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American Family Insurance (AFI) has created its first social game, I-Am-Fam, in an effort to reach its main demographic, who are active users in the gaming space.
It was created in partnership with Mindshare Entertainment and game network WildTangent. The game, I-Am-Fam is a part of a larger campaign that includes the web series, “In Gayle We Trust,” and the microsite, BuildingABrighterFuture.MSN.com, which provides tools to help families address personal finance needs.
The entire campaign launched July 19.
Telisa Yancy, director of advertising at the insurance company, said it constructed the game in response to research, which showed that its demographic, which leans toward women, use gaming sites with a high frequency.
“We want to meet consumers where they happen to be and become a part of their environment, said Yancy.
I-Am-Fam is a social simulation game designed to give users an opportunity to take care of their virtual family in making everyday and major financial decisions.
The game can be found on Facebook, but is also housed on the WildTangent site. It will run indefinitely, with plans for future enhancements.
“We want consumers to grow with us and the game,” said Shannon Lory, media and program manager at AFI.
One of the focuses of the game is its avatar agent, the Trusted Advisor, where users can go to learn about the company’s insurance. To track its success, AFI will look at sales generated as well as how many quotes were solicited.
Yancy said there are CRM elements to the game. The site provides links to the online branded entertainment shorts as well as the MSN site, where users can learn about AFI’s financial tools.
Lory asserted that I-Am-Fam, which utilizes 3D technology, contains real-time elements that help to create relevancy in a person’s daily living. Weather, for instance, is a main component. So, if there is a hail storm in the real world, the weather in the game reflects this. If a user has purchased a virtual car but didn’t buy AFI insurance, he will have to pay for the damage in virtual coins.
“If he did buy the insurance, there is no happiness to take away,” added Yancy.


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Glamsquad's web site and app saw a refresh this week.
Glamsquad is angling to become beauty's next big retailer.Amy Shecter, chief executive officer of Glamsquad who joined the company last year to both scale up and diversify the business's revenue channels, coined a new term — "personal commerce" — to describe the start-up's approach to retail that will begin to take shape in 2018."The level of intimacy that's in the home, [coupled with] the beauty professional providing you the service, tips and tricks and the opportunity to sell product is a unique position for commerce in the future," Shecter said. "It's an opportunity for beauty brands because they don't have this kind of access with education and trial in a department store or in specialty cosmetics. Everyone wants greater access to the customer in the home and more intimacy. We are in the most intimate position."A retail shift is occurring in the beauty landscape, where a stable of multibrand, specialty retailers continue to scoop up more and more market share from department stores with dwindling foot traffic. But Glamsquad is confident it can get in on the action, and due to its foundation as a service provider, Shecter believes the almost four-year-old start-up has an advantage.The reason is twofold. Due to the nature of on-demand services for hair, makeup and nails, stylists can touch consumers in the most private of environments — their homes — in a way that's hands-on and allows them to truly and organically experience products. If a client loves the way her hair or makeup turns out, it's likely she may want to purchase the exact skin care, makeup and hair serum and texturizing spray that got her there. And soon, the stylist will be able to help facilitate these transactions."That's the future. The service is the start of our relationship and built on trust — but that just starts the relationship. Once our clients are accustomed to this 360-degree selling relationship…we think it can be 30, 40 or 50 percent of the business," said David Goldweitz, cofounder and chief strategic officer of Glamsquad.He declined to comment on whether the brand is looking to raise additional funding — the last raise was about $15 million in 2015 — but maintained that Glamsquad's on track to turn a profit in little over two years from now.He called Glamsquad a "tech business" with a consumer focus at its core, teasing an upcoming launch of a proprietary technology designed to aid in "intelligent matching." A beauty professional app was introduced in the spring that informs stylists of clients' past experiences — inclusive of styles they've gotten that they either did or didn't like and photos of looks a client might have uploaded to their profile as inspiration — but the new technology will focus more on trying to match the client to the right beauty professional."It's a high-touch, high cost of failure business. We want to make it better than the request you're making. Unless you try all of our stylists, you won't know who is the best for you," Goldweitz said, noting that these tech upgrades will allow for "faster lead times" as well.Hopefully, the current one-hour notice required to book an appointment will be shaved down to just 30, or even 15 minutes. The goal, he stated, is to become an Uber of sorts for beauty services, where even at absolute peak times the app will be able to accommodate same-day appointments in real time.But elevated technology and an evolution from "just services" — which has been the only source of revenue since inception — are just two of several initiatives about to roll out across the company.This week, Glamsquad's web site and app got a facelift, entirely new branding (visually and linguistically) and updated photography. Gone is the cursive, flashy pink "Glamsquad" and corresponding branding once plastered site-wide that was more Elle Woods than the mid-20s to 30s urban professional woman the brand is trying to attract. In its place is a sleeker, minimal black logo that not only feels more elevated and mature, but will likely appeal to a broader client base. Also, a new tag line — "When you feel amazing you make amazing things happen" — is designed to illustrate the mission-based company's support of women "on their own terms."There's significant market expansion about to take place, too.By the end of 2017, Glamsquad will have booked upward of 200,000 appointments (via 1,000 stylists) for the year — double that of last 2016, with plans to hit 400,000 appointments in 2018, according to Shecter. For her, this momentum crystalized the need — and demand — for the brand to expand nationwide, as well as increase presence in existing markets. Shecter's plan is ambitious, and includes the opening of 15 to 20 markets through 2020 in cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta and more. As far as existing markets, she identified Westchester County (Armonk and Scarsdale) and Long Island as potential additions to the New York area.Services are offered in New York (and surrounding areas such as Brooklyn and Long Island City, N.Y., and Jersey City and Hoboken, N.J., and select areas of Queens as of this month), Los Angeles (Orange County and Manhattan Beach just opened and "we can easily expand up and down California from San Francisco to San Diego," Shecter said), Miami and Washington, D.C.Next year will also see the addition of a fifth service, following the rollout of nail care last year and face masks in May. Eyebrow services — including waxing, shaping and tinting — will become available in early 2018.Shecter called this a highly repeatable service, explaining that a client can start using Glamsquad for eyebrow styling every three to four weeks — perhaps more often than they would for a blowout. She was secretive about which brand would be the launch partner — the deal isn't finalized yet — but shared that the partnership would span products, training and protocol. Glamsquad already has partnerships with Kerastase for hair care, Dyson for blowdryers, Essie and CND for nails."We did a survey and inbound inquiry [showed clients] want eyebrows, eyelashes, Botox, spray tanning, hair treatments and mini facials — tons of services. I was actually surprised, Botox at home I wasn't expecting," Shecter said with a laugh. "But what I found interesting is it showed how much they trust us. A lot of requests were around massages. There are so many people out there doing massages. Why would you want a massage from us? It came back that they trust us, and the level of expertise we have with our professionals."
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)
@heriethpaul and @gracebol have a moment on the @victoriassecret fashion show 2017. See every look from the runway on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo) #wwdfashion #victoriassecret #VSFashionShow
“Azzedine has been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always been such a strong, loving, fatherly figure to me. I call him Papa. His designs are indescribably unique, they are pieces of art. He knew how to make the female form look its loveliest. I have so many memories of him; my favorite might be during my first show with him in Paris. He liked me and he wanted to help me get more work. He called all his friends at Kenzo and Comme des Garcons, and asked them to book me. They said, ‘But she can’t walk!’ And he said, ‘but she has such a great ass!' His friendship and support has been the great privilege of my career. I can't imagine life without him. Repose en paix mon Papa.” - @stephanieseymour tells @wwd. #wwdfashion (📷: @steveeichner) #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa, flanked by two of his closest friends, models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.
He designed Seymour’s dress for her 1995 wedding to Peter Brant, and treated Campbell (who famously called him Papa), like a daughter. For more on the legendary designer, tap the link in bio. #wwdfashion #alaia #azzedinealaia

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By Lauren Wanko
A truck full of Jersey Fresh blueberries arrives at Homestead Farm Market to meet customers’ growing demand for Garden State produce.
“We know the product is good and we know that it’s fresh,” said Doug McDowell of Lambertville.
“And they’ll stand behind the product that they sell,” added Kelly McDowell.
“We have a nine-acre farm, so we’re not large enough to produce and grow everything and then you have farmers and producers who are too small to be able to open up a store so it kinda marries the two together,” said Homestead Farm Market owner Debbie Closson.
The Lambertville business partners with more than 30 New Jersey farmers and local producers like O’Shea Bouquets. Owner Joanne O’Shea delivers fresh flowers three to four times a week in season.
“I’m local and I get to know the customers and the owners,” O’Shea said.
Everything from onions to squash to corn to potatoes is locally grown. Stockton resident Jack Fahy prefers the area’s smaller businesses to the big-box stores.
“First of all, the people who run our shops are our neighbors and everything’s very fresh,” Fahy said.
In a few weeks, Homestead Farm Market will celebrate 25 years in Lambertville. The Clossons say over the years their customer base has grown tremendously from a few folks daily to upwards of 200.
“People are becoming more and more aware of the dilemma with farming and farms are going away and anything they can do to support local everything, is a better thing,” Closson said.
As for the direct sales from farm operations, Al Murray, “The economic impact for community farmers markets along with all direct market in New Jersey accounts for approximately $33.3 million annually. It’s very big business. It’s a great opportunity for farmers to find additional markets for their produce, interact personally with customers, customers get an appreciation for a way of life in the rural areas.”
“Being able to partner with local producers is creating jobs, giving them an outlet for their product. It’s enabling them to keep their farm. It’s a domino effect,” said Closson.
After a long, cold winter and slow start to spring, Closson says this year’s growing season can be summed up in one word.
“Late,” she said. “Everything’s late but it’s catching up!”
Just in time too for summer picnics and barbeques.


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James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein will be providing hosting duties for Star Wars Weekends 2012. Taylor, the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, will be the official celebrity host, while Eckstein is the host for "Behind The Force", a behind the scenes show of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
It's a one year anniversary of sorts, as LEGOLAND celebrates the launch of the Star Wars Miniland expansion in their Carlsbad, CA park. The 1:5 scale dioramas represent all 6 films and The Clone Wars television series utilizing over 1.5 million bricks. LEGOLAND held their ribbon cutting ceremony this morning and invited 22 kids from The Make A Wish Foundation. Members of the 501st Legion were also in attendance.
Southern California received an early dose of pop culture and ample amounts of rain as WonderCon 2012 was moved to the massive Anaheim Convention Center this year with their traditional venue at the Moscone Center in San Francisco under construction for upgrades. While it is organized by the same group that does Comic-Con International in San Diego, it was much smaller in scope and foot traffic, partially due to the foul weather. Despite this, there were still enough cosplayers, panels, and exhibitors to go around.
We have uploaded photos from WonderCon at the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend, including shots from Gentle Giant, Kotobukiya, eFX, Action Figure Express, and some Views from the Floor.
We have added the full New York Comic-Con Hasbro presentation for your viewing pleasure. Click here to visit our Image Bank!
(NEW YORK, NY) Are collectors ready to party like it's 1999? The Phantom Menace arrived with much hoopla and high, even unrealistic, expectations when it was released over 12 years ago and for many ushered in the era of CGI and Jar Jar hate. Will time and 3D be more forgiving towards Episode I?
Our Image Bank has been updated with more photos from New York Comic Con. Check out some shots from the Kotobukiya, Hallmark, Her Universe, and around the convention floor! Click here to visit our NYCC Image Bank!
Hasbro adds new goods in the booth after the presentation including the Walmart Discover The Force wave based themed with Episode I figures and comes with 3D glasses. Also added are the new Movie Heroes assortment that features characters from all movies, some with brand new sculpts and most with electronic action features. Check out these preview photos and come back for the all the photos added to our Image Bank! Enjoy!
There's a small update in the Hasbro booth this morning with carded Vintage Collection Amidala, Ben Quadrinaros, and the new Movie Heroes Obi-Wan Kenobi, which comes with a light up lightsaber and packaged in the new blue Maul packaging. Check back later today for more news and new stuff from the Hasbro panel!
We have uploaded tons in our Image Bank featuring large photos from the Hasbro Booth for your viewing pleasure. If you're a Phantom Menace, there's plenty coming up next year for the 3D re-release. If you're a fan of The Vintage Collection, it's also continuing for 2012.
New York Comic-Con is underway and we've posted some highlight photos from the Hasbro booth. The Phantom Menace is clearly the main theme, with Podracers, a Podracer multipack, and not to mention the Darth Maul package branding prevalently on display. Vintage does continue with a new cardback paying homage to the classic Kenner 12 backs. There's something big under a black blanket that we can't wait for Hasbro to reveal later in the show.
Hasbro threw a Preview Night Party last night for New York Comic-Con and offered some tidbits of what's to come later this evening. In their Star Wars room, the H people showed the already seen ROTJ sandstorm deleted scene figures, a new play concept showcasing half inch scale cutsie figurines and vehicles called Battle Pods, and in what is sure to cause some consternment from adult collectors but play appeal for the kiddies; the return of the "action feature". Shown were the upcoming Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi action figures with light up lightsabers for the upcoming TPM 3D release assortment.
For the first time at New York Comic Con, Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) will attend the convention at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 13-16 to present many of its iconic brands and meet with fans. Hasbro will have a significant booth presence featuring current and upcoming
While last year's focus was on The Empire Strikes Back's 30th Anniversary, this year is all about "Getting Revenge". Marvel properties may be the movie darlings of 2011, but Hasbro remains dedicated to their Vintage mission,though most of what they showed at Comic-Con was packaging alone, as they largely touted their show exclusive Revenge of the Jedi Death Star set.
It's that time again! Our Comic-Con coverage is slated to begin this Wedneday evening for Preview Night! To follow all the action in real time, sign up for our Facebook and Twitter feeds and updates. We also recently converted and launched our Facebook page, so please "like" if you haven't done so already.


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CAIT Announces Nationwide Movement Against New Amendments in GST and E-Commerce
New Delhi: After organising Bharat Vyapar Bandh on 26th February, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Sunday announced that its next phase of national agitation against the new amendments in GST and E-Commerce will start from March 5 and will continue till April 5th. In its statement, CAIT said that this time the organization will lay focus on states across the country. “The campaign will begin from 5th of March and will continue till 5th of April against the GST amendments and malpractices of foreign E-commerce companies,” CAIT said in a statement.
The CAIT has also said that both these issues are directly related to the 8 crore traders of the country and the movement will continue till a logical resolution is achieved.


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The Alpina F30 B3 has started development and we’ve got the first sighting of the prototype. The B3 test mule (based on the F30 335i) provides a good preview of the external styling to expect on the F30 B3, with its Alpina front lip spoiler, aggressive trunk spoiler, quad exhaust, and of course Alpina wheels. It appears that Alpina has now changed the front lip spoiler design from its original preview render. The production version is likely to feature a special exterior color as in past … CONTINUED
The 2014 M3 (F80) prototype which was spotted in Los Angeles this past weekend has made its way into the California Mojave Desert’s Death Valley for high temperature testing.
With high temperature testing always comes the removal of some front end camouflage, necessary to increase the prototypes’ air intake and cooling; which makes us the indirect beneficiaries of ever better looks at an exposed front end.
Yesterday’s F80 M3 spy pics (some copied below) gave us the best idea yet of the lines and shape of the front … CONTINUED
The F80 M3 sedan is coming together visually bit by bit with each new sighting of the development mules, and it’s looking sportier by the spotting.
We recently brought you the first look at the F80 M3 hood bulge, and now we share with you the first glimpse of the F80 M3′s front end styling, which will feature an aggressive design much like the 2013 M6′s very attractive front fascia, with a pinch of 1M styling thrown in.
Although still covered in a cloth covering, the shapes and … CONTINUED
The F34 3 Series GT (Gran Turismo) is just months from its debut and the first F34 chassis has now been spotted.
The 3 Series GT will feature a similar engine lineup to the F30 3 Series and we expect its public debut to possibly come at the 2013 NAIAS in January (if it will be sold in the US) or 2013 Geneva show in March.
For previous coverage and details thus far on the F34 GT, see http://www.bimmerpost.com/?s=f34
Although it’s a powerful beast, it’s clear that a stock F10 M5 is no match for the Ferrari 458 on the track. But, how about a tuned M5 with 640hp? The M5 is tuned by PP-Performance to 640HP and 780 NM torque. Goes from 0-100kmh in 3.9 seconds and 310kmh top speed.
Check out the results from this comparison video of the M5 vs Ferrari at the Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi.
The 2014 BMW F80 M3 and M6 Gran Coupe have landed stateside, with the first spotting coming in Los Angeles!
We have added more photos of the first F82 M4 Coupe prototype spotted last week. Full gallery inside.
After studying the first photos of the F80 M3 with its “power dome” we think that it’s likely to be a functional heat extractor vent underneath the camouflage. Let’s analyze.
The shape of the bulge on the M3′s hood is not the typical fully raised dome as seen on the E90/E92 M3 or E46 M3. Instead, it’s a raised “U” shape with 3 raised sides while the area in between remains level with the rest of the hood. See the render below for a visual.
Assuming there is … CONTINUED
We have posted even more photos of the latest 2014 M3 (F80) sedan prototype to be spotted, which shows a more aggressive hood with power dome/bulge.
We’ve just spied this afternoon this F80 M3 sedan prototype showing a power dome / hood bulge for the first time. The M3 may have now entered the FEP (Final Evaluation Phase) stage of testing. Until now some M enthusiasts have been disappointed to see the lack of a power dome on previous prototypes, but this mule confirms that the F80 M3 and F82 M4 will feature an aggressively shaped hood.
The rest of the camouflage remains as concealing as on prior mules. As seen clearly, the … CONTINUED
The Z4 LCI refresh may be a bit overdue, but these first photos of the refreshed Z4 show us that it’s on its way.
The photos reveal that the LCI will be more of a “lightlift” than a facelift. The only changes come to the side fender gills and the lighting elements inside the headlights and tail lights. Their shapes will not see any changes. The angel eyes are brighter LED and we can expect some updated lighting accoutrements underneath the masking.
We expect the Z4 LCI … CONTINUED
So sorry folks, we don’t mean to cry wolf, but upon closer inspection we believe that this prototype is actually the 3 Series GT.
With some of its rear camouflage removed, it revealed a sleeker hind roofline and rear, which gave it the appearance of a fastback/coupe-sedan, which we mistook for the 4 Series Gran Coupe. We apologize for the mistake.
The silver lining is that the 3 Series GT is looking sleeker/sportier than ever.
It’s been a busy few testing days for BMW at the Nurburgring and we’ve spotted the M6 Gran Coupe continuing its testing, just days after BMW acknowledged that the flagship M model will be coming next year. It will likely arrive as a 2014 model year and see its auto show debut at the 2013 NAIAS in Detroit or the 2013 Geneva show. Expect the first details of the car to be announced online by the end of this year.
The M6 Gran Coupe will be powered … CONTINUED
We brought you the first photos of the 2015 M4 Coupe prototype earlier today, now have a first live look and listen at the prototype in action on the Nurburgring.
What you’re seeing and hearing is the F80 M3 / F82 M4′s anticipated inline 6 cylinder engine with multiple turbochargers, pushing approximately 450 horsepowers. The engine has been rumored to be an extensively reworked and reinforced N55 6-cylinder engine with a strengthened aluminium block with a heavily modified cylinder head. The Induction technology is said to be … CONTINUED
We’ve heard rumblings in the past weeks that the F82 M4 coupe had begun its public testing rounds and our spies have now spotted it for the very first time!
The prototype wears the typical heavy camouflage of early stage mules, but there’s plenty to analyze. There’s little doubt this is the M version of the upcoming 4 Series coupe. There are the signature M quad exhausts, the flared fenders, signature blue M brakes, wide tires, and M6 steering wheel.
Both the front and rear fenders on the … CONTINUED
The F32 4 Series Coupe and F33 4 Series Convertible have finally shown one of its most important signature design elements (and on any BMW) – the kidney grilles!
As expected, the kidney grilles of the coupe are sportier (thinner, shapelier and wider) than that of the F30 3 Series sedan. A close look reveals a different number of slats and differing designs for the grilles on each side – 11 flatter slats on the driver side versus 9 ‘kinked’ slats on the passenger side. We are … CONTINUED
A couple of 2014 X5 (F15) prototypes flashed their grilles for the first time during one recent test run and our quick acting spies managed to capture it before their camouflage were reattached.
As we’ve reported previously, the grilles are indeed larger, wider, and bolder than those on the current X5. It retains the 7 slat design, but the grilles now dominate more of the front fascia and has a much thicker grille surround than the current X5 – see the comparison image below.
The hoodline has been … CONTINUED
We’ve just spied the next generation BMW X5 M prototype beginning its testing! Although still clad in full camouflage, signature M features leave no doubt that we are looking at the next X5 M.
The most conspicuous items are the quad M exhausts, active differential and blue brake calipers, which have become the signature color for M model brakes (i.e. F10 M5 and F12/F13 M6). Seen behind the blue M brakes are drilled rotors, the first for any X5 model. Hiding behind the front end camouflage are … CONTINUED


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Bitcoin (BTC) is buying and selling decrease after sellers responded to resistance close to $45,000. The cryptocurrency is down about 4% over the previous 24 hours to $41,909 as upside momentum slows.
Assist is close by at $40,000, which might stabilize the pullback.
- The 100-period transferring common on the four-hour chart continues to cap upside strikes. This implies consumers are dropping power after failing to maintain a breakout above $50,000 resistance earlier this month.
- The relative power index (RSI) on the four-hour chart is impartial after reaching overbought ranges final week, which preceded a quick 14% worth bounce.
- On the hourly chart, the RSI is probably the most oversold since Sept. 26, suggesting intraday consumers might stay lively, albeit briefly towards $43,000-$45,000 resistance.
- And on the weekly chart, upside momentum has slowed over the previous two months, indicating a weaker uptrend as worth rises stay restricted.


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Post offices may face closure
Two Auglaize County post offices are among many under review for possible closure by the United States Postal Service (USPC).
The two Auglaize County post offices among those in review are outlets in St. Johns and New Hampshire. Overall, 42 post offices with a 45- prefix are under review including others in nearby McGuffey, in Hardin County, and Pemberton, in Shelby County.
Victor Dubina, a USPS corporate communications representative stationed in Cleveland, said the review are necessary for the postal service to be efficient.
“The review of some of our brick-and-mortar post offices, stations, and branches is necessary in order for the U.S. Post Office to match today’s activity and usage, as well as mail volume, workload and customer access to postal retail outlets,” Dubina said. “More than 3,000 post offices take in less than $15,000 annual revenue and more than 9,000 take in less than $40,000 annually, far less than needed to cover expenses.”
Victoria Hemmert, the officer-in-charge at the St. Johns Post Office, said she has not heard anything else since being notified a few weeks ago that they were among the post offices that would be reviewed.
“We were called and asked some review questions,” Hemmert said. “We were told it was a possibility that we may be closed down.”
Hemmert said they were not given a time table when it would happen.
Hemmert said feedback has been negative from the community about a possible closure.
“Everybody has heard it and they are not happy,” Hemmert said. “The don’t want to see it leave. They like the security. A lot of them get their medicine in the mail and this way it is not stuck in a mail box.”
Hill and Hemmert both said they would be disappointed to lose their jobs.
“I don’t want to see it happen,” Hemmert said. I don’t want to lose my job. I don’t like to think about it.”
Jody Hill, operator of the post office in New Hampshire, said she has heard little.
“Patrons ask a lot of questions about it,” Hill said, “but they have not told me very much.”
Dubina said that offices selected to be closed would be notified well in advance prior to their closings and would be allowed plenty of time to notify their customers.
Proximity within 10 miles of other post offices, stations or branches as well as expanded access locations will be key to any decision, Dubina said.
Besides revenue and expense considerations, the number and type of transactions, any lease considerations, behind the scenes adjustments of costs, and the impact on employees also will be considered.
Dubina said that it could become a supplementary option for local businesses in small communities. The new retail option could be operated by a community business, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other local retailers, or town halls and government centers.
Dubina said that the need for the reviews is a sign of the times.
The USPS currently operates more offices than there are Wal-Marts, McDonald’s and Starbucks combined,” Dubina said. “Last year we operated at an $8.5 billion loss. A loss of about $8 billion is projected this year.
“We handled 213 billion pieces of mail in 2006 and by 2010 that fell to 170.6 billion. We anticipate that to fall to 167 billion pieces this year,” he said. “Projections point to 150 billion pieces in 2020. This has necessitated a review of our retail operations. Should the review indicate a possible discontinuance of a post office, a community meeting will be held to explain the proposed change.”


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Beer Lab has opened in Waipio
Cheers to Central Oahu's first craft brewery
Moiliili’s Beer Lab Hawaii opened a new brewery and taproom Aug. 22 in what initially seems like the strangest of places: an industrial park in Waipio.
Why not somewhere in town or on the windward side, where the craft beer storm is strong? I had to head over and check it out.
The new location is tucked into a dense industrial complex off Kamehameha Highway, across from Central Oahu Regional Park. Pulling up, it’s hard to overlook the irony that this complex, where dozens of businesses work elbow to elbow, will provide the space that Beer Lab needs to expand its operations.
It turns out Beer Lab’s new space is big (it’s actually two units side by side) and it feels open thanks to tall ceilings and double garage doors that create an inside-outside atmosphere. In one unit is a legit taproom, with room to seat a couple dozen. In the other are Beer Lab’s new toys: a state-of-the-art, stainless steel brewing outfit that will increase production by four times its current capacity at the University Avenue location.
Beer Lab’s distinguishing quality since it opened in 2016 has been its rotating taps — rarely did it brew the same beer two times in a row. The new capacity, says marketing manager Kailey Wong, will allow Beer Lab to continue this tradition but also provide more stability in its offerings. The brewery hopes to have three or four flagship beers on tap all the time. One will most likely be a New England Hazy IPA. The others are yet to be announced. Beer Lab is also looking to start canning its beer in the next couple months — if so, it would join Honolulu BeerWorks and Waikiki Brewing in selling its six-packs in grocery stores.
The University location will remain open but will cease brewing beer. In a case where everyone wins, the space once occupied by the brewing tanks will be converted to seating and the taproom will continue to operate as normal — with the addition of the always-available flagship beers.
Beer Lab chose the Waipio location for its size and ability to accommodate its brewing aspirations, but there is also another major benefit. As the first craft brewery in Central Oahu, the new spot fills a need in an area that was essentially a black hole of craft beer. Residents from Mililani, Wahiawa, Pearl City, Waipahu and even Ewa finally have a local craft brewery that’s actually nearby.
And they seem to be appreciating it. Unlike the University location, which draws a lot of visitors from Waikiki, Waipio so far caters mostly to locals. “It’s a totally different vibe here,” Wong says.
Considering Beer Lab always seems to have one of the most complex lineups of beer on the island, opening in Waipio, where they can brew more, is great for Oahu craft beer fans and for the beer scene as it continues to expand its tentacles.
For me, a resident of Waimanalo, I selfishly see another perk of Beer Lab Waipio: Just north of the H1/H2 junction, it is positioned perfectly as a pitstop when I’m headed to Haleiwa or the west side.
Beer Lab Hawaii
94-515 Ukee St., #310
Tues – Fri 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Street parking only. Bring your own food.


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Christmas Food Drive Turns 80November 15, 2016
In 1936, near the end of the Great Depression, a student society at Saint Ignatius helped alleviate the burdens of a few neighborhood families by delivering a simple Christmas meal.
More than 10 percent of Americans were unemployed. The average new house cost $4,100 and bread cost nine cents per loaf. Franklin D. Roosevelt was President of the United States and his ‘New Deal’ was helping transform life for everyday Americans.
Eighty years later, the Rini Family Christmas Food Drive, as it is known today, continues to be a student-driven service initiative that meets the needs of Cleveland families through a basic basket of goods. After eight decades, however, the drive looks a little bit different from its heyday.
Roughly 100 students make up the Core Team of the food drive each year, which provides a Christmas meal to 700 needy families around the city. They spend weeks organizing, raising money, creating publicity, contacting families and sorting the thousands of dollars and items that students bring in during the weeks preceding delivery day. The work of filling, moving and loading baskets up for delivery takes the entire team 12 hours in the days that begin Christmas break.
While Saint Ignatius High School has supported the food drive since its inception, it received a big boost in 2014 when the family of the late Chuck Rini, Sr. chose to endow the food drive. Known for the longtime grocery chain Rini-Rego’s, the Rini Family’s gift to Saint Ignatius helps to ensure that the drive has sufficient goods to make each basket recipient’s delivery complete. The Dzurec Family Foundation also contributes in a major way by covering costs for 700 gallons of milk and packages of butter. These tremendous gifts all supplement the donations of “4 cans and 4 dollars” that students bring in during the weeks leading up to the drive.
At 6 a.m. on December 17, the 2016 Rini Family Christmas Food Drive Core Team will gather to make final preparations for delivery of baskets across Cleveland. At 8:30 a.m., families, friends and alumni are invited to St. Mary’s Chapel for Mass, followed by breakfast and basket delivery.
The food drive is one of Saint Ignatius’s longest-standing and most wide-reaching traditions. Won’t you join us to celebrate 80 years of giving?


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Saturday, March 31, 2012
Nokia-Siemens Networks and Huawei continue to educate the market, push and sell solutions which address a significant pain for mobile operators - application level signaling traffic that floods the radio and backhaul links, creating congestion and reducing quality of experience for actual data.
Huawei announced that "PCCW mobile has adopted Huawei's pioneering smartphone signaling optimization solution to further enhance its network performance and improve the mobile broadband experience for its customers. The 3GPP-Release-8 (3GPP-R8)-based smartphone signaling optimization solution can significantly reduce 3GPP-R8 smartphone signaling traffic by over 25%".
Mr. Ying Weimin (pictured), President of GSM,UMTS and LTE wireless networks, Huawei, said: "It took several months for Huawei and PCCW mobile to finish the testing of our signaling solution on existing networks. The high performance of this solution shows that Huawei is capable of innovation to help customers succeed".
See "PCCW mobile Pioneers Huawei's 3GPP R8 Smartphone Optimization Solution to Reduce Signaling Traffic by over 25%" - here.


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Samsung is focused on the premium end of the TV market as its strategy to stem the torrent of Chinese companies eroding its market share.
Even though the Chinese makers are nibbling at South Korean market share, those Korean TV makers continue to enjoy dominance at the premium end of the global TV market.
South Korean TV makers are slowly losing ground in the global market in the face of Chinese rivals and faltering TV demand worldwide despite their strategy of keeping the tech edge over Chinese rivals by developing new innovative products.
Let’s look at some numbers. According to the a report in August by market tracker DisplaySearch, the combined share of Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics — the two big South Korean players — came to 34.8 percent in the first half of 2015. That’s a 4.3 percent drop from a year ago. Not much but the question is whether this is an irreversible trend.
In the meantime, Chinese makers saw their combined share soar 4.6 percentage points to 25.9 percent over the cited period.
Samsung’s share dipped to 20.8 percent, while LG’s retreated to 13.9 percent over the same period, the report said.
LG Electronics is mass-producing OLED TVs, first in the world, while Samsung Electronics is focusing on premium models such as LCD-based SUHD TVs. It is top-notch technology, but the jury is still out on whether that is innovative enough or if even out competing their Chinese rival on the premium end is the right strategy going forward.
TCL Corp.’s share increased to 5.7 percent from 5.1 percent, and its local rival Hisense Co. also bolstered its presence to 5.4 percent of the global share from 4.9 percent.
South Korean companies’ TV sales have slowed over the past year. Samsung sold 24.1 million units in the first six months of 2015, down 15.2 percent from the previous year. LG’s TV sales sank 16 percent on-year to 13.6 million units as of end-June.
In contrast, Chinese makers boosted their combined sales to 25.4 million units from 21.9 million units during that time.
While the financial media has reported that China weakening its currency by letting it float unhindered in currency markets make things harder for Korean makers, that seems a little exaggerated.
From May, the Chinese Yuan decreased in value in relation to the Korean won by about 5 percent to about 5.45 Yuan for 1,000 Korean won from about 5.71 Yuan.
China’s move may further hurt Korean companies that have already been struggling to vie with Japanese firms backed by a cheaper currency, market watchers here said, adding there is a need to draw up fresh strategies that will help tide over the slackening sales.
Sure, a weaker Yuan is a disadvantage for Korean exporters since it undermines their price competitiveness versus Chinese rivals in the global market. But a 5 percent difference over a four month period is not going to make a crucial difference. It is one factor among many at play here.


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Yuji Naka arrested again on suspicion of insider trading; this time in relation to a Final Fantasy game
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that it has rearrested former Square Enix employees Yuji Naka and Taisuke Sazaki on suspicion of insider trading.
Both suspects were previously arrested in November on suspicion of insider trading related to a new mobile game in the Dragon Quest series. This new arrest is for a separate incident.
During the previous incident, Naka had purchased stock worth around 2.8 million yen (around $20,000), but in this new case, he is suspected of making a significantly larger purchase that totals approximately 140 million yen (around $1 million).
Kyodo News and Nippon TV News report that Naka is suspected of purchasing 120,000 shares in game developer Ateam worth approximately 140 million yen between late January and late February 2021. The purchase was said to have been made based on unreleased information regarding a mobile game that was being jointly developed by Ateam and Square Enix. Sazaki is suspected of making a purchase worth approximately 100 million yen (around $700,000).
Square Enix and Ateam have worked together on the mobile game Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier, a battle royale game based on the popular Final Fantasy VII IP. The value of Ateam’s stocks rose sharply at the time it was first announced (Kaisha Shikiho Online).
Based on information obtained from people involved, Nippon TV News reported that the unreleased information used in the insider trading allegations was, in fact, related to Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier.
Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-12-07 18:35 JST)


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Talking head and industry analyst Michael Pachter is attributing the majority of the decline in US-base software sales to multiplayer gaming. The analysis came after a recent NPD sales report revealed a staggering 15-percent decline in software sales for the month of June--the fourth month in a row to experience a drop in overall sales.
Part of the blame rests on Nintendo's shoulders, as the company is currently bundling two games with the Wii console. Another factor adding to the overall decline is the sale of cheap "clearance" games, racking in only a small percentage of revenue when compared to their original launch prices.
But the biggest culprit to the decline is apparently games like Halo 3 and Call of Duty--those with high replay value. Gamers are purchasing these titles and spending most of their time playing the multiplayer portions rather than going out and buying new games.
"We estimate that a total of 12 million consumers are playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 for an average of 10 hours per week on the two platforms' respective networks, and the continued enjoyment of this game (along with an estimated 6 million Halo online players, 3 million EA Sports players, and 5 million players playing other games, such as Battlefield, Red Dead Redemption, Left 4 Dead and Grand Theft Auto) has sucked the available time away from what otherwise would be spent playing newly purchased games," he said.
Pachter said that the problem will continue, and that publishers should start charging for online play--starting with Activision's Call of Duty Black Ops.
"We think that it is incumbent upon Activision, with the most popular multiplayer game, to take the first step to address monetization of multiplayer," he said. "It is too early to tell whether that will be a monthly subscription, tournament entry fees, microtransaction fees, or a combination of all three, but we expect to see the company take some action by year-end, when Call of Duty Black Ops launches."
Honestly, there seems to be something wrong with this picture. Where are the numbers showing that gamers are spending their cash on downloaded content? While they may be focusing their time on certain titles, they're also purchasing the content associated with the games. Of course, this extra revenue may not equal to the full amount of another game, but it lifts the currently purchased title to an overall higher price point than its original launch price.
Perhaps then the decline in software sales isn't indicative of the amount of time gamers focus on certain titles, but rather the current crop of new games sitting on the shelf. If they're not appealing, then they're not going home with the customer.


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“It was Friday morning,” recalled Tarfin.
The morning of Jan. 14, police said a man walked into the shop and began making casual conversation with Tarfin while he was working on a red Cadillac CTS.
“He said that he liked that car, I said, ‘Yes I’m working on it,'” Tarfin recalled.
Then, as Tarfin backed away to check diagnostic readings, he said the suspect jumped into the driver’s seat.
“He locked the door, and then I tried to get the key out from the car and that’s when he punched me,” Tarfin said.
He was knocked unconscious, but his body was still hanging inside the driver’s window as the suspect backed up, dragging the 65-year-old mechanic along with the car.
The suspect then crashed the car into the neighboring business where the car’s bumper came loose. Tarfin was able to push himself out of the car window, falling to the ground as the suspect sped off.
The auto shop owner was left brutally injured in the driveway of his own business. His foot was crushed, his pelvis cracked, a rib and vertebra both fractured.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Heights auto shop owner dragged and run over by car thief
“I feel like the neighborhood became a lot more insecure, more dangerous,” said Tarfin.
The neighborhood he talks of is the one he has called home for nearly 30 years. A Romanian immigrant, Tarfin, opened Fixer’s Automotive on 11th Street near Heights Boulevard in 1993 as the owner and sole employee.
He may be home from the hospital, but he is far from re-opening the business.
His auto shop has now been closed for the longest stretch of time in his professional career. But as the primary breadwinner for his wife and teen daughter, Tarfin said he is determined to get back to work.
“I love what I’m doing, I enjoy it and I’m going to get back to it,” said the 65-year-old.
The family said they’ve felt immense kindness from friends, customers and neighbors.
“You know, the overwhelming response from our customers, from neighbors, people who don’t know us … it’s made the whole thing feel better. The love and the support,” said Crina Micu, the mechanic’s wife.
Some of that support came in from as far away as Wisconsin, where a local automotive shop owner who read about the crime was inspired to send a check with a letter of encouragement.
Crina said the local support from her daughter’s school, River Oaks Baptist School, to a neighbor, who was there to assist the immediate aftermath of the crime, has made all the difference.
“I want to thank the head of the school, Ms. Leanne Reynolds,” said Crina. “And the young hero, Brian Laney. I would never be able to thank him for what he’s done.”
Police found the car a week later and told the family the stolen car was used in a string of robberies.
New surveillance video shows the suspect hanging out at a convenience store down the street from the robbery just before the crime occurred. The suspect is described as a bald man with a large tattoo on his right calf.
If you know anything about this suspect, a cash reward is available for information leading to an arrest. Call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
Copyright © 2022 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.


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New Price Rite store to open
A new Price Rite store opens its doors this afternoon in Warwick, and it is almost twice as big as the original warehouse-style outlet at Mill Reach Road in Pembroke.
There is 13,000 sq ft of retail space, predominantly focused on bulk food items, including a large section with vegetables, frozen foods, fresh and frozen meats, and an alcoholic drinks section.
Elsewhere in the store there are electronics, including flat-screen televisions, household items and a range of toys.
The new Price Rite is located in the premises of the former White’s supermarket on Middle Road.
The economic squeeze of recent years has been reflected in more people buying certain shopping items in bulk to save themselves some dollars in the long run, according to Gary Shuman, president of The MarketPlace, which owns Price Rite.
He said the company had had “amazing success” with bulk food sales since opening Price Rite, in Pembroke, in 2007.
“We adjusted to customers’ needs. There is a big demand for bulk foods where customers can save themselves dollars,” he said.
In preparation for the new store, the company has created a further 14 full-time jobs across its chain of stores. Some of those new positions are based at the Warwick location.
The former White’s supermarket closed in 2012. Two years later work started on transforming the vacant property into a Price Rite outlet.
“It has been a 16- or 17-month process to bring the premises up to standard. The building had been empty for a long time and was in a bad state of repair,” explained Mr Shuman, who said the store’s wider aisles were designed to improve the shopping experience for customers.
“The wider aisles make it more pleasurable for customers; they don’t feel rushed and can browse and take their time to choose.”
In line with customer demand, bulk food items are the main focus, however, there is a sizeable selection of more general items that are harder to come by in Bermuda.
Mr Shuman said: “These are items that people have to go online to order. We can source these from our suppliers.”
The Price Rite store is easily accessible from Middle Road, near the junction with Burnt House Hill, and it has a large car parking area.
The outlet will open at 1pm today with a ribbon-cutting event, expected to be attended by Michael Dunkley, the Premier. The regular opening hours are 8am to 8pm from Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 7pm on Sundays.
Meanwhile, there will be a remodelling of the Price Rite outlet on Mill Reach Road next February. Some improvement work is already under way.
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and in order to honor the objective of spreading more awareness, HonorSociety has released limited edition “breast cancer awareness” t-shirts and hats to commemorate this important time.
Pink 100% preshrunk ringspun cotton. ¾" rib knit collar. Double-needle stitched sleeves and bottom hem. Taped neck and shoulders.


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Everyone Suffers Except the Shareholders
How can supermarkets continually cut prices yet still declare ever-increasing
multi-billion pound profits year on year? In the 1960s, supermarkets offered
the UK consumer convenience and choice never seen before. But as the years
have gone on they have become ever more powerful and have slowly eliminated
the competition, leaving us with very little choice other than to shop
there. In the process, they have caused untold damage to everything from
our local high street to the rainforests. Recently, much has been made
of Tesco's record £2 billion profits. 2003 sales for Asda’s
parent-company Wal-Mart were $249 billion. These companies are not just
interested in making money, they need to make more money every year, while
their brilliant marketing machines try to brainwash us into believing
they are champions of the consumer.
So who suffers?
Farmers suffer. Despite providing the nation's food they have been resolutely
crushed by the ever-expanding buying power of just a few big retailers.
This means they must supply produce at a lower price or face 'de-listing'.
Many now sell food for less than it costs to grow, but the supermarkets
command such a share of the market that they have no choice. Every week
eleven UK farmers go bankrupt and one commits suicide. Those that remain
are sometimes forced into employing illegal immigrant labour on slave
wages to keep costs down. Dealing with small UK farmers is often considered
too costly. It is usually cheaper for supermarkets to import produce half
way around the world, even if the produce could be grown in the UK just
as successfully. This means many developing countries only encourage agriculture
for export rather than to feed their own populations. The situation for
these farmers in the third world is even worse than in the UK. A plantation
worker receives just 1.5p out of every £1 we spend on bananas, while
the retailer will take around 40p - not exactly passing on the savings
of their buying power to us. Although supermarkets are currently making
a big fuss about stocking fair trade and organic products such as coffee,
only the Co-op has stopped selling non fair trade; and it was supermarkets'
insistence on guaranteeing low costs that caused much of the damage in
the first place.
The environment suffers
The massive logistical operation needed to keep supermarkets running 24/7
involves massive pollution; supermarkets are responsible for 40% of lorry
traffic on our roads. They fly otherwise out-of-season produce around
the world, burning a lot of aviation fuel, one of the worst contributors
to greenhouse gases and climate change. Not to mention the distance that
cars must travel to out-of-town supermarkets, often built on green belt
land and using massive free car parks to tempt people away from local
shops. Now that is being stopped, supermarkets are expanding to brownfield
sites in built up areas - causing more traffic problems and noise pollution.
In addition, the intensive farming methods required by supermarkets cause
massive damage to soil and the eco-system in general. Supermarkets who
are only interested in buying the most popular and best-looking kinds
of meat and fresh produce threaten biodiversity. The reason that nature
has so many different varieties of plants and animals is to protect against
disease in one type of plant or animal, meaning that even if one branch
of the species is decimated there will be another to replace it. It was
partly this messing with bio-diversity that led to the potato famine in
Despite the chains claiming to be major job creators, a survey by the
National Retail Planning Forum found that for every supermarket that opened
there was a net loss of 276 retail jobs in the local area. The jobs that
supermarkets do create tend to be low skilled and there is rarely any
training that could help an employee move on to better things. Pay and
conditions also leave a lot to be desired. Since Asda was purchased by
US giant Wal-Mart, the company has pushed most staff onto poorer contracts
with more working over weekends, bank holidays and unsocial hours. Supermarkets
specialize in employing students, the elderly, and disabled and long-term
unemployed. Is this part of some great social mission on their behalf,
or rather a search for a compliant workforce that will not 'rock the boat'
- staff grateful for any sort of work that they can get. Most retailers
attempt to indoctrinate staff about how good an employer they are while
discouraging union involvement. On below average pay and terrible conditions,
many workers and managers become so stressed that they become ill. Shop
assistants are usually on just above the minimum wage, while Tesco chief
executive, Liverpudlian Terry Leahy, took home a package of £4,330,000
The community suffers.
Supermarkets routinely get around planning laws by proposing 'mixed-use'
developments, promising a new playground next to a massive megastore.
Locally, this is now being tried on Great Homer Street, where the historic
indoor market is to be bulldozed for yet another supermarket. The planners
are sweetening the pill with the promise of including new 'community facilities'.
When such schemes have been planned in other towns these community improvements
get reduced in size and expenditure if they even materialize at all. Alternatively,
they simply bully town planners into submission by launching appeal after
appeal until council resources are exhausted. In addition to the traffic
and noise problems in local areas, supermarkets are slowly trying to take
over the community by stealth. Many foyers contain charity collections,
carol singers, political surgeries and even citizen advice groups. Supermarkets
promote this as 'helping our communities', but in reality it is an attempt
to humanize the giant inhuman sheds that are supermarkets, replacing the
public square with the shop foyer. They are trying to create false communities
and a sense of homeliness, hence the likes of the fake 'Market Street'
found in Morrisons. But if you want to hold a protest, get signatures
for a local petition, or even hand out flyers for your band, security
will have you out the door in seconds, along with any other 'undesirables'
such as kids, beggars, buskers, anyone who may distract you from spending
your money. Supermarket bosses envisage a time when we won't go out for
a day trip to the park or the beach but to the supermarkets. While the
kids play in the play area you can go shopping and maybe spend even more
in the store café afterwards.
Still not convinced?
Well we the consumers all suffer in the end too. Many long-standing local
shops - and even small supermarkets - have been put out of business by
the power of the big players. Now the supermarkets have local pharmacies
and newsagents in their sights. Tesco is lobbying the government to break
down the regulations that protect local businesses in these industries.
Even the paper shop could disappear from your street. Many products like
milk and bread may seem cheaper at supermarkets, but both the producers
and we the consumers are being ripped off; supermarkets may sell cheap
but buy even cheaper. The chains also make massive margins on 'prepared'
goods. For instance a Marks & Spencer beef casserole that costs £5.58
in the shop could be made at home for £1.50. Food quality suffers
too. Most fresh products are chosen on the basis of how they look and
fit on the shelves - not on taste or nutritional value. Most chefs would
laugh at you if you handed them fruit and veg you might buy in your local
Sainsbury's. There has been a slow downgrading of the food we eat, so
that items such as bread and meat that a few years ago would have been
considered standard can now be sold at an inflated price as 'Finest' or
'Extra Special' with expensive looking packaging to complete the illusion.
The lowest grades of meat and bread have virtually no nutritional value;
you might as well eat sawdust rather than many 'value' products. Supermarkets
will do anything to keep food lasting longer, so it is chilled to sub-zero
temperatures, killing many of the nutrients. Some foods are even irradiated
to keep them preserved.
Supermarkets claim they only give us what we want, yet in a recent Radio
4 poll 71% of listeners agreed that 'We would all be better off without
supermarkets'. It doesn't have to be this way, regulation has curbed the
power of retailers in Ireland and France and it could be achieved here
What will happen if we don't take any action?
Those in charge of supermarkets envisage a world where just a few major
chains look after all our needs from cradle to grave, from pet food to
legal advice. There is already an Asda in York that contains a birth registry
office and one in Scotland that is licensed for marriages. Meanwhile supermarkets
are now being planned that are surrounded by their own housing estates,
new towns where the residents' entire lives are based around a shop, providing
they can afford it of course. Many areas have already lost the choice
of going anywhere else and many people simply cannot afford to shop anywhere
else, especially those on low incomes. But if you can and you still have
a high street then you still have a choice: use it or lose it.


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Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima has said the company isn't planning on selling the Nintendo NX at a loss. In a post-earnings Q&A with investors last week, the executive said the company isn't considering pricing its next system at anything less than break even.
While other console makers have frequently sold hardware at a loss with the intention of making up that money through software sales, Nintendo has almost never used that strategy. One notable exception was the Wii U.
"When Wii U was launched, the yen was very strong," Kimishima said. "I am assuming that situation will not repeat itself. Selling at a loss at launch would not support the business, so we are keeping that mind in developing NX."
Kimishima also commented on lowered expectations surrounding the Wii U, and how quickly the NX business will make up for the legacy console's flagging performance.
"We are predicting about 800,000 Wii U hardware sales in the fiscal year ending March 2017, which is a decrease of about 2.4 million units compared to the previous year," Kimishima said. "NX and smart device business will be essential to cover this gap, but we also expect download content business to play a role. However, we are planning with the expectation that NX sales will compensate for much of the impact on sales from reduced Wii U hardware sales."


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NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The National BBQ Association will hold its annual conference in Nashville, March 3-7, 2015, at the Sheraton Music City Hotel. The annual event, which is focused on the business of barbecue, attracts hundreds of BBQ experts, enthusiasts, and aspiring BBQ professionals from coast to coast. The five-day gathering is a combination of education, trade show, networking and promoting the art and lifestyle of BBQ, with a little friendly competition and a whole lot of fun.
As part of its mission to share the fast-growing interest in low-and-slow cooking, the NBBQA invites the public to events on Saturday, March 7, including a celebrity steak cook-off and a BBQ Bash. A full schedule of events for the general public will be posted at
“No question, Nashville is the hottest city in the nation right now, and we’re excited to explore the music, the food and the fantastic barbecue it offers,” said Roy Slicker, NBBQA president. Anyone in any aspect of the barbecue business will benefit from this conference, but we also welcome the general public to come check out what we’re up to.”
Jack Cawthon, owner of Nashville-based Jack’s Bar-B-Que, long-time member of the NBBQA and member of the conference planning committee, is making sure conference attendees enjoy some of Nashville’s finest barbecue during the annual bus tours.
“Nashville’s finest barbecue establishments will blow folks away,” said Cawthon. “Music City can hold its own when it comes to ‘cue.” The bus tours are slated for Wednesday, March 4, 2015, and sign up will be available for registration with the rest of the conference on Tuesday, November 4, 2014.
The 2015 NBBQA conference will also feature a two-day trade show showcasing a huge array of grills, smokers, BBQ equipment and accessories. Conference goers can attend many exciting seminars led by well-respected BBQ standouts, representing successful businesses nationwide with thousands of medals and awards in BBQ competitions internationally. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the best at a variety of presentations and training sessions.
Tickets are available to both registering conference attendees Tuesday, November 4. Check
“There’s no better place to discover the world of BBQ than at our conference,” said Slicker. “Whether you are a supplier, a seasoned competitor, a restaurateur who wants to grow and connect, or a home cook with a recipe or product idea, this conference has something to offer you.”
Founded in 1991, the National Barbecue Association (NBBQA) is dedicated to bringing barbecue enthusiasts together and supporting the barbecue industry. NBBQA’S goals are to promote the recognition and integrity of the industry, facilitate effective networking of industry resources, foster new business opportunities for its members, and educate and inform the public about the art and enjoyment of barbecue. For more information, visit


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New Delhi, June 16, 2016: Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 146 hotels and resorts in 22 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, has announced that effective 1st July 2016 it will be taking over the operation of the 216-room Mövenpick Hotel Deira in Dubai. The property will operate under the group’s dynamic AVANI Hotels & Resorts brand as the AVANI Deira Dubai Hotel. This represents a milestone for Minor Hotels as the first AVANI hotel in the Middle East. The change comes after the hotel’s parent company, Bin Sulayem Investments, signed a management agreement with Minor Hotels.
Located in one of the most diverse and culturally rich parts of the city, the property is ideally situated just four kilometres from Dubai International Airport and the world-famous Gold and Spice Souks. Close to several shopping malls and the Dubai Metro offering ease of access to Downtown Dubai, Jumeirah Beach and Dubai Marina, the hotel is well-placed for guests to explore the city. This upscale hotel offers 216 guest rooms and two unique dining concepts, meeting rooms, an outdoor pool and a fully equipped gym.
Robert Kunkler, Chief Operating Officer of Minor Hotels, said “This key acquisition to our portfolio allows Minor Hotels to take a strategic foothold in the Middle East for our fast expanding AVANI Hotels & Resorts brand in what is a vitally important market. We are thrilled to continue our excellent relationship with Bin Sulayem Investments. AVANI Deira Dubai Hotel will have the freedom to establish and maintain its individuality and distinct character while benefitting from being part of the Minor Hotels portfolio.”
Abdulla bin Sulayem, General Manager of Bin Sulayem Investments commented, “This property being rebranded to AVANI is an important step in the evolution of our owned assets. We are excited to strengthen the current relationship with Minor Hotels and look forward to working with them as a key partner in fulfilling the potential of this uniquely positioned property.”
AVANI Hotels & Resorts was launched in 2011 to complement Minor Hotels’ five star Anantara brand. AVANI offers relaxed comfort and contemporary style in city and resort destinations to guests who value the details that matter. The brand currently has 13 properties in operation in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zambia, with a pipeline of further openings in Asia, the Indian Ocean and the Middle East. MH has plans to grow the brand across its global footprint.
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)


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A landlord who tried to deny an accounting firm the option to buy its leased office space in Burnaby’s Koreatown after the property’s value jumped by $350,000 has lost in court.
Go Ha & Associates Ltd., a firm currently located in New Westminster, used to lease space in North Road Centre at 4501 North Rd.
The company had entered into a lease agreement in 2013 that included the option to buy the five connected strata lots for $850,000 before the end of the lease term on Dec. 31, 2017.
The property’s value has since increased to more than $1.2 million.
Go Ha delivered notice of its intention to buy on Oct. 11, 2017, but the numbered company that owns the property (611414 B.C. Ltd.) refused to complete the sale.
In court, the company argued Go Ha hadn’t exercised the option to buy on the day required under the lease, which stated the option “may be exercised 60 days prior to the end of the term of the lease agreement.”
Sixty days prior to the end of the lease would have been Nov. 1, 2017, not Oct. 11, so the numbered company argued Go Ha had not complied with the agreement and the company was therefore not obligated to complete the sale.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Wendy Baker was unconvinced.
“It would be contrary to sound commercial principles and good business sense to conclude that a notice delivered 20 days early, which gives rise to absolutely no prejudice to the vendor, could invalidate an otherwise valid option to purchase,” she said in a Nov. 30 ruling.
What motivated the numbered company’s director, Jin Woo Lee was likely money, she said.
“I suspect that Mr. Lee was looking for a way to avoid selling the property given its large increase in value since 2013, and Mr. Lee latched on to the date of delivery of the notice as a means of hopefully doing so.”
Through regular deposit payments towards the purchase price, Go Ha had made it clear throughout the lease term “it had every intention of exercising the option to purchase,” Baker concluded.
Despite what she called the numbered company’s “lack of good faith and failure to perform its contractual obligations honestly” in not providing Go Ha with requested information, Baker also found the accounting firm had done its best to file the necessary closing documents and payment by the closing deadline outlined in the lease.
In the end, Baker ordered the numbered company to complete the sale within 30 days.
She ruled the North Road property was uniquely suited to Go Ha’s needs and a payout wouldn’t be an adequate remedy.
“The unique quality of the property is apparent when compared with Go Ha’s new location,” Baker said. “The space Go Ha is currently occupying is too big for its needs, does not have free parking and, most importantly, is detached from the Korean community. There is a further, distinct disadvantage to Go Ha in its present New Westminster location as it is no longer part of the one-stop shopping experience for Korean clients.”
Baker also ordered Lee’s numbered company to pay Go Ha $70,176.13 in damages and to pick up the tab for the court costs.


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The recent acquisition of Trinity Logistics by Burris Logistics in April, offers Trinity customers greater service options with more end-to-end supply chain solutions. This also translates to an increased need for more offices and staff.
Since joining together three months ago, Trinity has onboarded offices in Des Moines, Iowa; Orlando, Florida; and is preparing to onboard an office in Elkton, Maryland. Momentum will continue as the 3PL expects to add three to four more offices in the next few years to keep up with the demand.
“Trinity and Burris share the idea of ‘stronger together’ offering customers a full supply chain solution with increased buying power, scale, and advancement in supply chain technology,” said Nick Falk, President of Trinity Logistics. “We are fiercely independent and our culture is one of the reasons why staff love it here. We won’t lose that, but we need good people to help us grow.”
By combining a Top 20 3PL with the 6th largest cold storage supplier in North America, Burris and Trinity employ over 2,000 team members and manage 21 offices. Trinity also operates one of the most robust and respected Independent Freight Agency programs in the country.
For more information on career opportunities at Trinity Logistics, visit our webpage.
Trinity Logistics has always been a service-oriented company, and this includes community service. Being so heavily involved in our local communities over the years, we decided to streamline our efforts. In 2005, we formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and called it the Trinity Foundation. All community service and charitable giving from Trinity Logistics is funneled through this Foundation.
Stay up to date on the latest information on conditions impacting the freight market, curated by Trinity Logistics through our Freightwaves Sonar subscription. NOT INTERESTED IN READING? WATCH OUR VIDEO […]
Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) company, is proud to announce its earned recognition as a Top Company for Women in Transportation by the Women In Trucking Association for a fourth year. The Women […]


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The singer is selling a massive collection of personal items for The Donna Louise Children's Hospice.
For all those rich Robbie Williams fans out there, if you want to get your hands on some unique memorabilia, now's the time to pull out those bank cards because this is one auction you are not going to want to miss! And it's all for a truly excellent cause.
Robbie Williams lyrics are up for grabs at this charity sale
The popstar is leading a bidding bonanza at Bonhams this summer, with a variety of items set to be up for grabs at a charity auction appropriately dubbed, 'Doing it for the Kids' (that's in reference to Williams' 2000 single with Kylie Minogue 'Kids', for the Robbie rookies). All proceeds at the event will be donated to The Donna Louise Children's Hospice, which he became a patron of in 2002.
'It's a privilege for me to be a patron of The Donna Louise Children's Hospice; it makes a real difference to these children whose lives have been tragically limited', he says. 'The sale gives a great opportunity for bidders to know their money will go to such a fantastic charity, whilst also taking home some of my most prized possessions that have been personal markers of my career and life so far.'
Items from Williams' Take That days are also on sale
Among those prized possessions (of which there's 150!) are some handwritten lyrics for 'Let Me Entertain You', William's suit from the 'Radio' video, his MTV video music award from his time with Take That and his multi-platinum award for his second album 'I've Been Expecting You'. These lots are estimated to go for between £2,000 and £7,000 so you'll have to dig deep if you want a chance to own them!
Prospective buyers can view the items every day between July 11th and July 15th 2015, with the latter date seeing the actual auction take place. Happy bidding!
Signed multi-platinum awards could be yours


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|By Marketwired .||
|July 24, 2014 07:01 AM EDT||
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/24/14 -- GuestLogix Inc. (TSX: GXI), the leading global provider of onboard retail and payment technology solutions to airlines, rail operators and the passenger travel industry, today announced that it has been issued a second U.S. patent, further protecting the Company's onboard retail and payment technology, specifically as it relates to the use of passengers' personal devices onboard. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 8,744,920 to GuestLogix and listing Ramez Hanna, GuestLogix SVP Product Development as principal inventor, in recognition of the Company's unique technology that integrates mobile devices into an onboard retail environment.
"This award by the U.S. patent office substantiates the unique qualities of GuestLogix' technology as it relates to monetizing passenger devices such as smartphones and tablets onboard," said GuestLogix President & CEO, Brett Proud. "With the issuance of this second patent, GuestLogix is recognized for its commitment to innovation and solidifies its leadership position in the global passenger travel market. As GuestLogix is called upon to provide its technology to airlines, rail operators and other travel operators who are looking to create self-service retail programs onboard, this new patent protection will be of significant benefit to our Company and shareholders."
On December 12, 2012, GuestLogix was issued its first U.S. patent, protecting the Company's technology platform as it relates to the sale of products and services via a mobile POS device that are linked to specific travel vehicles, such as an aircraft. This new patent, entitled "Systems and Methods for Integration of Travel and Related Services and Operations" goes one step further to protect the Company's technology for use in monetizing personal devices used by passengers within travel vehicles. The patent also protects the process, methodologies and technologies that provide targeted or personalized offerings being pushed to passengers within these mobile retail environments.
An excerpt from the patent abstract states that "one aspect of the invention is directed to integrating mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, etc., into a mobile retail environment commercial system. A mobile device includes a mobile store module that provides an interactive user experience that allows a traveler to browse goods or services that are available in the mobile retail environment." GuestLogix' next generation mobile solutions were designed to improve operators' abilities to generate ancillary revenues - a highly relied upon revenue stream - by enabling self-service retailing via passengers' personal devices, while at the same time enhancing the overall customer experience.
"GuestLogix led the onboard retail revolution and maintains its place at the forefront of innovation as it is once again acknowledged for the unique aspects of its technology," said Peter Nguyen, SVP, Legal Affairs, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, GuestLogix. "As per this recognition from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, GuestLogix' technology has gained additional protection that will undoubtedly prove beneficial in doing business moving forward."
GuestLogix has a comprehensive patent strategy in place with additional patent applications currently under review in the U.S., Europe and other international jurisdictions.
GuestLogix Inc. (TSX: GXI) is a global leader in comprehensive retail solutions delivered to the passenger travel industry, both onboard and off board. Bringing over a decade of expertise as the industry's most trusted onboard transaction processing partner to airlines, rail operators and elsewhere in the passenger travel industry, GuestLogix powers the industry's growing reliance on ancillary revenue generation. Both direct to operators as well as through partnerships with global leaders in catering, duty-free, inflight entertainment and self-service retail experts, the Company provides the payment services touching over 1 billion travelling consumers each year. GuestLogix' global headquarters and centre for product innovation is located in Toronto, with regional head offices located in Dallas, London and Hong Kong. More information is available at www.guestlogix.com.
© 2014 GuestLogix. All Rights Reserved.
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with GuestLogix' business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect GuestLogix' current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including the matters discussed under "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Filing Statement filed on May 12, 2014 with the regulatory authorities. GuestLogix assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pulzze Systems will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Pulzze Systems, Inc. provides infrastructure products for the Internet of Things to enable any connected device and system to carry out matched operations without programming. For more information, visit http://www.pulzzesystems.com.
Sep. 25, 2016 06:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,799
SYS-CON Events announced today that Commvault, a global leader in enterprise data protection and information management, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Commvault is a leading provider of data protection and information management solutions, helping companies worldwide activate their data to drive more value and business insight and to transform moder...
Sep. 25, 2016 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,401
Fact is, enterprises have significant legacy voice infrastructure that’s costly to replace with pure IP solutions. How can we bring this analog infrastructure into our shiny new cloud applications? There are proven methods to bind both legacy voice applications and traditional PSTN audio into cloud-based applications and services at a carrier scale. Some of the most successful implementations leverage WebRTC, WebSockets, SIP and other open source technologies. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Da...
Sep. 25, 2016 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,535
SYS-CON Events announced today that Secure Channels will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. The bedrock of Secure Channels Technology is a uniquely modified and enhanced process based on superencipherment. Superencipherment is the process of encrypting an already encrypted message one or more times, either using the same or a different algorithm.
Sep. 25, 2016 05:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,518
Traditional on-premises data centers have long been the domain of modern data platforms like Apache Hadoop, meaning companies who build their business on public cloud were challenged to run Big Data processing and analytics at scale. But recent advancements in Hadoop performance, security, and most importantly cloud-native integrations, are giving organizations the ability to truly gain value from all their data. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, David Tishgart, Director of Product Marketing ...
Sep. 25, 2016 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,745
SYS-CON Events announced today that Bsquare has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For more than two decades, Bsquare has helped its customers extract business value from a broad array of physical assets by making them intelligent, connecting them, and using the data they generate to optimize business processes.
Sep. 25, 2016 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,552
DevOps at Cloud Expo – being held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA – announces that its Call for Papers is open. Born out of proven success in agile development, cloud computing, and process automation, DevOps is a macro trend you cannot afford to miss. From showcase success stories from early adopters and web-scale businesses, DevOps is expanding to organizations of all sizes, including the world's largest enterprises – and delivering real results. Am...
Sep. 25, 2016 03:15 PM EDT Reads: 4,384
Almost two-thirds of companies either have or soon will have IoT as the backbone of their business in 2016. However, IoT is far more complex than most firms expected. How can you not get trapped in the pitfalls? In his session at @ThingsExpo, Tony Shan, a renowned visionary and thought leader, will introduce a holistic method of IoTification, which is the process of IoTifying the existing technology and business models to adopt and leverage IoT. He will drill down to the components in this fra...
Sep. 25, 2016 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,574
The vision of a connected smart home is becoming reality with the application of integrated wireless technologies in devices and appliances. The use of standardized and TCP/IP networked wireless technologies in line-powered and battery operated sensors and controls has led to the adoption of radios in the 2.4GHz band, including Wi-Fi, BT/BLE and 802.15.4 applied ZigBee and Thread. This is driving the need for robust wireless coexistence for multiple radios to ensure throughput performance and th...
Sep. 25, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,510
SYS-CON Events announced today the Kubernetes and Google Container Engine Workshop, being held November 3, 2016, in conjunction with @DevOpsSummit at 19th Cloud Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. This workshop led by Sebastian Scheele introduces participants to Kubernetes and Google Container Engine (GKE). Through a combination of instructor-led presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on labs, students learn the key concepts and practices for deploying and maintainin...
Sep. 25, 2016 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,602
Enterprise IT has been in the era of Hybrid Cloud for some time now. But it seems most conversations about Hybrid are focused on integrating AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google ECM into existing on-premises systems. Where is all the Private Cloud? What do technology providers need to do to make their offerings more compelling? How should enterprise IT executives and buyers define their focus, needs, and roadmap, and communicate that clearly to the providers?
Sep. 25, 2016 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,515
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftLayer, an IBM Company, has been named “Gold Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York, New York. SoftLayer, an IBM Company, provides cloud infrastructure as a service from a growing number of data centers and network points of presence around the world. SoftLayer’s customers range from Web startups to global enterprises.
Sep. 25, 2016 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 828
There is little doubt that Big Data solutions will have an increasing role in the Enterprise IT mainstream over time. Big Data at Cloud Expo - to be held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA - has announced its Call for Papers is open. Cloud computing is being adopted in one form or another by 94% of enterprises today. Tens of billions of new devices are being connected to The Internet of Things. And Big Data is driving this bus. An exponential increase is...
Sep. 25, 2016 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,458
Digital innovation is the next big wave of business transformation based on digital technologies of which IoT and Big Data are key components, For example: Business boundary innovation is a challenge to excavate third-party business value using IoT and BigData, like Nest Business structure innovation may propose re-building business structure from scratch, as Uber does in the taxicab industry The social model innovation is also a big challenge to the new social architecture with the design fr...
Sep. 25, 2016 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,113
DevOps at Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 19th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The widespread success of cloud computing is driving the DevOps revolution in enterprise IT. Now as never before, development teams must communicate and collaborate in a dynamic, 24/7/365 environment. There is no time to wait for long dev...
Sep. 25, 2016 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,380


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THE ALBION shopping precinct looks set to lose two stores, putting jobs at risk and prompting more fears over the state of Ilkeston town centre.
Popular clothes shop M&Co in the Albion Centre, off Bath Street, announced it will be closing its doors for good on May 31.
It is understood the reason behind the closure is that the firm cannot afford an increase in rent so bosses have decided not to renew the lease on the unit.
Shopper Denise Thompson said she was ‘deeply upset’ by the closure.
“Ilkeston will soon be a ghost town,” she said.
“It is time the council stepped in.”
A spokesman for the firm confirmed the rumours this week.
She said: “This has been a very recent decision and we are in the process of consulting with our staff and are trying to relocate as many of them as possible to alternative stores.
“Our customers can continue to shop with M&Co in our Belper store in King Street or online at www.mandco.com.”
Computer game retailer Game, which also has a branch in the Albion Centre, confirmed that some of its suppliers were refusing to do business with it, sending its share prices plummeting.
The firm said its future looks ‘uncertain’, meaning a potential loss of 600 stores – including the Ilkeston one – and 6,000 jobs nationwide.
A spokesman said: “While these discussions are ongoing, it has not been possible to source new products from a number of suppliers.
“The board of Game is working actively to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.
“This includes ongoing discussions with suppliers, seeking access to the original facility or alternative sources of funding, and reviewing the position of all of its assets in the UK and international territories.
“It is uncertain whether any of the solutions currently being explored by the board will be successful or will result in any value being attributed to the shares of the company.”


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Sun | Food
Many people are concerned that the illegal fishing and trade of caviar from countries that border the Caspian Sea could destroy the source of 90 percent of world caviar. To that end, this month the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has announced that Caspian caviar quotas are down 22 percent from last year.
There are domestic alternatives.
Mountain Lakes Fisheries in Columbia Falls, Mont., sells beautiful, clean-tasting, apricot-colored Golden Whitefish Caviar ($49.53 for four ounces, including shipping). It's mildly flavored and slightly crunchy in texture. Call (888)809-0826 or go online at www.whitefish caviar.com.
Caviar Assouline, a Philadelphia-based caviar importer and retailer, has unique alternatives for vegetarians. Its Seaweed Caviar ($7.95 for 3.5 ounces) has small, black, firm pearls with a flavor that brings pickle relish to mind. A new product this season, Faux-Luga ($7.50 per ounce) is made of soy. The "roe" is plump, gray in color and has an of-the-sea taste. Call (800)521-4491 or go online at www.icaviar.com.
— The Washington Post


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According to consumer price index (CPI) data released on Monday (24 Feb), Singapore’s core inflation missed industry forecasts in January as a result of a sharper decline in the cost of retail and other goods.
Core inflation is a central bank metric that excludes accommodation and private transport costs. In January, core inflation sat at 0.3 per cent, which was lower than the 0.9 per cent expected by the private sector players in a Bloomberg poll and also lower than December 2019’s rate at 0.6 per cent.
As for all-items inflation or headline inflation, the rate in January was 0.8 per cent, which was the same as December 2019 but a little below the private forecast of 0.9 per cent.
The samples and weights of items used to calculate the index were also changed while the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) stated that “part of the fall in core inflation also reflected the impact of the rebasing of the CPI to 2019 as the base year.”
The global outbreak of Covid-19 virus has landed a severe blow on the country’s consumer-dependent sectors since mid-January. Tourism-related industries have been especially affected, such as hospitality.
As the official full-year growth forecast was revised downwards last week to reflect the likelihood of a recession, private-sector economists would like for the MAS to loosen monetary policy in April this year.
In a joint statement, MAS and MTI remarked that they will monitor the price trends, as well as the impact of the rebasing of the CPI, even as “economic uncertainty, including the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak, will likely discourage firms from passing on any cost increases to consumers”.
MAS and MTI both added that “higher private transport inflation and an increase in accommodation cost was offset by lower inflation in the remaining core CPI basket” in January and that “inflationary pressures are expected to remain subdued in the near term”. Alongside this, the conditions of domestic labour market have continued to soften, the two organisations added.
Compared to the end of last year, car prices were higher and housing prices rebounded in January, which led to higher headline inflation. However, prices of shoes, clothes and medical products fell more, with the year-on-year decline in the cost of goods reaching 1.4 per cent, higher than the 0.9 per cent in December.
Compared to the previous month, services inflation in January fell to 0.5 per cent from 1.2 per cent. This is the result of higher pre-school subsidies which led to lower cost of education, lower healthcare costs and a smaller hike in telecommunication service fees.
The official forecasts by MTI and MAS for both headline and core inflation rates this year have not been changed, still within the range of 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent.


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The Friday Funny: Tech Timeout
Do your friends and family spend more time staring at smartphone and tablet screens than they do talking to each other? We’ve all been guilty of tech obsession at times, and now Foresters — a life insurance provider based in Canada — has started a “TechTimeout” campaign that tries to get people to put down their gadgets and behave like the social animals we are. By like, you know, talking to other people in person and stuff.
Gadget addiction taken to the water-logged extreme. (Hat tip to J. Peter Bruzzese for the link.)
The company has produced a humorous YouTube video (embedded below) that shows gadget-addicted people blundering into lampposts, pouring scalding coffee on the privates of loved ones while texting a BFF, and participating in water sports while listening to an iPod or saving a virtual world via Gameboy.
Passwords Haven’t Disappeared Yet
123456. Qwerty. Iloveyou. No, these are not exercises for people who are brand new to typing. Shockingly, they are among the most common passwords that end users choose in 2021. Research has found that the average business user must manually type out, or copy/paste, the credentials to 154 websites per month. We repeatedly got one question that surprised us: “Why would I ever trust a third party with control of my network?
Have any funny stories of tech-obsessed co-workers or friends to share? Drop me an email with your thoughts.