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Nike has stepped into the interactive television arena with a new campaign for the Nike Zoom footwear line. The integrated campaign is called “Quick is deadly.” It includes print, broadcast and digital advertising and marks Nike’s first foray into the interactive TV space.
The campaign is designed for athletes looking for a lower and more responsive cushioning system for, as Nike puts it, “that quick feel.” The interactive TV medium not only invites viewers to spend more time in a branded space learning about the sneaker, it also lets the shoe manufacturer track the level of viewer engagement – in a way that has not been traditionally available on TV.
“Key viewer metrics that can be captured include the number of viewers who opted in to the experience, specific content they interacted with [through the digital interface], number of times they interacted with the content and whether they accessed the store locator,” said Michele Bogdan, senior vice president of marketing of Ensequence, the technology provider that worked with Nike and Portland, OR,-based advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy on the campaign.
Viewers can navigate through the commercial to learn more about the product, watch additional footage and interact with 22 unique video clips. This element is available to Dish Network customers who have DVR receivers.
The campaign features professional athletes including football player LaDainian Tomlinson (LT), basketball player Steve Nash, runner Lauren Fleshman and Olympic sprinters Asafa Powell and Sanya Richards.
When a Dish Network customer sees the Nike Zoom ad on TV, an on-screen prompt invites him or her to “become LT.” Users then can enter the interactive experience. The viewer is able to navigate through the interactive TV experience to learn Tomlinson’s training moves and see him demonstrate them in action, play a game to test their quickness, learn more about the shoe and find local stores based on their geographical location. Viewers without DVRs are not able to see the additional video, but can access the game and graphics.
Print ads were also developed by Wieden & Kennedy. The broadcast element of the campaign includes 30- and 60-second television spots by director Michael Mann who has directed such films as Miami Vice and Heat.
The spots began airing on August 5, featuring Tomlinson in a game-like setting demonstrating the speed of game showcased by one of the world’s greatest running backs. The 30-second version of the spot also began running in theaters starting August 10.
The direct TV market is growing with the Dish Network hosting more than 12 million total subscribers and Direct TV boasting more than 15 million at the last count in 2005, according to the firms’ Web site. The growth of this market marks a new ability to measure consumer engagement, merging the intelligence of Web-like statistics with television. TV networks such as ESPN and Bravo are starting to incorporate interactive TV into their programming.
“TV will be almost unrecognizable in three to five years thanks to the onslaught of new TV technology developments like interactive TV,” Bogdan added. “Advertisers are using interactive TV to enhance their campaigns, and there is a bigger opportunity emerging with interactive TV sponsorships. That’s where we are really starting to see the dots connect as networks offer interactive TV programming that advertisers can sponsor.”
The interactive TV element also gave the shoe advertiser the ability to serve up customized content and targeted messaging based on geographical location, so Wieden & Kennedy included a store locator feature as another mechanism to drive traffic to stores.
“It optimizes advertisers’ existing TV investments by enhancing their current campaigns, and provides timely and measurable data to track and evaluate the success of campaigns, with immediate metrics that allow interactive TV campaigns to be fine-tuned based on consumer response,” Bogdan added. “There is also the opportunity to optimize media plans and measure results for their TV investment beyond awareness and preference.”


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The government forecasts that the fiscal deficit will exceed 12% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2020. According to official data from the Ministry of Economy and the National Institute of Statistics (INE), between 2014 and 2019, the country accumulated a fiscal deficit of Bs 102,3 billion ($14.68 bn).
From last August to date, when the first phase of the digitalization plan launched, about 5,300 micro, small and medium enterprises (MiPymes) in the country have created their digital portals, free of charge. Now, the next step is for all of them to enter e-commerce with a "payment button" - to make their transactions - developed by the FIE Bank and the Kolau company, to support the companies and reactivate their businesses. The goal is that at least 100 thousand MSMEs in the country will be part of the digital industry in 10 years.

domain: news


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|Sony’s XEL-1 flat TV with OLED technology drew big crowds at the Consumer Electronics Show. Image: Jon Fortt|
LAS VEGAS – After chatting with Sony Electronics President Stan Glasgow, I had to see what the hype was about. So I headed over to Sony’s booth here at the Consumer Electronics Show to check out a $2,500 flat-panel TV with a screen a little bigger than paperback book.
Yes, at 11 inches, it’s that small. So what makes the XEL-1 worth as much as an HDTV 10 times its size?
The picture. This TV delivered the sharpest, most eye-popping video I’ve ever seen. Blacks on the screen were completely black. My immediate emotional response was, “must have it.” And apparently I wasn’t alone.
Teenagers, businessmen, and elderly couples were all ambling into the Sony (SNE) booth like zoo-goers looking for a baby panda. Most seemed to make their way to the mini-stage at the center of the display area, where Sony had about a dozen of the little OLED TVs roped off and set up like jewelry. The crowd oohed and aahed and snapped pictures.
It’s tough to overstate the significance of the little TV’s popularity. Flat-panel screens at CES are like leaves in the forest. They’re everywhere. For people to crowd around one specific model — especially one this small — means they saw a visible difference in what those TVs delivered.
OLED, which stands for organic light-emitting diode, uses a technology completely different from its better-known flat-panel sibling, the LCD. OLED displays don’t require a back light, which allows a higher contrast ratio, less energy consumption and a thinner design. (Some have raised concerns that OLED screens wear out quickly, but Sony said its displays should last 30,000 hours.)
Does that mean the XEL-1 will be a big seller? Not even Sony expects that. Glasgow told me that the company is building and selling them in retail qualities mainly so that it can learn about the technology, and figure out how to manufacture the panels less expensively and in larger sizes. While the technology industry has developed standard ways of making LCD screens, OLED is still a bit of a mystery; each of the companies experimenting with making the screens does it a little differently.
Glasgow does believe that OLED is the future of television, and that while it took LCD about 18 years to go from cool idea to mass-market product, OLED will develop much faster. Whether much faster means affordable OLED is 10 years away or three, he wouldn’t say — but in the meanwhile, he and Sony’s marketing executives are surely enjoying the big buzz they’re generating with their little TV.


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Some older Nintendo games have security vulnerabilities according to Nintendo World Report.
Just because Nintendo is focusing all its energy on the Switch doesn’t mean we should forget that a lot of 3DS and WiiU are still in the hands of a lot of gamers. And when hackers manage to find a loophole that allows them to access the camera, microphone, and recorded CB on the console, it can do a lot of damage.
An update to avoid dramas on Nintendo
Sometimes Nintendo releases updates for its older games to protect them from these kinds of issues, as has been the case very recently for Mario Kart 7. But that didn’t stop hackers from finding a loophole in MK7 and other games via the “ENLBufferPwn” vulnerability. The latter has a rating of 9.8/10 on the CVS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System), the official scale used in computer security to define whether a flaw is minor or critical. We let you guess that at 9.8/10, the one Nintendo knows is dead serious. By overflowing the console buffer, the hacker can take full control without the player realizing it.
Also, the lack of updates on Wii U could introduce a vulnerability in the future and lead to various player data breaches. Nintendo claims to be aware of the vulnerability prior to its disclosure, which allowed existing patches to be scheduled, according to the report. Also, here is a list of affected games:
- mario kart 7
- mario kart 8
- mario kart 8 deluxe
- Splatoon (2 and 3)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- super mario maker 2
- nintendo switch sports


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Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Advocates Self-Sufficiency
It makes more sense for governments to invest in First Nations' economic development than in social programs for Canada's aboriginal population, a well-known First Nations chief said Monday.
The country's indigenous people have a better chance of achieving self-sufficiency through economic means than social handouts, Chief Clarence Louie of British Columbia's Osoyoos Indian Band said at the Aboriginal Business Development Forum in Saskatoon.
Louie knows first-hand the benefits of successful First Nation economic development. Nearly 75 per cent of the Osoyoos Indian Band's 460-person population live on-reserve thanks to the jobs created by the band, which runs several businesses including a golf course, winery, spa, cultural centre, construction company and several retail stores.


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Matthew McConaughey’s ice fishing acting is as cold as the fish or is this the new luxury cool? Award winning ad campaigns don’t mean winning in the sales race, but Lincoln sales increased 8% to 112,000 in 2019. Click to Enlarge.
The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) announced today at the Chicago Auto Show that the 2020 Kia Telluride has been named the winner of its 10th annual Family Vehicle of the Year award. The 2020 Lincoln Aviator is the winner of the second annual Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year award.
To qualify for the award, vehicles had to have four doors, appear at one of MAMA’s two annual rallies, and be new or significantly updated within a year of the 2019 Spring Rally, which took place last May. (AutoInformed.com on MAMA Finalists for Family Vehicle of the Year Awards, Midwest Automotive Media Association Family Vehicles of Year, Pacifica Family Vehicle of Year – Midwest Auto Media Assn)
Voting took place at both the Spring and Fall Rallies, which narrowed down the field of contenders. Mainstream finalists were the Ford Escape, Ford Explorer, Honda Passport, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Gladiator, Kia Telluride, Mazda 3, and Subaru Outback. The finalists in the luxury category were the BMW X7, Cadillac XT6, Lincoln Aviator, Lincoln Nautilus, and Mercedes-Benz AMG CLS 53 Coupe. Continue reading


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Posts Tagged: children’s character
Easter is just around the corner, so Miffy has gathered some sweet present ideas for your loved ones.
On 5th March 2020, schools around the UK will take part in World Book Day celebrating authors, illustrators, books and, most importantly, reading.
Magpie X Miffy has now launched; the collection includes coasters, tea towels, a selection of mugs and more.
Miffy has released a new set of stationery and art prints with Papier – they’re so sweet, you’ll want them all!


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According to the company IW Capital research, about 3 million Britons invested in the digital currency through exchanges. A large part of captainvalor (about 2.5 million) doesn’t understand blockchain technology and are poorly oriented in the situation on the market. It is reported Bitcoin.com.
Also the study says that only 5% invested in new assets consulted with experts in the cryptocurrency market.
Just participated in the poll of 2007 respondents. 38% of participants admitted that they do not understand the technology underlying the cryptocurrency. Also about a third of the respondents believe that cryptocurrencies are a “bubble about to burst”.
According to the survey, the researchers came to the conclusion that in General the British are not familiar with information about the blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies.
“In fact, some do do not understand them”, — noted in the IW Capital.
CEO Luke Davis called the findings “shocking”. According to him, now it is not surprising that around the topic of cryptocurrency is now so much confusion.
Also, according to the study, 7% of participants are confident that the crypto currency more attractive for investment than traditional assets such as stocks. However, only 5% of British captainvalor admitted that achieved a positive financial effect of investments in digital currency.
ForkLog previously reported that only 2% of Americans have experience investing in scriptactive.


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After months of reaching new heights, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' fortune took a hit on Thursday. The billionaire's net worth dropped $3.2 billion after hours, after Amazon missed its expected earnings for the third quarter. As of 4:45 p.m. Eastern, Bezos was worth $67.5 billion, maintaining his position as America's second richest person ahead of investor Warren Buffett and behind No. 1 Bill Gates.
In its third quarter earnings report, Amazon's net income for the three months ending on Sept. 30 was 52 cents per share, well below analysts' expectation of 78 cents per share. The news led Amazon stock to initially drop 6% after hours, shaving billions off Bezos' net worth. As of 4:45 p.m. Eastern, the stock was down nearly 5% from its $818 per share closing price to $782.10.
Also on Forbes:
Leading into Thursday, Bezos was having a record-setting year. In October, he ranked as the second richest person in the United States on The 2016 Forbes 400 list, unseating investor Warren Buffett, who had been No. 2 on The Forbes 400 for the prior 15 years. Bezos added $20 billion to his fortune in the year between the 2015 and 2016 Forbes 400, making him the biggest gainer on this year’s list.
Bezos first briefly passed Buffett on FORBES’ Real-Time Billionaire Rankings on July 22 due to strong Amazon stock performance--and Buffett’s annual philanthropic summer gift of $2.9 billion a week earlier. A week later, Bezos again surpassed Buffett's net worth, following Amazon’s strong second quarter earnings report; Bezos' fortune reached a new high of $66.5 billion. While the two billionaires’ net worths remained close for a time, Bezos surged ahead in September and ended yesterday a full $6 billion ahead of Buffett. Now that lead has dropped more than half to just $2.6 billion.
Bezos first appeared on The Forbes 400 with a net worth of $1.6 billion one year after Amazon’s IPO in 1997. Amazon stock has increased more than 54,000% since then, propelling Bezos to the top ranks of the world's billionaires.


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Port Elizabeth – THE Eastern Cape’s leading malls are bracing for the anticipated Black Friday consumer frenzy this weekend, with extended trading hours, assistance from police and traffic officials, and armies of extra staff being brought in to cope with the biggest annual one-day sales rush yet.
In Port Elizabeth, the Eastern Cape’s largest shopping centre, Baywest Mall, will boast a midnight Black Friday opening of two major national outlets: Game and Dion Wired.
Marketing manager Lindsay Steele said the midnight opening added an element of excitement to what is expected to be the mall’s biggest sales event of the year.
“Last year we had a phenomenal turnout, but shoppers were well behaved and snapped up the bargains. This year the participation of stores is even greater, and we’re expecting an even greater turnout of shoppers.
“Given that we house the largest array of stores under one roof in the province, were expecting shoppers from as far afield as Grahamstown, Port Alfred, and Knysna,” she said.
Rebosis Property Fund head of marketing, Christopher Hutchings, said Black Friday marked the kickoff to the Festive Season period and was fast becoming the event of the year for retailers.
“The Rebosis stable includes Baywest Mall, Hemingways Mall and Mdantsane City and as such the Eastern Cape represents a significant portion of our investment portfolio,” said Hutchings, adding that one of the property fund’s objectives was to be the preferred destination for Eastern Cape shoppers on Black Friday. The fund also manages BT Ngebs City.
“Our malls bring top brands to shoppers and Black Friday brings the excitement of this global event to local consumers.”
Leading the charge in East London is the city’s largest shopping centre, Hemingways Mall, with a 13-hour shopping spree kicking off at 7am and ending at 8pm.
“Last year Black Friday attracted more than 60,000 shoppers to Hemingways Mall. We are expecting even more this year,” said Hemingways Mall’s marketing manager Estee Roos. “We are hoping it will be the biggest sales day we have ever experienced.”
Originally an American retail tradition, pegged on the first Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday and offering massive pre-Christmas discounts, Black Friday has taken off around the world.
“The Black Friday concept was not very well-known when we launched it in 2015. But by last year it had grown into a massive event, attracting 20,000 more customers than the previous year,” said Roos, adding that many of the 160 Hemingways Mall stores would be participating by offering massive discounts.
“To give everyone a chance to snap up the bargains on offer, we have extended our trading hours. Furthermore, the car park will open at 6am, with the traffic department coordinating the logistics of preventing traffic congestion. It’s a huge and exciting operation,” Roos said.
She said two SAPS satellite branches would be operational during the sale, while a veritable host of staff has been brought in to ensure that cleaning standards were maintained.
At nearby Mdantsane City Shopping Centre, the countdown to Black Friday began last week. The mall’s marketing manager, Wendy Zitha, said last year’s inaugural Black Friday event had proved so popular with shoppers that trading hours had been extended this year to a 12-hour period, from 8am to 8pm.
“While Black Friday was busy last year – our inaugural year – we are expecting a huge increase in bargain hunters this year. We are ready for, and excited about, what promises to be our biggest sale ever,” said Zitha.
Zitha said each tenant would have their own specials and “gifts with purchases” promotions, with the mall offering product and voucher giveaways.
Further afield, at Mthatha’s biggest shopping centre, BT Ngebs City, excitement is also mounting ahead of the annual sale, when more than 40,000 shoppers are expected to flood through the doors between 8am and 8pm.
“Bargain hunters can expect discounts of between 40 and 60 percent, which is a massive incentive on its own,” general manager Lolo Sabisa said, adding that customers could also stand to win a further R20,000 in an SMS competition.
With Black Friday marking one month until Christmas Eve, Sabisa said a live band singing Christmas carols, and photos with Santa, would add to the festive atmosphere.
Source: Eastern Cape – MyPR.
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Spring drop Angus steers have made up to 500cents/kilogram at the monthly Euroa store cattle sale.
Agents kept the yarding to 800 cattle, spread out into every second pen.
"With coronavirus breathing down our necks, a nervous country, and nervous industry, we achieved a sale equal to the dearest we have probably seen in Euroa," Nutrien Ag Solution's Russell Mawson said.
Euroa Associated Agents and the Strathbogie Shire had met several times, to discuss the best way to meet new coronavirus regulations.
"We had to meet the social gathering protocols, just like every other industry," Mr Mawson said.
"In the world of store sales, that makes things rather difficult to draft a crowd down to 20 odd individuals."
He said the yards overcame that by using a checkerboard system, with cattle in every second pen and ensuring buyers obeyed strict hygiene and social distancing protocols.
Despite the challenges, Mr Mawson said the sale was extremely pleasing, with no flat spots.
Heavier steers with age, in the 350kilogram plus range, made even money at 350c/kg or better.
Heavier heifers also made between 350-380c/kg.
"The highlight of the day was the run of spring drop weaners, which sold to solid to strong demand, and outstanding prices," Mr Mawson said.
"The line-up of Angus steers, either side of 250kg, made anywhere from 430-500c/kg."
He said most stock went north of Euroa, with demand from three or four feedlots and NSW for backgrounding cattle.
"We have to operate the business with NLIS issues, we have to operate with animal welfare issues, we have to operate under occupational health and safety constraints, so coronavirus is another one we have to manage while continuing to supply the industry," Mr Mawson said.
"The support from farmers, buyers and the shire was outstanding."
He said several commission buyers, and one agent from each livestock agency attended the sale.
"The rain has been brilliant, and when you look at the fact there is agistment in the north, that gives the confidence the industry needed."
Among the sales were 14 Gooram Valley Beef, Gooram, Banquet and Welcome Swallow blood Angus steers, 11-12 months old, 346kg, $1370, or 395c/kg.
Wagra Creek, three Angus feeder steers, 378kg, for $1350, or 357c/kg.
R Halicki, Caveat, 20 Angus steers, seven to eight months old, Merridale and Connamara blood, 263kg, $1240, or 471c/kg.
Bob the Vet, 21 Angus steers, six-seven months, 228kg, $1160, or 508c/kg.
Moglonemby Estate, 16 Angus weaner steers, seven to eight months old, 285kg, for $1270, or 445c/kg.
The Monroe, Strathbogie, 11 Angus weaner steers, 258kg, for $1190, or 461c/kg.
Doidge, Violet Town, 25 Angus steers, seven-eight months, 238kg, for $1180, or 495c/kg.
Among the heifers, Gibson Park, Jeans Creek, sold a pen of nine Charolais-cross females, 11-12 months, for $1200, or 338c/kg.
Woodland, Wahring sold 15 Lawson-blood Angus heifers, 12 months old, 309kg, for $1080 or 349c/kg.
I & C Gable sold 12 Angus weaner heifers, seven-eight months old, for $830.
I & C Day sold 13x13 Hereford cows and calves for $1725.


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As announced and promised in June, Apple Pay is now available to customers in Switzerland. However, only users with Visa and MasterCard credits cards will be able to register their payment cards at the moment.
As announced on Apple’s regional website, iPhone users in Switzerland can now join Apple Pay. This goes for customers of Bonus Card, Cornercard, and Swiss Bankers. Apple users in Switzerland have already reported that Apple Pay is live and working without any problems.
It is also important to take a look by which retail chains is Apple Pay supported. At the moment, only eight chains offer their support. This includes Aldi, Avec, C&A, K Kiosk, Mobile Zone, P&B, Spar, and TopCC. Lids plan to integrate the payment in the near future.
News about Swiss availability came during this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. During the same speech, Apple said that customers in France and Hong Kong can expect to use Apple Pay in the near future, but an exact launch date was not announced.
Apple’s own wireless mobile payment system was first introduced to U.S. customers back in 2014 as part of iOS 8. The service later expanded to Australia, Canada, China, and the UK. According to Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey, Apple plans to bring this service to every major market in which Apple products are sold. This is not a quick process, but it’s good to know that Apple is dedicated to this service.


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According to Reuters, Samsung is close to arriving to an official conclusion regarding the whole Galaxy Note 7 incident, but the result isn't actually a big surprise. The company's investigation seems to have determined that the battery was the culprit for the smartphones overheating, catching fire and even exploding. The Korean giant is set to make its own official announcement on January 23rd, just one day before the company's fourth-quarter earnings results announcement.
To be honest, this is actually one of the few times when I'm really interested to see Samsung's earnings report as it will show us exactly what impact the $5.2 billion loss caused by Galaxy Note 7 replacing and recalling had on the entire company's budget. Additionally, the Korean giant will also make public the measures that it plans to take in order to avoid another similar fiasco and coming up with something convincing could be crucial for Samsung's existence on the smartphone market as the customers are still skeptical about the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 that should hit the markets in the first half of 2017.
If you're interested in reading about other Samsung-made products, I recommend checking out some of our other stories on this topic such us: "Samsung introduced the All-In-One PC at this year's CES", "Samsung takes the lid of its upcoming C9 Pro smartphone" or "Check out Samsung's new Gear Fit bracelet and IconX earbuds".


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IMMERFIN IS GROWING: SALES UP 16% IN 2018
The financial statements of the Immerfin group report a consolidated turnover of € 311.1 million, 70% of which was generated in foreign markets. The massive investments made in Italy (the new Laboratorium research centre) and the ones under way in China (production plant) open new growth perspectives.
Brescello 13 June 2019 - In 2018, the Immerfin group that controls Immergas, Italy's leading brand for condensing boilers, reported a 16% sales increase compared to 2017. In terms of overall volumes, more than 400,000 appliances were sold around the world, with many countries reaching penetration levels that had never been achieved before in 55 years of industrial activity in the home heating field.
In the area of wall-mounted gas boilers, the market share of Immerfin group brands (Immergas and Alpha) stood at 15% in Italy, 6% in Europe and 4% worldwide.
«In 2018, thanks to our massive investments in product innovation and manufacturing processes» - confirmed Alfredo Amadei, Immergas chairman- «we also saw an increase in the sale of systems designed for the professional channel and of those based on new green technologies (heat pump and hybrid systems); in Italy, we have reached the leading position in the hybrid generator sector, with a share of over 30%.
A positive result that we want to build on and exceed in the future, thanks also to the creation of the new Laboratorium Research Centre in Lentigione di Brescello (inaugurated in October 2018 with an investment of 6 million euro). In addition, the Immerfin Group is expanding its geographic footprint both in Italy, with the launch of new growth projects, and abroad, through an upgrading of pre and post-sale services, with the aim of replacing the large number of installed units, amounting to over 7 million units».
In 2018, the Immerfin group reported a turnover of 311.1 million euro
(+ 15.77% over 2017 when the figure was 268.7 million euro).
The profitability margins are steadily supporting the investment plan that allows Immergas to maintain its high competitiveness.
The 2018 financial statements of the Immerfin Group closed with a profit of 14.4 million euro, which sets the ROE at 5.63%.
In 2018, export figures reached 70% of the consolidated turnover, thanks also to the excellent performance in European markets: Hungary (+27%), Romania (+21%), Bulgaria (+43%), Czech Republic (+27%), Poland (+21%), Slovakia (+12%), Russia (+5%) and Ukraine (+2%). Sales were also up in Algeria (+53%) and Greece (+58%).
Immerspagna, the new company controlled by Immerfin with headquarters in Madrid, reported a 52% increase, which bodes well for 2019 too.
In China, where the production of boilers started a few weeks ago at the new plant built in the National high technology district of Changzhou with an investment of 3 million euro, the Immerfin Group reported a 19% sales increase in 2018: «A very good sign» - added Alfredo Amadei - «in view of the opening ceremony of the production facility (scheduled in September 2019), we hope it will replicate the success achieved in 2008 by Immergas Europe in Poprad, which now employs 100 people».
«The indicators we gathered in the early months of 2019» – concludes Alfredo Amadei – «confirm the upward trend. Several new projects have been launched in Italy and abroad, involving our sales network and service organization, aiming at the replacement of old boilers, from which we expect good results also in terms of profitability».
VIA CISA LIGURE, 95 - 42041 BRESCELLO (RE) ITALY


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Second, Hurricane Sandy has obviously had some effects on the Disney Cruise lines- specifically those who boarded in the past couple of days, and had to deal with some unexpected weather. I could only imagine... that's one unfortunate gamble that affects all cruise lines, the weather.
Apparently the Disney Fantasy experienced a little bit of Sandy-it's been reported from passengers onboard that there were broken windows and some other damage.
I found this article- it details some of the damage, and provides more pictures.
Also, here's a link to a CNNi report from a passenger onboard, complete with video. Sounds a bit scary, but they also wrote of how well the captain and crew managed the ship.
Disney recently came out with this statement:
Disney Cruise Line® appreciates your patience and understanding with the unexpected weather delays and inconvenience created by Hurricane Sandy.
As a gesture of sincere goodwill, Disney Cruise Line is extending an offer to Guests who debarked the Disney Dream on Oct. 28 and the Disney Fantasy on Oct. 27, 2012.
For Guests debarking the Disney Fantasy on Oct. 27 - A letter was provided to Guests offering a 25% discount for a future 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-night Disney Cruise Line reservation, or a future stay at the Walt Disney World Resort (up to 7-nights in length), commencing prior to Dec. 1, 2014.
For Guests debarking the Disney Dream on Oct. 28 - A letter was provided to Guests offering a 25% discount off of a future 3-night Disney Cruise Line vacation that commences prior to Dec. 1, 2014.
Please note: This offer is non-transferable, valid for only those Guests who cruised on this voyage, and excludes holiday sailings.
So, if you were one of those guests, and would like to claim in this offer, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org and I can certainly help make these arrangements. All I would need is your reservation number.
Safe travels to all!


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Rating: Huawei’s P30 Pro was launched last week, and the latest flagship from the Chinese tech giant has stunned the world. With four cameras riding on China pure sine wave inverter Suppliers its back, and the promises of being a photography champion, the newcomer seems to have a promising future ahead. While the earlier launched Huawei Mate 20 Pro has a lot in common with the P30 Pro, the two are worlds apart when it comes to performance, especially when it comes to a feature set and sheer camera performance.Yes, the P30 Pro is Huawei’s camera beast and puts a shame on other rival flagships who claim great mode night photography. The latest handset from the Huawei stable was launched in Paris earlier this month and is now all out to awe its new masters. Let’s take a dive into what makes the Huawei P30 Pro a beastly consideration, and if you should keep it on your top list.Others: Glass rear panel, IP68 certificationWhile the spec sheet pronounces top-notch hardware, the feature set is not small either. The Huawei P30 is loaded with features that one seeks on any flagship out there. Flagship means superior and best and definitely, we can see what Huawei has put all their efforts to here.
The device sports a glass-metal-glass sandwich body with a screen-to-body ratio of 80 per cent. The aluminium frame in between is form and rugged and glazed with the same colour that matches the rear panel. Up front is an AMOLED full HD+ panel with a tiny notch on the top that houses the selfie camera and nothing more. Yes, the sensors are neatly hidden around the camera, below the display, and Huawei has also cleverly adopted the technology to get rid of the earpiece. The conventional earpiece that comprises of a speaker and an audio tunnel to direct the sound to the human ear has been given up for a new type of technology that the brand notes as HUAWEI Acoustic Display Technology. There is a tiny exciter below the display that converts audio into vibrations, similar to how the Jawbone technology works. This vibration makes the entire display screen as a speaker itself. Hence, you will be able to hear your phone conversations by placing your ear anywhere on the screen, but the clearest area is a few centimetres below the front camera where the exciter is located. The audio is transferred via vibrations to the human ear.Rid the earpiece speaker out and it helps create space within the device for more components, but this leaves the device with a mono speaker on the bottom with no stereo effects when playing music or videos.


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Jacob’s launches advertising campaign introducing three new Mini Cheddars flavours to its popular range
Pladis, the global biscuit and confectionery company , announced today that Jacob’s has launched a brand-new TV advert for Mini Cheddars, now available in Red Leicester, Stilton and Smoked Cheddar flavours.
The new advert, which has been directed by Peter Lydon, will hit consumers’ televisions on Monday 3rd July, during Hollyoaks on Channel 4 at 18.45pm.
The campaign dramatises the introduction of the new flavours by inviting viewers to be a fly-on-the-wall spectator, as a fictional group of traditional cheddar flavour enthusiasts, ‘The Cheddar Appreciation Society’ discover and react to the revolutionary introduction of three new Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Cheese flavours.
The advert is set in ‘The Cheddar Appreciation Society’s private members club, and shows a group of eccentric Cheddar lovers, wearing club jackets, whose outfits are comically accessorised with costume mouse ears and whiskers on their faces. The Cheddars aficionados believe that it is impossible to improve the Mini Cheddars original flavour, and that the introduction of new flavours products could potentially undo generations of cheddar appreciation work carried out by their forefathers. However, when one member eventually dares to taste the new Stilton flavour, he gobbles down the packet and happily licks his fingers proving to the others that even the most traditional Mini Cheddars Original fans will love the new flavours.
The three new limited-editions are available in stores with an RRP of £1.88.
Steve Monk, Marketing Director, Savoury at pladis UK&I, said: “Mini Cheddars is a much loved brand, renowned for its wonderfully cheesy taste, being baked with real cheese. We’re excited to bring the ultimate in cheesy snacks to the market with our new, unique flavours – Red Leicester, Stilton, and Smoked Cheddar. We can’t wait for all the Mini Cheddars fans out there to try the new flavours and choose their cheese – we still can’t make up our minds…”
The new Jacob’s Mini Cheddars ad will be aired during peak TV viewing slots during July, including Love Island, Coronation Street and Celebrity Chase.
To view the adverts, visit https://www.facebook.com/jacobssnacks.


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Department store chain Target is forced to pull three Anzac branded items from its Camp Gallipoli range as government clamps down on use of the word Anzac.
Retailer Target has been forced to pull three Anzac branded items from its Camp Gallipoli range after the government deemed them “inappropriate”.
A beanie hat, a hoodie and a foam can holder, have been pulled from shelves amid a clampdown from the Department for Veterans’ Affairs on the use of the word ‘Anzac’ on products, triggered by the public outcry earlier this week over Woolworths’ ‘Fresh in our memories’ campaign. It was felt that the prominence of the word on the hoodie and beanie, and the notion of the can holder itself, was not right.
The department store giant received a call earlier in the week from Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Michael Rolandson, requesting it pull down the campaign because it had not been authorised to use the word Anzac, which is protected under an Act of Parliament.
A statement from the Department for Veterans’ Affairs said: “The Minister can approve the sale of goods bearing the word Anzac, if the use of the word is considered appropriate, and an acceptable portion of the proceeds are donated to charity. For example, there are a number of commemorative items for sale of which a portion of sales are donated to the RSL or Legacy.”
Appealing to the masses, Target had been selected as the retail partner to help raise funds for the Camp Gallipoli Foundation, a not-for-profit series of camps being held around the country to mark the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli offensive. Surplus cash generated from the events will be donated to the Legacy and RSL charities.
Target was supporting the fundraising effort through the sales of 26 items, ranging from an $8 t-shirt to a $349 swag, all products useful to those attending the camps on April 25 and 26. The items had been given a 15 percent mark up on costs, with all profits going to the Camp Gallipoli fund.
A spokesman for Target said: “Given this broad level of support and the philanthropic, educational focus of the event, we felt it was the right thing to do to become a supporter of Camp Gallipoli. We acted in good faith and close consultation with Camp Gallipoli to develop the merchandise range and ensure the products were appropriate and respectful.
“All Target profits from the sale of these products will be donated to the Camp Gallipoli Foundation. We’ve been advised that a small number of Camp Gallipoli products do not meet the agreed branding guidelines, and so we have taken prompt action to remove these products from sale.”
Despite the company’s viewpoint on the situation, in the aftermath of the Woolworths marketing campaign, the retailer is facing criticism across social media channels of trying to commercialise the Anzac memory.
There are several brands supporting the Camp Gallipoli Foundation, but Target will not have a presence at the camps themselves, which are expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees across the country next weekend.


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A virtual reality arcade called ‘Ctrl V‘ based in Waterloo, Ontario, has announced it plans to open 10 new locations across Canada in the next eight months, following a successful launch seven months ago.
So far, the company has two operating locations: its flagship arcade in Waterloo and an arcade in Guelph, Ontario.
Its website shows an arcade opening soon in Red Deer, Alberta and the company’s CFO Robert Bruski says there are more Calgary locations coming, specifically naming Regina, Saskatoon, Lethbridge, Kelowna, Kamloops and Calgary. Bruski didn’t mention whether the remaining arcade locations would also be in Canada’s west.
CTV News reports that the Waterloo location, which has 16 play areas and charges $25 per hour to play games like Job Simulator and Mars Odyssey, is sold out every weekend.
This article was originally published on MobileSyrup


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LevelUp, a mobile payment app created by Boston start-up Scvngr, said Thursday that it had raised an additional $9 million in venture capital from T-Venture, Deutsche Telekom’s venture capital arm, as well as from other individual investors.
The additional $9 million brings the total that LevelUp has raised in its Series D round to just over $21 million. Since 2008, Scvngr and LevelUp have raised $41 million in venture funding.
LevelUp said it will use the new funding to fuel both product development and the rapid expansion of its Interchange Zero mobile payment network.
Earlier this month, LevelUp said that it would eliminate the fees that it once charged merchants that use its network.
LevelUp’s smartphone app works by displaying a bar code that is linked to a user’s credit card. A merchant who has installed a LevelUp device can scan the bar code to process the payment. LevelUp was previously charging merchants a processing fee of 2 percent of each purchase.
LevelUp also offers services that allow merchants to run smartphone marketing and promotional campaigns. It hopes to make money by charging merchants for those services.
LevelUp is backed by venture investments from Google Ventures, Balderton Capital, Continental Advisors, Highland Capital, and Transmedia Capital.


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Burberry plays hard ball over perfume deal
(Reuters) - British luxury brand Burberry (BRBY.L) has ratcheted-up the pressure on fragrance partner Interparfums (IPAR.PA) (IPAR.O) to offer a new agreement on more favourable terms, by serving notice on the French firm to terminate their current deal.
Interparfums, the exclusive worldwide license for Burberry's fragrance and beauty products, has been in talks with the British firm since last December.
Burberry said on Tuesday the discussions were continuing, with their outcome "uncertain" and also said it had served notice of its intention to terminate the license agreement with Interparfums with effect from December 31 2012.
Upon termination, Burberry would pay Interparfums approximately 181 million euros ($221.5 million), it said.
Analysts estimate Burberry's fragrance business accounts for only about 2 percent of the British group's revenue but for about half of Interparfum's net sales.
Shares in Interparfums closed down 6 percent at 17.75 euros on the Paris Stock Exchange and were trading down about 3 percent at $16.51 on the Nasdaq, while shares in Burberry closed down 1 percent at 1,222 pence on the London Stock Exchange.
Analysts said Burberry's move was prompted by a July 31 deadline for the firm to exercise an option to buy out Interparfums' license.
"With today's announcement, Burberry maintains flexibility to negotiate further with Interparfums until the end of the year," said Citi analyst Thomas Chauvet.
Interparfums CEO Philippe Benacin told Reuters the chances of securing a new deal with Burberry were "50-50".
He said if no deal was struck Interparfums would use the money received from Burberry to make acquisitions.
Citi's Chauvet said the possible outcomes of further talks were a new agreement with Interparfums on better terms for Burberry; the formation of a new structure, such as a joint venture, with Interparfums; taking the fragrance business in-house; or licensing out the contract to a new partner.
He reckons Burberry wants to take its fragrance business to another level, narrowing the gap with fashion brands like Christian Dior (DIOR.PA), Armani and Chanel which have sizeable cosmetics businesses.
Caris & Co analyst Linda Bolton Weiser reckons Burberry is also seeking rapid global expansion for its cosmetics business and not just fragrances, which may prompt the British company to look elsewhere for a partner.
"It seems unlikely that (Interparfums) will be able to strike a structure or joint venture agreement ... probably the licence will be taken away and given to someone else," Caris & Co analyst Linda Bolton Weiser said.
Weiser said the loss of Burberry's licence could reduce Interparfums' earnings by 65 to 75 percent.
Last Wednesday Burberry missed forecasts for first quarter revenue growth, sending its shares 7 percent lower.(Full Story) ($1 = 0.8170 euros)
(Reporting by James Davey; additional reporting by Pascale Denis and Ranjita Ganesan; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Viraj Nair)
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Back-to-school sales and end-of-summer clearance make August a great time to shop.
Chrysa Duran from ThriftyJinxy.com is here to help us sort through all the deals this month.
The No. 1 best deal category in August is school supplies. During August, you'll be able to find things like pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks, glue sticks and more for just pennies. Be sure to stock up on enough for the whole school year because you won't see prices like these again until next year. And if you don't have kids in school, you can use many of these items for your home or office.
Laptops can drop in price as much as 25 percent in August, which makes a big difference on this expensive item. Printers are also on sale in August. While the prices on printers have gone way down in recent years, this month you'll be able to find them from 10 to 25 percent off.
August sees lots of sales on the items that are typically packed in school lunchboxes. Granola bars, applesauce, crackers, lunch meat and single-serve anything are on sale in August. Many of these items have a long shelf life so you can stock up. Keep an eye out for coupons to stack with store sales to give you a bigger discount.
Summer clothing has hit the clearance racks. Anything summer related from shorts to t-shirts to summer dresses are on sale. There are also big discounts on sandals and other summer shoes. Swimwear and cover-ups are on sale, too. Many stores have these items marked down 50 percent or more.
August is the best time of the year to buy air conditioners at a low price with discounts as much as 40 percent off. It's also a great time to buy dehumidifiers and fans.
for more features.


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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Feb 2-3, 2016 – Australia’s technology industry is seeing vast opportunities with PM Malcolm Turnbull’s recent announcement on restoring funding to National ICT Australia, the nation’s preeminent IT research institute which is currently pursuing research in big data. In line with such digital data growth, companies must now look into improving their customers’ demands and find ways to untangle the complexity of the data that can have the potential of becoming the company’s most
That said, BIGIT, which stands for Big In Technology, is honored to present its first ever Big Data and Customer Experience (CX) World Show which will be held on 2nd - 3rd February 2016 at Swissotel Sydney, Australia. The 2-day exclusive event is proud to have the University of Queensland as its Official Knowledge Partner, together with Oracle and Basis Technology as its Gold and Silver Sponsors respectively.
What Can You Benefit From Joining?
Gain various insights on business strategies, be updated with public sector’s initiative to drive customer experience efficiencies and maximise revenue from major Big Data and CEM leaders.
Have interactive discussions by exchanging ideas and experience with big players in the industry.
Expand business reach and generate new deal-making leads by exploring networking opportunities with Big Data and CEM industry peers.
What Can You Expect?
Achieve strategic initiatives more effectively by incorporating Big Data Analytics for your organisational needs.
Understand consumer behaviors and outcomes by exploring how others in ANZ region are utilizing big data
Standout against your competitors in the ANZ region with your organisation’s big data and CEM systems.
Who Will Be There?
Nick Tate, PhD – Head of Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) Project, University of Queensland
Maria Milosavljevic, PhD – CIO, Australian Transaction Reports & Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)
Chris Buxton – CTO, Statistic New Zealand
Kevin Ross, PhD – Chief Scientist, Optimisation Modelling, Fonterra New Zealand
Sue Temple – General Manager, Loyalty, Woolsworth
And many more.
With an estimated turnout of 100 attendees from a highly targeted audience, one can expect to meet a selected group of established sponsors and exhibitors including renowned key players in the industry such as the C-level management, Directors of MNC companies, Strategic Decision Makers with high purchasing power and Key Government Personnel governing the national policy.
As quoted by one of the past sponsors, “It was everything we expected plus more. Our exposure was great, our presentation was well received, we managed to get some PR out of the event and we had a lot of visitors to the stand. Totally recommend Olygen for future events.”
About The Company
Olygen is an event organiser and one of its brands – BIGIT, has a successful track record of a series of events, ie: Big Data World Show (2013 - 2015), Internet of Things (IoT) World Show 2015 among others. BIGIT has since been creating a one-stop platform for Fortune 500 companies to network, gather and acquire latest insights on Big Data and IoT, making it the Largest Big Data Show in Asia as recognised by industry experts. BIGIT’s large-scale events are region-wide including major cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Shanghai, Jakarta, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg.
For more information, please visit http://bigdataworldshow.com/australia2016/


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Biologicals put down roots in ag markets
Interest from ag majors, new gene-editing tools point to bright future
Farmers face the difficult task of feeding more people with fewer tools. Many pesticides aren’t working as well as they used to, fewer new active ingredients are being introduced, and many widely-used products are facing regulatory pressure and deselection. Farmers also often face tradeoffs between maintaining profitability, delivering product in a sustainable way, and meeting increasingly stringent regulatory demands in terms of Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). Despite early growing pains, biological solutions such as biopesticides and bioyield products are becoming key components of a more diverse toolkit for sustainable agriculture.
“Agriculture is facing challenging times,” says Gaston Salinas, CEO of Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI, Davis, California), a company using a plant tissue platform to produce botanical products for agriculture. “The sector is facing pressure from sustain- ability macro trends while at the same time having to figure out how to feed 9 billion people by the year 2050.”
Interest in biologicals is growing, notably by Big Ag. In October 2020, Syngenta acquired Valagro (Atessa, Italy), a biologicals company with over 700 employees and eight global production sites, for an undisclosed sum. Syngenta expects the biologicals market is set to nearly double in size over the next five years. In a separate deal earlier this month, Novozymes (Copenhagen, Denmark) and FMC announced an agreement to co-develop and commercialize biological enzyme-based crop protection solutions, specifically FMC’s diamide insecticide technology, and a biocontrol solution for Asian Soybean Rust.
Late last year, BioConsortia (Davis, California) and Mosaic Company (Tampa, FL), the largest US producer of potash and phosphate fertilizer, announced a collaboration to develop and launch nitrogen-fixing microbial products for corn, wheat, and other major non-legume row crops.
“Certain microbes and plants have evolved this symbiotic relationship that has been around for millennia for leguminous crops,” says BioConsortia CEO Marcus Meadows-Smith. “But what we’re doing now is using a microbe that will do this for corn, wheat, and other nonlegume crops.”
Because nitrogen fixation is an energy- intensive process, microbes have feedback loops that switch off in the presence of ample nitrogen. BioConsortia applies gene-editing and other natural processes to switch off those feedback loops. The technology can significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen farmers apply to crops, much of which ends up lost to the environment, with detrimental effects.
BioConsortia’s Advanced Microbial Selection (AMS) process enriches the crop microbiome, allowing the company to identify organisms that influence the expression of beneficial traits in plants. “We have achieved high levels of efficacy with our fungicides and nematicides and a higher level of consistency both for those biopesticides and for our biostimulant products,” Mead- ows-Smith says. “We have a number of products moving through the registration pipeline and under evaluation by various Tier 1 and Tier 2 agrochemical and fertilizer companies.”
BSI, meanwhile, has commercialized its first product, Botristop, a broad spectrum biofungicide that prevents and controls Botrytis cinerea. The fungal disease affects high-value crops worldwide and is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in losses every year. ABM-01, the active ingredient in the product, is based on native Chilean plant Quillaja saponaria Molina.
“What makes our work so different from others in botanicals is that we have internally developed a platform to produce practically any plant material in our lab to supply key active ingredients,” says Salinas. “Depending on the plant species, sometimes you can address shortfalls in the supply of those materials or, just as importantly, improve quality.”
BSI is also on track to launch an alternative source of production for the vaccine adjuvant, QS-21, also based on ABM-01. QS-21, which improves the efficacy of antigens, has been in commercial vaccines since 2017 and is currently used in one of the latest approved COVID-19 vaccines. However, it’s expected to be in short supply due to high demand and to strict deforestation laws in Chile.
“QS21 has been extracted from the tree bark of Quillaja saponaria Molina for years,” Salinas says. “It’s a tree that takes up to 15 years to grow before it is ready to be harvested. But, amid a global pandemic, you can’t wait to grow trees to get sufficient access to raw materials and produce the compound in high volumes. With just a 500-square-meter facility, we are in a position to serve nearly all these markets need” at a level of consistency that cannot be achieved with traditional cultivation and extraction, he adds.
Another botanicals company, STK bio-ag technologies (Petah Tikva, Israel), has also developed a natural fungicide. Dubbed Timorex Gold, the active ingredient is based on more than 100 compounds in tea tree oil, some of which work synergistically, says vice president of sales Yair Nativ. “The result of these compounds is a product with multiple modes of actions that disrupt the fungal cell membrane and destroy the cell walls.”
The active ingredient also reduces the energy required to build a plant’s defense response. “An attacked plant can divert energy to growth and yield instead of defense processes,” Nativ adds. Timorex Gold is labeled for a wide variety of high value fruit and vegetable crops, including grapes, leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables, berries, vines, tree nuts, tropicals, and cucurbits, and is registered in 35 countries. “Currently, we are working mainly in the Americas,” Nativ says. “We have distribution agreements all over Latin America, the US, and Canada. We have some business in Europe, but registration there takes a long time. We also have sales in China, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand.”
Ag biologicals have been available for several years but uptake has been slow. Early product offerings were ineffective or difficult to use, and farmers are hesitant to swap out tried and true chemical solutions.
“Farmers were [previously] sold on biologicals and told it would solve all of their problems,” Nativ says, likening some earlier products to snake oil. “Some worked but had low efficacy. Other early had to be very precise in terms of application, or only could be used for a certain disease at a specific time. Ours are very easy to use, but the perception of biologicals is not great. So we have to educate farmers.”
Increased pest resistance, calls for more sustainable farming practices, and regulatory pressure on traditional pesticides are helping incentivize farmers to give biologicals another look. “Younger generations are more open to biologicals, but in the US especially farmers tend to skew older,” Nativ says. “We see more adoption in high-value crops like fruits and vegetables, but use on row crops is growing very slowly. You can also see the differences between countries. For example, Peru, which exports a lot of goods into the EU and US, is adopting biologicals more quickly because they are keen to meet mandated MRLs and be approved for sale. If you go to the US, where farmers are selling their product into the US, adoption is lower.”
Currently, the biopesticides market is about $3.5 billion, and biostimulants are about another $1.5 billion.
“Growth estimates range from 10–15% per annum,” Meadows-Smith adds. The fact that biopesticides use is largely confined to high-value fruit and vegetable crops is limiting market potential. “For row crops, farmers oftentimes found them too clumsy to use or there wasn’t enough of a commercial benefit to justify the switch. Some early biopesticide launches had to be in cold chain, or they needed to be used in a certain timeframe to be effective. What we’re doing with Mosaic is bringing forward row crop microbials that are robust and easy to use.”
To help bridge the trust gap with farmers, STK is offering hybrid biological/chemical products. “We saw early on that penetrating large markets would be difficult,” Nativ says. “Farmers simply wouldn’t believe that a biological works as well as a chemical. So we came up with the idea of mixing a chemical with a biological to make it a bridge for farmers.”
Nativ expects Big Ag interest will help drive some growth. “When we first entered the market, nobody wanted to work with us and we had to go from farmer to farmer,” Nativ says. “And now, ADAMA, Syngenta, Sumitomo, BASF—all the giants of ag—are adding these solutions to their distribution chains. So, things are getting better and farmers have more access to these products. Big Ag companies are definitely eager to distribute biopesticides, acquire biologicals companies, or collaborate with us. We are filling a gap for them.”
Salinas expects BSI’s Botristop distribu- tion deal with Syngenta, signed in 2019, to help accelerate growth for the biofungicide. “Syngenta is our exclusive distributor in the Chilean market, where our product is a key component of a technical recommendation package that combines traditional chemistry with natural products,” Salinas says. Botristop will also soon be registered in a number of key Latin American countries.
“We’re expecting to launch our product in Peru by the second quarter of 2021, and launch in Mexico and California by the end of 2022,” Salinas says. Additional regulatory progress is also expected in the US and European Union during 2021.
“We are about to sell our first million dollars in Chile,” Salinas says. “We expect to hit $30 million in annual sales from Botristop by 2029. We also have an ambitious goal to reach $90 million in sales by the end of 2029 from Botristop as well as four additional products we expect to launch between 2023–2026.”
Going forward, new technologies will accelerate the pace of new product introductions.
“[W]e are already using gene-editing tools for nitrogen- fixing microbes but also to get overexpression of things like fungicidal or nematicidal metabolites,” Meadows-Smith says. “The big difference now is that these tools are very precise; you can change single base pairs within the genome of the microbe and be very targeted around what you’re doing. In the past, it was akin to working in the dark and using a shotgun. You’d have to go through thousands and thousands of iterations and you’d often get unintended consequences, like inserting DNA into an important functional gene that as a result stopped working. Now, they’re much more precise.”


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Alpha, based in in St. Louis, Missouri, manufactures blow molders for bottles and jars for the food and beverage industry among others.
The company now has 10 manufacturing facilities, including eight in North America. Its other facility in Europe is in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, which was launched as a greenfield site in 2010.
Jeffrey Kellar, CEO, Alpha said the addition of Etten-Leur expands its capabilities geographically and supports any future European growth.
“The acquisition more than doubles our production capacity on the continent making Alpha one of the largest single stage blow molding operations in Europe,” he said.
Alpha is known in Europe as a packaging supplier for vitamins, minerals & supplements and personal care markets.
The Etten-Leur facility previously received a grade “AA” certification for the BRC-IoP Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials, which is the highest possible rating for the quality management system for food packaging suppliers.
Kellar added Alpha has a broad portfolio of stock bottles and jars as well as custom bottle design and development. He said brand owners and consumers want diversity in their product options.
Alpha is owned by Irving Place Capital, private equity firm.
Phil Yates, chairman, Alpha and senior advisor, Irving Place Capital, said the acquisition is consistent with its strategy of acquiring successful businesses with complementary customer relationships, product lines, manufacturing technologies and plant locations.
“Alpha has achieved outstanding growth in Europe and we are confident that this will continue with the addition of the Etten-Leur operation,” he added.


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A new app called SUBE launched Wednesday will let users add credit to their SUBE cards directly with a debit card or a digital wallet. In the near future, it will also allow you to pay for bus, train and subway fares directly with a smartphone without using a physical card.
SUBE is the system used to pay for public transport in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area known as AMBA and the biggest cities in Jujuy, Formosa, Misiones, Corrientes, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, San Luis, Catamarca, Mendoza, La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego and Buenos Aires province.
The app is different from the “Carga SUBE” app currently in use. While the latter allows users to put credit on their SUBE cards, users need to apply the credit manually by either hovering the card close to their phones using their NFC system, or using a SUBE terminal — a small machine usually found in train or bus stations.
Although the app is already available for users who have Android 6 or higher on their smartphones, the government said it will be readily available on Thursday. There is no information on when there will be a version for iPhone users.
A future feature of this app called “SUBE Digital” will also let users with smartphones with an Android 8 or higher and NFC system to pay public transport fares directly from their phone. A test run for this feature will be launched Thursday in Neuquén city. People who download the app and verify that they are currently there will be able to use it. There is no scheduled date for when it will be generally available.
This new app is being launched as a way of providing users with another option for adding credit to their cards. However, it will also prove useful given the SUBE card shortage that has been going on since the pandemic. This issue is not only related to SUBE cards, as there is a worldwide shortage of the materials used to make plastic cards.
A SUBE spokesperson told the Herald that the card is being normally distributed in different selling points across the country, adding that they are managing a monthly supply of 550.000 cards, “although some place may have run out of stock.” However, they admitted there has been a shortage in recent years.
On top of this, many kioscos have decided to stop offering the service of adding SUBE credit claiming that it was not profitable.
SUBE cards are available at certain kioscos, subway stations and stores that sell lottery tickets. If you’ve recently arrived in Argentina and need one, here’s a map of all the places that sell them. If you can’t find it anywhere, you can also buy one online here and have it sent to you paying for shipping, or retrieve it yourself at a SUBE point. The official cost of one is AR$670, but there’s a chance some places charge more.
With the new app, users can also check their travel history, as well as the location of a nearby charging terminal. They can also access a specific channel for any questions.


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Bandai Namco and Tarsier Studios launched the excellent horror puzzle platformer Little Nightmares 2 a month ago now, and the game has enjoyed success on all fronts right out the gate. On top of solid reception from critics and praise from fans of the series, the game has also seen strong sales in the short time that it’s been out.
Bandai Namco recently announced via the game’s official Twitter account that Little Nightmares 2 has sold over 1 million units since launch. That’s an impressive milestone (especially for an indie developed release) no matter how you look at it, but seeing as the game’s managed those sales in just a month, that achievement becomes even more laudable.
It was recently confirmed that Tarsier Studios, now under the ownership of Embracer Group, would move on to new properties, but even though the developer is not going to work on its beloved horror IP anymore, Bandai Namco has confirmed that it will continue to invest in Little Nightmares. Who will work on future games remains to be seen.
Little Nightmares 2 is available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia. The game will also be releasing for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year. You can read our review for it through here.
— Little Nightmares II (@LittleNights) March 11, 2021


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After the announcement of the newly formed partnership, World Token Issuing Alliance (WTIA) and MEDSiS International, (a U.S. based identity management and financial services company) recently they have come to a deeper agreement and the support of the MEDSiS held contract in Argentina and beyond. With MEDSiS’ expertise in the Latin American region, the partnership with WTIA will not only launch the program, but bring the MEDSiS “Maxwell” Stablecoin to market with the support of the local government and entities.
The Argentinian Trade Union, SUPOFEPRA, is the first program of its kind in Latin America (LATAM) which would not only use technology to manage the union population, but do so by allowing a stablecoin to support the back-end of the financial inclusion and payments platform. After identifying, registering, and banking the members of SUPOFEPRA, the addition of “Maxwell” will allow members to make and receive payments, as well as store wealth while in a stable system that eliminates the volatility in the local fiat market with the Argentinian Peso.
“Maxwell is key to the SUPOFEPRA project. It will help stabilize the unbanked and add jobs and opportunities to new populations like never before.” Stated, Joshua Dax Cabrera, CEO of MEDSiS He adds, “Maxwell” will be one of the first cryptocurrency stablecoins to be used in multi-country government programs, giving access to every user to take advantage of participating in the global economy. On the back-end, multi-country and multi-currency financial payments platform developed by RijndlPay, users will be able to build wealth and maximize the benefits of a blockchain hybrid banking system unlike anything in the market today.With more than 20M individuals, ‘Maxwell’ immediately becomes one of the largest cryptocurrencies in use, this makes our investment decision and entry into LATAM very attractive.”
Chairman Keun-Young Kim of WTIA Co., added, “MEDSiS and WTIA will launch “Maxwell” in Latin America for the users of the existing financial inclusion contracts and use the model as an example for MEDSiS’ contracts around the globe. With more than 20 million individuals already under contract to come online, “Maxwell” will immediately become one of the largest cryptocurrencies in use. The investment into the Argentina program also will bring MEDSiS to a new phase as a unicorn company as a planned STO event is currently being scheduled for December of 2019 ahead of the “Maxwell” launch to the consumer market in early 2020. Details of the larger agreement between MEDSiS and WTIA are not being made public at this time, although both companies have agreed to be able to share the timing and specifics of the agreement internally as the partnership proceeds forward.


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(Hong Kong) GL.iNet, a world-leading developer of network hardware and software, is excited to introduce Slate AX( GL-AXT1800) - A next-generation highly-secured travel router that provides powerful Wi-Fi 6 network connection. It comes with OpenWrt
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(Hong Kong) GL.iNet, is excited to introduce our new OpenWrt router, the GL-SF1200. It is a low-cost dual-band network device that supports 30+ VPN services for encrypting network traffic and includes a remote device management platform.
462 views, By Blackwood Investment Limited
Shares of Valkyrie's Bitcoin ETF have been certified for listing on the Nasdaq, according to Eun Ah Choi, the Nasdaq's deputy general counsel and vice president of listing requirements.


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Mattel profit up on Barbie, Elmo sales
NEW YORK – AT&T Inc.- on Monday posted a better-than-expected rise in third-quarter profit, helped by strong growth in its wireless venture Cingular and merger-related cost savings.
The biggest U.S. telecoms carrier, formed through SBC Communications Inc.’s acquisition of AT&T Corp. last November, said profit, excluding merger-related costs and other special items, rose 58.2 percent from a year earlier to $2.4 billion, or 63 cents per share.
That topped the average forecast of 58 cents per share from analysts polled by Reuters Estimates.
Despite the higher-than-expected results, AT&T’s shares rose only modestly on the New York Stock Exchange as investors had already pushed up the stock by 2 percent last Friday, when Cingular reported strong results.
AT&T also said cost savings helped profit growth, and the company had cut 3,600 jobs in the third quarter, reaching a head count reduction of 10,500 so far this year.
While that vindicated the company’s merger strategy, some analysts said it also suggested that AT&T’s core business was not growing as strongly as the bottom line suggested.
“The numbers were slightly better than expected. Certainly the Cingular numbers were good. But cost-cutting was a major factor,” said Surterre Research analyst Todd Rethemeier, who has a “hold” rating on the stock.
The company said primary consumer lines fell by 242,000 in the third quarter, and analysts said consumers were continuing to shift to wireless phones and all-in-one packages of voice, video and Internet offered by cable television providers.
“Looking at the line losses, it seems there is some competitive impact from cable companies,” Rethemeier said.
AT&T is preparing to merge with BellSouth Corp. (NYSE:BLS – news), a move that would consolidate its ownership of Cingular and reinforce its position as the biggest U.S. telecoms service provider. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has scheduled a November 3 meeting to vote on the merger.
“Wireless delivered impressive margin expansion along with strong subscriber and revenue growth,” said AT&T Chairman and Chief Executive Edward Whitacre.
Analysts also expect Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ – news) to post strong quarterly results since its wireless venture, along with Cingular, appears to be taking market share from Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE:S – news).
AT&T’s consolidated revenue, which does not include sales from its 60 percent stake in Cingular, totaled $15.6 billion for the quarter ended September 30, up from a pre-merger $10.3 billion in the third quarter of 2005.
Net income was $2.2 billion, up 73.8 percent from the year-ago quarter, or 56 cents per share. That included costs from SBC Communications’ acquisition of AT&T Corp. and from Cingular Wireless’ purchase of AT&T Wireless.
The company said Internet subscriptions also helped to bolster sales. High-speed Internet subscribers increased 25.5 percent from a year earlier to 8.2 million.
AT&T is also aiming to compete with cable companies by expanding its high-definition video service in a plan called Project Lightspeed. The Internet-based video service will be expanded to around 15 cities by the end of the year. It had previously targeted 15 to 20 cities by the end of 2006.
The $5 billion investment, while smaller than a similar project by Verizon, has raised concerns about costs.
“We continue to have concerns about a looming capital expenditure increase commitment to the business, if Project Lightspeed proves incapable of providing a competitive consumer video offering on a wide scale across AT&T’s footprint,” said Stifel Nicolaus analyst Christopher King, who recommends selling AT&T stock.
AT&T shares fell briefly in early trading before recovering to rise 29 cents, or 0.87 percent, to $34.73 on the New York Stock Exchange late Monday afternoon. The shares have risen around 40 percent so far this year.


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With the rise of gastropubs downtown, some Santa Ana residents held on to Fourth Street’s Cafe Calacas as a sacred space where they could indulge in an iced cafe de olla, participate in a Frida Kahlo-themed art show or catch an open mic.
Rudy and Jackie Cordova opened Calacas as a Latino cultural gifts store in 2005 off Bristol Street before moving into the historic West End Theater on Fourth Street in 2009. Two years later, the Cordovas opened a cafe next door as a quick lunch spot for the area’s professionals and eventually shut down their shop to concentrate on the cafe.
Now, after a series of renovations, Cafe Calacas is launching a new version of its enterprise to compete in the changing downtown atmosphere, labeled by some as one of the hippest scenes in Orange County.
“I think we were one of the last ‘un-gentrified’ holds, it’s what they called it,” said Rudy Cordova. “We really don’t care to get involved in any of that, but as the community sees it, this was their last hold.
“It was the idea, the philosophy of what Calacas was that they didn’t want to see end,” he added.
Dubbed as a contemporary Mexican cafeteria, Cafe Calacas is equipped with a new kitchen as well as espresso and cappuccino machines. Rustic panels replace the bright red and yellow walls, amid a dimly lit setting. An iPad station is set up for customers.
A new menu – which retains staple items including the popular cafe de olla – now includes red and green sauce chilaquiles, breakfast tortas and a selection of wraps and salads. An assortment of lattes are also listed, infused with traditional Mexican flavors: rompope, horchata and cajeta. Organic coffee from the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guanajuato will be served. A highly anticipated menu item is a frappuccino flavored with Gansito – a Mexican snack cake filled with strawberry jelly.
“The plan now is to go against the Starbucks and the real coffee houses that we never were,” said Cordova, 40.
“You just have to keep growing,” he added.
For a while, the Cordovas grappled with the possibility of just selling the space, but after approaching different coffee shop owners, the couple decided to partner with Sam Ruiz of Euro Caffe – a coffeehouse near South Coast Plaza that offers paninis, crepes, tea and organic coffee.
Ruiz teamed up with second cousins Francisco Farias, 27, and Luis Anaya, 30, who have roots in the Mexican state of Michoacan and grew up in Santa Ana. Farias’ family previously owned El Comal restaurant on Fourth Street and other locations across Santa Ana.
“They’re educated in the food department. They have the same feel that we had when we started off 10 years ago,” Cordova said. “(It’s) the same environment, same cross-culture where their parents are first generation.”
With a new bar or restaurant opening downtown just about every other month, Cordova said he felt he just couldn’t keep up.
The Barrel Room – a wine tasting storefront – and The Good Beer Company – a small beer manufacturer – will soon be coming to Fourth Street. And the much-anticipated Fourth Street Market is set to open in mid-September, bringing with it several businesses including the Portola Coffee Lab and Electric City Butcher.
“Idea-wise, we were kind of at a point where we (felt like) we had to come up with something new every month just to be able to stay in the limelight in front of those new shops opening up,” Cordova said. “It was time for a change. It was time for someone else to morph it and let it become the next level.”
But amid the cafe’s renovations are touches of the old Calacas. Calavera tiles adorn the bathroom floors and walls and Mexican artesania is placed on the cafe’s shelves.
“We want to direct the young crowds in here, but still keep the culture, the roots,” said Anaya. “A lot of us in our age group, we’re losing those roots. We want to inject it into them with food.”
“Give it a nice little vibe, a place where they can come and chill and also bring our Mexican culture with our dishes,” Anaya added.
With a new job, Cordova will no longer be able to fully concentrate on Cafe Calacas. He hopes to spend more time with his wife and three teenage boys, and possibly even attend more City Council meetings. Cordova will continue to plan the Noche de Altares event in downtown and hopes to bring back “I Bike Santa Ana” – a bi-monthly community bike ride.
The Cordovas own 50 percent of the enterprise, while the trio owns the other half. Payroll-wise, Cordova will get a lower share since he will not be physically working at the cafe anymore.
The cafe will also open earlier and close later – something Cordova wasn’t able to do working at Home Depot while running a cafe and attending to his family.
While the look and offerings at Cafe Calacas may be changing, it still aims to educate and unite through food.
“We know there’s the Anglo 35-to-60-year-old person who doesn’t understand the concept of what we have going. So, when you’re able to educate them enough to come in and ask, ‘What is this?’ You’re bringing not just a drink, you’re explaining them community, our heritage, our culture – years of tradition on a drink,” Cordova said.
Contact the writer: email@example.com


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DeviceAnywhere, a provider of mobile application testing technology, and the Symbian Foundation recently launched the Symbian Virtual Developer Lab.
The VDL leverages DeviceAnywhere’s technology to enable the delivery of tools for the open-source community to build and bring innovative mobile applications to market faster. Through the VDL, Symbian Foundation members will have remote access to a range of Symbian supported handsets, including the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, the first touch-screen Symbian device and the Nokia N97, with additional devices being added as the project develops.
By using DeviceAnywhere’s patented Direct-To-Device technology, developers will be able to remotely perform real-world testing scenarios with physical devices from anywhere in the world, company officials said. The technology enables developers to remotely press buttons, listen to ringtones and sounds, play videos, access the Internet, and view LCD displays with pixel-by-pixel representations for accurate image and text matching that display exactly what the consumer would view, DeviceAnywhere officials said.
“The Symbian Foundation is pleased to announce the delivery of the Symbian VDL as part of the wide range of resources available for developer support,” said Larry Berkin, head of Global Alliances and the U.S. office for the Symbian Foundation, in a statement. “The Symbian VDL will greatly benefit our community by lowering the cost of the development and testing of mobile applications. We welcome all solutions that lower the barrier to entry for developers and allow them to be more creative, and DeviceAnywhere is a notable example of an innovative company providing such solutions. We look forward to more Symbian devices being available for testing via the VDL, so that developers can easily target the biggest mobile application opportunity available today.”
DeviceAnywhere automatically captures screen shots and keystrokes, allowing for easy review of development and testing activities, company officials said. These reports can then be saved and sent to colleagues to allow for analysis and error proofing. Additionally, videos can also be recorded and used in a similar manner, or marketed to potential distributors and application stores.
“To date, expensive licenses and device requirements surrounding development have limited access for many smaller developers or content providers,” said Faraz Syed, CEO of DeviceAnywhere. “DeviceAnywhere was created to help developers of all sizes overcome the barriers to entry into the mobile application space and help solve the problems of fragmentation in mobility. The Symbian Foundation represents an opportunity for a truly open mobile ecosystem, something that I and many industry analysts strongly believe represents a key component in the future success of the mobile industry. This relationship with the Symbian Foundation is great progress toward an open mobile ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, company officials said DeviceAnywhere will be giving every member of the Symbian Foundation 5 free hours of access to the Symbian VDL in addition to complimentary DeviceAnywhere accounts.


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2013 was a tough year for Bell. Despite growth in its wireless division, Telus surpassed Bell in total number of wireless subscribers for the first time. Bell’s media division will be shut out from national NHL broadcasts over the next 12-years as its largest competitor Rogers won the exclusive rights in November of last year. To top it all off, the Canadian Government considered relaxing its foreign ownership restrictions to create a more competitive wireless segment.
Despite the headwinds, Bell managed to increase its brand value by 9% over 2012, topping the list in the media/telecom segment.
What has Bell been doing right? One clear answer is the Let’s Talk campaign. Bell has embraced the kind of issue most companies shy away from. It is leading the charge to break the stigma around mental health, and doing so in a way that fits naturally with its core offerings. The campaign is an excellent example of investing in brand to connect with customers through shared values instead of product features and benefits.
Bell needs to continue coming up with daring new ways of putting people at the centre of everything it does. It should focus attention and energy on increasing likelihood to recommend and likelihood to stay indicators rather than faster internet speeds, broader networks or smarter smartphones offerings.
Keep thinking beyond the functional, Bell. Be relevant to your customers in ways that reflect their values. Achieve leadership by earning a loyal, committed and satisfied customer base.
Give them something positive to talk about.


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One of Australia's most anticipated new cars, the 2017 Kia Stinger, has been spied in Glebe by CarAdvice reader Neil.
The incoming new Kia Stinger looks to be hot property, with CarAdvice receiving several emails a week with sightings of the two development vehicles currently stationed in Australia.
The GT variant spotted here sports big Brembo brakes on all corners, along with a 3.3-litre turbocharged V6 engine that produces an estimated 272kW of power and 510Nm of torque.
It'll be mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel mounted paddle-shifters.
Targeting a 0-100km/h sprint of just 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 270km/h, the Stinger is likely to become an instant hit with buyers wanting a fix of rear-wheel drive performance madness.
While it's around 160mm shorter than the Commodore, the wheelbase is almost the same, as is the width. So from a sizing perspective, it should be a nice transition for buyers still wanting a big performance sedan.
Featuring a mechanical limited slip differential, the Stinger should also have the same ability to lay down an impressive set of 11s at the drop of a right foot.
The white vehicle spotted in Glebe features a black interior with red seats and was even being tested with a pair of child seats in the rear.
While we're yet to hear what it sounds like on the move, the Kia Stinger will breathe some life into the large passenger car segment when it finally lands later this year.


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The Federal Government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is seeking the cooperation and stakeholders support on the review of Weights and Measurement Act and its subsidiary legislations.
Mrs Comfort Emenbu, Director, Weights and Measures Department in the ministry, made the call during the North-West stakeholders’ engagement on Tuesday in Kano.
She said the commitment of the government had informed the decision to meet with stakeholders and seek their input for the review of the Weight and Measure Act.
“It is envisaged that the implementation of the quality policy will bring about the improvement of the quality of products and services which are manufactured or provided in Nigeria,” she said.
Represented by Alhaji Auwalu Uba, North-West Zonal Coordinator of the Department, Emenbu said the meeting was necessitated by the need to actualise the implementation of the Nigeria National Quality Policy (NNQP), approved by President Muhammadu Buhari on Jan. 27, 2021.
According to her, the primary purpose of the stakeholders’ engagement is to provide laws and regulations that will upgrade weights and measures services or the legal metrology practices from global best practices as well as guarantee the quality of Made-in-Nigeria products.
“The current global trends in weights and measures administration necessitated that certain aspects of the existing Act are to be review to accommodate global best practices in legal metrology,” Emenbu said.
According to her, the Act is the legislation that confers power on inspectors of the Weights and Measures department to ensure that measurements of trade are accurate, fair, transparent, uniform and legal.
The director, however, said the department has transited from the pre-colonial usage of traditional weights and measures of imperial weight and measures standards formulated in 1917, to the use of metric units, standards and systems of measurement in the post-colonial era with effect from Jan. 1, 1979.
Emenbu said that the post – colonial system of weights and measurement would enhance trust in trade relations within and outside the country.
Earlier, the Assistant Director, Training, Legal Metrology, Weights and Measures Department, Mr Ogheneruemu Okerhe, said engaging stakeholders in the current arrangement was crucial for greater input on the reviewed regulations.
Okerhe said the ministry was engaging stakeholders on the fifth and eighth schedules of the Act, with many sectoral bodies within the country.
He listed five main areas of concern of legal metrology to include units of measurement, weighing and measuring instruments, measurement processes, the person carrying out the measuring process and the net content on pre-packaged goods.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that some of the stakeholders who contributed at the meeting, said the standard weight and measures would ensure that people have value for their money.
They also described the Weights and Measures Department as important towards ensuring effective regulation of producers by enforcing accurate measures.


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Android fans who preordered Google’s flagship Nexus 7 tablet through the Google Play store could get a nice big treat in the mail as soon as Friday. DroidMatters reports that Google has started shipping Nexus 7 preorders and some customers could see their tablets arrive as soon as July 13th. The site discovered that some tablets were arriving on Friday through a posting on the XDA-Developers forum showing an order sheet for the Nexus 7 with a scheduled delivery time of July 13th between 2:15 pm and 6:15 pm. DroidMatters speculates that other retailers will start shipping their own Nexus 7 preorders now that Google got the ball rolling.
Read [DroidMatters] Read [XDA]
Article by Brad Reed (c) BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech - Read full story here.


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As of Sunday, fixing your own phone is now legal even when it involves hacking the software protection measures on board.
That’s one of several new exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that the U.S. Copyright Office and Librarian of Congress granted this week. The law generally prohibits people from circumventing copyright protection measures in digital media and software, but every three years citizens can petition the government to consider exceptions to the rules.
This time around, groups like iFixit and the Electronic Frontier Foundation successfully pushed for sweeping changes. In addition to repairing your own phone, you may now legally use software hacks to fix home appliances, smart home gear, and motorized land vehicles such as tractors. You can also hire a third party to make those repairs on your behalf and can unlock new phones instead of just used ones.
As iFixit’s Kyle Wiens notes, repair advocates didn’t get everything they wanted–hacking game console software, for instance, still isn’t allowed–and Congress would have to get involved to legalize the sale of circumvention tools. Still, Wiens says the new ruling “a huge step” toward giving people control over the products they’ve paid for.


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metropolitan museum of art
The decision follows years of demonstrations against the museum's connections to the philanthropic family that profited off the opioid crisis.
As New York has been slowly coming back to life, so have some elements of the tourism industry. But it’s nowhere close to what it once was.
Well, then sign us up for the circus.
The Met is the largest museum so far to outline such a plan, as cultural institutions grapple with reopening while adhering to COVID-19 social distancing measures.
The "Simple Favor" star's looks at the annual fashion event had a very specific color scheme for three years straight.
The decision follows scores of lawsuits filed against the billionaire family and its opioid company, Purdue Pharma.
The reality TV queen seemed to defy physics with this body-con look.
The annual Met Gala, one of the biggest nights in fashion, unveiled its 2019 theme: camp.
The theme is "camp" this year at Anna Wintour's annual fashion event.
Some celebrities' nods to the religious theme were obvious. Others needed a closer look.


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Avant is the first cultivated meat company in Greater China and the first cultivated fish company in Asia. Avant’s technology offers a system to produce nutritious, tasty fish and functional marine proteins directly from fish cells at economically viable costs. The group’s end-to-end technology platform also allows continuous new product development from scratch all the way to production. Avant aims to be a global leader in producing traceable and sustainably cultivated proteins in a fully contained environment for food, skincare, and functional applications. Founded in 2018, Avant now has a presence in Singapore and Greater China. Avant has also been awarded Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and featured in Reuters, Forbes, Financial Times, TIME, The Telegraph, South China Morning Post, and CCTV.
Congratulations to our World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers 2020
Sanjeev Krishnan, S2G Ventures Managing Director and CIO, will ...Connecting Technology and Business to Create Healthy, Resilient Food Systems.


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Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The Turkish Airlines on Tuesday commenced the “Turkish Airlines Sales Festival,” to provide an opportunity for the public to enjoy heavily discounted tickets on Turkish Airlines and fly from Accra to over 290 destinations around the world.
Under the two-month-long Turkish Airlines Sales Festival, the Istanbul-based Airline is currently offering passengers heavily discounted fares from Accra to major destinations such as Washington for US$999; Amsterdam, US$539; Dubai, US$549; London, US$639; and New York, US$999.
The promotion is to ensure that passengers booked by November 30, 2017 for travel before December 31, 2018.
The Airline’s vast network in Africa from where it connects passengers to destinations in the Americas, Asia and Europe via Istanbul makes it the carrier of choice for passengers seeking a great travelling experience at a competitive price.
Mr Ferhat Yerli, Turkish Airlines’ General Manager, Ghana, said the Turkish Airlines Sales Festival was to afford the public the opportunity to see the world at a cheap price.
“The Festival is designed to offer Ghanaians the opportunity of booking flights to various destinations for a scant price,” he said.
Mr Yerli said “Turkish Airlines will continue to offer the best of service to our passengers in Ghana”.
He said the festival was an opportunity for families to purchase their Christmas holiday tickets early and save hundreds of dollar.
“It is also an opportunity for anyone who will travel before December 31, 2018 to book their tickets at a cheaper price now,” he added.
On the African Air Expo, the Istanbul-based Airlines is also supporting the event scheduled to take place from October 24 - 26, 2017 in Accra, with an amount of US$15,000 (GH¢65,000.00).
The contribution of the airline is to ensure that Ghana successfully holds the well-advertised event.
The Ministry of Aviation and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) are the hosts of the event whilst Dubai-based 4M Events, organizers of the acclaimed Abu Dhabi Air Expo, are the event organizers.
The event is to serve as an ideal medium for the exchange of aviation-related know-how, fostering of closer collaboration between airlines operating in the country and their foreign counterparts who are expected to be in attendance.
It will also provide the opportunity for service providers to meet potential clients.
Turkish Airlines, which has been operating in Ghana for years, seeks to use the event as an opportunity to put Ghana on the world aviation map.