of the country, with the first cars on the streets next year ahead of a planned roll-out nationwide. The vehicle will contain a spruced-up engine but will otherwise be identical to its British counterpart.
Under the terms of the deal, Brilliance China, which in 1992 became the country's first company to float on the New York Stock Exchange, is paying £2.7m and undisclosed royalty payments based on cab sales.
Shares in Manganese Bronze rallied 33 per cent on the London Stock Exchange in response to the deal.


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The risk of storing credit card details online have been highlighted, after a hacker claimed to have stolen over 25,000 separate credit card details and posted them on to his website. The Russian hacker,...
Consumers affected by the Equifax breach will be able to claim up to $20,000 each in compensation
Apple in talks with LG and Samsung over OLED 120Hz displays for its high-end iPhones
Exploits expected to emerge within days to take advantage of 9.8-rated critical security flaw in VLC Media Player
FSB projects to de-anonymise Tor and isolate Russia from the internet exposed


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About the 'Uber' Car-Service App
Transportation Network startup Uber's car-service app "Uber" is a driver-for-hire service, which lets you beckon a car with a few clicks of your smart...
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx discusses the future of transit.
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A grandmother has been charged in a murder-for-hire scheme and is accused of trying to pay someone to kill a parent of her grandchildren. According to...
June 26, 2015
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