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Academy Students Get Rare Chance to Attend E3 for Free
“A Disneyland for video game lovers,” the exclusive trade show showcases groundbreaking technologies, products and companies
(L–R) Academy of Art Univeristy animation students Leo Cruz and Camille Sloan at this year’s E3 event, posing with a LEGO statue of Kylo Ren at the Warner Brothers Games booth. Photo courtesy of Camille Sloan.
Each year, thousands of video game industry professionals from around the world flock to the Los Angeles Convention Center to attend E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). The premier trade show for computer, mobile and video games connects attendees with others in the field while showcasing leading companies, groundbreaking technologies and exciting new products.
E3 isn’t open to the public; you must be involved in the video game industry to attend the three-day extravaganza. And at $995 a pop, tickets for the 2016 expo held in June weren’t cheap. But thanks to the generosity of 2K Games, 15 students from Academy of Art University’s School of Animation & Visual Effects got to attend E3 for free.
“I’ve played video games my whole life and had heard a lot about E3,” said Camille Sloan, one of the lucky pass recipients. “It’s very exclusive—you can’t go unless you’re invited. Once I found out about the chance to go for free, I knew I had to take it.”
Sloan, who graduated in May, learned about the coveted passes when Program Manager Becky Johnson posted an announcement about them on the School of Animation & Visual Effects’ Facebook page. Fellow class member Leo Cruz also saw the announcement and jumped at the chance to snag a complimentary E3 ticket.
Camille Sloan trying out the Pop Up Gaming’s co-op demo for the Vive. Photo courtesy of Camille Sloan.
Leo Cruz testing a VR tour of an interactive Hollywood Mansion using the Oculus Rift. Photo courtesy of Camille Sloan.
“As someone who’s been playing video games almost from the day I was born, being at E3 provided me with the chance to see them from a different point of view,” he said. “I got to look at them from a professional point of view instead of just as a player.”
Cruz added that going to E3 made him realize just how prevalent video games are today, and how much money companies invest in them. “For me, E3 was the real deal,” he explained. “The chance to be there helped me understand how important these games are to people of all ages, nationalities and genders.”
eo game professionals, Cruz and Sloan had fun checking out the elaborate, interactive booths of major vendors such as Nintendo. Cruz compared the exhibit hall to a Disneyland for video game lovers.
“The whole place was very flashy and many of the booths were quite impressive,” he said. “I particularly enjoyed getting to try the demos of games that haven’t been released yet, even though the lines were really long,” said Cruz. “It was like waiting in line for a ride at an amusement park.”
One of his favorite demos was the latest release of Nintendo’s Wii U game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. He and other devoted fans stood in line at the company’s colossal, theme park-like booth for hours to play 30 minutes of the popular game scheduled to ship next year.
For Cruz, the crowds and long lines were a small price to pay for what he gained. “It was great getting to try the demos and speak to company representatives,” he said.
Since graduating last spring, he’s been working for a 3-D printing factory. But his experience at E3 only strengthened his desire to become a game designer.
A view of the show floor around Square Enix’s booth. Photo courtesy of Camille Sloan.
“E3 made it official for me—video games are a big deal and I want to get a job in the industry,” he remarked.
Sloan was equally inspired by the time she spent at E3. “I want to work in the video game industry or in another animation field. It was great to be around people from that world at E3.”


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Think of it as the slip, slap, slop for grapes.
It's a grey, clay-based sunscreen - and it's the latest weapon being used by Hunter winemakers to combat baking temperatures at harvest time.
And it works a treat.
"Absolutely it does, it's really effective," Bruce Tyrrell of Tyrrell's Wines explained.
"A bit like 50-plus on humans.
It's a bit like 50-plus on humans. We put sunscreen on our kids, so why not on our grapes?- Bruce Tyrrell
"We put sunscreen on our kids, so why not on our grapes?"
The big question, of course, is does it have a taste or impact on the flavours in any way.
"No, not at all," Mr Tyrrell said. "It's totally neutral.
"We spray it on, the grapes will go a bluey-grey which looks a bit odd at first, and that's it. We don't even have to wash it off. It's flavourless and after spraying it's business as usual."
Mr Tyrrell said sunburnt grapes is the greatest enemy winemakers can have.
"It's awful, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it," he said. "It has this burnt sugar taste, bitter toffee ... it's a horrible character to have."
With the Hunter now regularly seeing temperatures soar into the 40s over January and February - which happens to coincide with grape harvest in the Hunter - protecting the grapes from the heat is more important than ever before.
The other tactic winemakers and vignerons are using is to leave the leaf canopy to grow longer on the western side of vines to give the grapes some shade protection from the baking afternoon sun.
"Years ago we would never have dreamed of doing that," Mr Tyrrell said.
"It wasn't necessary, but as winemakers we're adapting to the current conditions. You have to.
“Mind you, some of the old time winemakers would be turning in their graves if they heard about it."
Which brings us to the crunch question: how is the vintage shaping up in the wake of the recent spike in temperatures?
“Everything we have picked so far has been really good,” Mr Tyrrell said.
“We have the verdelho in and all of our top chardonnays are in – they look sensational.
“We’ll probably start on the reds next week. But if I had my wish it would be for two inches of rain in a hurry. That would be ideal.”
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DETROIT -- General Motors, in a move that could ripple throughout the auto industry, is switching its reporting of U.S. auto sales from monthly to quarterly in an effort to give a more accurate view of its business operations.
GM is the first major automaker to change how it reports monthly light-vehicle U.S. sales results since the industry dropped 10-day reports in the early 1990s. It is a step certain to be considered by other automakers -- if it hasn't been already.
"Thirty days is not enough time to separate real sales trends from short-term fluctuations in a very dynamic, highly competitive market," Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of sales operations, said in a statement. "Reporting sales quarterly better aligns with our business, and the quality of information will make it easier to see how the business is performing."
GM cited monthly sales being subject to many issues that make them more volatile than quarterly sales, including product launch activity, weather, other seasonal factors, the number of selling days and incentive activity.
The change, which does not impact dealers reporting monthly sales to the automaker, was announced Tuesday ahead of GM's release of U.S. light-duty vehicle deliveries for March -- its last monthly report.
GM will also no longer report monthly sales in China, its largest market, or Brazil. The company will provide monthly sales data to the U.S. Federal Reserve, other government agencies and industry associations across the globe but that data will not be made public.
Other major automakers indicated on Tuesday that they would not immediately follow GM's lead on switching to reporting sales on a quarterly basis.
"At this time, we are maintaining our reporting of sales on a monthly basis," said a spokesman for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Mark LaNeve, head of U.S. marketing, sales and service for Ford Motor Co., said GM’s move is “pretty significant for the industry.” He said Ford will assess GM’s quarterly reporting before deciding if the company will follow.
“I understand why they are doing it. There are pros and cons,” LaNeve told reporters and analysts Tuesday on Ford’s monthly sales call. “We’ll spend some time assessing and do what is best for Ford Motor Co.,” he added. LaNeve would not say when a decision would be made.
GM's move follows by five years a decision to stop reporting North American production data. Fiat Chrysler has followed suit on that front.
Studying retail landscape
GM, since emerging from its 2009 bankruptcy, has been attempting to woo Wall Street investors by expanding its operations as a service-based provider rather than a traditional auto manufacturer that solely relies on sales of new cars and trucks to drive its business.
The company, according to officials, conducted due diligence prior to making the decision. That included analyzing nearly three years of stock trading data on sales days and researching how other industries and companies report sales.
GM benchmarked companies such as Amazon Inc., Apple Inc., AutoNation, John Deere, Penske Corp., Walmart Inc. and Whirlpool Corp. -- all of which do not report sales on a monthly basis. California electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Inc. also reports quarterly sales instead of monthly results.


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Shares of the retailer that runs the DMart supermarket chain have dropped as much as 22% since January
Overall, DMart’s revenue and net profit for the March quarter increased by 32% and 21%, respectively
Investors of Avenue Supermarts Ltd have had a roller-coaster ride over the past nine months. The stock first fell from the highs of about ₹1,650 last August to ₹1,135 in October 2018, and then made a rapid recovery back to the ₹1,650 levels by the end of December. It has given up most of the gains this year, and is now trading at ₹1,250 apiece.
Concerns about competition, high valuations and declining profit margins are some reasons that have weighed on the stock. The company’s March quarter results announced on 11 May show that Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) margin has declined again. On a year-on-year basis, the Ebitda margin has contracted by 25 basis points to 7.48%, as other expenses and input costs increased at a higher-than-expected rate.
The big worry for investors is that the outlook on margin remains bleak, especially given the company’s commitment to provide the lowest price to its customers daily, a strategy known as EDLP (everyday low price). “Given the intense competition from Reliance Retail, Big Bazaar, Big Basket, and lately Amazon and Flipkart, DMart’s gross margin is likely to remain under pressure since EDLP continues to be its mainstay," point out analysts from Edelweiss Securities Ltd in a report on 11 May.
Note that the March quarter is the third consecutive quarter of year-on-year margin contraction.
Apart from the drop in margins, investors also need to content with the fact that store additions haven’t been exceptional. DMart added 12 stores last quarter and 21 stores in FY19, taking its total store count to 176.
“Store additions (last fiscal) were below our expectations; we could have done better," said Neville Noronha, chief executive officer and managing director of Avenue Supermarts, in a press statement.
Overall, DMart’s revenue and net profit for the March quarter increased by 32% and 21%, respectively, year-on-year.
While that may look like pretty decent growth, expectations are running very high. The DMart stock currently trades at 62 times estimated earnings for FY20, based on Bloomberg data. Earnings growth is way lower than where it should have been to justify those valuations.
Sure, same-store sales growth at 17.8% for FY19 is encouraging. However, with profit margin outlook remaining muted, investors would need more assurance for valuations to expand from hereon.
The company plans to do a qualified institution placement of 25 million shares. While this could dilute earnings per share in the near term, the funds raised could lead to a faster pace of store additions. While this should help investor sentiment, much also depends on DMart’s margin trajectory.


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Today we break ground on leləm̓ village, the mixed-use segment of leləm̓ that will be dedicated to shops and contemporary rental homes. –
Just over two years ago, in September of 2017, we began the journey to transform over 21 acres of traditional Musqueam territory. With careful planning, and honoring our deep-rooted values, a sacred space for community living is emerging. –
Follow the journey, here and on facebook @lelemliving
Register for updates at www.lelemliving.com –
On October 9th, MCC hosted a special Open House at leləm̀ for elders and members of the Musqueam. –
Chief Wayne Sparrow, along with Michael Audain and Neil Crystal of @polygonhomes, presented the vision for leləm̀ and guided attendees through the community. –
Swipe left to see photos of the event, graciously shared with us by @envirostew.
leləm̓ village, the urban heart of lelǝḿ, set amidst towering trees, carefully weaving multi-family living, retail shops and gathering spaces to respect its natural surroundings.
Follow leləm̓ on Instagram and Facebook @lelemliving


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Check out the full newsletter for the week which includes more Electric Vehicle News, and also news about Autonomous Vehicles. This week includes news about GM and Canada, Japan, Atlanta, Kodiak Robotics, and more. See it here.
Bio: John Rooney is the COO at EPG, a company focused on helping electric and autonomous vehicle companies hire the best talent. In addition to these services, EPG puts out an informative weekly newsletter that is now named Mobility EVo. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
What’s the Buzz About?
Volkswagen is proceeding with a $2.2 billion factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. The new factory will produce VW’s new electric car, a flagship model with a high level of efficiency and cleaner to manufacture.
The “Trinity” Project’s goal is to achieve a range of around 435 miles and a significantly shorter charging time. VW hopes to launch the Trinity Project by 2026. In other VW news, VW released the details of the ID.Buzz this week (check the video above for more details)
Let’s Partner Up
Sony and Honda are exploring the possibility of a joint venture to assemble electric vehicles. Although the plan isn’t completely set, the two companies have inked a memorandum of understanding with the hopes to sell by 2025.
According to officials from both companies, Honda will own the manufacturing rights of the vehicles, while Sony will build a mobility service platform through image sensing, telecommunication, and network and entertainment technologies. What does a Honda/Sony EV look like and how will it be different?
We have a Kia Niro EV as a company car, and it’s a fairly simple vehicle, but it’s also a fantastic vehicle. My partner mainly drives it and he prefers it way more than his ICE vehicle. If Kia can do this early on in its EV life, what’s next? Kia will tell us.
Kia wants to launch two new electric vehicles each year until 2027, totaling up to 14 cars. The first of these EVs will be the EV9 large SUV. Kia also has plans for two EV pickups. The company plans to invest around $23 billion over the next five years to jumpstart the campaign.
Formula 1 is back next week, and F1 cars use an Energy Recovery System that includes an energy store, so that means we can talk about it here. Let’s talk about Aston Martin.
Aston Martin plans to develop “high-performance battery cell technology” with Britishvolt to begin its venture into the electric vehicle market with a battery-electric vehicle launch by 2025. The two teams have signed an MOU and will work together on the R&D to develop the battery pack. Who is your driver? Kimi is retired, so I’ll go with the shoey man himself, Danny Ric.
Want these stories and more directly in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up now! And did we mention free prizes?! We’ve also launched an EV merch store so that you can buy the ultimate EV enthusiast in your life an electric vehicle shirt, hat, hoodie, and more!


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Have you noticed your orders are taking longer than usual to ship? Or that suppliers are frequently out of stock with extremely long wait times? Or, perhaps you’ve been perplexed by the seemingly high number of empty shelves in many stores you’ve visited? There’s a reason for this—what you’re witnessing is one of the most prominent rippling effects of the Coronavirus pandemic and unfortunately, there is no end in sight. Unprecedented shortages of raw materials, shipping containers and workers are disrupting and delaying the global supply chain. Let’s explore why, and what Bird-X did to get ahead of this problem.
Why is There a Shortage of Raw Materials?
Throughout 2020, mass layoffs, government-initiated lockdowns, and uncertainty about the virus kept people home and forced businesses to operate on bare bones. During this time, we saw an even more constrained workforce when Covid outbreaks and quarantined employees resulted in shutdowns at plants and suppliers. This material shortage has also affected the wildlife control industry, leaving an insufficient amount of products available to pest control operators and others that need it.
In short, companies don’t have the capacity to produce or receive the materials they need to keep up with demand. The shortage of raw materials has also led to price increases across the board.
How is the Shipping Container Shortage Impacting the Supply Chain?
No available shipping containers means global trade comes to a halt. Nearly every product, part and material that circulates through the global economy travels enclosed in these metal containers. But lately, those containers are in short supply for several reasons. Unfortunately, even if retailers and manufacturers can obtain the goods and materials they need, they may not get them delivered because of the difficulties obtaining shipping containers.
Why is there a Shortage of Shipping Containers?
During lockdowns, American consumers increased their demands on factory goods from China. Additionally, millions of shipping containers were sent all over the globe to deliver pandemic supplies, such as PPE. Many of these containers were stuck in port because unloading was delayed due to worker shortages and quarantines. In the past, where there may have been one or two vessels in the U.S. ports waiting to be unloaded, the backlog measured by the Marine Exchange of Southern California has stretched to as many as 73 vessels in mid-September of 2021, tying up containers and adding weeks and even months to the lead-times on products and components.
The shipping container shortage was also affected by unforeseen events, such as what happened at the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal is a significant route for up to 12% of global trade, and the March 2021 blockage obstructed ships from reaching their destinations.
On top of that, two shutdowns at major ports and industrial hubs in China—Shenzhen and Ningbo City—led to the ports not operating for weeks, thus creating an even bigger backlog in global trade. These shutdowns happened because an employee in each respective port tested positive for Covid. Chinese authorities have made it clear that shutting down more shipping container terminals in the future over a single positive case is likely.
So How Did Bird-X Get Ahead of the Supply Chain Problem?
To summarize, there are not enough raw materials, shipping containers or vessels to meet demands due to the ripple effects of the pandemic and constrained workforce. In an effort to avoid the challenges many others in our industry are experiencing, our expert sales and operations teams successfully forecasted and secured a large amount of inventory early in the year to avoid the inevitable disruptions in the global supply chain. Currently, we have full inventory of professional-grade bird control supplies, especially the most popular items like netting and spikes, that are ready to ship from our warehouse in Chicago. While many bird control professionals struggled with a netting shortage earlier this year from other suppliers, it is our priority to ensure that our customers always have the supplies they need, even during historic shortages.
For more information, please contact our hotline at 312-226-2473.


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After successfully venturing into the world of video streaming, the OTT giant Netflix is gearing up to expand its surface into Video games. Looking forward to the same, Netflix has also hired Mike Verdu as its new vice president of game development. Mike is the former Facebook and Electronic Arts executive and served as vice president of augmented reality and virtual reality content.
As per reports by Hollywood Reporter, Verdu has also worked at gaming companies Electronic Arts, Kabam, Zynga and Atari during his initial career. As the VP of content for Facebook Reality Labs, Mike looked at the work of Oculus Studios and the teams that worked on second and third-party virtual reality games to Oculus VR headsets.
Prior to that he also served as SVP of mobile for Electronic Arts and handled the work of mobile games including 'Plants vs. Zombies 2, The Sims Freeplay' and 'Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes'.
Netflix has hired Verdu as their chief operating officer and chief product officer. In the early reports of The Hollywood Reporter, it was also mentioned that Netflix is showing signs of moving into podcast space by hiring N'Jeri Eaton, a former Apple and NPR executive, as the company's first head of podcasts.


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Apple has reportedly completed its acquisition of Israel-based flash memory firm Anobit in a deal worth up to $500 million. Hebrew-language financial newspaper Calcalist on Tuesday claimed that a deal had been reached after reporting earlier this month that Apple was in late-stage talks to buy the fabless chip maker. Apple has not confirmed the acquisition. Anobit’s website says its proprietary technology “significantly improves endurance, performance and cost of flash storage products and systems,” and Apple already uses Anobit’s chips in a number of its mobile devices and notebook computers.
Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.
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Acrew launches Superyacht Business AwardsJun 3, 2020 by Triton Staff
Yacht crew events company Acrew has launched the Superyacht Business Awards to acknowledge the best superyacht businesses in the world, based on captain and crew experiences from last season.
Nominations open Monday, June 15, and close July 31. The finalists, runners-up and winners will be championed by Acrew, which will promote them to its global network of superyachts.
In its inaugural year, the Superyacht Business Awards will consist of four categories: Best Marina, Best Provisioning Company, Best Insurance (by type), and Best Superyacht Agent. Each category is divided by geographical region (except Best Insurance). For a full breakdown of categories, click here.
After the nomination round, a panel of captain and crew judges will review the nominees to select the finalists, which will be announced in October when Acrew captain and crew members will be able to vote for the winners.
The Superyacht Business Awards winners will be announced on Nov. 30.
Acrew has announced the winners of its 2020 Superyacht Business Awards. Companies in four categories in as many as seven regions were voted on by yacht captains and crew.
Story and photos by Dorie Cox Under sunny, 80-degree skies, a hot Friday was transformed into a “magical night” on board 14 yachts during an interior staff competition at
The votes are cast and the ballots counted. Find out who will win one of Acrew’s Crew Awards 2020 in a virtual ceremony streamed live on Youtube and Facebook
Acrew is now taking nominations for outstanding crew who deserve industry-wide recognition of their professional excellence through Acrew’s Crew Awards. Nomination categories can be found at …
Rob Ceravolo, CEO of Tropic Ocean Airways, has been named Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” in the Consumer Services category for Florida. The award — which recognizes …
Winners of the 2020 Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show Innovation Awards were announced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Boating Writers International on Feb. 14. …


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TURIN -- Italian automaker Fiat is expected to grab a steady share of 28-29 percent of a flat domestic market in May, a Fiat Auto executive said on Tuesday.
Italian auto sales for all carmakers were expected to total 180,000 in May, in line with expectations, said Gianni Coda, the head of the Fiat and Lancia brands.
In April, new car sales totalled 182,800, down 5.8 percent from the year-ago period, while Fiat's market share was 28.8 percent.
"We expect to see growth in orders with the launch of the new Punto which will happen June 7," he said on the on the sidelines of a presentation of its redesigned Punto small car model.
Coda said Fiat's sales elsewhere in Europe were mixed, with increases in some countries, like the United Kingdom, and declines in others.


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Ivanka Trump worth
The 42-year-old American business executive has done well. Ivanka Trump’s net worth is $300 million. There are many sources that talk about Ivanka Trump’s net worth, her salary, and income, but online estimates of her worth vary. You can visit websites such as CelebsMoney and NetWorthStats to view other estimates of Ivanka Trump’s net worth. Please note, celebrities typically do not revealed their exact net worth.
Ivanka Trump’s Birth Date
Ivanka Trump is currently married Jared Kushner
Ivanka Trump related
For more information on Ivanka Trump, here are few related links.
- Ivanka Trump’s age and bio at CelebsAges
- When is Ivanka Trump birthday exactly?
- Ivanka Trump salary and earnings on CelebsDetails
- Latest Ivanka Trump news on Google
Ivanka Trump’s popularity trend


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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — With theme park attendance down amid the pandemic, Walt Disney World is offering a sweet deal for Florida residents!
You can get a 4-day ticket for just $49 a day! The 4-day ticket gets you into the parks through November 20, or between November 29 through December 18.
There are also two and 3-day ticket options for a little more money per day.
The 3-day ticket gets you into the parks in the same window but costs $58 a day for a total of $174 plus tax.
The 2-day tickets are a little more restricting and have the highest per-day price. It will cost you $65 a day for a total of $130 plus tax. These tickets are only good through September 30.
You don't have to use any of the tickets on consecutive days, as long as they are used within the specific time frame. Park hopping is not included with any tickets right now because of the pandemic, and you must book a park reservation before visiting.
Walt Disney World began the phased reopening of its parks on July 11th after a historic closure because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month Disney Parks reported a $3.5 billion hit because of the closure.
You can read all about the parks reopening and safety precautions here.
You can buy your tickets here.
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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'lightyear'.
The first official teaser has been released for 'Lightyear,' the new Disney/Pixar movie about the legendary Space Ranger who inspired the iconic Buzz Lightyear toy. The sci-fi action-adventure presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, now voiced by Chris Evans, the hero who inspired the toy -- introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans. 'Lightyear' is scheduled for a June 17th, 2022 release.


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The holidays are quickly approaching which means the holiday shopping season is almost here, too. But that’s going to look a lot different than usual given the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and that may shake your plans up quite a bit.
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In fact, with cases rising as cold weather has set in, it might cause a huge shift from waiting in line to shopping online. And there’s a good reason for that, according to internal medicine physician Janet Morgan, MD.
“It’s a big risk because you’ve got variable social distancing even in places where you’re mandated to wear a mask,” she points out. “And then there’s the risk of asymptomatic spread where you could be standing in line for a long time next to someone who has COVID-19.”
Ultimately, joining the throngs of other holiday shoppers at big box stores, malls and shopping centers — particularly for those Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales — flies in the face of the CDC’s guidelines. That’s especially the case for waiting in the typically long lines that comes with holiday shopping, be it waiting to get in the store or waiting to pay.
“You’re coming into contact with a lot of different people,” Dr. Morgan notes, “and you’re going out in large crowds which is just not recommended.”
Different risks to consider
New guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) underscores the risks you could face especially with large crowds. Explains Dr. Morgan, “Initially, if you were closer than six feet to someone who had COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes, you were at a higher risk of catching it. Now, the CDC says you reach that higher risk if you have multiple short contacts that all add up to 15 minutes.”
In other words, even if you’re only closer than six feet to another shopper a few minutes at a time — waiting in line to get in the store, scouring the same toy aisle and waiting in line to pay — if that time adds up to 15 minutes or more and they’re infected, you’re at high risk.
“In that kind of environment, you may not even realize you’re in close contact with someone several times over the course of your time in the store because you’re busy and focused on your own shopping,” says Dr. Morgan.
In addition to that, she adds, you can’t guarantee other shoppers will always adhere to necessary guidelines, including social distancing and even proper mask-wearing.
Unfortunately, the same concerns apply to shopping at smaller stores, too. While the crowds may be smaller, it’s still not advisable. “I wish it weren’t the case,” she says, “but we’ve already seen this before and there’s not necessarily an expectation that it’ll change.”
Safer options for that shared experience
Besides the basic purposes of these shopping trips — buying presents for family and friends — there’s a shared experience that many people love about them, a tradition or regular part of their holiday routine.
Dr. Morgan notes it’s possible to maintain this emotional connection even if you’re doing all your shopping online this year — not just on Cyber Monday. “You can connect via something like Zoom and do your online shopping together, sharing links to deals or bargains you find.”
Even texting each other is a way to keep up the communication and share your great holiday gift finds. “I’ve done that with a family member, texting back and forth while shopping online and then we’ll text each other pictures when the gifts come in.”
Online groups can also be a great source of not just finding good deals but also being able to share the deals you find or the great photos of your family and friends with their new gifts once they open them during the holidays.
The bottom line
Whatever your method for holiday shopping this year, Dr. Morgan reiterates that the bottom line is it’s best to forego shopping in-store and stick with safer and online options. “This isn’t forever,” she says, “but, for now, it’s just the safest way. By doing your shopping this way, you’re keeping your risk of exposure to COVID-19 and other seasonal illnesses much, much lower.”


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New currency rolls in next month
Some significant changes are coming when the latest set of Manx money comes into circulation on 10 April.
The updated set will see a five pound coin in official use for the first time, but there will be no 1p and 2p coins and the round pound will remain for now.
Expert and collector Mike Southall is releasing a new edition of his book on the history of Manx coinage to coincide with this.
He told Ed Oldham there have been Manx five pound coins for many years, but not in general use:


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Microhoo's prenuptial: they CAN get out of it
The prenuptial agreement for the newly weds Yahoo and Microsoft is on the table and as it turns out Yahoo has got a pretty interesting escape route set up. If MS/Yahoo don't perform well enough against Google on the key metrics of revenue per search and U.S. market share, the deal can be terminated.
The terms are out into the open because Yahoo and Microsoft filed details of the deal to the SEC, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which looks at deals like this to see if it doesn't interfere with the market's rules.
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QPAC has launched access to the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet for the inbound Asian travel market
the Palaszczuk Government on directly addressing the growing costs of congestion by investing in key infrastructure projects
This month, let the latest and greatest products drive you to experience something new in Queensland.
It’s St. Patricks day and it’s coming in fast.
Queensland’s premier centre for live performance, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), has teamed up with Mantra Hotels, Resorts and Apartments
The international smash-hit that tested the boundaries of magic returns with a brand new line-up.


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By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
Berlin, Germany – Ricoh used IFA 2013 here Thursday to introduce its Ricoh Theta handheld 360-degree-spherical image camera.
The Theta, which will be available for pre-order on Ricoh’s Web site at a $399 suggested retail starting this month, uses a newly developed ultra-small twin-lens folded optical system designed to capture a scene from a 360-degree spherical perspective around the camera.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.
Melville, N.Y. – Nikon introduced Thursday three additions to the Coolpix point-&-shoot camera family.
The new models include: the advanced Coolpix P7800 ($549 suggested retail), which features full manual controls and a new electronic viewfinder; a ultra-compact and stylish Coolpix S02 ($179) and the LD-1000 ($99) LED movie light attachment for Coolpix and Nikon 1 compact system cameras.
Both Nikon cameras will go on sale this month and the LED movie lamp will drop in October.
New York – Sony formally unveiled Wednesday three camcorders and a pair of new additions to the Cyber-shot family, called “lens-style cameras,” that combine the functionality of an advanced Cyber-shot point-and-shoot camera with a smartphone.
Sony’s new camcorder models include the FDR-AX1 4K Handycam, the HDR-AS30V Action Cam and the HDR-MV1 Music Video Recorder.
Melville, N.Y. – Canon today tied the introduction of several cameras and printers to the grand opening of its new headquarters on Tuesday, located here.
The new products were officially introduced by Elliot Peck, Canon’s senior VP and general manager of imaging technology, and his staff at the 700,000-square-foot office building on Long Island.
Canon is emphasizing connectivity and social media with its newest models, all of which have the ability to quickly and wirelessly share images to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social-media sites.
Melville, N.Y. - Nikon launched Tuesday its Nikon Ambassador Program, billed as “a collective initiative dedicated to recognizing the most influential leaders in modern photography.”
The diverse group of individuals “has shown a commitment to empowering photographers with knowledge, providing guidance for the imaging community and a mastery of technology and trends,” Nikon said.
In a statement the company said the program will it anticipate the needs of professional customers, while paying homage to some of the best photographers today.
Olathe, Kan. – Garmin International revealed Tuesday that it has entered the action video camera category, offering what it calls its “first true HD 1080p action camera series,” including a model with built-in GPS functionality.
The two-model Garmin VIRB action video camera series is part of the GPS-product company’s expanding lineup of outdoor devices.
Miramar, Florida — SIM2 USA is using a stop in Los Angeles on its World Road Show Tour for custom installers to formally introduce its Superlumis 3D video projector.
Newark, N.J. – Panasonic this week launched a new social community for “hybrid photographers” called the Lumix Luminary Lounge.
Hybrid photography and other photo content will be hosted by select elite photographers and sponsored by Panasonic.
Panasonic defined hybrid photography as combining the capture of still and video imagery and audio for photographic display around social media experiences.
Mountain View, Calif. — Online photo-sharing site SmugMug said Tuesday it has launched a new easy-to-use version of its service.
The new SmugMug is said to feature a new look while offering 15-plus design templates for personal pages.
Photographers of all experience levels are urged to safely store and share their photos on the site through a SmugMug subscription ($40/year).
Tokyo – A global economic slowdown, especially in China, forced Canon to cut its profit forecast for the year Wednesday as it lowered sales targets on high-end and point-and-shoot cameras.
In its quarterly earnings report, Canon lowered its operating profit forecast 16 percent to $3.81 billion (380 billion yen), from its April estimate.
Net income was forecast at 260 billion yen in 2013, down 10 percent from projections of 290 billion yen in April.


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Seoul, Nov 16 (Businesshala) – Apple Inc. (AAPL.O) and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) Google aren’t doing enough to comply with South Korea’s law that mandates major app store operators to allow app developers to use only their proprietary software. Blocks the payment system from being used, a lawmaker leading the amendment told Businesshala.
South Korea, the first country to crack down on tech companies’ payment policies, is expected to make public preliminary details on Wednesday to comply with the law, a Korea Communications Commission (KCC) official said.
South Korea amended the Telecommunications Trade Act in August to try to curb tech companies’ market dominance and prevent large app store operators from charging commissions on in-app purchases.
The law came into force in September, but details of what will be complied with in an enforcement ordinance are being worked out by the KCC.
Apple told the South Korean government that it is already compliant and does not need to change its App Store policy, while Google said it plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea. but will reduce its service fee charges for developers only by 4 percentage points when users choose an alternative billing system.
Tech companies charge developers up to 30% of their sales in in-app transactions.
“Frankly, we are not satisfied,” said lawmaker Joe Seung-la, who spearheaded the amendment.
“Excessive fees take away developers’ innovation opportunities … Parliament should be closely informed as the government drafts detailed rules to ensure there is accountability,” Joe said.
Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
KCC is preparing “finely woven” regulatory details for the ordinance that will be reported to a parliamentary committee on Wednesday and implemented by March next year, KCC vice president Kim Hyun told a conference on app ecosystem fairness on Tuesday .
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney told Businesshala: “This is the first law in the world to replace the market with a monopoly with Apple and Google.”
However, it is not clear how compliance will be enforced nor what penalties will be imposed for violating the rules.
An early draft of the enforcement ordinance, seen by Businesshala, stipulates fines of “up to 2% of revenue” as penalties for violations of the law by app market operators.


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Both of these reasons are why the use of Other Transaction Authority (OTAs) are a popular solution to these challenges. Bloomberg Government reported last August that DoD spent more than $2 billion a year through OTAs.
Air Force Lt. Col. Sam Kidd, the general counsel and a professional staff member of the Section 809 panel, said while OTAs may be the latest “shiny object” many acquisition professionals are following, the approach is only a small solution to the larger problem the panel is trying to address.
“The desire for the OTA comes from the desire for more speed. Our system has become so laden with bureacratical requirements, with clauses and provisions and a system that isn’t rapid enough to meet the needs of our warfighters, our commanders and those who are supporting them. They hear about this other transaction authority that gets them out from under the Federal Acquisition Regulations and the Defense FAR where they can be more agile in whatever contracting tool they are going to use. And there is a desire to use that without really fully understanding what they are for,” Kidd said an interview with Federal News Network after he spoke at the recent National Defense Industrial Association event in Washington, D.C. “That’s where you get people who should never be working with OTAs, contracting officers in Wyoming doing normal base support. There is no need for OT, they aren’t doing research and development, but they’ve heard about this tool that is supposed to be faster, easier to work with and they want some of that.”
But Kidd said the over the last 20 years the system, particularly to buy commercial products and systems, became gummed up with too many clauses. He said the acquisition regulations went from fewer than 60 in 1994 to more than 160 today to buy commercial products and services. Additionally, the panel looked at data from 2012 and 2017 and found the number of dollars spent using commercial procedures under FAR Part 12 also declined.
“We are on wrong trajectory with commercial buying. We need to reset that trajectory,” he said. “We think that with readily available concept we outlined in the report and some other recommendations that support that concept, it will open the aperture up to buy from more sources than we are buying from now.”
The 809 Panel’s third and final report recommends that Congress clarifies and expand OTA authority, while also replacing commercial buying and existing simplified acquisition thresholds with a new concept called readily available and readily available with customization.
In the “readily available” category, acquisition officials would be able to buy items on a fixed-price basis worth up to $15 million — or higher with senior official approval — via direct solicitations or price quotes. They would not have to publicly advertise their requirements at all, and would not have to set aside those requirements for small businesses.
The panel also said Congress should expand and clarify OT authority around production agreements “under exceptional circumstances to address a high priority warfighter need that would be at risk for going unmet if an OT were not awarded.”
Kidd said the current processes to buy commercial products and services may not be driving competition or increasing competition because of the requirements to bid on federal solicitations.
“We think we should be able to reach out to the marketplace, buyers who are doing their market research, finding the best products from the most capable vendors, using oral solicitations, standing prices solicitations and using a credit card to buy up to a higher threshold, say $15 million threshold,” he said. “Things have changed dramatically since 1994 when the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) was passed. But the department is still stuck with our old system of buying unless something is under $25,000 then we have some flexibility or we go an OTA route. That’s where everyone is stuck. They see these OTAs as a way to go faster and be more agile, but they are only there for certain things, for that research and development. So how do we make it easier for the department to go get those things that you and I could go out and buy, that other companies can go out and buy and that maybe our adversaries could go out and buy?”
Concerns about changing commercial buying
Opening up the commercial buying aperture, as the panel describes it, doesn’t come without a host of challenges and unanswered questions. The Coalition for Government Procurement has expressed several concerns about this approach including the lack of public advertising for as much as $15 million worth of products or services.
Others have brought up concerns about meeting federal procurement statues like small business requirements, the Trade Agreements Act and even supply chain security.
Kidd said the panel tried to address these and other regulatory and policy concerns. The panel recommended updates to “socioeconomic laws to encourage purchasing from nontraditional suppliers by (a) adopting exceptions for DoD to domestic purchasing preference requirements for commercial products, and (b) adopting a public interest exception and procedures for the Berry Amendment identical to the ones that exist for the Buy American Act,” and by increasing “the acquisition thresholds of the Davis–Bacon Act, the Walsh–Healey Public Contracts Act, and the Services Contract Act to $2 million.”
Kidd said the panel recognizes the move toward OTAs are the symptom of a bigger disease, which is the growing challenge to buy commercial products and services.
He said the one thing Congress could do immediately is raise the requirement to advertise opportunities above the current $25,000 threshold.
“That threshold hasn’t changed in 30 years. If they could bump that threshold up and give us more latitude to be able to use what we have proposed around readily available market based competition,” Kidd said. “The other thing that the services could do is go back and take a look at the clauses that are currently included in commercial contracts and take a hard scrub and eliminate as much as they think they possibly can. Congress actually told them in the last NDAA to go back and evaluate all commercial clauses that are included and make a determination about whether they should apply.”


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NEW YORK (AP) -- American Express Co. is seeking $3.5 billion in funds under the government's plan to directly invest in financial firms, according to a Wednesday report in The Wall Street Journal citing unnamed sources.
Earlier this week, American Express (AXP, Fortune 500) received approval from the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company, which is a similar structure to traditional commercial banks. The credit card company now has access to financing from the Fed and the ability to grow a large deposit base.
The increased funding opportunities through government programs, including the potential $3.5 billion investment, could be a huge boost to American Express as one of its primary sources of funding has nearly disappeared amid the ongoing credit crisis.
American Express relied on packaging pools of credit card debt and selling them to investors in the securitization market. As investors have shied away from purchasing all but the safest forms of debt, the market for credit card-backed securities has dwindled.
Emphasis added by me.
Wait one minute here.
Why not just write off the damned bad debt instead of sneaking behind all of us and stealing our money to make up for their customers defaulting?
You want our goddammed tax money, AmEx, you send all of us a fucking card! And make it Platinum!


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Emerging Capital Partners yesterday announced that they had acquired a majority stake in restaurant chain Artcaffe Group as the country’s coffee-dining business experiences major re-alignment.
The deal comes a year after ECP sold its stake at Java House to Dubai-based Abraaj Group, with the latter reported to have paid Sh10 billion for East Africa’s largest coffee shop.
However, even as the coffee-drinking culture induces mergers and acquisitions in the sector, the Mug, one of the oldest coffee shops, is on the verge of the auction after failing to pay Sh4.3 million rent arrears.
“There is an immense opportunity in eastern Africa for casual dining concept. Alongside population growth and increased urbanisation, demand for international cuisine and casual, high-quality dining experiences is rising,” ECP said in a statement.
A number of new, trendy coffee shops have sprung up in Nairobi’s Central Business District, throwing the sector into a frenzy.
Some of the restaurants include Uganda-based coffee chain Café Javas, Charlie’s Bistro and Moody’s.
ECP did not say how much it would pay for the “substantial majority” stake in Artcaffe which runs 26 outlets in Nairobi as well as a bakery, kitchen, and logistics centre that supplies its restaurants.
A city of more than four million people, Nairobi is home to a growing middle class and a large expatriate population that has piqued the interest of regional investors and global brands such as KFC and Pizza Hut.
Java, the largest coffee chain, operates three brands - Java House; Planet Yogurt, a self-service frozen yoghurt chain, and 360 Degrees Artisan Pizza, an upmarket Italian pizzeria concept.
It currently serves over 320,000 guest checks per month, offering food and drinks covering 25 different categories and employs 2,000 people.
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Year-on-year, prices continued to advance for: energy (18.96 percent vs 17.63 percent in July); food, beverages and tobacco (4.55 percent vs 4.51 percent); other services including restaurants, telephone services, medical services and package tourist services (3.81 percent vs 3.61 percent) and education (5.02 percent vs 4.79 percent). On the other hand, inflation eased slightly for housing (2.56 percent vs 2.61 percent).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.58 percent, following a 0.54 percent increase in July and exceeding market expectations of a 0.51 percent gain. Main upward pressure came from prices of gasoline (2.73 percent) and agricultural goods such as onion (42.5 percent) and lemons (24.52 percent).
The core index, which strips out some volatile food and energy prices went up 0.25 percent during the month (0.29 percent in July) and was up 3.63 percent on a yearly basis (the same as in July).


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AstraZeneca soothes sales fears
ASTRAZENECA calmed fears that its new cholesterol-busting drug Crestor might be wobbling, helping the shares firm 24p to 2603p.
Sales of the treatment, which AZ hopes will be its next blockbuster, reached £73m in the first quarter and a market share of 6.2% in the US.
Finance director John Symonds said: 'We are utterly convinced that it's a winner.'
Crestor has run into major controversy over whether it is safe. A US campaign group called Public Citizen wants the drug banned, citing reports of dangerous reactions.
In the UK, the drug was attacked in doctors' magazine The Lancet, prompting an angry rebuff from AZ boss Sir Tom McKillop.
Symonds stressed Crestor has exactly the same safety profile as other cholesterol-lowering treatments.
AZ house broker Merrill Lynch lifted its sales estimates for Crestor £14m to £494m. 'Crestor sales should now gather pace,' it said.
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('Playtech' or the 'Company')
Playtech plc today announces that the Company and Andrew Smith, Chief Financial Officer, have mutually agreed that he will step down due to personal reasons. Andrew has contributed significantly to Playtech's strategy and helped guide the business through a period of substantial transformation. He will step down from his role as Chief Financial Officer and as an Executive Director on 28 November 2022.
Chris McGinnis will succeed Andrew as Chief Financial Officer and as an Executive Director of the Company on 28 November 2022. Chris joined Playtech in 2017 and is currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Director of Investor Relations at Playtech.
Prior to joining Playtech, Chris was Head of Corporate Strategy at software company Temenos. He started his career at Deloitte in Canada where he qualified as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). Chris then worked in Equity Research for UBS in Canada and Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the UK.
There are no disclosures required under LR 9.6.13 in respect of Chris McGinnis's appointment.
Brian Mattingley, Chairman of Playtech, commented:
"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Andy for the contribution he has made to Playtech over the past seven years, and in particular since taking over as CFO in 2017. Andy has played a crucial role at the Company, helping to steer the business through the pandemic including delivering a record half year performance in H1 2022, and leading the recent successful refinancing of Playtech's external debt in light of the upcoming bond maturity. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
"I am delighted that Chris will be joining the Board as CFO. In addition to his deep knowledge of Playtech and the sector, he brings a strong set of financial and strategic skills that will be invaluable as the Company looks to deliver further growth. I am very much looking forward to continuing working with him as we execute against our strategy in the coming years."
The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
- ENDS -
For further information please contact:
Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Office
Chris McGinnis, Deputy CFO & Director of Investor Relations
Headland (PR adviser to Playtech)
Lucy Legh, Stephen Malthouse, Jack Gault +44 (0) 2038054822
Founded in 1999 and premium listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, Playtech is a technology leader in the gambling and financial trading industries with over 6,700 employees across 26 countries.
Playtech is the gambling industry's leading technology company delivering business intelligence driven gambling software, services, content and platform technology across the industry's most popular product verticals, including, casino, live casino, sports betting, virtual sports, bingo and poker. It is the pioneer of omni-channel gambling technology through its integrated platform technology, Playtech ONE. Playtech ONE delivers data driven marketing expertise, single wallet functionality, CRM and responsible gambling solutions across one single platform across product verticals and across retail and online.
Playtech partners with and invests in the leading brands in regulated and newly regulated markets to deliver its data driven gambling technology across the retail and online value chain. Playtech provides its technology on a B2B basis to the industry's leading retail and online operators, land-based casino groups and government sponsored entities such as lotteries. Playtech directly owns and operates Snai, the leading sports betting and gaming brand across online and retail in Italy.


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Sixteen months after Walgreens Boots Alliance concluded a disastrous relationship with Theranos, the now-defunct Silicon Valley blood-testing company, the pharmacy giant has linked up with LabCorp, one of the world's largest clinical laboratory operators.
The once-heralded blood-testing startup Theranos is shutting down, according to a media report. Theranos was unable to sell itself and is now looking to pay unsecured creditors its remaining cash of about $5 million in the upcoming months.
When Detroit Medical Center sold its seven hospital outpatient pharmacies to Walgreens earlier this year, DMC pharmacy managers warned that Walgreens at DMC had no contractual relationship with several major insurers for hundreds of DMC patients.
By launching telehealth visits via its app, CVS Health is playing catch up with Walgreens, which has offered virtual visits for more than three years.
Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday reported that third-quarter earnings jumped more than 15%. But its stock price fell more than 9% after Amazon announced it's buying PillPack, an online pharmacy that delivers prescriptions.
The Detroit Medical Center has sold its retail and outpatient pharmacies to Walgreens Co. as part of a pharmacy reorganization. The deal encompasses seven specialty pharmacy sites and one mail-order business, Crain's has learned.
Providers should not expect to see lower drug prices from a potential Walgreens Boots Alliance and AmerisourceBergen Corp. deal, analysts say.
Walgreens will close about 600 stores, mostly Rite Aid locations, beginning next spring as it starts integrating stores purchased from the rival with its own locations.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is poised to revise its agreement to buy individual Rite Aid Corp. stores, a move that may be enough to resolve outstanding antitrust concerns and clinch U.S. approval for a deal the companies have been pursuing in different forms for two years.
As healthcare companies rush to bulk up via mergers and acquisitions, they're almost always hit with shareholder lawsuits. Now that Walgreens has given up on its efforts to buy rival drugstore chain Rite Aid, it should ready itself for membership in the growing club of defendants.
Walgreens has ended its takeover pursuit of rival Rite Aid following resistance from U.S. regulators and will instead now buy stores, distribution centers and inventory in a new deal with the chain.
Piedmont Healthcare has agreed to take over and operate 27 Walgreens in-store clinics in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Piedmont joins systems in other states which have bought or leased retail clinics meant to provide fast, convenient care for patients with minor ailments.


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Ford Motor Company has announced plans to build two new advanced campuses in Tennessee and Kentucky that will produce the next generation of electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles, the company announced.
Ford, together with its partner, SK Innovation, plans to invest $11.4 billion and create nearly 11,000 new jobs at the Tennessee and Kentucky mega-sites, the company said
An all-new $5.6 billion campus in Stanton, Tennessee, called Blue Oval City, will assemble an expanded lineup of electric F-Series vehicles and will include a BlueOvalSK battery plant, key suppliers and recycling. Ford’s new Tennessee assembly plant is designed to be carbon neutral with zero waste to landfill once fully operational.
In central Kentucky, Ford plans to build a dedicated battery manufacturing complex with SK Innovation – the $5.8 billion BlueOvalSK Battery Park – creating 5,000 jobs. Twin battery plants on the site are intended to supply Ford’s North American assembly plants with locally assembled batteries for powering next-generation electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Investments in the new Tennessee and Kentucky battery plants are planned to be made via BlueOvalSK, a new joint venture to be formed by Ford and SK Innovation, subject to definitive agreements, regulatory approvals and other conditions.
“This is a transformative moment where Ford will lead America’s transition to electric vehicles and usher in a new era of clean, carbon-neutral manufacturing,” said Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford. “With this investment and a spirit of innovation, we can achieve goals once thought mutually exclusive – protect our planet, build great electric vehicles Americans will love and contribute to our nation’s prosperity.”
Ford’s $7 billion investment is part of Ford’s more-than-$30 billion investment in electric vehicles through 2025. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.
The 3,600-acre Blue Oval City campus, covering nearly 6 square miles, will encompass vehicle assembly, battery production and a supplier park in a vertically integrated system that delivers cost efficiency while minimizing the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process. The assembly plant will use always-on cloud-connected technologies to drive vast improvements in quality and productivity. The mega campus is designed to add more sustainability solutions, including the potential to use local renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar and wind power.
The $5.8 billion, 1,500-acre BlueOvalSK battery manufacturing campus in Glendale, Kentucky, is targeted to open in 2025.
Twin co-located plants will be capable of producing up to 43 gigawatt-hours each for a total of 86 gigawatt-hours annually. Together, these American-made batteries will power next-generation electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.


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Transcript for 'Operation Whoville' Nabs Alleged Thieves
These are not your average shoplifters who swiped something they've got their eye on to take -- and -- Authorities say these are professionals are going to stores with a plan to grab the items they know they can sell quickly then get out. They know what they're looking for when they go into the story. Things that they know that they can fence and get paid well for. It's big business costing the state nearly eighty million dollars a year in tax revenue costing retailers many millions more. -- even have a name. Posters who that's their day job is they -- in and they steal. They have a place in which -- an offense the the -- to before they're going oftentimes going with shopping lists. That's why the county along with federal and local authorities as well as retailers set up a task force to focus on catching these rings in the -- Rather than after the fact for this undercover investigation they call operation who -- They arrested 59 suspects. Including 65 year old Phillip and Zurich to of Skokie who's accused of walking out of a north Michigan avenue boutique. Which is 5000 dollar vase. It's proactive in nature and it's really important -- these people go from Walt small -- can -- we're going to be waiting for the next time -- -- boosting. Authorities admit shoplifting may seem less significant and other violent crimes but they say it affects consumers more than they realize. Especially heading into the holiday shopping season with the stores will be more crowded. It's gonna impact the price of the the item that we Soledad because we have to offset that four. For all the fact that occurs.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook says he’s optimistic about trade talks between the U.S. and China. His remarks come as representatives from both countries are scheduled to meet later this week in Beijing.
“Both sides are talking and I always think that is always the essential thing to reaching an agreement,” Cook told NPR on Monday. “… It’s in both parties’ best interests to come together.”
Apple has much to lose if the talks don’t go well. China has been a key part of Apple’s growth. Analysts say close to 20 percent of the company’s business comes from China and Taiwan.
A March 1 deadline looms over the talks. The Trump administration says if an agreement is not reached by then over issues such as intellectual property rights, it will increase tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent.
[Read more here.]


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Indifi Technologies, one of India’s leading online lending platforms, has recently announced the launch of Pragati, country’s first collaborative resource centre for SMEs, small businesses, and start-ups. By leveraging a collaborative and partnership-based approach, the platform aims to create a pool of financial and non-financial resources to empower 15-20 million SMEs struggling with revival plans in the post-Covid-19 economy.
In a recent survey of its borrowers, Indifi revealed that 90% and 80% of the open restaurants and retail shops respectively are experiencing at least 50% drop in sales. Whereas, half of this lot are operating at less than 20% sales of what they registered in the first two months of 2020. The situation has impacted working capital too, with around 85% of retail stores and 70% of restaurants open at present are getting lesser credit from their suppliers. The survey also found that 75% of the restaurants and 55% of retail stores were non-operational during the third phase of lockdown.
Against this backdrop, lots of business players across the country are endeavouring to adapt to a new reality while looking for ways to restructure their models to safely navigate the pandemic-battered economic landscape. How? By identifying new channels of doing business, evaluating risk and expenses associated with their venture to make it more efficient, and understanding the latest policies to leverage them to their advantage.
Some of the steps that businesses are actively taking in this direction include setting up an online process, selling through social media platforms, and optimising the supply chain, among other things. However, in their pursuit of continuity and growth, business owners are facing numerous challenges. This is the precise need-gap that Pragati aims to address and resolve. Furthermore, the support system enabled by the platform is synergistic. Besides the small businesses and startups, Pragati can also benefit the partners and collaborators by enabling them to tap into a bigger MSME base. For instance, through Pragati, both small business owners looking to resell and platforms providing relevant services can connect with each other.
“At Indifi, the core of our business has been to support businesses in their growth. In sync with this mission, we have launched Pragati, a sector-agnostic, collaborative, multi-service resource centre,” Alok Mittal, CEO & Co-founder, Indifi Technologies commented. “The goal is to enable business owners to get different service providers and content under one trusted platform coupled with exclusive offers which will save them money and time. We invite partners who can provide relevant products and services to MSMEs to join the platform towards this collective goal, and in turn gain access to prospective customers. We also look forward to partners who would like to offer Pragati services to their base of MSMEs.”
“What makes this value proposition uniquely appealing is that the support system enabled by the Pragati platform can mutually benefit both small businesses seeking continuity and growth as well as the service providers looking to expand their customer base. For instance, in our recent survey, we found that 45% of our customers were facing a shortage of staff during the lockdown, a situation that can become exacerbated in the face of the ongoing migration of daily wage workers away from the cities. Here, a manpower management service provider can use Pragati to help out the ventures facing staff shortage while promoting its business at the same time,” he added.
An extension of Indifi’s value proposition, the launch of Pragati follows close on heels of Indifi’s recent partnership with SaasBOOMi to cater to SaaS-based business and with TiE Delhi-NCR to empower start-ups through revenue-based financing. With Pragati, Indifi aims to cover all the segments of the MSME ecosystem. Moving ahead, Pragati will add more financial and nonfinancial products to not only expand its core offerings but also to attract industries that currently remain underserved.


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posted on Jul, 21 2008 @ 02:03 PM
New EU laws relating to synthetic produce are going to be applied to organic products like homeopathic medicines and biodynamic baby foods because the
organic market for these type of products is deemed too small to warrant their on laws. This will result in companies producing organic and
alternative medicine and certain foodstuffs being forced to add synthetic vitamins etc into their products, thus compromising their ethical stance or
even causing them to go out of buisness, while at the same time denying their consumer freedom of choice!
All this is supposedly in the name of protecting the public from potentially, and probably not big pharma sanctioned, ingredients.
The following action group are trying to garner 1 million signatures to a petition to try and have some clout through public opinion and stop this
encroachment on our civil liberties, because at the end of the day people, that's what it is.
Ok, ok, i have no proof that big pharma is behind this, but what are the chances!
Deary me, I'm becoming a serial new threader!


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It’s arguable whether his fans or haters are sending him there, but Pitbull is being exiled to a REMOTE bear-infested Island of Alaska, called Kodiak, for a personal appearance.
Wal-Mart started an online contest on its Facebook page a while ago: whichever store got the most likes would be
subjected to graced with a visit from Armando Christian Perez (that’s Pitbull).
Meanwhile, a writer for The Boston Phoenix named David Thorpe thought it would be HILARZ to send Pitbull to the most remote Wal-Mart possible. ENTER KODIAK. Through Facebook, Twitter (#exilePitbull) and various media outlets Thorpe encouraged people to “like” the Wal-Mart in Kodiak, earning it 70,000 “likes,” even though the population of the Island is just over 13,000.
To Pitbull’s credit, he kept a good sense of humor over the whole incident and tweeted:
Pitbull even uploaded a YouTube video from his tour leg in Madrid, addressing the prankster. ”You gotta understand that I would go anywhere in the world for my fans,” he said. In the end the joke is on Thorpe because Pitbull invited him along for the appearance in Kodiak… and that’s a LONG flight.


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Nearly 25% of users go online with mobile devices each month, that’s a population of nearly 100 million people. Mobile internet use is expected to continue to grow and eventually eclipse standard internet use.
- By 2015, 3 in 5 mobile users, or half the US population will be using mobile internet.
- Smart phone ownership is expected to grow nearly 50% this year alone
- In just the next 4 years, 150 million US consumers are expected to own a smart phone
What Does This Means To You?
Just having a website is no longer good enough. You will need to have a fully mobile optimized digital strategy. It’s not just millennials using the mobile web either. While 44% of mobile internet users are 18-34, the number of seniors age 65+ using mobile internet is expected to double in the next 4 years. For more information on utilizing mobile web opportunities and getting results, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group Representative or:
Orlando Sentinel Media Group


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Zimmer Holdings bought rival Biomet Inc. for $13 billion. Both companies design, develop and manufacture orthopedic reconstructive, spinal and trauma devices, dental implants and related surgical products. Both are headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, aka the “Orthopedic Capital of the World.” (In 1895, inventor Revra DePuy made the world’s first fiber splint in Warsaw. In 1905, J.O. Zimmer became DePuy’s first sales rep. When Zimmer went off to start his own company, DePuy Manufacturing was sold to Zimmer’s #1 rival Johnson and Johnson.)
Today, the global orthopedic devices market is valued at $29.2 billion and is expected to reach an estimated value of $41.2 billion in 2019. High rates of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and obesity are key drivers for the market. Although the North American market is valued at $11 billion, Asia-Pacific is considered as the most lucrative market for orthopedic devices due to bone related disorders and obesity. Then there’s the dental implant market, growing by 500,000 a year in America alone. The global dental implants market is expected to nearly double – from $3.4 billion to $6.6 billion – by 2018.


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O’FALLON – The Bike Surgeon is preparing to move its practice to downtown O’Fallon at the end of the month.
Owner Jon Greenstreet said the decision to locate in O’Fallon was completed was an easy one.
“This is where it’s at. For us, this community is absolutely where its at. We’ve got a lot of our customers that live in O’Fallon and Shiloh. We’ve got plenty that live in Belleville, Nashville, and Our Vernon. You name it, they’re all over the place. We wanted to be in a central location and we felt really connected to the community. We live here, my kids go to school here, I went to school at St. Clare, I know O’Fallon,” said Greenstreet.
The new shop will be located at 201 East State Street across the street from Sweet Katie Bee’s. The Bike Surgeon has been looking for a new home for a while now. Greenstreet said there were a few issues with the Shiloh location that were out of his control to fix.
“Where we’ve been at has been a phenomenal location, but we began to struggle only a couple of years after we opened with the traffic and getting rides out of the shopping center and up the hill. It was definitely something that we hadn’t anticipated. We had hoped someday there would be an initiative to pave the shoulders at least or bring a bike trail down, based on the progressiveness we’ve seen in surrounding counties. That never came to be, which is unfortunate,” said Greenstreet. “We would have rides on Tuesday nights that would average 100 riders. Then this year, specifically when Memorial Hospital opened, which is a great thing to happen, but it dramatically increased the traffic on Frank Scott and we saw the participation in that ride cut in half. Only 50, 60 riders were the average this year. Even though there was no specific incident, it was too uncomfortable, too much traffic and wasn’t a fun place to ride up anymore. So we’ve been looking for a more rideable location.”
Greenstreet said finding a new home was difficult but downtown O’Fallon attracted him.
“Everything we would find would be maybe a little better, but has the potential to not be once it gets built up or its a lot better but so far off of the beaten path it would be hard to get to. We looked at downtown a number of times. Downtown O’Fallon has really grown over the past few years and developed very nicely. We’re seeing some real positive things and that’s one of the reasons we started to focus here. It has the capacity to host rides from here, but it also has the traffic flow we want. We don’t want to get gone and lost. We weren’t looking to cut back and save money, it was a goal to find something that works better for our clientele,” he explained.
Riders already use many of the roads in O’Fallon, so the downtown location offers the Bike Surgeon the opportunity to launch rides more easily.
“Most of our rides we would take a portion of Lincoln, maybe go out to Seven Hills, or even go along State, even when we were leaving from Shiloh. So we’ll be using the same avenues we were using before and we won’t have the big ugly traffic mess. Most of those streets, State, Lincoln, have big wide shoulders and will work really well,” said Greenstreet.
When asked what will be different about the new location versus the old shop, Greenstreet said the social nature will be heavily enhanced.
“We’re looking to create a lot more social opportunities. A lot more places for customers and riders to come hang out and launch rides from. We have over 25 parking spots on our property here and there are over 100 spots where they’re doing the Destination O’Fallon, and over 30 across the street. So there’s lots of parking which is important in the downtown area. Getting those riders and customers in and give them a place to launch from and hang out after the ride and have a comfortable space to do that is something we really wanted,” he said.
The Bike Surgeon is also adding more space in the Fit Studio and the Wrench Area. They will have more floor space as well to market products and bikes. Greenstreet said he hopes being located downtown will help introduce some of the businesses already located there to his client base and to introduce his shop to their clients.
“I’m pretty excited to hopefully bring some of our customers to the surrounding downtown businesses and help them become their customers too. Hopefully our customer base will help grow their customer base and we may see the same. We’re pretty excited about that and hope that works out well,” he said.
The new location will be open for business on Monday, January 30. The Shiloh location will no longer be open as of that date. Despite the upcoming opening date, Greenstreet said work will continue at the East State Street location throughout the rest of the year.
“For the next 30 days, we’re going to be putting the finishing touches to this location. We’ll be live and open for business but if you come in on the 30th and check it out and then come back on February 15th, it’ll be a little different. And then if you come back on March 1st, it’ll be pretty close to finalized on the inside of the space. If you know us and have been our customer for a while, you know us and know we’re always changing stuff up and adding something new. During 2017 our goal is, over the summer and fall, to do the outside renovations. We’re looking at a lot of the historical aspects to the building. It used to be an Oldsmobile dealership that had a really cool art deco design, had a gas station out front. It had some cool things going on and we want to bring that in as inspiration. We want to really add to the cityscape downtown,” said Greenstreet.
For more details, check out bikesurgeon.com.


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Late October just got a bit busier, because Verizon and Motorola just announced an event for October 27 at 11:00 am ET. As you might’ve guessed from the hosts, this’ll be a DROID event, with the tagline saying, “Everything you expect from a phone will change.” As for what’ll be announced at the show, the invitation mentions that we’ll get to meet “the newest DROIDs,” as in more than one device.
We’ve heard rumors that Motorola and Verizon are prepping a DROID Turbo 2 and a DROID Maxx 2. The former is rumored to offer a 5.43-inch 2560x1440 display and Snapdragon 810, while the latter will reportedly be a US version of the Moto X Play.
Motorola and Verizon have been tag-teaming on new DROID phones for years now, and so it’s not really a surprise to see more coming in late 2015. What’s interesting is that we’re getting two phones again after Verizon and Moto switch to a single phone strategy in 2014 with the DROID Turbo. With the Moto X Play’s more mid-range spec list, the DROID Maxx 2 could end up being the more affordable of the two 2015 DROIDs, with the DROID Turbo 2 being the more high-end offering.


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Two major studies released this week of the nation's largest wireless networks put Verizon on top in nearly every technical network measurement, with AT&T close behind and Sprint and T-Mobile trailing.
What if one day you accidentally step on your smartphone and instead of it shattering, it simply bends? Research underway at the Los Alamos National Lab could give consumers more durable smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Vendors who have been calling tablets 'the new PCs' can now prove it. The development of 64-bit mobile processors opens the door for more addressable memory and PC-like performance on tablets and smartphones.
Will Microsoft hold on to Nokia's three new X phones on Android once the deal to buy Nokia is final in the coming weeks? Three analysts attending the Mobile World Congress gave three different perspectives.
Now that Sony plans to sell off its Vaio laptop business and convert its TV business into a subsidiary, the Japanese electronics giant appears poised to beef up its line of mobile products, including smartphones and tablets -- but especially wearable tech.
In the past week, two new ultra secure smartphones have been in the news. One is called the Blackphone. The other is called the Black phone. The difference in their names is a space. Here's what we know about the two most secure smartphones ever created.
Phablets -- those smartphones almost as big a tablet -- are great, but it can be hard to get them out of a pocket or purse. Help is on the way in the form of tiny, phone-like devices that use Bluetooth to let you talk on the phone without holding a phablet up to your ear.


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A warrior from the very start, Briel Adams Wheatley has overcome boundaries at an early age. She was born with Hanhart Syndrome, which affected the growth of her arms and legs, and she was put up for adoption before she was one year old. Briel’s experience has driven her success, allowing her to challenge beauty standards and self-expression. Over the past three years, she has achieved over 4.2 million followers on social media platforms by sharing her passion for makeup, fashion, and life experiences.
Her journey has inspired countless individuals to embrace their uniqueness and “stay limb-it-less” – a powerful message encouraging everyone to conquer obstacles and achieve their dreams, no matter their challenges. In addition to her incredible journey, Briel Adams Wheatley made headlines earlier this year by courageously coming out as transgender. Her authenticity and openness are why she is the perfect role model for those seeking to live authentically.
Briel’s journey has already touched the hearts of millions, and she is determined to use her platform to impact, inspire, and make it positive. Through her partnership with The Lilac Agency, Briel aims to break down barriers and continue to reshape the beauty and entertainment industry by collaborating with brands, creating captivating content, and furthering her mission to empower individuals. “We are truly excited and honored to welcome Briel Adams Wheatley to our family,” said Tatiana Bolanos, founder of The Lilac Agency. “Briel’s story is inspirational and inspiring, which aligns with who we are and want to represent. Without a doubt, we know Briel will inspire many more people to embrace their authentic selves and change the industry.”
About The Lilac Agency:
The Lilac Agency, founded in 2015, a leading platform in the digital industry. With a focus on diversity and empowerment, the agency is dedicated to providing digital creators with a platform to showcase their exceptional perspectives and unique creativity.
About the Founder – Tatiana Bolanos:
Tatiana Bolanos, a marketing professional and visionary leader, founded The Lilac Agency in 2015. Her relentless dedication to inclusivity transforms the agency into a hub for diverse creativity and inspires a new generation of digital creators to share their stories.
Sakura marketing firm


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Washington, D.C., February 23, 2010 — At the invitation of a subcommittee of the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation, Tendril CEO Adrian Tuck provided his views on the impact technology can have in promoting energy efficiency.
“We believe the transformation of the energy economy will be every bit as great as the transformation of the information and communications economy we have witnessed over the past 20 years,” Tuck told the subcommittee. “But while the consumer market is a powerful force for change, like all markets, it will only be truly effective when it has accurate and actionable information. Federal policy, supporting entrepreneurs and American competitiveness can provide that information and support innovation.”
Tuck explained that technology platforms, like Tendril’s, work by linking residential customers with the utilities, and enable utilities to provide consumers with simple-to-use devices such as smart thermostats and home energy monitors that allow consumers to manage their energy.
Benefits include less consumption of energy by consumers, which results in energy savings and lower carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, utilities are better able to optimize loads on the grid, and plan for the future by accommodating renewable generation, electric vehicles and smart appliances.
Tuck offered three observations to assist the federal government in leading the adoption of energy efficiency technologies and platforms:
* Real-time information is the key to driving energy savings. Today, there is no consistent policy regarding whether and how consumers can see how much energy they are using in real time. Only three states guarantee consumers the right to see their energy use so that they can take action to save energy. This information is collected at the wholesale level, but it does not flow down to the consumer in real time. The first step to federal coordination is to establish clear policies that ensure consumers and entrepreneurs have access to the data.
* The biggest barriers to innovation are economic, not technical. Most utilities have little incentive to sell their customers less energy, and in most states consumers do not have a choice of energy suppliers. Federal legislation can establish greater coordination and give state regulators more abilities to include national energy priorities within their economic analysis models.
* The ultimate driver of change will be the consumer. Like the information and communications revolution, consumers and market demand will drive adoption. Tendril and its partners are offering compelling solutions to consumers as part of utility programs and, where utilities are slow to move, without them. Consumer rebate programs initiated at the federal level could accelerate the deployment of home energy monitors and energy efficiency technologies to consumers who want them now.
Tuck was one of five experts to deliver testimony. He joined The Honorable Aneesh Chopra, chief technology officer of Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President; Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint Nextel; Kathrin Winkler, chief sustainability officer of EMC2 Corporation; and Lorie Wigle, general manager eco-technology program office for Intel.
Tendril is a leading energy management technology provider that brings unprecedented insight and control to the smart grid. The Tendril platform provides an open, secure and scalable end-to-end solution that creates a two-way dialogue between energy providers and their customers.


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Published in News
Google sued over Android name
Developer claims he invented it
Illinois developer Erich Specht, sued Google and some 47 other companies in the Open Handset Alliance for using his trademark.
Specht claims he has the rights to the Android name which denotes Google's version of Linux that adorns their handsets. Specht has registered the trademark in 2000 and two years later, the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded the trademark to Android Data, Specht's company.
According to the USPTO, no application would be granted the exclusive right to use the term data, therefore making "android" that dominant word and the trademark. However Android Data never amounted to anything and was dissolved in 2004.
Specht claims that he was not aware that Android was software and thought it was something to do with mobile hardware. Not surprisingly Google said that the case has no merit and it will defend against it. It would not surprise us, however, if it just gave him some money to go away and not tell us about it.


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It's only rock and roll, but we like it -- Apple's 2009 iPod- and iTunes-focused special music event -- has a tag line and a date, this Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 10am PT, 1pm ET. TiPb will be live meta-blogging the event, and following it up with a special edition of iPhone Live! at 5pm PT, 8pm ET.
Last year's event, "Let's rock", started with Steve Jobs saying the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated, and went on to announce 7,000 apps and 1 million downloads in the App Store (yeah, that's changed by a factor of 10 or more!), 65,000,000 iTunes customers, iTunes 8 with Genius, new visualizations, HD TV Shows (and the return of NBC), and Album view, iPhone OS 2.1, the second generation "funner" iPod touch, Spore and other game demos from Phil Schiller, as well as new nanochromatic iPod nanos and down-tweaked classics, and headphones, and in-ear headphones, with remote and mic.
What, oh what, could this year possibly hold?


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“Forget about Cable Cars and Sourdough. San Francisco is becoming known for one thing — parking tickets. Almost two million were issued last year and it feels like half of them ended up on our windshields at DriverSide,” says Trevor Traina, co-founder and chairman of the newly launched company. “We hate parking tickets”
So, as he explains in this youtube video, his company has decided to pay 100 San Francisco parking tickets, randomly selected from entries, valued at $75 or less. Winners will be notified by July 25, 2008.
To see if you can get your parking ticket paid, simply go to DriverSide.com (the entry form is here: http://www.driverside.com/parking_tickets/parking_ticket_2.php)


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A second attempt by Colorado lawmakers to require pot shops to post warnings for pregnant customers is moving ahead in the state Legislature.
A state House committee voted 10-3 to direct state health authorities to craft warnings to be posted in recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries. The warnings would tell pregnant women about “potential risks caused by marijuana.”
The bill is slightly weaker than a warning bill lawmakers rejected in February. That version would have banned pot shops from recommending pot to pregnant women. The new version just forbids advertising aimed at pregnant women.
Colorado already requires marijuana products to contain warnings against use by pregnant or nursing women, but there’s no requirement for dispensaries to post warnings too.
Online: House Bill 1298


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UK-based Black Sheep Brewery is weighing up funding alternatives, including the option of a sale of the business.
The cask ale producer and pub operator said it wants to “take the business forward” by developing its core beers and launching more products.
Without providing numbers, the Yorkshire-based business said it is “experiencing good sales volumes” but said there “remains a significant constraint on funding in light of the prevailing economic conditions”.
In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, Black Sheep Brewery said its board is “considering all options”, including a merger or a sale of the business “if such a solution offers the best outcome for shareholders and other stakeholders whilst providing a stable base for the future of the business”.
“Now is the right time to conduct this strategic review to secure the best outcome for our valued shareholders and other stakeholders,” Chair and CEO Charlene Lyons said.
“The brewery has exciting and ambitious plans for the future and interesting projects in the pipeline. Forward funding is an issue for many businesses in the tight market brought about by the after-effects of Covid-19 on the hospitality sector and this is exacerbated by the cost-of-living issues affecting consumer spending.”
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In the year to 31 March, Black Sheep Brewery posted turnover of £14.2m, up from £13.3m a year earlier. The company posted an adjusted operating loss of £911,752 versus £1.1m the year previous.
Last year, the company took out a £1.6m loan under the UK Recovery Loan Scheme that helped small- and medium-sized UK businesses in the economic aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. As listed in its last financial report, the company had £4.4m in loans and overdrafts.
When Black Sheep Brewery published its accounts, then chairman Andy Slee said: “Whilst we are doing all we can within current resources, including the receipt of a £1.6 million RLS loan from the bank in July 2022, the Board continues to look to realise the full potential of the Black Sheep Brand. This need for investment becomes more critical in the face of economic challenges and the need for new equipment to allow us to compete on a level playing field.”
Black Sheep Brewery was founded in 1992 by Paul Theakston in Masham, North Yorkshire. The company was established as an independent brewer that specialises in cask ales. In 2018 Black Sheep acquired York Brewery, which included a number of on-premise locations.
In a bid to diversify its portfolio, Black Sheep launched its first cider in the UK in 2021. That release followed the rollout of its 54 Degrees North lager and the 2019 launch of Black Sheep Yorkshire Dry Gin.