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Why buying furniture in Indonesia is potential investment for furniture business Indonesia is one of famous and prospective country on producing furniture. The data from Ministry of Industry states that export performance of Indonesian furniture industry in the last three years shows a positive trend: US$ 1.60 billion in 2016, US$ 1.63 billion in 2017 and […]
Jepara furniture is non-deniable for its quality and design. It is already well-known both in the local and foreign market. In fact, the data showed that 75.603 people work and 5.870 business units in this furniture industry and contributed 10% of the total amount of national exports. If you seek for high-quality of materials, unique […]
For more than 20 years Posteak crafting wide-range table furniture models from solid teak wood which has been qualified as the best resources of wood with the durability and strength, make it long-lasting without overlooking the beauty behind.
Furniture is one of the potential commodity owned by Indonesia. It ranks secondly from the top tropical country that exports furniture. However, Indonesian furniture industry has fallen down year to year and faced the degradation of the total amount of furniture export
ABOUT US Indonesian furniture manufacturer with specialization on recycled teak, modern teak, and painted teak furniture. Established in Jepara since 1997, a small town which well-known has natural resources of wood and high skilled wood-crafters. Our Warehouse located at Ds. Kecapi Nganjir Rt 23 Rw 04, Tahunan, Jepara, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia. OUR STORY Our story began […]


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JEBCommerce is excited to manage the FOCL affiliate program. FOCL offers premium CBD products for Focus, Sleep, Relaxation, Recovery and Immunity. Whether consumers prefer Gummies, Drops or Topicals, FOCL has exactly the right product!
Performance Marketing News
By Chris Park
JEBCommerce has partnered with Lindt Chocolate to manage their Affiliate Program on the Pepperjam Affiliate Network. Publishers partnering with Lindt can earn commissions on sales sent to Lindt from their websites and social media pages.
JEBCommerce has joined with InchBug to bring their fun, colorful, and life proof labels to the affiliate channel. Helping caregivers keep track of all the items that keep their lives easy while on the go!
JEBCommerce is excited to welcome Brightside to our portfolio! We’re looking to grow this new program in 2021 on Impact, and we’re looking for unique and innovative ways to do so.
JEBCommerce is pleased to welcome the Princess Cruises brand to our portfolio! We’re looking to grow this program in 2021/22 as we partner with Rakuten Advertising, and we’re looking for unique and innovative ways to do so!
JEBCommerce has joined with Soundstripe to bring their radio-quality, royalty-free music and sound effects to affiliates and creators.
By Shane Tyler
JEBCommerce is pleased to welcome Mobile Edge to our portfolio. We’re looking for quality tech-oriented partners to help us grow this awesome program!
JEBCommerce is pleased to welcome Dr. Squatch to our portfolio! We’re looking for quality content pubs to join us in growing this exciting brand for men.

domain: news


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Judge Rejects $4.5B Cash Deal to Protect OxyContin Pusher Family from Opioid Lawsuits
Even billionaires can’t buy their way out of sweeping opioid crisis lawsuits.
December 17, 2021
Judge Rules Texas Ban on Smokable Hemp Unconstitutional
In regards to a lawsuit, Judge Lora Livingston tossed out Texas’ ban on smokable hemp products.
August 24, 2021
What It’s Like to Judge a Cannabis Cup
Ever wondered what it's like to judge the world renowned Cannabis Cup? Your opportunity is here!
May 13, 2020


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Silver Sales Soaring at Mints as Silver Prices Remain Flat
Silver prices have been relatively flat over the past few months. In the long run, the gray precious metal could soar. There seems to be a silver rush in the making and those against it are getting nervous.
If you want to know how silver demand looks, pay attention to sales at mints around the world. In the last two months, something interesting has happened; mints’ silver sales have skyrocketed, as prices have been relatively flat.
Consider the U.S. Mint. In September, the mint sold 320,000 ounces of silver in American Eagle coins. October is not even finished yet, but the mint has already sold 750,000 ounces of silver in similar coins. If you do simple math, this represents an increase of over 134%. It will not be shocking if silver sales figures hit one-million ounces for October at the U.S. Mint. (Source: “Bullion Sales,” U.S. Mint, last accessed October 23, 2017.)
At the Perth Mint, Australia’s biggest mint, silver sales in September amounted to 697,849 ounces. This figure was 78% higher from August. Year-to-date, the Perth Mint has sold 7.21-million ounces of silver. (Source: “Perth Mint Bullion Sales Rebound in September,” CoinNews.net, October 20, 2017.)
Silver Bears Getting Nervous
While mint sales are showing there’s a sort of silver rush in the making, those who are betting against silver prices (bears) seem to be getting nervous. This is not talked much in the mainstream, but it could have very positive impacts on silver prices.
To see this, you have to look at the Commitments of Traders (COT) report released by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) released every week. This report gives a general idea of who’s doing what.
One of the things stated in this report is how the “managed money” is behaving. Essentially, these are institutional investors. They have huge buying power and the ability to move the markets.
Since the beginning of the year, managed money has been reducing their “short positions.” That’s their bets against silver prices.
Consider this: in the first week of January, they were short 19,343 futures contracts. Mind you, one contract is 5,000 ounces. This means they were down 96.71-million ounces. (Source: “Commitments of Traders,” Commodity Futures Trading Commission, last accessed October 23, 2017.)
In the most recent report, this figure was 10,744, or 53.72-million ounces. This represents a decline of 8,599 futures contracts, or over 44%, in a matter of 10 months.
If this doesn’t tell you that shorts are getting nervous, then what will?
Silver Prices Outlook: Why 2018 Could Be Big for Silver
Dear reader, silver prices are being ignored severely despite some major shifts happening in the market.
I ask: how long could this continue?
To me, it will not be shocking if 2018 turns out to be very big for silver prices. I say this because I believe that’s when investors will start paying attention to data and realize how the gray precious metal is undervalued.
Obviously, with time, we will know more. In the meantime, I can’t help but be bullish on silver prices ahead.


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Many small businesses, both local and national, have not survived the COVID-19 pandemic, and since the initial shutdown in March 2020, Americans have worried about the pandemic’s impact on the economy.
Government legislation for funding small businesses, such as the CARE Act earlier this year, have helped those businesses trying to recover, but how devastated would the country be if those locally-owned operations shut down?
A new study from Business.org, the research site, showed just how important small businesses are to local economies.
Defining “small businesses” as companies with less than 500 employees, 47.3 percent of American workers are employed by small businesses. As you can see in the above graphic, Pennsylvania is at 46 percent.
The study used information from the Census Bureau’s Statistics of U.S. Businesses from 2018.
The author of the article, Kylie McQuarrie, writes: “We hope the data from calculators like ours can help make a compelling case for why, if a COVID-related downturn is in our future, small businesses deserve more financial aid (or, at least, better safeguards) than they received before. Millions of employees are counting on it.”
Other findings from the study:
- The U.S. has over six million small businesses that collectively employ more than 61 million people.
- Some states rely more on small businesses for employment than others. Montana’s small businesses employ a full 67.2 percent of the state’s population, while Vermont’s small businesses employ the second-highest percentage of people per state at around 60 percent.
- In contrast, Florida’s small businesses employ just 41.1 percent of the population. Small businesses in Arizona, Georgia, and Tennessee also employ around 42 percent of their respective states’ population.
- If 5 percent of existing small businesses closed nationwide, more than three million people would be out of a job. If 10 percent closed, more than six million people would lose their jobs.
For news delivered right to you, subscribe to JET 24/FOX 66/YourErie.com’s breaking, daily news & severe weather email lists.


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A Royal Caribbean cruise ship has been delayed and as a result is staying overnight in port.
It’s a really busy year for Royal Caribbean, with 2 huge new cruise ships making their debuts and 6 ships being refurbished it’s hard to keep track! The cruise line has released a new video explaining the refurbishments.
Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will each sail seven-night itineraries that bring the awe-inspiring Alaskan seascape to life and the state’s rugged mysterious interior within reach to become real world adventures.
Sad news is coming in that the Radiance of the Seas which is operated by Royal Caribbean has helped to find a body of a missing fisherman.


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Food and beverage startups are so integral to the CPG category that bigger companies are increasingly making investments in smaller firms. Within the past few months, Tyson Foods’ venture capital arm invested in alternative protein firm Future Meat Technologies and Kellogg’s venture unit, Eighteen94 Capital, invested in functional ingredient company MycoTechnology.
As consumers continue to seek healthy food and beverage options with transparent ingredients, entrepreneurs are answering the call by swiftly releasing new products. In fact, many analysts are saying that food-focused startups are on track to get more momentum this year.
Taste is king
Small food and beverage businesses that are seeking investments from venture capital firms often wonder what investors look for when they evaluate brands for potential funding. One thing that’s essential in a product is that the flavor is appealing, said Carole Buyers, co-founder and managing partner BIGR Ventures, a growth equity fund that provides capital and partnership to early-stage natural and organic products.
“Great taste is an absolute must,” Buyers said. “If a product does not taste great, no amount of capital or operational excellence will overcome that obstacle.” In addition, BIGR looks for companies with strong brand values.
“Typically, in the early stage companies in which we invest, the brand values are a direct reflection of the founders’ values, and working with great people is a high priority for us,” Buyers said. “When those strong values manifest in the brand, there is an emotional connection to the consumer that goes far beyond a simple transaction.”
Small businesses don’t necessarily need to have a cult following to attract VC attention, Buyers said. “We understand that a cult following takes time to develop and we try to help our portfolio companies create a business that deserves a cult following.”
This is the no. 1 differentiator between failure, success
Although there isn’t a one-size-fits-all flavor profile that will always make one food or beverage brand take off over another, there are other features of a growing business that signal success to investors, said Duane Primozich, managing partner and cofounder at BIGR Ventures, which has invested in such firms as High Brew Coffee, REBBL and Bobo’s Oat Bars, among others.
“In our experience, the number one differentiator between companies that succeed and those that fail is people,” he said. “The right team of people can take an ordinary business and make it exceptional. Sometimes founders can bear most of this burden, but that is the exception. More often, the most successful founders are those that have surrounded themselves with terrific talent.”
Grain-free trend gains steam
Much like gluten-free was the hot food trend a decade ago, grain-free is now trending, Primozich said. “We think you are going to see grain-free options emerge in virtually every grain-full category in the store,” he said. “I’d point to the Siete brand and the success the Garza family has created as a perfect example of what is possible in grain-free.”
On the beverage side, Primozich believes that real, whole-food ingredients and plant-based nutrition will be on-trend. “We like products without ingredients like gums, stabilizers and natural flavors and those that make use of trending ingredients like adaptogenic herbs,” he said.
If you enjoyed this article, join SmartBrief’s email list for more stories about the food and beverage industry. We offer 20 newsletters covering the industry from restaurants to food manufacturing. And be sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest industry news.


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WILMINGTON, Mass., Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a new safety awareness measure, perhaps the federal government should proclaim March 12 as "High Visibility Apparel Day."
This year, March 12 is the first workday following the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST)—the day when clocks "spring forward" and many drivers lose an hour's sleep resulting in a marked, one day increase in roadway collisions.
Each year, drowsy drivers cause 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in property losses and lost productivity, according to the National Sleep Foundation. And these statistics increase acutely on the first workday of DST each year, as they typically experience a single-day surge of 17 percent, according to a study by the University of British Columbia, which compiled its results using 20 years of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Dr. Michael Decker, a spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, has compared driver drowsiness to the jet lag that occurs when flying from the west coast to the east coast. And these days the need for increased driver vigilance is even more pressing, given the rising number of roadway crews working to improve the nation's highways, bridges, and mass transit systems.
With so many thousands of workers now headed for roadside infrastructure assignments and Daylight Savings Time fast approaching, the need for high visibility work apparel could not be greater.
"Properly rated high visibility work apparel, which is often required by Federal law, saves lives," says Adam Soreff, Director of Marketing for UniFirst, a work uniform and safety apparel provider servicing businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada. "ANSI-rated high visibility garments, made of bright yellow or orange fluorescent material with retro-reflective striping, can make at-risk workers visible to drivers, drowsy or otherwise, from up to four football fields away."
No one has to convince AAA of the critical role that high visibility apparel plays with respect to worker safety. Roadside Programs and Benefits Director Doug McLendon, says "The high visibility apparel our roadside technicians wear is at the foundation of AAA's good safety practices. Their personal safety, which always comes first, is highly dependent on being seen by oncoming traffic. So making ANSI-rated visibility apparel part of AAA's official uniform program was a must."
UniFirst's Soreff points out that high visibility apparel must be worn properly and maintained correctly in order to be effective. "If high visibility clothing is covered in grime or overly faded, from use or repeated washings, its reflective properties will be degraded." That's why, Soreff says, many businesses are turning to managed visibility apparel programs from companies like UniFirst that offer follow-on services such as weekly laundering to garment specifications and automatic apparel repairs and replacements.
So, for the sake of the nation's roadway workers, let's consider DST as "Driver Safety Time" – a day to remember worker visibility and safe driving habits.
UniFirst (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniforms, workwear, and protective clothing, outfits more than 1.5 million workers each business day. UniFirst also offers Facility Service programs including floor mats, mops, and restroom products. For more information, contact UniFirst at 800-455-7654 or visit www.unifirst.com.


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US Tariff Receive Criticism From EU, Canada
Steve Mnuchin, the US secretary encountered intense criticism for the new tariffs imposed in aluminum and steel imports from the agitated finance ministers of the nations of G7.
Bruno Le Maire from France has even warned the initiation of a trade war in the days to come.
Amidst the stiff conflicts of the nations with the US, Wilbur Ross, the US Commerce Secretary held a meeting with Liu He, the Vice Premier of China in Beijing in order to nullify the trade tensions. Later, China issued a warning that the trade conversations with the US will be canceled if the sanctions are implemented by Washington.
Ross is looking forward to finalizing deals on agriculture and energy. This is targeted to deplete the trade differences with China. This was done after Washington threatened to implement additional tariff worth $50 billion or £37 billion on the Chinese goods.
Xinhua, the State news agency has confirmed that China has agreed to enhance the imports with the other countries, which also included the US.
On the other hand, Trump said that the US has been deprived of trading by the other nations. He also mentioned the difficulties faced by the US firms in Europe and other places. He further backed his decision by stating that the tariff will safeguard the steelmaker that is essential for the national security.
The leaders of the European Union, Mexico, and Canada have strongly criticized the step taken by the US. Emmanuel Macron, the French president also had a telephonic conversation with Trump and stated the tariffs as illegal. However, Trump responded to his allegation by expressing that trading with the EU needs balancing. Canada has also decided to implement tariff up to 25% worth $13 billion of US exports, 1st July.
Apart from the EU, some of the US Republicans have also opposed the decision.


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There are still those who raise doubts about electric mobility and in particular about the problem of recharging and finding the raw materials essential for the production of batteries.
Are there any solutions?
The new issue of Panorama talks about charging and dynamic induction charging technology which, in addition to offering the possibility of recharging cars while traveling on dedicated lanes, allows to increase the autonomy of vehicles by reducing the number of batteries. The advantages? Reduced need to import lithium, higher efficiency, less weight and lower cost.


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Celebrity News September 05, 2013
Star Sightings at NYC Fashion Week 2013
Actress Lindsay Lohan was out and about in the Big Apple for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013.
The 27-year-old starlet was spotted supporting younger sister Ali Lohan, who modeled in Wendy Nichol's Fall 2013 fashion show.
Check out more celebrity sightings!
For a complete list of Fashion Week shows, click here!


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L Brands shares were trading down 6 percent Thursday after saying it had plans to close roughly 53 Victoria’s Secret stores in 2019, as the lingerie retailer continues to lose steam against newer rivals.
L Brands, which also owns Bath & Body Works, on Wednesday reported on Wednesday mixed results in the holiday quarter. The weakest part of its business continues to be Victoria’s Secret, where same-store sales 3 percent.
The brand, which was once known for its sexy bras, has lost out as women have switched to more comfortable bra styles and brands that seem more inclusive from the likes of American Eagle‘s Aerie, Third Love, Lively and Adore Me. The $7.2 billion bra category is also seeing new competition from Target, which this spring plans to launch three new lines of lingerie and sleepwear.
Millennials, which comprise more than a third of the women’s intimate apparel market, spent a third of its bra dollars in 2018 on sports bras, according to retail trade group the NPD Group.
Victoria’s Secret, which has 1,143 stores worldwide, typically closes roughly 15 stores per year. L Brands’ CFO Stuart Burgdoerfer told analysts in November the company is going to “take a hard look” at its real estate “over the next several months.
Bath & Body Works, meantime, continues to perform strongly. The fragrance and personal care shop grew same-store sales by 12 percent.
Dragged down by the weakness at Victoria’s Secret, L Brands same-store sales fell 3 percent in the latest period.
L Brands reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $540 million, or $1.94 per share, down from $664 million, or $2.33 per share a year earlier. Excluding items, L Brands earned $2.14 per share, beating the the $2.07 per share expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.
Net sales rose to $4.85 billion, missing expectations of $4.88 billion.
L Brands said it expects earnings for 2019 will fall between $2.20 and $2.60 a share. That includes break-even earnings per share result in its first quarter.


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CenturyLink was one of several broadband providers and telcos to sign on to the Federal Communication Commission’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge last week, and the company’s updated its site with a resource page detailing its response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic so far.
Of note, and in line with the text of the FCC’s pledge, CenturyLink says it’s waiving late fees for the next 60 days and vows not to terminate service to residential or small business customers due to financial issues stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. Beyond that, it’s also temporarily suspending data caps for customers.
For many high-speed internet customers, CenturyLink typically includes 1 TB of data usage per month, while its support documents suggest streaming six hours of high-definition video each day would use up around 53 percent of that total. However, many households are likely to use up more data as government and health officials continue to advise working from home if you can and staying at home as much as possible.
We’ll continue to track the various ways broadband providers and telcos are trying to make the ongoing situation more bearable for their customers and we’ll keep you up to date as we learn more.
Did you know we now have a FREE app for iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire? Click HERE to download our app.


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The latest version OCTOPUS6 supports two popular mobile platforms, smart phones and tablet computers. Each allows increased mobility and connectivity so newsmakers can work more efficiently, effectively and with the freedom of no wires.
To be introduced at NAB in Las Vegas, the innovative OCTOPUS Tablet offers tablet-based operation for OCTOPUS6, making specific live information from the newsroom system available on iPads and Android tablets. This is designed to provide studio floor personnel, including the anchor, with the fully up-to-date information they need to run the news on-air.
OCTOPUS Tablet is a tablet client for the established OCTOPUS6. It makes available a selection of live data from the newsroom system that is vital for many areas of the news operation including those on the studio floor, the director and anchor. Three screens; Rundown (view), Anchor (view) and Media (view) show the live status of these three areas that are forever changing as the news evolves. These display the latest versions direct from the newsroom system, of the rundown, the anchor’s script and available media in the form of graphics and video footage. When information in these areas is updated in the newsroom system so are the three tablet views, keeping everyone everywhere in the studio up to date and in-step with the news.
This new product adds to OCTOPUS Newsroom’s mobility that started with OCTOPUS Mobile for iPhone and smart phones on the Android platform – integrating mobile devices into the news workflow. It allows journalists to work on their stories in the field with just a phone in their hands. Today, this application offers the most efficient tool for news production for low costs and fast results. With OCTOPUS Mobile just one journalist equipped with his mobile phone can cover an entire story from anywhere there is a suitable mobile phone service.
OCTOPUS Mobile is an offline/online client that can be used in places with no Internet connection or when preparing a story on the go. Journalists can browse wires, write a story, add video, pictures, sound, etc. When finished, the story is simply sent to OCTOPUS6.


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We all know that on the horizon there is a fleet of new and innovative ideas. These ideas often come with some skepticism from the naysayers but are met with excitement from those who know how the innovations will change and improve their industry. One of the newest to the game for construction is 3D printing. 3D printing is now beginning to expand into many different industries and the technology behind it is start to allow for the creation of some truly remarkable buildings.
The concept of 3D printing is essentially large scale machines taking a pre-designed plan and building it with moldable materials on a larger scale. 3D printing has been proven on small scale projects from inches to a few feet. The concept of 3D printing buildings is the next step and one undertaken earlier this year in Dubai where a 2,700 square foot building was ‘printed’ in 17 days. To learn more about the world’s first 3D-printed office building click here for the CNET article.
The potential benefits of this new technology are huge. According to the Chinese company, Winsun, 3D printing has the potential to save over 60% of construction materials used and will require up to 80% less labor. Certainly expect that in the next few years the construction industry will start to see more of the 3D printing coming into play. Here at FACS, we love to see how the construction industry is changing and becoming more innovative. In fact, that is our goal with our construction management software. We strive to continually develop a product that makes your daily life a little easier. Contact us today and see how you could be innovating the way you manage your projects.


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- The times: Britain faces tightening lockdown measures amid rising coronavirus infection rates, overshadowing Boris Johnson’s attempt yesterday to focus on life after the pandemic.
- Financial Times: Boeing has lowered its expectations for global demand for passenger aircraft by 11% over the next decade, meaning the industry lost an estimated $ 200 billion in potential revenue.
- The times: Stocks hit Wall Street late in trading after President Trump cut off negotiations with Democrats on further fiscal stimulus measures until after next month’s elections.
- Financial Times: Chrysaor has entered into a deal to acquire Premier Oil that will make the combined company the largest independent oil and gas company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
- The daily telegraph: A study by US politicians has shown that the world’s largest technology companies are not allowed to compete with competing companies on their own platforms and may even have to be liquidated.
Business and economy
- The times: European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said rate cuts in combating the economic effects of Covid-19 will not be as effective as flooding the system with cheap liquidity.
- The daily telegraph: UK builders had their best month since Covid-19 in September after the number of projects delayed by the pandemic rose.
- The times: Gross lending between April and June this year was 50% above the total for 2019 as a whole, new figures show.
- The guard: Watches of Switzerland, the UK’s largest seller of Rolex and Omega watches, has raised its earnings forecast and opposed the economic upheaval caused by coronavirus.
- The daily telegraph: Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group has welcomed a resurgence in sales in its suburban pubs and restaurants after the coronavirus pandemic shot up losses for half a year.
- The times: A huge surge in online sales and demand for cooking appliances, storage and home office furniture helped cushion Ikea, despite three-quarters of stores closing during the pandemic.
- Daily mail: Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that vehicle production at its UK plants has ramped up due to increasing orders around the world.
- The times: Tesco is expected to complete the overhaul of its top executive team today by raiding Tate & Lyle to recruit its new chief financial officer.
- Daily mail: The credit union was caught in fresh turmoil yesterday after losing its fifth chairman in less than a decade.
- The guard: The National Audit Office has warned that taxpayers will lose up to £ 26 billion on the government’s most popular Covid-19 business loan program due to fraud or an inability to return the money.
- The times: Dozens of stores to be closed by Clarks under a more than £ 100m bailout deal.
- The guard: Heathrow will challenge an appeals court ruling that halted the airport’s expansion plans, arguing in the Supreme Court that it is required to meet UK carbon reduction targets.
- The times: Ocado has lost more than £ 2 billion in market value since a Norwegian rival took legal action claiming the UK company copied its technology and infringed patents.
- Financial Times: Investors and environmentalists have beaten up Samsung after research showed its insurance units have funded $ 14 billion in fossil fuel projects and investments over the past 10 years.
- The daily telegraph: According to forecasters from Danske Bank, Sweden will outperform its Nordic neighbors and escape the expected depths of recession in the euro zone and the US.
Share tips, comments, and bids
- The Times (Tempus Share Tips): TAKE PROFITS FROM Ocado; BUY Renewable Infrastructure Group.
- Daily mail: Security firm Garda World, backed by private equity giant BC Partners and making a hostile takeover bid for UK rival G4S, reiterated its attack on the board when it began its charm offensive with shareholders.
- The daily telegraph: Finablr, the former owner of Travelex, hit by the scandal, is being sold to Israel-based Prism Advance Solutions in what has been known as the “first major UAE-Israel deal”
- The times: Auditors at Seedrs, the equity crowdfunding platform that is planning to merge with Crowdcube, have identified “material uncertainties” about the company’s going concern status.
- Financial Times: Swedish company Telia sold the world’s largest international telecommunications company to local pension funds for almost EUR 1 billion as divestments in industry continue to grow in Europe.
- The times (comment): The Chancellor may be popular now, but his reputation will be based on Jobs.
Wednesday papers: Britain on alert


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Google announced that you can now make some edits to Google My Business listings as an unverified business owner within Google My Business. Google said “Business owners will be able to suggest edits to some core business information directly from their Google My Business account before verifying their business. This is like the “Suggest an edit” experience, but for unverified business owners.”
Google said these edits “will go through the regular review process, and pending review, these changes can go live before verification on Google Search or Maps.”
The changes you can make include the name, category, address, hours, phone number, and website. After approval, these changes can be published even before the business is verified on Google Search and Maps. Some users may still need to verify their business first before editing their information.
Forum discussion at Google Help.
This marketing news is not the copyright of Scott.Services – please click here to see the original source of this article. Author: firstname.lastname@example.org (Barry Schwartz)
For more SEO, PPC, internet marketing news please check out https://news.scott.services
Why not check out our SEO, PPC marketing services at https://www.scott.services


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Royal Mail is to make deeper cost savings across the business, as its half-year results report a 1% rise in group turnover. For the six months ended 25 September, Royal Mail saw group turnover increase from £4.39bn to £4.58bn. Operating profit (before transformation costs) dipped 5% from £342m to £320m, with adjusted pre-tax profit up 5% from £240m to £252m. UKPIL, the group’s domestic letters and parcels division, saw turnover dip 1% to £3.64bn and operating profit (before transformation costs) drop 14.8% from £290m […]
Royal Mail is opening eight temporary sorting centres to handle the expected rise in parcel volumes this Christmas. The centres will be dedicated to sorting a ‘significant proportion’ of the parcels handled by the firm before they are distributed to regional depots across the country. Temporary operations will be phased in across the peak period and will open in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Swansea, Bolton, Tamworth, Peterborough, Swindon and Greenford, west London. Managing director of operations and modernisation Mark Higson said: “Christmas […]
DPD is to begin delivering parcels seven days a week to meet demand from e-commerce customers.
Hermes has spent £18m on handheld technology to improve its customers’ experience.


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What VR Might Do to Mobile Payments
With all the new technologies that have been arriving on the mobile payments frontier, from biometrics to big data, it’s easy to see how this still-young technology is taking home a lot of benefits from all this technological attention. One new report, however, suggests that the biggest for mobile payments may yet be outstanding, as virtual reality (VR) may prove one of mobile payments’ biggest and best new friends.
Virtual reality as a whole is gaining ground; while it’s often prohibitively expensive for users these days, the cost of entry will only fall as the hardware required to get in becomes more readily available. ABI Research projects that, by 2020, one in five Americans will have experienced virtual reality on some level, and that makes for a substantial potential market.
Moreover, 22 percent of those studied in an Ericsson survey believe that, eventually, all shopping will go online. VR shopping will end up mimicking the in-store experience according to one in four respondents, and 26 percent believe that most stores will end up using either augmented reality (AR) or VR eventually. With VR tech able to do just about everything from showing how a piece of furniture will look or fit in a living room to showing how a piece of clothing will look or fit on your own human torso, the end results have a lot of possibilities.
With the ability to incorporate mobile payments into VR systems already demonstrated—Swarovski’s VR app has had Masterpass integration since last fall—and several examples of AR systems emerging from IKEA to JD.com, there’s every reason to believe that the growth of VR will ultimately spur mobile payments use as well.
This is a reasonable enough projection; while people enjoy innovation, it has to provide value, and the best way to couple value with innovation is to present it in a familiar fashion. Shoppers like the brick-and-mortar store experience—the sheer numbers of brick-and-mortar shoppers make that point clear—so if VR and online shopping can approximate the store experience accordingly, the end result should be familiar enough to be tried, yet innovative enough to be enjoyed.
Both VR and mobile payments are up-and-coming technologies, and the notion of these two getting together to produce exciting new options is certainly not out of line.


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- Doom to be released in May, new trailer, collector’s edition reveled
- Grand Kingdom to hit stores, digital outlets in June for PS4, PS Vita
- Megadimension Neptunia VII launches in stores, online for PS4
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Awakening launches on PSN for PS4
- RPG 7th Dragon III Code: VFD coming stateside this summer for 3DS
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Daily Archives: July 11, 2012
Mass Effect 3: Earth, the next free DLC drop, will be hitting Live Arcade, Origin, and PSN next week. Earth, detailed below, will include three new maps, six new N7 characters, three new weapons, 12 new modifications, 11 new upgrades, new platinum difficulty, and new in-mission objectives—whew.
CD Projekt Red has announced that their role-playing series The Witcher, comprised of The Witcher (Mac, PC) and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (360, PC), has sold over four million copies worldwide. The company can look for additional sales of The Witcher 2 in the near future with the release of the Mac version later this year.


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Apple has asked some developers to update their apps within 30 days if they don’t want them to disappear. The brand extends this period to 90 days, but does not reconsider its decision.
In an article published on its site dedicated to developers, Apple reacts to the controversy launched by small developers who accuse it of wanting to clean up the App Store. The Californian brand maintains its position: “Developers of apps that have not been updated in the last three years and do not meet a minimum download threshold – meaning the app has not been downloaded at all or very few over a rolling 12 month period – receive an email notifying them that their app has been flagged for possible removal from the App Store. “.
A position that holds, but which poses a problem
Until now, we thought that all old applications were targeted. For reasons of consistency in its ecosystem (adaptation to the right screen formats, support for the latest chips, avoidance of duplicates, etc.), Apple asks developers to update their applications within 30 days or risk seeing their applications disappear. The smaller ones got angry, indicating that “some works are finished” and that a game, even obsolete, remains a game. This is a classic debate for dematerialized software. Are they goods like others?
With its new message, Apple is taking the risk of giving developers the impression that it is putting them down. According to the company, it’s not the obsolescence of a game that’s the problem, but the fact that no one is using it. This position has a double advantage, it also allows him to justify why big developers are authorized to keep old games on the App Store (one thinks of the old GTA) or why, himself, can offer applications like itunes movie trailers, yet without update since 2017.
To appease the developers, Apple proposes to increase the update period from 30 days to 90 days, in order to give a little more time to the developers concerned. The brand also tells developers they can appeal if they wish and that the apps will remain available to those who have already downloaded them. According to blogger John Gruber, reputed to be very close to Apple, the brand would be ready to accept all requests provided that the developer can prove that his application works well on the latest iOS without updating. Is that enough to defuse this case?


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The Ontario Medical Association really, really wants to curb obesity and discourage people from eating junk food. And although what they’ve come up with is pretty nauseating, we have to give them kudos: Instead of going the ever-popular fat-shaming route, they’re taking cues from the arguably more successful anti-tobacco campaigns to create anti obesity ads that mimic the labels many countries have put on cigarettes. They’re totally disgusting, but…they’re far kinder than close-ups of sad, fat families, and we’d bet they’ll be more successful, too.
We’ve struggled with many anti-obesity campaigns in the past: While childhood obesity and rapidly rising rates of obesity-related diseases like Type 2 Diabetes are undoubtedly a concern, most of the public health announcements we’ve seen highlight sad-looking fat kids, or remorseful obese adults. The result isn’t to educate people about health or diet, as it is to reinforce one of the last acceptable forms of bullying: Fat-shaming. And that’s not really helping anyone’s health.
So we’re grateful that someone is thinking beyond fat-shaming and nasty assumptions about health and diet based on size. But do you think OMA’s ads are more effective? Check them out and tell us what you think:
via Health Habits


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How Netflix has killed the sequel blockbuster
Tom Dougherty, CEO – Stealing Share
27 May 2016
Netflix is changing the industry in more ways than one
The present-day adage is that there are no original thoughts anymore. That is, if something has been done or created today, there was probably a template for it earlier.
I tend to agree, although not to the extent that many do. Variations on a theme can still be original and, especially in art forms, there is a constant evolution of what has come before.
“Therefore, if Netflix is the dominant viewing platform of this era, then audiences have been taught to seek out things that are less generic.”
But it seems that movie audiences are screaming for more originality. Many recent so-called blockbusters have been sequels, ranging from Alice Through the Looking Glass, X-Men: Apocalypse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and many more.
And they are bombing.
Even a sure thing like Independence Day: Resurgence had a disappointing opening over the weekend. (Note: There are always exceptions that prove the rule. Finding Dory is doing well.)
It would be easy – and probably correct – to pile on the movie studios who have become so dependent on the gigantic sequel blockbuster that execs are being fired right and left after those movies failed. (Even Steven Spielberg warned against this a few years ago.)
But that’s always been a fair criticism. Like many businesses, the movie business is a copycat category.
Netflix has taught us to expect more than the generic
What is interesting to me is that audiences are rejecting these paper-mache films. And I have a theory. You can blame it on Netflix.
Some recent reports have suggested that the original content on Netflix is more popular than many had thought. Netflix, because it is not beholden to advertisers, does not release viewing numbers but its approach seems to be working. Each individual show – or movie – that Netflix releases on its platform is not geared to appeal to the masses. Netflix’s strategy is to segment its audience so it has something for everyone, but not one thing for everyone.
It knows that few, if any, of its shows will appeal to everyone. The strategy is that if you’re into at least one of its shows because it appeals to your individual taste, you will stay a subscriber or become a new one. In essence, Netflix is producing the middle-cost production that was once the foundation of Hollywood.
Therefore, if Netflix is the dominant viewing platform of this era, then audiences have been taught to seek out things that are less generic. This is why the big TV networks are struggling and the major sequels are losing steam at the cinema.
The trend in the market means that movie studios will have to adjust, as their once-dependable staples no longer fit the appetites of a Netflix-watching audience.
Companies across all sectors are often slow to adapt to changes and it often takes an outsider (like Netflix) to take advantage of changing attitudes.
I think that’s what has happened here. Experts all over are trying to predict what viewing will be like in the next decade or so, but it seems the biggest content providing companies (the studios) are the ones who understand the new audience the least.
Walmart grocery delivery Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 19 February 2019 Walmart grocery delivery to overtake Amazon? I hate grocery shopping. Let me say that up front. Every Saturday or Sunday, we trek to the nearest Harris Teeter and pile our cart...
TV Advertising Effectiveness Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 18 February 2019 Measuring TV advertising effectiveness I found a new study utterly hilarious as it says as much about the state of TV advertising effectiveness as it does about attention...
Toys R Us return Tom Dougherty, CEO - Stealing Share 13 February 2019 How feasible is the Toys R Us return? It appears the rumors of Toys R Us demise are greatly exaggerated. Tru Kids Brands announces that it has begun the Toys R Us return by reopening...


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More games seem to be coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming as spotted by members of the gaming community. A few of these games include Elden Ring, Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, and others.
As of now the only games available to play via the Cloud are games available on Xbox Game Pass with the exception of Fortnite which is the first free to play game to ever come to the service. Xbox had announced earlier this year that they were planning to bring more games to the cloud outside of the Game Pass ecosystem including free to play games and games players already own.
Xbox has continued to expand their Cloud Gaming offering and it is has resulted in an increase in time played. Xbox announced a few weeks back that Cloud Gaming playtime had increased 1800% year over year and that the team is continuing to improve the service. With more popular games joining the service like Grand Theft Auto V, the numbers of players playing via the Cloud should continue to climb.


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- Ongoing rough financial and industry waters for agency holding companies WPP and Publicis puts their future as independent businesses in jeopardy, said Jerome Bodin, an analyst at Nexis, in a research report analyzed by Campaign.
- Bodin said a merger is one possibility, similar to what Omnicom and Publicis attempted in 2014. But a more likely scenario is acquisitions by a consulting or IT services company like Accenture or Capgemini. That option is more likely than a buy from a big tech company like Google or Oracle, according to Bodin.
- Bodin's report said all of the big five agency holding groups — WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, Interpublic and Dentsu — are acquisition targets, with Accenture a "credible buyer" for any of them. Publicis and WPP are trading at all-time lows on the stock market, and the value gap between Accenture and ad holding companies has never been larger, giving the consultancy the necessary financial clout to make an acquisition.
Consultancies have, in recent years, been making serious inroads into the marketing services space traditionally dominated by the large holding companies as agencies have struggled to achieve digital transformation and also have been bogged down in transparency issues. Accenture, in particular, has led this competitive charge with its acquisition strategy, snapping up more than a dozen companies with specialties ranging from creative and design, data services, analytics, e-commerce and more.
But Accenture potentially buying one of the major ad holding companies — Publicis is one of the largest and WPP is the largest in the world — would signal the end of an era in advertising. Consultancies, while valued for their technological expertise in areas like data, are often viewed as not having the creative finesse of ad agencies, which sometimes have decades of experience crafting attention-grabbing, emotionally resonant campaigns. An acquisition of a WPP or a Publicis would round out Accenture's — or any consultancy's — skillset in these critical areas, on top of bringing on board some major brand clients.
What exactly an acquisition would look like and when it would happen is unclear, and a measured perspective is key considering that all of this stems from one analyst's read on the pulse of the industry. But as WPP, Publicis and their kin continue to struggle with growth, more strategic plays are a possibility that's now on the table.


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In a report published Monday, Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Graham initiated coverage onTremor VideoTRMR
with a Buy rating and $12.50 price target. In the report, Canaccord Genuity noted, “We initiate coverage of Tremor with a BUY rating. As a leading player in the premium online video advertising market, Tremor should benefit from a shift in video consumption from television to online. As with the early stage in any such shift, migration of usage has outpaced that of ad spend, but we believe this gap will close. Pure-play investment exposure to online video seems scarce, which should support Tremor's growth story.” Tremor Video closed on Friday at $8.38.
© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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By Al Beeber on May 1, 2021.
Builders, renovators and do-it-your-selfers can expect to pay more if they need lumber for any projects this year.
Lumber prices have skyrocketed since last summer and no break is on the immediate horizon.
Brad Hoover, financial manager at Logic Lumber and a director of BILD Lethbridge, said the spike started last August after prices tanked in March, April and May of 2020 due to COVID.
Board foot prices went from $400-$600 per thousand board feet to well over $1,000.
According to the Canadian government website, as of April 23, 2X4 eastern spruce-pine-fir was selling for $1,645 per thousand board feet in Canadian dollars, up substantially from the 52-week average of $1,030. The weekly price jumped from $1,540 on April 16.
The price for 2X4 kiln-dried western spruce-pine-fir #2 and better in U.S. dollars was $1,330 per thousand board feet on April 23 compared to $1,210 on April 16. The 52-week average is $773.
The price for 2X4 kiln dried western spruce-pin-fir Utility #3 was, in U.S. dollars, $1,160 per thousand board feet on April 23 compared to $1,050 on April 16. The 52-week average was $639.
Weekly panel prices, also in U.S. dollars, for composite on April 23 was $1,371 per thousand board feet compared to a 52-week average of $756.
Other types of panel also saw massive jumps.
“All of North America went into a wait-and-see kind of thing” when the pandemic hit, said Hoover with some lumber supply companies not even being sure if they could keep their doors open.
“But in June and July it started to ramp up.” And futures, said Hoover, are strong for July and August.
With the building season now getting into full speed, those higher prices will have to be paid if residential and commercial projects are going to proceed. This means more money coming out of the customers’ pockets.
The higher prices, however, also support jobs and according to Hoover, 19,500 jobs in Alberta are directly tied to the lumber industry. Another 2,5000 jobs are spinoffs.
“It affects customers and makes things more expensive but it contributes to jobs. A very strong housing demand is good for Canada,” said Hoover.
Mills, he said, are operating at capacity and can’t just ramp up production at the snap of someone’s fingers.
“They need more support systems; they can’t just produce 40 or 50 per cent more capacity.”
On April 29, according to the Canadian Press, Canfor Corp. posted a $427.8 million first-quarter profit, compared to a loss in 2020.
In the U.S., new home sales surged more than 20 per cent in March, reaching the highest level since 2006. And the U.S. industry, said Hoover, dictates the Canadian market.
While the usual waiting list for lumber shipments is two or three weeks, said Hoover, his company is now looking at August for stock to reach Lethbridge.
Dave Jackson of Lealta Building Supplies says “it’s a real juggling act to make sure we have inventory,” adding some materials have been on order for 16 weeks.
“These are stressful and challenging times,” said Jackson adding “we’re shockingly busy” despite the prices.
He suggests with COVID keeping more people working at home, many people might be taking on projects such as fences, decks and garages.
And he says suppliers aren’t making more money contrary to what some customers may think.
“My margins haven’t changed; just my costs have,” said Jackson who spends hours each day looking at lumber prices.
“It’s a difficult situation and as fast as it (price) goes up, it can go down that fast.”
An example of how fast prices have risen can be seen in the cost of brown treated fence boards, says Jackson.
In 2019, one board would have cost a customer $4.75 That same board today costs $8.15, a price increase of 42 per cent.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in 42 years,” he said of the pressure COVID has caused the market. And part of that pressure is due to plants being closed at times due to outbreaks of the virus which temporarily shut production.
Echoing Hoover’s statements, he reiterates that the Canadian market is driven by demand south of the border.
“The lumber market, plywood OSB, it’s all based on the amount of U.S. housing starts,” he says.
Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter


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LTE chip startup raises $26 million
April 12, 2011 // Peter Clarke
Mobile communications fabless chip company Altair Semiconductor Ltd. has raised $26 million in a venture capital round led by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP). Altair (Hod Hasharon, Israel) said it will use the money to develop next-generation LTE chips.
The VC round, which included established investors BRM Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Giza Venture Capital and Pacific Technology Partners, brings the amount invested in Altair since its formation in 2005, to $74 million.
The company has its chips involved in LTE network deployments in Europe and in field trials in the U.S., Japan, China and India.
"As the global LTE market is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years, the funding will help Altair expand our current market leadership position, as well as step up the production of our chipsets in response to the increasing demand from our customers," said Oded Melamed, co-founder and CEO of Altair, in a statement.
"With its current global deployment and its chipsets now powering numerous mobile devices from tier-one manufacturers, Altair has established itself as the world's leading developer of LTE solutions," said Kobi Rozengarten, managing partner with JVP, in the same statement.
For further information: www.altair-semi.com.
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This month, Microsemi is giving away two SmartFusion2 dual-axis motor control starter kits, worth 9 each, for EETimes Europe's readers to win.
The kit will let you try out Microsemi's deterministic motor control solution, compliant with industry coding standards for developing safe and reliable software for embedded applications.
December 15, 2011 | Texas instruments | 222901974
Unique Ser/Des technology supports encrypted video and audio content with full duplex bi-directional control channel over a single wire interface.


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A new discovery shows that audio frequencies can be used to send accelerometers into a frenzy
Handset speculation is at an all-time high, but Google is stirring up some of its own with two new, yet familiar, monikers.
Brand-new iPhones already cost a pretty penny, but the iPhone 8's rumored 3D Touch screen may push that trend further.
Downloads Never pay for Word again. These free alternatives offer full support for Microsoft documents, cloud backup, and free mobile apps.
Google introduces an update to the Gmail app on Android that lets you send and receive payments as attachments.


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HONG KONG - Hong Kong saw the value of total exports of goods rose to HK$359.1 billion ($46 billion) in July, up 10 percent from the same month last year, statistics showed on Monday.
It followed a year-on-year increase of 3.3 percent in June, according to the Census and Statistics Department of the government of China"s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The value of imports increased 14 percent over a year earlier to HK$406.2 billion in July, after a year-on-year increase of 4.4 percent in June.
A trade deficit of HK$47.1 billion, equivalent to 11.6 percent of the value of imports, was recorded in July.
A government spokesman said the value of merchandise exports registered double-digit year-on-year growth in July, supported by the still-solid global economy and buoyant regional production and trading activities.bride tribe wristbands pink wristbands bulk baller bands party wristbands motivational wristbands for athletes


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The Children’s Place Q1 comparable sales decrease 1.8 percent
For the thirteen weeks to May 5, 2018, The Children’s Place, Inc. recorded net sales decrease of 0.1 percent to 436.3 million dollars and comparable retail sales decrease of 1.8 percent. Net income was 31.5 million or 1.78 dollars per diluted share compared to 36.2 million dollars or 1.97 dollars per diluted share, the previous year. Adjusted net income was 33.2 million dollars or 1.87 dollars per diluted share, compared to 35.9 million dollars or 1.95 dollars per diluted share, in the first quarter last year.
Commenting on the first quarter trading, Jane Elfers, the company’s President and CEO said in a statement: “Our ability to sell seasonal product in the first quarter was severely hampered by the combination of a record number of winter storms and the unseasonably cold temperatures that persisted across our major markets. We generated comparable retail sales of negative 1.8 percent in the first quarter vs. a positive 6.1 percent comp in the first quarter of 2017. We expect to achieve a 12 percent operating margin and 12 dollars in EPS by the end of 2020.”
Hover over the graph to learn more.
Financial highlights of The Children’s Place results
Gross profit for the quarter was 160.2 million dollars compared to 170.6 million dollars in the first quarter of 2017. Adjusted gross profit was 161.5 million dollars compared to 171 million dollars last year, and deleveraged 220 basis points to 37 percent of sales.
The company said, lower than expected traffic in the quarter pressured gross margin as the company lowered AUR’s to clear merchandise, resulting in on plan inventory levels at the end of the quarter. Gross margin rate in the quarter was also negatively impacted by the increase in penetration of digital business to 26 percent from 23 percent last year.
Operating income was 23.1 million dollars compared to 42.3 million dollars in the first quarter of 2017, while adjusted operating income was 25.4 million dollars or 5.8 percent of net sales, compared to 48.4 million dollars in the first quarter last year, deleveraging 530 basis points compared to last year.
The income tax impact on share-based compensation contributed 0.80 cents to adjusted EPS in the first quarter compared to 0.19 cents in the first quarter of 2017, due to the timing of share vesting.
Consistent with the company’s store fleet optimization initiative, the company closed 12 stores and did not open any stores during the first quarter of 2018. The company ended the first quarter with 1,002 stores, a decrease of 2.7 percent compared to the prior year. Since the fleet optimization initiative was announced in 2013, the company has closed 181 stores. The company’s international franchise partners opened 11 points of distribution and closed one in the first quarter, and it ended the quarter with 200 international points of distribution open and operated by its eight franchise partners in 20 countries.
The Children’s Place reaffirms outlook
For fiscal 2018, the company is reaffirming its outlook for adjusted net income per diluted share in the range of 7.95 dollars to 8.20 dollars. This compares to adjusted net income per diluted share of 7.91 dollars in fiscal 2017. Total net sales for the year are expected to be in the range of 1.920 billion dollars to 1.935 billion dollars. This guidance assumes a comparable retail sales increase of approximately 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent. The Company now expects adjusted operating margin to be in the range of 8.5 percent to 8.7 percent, reflecting lower adjusted operating income compared to its previous outlook.
The company expects net income per diluted share in the second quarter of 2018 to be in the range of 0.51 dollar to 0.61 dollar based upon a high single digit comparable retail sales increase. This compares to adjusted net income per diluted share of 0.86 dollar in the second quarter of 2017.
The company’s board of directors has authorized a dividend of 0.50 dollar per share, payable on June 29, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 18, 2018.


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Air Jordan 14 “Fuchsia Blast” Releases On May 14th
The Jordan 14 “Fuchsia Blast,” a vibrant grade-school only colorway that borrows the classic Jordan 14 Black Toe’s black toebox, tongue, and sockliner is set to release this upcoming weekend. The new colorway adds its own unique colorful flair to the classic silhouette with bright fuschia accents on the midfoot plate, heel, and Jumpman branding. A perforated leather upper replaces the solid leather paneling for an extra touch, and the black laces feature bright fuchsia lace tips to tie the shoe’s new-age take on a classic together. Look for the “Fuchsia Blast” 14s to drop May 14th on Nike.com for $140 USD, and for more Jordan 14 news, check out official images of the upcoming “Desert Sand” colorway.
Air Jordan 14 GG “Fuchsia Blast”
Release Date: May 14, 2018
Color: White/Fuchsia Flash-Black
Style Code: 654969-119


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She isn’t paid the big bucks for nothing. Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr returned to the catwalk on Thursday at Paris Fashion Week, only two months af… READ MORE
Milan Fashion Week is in full swing and the catwalk is crawling with the hottest Spring and Summer 2011 fashions from Italy’s top designer labels, includin… READ MORE
Sarah Jessica Parker had the fashion industry buzzing, making an appearance at the Spring 2011 Burberry Prorsum collection fashion show at London
Fashio… READ MORE
NYC housewife Alex McCord proved housewives can still be sexy, modeling for several designers during New York’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Monday.
McC… READ MORE
Ellen DeGeneres is full of surprises.
One day after she made an unannounced cameo … READ MORE
Jessica Simpson is having the time of her life in New York: she guest judged on the Project Runway Finale, debuted her new denim line, and has a handsome man by … READ MORE
Who can remember that Jessica Simpson used to sing? In recent years, the buxom blonde has been riding high thanks to her booming fashion brand and on Thursda… READ MORE


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In recent streaming news, Netflix has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures for exclusive right of first refusal to their direct-to-streaming movies, starting 2022.
After almost two years of auctioning, Netflix will have rights to be the first to see what movies Sony has to offer for streaming platforms. Netflix will be replacing Starz as Sony’s partner for “pay-one” movies.
Of the future releases, Netflix is set to have rights to future Spider-Man movies and other Marvel character movies that Sony has rights to. These include Morbius, which will hit theaters in January 2022 and star Jared Leto, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, starring Tom Hardy. Future Jumanji movies are also a part of the deal. Additionally, Netflix will have licenses to some of Sony’s older movies.
Although the full terms of the deal were not disclosed, we do know that the deal will span over five years, and will likely be worth more than $1 billion over the five years. Much of the deal’s value will depend on the box office performance of the films that are included in the agreement.
“Sony Pictures is a great partner and we are thrilled to expand our relationship through this forward-thinking agreement,” Scott Stuber, Netflix global film head, said. “This not only allows us to bring their impressive slate of beloved film franchises and new IP to Netflix in the U.S., but it also establishes a new source of first run films for Netflix movie lovers worldwide.”
Sony will be making these direct-to-streaming movies in addition to the 15 to 20 movies that they release every year.
Download the Likewise App to pre-save some of your favorite upcoming films and look forward to their releases in 2022!
Looking for more options for what to watch next? Check out these comprehensive streaming posts for:


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Messe Muenchen India Forms Alliance with India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA)
Messe Muenchen India and the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) announced a collaboration to promote the display manufacturing ecosystem at electronica India 2022 and productronica India 2022, which will be held from September 21-23, 2022, at the India Exposition Mart Ltd (IEML), Greater Noida. This partnership supports the Indian Government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision to make India self-reliant in electronics manufacturing.
Stating that demand for displays in India is likely to reach US$ 20 billion by 2025 with the current emphasis on Electronics Manufacturing in India and becoming ‘Aatmanirbhar’, Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, ICEA, said, “We are getting ready to build display fabs in the country as there is no better time to focus on building this strategic core industry in India.”
ICEA recognizes the role of global partners in achieving the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) vision of increasing Indian electronics manufacturing from US$ 75 billion to US $300 billion by 2026. Delighted with the partnership, Rajesh Sharma, Executive Director & Principal Advisor, ICEA, shared that with the latest incentives, the entire ecosystem of electronics manufacturing has been covered and ICEA has worked tirelessly to build a vast supply chain for a thriving manufacturing market.
To this added, Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India, “The Indian government recently announced a US$ 10 billion plan to boost semiconductor and display manufacturing and this potential will be realized with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and demand-supply synergy, which is the goal of the collaboration with ICEA to establish these synergies.


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Many users of the Motorola Droid are reporting that their smartphone’s camera is working better today. Neither Verizon nor Motorola has said anything, but the software for this model has apparently been updated.
The Droid’s camera has been one its more criticized features. Despite have a resolution of 5 megapixels, it has not produced high-quality images.
Reports that this smartphone re-booted itself late yesterday have come in, and since then the camera seems to be functioning better.
Because there has been no official announcement of a software update, it’s up to the public to decide if this camera is producing better images.


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As part of its ongoing efforts to deliver real value to its loyal Home subscribers, du has announced that it will double the home broadband speeds of its customers - at no extra costs. Customers subscribed to Home services will now be able to instantly reap the benefits of extra internet speed while surfing, downloading and gaming. That means no more wasted time spent just waiting.
The new speeds mean that downloading a 100MB file will now take users less than a minute. And on the higher, double speeds, large files like that will take less than 30 seconds to download, optimizing the customers' time online.
Customers on Talk, Surf & Watch will have their speed upgraded permanently with no need for them to do anything or pay any more. Talk & Surf customers will enjoy the extra internet speed until the end of February.
""At du, we have long made it our mission to provide our customers with attractive, well-rounded packages that combine high-speed broadband solutions,seamless connectivity, and real value for money,"" said Fahad Al Hassawi, chief commercial officer, du. ""This new double-speed upgrade ticks all those boxes and was especially designed to cater to the discerning needs of our home customers. Moving forward, at du, we aim to continue to expand our roster of exceptional, value-added services.""
Customers will see their speed increase over the coming months as the upgrade is rolled out according to their locations and they will be notified of their speed upgrade via SMS or email.


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Chef, author and globetrotting TV star Anthony Bourdain tragically died around a year and a half back. Since then, many of his personal items were put up for auction. A scholarship was also started by the Culinary Institute of America in his name.
For fans looking for more from Anthony Bourdain, you’ll have one last chance!
Eater reports that “the travel guide that Anthony Bourdain had been working on before his death will be made available to the public this year.”
The book, called World Travel: An Irreverent Guide is an interesting project. It was started by Bourdain and was finished by his former assistant Laurie Woolever. She also happened to co-author his cookbook Appetites.
World Travel is a book about all things Anthony Bourdain loved related to travel including his “favorite places to visit, including advice on when to go, where to stay, and most importantly, what to eat once there,” according to Eater.
The book also includes info from friends, colleagues and family members.
World Travel goes on sale on October 13. Currently, it’s available for pre-order.
Find out more from Eater here.


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Apple is swimming in cash thanks to its popular products like the Mac line of desktop and laptop computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Of course, there’s iTunes but let us concentrate on the hardware side of things which also truly push the company as gateways for Apple services.
However, Apple could have been given a run for its money if Microsoft only followed on an idea back in 1991 which basically outlined what we now see in smartphones. Yes, Microsoft could have made the first ever smartphone in 1991. That’s two decades ago.
The information comes to light via a very lengthy feature by Men’s Journal on Nathan Myhrvold (pictured), the genius who was once the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft. He’s actually been described by Bill gates as the smartest man he knows, the publication says.
Talking about his ability to see what the future holds in terms of technology, the features describes this incident:
“He was often pretty damned accurate: In 1991, Myhrvold predicted the emergence of the iPhone down to the smallest detail, describing a ‘digital wallet’ that would consolidate all personal communication — telephone, schedule manager, notepad, contacts, and a library of music and books, all in one. It would record and archive everything you asked it to, he surmised. ‘The cost will not be very high,’ he wrote. ‘It is pretty easy to imagine a $400 to $1,000 retail price.’ Microsoft, however, was too cost conscious and risk averse to execute Myhrvold’s vision. ‘Hey, it was better than predicting the wrong thing,’ Myhrvold says now. ‘Sitting around being bitter all the time, that’s not fun. But Microsoft certainly could have done more about it. One of the greatest things that Apple and Jobs were very good at doing was daring to do the very different thing.’”
Take a look at this photo from Myhrvold provided to Men’s Journal for the article and it’s pretty obvious the device depicted in 1991 is eerily similar to both the interface and the physical appearance of today’s smartphones.
Look at that thing. It has icons depicting the sort of thing you expect to find in a smartphone today, even an app for the weather and GPS. The fact that the drawing has the date September 13, 1994 on it could mean Myrvold actually thought Microsoft could release it three years from when it was conceptualized.
Microsoft surely could have done better.
Images from Nathan Myhrvold via Men’s Journal, Intellectual Ventures.com


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The average Vegas hotel room can cost more than $1,000 more than it does when it’s upgraded, according to data from real estate agency IRI.
The average cost of a hotel room has risen by $500 since January 2017, according the Real Estate Institute of America (REIA), but that’s the most significant increase in a year.
A similar increase is expected, as hotels are required to upgrade rooms at a cost of $100.
The IRI’s analysis found that the average cost for upgrades has jumped by $200 in the past year.
That’s more than double the average increase for the past six years.
The most recent data, for 2017, shows that upgrades were expected to cost $1.2 million.
The number of upgrades has been trending downward for the last several years.
In 2017, the average price for upgrades was $800, according data from Realtor.com.
The increase in upgrades was also more than the average for all of 2017, with the most recent increase at $700.
The rate of upgrade increases has dropped in recent years, and the average rate of upgrades was about $500 last year.
According to REIA, upgrades have decreased in a number of areas, but that doesn’t mean hotels are more expensive to rent.
The hotel industry is growing at an impressive rate.
The industry added a record 6.9 million rooms in 2016, up from 4.9 percent in 2015, according REIA.
The REIA’s report also found that hotel room upgrades have been growing at a rate of more than 8 percent a year over the last three years.
As more hotels are upgraded, the cost of rooms stays flat.
The cheapest room in the world is now $1 in 2018, according IRI, and it costs $1 less than $100 in 2017.
The same room was $1 last year, but it’s now $800.


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As part of ABA's Day of Education, at the Javits Convention Center on Thursday, May 28, in Room 1E12 in the Javits Center from 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., a panel of e-content experts will discuss trends in digital content, including e-books and audio books, and their impact on independent bookstores in "Going Digital: An Industry Discussion on Selling E-Content."
ABA Chief Program Officer Len Vlahos will moderate a discussion with panelists Mark Nelson, digital content strategist, National Association of College Stores (NACS); Jenn Northington, events and marketing manager, The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Andrew Savikas, vice president of digital initiatives, O'Reilly Media.
Along with serving as the digital content strategist at NACS, Nelson is vice president for strategy and development for NACS Media Solutions. He recently completed a five-year term as a research fellow for the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, assisting with studies and publications on several topics related to technology in higher education.
Nelson will discuss publishing industry shake-ups and how indie booksellers can take advantage of them. "There are some commonalities that we can observe that may help the independent stores better understand and navigate the shifting landscape," he said. The commonalties he'll be covering on the panel include staying tech current, partnering with other organizations, and innovating productively. Nelson said, "Innovation in response to radical change and emerging technology is a common theme for me. Right now there is a strong message to be given about market share over margin, and the evolving nature of our competitive landscape."
Northington, who started her career in books after college "because it sounded like more fun than grad school" worked for Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, and is currently managing events and marketing at The King's English. She is also the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association representative for the Emerging Leaders Council. She said one focus for her will be identifying possible relationships between physical bookstores and digital content.
"There's a lot of spaghetti being thrown at the wall right now as far as what form digital content is taking and how you get it, and one thing I'm particularly interested in is content bundling," Northington said. "I also am intrigued by Stephanie Anderson's [of WORD bookstore in Brooklyn] notion of stories versus books and booksellers' role as curators of those stories, as well as the role of geographic community in the digital age."
Andrew Savikas, the vice president O'Reilly Media, has worked on several key publishing technology initiatives at O'Reilly, including the design and deployment of an open-standards-based XML content distribution platform. Savikas is also an advisor to Safari Books Online, O'Reilly's joint venture with Pearson Technology Group.
Savikas will be pointing to data gathered at O'Reilly to underscore where digital content is heading, including that O'Reilly Media now sells more digital books than print books on their website. He'll also talk about how "readers value a choice of multiple DRM-free formats for ebooks" and that while he notes that e-reader devices are important, he believes that "the real opportunity for digital books and reading is on mobile phones." --Karen Schechner


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Walmart Names CFO
Walmart announced Wednesday that Charles Holley, a longtime company insider, will take over later this year as chief financial officer, replacing Tom Schoewe, who will retire.
The 54-year-old Holley is a 16-year veteran of the company who more recently was Walmart's treasurer. He will take over as CFO Nov. 30.
"Charles has great experience both inside Walmart and externally," CEO Mike Duke said in a statement. "He is a talented strategist who also thoroughly understands the details of our business and the financial markets. As treasurer, he has helped drive the strategy behind the company's strong financial position and has made every organization he has led stronger.


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Caribbean must sell emotions, say experts
Orlando, Florida – Potential timeshare owners are doing more financial analysis than ever before and are also looking to strike deals wherever possible.
Therefore, according to experts, the onus is on the industry to sell experiences and emotions.
Joel Santos, executive vice president of Coral Hospitality Corporation, was part of a panel during the Interval International Shared Ownership Conference last month in Orlando and said that the timeshare market had changed forever.
“People need to understand that these are the conditions under which we have to work long term, so we need to adapt.
“We need to send this message to sales – this is not a crisis. It is a normal situation for us now,” he noted.
Sue Nickason, president at Caribbean Resort Consultants, added that the pace of sales was now slower. This created problems for small island destinations in terms of maintaining current relationships and bringing people back to resorts.
“There is less financing for development to offer amenities,” she said.
“Other, lapsed developments in the area can also cause issues for consumer confidence. Failed projects scare people off. The cost of living is also rising very rapidly and there are destinations increasing hotel taxes, for example the Cayman Islands.
“Therefore it is not a price but a lifestyle issue. Can people afford to live well [when visiting these destinations]?” Import duties and cost of living create a problem for the industry with these issues going “well beyond the sticker price”, she explained.
Ms. Nickason gave the example of a million-dollar sale lost in the Turks & Caicos Islands due specifically to the fact that between the first and final visits of the buyer, a case of beer had doubled in price. This, she said, meant that the buyer looked at other, less expensive destinations instead.
Reinvigoration of existing properties to increase the appeal was a necessary part of the situation, said Clive Booker, the principal at Spectrum Purchasing and DSI Hospitality.
“We cannot just throw money at it; it must be a reinvention of how we look at our performance indicators, such as guest feedback and that from sales and marketing.
“Potential revenue to improvements needs to be calculated and assessed. Can we meet the guest expectation and honestly deliver?,” he asked delegates.
Guests responded well to improvements in rooms and in service, he said, and whilst rooms were important a focus on improving outdoor areas was also necessary. People wanted to compare their experiences outdoors to those they had seen in advertising.
“We need to identify priority items and spend money where it is visible to the guest,” Mr. Booker said. “This may mean patching up infrastructure in this difficult time.”


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LONDON — Ever the entertainer, Alexander McQueen is preparing to wow a worldwide audience — in their own homes.
The designer is hoping his spring fashion show — which will be streamed live from the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy on Oct. 6 — will break new ground in the way the public sees and understands fashion.
“It’ll be like live theater — at home,” said McQueen in an exclusive interview with WWD. “The audience at home is actually going to see more than the guests at the show. We’re filming from a load of different angles, and two big cameras will actually be a part of the performance.”
McQueen is collaborating with Nick Knight’s SHOWStudio.com, which broadcasts original fashion films, shoots, and special projects online, on the show, which will be streamed on alexandermcqueenlive.showstudio.com.
Robot cameras will be at work on and off the catwalk — and in the audience — while an LED screen at the back of the runway will beam out the roving cameras’ images. The camera lens as eye is a central metaphor of the show, Knight told WWD.
In addition to capturing the show on camera, McQueen and Knight will today start shooting a separate film that will be cut into the live coverage. The music will consist of two adagios, and has been composed by John Gosling and Raymond Watts especially for the show.
“Every year, buyers and the press come to see the spectacle of my show,” said McQueen. “But I want to generate something else, something for a wider audience — for people in Australia, Asia, and Middle America who don’t have a seat at the show. Really, what I’m aiming for is world domination!”
McQueen added he was getting sick of runway snow snippets landing on YouTube. “I want to be in control of the illusion, the narrative, the outlet. I want to bring the show back to me,” he said.
His isn’t the first company to stream its show live: Burberry, Twenty8Twelve, Michael Kors and Isaac Mizrahi are among the brands that did live productions for spring. McQueen and Knight, however, are billing this project as something different — a new take on fashion-as-entertainment.
“When you follow a sports event on television, often what you’re getting is a whole entertainment package — expert commentators, replays, extra footage — and an explanation of what is going on,” Knight told WWD.“The fashion industry is used to putting on shows for a small, invited audience. The shows pander to professionals, but not to the public. What we want to do is put McQueen’s show out there as an entertainment package for a wider audience, too.”
Knight added fashion designers overall have begun to look at their runway shows in a different light. “There is a sea change going on: Designers are seeing their shows as public — as well as professional — outings. They know the public is watching and pre-ordering the clothing on sites like Net-a-Porter.com, Yoox.com and Asos.com,” he said.
The famously private McQueen clearly loves engaging with his public over the Internet — and has been embracing new media with a vengeance. The designer has been Twittering around the clock on twitter.com/mcqueenworld since the start of September. Via Twitter, he broke the news that his spring collection would be streamed live, and since then he’s been twittering clues about show, including “The land of the iguana!!!” and “The Creationist” and “Origin of Species Part 2.”
“I’m doing it when I come home from a club, at 4 a.m. I’m doing it if I see something on telly,” he said. “I love the fact that my messages are coming right from the horse’s mouth — and I feel like I’m speaking to a company of friends. I do it so much that someone needs to get me a gag,” McQueen said.
McQueen said the idea of live streaming has been brewing since his fall 2006 Widows of Culloden show, when he beamed a life-sized hologram of Kate Moss into a glass pyramid on the catwalk. Next month’s show, he said, is only the beginning.
Over the next few seasons, McQueen hopes to create special capsule collections so the public can buy clothing right off his runway. He’s also dreaming of setting up glass pyramids, “anywhere in the world,” he said, and beam holograms of his fashion shows into them. He said he’d love to do a hologram show with the ballet dancer Sylvie Guillem, live from London.
“This is the birth of a new dawn,” McQueen said. “There is no way back for me now. I am going to take you on journeys you’ve never dreamed were possible.”
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye


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How Much Will Grand Theft Auto 6 Cost?
After years of speculatory Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) content floating around online, we have finally received an official time frame for the release of the first announcement trailer of the upcoming title from Rockstar’s stables. This has led to even further rumors on online sites and forums, exploring numerous elements of the game.
Although the leaks have provided a general idea of what to from the title, one thing that it did not confirm is the final selling price. With numerous upcoming titles being priced at USD $70-80, fans are speculating the latest GTA to match or exceed this price. Let’s delve into it.
Take-Two Interactive’s CEO Says “ Don’t Expect the Price Tags to Go Down”
Although previous rumors suggested absurd claims such as the game having a USD $150 price and a 750 GB file size, we have gotten a more reasonable assumption thanks to a recent earnings call where Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick spoke about the GTA title in development.
He mentions the current state of AI tech in game development which could help with the development of large-scale projects such as this upcoming entry in the franchise. Zelnick says “ We've been in the AI business since the dawn of this industry. Our entertainment properties are created largely in and by computers. We value tools. We create those tools internally, and we license tools as well. The new developments in AI are really exciting, and I've said publicly and repeatedly that I believe that they'll help create efficiency.”
Although the topic of using AI in game development has been pretty controversial, it makes sense that large-scale developers such as Rockstar would implement this technology. However, the CEO says that although this technology would allow them to do things they were unable to accomplish previously, their competitors would also have access to the same tech. He further says that he does not believe it will replace creative people in the industry nor will it automatically create hit games. He says that new toolsets like this just raise the bar to do more and do better.
Zelnick adds ”They give us the opportunity to do more and do better. The changes will be - menial work will probably be reduced or eliminated; high-level work will be enhanced in importance. You'll see shifts in what we can do with our games ... That's our story, our strategy is to be the most creative, the most innovative, and the most efficient company in the business, and I think AI probably ticks all three boxes. But don't expect the price tags to go down. Just expect everything to get better, and competition probably to become more intense for people who are not able to avail themselves of the resources that we can afford."
This gives us a glimpse into the development process for Grand Theft Auto 6. Although the use of AI will make the process easier, it will not compromise the quality of the title and it will only push the developers to do better. Considering this information and the pricing of new and upcoming AAA titles, we can expect GTA 6 to be priced somewhere between USD $70-90, which is reasonable for a game of this stature.
Do keep in mind that this price is based on speculation from reliable sources and it has not yet been confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two. A new pricing model might be announced anytime before the game’s release date.


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The UK has instigated strict new measures in the fight against the spread of coronavirus in the UK. The new rules came as the UK confirmed 335 had died as a result of the killer infection. But what exactly are the new coronavirus restrictions and what is the current advice in the UK for the virus?
On Monday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain was facing a “moment of a national emergency” and called for everyone to stay home to protect the NHS and save lives.
The PM said people were only allowed to leave home to exercise once a day, travel to and from work where “absolutely necessary”, shop for essential supplies and fulfil medical or care obligations.
He also ordered the immediate closure of all shops selling non-essential items.
Mr Johnson described coronavirus as the “biggest threat this country has faced for decades”.
UK lockdown: What are the new conditions for lockdown in the UK?
As of March 23, the government has introduced three new measures which:
- Require people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
- Close all non-essential shops and community spaces
- Stop all gatherings of more than two people in public.
Every citizen must comply with these new rules and authorities, including the police, will be given powers to ensure these are followed.
In particular, relevant authorities have been endowed with the power to disperse gatherings and impose fines.
The measures are imposed as cases in the UK reach 6,650, of which 335 people have died.
There have been 135 full recoveries, meaning there are 6,180 active cases, of which 20 are serious or critical.
Children in a lockdown: Who do children of divorced parents go to? [INSIGHT]
Lockdown meaning: What would lockdown mean for you and me? [EXPLAINER]
Self isolation: How long will we have to self-isolate? [ANALYSIS]
Staying at home
The first restriction imposed by Mr Johnson was that people stay at home.
For at least the next three weeks, you are only permitted to leave your home for the following four reasons:
To shop for basic necessities, such as food and medicine and must do so as infrequently as possible.
Exercise, just once a day either alone or with members of your household
Medical need, or to provide care or assist a vulnerable person.
To travel to and from work, but only where this “absolutely cannot:” be done from home.
While undertaking these activities, Mr Johnson has urged everyone to minimise the time spent outside and ensure to keep at least two metres apart from anyone outside your household.
Closing non-essential shops and public spaces
Last week, pubs, clubs, leisure centres and other social venues were ordered to close by the government.
Now, this order to shut down has been extended to another set of businesses and venues.
The businesses which must now close include:
All non-essential retail stores - this will include clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets, excluding food markets.
Libraries, community centres, and youth centres.
Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, arcades and soft play facilities.
Communal places within parks, such as playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms.
Places of worship, except for funerals attended by immediate families.
Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers).
Public gatherings must stop
To ensure people remain at home to slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives, the Government is asked to stop all public gatherings of more than two people.
The only exceptions to these rules are:
Where the gathering is of a group of people who live together, which means a parent can, for example, take their children to the shops if there is no option to leave them at home.
Where the gathering is essential for work purposes, however, workers must attempt to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace.
The government has also put a stop to all social events including weddings, baptisms and other religious ceremonies.
This excludes funerals, but these can only be attended by any immediate family.