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Bing to Ban All Cash Advance Ads
Google announced on Wednesday so it would ban all adverts for pay day loans and associated items on its internet site since they usually trigger unaffordable payment terms and economic problems for customers.
David Graff, the manager of worldwide item policy at Bing, announced in a post that the ban that is global take impact July 13 and would connect with loans for which payment had been due in 60 times as well as for loans that carry an annual portion price of 36 per cent or more.
“This modification was created to protect our users from misleading or harmful lending options, ” Mr. Graff wrote. “Ads for economic services are a specific part of vigilance provided exactly exactly how core these are typically to people’s livelihood and wellbeing. ”
It’s the very first time that the business has prohibited such a diverse array of economic adverts on its web site, however the move ended up being welcome by advocates seeking stricter settings on a business long accused of focusing on low-income and minority communities with loans that carry egregiously high interest levels.
Lisa Donner, the executive manager of Us citizens for Financial Reform, stated in a statement that Google’s choice would stop abusive loan providers from promoting what she referred to as “debt-trap products which do severe and harm that is lasting customers. ”
Wade Henderson, president and leader of this Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition representing significantly more than 200 nationwide companies, stated in a statement, “These companies have actually very long used slick advertising and aggressive advertising to trap customers into outrageously high interest loans — usually those minimum in a position to pay for it. ”
However the Community Financial solutions Association of America, which claims it really works to preserve “access to credit that is short-term scores of People in america, ” criticized the move, calling it “discriminatory and a type of censorship. ”
“Google is creating a blanket evaluation in regards to the lending that is payday in the place of discerning the nice actors through the bad actors. This might be unjust towards those who are legal, licensed lenders and uphold business practices that are best. ”
The web Lenders Alliance, a link representing online economic solutions businesses https://www.cash-central.net/payday-loans-ca and their customers, additionally stated that Google’s brand new policy “goes past an acceptable limit. ”
“The Federal Reserve Board noted a year ago that 47 per cent of People in the us aren’t willing to manage a $400 unexpected expense, ” stated Lisa McGreevy, the alliance’s president and executive that is chief. “This is still another tactic that further restrictions the power of families to possess usage of credit to satisfy their obligations. ”
Pay day loans are usually marketed as being a real method for individuals to pay for a money shortage between paychecks. Ads crop up on line when users type in “need money to pay for lease” or other keyphrases that signal economic stress.
About one-third of this cash advance market is online, and two-thirds of this industry operates away from about 16,000 cash advance shops in 36 states around the world, in accordance with a Pew Charitable Trusts report in 2014. The report stated interest levels for online pay day loans had been typically greater than those for storefront loans, and additionally they often surpass 300 percent percentage that is annual.
Customers it’s still capable of finding pay day loan businesses through an organic explore Google, however their advertisements won’t be highlighted. Mr. Graff stated the company would continue steadily to review the insurance policy, and included so it will never influence businesses providing solutions such as mortgages, auto loans, figuratively speaking, commercial loans and bank cards.
Bing has brought action that is similar adverts for any other services or products it deems harmful or dangerous, such as for instance weapons, fireworks and tobacco. This past year, Bing disabled a lot more than 780 million ads for reasons ranging from counterfeiting to phishing.
The organization declined to express simply how much it likely to lose in income through the advertisement ban. The Pew report said on line lenders spent “substantial advertising dollars” on keyword-search-linked ads: key words related to payday advances typically cost $4.91 to $12.77 per simply click, which will be high, it stated.
Advocates are pressing to grow the ban on cash advance advertisements to many other search engines. Alvaro Bedoya, the executive manager of this focus on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law Center, stated in a meeting turn to Wednesday arranged by members of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights which they had also advised Microsoft and Yahoo to ban the advertisements.
Microsoft, through its internet search engine Bing, and Google take into account a lot of the search that is online global.
As the industry happens to be regulated on an advertisement basis that is hoc states, businesses just like the leadership coalition will also be calling for greater federal oversight regarding the payday industry, whose techniques happen called discriminatory.
The buyer Financial Protection Bureau is anticipated to announce proposed rules that are federal the industry in 2010. In a study in April, it noted that efforts by online lenders to subtract re re payments from customers records can truly add a steep, concealed price to payday loans online. 50 % of online borrowers can rack up a typical of $185 in bank charges because one or more debit attempt leads to an overdraft or fails, the report discovered.


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..now you don't.
the fashion industry's latest anticipated magazine, Industrie, has apparently busted a kansas city shuffle on us! earlier this month, it was released that Canadian model Daria Werbowy was going to be the first cover girl of the alleged "world's first culture of fashion magazine." the little switcharoo from Daria to Devil in Prada was a pretty smart move. publicity stunt maybe? who knows. but honestly if this IS work of a PR girl, it definitely worked...I'll be at the magazine stands May 10 to see what all the fuss is about.

domain: news


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Nokia has finally launched its highly anticipated N97 smartphone. The device was unveiled in December, and eventually hit shelves in the UK last month, nearly seven months later. We've managed to get...
Samsung finally unveils a new release date for its troubled (and expensive) folding-screen smartphone
Apple in talks with LG and Samsung over OLED 120Hz displays for its high-end iPhones
Huawei is reportedly seeking to use its new operating system in a variety of gadgets
Big batteries in the Energizer Power Max P18K pop prove unappealing in a bulky smartphone, despite MWA 2019 hype
Huawei had accused Samsung of using its 4G intellectual property without a licence


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The Atari brand is finally on the verge of disappearing. The company has been making big losses, cutting staff and selling off existing game titles. Now it begins to run out of money. This holiday season is pretty much its last chance as it will need to spend virtually every cent it can lay its hands on finishing and promoting the few games it has left.
[ Published by Rethink Research, a London-based publishing and consulting firm, on its weekly newsletter Faultline via The Register on 18th November, 2007. ]


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Cuomo Speaks on Gyms Reopening in New York
New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, speaks about when gyms will reopen in the state.
As gym owners protested about gyms remaining closed, it doesn't look like their is any reopening in sight. Governor Cuomo considers gyms to be problematic and says they will not reopen anytime soon. The governor says that health experts say gyms are a potential major problem when it comes to the spread of COVID-19, according to WIVB. During a conference call yesterday, August 7, Cuomo announced that gyms will stay closed.
“These have been the nationally identified sources of increased infection. We have some data here. We have experience here. We know gyms are highly problematic.” ~ New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, via WIVB
As a gym member myself, I am torn on this. I am definitely feeling out of shape, since it's been about 4 or 5 months since I've been able to go to my gym. I also agree with Cuomo and health experts that it's difficult to safely reopen gyms. I was already skeptical about the cleanliness of gyms before COVID-19. "But we'll be sanitizing and cleaning constantly," is what gyms say. Yeah, but, I've seen it with grocery stores, restaurants and retail - they start out cleaning and sanitizing, then it slowly goes away. That's the part that worries me. Until it's safe, I guess I'll find other ways to stay physically fit.


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A Silicon Valley start-up that is taking on the might of Google has attracted investment from Time Warner, owner of AOL, and the man who launched one of the world's most popular mobile phones.
Kosmix, which already counts the backer of Facebook and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos among its investors, has secured $20m (£13.5m) from Time Warner and Ed Zander, the former boss of Motorola.
Zander was at the helm of the American mobile phone maker when it launched the Razr, the ultra-slim model that went on to become one of the world's best sellers. He is joining the company as an adviser.
Kosmix is the brainchild of Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, who made their fortunes in the dotcom boom selling their e-commerce company Junglee to Amazon for $250m. Rajaraman was a contemporary of Google's co-founder Sergey Brin at Stanford University.
The duo have spent the last three years perfecting Kosmix's technology and the site - kosmix.com - will relaunch today. They claim Kosmix takes online search a step further than just generating a list of websites containing certain words.
The site looks more like a web portal than a search engine. It pulls together text, audio and video content based on the underlying concept behind any query entered, rather than just looking for sites that contain the words in that query.
"If you want a specific piece of information you use search and Google is your best bet," Rajaraman said. "But sometimes we are not looking for such a specific piece of information but something broader ... sometimes it is far more valuable to get the opinion and discussion and commentary around things.
"It's not just text, it's not just facts, it's more like exploring than finding," he said. "You're not searching, you're browsing."
So a search for "chocolate cake", for instance, brings up a wikipedia entry about cake, plus recipes, pictures and videos of people making cakes and details of stores and online shops offering cakes and ingredients. It also has a list of related topics from chocolate brownies and devil's food cake through to tiramisu. It also shows results generated by Google.
Kosmix hopes to make money by dropping adverts into the pages that are generated, basing these adverts around the topic requested. The page also includes traditional sponsored links that are generated by Google AdWords.
Kosmix - which employs 65 people just round the corner from Google in Mountain View, California - has already demonstrated the advertising potential of its system by creating RightHealth. It is an online medical resource that uses Kosmix's concept-based search algorithms and has gone from nowhere to the second largest US health site in the space of a year, attracting 11 million visitors a month.
The company has raised $35m from Bezos, the serial dotcom investor Bill Miller and venture capital firms Accel Partners, which backed Facebook, Lightspeed Ventures Partners, and Dag Ventures.
Rajaraman said the cash from Time Warner "gives us enough runway to grow the company for the foreseeable future" and should get it to profitability.


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Michael B. Jordan is Joining OnlyFans—Actually, His *Mustache* Is
Drop that link!
In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Jordan shared that he’s developed a new relationship with his famous facial hair in quarantine, giving his ‘stache both a new name and a nickname. Capitalizing on the internet-wide love of his most famous feature, he’s going to give fans exclusive content on the subscription-based social media platform, with proceeds going to help hair stylists that have been impacted financially by COVID-19.
“I never had time to actually sit in one place and grow my facial hair where I didn’t have to get it groomed, or manicured, or anything like that. So, during quarantine, I just wanted to see how much hair I could actually grow,” Jordan told Kimmel, adding, “His name is Murphy. We call him Murph for short. Got an OnlyFans coming soon—eating fruit, all types of crazy stuff, it’s going to get wild.”
Jordan clarified that he’s not joking, and is truly planning on setting up an account to help benefit barbers and stylists that have suffered financial hardship during the pandemic.
“I’m actually going to start [an OnlyFans account],” he shared, “but like all the proceeds I want to go towards a barber school because during the quarantine, you know, there’s been so many businesses and schools that shut down.”
We can’t be the only ones not-so-patiently waiting for the actor's account to go live—we’re prepared to give him all our coins just for some exclusive Murph content. We're so looking forward to seeing what Jordan's got up his impeccably-styled sleeve, and the fact that he’s going to help provide financial security to the many deserving stylists out there is merely the cherry on top. Drop that link pronto, please!


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The New Trix Cereal Looks Different & People Are Not Pleased
General Mills has fallen into an all-too-common trap: It listened to its customers, and now it's paying big time for trying to accommodate them. They removed all artificial colors and flavors from Trix cereal at the beginning of this year, trying to respond to customer demand for healthier, more natural products.
As one might expect, the colors of the new cereal are a bit duller now that they don't contain the fluorescent brightness of red 40 and yellow 5 — plus, the fun fruit shapes have become boring spheres — and people are flipping out.
Then there's my favorite conspiracy theory.
One person pointed out that looks can be deceiving.
One person showcased how Trix has changed over the past few years.
And a lot of people just felt bad for the Trix rabbit.
My counterpoint to all the hate is that while I do miss the whimsically fruit-shaped Trix of my youth, the new Trix cereal actually looks like food. That's a novel concept considering how often our cheesy foods are as orange as a traffic cone and our fruity foods are brighter than the rainbow, but the fact is that this is what real food looks like. It may not be as fun to stare at, but it still tastes the same, so shouldn't that be good enough?
Then again, would it really hurt General Mills to bring back the fruit shapes? Because I would totally be here for that.


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EP13 - CCD founder VG Siddhartha missing amidst tax woes | Startup Central 30 JULY 2019 | TIMESNOW | 56 MIN 02 SEC
All of India Inc is concerned ever since CCD founder has gone missing. The company is putting up a brave front, and says continuity will be maintained. But the man who was behind the India's first home-grown coffee chain - VG Siddhartha - is known as an optimist, who backs his team to dream higher. Back Tune in for all the latest updates.


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Amway Taiwan to see record revenue this year.
In recent years Amway Taiwan has posted double-digit annual growths in revenues. Last year its revenues grew to NT$6.4 billion (US$193.94 million) and are expected to jump to over NT$7.2 billion (US$218.18 million). Chen predicted that the figure might break NT$10 billion (US$303.03 million) within three years.
Amway's promotion of its three major brandsiXNutrilite, ARTISTRY, and eSpringiXhas likely helped to drive sales, hence pushing up revenues. Nutrilite is the company's key health food brand, helping to generate sales of NT$3 billion (US$90.9 million) in Taiwan last year. ARTISTRY is its skin-care brand that saw annual revenue growth of 25% in the same year; while eSpring, mainly a water purifier brand, may post double revenues this year than last year.
Amway Taiwan has established seven product-testing centers in major Taiwan cities to better familiarize salespeople with products, raising their confidence to promote products. The company plans to set up more centers in second-tier cities island-wide in the near future.
Last year Taiwan's market for MLM sales dipped 4% from a year earlier to NT$51.4 billion (US$1.56 billion), with such value perhaps to remain unchanged this year.
|Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback|
|Publication:||The Taiwan Economic News|
|Article Type:||Financial report|
|Date:||Nov 4, 2009|
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The iQue Player is a game console released by iQue in 2003 and partially developed by BroadOn. It was built from the ground up to circumvent China's ban on home video game consoles by being presented as an educational device and integrating the controller and console into an all-in-one unit. It uses an ASIC which replicates the CPU and RCP of the Nintendo 64 while adding new features such as USB support and a 64MB NAND.
Similarities with the Wii
Since BroadOn partially developed the iQue Player, internally the console has some similarities with the Wii. For example, the NAND structure is similar to the Wii's.
In 2018, the iQue Player was hacked by a small team of hackers after an SDK and plaintext games for the device were leaked in April 2018 by scene release group SUXXORS.
Plans to release in other regions
In 2004, some news outlets reported that Nintendo had plans to release the iQue Player in South America, another piracy-heavy region. However, this seemingly never manifested as no South American iQue Player units have been found nor is there any announcement of their release.


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The whale meat left Iceland and was shipped to Rotterdam where it was loaded aboard the large container ship Cosco Pride which is on route to Hong Kong. The ship made a stop in Hamburg and loaded more containers before it would sail to Asia. Greenpeace protested in Hamburg last week and emphasized that there were whale products on-board the ship.
The customs in Hamburg demanded information about the cargo and they reviewed waybills, according to the German paper Hamburger Abendblatt. The customs also ordered that the whale meat should be brought to land. The customs finally reached the conclusion that the waybills were alright and that the cargo could be shipped away, even though whale product trade is illegal in German. But then the ship Cosco Pride had sailed away and the containers where still in Hamburg. Another ship has therefore to be found.
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Following rumors earlier today, Nintendo Switch Online has been updated with a handful of new games! Right now, subscribers can check out Earthworm 2 on the Super Nintendo app, as well as MAPPY-LAND and DIG-DUG 2 on the NES app. The NES and SNES apps are available as part of the basic Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but the two apps have gotten a bit less attention over the last few months, as the Expansion Pack’s Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis apps have received more focus. Thankfully, it seems Nintendo isn’t finished bringing more classic games to the service!
The three new additions to Nintendo Switch Online were revealed on the company’s official Twitter account. Subscribers can play them by updating their apps from the Nintendo Switch home screen. A trailer featuring the three games can be found embedded below.
? DIG DUG II
? Earthworm Jim 2 pic.twitter.com/qawCo7bWLm
All things considered, this is a fairly surprising trio! In particular, the presence of Earthworm Jim 2 is quite unexpected. The original Earthworm Jim has not been released on Switch, so it’s strange that the sequel was added first. Regardless, fans that played the game when it first released back in 1995 seem to be pretty happy about the game’s addition, and it will be interesting to see how newcomers feel about Earthworm Jim 2!
While users seem generally happy about these new games, every new addition to Nintendo Switch Online prompts requests for some of the most highly-demanded retro games. Earthbound was one such game before its addition earlier this year, and now fans are begging to see Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It’s possible there could be licensing issues with Square Enix standing in the way, or Nintendo could be holding the release for strategic purposes. Nintendo is a notoriously tight-lipped company, so there’s no way of knowing for certain. As such, fans will just have to settle for what’s available on the service, in the meantime!
Are you excited about these new additions to Nintendo Switch Online? Which do you plan on playing first? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!


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Avbob prepares for Covid-19 spike with containers to store bodies
One of SA's biggest funeral parlours has begun converting shipping containers into mobile mortuaries in anticipation for a spike in Covid-19 related deaths.
Avbob has already produced nine mobile mortuaries from a factory in Bloemfontein to ensure it does not run out of space when Covid-19 deaths are at a peak.
Three of these mobile mortuaries will be in Gauteng - Springs, Auckland Park and Midrand.
The 12m x 3m containers can store 40 bodies and run on electricity and generators. On average, most of Avbob's 39 branches with mortuaries take between 25 and 30 bodies.
"The concept comes from our corporate social investment projects. Many years ago, we started buying these shipping containers and converted them to libraries which we donated to schools. So far, 55 of these container libraries have been donated," said Vusi Dladla, Avbob area manager of funeral services.
"With the Covid-19 rise in infections, our factory decided to convert these containers into mobile mortuaries. We've decided to build these units so that if there is a peak or a huge spike in mortality, then we can deal with it," Dladla said.
"We obviously have placed these three containers in Gauteng due to the demand projections in the province. Should the need arise, we will get more mobile mortuaries and place them at our branches."
Since the government moved national lockdown from level 4 to 3, Covid-19 infections have increased exponentially. It was during this stage that Gauteng overtook Western Cape and became the epicentre of the pandemic.
As at July 18, Covid-19 cases in Gauteng were 128,604, with 58,512 recoveries and 956 deaths. Last week, health minister Zweli Mkhize warned that the number of hotspots was increasing drastically.
Mkhize said that in May, South Africa had just 12 hotspots but this had increased to 52 in July.
Hotspots are areas with more than five infected people per 100,000, or where new infections are increasing at a fast pace. At the beginning of the national lockdown, the government projected infections to reach a peak in September.
The rate of infections got so high that the Gauteng executive requested national government to tighten regulations to arrest the rise.
Deputy president of the National Funeral Directors Association Lawrence Konyana said members have started beefing up their storage in anticipation of an upcoming peak in deaths due to Covid-19.
"We are currently doing an audit for us to see what is the capacity of each region in the country. We were approached by the government wanting to know what kind of capacity we had. We had to go to our members to establish what capacity do we have," he said.
"This included other associations as well. We wanted to complete the process by last month but could not do so. We are hoping that by the end of this month we should have an idea of what we have in Gauteng and other regions."
Konyana said demand for storage is manageable depending on what other role players involved in burials do.
He said if municipalities provide burial space on time, home affairs issues documents promptly and insurance companies pay claims early, the industry should be able to cope with high numbers.
This, Konyana said, was also due to the fact that Covid-19 positive bodies have to be buried within three days which frees more space.
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Prime Video has launched a unique campaign to celebrate the festive season, urging its customers & fans to reconnect with their loved ones. In a year that saw Prime Video become an integral part of customers’ lives as their preferred entertainment destination, the campaign urges users to press pause on the amazing world of Prime Video, and instead celebrate with their family and friends, following all necessary health and safety precautions. Led by two of Prime Video’s most beloved and iconic characters, Kaleen Bhaiyya (Mirzapur) and Siddhi (Four More Shots Please!), the campaign features two films that will run on digital platforms and TV. The films were conceptualized in-house and created by Big Momma Productions.
“Over the last four years, we have had the amazing privilege of entertaining our customers with a slate of compelling Amazon Originals and movies across multiple languages. Especially over the last 18 months, as the country went into lockdowns, Prime Video has become the go-to entertainment destination for customers across the country and we are truly humbled by this.” said Sushant Sreeram, Director – Marketing, Amazon Prime Video, India. “At the same time, we want to encourage our customers to take a moment to reconnect and rediscover the joy of togetherness – in real life or virtually. With this campaign, we wanted to remind customers that Prime Video and the world of their favourite stories and characters are always going to be around, but they shouldn’t miss the beautiful opportunity to celebrate the festive season with their loved ones. And we couldn’t think of a better way to say this than have some of our iconic characters do it for us! We hope customers enjoy many joyous moments and create some amazing new memories this festive season and we can’t wait for them all to be back to their favourite world of Prime Video!”
Pankaj Tripathi, back as Mirzapur’s Kaleen Bhaiyya in one of the films, said, “I am grateful to my fans who have showered me with so much love over the past few years. I am truly humbled by all the adoration I have received from them. However, this Diwali, I want to tell my fans that Kaleen Bhaiyya would love for them to spend time with their families. Diwali gives us the opportunity to connect with our loved ones and the time spent with them adds to the joy of the festival. Kaleen Bhaiyya and the many characters that you love, will be there on Prime Video tomorrow and every other day, but Diwali should be all about family and friends.”
Conceptualized in-house by the brand marketing team, the videos have been scripted and produced by Big Momma Productions. Sohini Dasgupta, Founder, Big Momma Productions has directed both the heart-warming films.
Click HERE to read more and view the original source of this article.


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A big push
Finnish developer Supercell is best known for its mobile games Clash of Clans and Clash Royale and today announced plans to expand this fantasy universe in style. Supercell revealed that three new Clash titles are in development. “In addition to offering a new Clash experience to current players, we want to expand Clash to new audiences that have never tried Clash before,” wrote the developer in a blog post.
Games include: Clash Quest, a turn-based tactical adventure game; Clash Mini, a virtual board game where you build teams of adorable miniatures; and Clash Heroes, a cooperative action RPG. Supercell also notes that they are all at the beginning of development and are likely to change in some ways as things progress.
In fact, the developer is somewhat famous for killing games in beta, so some of these titles may not have a wide release. “With your feedback, we believe that these three can become the great games that Clash fans deserve,” says the developer. “If they don’t meet the standards, we will kill them and move on to other attempts.”
Even so, the game trio represents a major boost for the company to expand its popular fantasy universe; last year, Supercell also released its first CG animation short, and in 2016, there was a Clash web series run by writers who worked on The Simpsons. The boost also shows the company’s growth in recent years. Two of the games – Mini and Heroes – will be the first titles from the new Supercell studio in Shanghai.
“It is important to note that the Clash of Clans and Clash Royale game teams are 100 percent separate from the three [new] Clash games (and the development teams behind them),” says the developer. “Which means that these new Clash games will not affect any development or support for existing Supercell games.”
There is no information on when any of the new games will start to be released in beta, but Supercell says it also has several other non-Clash games in development.


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The starting price of this Apple iPad is Rs 39,900.Image Credit source: PTI
FM Nirmala Sitharaman: Before the general elections, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has presented the interim budget on Thursday i.e. 1st February. This is the 6th budget of Nirmala Sitharaman. Before this she has presented 5 union budgets. Let us tell you that the government presents the interim budget before the elections, which contains the details of the government’s expenditure till the elections.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman once again reached Parliament carrying a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional ledger-style bag. This is the third time that a paperless budget has been presented in Parliament. Before presenting the budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met President Draupadi Murmu. Let us know with the help of which iPad the Finance Minister presented the interim budget in Parliament.
read this also
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2024
Which tablet does FM Sitharaman use?
Nirmala Sitharaman has presented the budget for the 6th time in the Parliament of the country. She is the first Finance Minister who has presented a paperless budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started this with the Union Budget 2022-23, in which the Finance Minister presented the budget through a tablet. According to the information, like last year, this time also Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget through Apple iPad (10th gen).
FM named this tablet ‘Bahi-Khata’
The Finance Minister has given a ‘ledger’ to the tablet through which he has presented the 2024 interim budget before the elections. The Finance Minister had reached Parliament wrapping this ledger in a red cloth, on this occasion she was wearing a blue colored saree. Before meeting the President, the Finance Minister posed for a photograph with his officials outside his office.
How much does Apple iPad cost?
The Apple iPad through which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim budget is Apple iPad (10th gen). The starting price of this Apple iPad is Rs 39,900 which comes with a variant of 64GB storage. Whereas the price of its 256GB storage variant is Rs 54,900.


text: Ever since the release of Mass Effect 3 we have seen a turmultuous fight between us, the consumer, and EA. And it really seems like the investors and stock analysts haven't missed a beat of this either. It almost feels like they are watching the reaction of the consumer and watching to see what EA says. But one has to wonder, how many of these investors might be gamers or business saavy themselves? Well, I have some stock/news updates. Over the course of about 4-6 months, EA's stocks have taken a downward turn. Now granted in that time, there have been other ups and downs. but they cannot seem to get back to their Pre-Mass Effect 3 numbers. You can see the trend here: https://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:EA . Yesterday, the stocks closed at $12.00/share, and Pre-market as of 9:07 am EST today (6/22/2012), EA is going to oepn lower at $11.80/share. This has not been lost on the top Stock Analysts. Citigroup has cut (downgraded) EA's stocks to Neutral from Buy(http://247wallst.com/2012/06/22/top...az-msi-onxx-pby-rl-rgr-sxci-trow-mrk-ilmn-pg/). With this it appeared that COO Peter Moore tries to blame it on a "unbelievablly difficult transition". (http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/...-more-stocks-slamming-into-52-week-lows.html/) -Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) Chief Opertaing Officer Peter Moore says that the video game industry is currently experiencing an “unbelievably difficult transformation” and added that the conventional wisdom of “when the new consoles come out, everything is going to be fine again,” no longer pertains, according to an interview published Wednesday by Kotaku. EA shares have traded between $12.20 and $26.13 in a 52-week range, but closed down 5.21 percent on the day at $12. In essence, Peter Moore is attempting to lump all game companies together claiming they are all hurting. While this may be partially true for some, EA's stocks have taken a substatially harder hit. I would fathom a guess and call this a very weak PR spin to try and turn the attention away from their poor performance. Earlier in the week, Peter Moore stated that he and EA are coming to grips with the Digital Transformation in an interview with Gamasutra: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/..._to_grips_with_the_digital_transformation.php -Moore says, "The company has a vision and a mission, which we don't talk a lot about externally, but you find it a lot when you go to the [EA] office. In broad terms, we talk about uniting through play, bringing people together through play. The mission is to build the world's best digital playground with fun for everyone, anywhere, anytime. We think that the future of gaming is cross-platform play, always having something with you that's a gaming device, but everything you do connects." - In an interview with Hartware.Net (http://www.hartware.de/news_55173.html), Frank Gibeau praises the new Microsoft Smart Glass to further their vision with thier Cross-Platform: -Translated via GoogleTranslate: Frank Gibeau, head of EA label at Electronic Arts, Microsoft SmartGlass praises for the networking of the Xbox 360 Tablets: According to Gibeau had the enthusiastic publisher of Smart Glass products and rate it as a very clever move by Microsoft. Gibeau says literally. "We love the idea of Smart Glass is a killer." The EA Manager believes that SmartGlass corresponded exactly to the philosophy of Electronic Arts, because it enables you to post content across platforms. "The Nintendo is under enormous pressure, because now you need a new system more," added Gibeau. This makes his position clear Gibeau: While Nintendo's Wii U also put on several screens and deliver a tablet controller directly, but Microsoft offers a similar concept, one must erweben without new hardware. In addition, one could include in this way devices with Google Android, Apple iOS and Microsofs own Windows Phone, which guarantee a more willing customer base. Gibeaus colleague Andrew Wilson, who is responsible for EA Sports at Electronic Arts agrees to the praise with a "Smart Glass will develop video games for new audiences, it changed how people interact with their console me.." Wilson thus guaranteeing that Electronic Arts will incorporate Smart Glass in the future in his games to offer customers real added value." Now we have to wait and see how the technique depends on whether customers and Nintendo's Wii U at the end but is not more followers. Both the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft's U SmartGlass will this year come on the market. It seems that with the downturn of their current customer base, they are turning to others to rebuild their poularity. But as we see with the stocks, this may be a smokescreen that investors are seeing through.


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General Motors says Chris Liddell will leave the company next month after roughly a year as the vice chairman and chief financial officer.
Liddel, 52, joined the automaker in January, 2010 to lead the company’s financial and accounting operations on a global basis ahead of the initial public offering.
“Chris was a major contributor during a pivotal time in the company’s history,” said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO in a release today.
“He guided the company’s IPO process and established a good financial foundation for the future.”
He will be succeeded by Dan Ammann, 38, current V-P of finance and treasurer.


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Amazon prices rise as Chinese sellers’ VAT loophole is closed
The price of Chinese products sold on Amazon and eBay has jumped after tougher tax rules came into force on January 1.
Online marketplaces now have to account for the VAT paid on products sold on their platforms by third party sellers through deducting the tax at source. The change was made amid growing concern that thousands of mainly Chinese sellers were evading the tax by using fake VAT numbers and shell companies to sell products in effect tax-free.
Analysis of platforms such as eBay and Amazon suggests that the move has had an instant effect, with potentially tens of thousands of products rising in price significantly overnight. Many items are now about 20 per cent more expensive.
Campaigners want HM Revenue and Customs to


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Casio, Piqué and Shakira: a missed opportunity for Influencer Advocacy?
Recent massive media coverage prompted by Shakira’s latest hit song, BZRP Music Session #53, presented some interesting learning about ‘influencer advocacy‘. This involves a celebrity promoting a product because they like the brand, not because they’re being paid to do this, as is the case with ‘influencer marketing’. The brand in question is Casio. And in our view they’ve missed a chance to react rapidly and strategically to a cultural event. The Shakira song actually presented Casio in a negative light. But smart marketing could have possibly flipped this negative on its head into positive brand exposure.
Post created with brandgym Partner Bety Martinez, based in Mexico City.
JAN 11th: THE SHAKIRA SONG
The song expressed the singer’s anger at former Barcelona soccer star Gerard Piqué, who left her after 10 years of marriage for a younger girlfriend, Clara Chia. One line in particular presented the potential opportunity for Casio. “I’m worth two 22-year-olds. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo. You traded a Rolex for a Casio,” the singer proclaimed.
The song launched on January 11th and caught fire immediately. It was the biggest debut by any Latin song in YouTube history: 50 million views in 24 hours and 210 million by its second week. It set a new record for a Latin artist on Spotify, with 69 million monthly listeners. And the song also became a top 10 hit in the Billboard charts, highly unusual for a non-English song. That is one hell of a lot of brand exposure already for Casio, albeit positioning the brand as a cheaper, less good alternative to Rolex.
So, how did Casio react to the opportunity?
JAN 13th: CASIO’S RESPONDS?
At first sight, it seemed that Casio reacted to the song quickly and with humour, as shown by the Tweets below:
The brand even seemed to change its Twitter bio to keep up momentum:
Things went up a new level when Piqué then revealed live on TV that Casio was the new sponsor for Spanish King’s League, where streamers and ex-footballers lead 12 clubs for a seven-a-side tournament in Barcelona. However, Casio then issued a press release around Jan 14th, denying involvement. “Various versions circulated on social networks about a Casio sponsorship of a project led by Gerard Piqué. Casio completely dissociates itself from such statements. We request to stop the unauthorized use of our brand in order to prevent legal action,” the official looking statement read (2).
Starting to sense something is not quite right yet?
JAN 15th: CASIO’S OFFICIAL RESPONSE
It turns out the entire series of social media messages and the press release were from a spoof account. Casio posted on their real Twitter account to try and clear things up. Note how they manage to actually include a link to the spoof Twitter page, @CasioOficial, to inadvertently send even more traffic there!
So, what can we learn from this story?
1. BE FAST. VERY FAST
The real Casio brand was too slow to react to the explosive exposure of the Shakira song. The fake Casio social media accounts were set up and started posting within 24 hours of the song being released. It took a further 48 hours for Casio to communicate that these sites were in fact spoofs. But by this time the horse had well and truly bolted from the stable and was sprinting into the distance. One illustration of this is the number of Twitter followers for the fake accounts vs. the real Casio one trying to discount them (see below). Talk about a losing battle!
The massive coverage for social media posts around the Casio Shakira song shows the potential for brand exposure. The brand team’s lack of response created a vacuum, filled the spoof sites. This shows that if you as a brand don’t respond, someone else will do it for you.
2. HAVE A CRYSTAL CLEAR POSITIONING
A clear brand positioning allows the brand team, creative agencies and community managers to react strategically to opportunities like the Shakira song. This allows the team to react rapidly in an on-brand way. We posted here on a good example of this by the Popsicle brand. The brand team reacted within 24 hours to a post by Justin Bieber to his 119million Instagram followers that he was frustrated at not finding the ‘Double Pop’ version of Popsicle. Popsicle posted in a friendly, humorous way that brought to life the brand’s personality, and the posts were bright and colourful, capturing the spirit of summer.
3. CREATE INFLUENCER ADVOCACY
Casio really missed an opportunity to go beyond paid influencer marketing to the more powerful influencer advocacy. The key to advocacy is getting the product itself into the hands of the celebrity, without paying. Popsicle did this by actually re-making the Double Pop product Justin Bieber wanted!
Another example is Snickers. The brand team sent product to TV presented Jeremy Clarkson, after he was fired from the BBC for hitting a producer for failing to feed him when he was hungry. This reaction was rapid, funny and brilliantly brought to life the brand’s positioning.
Casio could have got product samples out immediately. To avoid taking sides, why not send Casio watches to both parties? Casio watches could have been sent to Piqué in commiseration for being slagged off in public. And Casio watches could have been sent to Shakira to show her that they are in fact a durable, timeless and affordable timepiece.
In conclusion, the Casio Shakira story shows that to respond to opportunities in a digital age, brand teams need to have a crystal clear positioning and a rapid response planning process in place. If you don’t respond, you run the risk of someone else responding for you, as Casio found out!


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FAU-G, also known as Fearless and United Guards. This game is announced by Akshay Kumar in September this year after PUBG Mobile was banned by the government due to security reasons. It has crossed the 1 million pre-registrations mark. This happened in just three days of the registrations going live on the Google Play Store. FAU-G Pre-registrations on Google Play Cross 1 Million.
It appeared on the Google Play Store on November 30 but only for pre-registration. FAU-G is said to be a local alternative to those who played PUBG Mobile before it was banned in September. FAU-G was initially expected to arrive in October, but the launch was then delayed to November. We are in December now, and it is still not known when exactly the game will be rolled out.
nCore, developers of FAU-G based in Bengaluru confirmed it by an announcement on Twitter. This news has come around when the PUBG Mobile is about to come back with the country’s special edition. nCore Games tweeted that the FAU-G Pre-registrations have crossed 1 Million in Just 3 Days.
The game is not listed on the Apple App Store. This could mean that the developers may be sticking to an Android-only game for now at least. Users who have pre-registered for FAU-G will get a push notification when the game is available for download. Eligible devices will have the game automatically downloaded and installed.
Thank you for a fantastic response! The highest number of pre-registrations in India in less than 24 hours!nCore games said on its Twitter.
Also, Google Play store listing doesn’t give the details about the expected launch date and exact size of the game, or either list of compatible devices to just give the idea to the users. The teaser of the FAU-G shows that the level that emulates the Galwan Valley clashes between the Indian and Chinese armies along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
While PUBG is being hoping to come back in India FAU-G is being is heavily promoted in India. And now the FAU-G Pre-registrations has crossed 1 millions in three days.


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The Trump administration’s tentative trade deal with Chinese negotiators is not worth the paper it is not printed on. It is just another instalment in the cycle of stop-start negotiations and tit-for-tat tariffs that has inflicted enormous damage on the US and world economy.
The best that can be said for the prospective deal is that it forestalls the next US tariff increase scheduled for October 15, which would have seen the 25 per cent tariff on $US250 billion ($368 billion) of Chinese imports raised to 30 per cent.
The proposed increase would have taken the average tariff rate on Chinese imports to the US to 23.8 per cent.
However, the planned 15 per cent tariff on another $US160 billion in Chinese imports scheduled for December 15 will still go ahead.
Together, the proposed tariffs would have raised the average tariff rate to nearly 27 per cent, covering nearly 97 per cent of China’s imports.
Even if the proposed agreement makes it onto a signed piece of paper, the average tariff rate will remain at 21 per cent, covering only 69 per cent of Chinese imports.
For its part, China has raised the average tariff rate on US imports to nearly 22 per cent.
In return for the partial stay on tariffs, China will increase its purchases of US agricultural products by $US50 billion. But these purchases were always among the most trivial elements of any deal and have been on the table for months.
It will do little to compensate US farmers, many of whom have been reduced to federal welfare recipients, costing the US Treasury more than it is collecting in tariff revenue.
The currently proposed tariffs are among the biggest tax increases in US history. However, their full force won’t be apparent until after the December 15 tariff hike. US importers have already stockpiled goods ahead of the tariff increase, so the burden on US consumers and business, already substantial, won’t be fully apparent until next year.
The US has also secured the outlines of a currency accord, which will likely borrow from similar provisions in the new US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.
Whereas the US previously advocated flexible exchange rates as conducive to free trade, the US will being asking China to manage its exchange rate in US interests.
The US has already designated China a ‘currency manipulator’ for accommodating the market forces pushing its exchange rate against the US dollar lower. But for Chinese intervention to support its currency, the depreciation would have been even more dramatic.
The US and China will likely take different views on whether China’s exchange rate management is consistent with the deal.
Because the deal is effectively an executive memorandum of understanding, it will have none of the dispute settlement and enforcement mechanisms found in properly negotiated and legislated free trade agreements.
In the absence of these mechanisms, the currency accord and other provisions are likely to occasion future punitive tariffs and retaliation.
The deal includes some progress on strengthening intellectual property protections, but omits a wide range of key issues, most notably China’s state subsidies and state-directed lending to Chinese firms and forced technology transfer.
The US blacklisting of Huawei and other Chinese entities is out of scope. Meanwhile, the US is opening up new fronts in the trade war targeting cross-border capital flows.
The proposed deal will take weeks to turn into an agreed text. The plan to sign it at the APEC summit meeting in Chile in November would seem ambitious. The deal may fall over on the detail between now and then.
Given the 15 months it has taken to reach a trivial ‘phase one’ deal, progress on more substantive issues is going to be tough.
Significant damage to the world economy has already been done. It comes not so much from the direct impact of the tariffs, but the uncertainty they have generated.
That uncertainty has prompted a global capital strike and decline in business investment, including in Australia.
Global manufacturing is in recession and trade volumes are contracting, even before the full effect of tariffs is felt.
The outlook for the US and world economy would have been much better but for Donald Trump’s trade war, even with the Chinese economy slowing.
A fully-fledged and properly legislated accord between the US and China covering the substantive issues between them would take many years to negotiate and implement.
Trump’s preference for an executive agreement, which he calls ‘fast and clean’, means that the US can dispose of any or all of the provisions at Trump’s choosing.
The Trump administration has indicated that tariffs will remain a key compliance and enforcement mechanism.
China’s interests are best served by pushing the worst of the trade war into the 2020 presidential election year, when Trump will have to explain to the American people what he has to show for the damage he has inflicted.


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Venezuela-US trade balance down 31.42% in 2012
Venezuela's oil imports skyrocketed in 2012 (474.96%), as the country imported vast quantities of compounds for the processing of gasoline and other oil by-products
Based on data revealed by the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Trade and Industry (VenAmCham), the rise in imports is accountable for the drop in the balance reported in favor of Venezuela. Purchases from the United States soared 41.51% in the aforementioned period, climbing from USD 11.24 billion in 2011 to USD 15.90 billion in 2012.
For their part, Venezuela's oil imports skyrocketed in 2012 (474.96%), jumping from USD 486 million in 2011 to USD 2.79 billion.
A blast in Venezuela's main refinery Amuay in August last year, made the country import vast quantities of compounds for gasoline and other oil byproducts processing.
Meanwhile, non-oil imports swelled 21.9%, rising from USD 10.7 billion in 2011 to USD 13.10 billion in 2012, the VenAmCham's report shows.
For their part, Venezuela's exports went down 10.98%, from USD 40.09 billion two years ago to USD 35.69 billion last year.
Oil exports slowed 11.35%, from USD 38.19 billion in 2011 to USD 34.49 billion in 2012.
A slight rise (1.17%) was reported in non-oil exports, from USD 1.18 billion to USD 1.19 billion.
Translated by Jhean Cabrera
María Fernanda Astudillo is a store analyst for Alimentos Polar working at the company's facilities in La Yaguara. At only 23 years of age, she has made a career in that company where she has worked for the last six years. Now, besides her responsibilities, which include overseeing shipping/receiving and warehousing of goods, she is taking part in the roundtable discussions among the other companies operating in the La Yaguara industrial park, the Government and the workers exploring possible ways of coping with the order to expropriate the land.


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SEOUL, April 28 (Korea Bizwire) — SSG.com, the online shopping unit of retail conglomerate Shinsegae, announced Monday that it will start using ice packs containing eco-friendly microorganisms to help the environment.
The contents of the new ice packs, when disposed of through a drain, can cleanse wastewater or be used as a nutritional supplement for plants at home, the company explained.
Previously, the company had been using ice packs containing pure water without any other chemical substances, lauded for its eco-friendly qualities.
The company then decided to take another step forward by creating a cold insulation material that uses a photosynthetic microorganism known as PSB.
“At least 20,000 ice packs are used every day for early morning deliveries,” the company said.
“With the introduction of the new ice pack, we aim to achieve our social responsibility of offering sustainable, eco-friendly services and reducing the use of disposable products.”
Image Credit: SSG.com / Shinsegae Department Store / firstname.lastname@example.org


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South African payment service provider PayFast has been sold to Kenya’s DPO Group in a cash and shares deal. PayFast management, including MD Jonathan Smit, will become shareholders in the Nairobi-based company.
PayFast, founded in 2007, uses a “facilitator model” to process payments through partner banks. The integration of PayFast into DPO’s services will allow merchants and consumers to carry out transactions across 18 countries in Africa from a single platform. DPO will now provide services to over 100 000 merchants in these markets.
“PayFast has the broadest range of shopping cart integrations in Africa and its Instant EFT service provides consumers with a secure alternative for making online payments,” DPO Group said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The integration of PayFast into DPO’s services will increase the range of payment options available to DPO’s business customers, while providing a pan-African solution to PayFast’s existing customer base.”
“PayFast is a natural fit for DPO Group and this deal strategically follows our acquisitions of PayGate, VCS, Paythru and SiD since 2016,” said DPO chairman and co-founder Offer Gat. “The combination of DPO Group and PayFast will greatly increase the ability of merchants on our platform to do business with their clients both within and outside of Africa.”
In 2016, DPO received investment from Apis Growth Fund I, a private equity fund managed by Apis Partners. The fund invests in innovators in the financial services sectors in Africa and Asia.
PayFast has 55 000 South African merchants on its books. — © 2019 NewsCentral Media


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A survey from CIRP finds almost all Prime members will renew their subscriptions despite the recent bump to $99 a year.
Bobby Hollis, a former vice president for renewable energy at NV Energy, is now senior renewable-energy manager at Apple.
Outside Twitter's corporate headquarters in San Francisco, Greenpeace makes its plea for the social media company to "Make our tweets green."
Amazon Studios is keeping the John Goodman-led comedy and picking up six of the 10 shows it tested in its latest "pilot season," including one that gives Amazon its best shot at taking on Netflix's Emmy cred.
The Creative Cloud subscription angered many customers, but 57 percent of those who signed up will continue to use it, a new survey by CNET and Jefferies finds.
Jefferies and CNET are conducting a new survey about Adobe's subscription program and increasingly elderly CS6 software. Will you renew? What competing products have you bought?
The Renew SleepClock is a user-friendly gadget that also keep tabs on how well you sleep without the need for wires, headbands, or watches.
MTV-owned Logo TV presents a show about people who claim to be in love with objects, such as cars, planes, Monopoly boards, and a Ferris wheel called Bruce. No, the iPhone didn't seem to feature.
Don't count the location-sharing social network out just yet. With a growing user base and an increased focus on advertising, Foursquare is still kicking.
U.S. intelligence officials decide to publicize the renewal of the government's surveillance program. In other words: Let the NSA spying keep on rolling.


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MasterCard, the world’s second-largest payments network, reported a 21.1% increase in second-quarter profit as spending on its credit and debit cards rose 11.7%. Shares rose 3.4% to $622.00 premarket as results beat the estimates of analysts.
Activist investor William Ackman bought a 9.8% stake in Air Products and Chemicals for $2.2 billion, his firm’s largest investment to date, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal that cites people familiar with the matter. Shares of the supplier of hydrogen and semiconductor materials rose 4.1% to $109.94 premarket.
Riverbed Technology swung to a second-quarter loss as expenses increased, masking revenue growth driven in part by business it has gained from its Opnet Technologies Inc. acquisition. Shares were down 16% at $14.80 premarket as revenue fell short of the company’s expectations.
Oil States International board has approved a plan to spin off its accommodations business, a move that will separate the company’s business that provides technology and services to the deepwater and shale play markets from its remote site accommodations segment. The energy company’s shares jumped 7.8% to $104.49 premarket.
Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CBST) unveiled a pair of deals to acquire two smaller biopharmaceutical peers, transactions that could total a combined $1.6 billion if certain sales milestones are achieved. Separately, Cubist said it was paying about $535 million to acquire Optimer Pharmaceuticals (OPTR) and $707 million to buy Trius Therapeutics (TSRX). The news sent Cubist’s shares up 5.3% to $60.00 in premarket trading. Trius’s shares jumped 18% to $13.80 in premarket trading, while Optimer’s slid 6% to $12.49.
SodaStream International reported a good-looking second-quarter beat, especially on the bottom line, allowing the company to again boost 2013 expectations and give life to a stock that’s sold off strongly this month amid growth and competitive concerns. Shares of the maker of in-home soda machines rose 7.6% to $62.73 premarket.
Restaurant operator Ignite Restaurant Group Inc. preannounced second-quarter results that missed analysts’ expectations. The company said results were “significantly impacted” by the company’s decision to increase spending in its Macaroni Grill business to try to drive “immediate sales improvement.” Shares fell 12% to $16.10 premarket.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. is offering to sell shares, but didn’t say how many. The company is seeking to fund clinical development of drugs including BCX4161, a potential treatment for hereditary angioedema, an immune system disorder. Shares were off 5.5% premarket to $3.76.
Enterprise networking software vendor Jive Software Inc. reported second-quarter revenue in-line with analysts’ expectations and beat on the bottom line. However, shares fell 18% to $14.01 premarket trading as the company forecast current quarter and full-year results below expectations.
Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s second-quarter profit grew 67% on increased adoption of its primary drug, Acthar. Shares jumped 17% to $60.69 premarket as top- and bottom-line results easily beat analyst expectations.
Scorpio Tankers Inc. plans to offer 20 million shares to raise funds for acquiring more fuel-efficient tanker vessels in an effort to gain an edge in a competitive market. The oil-tanker company recently had around 164.7 million shares outstanding. Shares fell 5.8% premarket to $9.64.
Symantec Corp.’s fiscal first-quarter profit slipped 1.9% as the security-software maker logged higher operating expenses, masking slight revenue growth. Shares rose 4.8% to $25.52 premarket as results topped the company’s expectations.
BRE Properties Inc.’s second-quarter profit rose 52% as the real-estate investment trust’s funds from operations performance beat expectations. Shares rose 11% to $57.50 premarket.


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Rhode Island and New Hampshire are the only New England states without a bottle bill requiring consumers to pay a deposit at the time they purchase a beverage in a container. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current)
Rather than trashing a deposit-refund program for recyclable bottles and cans, lawmakers are creating a special panel to review and make recommendations on the contested proposal.
The House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is slated to vote Monday on amended legislation creating an 18-member joint legislative commission to study different options for bottle recycling, including a deposit program. The commission would serve as a substitute for Rep. Carol McEntee’s “bottle bill,” which would have established a refundable deposit program for recyclable beverage containers: plastic, glass and aluminum bottles and cans, including nips. Under the South Kingstown Democrat’s original proposal, customers would pay a 10-cent fee when they buy a six-pack or soda bottle at the store, getting the fee back when they return the empty bottle – either to a retailer that sells those products or an independent, privately-run redemption center.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio in a joint statement emailed on Monday said lawmakers needed more detail before they felt ready to take up the “significant” legislation.
“We want to hear from states like Maine and Oregon, where there are robust programs, and learn from their models,” they said. “We need to gather input from the environmental community, producers, distributors, store owners, consumers, the Department of Environmental Management, Rhode Island Resource Recovery and many others.”
Legislative study commissions have gotten a reputation as the place where bills go to die, but proponents of the bottle bill say that is not the case this time.
“There’s holes in the bill that need to be plugged,” said Rep. David Bennett, a Warwick Democrat who for years has championed legislation aimed at reducing litter of miniature alcohol bottles. “Of course, I am not happy it didn’t pass. We need to get this trash off our streets and out of our waterways as soon as possible.”
But, Bennett acknowledged, “a study commission is going to tighten everything up and make it a stronger and better bill.”
Questions about refund locations
Among the questions the commission will seek to answer: where customers take their empties. Liquor and convenience store owners railed against the proposal to have customers bring back empty bottles, cans and nips to their stores, decrying the staffing and logistical burdens it would place on small businesses.
McEntee’s bill, which would exempt the smallest shops – those with under 2,000-square feet of retail space – from having to take back empty bottles also didn’t assuage their concerns. Instead, shop owners feared if customers couldn’t take back bottles to their stores, consumers would bring their business – returns and purchases – to competitors.
Some liquor store owners suggested putting the onus on the government through municipal recycling centers. But environmentalists countered that restricting recycling options would make it too inconvenient for consumers, and therefore, ineffective.
Less than one-third of bottles and cans that can be recycled in Rhode Island are recycled, according to a January report by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, the quasi-public agency that runs the state’s Central Landfill and Material Recycling Facility. Most end up in the landfill or as litter. Nips are a particular problem, as they are too small to be separated out by recycling equipment, according to landfill operators.
Debate over deposit fee
Also in dispute is how much money customers should pay, and get back, for recycling bottles and cans. McEntee’s bill, and companion legislation in the Senate by Sen. Bridget Valverde, set the fee at 10 cents per bottle, can or nip. Bennett’s nips-only legislation included a 25-cent deposit and refund, while Sen. Josh Miller’s bill called for a 50-cent charge and refund in his version of the nips bill.
McEntee, Valverde, an East Greenwich Democrat, and Miller, a Providence Democrat, did not return calls for comment Monday.
Jed Thorp, Rhode Island director for Clean Water Action, shared Bennett’s optimism that a study commission could help reconcile these points of contention.
“The legislative process doesn’t really lend itself to tackling complicated policy issues,” Thorp said. “Forcing everybody to the table to talk through things, I think it will be a positive.”
The legislative process doesn’t really lend itself to tackling complicated policy issues. Forcing everybody to the table to talk through things, I think it will be a positive.
– Jed Thorp, Rhode Island director for Clean Water Action
Thorp as head of Clean Water Action is among those who would serve on the 18-member commission, which would also include representatives from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, Save the Bay and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Business representation would include designees from five state associations for food, beverage and alcohol retailers and distributors.
Nicholas Fede, director of the Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative, one of the groups with a seat on the panel, said he was looking forward to the opportunity.
“We’re really going to hear about the interests of all parties and come forth with some sort of solution that’s both environmentally friendly and business friendly,” Fede said.
The legislation calls for the commission to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by June 10, 2024.
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Lakeland Bank customers have reported receiving fraudulent text messages attempting to confirm debit card transactions. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE!
All Lakeland Bank branches & offices will be closed on Monday, January 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Access your accounts 24/7 using Online & Mobile Banking.
The latest financial tips andpromotions simply for you!


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Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 07:01 am PT (10:01 am ET)
Sheriffs use Apple's Find My iPhone to track down missing childHouston sheriffs successfully nabbed a would-be kidnapper and car thief using the Find My iPhone feature found on Apple's iOS devices.
As a 5-year-old boy waited for his father in the family's SUV outside a Houston, Tex., liquor store on Monday night, a would-be car thief jumped in the driver's seat and took off, ABC 13 reported on Tuesday. After contacting the authorities, the father began tracking the stolen vehicle.
"The father had an iPad that he'd taken in with him and he utilized that iPad with the iPhone that was in the car and was able to track it," Lt. Wayne Schultz of the Harris County Constable's Office said.
The constables on scene then relayed the information to the Harris County Sheriff's office, who distributed the information to their deputies in near-real time. Deputies eventually caught up with the SUV and returned the child to his family unharmed.
On Topic: General
- 'I'm proud to be gay,' Apple CEO Tim Cook says in open letter supporting equality
- Microsoft inadvertently leaks 'Band' fitness wearable in new app, reveals 'Microsoft Health' [update: confirmed]
- Apple in early talks to sell iPhone in Iran, report says
- BlackBerry hopes to rekindle sales by reintroducing classic keyboard & form factor
- MCX CEO calls CurrentC exclusivity fines 'untrue,' responds to recent hack


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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AETOSWire): Beauty and e-commerce have historically gone hand in hand, making it easier for customers to shop online without having to set foot in a store, and for luxury brands and pharmacy to increase their reach and market to potential customers.
The global cosmetics and skin care market was valued at $ 129.23 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow by $ 38 billion between 2020 and 2024, accelerating at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% over the course of this forecast period.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a lasting devastating impact on the beauty and cosmetics industry. Store closures due to strict global lockdowns have had dire consequences, with sales falling 60% to 70% from March to April 2020 globally.
However, the thriving e-commerce industry is expected to revive market growth to pre-Covid levels. The pandemic has moved away from cosmetics slightly, with customers now turning to high-end brands more interested in skin care. This effect has helped high-end skin care companies expand their market share and innovate, boost their digital appeal and prestige, and improve their credibility.
Dr Sabet Salahia CosmeSurge Jumeirah said: “Companies have responded positively to the crisis by increasing their production capacities and focusing on immediate needs by offering hand sanitizers and cleaning agents. Research shows that consumers now intend to spend more on skin care products, instead of traditional beauty and skincare products. We also now see a consumer base more knowledgeable than ever about skin care formulations, ingredient-aware, and demanding social and economic responsibility from the brands they buy from.
“Currently, there is an increasing demand for face creams, serums, sunscreens and body lotions across the world as consumers have learned to prioritize skin care over different blockages. when people were stuck at home. There are also many global “trends” in skin care, the most recent of which is the Korean skin care craze that led to many sales before the pandemic. This increased demand for flawless complexion is expected to positively impact the growth of the market during the forecast period. ” he added.
Face creams, moisturizers, serums and sheet masks are gaining more and more popularity as men and women continue to place great importance on physical appearance and beauty. The ease of access to online knowledge through Youtube, skincare blogs and forums has also raised awareness of easy-to-treat skin conditions, making it easier for clients to create their own skin care routines. the skin. Eco-friendly consumers, such as those who opt for cruelty-free, vegan, and plant-based skin care products, are a big part of the skin care market.
The online distribution model has drastically changed the purchasing habits of consumers, as this channel offers benefits such as home delivery, easy payment methods, large discounts and the availability of a wide range of products from anywhere in the world, on one platform. . Notable brands and distributors in the market are strategically launching e-commerce websites in large, lucrative markets due to increasing internet penetration and a now largely digitalized mobile shopping consumer base. Skin care enthusiasts can expect to see more quality skin care during the forecast period ahead.
* Source: AETOWire
© Press release 2022


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The virtual reality bandwagon has trundled into marketing territory and picked up Apple and Tommy Hilfiger. It picked up speed when Facebook acquired Oculus Rift and hasn’t slowed down since.
Tommy Hilfiger’s in-store Fall 2015 collection is staged next to Samsung VR headsets which allow the wearer to experience the Fall 2015 Hilfiger Collection runway and see the clothes as-worn, albeit by super hot models.
Tommy Hilfiger (the actual one) said of the tech: “Through virtual reality, we’re now able to bring our one-of-a-kind fashion show to the retail setting… It’s a compelling and interesting elevation of the traditional shopping experience.”
At the moment the tech is only in the Tommy Hilfiger store on 5th Avenue in New York, but will be expanded to international stores such as London, Moscow and Milan, presumably hinting at a repeat of the VR stunt for Spring or Summer 2016.
Elevation of the product/consumer relationship seems to be what virtual reality is all about, even when it comes to Apple, who are hoping for a take-two marketing stunt with U2.
Back at the iPhone 6 launch, 500 million(ish) iPhone users were given an (in many cases unwanted) U2 album. It was a controversial move that prompted Bono to admit they had gotten “carried away”.
Apple’s virtual reality set up is on board the “Experience Bus”. It is not, as it sounds, a smoky VW camper van, but an honest to goodness bus kitted out with virtual reality headsets that give a virtual reality view of the band’s latest music video.
Facebook set the pace for cutting edge wearable tech when it acquired Oculus Rift in 2014. While the gaming community had been anticipating virtual reality tech for a long while, the scope of speculation widened dramatically when Facebook got in on the game.
Facebook’s vision uses virtual reality to make experiences more easily shared: “After games, we’re going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home,” said Mark Zuckerberg at the time of acquisition.
From the look of Apple and Tommy Hilfiger’s efforts, marketers won’t be exempt.


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The airlines this week announced plans to run codeshare agreements on services to Southampton, Exeter and Birmingham.
Blue Islands CEO Rob Veron said the job losses were part of restructure to ensure the long-term viability of the airline.
‘As we emerge from the pandemic, re-building a sustainable future, we have had to make some difficult decisions,’ he said.
‘One such decision, is to cease operating a ground handling function in Guernsey, which has been dormant for over 12 months.
‘From 1 July, Blue Islands will engage the services of Aurigny once again. Thankfully, this does create additional employment at Aurigny, who have committed to offering all affected Blue Islands staff the opportunity to interview for roles created as a result of this new contract.’
A spokesman on behalf of Aurigny and Blue Islands reassured passengers that ticket prices would not be forced up by the codeshare.
‘Both airlines will compete on all routes through fares, products, promotion and service to deliver value that is sustainable and viable,’ he said.
‘With two operators serving a route, competition is preserved, and consumers are provided with a wider choice of flights and product.
‘In terms of product differentials, this could include choice over baggage options, or inclusive fare flexibility, competing for consumer preference.’
He added that air connectivity was important for Guernsey’s infrastructure, particularly coming out of the pandemic
The new system will work for Exeter and Birmingham, with same day return options, for example Blue Islands running a morning service to Exeter and Aurigny an evening one.
‘This will ensure customers have a great choice of connectivity and a day return option once again, with the return journey bookable in one transaction,’ the spokesman said.
‘With Guernsey to Southampton, both operators will operate services on the route, each flight operating with a dual flight code. All services will be available to purchase on both operators’ booking platforms, where both airlines will compete on price, product and customer proposition.’
n Blue Islands announced on 9 April 2019 that it was recruiting 35 new staff as check-in agents, aircraft dispatchers, baggage handlers, ramp agents and supervisory roles.
Prior to that it had been using Aurigny staff for ground handling.


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Pinterest is famed for inspiring both professional designers and DIY enthusiasts alike, but the brand's latest move hopes to connect users directly to retailers by serving as a "visual discovery platform."
According to the brand, this move will not result in Pinterest pivoting to retail, instead the brand hopes to act as a bridge that better connects interested consumers to businesses they might enjoy. In a press release, the company stated that it this move has the potential "for everyday moments to turn into retail experiences."
This announcement isn't the only update from the photo-heavy platform, as recently Pinterest rolled out Pinterest shopping ads, which offer companies the opportunity to "turn their product catalog into visual, actionable ads."
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Temperature profile shows the dark and unstable material – which is a suitable climate for organic life
Institute antraiksa United States (NASA) managed to find evidence of water on Mercury, planet in our solar system that is closest to the Sun.
Facing the war in the “second front”
The Israeli government on Sunday (11/18), admits millions have been subjected to attacks in cyberspace since the country launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Palestinian territory last [...]
BBC Weather Twitter account today hijacked by a hacker group called the Syrian Electronic Army.
This hacker group is a group that supports the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, as reported by cnet.com (21/03).
Through Reuters, BBC ensure that their [...]
Already know about Oz the Great and Powerful movie from Disney? If you like it, maybe you should glance at this one game.
Temple Run Oz is an endless running game Temple Run combination that has been popular with Oz movie.
Quoted from Cnet, Friday (3/8), [...]
If you had to choose between Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5, which one is your favorite?
This question may arise when someone wants to buy the iPhone 5, but curious to see what the Galaxy S4 and decided to wait for him to be compared directly.
For that, TechBoom tried [...]
BlackBerry seems very serious enrich the application ecosystem. This is evidenced by the achievement of 100 thousand apps in the app store BlackBerry World.
Quoted from Slashgear, Friday (22/3), this means that BlackBerry has added about 30 thousand [...]
The use of female anime characters are cute.
On Monday (10/29), Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said that since its launch last week, the rate of sales of Windows 8 exceeds the rate of sales of Windows 7, which is the top-selling version [...]
The latest report from future games console from Microsoft, Xbox 720, likely will have features similar to Siri.
Yes, this means that the Xbox 720 can be controlled via voice commands.
Excerpted from The Verge, Friday (2/8), this information comes from [...]
Have you ever imagined playing your favorite PC games with an XBOX controller? If so, your dream might come true with the release of some updates from XBOX. As confirmed by XBOX official website, now it is possible to use an XBOX controller on our PC [...]
Who does not know the game Battlefield series. Games were popular through its multiplayer mode has a slick visual images and an interesting storyline.
According to an official invitation received by Gamespot, Electronic Arts and DICE plans to celebrate [...]
Google Drive Users get 5GB for free rations from Google.
Google announced on Tuesday (11/27), will integrate Google Drive into Gmail. The move will create a Google e-mail service users can send files of up to 10 GB.
Requirement Gmail users also must [...]


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The Oliver Gal Artist Co., manufacturer of hand-crafted contemporary wall art, took top honors for the second year straight in the wall art category at the 2019 ARTS Awards hosted by the Dallas Market Center. The back-to-back wins for the fashion-forward creative team at Oliver Gal showcase the artistry, quality and competitive spirit that epitomize the brand. Displaying their new couture-inspired diptych Parisian Snakes, the Miami-based company’s fresh, hip and youthful sensibility shined through, edging out the competition.
“We are honored to be among such giants in the industry,” said owner and Chief Creative Officer Lola Sanchez, accepting the award. “We are constantly pushing the boundaries of what art can be, to create fashionable, approachable design.”
Along with the win, Oliver Gal is proud to be partnering with LGBTQ advocacy group Housing Works at this year’s Design on a Dime Miami. Choosing five of the top interior designers in the area including Miguel Lewis, Laura Nell, A. Keith Powell, Taj Junter Waite and Anil Karkar, Oliver Gal donated custom product to complete each designer’s vision, which will then be sold to raise much-needed funds for the charity.
“Our work in the community is always a priority for us,” said Ana Sanchez-Gal, co-founder and CEO. “Giving back, and a commitment to leaving the world a better place expresses one of the core beliefs of our company."
Oliver Gal will be debuting the entire new collection in their permanent showroom at spring High Point Market, April 6-10 in IHFC - D23.


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A total of 3.25 million tickets have been sold for next year’s Paris Olympic Games in the first sales phase, the organizers have informed.
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, tickets were made available worldwide from a single platform with tickets sold in packs over three weeks in the first phase, which saw fans from 158 countries and regions register for the sale.
“The public response to the first phase of Games ticket sales was truly phenomenal. With over 3.2 million tickets sold in less than three weeks, take-up exceeded all expectations, for which we are very grateful,” Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said on Thursday.
The French public made up two-thirds of ticket purchasers, with 45 percent of all buyers being women, a relatively high proportion in Olympic history — with Paris 2024 set to be the first ever Olympic Games with equal participation by male and female athletes, reports news agency Xinhua.
Tickets for climbing and BMX freestyle sold out on the first day, while those for fencing, judo, breaking, and track cycling were all snapped up in just a few days.
For the Olympic Games, a total of around 10 million tickets will be put on sale, and 80 percent of these will be made directly available to the public via the official ticketing platform.
The next phase of sales, dedicated to individual tickets, will begin with a draw registration from March 15 to April 20. Those who are selected can buy tickets from May 11. At the end of 2023 and into 2024, the remaining tickets will be available in real-time on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, a total of 70,000 tickets for the opening ceremony, held on the River Seine, will also be available in the second phase.
(This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed, agencies. Raavi Media accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data of the text. Raavi Media managementythisnews.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content at its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.)


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Latest PPG Industries Stories
The report covers the global bioadhesive market on the basis of types, applications and regions.
DALLAS, February 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Aerospace Adhesives & Sealants Market by Resin Type (Epoxy & Others), by End-user Industry (Commercial, Military
GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on Coatings.
DALLAS, February 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Elastomeric Coating Market [http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/elastomeric-coating-market-66150469.html
LONDON, Feb. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- UV curing is a photochemical process in which ultra violet radiations are used to instantly cure coatings.
DALLAS, February 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ReportsnReports.com adds Global Glass Packaging Market to 2019 - Market Size, Growth, and Forecasts in Nearly 90 Countries and
Paints and Coatings Market by Product Segment (High Solids/Radiation Cure, Powder Coatings, Waterborne Coatings, Solvent Borne Technologies and Others) For Automotives & Aviation, Medical & Healthcare,
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- The act of burning, scorching, or heating to dryness; the state or being thus heated or dried.
- In medicine, cauterization.


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Stocks for major gun makers surged Tuesday after a report surfaced claiming the Trump administration will ease export restrictions on small arms effective next year.
Four senior U.S. officials told Reuters the rule change would shift oversight of commercial arms sales from the State Department to the Commerce Department — giving American manufacturers more leeway to sell guns internationally, creating more jobs stateside and adhering to the president’s “Buy American” policy platform.
“Commerce wants more exports to help reduce the trade deficit. Amd State wants to stop things because it sees (arms) proliferation as inherently bad,” one of the officials, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, told Reuters. “We want to make a decision that prioritizes what’s more important. This will allow us to get in the (small arms sales) game for the first time ever.”
Sturm, Ruger and Co. and American Outdoor Brands — Smith & Wesson’s holding company — closed with double digit increases Tuesday. Vista Outdoor stock likewise gained more than 3 percent. The sudden boost follows a “difficult” summer for gun makers and retailers still standing in the shadow of last year’s record-breaking sales. Since the November election, stocks for Smith & Wesson and Ruger fell 50 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Both companies blame weak demand, with Smith & Wesson’s CEO predicting as much as a 17 percent decline in annual profits through 2018. Ruger’s second quarter net sales dropped 22 percent and its quarterly earnings fell by almost half compared to 2016.
The prospect of eased restrictions, however, could cure the industry’s malaise. Lawrence Keane, senior vice president for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, told Reuters the rule change would boost annual sales by as much as 20 percent.
The details of the new regulations could become public this fall before full implementation in 2018, according to the report.


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Category Advisor: Frozen Breakfast: The Kellogg Co.
Last year, grocers across the country experienced shortages of Eggo frozen waffles because of problems at two Kellogg bakeries. So the Eggo team had its work cut out for it as Kellogg set out to rebuild its territory in the frozen breakfast category following the supply disruption that ended this past May.
But the company is rebounding well, outpacing the overall performance of the category and the syrup carrier segment, as well as its major subsegments: French toast, pancakes and waffles.
Kellogg continues to provide future growth by leveraging consumer- and insights-driven innovation in 2011. With heightened nutrition awareness among consumers, the new two-SKU Fiber Plus waffle line has been a success, propelled by a master-brand ad campaign. And, with the heritage Eggo waffle portfolio regaining its former position in the category, Kellogg launched its Thick & Fluffy line, featuring deeper pockets to hold more toppings.
To optimize merchandising and assortment, Kellogg embarked on a category- and retailer-focused case-pack reduction initiative to maximize variety with fewer facings to satisfy consumers. The company has leveraged findings of a recent segmentation study to better communicate Eggo’s brand strengths and personality. With changing in-market conditions, Kellogg pursued an online test to understand optimal promoted price points for Eggo, allowing retailers to remain competitively priced and grow category dollars.
Kellogg’s category management and shopper insights continue to deliver category-leading insights for its retailer partners. And though top-line sales results remain important, the team has positioned the frozen breakfast category, and the Eggo brand, for continued success.


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I've been doing some research on the electric F-150 and what kinds of specs/info we can expect to see when it comes out.
Here's what I've been able to find:
- It's part of Ford's $700 million investment into their Dearborn plant
A Ford dealership in Rapid City, South Dakota shared this post on their website that goes through how the specs of the 2021 F-150 should compare the 2020 F-150.
Here's what they wrote for the what the specs of the new F-150 could be:
2021 Ford F-150 Release Date
October 2020 (Est.)


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A Recap of Amazon Prime Day Results
Amazon.com's Prime Day event came to a close last night at 11:59 p.m. PST, but the e-commerce giant isn't the only retailer sad to see it end. According to Adobe Analytics data, the second day of Prime Day saw U.S. online sales increase 72 percent for large retailers ($1 billion-plus in annual revenue) compared to an average Tuesday, and 25 percent for niche retailers (under $5 million in annual revenue). Tuesday became the fourth day outside of the holiday season to surpass $2 billion in online sales, after Monday (day one of Prime Day) became the third such day. Additional findings from Adobe Analytics regarding the second day of Prime Day include the following:
- Tuesday Traffic Becomes Much More Buying Focused: Tuesday saw an increase in online spending mainly due to an increase in conversion. This accounted for 65 percent of the lift in revenue. Thirty-three percent of the lift was caused by an increase in visits, and 12 percent due to bigger basket sizes.
- Email Continued to Drive the Best Performance: Brands that delivered excellent email experiences saw a 54 percent lift in revenue on Tuesday. In comparison, those that lacked a good email strategy saw only a 29 percent lift. Overall, successful email campaigns picked up in revenue share on Tuesday with a 7 percent lift.
- Physical Retailers Continue to Shine: While consumers typically use buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) for less-expensive items, BOPIS order values on Tuesday saw similar growth to Monday at 11 percent. However, order values overall were lower on Tuesday at $126 compared to Monday’s $131.
- Discounts Continued for Day Two: Like Monday, electronics saw some of the best discounts on Tuesday, with the discount being slightly better for Tuesday at 10 percent compared to Monday’s 9 percent. Amongst electronics, smart devices saw the highest discounts (20 percent off smartphones, 12 percent off smart watches, 10 percent off smart TVs).
Adobe Analytics also reported Prime Day findings covering both days of the event:
- Large Retailers Are the Clear Winners: Over the two-day sales event, large retailers saw the strongest lift in revenue with an average of 68 percent.
- Niche Retailers Catch Up: Unlike last year, when niche retailers saw a decrease in revenue on Prime Day, this year they successfully reaped the benefits of the summer shopping holiday with a combined 28 percent lift over the two days.
- Successful Email Campaigns Are Key: Brands that delivered excellent email experiences saw a 52 percent lift in revenue over the course of the two days. In comparison, those that lacked a good email strategy saw only a 23 percent lift. The share of revenue coming from email campaigns increased by 7.3 percent over the Prime Day event.
- Comparison Shopping is the Norm, But Consumers Are Ready to Purchase: An influx of traffic and an increase in conversion rate on the second day drove the majority of the Prime Day lift. Over the two days, lift in visitor counts accounted for 49 percent of the increase in revenue, while conversion accounted for 46 percent (the rest was due to bigger basket sizes).
Total Retail's Take: Now that the Prime Day event expanded to two days, record-breaking numbers were expected for both Amazon and the e-commerce industry overall. We reported yesterday that during the first 24 hours of Prime Day, large retailers saw a 64 percent increase in sales compared to an average Monday. Jumpshot reports that the retailers that saw the biggest increase in transactions on Monday were Gap, Nike, Best Buy, and Macys, and consumers transacted over 7.5 million purchases online. This data shows that while driven online by the Amazon Prime Day event, consumers are "comparison shopping more than ever and will open their wallets to those who offer the best deals, regardless of the size of the retailer,” says Adobe Vice President of Commerce Product and Platform Jason Woosley. Other online retailers that prioritized "attract[ing] consumers to their site through compelling email campaigns or offering value-add services like buy online, pick up in-store" certainly reaped the benefits of Prime Day's e-commerce "halo effect."
Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment—or at home on Zoom—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.
Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she's not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.


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Korean Food Prices Among World's Highest
Koreans pay more for their beef than residents of any other country. A private organization called Consumers in Korea released on Thursday a survey of the prices of 20 major commodities conducted earlier this month by consumer groups in 29 countries. The results showed that the price of domestic and imported beef in Korea is the highest.
According to the survey, one kilogram of domestic beef in Korea cost W55,800 (US$1=W945) and the same amount of imported beef cost W54,500. Russia had the second most expensive imported beef at W50,318 followed by the United Arab Emirates at W24,646 and Vietnam at W22,823 won. An official with Consumers in Korea said, "The price of Australian beef in Korea is twice as expensive than it is in Japan. The government should diversify the import origins and deal with high tariffs on beef."
Prices of other food and commodities in Korea are also comparatively high. The consumer group said Korea ranked among the top five most expensive countries in eleven categories out of twenty. The price of rice per kilo was W2,700 won, the fourth highest after Japan at W3,708, Belgium at W3,529 and Brazil at W2,946.
The price of one kilo of pork in Korea ranked seventh at W6,800 and the price of one liter of orange juice was at fifth with W2,180. The price of a piece of fried chicken ranked third at W1,900 and the average price of coffee was fourth at W2,800.
firstname.lastname@example.org / Mar. 16, 2007 09:37 KST


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The snowy weather might be making Wokingham a winter wonderland, but many online shoppers are waiting anxiously for last-minute Christmas gift orders to arrive.
The town’s delivery office is working flat out this week to get parcels and cards delivered.
Victoria Corbett found out how Royal Mail is coping with the unprecedented demand and difficult travel conditions.
The town’s MP has made his annual festive visit to the Wokingham delivery office to see how staff are coping with the busy Christmas period with the added pressure of icy conditions.
John Redwood, MP for Wokingham, admits workers were facing their biggest challenge yet when he took a tour of the branch in Broad Street.
Not only are Post Office staff contending with the usual mountain of Christmas cards spreading festive goodwill to homes around the borough, they also have stacks of boxes containing online gift orders to deliver.
Mr Redwood was at the Broad Street branch on Monday where he spent the morning chatting to employees.
He said: “They are having a tougher time this year at the Post Office because of the weather, which is making it difficult getting around and because they have got a lot more business.
“Everybody is buying on the internet this winter to avoid going out to the shops in the cold, so they have an awful lot of packages.
“They are having to wait for packages to arrive with them and having to do a lot more running around the depot.
“It has all been a bit slower as there has been delays getting parcels through from other parts of the country.
“It is very tough for them because of the weather and because of the packages, but they are doing a good job. A lot of people are very grateful the Post Office staff are doing all the carrying around of packages.”
Royal Mail laid on an additional 7,000 delivery rounds across the country on Sunday, with more than one million homes receiving deliveries.
Royal Mail has also announced a £20 million investment in additional measures to deal with the most severe December weather in 30 years.
Mark Higson, managing director of Royal Mail, said: “Like other essential services, we have faced major difficulties with items moving in and out of areas most impacted by the snow and ice, particularly Scotland and the North East of England.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to deliver as quickly as possible.”
Visit www.royalmail.com/serviceupdates for the latest information on postal deliveries.