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FTC settles supplements case
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received a settlement of
$30,000 from Robert Waitkus, a businessman running an illegal
pyramid operation selling unlicenced dietary supplements.
Oz planning vitamin review
A review of the Australian market for vitamins and other health
supplements is planned for later this year, with tighter regulation
of the multi-million dollar business the likely outcome.
US consumers call for ephedra recall
A US consumer group has called for the Food and Drug Administration
to recall 10 products containing a synthetic form of ephedra
following similar recalls in Canada.
Wild Oats facing lawsuit
Natural and organic foods retailer Wild Oats Markets is facing a
lawsuit filed by its co-founders and former board members.
UK calls for ban on pistachio imports
The UK Food Standards Agency is calling for a ban on pistachio nuts
imported from Iran following a survey which found high levels of
cancer-causing mycotoxins in 10% of pistachio samples.
Fighting bioterrorism tops FDA to-do list
The war against terrorism in the US has opened up a new front - the
food industry. The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has made
protecting the food supply from potential terrorist action one of
its priorities for 2002.
Kava set to become prescription-only in Germany
A German committee that issues advice on prescription drugs has
recommended that the government make kava, the popular herbal
remedy, a prescription-only product.
US consumers fight weight-loss scam
US consumers are suing weight-loss supplement manufacturer Body
Solutions for misleading product advertising, reports NBC news.
New Zealand planning tough new standards
In a bid to curb the growing number of fraudulent claims, Standards
New Zealand is to release a draft standard defining the organic
food category. The draft will be published in May with the final
definition expected by December.
Britain's cheesemakers get food safety guide
The UK's Food Standards Agency has launched a new food safety
initiative aimed at the country's 180 or so specialist
Byrne seeks greater harmony on E.coli measures
European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne
has expressed his concern about the wide variations in measures to
combat E.coli contamination between EU Member States.
Lobbyists target MEPs over food supplements
La Leva di Archimede, a consumer association which fights to
protect freedom of choice with particular emphasis on health
matters and nutrition, is protesting to MEPs about proposed changes
to the rules governing food supplement sales...
Dietary supplement guidelines published
A new guide on claims made for dietary supplements has been issued
by the US Food and Drug Administration
EU food safety agency gets green light
European Union agriculture ministers have given the go-ahead for
the creation of a Union-wide food safety agency, but the exact
location of the body has yet to be decided.
EU to harmonise registration of traditional herbal medicines
The European Commission is to propose a specific registration
procedure for herbal medicinal products with a long-standing
traditional use in a bid to improve quality checks and market


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Lotus enters the electric car market, becoming competitor to its customers.
Lotus is the latest carmaker to announce plans for a high-performance electric vehicle. If the British carmaker can deliver on its plans, it will compete directly against the Tesla Roadster and Dodge EV, two electric sports cars for which Lotus already supplies a chassis.
The planned Lotus electric car will utilize a gasoline engine to extend the driving range of the vehicle to as much as 300 or 400-miles. This approach—commonly described as a plug-in series hybrid or range-extended electric vehicle—would be similar to the one found in the Chevrolet Volt and the sporty Fisker Karma (which will also compete for customers looking for speedy electric vehicles).
A preliminary version of the Lotus EV is expected to be shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
Last year, Lotus announced the establishment of a research and development group dedicated specifically to hybrids and electric cars. Lotus is investing nearly 100 million dollars in the effort. Lotus boss Michael Kimberly said the electric Lotus will showcase “what you can do with electric vehicle technology.”

domain: news


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On Thursday, the San Francisco-based retailer known for its all-American style of clothes dropped a collection of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) on the Tezos blockchain. Ranging in price from $8.30 to $415, the NFTs depict different version of Gap's classic hooded sweater and in some cases come with a physical sweatshirt as well.
What Is An NFT?
Brandon Simes, the artist who created New York's famous Frank Ape series, is the one who designed the series — specific NFTs will come in categories like "rare" and "epic" and be available until they sell out.
Skyrocketing in popularity among both art lovers and investors, NFTs are a way of asserting ownership over a piece of online content like an image or a recording — Nike (NKE) - Get Free Report, Adidas (ADDDF) and Mattel (MAT) - Get Free Report have all recently started dabbling in this space both with products and advertising.
Last month, Nike bought a design company that designs virtual shoes for the metaverse — a combination of virtual and augmented reality that is expected to take over as the next version of the internet.
"We are excited about the possibilities that a more planet-friendly blockchain technology can unlock for us and all the new ways it will enable us to connect with our customers," John Strain, Gap's chief digital and technology officer, said in a statement.
Last summer, The Gap launched a partnership with YEEZY Apparel, the clothes brand started by the popular rapper who now goes by Ye. This week, Ye and The Gap signed a contract to expand the partnership to luxury French retailer Balenciaga.
But despite the line's wild success (Yeezy items sell out within hours and sometimes minutes of being launched), the Gap has had a challenging few years — in the quarter ending on Oct. 30, the company swings to a loss of $152 million from a gain of $95 million a year earlier, due to what Gap said were pandemic-related inventory delays and supply chain disruptions.
After closing 217 stores by October of last year, the company also announced plans to reduce the number of Gap and Banana Republic stores by a further 350 units through 2023. That quarter's results also included $4.16 billion in lease obligations and $1.5 billion in long-term debt — some analysts have gone so far as to suggest that it could eventually file for bankruptcy.
The efforts to launch into digital space is, likely, an attempt to keep up with current trends and stay relevant in a changing landscape — Gap (GAP) stock is down nearly 17% year-over-year but, with the new partnerships and announcements, has been rising steadily in the last month.
"While we entered the third quarter with growing momentum, acute supply chain headwinds affected our ability to fully meet strong customer demand," CEO Sonia Synga said in the earnings call. "Still, we made an intentional investment in building enduring customer loyalty with accelerated use of air freight to serve them this holiday, choosing long-term growth opportunity over near-term impact to profitability."


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A new year, a new Coca-Cola!
Coca-Cola announced the addition of a new flavour to its ever-expanding flavour portfolio on Wednesday: Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha.
The offering infuses the iconic Coca-Cola taste with a decadent mocha coffee flavour. Each 12-oz. can contains 69 mg of caffeine, nearly double the amount found in a typical can of Coke.
This announcement comes a year after the launch of Coco-Cola with Coffee, which debuted to widespread acclaim in January 2021 and is already available in three flavours: dark blend, vanilla, and caramel. Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha will be available in the United States beginning Feb. 7.
And this is not the only change that will occur in 2022. Coca-Cola is also rebranding the Coca-Cola flavours platform. The new design incorporates bright colours and a large logo at the top of the packaging. Cans with solid colours communicate a single flavour (cherry or vanilla), whereas cans with stacked colours communicate a dual flavour (like cherry-vanilla). A black script emphasises the sugar-free and calorie-free varieties, while a gold top indicates the caffeine-free editions.
All of this adds a “modern edge to the same great tastes,” as Coca-Cola puts it. Coca-Cola is giving fans the opportunity to sample both Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha and the new Cherry Coke and Cherry Coke Zero Sugar designs before they hit the shelves.
Beginning Wednesday, interested customers can simply submit their address online. And, because the company is committed to innovation, cans will be delivered via a combination of robotic, on-demand, and quick-turn contactless delivery methods.


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Advanced Micro Devices said its Shanghai processor is on track to ship in servers by the end of the year and sought to reassure customers that the problems that delayed its previous server chip, Barcelona, are a thing of the past.
AMD shipped the first quad-core Barcelona processors last September but halted sales soon after when a bug was found in the chip's cache memory. It didn't resume volume shipments for about six months, damaging AMD's reputation and costing it valuable market share to Intel.
Pat Patla, general manager of AMD's server and workstation group, said Tuesday that AMD has overhauled its testing process to avoid similar problems with Shanghai, another four-core processor being manufactured with a more advanced 45-nanometer process.
"We realized with Shanghai that we'd have to turn out a product early that had the stability and the health to make [server vendors] get engaged," he told reporters in San Francisco. "We realized their experience with Barcelona wasn't ideal."
AMD appointed a veteran engineer, Raghuram Tupuri, to close gaps in AMD's testing and validation processes. And it worked more closely with server vendors early on to ensure that the first samples of Shanghai, delivered around the end of February, were of higher quality, Patla said.
In a sign of how confidence in AMD had eroded, Patla said some server makers were still "a little hesitant" about working with the first Shanghai samples, and AMD had to ship them complete systems in order for them to test them.
He said he's now confident that the first Shanghai chip, a "mainstream" processor running at 75 watts, will be available in servers in the fourth quarter. Two other models will ship in the first quarter next year: a low-power, 55-watt version for blade servers, and a high-power, 105-watt version for large, "number-crunching" machines.
Shanghai will give a 35 percent performance boost over Barcelona on average -- meaning more for some applications and less for others -- and consume 35 percent less power, according to Patla. The improvements come partly from the move from a 65- to 45-nanometer manufacturing process and a larger 6M-byte Level 3 cache. In addition, the Shanghai cores will run at a higher clockspeed than those of Barcelona, but those details, along with pricing, won't be announced until the chip is closer to launch.
To go with Shanghai, AMD is building its second-ever server chipset -- it developed the first to go with its first Opteron processor about five years ago, but since then the chipsets have been made by Nvidia and Broadcom. Code-named Fiorano, the new chipset will be socket-compatible with the Barcelona chipsets, but will use a "virtualized I/O" and AMD's Hypertransport 3 technology for boosting data transfer speeds between components.
Patla said AMD wants to "take control" of its chipsets as it aims for specific market segments like virtualization, which Shanghai will be geared toward. Nvidia and Broadcom have said they will continue making AMD chipsets until the end of 2009; after that their future with AMD is unclear.


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Carrefour: After Walmart, a nasty surprise for French wholesalers?
(BFM-Börse) – The price increase is beginning to weigh on household consumption and the results of the brands concerned. Walmart just slashed its quarterly and annual earnings forecasts as inflation has shaken its customers’ habits. A new alarm signal for the entire distribution industry, which is increasingly threatened by rising prices.
U.S. supermarket chain Walmart sharply cut its quarterly and annual profit forecast on Monday as inflation drives customers to spend more on groceries and gas and less on other goods, usually at higher premiums.
The group must therefore offer discounts on commodities other than groceries and gasoline in order to sell its inventory, which is affecting its profits, according to a press release. The discounts have particularly affected clothing.
Walmart expects its operating profit to fall 13% to 14% in the second quarter of its fiscal year, which ends in late July, where flat or even a slight increase was previously expected. The supermarket chain is forecasting an 11% to 13% decline in operating profit for the year, much more than the 1% decline previously expected.
For its part, sales should be higher than initially expected: the group expects sales growth of around 7.5% in the second quarter of its fiscal year ending at the end of July and 4.5% for the year compared to 5% and 4% respectively before.
Walmart’s action, which is due to announce its final results Aug. 16, fell more than 9% in electronic trading after the New York Stock Exchange closed.
Inflation that ‘complicates things’
Retail brands, whether specialized or not, expect consumers to adapt their consumption habits and further limit their so-called non-essential purchases, especially when it comes to clothing or household appliances. “Inflation in Europe is expected to remain at high levels through the end of the year, which will weigh on consumer confidence and demand in the furniture and decoration sector.” May.
Carrefour, which is due to publish its second quarter sales and half-year results on Wednesday 27th July, has not failed to recall its commitment to “preserving the purchasing power of consumers” by offering “a reinforced range of products which is easily accessible Easy’ the promotion, as well as a loyalty program that will make it possible to emphasize the competitiveness of the group’s brands”. Arguments that are far from convincing for Invest Securities. In a recent communication addressed to the French distributor, the analyst expects Carrefour’s mid-year results to hold up “in a context where inflation ultimately complicates things,” not all of their promises.
In anticipation of the ruling, Carrefour sold less than 1% on Tuesday while Casino returned nearly 5.1%, with the Saint-Etienne distributor still struggling with its hefty debt. Maisons du Monde was not spared the market’s distrust of distribution and lost 5.8%.
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It’s been a tough couple of years for the Russian market as a whole, but apparently outputs are ambiguous and one cannot predict what the future will bring and how financial markets will react.
As part of the Milan fashion week, there was the official opening of the space SO-Milano, which initiated with the presentation of J.W. Anderson.
In recent years fashion and luxury industry rediscovered craftmanship after decades of neglection, due to a change in national economic pillars, as a way to be creative and, at the same time, as a leverage for developing state-of-the-art technologies and equipments.
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana presents the third Fashion Hub Market edition, a new project in support of emerging brands.
On Saturday Chiara Ferragni, blogger and a social media trend setter, presented her shoe collection for the upcoming spring/summer season. The meeting point was an adorable backyard in the heart of the milanese neighborhood, Brera, where the guests were able to dip themselves in the wonderland of glitter shoes.


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Ubisoft has confirmed that an Xbox 360 version of The Crew is in development as well as the previously confirmed Xbox One, PS4 and PC versions.
The surprising announcement confirms that The Crew will not exclusively be a new-gen game, with external developer Asobo Studio (Fuel) working on the 360 version.
""It's Ubisoft's objective to continue to meet the needs of consumers who have not yet made the move to the new console generation", said Geoffroy Sardin, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft.
"The Crew was originally built for the new generation of consoles, but we have always had a desire to make it accessible to as many people as possible.
"We're excited to bring The Crew's same core features, massive scope, mission variety, and overall driving experience to Xbox 360 players."
Elsewhere, Ubisoft announced that following a successful closed beta for the PC version in July, a console beta is planned for the Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game in late September with "a limited number of players" to be invited to take part.
The publisher previously confirmed that the PC beta will return on August 25.
Ubisoft has announced a The Crew release date of November 11 on all formats, including the newly-announced Xbox 360 version.


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On Oct. 5, the gold-backed digital token under the name Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) officially kicked off as a payment method. The launch was announced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).
The first time the RBZ introduced its new project was in April 2023.
The central bank specified that every issued digital token would be backed by a physical amount of gold held in the bank’s reserves. The RBZ started issuing physical gold tokens last year, claiming their successful adoption.
The mission behind both physical coins and freshly introduced ZiG is to persuade local investors to put their money into national assets and not American dollars, which is not an easy task in a country with a triple-digit inflation level. As the RBZ Governor, Dr. John Mangudya said earlier:
“The issuance of the gold-backed digital tokens is meant to expand the value-preserving instruments available in the economy and enhance divisibility of the investment instruments and widen their access and usage by the public.”
Digital tokens can be stored in either e-gold wallets or e-gold cards and are tradeable both for P2P and business transactions.
The RBZ reported several levels of prices, for which ZiG could be both, depending on the weight of its gold reserve.
Thus, one can buy 1 ounce of ZiG for $1,910 and 0.1 ounce for $191.
According to the Bank, on Sept. 28, investors bought the equivalent of 17.65 kg in ZiG, paying with both Zimbabwean and American dollars.
The total amount of ZiG, sold since the previous rounds of digital token sales, stands at around 350 kg of gold.
Zimbabwe has grappled with currency instability and rising inflation for more than a decade. In 2009, the nation adopted the U.S. dollar as its official currency in response to a period of hyperinflation that had rendered the local currency practically worthless.
In an attempt to revitalize the domestic economy, Zimbabwe reintroduced its own currency in 2019. However, this move was followed by a resurgence of currency volatility.


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The social media platform is making it easier for small businesses to make sales amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Social media platform Instagram is making it easier for small businesses to share gift card, food order and fundraiser stickers in their profile and Stories, an effort to ease some of the challenges many are facing during the coronavirus pandemic.
When you use Instagram, you can tap the sticker to make a purchase through the business's site. This feature will be available in the US and Canada on Wednesday, and will roll out globally in the coming weeks, according to an Instagram blog post. Fundraisers -- coming soon, the post said -- will open Facebook (which owns Instagram) to the page of personal fundraisers created by business owners or their supporters.
If you use Instagram, you can spread the word and support small businesses by resharing the stickers in your own Stories.
"For many businesses right now, every sale helps," the blog post said. "We'll continue to work on features that make it easier to support the small businesses you care about."


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Recently, Rockstar Games officially announced the launch of GTA 6 in 2024. Following the announcement, a leak came out claiming that GTA 6 will be a play-to-earn game with a cryptocurrency reward system.
According to rumors, the GTA 6 will release its native crypto token gamers can use to trade within the gameplay.
“GTA 6 leaks suggest the story will take place in Columbia / Miami and will include in-game cryptocurrency rewards for players to earn and trade.”
As of now, the game developer hasn’t given much detail on what it's going to look like. The official statement reads that an
“active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway.”


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Apple's long-awaited new iPhones 'will be called 5S and 5C,' claims Japanese website
- Macotakara said that its 'sources in Asia' have confirmed the names
- New generation iPhone 5S and 5C believed to be weeks away
- Rumoured updates include a finger-print sensor and slowmotion camera
A Japanese website believes it has confirmation that the successor to iPhone 5 will be called the iPhone 5S, and that Apple’s rumoured low-cost iPhone will be known as the iPhone 5C.
The website Macotakara said that its 'sources in Asia' have confirmed the names, which have long been under speculation.
The C in the iPhone 5C is thought to stand for 'colour' which could suggest that the phone will come in a range of colours, rather than the standard black and white options.
Apple is set to officially unveil the new generation iPhone at an event next month, insiders say.
The new generation iPhone expected to be launched on September 10 will run new software iOS 7 and possibly include a finger-print scanner
It is believed the event, allegedly on September 10, will see the launch of the upcoming iPhone 5S and possibly also a rumoured iPhone 5C 'low-cost' device.
Indicated updates on the iPhone 5S include sensor which can identify the owner by his or her fingerprints.
Photographs have leaked of a smartphone dubbed ‘5C’, supposedly intended as a cheaper version of the popular iPhone, with a plastic case.
Due to its relatively expensive price tag, Apple is struggling to succeed in emerging markets, something which the rumoured September event could change, according to AllthingsD.
Previously the company has solved this problem by offering its old models at a lower price, but cheaper Android phones have seen their market share dip, the tech-website said.
Rumoured updates on the new iPhone 5S include an slow-motion camera and a fingerprint sensor since a string of code in the latest release of its latest iOS7 Software implied a scanner function.
According to TechCrunch, values can range depending on a variety of factors, including device colour, physical damage and liquid damage
The code describes a user touching the Home button with their thumb. A fingerprint then appears on the screen, that changes colour - presumably to signify a match - and the 'recognition is complete'.
More code discovered in iOS 7 suggests phones running the software will be able to record video at a rate of 120 frames-per-second (FPS) rather than around 30 frames per second.
This is fast enough to allow iPhone users to create slow-motion films.
The iOS 7 software also lets users swipe between menus, select apps and control the device's screen using just head movements.
A string of developer code discovered in the fourth beta release of Apple's iOS 7 software, pictured, gives the strongest indication to date that either the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6 could have a fingerprint scanner
When the Switch Control feature is enabled, it will scroll through and highlight different onscreen sections - including individual menus and apps.
When the required section is highlighted, users can move their head to the left to select it.
Other new features include Night Mode in Maps that responds to ambient light when you use it in the dark.
The new iOS7 software for iPhone includes a radical redesign of menus and icons as well as improved notifications and better photo-organising abilities.
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The New GOP voter says environmental, social, and governance scoring has been weaponized
Elon Musk called the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scoring “a scam” in a series of Twitter posts on May 18, citing S&P Global’s inclusion of ExxonMobil Corporation in its ESG Index while his own electric car company, Tesla Motors, was removed.
“Exxon is rated top ten best in world for environment, social & governance (ESG) by S&P 500, while Tesla didn’t make the list! ESG is a scam. It has been weaponized by phony social justice warriors,” Musk wrote.
In subsequent Twitter posts, Musk claimed that Tesla has done “more for the environment than any company ever” and asserted that S&P Global “has lost their integrity.”
“In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold,” he wrote.
A spokesperson for S&P Dow Jones Indices (DJI) told The Epoch Times that ExxonMobil wasn’t ranked among the “top ten best in the world” on ESG by S&P. In actuality, ExxonMobil was highlighted in a May 17 blog post on S&P’s ESG index because it’s among the 10 largest companies in that index by market capitalization.
In that blog post, S&P DJI’s Margaret Dorn attributed the removal of Tesla to its relative decline in the Automobiles & Components sector, as well as the absence of a carbon strategy, its codes of business conduct, and allegations of widespread racism at Tesla’s Fremont, California, factory.
Dorn also cited Tesla’s “handling” of an investigation into Tesla’s phantom braking problem, which was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in April.


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To start with, two local items:
First, La Prima Espresso, that bastion of all that is good and delicious about sustainably produced coffee, has opened a new location in the Strip District. It's on Penn Avenue, right around the corner from the current location on 21st street. It's been open approximately a week at this point. In addition to continuing to produce the best espresso-based drinks in town, the new location features freshly made crepes, both savory and sweet.
Second, a new, organic-focused grocery store has opened in the Strip. Right by Nature is its name and organic and affordable is its game.
The store balances a mix of organic, natural and convention foods, a challenge that must meet the demands of available supply, and the needs of customers. ...
He said the store will be supplied directly by the farmers with whom he’s built long-time relationships, cutting out the cost of buying from distributors, which he estimated could reduce costs by 20 percent. To better establish his distribution system for Right By Nature, Stone expects to hire a few independent truckers, offering them a 1.5 percent equity stake in the business after they’ve worked a year. ...
“The people that need to eat healthy are the ones that some times can’t afford it,” he said, expecting the store to serve nearby urban neighborhoods such as the Strip District, Lawrenceville and the North Side. “We want to be an affordable grocery store.”
Moving outside of Pittsburgh to danger on the nation's roads and highways, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a unique method for the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria: being stuck in a car behind a chicken truck!
A study by the Hopkins researchers found increased levels of pathogenic bacteria, both susceptible and drug-resistant, on surfaces and in the air inside cars traveling behind trucks that carry broiler chickens. ...
Typically, broiler chickens are transported in open crates on the back of flatbed trucks with no effective barrier to prevent release of pathogens into the environment. Previous studies have reported that these crates become contaminated with feces and bacteria.
Brings a whole new meaning to safe driving, eh?
On a completely different topic, Men's Health magazine rounds up the "20 worst drinks," not by flavor, but by calories and sugar content, among other things. Why bother doing such a thing?
[A] study from the University of North Carolina found that we consume 450 calories a day from beverages, nearly twice as many as 30 years ago! This increase amounts to an extra 23 pounds a year that we're forced to work off—or carry around with us.
One of the liquid offenders was VitaminWater, which I don't drink often, but which I totally love. It clocks in at 130 calories, same as a 12 oz. can of Coke, which, BTW, happens to make VitaminWater. Oy.
Other offenders include:
- Sunkist (worst soda)
- Minute Maid Lemonade (worst lemonade)
- Starbucks Venti White Hot Chocolate (worst coffee alternative)
- And the Worst of the Worst, the Worst Drink in America according to Men's Health magazine, clocking in at 2,300 calories, 108 grams of fat... Baskin Robbins' Large Health Bar Shake.
Speaking of drinks that are likely chock full of calories, don't forget to purchase your compliment of holiday-themed beers. I recently spent a ridiculous amount of money on six packs of the following:
- Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
- Troeg's Mad Elf
- Anchor Brewery's Merry Christmas Happy New Year
- Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s Christmas Ale
- Anderson Valley Brewing Co.'s Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale
I highly recommend them all, in addition to Penn Brewery's St. Nikolaus Bock, which I really enjoyed last year.
And, finally, the inspiration for this particular digest, the one, the only, Miisssssterrrrr TEEEEEE! That's right, while flipping through the channels late Friday night, I learned that Mr. T has ventured into the world of cooking-related devices with his one and only... wait for it... FlavorWave Turbo Oven.
Now I understand that George Foreman -- also black, also still somewhat fit and muscular for his age -- has had tremendous success with his portfolio of grills. [Clarification: I understand that he has, in fact, sold a bazillion of these grills. I don't, however, understand why. Please continue reading.] But, aside from those with approximately $120 burning in their pocket for a potentially funny gag gift, who the heck would buy this thing?
The infomerical, of which I caught approximately 30 seconds, does include Mr. T's signature line, though, something along the lines of, "I pity the fool that try to cook that frozen piece of salmon."


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The University of Oregon Ducks football program has become synonymous with Nike over the years for their crazy and seemingly unlimited wardrobe of creative neon colors, chrome helmets, and winning record to go with the head-turning duds. This September 9th marks a special occasion as the team will unveil the new Nike Vapor Untouchable uniform designed in partnership with the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in an effort to not only win on the field but win the fight against cancer. The uniform features inspiring graphics, color fades, camouflage and more.
13-year-old Ethan Frank, 10-year-old Sophia Malinoski, and 14-year-old Joe MacDonald all worked to coordinate the new uniforms together. Nike will also be releasing sideline gear like this upcoming Nike Air Max 90 Ultra due to release just days before the Ducks take the field in their brand new ‘most important’ uniforms. The pair features matching graphics and positive words of advice from student athletes and past Nike designers part of the ongoing Doernbecher Freestyle Program.
The Nike Air Max 90 Ultra 2.0 “Oregon” will release early starting September 4th in a full family size run on Nike+ SNKRS and Nike.com. Check out the full story below and head over to Nike News for the kids’ reactions to the design program.
Source: Nike News


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Transforming ‘NFT Account Image’ Withdraws Twitter Blue Checkmark – PiunikaWeb
Back in January 2022, Twitter introduced a means for its customers to display their NFT collection. All they require to do was attach their crypto pocketbook with Twitter.
Once they have actually done that, a hexagonal boundary showed up as opposed to a circle their account photo as well as various other customers can click the image for details regarding the linked NFT.
This can be seen in the main Twitter Blue account profile:
This function is just readily available to Twitter Blue clients as well as ended up being rather preferred amongst the customer base because of the high degree of passion in NFT at the time.
However, adhering to the relaunch of the most recent Twitter Blue, transforming account images will certainly cause the checkmark being withdrawed, adhered to by a testimonial, according to the main declaration:
Once signed up for Twitter Blue, transforms to your account image, present name, or username (@handle) will certainly cause the loss of heaven checkmark up until the account is confirmed as remaining to fulfill our demands, as well as no more modifications will certainly be permitted throughout this evaluation duration.
Changing NFT account image withdraws Twitter Blue checkmark
The exact same is occurring in the instance of NFT PFPs. Individuals state that after altering their NFT account photo, it withdraws their Twitter Blue checkmark (1,2,3,4,5,6,7).
Some Twitter customers like altering their account images regularly. This, nonetheless, eliminates their Blue checkmark till the account is confirmed.
This is because of a brand-new Twitter Blue registration regulation that mentions that any kind of modification to an account image, consisting of NFT PFPs, leads to the elimination of heaven checkmark.
This has actually frustrated numerous Twitt


text: An Interpol-led sting led to the seizure of nearly $30 million worth of counterfeit goods in 11 countries in North and South America, the Lyon-based organisation said on Thursday. About 200 people were arrested in the raids. The goods ranged from toys and cigarettes to engine oil and computer material. Operation Maya, which ran from March 1 to 15, revealed \"increasingly elaborate efforts by criminals to avoid detection,\" a statement said. It said items were \"smuggled into a country via one route while counterfeit trade mark materials including stickers for computers, batteries, mobile phones and even car emblems, were sent separately to be used later to ‘brand\' the products.\" \"Operation Maya again shows that there is no product which is not being counterfeited and criminals are using every means available to traffic fake and illicit goods,\" said its project manager, Roberto Manriquez. The raids were conducted in the United States, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Operation Maya was launched with the support of the US Department of Justice and US Patent and Trademark Office. It was based on Interpol\'s Operation Jupiter model which, since its launch in 2004, has led to more than 1,660 arrests and the seizure of more than 12 million fake goods worth more than $500 million (377 million euros).


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Australian group to operate 100 properties worldwide by 2017
StayWell Hospitality Group, or SWHG, recently shared details of its ambitious growth strategy, that will see the group expand its portfolio to cover 100 properties across the world by 2017.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Simon Wan, the chief executive officer, managing director and key shareholder of the Sydney-based hospitality group, said that SWHG manages 34 properties operating across Australia, Dubai, Indonesia, New Zealand, India and Singapore. In addition, the group currently has 12 properties under development in India, Australia, China, and the United Kingdom.
SWHG is privately owned by three stakeholders and holds equity and/or ownership interests in 16 of its 34 hotels. The group operates two brands — Park Regis and Leisure Inn — and has an annual turnover of A$58 million. Over the last 12 months, SWHG has increased its portfolio of hotels 30 per cent, opening nine hotels in India, Bali, New Zealand and Tasmania.
According to Wan, the group plans to increase its domestic presence as well as focus on the international market as part of its planned expansion.
“We recently entered into a joint venture with a partner in South Africa and they have agreed to bring our Leisure Inn and Park Regis brands into South Africa,” said Wan. “We are also in the final stages of negotiating with a partner in China, which will bring these two brands into the country. In addition, we are in the final stages of negotiation to have a partner in the UAE. Right now they have seven hotels across the Middle East; they have a hotel in Iraq, in Turkey and in Lebanon, and so this move will definitely strengthen our position.”
“In India we are already up and running, as we have signed nine hotels there. Two of them are already open and seven are currently under development. By 2017, we hope to have 15 hotels there,” he added. “Also, we will soon be opening two hotels in London. Our hope is to have about a dozen hotels in the UK and Europe, so in a geographic sense, we are very evenly spread out with our plans to open a hundred hotels.”
Elaborating on SWHG’s Middle Eastern expansion, Wan said that the group recently established a development office in Dubai as a result of the regained confidence investors have in the country.
“We are also in the process of negotiating two other hotels in Dubai. One has 210 rooms, and the other 265 rooms. One will hopefully be open in 12 months, while the other will open in 18 months,” Wan noted. “We are also in negotiations in Saudi Arabia, which is a very strong market domestically. We hope to finalise negotiations of a partnership there. In addition, we are also looking at Qatar and Doha. Our target is to hopefully have 15 hotels in the Middle East by 2015, with at least five in the UAE.”
He added: “Our Middle East, China and South Africa partnerships are completely new and young partnerships. Another new country we are focusing on is Indonesia. We are negotiating a joint venture there, since it is a big country which is going through a huge economic boom. Our aim at this stage is to work closely with our new partners to implement our business plan and strategies, and be able to execute them successfully.”
Wan further revealed that 2014 had yielded some very impressive results for the group, particularly in the UAE.
The Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai recorded a strong performance in the first half of 2014, registering a 10 per cent increase in revenue per available room and a 7.2 per cent rise in average room rates, compared to the corresponding period last year. Enjoying an average occupancy of 80 per cent, the hotel witnessed a 20 per cent increase, when compared to figures last year during the same period.
Wan also noted that the group will finish of the year on a strong note, despite facing some challenges.
“We will see a few short-term challenges since we have a few new hotel openings, but I am sure that Dubai will rise up to the challenges,” he said. “The key is for the industry personnel and the government to work together to stimulate demand, and the UAE government has been taking a very strong lead in promoting tourism by providing great infrastructure.”


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Plug Power, the fuel cell manufacturing company has continued its push into European markets, by agreeing an order with FM Logistic, a French logistics company.
Fuel Cells to be used in 90,000 square meter facility
FM own a 90,000 square meter logistics facility in Neuville-aux-Bois. Plug Power will be providing fuel cells which are expected to be used on the Toyota Material Handling and Crown pallet jacks, and power trucks that are used in the facility.
Plug Power growing its customer base
In a statement regarding the agreement, Andy Marsh, the CEO of Plug Power, said, “Plug Power continues to add new customer names to our resume and we look forward to helping FM Logistic continue to grow its business through the use of GenDrive fuel cells.”
The Delbrook Resource Opportunities Master Fund LP declined 4.2% in September, bringing the fund's year-to-date performance to 25.4%, according to a copy of the firm's September investor update, which ValueWalk has been able to review. Q3 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more The commodities-focused hedge fund has had a strong year of the back Read More
He continued by adding, “Our expanded partnership with FM Logistics further strengthens our value proposition that GenDrive applies not just for our core large distribution center markets, but also in extending to smaller-size distribution centers and to the European logistics operations.”
GenDrive is the name of the fuel cells they provide that offer an alternative to traditional lead batteries. They are more economical and provide increased productivity. The fuel cells are used for powering forklift trucks in warehouses, refrigerated trucks for transporting temperature sensitive goods, and the trucks used at airports to transport baggage back and forth from airplanes and terminals.
FM is a family owned business that has been in operation since 1967. They are currently operational in 13 countries, and the majority of their revenue now comes from non-French markets, especially other European nations and the BRIC countries, Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Plug Power, based in Latham, New York, have been looking to achieve $500 million in revenue and this deal will help them towards achieving that. Current estimates for this year put revenue at over $150 million, and there is almost double that in bookings.
Even with these decent revenue numbers, Plug Power has struggled to break even. When Marsh was appointed CEO in 2008 he said his aim was for the company to make a profit, and it looks like the fourth quarter of 2016 may finally see that aim come to fruition.


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Alipay said this week it’s rolling out cashless payments for Chinese customers at select Guess stores in the U.S. and shops along San Francisco’s Pier 39.
On Tuesday, the Ant Financial unit said a partnership with Guess means Chinese travelers visiting the U.S. will be able to pay through their Alipay app at more than 50 stores in popular destinations, including New York, Las Vegas and cities in California. The partnership covers select U.S. stores across all Guess concepts, including its flagship Guess line, Guess Accessories, Guess Factory, Marciano and GbG.
The deal enables local stores to better target and connect with Chinese consumers, Alipay said. Guess will be able to market to Chinese tourists before, during and after their visits to the U.S., boosting its brand among Chinese customers.
“As a global brand with over 1,000 stores in approximately 100 countries, it is important that we are constantly innovating the customer shopping experience on an international level,” said Edward Park, Guess senior vice president for North America. “We are excited to bring Alipay’s technology to Guess stores because we recognize the importance that native apps play in the customer journey.”
And on Wednesday, Alipay said that over 40 merchants and vendors on Pier 39, including Bubba Gump Shrimp, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and the Aquarium of the Bay will now accept payments via Alipay’s mobile wallet. Pier 39 will offer Alipay through CITCON, a leading cross-border mobile payments and marketing company that helps connect merchants with Chinese mobile-wallet users.
“We are thrilled to partner with Pier 39. By enabling them to use Alipay at the register, they are diminishing payment and language barriers, providing these Chinese travelers with the best shopping and touring experience possible,” said Souheil Badran, president of Alipay Americas.
For both deals, the Alipay app’s geolocation-based “Discover” function and push notifications within the app mean Chinese travelers can locate nearby stores, receive promotional information and make purchasing decisions.
Alipay is the world’s leading mobile and online payments platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay works with over 200 domestic financial-institution partners. Over 40 million brick-and-mortar merchants now accept Alipay across China. Alipay also works with more than 250 overseas financial institutions and supports 27 currencies. Its in-store payment service enables cross-border payments for Chinese traveling overseas and overseas customers who buy from Chinese e-commerce sites.


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Elliptic Labs (OSE: ELABS), a global AI software company and a world leader in AI Virtual Smart Sensors™ currently deployed in over 500 million devices, has signed a new large expansion of its software license agreement with a current PC customer. This expansion of the existing agreement is to use Elliptic Labs’ software-only AI Virtual Presence Sensor™ on many more laptop models in the future.
“This new expansion contract with one of our current PC customers solidifies the strong pull from the PC industry to add game-changing innovation through our AI-based software-only approach,” says Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs. “Our AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform is redefining the user experience with our technological leadership in AI, ultrasound, and sensor fusion. The fact that we enable the largest PC makers in the world to make devices smarter, greener, and more human friendly is why we continue to grow our PC business.”
AI Virtual Smart Sensor, AI Virtual Human Presence Sensor, and AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform are trademarks of Elliptic Labs.
All other trademarks or service markets are the responsibility of their respective organizations.
Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Human Presence Sensor
Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Human Presence Sensor detects when a user is present in front of a PC/laptop system. This allows the device to sleep when a user is absent, conserving battery life and electricity and safeguarding it from unpermitted access. Human presence detection is becoming a core capability in the PC/laptop industry, but it is currently featured only in high-end devices due to the cost, risk, and design limitations associated with a dedicated hardware presence sensor. Elliptic Labs’ software-only AI Virtual Human Presence Sensor delivers robust human-presence detection that allows OEMs to easily and affordably incorporate human presence detection across a wide range of devices.


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The Alcoholic beverages ban
The ban was first imposed before the cancellation of the Songkran holiday and extended to April 20. According to the latest news, in order to obtain the best outcome for the containment measures of the COVID-19, alcohol sales have been banned nationwide hopefully until May 31, 2020. However, it will remain in place until further notice.
The Alcoholic beverages ban strengthens the nightly curfew that runs from 10 pm to 4 am to discourage citizens from gathering in groups. Chatchai Promlert, Interior Ministry permanent secretary, confirmed the extended policy is under an order by The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
The formal announcement is expected to be made to avoid confusion among the citizen and to ensure all provinces nationwide to strictly follow the alcohol sales ban, said Gen Somsak Rungsita, the secretary-general of the National Security Council in his capacity as the head of the central coordination office of the CCSA.
Yet, some businesses are allowed to be opened on 3rd May. The situation would be closely observed. If the infection number rises, the authorities would implement further measures accordingly. But as of now, the Alcoholic beverages ban continues.
Asher Property Editor


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If you haven’t pointed your eyes at the Steam stats lately, a new early access survival game has been climbing them like a rat up a drainpipe. And who’s turning that rat into a gooey health-restoring vermin salve? Vampires. That’s who.
Vampire survival game V Rising is officially a hit. According to developer Stunlock Studios (you might know them from 2017’s Battlerite), a whopping 500,000 players have already sunk their fangs into the V Rising, which is amazing because it only just launched on Steam this past Tuesday. It definitely ticks a lot of popular boxes, with a big open world, survival systems, base-building and crafting, plus PvP and PvE as well as co-op and solo play.
When I looked about an hour ago V Rising also showed around 95,000 concurrent players on Steam, which has now risen (like the undead) to just over 100,000. And I expect it’ll continue to draw (like blood) more players over the weekend.
It’s official! 500,000 Vampires out there have stepped foot into Vardoran! Thank you all for joining us on this journey! pic.twitter.com/35pLD6DQW2May 20, 2022
Some of us here at PC Gamer have been playing it, too. Fraser wrote that despite some easy comparisons, V Rising is more than just Valheim with vampires. And, quite fittingly for a vampire game, it kept him up all night playing.
Jody is also a vampire, though he doesn’t really feel like one due to V Rising’s rather heavy focus on resource gathering. I sorta agree—when I think of vampires in pop-culture, they’re typically not spending hours smashing ore boulders with a huge mace so they can smelt a few copper bars. But I’m still having a good time slowly growing in power, transforming into a wolf, sucking blood out of local bandits, and trying not to let the sun burn me to a crisp during daylight hours.
If you’re thinking of getting started, we’ve got a few guides for beginners, like how V Rising’s blood essence works, plus how to craft leather, where to get stone bricks, and how to find whetstones. Good hunting, you bloodsuckers.


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Microsoft has been betting on Xbox Game Pass for a long time, and it looks like it will continue to do so. The subscription service usually announces the addition of various games periodically, and many times there are triple-A titles that reach the catalog, which means saving a certain amount of money for those users who play them in Game Pass and not them. buy. For example, the next to do so will be Atomic Heart, but it seems that all this would come at a cost to Microsoft.
As pointed out by MP1ST, the UK CMA shared a 277-page report regarding the Activision-Blizzard acquisition. At the end of page 58, the following is noted: “Internal Microsoft documents acknowledge that adding titles to Game Pass would lead to a cannibalization of B2P sales,” says the CMA in section 5.64.
Unfortunately, the rest of the information is private and this statement has not been publicly explored. However, in section 5.61 the CMA states the following: ” Microsoft also stated that its internal analysis shows a decrease of X% in the sales of base games twelve months after their inclusion in Game Pass.”
Some games have benefited from Game Pass
In the past, games have been incorporated into Xbox Game Pass and have increased both their players and sales. One of the best examples is High On Life, as its creator pointed out that they shared data in which ” you sold 7 times more by going out on Xbox Game Pass “, and finally it sold very well on Steam and made history within the service as the best third party of all and of 2022.
Another title that has benefited is Chivalry 2, as its creators noted the following: “Chivalry 2 has seen more than 500,000 new players since its launch on Game Pass.” Also, Slime Rancher 2 was another game that increased its sales and consumption.


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Staying on top of the latest in software/hardware security research, vulnerabilities, threats and computer attacks.
Michael Krigsman is a recognized authority on the causes and prevention of IT failures.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes sifts through the marketing hyperbole and casts his critical eye over the latest technological innovations to find out which products make the grade and which don't.
Eileen Yu checks out industry developments across the Asia-Pacific region, discussing their relevance to the global tech business landscape.
Larry Dignan and other IT industry experts, blogging at the intersection of business and technology, deliver daily news and analysis on vital enterprise trends.
Essential reading for technophiles
All the latest on technology news, startups, people and events from Israel
Stilgherrian delivers an undiluted dose of criticism and analysis of the ways digital technology is changing our world and the spin that goes with it.
Service technology -- from SOA to cloud to IT service management -- promises many "-ilities": greater agility, flexibility, and reusability. Joe McKendrick explores the challenges and opportunities.
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SAP unveils startup acceleration scheme in Singapore
Robot apes, smart drones, London's Google shop, Apple Watch: Photos of the month
10 kits to get you started on the Internet of Things and hardware hacking


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PUBG Corp Is Suing Epic Games For Similarities To It’s Game
For almost a year now, PUBG Corp. has been been adamant that Fortnite has been an exact copy of their title, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Fast forward to January of this year, and the company is now ramping legal action against Fortnite developer, Epic Games for copyright infringment.
PUBG Corp. is specifically going after Epic Games Korea, and asking courts to confirm whether or not their property is being intellectually fringed upon and according to The Korea Times, PUBG Corp. is going after that branch of Epic Games due to launching Fortnite with Neowiz Games (a popular developer in that region).
Ironically, PUBG was created using Unreal Engine, and as it were, the last studio that used Unreal Engine and then decided to sue Epic Games was the now defunct Canadian studio, Silicon Knights – a studio that claimed Epic Games failed to “provide a working game engine,” which lead to the studio to meet “considerable losses.” With a counter-suit against Silicon Knights, Epic eventually won and came out with a $4.45 million payout which ended up doubling due to Silicon Knights “deliberately and repeatedly copied thousands of lines of Epic Games’ copyrighted code, and then attempted to conceal its wrongdoing by removing Epic Games’ copyright notices and by disguising Epic Games’ copyrighted code as Silicon Knights’ own.”
The suit ended with the studio shuttering, and all games made with Unreal Engine 3 to be destroyed.
I am curious to see where this lawsuit goes, because what I’ve learned from the years in the industry is that those with more lawyers will come out on top.


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Volkswagen AG is Considering Listing its Porsche Unit to Fund its EV Push
【Summary】German automaker Volkswagen AG is considering listing a portion of its Porsche unit to fund the automaker’s transition to electric vehicles, according to sources that spoke with Reuters on Thursday. German business publication Manager Magazin reported the news earlier and said Volkswagen could list as much as 25% of Porsche, a stake that could be valued at 20 billion to 25 billion euros (US$24-30 billion).
German automaker Volkswagen AG is considering listing a portion of its Porsche unit to fund the automaker's transition to electric vehicles, according to sources that spoke with Reuters on Thursday.
The Porsche brand is one of the most storied nameplates in the auto industry. For the most part, has not pivoted from its sports car roots as a subsidiary of parent Volkswagen, with the exception of the electric Porsche Taycan sedan.
"Those considerations exist," the source told Reuters about the possible listing, but the idea was still far from being discussed in committees within the company. However the source cautioned that discussions are only preliminary and won't likely happen this year, if at all.
Volkswagen declined to comment. Top shareholder Porsche Automobil Holding SE, which owns 31.4% of Volkswagen and 53.1% of the group's voting rights, also declined to comment on speculation.
German business publication Manager Magazin reported the news earlier, which pushed up Volkswagen shares by as much as 5.7%. The monthly magazine said Volkswagen could list as much as 25% of Porsche AG, a stake that could be valued at 20 billion to 25 billion euros (US$24-30 billion).
Some analysts believe the entire stake of Porsche could be worth as much as 100 billion euros (US$120 billion), which is more than the current market cap of its parent Volkswagen which is roughly US$113 billion.
The Porsche brand dates back to 1948.
Volkswagen acquired a 49.9% stake in Porsche in Dec 2009 and Volkswagen officially became its parent company on Aug 1, 2012 after purchasing the remaining stake for 4.46 billion euros ($5.58 billion).
Porsche is one of eight brands under the Volkswagen Group umbrella. Others include Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT and Škoda.
The news comes after rival Daimler AG announced it was spinning off its truck unit Daimler Trucks.
Volkswagen can benefit financially from selling off a portion of its Porsche unit as the automaker looks to electrify its model lineup.
In 2019, Volkswagen announced plans to invest 60 billion euros ($66.12 billion) by 2024 to develop electric and hybrid cars as well as digital technologies. Most of the investment will go towards developing new electric models, as the company looks to electrify its global model lineup.
Volkswagen said at the time it was investing 33 billion euros in developing new electric models, while the rest the company said would go towards hybrid vehicles and digital services. With the massive investment, Volkswagen is looking to reinvent itself as an electric brand.
However, these massive investments won't pay off until Volkswagen can sell millions of electric vehicles while still remaining profitable, which is also an issue facing segment leader Tesla. But listing a portion of its Porsche unit could help VW fund its initiatives in electrification.
Porsche achieved record sales in the U.S. for 2020, cumulating 10 years of consecutive growth in North America. The brand sold 61,568 vehicles in the U.S. in 2020, which was a record high, despite the economic fallout of the global pandemic.
resource from: Reuters
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
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- Volkswagen Breaks Ground on the First of Six European Battery Cell Factories as Part of a $20 Billion Investment


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Tesla's Model 3 launch 'Just Phase 1,' Elon Musk says
New $35,000 model may make inroads with car buyers it never used to reach
It is a make or break moment for Tesla. At 8:30 p.m. PT tonight, the revolutionary electric car maker will unveil its newest offering, the Model 3.
But chief executive Elon Musk is selling more than just a car. Musk hopes to usher in the age of affordable, mass market electric cars.
Here's what we know.
$35,000 for 320 km of range
The Model 3 is expected to sell for $35,000 US (before government incentives) and have a range of about 320 kilometres before recharging.
It's expected to be a four-door sedan — essentially, a smaller version of the $101,000 US Model S without all the bells and whistles.
The features may turn out to be basic, but expectations are anything but.
It's going to be viewed as a $150,000 car on sale.-Ophir Gotlieb, Capital Market Labs
"This will be a success, even larger than what Elon Musk is talking about," says Ophir Gotlieb, CEO of Capital Market Labs.
He wrote a report predicting Tesla's "colossal success" this week. Musk has said he hopes to sell 500,000 vehicles a year by 2020, a figure Gotlieb says Tesla could easily surpass.
"That opinion is based on every market survey I've seen, which is absolutely staggering with respect to how many people desperately want a Tesla, whether they own an electric vehicle or not."
A luxury car — on sale
Gotlieb says Tesla is seen as a luxury brand, competing with Audi, BMW and Mercedes. And even when they introduce a cheaper model, that luxury brand remains intact.
"This $35,000 car isn't going to be viewed as a $35,000 car: it's going to be viewed as a $150,000 car on sale," he says.
- ANALYSIS: Ready or not, Tesla autopilot feature means self-driving cars are here
- Tesla battery could power big change in electricity use
The Model 3 has been cloaked in secrecy. The German edition of Wired magazine published a photo this week that could be the first glimpse at the offering, but it only showed the silhouette of a car under a large black cloth.
"We're sort of having this debate of how adventurous do we want to be with the Model 3," Musk said at the time. "The simplest thing to do would be to make it a smaller version of the Model S but then we could also try to do something more radical. I think we're going to try to do something more radical."
Electric vehicles in age of cheap oil
Market appeal for electric vehicles is understandable when gas prices are skyrocketing. But with low oil prices seemingly in place for at least the medium term, can EVs really expect to compete?
In 2013, electric vehicles made up a lowly two per cent of the total passenger vehicle market.
The cost of the newest Tesla model has come down dramatically, in large part because of economies of scale from its $5-billion US battery factory in Nevada. That alone is expected to reduce the cost of battery packs by 30 per cent.
The company has also built a network of superchargers across North America. As costs come down, many analysts are betting Tesla has timed this just right.
"With increasing government incentives and a focus on low emission vehicles, we expect electric vehicles to see tremendous growth," a report from the research firm TREFIS said recently.
What's in a name?
Tesla reportedly wanted to call the Model 3 the Model E. It would fit perfectly between the existing Model S and the Model X (spelling out Models S-E-X). But Ford holds the trademark on the name "Model E" and Musk was forced to come up with a new name.
Whatever it's called, we'll get more details tonight as Tesla starts taking orders. A $1,000 down payment reserves your spot in line, and there are already people lining up outside Tesla stores to get their name on the list.
Line up wraps around the block for #Tesla Model 3 in #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/SxsjqiIaV1—@tinalovgreen
This is how it looks like outside @TeslaMotors @YorkdaleStyle #Tesla #Model3 #Yorkdale #Canada pic.twitter.com/oPn79VUO8E—@gokeeper
Model 3 order day starting in Australia pic.twitter.com/T6aUnG5BCv—@elonmusk
All this for a car that won't ship until 2017 at the earliest, and may not hit the pavement until 2019, according to some reports.
But Musk is an indisputable champ at creating hype. He's already looking past today's announcement.
Tomorrow is Part 1 of the Model 3 unveil. Part 2, which takes things to another level, will be closer to production.—@elonmusk
@rossbin You will see the car very clearly, but some important elements will be added and some will evolve.—@elonmusk
So, what new elements are going to be added? And which will evolve?
Tesla's "Autopilot" option is near the top of every list of features being asked about. The option allows drivers to hand control of the car over to the on-board computer in some circumstances. Many analysts assume the Model 3 will eventually include the autopilot option at an extra cost.
- FROM 2013: Tesla putting electric cars in driving lane to the future
- Robot drivers mean good riddance to humans
Tesla is already the only company that currently has a fleet of cars that are capable of driving themselves, capable of communicating with other cars in the fleet and able to learn on the go, via software updates. That potential saw at least one analyst dramatically hike his target price for Tesla shares.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas says Tesla is disrupting a "100-year-old business model of human-driven, privately owned, internal combustion vehicles." In a 2015 report, he predicted the world will move away from that model, and says Tesla is uniquely positioned to take advantage of that shift.
Instead of selling cars to ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft, Jonas says Tesla could begin offering those kinds of services directly to consumers — a move that he says could see Tesla shares soar to nearly twice their current value.
But all that's still the stuff of speculation.
Model 3 unveil will be webcast live at 8:30pm California time at https://t.co/46TXqRrsdr—@elonmusk


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The growing movement to make multinational companies liable in U.S. courts for alleged human-rights abuses committed abroad has hit a snag -- the Bush administration.
Last week, the U.S. State Department's top lawyer urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp. that alleges the world's biggest energy company was complicit in the murder, torture and rape of villagers living near its natural-gas operations in northern Indonesia. The letter to the judge from William Taft IV marked at least the second time in a year that the State Department has formally weighed in on the side of a major corporation seeking to dismiss a human-rights suit brought against it by foreign plaintiffs.
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The date for the launch of the much-awaited 2015 Hyundai i20 is out. On August 11, the replacement to Hyundai India's popular premium hatchback... ...http://ibnlive.in.com/news/new-hyundai-i20-to-be-launched-in-india-on-august-11/489476-25-166.html
hi, with the top spec diesel variant priced at Rs 7.67 lakh. The new car now comes in four variants - Era, Magna, Sportz and Asta. Each trim comes... ...http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hyundai-launches-elite-i20-in-india-at-rs-489-lakh/491498-25-166.html
Just a day after we showed you pictures of an uncamouflaged i20 testing, Hyundai has released sketches of the car. Called the Elite i20, the new... ...http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hyundai-india-releases-sketches-of-the-upcoming-elite-i20/489672-25-166.html
Hyundai, as is their custom close to any launch from their end, are making quite the noise lately - what with all those tantalising leaked images,... ...http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hyundai-elite-i20-5-things-you-should-know-about-the-upcoming-hyundai-car/490793-25-166.html
Hyundai India is aiming to launch a series of new cars in the country in 2015. The company will launch the Verna facelift in early next year. The... ...http://www.cartrade.com/car-bike-news/hyundai-verna-facelift-launch-likely-in-early-2015-125776.html
The Asian auto market is currently...


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Survey reveals 53% of people have encountered foul odours in travel facility bathrooms
-82% of people judge a company based on its bathroom
-Hygiene experts warn businesses to keep bathrooms clean during Christmas period-
According to a survey carried out by Initial Hygiene, Ireland’s leading experts in hygiene, 82% of people stated that their perception of a company would be affected by the condition of its bathroom. The survey also found that 98% of people have encountered unpleasant odours when using a public restroom.
64% of people reported that they would probably or definitely not use a bathroom if it had a bad smell.
73% of respondents expressed that a restroom in a poor condition would probably or definitely motivate them to never return to a business.
The businesses that people found were the worst offenders are:
Hospitality venues, such as hotels and restaurants, where 57% of respondents have encountered a foul smelling bathroom.
Travel facilities, such as airports or bus stations (53%).
Retail facilities such as shopping centres (50%).
Schools and universities (13%), and conference or training centres (12%) were the venues where people have encountered the fewest odorous restrooms.
Initial Hygiene is urging businesses to ensure that their bathrooms are clean and hygienic during the busy Christmas period, when more and more customers will be utilising public restrooms in shops, hotels, restaurants, transport facilities, and a host of other outlets.
Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant with Initial Hygiene said “This research shows that the condition of a company’s bathroom has a major impact on a customer’s experience and overall impression of that business. Ensuring that washrooms are clean, hygienic, and not off-putting is vital for any organisation that wants to attract and retain customers, particularly during the busy Christmas period. Today, it’s easier than ever for anyone to publicly highlight a hygiene or cleanliness issue in a business to thousands of people online, and the resulting damage to that business’s reputation can be immense.”
In order to avoid potential reputational damage due to an odorous bathroom, Initial Hygiene recommends that business owners maintain clean and hygienic restrooms, and consider utilising a high quality air freshener.


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Pokemon Go is still enjoying a massive amount of success, and developer Niantic is bringing more features to the game to keep it on top of the mobile charts. In an interview via Polish publication Gram, Variety reports that Niantic’s Anne Beuttenmüller, head of marketing for the EMEA region, stats that the company is currently working on a PvP feature that will be coming toward the end of the year.
“We are constantly improving the elements that we have available in the game and the next thing that we want to add at the end of this year is the PvP mode,” Beuttenmüller stated, in a translation culled via Google Translate. She didn’t elaborate further on what kind of details the PvP mode will offer, or any of the upcoming possible tweaks to friends and other social media features in-game, but this is certainly a ray of light for players looking to take on others with their powerful sets of Pokemon.
The game recently celebrated its two-year anniversary, and has been absolutely riddled with players and money-making in-app purchases since it made its first debut. In fact, it makes just about $2 million every day, which can be pretty difficult to wrap your head around, because that’s such a ridiculous amount of money.


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The logo for Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand on a Lexus IS 350 vehicle. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker, will recall 91,903 cars sold in Japan after saying engines in as many as 270,000 vehicles worldwide may have a defect that can lead to stalling.
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updated 05:15 pm EDT, Fri March 14, 2008
Canada Cell Biz Expands
Canada's wireless industry was set to expand on Friday when Quebecor said it would participate in an upcoming wireless auction, hoping to claim newly available frequencies for future cellular business. The company is best known for its Videotron cable and Internet services in its namesake Quebec but has placed a $317 million deposit to put itself into the auction citing the rare opportunity to expand outside of its native province with a new service.
"Exceptionally favorable conditions for new entrants, which may never occur again, persuaded us it is in the interest of our shareholders that we try to extend our deployment across Canada," said company chief Pierre Karl Peladeau.
A predominantly Manitoba-based cable and phone provider, MTS, said earlier in the week that it would also join the auction with the intent of crafting a cellular service. Shaw, a potential third candidate and cable provider known for its cable access in the West, is also poised to apply but may not start up a wireless service of its own.
The auction will start on May 27th and may create a significant shift in the balance for Canadian cellular access. The country is often considered a close parallel in cellular business to the US but is dominated by the three major carriers Bell Canada, Rogers, and Telus, only one of which uses the GSM format used by AT&T, T-Mobile, and most international carriers. The narrower selection has often been cited as a reason for excessive data charges that have only lately been reduced and have been considered an obstacle to the introduction of the iPhone, which depends heavily on data access.
T-Mobile is also rumored to be either seeking its own entry into the auction or otherwise starting up a service of its own in Canada, expanding the pool of new candidates to six.


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The World Trade Organization announced last week that they are close to a landmark agreement, the first worldwide trade reform since it was formed 18 years ago, after diplomats and trade officials emerged from marathon negotiations that defused some of the most complex disputes last week. WTO chief Roberto Azevedo has told WTO envoys in Geneva he wants to seal the deal within days so that ministers can formally sign off on the package of trade reforms at their biennial meeting in Bali in the first week of December.
There is still a huge issue concerning "trade facilitation", which remains unsettled. But leaders and diplomats are so encouraged by the momentum and the potential boost the agreement would give to global commerce and revive confidence in the WTO as the custodian of global trade rules. Its credibility has ebbed away over the past decade with the slow death of the Doha round of talks, which gave way to the more modest package of reforms now under discussion.
Azevedo effectively called a halt on Wednesday to months of haggling over agriculture, one of the deal's three main unsettled elements with talks that have been dogged by mistrust, brinkmanship and haggling over grammar and semantics, as well as a handful of negotiating demands deliberately raised at a late stage, according to people who have attended the meetings. To read more, read HERE.


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By Zoya Gervis // SWNS
Put away the nuggets and plate that broccoli: 69% of parents say they want their kids to eat more plant-based foods and 72% of parents say their children are more open to trying new foods than they were at the same age, according to new research.
A poll of 2,005 parents of school-aged children (5-17) found that kids are more open to trying new things than their parents were at the same age.
The study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Sabra, aimed to discover how kids and parents approach healthy eating and found that 85% of parents say they want to provide better snack options for their children than they had as kids.
The push for parents to offer healthy snacks may stem from the simple fact that 76% of adults feel they snacked on way too much junk food as a kid.
The good news is 74% of parents have found success, saying their kids have a much healthier diet than they did.
And parents are fulfilling their kids’ desires by choosing snacks they already know their kids will like.
But, unfortunately, two in five parents simply don’t have the time to provide healthy snacks for their kids.
Sixty-three percent go on to say they wish providing healthy snacks was less time-consuming.
And 57% of parents still struggle to find snacks that are ‘better for them’ AND that they’d want to eat.
Forty-five percent of respondents admit to avoiding giving their children healthy snacks for fear of their kids not enjoying them.
“While kids can still be selective, they are really open to trying new things so long as the choices offered taste great. This can be simple with fruits, cut up veggies with dip and snacks like Sabra Kids, a line of plant-based snacks for kids,” said Jason Levine, CMO for Sabra.
While kids are now more open-minded when it comes to trying new food, sometimes they still need a bit of coaxing. Seven in 10 parents say they will get their kids to try a new snack if they “dare” them.
Sixty-three percent of parents say their kids really enjoy eating plant-based foods. Sixty-two percent of parents say their kids like vegetables that they themselves still despise to this day including spinach (20%,) green beans (19%,) apples (19%,) and tomatoes (18%.)
What is motivating kids to opt for better foods and snacks, aside from parents daring them? Over a third (34%) say their children are curious about plant-based foods and 74% say their kids want to eat more plant-based because it's better for the planet.
Over a quarter (27%) say their kids have embraced vegetarianism and another 23% are raising flexitarian children — who prioritize plant-based foods.
“Busy parents have been challenged when it comes to finding great-tasting snacks they feel really proud of giving their kids,” added Levine. “But with a little planning and smart choices, incorporating more plant-based foods into your kids’ meals can be as simple as it is delicious.”


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Apple’s Beats-based streaming music service will be renamed “Apple Music” and integrate deep social networking for artists, according to 9 to 5 mac. The service will allow artists to have pages so they can post samples, photos, video, concert information and content from other artists. iTunes users will have the ability to comment on and like posts from artists but won’t have user social network profiles like Ping. Apple Music will be introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference Kickoff keynote on Monday, June 8th.
Meanwhile Rdio has launched a new premium tier allowing listeners to stream music on-demand. Rdio Select costs $3.99 per month and offers unlimited streaming radio without ads. You can stream up to 25 on-demand tracks per day or store them for offline playback. Plus you can swap out tracks for alternatives but you’re still limited to 25 streams or downloads per day. The new tier is available for users in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Other countries will be added in the future.
Wal-Mart challenges Amazon with unlimited shipping service for $50 per year. The service promises 70,000 items at launch and 3 day shipping. According to a company spokesman the program will be invite only initially and will evolve with feedback from early customers. Will this be a legitimite comeptitor to Amazon Prime? We pick apart that and more in the discussion section a little later on.
VentureBeat is reporting that Google has announced six new apps for its $35 streaming media stick: CBS All Access, HGTV, FOX Now, FXNOW, Pluto TV, and Haystack. Pluto TV curates over 100 channels of news, music, sports, web, and TV shows while Haystack presents trending TV news. You can get the apps from chromecast.com/apps.
Windows 10 Mobile’s latest build “10080” adds some important updates according to TechCrunch. The biggest is the first look of the Windows Store for mobile which will allow MS to deliver universal Office apps plus music, movies, and TV shows. Other features include an Xbox app, a music app, a new camera app and a video app.
Polygon reports Konami’s big focus moving forward will be mobile, not AAA games, according to a translated interview with the company’s new CEO Hideki Hayakawa.
Excited for the Mario themed Candy Crush knock off? Or Zelda enhanced Clash of Clans? Well you can hold on to your Rupees because according to Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata the venerable video game titan won’t obsess over trends to avoid ‘imitating’ other games as they venture into the mobile space. He adds “I don’t think we can realize what we aspire to by simply imitating a past success formula.”
The New York Times reports that reddit announced an update to its site-wide policies today that explicitly prohibits harassment against users. As of today, users who view or experience harassment will be able to email reddit moderators who can remove content and ban offenders from the site. reddit defines harassment as “continued actions” that would make someone “conclude that Reddit is not a safe platform to express their ideas.” The company said the number one reason reddit users do not recommend their site to others is to avoid exposing friends to hate and offensive content.
So it turns out thieves can bypass Apple Watch passcode to pair a stolen watch with their own phone. The Verge has compiled a bunch of reporting from 9 to 5 mac and iDownloadblog and concluded that the Apple Watch incredibly easy to steal. Because it’s very easy to reset an Apple Watch if you forget the password–just hold the side button until the menu with three options (power off, power reserve, and lock device) apears, then force touch that screen to unlock a hidden option to erase all content and settings. The watch has to be connected to its charger to activate the erase function. Which is exactly what a thief would do the moment he or she stole your Apple Watch. Time for an Activation Lock update, perhaps?
Biz Tech Africa reports that Safaricom a Kenyan mobile network operator has announced the launch of “The Big Box” a set top device that allows subscribers to watch TV and share broadband connectivity. The device will connect to Safaricoms 3G and 4G network and offer subscribers access to several high def TV channels as well as on demand video content. The device also services as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to ten users. Subscribers have the option of several plans based on their needs.
Re/code is reporting that Sharp secured a $1.9 billion dollar bailout. Under the deal, main lenders Mizuho Bank and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ will inject a combined 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in a debt-for-equity swap. In return for the funding, which will be used to repay debt and finance investments, Sharp will also sell its headquarters and said it might seek a partner for its TV business in North America and 5000 job cuts in its global workforce. Sharp posted an annual loss of 222 billion yen. This is Sharp’s 2nd bank led rescue in 3 years.
Engadget reports that Samsung Wallet will stop taking purchases on June 30th in anticipation of Samsung Pay, which is scheduled to arrive in September. Any reservations and tickets in Wallet will still be valid through partner apps, but coupons will not be available.
News From You:
Starfuryzeta wanted to make sure we saw that the US House of Representatives voted 338-88 for the US Freedom Act which rejects the NSA’s bulk collection of phone records. The vote heads to the Senate with support from the White House, intelligence agency leaders and the US federal appeals court. However, the Senate leadership wants to extend the existing language of the Patriot Act through 2020.
Spsheridan sent us the The Verge report that the Wolfram search tool can now identify any item in an uploaded picture. According to creator Stephen Wolfram, “It won’t always get it right, but most of the time I think it does remarkably well.” The Wolfram Language Image Identification Project was fed “a few tens of millions” of images to learn, including tricky images of a cat in a spacesuit, a sloth in a party hat, and Chewbacca. When given an image of Tom Merritt, the image identifier pronounced that he is a person.
Discussion Section Links:
Pick of the Day:
Alex Hanna writes:
Howdy Justin, Andrew Jennie, Roger and crew (too numerous to mention),
I’ve got a pick for you, it’s a website that’s been around for a year or so but arguably has increased in usefulness over time.
It is a very simple site that does one VERY helpful thing, it scans through known data breaches for an email or username that you enter. Why is this helpful? As the saying goes, knowing is half the battle. If you see that your information has been compromised on a website, you can change your password or take other similar actions to re-secure your information.
The site also has some good info on large data breaches that have been in the news if you want the pants scarred off of you. I hope this helps people be more secure!
Yesterday Tom and Scott discussed the announcement of a new Ultra Blu-Ray format which supports 4k video. Joshua Gardner wrote in about that “unspecified audio format” they mentioned:
Just an FYI, the reason the audio format is unspecified is because there is an audio war going on. Dolby is fighting for Dolby Atmos which involves the traditional seven speaker setup plus a subwoofer but also adds two speakers into the ceiling for additional height. Dolby has stated this sound format is expandable to as many speakers as you wish, although, they have stated that most audio will be mastered to support a maximum of twelve speakers plus a subwoofer (discreet channels) requiring the receiver to create additional audio channels for anything over twelve channels.
DTS has yet to announce a sound format but should very soon.
One of the primary differences between DTS and Dolby Digital is DTS uses uncompressed audio (which consumes more disk space) vs Dolby Digital which sacrifices a fraction of audio quality and frequency response both on the upper and lower end to use about one quarter of the required space. It should be noted that most people do not have high enough end equipment to hear the difference.
Friday’s guest: It’s Producers Choice with DTNS contributor Darren Kitchen and artist-in-residence Len Peralta


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Apple has reportedly banned sales of its products in Crimea following sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. government to be implemented by Feb. 1.
“In accordance with new sanctions against the autonomous republic of Crimea, adopted by the U.S. government on Dec. 19, you are not to sell Apple products and/or provide services related to Apple products in the autonomous republic of Crimea,” read a letter reportedly sent out by Apple’s Russian office to its authorized dealers quoted by the online newspaper Gazeta.ru.
Apple did not reply to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, Kirill Filippov, head of Crimea-based electronics chain Atrium, one of Apple’s few authorized dealers in Crimea, was quoted by the news agency RIA Novosti as saying that his company was informed about the ban and will now rely on other suppliers.
According to the RIA Novosti report, iTunes music store was still accessible in Crimea on Thursday, but apparently Crimean users won’t be able to access it as of Feb. 1.
Earlier, Apple unilaterally canceled contracts with Crimean software developers and removed their apps from AppStore.
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text: 2013 has been a good year for shareholders of Gap ( GPS). Consumer-driven spending has buoyed shares of the $17 billion apparel retailer this year, sending shares up nearly 20% since the calendar flipped over to the new year. That means that Gap is outperforming the broad market's already impressive upside by more than double. >>5 Consumer Stocks Ready to Push Higher Gap's success this year has been thanks to an attractive portfolio of apparel brands. The firm's labels include Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime and Athleta in addition to its namesake Gap brand. In total, the company owns more than 3,000 stores spread across the world, with another 450 franchise locations in emerging markets. The firm's model of franchising its locations in volatile areas is attractive, giving Gap access to high-growth markets without requiring high growth from its capital expenditure budget. A long track record as a specialty apparel retailer has proven Gap's ability to stay the course, particularly in the highly fickle fashion market. Because Gap targets attractive mass affluent and aspirational demographics, both of which are ravenous consumers, it can lay claim to some hefty growth and profitability numbers when times are good. With ample cash on hand and a valuable collection of brands, Gap is in good shape to keep capturing apparel spending growth for the foreseeable future.


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Everlane, the San Francisco-based direct-to-consumer retailer, has launched ReNew, a collection of women’s and men’s puffers and fleece made from recycled plaster water bottles. It is the first collection as part of Everlane’s recently disclosed commitment to eliminate all virgin plastic from its supply chain by 2021.
To address the global plastics crisis, where more than 8 billion tons of plastic is polluting the oceans and clogging landfills, Everlane will stop creating new plastic and will renew what already exists. The ReNew collection will launch Oct. 24.
ReNew consists of 13 women’s and men’s cold-wear styles, such as parkas, winter puffers, lightweight puffers and fleece sweatshirts, made from more than 3 million recycled plastic water bottles. Colors include lavender, brick, mustard, rose, stone and navy. The line retails from $55 to $198.
To coincide with the ReNew launch, Everlane will open a ReNew Concept Shop in SoHo in New York The shop offers an interactive and inside look into the ReNew production line, tracing the journey from discarded plastic bottles to garments. Visitors are invited to learn about the problem of plastic waste and get inspired to take action, with a range of on-site experiential installations, educational workshops and interactive programming stations.
The Everlane ReNew collection will be available online at Everlane.com/ReNew, in addition to Everlane flagship stores in San Francisco and New York, beginning Oct. 24. It will also be sold at the ReNew concept shop at 150 Wooster Street, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and noon to 6 p.m., Sundays, Oct. 24 through Nov. 6.


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Crocs, Inc. Names New Senior VP of Global Merchandising
Crocs, Inc. announced that footwear industry and product merchant leader Michelle Poole has been appointed as its Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising. In this newly created role, Poole will be responsible for leading the strategy and management of the Global Merchandising Organization at Crocs. Poole, who starts her new role on Aug. 25, will be based out of the Product Creation and Global Shared Services Center in Niwot, Colo. She will report directly to Andrew Rees, President of Crocs.
"We are excited to welcome such an experienced and dynamic footwear leader to the Crocs management team," said Rees. "We look forward to Michelle's influence on our future product lines, as she helps us develop and execute more powerful and cohesive global brand stories to delight consumers worldwide."
Poole has more than 20 years of experience and proven success in the development of leading global fashion and lifestyle brands. Prior to joining Crocs, Poole spent five years at Sperry Top-Sider, where she was most recently the company's Senior Vice President of Product. In this role, Poole was responsible for the creation and implementation of the global product strategy and led several key initiatives, including the launch of a year-round women's business and collaborated on the launch of specialty retail stores and sperrytopsider.com. Poole's footwear industry experience also includes brand-building roles at Timberland and Converse.
Poole received her bachelor's degree in fashion marketing from the University of Northumbria.
"I'm looking forward to joining the energetic and fun team at Crocs," said Poole. "The brand already has an iconic legacy with its core products and a powerful connection to consumers, and I'm excited to help build on this success."
About Crocs, Inc.
Crocs, Inc. (CROX) is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for men, women and children. Crocs offers a broad portfolio of all-season products, while remaining true to its core molded footwear heritage. All Crocs shoes feature Croslite material, a proprietary, revolutionary technology that gives each pair of shoes the soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant qualities that Crocs fans know and love. Crocs celebrates the fun of being a little different and encourages fans to "Find Your Fun" in every colorful pair of shoes. Since its inception in 2002, Crocs has sold more than 300 million pairs of shoes in more than 90 countries around the world.


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E3 2017: Tiki And Chrom amiibo Clash In Battle
Fire Emblem Warriors will soon see you clash with legions of soldiers and fierce monsters as fan-favourite Fire Emblem heroes such as Corrin, Ryoma, Marth and Xander.
It will also star Fire Emblem Awakening‘s Chrom and Tiki, a Manakete that has made recurring appearances in the strategy series.
Nintendo has announced that these characters will receive their own amiibo, with the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS exclusive to support both them and all previously released Fire Emblem amiibo – Corrin, Ike, Marth, Robin and Lucina.
Fire Emblem Warriors will release exclusively for Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS in Fall 2017.


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GBPAUD rate looks set to remain on the favourable side for Australian buyers as the market seeks to invest in more profitable currencies such as the US dollar. With the US dollar much stronger on the back of increased expectations they will raise their base interest rate next month, the Australian dollar has weakened as it is unlikely they will raise their rate until perhaps 2019.
This is presenting buyers of Australian dollars with pounds with a much better opportunity to purchase the currency which may quickly disappear in the coming weeks as uncertainty over the Brexit continues to hold back the pound.
Next week key economic data for Australia is the latest news from the Private Sector Credit reports. The Australian consumer has been a big driver on the Australian economy which has been going fro strength to strength in recent years. What I think is more important will be the US economic data we have next week.
Next week we have the latest US GDP data which will I am sure be very important in determining any further rates hikes and could be something to consider. The Australian economy is very much dependent on the global economy and principally the Chinese economy. Further twists and turns in the UK economy could see sterling rise against the Aussie too.
If you have a transfer buying Australian dollars then I believe making plans sooner. For more information at no cost or obligation please email me [email protected].