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Aston Martin has unveiled 11 accessory packs that will accompany the DBX SUV, which is set to be unveiled before the end of the year.
Dropbox crushes Wall Street expectations on earnings, but a key exec is stepping down and the stock is tanking
Dropbox reported its Q2 2018 earnings on Thursday.
Dropbox reported $316 million in quarterly revenue, while analysts expected $308.7 million. The company also reported $0.08 in earnings per share, while analysts expected $0.05.
Drew Houston talks about the company's valuation, how it plans to increase diversity, and how government regulation should work in the tech industry.


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Southport BID is inviting people to support this year’s Shop Local Week.
It will see seven days of concentrated activity encouraging shoppers to return to their local high street and shop safely.
This year’s initiative begins on 10 August and runs until 17 August. It encourages shoppers to call into their favourite local greengrocer, bakery or florist, or any other local shop, by demonstrating how businesses are safely welcoming back customers.
Southport BID is doing its best to support the town by recently redesigning and relaunching its Southport Independents website and directory, with over 100 amazing local shops to discover.
And they have now launched their brand new Southport Gift Card which customers can use to spend in more than 60 shops, restaurants, bars and leisure attractions in the resort.
The new measures are designed to help local businesses to rebuild after the coronavirus lockdown and to build local loyalty.
Southport BID CEO Rachel Fitzgerald said: “We fully get behind this Government campaign and want to encourage both businesses and the public to do the same.
“Never have our local businesses needed our support more. Many worked tirelessly and creatively throughout lockdown to deliver food and essentials to the community, and they have all worked hard to ensure the town is safe for us.
“We will be sharing updates from some of the exciting businesses that are the heart of our town all week.
“We would love to see local people show the same support by sharing pictures of visits to your favourite shops, or simply posting on social to shout about the businesses you love and think others will too. Please hashtag #southportindies and we will share as many as we can!
“Let’s make this their week and really stand up for our town.”
Shop Local Week (10 August until 17 August) is inviting people to fall back in love with their hometown.
Businesses and shops on high streets have adapted well since the outbreak of coronavirus and are able to welcome customers back to business-almost-as-usual.
Shop Local Week reassures shoppers that safety is paramount, and that their custom is valued by local high street shops and businesses. It gives customers an opportunity to show appreciation and support for their ‘locals’.
Shop Local is a dedicated week within the Government’s Enjoy Summer Safely campaign, which aims to inspire the public to get back to the things they enjoy, whilst following coronavirus safety guidelines.
For more information, please visit gov.uk/enjoy-summer-safely?

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The cryptocurrency lending firm Nexo has been sanctioned by the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) for offering and selling unregistered securities, as part of the latest efforts by regulators to crack down on the crypto industry. Announced via an SEC press release on January 19th, Nexo has been fined $45 million for failing to register the offer and sale of a cryptocurrency lending product, Earn Interest Product (EIP), which promised returns on deposited crypto.
According to the SEC’s order, Nexo started offering the EIP around June 2020 and marketed the product as a means for investors to earn interest on their crypto assets. The agency alleges that Nexo used its investors’ crypto assets in a variety of ways, including to fund interest payments to EIP investors and to generate income for its own business. The order classes the EIP as a security and found that Nexo had failed to register the product as such with the SEC.
“We charged Nexo with failing to register its retail crypto lending product before offering it to the public, bypassing essential disclosure requirements designed to protect investors,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Compliance with our time-tested public policies isn’t a choice. Where crypto companies do not comply, we will continue to follow the facts and the law to hold them accountable.”
While Nexo hasn’t admitted fault or denied the SEC’s findings, the company has agreed to pay a $22.5 million fine to the SEC and will no longer be offering the EIP to US investors, alongside phasing out all of the products and services it offers in the United States. Nexo will also pay an additional $22.5 million in fines to settle similar charges by state regulators.
BlockFi was fined $100 million last year on similar charges relating to its interest program
“We are content with this unified resolution which unequivocally puts an end to all speculations around Nexo’s relations to the United States,” said Antoni Trenchev, Co-founder of Nexo in a statement. “We can now focus on what we do best — build seamless financial solutions for our worldwide audience.”


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The Sunday Mail
A medical aid card from a reputable insurer is the key to accessing quality healthcare, right? Wrong!
In recent weeks, many pharmacies in Zimbabwe have hiked drug prices by up to 70 percent — and they are rejecting medical aid cover and insisting on US dollar payments.
They also do not want bond notes or money transfers, saying the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is not prioritising allocation of foreign currency to them and so they need to find greenbacks for imported stock.n recent weeks, many pharmacies in Zimbabwe have hiked drug prices by up to 70 percent — and they are rejecting medical aid cover and insisting on US dollar payments.
According to an Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) media statement, “Some pharmacies are charging huge shortfalls, while some are insisting on cash payments in United States dollars and rejecting the medical aid card as well as other payment methods such as debit card, Ecocash or bond notes.
“AHFoZ is engaging the Retail Pharmacists Association (RPA) in an effort to resolve the problem. The RPA say it is engaging the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to seek allocation of foreign currency so that pharmacies can revert to previous prices. As an association, we are recommending that medical aid societies approach individual pharmacies to negotiate contracts for their members, in order to alleviate their suffering.”
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe executive director Ms Roselyn Siyachitema said medical drugs should be at the top of RBZ’s foreign currency priority list.
“We know that with the shortage of foreign currency the issue of priority is becoming a problem, but as we know anything to do with health should be the first priority,” she said.
“We are aware of the price hikes and we are going to look into the matter and investigate where prices have gone up and why. At the moment we have been seized with a similar case on basic commodities but we are going to look into it because the issue of health is important.”
A pharmacist who declined to be named for professional reasons said they were in a difficult situation.
“We are being called all sorts of names but people are not looking at all sides,” she said. “We did not arrive at this point by ourselves; the RBZ has not been allocating us foreign currency, which makes the situation difficult because where we buy stuff they want cash.
“So some of us are buying cash on the parallel market in order to import, a situation which then pushes our costs up. It must be understood that we are in business and we have put in huge investments. Honestly, before people start accusing us they should put things in context.”
But RBZ Governor Dr John Mangundya has trashed claims that pharmacies are not getting foreign currency.
Last week he said the central bank was reserving U$4 million weekly for pharmacies. Dr Mangundya said the amount equalled 40 percent of pharmacies’ forex requirements, with the 60 percent coming from banks.
“This country’s economy is not a huge economy, this is not justified at all. It is abuse of consumers and bad business practice,” he said.
“We need people to behave because there is no way prices of drugs can rise by up to 70 percent. How much did they buy the foreign currency for on the parallel market to justify their prices? People get money from the banks and they abuse the system and use the parallel market to peg their prices.”
Widely used medicines like antibiotics that sold for US$13 in August are now selling for US$18. Cough syrups’ prices have risen from US$2,50 to as much as US$7. One blood pressure control drug has gone up from US$15 to US$24.
Zimbabwe is importing the bulk of its medicines with drug-makers NatPharm and CAPS Holdings operating at very low capacity levels.


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Fashion Week’s First Sustainable Swimwear Show Launches World’s First Compostable Swimsuit
Haute Natured event showcases latest eco-friendly swimwear from top designers and debuts world’s first compostable swimsuit.
Over 1,100 of Miami’s eco-fashion-elite gathered poolside at the Setai Hotel on Friday, July 15th for Haute Natured—the first-ever sustainable swimwear show during Fashion Week Miami Swim. Haute Natured, presented by Mogul Events and ecosystM, featured a “walk-on-water” runway that showcased the latest eco-friendly swimwear collections from Eco Swim, Linda Loudermilk, Meadow and MAE Couture—all to raise environmental awareness and benefit the Seakeeper’s Society for marine research and ocean conservation.
Other Fashion Week firsts included Luxury Eco™ designer Linda Loudermilk revealing the world’s first compostable bathing suit on the Haute Natured runway, made out of plant starch, which according to Loudermilk, will decompose completely within 180 days under soil. The group of designers also featured sustainable swimwear designs made from wood pulp, hemp and bamboo, as well as from recycled plastic bottles, upcycled factory scraps of cotton and nylon and repurposed material such as military parachutes.
“Our mission is to use the runway as a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and sustainable design,” says Ryan Hattaway, Haute Natured creator and President of Mogul Events. “Where products are created and produced with consideration to the environmental and social impact it may have throughout its life span.”
Haute Natured event highlights included celebrity green-carpet arrivals, electric car displays by Tesla Motors, biodegradable umbrellas by Brelli, live entertainment and four formal runway shows. Notable guests present were Dean Klevan, President of the Seakeeper’s Society; Dean Pemberton, President of Quintessentially Americas; Kelly Saks, Miss Cuba; and Nicole Kelley, Miss Earth Florida 2011.
Guests also enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary cocktail reception. Sponsors included ecosystM, The Setai, Eco Swim, Seakeeper’s Society, Tesla Motors, Luxury Eco by Linda Loudermilk, Jacoby Group, Quintessentially Driven, Meadow, MAE Couture, Aveda Institute of South Florida and Brelli. Haute Natured celebrated Miami as the first city on its annual tour, with future events planned for LA and New York.
For more information please visit HauteNatured.com


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JSE-listed industrial group Barloworld has implemented austerity measures to reduce costs and conserve cash to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 across the company’s operations, with help from a crisis committee that has been set up.
While the company’s diversified portfolio has resulted in minimal disruptions in its supply chain so far, the situation is changing rapidly, says Barloworld.
“Commodity prices and our key market economies are being impacted. We are keeping close to our customers to understand the impact of this pandemic on their liquidity and continuity of operations.”
A strong balance sheet remains a key strength for the group during this time. The company has committed funding of R7.2-billion.
CEO Dominic Sewela predicts that the tough trading conditions will intensify in the second half of the 2020 financial year.
Notwithstanding the tough trading conditions, Barloworld has made progress on its growth strategy.
The rollout of Barloworld Business System (BBS) is progressing well across the group. Sewela believes BBS will enhance business value and create a platform for integrating businesses.
Further, the company has always aimed to double the intrinsic value of the company every four years.
In terms of acquisitive growth, Barloword is pursuing growth into markets identified based on a clear set of investment guardrails, including industry attractiveness and the company’s ability to win existing, adjacent and new business.
“We continue to consider a healthy pipeline of inorganic growth opportunities in Africa but will be disciplined and circumspect in the decisions with due consideration to the challenging macroeconomic environment,” Sewela says.
Meanwhile, the company’s Wagner Asia transaction should have closed on April 1, but the long stop date has been moved to October 31, while the company’s Tongaat Hulett Starch acquisition should close in the fourth quarter of the year.


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Lanhine face mask sold to the Netherlands
Face Mask Bracket 10 Pack - Silicone Mask Bracket for Improved Breathability and Mask Cup Insert for a Lipstick Protective Face Mask 3.94" x 3.35" Compatible with Most Masks - Washable and Reusable Face Masks for Anti Pollution DustWashable and Reusable Cotton Face Mask, Adjustable Ear Loop Protective Mask with 5PCS PM2.5 Filter(White) Beijing loses face with face-mask diplomacy South Apr 23, 2020 · Beijing loses face with face-mask diplomacy While most of the defective medical gear has been sold to foreign countries by private Chinese companies rather than the government, for most
Mar 29, 2020 · The recall concerned nearly half of the shipment of 1.3 million masks, known as FFP2 - 600,000 had already been sent to hospitals, the public television channel NOS reported. Coronavirus:Why face masks are not very effective for Face masks are designed to catch large contaminants and particles. around the world have reportedly sold out of masks. had already reached 200 million masks per day. Lanhine's normal Coronavirus:Why some countries wear face masks and May 12, 2020 · The face mask may be a product of recent history, experience with contagion, and cultural norm. But as this pandemic evolves, along with evidence and
BioClean DB Sterile Pouch-style Face Mask with Neck Guard BDBS-G Sterile pouch-style face mask with neck guard BioClean Microflow Face Veil with Headloop BFV05 Facemasks - AnsellBioClean DB Sterile Pouch-style Face Mask with Neck Guard BDBS-G Sterile pouch-style face mask with neck guard BioClean Microflow Face Veil with Headloop BFV05 Gap's face masks are extremely popular and affordableThe company reportedly sold $130 million in face masks in its latest quarter according to its earnings call. Gap, Athleta, and Old Navy's everyday masks are triple-layered, non-medical-grade, and reusable. The least expensive option is an Old Navy 5-Pack for $12.50.
The Netherlands is the latest country to reject China-made coronavirus testing kits and other protective gear, calling the items substandard and raising serious questions about the quality of the Netherlands recalls 600,000 face masks from China due to Mar 29, 2020 · Netherlands recalls 600,000 face masks from China due to low quality Top-of-the-line N95 masks did not fit well and filters did not function properly, Dutch government says; It Netherlands recalls 600,000 face masks from China due to Mar 29, 2020 · Netherlands recalls 600,000 face masks from China due to low quality Top-of-the-line N95 masks did not fit well and filters did not function properly, Dutch government says; It
Nov 25, 2020 · The Ralph Lauren face mask collection, featuring two models Featuring a high-filtration filter insert, this mask has a customizable fit, a protective inner lining, and an antimicrobial-treated shell to preserve fabric freshness Questions asked as Amsterdam ice cream shop switches Apr 19, 2020 · Questions are being asked in Amsterdam after a shop selling apparently medical grade face masks opened in a former ice cream parlour in the citys Jordaan district. On Sunday, the shop was offering the masks for sale for 9 each in cash, or three for 25, even though the official recommendation to retailers is to accept debit card payments only. On Saturday the masks were being sold for Seven die at care home where the residents haven't had Meet the man with a new face and hands The 22-year-old New Jersey resident had the operation last August, two years after being badly burned in a car crash. Sky News 'I want to drive again' says
Aug 01, 2020 · Last week, Downing Street joined the global stampede to enforce face masks in public spaces such as shops, supermarkets and stations, following Scotland, Spain and France, along with Holland's


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On Monday, Apple is expected to unveil the 6th generation of its mobile operating system at the kickoff to WWDC. But iOS 6 may not be for all to enjoy. In fact, those with a first-generation iPad may be left in the cold.
According to reports bubbling to the surface in recent hours, iOS 6 may not be compatible with the first iPad released just two years ago.
iOS 6 beta will likely be released to developers this week, but sources close to the matter say the second and third generation iPads are the only compatible tablets with the refreshed operating system.
Meanwhile, iOS 6 is expected to work with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and, naturally, the most recent iPhone 4S.
For the time being, it should be noted that these reports of iOS 6 not working with the first-generation iPad are, in fact, still unconfirmed rumors.
But there’s an excellent possibility that we will know the whole story before the day is done. And Mobile Marketing Watch will keep you up to date as WWDC gets under way later this morning.


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An organization that depends on them treats customers better.
In a marketplace, where businesses live and die according to consumer choices, a merchant treats customers better than they are typically treated by government bureaucrats.
Obviously, this manager didn’t treat customers better. But he’s the exception that proves the rule. He was immediately fired.
Trending: Art of the Meal
According to the Arizona Republic,
The incident trended on Facebook Saturday, though the earliest tweet acknowledged by Del Taco dates back to Tuesday. The post embedded in a YouTube link entitled “Don’t eat at Del Taco 91ave and Peoria” has since been deleted.
Del Taco responded to Twitter and Facebook posts in the wake of the video’s release. The company told upset customers that the manager had been fired.
“We strive to provide a positive guest experience at all of our restaurants and were appalled by this behavior as it is not representative of our high guest service standards. We took this incident very seriously and addressed it with the location’s franchisee, who took definitive action by terminating the employee immediately.”
Reportedly, some have objected that they don’t have enough footage to know if the customers were being reasonable. But that’s the point. It doesn’t matter. Del Taco is not the only fast food option or even the only Mexican fast food option. They are entirely beholden to customer good will. Customers are the real bosses; not any manager or even an owner.
Notice what didn’t happen. Del Taco didn’t promise to conduct an investigation and issue a report in a few months. That only happens when government employees are accused of wrongdoing. Del Taco took action right away.
Everyone is a customer. We all get better service in a society where customers are in control.
That is why, by the way, the movement for a so-called “living wage” is so misguided. Customers are the ones who decide wages and they are not willing to pay more than they have to.
Below is the uncensored video. Don’t watch it unless you are prepared to hear foul language!


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Oregon's winter blast has shut down its biggest company for the week.
Nike will close its Beaverton-area campus until next Monday to avoid putting employees at risk, company officials said. More than 6,000 people work at Nike headquarters, and many more visit every day to do business.
This is Nike's first weather-related closure since the mid-1990s, spokesman Bob Applegate said. But the company already was slated to close for Christmas on Thursday and Friday, and a lot of people take the week off anyway. "It's a generally slow period," Applegate said.
Business hasn't stopped completely, though. Important meetings are taking place by conference call, Applegate said.


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New post (Aligue (Crab Fat) Fried Rice Recipe | Yummy Ph) has been published on Foodixo – https://www.foodixo.com/2017/07/25/aligue-crab-fat-fried-rice-recipe-yummy-ph/
This fried rice recipe has rich and flavorful aligue mixed into it!
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China’s auto market continues to gather steam amid the pandemic. Car sales in November increased for the eighth straight month in a row, while new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in the country witnessed the fifth consecutive month of growth. Per China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (“CAAM”), auto sales for November climbed 12.6% year on year to 2.77 million units, while sales of NEVs surged 104.9% to 200,000 units. NEVs include battery-powered electric, plug-in petrol-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
The auto sector in China has been battling a slump since hitting its peak in 2017, thanks to rigid emission standards, rising popularity of ride-sharing platforms and a sluggish economy. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China, further aggravated the slump in auto sales. The country’s auto market, in fact, witnessed the worst-ever quarter from January through March, with sales plunging 42% year on year to 3.7 million vehicles. Nonetheless, China was the first nation to reopen its economy after the health crisis was declared under control in March. The Chinese market began to recover in the second quarter, supported by government stimulus measures to drive vehicle sales. Since then the monthly Chinese auto sales have been registering growth after hitting rock bottom in March. Auto sales recorded a year-over-over climb of 4.4%, 14.5%, 11.6%, 16.4%, 11.6%, 12.8% and 12.5% for April, May, June, July, August, September and October, respectively. Notably, Japan-based auto biggies, including Toyota ( TM Quick Quote TM - Free Report) , Honda ( HMC Quick Quote HMC - Free Report) and Nissan ( NSANY Quick Quote NSANY - Free Report) , recorded year-over-year sales increase of 16.7%, 22.1% and 5.2%, respectively, in China during November. However, sales from January through November for the world’s biggest auto market are still down compared to 2019. Chinese car sales witnessed a drop of 2.9% during January through November compared with the corresponding period of 2019. China’s NEV Sales On a Roll
China's NEV industry was also hit hard by the outbreak of the pandemic in the first quarter. Nevertheless, the market began to recover in the second quarter, backed by government stimulus measures like extended subsidies and tax exemptions to boost the sale of these vehicles. In fact, the country sold 1.1 million NEVs over the first 11 months of this year, up 3.9% year on year.
Currently, China is the world’s biggest EV market but carbon-free transportation still account for just around 5% of the country’s total auto sales. China, which produces the maximum carbon emissions, has laid much emphasis on green vehicles and plans NEVs to attain a 25% share of total auto sales by 2025. In fact, NEV sales in China are expected to be more than 1.3 million NEVs this year, higher than the 1.2 million units sold last year. NIO Inc ( NIO Quick Quote NIO - Free Report) , which currently carries a Zacks Ranks of 3 (Hold), continues its rally in the nation, delivering more and more electric cars every month. The automaker delivered 5,291 vehicles in November, up 109% year on year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Chinese automotive manufacturer BYD Company Limited ( BYD Quick Quote BYD - Free Report) sold 23,217 NEVs in November, marking a rise of 15% from October, and 137.9% from November 2019. Moreover, Li Auto ( LI Quick Quote LI - Free Report) sold 4,646 Li ONEs in November, highlighting a 25% jump from October. Also, Xpeng’s ( XPEV Quick Quote XPEV - Free Report) deliveries skyrocketed 342% year on year to 4,224 units last month. China’s 2020 Auto Sales Set to Parallel 2019 Levels
Seeing this continued momentum of rise in vehicle sales in the country, industry experts are optimistic about the future of the Chinese auto industry and anticipate the rebound in vehicle demand and sales to continue through the remaining of 2020.
China’s vehicle sales are projected to reach 25 million units this year, largely flat with the 25.77 million vehicles retailed last year, thus, spearheading the global car industry recovery from the coronavirus crisis-induced lows. CAAM forecasts Chinese sales this year of more than 20 million passenger vehicles and 5 million commercial vehicles, which include trucks and buses. CAAM also envisions Chinese auto sales to further boom in the upcoming years and hit 30 million units in 2025. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All
Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.
See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Bebe Stores Inc. BEBE, -1.50% on Thursday said November same-store sales, or sales in stores open at least a year, soared 23.2 percent compared with a gain of 9.1 percent a year ago. Total sales for the four weeks ended Nov. 27 increased 34.5 percent to $40.9 million from $30.4 million last year. Based on the results, the retailer raised its second-quarter earnings outlook to 53 to 56 cents a share, up from its previous view of 42 to 45 cents a share. Bebe shares closed up $2.67 to $38.95 Wednesday.
Bebe same-store sales jump 23.2%


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Spammers whose messages previously just filled up your Gmail spam folder have found a way to infiltrate a new frontier: text messages, particularly those sent through Apple’s iMessage network. Wired’s Robert McMillan spoke with Tom Landesman of security and anti-spam company Cloudmark. Landesman said that a year ago, he’d never seen an iMessage spam. But now, iMessage spam accounts for 30 percent of all mobile spam messages, thanks to aggressive campaigns by scammers pushing deals on luxury goods — designer handbags late last year, and knock-off Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses more recently.
A recent blog post by Cloudmark reported that 34 percent of all reported SMS spam in the U.S. in the previous two months was from a single campaign advertising discounted goods allegedly by — but more than likely knockoffs of — brands including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Prada, Celine, Oakley, Ray-Ban, Michael Kors, and Tiffany & Co Jewelry. “What is clear is that the authenticity of these shanty-like online stores for designer bags is very questionable,” the post notes. “Names, URLs, and domain registration info all raise red flags. It’s unlikely that a URL like ‘sunglassesstore-us.com’ is a reputable domain. Also, the product images are of noticeably low quality and appear to have been ripped from third-party sites such as eBay.”
Landesman explained to Wired that because the iMessage system spans the iPhone, iPad, and Apple’s laptops and desktops, spammers can easily write a Mac script that will quickly send messages to all of those devices. “It’s almost like a spammer’s dream. With four lines of code, using Apple scripts, you can tell your Mac machine to send message to whoever they want.” They’ll use either your phone number or even an email address that you’ve associated with your iMessage account. To check which email addresses and phone numbers are associated with your iMessage account, on your iPhone you can go to Settings, then Messages, then Send & Receive.
Since the desktop client tells you whether a number you’ve entered is registered with iMessage, spammers can generate a list of verified users, and also see whether the message that they’ve sent has been read or not. They can also register an iMessage account with only an email address, and use a large number of accounts to send, as Landesman puts it, “a huge volume of messages.”
Since all of these spam messages are traveling over Apple’s network, the responsibility to eradicate — or at least control — them rests with Apple, not with a user’s wireless carrier. Apple has limited the rate at which users can send iMessages, and has also put into place a method for reporting iMessage spammers. Users can email Apple with a screenshot of the message, the full email address or phone number that sent the message, and the date and time that they received the message.
With that information, Apple will supposedly get spammers off the iMessage network, but Wired notes that it reported a spam address on a Wednesday, and it was still active on the iMessage network the following Monday. Three email addresses used in spam campaigns were also still active. (McMillan notes that the spammers didn’t respond to iMessage requests for interviews.) Beyond reporting spam, users can turn off alerts from iMessage users who aren’t in their contacts by going to Settings, Notification Center, Messages, and then selecting Show Alerts from My Contacts. You can also turn off iMessage altogether by going to Settings, Messages, then toggling iMessage off, though hopefully there are few cases extreme enough to warrant that.
The problem is that since iMessages are free to send, they’re an attractive advertising avenue for the likes of the virtual pill-peddling pharmacists, Nigerian princes, and other unsavory characters who’ve been contacting you since the rise of email and the Internet. Kaspersky Lab’s SecureList reported that in the second-quarter of the year, spam messages accounted for 68.6 percent of all email traffic. But with email, companies have developed intelligent features like spam detection, or the filters created with Google’s Priority Inbox, using contextual information to make sure you’re easily able to access the messages that are actually important to you. But our smartphones aren’t smart enough to do that — at least not yet.
It’s a problem that Farhad Manjoo discussed in a recent piece for The New York Times aptly titled, “Smartphones Overstate Their Social Intelligence.” Manjoo explains the problem simply, giving the example of push notifications. To cut down on the large number of push notifications that demand your attention, why can’t your smartphone prioritize notifications from your spouse or your boss over notifications from high school friends Manjoo wants to know. Despite having access to a range of useful information on you, your contacts, and your life, your smartphone’s operating system ignores it.
“Once you begin thinking about your phone’s stupidity, it’s hard to stop,” Manjoo notes. Instead of arranging your contacts by the frequency with which you interact with them, or by which ones you’re likely to interact with on a given day, your phone simply alphabetizes them. Instead of using your calendar information to suggest when you should tackle each item on your to-do list, your phone just ignores that information and keeps to-dos in a simple list.
Contextual apps — the Humin contact manager, for example — look to replace the unintelligent utilities on your phone with smarter, more aware solutions. But that just begs the question: if third-party app developers can do it, why can’t Apple, Google, or Microsoft? Humin, as an example, pulls in the data that’s already on your phone and on your social networks in order to determine how you know each of your contacts, where you met each of them, where they live, and can even detect information they’re visiting your city. If that kind of functionality were built into the actual operating system of your phone, it could gather and make sense of all of the data on your phone. That could be applied to the push notifications that the phone sends you, and notifications could be intelligently prioritized and presented.
Especially considering Google’s proclivity to sort information, and Google Now’s significance as the beginning of a contextually aware system, it seems that operating system manufacturers may slowly build more intelligence into their smartphones. In an interview with Manjoo, Google’s director of engineering for Android, David Singleton, said that Google is working on ways to give app developers access to contextual information. But Singleton notes that sorting notifications could be more difficult than filtering out email spam, and users would need to be able to depend on algorithms to get the notification filtering right.
While spam iMessages aren’t the only problem that more intelligent smartphones could solve, they’re a sign that the technology has to change. Email didn’t get smarter until the volume of messages — both spam and legitimate — got unmanageable. As push notifications and text message spam multiply and start to go the same way, smartphone makers will need to respond by making mobile operating systems more intelligent. Dumb smartphones have already demonstrated that they’re ill-equipped to make connections between pieces of data and figure out what information is useful — and what is just spam.
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The Dacia Duster is a huge success. Since its debut in March 2010, the high-legged SUV has been acquired by two million individuals. The popular 4X4's second generation debuted a few years ago, and now it's time for a refresh for the more affordable variants. The most significant news is that you can now purchase a Duster with the efficient EDC gearbox, which many customers have been requesting for a long time. This is linked to a 150 horsepower TCe engine.
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Financial problems have led action camera company GoPro to announce that they are exiting the drone business. The report came along with its January 8 earnings report and coincides with the announcement that they will be laying off hundreds of employees and reducing the salary of their CEO to $1.
The layoffs mark GoPro’s fourth time laying off employees in the last 2 years and comes following a disappointing 4th quarter performance in which the company fell much short of their already low projections of $470 million revenue, bringing only $340 million revenue over the holiday season.
Part of this they attribute the difficulty they have faced finding success in the drone business which they call an “extremely competitive market”. Their current model, the Karma drone, where first released in 2016, but quickly faced a recall due to a power malfunction, hurting their credibility in the fast-growing industry.
The Karma was viewed as expensive and unfinished, leading to poor consumer reception and the company losing more than $370 million in 2016.
Despite this, GoPro has continued to produce the drone, which retails at $799, until its announcement today that the Karma would halt production. The company did say, however, that after they finished selling their inventory of drones they would continue to provide support and service to their customers indefinitely.
GoPro did manage to bounce back from the initial poor performance of the Karma, and the drone managed to become the second most popular product in its market in 2017, but the company feels like this was not enough to sustain them.
Aside from the competitiveness of the drone market, GoPro has also cited concerns over new regulations in Europe and the United States, which could reduce the size of the market in the coming years, as another reason for exiting now.
CEO Nicholas Woodman expressed that the move to bow out of the drone market is one step they are taking to enforce their commitment to turning the business around this year. They are moving to fall back on the products that made them successful in the first place while lowering operating costs.
While it seems the drone market isn’t going anywhere soon, GoPro will not be a part of it.


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In a return to the old style Nintendo Direct format, Satoru Iwata will be hosting a Nintendo Direct tomorrow to discuss Wii U and 3DS games which are coming soon. Nintendo has kept very tight lipped about this Direct, not saying much about the games that will be on show during this presentation.
Will we see more information on Xenoblade Chronicles X? Will we finally see what Retro is working on besides Donkey Kong? Will we get more news on the new 3DS and that hinted at Duck Hunt trailer for Smash Bros? The Direct will be streamed on Nintendo’s official site as well as via their Youtube page, from 2pm PT/5pm CT and 10pm GMT.
Expect a write up of the Direct’s highlights after the fact.


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Pre-Orders for the International Lumia 900 Have BeganApril 2, 2012 1 Comment
Official pre-orders have started for the Nokia Lumia 900 European version, with Dual channel HSDPA in place of the unsupported LTE. The official launch date has not been released yet but the device is expected in May 2012.
You can check out the device at nstore.it
You can also find the Lumia 610 there for pre-order as well.
Tags: International, Lumia 610, Lumia 900, Pre-OrderNews


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#Qualcomm is placing all its bets on the #Snapdragon820 SoC which is scheduled to arrive early next year on major flagship handsets. The success of this chip is quite crucial for the company as the Snapdragon 810 from earlier this year received less than favorable reviews from customers and manufacturers alike. The Snapdragon 820 is set to change that and it seems like the company is already off to a good start, going by the benchmark results that are now available online.
On AnTuTu, the Snapdragon 820 managed to score a resounding 131,648, which is significantly higher than any Android flagship we’ve seen in the market today. As for GeekBench, the device managed to score 2,320 points in the single core test and 5,396 points in the multi core test, further suggesting that this is indeed a powerful chipset.
The test was seemingly conducted on a Qualcomm specific prototype device running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, so the software might have also played a part in these benchmark results. The likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7, the Xiaomi Mi 5 and several others are expected to showcase Snapdragon 820 in a couple of months from now, so we’ll know if these benchmark scores hold weight in the real world.


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Of the 953 adult UK drivers surveyed by the firm, 21.9% said they thought the technology would increase rates "significantly", while 12.9% stated that they expected premiums to "go up a little bit" as
- Guy Carpenter suspends senior boss following harassment claims
- Fee caps for CMCs could lead to 'clear consumer detriment'
- Ex-Quindell boss Rob Terry to sue Watchstone for £14.7m
- This week: Dual pricing and sexual harassment claims
- Analysis: Charity & CSR: Protect and survive
- Axa UK promotes Laurent Matras to retail boss
- Honcho secures investment from Maven


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Capcom with a short teaser trailer has announced a new Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Digital Event in which the details of the first free update arriving on Nintendo Switch and PC in the coming weeks will be revealed. Mark the date on your calendar: the event will be broadcast starting at 16:00 Italian on Tuesday 9 August.
The Digital Event of August 2022 will be presented by producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and game director Yoshitake Suzuki. You can follow the event on the Monster Hunter YouTube channel at this address or on the official Twitch channel from here. For the occasion, we can expect the announcement of the release date of the update and an in-depth study on the contents and the challenges coming for the hunters of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
As we know, the free August update will introduce the Iridescent Nargacuga, which we recently saw in action in a gameplay video, as well as the Volcanic Bazelguese and the Desolate Arena map. In addition, a new feature will be added that will allow you to upgrade weapons and armor using the materials of infected monsters.
The cutscene mentions the arrival of “even more monsters” and “new content”, so we can expect more infected creatures and probably Sunbreak’s first series of this event as well. Staying on the subject, after the launch of Sunbreak, Monster Hunter Rise took third place in the ranking of the best-selling Capcom games ever.
If you like our news and you want to be the first to get notifications of the latest news, then follow us on Twitter and Facebook page and join our Telegram channel. Also, you can follow us on Google News for regular updates.


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An Arlington-based ice cream shop that brings together flavors from around the world is planting its flag in the Mosaic District to further an ambitious expansion plan.
Mimi’s Handmade will take up residence in the Merrifield neighborhood at 2985 District Avenue, Suite 160, replacing 520 Ice Cream and Tea after the cafe closed late last year.
Currently expected to open around mid-August to early September, the new store will closely resemble the original Mimi’s, which opened in Pentagon City in December 2021, owner Rollin Amore says.
“You’ve got to have consistency across the board, consistency in the quality of your ice cream, consistency in your offerings,” Amore told FFXnow. “I mean, I want to appeal to a broad base. I want to appeal across the age span from 8 months old to 80 years old.”
Mimi’s is a family affair, dedicated to Amore’s daughters — Mimi and Alexandra — and inspired by gelato, custard and sweets recipes passed down by his Italian and German grandmothers, according to the website.
Venturing into ice cream after retiring from a nearly 40-year career as a banker, Amore has developed a diverse assortment of over 40 flavors, from classic options like French vanilla and chocolate to bolder scoops like sweet corn or wasabi peas — one of several to incorporate ingredients he encountered while traveling in Asia.
Mimi’s has 32 flavors on display at any given time, all made in-house with “real” ingredients, not flavoring, Amore says. About 70 to 80% of them are fixtures, while others rotate based on the season or their creator’s inclinations.
“If I get inspired, I’ll try a new flavor,” Amore said. “As an example, a couple of weeks ago, I started making a red guava sherbet…It’s more summer. I’ve been making fresh watermelon and fresh cantaloupe, and I just pureed a few fruit and then add a little sugar and make a sorbet out of them.”
Calling the Mosaic District “a good spot to be in,” Amore says he has always envisioned Mimi’s as “a small chain of stores.” The business is also coming to Chevy Chase in two weeks and Rockville in three months.
Looking into 2024, leases have been signed for locations in Annandale and West Falls Church, though Amore couldn’t share the exact addresses yet. A Sterling shop is also a possibility, along with a commissary kitchen where all of the ice cream production will ultimately be consolidated.
Despite the aggressiveness of the planned expansion, he expressed confidence that Mimi’s can maintain the quality that has earned it near-universal acclaim on Yelp and a nod from Northern Virginia Magazine as one of the region’s best restaurants.
“Ice cream stores, the whole dynamic is changing,” Amore said. “We went from two years ago the Baskin Robbins, the Ben and Jerry’s to now a new generation of more artisan ice creams. There’s a bit of shift in the industry, and I think I’m on the edge of that in terms of my flavor strategy, my preparations and so forth.”
The new Apple store at Tysons Corner Center is ready to say hello.
Opening to customers at 10 a.m. today (Friday), the 13,010-square-foot store has been branded as a “new chapter” for the technology company, which launched its original retail location at the mall on May 19, 2001 — exactly 22 years ago.
Given that history, Apple was “excited” to introduce its latest design features in Tysons, a spokesperson said, as the business seeks to maintain its status as a trendsetter in the ever-evolving world of retail.
“It’s so exciting to see how many people know about our old Tysons Corner store,” Jason Reyes, a business expert for the Tysons store, said at a media preview yesterday. “It’s the first one ever in the whole world, and for it to kind of get into its next generation, really, is so exciting to see. It’s just showing how we’re evolving as a company.”
Now located on the mall’s second floor adjacent to Victoria’s Secret, the remodeled Apple Store trades its predecessor’s enclosed, almost utilitarian design for a warmer, more natural look with wood paneling and a wrap-around, all-glass storefront.
Accessibility and sustainability were top priorities for the new design, according to Apple Retail and Design Manager Bill Bergeron-Mirsky.
In addition to being carbon-neutral and operating entirely on renewable energy sources, the store was built out of plant-based materials, with “biogenic acoustic panels and baffles” for the ceiling and biopolymers for the floor.
“That replaces a petrochemical product, but it also increases the performance of the floor itself,” Bergeron-Mirsky said.
He highlighted the varied table and chair heights, intended to ensure all customers can “engage with the store team,” and wide aisles designed for easier navigation by wheelchair users. The store also has a portable hearing loop to assist people who use hearing aids.
The store layout will be familiar, with long tables and wall displays for different products, from iPads and phone cases to Apple Music and Apple TV+, the company’s streaming services.
Additions include a more prominent “Genius” bar for technical support next to a pickup counter for online orders. There is also a table for “Today at Apple” workshops and an Apple Watch studio where both the products and the environment can be customized.
“We can end up transforming this room to highlight [a] new product, or we could bring a music experience into it,” Reyes said. “I mean, the possibilities are endless. Even the lighting itself can be changed, depending on what experience we want to give the customer in this room.”
The focus on accessibility extends to the store’s over 100 employees, a team that includes speakers of American Sign Language, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Amharic and other languages, Bergeron-Mirsky said.
Apple declined to comment on whether any of its other 500-plus stores will get similar overhauls, but the relocation has boosted the company’s profile in Tysons Corner Center, placing it closer to the Plaza that owner and developer Macerich built as the mall’s focal point.
“Apple has been such a key partner with Tysons Corner Center since they opened their store in our center 22 years ago and we look forward to working with them on this next chapter of their brand evolution for their new location within the center,” Macerich Director of Property Management Jesse Benites said. “As a leader in innovation and design, Apple has always been a destination retailer for malls and we wish them continued success.”
Dior has arrived at Tysons Galleria.
The French fashion house’s new boutique is now in business on the mall’s second floor near Neiman Marcus. Tysons Galleria announced that the store had opened on April 28 — beating its previously projected timeframe of summer 2023.
Selling clothes, handbags, shoes and accessories, the store is Dior’s first retail location in Virginia, saving local patrons from a trip downtown to the one in CityCenterDC.
The company’s public relations team told FFXnow it was “unable to secure a quote” on why Dior chose Tysons Galleria for its first Virginia location, but given the mall’s wealth of luxury designers, from Prada to Balenciaga, the brand that helped define post-World War II fashion seems like a natural fit.
The 5,188-square-foot store is next-door neighbors with Gucci, and a Versace boutique is just two doors down.
According to its website, other recent arrivals to Tysons Galleria include watch manufacturers Breitling and Omega. The mall also welcomed Swiss watchmaker Panerai, the restaurants Jiwa Singapura and Yard House, and the dine-in theater CMX CinéBistro earlier this year.
Tenants listed as “coming soon” include the Los Angeles-originated studio Alo Yoga, French swimwear brand Vilebrequin, and a Hair Social And Med Spa.
Whole Foods Market may be contemplating a move from its current location in Reston’s Plaza America.
The national grocer appears to be moving into the former Best Buy space (1861 Fountain Drive) next to The Container Store in the Spectrum at Reston Town Center, a nearly 46,000-square-foot space, according to a county permit that is currently processing.
The permit shows that building owner utility upgrades for Whole Foods will include upgraded electrical service and water and sanitary lines.
A store employee confirmed that the existing Whole Foods at Plaza America will relocate, but the closure isn’t expected to happen for another year or so.
Lerner Retail, the landlord for The Spectrum, did not immediately return a request for comment from FFXnow.
Back in November, a Whole Foods Market spokesperson told FFXnow that a Reston store was “in development” but declined to provide any further information at the time. The company did not immediately respond to a new request for comment.
Photo via Google Maps
Lidl is almost ready to introduce itself to the Chantilly community.
The German grocer announced today (Thursday) that its store at the Chantilly Crossing shopping center (14445 Chantilly Crossing Lane) will officially open to customers on Wednesday, May 3.
However, for anyone who can’t wait quite that long to get a glimpse of the new store, there will be an open house from 5-6 p.m. on May 2, where attendees can tour the space, try samples and learn more about Lidl, according to a press release.
Then, on May 3, doors will open at 8 a.m. following a 7:40 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. The grand opening will include giveaways of gift cards worth up to $100 for the first 100 people in line, along with a raffle for a $500 gift card.
In addition, Lidl will donate $1 to Capital Area Food Bank for every customer who signs up for its myLidl membership program and sets Chantilly as their “home store.”
Occupying a previously undeveloped lot at the corner of Chantilly Crossing Lane and Lee Road, Lidl joins a shopping center already anchored by Costco and Target. The addition will support a community expected to grow after Fairfax County adopted rules allowing more residential development in the area, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith noted.
“This is a great addition for the community and with the approval of more residential units in the area Lidl will provide another grocery store option for the residents,” Smith said in the press release. “I was pleased to work with Lidl as they went through the County land use process and welcome them to the Sully District.”
The Chantilly store will be Lidl’s 33rd in Virginia and seventh in Fairfax County. The company has also established locations in Merrifield, Fairfax, Burke, Springfield, Lincolnia, and most recently, McLean.
Known for its discounted prices and eclectic assortment of products, Lidl says it invested “millions of dollars” into the Chantilly site and brought more than 40 new jobs to the community.
The store’s regular operating hours will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on all seven days of the week.
The company has additional stores in the works at Liberty Market in Lorton and Pike 7 Plaza in Tysons.
“We are in the final stages of construction for both stores and expect to have more to share on both over the coming months,” Lidl spokesperson Chandler Spivey said.
Jewelry worn by stars like actor Kristen Bell and singer Kelly Clarkson will soon be for sale at Tysons Corner Center.
Texas-based designer Kendra Scott is planning a three-day grand opening to celebrate the arrival of her new, 2,653-square-foot store at the mall, where it’ll be located next to Lululemon.
Doors will open on Friday, April 21, at 10 a.m. for Kendra Scott’s first Tysons location, though the business also has stores at Reston Town Center and the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
During the grand opening, which will run from April 21-23, the store will offer giveaways — including a free piece of jewelry for every shopper who spends at least $75 — and donate 20% of its proceeds to local nonprofits.
“Kendra Scott hosts more than 10,000 Kendra Gives Back events in retail stores annually and looks forward to establishing relationships and connecting with the Tysons community,” the company said in a press release.
Here is the schedule for the grand opening:
Friday, April 21, 6-8 p.m.
- Proceeds go to the Junior League of NoVa for “social activism-focused projects directly benefiting the local community.”
- Floral Pop Co will offer complimentary custom floral bouquets for the first 25 supporters who spend $100 or more. Guests may enjoy “sips and sweets” while they shop.
Saturday, April 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Proceeds go to Best Buddies of Virginia & DC, funding programs that support individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Complimentary coffee will be provided by the Bean Bag Bakery.
Saturday, April 22, 4-7 p.m.
- Proceeds go the food bank Food for Others as part of a partnership with the Tysons Community Alliance.
- Guests will enjoy entertainment by Deejay Courtney and may enjoy sips and sweets while they shop.
Sunday, April 23, noon-3 p.m.
- Proceeds go to Chi Omega and Make-A-Wish, which grants wishes for children with critical illnesses.
- Charcurry Boards will provide charcuterie cones, and guests may enjoy sips and sweets while they shop.
Established in 2002, Kendra Scott sells jewelry and other fashion accessories, including watches. With a flagship studio in Austin, Texas, the company has grown to over 130 stores and pop-ups, and over 850 specialty boutiques in the U.S.
Scott appeared as a guest judge on the 12th season of the reality show “Shark Tank,” and her designs are regularly worn by celebrities, including a necklace that has been seen on everyone from Taylor Swift and Blake Lively to Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, according to People magazine.
After the grand opening, the Tysons store will be operate from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. on Sundays.
(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) A New Jersey store that specializes in full-length dresses and other clothes for women has expanded its reach into Tysons Corner Center.
Moda Natty opened a pop-up store next to Nordstrom on the mall’s first floor in early February, according to an Instagram announcement.
The store will only be around for a limited time, though, setting an end date of Nov. 30, a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson told FFXnow.
“Things have been going very well for them,” the spokesperson said.
Based in Clifton, New Jersey, Moda Natty advertises itself as the “biggest Turkish modest fashion boutique” in the U.S., with brands imported from Turkey and Europe, according to its website.
Intended to be modest and comfortable, the clothes on display include dresses, evening gowns, coats, tunics, skirts, athleticwear, and shawls that can be used as headscarves, reflecting the company’s focus on Muslim women as a target audience.
“Our recent market search shows that there is a high demand from our customers in Virginia to open a store so that they could reach our products more conveniently,” the company told FFXnow. “We also realized that there is a very high population that seeks modest clothing, so we opened up a store in Tysons Corner area.”
Moda Natty is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday to Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
In other Tysons Corner Center news, the stuffed animal store Squishable has returned with a pop-up near Seasons 52. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, though the website notes store hours are “subject to change.”
Hey, you , do you want store info? Well here you go! Our Tysons VA location is back in action! Here's some other updates too, like our Garden State Plaza and Woodfield Mall locations are up and running too! 🎉
🛍 More Store Info: https://t.co/VZwhMkvwSZ 🛍 pic.twitter.com/39AbTCHBtZ
— Squishable ◕‿◕ (@squishable) March 23, 2023
Squishable is located a couple of doors down from Candytopia, the traveling, sweets-happy exhibit that opened earlier this month and is slated to stick around until the end of May.
The mall will welcome another pop-up, The Dr. Seuss Experience, on April 7.
(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) Opening day is on the horizon for South Block’s new McLean cafe.
The local juice and smoothie chain will open its latest location at 8 a.m. on Monday in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center (6246 Old Dominion Drive), according to a spokesperson and the website.
While this will be the 14th store for South Block, it holds special significance for owner, founder and CEO Amir Mostafavi, who grew up in McLean and is a graduate of McLean High School.
“I am most excited about being back in the community where I grew up,” Mostafavi said. “I’m looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people in the community. It’s truly a full circle moment for me to open a business in the same town and community where my dad opened his video store.”
As he previously told FFXnow, Mostafavi got his first taste of the retail world as a worker at Box Office Video, the video rental business his parents owned for about two decades. The locally owned alternative to Blockbuster is now closed, but it once had stores around McLean and Falls Church.
In a stroke of fortuitous timing, Mostafavi is now the same age that his dad was when the first Box Office Video opened at the Langley Shopping Center — just two miles away from the new South Block.
Started in Clarendon in 2011, South Block sells cold-pressed juice, smoothies and acai bowls with a focus on fresh, healthy ingredients and community involvement. The business also has a Vienna location and one in the works for the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2 campus in Arlington.
“South Block continues to prove that real food has the power to transform your life and Mostafavi is committed to growing his thriving business to new markets and more people,” the company said.
The McLean store will operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. A block party is being planned to celebrate its grand opening on April 22. More details will be shared on South Block’s Instagram, Mostafavi says.
Anchored by Safeway, Chesterbrook Shopping Center is undergoing an $8.5 million renovation. The façade is on track to finish this year, while the amenity spaces are scheduled for a 2024 completion, per a news release.
The center added Kosmo Nail Bar last fall, and the clothing store J. McLaughlin is expected to open this summer, according to property manager Federal Realty.
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) In two weeks, a new grocery store will finally open in Penn Daw’s South Alex development.
Aldi is opening its newest location at 6218 N. Kings Hwy on Thursday, March 2, the company announced today. It will be Aldi’s eighth Fairfax County store.
The store opens at 9 a.m., and the first 100 customers will receive a gift bag “with a sampling of ALDI Fan Favorites products and a gift card as part of the ALDI Golden Ticket gift card giveaway program,” a press release says.
The “golden ticket” program enters shoppers into a raffle to win $500 in Aldi gift cards.
Jeff Baehr, Aldi’s Frederick regional vice president, told FFXnow in an email the Alexandria store fits what they are looking for in new locations.
“The new Alexandria store will feature open ceilings, natural lighting, environmentally friendly building materials and additional refrigeration for even more fresh produce, meat and grab-and-go options. Additionally, at the new store, ALDI will offer grocery pickup and delivery.
When it comes to choosing new store locations, we carefully consider several factors. Above all else, we look for convenient locations for our customers that can support a high traffic volume daily. We look forward to serving the Alexandria community with this new store, ensuring the design and experience match the quality of our products.”
The grocery store moves into the South Alex development just off of Richmond Highway and about a mile from the Huntington Metro. The development also includes 41 townhouses, 400 apartments, and other ground-floor retail.
The project has been on the drawing board and delayed for a number of years.
Fairfax County first rezoned the 10-acre parcel of land where the mixed-used development now sits in 2012. The Board of Supervisors approved the project in 2014, and the existing, five-decade-old Penn Daw Shopping Center was demolished in 2016.
Fresh Market was initially scheduled to go into the new development but pulled out of the deal. Nonetheless, ground broke in 2018 on the project, which was renamed South Alex instead of One Kings.
Two years later, a massive fire caused nearly $50 million in damages and set the project back significantly. South Alex finally opened to residents last summer, and Aldi anticipated that it could start selling by the end of the year.
That didn’t quite happen, but in early March, it’s looking like a grocery store at the new Penn Daw mixed-use development will finally be ready to open.
Once it opens, the store will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aldi has over 1,000 stores in the U.S. and several in Fairfax County, including locations in Kingstowne and Mount Vernon.
The development is also advertising leasing opportunities for other businesses, but none have been confirmed as of yet.
Wegmans is officially opening its doors to the public tomorrow (Wednesday) in Brookfield Properties’ new Halley Rise development.
The 85,000-square-foot grocery store is located at 11950 Hopper Street and will officially open at 9 a.m.
Most of the store’s 425 employees were hired locally, according to the company.
Katie Sullivan, the store’s manager, told FFXnow that the Reston location is unique because it was adapted to an urban-focused environment.
“This store is unique in that it’s an urban-style Wegmans in a mixed-use development. We’ve automated the shopping experience at this store, with a unique layout that is built for the urban environment,” Sullivan told FFXnow.
The Reston location also has a self-serve coffee bar — the first in any other Wegmans store in the state. A Burger Bar is also available through the company’s online ordering app.
The store has the traditional restaurant section, which is a staple of the Wegmans’ brand. Items on the menu include fresh sushi, pizza, salads, sandwiches, packaged subs and other prepackaged meals.
In celebration of its opening, the grocery store has committed $20,000 through donations and event partnerships in the Reston area.
Parking is accessible in a structured parking garage below the grocery store. Residential units tower above the grocery store, which is accessible from the Reston Town Center Metro station.
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc has 109 stores along the East Coast, including ones in Fairfax, Chantilly and Capital One Center in Tysons.
The grocery store is an anchor tenant of Brookfield’s development, which will transform a 36-acre office park near the Metro station with 3.5 million square feet of housing, retail, offices and open spaces. Up to 1,500 residential units, 250,000 square feet of retail, and 1.5 million square feet of office space are planned.


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HK JUNE JEWELLERY AND GEM FAIR OPENS IN HONG KONG
The June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair (June 20-23) opened last Thursday (June 20) at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Israel Diamond Pavilion, organized by the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI), hosts 30 companies this year and features a revamped lounge. “Get Diamonds” terminals enable buyers to search a computerized database in both English and Chinese of all goods offered by Israeli exhibitors at the show.
“We saw some traffic in the morning, which improved during the early afternoon hours on the first day”, said Ira Tsirlina, Chief Marketing Officer at the Israeli Diamond Institute. “Hong Kong is uncharacteristically quiet, mainly due to the mass protests in the streets. We hope the protests won’t affect the attendance at the show, and that we’ll see the Israeli pavilion as busy as it usually is this time of year”.
The show organizers have added portable diamond and jewellery imaging devices throughout the venue, which the visitors can use free of charge to photograph diamonds and jewellery pieces, and then send them to their smartphones.
The June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair is spread over four floors and includes high-end jewellery, diamonds and loose precious gems, diamond and jewellery related equipment and technologies, and more. The space allotted for high-end jewellery exhibitors has gotten bigger this year, and hosts more jewellery exhibitors than in recent years.
Asia is Israel’s second largest market for polished diamonds representing about 30% of total polished diamond exports, with the greatest share going to Hong Kong. Israel is also an important supplier of polished diamonds to China, India, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and other Asian markets.


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It’s already one of the most popular stocks on Wall Street, but some investors worry if the best has passed. Is Shopify a good investment?
May’s U.S. retail sales report indicates the shift to e-commerce is permanent.
In a year where e-commerce has cemented itself as king, Shopify appears to be going from strength to strength; but is this meteoric rise sustainable?
COVID-19 won’t stop Axon, Shopify, and Square.
E-commerce platforms and companies helping people work from home are proving to be good investments during the pandemic and are likely to take off post-virus.
It has swiftly become one of the hottest companies in e-commerce, and after a massive year of growth in 2019, we look ahead to what 2020 will bring.
Originally a place to rent textbooks, now an education support portal used by students across the U.S., we ask the question: is Chegg stock a good buy?
The cloud-based e-commerce specialist is not well suited to perform during the pandemic.
Shopify’s one-stop-shop e-commerce offering is very popular, but do its risks outweigh the pros?
With Apple’s range of products constantly growing, what can companies such as Spotify, Shopify, and Roku bring to the table if they were to be acquired?


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Cricketer Deepak Chahar launches new brand ‘DNINE Sports’
Chahar appears to be following Virat Kohli who has successfully set up a licensee brand 'One8' along with Cornerstone Sports LLP
New Delhi: Cricketer Deepak Chahar has bootstrapped to launch his own sports line, DNINE Sports. This is less than a year after he launched his fantasy sports app. The sports line will have an investment of ₹2.5 crore and will retail products like shoes for cricket, clothing and accessories, etc. The company will be incorporated under the entity LCDC Athletics Private Limited and will have the cricketer and his father Lokendra Singh Chahar as co-founders.


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Fly Charts: Averting Retail Apocalypse and Apple's Bundled Future
Good morning! This is Fly Charts, the daily charts-only newsletter from Gadfly; sign up here. From worrying echoes of '72 to bringing Starbucks to Kohl's, here are four charts that tell you what you need to know in business today.
And don't miss Lionel Laurent on big bitcoin exits: "The common thread here is the effort to portray selling as a noble act, not a cash grab. Maybe in these cases, it's true. But it's remarkably fortunate timing. Bitcoin has soared to $17,000 from $950 this year, and Litecoin to $330 from $4. There seems to be a broader trend here. There's been a drop in the number of ultra-fat Bitcoin holdings, owned by the market whales, at exactly the time when Wall Street is desperate to play in the Bitcoin casino and ordinary punters are mortgaging their house to bet on a hot crypto tip."
Programming Note: Fly Charts is taking a vacation and will return on January 3. See you in the New Year!
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Mark Gongloff at email@example.com


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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER | Oct. 28, 2005
By DEBORAH WILKER
CROZET, Va – While the numbers for recorded and live music have been mostly down again this year, one thriving small-town music operation is bucking industry trends. More than 500 artists – including the Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kenny Chesney and John Mayer – now trust the marketing and sales of everything from concert tickets and CDs to posters, exclusive downloads, T-shirts, live recordings and more to little-known Musictoday, a booming artist services and promotion company that’s wringing profits from just about every corner of the business.
Operating from a former frozen-foods plant at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains just outside Charlottesville, Va., Musictoday does things so effectively that it has spawned imitators and a lot of curiosity – even from outside the music industry. Madison Square Garden just signed to have MT handle merchandise sales for the New York Knicks and Rangers. Tiger Woods also is a new client.
But moving millions of dollars in T-shirts and knickknacks is only a small part of the equation. What separates Musictoday from standard merchandisers is its founder, Coran Capshaw, best known for taking Dave Matthews Band from local club favorite to a multimillion-dollar empire – mostly outside conventional music channels.
“To the average person, Coran Capshaw is the guy who manages Dave,” says Hawes Spencer, editor of “The Hook,” a Charlottesville weekly. “I don’t think many people realize that Musictoday works with the world’s biggest bands. This is a very big business in its own right.”
That’s probably an understatement. With a staff of 200 and sales of more than $100 million this year, Musictoday appears to offer just about anything fans might want – and performers might need – from full-fledged branding to short-term services such as sprucing up websites or shipping out leftover tour souvenirs.
“Coran has always done really well at recognizing unrealized revenue streams,” says Jonathan Mayers, founder of New York-based Superfly Prods. and promoters of the annual Tennessee jamfest Bonnaroo, in which Capshaw was an initial investor. “Whether it’s custom tickets, live recordings, specialized merchandise, he just gets the scene. He gets the concert experience. He gets that it’s for the long term, that music is a lifestyle. And he realizes how important it is to interact directly with fans.”
That Capshaw identifies with the common man and has harnessed his own passion for live music into a lucrative business isn’t a surprise to those who know him. A lifelong Grateful Dead fan, Capshaw was particularly enamored with that band’s pioneering direct-mail ticket and merchandising business – approaches he adapted for the Internet age just as DMB was catching on in the early ‘90s.
“There was an opportunity to embrace a whole new model,” Capshaw says of his decision more than a decade ago to take Matthews straight to the Internet. “I thought we could also create a fan club model, which in the past had been something that nobody really focused on. So I tied the ticketing to it, and both at once we put everything online.
“I guess it was just the right place, right time,” he adds. “Then we just started doing all these other things for other artists … using what we’ve learned in the trenches to help a wide array of careers in a multitude of genres.”
Musictoday’s packed warehouse is testament to that – a mélange of clashing musical cultures ranging from artsy Santana posters to Ashlee Simpson sticker collections.
“What I like is that we’ve built a business that’s really empowering artists and taking advantage of the technology,” Capshaw says during a recent interview at his pastoral estate near Musictoday headquarters. “While we’ve got shrinking record sales in this industry, we’re at least taking the same technology that’s potentially helped cause some of that, and we’ve embraced it as a way for artists to connect with their fans.”
Though DMB ultimately sold, and continues to sell, millions of albums, the group has indeed never been reliant on record label financing, radio airplay or traditional public relations and media attention to thrive. It’s a blueprint that Capshaw believes can be adapted for all kinds of performers.
Like the Dead, DMB always has shared its news directly with fans and encourages its audience to tape and trade concert recordings – a style of doing business that makes fans feel as if they have a stake in things.
Capshaw also is a big believer in the details. For example, custom concert tickets that are imprinted with band artwork typically end up as bulletin-board keepsakes, while generic ones are often tossed away.
Such things are what make a “complete concert experience,” he says, adding that when acts handle their own ticketing they also control the advertising space on the flip side and keep add-on fees to a minimum. (Artists can sell up to 10% of the house in Ticketmaster-contracted venues and control all tickets in venues that don’t contract with the ticketing giant.)
More importantly, performers can collect the names of their fans and continue to market directly to them.
That Capshaw’s company now quietly makes various decisions for a vast spectrum of artists – all from an out-of-the-way factory in this truly small town – has been something of a jolt within the industry.
“It’s a very tangible set of services he’s providing that others aren’t able to put their head around,” says Marc Geiger, vp at the William Morris Agency and a partner with Capshaw in Reincarnate Records. (Capshaw also founded the New York-based label ATO). “Coran’s bands just make a lot more money than a lot of other acts because instead of bitching about not having success on the record side, they focus on communicating with their audience.”
Those that Capshaw shepherds through his Red Light Management Co. include O.A.R, former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, the Graham Colton Band and the John Butler Trio.
Geiger says such acts, which rely on building fan databases (rather than record sales), are taking the right approach in an evolving industry.
“If you haven’t constructed your own pipeline and gotten away from the dependence from the single financier – which is the label and which has been under immense duress – you’re not reading the tea leaves,” Geiger says. “Coran was smart enough to know that’s the case.”
He has also been wise, say observers, to continue to base most of his operation in Charlottesville, where he has amassed a real estate empire that includes restaurants, offices and concert venues – and where a seemingly limitless talent pool of bright music enthusiasts from the nearby University of Virginia keeps him forward-thinking.
“We’re not selling widgets, batteries and dinette sets,” says Nathan Hubbard, vp and chief of staff for Red Light Management and Musictoday. “When you call us, you reach other music fans who can answer your questions. If a customer has a great experience, the bond with the artist becomes even tighter. That relationship is fragile, and it should be guarded and protected at all costs.”
In fact, callers and online shoppers rarely know they’re doing business with Musictoday. The company seems to be succeeding where Geiger’s similar mid-‘90s enterprise Artist Direct, did not, probably because it remains essentially unknown. MT has purposely never marketed itself as a brand, and the notoriously media-shy Capshaw is about as under-the-radar as it gets.
“Musictoday is very transparent,” says Christopher Sabec, CEO and manager of the Jerry Garcia estate. “You can’t tell that they’re running the back end. It’s all about the band. It’s not about some big fulfillment company stuffing the envelopes, though that is in fact what’s happening.” Sabec also praises MT for taking risks with hundreds of unknown artists, among them the rising California jam band Tea Leaf Green, which he manages.
“The great equalizer is that with this kind of company behind you, a young band with potential can build an audience very quickly,” Sabec says.
All of it is central to Capshaw’s long-term approach, one that nurtures bands through old-fashioned road work, builds on regional success and then includes fans in a familial manner for the ride upward.
“We have to prospect in our own way just like the rest of the music industry,” Hubbard says. “We certainly get the most bang for our buck when we work on big artists, but our company is positioned to help an artist grow and get big. Then when you do get to the status of the Dave Matthews Band, all of a sudden when we hit ‘send’ we’re reaching half a million people with one e-mail.”
Headquarters: Crozet, Va.
Founded: 1995 as an outgrowth of merchandising for Dave Matthews Band; renamed Musictoday in 2000
Services: Merchandising, custom ticketing, branding, promotion, Web hosting, conceptual design, fan club management, travel packages, more
2005 sales: More than $100 million
Clients: Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, Eminem, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Chesney, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, the Rolling Stones, Jason Mraz, Blue Man Group, Good Charlotte, Air Supply, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Nickelback, Brooks & Dunn, the Pixies, Nine Inch Nails, Prince, Christina Aguilera, Sarah Brightman, Carole King, Tea Leaf Green, Matchbox Twenty, Jerry Garcia estate, more


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Ghost of Tsushima
A new rumor claims that an internal Sony email has been leaked that includes the PlayStation 5 reveal date.
A leaker claims to reveal the details on the next PlayStation State of Play presentation, which will reportedly include The Last of Us 2 release date.
The first half of 2020 could see a number of high profile releases, with games like Cyberpunk 2077, The Last of Us 2, and more being considered for early 2020 releases.
A recently discovered Pastebin post from late 2018 becomes more widely circulated online, and it claims to reveal the PS5's launch titles and other games.
New job listings posted by Sucker Punch Productions suggest that the Ghost of Tsushima release date may be much further away then fans were expecting.
Ghost of Tsushima developer reveals an intense dedication to replicating the look and culture of 13th century Japan in a 'Making Of' feature released by Sony today.
Chris Zimmerman, the co-founder and co-studio head for Sucker Punch, explains that Ghost of Tsushima's combat is based in 'skill', and is not simply hack 'n slash.
Ghost of Tsushima developer Nate Fox states that he and his team at Sucker Punch are glad that Ubisoft didn't decide to go to Japan with Assassin's Creed Origins.
Sucker Punch has revealed to Game Rant that their upcoming action game, Ghosts of Tsushima, can be played entirely in Japanese with English subtitles.
During the PlayStation E3 2018 press conference, Sucker Punch Productions shows off a brand new gameplay for the Samurai-inspired action game, Ghost of Tsushima.
Ghost of Tsushima animation director Billy Harper teases the game's showing at E3 2018 by displaying an image of a katana within a motion capture studio.


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With the MSQRD app, users can project a funny mask onto a face by placing a live filter over videos or photos. The app lets you transform yourself into a monkey, a zombie, a superhero or even your best friend!
If Telegram doesn't hand over its encryption keys to Russia's domestic intelligence agency, it may have to say bye-bye to its many Russian users. The secretive Russian-founded company prides itself on user privacy.
Teenagers aged 12 to 17 years spent too much time on social media, which affects their wellbeing. A German study reveals that excessive use can even be linked to depression.
Snapchat owner Snap has reported surging growth in users in its latest quarter, reviving hopes it can survive competition with Facebook's Instagram. Revenues were up sharply, but so were quarterly losses.
Residents of the Indonesian island of Bali are spending a day of silent reflection to mark their New Year. This year, phone companies have agreed for the first time even to turn off mobile internet services.
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Professional athletes often invest their substantial earnings into small businesses, but the Golden State Warriors take it to the next level. Warriors star wing Kevin Durant talked about his personal business strategy, and his "mentors" are VCs who most techies would kill to have dinner with.
Hedge fund titan David Tepper agreed to pay $2.3 billion for the Carolina Panthers, a record price for a National Football League franchise, according to people familiar with the deal. The price eclipses the $1.4 billion Terry Pegula paid for the Buffalo Bills in 2014.
Cryptocurrencies are the wave of the future that will be ushered in by Millennials, says Tyler Adkison, a cryptocurrency hedge fund CEO. At 22, he retired as a minor league baseball player with the Los Angeles Dodgers to launch a crypto hedge fund focused exclusively on athletes.
National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea's largest institutional investor, will be studying feasibility of backing the new administration's plan to increase spending on public welfare infrastructure such as child and senior care centers and rental homes for the low-income class as promised by new President Moon Jae-in through purchase of public debt created for the purpose.
Philadelphia-based venture capital firm SeventySix Capital, which invests in entrepreneurial tech, retail, sports and wellness companies, announced Monday that Ryan Howard has signed on as a partner.
The family office of the Reimanns, among the wealthiest families in Germany, wants to attract other rich families to a fund it has set up to invest in startups.
The NBA is home to more billionaire owners than any other sports league with 20. Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who made his fortune at Microsoft, leads the way with a net worth of $30 billion.
'A Phenomenal Stitch-Up': Founder Of Luxury Lingerie Brand Agent Provocateur Attacks Sale To Sports Direct Billionaire Mike Ashley
Agent Provocateur was sold by private equity owners 3i to Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley, who reportedly paid up to £30 million ($36.8 million) for the business. The founder of high-end lingerie brand Agent Provocateur has attacked the quick sale of the business to discount billionaire Mike Ashley, calling the private equity group that offloaded the company "negligent and incompetent."
Hidrock Properties picked up the Boerum Hill home of the New York Sports Club for $30.5 million, according to property records filed with the city Monday. The 28,000-square-foot building at 96-110 Boerum Place has 10 residential units and one retail unit that's net leased to the sports club.


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Sony Sees Initial Losses, Big Profits On The Way
Since the PS3’s launch in late 2006 and Sony’s revelation that they actually lost quite a bit of money on each console sold, many have wondered if company would every be able to turn a profit in this current gaming generation, and while that may have been true up until now, it seems as though the tide is turning, with the PS3 leading the way.
According to a Reuters JP report, Sony is now, finally, making a profit on each PS3 sold, although the amount of profit has yet to be determined. The PS3 was also Sony’s only gaming console to see year-over-year growth, with the console selling 13 million units as opposed to 10.1 million a year ago. This boost in consoles sales also added to overall software sales for the system, shooting the amount of software units sold from 103.7 million to a whopping 115.6 million.
The real downside comes when take a look at the PSP and PS2 sales numbers. PSP hardware numbers dropped by almost 5 million units, with sales plunging from 14.4 million to 9.9 million, more than likely due to slumping PSPGo sales and overall confusion at the marketplace as a result. This drop in unit sales also lead to a dramatic decrease in PSP software sales, pulling them down from 50.3 million to 44.4 million.
The PS2, as expected, saw a drop in console sales as well, but contrary to what many may think, this drop wasn’t half as bad as that experienced by the PSP, with sales dropping from 7.9 million to 7.3 million, however software sales plummeted from 83.5 million units to 35.7 million units, probably as a result of most hardcore gamers making the jump to the PS3.
Regarding overall profit numbers, Sony saw a loss of 83,100 million yen, compared to last year’s loss of ¥87,400 million, which shows slight improvement, possibly due to some of the management restructuring over the past year, with Sir Howard Stringer taking the role of company president causing sweeping changes from top to bottom, most notable is Sony’s renewed advertising campaign.
With the PS3’s new-found profitability and a renewed sense of spirit from management on-down, it looks like there’s nowhere to go but up for Sony and the PlayStation brand as a whole, and PlayStationLifeStyle will be there for every second of it, so stay tuned!


text: Craig Morgan has filed a lawsuit against the makers of the life preserver his 19-year-old son Jerry was wearing when he drowned in a tubing accident in a Tennessee lake last summer. According to papers obtained by Gossip Cop, Craig and his wife Karen are suing the manufacturer, a subsidiary and the store that sold Jerry the jacket, saying it was not Coast Guard approved but looked similar to those that were approved. The papers also indicate that the manufacturers and retailers did not alert the general public that the life jacket would not keep the wearer afloat. The Morgans are asking for $40 million in damages. Monday was the first anniversary of Jerry's death.


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Palumbo Group goes from strength to strength with the launch of two Super Yachts in just one day. Both a 57 meter Columbus Classic and a 40 meter Sport Hybrid hit the water for the first time and are now embarking on their cruising schedules. The delivery of both of these vessels has been a great success for the Columbus Yachts brand, largely due to their high level of technical know-how and the tried and tested innovations they apply to their yachts. Elegance, performance, technology, safety, and a respect for the environment are all hallmarks of Columbus Yachts. Each vessel adds to the pride that the shipyard feels as they produce the best of "Made in Italy", knowing that the yachts shall be admired throughout the world. This is another great success that will soon be followed by the construction of some exciting new products from Columbus Yachts.
The delivery of Columbus Classic 57m & Sport Hybrid 40m
24 Jul 2015


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Plush toy-maker creates 'Cecil the Lion' Beanie Baby
Toy-maker Ty Inc. has created a "Cecil the Lion" Beanie Baby to raise funds for animal conservation efforts.
Creation of the toy comes after an American dentist was accused of killing the well-known lion named Cecil in Zimbabwe in an allegedly illegal hunt. The incident set off a worldwide uproar.
The company hopes the Beanie Baby will raise awareness for animal conservation and "give comfort to all saddened by the loss of Cecil."
Ty said all profits from "Cecil the Lion" sales to retailers will go to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of the University of Oxford in England. The toy will go on sale at the end of September for $5.99.
Polaris introduces electric motorcycle
Polaris Industries, the maker of Indian and Victory motorcycles, has introduced an electric street bike that puts the company ahead of Harley-Davidson Inc. in a new category of two-wheel machines.
Named the Empulse TT, it looks like a high-performance sport bike without the gasoline engine.
The Empulse is a sequel to an electric bike developed by Brammo Inc., of Talent, Ore. The bike will have a $19,999 suggested retail price.
-- from wire reports


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Seven classic Hong Kong scams, from fake China crime probes to romance cons
Following news this week of a woman who became the city’s biggest victim yet of an online love scam, we look at some of the other common financial cons that have cost Hong Kong citizens millions over the years
For a place that is known for how much it reveres money, Hong Kong has a lot of gullible people. They have been duped in all manner of financial scams over the years.
The latest case emerged this week: a 56-year-old woman living in public housing who has become the biggest victim yet of an online love scam in Hong Kong, losing HK$26.4 million (US$3.4 million) in just 18 months.
The fraudster, who posed as a financial analyst in Malaysia, befriended the Sha Tin resident on Facebook in June 2016. The victim, who is a supervisor in the accounts department of a local trading company, blew her life savings on her long-distance lover before borrowing millions from family, friends and banks.
This is not an isolated case, however, with many others being made to look foolish because of some dodgy dealings. Here are some of the most egregious examples.
Veteran Chinese soprano cheated out of HK$20 million
The biggest single victim until this week of phone fraudsters was Chinese soprano Li Yuanrong, who was duped over the phone in 2015 by fraudsters pretending to be Chinese officials.
Li received a call from a man claiming to be a Hong Kong postal official, informing her that she was accused of involvement in a deception case in China. The singer was tricked into transferring a total of HK$20 million into several Chinese bank accounts in six or seven payments.
Li was one of 308 Hong Kong victims of phone scams who were cheated out of a total of HK$126 million the same month.
Con men sold pills to ‘cure’ Y2K bug
In 1999, con men who claimed the millennium bug could be cured with stomach pills cheated two women out of HK$160,000 in Kwun Tong and Aberdeen.
The victims were shown pills they said could tackle the supposed ailment, also known as the Y2K bug. The bug was not in fact physical – the phrase was coined to refer to fears that computers would malfunction when their clocks turned over from the second to the third millennium on January 1, 2000.
The women were told they could make a lot of money by buying and then reselling the pills. When no one wanted to buy them, the women called police and discovered the pills were for stomach pain.
Millennium bug batteries for sale
Also in 1999, a gang of fraudsters talked a woman into paying HK$700,000 for batteries they claimed were electronic components used to solve the Y2K bug problem. The victim was offered a quick profit by buying and reselling the “components”, which turned out to be 4,000 cell batteries.
Judge Fergal Sweeney described the con as a “classic form of street deception that has become so prevalent in Hong Kong”.
Hong Kong’s biggest victim of email fraud
A private equity fund company that was involved in the largest sale of shopping centres in Hong Kong became the city’s biggest victim of email fraud in 2017 after being conned out of HK$39 million.
The Link Reit, the largest real estate investment trust in Asia, announced the sale of properties including 17 shopping centres in Hong Kong to Gaw Capital for HK$23 billion. A fraudster – posing as a client – sent a deceptive email to the manager of a Gaw Capital branch in Causeway Bay, requiring the firm to withdraw US$5 million from its account and transfer the amount to a local bank account, a police source told the Post at the time. The firm only realised it was a scam when the genuine client contacted the company.
Blessing scams on the rise
With blessing scams, small groups of fraudsters take advantage of elderly citizens, promising blessings of protection and, in the process, depriving victims of their valuables. Such scams have provided criminal gangs, mostly from China, with easy pickings in Hong Kong for the last two decades.
In the first two months of 2018 (the most recent months for which data is available), there were eight cases, involving total losses of HK$1.08 million. The number of reported cases has increased dramatically since 2016, with fraudsters targeting the elderly and extracting millions of dollars from them in cash and valuables.
Love that comes at a cost
In 2017 a Kuala Lumpur-based syndicate duped 48 Hong Kong women and one elderly man out of HK$29.5 million in online romance scams. One victim lost HK$6 million to a con artist pretending to be a British engineer.
This classic romance scam involved criminals striking up online relationships with the victims under false pretences, often over several months. Once they had gained their victim’s trust, they invented a pretext to ask them for money. The biggest loser was a senior executive at a Hong Kong company, who was conned out of HK$6 million in nearly 20 transactions over six months.
Jobseekers fall prey to con artists
Con artists scammed about HK$3 million out of their job-seeking victims in Hong Kong in the first quarter this year – almost three times as much money as for the whole of 2017 – with three youngsters who were offered bogus opportunities for paid online gaming among those duped.
Potential victims were taken to a fast-food restaurant or a park for a “job interview”. After being promised employment, the victims were tricked into revealing their bank account information, such as their e-banking password, or even into handing over their bank cards.


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Hot off the heels of last week’s character and Nintendo Switch announcement, Arc System Works has revealed another set of three characters for BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle.
The new additions to the roster were announced this morning as part of a trailer published to the official Arc System Works YouTube channel. Coming to the crossover tag system fighting game this time are fan-favorites Noel Vermillion from Blazblue, Chie Satonaka from Persona 4 Arena, and Waldstein from Under Night In-Birth. This brings the character count for the title up to a solid 13 unique fighters already.
As usual for the way Arc System Works is putting out these trailers, this one also included a tease for the next character introduction — set to drop in late November. However, it seems that the only real hint is the use of “ArcNama” near the end of the trailer, points towards the reveal coming during an official developer livestream.
Just a few days ago, we reported on a separate character reveal that also included news that BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is in development for Switch. While no release window aside from “2018” has been given yet, the 2D fighter is set to launch on PlayStation 4 and Steam as well.