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Russia’s invasion is expected to create problems for countries that depend on Ukraine for wheat.
Lebanon reports it has enough wheat reserves for one month at the most, according to its economy minister.
60% of its Lebanon’s wheat is imported from Ukraine.
In fact, Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of wheat in the world and is responsible for about 12% of the world’s supply.
Lebanon largely depends on the grain to bake and provide subsidized bread to its citizens.
It cannot store more than a one-month supply at a time, due to a lack of mills.
The lack of wheat also spells out trouble for other countries, including Egypt, which eats about twice as much bread as the global average.
85% of its wheat imports come from Russia and Ukraine.
This week, the country held a special cabinet session to discuss bread flour supplies and prices.
Syria also held a meeting this week to discuss how it should manage its grain reserves.


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South Africa’s Standard Bank – also trading as Stanbic Bank – has recently acquired a full banking licence in Côte d’Ivoire. The pan-African lender plans to use the market as a gateway to expand across the francophone West Africa region.
The bank first set up a representative office in Côte d’Ivoire’s economic capital Abidjan over two years ago to become more familiar with the market.
According to Hervé Boyer, Stanbic Bank’s CEO for Côte d’Ivoire, the decision was based on a growing interest from existing clients – particularly South African – to tap into this region. Standard Bank will initially concentrate on corporate and investment banking.
“Our strategy is to first [focus] on the bank’s existing clients who are already in the region, or who are planning to operate in the region,” Boyer told How we made it in Africa.
“And also we are going to try to bring more South African entities to Côte d’Ivoire.”
While South African companies have grown their African footprint across a number of English-speaking markets, they have typically been slower to expand to French-speaking countries – a result of challenges posed by the language barrier. However, key markets such as Côte d’Ivoire are increasingly catching the attention of firms due to high-growth potential and improving investment environments. Earlier this year a Nielsen Africa report indicated that Côte d’Ivoire had overtaken Nigeria in terms of the overall outlook for opportunities for existing and potential investors.
Boyer said the eight French-speaking countries that make up the West African Economic and Monetary Union offer substantial business advantages due to their economic and monetary integration and stability. For example, the eight member states share the West African CFA franc, which is pegged to the euro.
“So we don’t face the problems that other countries like Nigeria and Ghana in West Africa face – with a very serious devaluation of their currency. We are a euro-based economy and we have a very low inflation,” he added.
“[Secondly], we have one central bank – which covers the eight countries… and is also very powerful. We have one stock exchange, and we have one legal framework – and it is a harmonised legal framework between the eight countries.”
The Standard Bank group, now in 20 African markets, aims to open its first branch in Abidjan by the end of the first quarter of 2017. According to Boyer, around 60% of the market share is held by five banks and there is potential for Standard Bank to introduce retail banking operations. However, he added the strategy is to grow slowly.
“We are starting from scratch… and building a personal banking operation is very costly. So let’s start with our existing clients, go really slowly and learn from our [experience in the market]. After that we can move on into the personal and business banking sector.”

domain: news


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Military Families Stationed Overseas Find Commissary Shelves Empty
Military families stationed in Europe and the Pacific are finding it difficult to get the food and supplies they need from their local base commissaries.
A military wife who chose to remain anonymous described the scene at the RAF Lakenheath commissary to the Military Times:
"No lettuce, no salad, no orange juice, no chicken, no bread, hardly any yogurt and cheese, and half the fruits and vegetables were gone."
In a news release, the Defense Commissary Agency acknowledged the shortages, and gave explanations for the problem:
At European ports, sea containers were unable to clear customs when a computer process failed, which stalled deliveries of perishable items from Dec. 18-24.
During that same period, system failures between DeCA's Integrated Business System and its warehouse management system affected delivery of about 40 percent of the frozen food items from DeCA's Cold Storage plant in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
But as far as stores in the Pacific, that's a different story. Jeu cited labor unrest as one of the reasons for empty shelves in that part of the world:
...[S]hipments destined for commissaries in Hawaii, Guam, Korea, mainland Japan and Okinawa have been delayed up to 10 days due to ongoing West Coast port delays related to negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association and labor unions representing West Coast dock workers...
[These] delays have impacted the ability of commissaries in the Pacific to keep shelves fully stocked with sensitive chill products, such as yogurts, luncheon meats, butter, fresh bone-in meat and fresh pork.
Are you finding empty shelves at your local commissary? Have your say in our comments section!


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The European Union (EU) has announced PayPal’s decision to revise its terms and conditions to align fully with EU consumer protection regulations, after a constructive dialogue between PayPal, the European Commission, and national consumer protection authorities.
The EU previously expressed concerns that PayPal’s existing terms and conditions were not only challenging for consumers to comprehend, but were also deemed unfair. In response, PayPal has committed to making significant amendments to enhance transparency and understanding for its users.
As part of these changes, PayPal users will receive notifications detailing the modifications through a policy update scheduled for February. The revised terms and conditions are set to come into effect in May. This move sees the digital payments giant complying with EU consumer protection standards.
PayPal’s decision is anticipated to contribute to a more user-centric digital payments environment, aligning with evolving regulatory frameworks aimed at safeguarding consumer rights and promoting fair business practices.


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2012 YEAR IN REVIEW
The standout news & pop obsessions gleaned from your search habits
Year in Review 2012: Obsessions
Here are the top 10 obsessions that, as ranked by their search volume and percentage spike compared with 2011 on Yahoo!.
Photo Galleries By Category
Related Search Results
- Formula One - Embattled Renault threatens to quit F1
- Engine-maker Renault said it was considering quitting Formula One after its previously successful partnership with Red Bull descending into mud-slinging. Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul said it was weighing up several options, including buying a team and walking away, a move which could have severe repercussions. Renault is one of only four engine suppliers in F1, and Red Bull warned it could also be forced out of the sport if the French manufacturer leaves. "I can confirm that we're looking at a lot of options, including heading out of Formula One," Abiteboul said.


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European fabric manufacturers are counting on sustainability and craftsmanship as the key to surviving the pressure of an increasingly challenging economic environment, according to a report in issue No 198 of Textile Outlook International from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.
Manufacturers also face pressure from growing numbers of conscientious and frugal consumers who are demanding innovative and environmentally friendly products which provide individual character.
They are hoping, therefore, that a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship will provide them with a competitive advantage.
Reflecting this focus, exhibitors at the European fabric fairs for the spring/summer 2020 season presented a number of innovations in materials, including fibres derived from recycled waste materials and fibres derived from sustainably sourced natural materials. Linen, hemp and lyocell proved to be favoured materials, as did linen in mixes with other natural fibres, notably cotton, silk and wool.
Exhibitors who had demonstrated a strong commitment to developing sustainable materials were championed at the fairs. At Munich Fabric Start, denim manufacturer Soorty received an award for its Rain Shield performance fabric which incorporates sustainable fibres–including Repreve nylon fibres and Tencel cellulose fibres.
A number of exhibitors seeking to elevate their sustainability credentials presented traceable materials, and many exhibitors promoted the fact that they had been awarded various sustainability certifications in recognition of their compliance with sustainability standards.
Also, many exhibitors demonstrated new methods of sustainable production, including regeneration and recycling processes.
Other exhibitors, meanwhile, are focusing on creative craftsmanship. Some of them are employing skilled artisans in order to produce exceptional and rare hand-crafted products featuring design details which include ancestral weaving, beading, embroidery, novel dyeing and traditional Japanese embellishment.
Many exhibitors are aware that, despite economic challenges, consumers are prepared to pay a premium for sustainable or creatively crafted products. Consequently, they are taking advantage of this by racing ahead with research and development in these areas, and it is these exhibitors who will reap the rewards.
+ Middle East Textile Journal
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MSI Nightblade MI is Powerful but Smaller than MSI Nightblade Z97/B85
MSI is one of the leading companies when it comes to gaming PCs and they are overwhelmed right now to announce their latest machine for you, the MSI Nightblade MI!
This one packs good enough power but at the same time manages to occupy lesser space than its predecessor, the MSI Nightblade Z97/B85. to be exact, it takes up only 10 liters in volume.
You might think that would limit them when it comes to specs but rest assured, the MSI Nightblade MI brings you GeForce GTX 960 graphics card while the machine runs on Intel Core.
That being said, the machine is said to come ready with smart cooling options, Nahimic Sound Technology and Super speed transmission.
While using this gaming PC you will find at least 15 percent of performance boost over the last models, but at the same time MSI boasts that the power consumption will be brought down by an impressive 41 percent!
Also, when you get your MSI Nightblade MI, if you do, it will be running Windows 10 and DirectX 12, of course.
Last but not the least, in case you were wondering about upgrades, there is enough space under the hood to accommodate a full sized new graphics card.
As far as the release is concerned, the MSI Nightblade MI is going to go up for sale worldwide in the first week of August.
Being the Managing Editor of TechFrag, Sarmad splits his time between keeping up with latest news, technology, gaming and other awesome things like unearthing the merits of staying up at night and Californication!


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The new 2021 iPhone 13 will offer the best of the high-end iPhone 12, and more: new SoC, new radar sensor and new 5G modem.
From Taiwan comes good news for Apple Fans who don't live in the US: the next iPhone 13 range will feature a 5G modem that can also connect to millimeter waves (the so-called 5G mmWave), i.e. those capable of delivering the highest performance albeit in a rather small space.
Most likely to provide Apple with the components for this type of connection will be Qiqi, a company that recently announced a strong increase in sales forecasts for 2021 and that already supplies components to Qualcomm. But this will not be the only novelty of the future iPhone 2021 range, which will see the presence of LiDAR even on low-end models. Inoltre, a completare il quadro delle novità di iPhone 13 rispetto ad iPhone 12, ci sarà il nuovo processore Apple A15 che offrirà più potenza a fronte di consumi inferiori. Se iPhone 12 ha stupito molti, quindi, c’è da attendersi un dispositivo anche migliore per il 2021.
Apple iPhone e 5G mmWave
Qualcuno starà già pensando: il 5G millimetrico non è una novità per Apple, perché è già presente sugli iPhone 12. Questo è vero solo in parte, perché gli unici iPhone 12 compatibili con il 5G più veloce sono quelli venduti negli Stati Uniti.
A causa del costo dei componenti necessari, e del loro risicato numero sul mercato, Apple ha infatti deciso di equipaggiare con il 5G mmWave solo gli iPhone 12 venduti in madre patria. All others, including those that can be bought in Italy, are compatible only with the 5G standard, the so-called "sub-6GHz 5G".
The sub-6GHz 5G, unlike the mmWave, has a much greater range but a much lower speed (but still higher than the current 4G). 5G mmWave, however, must be integrated with device-specific electronics, which led Apple to the decision to differentiate models sold in America from those sold in the rest of the world.
iPhone 13: LiDAR across the board
LiDAR technology debuted on an Apple product with the iPad Pro. Only later, with the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max (but not also on the standard iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini) did it arrive on smartphones. In 2021, however, it should be on all iPhone 13s.
At least that's what DigiTimes thinks, hearing from sources from Apple's supply chain. According to those sources, the iPhone 13's LiDAR will be manufactured by Sony, following a three-year commercial agreement.
It should also be pointed out, however, that DigiTimes' sources haven't always proven to be 100% reliable when the Taiwanese news outlet talked about Apple news.
iPhone 13: great expectations for the A15 SoC
Finally, but this is not news, the iPhone 13 will feature the new A15 chip, heir to the current A14. It won't be a revolutionary chip, because it will continue to be produced with a 5nm technology (but probably more refined than the current one) and it will still be made by TSMC.
However, Apple has recently shown to the world its new M1 processors for desktop computers (Mac Mini) and laptops (MacBook Pro and MacBook Air) and these SoCs have amazed the world. Not only because they mark Apple's farewell to Intel's X86 architecture in favor of ARM, but also because they are extraordinarily efficient.
The M1s heat very little and can withstand heavy workloads without batting an eyelid for a very long time and analysts are convinced that Apple will bring at least part of the innovations introduced with these processors also on the new A15.
This will certainly translate into more power for the same power consumption, if not even at lower power consumption.


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Sonic Team look like they are on the way to another Dreamcast hit, this time with Phantasy Star Online. The game, which allows 4 players simultaneously, will be release as early as this Winter (Summer in Japan) and best of all will allow players from different countries to enjoy the game together through a universal language with pre-defined phrases. It will also be possible to find friends online through an unique ID system so you can continue your battles together.
Austin Powers fans take note, Austin Powers Mojo Rally is due for release on Dreamcast in October. The game will feature all the characters from the game including Austin, Dr Evil, Mini-Me, Fat Bastard and Number Two. (I am desperately hoping that Felicity Shagwell is there too). The game will consist of 15 courses including London, Las Vegas, Dr Evil's Lair and the Moonbase. Best od all the game will include a 4 player split screen mode. Yar Baby!
Unfortunately, the release of Rayman 2 this week is looking a little shaky. Katy Richardson stated that the game should be here within a week or two, putting it just behind the expected March 31st launch. Whatever you do, don't spend your money elsewhere as this game is hot.
Famitsu has scored several more Dreamcast games. Some of the more interesting scores are;
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2000 (Konami) 31/40, Marvel VS Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (Capcom) 34/40, The King of Fighters 99 Evolution (SNK) 29/40, and The Typing of the Dead (Sega) 35/40.
Climax Graphics have revealed their next Dreamcast title. If your thinking Blue Stinger 2 you wouldn't be in the minority. However, Climax Graphics' have announced their next Dreamcast title is called Illbleed which is discribed as a "haunted house game" by the company and will use quite a few Americans in the design and voicing positions. The game will be shown at the upcoming Tokyo Game show and should be released in Q'3 2000.
I was right. It has been revealed that Konami's Imperial Hawk is a flight simulator although the exact nature remains to be seen. My money is still on a flight shooting game similar to Air Force Delta, which incidentally was just release in Australia as Deadly Skies.
What do you get for $US654 million dollars? Well pretty much anything, but Sony have spent the money building a high performance semiconductor plant for the Playstation 2. This plant will produce the graphics synthesizer and should boost production of the system to 1.4 million units per month.
Tekken Tag Tournament is the most anticipated Playstation 2 title so far and Weekly Famitsu has score the game a whopping 38/40. It will be interesting how Playstation 2 sales are affected when this title launches in a couple of days. Square's driving game Driving Emotion Type-S didn't fare so well with a score of 28/40.
Interplay have announced their America Playstation 2 lineup. The games scheduled for release include Baldur's Gate II, Star Trek: New Worlds and Giants: Citizen Kabuto. All of these games are scheduled for release in 2000.
Dead Or Alive 2 is the highest anticipated brawler this side of... well it is the most anticipated brawler and there is some great news for PAL gamers with the game now scheduled for release in Europe on April 28th instead of late May as earlier predicted. Expect the Australian release to be very close to Europe if not on the same day.
Sega have announced that they will be porting Virtua Tennis to the Dreamcast. The game is due out in Japan during their summer (our Winter) with and American release set for July. No word yet on an Australian release, although it is certain to appear towards the latter part of the year.
One of the most popular games in Japan has been Sega's own Virtual On : OT. But Sega have been refusing to list the game on their schedules which led to speculation that the game would never appear outside Japan. Fortunately, Activision have picked up the rights to the game with a release date of June 7th in America. That's the good news. The bad news is that Activision are still deciding about online gameplay and the release of the twin stick controller. Expect more news soon.
Konami has officially put Castlevania Resurrection on "permanent hold". This is sad news for Castlevania fans who were eagerly anticipating the title. It is possible the game will be picked up at a later date and completed or moved onto another system.
Konami have also announced that they are working on an new Dreamcast title called Imperial Falcon. Although nothing is known about the title yet this Dreamcast exclusive should be released mid-year in Japan and will be shown at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show. Perhaps a sequel to Air Force Delta?
Famitsu has scored the latest batch of Dreamcast games in Japan and some of the results are surprising. Lake Master Pro Dreamcast Plus received 27/30, NBA2K deserved its 33/40, Twinkle Star Spirits from SNK got 26/40, Activision's upcoming Vigilante 8 was trashed with 25/40 and Rayman 2 was harshly done by with 29/40 (perhaps the 2 should have been a 3). If you read IGNDC lately they gave UbiSoft's platformer a massive 9.6/10 and my score will be fairly similar to that after playing the beta version for 2 weeks.
Contrary to popular belief it now looks likely that Interplay will publish Messiah on the Dreamcast. Dave Perry has stated that the game will be published by Interplay and EBWorld.com is also listing this. The game is currently scheduled for release on August 31.
While many of us have been waiting for an announcement of AM2's Spike Out on the Dreamcast it looks like we might get the sequel instead. Slash Out is apparently coming to the arcades running on the Naomi chipset which makes a Dreamcast conversion certain.
Shenmue is still hitting the headlines with Yu Suzuki histing that the sequel will be vastly improved in the graphics as well. Apparently AM2 have improved the graphics engine to the point where they can have 50! characters onscreen at once.
Well I've finally moved house again and I'm back online (after a broken phone line as well). Expect the updates to get back to the usual regularity within a couple of days.
One of the greatest games of all time, Prince Of Persia is headed to the Dreamcast. While last years PC game, Prince Of Persia 3D didn't set the world alight it was a respectable game nonetheless. The best news is that Mindscape aren't going to port the recent PC version but are developing a Dreamcast exclusive game which is aimed more at the console market. Expect more news at the upcoming E3 show in America.
Crave's highly anticipated Tony Hawk Pro Skater has been pushed back from April until late May. There have been some questions about the graphical improvements of the game and it looks like the developers want to spend a little more time getting the game just right.
Human Head Studios' upcoming game Rune may be making an appearance on the Dreamcast. This Viking based Unreal engine driven game could make an appearance on the Dreamcast after it's PC release late this year.
Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the designer of Space Channel 5 has confirmed that the game will be released in America in June, not May as SOA had previously stated. The game is currently scheduled for release in Australia on July 21.
Although we are still waiting for the release of Evolution here in Australia, Ubisoft have been so pleased with sales of the game in America that it is looking likely that they have snapped up the rights to publish the sequel later this year. Expect an official statement soon.
Fox Interactive have confirmed that they are developing Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the Dreamcast. This third person action adventure is expected to be released towards the end of the year.
According to Amusement Graffiti Psykio and Capcom are working on a new Naomi game starring Nash and Cammy from Street Fighter. The game, called Gun Spike, is a 3D action game, and may be release sometime this year.
Naughty Dog have confirmed that they are currently developing a new Crash Bandicoot game for the Playstation 2. As yet no details regarding gameplay or release have been announced.
Rockstar have announced that they will be developing Oni for Playstation 2. Bungie Software, who are currently developing the PC and Mac versions will work closely with Rockstar to ensure the games quality. Expect a release towards the end of the year.
UbiSoft have confirmed that they are developing a game based on Disney's upcoming movie called Dinosaur. The game will follow the release of the movie, which is scheduled for May 26 in America with Europe toward the end of the year. Expect the Playstation 2 version to have the best graphics of all the systems.
Could we be seeing Crash Bandicoot on the X-Box? While that is unlikely what is known is that Crash's developer Naughty Dog, are currently working on two X-Box titles.
Namco has confirmed their next Dreamcast title. No, it's not the rumoured Time Crisis or the highly speculated Tekken Tag Tournament. Instead Namco have chosen to develop Mr Driller for the Dreamcast. While this may come as a disappointment to many this 2D puzzle styled game is meant to be a lot of fun. Beyond.com have the game listed for release in America on 15th June with a RRP of $US34.99. Namco weren't able to confirm anything other then the game is still in development.
Sega have confirmed that World Series Baseball 2K1 will be released in May this year. The game is currently in development in Japan and will feature 28 rendered ballparks as well as the latest rosters as well as several game modes.
Yu Suzuki gave a speech at the Game Developers conference last weekend in which he discussed Shenmue and it's sequel which will be called Shenmue 2. The reason it isn't called Shenmue Chapter 2 is that the game will actually be made up of chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5. The sequel will take place in Hong Kong and will feature locations such as a bay, a city, a castle and a few more locations. Suzuki also let on a few other tidbits including the fact that the sequel may include Jacky and Sarah from the Virtua Fighter games. When Yu was asked about the meaning of Shenmue he stated that that would become clear in Shenmue 3. It looks like we will have a wait for that one.
Yu Suzuki has hinted that the graphics engine used in Shenmue may be used in other Dreamcast games, although most likely only those being developed by AM2. Hopefully, Yu will be kind enough to let other teams use the most advanced game technology on the system so far. Time will tell.
Sega of Europe have once again revised their release schedule. While there is no confirmation that Australia will follow suit it is extrememly likely as we get our games from Europe. ANyway here are the changes (Delays); Red Dog (April 21), Ecco the Dolphin (May 26 or June 2), Sega Worldwide Soccer Euro Edition (May 26 or June 2), Maken X (August 25).
Acclaim and Criterion surprised everybody at the Game Developers Conference by showing off Trickstyle running on the Playstation 2. Unfortunately Acclaim have no plans on releasing this game in America as it has already seen the game in the past. Japan will get Trickstyle on the Playstation 2 in the coming months but before you start complaining America will be getting Trickstyle 2 on the Playstation 2 when development finishes in the coming months. Confused yet?
Sony of Japan have confirmed that a keyboard will be released for the Plasytation 2 in the early part of 2001. Does this point to the launch of the online Playstation 2? Possibly.
Firstly I have to apologize for the lack of updates over the last couple of days and the coming week. I am moving houses in 4 days time and haven't really started packing. I am also re-doing many of the sections to bring the site more into multi-format mode. I have almost completed the cheats for almost every Dreamcast game available which should go online by the end of the week.
According to IGNDC the latest footage from Activision's Toy Story 2 is greatly improved form the version they saw last month. Hopefully the game will improve further before it's release late this month or early next month.
For those of you that don't look at the main page too often I have added a review of Jimmy White's 2: Cueball. This pool/snooker game was released in Australia about a fortnight ago after several delays.
Epic have shown Unreal Tournament running on the PS2 behind closed doors at the Game Developers Conference. The game has only been in development for a couple of months and hasn't even been shown or approved by Sony yet. Unfortunately due to the lack of network options on the PS2 this will be a single player game only. As yet there is no publisher or expected release date for the title.
Interact, who make quite a few Dreamcast peripherals, have announced they will be making some PS2 peripherals as well. Interact are planning to release a steering wheel, dual analogue control, fishing controller and 8MB memory card in time for the American launch.
Microsoft have officially announced the existence of X-Box at the Game Developers conference. The system will launch in the second half of 2001 and is equiped with the following specs;
Bill Gates also announced several developers for the system including Capcom, Midway, Acclaim, Namco, Bungie, Enix, Hudson and Konami (who have Metal Gear Solid in the works). Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Electronic Arts are also developing on the system which seems strange due to their lack of support for the Dreamcast due to a small user base. Activision apparently have a Tony Hawk game in development as well and apparently Square have also been negotiating for development although nothing is certain yet.
Bill also showed of several tech demos of the system which included a demo of thousands of butterflies flying over a reflective pond, a fireworks particle demo reminescent of the original Playstation 2 demo and a realtime lit office desk which looked pre-rendered but wasn't. Unfortunately no games were shown although Microsoft have stated that there will be games shown at E3, behind closed doors.
Ozisoft are almost set for online browsing to begin on Monday the 13th March. The final phase is complete with the Dreamcast internet portal (http://www.comma.com.au) is complete and live. Make sure you go an have a look right now as the web site can be viewed through a PC as well. Unfortunately the site looks a little funny as game reviews are pulled from the official Dreamcast site with a different style to them.
Sega Europe has released a new batch of release dates for the latest Dreamcast games. These are quite different from the Ozisoft anticipated dates but seing as out software comes from Europe I would believe the new dates here. Sega Bass Fishing (April 7), Chu Chu Rocket (May 12), SWWS Euro Edition (May 26), Time Stalkers (June 9), Zombie Revenge (June 23), Metropolis: SR (July 7), Maken X (July 4), and finally Space Channel 5 (July 21).
Genki have confirmed that they are currently developing Tokyo Extreme Racer 2. The title is expected to be released in June in Japan and towards the end of the year for the rest of the world. And if your wondering about multiple tracks, the answer is no. But don't fear. The original game has 30km of tracks to drive around and the sequel will have a whopping 180km of road. The number of car pars has been bumped up from 30 to 120 while the number of opponents has gone from 141 to 300+.
For those of you who haven't picked up your copy of Crazy Taxi yet you'd better be quick. Most people that I have talked to across Australia have said that their local video game store has only received a couple of copies and most of them hae already been sold. Electronics Boutique on the Gold Coast, which is where I picked up my copy, only received 4 copies with mine and another pre-sold and the other two being sold within 5 minutes of hitting the shelves. Fortunately the sales girl said they are expecting another 8 in late today or early next week. Expect a review in the coming days.
Ubisoft's highly anticipated underwater submarine title Deep Fighter has been delayed until July in America with an Australian release likely several weeks later. I was wondering why is wan't on Ubisoft Australia's release list last week. Hmmmm...
Sega of Japan has confirmed that Typing of the Dead will be released as a stand alone game for 4,800 yen or as a package with a Dreamcast keyboard for 8,800 yen. No word yet on an English release for the obscure game where you kill zombies by typing words instead of shooting them.
Square have announced taht their driving games Driving Emotion Type-S has been delayed be a couple of weeks from March 16 to March 30. This is the same release date as Tekken Tag Tournament and Dead Or Alive 2.
Konamie have confirmed that Gradius III & IV will be released o the Playstation 2 on April 13 in Japan. Hopefully it will be released outside Japan as well.
SOA have announced that Time Stalkers, also known as Climax Laders in Japan, will be released in America on March 21st. No word yet on an Australian release but it's still looking some what off if it does happen. Hopefully this won't be another case of the ever-delayed NFL2K.
Capcom has delayed the release of Marvel Vs Capcom 2 from March 23rd until March 30th. No reason has been given for the delay.
Well what exactly is going on here. SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) are now claiming that the online reports of the 8MB memory card recall are bogus. They have acknowledged there is a fault when saving Ridge Racer V which overwrites the DVD movie fiels however this is easily overcome by re-installing them from the utility disc. Hmmmm...
One of the most highly anticipated games Ecco The Dolphin has been delayed yet again. Apparently the games developers, Appaloosa, require some more time to polish the title resulting in a delay from April 21st until sometime in May.
Konami is slowing down it's Dreamcast production. While they currently have a massive 25 Playstation 2 titles in development they are only developing 5 Dreamcast titles for release by March 2001. Hopefully they can provide something more substantial then dancing titles. While they may be fun, they can become repetitive, especially when each version only has marginal changes and different songs.
Chu Chu Rocket is due for release in America today. This is the first game to include online gameplay and an Australian release is scheduled for late April.
Tecmo have confirmed that Dead Or Alive 2 will hit the shelves in America on March 16. This is several weeks earlier then expected which may also result in the title making it to Australia in April through Acclaim.
The Playstation 2 has sold an incredible 980,000 units in the first 3 days in Japan. This is just short of the anticipated 1 million units with 380,000 units being sold through Sony's online ordering network. The other 600,000 units were sold through 26,400 retailers and convenience stores (yes, you can buy games and systems as 7-11 type stores in Japan). These sales are almost ten times the number of original Playstation games sold in the first 3 days when it launched.
Sony have admitted that there is a fault with the 8MB memory cards and are recalling the product. Apparently the new 8MB cards have problems with corrupted data when you save Ridge Racer V. This corruption deletes the DVD drivers and stops the machine playing movies. Reports are also surfacing about some problems with the DVD drive including skipping movies and freezing. Expect more on this soon.
MOre information has been revealed about Microsoft's X-Box thanks to Nihon Keizai Shimbun from Japan. The system is set for possible launch in September 2001 which could be announced this Friday 10th at the Game Developers Conference. Apparently Microsoft are trying to get major Japanese companies such as Konami, Capcom and Enix involved with the system. The X-Box system will include an AMD 600Mhz CPU with DVD and high speed internet. It is also believed that the system will include an 8GB HDD and should retail for around $US250 to $US300.
According to FGNOnline nVidia is expected to be the company to supply the graphics chip for X-Box.
Ozisoft have announced that the Dreamcast will go online beginning March 13th. The browser disc's should arrive soon although Ozisoft did not give a ship date for these disc's in the press release. Each disc will have 150 free internet hours enclosed which will begin the first time you log onto Telstra's web site. These hours must be used within 3 months of the first logon. Online gameplay should begin in late April with the release of Chu Chu Rocket. For the full press release about online browsing click here.
Infogrames has announced that they are going to release Demolition Racer - No Exit on the Dreamcast. The game see's 15 cars trying to destroy themselves and Infogrames have promised enhancements for the Dreamcast version over the Playstation and PC incarnations. Additional cars, new power-ups, new tracks and improved AI have all been promised. No release date has been given yet.
Reports are beginning to surface from Japan that some of the 8MB Playstation 2 memory cards are faulty. Sony have ceased shipments of the device to retailers until at least March 20 so they can look further into the matter. It is expected that consumers will be able to exchange faulty cards in the coming weeks. Confirmation from Sony is expected soon.
Well I wasn't sure where to put this but after alsmot 2 years of waiting it looks as if there is a silver screen Lara now decided upon. Angelina Jolie has been chosen to play Lara in a decision that will have more then one man drooling. For those of you who aren't sure who she is have a look at the movie Hackers where she plays well, a hacker called Acid Burn or the recent movie, The Bone Collector.
Lionhead's Black and White has been delayed until September from it's expected Q'2 2000 release on the PC which will result in a slight delay for the Dreamcast version. This is one of the most highly anticipated titles this year with Peter Molyneux, the company's founder, previously responsible for many of Bullfrog's hits including Theme Park, Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper.
The Playstation 2 has been a huge seller in Japan. With no official word on exact units shipped to stores unofficial estimates range between 300,000 units to the more plausible 600,000 units. Whatever the figure, is if you are still looking for a system in Japanese stores you are probably out of luck with most stock sold by mid-Saturday.
The most popular games at the Dreamcast launch are Ridge Racer 5 followed by Street Fighter EX3 and then the strategy game Kessen.
One disappointment of the Japanese launch was the lack of peripherals on sale. There was no 4 player multi tap's to be found which resulted in 2 player action in Capcom's fighting title while the 8MB memory cards are promised soon.
Famitsu have scored the first batch of Playstation 2 titles ad the results are promising. The biggest seller so far, Ridge Racer 5 (Namco), scored a great 36/40 while Capcom's Street Fighter EX3 was only a few notches behind with 32/40. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the strength of the other launch titles Eternal Ring (From Software) 25/40, Kessen (Koei) 32/40, Stepping Selection (Jaleco) 32/40, Drum Mania (Konami) 32/40, Fantavision (SCE) 31/40 and finally A-Train VI (ArtDink, SLG) 28/40. The launch lineup suffered with the recent delay of GT2000 andTekken Tag Tournament to the end of the month.
Well there have been a couple more changes to the site. You are probably saying, well not much has changed. Well, that's true from where you are but I have done a lot of work behind the scenes to make it easier to update and maintain the site. I realise there are a lot of missing backgrounds and graphics in the previews/reviews and a few pages need cleaning but that will be fixed soon. As you have probably noticed there is PS2 news as well now and when information on X-BOX and Dolphin becomes more readily available that will be added as well.
The great news is that in a few weeks time I will start accepting reader reviews for addition on the site so if you want to add a review get to it. I would like to keep the structure and layout similar to the reviews already done so get writing.
Before we get into the news for the day I have something I want to let you all know about. I will be moving DC Australia to a multi-format site soon (with a different name). No, I won't be covering old systems such as the Playstation, Nintendo 64 or even the PC but I will concentrate on new and upcoming systems. Of course news, reviews and previews for Dreamcast will continue will continue as it is now. Expect a site re-design and new URL in the coming months. Speaking of URL's I have a new one for this site which is easy to remember, "dcaustralia.cjb.net".
This is it. The day that the Playstation 2 goes on sale in Japan. Initially there are expected to be around 600,000 units on sale for close to 40,000 yen each. That's twice the price of the Dreamcast in Japan. The biggest game is expected to be Ridge Racer 5 with Tekken Tag Tournament due later in the month. The Playstation 2 will be released in Australia by the end of the year with late September/October the hot tip.
Acclaim have secured the rights to release Tecmo's highly anticipated Dead Or Alive 2 on the Dreamcast in all territories outside America, Japan and South East Asia. When I asked Acclaim Australia for a release date they said it will probably hit the shelves a few weeks after America.
Acclaim have sent me their latest release schedule for Australia and South Park fans have a reason to rejoice. South Park Rally is now scheduled for release on the Dreamcast on June 22nd.
For those people hanging to get Rayman 2 you can consider yourselves lucky. The Playstation version has been pushed back until September. The Dreamcast version will also include a hidden level on the GD-ROM which isn't in any other version of the game and there will be downloadable levels in future. Apparently the multi-player part of the game will be turn based.
I have once again updated the Coming Soon page with the latest release dates from Acclaim and confirmations from other companies.
Online gaming in Australia looks set to begin within 2 months. The latest Ozisoft release schedule has Chu Chu Rocket listed for release in late April. This action/puzzle game has been likened to Bomberman and should be a good test for game servers in Australia. The American version is due for release soon but unfortunately Ozisoft look like charging the full $89.95 for the game even though it retails at about half the normal game price in other territories. The American and Japanese versions are compatible and can compete from different countries. Hopefully, Australians will be able to beat the rest of the world too.
More details have come to hand today about the Official Australian Dreamcast Magazine. Apparently the magazine is nearly complete with Ozisoft suggesting a few minor alterations prior to release. The magazine is expected to hit the stands in the last week of March.
There have once again been some changes to the Australian release dates. Firstly the bad news. Sadly, Capcom's highly anticipated 2D fighting game Street Fighter Alpha 3 has been delayed from February 25th until May. Arognaut's Red Dog has been delayed a couple of weeks until the 14th April while Ecco The Dolphin has been pushed back 14 days from 7th until the 21st of April. Both Plasma Sword and Resident Evil 2 have been pushed back until sometime in April while the highly anticipated Metropolis: Street Racer has been pushed back several months until July 2000.
There has been some good news on the release front however. Ozisoft have now confirmed that Legacy of Kain : Soul Reaver will be hitting the shelves on the 9th March. Sega's scrolling brawler, Zombie Revenge is now confirmed for the 24th of this month while the superb looking Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation will be out on March 31st. Sega Bass Fishing is confirmed for a release in early April but I'll beleive it when I see it. Ozisoft have confirmed Time Stalkers for a May release as well as Worldwide Soccer Euro 2000. Finally the gory, and excellent, Maken X has been confirmed for Australian release in July this year.
An announcement from Ozisoft with regards to the browser disc is expected over the next couple of dayst. Hopefully the online components will begin soon. In the last couple of days several other details have emerged. The official Dreamcast portal will be live within 2 weeks at www.comma.com.au. Don't as me where they got that URL, it beats me.
For those of you that haven't noticed I have added a new poll on the main page asking "Which platform game are you most looking forward to this year?". Make sure you vote on the main page now.


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STOCKHOLM—As part of a push to expand into at least 16 countries by the end of 2023, the Nordic streaming service Viaplay will launch in the U.S. on December 15, with initial distribution on Comcast’s Xfinity platform.
Viaplay will be available as an add-on subscription, priced at $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Viaplay's U.S. launch takes its global footprint to 10 countries, with at least six more set to follow by the end of 2023 at the latest.
At launch, Viaplay will offer more than 1,100 hours of premium Nordic series and films, both new and classic, with a focus on thrillers, drama and young adult content. The service will offer at least one premiere every week and release at least 60 Originals in 2022.
"Our small corner of Europe produces some of the world's most compelling stories,” said Anders Jensen, NENT Group president and CEO. “We create special shows that have both style and substance, and that have been embraced by audiences and critics. At the same time, Hollywood stars like Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander have helped put the Nordic region even more firmly on the map. There is a receptive audience of Nordic drama fans waiting in the U.S. for Viaplay's unique offering, which will bring the best of Nordic storytelling to the world's most dynamic streaming market."
Looking forward Viaplay intends to launch a direct-to-consumer app in the U.S
The company also said that Viaplay will launch in the Netherlands on March 1 2022 and in the UK during the second half of next year, with Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland set to follow by the end of 2023 at the latest.
As part of the deal, NENT has a strategic ad sales and content partnership with ViacomCBS for the launch of Pluto TV in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
In announcing that deal, NENT said the agreement would help grow the free service in the Nordics and allow them to focus on the international expansion of their premium service Viaplay.
The Viaplay streaming service is already available in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
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George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.
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Xumm, the self-custodial wallet for the XRP ledger, announced its successful partnership with Uphold to introduce a 0% transaction fee event tailored for Topper-related transactions.
The event kicked off on 30 October and will run until 31 October, within the PST time zone.
This initiative provides a two-day window of zero transaction fees for Topper on-ramps, as well as fee-free XRP on-ramping through Topper.
Miguel Vias, head of XRP markets at Ripple expressed:
“The XRP ecosystem is diversifying and growing rapidly. The listing of XRP on Uphold, a strong retail platform that offers customers easy access to digital assets, underscores the significant increase in interest for XRP.”
Uphold Inc, a prominent global digital money platform, has made history by becoming the first and only platform to offer widespread access to XRP in the United States (US).
This development allows Uphold consumers to seamlessly purchase and sell XRP, which holds the distinction of being the third most valuable cryptocurrency with a market capitalisation exceeding $22 billion.
Uphold members, who already enjoy a broad spectrum of crypto and traditional currency options, can now include XRP in their diverse portfolios.
Adrian Steckel, Uphold’s CEO, stated:
“There has been huge demand for XRP and Uphold is one of the first platforms to make XRP easily accessible. Uphold was first with Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Gold, and we are again responding to interest from our members in establishing a first with XRP.”
The integration of Xumm’s self-custodial wallet into the Topper ecosystem signifies a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and versatility for purchasing digital assets using debit or credit cards.
By emphasising a high conversion rate, the Xumm wallet minimises the likelihood of transaction failures, thus elevating the overall user experience.
The collaborative efforts of Xumm and Topper particularly benefit cryptocurrency users in the US and Canada, regions where on-ramping cryptocurrencies can pose challenges.
Additionally, the solution bolsters major fiat currencies like USD, GBP, and EUR, positioning itself as a desirable platform for users across a multitude of countries.
The project empowers Xumm users with the ability to acquire XRP and other assets supported by the XRPL through debit or credit card transactions.
What sets Xumm’s Topper integration apart from existing solutions is its commitment to achieving high conversion rates, ensuring a greater success rate in user transactions and minimising the risk of purchase failures.
With over 600,000 active users spanning various jurisdictions, Xumm has established itself as a go-to platform within the XRP community.
It is noteworthy to mention that Uphold’s Topper is just one of the many fiat on-ramp options incorporated by Xumm.
In addition to Topper, Xumm recently integrated over 100 other payment methods and partnered with several other platforms, including SimpleSwap and GateHub.
This array of choices simplifies the process for users to access XRP and join the XRPL ecosystem.


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Electrical Production Services and Woodville Pork choose fixture for EPCO's superior LED fixture quality
MINNEAPOLIS, June 2, 2014
Engineered Products Company (EPCO), a supplier of specialty lighting and wiring consumable products for Electrical Contractors, today announced that Electrical Production Services (EPS), a Chanhassen, Minn.-based electrical contracting firm, has begun installing 700 EPCO ProSeries™ LED Utility Lights in a 2,500-head swine production facility at Woodville Pork, Waseca, Minn. According to EPS Vice President of Sales Don Johnson, EPCO's LED light fixtures are replacing older fluorescent fixtures that were near their end of life, and were chosen for their superior quality compared to other LED utility light fixtures. "We investigated several options, including less expensive LED light fixtures, and found a tremendous variation in lighting quality," he said. "We (customer and EPS) agreed that EPCO's ProSeries LED light fixture leads the pack. Plus, a long-time EPCO customer, we know we can count on the company to be there for ongoing customer support."


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TransUnion Philippines and the Credit Information Corporation (CIC) signed an agreement May 5, 2016 officially appointing TransUnion as the first private credit bureau to be a Special Accessing Entity (SAE). The event was held at the New World Hotel Makati and was witnessed by delegates from the International Finance Organization.
As an SAE, TransUnion will further expand its operation within the country by gaining access to the government’s wide range of data comprised of credit information from banks and non-financial institutions. This will allow TransUnion to analyze more data from various industries that were previously inaccessible. Subsequently, TransUnion will be able to help more consumers make better-informed credit decisions.
The partnership also bolsters TransUnion’s financial inclusion initiative to help open up credit availability to low-income and unbanked segments in the market, new-to-credit individuals and SME’s.
TransUnion is committed to promoting financial inclusion throughout the country via its Information for Good campaign. In collaboration with its members, non-profit organizations and private corporations, TransUnion offers a financial literacy training program aimed at educating consumers. It teaches them how to manage their personal information, and shows them the importance and value of having good credit standing in order to achieve brighter futures.
As TransUnion’s Global President, Jim Peck, said, “Leveraging this new data, we are able to use our expertise to develop robust new-to-credit data models, providing the necessary information for local banks to confidently make loans to new customers who were previously without access to traditional banking products and means of obtaining credit. Further, with our shared belief in educating lenders and encouraging everyone to report their data to help consumers build credit histories, we will also partner with the government to demonstrate the value of data, opening up a dialogue about the products, services and solutions that TransUnion can provide to help support a thriving economy.”
TransUnion will now be able to access deeper levels of data in the Philippines, helping to produce stronger communities, due to the new government partnership.


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Honouring the innovators: PayTech Awards 2023 winners revealed
We’re delighted to reveal the winners of the esteemed PayTech Awards 2023! This year’s ceremony celebrated remarkable achievements and breakthroughs in the payment technology sector, showcasing the industry’s brightest talents.
The PayTech Awards 2023 gathered professionals from fintech companies, banks, and payment service providers to honour their extraordinary accomplishments. The event’s success was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and creativity of all nominees and winners.
View the photos from the awards ceremony in our photo gallery here!
Our host, the renowned comedian Jo Caufield, kept us entertained throughout the afternoon, while magician Darren Delaney captivated the attendees and accomplished pianist Piers added a touch of musical elegance.
Leda Glyptis, a prominent figure in the industry, presented the leadership awards, and attendees had an opportunity to get signed copies of her book!
This year, there were a total of 37 winners and 27 highly commended entries across various categories, such as Best PayTech Overhaul – Back Office, Best Retail Payments System, PayTech For Good, Woman in PayTech, and many more.
For a complete list of this year’s winners and highly commended entries, please visit the PayTech Awards website.


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As the world changed in 2020, consumer attitudes and behaviours changed with it. This year’s Index explores the “sticky trends” that we expect to last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the opportunities that each trend presents, in three key areas: home, health and the environment.
A year on from the last Tetra Pak Index, when we first charted the impact of COVID-19 on global consumers, the world has moved on considerably – although not evenly, as our research reveals significant differences from country to country, especially between developed and emerging markets.
As we look at global consumer concerns, which the Tetra Pak Index has been tracking for the past three years, we see that COVID-19 remains #1 (almost) everywhere: indeed, it has risen by 6% to 70% globally today. Concern is particularly strong in emerging markets, notably in Brazil (82%). But it is starting to ease a little in the developed world, as vaccination programmes are successfully rolled out, restrictions ease and consumers start to regain confidence.
In the US, for example, a Nielsen Audio survey in June 2021 found that 90% of respondents felt ready to resume pre-pandemic activities – 84% had already increased in-store shopping for groceries and 59% were getting together in person more.
Attitudes to health generally have shifted as the pandemic has progressed. At first, consumers focused strongly on protection and hygiene. Now we see a more holistic concern, with health and wellbeing developing as a way of staying safe and resilient in a post-COVID-19 world. There is increasing interest in functional foods, especially those that boost the immune system. There is also a growing interest in mental wellbeing, which has been greatly tested by the pandemic, with many consumers seeking comfort and energy boosts through food and beverages.
Meanwhile, concern for the environment has not gone away. As in 2020, environmental issues are again the #2 global concern, even slightly up on 2020, cited by exactly half of consumers. In the UK, respondents are actually more worried about the environment now than they are about COVID-19 (63% versus 58%) – the one country where this is the case.
Consumers are thinking more extensively about the impact of their own actions: almost half of global respondents now believe that “every choice I make in my daily life affects the environment”. Environmental concerns have broadened to include wider sustainability concerns, notably around society – especially the local community – and there is a shift towards more considered, responsible consumption. Increasingly, consumers expect products to be responsibly sourced, fairly traded and carbon neutral, as well as packaged in a recyclable container.
Economic issues are #3, also slightly up on 2020, reflecting deepening worries about the financial impact of the pandemic. This has affected emerging markets more, where focus on the affordability of goods is particularly pronounced. But it is felt in the developed world, too, contributing to socioeconomic divides. In the US, the number of people using a food pantry or food bank rose from 12% in the year leading up to the pandemic to 19%. One EU-funded survey into COVID-19’s impact on consumer food behaviours in Europe found that a third of shoppers polled had lost part or all their income due to the pandemic, with more than half reporting difficulties making money last to the end of the month.
Cost consciousness is driving a number of consumer behaviours, including a back to basics approach to food purchases, favouring staples and core categories; more careful financial management/thoughtful purchasing; and more meal planning to avoid waste, which is also driven by sustainability issues.
Food safety and future food supplies are #4, a little down on 2020. Drilling down further and looking at attitudes, respondents still believe that food safety is as big a threat to society as COVID-19 (65% agree). Worries about food safety continue to be particularly strong in China, where it is a major concern for 88% of respondents – with developing countries such as South Korea, South Africa and Nigeria also strongly over-indexing.
Access to food has also become an important concern during the pandemic – again, especially in emerging markets. In Nigeria and South Africa, for example, 60% of consumers believe the pandemic has seriously disrupted the food supply system. The facts bear them out. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, hunger rose dramatically worldwide as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020. Between 720 million and 811 million people faced severe food shortages last year – an increase of 161 million over 2019.
But perhaps the most fascinating consumer developments we have seen over the past year relate to everyday behaviours around the home – which is why we analyse this topic first in this report. For 18 months or so home has been the centre of our lives, leading to the formation of new habits, routines and rituals – including a host of new and modified consumption occasions.
To understand these better, we undertook a major global Demand Space study – a key part of the particularly extensive research that has gone into this year’s Index. In this study, we analysed beverage consumption occasions and grouped them by occasion and need. From this emerged 12 Demand Spaces – defined as the intersection of context (the consumer’s demographic profile, where they are, at what time, and with whom) and the consumer’s emotional and functional needs, each unique space having a unique set of demands.
We also identified the changes in occasion occurrence for these Demand Spaces over the past year. The main increase was in health and environment-driven segments – which we explore in greater detail throughout this report.
The pandemic has reinforced the value we place on human connections, both with our family within the home, and often virtual interactions with an extended circle outside it. Shared food and beverage experiences often play a key role in making these connections enjoyable. Even when consumed alone, food and beverages have a heightened role to play in terms of health and self-care.
As some regions begin to reopen after lockdown, consumers are becoming interested in out-of-home experiences that feel safe, but are seeking to balance these with those elements of lockdown that they enjoyed – such as cooking and family mealtimes.
Packaging has a key role to play in meeting consumers’ functional, information and emotional needs. We explore these needs and how they can be met throughout this report.


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Alex Gonzaga is the cover girl of Meg magazine's June 2015 issue.
The "Inday Bote" lead star is very colorful in her outfit. She's photographed by Paolo Pineda with styling from Rain P. Dagala and Portia D. Ladrido.
Alex recently headlined a concert at the Araneta Coliseum and wrote her own book.
The mag's latest issue features the list of 30 young achievers who are all under 30, Feminism, #WeForShe which girls rooting for every girls, 17 must-have fashion pieces, and many MORE!
Meg June 2015 is now available in all leading bookstores and department stores nationwide.


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In a sign of how vendors in the storage arena are aligning their
fit utility computing schemas, Brocade Communications Systems
unveiled two new switches with flexible power
and pricing structures Wednesday.
The storage switch maker designed the SilkWorm 3250 and 3850, code-named “Dazzler,” for
small-and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), but with a distinct twist,
according to Tom Buiocchi, vice president of customer marketing at
These switches are capable of scaling up or down in accordance with the
needs of users, the executive said, and extend enterprise-level
the entry-level for the first time at Brocade. Pricing is contingent on
much functionality is used with regard to the switches.
The new hardware is a departure for a company that already sells
entry-level, midrange and enterprise-class switches but it shouldn’t
a surprise, Buiocchi told internetnews.com. After all, major
vendors are tweaking their portfolios to become more utility
computing-friendly driven by customer demand for greater flexibility
control over their IT infrastructure.
Utility or on-demand computing, in which systems are updated with
intelligent software automatically with little human intervention is
popular strategy of the du jour. Buiocchi said customers have
asking for solutions that correspond with such environments, which is
what is driving San Jose, Calif.’s, Brocade.
The new switches are characterized by added intelligence in the fabric
facilitates data migration and replication, volume management,
along with improved fabric connectivity to accommodate on-demand
Brocade competes with Cisco Systems
to provide next-generation intelligent switches, which
of software to help route information more efficiently and adapt to
in a network, as opposed to more traditional “dumb” switches that
additional software to carry out instructions.
Brocade enjoys roughly a 66 percent market share in the low- to
switch sector and now has the advantage of offering switches with
functionality and price points.
Buiocchi said customers are asking Brocade to drive cost and complexity
in storage area networks (SANs),
disparate devices. They’re also asking for easier set-up capabilities,
typically because IT staffs are limited in scope in the SMB space.
“We’re really trying to drive the living daylights out of cost,”
said. “This is pay-as-you-go for the customer — not per port but per
Because Brocade allows its products to be sold through original
manufacturers such as HP and EMC, the company doesn’t list price
However, Buiocchi said the new SilkWorms are the company’s least
switches and will be priced according to “license keys” that allow
to pay according to the power and functionality they use.
Measuring 1 unit high, the 3250 and 3280 devices are available in 8 or
16-port configurations, respectively, and house version 4.2 of the
device operating system. In fact, Brocade uses the same operating code
its entry-level to high-end enterprises.


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Miami didn’t land Amazon.com’s massive second headquarters, but the city’s downtown has attracted a larger share of technology companies in recent years, according to a new study of the office market by […]
About Diana Pubchara
This author has yet to write their bio.
Meanwhile lets just say that we are proud Diana Pubchara contributed a whooping 2 entries.
A travel retailer is moving its office and warehouse to a 200,000-square-foot space west of Miami International Airport in another deal demonstrating industrial growth.


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“Sorry, Elon,” the My Ami Beach Buggy was sold in mere minutes
Citroën says their My Ami Beach Buggy sold out in just 17 minutes and 28 seconds. Admittedly, it was a very limited edition, with a designated 50 units clearly not matching the nearly 1,800 expressions of interest the French brand received. Still, such instant success prompted a rather cheeky poster campaign.
UK prices for Ami and My Ami Cargo revealed
Citroën UK has revealed pricing and specification details for the Ami electric quadricycle and its light goods variant, My Ami Cargo. The passenger version is offered in three trim levels from £7,695, the My Ami Cargo in a single specification, priced at £7,995.
Citroën UK drops ë-Dispatch prices by £1,000
Citroën UK has updated its ë-Dispatch electric LCV ranges for 2022 with trim level name changes and a £1,000 price reduction across the entire line-up. The French carmaker has also announced the very small Ami electric car has had 1000 UK reservations in two weeks.
Citroën presents cargo variant of the low-cost Ami EV
Citroën has introduced a cargo variant of its super low-cost Ami light electric vehicle for delivery services and other urban uses. In the new model variant called My Ami Cargo, the passenger seat has been replaced by a modular cargo box that offers 260 litres of storage space.
A friend of short trips: Citroën Ami electric car review
Less is more. That’s the Citroën Ami in a nutshell. The all-electric four-wheeler with its 75-kilometre-range targets a young, urban group of buyers who simply want to get from A to B. We tested it and wondered whether the little friend is also suitable for fleet use.
Kia is considering an ultra-small electric car
Kia is examining plans to build a purely electric miniature car in the style of the Citroën Ami. Although the South Korean company has not revealed a timetable for these plans, it seems that Kia is already considering a new distribution model for the electric microcar.
Citroën shows off a light electric car for 6,000 euros
Citroën has just presented an electric two-seater called the Ami that is based on the Ami One Concept from 2019. With this light city vehicle that requires no driving licence, the French company wants to make electric mobility available to everyone. Our electrive staff attended the premiere in Paris.


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Challenger banks have shown what’s possible in the Financial Services sector – new ways of banking, trading as well as modelling and managing risk. As financial services brands consider the next five years, hybrid IT offers the greatest flexibility for developing next generation products and services.
As customers increasingly exchange physical for digital experiences, those digital experiences can’t be good – they must be excellent.
According to recent PwC research, customers will pay a premium of up to 16% for a better experience, and 63% would share information in exchange for a better experience.
What’s good for customers is good for business. One leading global financial institution developed new technologies to ‘personalize every conversation’ following extensive customer research. The result was an 8-10% increase in customer spend on services and a 400% increase in retention.
This is a simple model, but one many financial services companies find difficult to follow as legacy systems are a given and departments may work in silos. But the smart use of Hybrid IT systems offers opportunities for those in all types of financial services, not just retail banking.


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Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon have announced a May 25 release date for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.
Taking place in parallel to the events described in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gollum is a story-driven action adventure in which players embark on a quest to retrieve the One Ring.
It has an original story that takes players to several regions of Middle-earth and features familiar faces from J.R.R. Tolkien’s books.
VGC recently got the chance to go hands-on with Gollum. In our newly-published preview, we said it “feels like a licensed game from another era” in which “dated gameplay clashed with Daedalic’s incredible love for the Tolkien lore”.
Revealed in 2019 and originally scheduled for release in 2021, the game has been delayed on several occasions.
Last May, it was announced that all versions of Gollum barring the Switch one would be released in September 2022.
New Gollum gameplay footage was included in a story trailer released earlier this month.


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A years-long partnership between a family-run car dealership and a local building firm has led to a sizeable investment in one of Carson City’s most important revenue sources: motor vehicles and parts.
“Being a Carson City-based company who has a western region reach, this project is important because really, we don’t want anyone else building in Carson City if we can help it because this is our home base,” said Bryce Clutts, president and CEO of Metcalf, formerly known as Metcalf Builders Inc. “We buy our vehicles from the Hohls. We have a relationship with them. Anytime you can keep it local, let’s keep it local.”
Metcalf recently broke ground on two expansions in Carson’s auto row. One is for Michael Hohl Chevrolet GMC at 3700 S. Carson St., and the other is for Michael Hohl Subaru at 2910 S. Carson St. The former, expected to be completed by March, entails three buildings, including a 20,258-square-foot, two-story service building addition, a 3,000-square-foot storage building, and a 1664-square-foot car wash. The Subaru expansion, expected to be completed by May, includes a 22,778-square-foot, two-story service building addition.
Clutts put total construction costs for the two projects at $15.6 million. Founded in 1994 by father and son — Red and Tom Metcalf — the construction company built the Honda and Subaru dealerships that opened in 2010, not to mention well-known buildings around Carson like Galaxy Theaters and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office.
“Ironically we’ll be celebrating our 30th year next year when we open these buildings, and they (the Hohls) will be celebrating their 40th,” Clutts said.
In an interview with the Nevada Appeal, Michael Hohl Automotive owners Tim Hohl and Matthew Hohl talked about the recent past — the COVID-19 pandemic and international supply chain issues — and the need for expansion, especially with the rise of electric cars. They also talked about the company’s history.
Parents Michael and Karen Hohl started the dealership in Carson City in 1984. In 2008, the company entered an agreement for redevelopment incentives to relocate the Honda and Subaru dealerships to their present spots. In 2012, the agreement was amended to include, among other things, a remodel of the Chevrolet GMC location. In April of this year, the city and redevelopment authority released deeds securing the $4.8 million loan, which had been paid in full.
“Principal and interest on the loan were repaid each year by allocating 20 percent of the Basic City-County Relief Tax and Supplemental City-County Relief Tax (2.25 percent of the 7.6 percent city sales tax rate) revenue the city received each year from the dealerships until the loan was paid in full,” City Manager Nancy Paulson said by email. “In exchange for the financial assistance provided by the city and RDA (redevelopment authority), the Hohl Group committed to maintaining business operations in (redevelopment) Area 2 for 30 years.”
On the new expansions, Paulson added, “The city is so thankful for all the businesses that choose to invest in our community. A sizeable expansion can only be good news for Carson City increasing employment opportunities, contributing to our local economy, and improving the quality of life in Carson City.”
“It feels great to be out of the agreement with the city and having fulfilled our side of things,” said Tim Hohl, “and hopefully made the community a better place for us and for everybody.”
Motor vehicles and parts are the biggest segment of taxable sales in the city. Sales tax revenue is categorized as part of intergovernmental resources, which make up 24.7 percent of the city’s revenue. That compares to property taxes, which generate 16.7 percent of the city’s revenue, Mayor Lori Bagwell told Chamber of Commerce members in May.
“Where are you buying your cars?” Bagwell asked the audience at the time. “Carson City. Because that is what? Our number one sales tax base is the cars.”
It’s a segment that has grown with investment. In fiscal year 2010, around the time the new Honda and Subaru dealerships were opening, taxable sales for motor vehicle and parts dealers in Carson City were roughly $154 million from 90 filing locations, according to the Nevada Department of Taxation. In contrast, the report for fiscal year 2022 shows a little more than $410 million in taxable sales in the category from 136 filing locations.
Even fiscal year 2020, the end of which was hampered by the pandemic, taxable sales for motor vehicle and parts dealers in Carson City were at $358 million, roughly.
The pandemic did present challenges for the Hohls. Matthew Hohl described doing away with test drives and selling cars outside to accommodate separation rules. But business picked up after initial adjustments.
“The last couple of years, sales have been good for us,” he said.
Tim Hohl put it another way: “We can’t service as many cars as we’re selling.”
The new service buildings are a result of those sales and will be able to accommodate electric vehicles.
“When we work on a car that is an electric car, when we receive it off the truck from the factory, when we work on it, whenever we touch one, we’re responsible to have to charge that electric car,” said Tim Hohl. “And then part of doing business in the electrical space is you have to be able to show a customer how charging works. You have to test drive it now, and then in an hour test drive it again, so we need to be able to charge all this stuff.”
“And the floorspace for the ability to work on it,” added Matthew Hohl.
The Hohls said EVs are still a small percentage of sales because supply chain issues have complicated getting enough cars. For instance, a waiting list for EV Hummers has upward of 200 people with only a handful of delivered vehicles so far.
“We’re getting a lot more consumer questions,” said Matthew Hohl. “The demand is steadily rising.”
Manufacturers will dictate EV options, Tim Hohl explained.
“You know, GM has been probably a little bit more clear than most manufacturers and said that by 2035, everything they sell will be electric,” he said. “We are maintaining that based on our client base and our driving conditions that we’ll be behind the curve a little bit on adoption.
“Five years from now, I still think that we’re in the move-towards-it phase. Ten years from now, they’ve said that we’re pretty much there.”
At the same time, the Hohls don’t see internal combustion engines going away. Hohl pointed out the company still works on cars that are 30 years old. And whether customers are dealing with gas, hybrid, or full EV, supply chain issues — like a shortage of microchips — persist.
“It’s a moving target. Every model, every brand, has something that will pop its head up that turns into a real headache,” said Tim Hohl. “As a lot of things have gone through the pandemic and post-pandemic, the nicer, most expensive stuff has been some of our most popular. You know, we still can’t keep Corvettes and Escalades and all these $100,000-plus cars in stock. They’re just flying off the shelves. And those take obviously more microchips than the work truck that your radio is your fancy item in there. So, we’ve struggled to get enough availability on those items.”
Long-term, however, the Hohls are optimistic about the automotive market in Carson City.
“Carson has been very good to us, and we’ve got a lot of great customers, and we’ve had a lot of great history here … employees, everything,” said Tim Hohl.
The company employs around 270 people.
“This is a local community that I think takes care of each other,” said Clutts, adding Metcalf has nearly 60 employees. “These are two businesses that are helping drive this local economy, and we’re doing it together. I think that’s what makes Carson City and Northern Nevada in particular unique … is that you kind of look out for each other.”


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Rivian Debuts R1T Electric Pickup
Oct. 4, 2021—EV startup Rivian last month rolled its first production R1T electric pickup off the assembly line in its Illinois production plant.
Rivian has seen rapid expansion over the last three years since it first showed off a prototype of the R1T at the LA Auto Show in 2018, according to a report from TechCrunch. Growing from around 600 employees to 8,000 in that time and securing billions of dollars in investment from corporate partners such as Amazon, Rivian has now beat several competitors such as Ford, GM and Tesla by bringing a full-sized EV pickup to market.
After months of building pre-production vehicles, this morning our first customer vehicle drove off our production line in Normal! Our team's collective efforts have made this moment possible. Can't wait to get these into the hands of our customers! pic.twitter.com/8ZidwTaXRI— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) September 14, 2021
Reviews of the R1T have been very favorable. A critic with Electrek calls it "easily the best pickup I've ever driven, both off road and on," and Car and Driver praises its seamless blend of raw power on the road and ability to easily handle most off-roading as well.


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IT Spending Projected to Record 0.9% Growth in 2023
IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is forecast to accelerate in 2024, increasing 4% from 2023, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc.
MENA’s IT spending is projected to total $183.8 billion in 2024, up from $176.8 billion in 2023. In comparison, global IT spending is projected to total $5.1 trillion in 2024.
“IT spending in MENA is increasing because organizations, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, continue to focus on digitalizing their IT infrastructure,” said Miriam Burt, Managing VP Analyst at Gartner. “This is required to support regional governments’ push to implement their country visions for economic diversification, enhance public-private collaboration as well as bolster sustainability efforts towards net-zero targets.”
Software and IT Services Spending to Record Double-Digit Growth
MENA software spending is expected to record double-digit growth of 12.3% in 2024, followed by IT services spending, growing at 11.1%. “Organizations in MENA will invest more in software and IT services to accelerate digitalization and streamline operations by continuing cloud migration efforts and increasing automation and IoT capabilities. The spending will also be targeted to enforce compliance with regulation,” said Burt. “By 2024, we expect local organizations to increase their spending on embedding artificial intelligence (AI) into their strategic business and IT planning. Improving data management to yield greater monetization as well as strengthening cybersecurity security and risk management will remain top spending priorities in the region.”
The devices segment is forecast to experience an upturn in 2024. Devices spending in MENA is projected to increase 0.6% in 2024, up from a decline of 9.9% in 2023 (see Table 1).
MENA IT Spending Forecast, 2022-2024 (Millions of U.S. Dollars)
“The return to growth in devices spending can be attributed to various factors such as the growing aspiration of consumers in the region to own smartphones, aggressive marketing campaigns for new product launches by premium brands and the steady shift towards 5G for improved coverage, speed and consistency,” said Burt. “Higher affordability through greater access to financing options - such as buy now pay later (BNPL) - as well as the increasing number of ways to make digital payments through smartphones are also contributing to the recovery in the segment.”
Increased Focus on Generative AI
Gartner predicts that by 2024, 40% of enterprise applications will have embedded conversational AI, up from less than 5% in 2020. “Despite economic challenges, business executives in the MENA region are primarily investing in generative AI (GenAI) to enhance customer experience,” said Eyad Tachwali, Sr Director Advisory at Gartner. “GenAI promises to revolutionize public and private sector engagement with customers/citizens by delivering personalized, real-time solutions to complex inquiries.”
Successful regional business and IT leaders are employing agile methodologies in their generative AI initiatives, focusing on quick testing and refinement while eliminating low-impact use cases. Currently, most MENA organizations are exploring the potential of GenAI by focusing on emerging use cases, such as generative value messaging (turning customer data quickly into customized content), coding assistance (translation of code from older coding languages).
“In the future, a cautious yet deliberate integration of GenAI is anticipated as local businesses continue to evolve their AI strategies and pinpoint specific use-cases. This will primarily be facilitated through upgrades to tools already included in existing IT budgets,” said Tachwali.
More detailed analysis on the outlook for global IT spending is available in the Gartner webinar “Gartner IT Spending Forecast, 2Q23 Update: Market Winners & Laggards.”
Gartner’s IT spending forecast methodology relies heavily on rigorous analysis of the sales by over a thousand vendors across the entire range of IT products and services. Gartner uses primary research techniques, complemented by secondary research sources, to build a comprehensive database of market size data on which to base its forecast.
The Gartner quarterly IT spending forecast delivers a unique perspective on IT spending across the hardware, software, IT services and telecommunications segments. These reports help Gartner clients understand market opportunities and challenges.


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Britney Spears announces Hong Kong debut show this June
Tickets for June 27 gig at AsiaWorld-Expo go on sale to the public on April 28, although presales will begin ten days earlier for selected customers
Britney Spears, the US pop star who ruled the airwaves around the turn of the millennium with hits such as Oops! … I Did It Again, will perform in Hong Kong for the first time on June 27.
The multi-platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning singer has sold nearly 150 million records worldwide, and has notched up four US No 1 singles, including her smash debut single, … Baby One More Time.
Tickets to Spears’ concert at AsiaWorld-Expo range in price from HK$588 to HK$2,088. Public sales begin through HK Ticketing on April 24, but there will be presales for Citi card holders (starting on April 18), members of HKT The Club (April 20) and Live Nation Lushington members (April 22).


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Samsung wants the younger generations to grow up with wearable technology that have major potential in high fashion and regular street apparel.
Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung powerhouse is expanding research and development into AMOLED technology that can be used in wearable clothing and flexible electronics. The AMOLED industry is going to quickly evolve into a multi-billion-dollar industry by 2020, because of high global demand from numerous computer companies.
Samsung’s focus on wearable technology will involve using the new-generation “stretchable” AMOLED display, as the company realizes the traditional smartphone market is becoming saturated. Samsung and rival LG are the only two companies able to manufacture curved displays on a wide-scale, as other companies trying to catch up. If the smartphone industry is reaching a higher saturation point, being able to implement AMOLED into future products could give Samsung and LG a significant edge.
There were recent rumors that Samsung was preparing for an upcoming launch of 8-inch and 10-inch tablets utilizing Super AMOLED screen technology. Its flexible screen would potentially open up the door to tablets that can be rolled up like a newspaper, or folded and put in a smaller pocket.
The Samsung Gear smartwatch uses a solid AMOLED display that outranks that of the Pebble and other competing products. It’s a real-world look at how early adopters are receiving the unique design of the watch, and valuable feedback is now being collected.
The first-generation screen used in the Gear is far from perfect, as the 320 x 320 pixel screen provides a clear image, but color contrasts can sometimes leave something to be desired. Samsung will need to make some improvements and ensure future products have a bright, clear screen with good color contrast that doesn’t drain battery life.
Expect to see Samsung demonstrating wearable watch and AMOLED technology during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 next month. Pricing will remain a factor for early AMOLED adoption, which is still in its relative infancy and is a hefty investment, but future product generations should yield better consumer savings.
Foldable screens and wearable electronics are major priorities for Samsung and LG, with both companies holding a significant advantage against other competitors. Expect both companies to release products while others begin adding products to the pipeline.
There is great potential for smart watches, bracelets, clothing, and other consumer products that could one day utilize AMOLED on a more frequent basis.
Source: Android Headlines


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Rheams Diamond Shop started doing permanent bracelets at the end of June, but during the month of October they began doing a special edition for Breast Cancer Awareness.
The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a case the owners of Rheams Diamond Shop hold close to home. Owner, Kelli Beck has faced her diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed in 2018, but my mom fought breast cancer for 17 years.” Beck said. “I keep a picture of my mom up in the store at all times. She fought for many years and was supposed to be good and then she passed away in 2020 right before Covid got bad.”
A lot of the awareness Beck does, she credits to honoring her mother. Her mother is whom she claims saved her life by hounding her about staying vigilant in her awareness.
“She always, always was telling me to get checks,” Beck said. “When the day came that I found something, she took me to the doctor. The first doctor said it wasn’t anything to worry about and my mom didn’t like that answer so to the next doctor we went.”
After visiting a second doctor, Beck was advised that waiting a year, like she was told to, would’ve put her into a very bad spot. Catching it in time, Beck credits her mother.
“I found mine very early, due to genetics.” Beck said. “Breast cancer has affected most of the women on my moms side of the family so it was something to worry about.”
With her diagnosis, Beck went ahead with a double mastectomy and treatment. After her bodies rejection of expanders, Beck underwent nine surgeries in a two week period.
Ever since her diagnosis, Beck has vowed to do something during the month of October to raise awareness every year.
“I will do something every year,” Beck said. “This year are these bracelets, but next year may be something different. But we will always do something, I will always do something.”
For October, customers can get a special stainless steel bracelet with a ribbon pendant. The cost of each bracelet, $35, goes to the organization “24 Hours in The Canyon”.
All money raised will be given to 24 Hours, which gives money to women in the Panhandle for costs that arise when undergoing treatment.
“Her [Beck’s Mother] mission, is now my mission.” Beck said. “People don’t need to die. We are our own best advocates, and when you feel inside that something isn’t right, don’t take no for an answer. Fight for yourself.”
Bracelets are available now for purchase at Rheams Diamond Shop, located at 111 N. Cuyler, or contact the store at (806) 665-2831 for information or to set up a time.
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In the spring of 2020, the famous building block toys known as Legos, which leaped out from the toy box and into the world of video games and films like The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, will construct themselves into an epic theme park just north of New York City. To differentiate itself from the pack of the other eight Lego theme parks around the world, Legoland New York will be the largest Lego park to date and, given the quality of the other endeavors of the franchise, there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about this new family vacation spot. Here’s what we know so far.
The company behind Legoland, Merlin Entertainments, announced that the 150-acre park will be located in Goshen, New York, approximately an hour and a half’s drive north of New York City and three hours away from neighboring cities Boston and Philadelphia. And for those traveling from a farther distance, adjacent to the park will be a Lego-themed hotel to provide overnight accommodations year-round.
The hotel will have 250 guest rooms and, “a restaurant with a kid-sized buffet table, a Castle play area and children’s entertainment every night,” said Matt Besterman, a public relations manager for Merlin Entertainments. “It’s our way of extending the Legoland experience.”
That Lego experience involves over 50 shows, rides, and attractions within the park. All spread out over 150-acres of land. And all, naturally, Lego-themed. The park will be made up of eight different sections including Lego Ninja World for older Lego-loving kids, and Pirate Shores and Bricktopia for the slightly younger ones. Altogether, the New York Legoland will be the biggest ever.
One thing will stay small, however, and that is the Lego mini-land, a tradition in all lego theme parks. At mini-land Lego fans at the New York location will be able to check out Lego brick versions of cities and skylines from all over the world.
While an exact date hasn’t been given for when the new Legoland is set to open, the expectation is that the new park will open its doors come spring of 2020, and we can’t wait!


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Romancing SaGa 3 Announcement Set For TGS
Hopefully some new news on the Vita remaster!
07.01.18 - 8:59 PM
This week on Twitter, SaGa series creator Akitoshi Kawazu revealed that information on the remastered version of Romancing SaGa 3 would be revealed at this years Tokyo Game Show, which runs from September 20th to the 23rd.
First announced last year for the PlayStation Vita and Smartphones, the remaster promises to include revamped characters, backgrounds, and menu screens, along with a control setup optimized for the Vita and Smartphones. While it's currently unknown exactly what will be revealed at TGS, we here at RPGFan are hoping to see some gameplay footage, and hopefully a release date!
Stay tuned to RPGFan for more news and info!


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Loot field legislation the world over is in a state of flux. Whilst governments like Belgium have made up our minds to outright ban online game loot containers, different international locations haven’t any regulations surrounding the predatory sport mechanic.
Used essentially in mainstream video games like Name of Responsibility and FIFA, glance containers were observed as problematic for over a decade. On the other hand, after years of investigation, the United Kingdom executive has made up our minds no longer to do so.
Why isn’t the United Kingdom banning loot containers?
UK tradition minister Nadine Dorries has made up our minds to not keep an eye on online game loot field mechanics. In spite of a 22-month investigation into the damaging industry follow, the trading-card-esque mechanic is right here to stick.
Dorries claimed that the act of imposing legislation at the mechanic would have accidental dominos results. However would those “accidental penalties” be as dangerous as they consider?
“Regulation to introduce an outright ban on kids buying loot containers will have the accidental impact of extra kids the usage of grownup accounts, and thus having extra restricted parental oversight in their play and spending,” reads a central authority record at the topic.
Probably the most details of rivalry surrounding the mechanic is its hyperlink to playing. Because it so occurs, the United Kingdom executive believes there’s no such hyperlink. It’s because maximum loot field rewards don’t assist you to “money out”.
As an alternative, Dorries and Co. be expecting sport builders to keep an eye on the mechanic themselves. Moreover, extra restrictions will come into play in early 2023.
“We think video games firms and platforms to give a boost to protections for youngsters, younger other folks and adults, and for tangible effects to start to be observed within the close to long term,” they stated. “If that doesn’t occur, we can no longer hesitate to believe legislative choices, if we deem it important to offer protection to kids, younger other folks and adults.”
At the approach out
Loot containers in video video games were a topic for over a decade. On the other hand, after horrendous backlash in opposition to the mechanic in video games like Battlefront 2, it’s virtually a factor of the previous. Sure, video games nonetheless have them, however they’re a demise breed.
As standard, the governments having a look to prohibit loot field mechanics are coming in overdue. This present day, the trade has already moved directly to struggle passes, dear cosmetics and top class currencies. It’s a quick trade.


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|Santa's Toy Box Kick-Off|
|Written by Steve Frank|
|Monday, 07 December 2009 02:34|
Santa's Toy Box collection effort kicked off Friday with a day-long effort in front of Mast General Store in downtown Boone. Hopes for a successful effort were raised with the generosity of folks who stopped by and gave new toys or money.
High Country Radio broadcast live from King Street all day, and folks responded, filling the floor of the Boone Ford Transit van and giving some $1400 in monetary donations--around $500 more than last year.
The effort continues until volunteers open the Santa's Toy Box distribution center on George Wilson road to give away the toys. Gene Swift, of Southern States Subaru, who heads the effort, says that over 800 Watauga children were given toys last year, and he expects to need toys for 1000or more local children in the current economy.
The effort was started 23 years ago by the men's group of Deerfield Methodist, and continues on with the help of area churches, civic clubs, businesses and other volunteers. Cash dontations are taken by volunteers to area stores who make deep discounts on toys to help the effort.
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Intel has a new program called Intel On Demand that will allow customers of its new Xeon Scalable Processors to unlock specialty processing engines for an extra fee.
Intel has not disclosed what it will cost to access the On Demand features, which are activated through Intel Software Defined Silicon (SDSi), a newly added function using authentication keys to activate the additional features.
For most customers, the standard Xeon core is all they need. But some may want the specialty processing engines included in the latest Xeon generation, codenamed Sapphire Rapids. The chips are available now to OEMs but will have a formal launch Jan. 10, 2023.
Source:: Network World – Data Center


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IKEA is continuing their efforts to clean up the planet by designing remote-controlled boats that can tidy up floating garbage...Read more
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