text:
Privates on parade! Paris fashion fans get more than they bargained for as Rick Owens shows FULL FRONTAL male nudity on the catwalk
- Designer Rick Owens showcased draping gowns with crotch cut-outs on the catwalk in Paris today
- One male model wore an outfit so revealing that his entire manhood was on display
- People were quick to share the pictures on Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #d**kowens
The front row may have been the worst place to be at Rick Owens' Paris menswear show today.
The designer - who's been dubbed #d***owens by Twitter wags - sent men down the catwalk out in loose hanging, draped smocks with one very particular detail - groin peepholes, treating fashion fans to the sight of model manhood in all its glory - as part of his autumn/winter 2015 show.
While for some of the gentlemen the outfits sat so low their modesty was protected, others weren't so lucky and one chap wore a top which, due to the unfortunate crotch-level cropping, gave the world an X-rated eyeful.
Scroll down for video
This model did not seem that happy to have his penis on show to the whole world today at the Rick Owens show in Paris
Male models at the Rick Owens show turned heads for more than just their clothes, draped gowns with cut-out crotches revealed all
No sooner had the show ended than many fashion fans took to Twitter to express their excitement and amusement at the outfits which were thought to have been inspired by religious robes.
One user said: 'I bet more than height and waist measurements were taken at the Rick Owens casting.'
Another quipped: 'Immediate reaction to the Rick Owens crotch cutouts: that male model's mom is going to be placing a VERY stern phone call.'
Fashion editors were quick to review the show with New York Magazine saying: 'Just as 2014 was the year of the butt, 2015 is shaping up to be about the bulge in fashion land.'
However they said many of the attendees missed the big moment because they were too busy on their phones: 'The penises weren't the point of the show - it was blink-and-you-miss-it - but many editors were cursing themselves afterward for missing them because they were too busy texting.'
For some of the models the outfits were long enough that they covered their modesty - others weren't so lucky
Some of the attendees at the show said that you could blink and miss the full frontal male nudity that took place at the show
And fashion blogger Susie Bubble didn't seem to think the outfits were that big of a deal. She told Dazed And Confused: 'I liked that you hardly noticed it. It wasn't nudity for the sake of nudity. I honestly didn't see until somebody pointed out the d*** flaps and the undie holes.'
Many people took to Instagram to repost the pictures which quickly went viral, sharing them under the hashtag #d**kowens, a play on the California-born designer's name.
Many Twitter users took to the social media site to express their amusement at the Rick Owens show in Paris today
According to fashion insiders at the show there were a total of three penises in the show although to what degree they were seen varied depending on the model.
Rick's show and his penis peephole outfits are the latest in a long line of bizarre offerings which have taken place during the men's fashion weeks. In London models walked down the catwalk with lego stuck to their faces.
While not all of the models showed off their whole bodies it seems that wearing underwear will be a definite no-no this autumn
And at the house of Christopher Shannon they were photographed coming down the runway with plastic bags on their heads and others had the same emblazoned on their jumpers.
At the DSquared2 show and Salvatore Ferragamo in Milan it was all about giant winter warmers. While DSquared controversially showed giant fur hats and huge lined coats, Ferragamo had models walk down the runway in giant scarfs.
At the Gucci show men were dressed in very feminine outfits including lace tops, pussybow blouses and vests.
Most watched News videos
- Moment Cody Ackland enters police station to confess to murder
- Attorney Camille smiles when asked if she's dating Johnny Depp
- Brit is brutally attacked with a dumbbell in gym in Thailand
- Ukraine forces appear to use British missiles on Russian tanks
- Ukrainian medic vanishes leaving gigabytes of footage documenting war
- Russian soldier pleads guilty in first war crimes trial of conflict
- Nottingham Forest fans invade pitch to celebrate victory on penalties
- Rebekah Vardy arrives at high court for last day of Wagatha trial
- Florida road rage dispute turns violent with men pulling knife, gun
- Hero dog is recovering after saving owner from mountain lion attack
- Depp's lawyer says Johnny isn't the only partner Heard's assaulted
- Furious woman smacks groper who strokes her leg in a coffee shop


text:
Survey: As COVID Cases Rise, Consumer Confidence Declines In Southwestern PA
A recent survey shows a decline in consumer confidence in southwestern Pennsylvania -- particularly how residents feel about their employment, personal finances, and spending plans -- as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
The survey shows a reversal of what had been a trend earlier in the fall, when people were slowly feeling more positive about the economy.
The Allegheny Conference on Community Development has been tracking consumer sentiment in the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region since the outbreak of the pandemic in March.
“It’s corresponding with a surge in the cases, and people understanding that we are not there…we are actually headed into some rough times,” said Vera Krekanova, the chief strategy and research officer at the Conference.
Consumer confidence is “a force that drives the economy” she said, and is key to peoples’ willingness to spend money.
The latest research was released last week. The downturn in sentiment reflects answers from several hundred people who took the survey in late November.
Since that time, Gov. Tom Wolf has taken additional measures to slow the spread of the virus that could impact the economy, including temporarily suspending indoor dining at restaurants.
Among the survey’s highlights:
- only 18.4% of respondents felt positive about the national economy (down from 25.7% the prior month),
- 39.9% felt positive about their personal finances (down from 51.4%)
- 39% had positive feelings about their future personal financial situation in six months (down from 51.9%)
The survey did show less pessimism about the broader economy in the long-term.
The Allegheny Conference is conducting the surveys with Pittsburgh-based Schmidt Market Research.

domain: news


text:
Rumored Buzz on CPAP Store in Charlotte NC 28205
” Due to their small structure and remarkable seal and healthy, it is possible to lastly get a cushty night time’s snooze and restore your very well-being.
ResMed merchandise can only be offered to end customers residing in the U.S. instead of to other third get-togethers or businesses.
Local Yelp Results for Charlotte NC
Business Results 1 - 10 of 4
Reviews of Businesses Selling CPAP Supplies in Charlotte NC
Business Results 1 - 10 of 20
Charlotte NC - BingNews Search results
Armadillo found in Charlotte; experts say more could be on the way
“Armadillos in Charlotte? Yes!” said a statement posted on Facebook. “Armadillo populations spreading into more northern territories like North Carolina is certainly unexpected, but it seems that mild...
Man's Family Suing Charlotte Police Over Fatal Shooting
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The widow of a man fatally shot by an undercover North Carolina police officer is suing the city. Media outlets report the family of Josue Javier Diaz filed a lawsuit Friday against ...
Check Out These 34 New Jobs In Charlotte, Lake Norman
CHARLOTTE, NC — Companies across the Charlotte and Lake Norman region are looking for new employees, and Patch and Zip Recruiter have heaps of openings on our searchable jobs board. Here are recent po...
NC Family Of Pregnant Mom, Daughters Slain Speaks Out
CHARLOTTE, NC — "He stole my whole world and treated them like they were trash," said Frankie Rzucek Friday morning in a Facebook post. "My sister and nieces meant the absolute world to me. They made ...
Charlotte restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (and what to order)
CHARLOTTE, NC. -- If you're looking for some tasty eats in the Queen City, you don't have to look very far. Charlotte is known for its local restaurants that pack a big punch in the kitchen. Several l...


text:
If a legislative referendum is successful, a sales tax on specific foodstuffs might be repealed. On Wednesday, Rep. Sean Roberts of Hominy declared that he intends to continue his campaign for a referendum to repeal Oklahoma’s sales tax on food.
“At the moment, just six states allow full taxation on food, with Oklahoma being one of them,” Roberts said. As a result of the present excess in money and the increase in earnings, this is a perfect moment to provide this much-needed help to Oklahoma households.
Roberts introduced House Bill 2844 during the last session and said he would advocate for its approval again during this term.
‘If this initiative is submitted to the people and passed, Oklahoma companies would experience an increase in income, and Oklahomans would be able to receive more for their money at the grocery store,’ he added.
According to the legislation, a provision in the Oklahoma Sales Tax Code would be amended. It would make products provided via the SNAP program eligible for a tax exemption for everyone, even those not enrolled in the program. The following session will commence on February 7th.


text:
LOGISTICS software group WiseTech Global today announced its acquisition of Bysoft, a provider of automated customs and freight forwarding software based in São Paulo, Brazil.
WiseTech Global CEO Richard White said Bysoft’s leadership, cross-border compliance expertise and product development knowledge was highly valued.
“We know Bysoft well through our long-standing Wise Business Partner relationship,” he said.
“Acquiring the market-leading customs software vendor in Brazil gives us an incredibly strong foundation for our South American expansion.”
Mr White continued, saying WiseTech was focused on improving productivity, quality, speed, visibility and manageability in the logistics industry.
“Given the deep complexities and challenges of cross-border logistics in Brazil, we believe the powerhouse combination of WiseTech Global and Bysoft will provide significant benefit for South American logistics providers and multi-nationals world-wide,” he said.
Bysoft managing director Edneia Chebabi expressed her excitement about the acquisition.
“With the global strength of WiseTech now invested in Brazil, Bysoft will accelerate our innovation and product development and integration with CargoWise One to improve our Brazilian and global customers’ productivity and border compliance capability,” she said.
Ms Chebabi is to continue on as Bysoft managing director as the company’s operations are integrated within the WiseTech Global group. The acquisition was announced soon after plans were revealed for a new free trade deal incorporating Australia and key nations within Latin America.


text:
Joshua D. Brown, the first person to die in a Tesla autopilot accident, was watching a “Harry Potter” movie when his vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer, according to the surviving truck driver.
“It was still playing when he died and snapped a telephone pole a quarter mile down the road,” Frank Baressi told the Associated Press.
Reuters reported Friday that the Florida Highway Patrol said it found an aftermarket digital video disc (DVD) player in the wreckage of the Tesla Motors Model S involved in the crash.
“There was a portable DVD player in the vehicle,” said Sergeant Kim Montes. The officer also added there was no camera found, mounted on the dash or of any kind, in the wreckage.
According to Tesla, it is impossible to watch movies on the car’s touchscreen. Baressi added that he could only hear the movie playing, but didn’t see it.
The Model S was on autopilot mode when its cameras failed to differentiate the white side of a truck from a bright sky.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal investigation into the May 7 accident that is only recently making headlines.
“Preliminary reports indicate the vehicle crash occurred when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection on a noncontrolled access highway,” the agency said. “The driver of the Tesla died due to injuries sustained in the crash.”
Tesla is still optimistic about its autopilot technology, and doesn’t consider the accident an indication that it is dangerous.
“This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated,” Elon Musk‘s company said in a statement. “Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles.”
The company also noted that they make it explicitly clear to drivers that the autopilot function is only an assist feature and still requires that the driver keep their hands on the wheel.


text:
These once-daily supplements claim to boost energy, nourish your gut, support your immune system and more. But health experts aren’t convinced.
Athletic Greens, Daily Greens, Supergreens — mix just one scoop of these multivitamin powders into a glass of water or a shake, their marketing typically says, and you can get all of the vitamins and minerals you need for the day, as well as added health benefits like a stronger immune system, less stress, better digestion and more energy.
These “greens powders” or “superfood powders,” as they are sometimes called, usually host a hodgepodge of vitamins and minerals, as well as other trendy ingredients like probiotics, ground up kale, chia seeds and ashwagandha.
“They’re so enticing,” said Dr. Marion Nestle, an emeritus professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. “You think, ‘Oh, this will be so easy.’”
But as with most things nutrition-related, you’ll likely need more than a scoop of powder to improve your overall well-being, she said.


text:
President TrumpDonald TrumpMedia giants side with Bannon on request to release Jan. 6 documents Cheney warns of consequences for Trump in dealings with Jan. 6 committee Jan. 6 panel recommends contempt charges for Trump DOJ official MORE lashed out at Amazon on Saturday, accusing the retail giant of scamming the U.S. Postal Service over shipping costs and evading taxes.
"While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon," Trump tweeted, following up on a tweet earlier this week that accused Amazon of "putting many thousands of retailers out of business."
"That amounts to Billions of Dollars," he tweeted Saturday. "The Failing N.Y. Times reports that 'the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,' and that does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a 'lobbyist' and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. 'increased its parcel rates, Amazon’s shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion.' This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!"
While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018
...does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a “lobbyist” and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. “increased its parcel rates, Amazon’s shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion.” This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018
The president has ramped up his attacks on the retail giant in recent days, repeating concerns he voiced on the campaign trail about the company's business practices, particularly as they relate to the U.S. Postal Service.
He has called on the agency to raise shipping rates for Amazon. Parcel delivery has become an increasingly important business for the Postal Service amid long-running declines in its first-class mail service.
Despite the gains in its parcel delivery service, the agency has not been able to make up the losses from declines in its mail delivery business. Last year, the Postal Service reported a loss of $2.7 billion and revenue of $69.6 billion.
A Citigroup analysis last year indicated that the post office subsidizes every Amazon package delivered by $1.46. But Amazon argues that the Postal Regulatory Commission has consistently found that Amazon’s contracts with the USPS are profitable.
“Amazon has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a network of more than 20 package sortation facilities that inject directly into the USPS last mile network bypassing most of USPS network,” Amazon said last year, according to Fortune magazine. “This investment resulted in more efficient processes as well as thousands of jobs and related economic benefits in local communities.”
Axios reported last week that Trump disputes reports that the partnership is profitable.
“It's been explained to him in multiple meetings that his perception is inaccurate and that the post office actually makes a ton of money from Amazon," a source close to Trump told Axios.
Trump has also accused Amazon of failing to pay state and local sales taxes. In fact, the company does collect such taxes on products sold to consumers in states with sales taxes in place. Amazon does not collect taxes in all states on behalf of third party sellers that use the company as a marketplace.
While Trump's attacks on Amazon have resurfaced in recent days, the president has gone after the retail giant in the past. He called on the Postal Service to raise shipping rates for the company in December. And in 2016, while he was still a presidential candidate, Trump decried what he called Amazon's "monopolistic tendencies."
— Updated 11:15 a.m.


text:
SYDNEY — Sustainable packaging supplier Grounded Packaging launched its new sustainable line: RE: MONO. The line offers recyclable, flexible packaging solutions that are food-contact safe.
According to Grounded Packaging, the RE: MONO line contains 83% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, the highest volume of PCR content available throughout the globe for food-safe pouches and other flexible packaging solutions.
“We are excited to be launching our mono-material product, RE: MONO, an alternative to the plastic that is an indispensable packaging material for most food producers and retailers,” said Ben Grant, co-founder of Grounded Packaging.
With food manufacturers becoming increasingly invested in sustainability efforts, Grounded Packaging was determined to do its part and aid in the reduction of virgin plastic packaging. According to data from Statista, almost 40% of plastic produced in 2020 was used for food and drink packaging and most of the packaging was often single use.
The RE: MONO line can serve as a replacement to traditional plastic packaging, that are often non-recyclable and, as a result, fill up landfills and harm the environment. According to Grounded Packaging, RE: MONO packaging can help reduce environmental impact by 57% compared to virgin plastic packaging.
The mono-material packaging is made from recycled plastic, like milk bottles and plastic bags, used to create low-density polyethylene. As well as recyclability, RE: MONO packaging also provides flexibility and functionality for a variety of food products, including alternative proteins, dry goods, pet food and more.
RE: MONO packaging is part of Grounded Packaging’s sustainability initiatives. The company is also determined to remove 4 million kg (more than 8 million lbs) of ocean-bound plastics by the end of this year.
“The packaging we’re launching today has been deemed unattainable by other flexible packaging manufacturers, and we look forward to bringing to market more sustainable products like RE: MONO that are helping consumers and brands join the fight against the climate crisis,” Grant said.
Read more about packaging solutions and trends for pet food and treats


text:
I purchased the 15″ Macbook Pro a few months back and fell totally in love with it. As a long time PC user, the switch was major. But, the journey has been fun!
When Apple released the new iPad, the biggest feature addition was the retina display. And, it was about time that this feature was introduced in MacBooks.
In the new MacBook Pro released this week, this one of the biggest features and it has caught the WWW on fire.
Here are some articles that caught my eye:
The newly redesigned MacBook Pro with Retina Display combines an amazing screen with just enough of the MacBook Air design to feel like a new animal, and to take its place as the best of the current MacBook breed.
With a higher-resolution display, thin chassis, and up-to-date components, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch with Retina Display is the new king of high-end desktop replacement laptops.
So, then, is this a laptop that’s creating its own new product category? Not exactly. This is a laptop that stands poised to kill an existing one, one that Apple has dominated. The new Pro is good enough to make the old Pro (even the updated version) look and feel obsolete. It pushes and redefines the category, raising the bar higher than even its brethren can jump. If you can afford the premium and aren’t set on a 13-inch model there’s no reason to buy any Pro other than this Pro.
Now that Apple has taken the wraps off its next-generation device, where does that leave the rest of the PC industry? Ultrabooks and other Windows-based laptops headed your way in the coming months are bound to be interesting once Microsoft releases the touch-friendly Windows 8, expected in October. We should see more touchscreens on laptops, more convertible laptops, and touchpads enhanced with more gestures for the Windows 8 Metro UI. But adapting for touch won’t be enough.
Apple loves to be ahead of the competition on the technology curve, but has it shuffled up that curve a little too far? The new retina MacBook is causing angst among Apple’s most loyal professional users.
MacBook Pro with Retina Display 15″ Mid 2012 Repairability Score: 1 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).
Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Retina display won’t sell like hotcakes. It’s not supposed to.


text:
News Roundup: LifeStreet CEO speaks at AppNation, Mary Meeker releases trends report, and Google announces big numbers
This month we saw ever-more proof that online advertising and smartphone adoption are increasing at hyper-speed. LifeStreet’s own man of steel, Mitchell Weisman, spoke at the AppNation Summit about how online advertising is transforming into a liquid marketplace. Then we read the latest Mary Meeker report uncovering plenty of growth opportunities for advertisers, publishers, and the whole mobile ecosystem as the gap between mobile media consumption and ad spend narrows. Finally, Google’s I/O conference highlighted even more super strength in the mobile marketplace as users activated increasingly more Android devices and installed record numbers of apps.
- At the AppNation Cross-Platform Summit, held in conjunction with Internet Week New York, CEO Mitchell Weisman discussed in an entertaining and informative presentation how online advertising is evolving into a liquid marketplace – and why that’s a good thing for the industry. Weisman compared recent shifts in the world of online advertising to previous shifts that led to the transformation and explosive growth of online travel bookings. Today, travel booking is a liquid marketplace, with ninety million Americans accounting for 76% of leisure travel booking travel online (usatravel.org, 2011). According to Weisman, online advertising is experiencing a similar revolution thanks to the growth of exchanges and introduction of powerful technologies such as Real-Time Bidding and behavioral advertising. The increase in market liquidity will expand our already growing digital advertising marketplace.
- Mary Meeker from venture firm KPCB released her much-anticipated 2013 Internet Trends Report with robust numbers for mobile. A dramatic rise in smartphone adoption over just a few months – 1 billion to 1.5 billion activations – has paved the way for a rise in mobile media consumption. With 12% of media time now spent on mobile (and growing), advertising opportunities are mounting. According to the report, closing the gap between mobile time spent and ad spend could mean $20 Billion in advertising opportunity. Today, mobile contributes to 15% of all internet traffic. As mobile media consumption continues to grow, advertisers will increasingly follow the users, bringing their investments in mobile advertising up, up and away.
- At Google’s sixth annual I/O developers’ conference, the company announced significant growth in Android adoption. To be exact, Google declared that 28 billion Android apps had been installed and an impressive 900 million Android activations had been completed – up from 400 million last year. Will Google Android catch up to Apple iOS in terms of app installs? Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, WWDC, will be held June 10-14, and we can expect more updates then.
As these recent findings demonstrate, there’s no doubt about it: mobile advertising is growing faster than a speeding bullet.


text:
German sportswear maker Adidas said Wednesday store closures in China had brought plummeting sales since the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak in late January.
“Our business activity in Greater China has been around 85 percent below the prior year level since Chinese New Year on January 25,” the Bavarian company said in a statement.
Adidas said it faced “a significant number of store closures” on its roster of 500 owned stores and 11,500 franchises in China, while many fewer people are shopping at those which remain open.
The group’s “Greater China” region, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, has for years been one of the fastest-growing areas of the world for Adidas sales.
And the Asia-Pacific region as a whole accounted for around one-third of Adidas’ 6.4 billion euros ($6.9 billion) in revenues in the first nine months of 2019.
Despite the novel coronavirus’ spread to some other countries in the region, “we have not yet observed any major business impact outside of Greater China,” the company said.
Looking ahead, Adidas said it could not predict how big the impact of the virus would be on its annual results.
Bosses will provide an update when the company releases its 2019 earnings data on March 11, it added.


text:
For a few years now, Justin Bieber has confessed to being a fan of metal as he previously revealed his Metallica love on Ellen. Now, the 25-year-old is sharing his fandom goes beyond an unfortunate fashion trend as he’s adding lyrics to the mix. According to Consequence of Sound, Bieber shared lyrics to Tool’s “The Pot” via Instagram last night (11th) asking his fans if they know the song.
Bieber’s post appears to have been removed since and we aren’t sure if this is from his fans not being able to answer his question or as a result from Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan’s discovery that Bieber is a Tool fan.
— Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) July 12, 2019
Will the pop-star pick up Tool’s follow-up to 2006’s 10,000 Days, which is scheduled to arrive on August 30th?


text:
The Information Services Group (ISG), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, released a report today showing that German companies are taking the lead in Internet-of-Things (IoT) adoption.
Andrea Spiegelhoff, a partner at ISG, stated: “The German market is adopting IoT technologies quickly and in multiple application scenarios.” Specifically, she states that in addition to the manufacturing and automotive industries, the German retail sector and building automation are seeing “growing activity.”
In the established German automotive market, for example, the report finds the industry looks to adopt IoT to “build and enhance solutions related to vehicle maintenance, passenger infotainment, automated driving assistance and vehicle-to-vehicle communications.”
While there are many positive growth aspects detailed in the report, there are certainly many restraints acknowledged. For one, the German public sector lacks the personnel and budge necessary to currently proceed with any smart city initiative.
There are also security concerns raised in the report.
“Ensuring secure data transfer and payment transactions remain major challenges for the IoT, and while the blockchain technology may improve security, cybersecurity efforts need more dedicated development and support knowledge”
Europe as a Whole
While this report is focused on Germany, it contributes to the overall picture of blockchains presence in Europe. Compared to the United States, Europe has seemingly been more willing to entertain distributed ledger technology.
“The European System of Central Banks (ESCB) is closely monitoring innovation in the financial sector and actively exploring new technologies that may prove useful in supporting our functions in line with our mandate.”
The ISG report not only shows that Germany is taking the lead to adopt IoT solutions, but adds to the credence that Europe, generally, is more embracing of this technology than others.


text:
The importance of online reviews has long been recognized. Indeed, in countries such as China, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea and Poland, internet users list consumer feedback and reviews as the most important source of information they use in the product discovery process – above even search engines, which is the most popular option globally.
But it’s also clear that – in the online space – more people are talking than listening. Across all of the markets we survey at GWI, an average of 47% say they use consumer review sites when in search of product information. But just over thee fifths (61%) say they have written a critique of a product or brand. Everyone wants to be an influencer, then, but not quite so many are as keen to be influenced.
Drilling down into this at a category and brand level reveals the importance of technology to online consumers: mobiles are the subject which people talk about the most online, with Apple topping the list of the 100 brands tracked by GWI. When it comes to tech, many people clearly want to be seen as in the know.
For further insights and data on this area, see our new GWI Commerce reports.


text:
Style :: Fashion
Fashion, history and gardens. It's an only-in-Paris experience at the Palais Royal, where luxury shops line the columned arcades of a 17th century palace.
Gym classes that promise a plump posterior are in high demand. A surgery that pumps fat into the buttocks is gaining popularity. And padded panties that give the appearance of a rounder rump are selling out. The U.S. booty business is getting a big bump.
Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player in North America, was named one of GQ's men of the year, it was revealed Monday.
"Brilliant: Cartier in the 20th Century" shows how Cartier's creations both mirrored changes in society and helped pioneer styles through wars, the growing independence of women and interest in designs from beyond the West.
Those pesky gays are only waiting for straight guys everywhere to don the super-skinny trousers created by "homosexual" clothing designers hot to gawk at hunky dudes, a church leader warned recently.
Despite its sputtering economy, Brazil continues to be a prized target market for international fashion brands, as witnessed during the Sao Paulo fashion week's fall-winter 2015 shows that wrapped up Friday.
To launch its #WoolFreeWinter campaign in Times Square, PETA is embracing a trend in which advertisers focus not only on attractive models but also on their crotches.
The tropically incompatible materials of leather and wool emerged as big winners during Thursday's fall-winter catwalks at Sao Paulo fashion week.
Actresses Lupita Nyong'o and Laverne Cox, fashion designer Sarah Burton, U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power and Chelsea Clinton are among those being awarded Women of the Year awards by Glamour magazine.
Sears and Kmart say they will open on Thanksgiving day again this year with extended hours to draw shoppers.


text:
Russia Is Building A Flying Drone With A Built In AK-47, And It's The Best Or Worst Idea Ever
A patent from February last year, filed with the Russian Federal Service, has just emerged. It reveals a worrying concept reportedly being developed in the country.
Counter to all logic and caution, a local arms maker designed a drone with a rifle attachment.
The patent suggest Russian arms maker Almaz-Antey is working on, or considering, a flying drone that also packs a rifle similar to Kalashnikov's iconic AK-47. There aren't too many details in the pattern; even the drone's design is fairly rudimentary, showcasing only a basic concept.
There isn't a clear method of propulsion in the drawing, so that was likely an afterthought, and the rifle seems to be built into the fuselage between two glider-like wings. But it's still terrifying that anyone would think this kind of design would be a good idea to unleash upon the world.
It's unclear just how effective a drone like this would be in a combat situation. Given a propulsion and navigation system it could hold itself in a flight pattern, but for how long? And what does it do when the singular magazine it's shown to be carrying runs out? Does it fly back to be manually reloaded or is it more of a one-use emergency disposable?
Whichever way it works out, it's a terrible idea. It's a killing machine designed to be cheap, easy to use, and lethal, thus further cheapening the cost of soldiers' lives thrown away on the battlefield. Or worse, imagine a terrorist group gaining hold of some of these machines, and using them to remotely pepper a group of civilians in the market square with gunfire, without even endangering themselves.
This is just a patent right now, meant to be a way for a company to secure its ability to pursue an idea in future if it wants. But the point is, this is an idea that really should never be pursued.


text:
The IPA Bellwether report found that 20% of marketers surveyed upped spend in the three months to 31 December, while 19% noted a reduction (see chart 1 here).
The net balance of 1% was down significantly on the 3.4% reported in the third quarter.
The increase in those marketers reporting cuts to spending reflects the pessimism expressed by the majority of the 300 marketers polled about prospects for their own companies and of the sectors they operate in (see chart 3 here).
The level of confidence marketers had in their own business dropped for the first time since the beginning of 2009 with 37% reporting diminished expectations, up from 26% in the previous quarter.
The net balance of companies reporting weakening confidence in their industries, -44.9%, was almost double the -23.3% registered in the third quarter and the worst reported by Bellwether since the start of the financial crisis in 2008.
Pressure to manage costs has led to a shift away from investment in traditional media campaigns towards digital and direct channels, Bellwether found (see chart 2 here).
Investment in internet advertising and search rose 13.4% and 14.9% respectively. Direct marketing and sales promotion spend increased by 0.6% as consumer facing brands looked for a short-term volume increase to offset weakening consumer confidence. Investment in traditional media such as TV, press and radio dropped 0.2%.
Despite the lack of confidence reported and gloomy predictions about the prospects for the economy in 2012, Bellwether found the majority of marketers are planning to spend more this year than last as they look forward to the expected boost from events such as the Olympics and European Championships.
Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit and author of the report says: “It is encouraging to see that companies are planning to raise their marketing spend in 2012 despite seeing their financial prospects for the next three months falling to the worst since the height of the financial crisis in early 2009. It seems that many companies are looking to fight the prospects of a challenging year ahead with increased promotional


text:
Recently a Californian Cannabis nursery implemented blockchain and smart contracts for various uses, such as tracking production, verifying authenticity, and much more. The nursery, Mendocino Clone Company, has also been part of a partnership between the EMTRI project and the Global Compliance Applications firm. They plan to use blockchain to certify clones or baby plants of batches and also give them a certificate.
Blockchain use in the nursery
Cannabis is a premium product among consumers and growing them is no easy feat. The nursery we are talking about here specializes in producing clones, baby plants and seeds of weeds for the wholesale distribution process. They will now use blockchain to document the stages of growth of a cannabis plant till the time it becomes a usable product which is sold in grams of weight of its flowers.
There will be batch certificates for each clone grown by the nursery, and they will also have a unique identity block. All of this data will be present on the Ethereum-based blockchain. But what benefits will the use of blockchain bring? First, it will allow their customers such as pharmacies and commercial companies to verify the authenticity of the weed they are buying.
Secondly, it will also give the licensed buyers additional perks such as better pricing and EMTRI token rewards for being part of this project.
What are EMTRI tokens?
EMTRI is a cannabis marketing and advisory agency and they issue a digital token called EMT. The idea is to give out these tokens as reward when the cultivator that grows the weed shares the batch data on Ethereum L-2 blockchain. It is a project launched by the company and all the data that the cultivator shares with their customers such as lab reports, batch data, authenticity data and more goes through their app.
The ideas is to promote cultivators that provide truthful and blockchain proven information about the cannabis they grow. This is expected to push more authentic sellers in the cannabis market and even buyers will look for them because of the incentives.
What are your thoughts as Californian Cannabis nursery uses blockchain to track its weed? And do you think that the use of blockchain in this field will be useful? Let us know in the comments below. And, if you found our content informative, share it with your family and friends.


text:
From what I've been reading, all the evidence points to the fact that the Botswana government is attempting to displace indigenous Bushmen from ancestral lands in order to get access to diamond mining rights. After much government resistance, torture, admitted lies and delay, the court case by the Bushmen Gana and Gwi tribes to prevent their evictions restarts on Monday.
An international campaign is gathering steam to persuade diamond giant de Beers, the corporate beneficiary of the mining rights, to back off from a deal whose cost includes the eviction of these Kalahari bushmen. One by one, the models de Beers has hired to be the "face" of their diamond sales, have withdrawn from or refused offers representing de Beers.
The campaign is being spearheaded by UK-based charity Survival International, formed to "help tribal peoples defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures." According to their web site, they have been helping the Bushmen since 1976.
Survival is currently targeting US jewellery designer Neil Lane who has been hired by De Beers to create a signature collection of diamonds to coincide with the November opening of the De Beers store in Beverley Hills.
More about this story:Botswana: Kalahari Bushmen evicted at gunpoint and their houses burnt down


text:
Land Rover Accused in Gearbox Expose
FAULTY gearboxes in Land Rover’s Evoque cars in China were highlighted by China Central Television’s annual “3.15“ program last night.
Owners of Evoques throughout the country have encountered malfunctions such as sudden loss of speed and reverse gear faults.
The problems emerged again even after the gearboxes were replaced, the program said, and maintenance workers at different Land Rover dealers could not identify the fault.
The consumer protecting show said Land Rover (China) had denied there were problems with the gearbox, claiming that buyers “drove too fast,“ Xinhua news agency said.
However, CCTV’s investigation showed that Land Rover had identified the problem some time before and issued confidential notices only to the company’s engineers.
So far, Land Rover has not announced any recall of Evoque cars in China.
Also exposed last night were Nissan, Shanghai Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz dealers falsely reporting or exaggerating problems with vehicles so they could charge high repair fees, the CCTV program claimed.
CCTV reporters disconnected an ignition coil in a Nissan Teana and sent the car to a Nissan shop on Tianmushan Road in the eastern city of Hangzhou.
The “fault“ should have been a simple fix after a mechanic had spotted it, said Zhang Wenli, an auto expert with the China Association for Quality Inspection.
But the shop charged around 1,000 yuan (US$160) for the repair, with a staff member surnamed Ma suggesting a number of problems.
“More serious problems will occur if it is not fixed immediately, like cold may lead to pneumonia if it is not cured,“ Ma said.
Charged 3,000 yuan for ‘fault’
There were similar situations at other Nissan shops, according to the problem.
One in Hefei in east China’s Anhui Province charged 433 yuan to replace the ignition coil on a Nissan Livina car which had also been disconnected.
Another Nissan dealer in Hangzhou charged 3,000 yuan for the same “fault“ in a Teana car, saying six ignition coils and six spark plugs all needed to be replaced, the program said.
It also said that three Shanghai Volkswagen dealers in Tianjin City charged 1,424 yuan, 690 yuan and 803 yuan for Passat cars with the same “problem.“ All claimed that the spark plugs had to be replaced.
A Hefei Mercedes-Benz dealer charged about 10,000 yuan, with a number of cleaning items and replacement items added to the bill, including the replacement of a fuel filter.
CCTV said it had sent 22 cars to dealers of all three makes of cars, and were charged extra on 16 occasions.
The program also accused China Mobile and China Tietong of giving the green light to nuisance calls, allowing call centers to use fake numbers in fraud scams.
The numbers can fool the public by appearing to be from police stations, banks and even courts, and some call centers even collected personal information to target customers, the program said.
The program’s reporters also accused Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China and Bank of China of turning a blind eye to fake identification cards, something that they said made money laundering possible.
gearbox: n.变速箱； 变速器； 齿轮箱
highlighted: v.强调( highlight的过去式和过去分词 )
confidential: adj.秘密的； 机密的； 表示信任的
ignition coil: 点火线圈，发火线圈
spark plug: n.火花塞
nuisance call: n.骚扰电话
fraud: n.欺诈； 骗子； 伪劣品
scam: n.骗局； 诡计
路虎中国表示，针对中央电视台3.15 晚会报道的关于进口路虎揽胜极光（参配、图片、询价） 九速变速器的问题，路虎中国及授权经销商非常重视。由此给消费者带来的不便和困扰，我们深表歉意。
自收到部分客户的问题反馈后，路虎中国一直积极制定解决方案，并已于2015 年1 月19 日起，对2014 至2015 年款的进口路虎揽胜极光(车辆识别码范围为 LV000001-LV996116)主动推出了最新的变速器软件升级措施，同时已就该解决方案在国家相关部门备案。此项升级措施正在持续推进中，我们将进一步协同经销商以最快的速度加速完成。
于3 月份开始销售的2015 款国产路虎揽胜极光，目前在售车型所装配的9 速变速箱已是最新状态，不存在故障批次问题。


text:
Just call us inflation nation.
U.S. consumer prices went up again, jumping 5% in the month of May versus last year, to registering their highest annual surge in nearly 13 years. The jump follows a 4.2% rise in April. Meanwhile, the core CPR rate, which strips out the volatile food and energy sectors, rose 3.8% for May, registering the largest gain in 29 years. Not since June 1992 have we seen such a massive increase.
Prices for everything are way up — as consumers face rising demand, tight inventory supplies and…the Fed effect.
The Fed Effect
The Fed’s role in the inflation story cannot be overlooked. By continuing to leave rates at record lows, while buying up bonds in an effort to influence the treasury markets, Jerome Powell and company are doing their part to keep the spigot open and the money printed. When combined with extraordinary liberal stimulus fiscal policy out of the White House in the last year, it is clear; there’s plenty of money in the system.
The question now is: do we need it?
We do not.
The economy has begun its recovery process and then some. After all, people have been vaccinated and are returning to their normal lives. And, let’s face it…part of normal life is consumption. Lots of it. One of the things Americans are especially good at–for better and for worse–is CONSUMPTION. Indeed, consumption makes up roughly 70% of our overall economy.
And with the economy open again, Americans are enjoying the good life. Spending money by going out to dinner, going on trips, purchasing clothes and doing all the things they’ve put off for the last year.
As a result, there’s a ton of demand…
The Fed should have factored this into its decision making and had a plan in place to help curb inflation but, alas, in typical Fed fashion, these academics are always ‘a day late, and a dollar short.’ Fed Governors like to bury their heads in the sand, making the most obvious moves at all the wrong times.
Bottomline: there’s a serious tightrope to walk at this moment in time. We need to hope the Fed will not overreact and allow the economy to grow enough while not terrifying the markets with threats of pullbacks. Yet, we also need the Fed to face the reality that low interest rates cannot, nor should they not, be with us forever.
It’s a precarious spot… and like much of our troubles over the past year, self-induced.


text:
Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. said June 12 it had developed a next-generation engine valve mechanism that can improve the fuel efficiency of petrol-powered vehicles by about 5% to 10%. The new system also reduces carbon dioxide emissions, boosts engine output by at least 10% and enhances acceleration responsiveness, Toyota said.
It said it plans to introduce the new system, called "Valvematic," in the near future, starting with a new vehicle model with a 2.0-liter engine. The system adjusts the volume of air taken in by continuously controlling the intake valve lift volume and the timing of the valve's opening and closing, the automaker said.
Toyota aims to completely revamp its gasoline engine and transmission lineup by 2010 to reduce emissions.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007


text:
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has endorsed a boycott against Paramount-based El Super as a labor dispute intensifies between the grocery chain and employees working for its unionized stores.
“All their member organizations are going to join the boycott. That’s like 870,000 people,” said Mike Shimpock, a spokesman for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 on Thursday.
Only seven of El Super’s 49 stores have unionized workforces. The last contract between the grocery chain and the workers at those stores expired in September 2013. The two parties have not met since March 2014, according to a response from the grocery company, asserting that management had attempted to negotiate in good faith.
“Following these protracted and deadlocked negotiations with the UFCW, El Super on Sept. 22, 2014, exercised its right to implement its last, best and final offer, made in April, in order to provide our employees with deserved wage increases, paid sick and personal days, and multishift premium pay, among other benefits, effective immediately,” El Super’s statement reads.
That offer, however, was unsatisfactory in the eyes of union negotiators and members. UFCW Local 770 organizing director Rigoberto Valdez Jr. said employees wanted a more generous pay offer, more guaranteed hours and more sick time.
“El Super workers make a lot less than other workers, unionized workers in the grocery industry,” he said.
Workers voted against the offer in May.
The boycott declaration could lead to union members picketing outside El Super stores, which are dotted across the Southland in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, and expands upon the UFCW’s call for a boycott, made in December. The union then raised complaints against El Super, including health code violations and low pay.
An attorney for El Super denied those claims in a previous interview with the Press-Telegram.
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor is an AFL-CIO organization acting as the Central Labor Council for some 300 labor unions within the county. The group says it has not called for a large-scale boycott against a supermarket company since the 139-day supermarket strike of 2003-04 that resulted in grocery workers picketing outside Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons stores.
Another strike seemed likely in 2011, but negotiators reached an agreement after workers at those same three stores voted to authorize a work stoppage and had begun preparations to picket their employers.
El Super is a grocery chain operated by Bodega Latina Corp., a company that maintains its main offices in Paramount and primarily markets its stores toward Latino customers. The company’s stores are in California, Arizona and Nevada. The seven stores that are union shops were previously owned by another company, Gigante, in 2008.
Valdez said UFCW negotiators are not actively working on a formal plan to unionize El Super’s other stores.
“There has never been, expressly, a proposal for other stores. Obviously, if we have a good contract in those seven (unionized) stores those workers would want the same deal,” he said.


text:
Romancing SaGa 2 Coming to Vita this December in the West
As well as unspecified "other consoles".
11.23.17 - 9:11 PM
Remember how the recent Romancing SaGa 2 remake was supposed to come to the West? Well, series Akitoshi Kawazu has confirmed via Twitter that the game will launch on PlayStation Vita and unconfirmed "other game consoles" this December. This is an exciting opportunity to experience a lost classic from Square's glory days: stay tuned to RPGFan for more details!


text:
Central Florida's largest retailers struggled Tuesday to keep stores stocked with supplies while coping with scattered power outages.
For some grocery stores, that meant relying on generator power and offering only nonperishable items.
But even among stores with full power, there were shortages of items such as milk and bread. But companies said supply trucks were rolling into the state with new stocks.
Winn-Dixie had about a dozen stores in Central Florida operating on backup power, spokeswoman Kathy Lussier said. Three of those are in Orange County.
Four stores -- two in Seminole County, one in Lake County and one in Volusia County -- were closed Tuesday, but the company said it was working to reopen those as quickly as possible.
Some stores are experiencing shortages of some items because of heavy demand, she said.
"We've had people lined up before the store opens, and then we run out of some items," Lussier said. "Trucks are running continuously to restock stores, so we're asking customers to bear with us."
Publix had about a half-dozen stores on backup power in Central Florida, spokesman Dwaine Stevens said. One store, in Ormond Beach, was closed because of roof damage but should be open by the end of this week, he said.
Shortages of milk, bread and meats are occurring at some stores, but restocking is being done as quickly as possible, Stevens said.
Albertsons had 33 of 34 Central Florida stores open on full power Tuesday, spokesman Shane McEntarffer said. The chain also was seeing shortages of milk, water and cleaning supplies.
Outside help is being brought in to restock stores, McEntarffer said.
Of Wal-Mart's 209 statewide outlets, 150 were closed Monday. But by Tuesday, that number was reduced to 18. The company's Fort Pierce distribution center also was closed.
All may be open today, spokeswoman Sharon Weber said.
All Lowe's home-improvement stores in Central Florida were open Tuesday, though seven were on backup power.
More than 900 supply trucks were moving into the state, spokeswoman Chris Ahern said.
Some products, such as generators, roofing shingles, tarps and cleaning supplies, were selling out as quickly as they were stocked.
Ahern said the company is picking up many products at manufacturing plants and hauling them directly to Florida stores to speed the process.
Home Depot also had hundreds of trucks rolling into Florida on Tuesday to restock stores, spokesman Don Harrison said.
But some products may be difficult to find for some time.
"There's a nationwide shortage of generators right now," he said. "If anyone can lay their hands on a generator, Home Depot can, but there are few available."
Harrison said manufacturers have ramped up production, and "more are on the way."
The company also is pulling products from stores in the West Coast and the Northeast "for the first time in its history to get Florida stores supplied," Harrison said.
CVS had "a handful" of Central Florida stores closed Tuesday and was hoping to get those open quickly on generator power if necessary.
All Walgreens drugstores in Central Florida should be open today, spokesman Michael Polzin said.
There are shortages of some products, such as water and batteries, but restocking is being done as quickly as possible, Polzin said.


text:
China held a raffle for the national cryptocurrency, which it calls the digital yuan. With the participation of two million people, 50 thousand people won two hundred digital yuan in the lottery held on Sunday.
China announced that it will distribute digital yuan with a draw last week after it started trials for the digital currency it has been working on for a while. Two million Chinese citizens were registered for the raffle held in the city of Shenzhen on Sunday.
10 Million Digital Yuan Reached Owners
Red envelopes, a traditional Chinese method, were used for the digital yuan that were delivered to the winners of the lottery last Monday. A total of 10 million digital yuan distributed in the draw corresponds to US $ 1.48 million.
While it was announced that the winners should create an e-wallet through the Digital Reminbi Application in order to receive their digital money, it was stated that the transfer of digital currencies to someone else or to another person is not allowed. The winners will be able to use their digital money in more than 3 thousand stores.
Countdown has begun in digital currency
The Central Bank of China (PBoC), which has been working on blockchain and digital money for a while, has done a kind of test with the digital money withdrawal organized at the weekend. With the draw held in Shenzhen as a pilot city, it was planned to encourage the public to use digital money, and how the electronic payment system works was also tested.
While the ongoing economic competition between the USA and China in recent years has forced both countries to economic breakthroughs, China’s digital currency efforts took place in the face of the USA’s biggest coin printing of all time. In a report released by AsiaOne, it was stated that the digital currency test conducted by China could have the potential to eliminate the role of the US dollar as the dominant global currency.


text:
Singapore-based Atome expands to Indonesia
By Digital News Asia February 6, 2020
- P2P lending app Kredit Pintar will become part of Atome Indonesia
- Atome is committed to expand credit scoring to the “credit invisible”
ATOME Financials (Atome), a fintech company working to break down barriers of traditional banking and promote financial inclusivity through artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has expanded to Indonesia and appointed Wawan Salum as chief executive officer of Atome Indonesia.
Salum, the former DBS managing director of consumer banking in Indonesia, will focus on growing Atome’s client and partner base among banks, fintechs, e-commerce, and ridesharing segments, as well as talent acquisition, market expansion, and product development.
Atome is headquartered in Singapore with offices in China, India, Philippines, and Vietnam.
Going forward, Indonesia’s peer-to-peer (P2P) lending mobile app Kredit Pintar will be part of Atome Indonesia.
Founded in 2017, PT Kredit Pintar Indonesia creates and provides personalised financial services through its mobile app. In 2019, Kredit Pintar was recognised as a pioneering AI fintech lending company (Indonesia Fintech and Blockchain category) by the Warta Ekonomi committee. The Kredit Pintar app has been downloaded over 10 million times in Indonesia.
Salum, said: “I’m delighted to join Atome as the company is on the cusp of an acceleration in growth in Indonesia. We have plans to introduce some of our most popular regional products, like APaylater, which launched in Singapore recently, to the Indonesian consumer. We see innovations in payments, credit scoring, and fintech as key drivers of financial access and solutions to the ‘credit invisible’ challenge.”
“Our innovative businesses powered by AI and computer vision will help reach underbanked and underserved segments of the population whose needs have not been well met by traditional financial services. As the middle class grows in Indonesia, there will be tremendous opportunities to move our products and services upstream into more premium segments,” he added.
From his early days in marketing at Citibank, Salum has been knee-deep in the world of banking and finance, and today is a recognised authority in the fintech industry – a perfect fit for his role at Atome Indonesia Holdings. Salum has a strong track record of running established banks and enjoys getting involved in all aspects of the business, from strategy development and execution to drive sustainable financial results.
Prior to serving as head of Consumer Banking Group at PT Bank DBS Indonesia (DBSI), Salum spent more than six years at HSBC in various roles, including Credit Card and Personal Loan Head and Country Marketing head.
His last tenure at HSBC was leading the Consumer Banking group as Director.
Salum started his career as a marketing manager at General Motors. His rich experience in the banking sector began when he took up a role as card marketing director at Citibank for more than seven years. He then continued his career in banking as Credit Card and Personal Loan Head at ABN Amro Bank N.V in 2005.
Related Stories :


text:
In an age of digital, Bloomingdale’s, Lady Gaga and Polaroid still believe in print. They proved it Thursday at the 59th Street flagship in Manhattan, when the GL10 Instant Mobile Printer was launched, the first in a string of products being developed by Polaroid with the megastar. She is working on Polaroid introductions under the Grey Label line, including sunglasses that can take videos and play them back as you wear them, and a camera with a built-in printer.
“For the 21st century, you can’t just think out of the box. You have to crush the box. That’s where Lady Gaga comes in,” said Bobbie Sager, Polaroid’s chairman. “She’s not just a spokeswoman. She’s the creative director. On any of these products, she’s the inspiration and she’s been in several long technical meetings.”
With each product, Sager said Gaga is good at figuring out“how do you live with it, how do you party with it and how do you make it cool.”
Polaroid president Scott Hardy said the singer was instrumental in the design of the mini printer, which in 45 seconds prints photos taken with a smartphone that’s Bluetooth enabled, operating like a portable photo booth. The GL10 printer has a leather grip, a partial brushed aluminum finish and is 15 ounces and 4-by-6 inches in size. It makes 3-by-4-inch prints [40 before needing recharging], uses Zink GL10 paper and requires no ink. Bloomingdale’s has the exclusive on the printer, priced $169.99, until mid-June, when HSN and Costco will join in the selling. Bloomingdale’s also has an interactive window display, with a Lady Gaga mannequin holding a camera that shoots anyone standing on a pixel on the sidewalk and projects a big printout.
“My personal philosophy to beauty is paying attention to oneself. I love to be outdoors, lots of fresh air, trying to take care of yourself as best you can. I always notice that comes through,” says Felicity Jones, the global face of @shiseido-owned @cledepeaubeauteus, which launches today. Head to WWD.com to read more about the actress’ love for beauty and how she prepared for her new role in “The Basis of Sex,” playing the young Ruth Bader Ginsburg. #wwdbeauty (📷: @dandoperalski)
For men’s fall 2018, @giuseppezanotti drew on elements from streetwear, sport, biker, combat and rock ‘n’ roll. Pictured here are a pair of shoes from the collection, featuring zippers, rhinestones, and silver hardware. Head to WWD.com to see a roundup of the accessories from Milan’s men’s fall 2018 shows. #wwdfashion (📷: Andrea Delb)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of @ralphlauren’s snowboarding collection, the brand is mining its archives. The iconic brand is reintroducing vintage styles and dropping new designs for a color capsule that will be available in Ralph Lauren stores and @openingceremony on January 25. The capsule will consist of 10 pieces, including the Snow Beach Pullover, pictured here, which is a collector’s item that rapper Raekwon wore in Wu-Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple” video. #wwdfashion (📷: Tom Gould)
For @rochasofficial’s pre-fall 2018 collection, creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua channeled the sophisticated and intriguing Catherine Denevue in the film “Belle de Jour.” Polished collarless coats, midi skirts, suits and ’60s graphic motifs were all featured in the collection, adding a sense of discreet luxury. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion
“We tried to produce clothing of that couture quality, but the most daunting part was that we only had a matter of days [to do it],” said costume designer Lou Eyrich, who recreated Gianni Versace’s iconic looks for @americancrimestoryfx. Eyrich searched online retailers and vintage shops for original pieces from the design house and for @penelopecruzoficial, who plays Donatella Versace. Head to WWD.com to read how she created the Versace world. #wwdfashion
Only three months after her stellar debut catwalk season, @kaiagerber has inked her first big design collaboration –– with @karllagerfeld. The collection blends Lagerfeld’s Parisian chic aesthetic and the model’s signature West Coast casual style via RTW, accessories, footwear and more. The #KarlLagerfeldxKaia collection will launch in September with a series of events. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
Harrods plans to remove the famous statue of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed from the bottom of the Egyptian escalators and hand it back to Mohamed Al-Fayed. “We are very proud to have played our role in celebrating the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods and to have welcomed people from around the world to visit the memorial for the past 20 years,” said Michael Ward, Harrods managing director. “With the announcement of the new official memorial statue to Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, we feel that the time is right to return this memorial to Mr. Al Fayed and for the public to be invited to pay their respects at the palace.” More on the news, with reporting by @loreleimarfil, at WWD.com. #wwdnews


text:
With a Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Samsung combined one of a best Android smartphone cameras we’ve used. At least, if we omit a likes of a Panasonic CM-1 that is some-more a camera powered by Android than a smartphone. Low-light opening is great, and images come out pointy and full of color. But, if a new gossip is anything to go by, a destiny smartphones will make a S7 demeanour like a cheapy disposable camera by comparison.
According to PhotoRumors — a site whose repute we can’t determine — Samsung is doubling down efforts on a mobile imaging after relocating core staff divided from a NX compress systems camera dialect to concentration on smartphone tech.
The site’s sources state that Samsung is operative on a compress 1/2.3″ sensor (compared to a smaller 1/2.5″ sensor on a S7), and has a aim of eventually building a outrageous 1/1.7″ camera sensor with f/1.4 aperture. If they grasp it, that would meant a sensor with up to 24MP fortitude and quick lens. For a user holding pictures, that means bigger, crook images with most improved low light opening and shoal abyss of field. It’s value noting, this is allegedly dictated for unchanging smartphones, not for a Galaxy Camera-types.
On a program front, Samsung is also allegedly operative on a new smartphone camera UI formed on a NX camera menu system, serve blurring a lines between smartphone and ‘proper’ camera photography.
It can’t be farfetched how large a understanding this could be for mobile photography if Samsung manages to get a sensor this good in to a unchanging smartphone. In a past, cameras with outrageous sensors are kept for a niche handsets like a Nokia PureView or a aforementioned CM-1. These were/are zero tighten to being mainstream handsets for a masses, since Samsung’s Galaxy operation are adopted as some of a best-selling flagship phones around.
The Korean tech manufacturer could get implausible cameras in to a hands of a lot of consumers. And while it won’t offer a quality, focal length or flexibility of a Micro 4/3rds or DSLR camera, it will certainly be a outrageous step for mobile photography, giving us even some-more reason to leave a genuine cameras during home.
This entrance upheld by a Full-Text RSS use – if this is your calm and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, greatfully review a FAQ during fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.


text:
HSBC has been hit with a record £10.5m fine for mis-selling investment products to elderly customers needing long term care.
This is the biggest ever fine issued by the Financial Services Authority to a retail financial services company. It has ordered HSBC to pay almost £30m compensation to those affected.
The FSA said that between 2005 and 2010, a subsidiary of the bank, NHFA (previously known as the Nursing Home Fees Agency) advised 2,485 customers to invest in investment bonds, and other asset-based products, to fund long-term care costs. The average age of these customers was 83 – and a sample review suggested that almost 90pc of these cases were mis-sold.
In total the amount invested in these products was close to £285m – meaning the average amount invested per customer was about £115,000.
The FSA ruled that this advice was unsuitable, because these products were designed to be held for a minimum of five years; but many of these customers were not expected to live this long. A combination of capital withdraw, and high product charges meant that people's money was reduced far faster than if they had been recommended alternatives – such as a high-interest fixed-rate account, or an Isa.
In addition the FSA said it was also apparent that the banks advisers had failed to consider the tax status of customers before making these recommendations.
Tracey McDermott, acting director of enforcement and financial crime said: "NHFA was trusted by its vulnerable and elderly customers, It breached that trust to sell the unsuitable products. This type of behaviour undermines confidence in the financial services sector.
"This penalty should serve as a warning to firms that they must have the right systems and controls in place to manage and identify risks when they acquire new businesses. A failure to do so can lead not only to detriment to their customers but to significant reputational and regulatory cost."
She added that the FSA viewed the as particularly significant because NHFA's customers were very vulnerable, due to their age and health. NHFA was also the leading supplier in the UK of independent advice on long-term care products with a market share in recent years approaching 60pc.
Separately, HSBC announced that it would cut 330 jobs in the UK due to "the very challenging economic environment".
"HSBC is today announcing some proposed changes to various areas of our business that will result in the loss of approximately 330 roles in the UK ... in response to the very challenging economic environment and the bank's need to ensure it is working as efficiently as possible," a statement said.


text:
The board of fashion and food retailer Woolworths has announced that group CEO Ian Moir will resign his position effective 16 February 2020.
He will be replaced by Roy Bagattini, a South African who is currently president of the Americas for Levi Strauss, one of the world’s most iconic brands.
The US business is the largest in the Levi Strauss group and includes a significant network of retail stores, spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Latin America.
Bagattini also played an instrumental role in the development and acceleration of the e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities of Levi Strauss.
He cut his teeth in the consumer market at SABMiller, which he joined in 1991, before becoming president for Asia and Africa at the Carlsberg Group, a position that was based in Hong Kong.
Outgoing CEO Ian Moir joined Woolworths in November 2010 when the share price was R28.30 and the firm ungeared. As of Tuesday 14 January, the share price was R51, but Woolies was saddled with debt of R12.5-billion and profit margins in all categories that had been declining since 2015.
Moir’s vision was for Woolworths to become the Southern Hemisphere retailer and he was instrumental in Woolworths’ acquisition of Australian retailer David Jones for R21.5-billion in 2015.
In September 2019, Moir assumed the role of acting CEO of David Jones and moved back to Australia. This was so that he could play a more hands-on role in the turnaround of David Jones.
This was despite shareholder calls for Moir’s head.
Shareholders had grown frustrated at the performance of the retailer, whose value had been written down in stages by a cumulative R11-billion, the last write-down announced in August 2019.
In the South African business the distracted group once again forgot that its core customer is not young and hip, but mature and fashion-conscious.
As a result of this neglect, as well as poor results from David Jones, headline earnings for the year to June 2019 fell by almost 5%.
The total dividend for the year was 190.5c, more than 20% lower than the previous financial year.
It appears this was too much for the board.
“Roy has extensive operational, management and turnaround experience in global consumer and retail markets, which will prove invaluable as we continue to navigate the structural changes taking place in the retail sector and the challenges particular to our group.”
He proffered thanks to Moir for his vision and energy in overseeing a period of growth and transformation in the company. BM
Domino's Pizza developed the world's first pizza box but never patented it.


text:
It’s about that time of the year when the next-gen Nexus is expected to be announced, so seeing leaked photos and hearing rumors is more or less an expected sight. That being said, the folks at Android and Me seem to be at the forefront for the leaks and rumors this time round, and they have managed to get their hands on several photos of what appears to be the LG Nexus handset being benchmarked on AnTuTu and Quadrant.
According to Android and Me’s source, the owner of this device had the handset in their possession for half a year, which means there is a very good chance that the phone they used was a pre-production device with pre-production software on board, which might explain why the phone isn’t doing as well as it should, especially since the rumors have suggested that the LG Nexus handset will come with a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset on board.
The pre-production unit also seems to be in line with earlier leaked photos of the prototype version of the device, which looks very different from the alleged final version which sports a more curved body. In any case the rumors are suggesting that the launch will be on the 29th of October, so we guess we won’t have to wait much longer to see if the rumors pan out, and where more updated benchmarks will be available.


text:
Former Bullfrog, Lionhead and Microsoft Games Studios boss Peter Molyneux has once again voiced his opinion on Nintendo's place in the industry, directly contesting Shigeru Miyamoto's assertion that working with both hardware and software offers advantages to the Japanese company.
Speaking to GamesIndustry International, the outspoken British developer explained his stance:
What Miyamoto says defines things in this industry. What I say just upsets people. When Nintendo is making truly world-changing hardware, I totally see his point. But I do wonder about the Wii U - it seemed to be a kind of reaction to SmartGlass. And it's very chunky, doesn't really feel like it's cutting edge. That's when we start saying, 'Why not spend some of your unbelievable talent on these devices?' Because there's a billion people out there [points to iPad].
You know what Nintendo did - this is a fascinating thing - Nintendo created gamers by the software they made. They created millions of gamers with Donkey Kong and Mario - they were the birth of gamers. That exact same thing is happening on this platform today. Millions of new gamers are being created almost every month, and they're being created with titles not from Nintendo, not from Microsoft, not from Sony, not even necessarily from Activision or EA. They're being created by companies like Supercell and Rovio. They're the ones that are bringing and creating new gamers. And now there are millions of people interacting with franchises, which Nintendo won't even touch, which seems a shame to me because Nintendo are brilliant about bringing people into the industry, and I think their hardware is starting to get in the way of that.
However, Molyneux was quick to point out that Nintendo's talent lies in predicting upcoming trends within the industry, and the company's track record speaks for itself:
I caveat all of this by saying that they are a factor more intelligent than I am, and they've probably got a plan, and you should never underestimate Nintendo. We'll probably be sitting here in a couple years saying, 'Oh that's what they were doing'.
The debate about whether or not Nintendo should work on other platforms is likely to rage for some time; however, there's no denying that the smartphone and tablet arena is growing at a truly terrifying rate, and shows little sign of slowing. Perhaps Nintendo will try and enter this arena with its own device, like Apple did with the iPhone? Or maybe it is confident in its 3DS console, which posted some impressive numbers recently?
Why not share your own opinion by posting a comment below?


text:
Cloud and AI are Microsoft’s future bets
”We want to move from people needing Windows to choosing Windows, to loving Windows. That is our bold goal,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella three years ago. At the time, Microsoft was unveiling more details about Windows 10, and surprising people with technologies like the HoloLens headset. It was an exciting time of opportunity and optimism that had Microsoft betting on people loving Windows so much that Windows 10 would be running on 1 billion devices within three years. Neither wager worked out — which is fine, because Windows as we know it is no longer critical to Microsoft’s future success.
Microsoft announced a new reorganization yesterday. It’s the fourth major shuffle inside the company over the past five years, and the most significant of Nadella’s tenure. Microsoft is splitting Windows across the company, into different parts. Terry Myerson, a 21-year Microsoft veteran, is leaving the company and his role as Windows chief. The core development of Windows is being moved to a cloud and AI team, and a new team will take over the “experiences” Windows 10 users see like apps, the Start menu, and new features. There’s a lot of shuffling going on, but Nadella’s 1,300 word memo leaves little doubt over the company’s true future: cloud and AI.
The first big clue about the OS’s future is that Microsoft’s “Windows and Devices Group” is now “Experiences & Devices,” and it includes Windows, Office, and Surface. Microsoft’s Office chief, Rajesh Jha, is now in charge of this entire division, with Joe Belfiore delegated to lead the Windows experiences. Myerson used to sit on the senior leadership team at Microsoft, but nobody with Windows in their job title is there to replace him. Jha, who is also a senior leader, is simply expanding his responsibilities to look after a bigger team where Windows is a smaller slice of the larger pie.
Experiences, instead of Windows, is also a big hint at how Microsoft and Nadella see the operating system in the broader aspect of computing in general. Android has 2 billion monthly active devices, and more than 1 billion Apple devices are in active use around the world. Microsoft always claims that 1.5 billion people use Windows, although there are signs that number could be dropping. Windows 10 is now running on more than 600 million devices (as of November), including PCs, tablets, Xbox One consoles, HoloLens headsets, and even Surface Hub devices and phones. Microsoft’s own Windows trends show that Windows 10 was running on 45 percent of all PCs and tablets back in November, meaning overall Windows usage might actually have slipped to 1.33 billion.
Six-hundred million Windows 10 users is still a massive number, but it’s just over half of Microsoft’s original target. Microsoft had three years to reach the 1 billion goal, but it was clearly based on Windows Phone being a success. The software maker gave up on its bold target after just a year, blaming its phone business failures. Missing mobile has meant Windows is no longer the dominant way people use computers, and Microsoft is now chasing the “experiences” across devices. Even the Xbox division is gearing up for cloud gaming, and a future beyond the Xbox itself.
Microsoft retiring from its bold goal is just a part of trying and failing to woo consumers for years, and it’s part of a recent broader retreat over the past year. The software giant killed off Groove Music, its streaming music platform, in favor of Spotify. Kinect is officially dead, and Microsoft finally confirmed the death of Windows Phone, too. Microsoft now wants iOS and Android devices to work better with Windows 10, and the company has recognized that it’s no longer the mostly widely used computing platform thanks to the rise of mobile.
Windows 10 has been focused on “creators” over the past year, with two big updates that added Mixed Reality, 3D Paint creation, and pen / touch improvements. Universal Windows Apps were supposed to be the future of Windows across multiple devices, but they’ve largely flopped without a widely used mobile operating system to run on. Developers are mainly just repackaging existing desktop apps for the Microsoft Store, and the future of Windows 10 apps looks to be fundamentally about web apps.
Windows is certainly more respected than it was three years ago, though. Windows 10 has been an impressive return to form from the controversial release of Windows 8. Microsoft has listened to those still using Windows, and it’s adapted the operating system wisely. But while Microsoft has always been Windows-obsessed, especially under Ballmer, it’s clear that Nadella sees the future differently — and rightly so. Microsoft’s cloud business has grown massively, competing directly with Amazon’s dominance and beating Google.
Windows isn’t dead, but it’s clearly not as important to Microsoft anymore and it will play a very different role in the company’s future. Microsoft needs to follow and provide cloud services and apps to people on the platforms they’re using. The company has seen great success with Office 365 and apps like Outlook for mobile, and Microsoft expects that two-thirds of its Office users will have moved to its subscription cloud service by next year.
Windows is being adapted for new devices and scenarios, but it’s not the core of Microsoft’s business anymore and hasn’t been for years. Nadella says “the future of Windows is bright,” but in the same sentence he says Microsoft will “more deeply” connect Windows to its Microsoft 365 offering. Microsoft 365 lets companies purchase Office and Windows together in a single subscription.
Consumers don’t care about Windows anymore, and I’ve long argued Microsoft should drop its insistence of branding everything with it. Consumers are no longer interested in purchasing devices for the familiarity or compatibility of Windows, and it’s hard to even list 10 desktop apps I really need on a daily basis. A big exception to this is gaming, but Microsoft hasn’t innovated enough on gaming PCs to really foster that. Gaming PCs simply run Windows because it’s the platform to deliver those games, and we’re starting to see how mobile operating systems are rapidly catching up. Thanks to the web and Chrome, it’s easy to imagine a future where services matter far more than the operating system they run on.
Now that Microsoft has moved the fundamental core of Windows over to the cloud team, it’s easy to see the long-term future of Windows being a cloud subscription service for the people who really need to use it, rather than love using it. Bill Gates figured out how to put a computer on every desk and in every home, and now the company is ready to grow and tackle the future. It’s not the old and trusted Windows operating system that will get Microsoft there.


text:
Good News: Apple will make iPhones in India from April 2017
Apple will make iPhones in India
Apple has been working with India over the past several months on plans to make iPhones in India, and now it appears a location for manufacturing has been decided.
Apple plans to make its iPhone in India Bengaluru, said Karnataka’s Minister of State for IT Priyank Kharge on Thursday.
“An Apple team discussed with us its proposal to set up a plant in Bengaluru to make iPhones in Indian and global markets,” said Kharge.
An Apple team, led by iPhone Operations Vice-President Priya Balasubramaniam, Government Affairs Head Ali Khanafer, iPhone Operations Director Dheeraj Chugh and Country Counsel Priyesh Povanna discussed the proposals with the state officials in the presence of the minister.
“We welcome Apple’s proposal to commence initial manufacturing operations in Karnataka. Its intentions to make iPhones in Bengaluru will foster the cutting-edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally,”
New job listings that emerged at the end of last year suggested that manufacturing in the country could start as soon as April, and a report last month claimed Wistron could be involved in manufacturing in addition to Foxconn.
For Apple, India could serve as a source for growth through iPhone sales. Meanwhile in the US, the new administration has mounted pressure on Apple to make iPhones in the United States, which some have argued would not be economical.
- On September 7, 2005, Apple and Motorola came together to launch a phone called ROKR E1.
- Being unhappy with ROKR, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced iPhone at the Macworld convention. On June 29, 2007, the iPhone was rolled out.
- Apple reportedly paid US$1 million to Michael Kovatch on 1 July 2007 for the transfer of iPhone.com domain name.
- So far, Apple has announced 13 models of iPhones.
- iPhone has just around 20% market share in the world. However, Apple takes away over 90% profit of the smartphone industry.
- All the iPhones in the iPhone advertisements show the time 9:41. This is the time when Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007.
- While Samsung and Apple are the biggest rivals, but not everyone knows that Samsung makes the processors for iPhones
Incoming Search For :-
iphone in india
apple iphone in india


text:
Functional ingredients from overseas are now being utilized by more and more local companies, thanks to FFC (Foods with Function Claims). Since FFC started in 2015, notifications of overseas ingredients with functional evidences, such as lutein, collagen, ginkgo biloba and so on, have been received quickly. In that situation, overseas supplier and Japanese purchasers have to work closely.
There are many overseas suppliers who can present evidences that their ingredients have many scientific benefits. However, receiving notification for the FFC needs to follow the Japanese format and style, as indicated by the Japanese government. This makes it difficult for overseas companies to apply for FFC on their own, which is why they need Japanese partners. If this matter could be remedied, according to a marketing company, the Japanese market could be more attractive for overseas suppliers, because the Japanese market tends to be more interested in the functional benefits of ingredients, rather than the price.
Abstract of The Health Industry News


text:
There are a lower-than-normal number of previously-owned homes available in today’s market, but that hasn’t stopped home buyers. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales between January and April are 20 percent higher than they were during the same period last year. That’s despite the fact that April sales fell 2.7 percent from the month before.
Higher Existing Home Sales Despite Lower Inventory
Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says demand is strong. “Despite the decline, housing demand is still strong compared to one year ago, evidenced by home sales from this January to April, which are up 20 percent compared to 2020,” Yun said. “The additional supply projected for the market should cool down the torrid pace of price appreciation later in the year.” More homeowners will likely list their homes for sale as COVID vaccinations rates increase and Americans feel more comfortable showing their homes. As that happens, home-price increases and buyer competition will likely moderate. Follow the link for more information.
Here at A1 Mortgage, we know how important it is to choose the right house for you and your companion. We have the responsibility to provide you with the best products and the highest level of customer service possible. With hundreds of loan programs available, we tailor a loan specific to your mortgage needs. So come get pre-approved and start shopping for your dream home by clicking here!


text:
PACHI is the official plush mascot for the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games
The PACHI plush is now available and the first plush were delivered to retail stores on December 5. Tyler Miller, a Paralympic gold medallist and Parapan Am medallist in wheelchair basketball, and Rosie MacLennan, an Olympic, Pan Am and world champion gold medallist in trampoline were both on hand at the launch event to help celebrate the day. Both athletes also helped unveil PACHI on July 17 at CBC Kids’ Days.
Following the event on December 5 we are thrilled to offer PACHI to our retail and promotional partners in support of the Games.


text:
The number of internet users in South Africa has passed 5 million and continues to enjoy strong growth, research shows. But internet penetration in Africa's economic powerhouse is only 10%, still far behind developed countries in the west.
South Africa's internet users grew from 4.6 million to 5.3 million last year, a rise of 15%, according to research by World Wide Worx, a technology and research and strategy organisation, sponsored by Cisco.
Arthur Goldstuck, the managing director of World Wide Worx, said: "The good news is that we will continue to see strong growth in 2010, and we should reach the 6 million mark by the end of the year."
The climb follows years of stagnation between 2002 to 2007, when internet penetration in South Africa never rose above 7%. But the rate almost doubled in 2008, and continued accelerating in 2009.
World Wide Worx said the growth had been driven by regulatory changes enabling small internet providers to enter the market with more competitive packages. It cited the granting of electronic communications network service licences to more than 400 organisations.
"This meant that service providers that were previously required to buy their network access from one of the major providers could now build their own networks or choose where they wanted to buy their access," it said.
The Internet Access in South Africa 2010 study found that growth had been spurred by small and medium businesses upgrading from dial-up to broadband connections. In doing so, they extended internet access to general office staff, adding up to 20 new users each.
The laying of the $600m (£368m) Seacom undersea cable linking the South African coast with Europe is expected to increase the number of connections and make them faster.
Goldstuck added: "In the coming year operators will begin to leverage the combination of new undersea cable capacity and new fibre-optic networks to supply corporate clients and resellers with bigger, faster and more flexible capacity.
"Almost every large player in the communications industry has realigned its business to take advantage of this relentless change."
Consumer demand is also rising, driven partly by the popularity of social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In 2008 South Africa's online advertising grew by 32%, the steepest rise in the English-speaking world. But nine in 10 South Africans are still not online, with many in poor townships or rural areas relying on internet cafes or doing without.
South Africa ranks fourth in Africa for total internet connections behind Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco, according to Internet World Stats.
Figures from last September showed penetration in Africa at 6.8%, the lowest of any region in the world, despite growth of 1,392% in the past decade. North America stood at 74.2%, Australasia at 60.4%, Europe at 52%, Latin America at 30.5%, the Middle East at 28.3% and Asia at 19.4%.