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Cannabis producer Aleafia Health (ALEAF) (ALEF) reported its third-quarter earnings results on November 12. The company reported a positive net profit for the first time. Even though it produced satisfactory results, its stock went on to fall 11.96% in one day. It’s currently trading at 0.81 Canadian dollars.
Aleafia’s revenue and profitability
Aleafia reported revenue of $5.29 million in the third quarter, a 34% increase from $3.95 million in the same period last year. This quarter’s revenue is the highest the company has ever recorded in a quarter. The majority of its revenue came from its packaged consumer products, which make up 94% of its net cannabis revenue.
The company reported a 43% increase in its medical cannabis revenue from the previous quarter. It also reported a 53% increase in the sales of recreational cannabis products. The company reported a positive net income of $1.9 million in the quarter, a major improvement considering last quarter’s net loss of $11.5 million. Its adjusted EBITDA also increased 44% from the previous quarter.
Production and facility
Aleafia Health started construction on three major production facilities last year. The Port Perry and Niagara Greenhouse facilities are almost built, while construction is still in process for the Paris Phase II expansion. The company expects its capacity to reach 129,500 kg subject to the receipt of production licenses. Currently, its licensed production capacity is 32,600 kg.
The Port Perry facility is a 1.1-million-square-foot outdoor facility. The first harvest in this facility resulted in 10,300 kgs of dried cannabis flower. Following successful quality tests, the cost per gram in this facility has come to $0.10. The company acquired an additional 2.6 million square feet near the Port Perry facility. It plans to submit license reforms to Health Canada in the next quarter.
The Paris facility is entirely dedicated to the extraction, packing, and distribution of cannabis products. The facility’s annual capacity is 115,000 kg of dried flowers. It has yet to receive a license for this facility. The Niagara Greenhouse facility is a modern greenhouse of 160,000 square feet. This facility has advanced automated equipment, and it will be operational shortly after getting a license.
Aleafia has reported a harvesting cost per gram of $0.10. This amount also includes all capital costs. The company now claims to have the lowest production costs in the industry. It’s also reported above-average revenue per gram of medical cannabis.
Aleafia also reported a 30% sequential decline in its total expenses in the third quarter. The company believes that its current cash and short-term investments will be sufficient to meet its capital expenses. It reported $57 million in cash and short-term securities and $83 million in working capital.
Aleafia’s number of registered cannabis medical patients stood at 10,298 in the third quarter, implying a 48% sequential increase. It’s assisted over 70,000 clinic patients to date. It’s working toward increasing its market share in the medical cannabis space.


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Koufu founder Pang Lim on how tech solutions can help
The former Sungei Road fruit-seller shares Koufu’s experience adopting cashless payments
Starting as a kitchen helper at the age of 13, Pang Lim has had a long and fascinating journey in the food and beverage (F&B) industry that still continues today.
For five years he sold fruit at Sungei Road's famed Thieves Market in the 1970s, and later ran a Nasi Lemak stall at a coffee shop. He then progressed from running food stalls to operating and managing coffee shops and the food court business.
In 2002, Pang founded Koufu with the aim of preserving the unique Singaporean coffee shop culture. Since then, Koufu has achieved various milestones, including opening Rasapura Masters (a 24-hour food court with local hawker stalls) in Marina Bay Sands and launching its first overseas food court establishment in Sands Cotai, Macau in 2012.
Earlier this year, Koufu became the first foodcourt in Singapore to debut the full implementation of a DBS FasTrack-powered mobile app.
Launched at the Koufu foodcourt at shopping mall 100 AM, the app allows customers to conveniently place their orders and make payment without queuing. They only need to be at the food stall to pick up their orders when notified.
Why did Koufu decide to be the first foodcourt in Singapore to fully adopt this solution?
Pang, 62, says it was meant to tackle high operating costs and a persistent labour shortage. “Embarking on technology and automation to improve productivity helps not only in reducing operating costs, but it also improves our value creation ability,” he says.
"In just 15 years, Koufu has expanded its business profile from neighbourhood coffee shops to establishing large-scale modern foodcourts in residential as well as commercial shopping malls,” he points out.
"I believe in continuous learning and the importance of change so that the team can keep up the pace in the fast moving environment."
Koufu founder Pang Lim
Still, amid the challenges and rapid changes in the local food and beverage industry, Koufu continues to enhance its effort to preserve the unique Singapore coffee shop culture, Pang stresses.
This move towards cashless payments and digital solutions goes hand in hand with Koufu’s continuous evolution as it blends the traditional coffee shop experience with modern foodcourt design and management.
On the FasTrack
As with most new technology, there’s a learning curve and implementation takes time.
The challenges Koufu faced in rolling out the app included educating customers and convincing tenants to use the app, as well as revising the operating work flow on the frontline and backend, shares Pang.
“We told tenants the purpose of having this app was to provide convenience to customers and encourage return visits,” he says. “We also supported the tenants by waiving the hardware fee during the pilot phase.”
He notes that DBS helped increase awareness among customers by distributing flyers and teaching customers how to download and make orders through the application.
“The celebrity video that went viral also played a part in creating exposure on the use of the FasTrack application” he says.
When it came to implementation, the DBS FasTrack team also spent several days at Koufu outlets to observe customer behavior and the stall vendors’ operations. This was to ensure that the app would work in a food court environment.
"Old habits die hard, Singaporeans are so used to queuing and the stall vendors love queues because it means that their food is good," explains DBS vice-president for digital/emerging payments, cards and unsecured loans Paul Bedi.
"Our customer immersion helped. We interviewed and engaged with both customers and stall vendors. With the help of our Customer Experience team, we created a seamless journey for both customers and stall owners."
"DBS FasTrack is designed to be easy to use and completely intuitive, and it was very exciting for us when DBS FasTrack went ‘live’ in Koufu’s foodcourt. It was a Singapore first, being able to pre-order and pay for foodcourt meals with an app."
Jeremy Soo, Managing Director and Head of Consumer Banking Group (Singapore), DBS Bank.
Having overcome the initial resistance, Koufu is now reaping dividends from adopting the solution, which was jointly developed by DBS and Applied Mesh.
The company has seen the number of downloads of the app increase steadily month-on-month. More importantly, it has seen sales increase for the first four outlets in the pilot phase.
Pang is now exploring other tech solutions to help his business, such as a smart tray return robot, a self-ordering kiosk, as well as kitchen automation.
He advises other business owners to always keep the customer in mind when looking to adopt new technology.
He says: "We like to use technology that is user-friendly and convenient and yet enhances the dining experience for our valued customers."

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Customer base of Beeline in Uzbekistan shrinks
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 7
By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:
Russian Beeline's customer base in Uzbekistan decreased to 7.1 million people by the end of the second quarter of 2020, Trend reports citing the report of VEON company.
This is 18 percent less than it was in the same period of 2019 (8.7 million). The company explained the decline in outflow among customers with irregular costs and strategic focus on customer quality.
“Decline also reflects the impact of quarantine measures, which led to a reduction in the number of migrant clients due to border closures and consequently, reduced demand for mobile data,” the company's report said.
As a result, the number of mobile data users fell by 15 percent, from 5.4 million to 4.6 million.
Total revenue of the mobile operator in Uzbekistan for the first quarter of 2020 decreased by 15.5 percent compared to the same indicator in 2019 - from 567.8 billion soum ($55.5 million) to 479.9 billion soum ($46.9 million).
The company said this is conditioned by the influence of quarantine measures, new methodology of excise duty and introduction of registration under IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity).
VEON operates in Uzbekistan under Beeline brand and since 2006 the company has invested over a $1 billion in Uzbekistan.
Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini


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British public votes ‘Corporate tax avoidance’ top ethical concern for incredible 11th year in a row
Head of Communications
For the past two decades, the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) has been conducting the Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics survey.
The latest survey reveals that ‘Corporate tax avoidance’ is the most pressing issue for an amazing 11th consecutive year. Chosen by 43% of respondents, the findings indicate that business and government are still collectively falling short of public expectations.
Across the globe, close to 40% of multinational profits (US$970bn) are shifted to tax havens each year, leadings to a US$250bn reduction in corporate tax revenue. In the UK, these losses amount to £17bn annually.
Bribery and corruption ranks as the next most significant concern for the second consecutive year, selected by 28% of survey participants. For context, environmental responsibility, including climate change, received a 25% response rate. These findings underscore the need for businesses to address these worries, and show that responsible tax practice is an issue that favours comparably with other ethical concerns.
Our own Fair Tax Nation report, released last month, highlighted the UK public’s overwhelming support for businesses demonstrating responsible tax conduct. A significant majority, 70% in 2023, stated their inclination to “shop with” such businesses, while 72% expressed a preference to “work for” them. Additionally, 73% of respondents believed it is important to recognize and celebrate businesses that pay the right amount of tax, rejecting artificial tax havens and contrived avoidance practices.
Also correlating, our polling findings reveal a similar pattern to those seen in the IBE survey when it comes to age. In both sets of data, there is a notable generational gap regarding corporate tax avoidance. Older respondents in the IBE survey (55+) exhibited much greater concern than younger individuals (18-34). This trend resonated in the Fair Tax Nation report too, highlighting the significance of addressing tax avoidance concerns across generations.
While the latest IBE survey reveals a concerning decline in public perception of business ethics in the UK, it also highlights an opportunity for businesses to get ahead of the curve when it comes to responsible tax conduct and financial transparency. With corporate tax avoidance a top concern for more than a decade, the British public is demanding businesses say what they pay with pride.
To boost public trust and demonstrate responsible tax conduct, businesses based anywhere in the world can apply for our Fair Tax Mark accreditation. Tax contributions are a key part of the positive social and economic impact made by business, and help the communities in which businesses operate deliver valuable public services like education, healthcare, roads, policing and more.
The global gold standard for responsible tax conduct, the Fair Tax Mark is an independent, third-party certification that shows a business is paying the right amount, in the right place, and at the right time. Fair Tax Mark accredited businesses span a wide range of sectors, and include listed PLCs, co-operatives, social enterprises, and large private companies across the UK and Europe.
Businesses already part of the Fair Tax movement are committed to transparency and responsible tax practices, enabling them to earn public support and contribute to a fairer economy.
Over 100 parent companies and 250 distinct trading businesses currently hold the accreditation. These businesses collectively employ over 250,000 individuals and contribute more than $1.4 billion in corporation tax annually. The Fair Tax Mark offers many benefits for your businesses, but also reassures the public of your commitment to the spirit, as well as the letter, of the law.


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“The CMA have rightly proposed to make the disclosure of APR mandatory on certain aspects of SME lending in order to improve competition in the commercial finance market. We hope the final report not only confirms this remedy, but also increases the suggested scope to ensure maximum benefit for UK businesses.
“Lending to limited companies in the UK is currently an unregulated activity. There is therefore no requirement for commercial finance providers to disclose APR on finance products targeted to SMEs. This makes it difficult for SMEs to compare prices, reduces competition, and limits economic growth.
“Making APR mandatory is therefore game-changing for the industry and for SMEs themselves. This is why Growth Street started the APR4SMEs campaign earlier this year and we are grateful for the significant stakeholder support this issue has received to date, including the Institute of Directors and members of the Treasury Select Committee. This is an important first step to improving the terms on which SME can access finance services, and core to our mission at Growth Street where we are focused on building better business banking.”


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The popular OCBC Cycle Kuala Lumpur, which drew over 2,000 participants last year, will be back for the third consecutive year on Sunday, 5 November 2017 at Dataran Merdeka with the promise of a longer stretch featuring only two laps.
The challenging 42km route of two 21km loops along the closed roads of the city centre will allow serious cyclists to showcase their riding skills.
KK SUPER MART as one of the fastest growing 24 hours convenient chain store in Malaysia today announced the launch of its very first KK-GST Receipt Lucky Draw Campaign. This campaign is part of the company's effort in supporting the government implementation of the GST system; in addition to rewarding loyal customers who shop in KK SUPER MART.
The campaign launch was officiated by the Datuk Hamzah Bin Zainudin, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and the Executive Chairman of KK Group of Companies, Dato’ Dr KK Chai.
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) yesterday reported that initiatives to reduce manual transactions with employers have borne fruit with 426,675 employers recorded having submitted their Form A online through the e-Caruman facility as at 31 March 2017, involving an amount of RM5.24 billion. Out of this amount, a total of 132,708 employers have remitted their contribution payments online, amounting to RM2.14 billion.
In announcing the Q1 2017 Operations performance, EPF Chief Executive Officer Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said, “The e-Caruman portal is designed to process high volume of data and it is equipped with the FPX system that also allows employers to make real-time debiting of contribution payments at zero transactional cost.


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World Milk Day 2019
World Milk Day 2019 was celebrated by the people all over the world on Saturday, 1st of June.
The theme for World Milk Day 2019 was “Drink Milk: Today & Everyday”.
The Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) celebrated the day by organizing various awareness campaigns on safe and hygienic milk production and consumption. A rally was also organised in villages to promote hygiene of the milk products. A poster competition was conducted for the children and a motivational lecture on the role of milk in rural economy and human health was also delivered on the occasion.
Various campaigns and rallies were organised on the occasion across the globe where volunteers spread awareness among people about the importance of milk for overall health of a person. Milk and dairy products were also donated among the public.
In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, a campaign was organised to promote milk drinking, especially for children and women. The campaign also aimed on reviving the healthy milk drinking habits in villages which has declined among the children.
World Milk Day History
World Milk Day was first celebrated in 2001 all across the world by the participation of many countries. The number of participating countries in the celebration is increasing year by year. Since then, it is celebrated every year focusing to publicize the activities related to the milk and milk industries all through the world.
This celebration has been nationalized by organizing celebration related activities on national and international level. It is celebrated to increase the public awareness about the importance of milk and milk products for everyone throughout the whole life.
World Milk Day was first established to be celebrated every year on world level on 1st of June by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. It was selected on 1st of June as the national milk day was already being celebrated by many countries during this time.
Why World Milk Day is Celebrated
World Milk Day is celebrated by the people all across the world on annual basis on 1st of June. It is celebrated to increase the common public awareness about all aspects of the natural milk such as its natural origin, milk nutritional value and various milk products including its economic importance throughout the globe. It has been started celebrating in several countries (Malaysia, Colombia, Romania, Germany, United Arab Emirates, USA and etc) by the participation of various consumers and employees of milk industries.
Milk is focused as the global food throughout the celebration of world milk day. Varieties of promotional activities (describing the importance of milk as a healthy and balanced diet) are launched by the International Dairy Federation on its website online. Various members of the health organizations take part in the celebration to work together in order to distribute the message of milk importance to the common public through the promotional activities all through the day.
World Milk Day celebration has impacted large population to understand them the reality of milk. Milk is great source of all the healthy nutrients required by the body (calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, iron, potassium, folates, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, healthy fat and etc. It is very energetic diet provides instant energy to the body as it contains high quality proteins including both essential and non-essential amino acids and fatty acids.
World Milk Day Activities
As milk is an important food for everyone and must to add in the balanced diet on daily basis, world milk day celebration has brought an effective revolution among the common public about the importance of milk. World milk day celebration brings a perfect opportunity every year for each one all through the word to get the new messages about adding milk in the balanced diet. It is celebrated by the association members on national and international level by working together to convey the message among public through lots of promotional activities.
World milk day celebration was initiated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in 2001 in order to encourage common social public about the milk and dairy products consumption as their daily diet. All aspects of the milk are annually celebrated through this event in many countries all around the world. The number of countries want to take part in the celebration is increasing every year to bring more effect.
Variety of activities related to the theme of the celebration is organized by the NGO, private and government health organizations including screen consumer education project of milk by SAMPRO (South African Milk Processors’ Organization), communication programs aiming to target markets and etc to promote milk health and nutritional advantages.
Press releases, articles, news and etc are published to highlight the nutritional health benefits of the milk among consumers. Free milk distribution camps are organized on national level engaging the local celebrities to distribute the free milk packets among children. It is celebrated by the National Dairy Council online through many activities. Various other programs like discussion, quiz competitions, sports activities, essay writing and etc are organized in the schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions to encourage students.
World Milk Day Themes
> The theme of world milk day 2012 was “Drink Fresh Milk, Body Fit, Smart Brain”.
> The theme of world milk day 2013 was “Milk for Health and Prosperity of Southeast Asian region”.
> The theme of world milk day 2014 was “Milk is the First Food for Human” and “World Class Nutrition”.
> The theme of world milk day 2015 was “Milk is the First Food for Human”.
> The theme of world milk day 2016 was “Raise a Glass”.
> The theme of world milk day 2017 was “Economic Development, Livelihoods, Nutrition”.
> The theme of world milk day 2018 was “Drink Move Be Strong”.
> The theme of World Milk Day 2019 is “Drink Milk: Today & Everyday”.


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An incredible game that looks like a 1930s cartoon is getting its own animated Netflix show, and it's easy to understand why when you see it in action
"Cuphead" looks like a game from 1932, but it's actually a gorgeous throwback for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. Now, Netflix is turning it into a show.
Before Elon Musk was building rockets and starting car companies, he was a guy who liked video games. And now he's putting them into his cars.
Elon Musk says hit video game 'Cuphead' will be playable on Tesla Model 3, Model S, and Model X cars
The Tesla CEO said the shooter-style game will be available this summer as a section of the game due to the car's limited available memory.
Unity Technologies, the gaming startup worth more than $3 billion, is reportedly planning to go public in 2020
A new report suggests that Unity Technologies is planning to go public in the first half of 2020 if the market is stable.
Here's how the family behind the indie video game 'Cuphead' sold 3 million copies without any formal training in game design
Two brothers started their own game studio with no formal experience. Seven years later, they dropped an indie smash hit: "Cuphead."
One of 2017's best games, "Cuphead," was cloned and put up for sale on Apple's iPhone and iPad App Store. As of Monday morning, it's still there.
If you don’t have an Xbox One yet, now’s the best time to buy one.
'Cuphead' is a gorgeous new game that pays homage to classic cartoons — and it's as tough as it is pretty
"Cuphead" looks like a game from 1932, but it's actually a gorgeous new game with hand-drawn art on Xbox One and PC.
"Cuphead" looks like a game from 1932, but it's actually a gorgeous new throwback coming to the Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs.
"Cuphead" for Xbox One and PC looks much more like an old animated short than a video game.


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After the success of their pop-up store in San Francisco, Glossier announces they will now open up a permanent store in Los Angeles.
Currently, the popular skin care brand only has one store in NYC but that will soon change; rumor is that the LA grand opening will be held in May. Emily Weiss mentioned in an article for WWD that the location will be on Melrose Avenue and the interior will be inspired by a casual drive through the California desert.
West coast, get ready! Head to WWD for full details and stay tuned for future Glossier updates.


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De Nysschen Aims to Sell 500,000 Cadillacs a Year by 2020
Newly appointed president of Cadillac, Johan de Nysschen, has high hopes for the brand. Since he joined the team this summer, we’ve seen the beginnings of his stunning transformation for the luxury automaker—everything from the headquarters relocation to New York City to the complete restructuring of the naming system. But de Nysschen’s ambitions never seem to falter. Now, de Nysschen is aiming to sell 500,000 Cadillacs a year by 2020.
That’s nearly double what Cadillac sold last year. (In total, Cadillac moved 250,830 units in 2013.) But de Nysschen thinks it’s possible as the brand will be aggressive with rolling out new products, and will benefit from the improved dealer experience that the brand is hoping for.
The aggressive product rollout includes 12 models that de Nysschen previewed at the Barclays Global Automotive Conference, and the improved dealer experience is something that de Nysschen hopes to address sooner than later, in efforts to make the dealer experience more like that of a BMW dealership and less like that of a Chevy dealer.
While de Nysschen hopes to hit 500,000 Cadillacs a year by 2020, he understands that the years in between might be rough. Sales could flat line for the next three years, and he’s perfectly okay with that.
“We’re really going to prioritize the quality of business over the quantity of the business,” de Nysschen said, according to The Detroit News. “It’s very important that we build a solid foundation from which to grow. And if it means in the short-term we lose market share and we lose volume, then so be it.”
News Source: The Detroit News


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Family Christian Stores has withdrawn a proposal for a controversial bankruptcy plan criticized by debtors for ties between the seller and buyer that were too close for comfort.
The company gave no reason for the move, but it seems likely the Christian retailer will pursue another form of Chapter 11 restructuring. According to documents filed with a Michigan bankruptcy court last month, Family Christian Stores (FCS) owes $57 million to banks and another $40 million to publishers and vendors for inventory it bought on credit. Add in miscellaneous debts, including unpaid taxes and utility bills, and it has a total of about $107 million in liabilities.
Its suppliers, mostly Christian publishers, want the company to survive, but along with the company’s creditors, they raised concerns about how it planned to do so.
Under the original proposal, FCS wanted to pay about $28 million of the $57 million it owes to banks and walk away from the rest of its debts, including its unsettled accounts with publishers. It promised to keep all of its stores open and all of its workers employed. A spokesperson for FCS said the company would not comment on the bankruptcy while it was in progress.
FCS had proposed selling all its assets to a single buyer to raise money to pay off its creditors. That move, known in bankruptcy law as a Section 363 sale, or simply a “363,” is quicker than writing a traditional restructuring plan and is subject to less oversight from creditors, said Steve Ware, a professor at the University of Kansas School of Law who specializes in bankruptcy. In one of the most famous 363 sales in bankruptcy history, General Motors sold the bulk of its assets to a newly formed company in which the U.S. government was a majority stockholder.
FCS wanted to do something similar. Under the umbrella of its non-profit organization, Family Christian Resource Centers, it formed a new company called FCS Acquisition that would have bought the stores and their assets for $28 million cash and assumed many of the stores’ leases. The total value of the sale would have been about $74 million, but only the $28 million cash would have been available to pay off creditors, and FCS would have walked away from the rest of its debt.
Ware said the fact the company wanted to buy itself should have given creditors pause. The arrangement raised the question of whether FCS would do its best to minimize creditors’ losses by getting a good price.
“The president of the debtor ought to be thinking, like a seller, ‘I want to get as high a price as possible,’” Ware said. “But if he is also the buyer, than he’s conflicted, and he won’t want the seller to get as high a price as possible.”
Adding to creditors’ concerns was the fact that the senior secured creditor—the one first in line to get paid after the sale—is backed by Richard Jackson, the president of the board of Family Christian Resource Centers. Attorneys at an initial bankruptcy hearing on Feb. 17 said FCS owes Jackson $23 million through FC Special Funding, Publisher’s Weekly reported.
Jennifer Hagle, a lawyer for Credit Suisse, the creditor in line for $34 million behind FC Special Funding, said at the Feb. 17 initial bankruptcy hearing that the case has a “significant issue of transparency,” according to local news site MLive.
U.S. bankruptcy attorney Michael Maggio agreed.
“In essence, at the moment, it would appear we’re only moving this case for the benefit of Mr. Jackson,” he said. Neither Hagle nor Maggio returned requests for interviews for this article.
Jackson did not respond to an interview request made via Jackson Healthcare, the healthcare staffing company he founded and operates in Atlanta.
A review of records from bankruptcy court and the IRS showed the company’s sales have declined by about 25 percent since 2008. In 2013, its expenses exceeded its revenue by about $4.7 million. The company attributes the decline to the Great Recession and a customer shift away from shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. FCS argues it can maintain its important role in the market for Christian books and gifts if it can get some debt relief.
“The basic idea of business bankruptcy … is to distinguish a company that’s been going downhill and it’s going to keep going downhill, from a company that’s been going downhill but it has a good chance of rebounding,” Ware said. Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code allows a company to present a plan to its creditors to reorganize into a profitable business. Meanwhile, the courts protect the company’s assets from creditors until the plan is approved.
Most of the companies to which FCS is in debt said they don’t want to see the company go out of business.
“Obviously, we are disappointed that we and all the other trade vendors will take a huge loss in this process,” said Mark Taylor, president of Tyndale House Publishers, in an email statement. “But we hope Family Christian can survive as a chain of stores. Our industry needs them. We hope other suppliers will recognize this.”
FCS owes Tyndale about $2.2 million.
Mark Kuyper, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, said the FCS bankruptcy puts publishers in competing positions as both creditors and suppliers.
“None of our publishers want to lose 260 outlets for Christian resources, particularly because those stores are focused on Christian retail and carry more breadth than a general market retailer might,” he said.
Publishers also have taken issue with the FCS plan to include inventory it holds on consignment in the bankruptcy sale. A group of publishers and other suppliers filed a lawsuit over the consignment inventory earlier this month.
Now that it’s withdrawn its initial bankruptcy proposal, FCS must go back to the drawing board. Though the details are still being hammered out, Kuyper said the bankruptcy will undoubtedly leave a long-lasting mark on the Christian publishing industry.
“You can see … when you look at the initial data in the filing that it’s a lot of money, and there’s no way to minimize that impact,” Kuyper said, adding later, “Regardless of how it ultimately goes, it will be a hardship for publishers. It is just a question of how much.”
— by Lynde Langdon


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Get ready, Vault Hunters! If you’re going to be at this year’s TwitchCon, you’ll get your chance to play Borderlands 2 VR for the first time EVER!
The official Borderlands Twitter announced today that they will be showing off Borderlands 2 VR for PSVR at the PlayStation Truck.
Don’t fret if you haven’t got your tickets yet. There’s still plenty left, so get down to San Jose and get your eyeballs back into the Borderlands like you’ve never seen before.
Borderlands 2 VR for PSVR was announced earlier this month to celebrate the PSVR two-year anniversary.
Borderlands 2 VR will launch on December 14, 2018 for PSVR.
If you haven’t played Borderlands 2 yet, check out our review and buy a couple guns from the closest vending machine, because Borderlands 2 VR just might be sexier than Mad Moxxi in nothing but a psycho mask.
Merry Christmas, vault hunters.


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Source | economictimes.indiatimes.com | Debleena Majumdar, ET Online
In the midst of the ongoing funding winter, many highly valued startups are seeing a drop in their valuations. Let us look at what this means for senior executives who would have joined the companies with ESOPs as a key component of their salaries and with the expectation of creating wealth as the company grows.
While the value of the ESOP is notional till the company raises further money, lists on the bourses, participates in a merger or acquisition, or undergoes a similar value-creation event, many companies did buybacks of ESOPs during the funding highs of the past few years. This generated some wealth for employees.


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4 May 2022 – London: RX www.rxglobal.com (Reed Exhibitions)
Eurogamer.net (ReedPop’s biggest website) has been named Media Brand of The Year at the 2022 MCV/Develop Awards.
Established 20 years ago, the MCV/Develop Awards commemorate the best creative and business talent in retail, publishing and development in the UK games industry. The shortlist was agreed by a panel of industry experts and Eurogamer was voted the winner by subscribers to MCV (the trade publication for the UK games industry) and Develop (the trade publication for the UK game development industry).
“This award is particularly special to us having been voted for by the people who make and market the games we write about” said Digital Editorial Director, Jon Hicks. “It shows the respect that they have for Eurogamer, which won out over broad range of rivals including global brand IGN, social-based Gaming Bible and YouTube channel RKG.”
“Our partner brand Video Games Chronicle was also nominated, which speaks to their credibility - they're considered alongside IGN and Eurogamer already, having built an internationally respected reputation for news reporting since they partnered with us to launch three years ago” Jon added.
Eurogamer.net was founded in September 1999 to cover PC multiplayer gaming, and has expanded to cover the full range of modern gaming, from console to tabletop and mobile. The site has built an internationally-respected reputation for its journalism and reporting, receiving multiple awards in the last decade, and spawned EGX – formerly the Eurogamer Expo, and now the UK’s largest gaming event. The site is the oldest and largest of ReedPop’s portfolio of gaming and pop culture sites, which reach over 80M readers per month.
For further information, please contact Sarah Kitley-Spencer:
Email: email@example.com Telephone: ++44 (0)7813 777947.
About RX (Reed Exhibitions)
RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face to face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. www.rxglobal.com


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Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is pleased to announce that Drum Workshop, Inc., a global leader in acoustic drums and percussion, has been acquired by Roland Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of electronic musical instruments.
“For the past 50 years our goal has always been to inspire, motivate and solve problems for drummers,” said Don Lombardi, founder and chief product officer of Drum Workshop in a press release. “I have always been a fan of the innovation coming from Roland, and we are thrilled to partner with them on inventing solutions for future generations.”
JMBM partner Michael Steuch led the team representing Drum Workshop in the deal, with support from Nate Shaw, Vanessa Han, Jamie Ogden and Ryan Skelly.
“We are pleased to have helped facilitate this combination of industry leaders and to help our client achieve an excellent result,” said Steuch. “We look forward to seeing great things from the collective teams at Drum Workshop and Roland.”
About Drum Workshop
Founded in 1972, Drum Workshop is widely recognized as the global leader in designing and manufacturing award-winning musical instruments including drums, pedals, hardware and accessories. Drum Workshop manufactures, markets and distributes an iconic portfolio of brands including DW® Drums and Hardware, PDP®, Gretsch® Drums, Latin Percussion®, and Slingerland. Drum Workshop’s wide range of products have earned their reputation as The Drummer’s Choice and are endorsed by many of the world’s top artists including Dave Grohl, Phil Collins, Chad Smith, Mick Fleetwood, and Sheila E., among others. Drum Workshop is headquartered in Oxnard, California. For more information, visit DWDrums.com.
About JMBM’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group
JMBM’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group represents buyers, sellers and capital providers in a wide variety of mergers, acquisitions, control sales and financings. The M&A Group’s lawyers provide start-to-finish assistance with the structuring, negotiation, documentation and closing of the deal. For more information, visit www.jmbm.com.


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Bravery comes in many forms. Being brave could mean trying something new, standing up for a belief, or challenging the status quo -- it all comes down to defying fear. And advertisements have a lot of critics, so it can be tough out there for creatives who strive to act fearlessly.
The truth is, being too brave could be a huge mistake, and smaller brands might be better off playing it safe. There is always a risk of getting your brand into trouble. There's no guarantee you're going to win out.
You might offend the wrong people, or your audience might simply not get it. And if your brand is pushing out unoriginal shock advertising or pulling stunts, it can come off as cheap. So if you're going the fearless route, be wise, be clever, and stand out from the crowd.
If you want to get noticed, take everything you know should go into a great ad, toss it aside, and just do something else. Remember the fist Mac vs. PC ad? It features two men on a white background -- talking. The product is not even shown. But with humor, intelligence, and courage, the ad succeeds. In fact, it was named Adweek's best campaign of the last decade.
Here are five more ads that showed some serious moxie.
Last fall, SodaStream released this 30-second TV spot from Alex Bogusky. It aired in the U.S., Australia, and Sweden, but in the U.K. the ad was pulled at the last minute because it was deemed too disparaging of big soda companies.
SodaStream probably didn't realize how brave it would have to be until it got slapped with a ban. The company claims to have picked Bogusky specifically for his courage in taking on big brands, but SodaStream certainly wasn't expecting this kind of backlash. And the company won't go down without a fight.
Clearcast, the private U.K. body that evaluates whether ads should be aired, gave SodaStream this explanation:
"The majority decided that the ad could be seen to tell people not to go to supermarkets and buy soft drinks, [and] instead help to save the environment by buying a SodaStream."
Clearcast also asserted that the ad constituted "denigration of the bottled-drinks market."
Representatives from SodaStream say they will continue to fight to appeal the decision, claiming that the ad simply promotes a great product in addition to reducing plastic waste to help the environment. Stand tall, SodaStream. (And in the meantime, congrats on the unexpected press you're getting.)
This recent Lincoln ad isn't so much daring as it is just a solid creative effort, and only time will tell whether the entire rebranding campaign succeeds. Lincoln's upcoming Super Bowl spot could either be a big win or big dud. It's a big risk for what many would call a dying brand.
"The risk is that Lincoln possibly doesn't maximize the opportunity with great creative and a follow-on message that gets the brand the lift it needs," said David Cooperstein, a TV marketing analyst at Forrester Research. "That means finding ways to engage with the brand after the game is done."
That said, in a way Lincoln doesn't have much to lose. So it's taking the opportunity to go big or go home with epic, dramatic ads like this one that showcase classic models, emphasize the individual, and demonstrate excitement for the future. The ad also implies that Lincoln aims to make cars that a special few will truly appreciate, rather than trying to please the masses.
Lincoln didn't forget about social, either. A number of actual Twitter users were cast in the upcoming Super Bowl spot, and their tweets -- the result of a crowd sourcing effort called #SteerTheScript -- helped shape the ad's creative. This was another bold and intriguing move on Lincoln's part.
This ad from Carat is pretty brilliant. The cheeky "apology" takes the usual approach to feminine product ads and completely flips it. Kotex made a similar move back in 2010, when the brand sarcastically poked fun at the typical feminine product advertisement. We've all seen the ads featuring joyous, beautiful women dancing and riding roller coasters like they're having the best time of their lives.
What gives Bodyform's ad an extra edge is that it was a timely response to a Facebook user's comment that went viral. Last October, Richard Neill made this comment on Bodyform's Facebook page:
Rather than shirk from the attention or attempt to shut the commenter up, the company capitalized on it. Well, of course it did, you say. But it was risky in the sense that it easily could have backfired. And just look at it -- it's blunt, over-the-top, and hilarious. A fabricated CEO named Caroline Williams admits to years of lies, claims there's no such thing as a "happy period" (gasp!), drinks the mysterious blue liquid, and farts. (I so wish Caroline Williams was the real CEO.)
This brutally honest ad, part of IE's "Browser You Loved to Hate" campaign, is refreshing and smart. You have to give the company credit for admitting the browser sucked and being able to laugh at it.
That being said, who knows if the campaign will succeed? I think Lincoln has a better chance of resuscitation than these guys, but you never know.
Humor works to IE's advantage here because it helps to subvert a pretty glaring problem -- the ad straight-up admits that the product has a horrible track record. Clever ad or not, it doesn't let audience members forget that they already hate the product. To top it all off, the ad then suggests IE has only made slight progress.
Somehow the humor and brutal honesty save this particular ad, but the campaign as a whole doesn't quite come together. The other ads in the campaign are much less likeable and not very effective, and the website really doesn't help matters.
Admitting the browser's bad reputation was a clever idea, but IE reminds us here that a smart execution of an idea is just as essential.
Here's an oldie but a goodie. Be warned, it's potentially NSFW.
This interactive advertisement from 2010 is a lot like "Subservient Chicken," except a lot less creepy -- it's more of a comedic choose-your-own-adventure experience, hinging on the use of Tipp-Ex's ink-correction fluid.
The hunter in the ad uses Tipp-Ex to erase the word "shoots" from the title "a hunter shoots a bear" and asks you to fill in the blank with commands such as sings with, fights, kisses, sleeps with, is cooked by, breakdances with, high fives, smokes with, moonwalks with, tickles, seduces, etc.
French agency Buzzman's campaign was brave because it broke new ground and ran the risk of offending people or simply losing consumer interest. But it's hard to resist this fun and silly ad experience.
The courage to stand out from the crowd definitely paid off on this one. The ad quickly went viral and even prompted a sequel in 2012.
What do you think of these ads? Have you seen other brave ads? Let us know in the comments.
Chloe Della Costa is an editor at iMedia Connection.
On Twitter? Follow iMedia Connection at @iMediaTweet.
"Silhouette of a businessman jumping a wide cliff" image via Shutterstock.


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Wolfgang Kintzel, CEO of Cellbox Solutions, said: "We are pursuing a clear expansion strategy with the aim of becoming the global market leader in the field of cell logistics"
Cellbox Solutions, developer of the patented Cellbox technology, has founded a US company to sell directly to the North American market.
Following the company's development and production of a transportable CO2 incubator in 2019, as well as UN3373 packaging materials for cell transport, the company has decided to expand into the USA. Previously served by a distribution partner, the market will access the company's products directly through its branch in through Rockville, Maryland, effective immediately.
Wolfgang Kintzel, CEO of Cellbox Solutions, said: "We are pursuing a clear expansion strategy with the aim of becoming the global market leader in the field of cell logistics. Expanding into the US market, which is a leader in cell and gene therapy, was therefore the next logical step. With Stephanie Dennison, we are pleased to be able to establish the first team member permanently on site and be the direct contact for prospective customers requiring live cell shipping."
Dennison joined the team in July 2021 as the Business Development Manager on the East Coast. She has a master’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, as well as several years of sales experience at ChromoTek Inc before joining Cellbox Solutions.
Dr Corné Swart, Executive Director Business Development and Global Sales, said: "We want to make the sales process as straightforward as possible for our customers. A highly innovative product like the Cellbox still requires intensive consulting services in some cases, so it is a great advantage for everyone that we are now even closer to our prospects."


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For the first time in 60 years the 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards, 2020 will be taking place in a city other than Mumbai. The prestigious Bollywood award ceremony will be hosted by Guwahati this year. Preparations for the award show have begun in the city as tickets to the event sell like hotcakes.
As Guwahati gets ready
Popular News Stories
Iran’s Khamenei Calls For Large Turnout in Upcoming Elections to Hinder US’s ‘Evil Intentions’


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Antiquated Nebulizers Deliver Uneven Asthma Doses – FDA Reviewers
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Hand-held rubber ball nebulizers are “antiquated” and deliver inconsistently measured doses, FDA reviewers say in briefing materials prepared for a Feb. 26 advisory committee meeting to discuss removing the devices from the OTC monograph.
You may also be interested in...
Armstrong Pharmaceuticals waits to learn the fate of its recently submitted NDA for reformulated Primatene Mist, and Nephron Pharmaceuticals contests FDA’s September warning that its Asthmanefrin is an unapproved drug.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has opposed allowing OTC sales of statins, but would support a switch made with conditions of safe use required. A Philadelphia College of Pharmacy professor argues that patients are better served by obtaining pharmaceuticals from health care professionals than using “un-standardized” dietary supplements
J&J reports worldwide consumer sales dipped 0.6% to $3.6 billion despite retailers buying more upper respiratory and analgesic products to prepare for the cough and cold season. But in key OTC categories the firm is regaining market share it lost when its iconic brands were temporarily not available.


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If you do down the ’Ring today, you’re sure of a big surprise… because you’ll see the new Suzuki Kizashi saloon running round, getting ready for launch next year.
The first we knew of the existence of a Suzuki saloon was when the wraps came off the Kizashi concept at the Frankfurt motor show in 2007. Since then, there have been two more concepts, cunningly called Kizashi 2 and Kizashi 3, as well as shots of heavily disguised cars in grainy spy shots.But now, our spies have spotted the production car virtually undisguised lapping the Nürburgring. Engine-wise it’ll get at least a 2.0-litre turbodiesel, and 2.4-litre four-cylinder and 3.6-litre V6 petrol engines mated to an auto box. The car is being developed with four-wheel drive too.There are also plans for both hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell versions too, but these won’t bit ready until 2012 at least.


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Pattaya, Thailand – The Royal Wing Suites & Spa celebrates the latest addition to its list of achievements and is proud to announce that it has been recognized as the winner in the luxury category of the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Hotels, ranking in the top 25 hotels in Thailand. Today, it continues to be part of an elite group which is the top 1% of the hotels on TripAdvisor that are known for remarkable service, quality and value.
For the 14th year, TripAdvisor has highlighted the world’s top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travelers around the globe.
“Receiving the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award is a true source of pride for our entire team at the Royal Wing Suites & Spa.” Mr. Vitanart Vathanakul, Executive Director of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group said. “This prestigious accolade based on guest reviews is a remarkable vote of confidence to our services and excellence in hospitality. I am truly grateful to our valued guests who took the time to cast positive comments and recommendations towards our property on TripAdvisor and who greatly appreciate our continued commitment to service quality and guest satisfaction”.
Thailand and specifically Pattaya is one of the most sought after travel destinations for tourists. Staying in the right hotel can guarantee a luxurious experience filled with facilities, amenities and adventures. The Royal Cliff Hotels Group operates four award-winning hotels providing tourists from home and abroad with the ultimate experience. The success has created a new high point for the Group, which has so far won over 195 national and international awards.
“We congratulate the properties that have won Travellers’ Choice Hotel awards”, said Barbara Messing, Chief Marketing Officer for TripAdvisor. “As travelers consider where to book their next trip, they should be sure to check out these award-winners that have already delighted millions of members of the TripAdvisor community.”
Situated on a 64 acre private parkland estate overlooking the stunning Gulf of Thailand, the Royal Cliff Hotels Group has been honored with multiple awards and recognition from organizations of national and international repute such as TripAdvisor Hall of Fame and TTG Travel Gazette Hall of Fame awards. It is home to four award winning 5-star hotels offering a sensory experience defined profoundly by its style, culture and elegance - all presented with the distinctive spirit of the State of Exclusivity and Fascination.


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Looks like the rumours about Apple releasing new products this week came true. The company released a new 9.7-inch iPad today (more…)
Apple says that it is investigating a video showing an iPhone 7 Plus engulfed in smoke emitting from a large crack in the device that went viral this week.
A typo in the source code of a Cloudflare component has exposed the personal information of users visiting sites protected by the company’s services.
Here’s a hands-on with custom-made Jet Black AirPods.
Q1 2017 sales for Taiwan-based iPad supply chain firms, notably touch panel makers TPK Holding and General Interface Solution (GIS), are likely to be poor.
Justice Guy Cournoyer concluded that based on the facts presented the seizure of data was justified.
Apple revealed that iOS 10.2.1 included a bug fix for an issue that caused iPhone 6s users to experiences unexpected shutdowns.
Apple criticises Trump administration for withdrawing transgender bathroom guidance.
This bundle will get you started with building iOS 10 apps in no time.
Retired SaskTel workers worried about regional carrier’s sell-off.
Tesla has said that its Model 3 sedan is on track for volume production by September.
Apple’s Seattle office will serve as a hub for developing future AI and machine learning technologies.


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Rubin: Send money if you want to help Harvey victims
Diapers are good. Piles of clothes? Not so much.
And scammers? Scammers are always bad, so as you follow your heart to help victims of Hurricane Harvey, use your head.
More than 1 million people are ultimately expected to be affected by the hurricane-turned-tropical-storm in Texas and Louisiana. In Houston, where large swaths of the city are submerged, more than 67,000 homes have been declared effectively destroyed.
As Michiganians reach out to help, experts say the most useful things they can have in their hands are checkbooks and credit cards.
“Knowing what we know, experiencing what we have,” said Bob Blumenfeld of the American Red Cross’ Michigan Region, “we can say that financial contributions go further than in-kind contributions.”
“In-kind” refers in the best way to a dozen Kroger employees preparing to rumble south on Friday with food, water, toiletries and a network of supermarkets and warehouses to handle them. In the least effective way, it means the good souls from a local church filling a truck with used clothes that will need to be sorted and stored.
“Food and clothing are well-intentioned,” said Laura Blankenship of the Better Business Bureau office in Southfield, but they’re cumbersome and often premature.
“The people in Texas might need water or paper towels or things to clean with,” she said. “They might not need clothes right now.”
They do need diapers, according to boots-on-the-ground charities like the Texas Diaper Bank in San Antonio. The diaper bank is among dozens of 3- or 4-star-rated nonprofits specifically listed as providing Harvey relief by the rating service CharityNavigator.org — a roster that includes groups as varied as Habitat for Horses and Islamic Relief USA.
Charity Navigator also recommends the Greater Houston branch of the United Way. Among the national charities that have established beachheads in Texas and are collecting donations:
■Salvation Army. helpsalvationarmy.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or text STORM to 51555.
■American Red Cross, redcross.org, 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text HARVEY to 90999.
The Red Cross has drawn criticism for its response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but remains recommended by rating agencies. Blankenship noted that if you have any doubts about the legitimacy or effectiveness of a nonprofit, it’s a good idea to check sites like Charity Navigator, GuideStar or the BBB’s own give.org.
“You want to make sure you know exactly who you’re giving to,” she said.
Crowdfunding can be problematic. Stories on sites like GoFundMe are usually compelling, but a disaster like Harvey is a breeding ground for fraud. “We suggest that you don’t give unless you know that person or you know someone who does,” Blankenship said.
Be wary of phone solicitations, she suggested; legitimately involved nonprofits would presumably be too busy to dial. Don’t give a caller your credit card numbers or personal information, but rather, ask for information to be mailed.
“Another thing is, everyone needs to remember the recovery timeline,” she said.
The urge to help is immediate, but the recovery — and the need — will likely last for years.
Among the places locally to help victims of the storm:
■Detroit Dog Rescue will collect leashes, collars, travel crates and toys from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday at Premier Pet Supply, 31215 Southfield Rd., Beverly Hills. The store will offer a 50 percent discount on donated goods.
■The 125 Kroger stores in Michigan will accept donations in cash register coin boxes from Sept. 10 through Oct. 7. The Kroger Co. Foundation has committed $100,000 to the Houston Food Bank.
■The city of Warren is collecting non-perishable food items on the second floor of City Hall or the Warren Community Center on Arden, west of Mound.
■At Arkin’s Sweet BBQ Pit, 30140 Southfield Rd., Southfield, the entire $6.89 price — including tax — of every pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwich sold from Sept. 1-10 will be donated to hurricane relief.


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On Saturday night, when the Swamp Rabbits host the Norfolk Admirals, it will be “Video Game Night,” and the team will be wearing special jerseys with their mascot, Stomper, in pixelated form in what appears to be a scene from the old Nintendo game “Bayou Billy.” There will be 8-bit carrots on the sleeves and the number font will have a digital look to them.
This isn’t the first time an ECHL team has created jerseys with a video game theme. Last season, the Toledo Walleye held “8 Bit Night” in honor of Nintendo’s 30th anniversary. Both the Walleye and their opponents wore Super Mario Bros.-themed jerseys and brought back memories of those dastardly Koopas.
Bidding has already begun for the Swamp Rabbits’ gameworn jerseys. No word if they come with the 1980s gaming console of your choice (Yo, ColecoVision!).
What do you think?
Pass or Fail: Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ ‘Video Game Night’ jerseys
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Weekly View, 15 August 2022
Last week's US CPI print showed a moderation in consumer price growth in July, driven by lower energy prices. Surprisingly good news came from core inflation, which came in at 0.3% rather than the 0.5% expected. Food prices were among the biggest contributors to rising prices, whereas used car prices came down. Equities rallied, growth stocks in particular. We are neutral equities. While a cooling of inflation is necessary to see a monetary policy pivot by the Federal Reserve, it is not yet sufficient and we will be watching for what comes out of the Fed's Jackson Hole summit at the end of August. Meanwhile, President Biden's recent policy wins, including the "Chips plus" act support US industry development, raise anticipation around his plans to run for re-election in 2024.
SoftBank rattled investors last week when it announced a record USD23 bn loss for the second quarter and the sale of its USD34 bn shares in Chinese tech giant Alibaba to reenforce its balance sheet. In the week ahead, US retailers Walmart and Target will report on their Q2 earnings and we will be watching for overall retail sales figures to assess the ongoing sentiment of US consumers.
In politics, it looks increasingly likely that the right-wing Brothers of Italy will win the coming Italian elections, but would have to form a government with both Lega and Forza Italia if so. In Asia, Chinese military drills continued around Taiwan and China has announced plans to continue both sea and air patrols. This prolongs a precarious situation in an area where half of the global container fleet and 88% of the world's largest boats by tonnage pass through. Against this backdrop, President Biden's administration is reviewing the Taiwan policy act, a bipartisan Congressional attempt to overhaul US-Taiwan relations and treat the island as a strategic Non-Nato ally. Meanwhile, the US and China failed to come to an agreement on allowing US auditors to inspect the audits of Chinese companies. Five of China's largest state-owned companies announced that they will delist from US exchanges. The Chinese economy had mixed news, with exports rising more than expected, by 18%, while imports rose 2.3%, worse than expected. Weakening credit growth flags that while liquidity is available, the Chinese private sector does not yet seek it, a consequence of the country's ongoing property-sector woes, which have implications on overall activity.


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Motorola has confirmed that it will bring a premium camera phone later this year. (Image Credit: Twitter/AbhishekYadav)
Popular smartphone-maker Motorola has confirmed that it will bring a premium camera phone later this year. The company has been working on a flagship phone with a 200 MP primary camera for quite some time. The phone, codenamed Frontier, has been leaked several times in recent months, exposing its design and important specifications. We now have official confirmation from the company. Motorola China revealed on Monday on the Chinese social networking platform Weibo that a Moto phone with a 200 MP camera will be introduced in July. While the teaser does not reveal the phone’s official name, it might be the rumoured Motorola Frontier.
Officially Confirmed ☑Motorola Frontier with 200MP camera launching in July 2022.- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1- 200MP Camera #Motorola #Moto pic.twitter.com/ikbDK5r4ux
(Image Credit: Motorola/Weibo)
Motorola said last week that it would unveil a phone powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 plus chipset. Previous speculation stated that the Motorola Frontier would be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 plus, codenamed SM8475.
Officially Confirmed ☑Motorola Moto Frontier will be powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip.#motorola #Moto pic.twitter.com/uaaNHSor0O
It’s believed that the 200 MP camera phone that can be seen in the teaser is the same phone that Motorola described last week.
According to reports, the Motorola Frontier will be a high-end flagship smartphone with cutting-edge hardware. It will purportedly have a 6.67-inch curved OLED display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz.
It is rumoured to have a triple camera setup on the back, led by a 200 MP primary shooter and accompanied by a 50 MP ultra-wide sensor and a 12 MP telephoto lens. The primary sensor is almost certainly Samsung’s 200MP ISOCELL HP1 sensor.
Motorola 200MP HP1 OIS f/2.2 pic.twitter.com/8PooCSe8NM
The phone is also expected to have fast charging speeds of up to 120 W wired and 50 W wireless.
Motorola’s 200 MP camera phone will be available in July, though the specific date is yet to be announced.
The new phone, like the Moto Edge X30 last year, will be released in China first before expanding to other markets.
JKLF chief has been a prominent face of defiance against India in Kashmir and played a critical role in fanning insurgency in the Valley
Having criticised the Gandhi family, Sibal was increasingly marginalised in the Congress party
It remains to be seen if Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma will be considered for Rajya Sabha seats
Each RS candidate would require 37 votes for an outright win and BJP is well placed to win seven seats while SP is sure to win three
TRF gained public attention last year when it carried out attacks against Kashmiri Pandits and migrants
If US President Biden’s statement in Tokyo is an indication of a changed US policy, a US-China face-off is not far away
An impression persist that the system has not changed despite pretensions of a new resolve at Chintan Shivir
Any wrong move will have horrific consequences for economies everywhere and may make China even more unpopular
Unlike the UK and US, India has an inflationary impulse largely driven by consumer demand
The last thing India wants is to be pulled into a war in the Indo-Pacific
TRS is a regional party, which was born out of essentially a parochial movement for Andhra Pradesh’s division
War in Ukraine has raised doubts over American commitment to keeping Taiwan safe from China


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Bud Light cans Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen campaign over disappointing sales
By Nicki Gostin
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS|
Oct 31, 2016 at 11:17 AM
Bud Light is canning Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen.
"The Bug Light Party" campaign starring the two comedians is wrapping up early, reports AdWeek. The news comes as a surprise because the campaign a political parody initially planned to run through Election Day.
The alcohol company, though, has suffered a weak third quarter that saw declines in Bud Light Sales. So instead the brand will focus on its Bud Light X Lady Gaga Dive Bar Tour and NFL marketing.
"Despite continued positive signs in brand health evolution, driven by millennials and Hispanics, 3Q was the softest performance of Bud Light for the year from a volume and share perspective," Bud Light spokeswoman Lisa Weser said in a statement.
"The Bud Light Party campaign helped us improve these brand attributes, but it did not translate to improved volume and share performance. While we are clearly not satisfied with Bud Light's performance, we are already leveraging what we've learned to develop and execute new work."
The Schumer-Rogen ads were launched earlier this year before the Super Bowl and parodied the Presidential election by featuring a mock Bud Light political party.
The ads had been meant to be a non-partisan amid an extremely polarized presidential race, but Schumer has been a very vocal Hillary Clinton supporter. At a recent comedy show in Florida, many audience members left the theater after she made a joke at Republican Donald Trump's expense.
In the ad, "Equal Pay," the comedians denounced the gender wage gap by noting Bud Light "costs the same whether you're a dude or a lady."
The ad was received harshly online and comments on the video have been disabled on YouTube.


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Farmers, both urban and rural, have been tapping into Kickstarter, seeking alternative ways to fund projects that range from renovating equipment to designing innovative technology. Scroll down to see some of the most interesting agriculture-related projects on Kickstarter.
The days of surveying the grocery store poultry section, mired in confusion, are over. That is, if Ben Goldsmith has anything to say about it. Goldsmith, a native of Portland, Oregon, and his company Farm Forward recently launched a campaign to raise $40,000 for the development of www.buyingpoultry.com, which, in addition to listing every poultry producer in the U.S., will tell you how those producers treat their animals, their employees and the environment.
BuyingPoultry.com has already raised $19,026 and still has 38 days to reach its goal of $40,000.
Urban Farm Dinners and Youth Gardening Programs in Chicago
Over the last fourteen months, Big Delicious Planet Catering & Canteen (located in Chicago’s West Town) has converted two vacant lots into gardens replete with 70 varieties of organically grown vegetables and herbs. The goals of the Kickstarter project devised by the environmentally conscious restaurant include:
1. Transforming underdeveloped urban land into an organic vegetable and herb garden.
2. Offering a unique “hyperlocal” dining experience of farm-to-table dinners right in the middle of their urban garden.
3. Offering their garden to neighboring urban schools and small groups, such as Girl Scouts, so they can experience working in a garden and learn about the cycle of food, from seed to the food we see in a grocery store.
So far, Big Delicious Planet Catering & Canteen has received $694 and needs to raise $15,000 in 4 days.
Build a Sustainable Indoor Farm
Jake King-Gilbert of Dallas, Texas hopes to provide his community with fresh, pesticide-free produce by constructing a 50′ x 8′ x 10′ indoor farm capable of growing 2,000 plants each month. His Terra Tech Farms will use hydroponic technology to grow a wide range of vegetables and fruits including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries, and King-Gilbert stresses local: “Our farm will produce in an urban landscape, create local food for local people, use 90% less water than conventional farming, and nearly eliminate the transportation need for our produce, resulting in a decrease in CO2 emissions.”
Jake King-Gilbert and Terra Tech Farms have 35 days to go and just under $8,000 to raise.
Farm Alaska Hydro-Dome Project
Green Winter Farms (Alaska) have also proposed an indoor farming project. Frustrated with the financial and environmental costs that result from the fact that Alaskans import 95 percent of their food, these farmers have launched their Alaska Hydro-Dome Project. They indicate that the crops they intend to grow – which include thyme, oregano, sage and edible flowers among others – will benefit from the dome’s structure. “The circular shape has the least amount of surface area of any shape in nature,” their Kickstarter explains. “The less surface area, the less heat loss. Which makes it ideal for our northern climate.”
Green Winter Farms have received $940, and need to reach $26,000 by May 31st.
A team of scientists at Public Lab initially developed Infragram, an affordable near-infrared camera, to analyze the environmental damage caused by the BP oil spill. Since then, Public Lab has realized the full potential of Infragram to monitor plants’ health and photosynthetic efficiency. They hope to develop Infragram commercially so that farmers, gardeners and environmental activists alike can get their hands on one for as little as $35.
Public Lab has already received $1,382 in one day, and has 44 more to reach its goal of $30,000.
Building Beekeeping Equipment for Beginners
Justin Kay of Smokey Creek Bee Farm understands the urgency of reviving America’s bee population, which has been shrinking over the last several years due to an increase in pesticide usage, diseases and pests. In order to spark this bee renaissance, Justin and Smokey Creek Bee Farm will need to attract more beginning beekeepers. And to do this, they must start by making beekeeping equipment more affordable. By raising $1,650, they will construct several “Nucs” or Nuclear Colonies, which will lower beginning beekeepers’ costs from $500-1000 to $100 or less.
Smokey Creek Bee Farm has already surpassed its initial goal of $1,650, but two days remain in case you would still like to show your support for young beekeepers everywhere.


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Entertainment behind the scenes
NASCAR goes Hollywood!
NASCAR, the U.S. auto racing association formed in 1948, has teamed up with Tinseltown Toons to produce an animated family film tentatively called “NASCAR: The Secret Life of Cars.”
Everybody wants to be in the movie business, right? So, why not NASCAR.
The film, which is aimed at home entertainment audiences and scheduled for release on DVD, is expected to be completed in 2011 and will tell what happens in a NASCAR garage when humans leave and cars come to life, according to a press release. And if it could be as big a hit as “Cars” or “Transformers” then it may be that NASCAR will be in the movie biz for years to come.
It’s not the first time race cars will be featured in an animated film, not by a long shot. Nor, for that matter, will it be the first time cars have been at the center of a movie. Can anyone say Disney/Pixar’s “Cars”? How about “Transformers”? Both were huge hits. “Cars” hauled in $462 million at worldwide box offices, and “Transformers” earned $708 million. Still, it marks one more expansion for the race car circuit that in recent years has been growing.
Larry Kasanoff, who heads Tinseltown Toons and produced the “Mortal Kombat” movies, said creating family friendly programs helps expose brands to wider audiences. Developing high quality animated projects with brands the caliber of NASCAR is the very essence of what Tinseltown Toons’ productions are supposed to be,” he said.
Note: We corrected the release date to 2011 from previous 2001.


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While the US EV market continues to be dominated by ever more advanced passenger vehicles, it is important to remember that the transition to electric vehicles is not a one-size-fits-all path. Consumers in Kenya may find a transition to renewable transportation on two wheels rather than four. Kenya is leading the way in electric motorcycle adoption in East Africa, starting with new government initiatives to replace the roughly 2 million diesel motorcycles currently on the road. Working alongside government policies are a collection of startups that are adapting their bikes specifically to the East African market. These new bikes will replace the heavily used diesel bikes that serve as a primary form of transportation for many Kenyans.
The initiative to replace diesel bikes with electric options was announced by the Kenyan president William Ruto, who emphasized that this was to be a high priority in the government’s effort to battle fuel costs, pollution, and the health effects of poor air quality. While Kenya has a wealth of available electricity for charging electric vehicles, it is forced to import almost all of its petroleum. A wariness to be too dependent on oil producing countries is coupled with fuel prices reaching record highs in Kenya in 2023. The Kenyan government hopes to promote local manufacturing and renewable energy use while promoting a self-sufficient means of transportation.
A variety of players will be required to make this transition possible. These include companies such as Uber, which intends to deploy 3,000 bikes between the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. Roam, an electric vehicle company based in Kenya, recently opened the largest electric motorcycle assembly plant in East Africa. This facility is capable of producing 50,000 bikes a year. The Kenyan President, William Ruto, said during his inauguration of the plant “this facility showcases Kenya’s potential as a leader in clean transportation solutions in Africa.”
The production facilities that Roam is creating allows for them to have greater control over their product. In conversation with Roam’s Head of Production, Japheth Ruttoh, he made it clear that controlling manufacturing of their product allows them to implement high levels of quality control and customization, as well as reduce supply chain related delays. Ruttoh explained that Roam wanted to avoid the unpredictability of global supply chains that has hamstrung many companies over the past few years and has found that localized manufacturing allows for a greater level of output security.
In an effort to provide the best possible electric option, companies are making alterations to their bikes to be more appealing to African riders. In conversation with Kiri EV Founder Chris Maara, it became evident that specializing bikes for an African market has been a difficult process. This meant several rounds of testing the bikes, including allowing riders to try them and offer feedback as to what they would like to see altered. This has led to Kiri Bikes replacing much of what was previously plastic with metal, so that it is sturdier and not reliant on specific imported parts. Kiri also found that owners wanted a longer seat so as to transport additional people. Lastly, Kiri Bikes wanted the shocks to be strengthened to handle the unpaved roads in rural Kenya.
One of the struggles that electric bike companies such as Kiri are having is the setting up of distribution networks that sell bikes, as well as partnering with banks that can provide financing. In the past, the financing of diesel bikes has been a significant point of contention. Both banks and microfinance institutions have traditionally been used by purchasers in Kenya, but both provide high interest rates that put undue pressure on the purchaser. As the government takes a more active role promoting electric bikes, startups may receive important tax breaks and incentives. Ruttoh described how the aligning of tax policies, exemptions, and delays are tangible evidence of the support for this project which will ease some of the strain that these startups have been feeling.
One of the major attractions of electric bikes is the low operational cost. The low upkeep cost is thanks in major part to the longevity of the drivetrain. The simplified electric bike reduces wear on the vehicle, meaning that the cost for upkeep will be the relatively cheap fixes of flat tires or bent rims. There has also been a continued push to make electric charging more accessible and reduce the cost. The governor of Nairobi County, Sakaja Johnson, emphasized this in a speech at Roam facilities, where he spoke on the public private partnerships that would create charging infrastructure. Johnson’s plan involves using local legislation to reduce the cost of both the chargers and the cost per charge and will require approximately 500 MW of charging infrastructure. By addressing the need for more charging as electric bikes continue to gain in popularity, Kenya is ensuring that the economic benefits of these bikes are passed down directly to consumers. The private and public collaboration in Kenya is propelling the spread of electric bikes, ensuring that manufacturers and customers both receive the benefits of the e-mobility transition.
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LONDON - The British Coatings Federation (BCF) held its 2017 Annual Conference in Manchester in May, and the program included a lively Brexit panel chaired by the BCF’s CEO Tom Bowtell. The panel included Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of Chemical Industries Association (CIA), Terry Scuoler of EEF, journalist and broadcaster Isabel Oakeshott, and Jan Van der Meulen, Managing Director of the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry (CEPE).
The panel tackled various issues, including access to skilled chemists post-Brexit, the future of trade with the EU and what it means for the REACH regulations, as well as discussing the importance of trade associations and collaboration throughout the supply chain to explore what opportunities there could be for the sector once the UK has left the EU.
The BCF belongs to both EEF and CEPE, having recently joined the EEF as an Affiliate Partner. It has also been working closely with the CIA as part of the Alliance of Chemical Associations (ACA), which earlier this year surveyed the chemicals supply chain for their thoughts on Brexit and the future of manufacturing in the UK.
Terry Scuoler, Chief Executive of EEF, said, “I’m delighted to have taken part in the BCF’s Annual Conference as a speaker and as part of the Brexit panel. It’s clear from speaking to BCF members that losing access to the single market and the customs union would pose a difficult challenge to the coatings and wider manufacturing sector.”
Tom Bowtell, Chief Executive of the BCF, said, “It’s great we had senior voices from across the supply chain speak on the panel, including the chemicals, manufacturing and EU coatings sectors being represented. Brexit will bring challenges for the industry but we all share a common view and will continue to collaborate to get the message to government that we need to get Brexit right to keep trading with the EU and beyond.”
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Intel is set to launch several Sandy Bridge-based low-power processors under its Huron River platform, Core i7-2640LM, 2620LM, 2630UM and 2610LM, as well as Core i5-2530UM, in addition to its Core i7-2920XM, 2820QM, 2720QM and 2620M, and Core i5-2540M and 2520M, according to sources from notebook players.
Intel also plans to launch a Celeron processor coded B801 for the entry-level notebook market.
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Re: Intel updates Sandy Bridge processor lineup by Anonymous on Monday, November 15 2010 @ 20:18:16 CET
Been saving our pennies for one of these. Looking forward to it. Wonder if Intel will figure out how to do USB 3 or if we'll need add in cards because they aren't smart enough.


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Global revenues generated from social gaming will reach an annual $5 billion by 2015, new research claims.
Analyst group Parks Associates says that, should the milestone be met, social gaming will have grown five-fold since 2010.
Virtual goods and new advertising revenues will drive market growth, the research firm said.
“Gaming on social networks has quickly become the most visible category of online games,” analyst Pietro Macchiarella said.
“Right now more than 250 million people play games like Zynga’s CityVille and FarmVille on Facebook every month, and both game developers and marketers have taken notice. Big brands such as McDonald’s and 7-Eleven have carried out cross-promotions with existing social games.
“The most powerful asset of social game developers is the quantity of behavioral data that they can obtain from their games," Macchiarella added.
"The abilities to measure the efficacy of different gameplay mechanisms, to tweak game design in near-real time, and to test new models are advantages that traditional gaming companies will never have.
“Zynga’s huge market share is the best proof of the competitive advantage made possible by properly leveraging consumer data."
San Francisco based Zynga, a key player in the social games space, had recently been valued upwards of $7 billion.


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UNVR’s sales in 2021 booked an 8.0% decline YoY. The F&R segment supported total sales, with growth of 1.4% YoY to IDR12.17 tn. The decline in sales also resulted in net profit down by 19.6% YoY. Meanwhile, the F&R segment is expected to boost UNVR’s future performance through creating innovative products amid the consumer’s low purchasing power.
Download full report HERE.


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- What we learned when we visited Mr. B, America’s chonkiest cat 8 Months Ago
- Trump’s new plan to fight opioid overdose? This tweet 8 Months Ago
- Fitness influencer shamed for ‘sharing numbers’ in weight loss posts 8 Months Ago
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- Taylor Swift’s ‘London Boy’ is a bop, but Brits don’t think her lyrics are accurate Today 12:02 PM
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“It is widely recognized that Mr. Ribeiro’s likeness and intellectual property have been misappropriated by Epic Games in the most popular video game currently in the world, Fortnite,” Ribeiro’s attorney, David Hecht told TMZ.
The move in the game, called the “fresh emote,” has been available since January 2018. TMZ reports that in the documents, Ribeiro claims it is a carbon copy of the move he came up with for his character from the sitcom. The actor also says he is in the process of copywriting the dance move.
This isn’t the first time the game has been accused of appropriating dance moves of popular artists and actors. Earlier this year, Chance the Rapper publicly called out Fortnite developer Epic Games for failing to share royalties with the artists who created the dances.
“Fortnite should put the actual rap songs behind the dances that make so much money as Emotes,” he wrote on Twitter. “Black creatives created and popularized these dances but never monetized them. Imagine the money people are spending on these Emotes being shared with the artists that made them.”
Fortnite should put the actual rap songs behind the dances that make so much money as Emotes. Black creatives created and popularized these dances but never monetized them. Imagine the money people are spending on these Emotes being shared with the artists that made them— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2018
Last month, rapper 2 Milly filed a similar lawsuit against Epic Games, accusing the developer of stealing his “Milly Rock” dance move featured in the music video “Milly Rock x 2 Milly.”
- 9 Fortnite memes almost as sweet as a Victory Royale
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Gabrielle Sorto is an Atlanta-based freelance writer covering culture, lifestyle, and news. Her work has appeared in CNN, Teen Vogue, INSIDER, and Vice. She can usually be found writing with an overpriced coffee in hand or hanging out with her dog, Rihanna, who is named after exactly who you think.


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After Eminem debuted his new song “Survival” in a trailer for ActivisionBlizzard’s “Call of Duty: Ghosts” in August, Activision has announced that anyone who purchases the video game at GameStop on its release date of Nov. 5 will also receive a code to download a special edition of his new album, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” which arrives the same day. The bonus version of “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” will include “Survival” and an exclusive studio track.
“‘Call of Duty’ is the ultimate adrenaline rush,” wrote Tim Ellis, CMO of Activision Publishing, Inc., in a statement. “It’s the intensity and heart-pounding excitement you feel as the action unfolds. And Eminem embodies this same spirit and captures this in his music. The breadth of this program takes our partnership to a new level and will continue to unfold in the months to come. It’s going to be a massive day in entertainment with the launch of ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’ and ‘Marshall Mathers LP 2’ both hitting on November 5th.”
Adds Bob Puzon, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop, “‘Call of Duty’ is an entertainment juggernaut and cultural phenomenon. We are excited for the upcoming release of the new installment of this blockbuster franchise, ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts.’ We look forward to celebrating the worldwide November launch of this great game that is on track to be the most pre-ordered title of the year.”
As part of his ongoing collaboration with ActivisionBlizzard, Eminem will release a music video trailer for “Survival” later this month.
“The energy and intensity of ‘Survival’ really matches ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’,” Eminem wrote in a statement. “I’m excited to continue to be a part of the franchise.”


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Are automakers taking car owners for a ride? Are fuel consumption figures just for laughs? DAVE FALL finds out...
From new models to future concepts, get all the latest news from the 2014 Paris auto show in October!
Subaru unveiled its Viziv 2 concept at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show. Check our gallery images for a serious close-up of the new model!
Have a coffee, sleep, finish some paperwork at 200km/h. If you had a self-driving vehicle, would you bother to focus on the road by doing the job of driving?
The next Toyota Aygo, revealed at the 2014 Geneva auto show is, Toyota says, another example of its commitment to cars that catch the eye and are "genuinely fun to drive".
Porsche Macan, Jaguar C-X17, Maserati Levante... so many SUV's on stands at the 2014 Geneva auto show as upmarket automakers dive into the lucrative market.
Make-up colossus Coty's subsidiary OPI has a venture with Ford to create a collaboration featuring Ford's new Mustang... and a collection of nail polishes. Ride, Sally, ride!
Jaguar has confirmed at the 2014 Geneva auto show the name for its new premium sports sedan - and that of the family of engines that will drive it and other products.
Two of what were said to be the biggest attractions of the 2013 Tokyo auto show are now set to wow the crowds at the 2014 Geneva auto show.
Audi has unveiled its new DTM championship car at the 2014 Geneva auto show with an almost totally new aero package. Oh, wow!
Suzuki is showing its new European-spec Celerio compact a new type of A-segment vehicle at the 2014 Geneva auto show.
Chrysler is unveiling the new Fiat 500 range at the 2014 Geneva auto show and the new model will arrive in SA later this year.
This is what we can expect from Alfa Romeo - the stunning new 4C Spider. It's making its debut at the 2014 Geneva auto show and will go into production in 2015.
Honda will debut its hot new Type R at the 2014 Paris auto show.
Watch the shocking video when a monster truck careered into spectators.
Are fuel consumption figures just for laughs? DAVE FALL finds out...
VW will launch a 1.8-litre, 140kW, Audi turbo engine into the Polo GTI.
Here are some tips to prevent your car becoming another crime statistic.
A light-hearted survey reveals 'what women want' in a driving partner.
What would you do when there is a drunk driver in your path?
There's new staff, MD and a new Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5. Read all here!
Volvo's local V40 Cross Country range will benefit from a new four-cylinder turbo petrol Drive-E T5 engine early in 2015.
You might not know what a Tsunami Flip is, but just watching this will turn your eyes into saucers. Check out this first-ever MTB Tsunami Flip in contest here.
The 2015 Johannesburg Motor Show's date has been announced. Here's what to expect at the biggest celebration of motoring in SA.
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A mysterious big box warehouse store has been proposed for just outside the Perimeter Highway.
Plans for the store have been submitted to the city’s Board of Adjustment proposed for what is currently an agricultural field south of Assiniboia Downs and west of Pointe West Autopark.
The address of the location is named as 4077 Portage Ave.
The Red River Exhibition Association (RREA) currently owns the land and has plans to develop it into a commercial space, called the Westport Festival development.
The plans call for a warehouse-type building 14,693 square metres in size, a gas bar, tire centre, seasonal garden centre, hundreds of parking spaces and landscaping. Artist renderings submitted to the city have removed the name of the building.
There are currently three Costco locations in Winnipeg, including one on Regent Avenue, one on Kenaston Road and a third on St. James Street. While the sizes of the three current stores vary, they are all within a similar range to the proposed store. Costco stores in Winnipeg also boast gas bars at two locations, tire centres, garden centres and ample parking at all three locations.
Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. refused to confirm any details.
“As real estate is a very strategic issue in retailing, we do not comment on any market initiatives,” said spokesperson Renee-Dominique Dowd.
The RREA’s Garth Rogerson also politely refused to comment, as did a spokesperson for Shindico Realty Ltd., which is named as the developer for the project.
The proposal comes before the Board of Adjustment Wednesday due to a minor zoning variance that requires public consultation — a corner of the building will be closer to a paved road than normally allowed.


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Japanese auto parts maker Toyoda Gosei agreed to plead guilty to price-fixing and pay a $26 million fine for its role in conspiracies to fix prices and rig bids for automotive hoses, airbags and steering wheels sold to automobile manufacturers, the Justice Department said on Monday.
Shares of the Taylor-based maker of Delta faucets, Behr paint and Merillat cabinets climbed more than 8 percent in Tuesday pre-market trading.
Things ground to a halt one morning this month at Buff Whelan Chevrolet in Sterling Heights after the dealership's Internet connection went dead. Then a lightbulb came on for Matthew Oleszczuk. The new-car salesman remembered that a few of the showroom models were equipped with 4G LTE service, a feature that Chevy is rolling out across most of its 2015 models. The connection through OnStar provides a mobile hot spot that gives users a high-speed Internet connection for up to seven devices.
The United Auto Workers this summer vowed again to end the practice of paying workers in the same plant different wages for the same work. But a contract signed last week at a Lear Corp. seat plant in Indiana illustrates just how hard it will be to eliminate so-called two-tier wages.
Blanchard will serve as lead executive for the company's initiatives and projects within the city of Detroit and communities throughout Southeast Michigan.
Guest Blog: Lisa Katz
The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has in place regulations to further reduce automotive emissions and improve average fuel economy from approximately 35.5 mpg in 2016, to 54.5 mpg by 2025. The regulations are known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Countries around the world are requiring higher fuel economy for cars, so even if the U.S.
Gov. Rick Snyder and Brose North America Inc. executives are set to celebrating the grand opening of the auto supplier's newest plant in the metro Detroit.
Standing behind a simple bold headline "The Mechanic," General Motors CEO Mary Barra is the star of the magazine's Oct. 6 edition.
The automaker has exceeding a pledge it made three years ago that it would recruit 12,000 by 2015.
Adam Genei wanted to manufacture custom steel wheels, known as "steelies," which were cool-looking and affordable to car enthusiasts, so he launched Detroit Steel Wheel Co., and the business has been growing.
Nigel Francis of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. said only about 50 jobs are involved and the move by the General Motors Co. brand "has almost certainly more to do with the executive and where that person wants to have his top office.”
Work has started at an underground nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula following a 12-year legal and political struggle over the $800 million project.
General Motors Co. will reorganize its Cadillac brand into a separate unit that will be based in New York City starting next year. GM said the changes will help its top brand pursue opportunities with more focus and clarity.
Cadillac's chief is out to forge a new brand culture focused on proving its luxury bona fides to well-heeled customers. He thinks moving to New York City from Detroit can help.
Wire harness market leader Yazaki Corp., which paid the largest U.S. criminal fine so far in a three-year prosecution of automotive supplier price-fixing, also will shell out the largest civil settlement — $100 million — in a related case.
Cadillac's Detroit-based advertising agency doesn't yet know how it will redeploy personnel to handle the luxury automotive brand's relocation to New York City.
Delphi Automotive plc said Monday it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cranston, R.I.-based Antaya Technologies Corp.
The vote could signal the UAW’s desire to end two-tier wages when it negotiates new four-year contracts with the Detroit 3 next year.
2014 MICHauto Summit
. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Detroit Regional Chamber. A look at the new era of Michigan innovation; discussion will focus on the outlook on design, engineering, manufacturing and all things automotive. Cobo Center, Detroit. $125 DRC members, $200 nonmembers. Contact: Marianne Alabastro, (313) 596-0479; email: email@example.com; website:
Investors seem assured that Taylor-based Masco Corp. is heading in a strong new direction — even if that direction won't be fully known for at least a few more weeks. Shares of Masco (NYSE: MAS) crested around $24.50 last week, its highest price since the same week of September in 2007 — even though the maker of faucets, cabinets, paint products and other home fixtures is on pace to make $3.3 billion less revenue and has 30,000 fewer employees than it did that year.
Nearly 1,000 jobs and $169 million in investments are coming to two communities near Grand Rapids, courtesy of automotive suppliers based in China and Israel. Other statewide news: Towns along Lake Michigan expect strong tourism season; Updated office furniture forecast: Growth still slow, but 2015 looks better; Funeral home visitation from the comfort of your car; State lawmakers clear barrier to faster Detroit-Chicago trains
Southeast Michigan is at the center of the automotive industry's reinvention, for the second time. This time, though, that reinvention is all about the connected car and vehicle safety and efficiency features.
Seven current and former executives at Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd. were charged a widening four-year U.S. investigation of price-fixing in the auto parts industry.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, which on Monday agreed to buy Livonia-based TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. for $11.7 billion, sees a need for more acquisitions as even the largest auto suppliers seek size and technology.
Russian steelmaker OAO Severstal completed Tuesday the $700 million sale of its Dearborn operations to AK Steel Corp. as part of a deal to sell its entire U.S. operations for $2.325 billion.


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The Buffalo Sabres are again a hot ticket in Western New York.
The Sabres announced Monday that they sold 31,213 tickets for the 2012-13 season on Sunday during a 24-hour pre-sale period for current season-ticket holders and current mini-pack holders. The amount sold sets a club record for single-day ticket sales -- excluding sales on the first day of availability for the 2008 NHL Winter Classic.
Individual game tickets will be available for the general public beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m.
"With the uncertainty surrounding the schedule and the timing of the start of hockey, we didn't know what to expect," Sabres President Ted Black said in a statement released by the team. "However, Sunday's ticket sales took us by surprise and, frankly, blew us away.
"Our box office staff is the best in the business and they worked tirelessly all day, fielding more than 800 phone calls, to keep up with the record volume of orders. The extraordinary fan response makes us humble, grateful and even more committed to our core mission. We can't wait to drop the puck before a full house."