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Steve Burns, the ousted founder, chairman and CEO of bankrupt EV startup Lordstown Motors, has settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over misleading investors about demand for the company’s flagship all-electric Endurance pickup truck.
Burns was ordered to pay a civil fine of $175,000 and cannot serve as an officer or director of a public company for two years, according to the agreement filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Without admitting or denying the SEC’s allegations, Burns consented to a permanent injunction, the fine and other stipulations in the agreement, according to the SEC.
The SEC charged Lordstown Motors in February 2024 with misleading investors about the sales prospects of its Endurance electric pickup truck. The company agreed to pay $25.5 million. At the time, it wasn’t clear that the SEC was also going after Burns.
Lordstown Motors was founded in April 2019 as an offshoot of Burns’ other company, Workhorse Group. The company went public the following year via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company DiamondPeak Holdings Corp., with a market value of $1.6 billion. During and after the merger, Lordstown received $780 million from investors, according to the SEC.
The company was among a batch of EV startups that went public via mergers with blank-check companies in 2020 and enjoyed skyrocketing share prices that soon fell back to earth as they grappled with the challenge of producing and selling electric vehicles. Lordstown Motors attracted the attention and investment of GM and even acquired the 6.2 million-square-foot assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio from the automaker.
By June 2020, Lordstown was riding high after revealing its Endurance electric pickup in a splashy and political-leaning ceremony that featured former Vice President Mike Pence, who spoke for 25 minutes about former President Trump’s policies on jobs and manufacturing, China and the COVID-19 response.
Burns told the crowd that it had received 20,000 pre-orders, a number that would have locked in the entire first year of production if every customer who pre-ordered the truck followed through and bought the vehicle. Burns later said the company had received 100,000 nonbinding pre-orders from commercial fleet customers.
Short seller research firm Hindenburg Research disputed those claims and ultimately Burns, along with other executives, would resign by June 2021.
The SEC later investigated the claims and said Lordstown Motors and Burns made misleading statements about the business because most of the pre-orders were not submitted by commercial fleet customers, but rather by companies that did not operate fleets or intend to buy the truck for their own use. This, the SEC says, created an unrealistic and inaccurate depiction of demand for the truck from commercial fleet customers.
Lordstown continued on a rocky road even after Burns left, and eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In March, Lordstown Motors emerged from bankruptcy with a new name and a nearly singular focus: continuing its lawsuit against iPhone-maker Foxconn for allegedly “destroying the business of an American startup.” The company is now known as Nu Ride Inc.
Burns has also moved on since his resignation. In January, Burns launched a new company called LandX Motors.


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Google made 2 important announcements regarding tightening its partnership with Sprint in US today.
According to the first announcement, Nexus S has arrived on Sprint’s 4G network in United States. The important second announcement being about bringing seamless Google Voice experience to Sprint’s customers without the need of any app.
As pointed on the official blog: Current Sprint customers need no porting to start using Google Voice all around, their existing Sprint phone numbers will automatically work with Google Voice now:
So now, calls to your Sprint mobile number can easily be answered from your office or your home phone, or even your computer through Gmail. Calls from Gmail and text messages sent from google.com/voice will also display your Sprint number. This basically gives Sprint customers all the benefits of Google Voice without the need to change or port their number.
Also Google Voice users can now choose to flip their Sprint number with their Google Voice number while making calls or sending text messages. In short the clear conveyed message from the Google is that, Google Voice is now replacing Sprint voicemail messages, both online and offline (calls and text messages). Google als0 announced the normal Google Voice features to Sprint customers which include: cheap international calling rates, call blocking, call recording and personal voicemail greetings.
If you are a Sprint user in US, go visit this page.
Sprint+ Google Voice video:
via [Google Voice blog]

domain: news


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Pictures show a deserted Pizza Hut in Bristol city centre after its sudden closure.
The pizzeria had been a staple of St Augustine's Parade for over a decade, with an image taken from Google Maps in 2008 showing it open.
But the restaurant has recently closed and is now completely empty. The most recent review of the restaurant on Google was left two weeks ago - and the disgruntled reviewed only awarded it one star.
The would-be customer wrote: "Website says they have tables for today. However when tried to book they said an error has occurred. So rang them. A very rude lady on the phone about 14:40 answered said “Yes, we’re fully booked” no trying to accommodate. I wouldn’t bother. Obviously don’t need the money."
Overall on Google the branch had a rating of 3.9 / 5 from 564 reviews.
A notice on the window states that the branch has relocated to Aspects Leisure Park in Hanham. There are also branches of the nationwide chain remaining in Bedminster, Cribbs Causeway, Fishponds, Southmead and Kingswood.
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The empty unit on St Augustine's Parade stands next to another vacant shop that used to be Dom's Coffee House, which shut in October 2019.
In September 2020 Pizza Hut announced it was closing 29 branches across the UK, with the expected loss of about 450 jobs. One of the branches to close as part of this wave was Weston-super-Mare.
At the time, a spokeswoman for Pizza Hut said: “We are doing everything we can to redeploy our team members from our Pizza Hut Restaurants locations that are closing and minimise the impact to our workforce.
“We are therefore unable to share exact job loss numbers for each Hut.
“We understand this is a difficult time for everyone involved and are supporting our team members as much as possible throughout this transition.”
Bosses were forced to renegotiate their rents through the CVA restructuring deal after revealing it faced “significant disruption” from the pandemic.
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Last month the creators of PaRappa the Rapper and Gitaroo Man launched a Kickstarter for a new game with the working title Project Rap Rabbit. As promising as the concept was, the campaign came to an end this week and it fell way short of its lofty goal. While funding is necessary to make the game possible, the team currently has no plans to pursue a followup campaign.
This all sounds like a major bummer for what could have been a fun rhythm game, but the Kickstarter update that delivered the bad news didn't contain any doom and gloom. Summoning the optimistic spirit of PaRappa himself, the team exclaimed, "We gotta believe!," leaving fans with some hope for the future.
More from the message:
Though our Kickstarter campaign hasn't gone the way we'd intended, our early stages of development have left us more determined than ever to bring Project Rap Rabbit to life. While you didn't see Project Rap Rabbit at any conferences or booths during E3 week, we had a very, very busy E3 filled with meetings about our vision for the future of rhythm-action.
So what happens next? At this moment it's far too early to say, but thanks in part to your overwhelming support we know that our vision for Project Rap Rabbit hasn't gone unnoticed.
From all of us here at iNiS J and NanaOn-Sha, thank you again for your journeying with us. We sincerely hope this isn't the last time you'll hear of Project Rap Rabbit.


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Your total photography experience starts here
ePHOTOzine brings you a daily round up of all the latest photography news including camera news, exhibitions, events, special offers, industry news, digital photography news, announcements and launches.
Join Damian "The BIG Dog" McGillicuddy for his annual Big Dog Friday event.
Join Damian "The BIG Dog" McGillicuddy for his annual Big Dog Friday event in London.
Photoforum.com have announced the theme for this months photo contest.
Olympus is holding a second series of week-long free events in London.
The new shop in shop area should allow customers to get a decent hands-on look at Canon products.
Cartoonist Patrick Blower to hold master classes at ‘The Big Draw’ using a Wacom Cintiq 12WX.
Like to take photos outside? Then come along to the Outdoors Show at the Birmingham NEC, and catch up on the latest news from the world's of climbing, trecking and outdoor photography.
www.photomart.co.uk are organizing two presentations of a unique photography training day in the United Kingdom, in the cities of Birmingham and Manchester, on July 27 and August 30, respectively.
Join Nikon at the Gadget Show Live from the 7th April.
Get discount on product purchases by finding the My Creation Easter Eggs.
New date added for Damian the “BIG Dog” McGillicuddy “Mini Light, Maximum Effect” workshop.
Creativity backgrounds is teaming up with EIZO at the upcoming SWPP convention.
HTC has announced a new smartphone with a camera designed for optimum image quality with an UltraPixel sensor.
A clever photo of a family inside small boxes has helped a Nottingham photographer pick up his first national award.
Nikon today introduces Nikon 1, a revolutionary digital camera system built from scratch to offer still image and movie recording without compromise.
Sony introduce a series of small cameras which they say will give a 'big performance'.
Corel add 75 new features to the latest version of their PaintShop Pro software.
Following Jessops' plans to axe 81 of its shops as announced last Thursday, the photographic retail giant have unveiled exactly which stores it plans to close down.
Sony has shown a future lens roadmap at Photokina 2014, including details on four new FE Full-frame lenses.
ePHOTOzine has now published reviews of all Panasonic Lumix G lenses for the Micro Four Thirds camera system.
Lee Filters holder for Nikon's 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens
Canon have launched three design focused PIXMA printers, the iP7250, the MG5450 and the MG6350.
Enter our October competitions to be in with a chance of winning some great prizes!
Photowonder is your best partner for all your photo restoration services.
Find out why this week's Photo Of The Week won the accolade.
The Hamdan International Photography Award has been making an impression at the GITE technology awards.
The You Are Here exhibition involves taking a photo of those lost in London's East End and helping them on their way.
Giottos has been awarded the Best Design award by TIPA for its Silk Road range of tripods.
Canon has announced the new Canon EOS-M, a new mirrorless camera that it is calling "small and simple", with an 18.2 megapixel APS-C sensor and new lens mount.
Innova Art hits the spot at FESPA Digital Show In Hamburg.
Proud Chelsea is currently hosting an exhibition by Dorothy Bohm, showing the photographer's unique vision of sixties London.
Nikon has silently released the Nikon Coolpix S9050, a 15.5x optical lens pocket zoom camera.
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Check out ePHOTOzine's inspirational photo month calendar! Each day click on a window to unveil new photography tips, treats and techniques.
View May's Photo Month Calendar
Search for all the latest photography gear and services in our dedicated photography directories.
Calibrate your monitor so you can see 16 different shades :


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On Monday, actress Thandie Newton tweeted a photo of a controversial display at a Starbucks in London, which featured a child holding a bowl of Colombian coffee beans.
"Loin cloth and Safari hat on a black child. Happy New Year circa 19th century," Newton tweeted with a photo.
Newton wasn't the only one who took offense, and many people began commenting on Twitter.
Over 600 people retweeted the image and several hours later Starbucks tweeted an apology to Newton. Starbucks said they had removed the display.
Tech Insider reached out to Starbucks regarding the display. Here's their response:
Serving as a welcoming place for everyone is core to who we are as a company. As we became aware of the offence, we immediately removed the figure from our store. We aim to provide an inclusive environment for all customers and communities in which we serve, and we are working with our partners (employees) to avoid similar incidents from happening in the future. We apologize for the offence caused.


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eChai Ventures and Ideas To Impacts will be hosting the Scaling an Agency Business session in Pune with SaaS Founders and leaders on 20th August Saturday from 4 pm to 6 pm.
More about speakers at https://echai.network/events/saas-founders-meetup-in-pune-aug-20-2022
About eChai Ventures:
eChai Ventures a friendly global startup network hosts engaging Startup Growth meetups in 15+ Countries and enables cross-border collaborations.
eChai Ventures was started 13 years back in India has grown immensely in the few years with Startup Growth meetups in 25+ global startup cities in 15+ countries including the US Canada Singapore Australia UK Estonia UAE and others.
More at eChai.Network
Tickets for SaaS Founders Meetup in Pune can be booked here.


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The billionaire entrepreneur unveiled the social media platform's new chief after he announced he would be stepping down from the role.
"I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!" Musk wrote in a tweet on Friday.
The SpaceX and Tesla founder added Yaccarino "will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology".
The announcement comes after Musk revealed on Thursday he had found an unnamed replacement, who would start work within six weeks.
Yaccarino has worked at NBCUniversal for nearly 12 years.
In April, she interviewed Musk in front of hundreds of advertisers at a marketing conference, in Miami.
A number of advertisers left Twitter in the wake of Musk's $44 billion (£35 billion) acquisition of the platform last November.
Ms Yaccarino could help restore advertisers' faith in Twitter, advertising agency DiGo founder and creative chief Mark DiMassimo said.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...
He noted Yaccarino had successfully integrated and digitised advertisement sales at Comcast and NBC, adding that her track record of cross-selling adverts across different platforms could appeal to Musk as he tries to grow Twitter.
"If anyone can translate the Musk vision into advantages for marketers she'll be able to do it," Mr DiMassimo said.
"Even though there's skepticism and all marketers live in the 'show me' state right now with regard to Twitter, if in fact she does go to Twitter this is a powerfully reassuring move."
Musk has said his role at Twitter will "transition to being exec chair & CTO, overseeing product, software & sysops".
He had previously said he would resign from the role "as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job".
Last November, he was questioned in court about how he splits his time among Tesla and his other companies, including SpaceX and Twitter.
Musk said he never intended to be CEO of Tesla, and that he did not want to be chief executive of any other companies either, preferring to see himself as an engineer.
Musk's time as Twitter CEO has triggered periods of criticism, including his decision to sack more than half of the workforce he originally inherited.
He has also introduced a paid-subscription verification process for Twitter users, ending the blue check system in favour of new product, 'Twitter Blue'.
Musk also came under fire when Twitter reactivated the accounts of figures who had previously been suspended, including former US president Donald Trump.
The Partygate: The Inside Story podcast brings you fresh revelations and our whistleblowers in their own words in the definitive behind-closed-doors story of how ITV News uncovered one of the biggest scandals of our era


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How does the social network change the cosmetics industry
effect is far from advertising.
you may not know Beautycon, which was founded in 2013 the annual summit – but Beautycon CEO cosmetics Moj Mahdara called "holiday", he said that with the participants temperament more fit.
this year is the third year of Beautycon, there are 5000 people to participate, an increase of more than the first session of the 1000. This "holiday" ticket is not too high – compared to what we talked about before the luxury Society – an average of only $29.99, VIP is only $269.99. The Beautycon talked about the impact of social media for the cosmetics industry, one of which is the change of social media brand marketing and consumer behavior, is not the traditional media, counters and spend big price to buy large advertising projects is no longer suitable for the age of the
YouTube: beauty expert incubator
previously, the study can only make use of make-up books, those who only look at the book looks a little hard, but also not too good. But now, the vast majority of people in the use of video sites to learn makeup, makeup is the birth of the blogger.
they were born grassroots, may not be a professional makeup artist, just like to try cosmetics, study how to make up is the most suitable for their own. For example, Michelle Phan, Vietnamese Americans in 2007, upload a natural makeup video, only a day to get 10000 hits over 40000 times, a Zhou Chong to browse, this video has accumulated 11 million 350 thousand views, Michelle account itself has 8 million 240 thousand of the subscription.
three years later, she became Lancome’s video makeup artist, as well as the only one Vietnamese spokesperson. Soon, she began to publish, and create a beauty video service platform called IPSY (also a monthly subscription cosmetics electricity provider).
this is the way most beauty bloggers will go. We live in this era, people want to share, the Internet has expanded the diversity of beauty and personality needs." Phan representation.
similarly, the British professional makeup artist Wayne Goss is also due to the rapid development of the cause of YouTube, his $265 price of the cosmetic brush sold out within five minutes. Now he has 2 million 310 thousand YouTube subscribers.
he believes that YouTube naturally set the user’s use threshold, and passed the make-up of the special


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This post was originally written for The Global Panorama, and has been uploaded here as part of a growing portfolio of work.
ROLLING COVERAGE: Australian car manufacturer Holden has announced plans for offshore manufacturing of it’s iconically Australian vehicles.
Several press conferences have been held this afternoon, join The Global Panorama below for rolling coverage. We’ll be posting and tweeting the latest from the factories and Canberra below.
More to come.
4.39PM (AEST): Highlights from South Australian’s Premier, Jay Weatherill’s press conference in Adelaide:
‘PM Tony Abbott and his government have shown a callous disregard for many South Australian workers and their families.’
‘Devereaux set out business case and the Federal govt. ignored him.’
‘PM Tony Abbott and his government have shown a callous disregard for many SA workers and their families’
‘This is a policy choice made by the federal Liberal govt’
‘PM Abbott and his government have shown a callous disregard for many South Australian workers and their families.’
‘Mr. Devereux made it very clear he had all the information he needed yesterday.’
‘The Federal Government will have a massive price to pay for this decision – which is their condition.’
4.26PM (AEST): Highlights from The Labor Party’s press conference in Canberra:
3.26PM (AEST): Highlights from Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union press conference:
Highlights from Australian Manufacturing Worker’s Union presser:
‘It is now highly likely that Toyota will leave Australia, in fact it’s almost certain.’
’50,000 workers will be losing their jobs because of the decision by General Motors today’
‘[Workers] love working in this industry. They leave very quickly or stay for a very long period of time.’
‘It will devastate SA, and to a lesser extent Melbourne.’
‘The close down date for engine operations will be 2016 – 2017.’
‘The blame for this is solely the Abbott government.’
‘My heart,’ – apologises, walks off. Stares out,walks back half a minute later.’
2.35PM (AEST): Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said it was a ‘sudden decision’ from Holden to leave Australia.
Holden General Manger, Mike Devereaux is expected to make a media conference at 3PM AEST. We’ll bring you the highlights here LIVE.
2.32PM (AEST): Statement by Holden GM: ‘As part of its ongoing actions to decisively address the performance of its global operations, General Motors today announcedit would transition to a national sales company in Australia and New Zealand. The company also said it would discontinue vehicle and engine manufacturing and significantly reduce its engineering operations in Australia by the end of 2017.
“We are completely dedicated to strengthening our global operations while meeting the needs of our customers,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “The decision to end manufacturing in Australia reflects the perfect storm of negative influences the automotive industry faces in the country, including the sustained strength of the Australian dollar, high cost of production, small domestic market and arguably the most competitive and fragmented auto market in the world.”
As a result of the company’s actions, approximately 2,900 positions will be impacted over the next four years. This will comprise 1,600 from the Elizabeth vehicle manufacturing plant and approximately 1,300 from Holden’s Victorian workforce.
Holden will continue to have a significant presence in Australia beyond 2017, comprising a national sales company, a national parts distribution centre and a global design studio.
With the decision to discontinue vehicle and engine manufacturing in Australia by the end of 2017, GM expects to record pre-tax charges of $400 million to $600 millionin the fourth quarter of 2013. The charges would consist of approximately $300 million to $500 million for non-cash asset impairment charges including property, plant and equipment and approximately $100 million for cash payment of exit-related costs including certain employee severance related costs. Additional charges are expected to be incurred through 2017 for incremental future cash payments of employee severance once negotiations of the amount are completed with the employees’ union. The asset impairment charges will be considered special for EBIT-adjusted reporting purposes.’
This post was originally published on December 11, 2013.


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Koh Young Southeast Asia branch opens expanded offices in Malaysia
Inspection specialist Koh Young has expanded its facility in Penang, Malaysia as the company looks to further cement its position.
The expanded offices offer the company more space to show and highlight its inspection machines and smart factory solutions available.
Penang, positioned along the northwest of Peninsular Malaysia, needs no introduction to the global electronics manufacturing sector. It has long been a strategic location in the heart of Southeast Asia, in part due to its robust supply chain network, business environment, and ecosystem of local and multinational companies.
“Since the 1970s, Penang has grown to become a crucial hub for electronics manufacturing in Southeast Asia and is home to many top tier electronics manufacturers we can proudly call customers,” says Mr. Thomas Lau, Sales Manager for Koh Young Southeast Asia, in a press release. “Penang’s importance to Southeast Asia’s electronics manufacturing industry cannot be overstated. Its infrastructure, business environment, and skilled workforce make it a key player in the global electronics industry landscape and contributes significantly to the economic growth and development of the region.”
The electronics industry in Malaysia has strengthened the surrounding ecosystem, especially around semiconductor, solar, LED, storage technologies, and electronic manufacturing services (EMS). Malaysia’s ecosystem and outlook was a strong determining factor for why Koh Young strengthened its operations within Penang.


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Britain’s economic growth will remain “underwhelming” in 2018, a business group has warned, as Brexit uncertainty, high inflation and weak productivity weigh on business activity.
The survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) of more than 7,000 firms shows that companies continued to grapple with cost pressures at the end of last year and were unwilling to invest more.
Growth in the dominant services sector, which contributes 80 per cent of Britain’s economy, remained subdued, the BCC said. While manufacturers fared better, they still reported slower domestic and export sales.
Taken as a whole, the report suggested the world's sixth largest economy grew modestly in the last three months of 2017, after a small pickup in the three months to September with quarterly growth of 0.4 per cent. However, that remains below the historic trend of close to 0.6 per cent.
“The economy is set to continue on an underwhelming growth trajectory over the near term with uncertainty over the impact of Brexit coupled with high inflation and weak productivity likely to dampen overall economic activity,” said Suren Thiru, the BCC’s head of economics.
UK businesses are warning that more price hikes lie ahead thanks to rising inflation, the survey showed.
Inflation surged following the Brexit vote in June 2016 as the collapse in sterling pushed up the cost of imports. The UK's Consumer Prices Index inflation rate came in at 3.1 per cent in November, the highest in almost six years.
More than a third of services companies expected to raise prices in the next three months, the highest proportion since 2008, according to the BCC.
Among manufacturers, that figure rose to 50 per cent, reflecting the continued pressure from raw material inputs.
“Inflation remains a concern, with a significant spike in inflation expectations in the quarter,” Ms Thiru said.
“While inflation is likely to peak in the coming months it is likely to remain stubbornly above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent inflation target for a prolonged period.”
Businesses also said skills shortages are reaching "critical levels", with 71 per cent of services firms reporting recruitment difficulties – the most since records began in 1989.
The findings confirm fears that the economy is set to suffer a “brain drain” as new immigration rules after Brexit take effect.
The BCC warned recruitment issues could prove the biggest drag on business in 2018, as it urged its members to train more staff, rather than simply complain about staff shortages.
The Bank of England has said it anticipates an improvement in business investment in 2018.
But the BCC survey showed no sign of a firm upswing in investment plans among either services or manufacturing companies.
Amid this uncertain background, the UK’s chancellor and Brexit secretary flew to Germany on Wednesday to meet business groups to make Britain’s case for a wide-ranging Brexit deal.
Philip Hammond and David Davis – who usually sit at opposite ends of the EU divorce spectrum – put aside their differences to call for an agreement which could be “the most ambitious in the world”, covering both goods and financial services.
In an article for a German newspaper ahead of their visit, they warned that Brussels' insistence on keeping financial services off the table in trade talks threatens a repeat of the 2008 crash.
The EU and the UK are due to begin formally discussing their future trade ties in March.
Mr Davis has recently stated his vision for a "Canada plus plus" trade deal, which would involve a similar model to the Canada-EU trade deal but with an additional agreement on services, including financial.
But the notion set him on a collision course with the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, who has repeatedly insisted that a bespoke deal involving financial services is not possible.
"There is no place [for financial services]. There is not a single trade agreement that is open to financial services. It doesn’t exist," Mr Barnier said in December.


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Direct to Home DTH operator “Dish TV” Re-Launched the Free to Air FTA Bengali News Channel “R Plus” on its Platform on 17th of January 2023. R Plus presents the latest Bengal News Live stream directly from R Plus News Channel. If you are looking for the latest Kolkata News live 24 ghanta Bengali News is at your fingertips. R Plus was also available earlier on Dish TV but later they were removed due to carriage fees issues, Now everything is sorted out and the channel is re-added on Dish TV.
To watch the R Plus channel on Dish TV tune into channel number 1485. This Channel is Free to Air FTA from Broadcaster’s end so every subscriber will get this channel Free of Cost in all basic packages. R Plus channel is also available on Zing Super FTA Box at No Extra Cost for West Bengal subscribers. Dish TV already has many Bengali News channels and has increased its portfolio with the launch of R plus.
Read other posts:
- Dish TV Royal Sports Pack Channel List
- Blacksheep TV added on Sun Direct
- Dish TV Launches Zing DZ-3500 HD Box
I hope you liked R Plus added on Dish TV post. Keep sharing this information with your friends and relatives.


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March brought the largest decline in retail sales in nearly three decades as the coronavirus altered consumer confidence and spending, but some ETFs, including the VanEck Vectors Retail (RTH), may be well-positioned for a new look retail industry.
RTH turns nine years old later this year and follows the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, “which is intended to track the overall performance of companies involved in retail distribution, wholesalers, on-line, direct mail and TV retailers, multi-line retailers, specialty retailers, and food and other staples retailers,” according to VanEck.
While it’s often known as an ETF with one of the largest weights to Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) – 22.68% to be precise – RTH’s robust exposure to the staples retailers, such as Dow component Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Costco (NASDAQ: COST), is a plus in the COVID-19 environment.
“Some large retailers that are focused on e-commerce, groceries or other essential products have been experiencing unprecedented sales volumes as to the rush to stock up on household essentials continues,” said VanEck in a recent note. “In the two weeks ending March 22, 2020, U.S. grocery sales are up 83% from the same period last year.”
Ring up RTH
Staples are extending a run of being sturdy amid the COVID-19 outbreak as the public seeks refuge within their homes, amid a haven of Clorox bleach, Coca-cola, and toilet paper. These are goods that will continue to be necessary regardless of the landscape, and some states are even mandating that stores remain open to sell them.
“At a time when many other industries are seeing large-scale layoffs, these retailers are on a hiring spree to help address the rise in demand. Amazon has hired 80,000 workers over the course of a few weeks as part of its plan to add 100,000 to its workforce, while Walmart plans to expand its employee base by 10%,” according to VanEck.
The consumer staples segment has long been viewed as a high-quality and defensive play. The slow and steady nature of the consumer staples business has long been touted as a safe play for all periods since consumers will still need to buy the basic necessities.
RTH “offers exposure to companies involved in retail, including distribution, wholesalers, online retailers and retailers of food and other staples. Amazon, Costco, Walmart, and CVS are among its largest holdings. Year-to-date as of April 6, 2020, RTH was significantly outperforming the S&P 500, at -9.4% vs -17.2%, respectively,” notes the issuer.
For more on tactical strategies, please visit our Tactical Investing Channel.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.


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Rating agencies that warn of Britain’s post-Brexit prospects are systematically exaggerating the costs and underestimating the benefits. This is politics, not economics.
Moody’s has just warned of a possible credit downgrade for the UK from “stable” to “negative” for 2020, citing political uncertainty and “paralysis that has characterised the Brexit-era policymaking process”. It places the UK in the same group of countries subject to political turbulence as Hong Kong, Argentina and South Africa. It goes on to say that it does “not expect growth to recover to its historic trend rate over the coming years, mainly because we believe Brexit will hinder both trade and investment”. The UK currently has an Aa2 rating, the third-highest.
This contrasts with the A-rating Moody’s gave to Greece even as its public finances were running out of control. According to Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, writing in the Daily Telegraph, Pierre Cailleteau, Moody’s chief of European ratings, is “the high priest of EMU sovereign fungibility: that Club Med debt was as good as German debt because Europe was sacred”.
Moody’s has clearly allowed its prejudices to colour its judgment about Brexit. It has bought into the Project Fear predictions of the Treasury, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, and the UK in a Changing Europe. These organisations predict that UK GDP (Gross Domestic Product) would fall by up to 7% over the next 10 years if Boris Johnson’s deal is approved.
However, the economic models that these organisations use to make these predictions underestimate the benefits of the free trade deals we will negotiate after we leave the EU and overestimate the costs of the border frictions that the EU will impose on UK goods being shipped to the EU after Brexit. In reality, as a result of the WTO’s Customs Facilitation Agreement that the EU has signed up to, these border costs are essentially zero – as confirmed by the EU’s trade deal with Switzerland.
Moody’s have completely ignored the economic benefits to the post-Brexit economy from the Canada Plus deal that the EU has agreed it will negotiate with us. Donald Tusk, then European Council President, first offered this deal back in May 2018. It would allow the UK economy to escape from the regulatory stranglehold of the Single Market and the high tariffs and non-tariff barriers of the Customs Union. These add around 20% to the cost UK consumers pay for their food and clothing. If the terms of this deal are properly modeled – as Professor Patrick Minford, chair of Economists for Free Trade has done ‒ UK GDP would actually be 4% (or £80bn) higher in 15 years’ time than if we remained in the EU. This compares with the 5% long-term increase in GDP experienced by Australia when it adopted free trade policies in the 1980s.
So Moody’s pessimism about the UK’s future economic prospects is wrong – just as its optimism about the future prospects of the Eurozone is wrong. The evidence on both counts will be coming soon. For a starter, it has just been reported that, since the referendum in 2016, the UK economy has grown at a faster rate (a total of 4.9%) than Germany (at 4.7%).
Professor David Blake is an economist at the Cass Business School, City University of London.
This article was first published on Briefings for Brexit, and is republished with permission. You may not use, copy, distribute, publish, syndicate, sub-license and transmit the whole or any part of such material in any manner and in any format and/or media without the permission of the original publishers.
Picture © NASA Worldview.


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Denver proposes social marijuana use rules for businesses
DENVER - Denver has proposed a set of rules for businesses that get permits to allow social marijuana use.
The Denver Post reports that among the rules presented Thursday, businesses owners would have to require customers to sign waivers as they enter, follow a ventilation plan if they allow vaping devices indoors and seek a temporary suspension of their liquor license if they have one.
The voter-passed law directed the city to put in place a four-year pilot program that allows some businesses to seek annual permits to create areas where customers can consume their own cannabis. That’s as long as a business gets backing from a local neighborhood or business association.
The new law also allows one-time events to seek permits.
The newspaper reports the proposed rules will likely draw objections from backers of the initiative.


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The search for the PS5 is still on despite the console officially launching more than half a year ago.
It’s still the hottest Sony console of the year and buyers are still keen to get their hands on one.
Demand hasn’t faltered and retailers are now beginning to get restocks of the PS5, offering exclusive deals and discounts.
Amazon is the latest online retailer to feature a restock of the PS5 for Prime Members – however this is only on Amazon EU, although the UK site is expecting stock soon.
Don’t have Prime? Claim your 30-day free trial here.
Meanwhile, Argos has announced it will be stocking the console in the near future, with rumours circulating among dedicated PS5 social media channels that this could be due tomorrow (August 10).
While the likes of GAME, Very and Currys are also advising that new stock will be made available in future.
Consoles are already available from OnBuy and ShopTo but often at slightly higher prices.
Follow our live blog below for the latest P5S UK stock updates, rumours and information. Got a tip or a request? Email [email protected] to submit your enquiry.


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Target Makes “No Dirty Gold” Pledge
Target Corporation has joined jewelry retailers across the globe in pledging to seek cleaner sources of gold and precious metals.
The Minneapolis-based retailer became the 73rd signer of the “Golden Rules,” a set of social, human rights, and environmental criteria for more responsible mining of precious metals.
The rules are part of the “No Dirty Gold” campaign, which is spearheaded by a Washington, D.C.-based mining reform organization called Earthworks.
According to Earthworks, the production of one gold ring generates an average of 20 tons of mine waste. Gold mining has also been linked to human rights violations, forest destruction, toxic pollution, and loss of lands and livelihoods.
“Target is proud to be part of the No Dirty Gold campaign,” Tim Mantel, president of Target's sourcing services, said in a statement. “Our approach to sourcing products throughout the world is grounded in our heritage of strong business ethics.”
The No Dirty Gold campaign was launched around Valentine's Day of 2004, and ever since, campaign activists have been pushing big jewelry retailers to sign on. According to an Earthworks release, the Golden Rules are now being adhered to by eight of the top 10 jewelry sellers in the country-Walmart, Macy's, Inc., Tiffany & Company, JCPenney, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Sears Holdings (which includes Kmart), Zale Corporation, Sterling Jewelers, Inc., and QVC.
“Target's commitment brings us one step closer to the day when gold and other precious metals are no longer tarnished by environmental harm or human rights abuses,” Payal Sampat, international campaign director at Earthworks, said in a statement. “The No Dirty Gold campaign applauds Target for this important decision.”
Target serves customers at 1,750 stores in 49 states nationwide and on its Web site. It is one Minnesota's largest public companies based on revenue, which totaled $65.8 billion for the fiscal year that ended in January.


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U.S. consumers appear to be less worried about food safety in general but more concerned about fruit and vegetable safety in particular.
A new poll from NPR and Thomson Reuters shows that 57% of consumers say they are concerned or very concerned about food safety, down from 61% who responded that way in the summer of 2010.
Fresh produce on the other hand, showed an elevated level of concern among consumers. The poll showed that 30% of consumers say fruits and vegetables pose the greatest risk, compared with 23% with that view last year.
Meat leads the list of foods that people worry about most, the poll showed. Of those polled, 44% said meat is the food that posses the greatest risk, which NPR said was down 7% from a year ago.
The poll, conducted the first two weeks of July and reflecting the answers of more than 3,000 consumers, indicated that 11% of those polled say they were sickened by something they ate in the previous three months, similar to last year.
However, a greater percentage — 22% this year versus 12% in 2010 — said the illness was fairly serious, according to an NPR report of the poll.
The survey showed higher-income consumers were less concerned about food safety than those with a lower incomes.
The poll found that 53% of those making less than $25,000 per year said they were very concerned about food safety, compared with just 39% for those making $100,000 a year.


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To celebrate its 70th Anniversary, Porsche has unveiled the 911 Speedster Concept, a production-ready concept inspired by the brand's iconic speedsters of the past.
Presented at the 2018 Geneva Show, the Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Concept combines an emotional, off-road-inspired design with an all-electric powertrain and advanced technologies.
An official video that gives some insights on the design development of the new Porsche Cayenne.
The design of the third generation Porsche Cayenne appears more dynamic, balanced and streamlined.
Created by a team of six designers, the Porsche 908/04 Concept is an independent project of a sleek racing car that reinterprets the 1969 908 LH in a modern way.
Porsche has released the first design sketch and a short video previewing the new-generation Panamera that will be unveiled at the end of June.
An official behind the scenes of the Porsche Mission E, the electric supercar concept unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Volkswagen has announced that Michael Mauer, currently lead designer at Porsche, will succeed Walter de Silva in the group design direction.
Bulgarian 3D designer Encho Enchev has created a design study of a Porsche racing car that reinterprets the brand's styling and heritage.
A video of the Porsche Mission E Concept shot at the 2015 Frankfurt Show and narrated by Chief Designer Michael Mauer.
Revealed at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Porsche Mission E is a modern four-door all-electric car, equipped with an advanced 800V drivetrain capable of over 600 hp and a driving range of 500 km.
The Porsche 901 is a design study that aimes at reinterpreting the iconic 911 going back to its original essence. The author is designer Ege Arguden from the Art Center College of Design.
Porsche has released a short clip that gives a brief overview of the main design features of the brand's model line-up
The Porsche Design Group (Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG) has founded a subsidiary in Switzerland dedicated to producing high-quality timepieces.
Porsche has officially opened three new buildings - including a new design studio with concept car construction facility - at its Weissach development center, marking the conclusion a $200 million investment project in the center's history.
Porsche has released a series of short videos titled "Porsche 911 Secrets" that reveal some secret projects of the past, including an aerodynamic concept, a V8-powered 911 and the first 911 turbo.
At the 2014 Detroit Motor Show Porsche has revealed the 911 Targa, featuring an advanced fully automatic roof system and the iconic rear wraparound window.
The compact SUV presented at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show combines the sporty character and performance typical of Porsches with a design strongly influenced by the brand's DNA and heritage.


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By PRI Staff
Performance Racing Industry (PRI) and its leading content creation team are embarking on a second PRI Road Tour to share stories from events and race tracks around the country.
Starting with one of the most historic racing competitions, the PRI Road Tour began June 23, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Like the inaugural PRI Road Tour coverage, which brought stories from businesses, racers and industry icons to more than 45 million individuals, the 2021 program will highlight the stories, passion, energy and excitement found only in the racing industry.
“We were very pleased with the success of last year's PRI Road Tour, which resulted in hundreds of high-quality news pieces from the nearly 100 racing and performance shops that we visited,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “The second PRI Road Tour will focus on elevating the entire racing industry with coverage that everyone will find entertaining from the world’s best photographers and videographers.”
The 2021 PRI Road Tour will make stops at iconic tracks and racing events throughout the country before culminating at the world’s premier auto racing trade show, the PRI Trade Show, December 9–11, at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. Exclusive and never-before-seen Road Tour content will be showcased to PRI Trade Show attendees.
The 2021 PRI Road Tour will include high-profile events, smaller events, iconic events and everything in between during its months-long trip around the country. Scheduled stops include:
- June 21-27: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- July 14: Dirt Car Summer Nationals, Indianapolis
- July 16-17: Kings Royal, Rossburg, Ohio
- July 22: Rally North America, Gingerman, Michigan
- July 24-25: NMCA/NMRA Power Festival, Martin, Michigan
- August 20-22: NTPA Summer Nationals, Bowling Green, Ohio
- September 2-5: Crandon World Championships, Crandon, Wisconsin
- September 10-12: Gridlife, South Haven, Michigan
- September 13-17: Hot Rod Drag Week, various locations
- October 7-10: Super Dirt Week, Oswego, New York
- October 22-23: Indy Autonomous Challenge, Indianapolis
- October 29-31: Dodge/SRT NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas
- November 2-5: SEMA Show, Las Vegas
- December 3-5: Mint 400, Las Vegas
- December 9-11: PRI Trade Show, Indianapolis
PRI will collect content at every stop and share images, videos and more through its website, social platforms, weekly eNewsletter, and monthly magazine. Exclusive pieces will feature personal stories from racers, track owners, promoters and fans on the industry they love. Last year’s Road Tour yielded a cache of unique and never-before-seen footage, including interviews with business owners sharing their passion for the motorsports industry.
“The racing community has rallied around the PRI Road Tour to help showcase how the racing industry is a keystone segment of our country’s economy, and the importance of race tracks to local markets,” said Meyer. “Race tracks were among the hardest-hit businesses by the pandemic, so it’s important that we continue to support them and advocate for the entire industry.”
Sponsors of this year's PRI Road Tour include AST Suspension Technology, Buzze Racing, Callies Performance Products, Deatschwerks, Design Engineering Inc., Forgeline Motorsports, Hawk Performance, Hot Shot’s Secret, KW Automotive, Lucas Oil Products, Marwin Sports, Mass Traction and RE Suspension.
As a unifying force for the industry, PRI advocates on a number of issues, including petitioning the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to expand the Shuttered Venues Operator Grant (SVOG) program to include motorsports.
PRI also launched a new motorsports membership program this year that is designed to formally unite and protect racing while celebrating the sport through exclusive member benefits. To learn more about PRI Membership and how you can contribute to the fight to preserve racing’s future in the United States, visit performanceracing.com/membership.
“This PRI Road Tour is part of our commitment to the entire motorsports industry—business owners, track operators, and racers,” said Meyer. “No one else is advocating for the racing industry and sharing their stories. We’re here to represent and unite the motorsports community.”
Content generated by the PRI Road Tour is available for editorial use by journalists by contacting PRI Media Relations Manager Juan Torres, firstname.lastname@example.org.
To learn more about the PRI Road Tour, visit pri2021.com/roadtour, email email@example.com, and follow Performance Racing Industry on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter.


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The Downside of Diet Sodas
Although sugary beverages are worse for your teeth, a new study shows that some diet versions cause more damage than water or plain iced tea. "Many contain phosphoric or citric acid or both, which can erode tooth enamel," says Poonam Jain, D.D.S., director of community dentistry at Southern Illinois University. Not ready to ditch your diet soda habit? Sip it through a straw or have it with food to minimize the damage.


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UK – Preparing to Launch Campaign against Identity Theft
As per a report by MPs (All-party Parliamentary Group in the UK) on identity theft, it has been decided to launch an advertisement to caution about revealing too much private information on social networking sites. The MPs also summon the government and directed them to make the business circle and public aware of identity fraud and how they can avoid being trapped and finally asks them to present an overall review of resources and law for the police.
The government of the UK estimates that it nearly costs them around 1.7 Billion Pound per year and almost 171,488 cases reported in 2006. But the consumer research has unfolded another story claiming that the problem is far bigger than this as the latest surveys have revealed that as many as one in four user fall victims to these frauds.
Shockingly, the MPs have also discovered that many people are not adopting protective steps to avoid this fraud, particularly the young people as it has been found that they are least bothered to confine their private information. Further, more than 60% in the 16-25 age group do not damage their personal documents before throwing them away and one out of six has also displayed private data in a chat room or a social networking site or on a blog.
Thus, the group requires an advertisement campaign on social networking sites like Bebo, MySpace and Facebook to spread awareness among the younger people. Other suggestions recommend providing the police with enough resources to handle problem, which includes imposing strict measures on companies that put people's personal data in danger and having loyal and dedicated identity fraud officers.
It has been very well observed that despite innumerous warnings, many users fail to adopt simple precautions which avoid them from becoming victims, like checking their bank statements, damage their documents before throwing them away, and controlling their credit reference.
The group also senses urgency in getting the consumers and business circle educated about the hazards of disclosing private data on PCs. The All Party Group is also making the banking industry aware of the growing problem of identity theft and suggests them to adopt substantial measures for protecting themselves and their customers.
Related article: US Passes Baton to Asia in Spam Relay
» SPAMfighter News - 22-10-2007
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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- American River Bankshares AMRB, +0.38% said its board has approved a 14.2 percent increase in the company's quarterly dividend. The Sacramento, Calif.-based company will make the new payout of 12.5 cents per share on April 15 to shareholders of record on April 1. Shares of American River Bankshares ended Wednesday at $21.75, up 20 cents.
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WASHINGTON — An initiative aimed at developing new communications standards to support the integrity of traceability and country-of-origin-labeling (COOL) information for fresh products has been launched by the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), a division of the National Retail Federation here.
The ARTS Fresh Initiative is aimed at preserving the integrity of traceability information for a product such a cut of meat that may be reworked or rewrapped in the store.
“It’s a significant challenge to enact a recall [for fresh products], especially if the product is prepared in the store,” said Frank Urbaniak, consulting principal, C-Core Consulting Group, Sussex, N.J., who is a member of the initiative’s work team. “That’s why we need these standards. Messaging standards are what it’s going to take for the data to remain consistent in every part of the food preparation cycle.”
ARTS is seeking retailers to participate in its Fresh Initiative, said Urbaniak.
Read More of Today's Headlines


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- OnePlus has announced it will hold a 'Snowbot Battle'.
- The 'Snowbot Battle' will be held on March 16.
- It could be a precursor to the launch of OnePlus 8 series.
OnePlus had teased earlier this week that it will make an announcement on March 3. A deluge of speculations followed the teaser, strongly indicating that the company could unveil a new concept device that will be photography centric. Putting all those speculations to rest, OnePlus has announced that it will host a Snowbot Battle' on March 9 to showcase the 5G capabilities of its upcoming phone, which is most likely the OnePlus 8.
The Snowbot Battle' is essentially a snowball fight that will involve the participation of robots. These robots will be powered by a OnePlus 5G phone, alluding to how well the device can handle IoT functions. The 5G phone that OnePlus is talking about is possibly the OnePlus 8 that is said to be launched in the second week of April. There will also be a spruced-up version, the OnePlus 8 Pro, which is also likely to come with support for 5G networks. The launch of the OnePlus 8 series will mark the entry of OnePlus into the 5G club, which already has quite a few renowned names such as Samsung, Oppo, Realme, and Vivo.
To be able to participate in the Snowbot Battle, the player needs to have a OnePlus account and a mobile device. As soon as the player is registered, he or she will be eligible for the battle that will run between March 9 and March 12. Each player gets one snowbot' with one lifeline. The motive is to win the battle against the team of two and qualify for the next rounds. The player will join a queue and his or her turn to play will arrive accordingly. Each queue is capped at two hours, which is why OnePlus recommends the player keeps an eye on the company's social media properties. More details and FAQ on OnePlus' Snowbot Battle' are available on the website.
Coming back to the OnePlus 8 series, there are three models expected in the year 2020 the vanilla OnePlus 8, the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the OnePlus 8 Lite. Some previous leaks have suggested that the OnePlus 8 will have a 6.6-inch display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and at least three main cameras. The OnePlus 8 Pro, on the other hand, is said to come with a larger QHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole design. The smartphone could be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC under the hood with support for 5G networks. The OnePlus 8 Lite, whereas, will be the most affordable among the three and will pack a smaller display with 90Hz refresh rate, three cameras, and a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset under the hood.


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Update: This doll sold out in 2 minutes on Thursday.
Last year, Swedish dollmakers Miroslava Brodlova and her daughter, Mjusi Mjus, designed a completely new 16-inch resin ball-jointed doll (BJD) and offered it exclusively through DOLLS magazine. Mae had a toddler-style body, and this year Meadow Dolls returns with Aya, a new exclusive facial sculpt using the same body.
“The purpose of the Mae sculpt was to make a doll younger-looking than the big chubby 18-inch toddler doll I have and bigger than the Dumpling BJD sizes,” Brodlova said.
Once again available exclusively through DOLLS magazine, Aya “Kitty” edition is a limited edition of 30 BJDs cast in fair skin tone resin. Aya will have blue 16mm eyes and blond wig (size 10-11) and comes with a factory face-up designed by Mjus. She also comes with her kitty outfit and hat, made by Barbara Zuchowski, along with hand¬made shoes and a soft toy kitty.
As reported in DOLLS April 2020 issue, Brodlova is making even more new heads for her popular BJDs this year, including new Dumplings, one for the 18- inch body and one for the 20-inch, set to debut at this year’s Modern Doll Collectors Convention (MDCC) in September. She’s also working on a new head sculpt for Ardyn, her tallest release to date at 21 inches, which was released earlier this year.
In addition, Meadow Dolls fans can expect to see new editions in the Twinkles line as well as the popular Saffi and Bailey designs. However, due to technical issues, Brodlova said she is hoping to discontinue editions using the chocolate color resin. “I am having difficulties in finding a replacement,” she said. “The chocolate resin is popular, but there are difficulties with the sealers and changes in humidity and temperature.”
In fact, Brodlova said she has so many new designs and editions in the works that “even I can see there is not enough time in a year to do all of them. So some of them you will see in early 2021.”


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Nintendo shares jump on imminent launch of Switch Lite
Reuters - Jul 16th, 11:38
Shares in Japan’s Nintendo Co rose more than 4 percent last week after the company said it would soon launch Nintendo Switch Lite, a cheaper, handheld version of its hugely popular Switch games.
The Kyoto-based company said the new device would launch on Sept. 20 at a suggested retail price of 19,980 yen, or $199.99, compared with $299 for the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo shares had risen on media reports earlier this year of a low-cost version of the Switch console, only to be battered after management appeared to dampen such speculation over the past few months.
In mid-morning trade, Nintendo's shares were up 3.6 percent, while the benchmark Nikkei average .N225 was flat.
“A lower-priced version should stimulate demand,” Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal wrote in a note to clients.
He said the new device directly targets the 75 million owners of Nintendo’s 3DS hand-held device, and that “this lower-priced version should add fuel to fire as this price-point directly targets those” owners.
SA "Black Friday" sales expected to rise 30% year-on-year
18/10/2019 - 12:50
South African businesses have begun preparing for what looks to be another bumper Black Friday trading day, with sales predicted to be up 30 percent from last year, online largest payment service provider PayGate said.
Consumers are pushing transformation in the retail industry
18/10/2019 - 10:54
Hearing from some of the best speakers in the retail industry, 480 minutes of thought-provoking and relevant insights, amazing networking opportunities and the exchange of ideas. The realisation that the retail sector is rapidly changing and to survive and ensure sustainability, businesses need to evolve – it is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a necessity – this was the 2019 SACSC Congress.
Marks & Spencer targets new store concept in bid to drive growth
18/10/2019 - 10:18
For a taste of CEO Steve Rowe’s ambitions to transform Marks & Spencer Group (M&S), look no further than its newly refurbished shop in London’s Clapham neighbourhood.
Retail sales up 1.1% in August
18/10/2019 - 09:28
Measured in real terms, retail sales increased by 1.1% year-on-year in August, following a 2% jump in July, figures released on Wednesday by Statistics South Africa showed.
Ackermans launches futuristic concept store
16/10/2019 - 16:17
Ackermans, one of South Africa’s longest-standing value retailers, launched its first technology-driven concept store in Sandton City, Johannesburg.


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Yes, Nokia 7.1 does have the 3.5 mm headphone jack. It is located on the upper panel of the phone.
No. Nokia 7.1 is not a water-resistant phone.
No. At the time of the launch of Nokia 7.1, the face-unlock feature will not be available. However, it is widely expected that the Nokia will introduce face unlock feature in short time across of its many mobile models.
No. Nokia 7.1 does not have the FM radio support but you can download FM radio apps from the Google Play store and can listen to music.
Nokia has quietly released one of the most exciting inexpensive phones of the year in the Nokia 7.1, a well-designed phone that delivers first-rate performance.
With the Nokia 7.1, the brand continues its run of impressive mid-range phones carrying close-to-stock Android. While the phone has weaknesses, overall it offers better quality and features than you would expect at this price.


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50 years of diplomatic relations Bulgaria and Australia
50 years of diplomatic relations between
Bulgaria and Australia and a huge potential for the development of trade relations.
On the occasion of 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the Australian Union, the Bulgarian-Australian Business Chamber (BABC) gathered in Sofia diplomats and companies that develop relations between the two countries. The event was attended by members of the chamber, business representatives, line ministries and directorates, as well as representatives of other mixed chambers.
According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bulgarian community in Australia numbers between 10,000 and 15,000 people, and more than 5,000 people live in New Zealand. The trade potential between the two countries, however, despite the great potential, is still underdeveloped. BABC makes a targeted effort to support this process by creating business contacts and assisting in the exchange of economic, legal, educational and other information.


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Video Display Q3 net income rises
Video Display Corp.'s profit jumped 292 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.
The Tucker, Ga.-based maker of video monitors and other display devices (NASDAQ: VIDE) reported net income of $1 million on $22.3 million in sales, compared with net income of $225,000 on $19.7 million in sales in the third quarter of 2006.
Third-quarter earnings rose 233 percent to 10 cents a share.
"Although we had projected a strong third quarter, results surpassed the higher limit of expectations," said Ron Ordway, Video Display CEO. "We further believe VDC will show positive results for our current quarter ended Feb. 28, 2007, with excellent comparisons to the like fiscal 2006 fourth quarter but are expected to be reduced when compared to the period being reported today."
Through nine months of 2007, Video Display had net income of $1.2 million and earnings of 12 cents a share on $60.7 million in sales, compared with net income of $2 million and earnings of 20 cents a share on $63.5 million in sales in the same period of 2006.
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Canada’s 500 fastest growing businesses, why it’s still too early to kill the headphone jack, and Amazon drivers are speaking out about harsh work conditions.
Introducing the 2018 ranking of Canada's Fastest Growing Companies. The typical #Growth500 company in this year's ranking increased sales by 798% from 2012 to 2017. See the full ranking and more here: https://t.co/4Tl87tgwIW
— Canadian Business (@cdnbiz) September 13, 2018
Trending on Twitter, Canadian Business released its list of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies for 2018. Number one on the list is furniture retailer Article. Over the past five years this firm has seen its sales grow 56,581 per cent over the last five years, to a revenue of more than $100 million in 2017. How has it done with? With Instagram ads, of course. Instead of going down the traditional path of working with retailers, this furniture maker sells directly to consumers. It markets using magazine-quality photos of its furniture on social media channels and its website. It encourages reviews from its customers. It’s all backed by a data engine and proprietary software that tracks click, shopping cart behaviour, and purchases. Make no mistake, this company – founded by four engineers – is a technology firm that just happens to sell furniture. Here’s the rest of the top five in order: Toronto-based EdenPark, Burlington, Ont.-based Prodigy GAme, Victoria, B.C.-based SendtoNews, and Toronto-based Maropost.
Trending on Reddit, bring back the headphone jack! In an appeal to smartphone makers that I can totally get behind, PC World asks for the return of the analog headphone jack until problems with USB-C headphones are solved. The problem is that currently there’s no agreed-upon standard for USB-C to analog adapters. So while one adapter might give you audio on Google’s Pixel 2 phone, it won’t work with Huawei’s P20 for example. This leaves consumers confused about what they need to buy when they lose the adapter that come sin the box. To make matters worse, Apple is not even including a dongle in its iPhone Ten-S boxes. Please, if you’re a smartphone maker, just include a normal headphone jack on your device. It’s worked well for the past decade. It will still work well for the next.
Trending on LinkedIn, Amazon delivery drivers describe a workplace of horrors in a new Business Insider report. To make good on Amazon’s promise of on-time deliveries and free shipping, many drivers say they felt pressured to drive dangerously fast, ignore stop signs, and pee into bottles instead of taking washroom breaks. Drivers also complain they’re often not paid for overtime, and sometimes not at all. Business Insider spoke to 31 current or recently employed drivers. Amazon responded saying that it doesn’t hire drivers directly, it hired third-party courier companies. Amazon said that you can’t characterize a network of thousands based on anecdotal evidence, but that small businesses sometimes need more support when scaling fast.


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Spotsetter, a social search engine using big data to offer personalized recommendations as to places to go, has been quietly snapped up by Apple, TechCrunch has learned. The technology, which involves layering social data on top of a maps interface could be used to beef up Apple Maps with features competitor Google lacks.
The deal, we understand, was mainly about acquiring the technology and the talent of the two founders, ex-Google Maps engineer Stephen Tse and Johnny Lee (whose LinkedIn profiles also now point to their move to Apple).
Some of the company’s team also joined Apple, but not all.
Spotsetter debuted during AngelPad’s Spring 2012 class, then later went on to raise $1.3 million in seed funding from Rahul Prakash, 2020 Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners in addition to AngelPad, according to CrunchBase. We don’t know the specifics of the deal terms at this time, but hear that the “investors are happy,” so to speak.
How Spotsetter Worked
Spotsetter looked to combine friends’ recommendations, trusted reviews and other signals in order to reinvent maps as a more social experience.
Initially available as a web and mobile application, Spotsetter used a patent-pending algorithm to pull in users’ content from social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare, as well as venue content from over 30 review sites and lists from trusted sources like Yelp, Zagat, the New York Times, Michelin, and TripAdviser. As of last summer, the company said that it had processed 5 million user profiles, 40 million venues, and 1 million curated venue content items from around the world.
Using the app, you could look up any place, category or keyword, then be presented with personalized results, as well as see what your friends had said about the places around you. The app would also highlight which of your friends were experts in a given area, like coffee or shopping or sushi, for example – and you could tag your friends as experts in order to influence the recommendations. In addition, you could use Spotsetter to discover new places by browsing the map to see where your friends have been and what they’ve shared.
The end result was a social search engine built on top of a mapping interface.
As VentureBeat pointed out in its review last year, Spotsetter was similar in a way to Foursquare, which also plots social data on a map, but instead of being limited to one source, the app pulled from multiple platforms.
Spotsetter was available, until recently, on both iOS and Android, but the company had its eye on making its way into wearables in the future, including Google Glass, and maybe the rumored iWatch, if such a product were ever released. As the company explained on its blog just a few months ago, recommendations done right on wearable platforms would seemingly work “like magic.”
“Our users won’t have to explicitly search; they get a great recommendation at the appropriate time with the right amount of content,” wrote Lee. “Then they continue to enjoy the physical world without a thought about technology.”
Lee’s final blog post from last week hints that though Spotsetter is shutting down, the idea lives on:
“We still have big dreams for personalized search for places and look forward to seeing great progress in this area.”
Spotsetter had been in discussions with Apple for some time, but the deal quickly closed last week after other companies found out and became interested, we hear.
We’ve reached out to Apple for comment, and will update if a response is provided.


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Rollick, provider of marketing technology solutions for the powersports, RV and marine industries, launched its new Digital Dealer Subscription Package for marine dealers.
The comprehensive package empowers marine dealers with valuable tools to build trust via digital placement of the prestigious NMMA award badge, enhanced website engagement, nurture leads effectively through email automation and generate quality leads from members, customers and employees of affinity groups like Sam’s Club, AAA, Progressive, eBay, JD Power and the nation’s largest employers.
In today’s evolving digital landscape, marine shoppers seek deeper online engagement, the company said. Rollick’s new package addresses this demand head-on, dramatically improving the way dealers connect with online shoppers to drive more sales.
“We are very excited to introduce this comprehensive package for marine dealerships,” said Amy Norris, senior vice president of Dealer Solutions for Rollick. “Our commitment to creating solutions that address our customers’ defined needs guided the creation of this package. It includes a mix of our tried-and-true solutions and new offerings that help dealers showcase their accomplishments and more easily glean the results of the NMMA Award Program.”
Key features include:
- Single sign-on and consolidated dashboard to review NMMA survey results
- View results across all brands in a single report to save time and more easily act upon the learning
“For dealers that won a customer satisfaction award via their participation in the NMMA Program, gain credibility and build trust by proudly displaying a digital badge in multiple areas of your website,” the company said.
Statistics show that 55.6% of marine shoppers find personalized emails about their product of interest most influential in their ultimate purchase decision, Rollick said.


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When it comes to Best eating habits to reduce cancer risk, choosing a non-meat-based diet may be the way you want to go. However, it turns out that there is a specific type of plant-based diet that is ideal for helping you avoid breast cancer.
During the recent annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association, during the recent annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association, research was presented the results obtained from a study that included information from 65,574 participants were collected from 1993 to 2014, each Medscape. The data showed that people who ate less meat had a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer. However, that only applies to participants who adopt a healthy, mostly plant-based diet. Others who were eating a plant-based diet but also consuming unhealthy foods and drinks had a 20 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
“The results show that the best plant-based diet for breast cancer prevention could be a healthy, plant-based diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes,” said the study’s lead author. Sanam Shah, MBBS, FCPS, MPHa doctoral candidate in epidemiology at the University of Paris-Saclay, France.
At the same time, Shah adds that “an unhealthy plant-based diet includes a higher intake of processed products that are mainly of plant origin, such as refined grains, fruit juicessweets, desserts, and potatoes, are worse at preventing breast cancer. “
“These findings add to evidence suggesting that highly refined foods, such as french fries, potato chips and juices, while fasting, lack many of the nutrients that contribute to lower cancer risk, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients,” Elizabeth Ward, MS, RDNand co-author of Menopause Diet Plan, A Natural Guide to Hormones, Health and Well-being tell Eat this, not that!.
Ward also notes that “a well-planned, balanced, plant-based diet reduces cancer risk by providing significant amounts of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients.” protective compounds found only in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, soy and other plant foods and cereals.” In turn, “the antioxidants in foods Plant foods help protect cells from mutating into tumors.”
While Ward explained that food and drink options like French fries and juices “are not necessarily ‘bad’,” she explains, “not on my list of anti-cancer agents because they are highly refined.”
“For example, a baked potato provides fiber and other nutrients as well as phytonutrients and is low in fat, while potato chips have very few protective nutrients and are relatively high,” says Wards. “. On top of that, “eating more highly refined plant foods can overwhelm other, more nutritious options that provide cancer-fighting nutrients.” Ultimately, Ward says, “the remaining issue is calories,” since “too many relatively high-calorie foods can lead to overweight, which has been linked to some forms of breast cancer.”
To learn more about how your diet can help you avoid disease, be sure to read The 50 worst foods to never eat if cancer runs rampant in your family.
Desirée O is a freelance writer covering lifestyle, food and nutrition news among other topics. Read more


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Farnell, Tektronix run compeititon to mark oscilloscope launch
Tektronix is launching a new range of oscilloscopes on June 4 and, as part of the launch, Farnell and Tektronix are running a competition to win two prizes – both of which are exclusive to Farnell.
By registering, readers will be entered into a prize draw with the chance to win:
- A paid trip to the Technology Innovation Forum in Shanghai, China in June
- A brand new, next generation oscilloscope from Tektronix.
This prize draw is exclusive to Farnell. To register, readers should visit https://info.tek.com/www-new-gen-scope-june4-contest.html.


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Midwest Consumer Prices Unchanged in October
According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest was unchanged in October. The indexes for food and all items less food and energy registered little movement, each up 0.1 percent over the month. The index for energy decreased 1.8 percent as prices for electricity were 8.9 percent lower and utility (piped) gas service costs declined 0.8 percent. In contrast, motor fuel prices were up 1.8 percent in October.
Over the last 12 months the CPI-U rose 1.5 percent. The energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, was up 8.4 percent since last October while the index for food rose 1.5 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U increased 0.6 percent over the year.
Among the regions, prices in the Northeast increased 0.3 percent in October while prices in the South and West were little changed, up 0.1 percent. Over the year, the increase in the Northeast matched that of the Midwest at 1.5 percent. Prices in the South were up 1.3 percent and were 0.6 percent higher in the West.


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Top Searches for 2011 on Google and Yahoo
Seeing that 2011 is almost coming to an end, Google has put up its Zeitgeist website for the year. With the search engine being the de facto source for information, its compilation of most searched items is a barometer of what people, events or incidents caused the most waves in 2011.
Not to be left behind, Yahoo has also released a similar list of the top ten most searched items for their website as well.
|Ryan Dunn||Kim Kardashian|
|Casey Anthony||Katy Perry|
|Battlefield 3||Jennifer Lopez|
|iPhone 5||Lindsay Lohan|
|Steve Jobs||Japan Earthquake|
|iPad 2||Osama bin Laden|
Besides the fact that Rebecca Black ended up as Google's top search, we see Apple products on both Google and Yahoo's lists. The iPhone 5 ranks in at number 6 on the Google top ten and it was not even released in 2011, showing how much of the public's mind was captured by Apple's smartphone. Steve Jobs and the iPad 2 also make it onto Google's list. Another common search query to feature was the Fukishama reactor crisis after the earthquake in Japan.
We also see a very heavy leaning towards American content on both lists. Casey Anthony's trial gains her the number 4 spot on Google and number 2 on Yahoo. The passing away of Ryan Dunn, an integral part of "Jackass" movies and TV show, in a car crash places him at number 3. The efforts of Google at pushing its social networking service sees Google+ rank in at number 2 on the company's top ten list.
These lists also shed some light on how both search engines are used. While Google's list is varied and contains an eclectic mix of musicians, memes and incidents, Yahoo's list is heavily tilted towards entertainment. From the looks of it people go to Google for facts while they go to Yahoo for gossip.


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Here’s another thing to put on your tech watchlists. Due to a combination of the economic consequences of the coronavirus and the trade war between the United States and China, many American companies outsource their production outside of China. Consulting firm Kearney publishes his Displacement index [PDF].
Kearney predicts that companies will “go much further in reviewing their supply strategies (s) throughout their supply chain.”
Amidst other companies, Mexican production is a potential split on the way to Apple, with Vietnam. As Forbes says, the United States cannot compete with China in terms of labor costs, and I bet few Western countries can. I don’t know how much it costs to produce in Mexico, but the country is probably less risky than China.
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The Transport Security Administration says its techies have failed to create software that would allow passengers to appears less naked when going through scanners, so it is removing the devices.
New lid design accommodates oversize and 3D objects.
It reads bar codes and plays corresponding songs on built-in speaker.
The donationware ClamXav and the free Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac combine real-time protection, automatic updates, and on-demand malware scanners to help prevent infections.
Turns out those terahertz scanners in the airports are mostly safe, but they do a little unzipping of your DNA. Derek says it's nothing to worry about. You won't grow a third arm in the airport. Even if it would be handy for carrying baggage.
You don't have to be an online security expert to know that usernames and passwords are not cutting it. It's time to completely re-think how we manage our online identities.
Organizations are setting up sites useful for tracking down friends and family, donating blood, or finding out the latest news after the Boston Marathon tragedy.
A variety of free antivirus apps for Android devices proved unreliable, according to a recent test conducted by AV-Test.
If you love the high-end tech Samsung crams into its phones but hate the plastic bodies, the Galaxy Alpha may well be the phone for you. Its processor and camera perform brilliantly, while its compact 4.7-inch size makes it very comfortable to hold and use in one hand. Its low-resolution display is a big letdown, though, especially when you consider the high price of the phone, which does take the shine off an otherwise brilliant phone.
Pricing not available
A shopping mall in California resorts to license plate scanning to help forgetful drivers find their parked cars.


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having the convenience of the cloud without the information leaving your home or small office network
Newton, Mass. (PRWEB) July 17, 2015
On July 9, the New York Times reported the hacking of the Office of Personnel Management computers has affected 21.5 million current, former and prospective government employees. The theft consisted of social security numbers, addresses, background investigation records, health history, financial information and irreplaceable fingerprints. As a result of the breach, OPM Director Katherine Archuleta has resigned according to the CNN story from July 11.
“The massive breach provides a stark reminder that people need to be vigilant about where they store and share their personal information,” says George Tatar, founder and CEO of Akruto, Inc., developers of AkrutoSync™, Windows® PC software that privately and directly syncs Outlook Calendars, Contacts, Tasks, and Notes across unlimited devices. “While employees don’t have a say about keeping their personal information out of OPM’s computers, everyone can take steps to limit where they store sensitive information.”
“For example, individuals and businesses have taken to using the cloud like iCloud, Outlook.com and Google Calendar to make it easier to store and access information,” says Tatar. “Unfortunately, even with all the firewalls, malware scanners and other protections in place, the information can still be leaked. Most of all, nothing can protect systems from human actions, intentional or not. It reinforces the need for us as individuals to regain control of our private information by limiting the use of cloud-based applications that hold our most private information such as emails, calendars, contacts, and notes.”
“Yes, using tools like Outlook.com for managing email, calendars, and contacts simplifies our lives as we can access this information from any device or computer,” Tatar says. “But it stores your information out there in the world that can be hacked from anywhere. Switching back to Outlook for Windows puts your information back in your hands as it’s stored locally on your computer and devices. While home computers can be hacked, you’re not at the mercy of a company that hackers may go after. Hackers like to mine information from the biggest sources possible.”
“People can still have the convenience of anywhere access when they use a tool like AkrutoSync to automatically and privately sync their information between Outlook and devices over SSL-encrypted Wi-Fi or Internet connection,” Tatar says. “So it’s like having the convenience of the cloud without the information leaving your home or small office network. Furthermore, Akruto doesn’t install any apps on smartphones or tablets like other software products do. It simply acts as a transporter of information as it moves Outlook calendar and contact information to a connected device’s own built-in calendar and contacts apps and vice versa. As long as the computer is connected to the network, Akruto automatically and continuously syncs Outlook Contacts, Calendar, Notes, and Tasks with user-selected devices while ensuring privacy.”
The full version of AkrutoSync, available at http://www.akruto.com/get-akruto-sync/, is free to try for seven days. A one-time fee of $34.95 supports a single PC and unlimited use with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Windows Phone, Windows Surface, and Android devices and tablets. The company provides 24/7 support, which can be reached at support(at)akruto(dot)com.
About Akruto, Inc.
Akruto develops software for individuals and small businesses that want to synchronize Microsoft Outlook with smartphones and other mobile devices. Its engineers have extensive experience in data management and share a strong commitment to protecting data privacy. The company’s solutions offer a reliable way to sync smartphones with Outlook contacts, calendar, notes and tasks without using the cloud, delivering a higher level of privacy. The company’s flagship product, AkrutoSync, includes support for Android, iOS and Windows phone platforms. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Newton, Mass., the company maintains a website at http://www.akruto.com. Media inquiries should be directed to media(at)akruto(dot)com.
George Tatar, 617-299-0094
Meryl K. Evans


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The Cleveland Cavilers forward LeBron James signed a lifetime contract with Nike back in December 2015, noted to be the largest single-player deal in the history of the company. While the deal was monumental for both Nike and LeBron James, it isn’t unheard of for an athletic company to make a lifetime contract with an athlete. David Beckham, as well as the Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose have both agreed to lifetime deals with Adidas.
Recently in an interview with James’ business manager, Maverick Carter, with GQ Style Magazine, Carter hints that the deal is worth one billion dollars. While details can’t be openly discussed, when asked about the $1 billion dollars, Carter signaled with an upward hand gesture that the deal was worth more.
Maverick Carter and LeBron James have been good chums since they met back in high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. Carter expressed great enthusiasm and excitement about the Nike deal.


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As the portable gaming market quickly becomes fragmented by all sorts of new devices, Sony’s strategy seems to be “throw one of everything at the wall and see what sticks” »
Sony Ericsson has finally lifted the veil on its heavily rumoured Android smartphone, the gaming-focused Xperia Play »
The eagerly anticipated game will now come out four months later than initially planned, as Rockstar claims it needs further development time »
According to a 20-year study conducted at the University of California and published in 2004, only 0.25 percent of people are able to detect a lie 80 percent of the time »
South Park: The Stick of Truth is a game that fans of both role-playing games and South Park will love »


text: The gigafactory, which will eventually turn out batteries for 500,000 vehicles, should cut their cost by another 30%, according to Tesla (see chart). Mr Musk reckons that two-thirds of that saving will come from scale alone—the new factory will double the world’s lithium-battery output—with the rest down to improved manufacturing technology. If Tesla makes good on its promise, electric motoring could finally take off. Sanford C. Bernstein, a research firm, reckons that when costs drop below $200 a kWh, battery-powered cars start to become competitive with conventional ones without subsidies. The gigafactory could bring Tesla close to that.


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By Steve Baron • Chief Strategy Officer at Local Media Association
During my time leading digital teams at large media companies, we often relied on embedded Facebook and Instagram posts to provide context, visuals, and meaning to content.
From news to sports, viral content to entertainment, grabbing a social post to embed from either Facebook or Instagram was a huge part of our daily editorial workflow.
Change is coming
In October, a significant change is coming, which everyone needs to start thinking about how to manage today.
Facebook and Instagram have historically made users’ public content available for anyone to embed freely and openly.
However, in October, the platforms are making a change that could break many embedded posts already published and limit the ability to publish new ones.
The change is related to a method called oEmbed, which is an open format designed to allow one website to embed content from another site.
Example of an embedded Facebook post
In late October, Facebook and Instagram will require publishers to authenticate requests to embed content using an access token generated by an app on the Facebook developer platform.
What to do
Regardless of what content management system your publication uses, this will almost certainly require a change to your site’s code and perhaps to your overall content workflows, including creating an app on the Facebook Developer Platform.
You should start thinking about how to get ahead of this now to avoid showing broken content and errors inside of articles when this change takes effect on October 24, 2020.
As part of this new process, Facebook will monitor the use of embeds and can limit the display of them on your site, explained this way: “you can safely assume that your (Facebook Developer) app will not reach its limit unless it exhibits bot-like behavior, such as batching thousands of requests, or sending thousands of requests per agent or app user.”
The technical documentation is available here and is best suited for a web developer or engineer. Changes are listed in additional detail in the v8.0 changelog. There’s a way to test the impact of this change on your current implementation as well.
My advice is to get well ahead of this change to avoid any issues when it takes effect and make sure your tech team or CMS partner is aware of and can manage this change, so both historical and new social embeds continue to work.
Changes like these are not routinely made and in the past have caught many publishers by surprise so giving your tech team or vendor a heads-up today may save you some trouble next month when this takes effect.
Looking for more? Reach out to the Local News Resource Center for social media support.


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State coins popular as booster of PACs
INDIANAPOLIS - Collector coins-particularly those commemorative quarters saluting the 50 states-are now a popular new vehicle for raising political action funds for credit unions. In perhaps an unintended offshoot from Sept. 11, underscored by heightened public fervor to demonstrate patriotistism, the market for the coins lately has shown steady growth. Sales of the collector boxes containing the coins have been selling well in nearly a dozen states under League guidance. CUNA estimates 250 CUs are participating so far. The "States Quarter Program" has actually been under way for three years with coin sets distributed to CUs-and banks-through Grafton, Wisc.-based MPI Coin, which acquires them from the Denver and Philadelphia Mints. Under the government's 10-year program, a series of five quarter dollars is issued each year from 1999 through 2008 celebrating each of the 50 states. The coins are issued in the sequence that the states became part of the U.S. and the coin packaging contains a state seal, a flag and a brief history of the state, seen as a popular way of educating young people on U.S. history. The quarters are minted every 10 weeks and then taken out of production. One of the coins most in demand after Sept. 11 has been the New York quarter, she said. Funds raised from the sale of the coins goes to state PACs as well as CUNA's Credit Union Legislative Action Council in Washington. Karen Kincer, CUNA's political director and liaison for CULAC, said the program "is really in its infancy" but is being picked up by a growing number of state Leagues that are "enthusiastic about the program." Exact numbers on how many coins have sold through the CUs and how much has been raised for CULAC were not available. The basic coin package containing two coins sells at $3.50 retail ($2.50 wholesale), but the first sets (covering Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey) now sell in some places at $6.00. Their value has climbed since the first coin issuance. By far the most active CU promotion of the coins has been in this state where the Indiana Credit Union League reports it has raised more than $100,000 through some 86 participating CUs. The League has been averaging $20,000 raised per each coin promoted. Profits from sale of the coins are divided between the state CU Political Action Committee and CULAC, said Millie Cox, vice president of government affairs. The coin program as a mechanism for political fund raising, said Cox, was started by Mary Ash, president of the $16 million asset Avondale Federal Credit Union in Muncie who considered the CU's promotion effective enough to bring to the League's attention. "We got some junk mail about the coins and I thought `gee, I'll bet my grandson would like to collect those coins,' and so I asked one of my tellers if hers would, too and we both agreed we should submit the order," said Ash. The CU, she said, has long been interested in supporting the industry "and fighting the bankers," and so "we thought that it would work with profits going to ICUPAC" the Indiana PAC. In Arizona, the state League said 20 CUs have joined the States Quarter Program. If they sell all their coins in inventory, "CULAC will receive $36,000 from Arizona to use for the upcoming election," said Pat Bodnar, vice president of public affairs. As one of the biggest producers, Motorola CU-West in Scottsdale, said it only started selling them in July and by September the sales had grown to $5,871, said Wygle. "I know Pat Bodnar fell off her chair when we sent in that check." The CU has recently expanded sales to its Texas branches. Wygle said top administrators at Motorola CU West, like other CUs in the state have "come under pressure" from their boards to step up political involvement and fund raising "and this is working well for us." The Colorado League said it also has raised $36, 000 for CULAC and its statewide PAC. CU members who buy the coins are told in disclosure forms that the profits go to PACs, "but I don't think that's the reason they are buying the coins, they simply like them," said Jane Willard, vice president of governmental affairs.


text: BRM Chronographes debuts in the prestigious Indonesia International Motor Show 2016 from April 7th-17th. Many automotive brands participated in this event such as Mercedes Benz, BMW, Mini Cooper, Alfa Romeo, Ducati, Honda, Toyota and many more. During this event BRM Chronographes Indonesia received a special visit for the CEO & Founder of BRM Chronographes, Bernard Richards. Interviews and Press-Conferences were held during the show in our booth located in Hall C 1B. Thousands of people came to visit our booth and discovered the BRM Chronographes collection with the honor of our special guest, the founder mr. Bernard Richards himself.


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Nigeria Imported 4.79 Billion Liters Of Petrol In Q2 2018 – NBS
A further breakdown of the petroleum products importation revealed that 1.11 bln litres of automotive gas oil (AGO), 43.79 mln litres of household kerosene (HHK). The report said 200.39 mln litres of aviation turbine kerosene (ATK) were imported into the country in Q2 2018.
It indicated that the months of April 2018 recorded the highest volumes of premium motor spirits (PMS) imported into the country at 1.78 bln litres while the highest volume of automotive gas oil (AGO) and household kerosene (HHK) were imported in June 2018.
The report showed that statewide distribution of truck-out volume for Q2 2018 showed that 4.89bn of premium motor spirits (PMS), 1.17 bln litres of automotive gas oil (AGO), 168.83 mln litres of household kerosene (HHK) and 176.98 mln litres of aviation turbine kerosene (ATK) were distributed nationwide during the period under review.
Download the Q2 2018 Petroleum Products Importation Statistics Q2 2018 Report here…