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Anna and Michael Olson will be hosting Caps, Corks and Forks round six on Feb. 6.
Students at Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute are gearing up for an epic battle between beer and wine on Feb. 6, to be hosted by chefs Anna and Michael Olson.
The unique dining event called Caps, Corks and Forks will showcase work and expertise the College’s culinary, beer and wine students. Culinary students will prepare an elegant six-course meal for guests, as a student wine team and student beer team face off for the best beverage pairings. Their battle for supremacy rests in the hands and palates of guests who vote for their favourite pairing after each course with either a cap or a cork. Excitement builds as votes are tallied and the status of each team is announced after each course until the ultimate winner is declared at the end of the evening.
Feb. 6 marks round six of Caps, Corks and Forks. Since it was launched in 2012, Team Wine has celebrated three victories while Team Beer has won twice.
Dean of the CFWI Craig Youdale notes how the event is not only a memorable evening for guests but an unparalleled learning opportunity for students. “Caps, Corks and Forks is a event that reflects the Canadian Food and Wine Institute’s approach to food, wine and beer education that is truly unique in Canada,” said Youdale. “The event is a fun and delicious way for our students to apply their skills and knowledge.”
“An event like Caps, Corks and Forks stands out because it is all about the students and their relationship with their focus, whether food, wine or beer,” said celebrity chef host Anna Olson. “Their enthusiasm is contagious and it that spirit that gives the evening its verve. Even though the dining guests have to pick a winner, we all win.”
“I am really looking forward to hosting this terrific student-focused event that celebrates all the delicious things happening at Niagara College,” said NC chef professor Michael Olson.
The event will take place at Benchmark Restaurant at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus beginning at 6 p.m.


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Let’s be honest, this new information isn’t all big news, because the RTX 4070 Ti is actually a different name, as well as the RTX 4080 12GB, after many complaints from the consumer. Even though it’s not surprising how good that card is, the NVIDIA compared it to the old woman RTX 3080.
As a result, the new RTX 4070 Ti, with the active Ray-Tracing, will probably be capable of providing a performance – 350% higher than the old 30-80. The fact is they really impress.
NVIDIA has revealed official number for the RTX 4070 Ti (Performance) (RTX) (Ti).
I’m still less than a week away from the official announcement of the new RTX 4070 Ti, which then presumably should be presented side-by-side with the new RTX 4070. Even though the fact is unknown, NVIDIA France has decided to publish some official information is likely to misunderstood, which means it will finally paint the future of a new generation of RTX 40 products.
That said, the RTX 4070 Ti comes with 7680 CUDA cores, a 2.61GHz boost clock and 12GB of GDDR6X memory. In a board with a (very) unappealing price, take into account the market, it’s a average of 800-1000 dollars.
What does she think about this new generation from NVIDIA, too? We can see a big price exaggeration under the price level? Is a card worth more than 1000 bucks? Where’s the limit? Will that be a sales success?

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Greater than half of millennial TikTok customers, 53%, have visited or ordered meals from a restaurant after viewing the eating location on TikTok.
In relation to all TikTok customers 38%, about 51.8 million diners, have visited or ordered meals from a restaurant after seeing a video.
These are prime findings from a nationwide survey launched by MGH, a advertising and marketing communications company. The social media platform has 136 million U.S. customers and 1 billion worldwide.
The survey additionally revealed TikTok movies are prompting customers to journey longer distances for a eating expertise and swaying them to spend more cash than they normally would, in accordance with a press launch on the findings.
Of the TikTok customers polled, 30% have traveled longer than they usually do to go to a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok, and 28% have visited a restaurant that was barely costlier than those they normally go to after seeing it on TikTok.
“What this survey exhibits is that this once-dismissed social community, TikTok, has fully modified the way in which individuals behave, the place they spend their time, and extra importantly, how they spend their cash,” Ryan Goff, EVP, social media advertising and marketing director at MGH, mentioned within the launch. “TikTok actually is a restaurant marketer’s dream-come-true. There aren’t many different instruments we’ve left in our advertising and marketing toolbox that may drive the kind of affect promised by TikTok by way of this survey.”
The survey outcomes additionally indicated explanation why TikTok customers selected to go to a restaurant after seeing it on the platform:
- 72% mentioned it was appetizing-looking meals.
- 45% mentioned it was a novel menu merchandise.
- 42% mentioned it regarded like a enjoyable place to go along with buddies or household.
- 38% mentioned it confirmed a cool approach of serving the meals or drink.
- 37% mentioned it confirmed a cool environment.
- 30% mentioned it had a terrific view.
- The nationwide survey polled 1,139 U.S. TikTok customers from July 16 to the 18 this yr.


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Christian Dior has named Charles Delapalme to be its new managing director of commercial activities. The appointment takes effect on June 15, 2018. He replaces Serge Brunschwig, who left Dior to become CEO of Fendi.
It's been 50 years since Jil Sander founded her own fashion house as a plucky twenty-something in postwar Germany, creating modern, minimalist clothes that would go on to redefine the working woman's wardrobe.
The new owner of Belstaff has been named Britain’s richest man in the latest Sunday Times Rich List. Self-made businessman Jim Ratcliffe is chairman/CEO of chemicals company Ineos, which acquired Belstaff last autumn.
A federal judge in New York on Tuesday ordered Jay-Z to testify on May 15 in an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission involving the sale of the rapper’s Rocawear clothing brand to Iconix Brand.


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The Nasdaq was able to close in positive territory while the broader markets closed slightly lower on Tuesday.
On CNBC's "Fast Money" TV show, Guy Adami, managing director at stockmonster.com, said Tesla had a really good quarter, but the selloff puts the stock in "no-man's land."
Tim Seymour, managing partner of Triogem Asset Management, said that while the valuation is insanely high, the focus should be on revenue and deliveries, not on margins.
Mike Khouw, managing director and primary strategist at DASH Financial, said that it's essentially impossible for the company to grow into its current valuation.
Steve Grasso of Stuart Frankel said he would be a buyer at $140, if the level holds as support.
Ben Kallo, senior research analyst at R.W. Baird, was a guest on the show and said Baird downgraded the stock to hold because the valuation is too high. He added there is too much optimism from investors with too-high expectations. When Tesla provides 2014 guidance it might give the stock the boost that it needs to go higher, he concluded.
Zillow (Z - Get Report) beat on the top and bottom lines. Adami said investors could continue to own the stock with a stop-loss at $80. Seymour said the stock is completely overvalued and questioned how many homebuyers are going through its platform.
Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF - Get Report) fell sharply due to its preliminary earnings results. Karen Finerman, president of Metropolitan Capital Advisors, said the company seems to have lost its way and there's no reason for investors to step in and buy right now.
Dana Telsey, CEO and chief research officer of Telsey Advisory Group, was a guest on the show and said falling energy prices should help consumers during the holidays. When unleaded gasoline falls below $3.25 per gallon, she said, middle-class consumers' extra spending money starts to become more apparent, with Wal-Mart (WMT - Get Report), Target (TGT), Dollar General (DG - Get Report) and Dollar Tree (DLTR - Get Report) benefiting the most. She added the upper class will continue to spend, regardless of energy prices.
Seymour said casual dining could also get a boost from lower energy costs but youth unemployment will continue hurting teen retail stocks.
Grasso said Deckers Outdoor (DECK) could still have 10% upside.
Hertz Global Holdings (HTZ - Get Report) beat on earnings but had a disappointing conference call. Finerman said the company overestimated its fleet value and backed off its 2015 earnings per share guidance. She advised investors not to rush into the stock, which could break $20.
AOL (AOL) jumped 8% on its earnings results. Adami said there's likely more room to the upside. Grasso said he wants to wait for a pullback and said investors could use Tuesday's low as an entry.
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) fell 2%. Seymour said he would avoid the stock.
Rebecca Patterson, CIO of the Bessemer Trust, was a guest on the show. She remains underweight emerging markets. She said Janet Yellen, expected to become the next head of the Federal Reserve, will have her confirmation hearing on Nov. 14. A dovish outing would be good for emerging markets, while a hawkish one would be bearish. Specifically, Patterson likes Mexico; tapering fears could create a buying opportunity.
Finerman is still long Sotheby's (BID), calling it the best way to play the art market.
For their final trades, Khouw is bearish on Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) via long calendar put spreads, Seymour said to go long Melco Crown Entertainment (MPEL) and Finerman said to avoid HTZ. Grasso is a buyer of Bank of America (BAC - Get Report) and Adami said to buy Z.
-- Written by Bret Kenwell in Petoskey, Mich.


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Contrary to the explosion some were perhaps expecting, the arrival of VR in its many forms, has been somewhat more of a sizzle. A sizzle which was pretty much extinguished but for the sizeable bump in attention the arrival of PSVR has brought. According to market think tank Strategy Analytics though, this won’t be the case for long. In fact, they reckon almost half of the population of Great Britain will be rocking a VR headset of their very own within the next six years.
Around 3% of the population of GB currently have VR headsets in some form, according to the research, which is a heck of a lot more than I’d thought. The majority of these are using Google Cardboard and Gear VR though, with just a tiny sliver owning dedicated VR headsets like the Vive or Oculus Rift.
A slow start perhaps, but according the market intelligence firm this figure is going to more than triple next year. By 2018, nearly one in five of us will have a virtual reality headset. Just 2% of that is dedicated headsets, although that’s still almost 1.5 million owners.
The popularity of VR is then expected to rise and rise until 2022, at which point it’s estimated over 47% of the population will own a VR headset. 3.2 million of these are expected to be dedicated VR headsets. It’s worth bearing in mind that this figure is for GB alone, so you can expect the numbers to balloon worldwide.
Much of the driving force of virtual reality is unlikely to be gaming related, except at the high-end where we’ll see the more capable head-mounted displays.
“The VR headset market will be much like the car market,” explained Strategy Analysts’ David MacQueen. “Most will own the likes of Vauxhalls and Fords, a handful owning Porsches and the odd few splashing out on a Ferrari.”
There’s not many gaming reasons to own a VR headset yet, but with its myriad other uses it’s looking as if it’s here for the long haul. In terms of games it feels a little make or break this week with PlayStation VR. If anyone’s going to nail software support its Sony, and this is sure to trickle onto the other VR headsets in the market.
What do you reckon then, do you believe almost half the population is going to own a VR headset within just six years? Or is VR a rapidly fading flash in the pan? Let us know!


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Nintendo said on Friday that sales of its Wii U consoles had flopped, pushing it to a third consecutive annual loss and raising a question mark over its future in a home console market increasingly dominated by Sony and Microsoft.
The company that got its start making playing cards more than a century ago slashed its global Wii U sales forecast for the year to March 31 by almost 70 percent to 2.8 million units. It cut its sales forecast for its handheld 3DS to 13.5 million units from 18 million. The Wii U is the successor to its hit Wii console.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, who last year pledged to return the hobbled game maker to profit this business year, apologized to shareholders at a briefing in Osaka, but said his failure to fulfil his promise did not mean he had to resign.


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Camille Charrière, Leaf Greener and Louise Follain appear in the web series, which is loosely inspired by “Mean Girls.”
Forging deeper, personal ties with high-end clients, the executive has also launched e-commerce systems in France and Japan.
Previously known as the Diamond Producers Association, the NDC is re-branding to a fully consumer-facing identity.
International students who will have access to exclusive courses taught by professors from leading schools including Central Saint Martins.
The sky is the limit when it comes to tailoring marketing initiatives for the clients of high jewelry, in the view of Mario Ortelli.
After partnering two years ago, Laspata DeCaro and DCC have formed a new entity: Btwn 5th & 6th.
The need to look good from the waist up, quickly elevate casualwear — and the widespread popularity of “Normal People” — have seen online sales for chain necklaces spike across price points and consumer demographics.
High-end watch sales may be down, but they’re not out, thanks to flush local customers and brands’ wholehearted embrace of e-commerce.
A b-to-b delivery business, Toshi partners with brands and retailers to offer at-home, on-demand services such as pinning and fitting. Customers can also try on different sizes and styles while assistants wait.
The brand will skip a show in September and launch its spring 2021 collection in stores in February.
The grandeur, exuberant details and ornamentation that characterized the artistic and architectural movement is reflected in Bulgari’s new colorful and joyful collection, a message of hope at this moment.
More Memo Pad


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Renesas Electronics has announced its intention to acquire electronic design automation software company Altium for a reported $5.9 billion USD.
The Japanese chipmaker aims to extend its offerings into digital device design through Altium’s software for circuit board engineering and design.
Renesas, who makes chips for Toyota and Nissan, has worked closely with Altium for the past few years, standardizing PCB design and evaluation boards in the cloud-based Altium 365 platform, according to EDN.com.
Renesas aimed to reduce design complexity and accelerate time to market by streamlining its reference design and product kits by using Altium’s uniform PCB design tool.
EDN’s Majeed Ahmad writes, “Eventually, Renesas figured that it needed to own a design platform that’s efficient and easier to use.”
Owning a design software platform fuels Renesas’s quest to become a solutions provider rather than just a chip vendor.
Altium, headquartered in California and publicly listed in Australia, previously rejected a $3.9 billion takeover bid by Autodesk in 2021.
The acquisition, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, is the latest chapter in Altium’s rich, nearly 40 year history.
Founded in 1985 in Tasmania Australia under the name Protel Systems, the company’s initial focus was tools for designing printed circuit boards. The startup’s first product, Protel PCB, debuted in 1987.
For designers, it unlocked the ability to layout PCB electronically, a significant advancement at the time. In 1991, Protel became publicly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, providing capital to fuel its ambitious growth and development goals.
Changing the company name to Altium in 2001 reflected its broader vision beyond just PCB design.
Throughout the aughts, Altium released several groundbreaking offerings, including Altium Designer, which integrated all facets of electronics design from PCB to FPGA and embedded software development in a single application.
Altium has made several strategic acquisitions to bolster its advanced PCB design capabilities, 3D visualization tools, and embedded software development. The emphasis on innovation and user experience attracted a wider range of customers seeking comprehensive solutions.
Innovation and UX
By making its tools usable and accessible to designers at various skill levels, Altium has managed to grow its user base among both professional engineers and hobbyists.
Transitioning to a subscription-based model, investments in cloud and collaboration technology, and an emphasis on community building have also contributed to Altium’s steady growth.
During a news conference announcing the deal, Renesas CEO Hidetoshi Shibata said Altium will continue operating independently, according to a Bloomberg report.
“By teaming up with Altium, we can make the world of electronics easier, cheaper, and more accessible to a wider range of market participants,” he said.


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Michael OLeary, the Ryanair manager, has turned into one of EU largest defenders and his firm has established a unique Brexit sale to show it. Ryanair said it'll fly British expats house for low-cost to stay votes in the EU referendum. Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair chief Marketing Officer said Ryanair is a dedicated supporter of the UK staying in Europe. The exchange rate right now is about 900 Venezuelan Bolivars to one United States dollar. Navarro said there are several problems which make Margarita an easy pick for Trinidadians and NavTours has been doing rather nicely because of this. We're capable of growing and reducing the nerve pathway to Margarita quite easily so we're not having to intend eight months in advance for our customers. This isn't consistently accessible to them when you go to other Caribbean isles and other destinations, even Tobago. So these are all the matters which make Margarita a very simple selection and in general. Alvin Ramsook, from World Travel Agents, said because of Venezuela's uncertainty possible visitors to Margarita generally have tons of questions. But when they really see the isle they return pleased.
Venezuelans themselves go to Margarita from the mainland on holiday so it's not changed as much as the mainland. The resorts get their supply of food worldwide from their chains but this month, as you can see, there are considerably more affordable rates to go there so we've had a majority of passengers going every week, Ramsook said. Flights aboard Rutaca Airlines leave this state every Thursday and Sunday to go to Margarita. Ryanair is certainly clear that the UK market and its future growth prospects are more powerful as an associate of the European Union than they're outside of the EU and with only 5 weeks to go, we'll continue to work hard to help give a resounding Stay vote on 23rd June, Jacobs said. The business is supporting the promotion of the Stay effort, and OLeary seemed in London on Monday alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to boost the case for remaining in the EU on Monday. On the other end of the cost spectrum, there are cheap domestic flights bargains to be had: According to Seats and Stools data, the most economical flight on the planet is $11 for a one-way trip from Warsaw to Brussels on Ryanair. The Irish airline has been campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU and has already spent over 19,200 on adverts encouraging folks to vote the correct manner. It's even warned it may remove some investment from Britain if Outside voters win.
In the special ad, Ryanair said British voters abroad could fly home for less than 20 on June 23 or the day before. When it comes to value, which the study computed as a price per mile, an American Airlines flight from Nyc to Miami took top national honours at $0.60 a mile. So much for the destination driving the cost. But there are reasonable arguments for remaining in, there are not many practical arguments for leaving. Venezuela is in chaos and according to the most up-to-date news reports coming out of that state, even once middle-class citizens have now resorted to sifting through garbage in order to feed themselves. Isla de Margarita has located 16 kilometers away from Caracas. While doubt in Venezuela has caused the dwindling of the North American and European marketplaces for Margarita, the T&T marketplace has now become the isles most true.
A decrease in the airfare to Margarita this month can be said to cause the most affordable costs. This represents a 40 percent decrease in the expense of exactly the same bundle two months past. For the Easter weekend, the price of that bundle was $2,680. The Trinidad to Margarita course became active in the 1980s and has flourished ever since. Philip Navarro, a manager at NavTours Ltd, said the chartered cheap domestic flights
flights continue to sell out every week and the comments from visitors have been favorable. The charters are selling out. We cannot set enough airplanes on the routing, they're doing very well. Visitors are coming back with small criticisms, there are problems over there with the offense as we've in Port of Spain, but no worse or no better. If you go in the poor places, if you hang out in some bar downtown in the dim, you've problems, yes, but usually, on the compounds and within the resort sector they don't have any problems, Navarro said. The rate of exchange is fantastic. The price is fantastic and obviously, the properties themselves have been constructed to appease all international tastes. So yes, they've had a downturn usually because of the public understanding of how things are in Venezuela but in general from the comments we're getting from our clientele, the resorts are in very good condition, the food is superb and needless to say, what's actually bringing them, lets be frank, is the affordability, he said. But OLeary is only one one saying that a Brexit would be bad for business. Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard were the latest firms to push for the UK to remain part of Europe.
While Britain's unicorns Zoopla, Only Eat, Ve, TransferWise and Funding Circle said this week they're in favour of a vote to stay in the EU next month. George Osborne, who's pro-EU, has also warned that a vote to leave the EU would cause a substantial shock to the home marketplace. But the advertisements have annoyed Vote Leave, the official Brexit effort, who maintain the unique offer breaks referendum rules and anti-bribery laws. Effort manager, Dominic Cummings, wrote to the Met Police and said: This is apparently tainted since the business is offering reductions on the commercial rate to customers with the only purpose of ensuring they vote and vote to stay in the European Union. Unsurprisingly, space travel is the priciest choice for air travel. More moves in the world of chat services, with news that Cheapflights will enable users to hunt for both flights and resorts within Facebook Messenger. The Momondo Group-owned meta search engine could be one of the first journey brands to have joined a search for air tickets and lodging within a bot-run stage within the omnipresent social networks messaging service. Cheapflights Chat, found in beta this week, will even supply other travel-related information including the weather in a destination and the most recent currency exchange. The bot then calls on various APIs powering the backend to return useful results, including availability, in addition to weather information and the place of the lodging and the whereabouts of the user to indicate the closest airport. There's an Inspire Me component for those uncertain where to go, and Cheapflights says the bot will give responses in a fashion to fit that of the user.
For a terrestrial air travel, the most expensive commercially available alternative is a $64,000 roundtrip ride in Etihad Airways penthouse cottage, The Home, between New York City to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Featuring a three-room suite with a butler, this choice should probably be categorized as a short-term high-end apartment lease as opposed to an airplane ride. Do the math, after all, and this seat cost equates to about $4,752 per hour. Search online for Why is airfare so pricey? But attempt to locate info on what air travel really does cost by variables including miles, fuel, and comforts kind of crucial for discovering if its high-priced in the first place and you'll find a lot fewer resources. Other high-priced seats of note? But in a statement, the airline claimed it was merely Vote Leave becoming distressed. As the UKs biggest airline, Ryanair is certainly clear that the UK economy and its growth prospects are more powerful as an associate of the European Union and the single market than they're outside the EU. The Metropolitan Police allegedly affirmed that they'd received the letter and would consider its contents. Happily, someone crunched the numbers: for a recent infographic, Seats and Stools, a residential and commercial chairs manufacturing company, looked at another kind of seat ones aboard airlines. Findings, based on investigations conducted in early May for flights the last week of June via Google Flights, together with historical research for bespoke types of air travel, run the gamut. There's still no opinion from South African Airways (SAA) about its concession over the weekend, that it's been subsidising low-cost airline Mango since it began. SAA has denied for years that it's been helping Mango, despite being its only investor. The Free Market Foundations Jayne Boccaleone says this means citizens are therefore subsidising both SAA and Mango.


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MADISON, Wis. (March 17, 2021) – Eight recipients were presented with Governor’s Tourism Awards for their outstanding contributions to the state’s hospitality and travel industry during the 2022…Read More
Stay up to date on the latest Wisconsin travel news and announcements.
Posts From: March 2022
MADISON, Wis., (March 11, 2022) — Travel Wisconsin and TURNER PR’s work promoting Wisconsin to travelers has been recognized by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI)…Read More
MADISON, Wis., (March 11, 2022) — The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has selected Mary Monroe Brown as one of the “The HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality…Read More


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The mid-season finale of truTVs Hardcore Pawn finds Seth betraying his father, actually attempting to sell the company’s Pontiac branch behind his back.
Boy, oh, boy, Seth Gold just may have lost his mind on truTVs Hardcore Pawn. Why else would he think that going behind his dad’s back to try and sell one of their pawn shops is a good idea?
True, Seth, Ashley and Les are all in agreement that the store is underperforming at the moment.
However, Les has made it clear—more than clear—that selling the Pontiac shop was not an option on the table:
“I’ve never had a business fail, and I’m definitely not gonna start now. It’s not for sale.”
Ashley and Seth argued the point, but Les also made it clear that he, not his children, is in charge of what goes on at the American Jewelry and Loan pawn shops.
After all, Les is the owner; his children, Ashley and Seth, simply hold management positions.
“My children will not tell me what to do; it’s not gonna happen,” Les said of their attempt to double-team him and force his hand on the issue.
“Pontiac is never going to be for sale,” he added with finality.
Ashley Pulled Into The Fray
Ashley seemed to accept Les’s decision, and considered the matter closed.
Seth, however, appeared to be more obsessed than ever with the idea of selling the Pontiac store, and actually began looking for buyers, knowing full well what his dad’s position is and that, legally, the store cannot be sold without Les’s consent.
Perhaps Ashley is right: “Seth is beyond the point of gone crazy.”
Ashley knows what Seth is up to, but is keeping her mouth shut while he continues to do it.
This week, on the mid-season finale of Hardcore Pawn, entitled “Oh Yes He Did,” Ashley gets pulled into the scheme. According to truTV:
The kids scramble to meet with a buyer and find themselves in a life-changing scenario.
The Hardcore Pawn mid-season finale is jam-packed with drama and unusual items up for pawn.
From a high-end empty bottle of liquor and a souped-up sports car claimed to be a factory experimental model, to a powerful racing go-kart.
But, when it is all said and done, will either Ashley or Seth even have a job remaining at American Jewelry and Loan, or will Les finally reach the end of his rope with his kids—particularly Seth, who Ashley predicted last week, “Dad is going to kill him.”


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Get Ready for fan-based social networking. In the coming weeks, a number of sports fan-based social networking sites are set to launch.
The new offerings, many of them backed by big bucks, will offer a chance for individuals to share their support for a team (or animosity toward a rival) and a big part of their appeal will be the use of video.
Recently launched REALFANS.TV, is the latest of a number of fan networks built on Marc Andreessen‘s Ning network creation platform. REALFANS aims to let fans express themselves whether they’re into creating musical instruments or just want to remind Cowboys fans how bad their team is (below).
Among other sites using Ning to build networks is NFL Talk, created by former Eagles lineman, Ian Allen, who wanted an outlet to give pros a chance to say what they’re really feeling rather than have it rehashed in the words of the working press.
FanSpot.com boasts ‘there’s so much to do on Fanspot, we could’ve called it “Funspot.”‘ A slogan that’s about as entertaining as the rest of this site, which was early to the game but, unfortunately, looks like it was designed in 1996.
More innovative web 2.0 sites like the up and coming Fan U, launching later this week, should take what FanSpot has tried to do to the next level offering a community-based hub for sports news and information.
Pit Crew Live offers a place for NASCAR fans to congregate online and last year Nike teamed up with Google for soccer social networking site Joga.com. The site offers an online soccer channel called JogaTV, while Nikefootball.com (not the American kind) offers fans an opportunity to upload their own videos.
Above: JogaTV Episode 1
If done well, as Nike has, people will flock to these sites. Unfortunately, Nike’s ulterior motive means the site is only useful so long as it continues to be an effective marketing tool.
Up until these recent social networking and video distribution tools were available, sports communities found a home in 90s era message boards for lack of a better location. During any given college game there is a message board thread of fans talking about the action, often while watching or listening online.
There is a wide open opportunity for sites to build successful communities by letting fans specify their agendas – and this will be the year that fan communities find their voice.
Ben Homer is a contributing writer from OnlineVideoWatch


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MyTechyNews is an online destination for technology news from across the world. From gadget reviews to tech blogs, mobile computing to personal technology, the site offers a wide variety of news from the world of technology and the internet.
The world of technology is so dynamic that there are updates every day. Something is happening in some parts of the world so frequently, it becomes very difficult to catch up with those updates. We will help technology enthusiasts stay ahead and catch the breaking news and information on computing, the web, games, gadgets, social media, and much more. The news pages are updated every day for trending news from top tech companies located in different countries.
When it comes to gadgets and widgets, the industry is literally over flooding with products. It is a very confusing process to shortlist a gadget especially when there are so many offerings with more or less the same features. We also cater to gadget reviews wherein the site gathers news about the latest gadgets that are released in the market. Be it gaming accessories or speakers, air conditions, or portable power stations, there is so much to know about the recent releases. We allow readers and visitors to share views; the mobile, computer, science column brings news from major sources; these and many more can be found here by the tech enthusiasts, geeks, and nerds around the globe.
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Despite a moderating economy, China’s business travel markets continues to post impressive gains, predicted to reach $317.9 billion this year, an increase of 9.2 percent.
In 2017, the market will add another 8.4 percent bringing total Chinese business travel spend to $344.6 billion, according to the GBTA Foundation’s latest business travel forecast, GBTA BTI™ Outlook – China 2016 H2. In contrast, US business travel spending is expected to reach $293.1 billion in 2017, $51.5 billion less.
Domestic business travel makes up over 95 percent of spending on total business travel in China. With the slowing economic expansion, lower levels of business travel demand should help keep a lid on Chinese travel prices over the next six months.
In 2017, the report predicts air prices in China to increase by just 0.6 percent. Hotel price increases will also moderate in the face of softening demand and a continued hotel building boom. The forecast calls for a 1.6 percent increase in average daily rates in 2017.
“China accounts for nearly 25 percent of global business travel spending, up dramatically from a 5 percent share in 2000,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. “We expect longer-term spending growth to continue to moderate until Chinese policymakers can achieve their goal of rebalancing the economy and diverting resources away from investment and towards consumption.”


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The application now boasts around 50million effective customers around the world – but you will find issues and most many instances of internet dating calamities
THE online dating software Tinder is now offering scores of consumers wanting prefer and it has helped many people see their particular best mate.
So, if you’re looking for adore how does it operate and just how can people stay safe? Here’s what you need to understand.
Tinder is a no cost app on both apple’s ios and Android os that allows users to look at possible suitors within a pre-determined distance and generation – which range from 18 up.
Daters can swipe directly to “like” a profile and leftover to deny they.
A couple who possess “liked” one another’s profiles were deemed a fit, and can began messaging through the application.
The application consists of the choice to unmatch and remove different customers, and report those who was offensive.
Customers must be elderly over 18 and then have a myspace membership to join Tinder.
The software has now integrated elective Instagram and Spotify services which display artwork and tunes from somebody’s visibility.
Research has announced there are 50million active people on Tinder exactly who check always their particular records 11 era per day and spend typically 90 minutes per day on the application, reported Marie Claire. The app is currently found in 196 region around the world, and it is forecasted to manufacture as much as countless matches every second.
How can they function?
When signing up, you give private information including their name and age – here is the minimum.


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Another South Park game has been confirmed and is heading to the Xbox 360. The first offering was 2009’s tower defense game titled “South Park: Let’s Go Play Tower Defense’, which was a pretty decent little Xbox Live Arcade offering. Apparently the development studio is still locked into an exclusive arrangement with Microsoft, and their next offering will be heading back to their console exclusively.
Not much was revealed about the upcoming South Park game, whether it will be another Tower Defense style game, or whether it would delve into new territory. But one thing is for certain, it’s coming. After this second game tied into the exclusive arrangement with Microsoft, the development studio will be free to publish on any platform following this next release.
- This article was updated on:May 16th, 2017


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Whiskey sales in the United States topped $1 billion for the first time ever. And while Jameson was the leader in sales with over 7.3 million cases sold, Conor McGregor’s Proper No. 12 aided the market to top the historic monetary mark.
According to Irish Times, McGregor’s product sold over 200,000 cases stateside since its release last year, which adds to a total somewhere in between $35 and $40 million dollars.
Naturally, McGregor took to Twitter to celebrate:
Jameson remains the top selling Irish whiskey in the US and across the world with sales of 7.3 million cases in the 12 months to the end of June 2018.The brand has been a star performer for its owner, accounting for more than a quarter of Pernod Ricard’s US sales, and half of the group’s growth. Recent figures show, however, that while sales remain buoyant, up 12 per cent last year, they are slowing. Edward Mundy, an analyst with Jefferies, attributed this in part to what he described as a “natural slowdown”, but also to the arrival of new market entrants, most notably Proper No Twelve.
Indeed, Conor has made a splash with his new venture and isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. Now it remains to be seen how long it will take for Proper No. 12 — if ever — to take over Jameson’s massive sales here in the US.
One thing is certain, McGregor and his team won’t stop until that day arrives. Nevertheless, on the heels of this historic mark, “Notorious” has once again proven that anything he touches turns to gold.
Unfortunately for all of you wine lovers out there, Conor won’t be getting into the grape-smashing business anytime soon. But his April fools prank was still glorious, Check it out below:
Please follow Mystic Mac on Instagram HERE


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Social media is not just for personal relationships. Over 1.5 billion people are on social media; as customer’s preferences for how and when they interact with each other and businesses, organizations must also adapt in kind.
Yesterday afternoon, at the DMA Northern California Luncheon and Workshop, Hearsay Social CEO Clara Shih spoke alongside Juliene Conway, CMO of Fireman’s Fund Insurance, an Allianz Group Company, about cutting edge social media trends and the opportunity for financial services companies in this field.
A 150-year-old company, Fireman’s Fund Insurance has had to adapt to a variety of shifts in technology and customer behavior over the decades. At its core, the company has demonstrated that customer focus is imperative to the success of their business.
Describing the company’s current marketing strategy, Juliene focused on the importance of interacting with customers (agents and brokers) through the channels they prefer. Because Fireman’s Fund works with a younger set of agents and brokers, who have different expectations for communications and technology, these business-to-business relationships now take place on mobile devices and social media.
In short, Fireman’s Fund’s marketing organization has developed an innovative and flexible strategy that allows it to connect with customers where they are.
Following Juliene’s presentation, Clara spoke to how professional relationships and networks have experienced a transformation as technology has evolved. Social salespeople value large networks, want to increase thought leadership and brand awareness, and discover prospects, all goals that social media can assist. The wealth of information available to salespeople on social media today presents a huge opportunity in bolstering their B2B relationships.
All in all, the event proved a success for financial and technology experts wishing to learn more about connecting with customers in today’s mobile and social world.


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Consumers spend more on booze than medicine
Fin24.com - Sep 19th, 09:31
Cape Town - South Africans spend almost four times more on alcohol and cigarettes than on medical expenses and over one and a half times more on clothes than on education, a new study has revealed.
According to analytics consultancy Eighty20, which recently analysed South Africans' spending habits using Stats SA’s latest income and expenditure survey, consumers also spend about the same on paid-for satellite subscriptions than on retirement annuities.
Illana Melzer, head of Eighty20, said they've analysed the Stats SA survey to examine expenditure patterns and identify the key drivers of SA consumption habits.
A key factor shaping consumption patterns is access to credit.
She said people would rather spend money on clothes than buy a house.
Of the 18 million consumers having open credit accounts, 11 million have a clothing credit account. In contrast 2.4 million have a mortgage.
"In 2008 mortgages accounted for 47% of all credit granted. They now account for about a quarter, evidence that the credit market has clearly shifted," she said.
She said that, because mortgage finance is not easily available, households prioritise other expenditure above investment in housing.
Another key factor driving expenditure is access to housing, she said, adding that compared with 2001, 3.5 million more households are now living in proper housing, largely because of the state’s housing delivery programme.
According to Melzer, government’s primary subsidy targets households earning less than R3 500 per month and this subsidy value has increased significantly as the minimum housing specifications has improved.
“Beyond this, the government’s range of free services offered to lower income households also includes education, public health, and free rates and services – which all create extra discretionary income to spend on other products and services provided by the private sector.”
She also pointed out that the gap between rich and poor is shrinking, primarily because of service delivery.
"In 2012 roughly 28% of all South Africans were in LSMs one to four. In 2004 this was almost 50%."
Local liquor giant, Kasapreko Company, is 6th on Ghana Club 100 list
31/10/2013 - 08:26
Indigenous liquor giant, Kasapreko Company Limited (KCL) placed sixth in the 2013 Ghana Club 100 ranking.
SA lacks international business brand
28/10/2013 - 09:00
Cape Town – The persistent weakness in the perception of SA in international media coverage is the under-representation of SA’s business sector and the difficulty to identify a business leader or leaders “representative" of the country.
SA black middle class pegged at 3 million
28/10/2013 - 08:56
A Stellenbosch University study shows a rapidly growing black middle class in South Africa, along with a dramatic decline in racial inequality.
Clicks climbs after annual results
25/10/2013 - 11:12
Johannesburg - South African beauty and pharmaceutical retailer, Clicks, has said trading over the Christmas holiday season is critical to its fiscal 2014 performance as consumer spending remains weak
SA consumer inflation rate falls
24/10/2013 - 12:05
Johannesburg - South Africa’s inflation rate fell from the highest level in four years to 6 percent in September.


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- June 27, 2018
The Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently finalized new regulations providing that a “bona fide group or association of employers” that sponsor or maintain an employee welfare benefit plan may be an “employer” under Section 3(5) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). The upshot of the new regulations is that small employers or sole proprietors which previously had difficulty affording health insurance can now band together and purchase large group market insurance plans (which might result in potential premium cost-savings and reduction of administrative costs).June 21, 2018
In earlier client alerts (June 15, 2018 and April 4, 2018), we have discussed the proposed tariffs under section 301 against China that arose as a result of allegedly unfair Chinese intellectual property practices. The administration, in its openly declared trade war with China, has been expanding on the implementation of these duties and issued a new Federal Register Notice dated June 20, 2018. This notice sets out procedures for entry of products already determined to be subject to tariffs and assigns a special tariff number to be used to identify them in addition to the regular HTS number. Products of China that are provided for in new HTSUS heading 9903.88.01, as established by Annex A of this notice that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 6, 2018, shall be subject to an additional duty of 25 percent ad valorem.June 21, 2018
As a result of pressure from many sources including foreign embassies, the U.S Department of Commerce has announced an extension of the deadlines in its recently announced investigation under Section 232 of U.S automobiles (including SUV’s and light trucks) and auto parts imports and their potential impact on the national security.June 15, 2018
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released a list of products imported from China that will be subject to additional tariffs as part of the U.S. response to alleged unfair trade practices by China related to the alleged forced transfer of American technology and intellectual property.June 11, 2018
With the construction season already underway, the Michigan legislature repealed the state Prevailing Wage Law. The repeal was effective as of June 6, 2018. This change in the law may lead to many questions for construction industry employers and governmental entities in Michigan that have a contract in place requiring compliance with Michigan’s Prevailing Wage Law. Is the contract enforceable even though the law no longer exists? Should the parties renegotiate the contract to eliminate the requirement that the contractor comply with the law? Can a contractor simply ignore the contractual requirement?June 6, 2018
Mexico published in its official gazette a decree imposing tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum, and farm products as a response to U.S. failure to extend tariff country exclusions for steel and aluminum. The measures are said to be taking aim at Republican strongholds ahead of U.S. congressional elections in November. Mexico’s trade negotiators included products exported by states represented Republican leaders, including Indiana where Vice President Mike Pence was formerly governor and Bourbon-producing Kentucky, home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The latter designed to put the most pressure on the Trump Administration. Mexico had previously received a temporary exemption that was extended through May 31, 2018 but not renewed.June 1, 2018Trump Administration Extends Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs to Canada, Mexico, and EU; Are Product Exemptions the Last Resort for Imported Metals Users?
The White House announced this morning that three of the United States’ closest allies would no longer be exempted from the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by President Trump in early March as a measure to protect national security. The U.S. will impose tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union (which collectively account for almost 50% of U.S. imports of these products) beginning at midnight June 1. The Administration had granted a short-term exclusion until April 30th to these and other countries that was later extended one month to May 31st. U.S. negotiators did little to conceal the fact that these temporary exclusions were being used as leverage for other trade concessions, especially in NAFTA negotiations.May 30, 2018June 22 Deadline for Comments on New Section 232 Investigation on Automobiles and Automotive Parts Tariffs; Public Hearings July 19-20
Our Client Alert of May 24, 2018, advised of President Trump’s request for the Commerce Department to investigate whether imports of automobiles and auto parts are impacting the national security and should be subject to tariffs or quotas. As we anticipated, Commerce will employ a process similar to the one that preceded the recent imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.May 24, 2018Trump Administration Announces Investigation of Need to Impose Tariffs on Imports of Automobiles and Parts to “Protect National Security”
An early morning tweet yesterday (5/23/2018) from President Trump teased “There will be big news coming soon for our great American Autoworkers. After many decades of losing jobs, to other countries, you have waited long enough!” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross followed upon later that day with an announcement that the President has directed the Commerce Department to open an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to determine whether imports of automobiles (including SUVs, vans and light trucks) and automotive parts into the United States “threaten to impair the national security”.May 22, 2018
Summary: President Donald Trump’s announcement on May 8, 2018, withdrawing the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that relaxed sanctions on Iran is already having significant diplomatic effects around the world. On May 18, 2018, the European Union responded by resurrecting a 21-year old E.U. blocking regulation. European companies with United States affiliates now face the real prospect of being sanctioned by the United States if they keep their investments in Iran, or being sanctioned by the European Union if they disinvest. What legal tools exist to help them navigate these treacherous waters?May 10, 2018
Summary: President Donald Trump’s announcement on May 8, 2018, that the United States will withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that relaxed sanctions on Iran are already having significant diplomatic effects around the world. But what does it mean for the auto sector, the energy and transportation industries, Iranian immigrants to the United States, and other businesses and individuals with interests in Iran?May 8, 2018
Most foreign governments require disputes with parties with which they have agreements to be litigated in their courts using their domestic law. This tends to create an unwillingness, on the part the private party, to seek redress in local courts in order to pursue its rights given the tendency of such courts to often side with the government.May 4, 2018
EU, CANADA, MEXICO GRANTED A “FINAL”30 DAY EXEMPTION TO “CONTINUE” NEGOTIATIONS; SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES GRANTED “PERMANENT” EXEMPTIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR QUOTAS. PRODUCT EXCLUSION REQUEST PROGRAM BOGGED DOWN.May 3, 2018
The Internal Revenue Service has recently announced cost-of-living adjustments applicable to dollar limitations for retirement plans (and other items) for 2018. Many of the retirement plan limitations will change for 2018 because the increase in the cost-of-living index met the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment. However, other limitations will remain unchanged because the increase in the index did not meet the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment.May 2, 2018
The Courts Make Several Precedential Decisions and the USPTO Issues a Memo Helping to Clarify the ‘Alice’ Patentability Analysis: It’s a Matter of Fact!
For those patent law aficionados out there, March and April were exciting months. The Courts AND the USPTO made several key determinations that cover topics from the constitutionality of USPTO proceedings to clarifying how the courts and the patent office are to determine what exactly is needed to show “significantly more” for purposes of satisfying the ‘Alice’ patentability analysisMay 1, 2018
The United States International Trade Commission ("USITC" or "Commission") has announced changes to its Rules of Practice and Procedure of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1337) cases. Section 337 investigations conducted by the USITC most often involve claims regarding intellectual property rights, including allegations of patent infringement and trademark infringement by imported goods.
These Section 337 rule changes, which are final, go into effect 30 days from publication in the Federal Register.April 12, 2018
I would categorize the Cambridge Analytica incident/breach in a similar fashion to the Edward Snowden revelations in that the Snowden revelations that awakened the world—and specifically the EU—to the extent of nation-state monitoring (in the Snowden case, it was the US’s monitoring activities, but don’t think for a second that every other country that was outraged at our monitoring wasn’t doing the very same thing to us and others) that ultimately resulted in the collapse of the US-EU Safe Harbor self-certification program, the rise of the temporary fix with the Privacy Shield and now the soon-to-be-implemented General Data Protection Regulation. All of this furor over the loss of privacy and the “theft” of personal data must be placed into context.April 4, 2018
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolled back the Obama-era auto emissions standards for 2022 to 2025 model-year cars and light-duty trucks. At first glance, this appears to be a clear win for automakers, who have been complaining for years that the steep targets for fuel economy and emissions are not only costly, but also stifling to the American automotive market. While the political motivations and topics like the impact of these rollbacks on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will likely be debated over the coming weeks around water coolers, coffee stations in the office, and on countless media outlets, one of the most pressing questions that need-be answered is, what will the impact of these rollbacks be on the automotive supply base?April 4, 2018Jump to PageNEW TARIFFS ON CHINESE EXPORTS TO UNITED STATES LINKED TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES ANNOUNCED: HEARINGS TO BE HELD
The U.S. Trade Representative(USTR) announced on April 3, that it has determined that the acts, policies, and practices of the Government of China related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation covered are” unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce” and is proposing retaliatory tariffs on some 1300 items. USTR is seeking public comment on the proposed tariffs and will hold a public hearing regarding a proposed determination on appropriate action. USTR proposes an additional duty of 25 percent tariff on a list of products from China. The list of products, defined by 8-digit subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), is set out below.April 2, 2018
There is money and business management support available for the commercialization of good ideas in the health industry sector. In the second annual The Autonomous Patient: Entrepreneurs Driving Healthcare II© event held at Automation Alley, industry thought leaders, entrepreneurs with technologies, devices and pharmaceuticals, business incubators, and representatives from private and public financing sources shared their battle-honed perspectives and blunt advice to current and would-be entrepreneurs involved or interested in the burgeoning healthcare space. Rounding out their insight and advice was some practical workshop information on the regulatory environment in which ideas must be turned into action. An engaged audience took away some valuable advice from the keynote remarks, four panel sessions, questions and the networking discussions that took place around them.Page:


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Blockbuster planning to sell electronic goods
The American arm of Blockbuster have just filed for bankruptcy and are $900 million in debt, but their non-American operations are a separate entity and are about to expand their ‘offering’.
Over here, Blockbuster have announced that they’re going to start selling mobile phones, iPods and TV sets along with the continuation of DVD, Blu-ray and games rentals. A TV-selling trial in 10 of their stores has proved to be successful enough for them to expand it to a further 25 in the near future and they have said that talks will mobile phone companies are ongoing with a view to them flogging phones from next year.
Will it work? Will any of you change your habits and visit Blockbuster for electronic goods or are they just good for DVD rental and popcorn?


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By Claire Ferris-Lay
Rising cost of precious metal is worry among traders, fear that sales will be hit.
Dubai’s traditional gold sellers are expecting up to 30 percent less customers during the lead up to Diwali as gold prices continue to surge amid global market turmoil.
Diwali and Dhanteras, two festivals most auspicious for buying gold, should be one of gold traders’ busiest selling periods after the Dubai Shopping Festival, but the continued rising cost of gold is forcing many customers to reconsider their purchases, according to gold sellers at Dubai’s historic Gold Souq.
“A few weeks ago gold prices were pretty stable but now they’ve shot up. Volatile prices are definitely a worry and will almost certainly affect sales,” Swatna Nair, general manager at Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group told Arabian Business.
Deepening worries over global financial markets has increased the appeal of gold as an alternative investment with prices of the precious metal touching new highs.
In New York the price of gold increased 3.1 percent to $859 an ounce last week while investment in SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest gold-backed ETF, reached a record 765.7 metric tonnes on Thursday as global central bank’s synchronised interest rate cuts failed to free up credit markets.
“Last Diwali we were selling gold at around $24 per gram and this year its $28.17 per gram. We’re expecting around 30 percent less customers this year and those that are buying will be buying less quantity,” said Faizel Koppath, sales executive at Atlas Jewellery in Dubai.
A survey by newswire Bloomberg predicts gold will continue to rise for a second straight week on speculation that government intervention will fail to ease market turmoil, further boosting the appeal of the precious metal.
“Over long periods of time it [gold] has kept its purchasing power,” said Eckart Woeurtz an analyst at Gulf Research House in Dubai.
“Over the next year I expect gold to reach $1000 an ounce. In the middle to long run I am very bullish on it,” he added.For all the latest retail news from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.


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Wowzi, a Kenyan tech startup, has acquired $3.2 million in funding to increase throughout Africa
Wowzi, a Kenyan tech startup, has raised $3.2 million in funding to increase into Ghana, Nigeria, and Southern Africa.
4DX Ventures, an Africa-focused enterprise capital agency, led the funding spherical.
Golden Palm Investments, LoftyInc Capital, Afropreneur Angels, To.org, and Future Africa have been among the many different seed spherical traders. Christina Sass, co-founder of Andela, and Jessica Chervin and Justin Ziegler, former Andela executives. Johnny Falla, Wowzi’s Chief Improvement and Progress Officer, additionally took half within the spherical.
Wowzi’s Founder and CEO Brian Mogeni revealed that the corporate needs to increase into three new markets by the top of the yr, together with Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.
“In African international locations, cell use has develop into an important driver of enterprise, and it’s the place younger folks already spend their time.” Youths merely want a couple of minutes of distant instruction to know the basics of disseminating model messages, so anybody with a telephone might now affect their friends by way of social media. Manufacturers now have the flexibility to have interaction straight with youth and supply significant gig labor because of Wowzi’s know-how platform, which permits them to shortly distribute and handle job provides to hundreds of kids directly. Wowzi supplies entrepreneurs with a brand new layer of promoting that may assist them goal explicit communities,” Mogeni defined.
Wowzi mentioned it needs to construct collaborations with native, regional, and multinational FMCG companies, in addition to telcos, banks, inventive businesses, and improvement establishments, so as to present work prospects for younger folks. Each week, the company pays out $44,286 to influencers, totaling $2.3 million per yr.
After efficiently delivering over 150,000 paid employment in 2021, the corporate additionally claimed that it’s going to create a million gig jobs for African youth by means of its on-line market in 2022.
Learn extra on Tech Gist Africa:
Kwara, a Kenyan startup, raises $4 million in a seed spherical
CinetPay, a fintech startup primarily based within the Ivory Coast, receives $2.4 million in a seed spherical led by Flutterwave and 4DX Ventures
uLesson, a Nigerian edtech startup, has raised $15 million in Collection B funding
The publish Wowzi, a Kenyan tech startup, has acquired $3.2 million in funding to increase throughout Africa appeared first on Techgist Africa | Africa Main Tech Information, Opinions and Ideas.


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La Fira - July 7th-9th
Post Fashion Circus
After Bread & Butter said auf wiedersehen and hot-footed it back to Berlin, Barcelona needed to replace the popular fashion trade fair with something similar and The Brandery is hoping to be just that. With less of the big brand names attending it will be a smaller event than B&B, but with an emphasis on local talent and labels like Armand Basi, Pepe and Lacoste exhibiting it might be a serious contender.
La Fira - July 7th-9th, 2009 - www.thebrandery.com The next event is due to take place from January 27th to 29th, 2010


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ANDREWS, S.C. (WCBD) – A sewer issue in the Town of Andrews has forced several businesses to close this week.
Jack Strong is the spokesperson for Have a Ball Produce on East Brooks Road. He said they reached out to the Department of Health and Environmental Control last week to report a major backup in their restroom.
“It was all over the floors. The stench from it is just, even out here in the parking lot you can smell the stench,” Strong said.
This week, they had to close their kitchen, as did other businesses including Burger King and Newton’s.
“We’re a small business, we’re a very small business. The people that work here, they need their paycheck. This is a slow time of the year anyway so any disruption in service is impacting us tremendously,” Strong told News 2.
According to a Facebook post from the Town of Andrews, a main sewer line was damaged when an AT&T communications tower was being built. Officials also said large amounts of cooking grease and other materials released into manholes contributed to the problem.
According to DHEC, Andrews was issued a consent order for noncompliance for their wastewater system last spring, which is still open. The Administrative Law Court also got involved. DHEC said the wastewater system remains unsatisfactory.
The department also went on to say:
“DHEC continues to be responsive to complaints related to this system. Wastewater issues can pose serious health risks and can make people very sick, especially in locations where food is being sold or consumed. After speaking with local business owners about those risks, some business owners in Andrews opted to voluntarily close their stores until the Town properly addresses its wastewater system issues. It is the responsibility of a public wastewater utility to ensure it operates in compliance with applicable state regulations, for the protection of people’s health and the environment.”
The town’s Facebook post said crews were working to fix the blockage, but according to businesses, the problem persisted on Friday.
Strong said he does not know when Have a Ball Produce will reopen. In the meantime, they hired a contractor to install a lift station.
“I can’t count on the town to fix this problem for us. We’re going to have to fix it ourselves,” Strong said.
Andrews mayor Frank McClary said the wastewater system is operating normally, but more work still needs to be done on the damaged sewer line. He urges businesses to check with DHEC before reopening.
Have a Ball Produce will hold a sidewalk sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help ensure perishable items don’t go to waste.


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On Wednesday (16/12), the game studio founded by the designer video games Hideo Kojima’s famed Kojima Productions is celebrating their 5th anniversary.
Kojima Productions shared their happiness with gamers and fans of Kojima Productions’ games through their uploads on Twitter as well as a surprise for fans.
Letter from Kojima Productions
As the start of their 5th anniversary celebration, Kojima Productions uploaded a letter with an image of the Kojima Productions 5th anniversary logo containing a thank you to the fans for the support they have given. Kojima Productions also stated that thanks to everyone’s support, they were able to face the various challenges that exist.
“Thank you for joining us on December 16, 2021 to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Kojima Productions.
On December 16, 2021, Kojima Productions opened its doors and embarked on a journey as an independent game studio. The last five years have been extraordinary, but especially this year it has been extraordinary for a number of reasons.
Over a year ago, our first developed title, Death Stranding, was released on PlayStation 4 and we were amazed by the reactions from fans and critics alike. The PC version was released earlier this year with new and exclusive content and won the Golden Joystick Awards PC Game of the Year.
This year has had many challenges as well, although our determination as a studio is “keep on keeping on“Developing and serving (quality games) gets a lot of support from our great community. From Photo Mode and fan art, to the cosplay challenge… these efforts not only continue to motivate us, they also help us to stay connected, and that means a lot to us.
We can’t thank you enough.
In celebration of this, over the next few hours, we will be posting a number of updates on our social media. This is our way of saying thank you for your continued support and contributions so far, and we hope we can meet and shake hands soon… see you in an hour!
Tomorrow is in our hands!”
As promised in the letter above, about an hour later, Kojima Productions returned with a wallpaper featuring their mascot, a character named LUDENS. In the upload, they also included an interview with Koji Shinkawa, Head Designer at Kojima Productions. The interview discusses the origins and creation of this character and the Kojima Productions logo.
Along with the upload, Kojima Productions announced that they would be releasing a collection of merchandise from Kojima Productions. This merchandise will be in the form of a shirt or jacket featuring their mascot design, LUDENS, on the front.
Kojima Productions also released two videos on their official channel on the video sharing site YouTube. The two released videos both highlight the achievements of Kojima Productions to date.
In April 2021, Hideo Kojima has just been awarded the most prestigious award from the BAFTA Game Awards, namely The Fellowship Award. The first video highlights Kojima’s accomplishments on this one and also follows the journey of The Fellowship Award trophy, from the moment the award was announced until it reached Japan safely.
Meanwhile, the second video is a short two-minute video featuring Hideo Kojima. In the video, Kojima thanked the fans who have supported Kojima Productions so far. This second video is also the closing of Kojima Productions’ 5th anniversary content series.


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MLB The Show 21 Release Date, Xbox Confirmation and Trailer Deets!
MLB The Show 21 will soon be coming to Xbox Series X. No, this isn't a breeze up: Sony's greatest and best sports game...
As the foremost authority on chained news and information, Morning Picker aims to keep you informed, engaged and empowered. Our content is designed to deliver what traditional media cannot - providing in-depth coverage of stories often overlooked by mainstream outlets. Now accessible via your cell phone so that no matter where life takes you, Morning Picker can accompany you with up-to-date news direct from our team of dedicated journalists.


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Flowers by Frances was buzzing Tuesday morning between customers coming in to purchase an arrangement for their someone special, dozens of orders being designed simultaneously in the back room and drivers carrying the floral cargo to the trucks and out for delivery.
“We’re used to it by now; we’ve been doing this a long time” Carol Staples, owner, said about Valentine’s Day. “It’s an adrenaline rush.”
Flowers by Frances has been in business for 67 years. The shop has been in the Staples family for 45 years, and Richard and Carol Staples took over approximately 21 years ago.
“It takes us several months to prepare,” said manager Trinity Atherton, who has been working at the store for 25 years.
When they look ahead to Valentine’s Day to determine how much inventory they will need, they first look at which day of the week the holiday falls.
“Anything Monday through Saturday is very busy,” Staples said. “And we just kind of follow the economy, industry trends, and then it’s pretty much just go with your gut.”
Customers can order specific arrangements pictured on flowersbyfrances.net, or they can ask the florists to create something custom. Staples said it’s split 50/50 on which way customers order arrangements.
The store also has promotional arrangements for special holidays such as Valentine’s Day.
There is one flower that is always the popular pick for this particular holiday.
“Always roses,” Staples said with a smile. “Red roses, the romantic flower. I think we got close to 2,300 roses, and we will be out by tonight.”
“Actually, probably by noon,” Atherton said with a laugh.
It takes a lot of extra help to make all their arrangements and deliveries on the busy day.
Staples recruited many individuals including her daughter, daughter-in-law, son, everyone’s husbands, friends, etc.
Someone answers the phone, another is in charge of the front room, some are designing and there are three different trucks out making deliveries.
The store even recruited some Fort Hays State University wrestlers to help deliver flowers.
“It’s wonderful,” Staples said.
On Monday, the staff put in a 12-hour day doing as much preparation as they could, and on Tuesday, they were busy until they closed at 5 p.m. Staples said they continued to have customers walk in throughout the afternoon.
“That’s what we’re here for,” Staples said.


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This week in the V3 Hot Seat, we have Marc Godin, vice president and general manager for the UK and Ireland at Lenovo. Godin has served in this position since April 2012, the same year that the firm...
Diversity is not economics - you need to start from the top, says Pitney Bowes' Sheryl Battles
The airline, which had no formal approach to APIs, needed new ways to compete in a crowded market
Apple devices could be banned from the US after a judge sided with Qualcomm in the latest round of the two companies' intellectual property dispute
McDonald's makes its largest acquisition of the past 20 years - with a decision-support technology company
Apple's services launch today will be punctuated by the companies, such as Netflix, that choose not to participate


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Netflix has rolled out a system that charges for an “additional member” sub-account in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. And it will probably expand to more countries. While some experts believe the new policy could hamper the platform’s growth, others believe that if Netflix lowers prices and offers good content, the move could benefit.
When Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos visited India last month, he made it clear that the country was one of the fastest growing markets for the company. The OTT platform’s viewer engagement grew by 30% and revenue increased by 25% in India by 2022. Sarandos now wants the Indian team to focus on local content. Whether it’s Squid Game from South Korea, Spain’s Money Heist or Dark from Germany – these shows first became local hits and then became
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Shake-up in luxury cruising as Crystal gets new owner
One of the world's leading luxury cruise companies is getting a new owner -- and a new ship.
The Japanese parent company of Crystal Cruises today announced it would sell the two-vessel line to Hong Kong-based Genting Hong Kong for $550 million.
Tokyo-based shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) also announced that Crystal will be getting a new ship. NYK has owned Crystal since its founding in 1988.
"After 25 successful years with NYK, we are excited to have Genting Hong Kong as the new owner of Crystal Cruises," Crystal president and COO Edie Rodriguez says in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Rodriguez says the planned expansion of the Crystal fleet under its new owner will allow for more itinerary and accommodation options.
Established in 1993, Genting Hong Kong already owns Asia-based Star Cruises and is a major shareholder of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which owns Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises. It's part of the Genting Group, a global hospitality and leisure company.
The current management of Crystal Cruises will continue to lead the line after the sale, Genting Hong Kong chairman, CEO and acting president Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay says in a statement accompanying the announcement. Genting will help the line build the new ship.
"Genting will provide financial resources and proven expertise in innovative ship design to build a new ship that will set the highest standard in luxury cruise ships," he says. "This new ship ... will reinforce Crystal Cruises' reputation as the world's leading luxury cruise line for decades to come."
Genting is paying about $276,000 per berth for Crystal. The line's two ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, have 1,992 berths in total based on double occupancy.
The announcement comes as rival luxury lines Seabourn and Regent are in the midst of building new ships that are expected to set a new standard for luxury cruising. Crystal hasn't added a new ship since 2003.
The announcement did not include any specifics about the new Crystal ship such as how big it would be or when it would debut.
For a deck-by-deck look at a Crystal ship, click through the carousel below.


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New Offering Will Introduce Taco Bell Flavor To Sunflower Seed Category
BIGS® Sunflower Seeds, a brand of Conagra Brands, Inc, announced it will introduce a new flavor of Taco Bell-inspired sunflower seeds, BIGS Taco Bell Taco Supreme. The seeds, which will debut in retail locations in April 2018, will combine BIGS fire-roasted, USA-grown sunflower seeds with the spicy taco flavor and signature crunch associated with the nation’s leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant.
With 7,000 restaurants across the country, Taco Bell’s menu includes the signature Taco Supreme – an iconic flavor that has inspired the new BIGS Sunflower Seeds. These seeds are the latest addition to BIGS impressive collection of co-brand flavor collaborations that have helped BIGS become the fastest-growing Sunflower Seed in the category for eight consecutive years.
Grand Prize of Week-Long Trip to Oaxaca, a Destination for Mezcal and Gastronomy, and a Hands-On Apprenticeship at Sombra Mezcal’s Groundbreaking, Sustainable New Distillery
Sombra Mezcal, a spirit distilled to sustain the land and the people of Oaxaca, today announces its first-ever sustainable cocktail competition, “Shake and Stir to Sustain the Land and the People.” Open to professional bartenders in the U.S., entries are accepted from April 22 through August 22, 2018 on Sombra‘s website. Sombra Mezcal is the brainchild of Richard Betts, a Master Sommelier whose love of Oaxaca inspired him to open a distillery (palenque) that sets the highest standards for eco-friendly production. Newly opened, Sombra’s palenque ensures consistent quality and innovation from the fields to the bottle. Click here for an Earth Day message from Richard Betts, Founder, Sombra Mezcal.
The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) has debuted its new YouTube series Eats in The D. The five minute show focuses on the food, drinks and people in metro Detroit that are making headlines around the world.
“We want this new show to entice visitors to come to Detroit and try out these restaurants for themselves,” said Larry Alexander, DMCVB President & CEO. “The episodes are short, fun and informative, to give visitors a taste of Detroit’s diverse and unique dining scene, which is earning accolades from media and visitors around the world.”
The first season of Eats in The D includes 10 episodes featuring 20 popular foodie destinations throughout metro Detroit. The first three episodes can be viewed now on YouTube and Facebook. To watch Eats in The D, go to: http://bit.ly/eats-in-the-d-media.
The California-based Family Fun Hotspot Brings Top Ranked Eaters to Compete in Westminster CA for $4,000 in Prizes
John’s Incredible Pizza Company and Major League Eating are excited to announce this new event to its slate of sanctioned eating championships for 2018. This event will be held over 10 minutes of contest time with ranked competitive eater Matt Stonie seeking to set a new world record in the pizza discipline on Sunday, April 22 at 1p.m. at the Westminster Mall in Westminster, CA.
After the event, spectators can enjoy John’s all-you-can-eat buffet plus a free $5 FunCard for games and rides with regular admission purchase. Photos with John’s Mascot IncrediBear and the Championship belt are also part of the fun.
America’s 10 Most Exciting Openings Selected by FOOD & WINE Editors in Fourth Annual List
FOOD & WINE announces that Lasa in Los Angeles, Grand Café in Minneapolis, and Superior Motors in Braddock, Pennsylvania are among the 10 new restaurants across the country named to the fourth annual FOOD & WINE Restaurants of the Year list. Restaurants of the Year are FOOD & WINE’s definitive list of the 10 most exciting new places to eat in America now. This year’s winners not only create something delicious, but also transcend the dinner plate and reflect the communities of which they are a part.
The complete Restaurants of the Year 2018 report, with insights on why all 10 restaurants made the list, is featured now at www.foodandwine.com/restaurants-of-the-year and will also be in the May issue of FOOD & WINE, on newsstands April 13. All of the restaurants opened within the past 14 months.
Musician/songwriter/actor will host intimate chats about his wines, greet fans.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced that 2018 Wine Week celebrations will start with a visit from John Legend, who will appear at Philadelphia magazine’s Wine Festival presented by Lexus at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, May 3 at 5 pm.
Philadelphia magazine’s Wine Festival presented by Lexus brings local restauranteurs and culinary favorites together with vintners, winemakers, and industry experts who help guide and inform guests on each wine being sampled. The event will feature more than 500 wines, dozens of vintners, and an on-site Fine Wine & Good Spirits store carrying wines sampled at the event. Additionally, Legend will hold two intimate “fireside chats” with a limited number of guests.
A ticket to the first fireside chat with Legend includes a VIP ticket to the wine festival, a bottle of LVE Cabernet Sauvignon pre-signed by Legend, an exclusive private tasting of the LVE Collection produced by Raymond Vineyards, and attendance at the private chat.
A ticket to the second fireside chat includes all the features above, plus an exclusive photo opportunity with Legend.
Spoons at the ready, Free Cone Day is back! On April 10th, Ben & Jerry’s 40th Free Cone Day arrives and as always, YOU are invited to celebrate.
Imagine waking up to a day of endless ice cream … plus unlimited chunks and swirls. It must be Free Cone Day 2018. Free scoops of Ben & Jerry’s euphoric ice cream, packed with chunks and swirls, will be offered at Scoop Shops around the country.
Ice cream lovers will be able to choose a longtime favorite like Cookie Dough, or dig their spoons into something completely new. Your appetite is the only limit to the number of times you can get back in line. Dreamy right?
Okay, so this celebration is hardly a surprise … the company’s first Free Cone Day was way back in 1979. Back then, it was highly unusual for a company to share, rather than sell, its product, but Ben and Jerry wanted to thank their dedicated, ice cream loving community for helping them get through their first year. These days Ben & Jerry’s hands out more than one million free scoops of ice cream across the world each April.
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown Will Award $40,000 for the Nation’s Best Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Beginning April 2, aspiring chefs of all ages are invited to submit their most creative grilled cheese recipes. The Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown runs through May 15. One grand prize winner will receive $15,000 and be crowned the 2018 Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Champion. More than $25,000 in additional cash and bonus prizes will also be awarded throughout the competition.
Celebrity judges will critique recipes based on incorporation of Wisconsin cheese, creativity, presentation and taste. This year’s top grilled cheese recipes will be judged by a panel of experts, including editors from Rachael Ray Every Day and Allrecipes.com, bloggers from Cheese Sex Deathand Grilled Cheese Social, Laura Werlin, author of Grilled Cheese, Please!: 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes and previous grilled cheese champions. The 2018 winners will be announced live on the Wisconsin Cheese Facebook page in June.


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iPhoneForums.Net News Team
- Jun 18, 2010
- Reaction score
A new survey from ChangeWave Research as reported by 9to5 Mac has found that the newest iPhone, the iPhone 4S, is proving very popular indeed with its owners, largely due to Siri. ChangeWave polled 215 iPhone 4S owners from November 2 to November 9, and found that the new phone has the highest levels of customer satisfaction ever for an iPhone, with 77 percent of respondents saying that they are Very Satisfied and 19 percent saying that they are Somewhat Satisfied. Only 1 percent said that they were Somewhat Unsatisfied or Very Unsatisfied. Siri is very popular with respondents, it seems, with 49 percent saying they like it. The camera and the overall ease of use of the phone also proved popular with those polled.
Amazing results for Apple, although 9to5 Mac points out that it was not all plain sailing for the new iPhone, with 38 percent of respondents saying that they did not like the phones short battery life, although only 8 percent considered the short battery life to be a Very Big Problem. In terms of dropped calls, half the number of iPhone 4S owners said that they had experienced dropped calls as had experienced them with the iPhone 4. Thirty percent of respondents bemoaned the lack of 4G, so lets hope that those rumors of the next iPads and iPhones getting 4G are true. Somewhat surprisingly though, the survey also found that only 11 percent of owners disliked the iPhone 4Ss screen size.
Source: ChangeWave: Siri helps iPhone 4S become the most beloved iPhone yet | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence


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C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
- Google is introducing a new top-level domain — .meme.
- The new domain is debuting this week and is available for registration if you take part in the early access period.
- The .meme domain will be available publically on December 5, 2023.
Whether you create them or share them, memes have long been a part of internet culture. Now Google is turning this staple of the internet into a domain you can use for your own website.
In a blog post, Google Registry announced it is introducing a new top-level domain — .meme. Google says .meme is meant to help spread ideas and articulate yourself. The new domain is reportedly going live this week, with 10 partners already using .meme for their websites. These partners include:
Altogether, there are currently 13 new websites from Google’s partners using the new .meme domain. As you would suspect, all 13 websites are centered around shareable meme-admire content.
If you’re interested in using the domain for your own website, Google says registration is available “as part of our Early Access Period (EAP) for an additional one-time fee.” You can check to see what domain names are available right now by heading over to get.meme. That fee is reportedly reduced “according to a daily arrange until December 5.”
You can also just foresee until December 5, when .meme domains become publicly available. At this date, the tech giant states that a base annual price will be set by your registrar of choice. This includes registrars admire GoDaddy, MrDomain, bNamed.net, Variomedia.de, and more.


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Digital Banking: WeLab Bank to Offer Apple Pay Option to Clients across Hong Kong Crowdfund Insider. : WeLab Bank, a homegrown digital bank that has been authorized by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), reveals that it’s offering its customers Apple Pay, which is described as a safe, secure and private way to make payments. It allows clients to not have to hand over their payment cards to someone else. it also helps customers avoid touching physical buttons or exchanging cash — and uses “the power of iPhone to protect every transaction,” according to a release shared with CI.
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Countdown supermarket Te Atatu Peninsula after a possible community case of Covid-19 had been identified on August 17. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Supermarkets have been major potential Covid hotspots, remaining open when most other shops are forced shut.
But one brand featured more prominently in August than others on the Ministry of Health list.
Countdown had nearly double its closest rival’s numbers.
The ministry tells people to record their store visits, check places of interest to see if they have been there at the same time as a Covid case in the community, then take action if the two are unfortunate enough to coincide.
If you’ve been at one of those supermarkets at the wrong time, you may have to isolate, get tested immediately and even stay away from anyone else for 14 days. Contacts who attended one of the locations during the relevant times are asked to act to protect everyone else.
Countdown has so far recorded by far the highest numbers, its stores listed 32 times as places of interest, from Westgate to Pakuranga, from Grey Lynn to Mangere. The visits listed are from August 18-26.
Pak’nSave features 16 times, its places of interest stores spreading from Auckland to Wellington’s Kilbirnie. That store in the capital appears more than once, visited for example twice on August 25 by a possible Covid community case, boosting the number of times the ministry lists it.
Visits to only six New Worlds are listed and they are all in Auckland, from Chatswood to New Lynn and Green Bay to Papatoetoe.
A Countdown spokesperson said there was no particular reason it had more locations of interest than Pak’nSave or New World.
Foodstuffs, the country’s largest grocery retailer, which owns New World, Pak’nSave, and Liquorland among others, said there were seven Pak’nSaves and six New Worlds in Auckland that were of the location of interest.
There are 17 Pak’nSaves and 29 New World supermarkets in Auckland.
The spokesperson said all of the stores have been open throughout the level 4 lockdown.
Gilmours, part of the dominant Foodstuffs business, doesn’t appear once on the list. Nor did Foodstuffs’ Four Square or its Liquorland.
“Our 36 Liquorland stores in Auckland are currently closed and are operating a contactless delivery service,” the spokesperson said.
On today’s media release Countdown general manager of corporate affairs, quality, safety and sustainability Kiri Hannifin said 20 of its stores had been visited by someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
And they had seven stores temporarily closed due to low team numbers.
These stores were Countdown Halsey Street Metro, Albert Street Metro, Birkenhead, Hauraki Corner, Mangere Mall, Westgate and Takanini.
Countdown has just over 60 stores in Auckland.
Hannifin said, since level 4 began, the chain had seen more than 2600 of its staff who could not come to work and more than 1000 were still out of action on any given day.
“Due to their store being a location of interest, having a household member at a location of interest, not having childcare available or because they are vulnerable to Covid-19,” she said.
But 500 of them would be returning back to work from this week.
But last week they had delivered more than 3.5 million cartons of food and groceries to its stores and purchased extra 285 tonnes of potatoes, 100 crates of fruits and vegetables, which was an increase of 25 per cent compared to the week prior, Hannifin said.
Upmarket boutique chain Farro has three visits on the ministry’s list: Mairangi Bay visited once and Grey Lynn visited twice.
Three dairies are listed, all in Auckland – in Remuera, Mangere and Clendon Park.
SuperValue in Avondale appears twice, on August 23 and 25.
Shops with liquor in their names featured 11 times as places of interest including Liquor King Ponsonby and Mission Bay Liquor.
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CRAFT breweries may be a big story in the media these days, but they face much tougher challenges than most other small businesses.
Take the rules governing how beer is distributed, known as franchise laws, which were written decades ago and today are being used to limit consumer choice by keeping small and start-up breweries from moving easily into new markets.
Almost every state franchise law demands that breweries sign a strict contract with a single distributor in a state — the so-called three-tiered system. The contracts not only prevent other companies from distributing a company’s beers, but also give the distributor virtual carte blanche to decide how the beer is sold and placed in stores and bars — in essence, the distributor owns the brand inside that state.
This model was enacted in the 1970s, when the industry was a lot different: Back then there were fewer than 50 brewing companies in America and 5,000 distributors. Many small distributors carried beer only from one large brewer, and they needed protection in case the brewer they represented wanted to pull its product.
But today, while Big Beer remains big business, there are more than 2,700 breweries, and fewer than 1,000 viable distributors, so that relatively few distributors control huge sections of national territory, and each one can take on dozens of large and small breweries’ brands.
Nevertheless, state laws continue to empower distributors to select brands and manage them however they want — selling those they choose to sell, while letting other brands sit in their warehouses. The only recourse is to sue, and many small breweries lack even a fraction of the resources needed to take on a big distributor in court. As a result, they’re stuck with the bad distributor, which severely hampers their ability to perform and grow as a business.
Buy a small brewer a beer, and pretty soon he or she will be regaling you with war stories about fights with distributors.
For example, I once tried to terminate a contract with an underperforming distributor in New York for not only selling my products outside of his territory, but selling out-of-date beer. I thought it would be straightforward, since my contract said I could leave “with or without cause.”
But the distributor took us to court, saying the state’s franchise law, which sets a high standard for showing cause, trumped whatever my contract said. Two State Supreme Court rulings upheld my position, but, fearing a further appeal, I settled out of court. I was freed from the contract, but the legal fees and settlement cost Brooklyn Brewery more than $300,000.
Stories like this abound: My fellow craft brewers at Dogfish Head, in Delaware, faced a half-decade-long, six-figure legal dispute with a distributor just to terminate their contract.
Even worse, some small brewers refuse to enter certain markets because of the local distributors’ reputation. That’s bad for these businesses, and bad for the economy, but particularly bad for consumers, who would love to try the latest popular craft beers but can’t find them in their state.
Some states have remedied the distribution inequities. In 2012 Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York and the State Legislature created a “carve out” from the state’s beer franchise law for the smallest brewers: If your brewery represents less than 3 percent of a distributor’s business, and you produce fewer than 300,000 barrels of beer a year (which covers all but the largest craft breweries), you can switch distributors by paying for the “fair market value” of the distribution rights, as negotiated by the brewer and distributor — still an expensive proposition, but easier than going to court.
North Carolina has a similar law, while in Washington State, small brewers are excluded from the state’s franchise laws completely. Just last week Michigan enacted a law allowing very small brewers to self-distribute. And several other states, including Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, are considering revising their beer laws to allow small brewers to do the same.
As the craft-beer sector expands, states are waking up to the economic benefits it offers — in jobs, tourism and taxes. Many states now offer subsidies and regulatory assistance for new breweries. But too few states have taken on the tougher job of pushing against distributors and their lobbyists.
For small brewers, the flexibility to change distributors or distribute their own products is essential to gain access to markets, increase consumer choice, grow and pour money back into the economy. The success or failure of a beer should depend on whether consumers like it — not on whether archaic distribution laws prevent them from finding it in the first place.


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April consumer mood hit record low
published : 6 May 2021 at 14:30
Consumer confidence hit a record low in April, dented by a new wave of COVID-19 infections, which could cost the economy as much as 600 billion baht if it cannot be contained this month, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTTC) said on Thursday.
The latest outbreak has accounted for more than half of Thailand's total infections and deaths and slowed domestic activity.
The consumer index of the UTTC fell to 46.0 in April from 48.5 in March.
"Consumers felt the economy had not recovered much and lacked catalysts despite government measures boosting some spending," university president Thanavath Phonvichai told a briefing.
Consumer confidence would remain on a downward trend with no signs of recovery until new infections decrease and more vaccinations are administered, he said.
The university estimated economic loss of 400-600 billion baht if the outbreak continues beyond this month, Thanavath said.
The government should scramble to implement fresh relief measures to help shore up the economy, he added.
On Wednesday, the government approved a relief package worth 255 billion baht to mitigate the impact of the outbreak.


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confirms stateside prices for its two JRPG PS4 ports: Final Fantasy VII gets a tag of $16, while X/X-2 HD Remaster is priced at $50.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster blitzballs onto PlayStation 4 next spring, after Square Enix confirmed the news following this week's leak. The publisher said this morning it's porting the re-release, already out on PS3 and Vita, to Sony's latest console with "system-exclusive features." By the way, that note about system-exclusive features goes for Final Fantasy VII too. As for what those features are, we'll have to wait and see.
We're also waiting for word from Square Enix America, but the company's European branch revealed regional prices for the two ports. The remaster of the two Xs comes in at £40/50 euros, and it's on its way to store shelves as well as PSN. Final Fantasy VII, meanwhile, is downloadable-only (not cloud-based but Cloud-based), and its Euro-price is £13/16 euros.
[Image: Square Enix]