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06-12-2012, 11:50 AM #1
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
Happiness for everyone, Creative Assembly gets Warhammer license.
SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced that Creative Assembly™, award-winning creator of the Total War™ series, and SEGA Group have entered into a multi-title licensing deal with Games Workshop to create videogames based in the Warhammer universe of fantasy battles. A new high-calibre development team has been set up at Creative Assembly’s UK studio to work alongside the existing Total War, Alien IP and Mobile teams on the first Warhammer title in the deal, scheduled to launch from beyond 2013.


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Beyoncé is embarking on a new adventure in the beauty space.
The Grammy-winning singer revealed the news on Instagram Tuesday evening with a video teasing her new brand, Cécred.
“Hair is sacred. The journey begins on February 20. Visit CECRED.COM,” she wrote in the post’s caption, although Beyoncé didn’t share many additional details about the beauty line.
Last year, Beyoncé announced in May that a hair care line was coming in the near future. At the time, she shared a three-part carousel on Instagramwhich included a photo of the singer sitting in front of a mirror, styling her natural curls, as well as a message detailing the meaning of the beauty brand.
“How many of you knew that my first job was sweeping hair in my mother’s salon? ” the “CUFF IT” singer wrote. “Destiny’s Child started out playing for clients while they were getting their hair done. I was exposed to so many different types of female entrepreneurs in her salon. I’ve seen first-hand how the way we care for and celebrate our hair can have a direct impact on our soul. I have seen her heal and serve so many women.
Beyoncé continued: “Having learned so much during my hair journey, I have always dreamed of carrying on her legacy. I can’t wait for you to experience what I’ve created.
This announcement follows a breakout year the “Break My Soul” singer has had in 2023. Not only did she break a record at the 2023 Grammy Awards, becoming the most awarded artist in Grammy history, but she also embarked on her grand Renaissance world tour. and released a concert film, Renaissance: a Beyoncé film.

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It has already been a really good year for new music from local bands this year. The last 12 months have brought new releases from 3 Penny Acre, Trout Fishing in America, 1 oz. Jig, Memphis Pencils, Hosta, Boom Kinetic, Charliehorse, The Plaid Jackets, Cletus Got Shot, and Candy Lee, and that’s just off the top of my head.
On Wednesday, Dec. 15, Fayetteville band What Army is getting into the new music act when they release their brand new CD “Where the Skeletons Are” at Rogue Pizza Co. Locals Rollo Tumasi will open open the show.
The new disc is a concept album about recurring dreams or nightmares, and the band began writing and recording the record when they returned from a west coast tour back in May of this year.
The new CD will be available for half-price ($5) at the show on Wednesday, and the album will also come with a free Christmas single.
What Army CD Release
Dates: Wednesday, Dec. 15
Location: Rogue Pizza Co.
CD’s Available for $5.


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For five days, Steve Elias didn’t even open the unsolicited acquisition offer.
Although he wanted to sell his three Green Bay businesses, Elias worried about how a new owner — particularly one looking to consolidate within the industry — might treat his 70 employees. So instead of responding to the sender, Elias remembered a presentation he had heard several years earlier and picked up the phone.
Six months later, Elias is still running his companies, but they’ve been sold to OwnersEdge Inc., a Brookfield-based employee stock ownership plan holding company that is looking to invest in and build companies in the Midwest.
The presentation Elias remembered was made by Lisa Reardon, president, chief executive officer and chairwoman of OwnersEdge. Reardon had talked about business owners’ succession planning, and about how her company sought diversification through acquisitions of companies with leaders such as Elias who want to continue running their businesses.
Since the OwnersEdge acquisition in April, Elias says he has continued to run and expand Baycom, along with Baycom Cellular, which sells cellphones and other equipment from two retail stores, and Tour Guide Solutions, which sells wireless tour guide and conferencing equipment to manufacturers, museums and attractions.
But OwnersEdge now handles all of the financial and administrative responsibilities, Elias said. And because it is an ESOP, all of Elias’ employees have the chance to be part-owners.
“An ESOP in a successful company can generate substantial long-term benefits for employees,” said Chris Mercer, chief executive officer of Mercer Capital, a Memphis, Tenn.-based business valuation firm that has had an ESOP in place since 2006.
About 60% of people who are selling businesses start out saying they’d like to sell to their employees, said Linda Mertz, chief executive officer of Mertz Associates Inc., in Rubicon, and a 30-year veteran of the mergers and acquisitions industry. But the rules and legal work involved in forming an ESOP appear daunting, so it often “just stalls out, and they end up selling to a third-party buyer,” she said.
For full story, visit Journal Sentinel


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Chennai/Mumbai: It's an 18-year old Indian software product company not too many people have heard of, and venture capital and private equity investors have wooed unsuccessfully for close to two decades. Salesforce.com Inc. , a San Francisco, ... Livemint.com, 1 week ago
Entrepreneurs will get access to IBM's cloud infrastructure from SoftLayer, one of its subsidiaries, and its cloud platform called Bluemix for app development. Photo: Bloomberg Mumbai: Technology companies such as Google Inc. , Microsoft Corp. and ...Livemint.com, 2 weeks ago
On Wednesday, IBM said it plans to offer Twitter data as part of select cloud-based services, including IBM Watson Analytics. Photo: Reuters Mumbai: The International Business Machine Corp. ( IBM ) move to offer Twitter data as part of select ...Livemint.com, 4 weeks ago
In India, though, H-P was the leader with a 29.5% share of the overall PC market, while Dell garnered a 19.1% market share and Lenovo had 13.9%, according to research firm International Data Corp. (IDC). Photo: Bloomberg Mumbai: Hewlett-Packard ...Livemint.com, 1 month ago
Mumbai: Seldom has a global technology company launched a global product or programme in Asia. On 15 September, at an event that rivalled its annual I/O developer conference in San Francisco, Google Inc. did precisely that when it launched the first ...Livemint.com, 1 month ago
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Oak'd and Trinchero Hold a Mexican-Inspired Wine Dinner on Tuesday
by Andrew Chalk
Oak'd, the inspired new type of barbecue joint to deliver classic Texas barbecue is holding a dinner with Trinchero wines next Tuesday. Of special note, the menu is Mexican-inspired! Wine expert Joel Dicharry, CWE, Certified Sommelier will serve the wines.
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Solomon Islands is the first country in the world to receive approval to trade timber products to Australia under new timber legality guidelines.
The Ministry of Forestry and the Australian High Commission announced that Solomon Islands had received approval from Australia for country-specific guidelines used to verify legal origin of Solomon Islands sawn timber exported to Australia.
This will enable exports of Solomon Islands timber to Australia to meet new import requirements for timber, which are due to come into effect on 30 November of this year.
Australian High Commissioner Andrew Byrne said sawn timber exports to Australia are worth SBD$28 million annually and the industry directly employs more than 1,000 people in Solomon Islands.
He said the new guidelines will help protect these exports and jobs.
In handing over copies of the guidelines the High Commissioner congratulated Solomon Islands for being the first country to have a country-specific guideline in place.
He noted that the Australian Government intended to use the guideline developed by Solomon Islands as an example in its negotiations with other trading partners.
Meanwhile, in thanking the Australian Government, Permanent Secretary for Foresty, Barnabas Anga said sawn timber is an important export industry and this work will facilitate further growth in value added timber exports from Solomon Islands.
International markets, such as the USA and European Union, now require that all imported wood products can be demonstrated to have been legally produced.
Australia has followed this market trend with implementation of similar requirements.
To address this market issue the Ministry has worked with the timber industry since June 2013 with technical assistance from PHAMA.
This work has resulted in the development and co-endorsement by the Australian and Solomon Islands Governments of a country specific guideline for Solomon Islands.
The guideline describes the regulatory framework for timber production in Solomon Islands and will help Australian importers to carry out due diligence on Solomon Islands timber.


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HARVEY — Michigan is known for many things: being the Mitten State, the Great Lakes State, and even having a great selection of craft beers. Yoopers will get a chance to try some Michigan beer this weekend.
Michigan Made in Harvey will be hosting Beards Brewery from Charlevoix this Saturday to help them sample some of their beers. Along with some of the unique names of the brews, comes a unique taste Yoopers can discover.
“They’re going to sample three of their standards, plus this new limited release that they’ve just put out, called the Silent Planet,” said manager Holly Smith.
Being a local store, Michigan Made sticks by the local theme for selling beer.
“We continue to see these new breweries…they evolve, similar to the Marquette beers like Blackrocks and Ore Dock, who we support as well. And this is the same thing that this company does, they’re a Michigan–based company and Michigan is becoming the great beer state where there’s a lot of great beer that’s coming out here,” said Smith.
The sampling will be from 4:00–7:00 P.M. at the store in Harvey. Beards will do the same in Michigan Made’s Houghton location on December 15th.


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As reported by the Australian Broadcasting Company, Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, will ban businesses from using single-use, petroleum-based plastic food containers and utensils within the city council limits. Plastic food containers and utensils used by takeaway stores are set to be phased out by the Hobart City Council in what it is called a nation-leading move. The council voted 10-1 to amend draft environmental health bylaws, banning single use, petroleum-based plastic containers and utensils by 2020.
In announcing its plastics ban, Hobart Council said the decision was made to reflect the changing demands of consumers, which have come as a result of better education about the impact of plastics and other non-biodegradable products. Indeed, Mintel research found that 54% of urban Australians say they are willing to pay a 10% premium for environmentally friendly products, while a quarter report they are willing to pay up to 20% more. That said, historically the gap between intention and action is wide. According to Dan Matsch, compost manager for recycling and zero-waste organization Eco-Cycle, while the term “compostable” tends to garner the most credibility (among general eco-based terms), it is often more a greenwashing tactic than anything else.
As well as this, consumers typically don’t realize there are very different conditions for home and industrial composting. When the time comes to pay the piper for more environmentally responsible packaging, consumers today believe brands and retailers should be doing more to protect and preserve the environment than they can do as individuals. Part and parcel of that expectation is eco-responsible packaging for which they should not be paying more.
In a report by ABC, Hobart Greens Alderman, Bill Harvey, said Australians are becoming more aware of their understanding of “plastic pollution”, in part due to the recent ABC documentary “War on Waste” which explored the toll plastics and other “rubbish” have on the environment. The fact that plastic packaging and rubbish are considered as one in the same speaks volumes about the overall lack of understanding of the positive role packaging—including many forms of plastics—play in preserving food, eliminating waste, and contributing to a viable, economically positive circular economy system.
It was not reported if the ban applied to polystyrene containers only, or if it included such containers as No.5/polypropylene containers, which are reusable, microwaveable, and recyclable. In the case of the latter, they are not generally considered “single-use”, as they are often washed and reused multiple times. The same ABC article reported that plastic takeaway containers are “usually” used just once. Hobart’s Council has seized that opening to consider the ban, in part, a public safety issue, citing health risks associated with reusing takeaway packaging.
To that point, Tom Ross, an associate professor in food microbiology at the University of Tasmania, said if good food-handling practices were observed, the risk was small. “As long as the container is pretty well clean and dry, the risk of any kind of cross-contamination is very low,” he told Helen Shield on ABC Radio Hobart.
Were all things considered?
What has also been failed to consider is that when consumers take a compostable food service container out of a given foodservice establishment, the likelihood that it will actually be composted declines dramatically. This is due to the fact that mainstream consumers won’t take the time to find a composting facility. Adam Gendell, associate director at the US NGO Sustainable Packaging Coalition, pointed out that the inconvenience of recycling is a key detriment to increasing recycling rates. It follows that even if packaging is marked as “compostable”, consumers don’t know if or where they can compost correctly (industrial VS home), and as a result, is likely to get tossed in the recycle bin where it will contaminate that stream. When compostable packaging ends up in “regular” trash bins and ultimately finds its way into a landfill, it does not “naturally biodegrade” as some manufacturers erroneously claim, but actually contributes to methane emissions.
According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, introductions of food packaging in Australia with a “compostable” claim have fallen 84% between 2015 and 2017.
his disconnect between food service operators offering compostable take-away containers, cups, and utensils, and consumer understanding of what they can do with it if they cannot easily compost it, makes the effort largely null and void—with the exception of the positive buzz the retailer receives for the effort, if not the actual results. Harvey conceded this point when he stated, “We know consumers want to do their bit to help the environment, but we also know they are busy and often won’t go out of their way to help.”
A cursory examination of Hobart’s otherwise well considered Waste Management Strategy 2015-2030, makes little mention of collecting, sorting, and composting of food-grade compostable packaging, other than home and garden composting—the conditions of which don’t support the environments necessary for industrial-level food-grade packaging composting.
Under the plan, which is part of the council’s Zero Waste to Landfill strategy, it is said that Hobart will “eventually” have a compost facility system for commercials outlets. However, it is not specified when this may be. It is doubtful such a facility could be built and collection infrastructure brought on-line in time to respond to the 2020 ban.
Harvey said one-third of Hobart’s food retailers already used compostable items and much resistance isn’t expected. However, Hobart business owners have a different take on that. Steve Old from the Tasmanian Hospitality Association was upset his organization had not be warned about the move. “The frustration for us is there’s been no consultation, no talking to businesses at all,” he said.
He also said the proposal had attracted broad public support. That is typical, if not telling. Consumers generally respond positively to bans of packaging, and find the idea of compostable packaging to be sexy. The rub is they don’t always understand the implications from a sustainable materials management (SMM) perspective or from a holistic economic position.
All this said, should the Hobart’s Council be recognized for doing something at addressing foodservice packaging waste, or should it be taken to task for not fully understanding the realities, implications, and alternatives to knee-jerk packaging bans?
David Luttenberger is a Global Packaging Director at Mintel, with 26 years of diverse global packaging experience.
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. For over 40 years, Mintel’s expert analysis of the highest quality data and market research has directly impacted on client success. With offices in London, Chicago, Belfast, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Munich, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com. Follow Mintel on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mintelnews or join the Mintel LinkedIn group:
www.linkedin.com/company/mintel. For more information about how Mintel can help your business, contact Anna Meiler, Country Manager ANZ at Mintel, on +61 (0)2 8284 8119 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Use of credit and debit cards jumped 6 per cent to €7.7 billion in August as consumers went on a spending spree following the lifting of Covid restrictions.
On an annual basis, total card spending was up 18 per cent or €1.2 billion compared with the same month a year earlier.
Average daily spending continued to rise the following month, up 3 per cent or €138 million to September 20th, figures from the Central Bank show.
Point of sale (PoS) spending rose 7 per cent in August compared with July, to €6.5 billion, and was 21 per cent higher than the same month in 2020.
ATM withdrawals increased 3 per cent month-on-month to €1.2 billion, marking the fourth month in a row that withdrawals have risen.
The volume of card transactions, excluding ATM usage, was up 5 per cent or €7.3 million compared with July. In annual terms, this represents a 20 per cent increase compared with August 2020. The average value of transactions was flat, however, at €43 million.
Card expenditure outside of the State was up 47 per cent in August to €346 million as more people resumed travelling. On an annual basis, expenditure was 70 per cent higher.
A breakdown of the spending shows retail spend was up 2 per cent in August compared with July and increased 10 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier. Spending on services was 12 per cent higher on a monthly basis with spending on social activities up 18 per cent.
In terms of the latter, restaurant spending rose 23 per cent or €92 million when compared with July, and was up 36 per cent compared with August 2020. Entertainment spending also experienced strong growth, rising 9 per cent or €20 million compared with July.
Total online spending rose despite shops reopening. Expenditure rose 8 per cent to €2.8 billion compared with the previous month and was 27 per cent higher on an annual basis. Total in-store spending increased by €201 million on a monthly basis. It accounted for 57 per cent of all PoS spending in August.


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There really isn’t much to say about the housing market in the US right now except that economists clearly don’t know what to do with it. Having signed up wholeheartedly for the “booming” economy, or at least the narrative thereof, flagging sales in both new homes and resales doesn’t compute. Instead of recognizing why that may be, especially as it relates to the clear, obvious and unambiguous monetary influence in it all, the best they can come up with is something like this:
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says although February sales showed modest improvement, there’s been some stagnation in the market in recent months. “Insufficient supply appears to be hampering prospective buyers in several areas of the country and is hiking prices to near unsuitable levels,” he said. “Stronger price growth is a boon for homeowners looking to build additional equity, but it continues to be an obstacle for current buyers looking to close before rates rise.”
I’m at a total loss to understand what that statement actually means in anything like a real economic circumstance. According to basic supply and demand, “strong price growth” should not in any way be a constraint upon supply of houses for sale; quite the opposite. Mr. Yun takes this to an extreme whereby he actually supposes that lack of supply is restraining buyers!
Again, there is no way that makes any sense whatsoever. The only way that rising prices would lead to restrained supply is if potential sellers realize they can no longer sell at those rising prices. In that sense, rising prices aren’t really rising prices indicative of a healthy market but rather, unsurprisingly, unsustainable bubble mechanics. Further, it isn’t, then, supply that is restraining but demand for resales. The economy isn’t booming at all except for a small section most adorned by asset inflation that is skewing pretty much any economic account and factor.
All that would seem to indicate, very strongly, that home sellers have a much better understanding economically than economists (which is not at all surprising given economics is the study of regressions and stochastic estimations rather than actual economic function and factors).
That is the only way to reconcile how rising prices could lead to what you see above, shrinking supply of homes for sale. In fact, the inventory of homes is slightly less in February 2015 than it was in both February 2014 and even February 2013. According to the NAR, the average home price was just shy of $250k in February, an increase of 5% year-over-year and 12% more than two years prior. The median home price was estimated at $203k, a one-year gain of 7.5% and nearly 17% more than February 2013.
There will be, of course, an attempt to use the weather to “explain” this basic economic inconvenience, but the worst housing results were not from the Northeast but the West and Midwest. And by comparing only to previous February data, all of which have apparently fallen under the category “winter”, the amount of snowfall is relatively constant.
The only way to be consistent is to recognize the obvious deficiency in true economic function. In other words, wages and incomes are not even close to keeping up with home prices while credit to only certain distinctions is. The economy is not booming, only the third try at monetarism running its inevitable course.


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The U.S. economy contracts at a 3.8% annualized rate in the fourth quarter, Commerce Department data show. The decline in gross domestic product would have been worse except that the government counts an unwanted buildup of goods on store shelves as growth. See full story.
Amazon shares jump on surprise earnings growth
Amazon.com's surprise gain in fourth-quarter earnings gives shares an early boost on Friday. See full story.
Roche lowers Genentech bid, goes hostile
In a display of hostility toward a firm it mostly owns, Roche Holdings on Friday lowers its takeover bid for Genentech and takes the offer directly to shareholders. See full story.
Davos notebook: Long live private equity
Times are tough in the private equity business, but the industry will survive, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts founding partner Henry Kravis insists Friday at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. See full story.
Obama calls Wall St. bonus binge shameful
President Obama blasts Wall Street for shameful and irresponsible behavior after reports that Wall Street paid $18.4 billion in bonuses in 2008, even as the industry collapsed, costing taxpayers billions of dollars and tens of thousands of job cuts. See full story.
John Dvorak's Second Opinion: Tech stocks may be entering bull market
If people live buy the rule “sell on good news, buy on bad news,” then this market is one big opportunity to buy -- that is, if you have any money left, writes John Dvorak. See full story.
If cash is king, do we still need credit cards?
If cash is now king, could Americans who give up their credit cards live like royalty? Being forced to live entirely within your means may make you feel rich in a way, but trying to get along in the modern world with no credit at all can be a royal pain. See full story.


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Budweiser launches renewables label to celebrate 100% clean energy commitment
Global brewers Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is placing a renewable electricity label on any Budweiser beer that has been brewed using 100% renewable electricity, as part of a communications push to educate consumers on the firm's sustainability strategy.
Can UK plc set the pace on energy?
As faith in government continues to nosedive and with the triple threat of rising prices, interruption to energy supply and climate change, edie asks, is it going to be up to UK business to solve the energy crisis and keep the lights on?
Climate Week 2016: Apple and Bank of America lead corporate charge towards net-zero economy
Climate Week New York City (NYC) 2016 has kicked off in style with America's largest tech firm and second-largest bank headlining a flurry of ambitious corporate commitments to a renewable energy-based future.


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Back at the beginning of this year it was hoped that Apple was going to add NFC (Near Field Communication) hardware into the next gen iPhone 5 and iPad 2 so customers can use their devices like a credit card by swiping them near a payment point.
Of course the iPad 2 has now been released and clearly one of the omissions is the lack of NFC on-board. That decision has also transferred over to the as-of-yet unreleased iPhone 5, and for those who were hoping to see it on the new smartphone you will be a little disappointed.
The reasoning behind this move was that Apple told operators that they were concerned by the lack of a clear standard across the industry. This is understandable given that at the moment only Samsung’s Nexus S smartphone has the technology built-in and it is still only in its infancy (not to mention underutilized).
However, Apple has been working away on their own NFC proposition for the past few years, which is aimed at linking payments through to the iTunes service. Apple certainly want to get it right as they have hired several NFC experts and published a series of patent applications relating to the NFC technology. One of these patents details how the iPhone could be used to pay for a bill at say, a restaurant.
Apple will aim to roll out their NFC implementation sometime next year now, which could mean that the technology would feature in a future iPhone model, i.e. the iPhone 6.
To be honest I can understand why the iPad 2 did not have this technology embedded as who would want to wave around a large – and expensive – device in order to pay for something? But the iPhone 5 would be the logical choice for its inclusion, and if Apple has been working on their own NFC implementation for years, who’s to say that the iPhone 5 won’t have this built in? After all, the phone is not even out yet and Apple could if they wanted to leave the feature on-board and then activate it with a future firmware upgrade.


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Despite the terrible weather seen in many parts of the county last month, a steady number of potential buyers still got out there to test the market.
However, this didn't result in a higher level of actual transactions. Fewer sellers are putting their homes up for sale and the ongoing problem of accessing affordable finance is not helping.
If vendors want to sell their homes quickly, they will have to be realistic in their price expectations.
More top news
Marks and Spencer will become the first UK retailer to add vitamin D to its entire packaged bread range.
An over-the-top 80's action movie parody featuring kung fu Hitler and a David Hasselhoff soundtrack gets almost four million views online.
The government is treating the fight against obesity as a priority, as a new report cautions that one in five cancer deaths is caused by it.


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Scared of Crowds? Google Can Now Help You With That
Google has launched a new feature for those looking to avoid crowds just in time for Black Friday, with a new option allowing users to see how busy a place is in real-time.
Google released a feature last year called “Popular Times” in which it would display the busiest times of day for different places, ensuring that those who wanted to beat the crowd could check this information in order to do so. This latest update will make this information even more accurate, providing real-time data in regards to how many people are currently occupying a place, informing you of how many people you can expect to find there.
Discussing the change in a blog post, product manager Jamie Aspinall wrote: “Just in time for the Black Friday swarms, we’re adding a real-time look at how crowded a place is right now, to help you decide where and when to go. Whether you’re rushing to pick up a last minute gift or seeking a lively bar for some festive spirit, check Popular Times for a sneak preview of what to expect when you arrive.”
Alongside this Popular Times update, Google will also be rolling out features that will allow you to more successfully manage your time, telling you how long people typically stay at a given location in order for you to work it into your schedule. The search engine giant will also introduce more accurate opening and closing hours, accommodating stores that have various departments by allowing them to make a note of this on their search results.
If you’re not fond of venturing into crowded areas, then Google has you covered before we head into the Holiday season. With these new tools you’ll be able to plan your day around venturing into potentially crowded areas at their busiest times of day, avoiding the hustle and bustle of the Christmas period in the process.


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Google has unveiled its first in-house self-driving car prototype – and its looks are likely to divide opinion.
The two-seater, which looks like a Smart Car with a nonplussed face, is driven entirely by an on-board computer – there’s no steering wheel and no pedals inside. A sensor module mounted on the roof can detect objects at the distance of “two football fields”, and this ensures keeps the prototype aware of its surroundings. The prototype car’s speed is capped at 25mph.
Google plans to build around 100 of the prototypes and will begin trials later this summer (the initial models will come with manual controls, for safety reasons). Beyond that, the company says its plan is to run a “small pilot program” in California in the “next couple of years”.
Yes, you read that right: it’s going to be quite some time before these particular control-free self-driving cars are commonplace on the roads. However, Google and other companies have been installing self-driving technology in “normal” cars too, and we may well see that type of setup emerging first.
Google has also launched a new Google+ page to keep the public up to date on the self-driving car project.
[Via Google blog]


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Man Shot Outside Primanti Bros. Restaurant At The WaterfrontPolice are investigating after one man was shot in the middle of a busy Friday night near the Primanti Bros. restaurant at The Waterfront in Homestead.
Waterfront Parent Companies Purchase Macy's Building, Store To CloseThe Macy's department store at The Waterfront will close now that the building has been purchased by the shopping center's parent companies.
Waterfront Building Goes Up In Flames For Training Exercise, Controlled BurnA building at the Waterfront went up in flames Saturday as part of a training exercise for local emergency crews.
New Waterfront Bistro Giving Students With Special Needs Workforce ExperienceA new program at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit is preparing students with special needs for the workforce.
Arrest Made In Waterfront Sprint Store Robbery, Suspect Found In IllinoisPolice have made an arrest in the armed robbery of a Sprint store last month at The Waterfront in Homestead.
200 Smartphones, iPads Stolen From Waterfront Sprint StorePolice are looking for three suspects following an armed robbery at the Sprint store at The Waterfront on Friday morning, accused of zip-tying the employees and stealing hundreds of smartphones.
100 Fans Get Free Sandwiches For A Year At New Primanti's LocationHungry fans lined up outside a new Primanti Bros. location to gobble up an offer of free sandwiches for a year.
Box Elder Bugs Invade Waterfront In HomesteadMove over stink bugs, there's a new bug in town.
2 Kids, 2 Adults Found In Bullet-Riddled Car In Waterfront Parking LotPolice are looking for suspects after a car carrying two adults and two children was shot up in the city's Hazelwood section
Police Arrest Homestead Bank Robbery Suspect Who Claimed To Have BombA man has been arrested in connection with a bank robbery in Homestead on Tuesday.
FBI: Homestead Bank Robbery Suspect Carried Case, Claimed To Have BombPolice and the FBI are hoping to get the public’s help in identifying the man wanted for robbing a bank in Homestead Tuesday afternoon.
Highmark To Open Sleep Apnea Supplies StoreMost people who are diagnosed with sleep apnea have to re-order their supplies through the mail. However, Highmark is opening a new, first-of-its kind store in our area to make replacing supplies easier and more convenient.


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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Starting on Friday, Travel Portland’s inaugural Ticket to Dine will reward people who support food businesses located in Old Town and Downtown Portland.
From Friday, March 17, to Sunday, March 26, customers who dine at participating restaurants will receive a “Ticket to Dine” after buying an entrée. Each ticket is a scratch-off that gives patrons a chance to win one of three special prizes.
In January, a Downtown Portland Clean & Safe report showed that downtown foot traffic had increased by 25.7% from 2021 to 2022. Even though foot traffic had improved, the data revealed that 2022’s numbers were only at 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
This new event was designed not only to boost foot traffic, but to encourage Portlanders to patronize local food businesses.
Ticket to Dine organizer Shauna Noah O’Connor says the Rose City is known for its food, but the dining scene has changed significantly in recent years due to restaurant openings, closures and relocations.
“Ticket to Dine is an invitation to get people back down to central Portland to rediscover the eateries that make our city so special,” O’Connor said in a statement.
More than 40 restaurants are participating in Ticket to Dine, including AFURI Ramen and Dumpling, Portland City Grill and Mother’s Bistro. Find the full list here.
“We’d love to entice people back to downtown Portland for delicious food,” Mother’s Bistro Owner and Chef Lisa Schroeder said. “It’s been a challenging time for restaurant owners, and we’re proud to be part of Ticket to Dine. We look forward to feeding patrons old and new — and maybe even passing out a winning ticket.”
One winning ticket holder will receive a prize called “The Ultimate Staycation,” which grants the person a one-night stay at the luxury The Nines Hotel in Downtown Portland, as well as two passes to local attractions such as the Oregon Zoo, Lan Su Chinese Garden and Pittock Mansion. Winners of this prize will additionally receive a $100 gift certificate to Portland’5 Center for the Arts.
Participants can also win “The Golden Dining Package,” which includes gift certificates to all of the participating restaurants and a pair of tickets to an eight-course, pre-fixe meal at Tercet. This dinner is typically priced at $300.
Then, there’s “The BIG Sports Package.” The sports package includes a night stay at the Hotel deLuxe, two tickets to Portland Timbers, Winterhawks and Trail Blazers match-ups, and an Adidas gift card worth $500.


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Companies are facing tough decisions about applying for patents and launching infringement lawsuits amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fewer patent applications are expected to be filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office during the economic slowdown, and more applications could be abandoned, as businesses tighten their budgets.
Some IP watchers project thousands of fewer filings over the next couple years. Filing activities could fall 2% to 4% in 2020 and 2021, according to an estimate from Patexia, an intellectual property research company that has studied patent activity in past recessions.
The pandemic could also affect how existing patents are enforced. Businesses consumed with virus-related disruptions aren’t as focused on pursuing alleged infringers, attorneys said. Cash-strapped companies might be reluctant to pour resources into new litigation for now.
“I would think that conservation of capital is the goal of a lot of businesses,” said Ted Stevenson, a trial lawyer and patent attorney at McKool Smith PC.
The rate of patent infringement lawsuits could rise if patent owners look to their intellectual property as a source of revenue.
The “Great Lockdown” recession could be the worst in almost a century, the International Monetary Fund said. U.S. businesses are struggling amid the dramatic drop in economic activity.
“It’s not crazy to think that there will be a significant decrease in patent filing that is pretty immediately apparent, and a pretty significant decrease in payment of maintenance fees, because this is a very dramatic economic hit for most companies,” said Jonathan Stroud, the chief IP counsel at Unified Patents LLC.
Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate IP subcommittees last week asked agency director Andrei Iancu whether patent applications have decreased, or if the office anticipates a decrease soon.
The patent office declined to comment.
Past economic disruptions have impacted patent application rates. In 2009, new patent applications ticked down—from 485,312 the previous year to 482,871—after several years of steady growth, according to patent office data.
The number of patents that expired because of unpaid maintenance fees also rose during the 2009 financial crisis, and there were significantly more abandoned patent applications, according to Patexia’s analysis. Similar patterns also emerged after the turn-of-the-century tech bubble burst, Patexia said.
Patent prosecution has been “under pressure” in recent years, Patexia CEO Pedram Sameni said. He pointed to a slowdown in year-over-year growth for patent applications. The economic slowdown could fuel those pressures.
“It’s going to be more focused on quality, rather than quantity,” Sameni said.
The patent office last month extended the time to file certain patent documents, as well as deadlines for small businesses to pay maintenance fees.
Large businesses are taking stock of the situation as well. IP management and technology company CPA Global—which works with many of the top global patent filers—said in a recent blog post that customers feel their IP departments will face pressure to be “even more strategic” in the future.
The pandemic is influencing how some companies enforce the patents they already own.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP partner Irfan Lateef, who represents medical device and consumer product manufacturers, said many of the companies he’s speaking with are too busy with coronavirus issues to “put much effort into the patent infringement side of things.”
Others might be sensitive to the financial commitment of patent litigation, weighing whether this is “a good use of money or should we be using our resources, using our legal team, to help us do something else,” Jeanne Gills, vice chair of the national intellectual property department at Foley & Lardner LLP, said.
Faced with deadlines or other requirements, some companies might have no choice but to file suit now. Those that can wait might want to see how the competitive environment shakes out, Foley’s Jeffrey Costakos, said.
“The things that might have motivated you to file a lawsuit today might be different six months from now,” Costakos, who chairs the firm’s IP litigation practice, said. “Who knows what companies are still going to be around, or what their competitive situations are going to be.”
District courts are facing their own challenges, with trials postponed and case schedules disrupted. The U.S. International Trade Commission, a tribunal known for its fast-paced handling of patent disputes, is also dealing with scheduling uncertainties.
How the virus impacts patent litigation rates, which have fluctuated in recent economic downturns, won’t be fully apparent for months. But even if some companies are discouraged from suing right now, lawsuit numbers could rise in the coming months as struggling companies look to turn existing patents into sources of revenue.
And as startups and small businesses fail, patents and other IP assets will hit the open market at bargain prices. Alan Marco, a Georgia Tech professor and former chief economist at the PTO, said there could be an unprecedented number of IP transactions in the next year. That could lead to litigation as new patent owners seek to enforce their rights.
The availability of credit amid the downturn could also impact how patents are bought and litigation is funded, said Ted Sichelman, a law professor at San Diego University who has studied the impact of economic downturns on patent litigation.
Market volatility is a “huge wild card,” Sichelman said.
For additional legal resources, visit Bloomberg Law In Focus: Coronavirus (Bloomberg Law Subscription)


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Sunday Telegraph praises Instant Cities
As of right now, there are roughly 3,415 travel applications available for the iPhone in the UK. Give or take a few.
Of those 3,415 apps, yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph recommended just six to its readers. The phenomenal news is that our Instant Cities range of travel guides for the iPhone are amongst the six, beating serious competition from heavyweight travel guide publishers like Lonely Planet and Frommers.
In summing up his reasons for recommending Instant Cities, Sunday Telegraph writer Donald Strachan says that “clever design… easy navigation and innovative use of photos are the hallmark of these guides.”
It’s brilliant news for us, ahead of a manic three months where we’re making significant improvements to the Instant Cities range (including improved search and interactive offline maps) and expanding the range with new titles, including Instant London.
Thanks to the Donald and the Telegraph for the glowing review, it’s really appreciated! Paul


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Last year, to celebrate Mists of Pandaria, NetEase and Blizzard released a World of Warcraft mahjong set. This year, perhaps due to the popularity of the Pandaria set, the companies are releasing a brand new set.
The new set appeared on NetEase’s BMall.com, a website dedicated to selling Blizzard paraphernalia, over the Christmas holiday.
The set is on pre-order for the same price as last year’s set and will be shipped out on February 8, a few weeks before the Chinese New Year.
Instead of focusing on Pandaria, this set appears to be more of a regular WoW commemoration set. It features a special wooden case, a WoW-themed placemat, branded chips and pieces, and special Alliance and Horde dice!
This set goes for about $US207, and I’m totally going to buy a few. Last year’s set sold on eBay for triple the retail price!


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The Indian fintech industry is seen to have grown significantly in terms of its maturity and comparability with global fintech hubs in terms of innovation and sophistication. Cumulative funding for the sector over the past six years exceeded US$10 billion, with US$4 billion being invested in 2019 alone. With the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, the trend of fintech funding in Asia changed and India grabbed the top spot in the first quarter of 2020, displacing China from its lead position. While many Read more..
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Think of Atlas Obscura as a well-edited wiki to catalog, as the site puts it, “all of the singular, eccentric, bizarre, fantastical, and strange out-of-the-way places that get left out of traditional travel guidebooks.” Users send in tips about odd destinations—a multi-hued river in Colombia or a naturally occurring lighthouse made of ice, for example—and the Obscura team edits and publishes the entries online.
Last month, Josh Foer and Dylan Thuras finally got their first paycheck since they started the website. “I’m surprised every time I look at my bank balance. Even though it is probably still less than minimum wage, it’s an amazing feeling to get paid by your own company,” Mr. Thuras said.
When Foer and Thuras first launched Atlas Obscura back in 2009, they considered getting venture capital funding. Although an infusion of cash was tempting, they ultimately decided it wasn’t the right fit for their site because they felt that their business model was especially reliant on content and they didn’t expect to grow at a rate that would make any outside investor happy.
“VC money really didn’t make any sense to us, and I think that is true of a lot of companies,” Mr. Thuras said.
Thuras and Foer realized that they would never have the scale for traditional web ads but figured they could leverage their particularly exotic brand to attract advertisers who wanted to target a niche demographic.
They started the site with $30,000 in loans from family and friends and decided to target advertisers whose messages dovetailed with the site’s ethos. Past sponsors have included Dos Equis, with its “most interesting man in the room” campaign, and Palladium Boots’ “urban exploration” campaign.
They recently signed Hendricks Gin, whose tagline is “a most unusual gin,” as a sponsor. The package Hendricks bought includes sponsoring drink specials at ten events during the second annual Obscura Day, on April 9. The spawling festival, organized by the website, is a one-day flurry of events in 69 cities across the globe, aimed at giving people a chance to explore places listed on the site.
Currently, the site features banner ads for Hendricks Gin and free promotional ads for Mr. Foer’s new book, Moonwalking With Einstein, a memoir of becoming the first-place winner of the U.S. Memory Championship.
Mr. Foer has been promoting the book, and Mr. Thuras is hopeful that the attention will spill onto the website. “Josh is in the process of transitioning into a public figure,” Mr. Thuras said. “Josh is great. He has a professional writer’s restraint but also this attitude of making this whole thing seem not impossible.”
In some ways, they seem like an unusual pair. Mr. Thuras, a Bennington graduate who lives in Greenpoint, works part time as a techie at Cooper Union. Mr. Foer is a science writer who lives in New Haven, where his wife is a med student at Yale.
The partners got a lot closer last fall when they spent a month exploring exotic places in South America that readers had alerted them to. In a seven part series in Slate, Mr. Foer wrote about the trip and Mr. Thuras took photos and video.
The Atlas founders are currently in the process of signing a contract with Workman Publishing for what they envision as a “weird guide that you would find tucked behind a dusty tome.”
“The book will bring things to a whole other level,” Mr. Thuras said. “We are still getting our footing and making this into a real company. It started as a fun project, so it is really crazy to realize it is going to be what I do for a long time.”


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Microsoft really, really, really wants you to use its Copilot AI assistant. The company’s latest attempt at pushing people towards Copilot was a QR code advertisement on Windows lock screens, causing some backlash before Microsoft paused the rollout.
The lock screen on Windows 10 and 11 already displays short messages by default, sometimes based on the current wallpaper (e.g. telling you where the image was taken) or advertising Microsoft services. However, a few people received a large QR code on the screen, which is linked to the download page for the Copilot mobile app. The text below the QR code explained, “Save time, learn faster, and create dynamically through AI with the free Microsoft Copilot app.”
The small text advertisements for Microsoft services are annoying enough, but a large QR code is definitely pushing it. There were a few reports of the QR code on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. Microsoft recently rolled out a Copilot sidebar to Windows 10, long after the company ended feature development on Windows 10 and shifted its resources to working on Windows 11.
The backlash to the advertisements must have been more than Microsoft expected, because the company has now “paused” them. The company told WindowsLatest in a statement, “The notification was simply a way to educate users and has since been paused. We value our customer experiences and are always learning to determine what is most valuable and to whom.”
Microsoft has become more aggressive with advertising in Windows over the past few years, including OneDrive promotions in the File Explorer, text on the lock screen, cloud storage alerts in the Start Menu and Settings apps, and ads from Bing in the main search panel. You can turn many of them off, but it’s an annoying and tedious process.
You can turn off text on the lock screen by opening the Windows Settings app, navigating to Personalization > Lock Screen, and selecting “Picture” or “Slideshow” from the main dropdown menu. Then, uncheck the box for “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen.” You shouldn’t have to do that, but that’s modern Windows for you.


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NELSONVILLE, Ohio – Durango® Boots has been named the official boot of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association®‘s (PRCA) Wrangler National Finals Rodeo® (Wrangler NFR), the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world. The three-year partnership will elevate Durango®’s presence at the event with onsite activations including sales, promotions and giveaways.
“The Wrangler NFR draws rodeo fans from across the world to celebrate and enjoy the pinnacle of western sports,” said Mike Fuller, Durango® Vice President/General Manager. “Durango® remains committed to supporting the rodeo industry and athletes, not only through events like this, but also through our robust research and development to create and build boots that support athletes and fans alike. We are proud to be named the Official Boot of the Wrangler NFR and National Sponsor of ProRodeo.”
The 2021 event will return to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas December 2–11, with Durango’s featured night being during round eight. Throughout the week, fans can interact with Durango® brand representatives and purchase Durango products at their various retail activations at Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas and Stetson Country Christmas.
“The PRCA is proud to welcome Durango Boots as the official boot of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo® and as a national sponsor of ProRodeo,” PRCA CEO George Taylor said. “Durango Boots has a long history with ProRodeo athletes. Now, the PRCA and Durango Boots are creating history together.”
In recent years, Durango® has built a stable of Team Durango® athletes including Lisa Lockhart, Luke Brown, Paul Eaves, Ty Erickson, Shane Hanchey, Kelsie Chace, Zeke Thurston, Orin Larsen, Jeff Askey, Stevi Hillman, Riley Webb and professional rodeo announcer Garrett Yerigan. In partnership with these athletes, the brand has launched a collection of performance-driven styles for men and women, including the comfortable and durable Rebel Pro™ and Lady Rebel Pro™ collections.
About Durango® Boots
Founded in 1966, Durango® Boots manufactures and markets quality-crafted western and fashion footwear for men, women and children. It is a division of Rocky Brands, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ® under the symbol: RCKY. For more information visit www.durangoboots.com.
About Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association®
The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is recognized as the unsurpassed leader in sanctioning the sport of professional rodeo. The PRCA’s mission is to unify membership in providing an innovative fan experience, to grow the sport of professional rodeo and provide new expanded opportunities for our membership and sponsors. Since 1986, the PRCA has paid out more than $1 billion in prize money to its contestants. The PRCA offers the best cowboys and the best rodeos; delivering the best fan experience while positively impacting our communities and embracing the spirit of the West. A membership-based organization, the PRCA sanctioned 732 events in 2019, and there are more than 40 million rodeo fans in the U.S. The PRCA televises the sport’s premier events, with the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV and streaming on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. The PRORODEO® Tour and RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo also air on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV, and the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. PRCA-sanctioned rodeos donate more than $40 million to local and national charities every year. For comprehensive coverage of the cowboy sport and daily updates of news and results visit the PRCA’s official website, www.prorodeo.com.


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|Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (3rd L) attends a symposium with heads of some newly-registered enterprises in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, July 25, 2014. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
JINAN, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government's efforts to reduce administrative approval procedures and delegate power to lower levels have contributed to China's stable economic growth, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has said.
The premier made the remarks during a recent symposium with owners of small and micro-sized enterprises in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province.
The government's administrative reforms, including one that seeks to simplify business registration and ease market access since February, has seen a surge of newly registered companies.
The premier said that 1.68 million businesses were registered nationwide in the first half of this year, up 57 percent year on year.
Among them, 1.58 million were private businesses, and they provided nearly 10.1 million jobs, the premier said.
Company representatives at the meeting with Li said that the government's efforts have boosted their enthusiasm for doing business.
The premier said that government organs will continue to reduce administrative procedures for small firms, and businesses will not to be hurdled by unreasonable rules.
Supervisors should relax unnecessary controls, fulfill their regulatory duties and support companies in need, Li said.
The government should also pay more attention to fiscal support and financial services to newly registered small firms, he added.
China's economic growth rebounded to 7.5 percent in the second quarter from 7.4 percent in the first, with growth in the first half at 7.4 percent.
The premier said that the growth was within the proper range, and market expectations are pointing to a better outlook. However, downward pressure still remains and targeted measures will continue to be used to boost market vitality and generate growth, he said.
Premier Li stresses quality growth, innovation
BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has reiterated "quality" as the mainspring of China's growth, saying that quality growth, whether slightly higher or lower than 7.5 percent, will be acceptable.
Economic growth should create jobs, increase people's incomes, save energy and be good for the environment, Li said during an economic symposium on Tuesday.
Quality growth comes through innovation that can upgrade the economy, Li said, pledging to maintain China's economy within a proper range: GDP growth around 7.5 percent and inflation below 3.5 percent.Full Story
Concrete reform helps growth: Chinese Premier
BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called for concrete implementation of the cabinet's reform policies to support economic growth.
Speaking at an executive meeting of the State Council, the premier said that actual enforcement of central government policies in regions has played an important role in stabilizing growth, boosting reform, restructuring, and improving people's livelihoods.Full Story
Join us with more photos>>>
Premier Li chairs symposium about current economic situation


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China’s industrial production growth accelerated to 10.1% (y/y) in November from 9.6% in October. China’s retail sales also accelerated to 14.9% (y/y) in November from 14.5 percent in October. Both industrial production and retail sales performance were the strongest in November since March.
Inflation in China accelerated in November to 2% (y/y) from 1.7% in October reflecting an increase in specific food prices (vegetables) and a pick-up in economic activity.
The producer price index decline slowed to 2.2% (y/y) in November from 2.8% in October. China’s fixed asset investment grew by 20.7% in the first eleven months of 2012 compared with the same period last year. The real estate market notched up a strong month with the sales of new homes growing by 9.1% in the first 11 months of the year, jumping 3.5% percentage points from a month earlier.
China’s export growth accelerated on a monthly basis to 2.2% (m/m) in November compared to a 5.8% decline in October. Imports grew by 11.4% (m/m) in November. At the same time, on an annual basis, a 2.9% (y/y) export growth in November was slower than the 11.6% gain in October.
Imports remained unchanged compared to a 2.4% (y/y) growth rate in October. Turkey’s GDP growth slowed to an annualized 0.8% (q/q) pace in the third quarter. On an annual basis, Turkey’s GDP expanded by 1.6% (y/y) in the third quarter of 2012, compared to a 3% growth recorded in the second quarter. Meanwhile industrial production in November dropped by 5.7% (y/y) in October reversing a 6.2% growth registered in September.
On a monthly basis industrial production contracted by 2.6% (m/m) in October compared with a 3.9% growth in September. Russia’s central bank has kept its key refinancing rate unchanged at 8.25% on moderating inflation and weak economic activity, but raised its fixed-term deposit rate by 0.25 percentage points and simultaneously reduced the ruble swap rate by the same amount to narrow the interest rate band and reduce rate volatility.
Russia’s annual inflation was unchanged at 6.5% (y/y) in November from October exceeding the government’s original forecast of 6.1 percent in 2012 but within the Central Bank’s revised 6.5-6.7% 2012 inflation target. Read More


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Can one of the first leaders in web video make a comeback?
The purchase of videocaster Blip.tv by YouTube network Maker Studios – announced this morning – may signal another step in the evolution of Google’s online video giant. That’s because the Time Warner- and venture capital-backed Maker could offer YouTube real competition for some audiences.
As its audience changed, FlixMaster needed a new name.
Epoch launched a mobile video application today that applies artificial intelligence and human curation to bring you ‘effortless entertainment.’
A new Intellectual Property unit will hunt down “organized crime gangs” who “illegally profiteer on the backs of others’ endeavors.”
The popular video discovery app ShowYou is stepping into new territory today.
Guest Post The online TV revolution is coming, and both consumers and businesses should keep a close eye on the industry as it hashes out the best monetization model.
If you thought Netflix was a data hog before, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
After relaunching as a social video network more than a year ago, Telly is now focusing even more on video discovery with the launch of My Telly.
AOL has released new information today about the most popular video content in 2012 from its AOL On Network, which has some surprising findings you wouldn’t expect and a bunch that you probably would.
A new study commissioned by AOL claims that short-form video advertising (ads that play during webisodes, cat videos, short interviews, etc.) is more effective than long-form advertising (ads that play throughout TV shows, movies, etc. or videos longer than 10 minutes).
The Wii U isn’t all about fun and games. It’s also about videos about fun and games.
Conway’s latest viral video, which he describes as a “gift to San Francisco,” is already making its rounds on the Internet. It’s not surprising, given that the stars of the new video boast a combined 4.2 million Twitter followers.
Creating web video isn’t easy, but Tubifi says it’s found a way to make it cheaper.
Guest Post Some countries in Europe have overtaken the US – home of Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube – in online video consumption.
AwesomenessTV is so awesome that they snagged $3.5 million in a first round of investment.
The top two online-video sites in China, Youku and Tudou, are merging into one super-company that will be called Youku Tudou Inc. The YouTube-esque companies are traded on the NADSAQ as YOKU and TUDO, and will retain separate brand identities.
That was fast. Only a day after automated video editing service Magisto announced it had received $5.5 million in second-round funding, YouTube has integrated the service into its offerings. YouTube took the opportunity to announce that it has removed the 15-minute limit from verified user videos and added a 2D-to-3D beta tool.
Online video publisher Brightcove has filed for an initial public offering to raise up to $50 million, according to an S-1 form filed with the SEC.
Film studio Miramax on Monday launched a new Facebook application that lets you rent acclaimed movies like Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and No Country for Old Men for $3 each.
Rumor has it Google’s YouTube is holding a competition to find video producers who can create original content for the site’s new channels.
TidalTV, a video ad technology company, announced today that it has raised $30 million in funding.
Google’s YouTube division confirmed today that it is buying Green Parrot Pictures, an Ireland-based video technology company.
Screenreach is one of 53 companies chosen by VentureBeat to launch at the DEMO Spring 2011 event taking place this week in Palm Desert, Calif. After our selection, the companies pay a fee to present. Our coverage of them remains objective.
SocialEyes is one of 53 companies chosen by VentureBeat to launch at the DEMO Spring 2011 event taking place this week. These companies do pay a fee to present, but our coverage of them remains objective.
After a successful experiment with broadcasting cricket’s Indian Premier League last year, Google-owned YouTube wants to stream more sports events online.
When I saw the headline last night that The Daily Show and The Colbert Report had returned to Hulu, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was trying to watch The Daily Show at Comedy Central’s site and had just refreshed the page again after the video had failed some five times. The people at Comedy Central have proved themselves utterly, hopelessly incompetent at running a video site, where Hulu knows what it’s doing.
Guest Post Peter Yared is the vice president of apps at Webtrends, which acquired Transpond, a social-apps developer he founded. He submitted this column to VentureBeat.


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Orbital Pharah Arrives in Overwatch Anniversary 2019
Orbital Pharah launched onto Overwatch's live servers Tuesday as part of the game's third Anniversary celebration.
The Overwatch skin dresses Pharah up as an astronaut, in a sleek white space suit with gold and orange accents. In screenshots of the skin, Pharah holds her helmet in her hand, hiding its front.
The skin bares more than a passing similarity to skins previously released for Winston and Wrecking Ball, the other two space-farers on the Overwatch roster. In particular the skin resembles Horizon Winston and Horizon Wrecking Ball, both outfits from their time on Horizon Lunar Colony.
Winston was among the five heroes other than Pharah to receive new Legendary skins in Overwatch Anniversary 2019. His Gargoyle skin was revealed ahead of the event, as was Academy D.Va. Honeydew Mei also appeared online before the event via unofficial leaks. The final two Legendary skins for the event were Toxic Roadhog and Riot Police Brigitte.
Photo courtesy of Blizzard


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The new outlet of Shwapno, one of the retail chain shops in the country, is now on Sher-e-Bangla Road in Khulna city.
This is the 226th outlet of Shwapno.
The new outlet was inaugurated at 11am Thursday (7 July) at Sher-e-Bangla Road in Khulna.
Khulna Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Moniruzzaman Talukder was present as the chief guest. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Md Sadiqur Rahman Khan, Shwapno's Director of Operations Abu Naser, Area Sales Manager Mohiuddin Moin and many others were also present.
Sabbir Hasan Nasir, executive director of Shwapno, said Shwapno is now in 40 districts of the country.
"The range of our services in Khulna will be wider. We have been planning to establish a modern outlet on Sher-e-Bangla Road for a long time. Hopefully, all the customers here will shop regularly in Shwapno in a healthy and safe environment.
Address of the new outlet: 9/2 Sher-e-Bangla Road, Khulna.
Month-long offers and home delivery services will be available at the new outlet.
Contact number for home delivery at this new outlet in Khulna: 01313-054645.


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The Food and Drug Administration and USDA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to help prevent interruptions at FDA-regulated food facilities, including fruit and vegetable processing, the agencies announced Tuesday.
Under the MOU, USDA has agreed to consult with FDA if that agency finds an existing or potential disruption in the food supply chain. Under an Executive Order issued last month, USDA was given authority to use the Defense Production Act to address shortages not just of meat and poultry but throughout the food supply chain.
The MOU says once FDA identifies a potential or existing disruption to the supply of FDA-regulated food “of sufficient likelihood, seriousness or significance,” it will contact USDA “to discuss appropriate action, including possibly invoking its delegated DPA authorities.”
“FDA maintains broad responsibility for ensuring that food is not adulterated or misbranded,” regulating “food resource facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods, with the exception of certain establishments that are regulated exclusively by USDA,” such as meat and poultry plants.
For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com


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As many as 47 suspected online fraudsters have been arrested in a massive crackdown during January 26-28, Singapore police have said.
The suspects were involved in 145 cases of online scams amounting to more than S$132,000, Channel News Asia reported.
As many as 23 of the arrested are women and there are suspects as young as 16.
The report said that, according to the police the suspects were acting as "money mules", who received and transferred illegal funds on behalf of criminal syndicates.
Some of the fraudsters had offered to sell products online but swindled their customers by not delivering the goods.
In Singapore conviction for such offences will attract a jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to S$500,000.
"Police take a serious view against those who intentionally use the online marketplace to commit crimes and will not hesitate to prosecute them. Account holders who are aware that their accounts are being used to transfer proceeds of crime will also be taken to task for money laundering," Director of Commercial Affairs Department David Chew had said in June after a similar operation in which 34 money mules were arrested.


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18/02/10 22:35 by jonasbn
Patrick Michaud will be giving a talk on Rakudo Star and on the arrival of a working Perl 6 implementation.
From the abstract: "Rakudo Perl 6 is an implementation of a Perl 6 compiler on top of the Parrot virtual machine. In April 2010, the Rakudo Perl team will be releasing "Rakudo Star", a usable and useful implementation of Perl 6."
So Christmas will be coming early this year \o/


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Rising COVID-19 cases and extended restrictions are expected to challenge Vietnamese steel producers in the second half of 2021. Steel mills could also be pressured due to elevated raw and finished goods prices which may lower the impact of the fiscal stimulus.
The Vietnamese government decided to extend strict restrictions for another two weeks from August 2. The restriction on the movement of goods and public is imposed on 19 cities and provinces in the southern region including the business hub Ho Chi Minh City. Ports traffic and local transport in South Vietnam are severely impacted by the curbs.
The profit margin of steel producers in Vietnam will drop in the second half of 2021 from the highs seen in the first six months of the year, noted Việt Capital Securities JSC (VCSC) in its recent report. This is mainly due to elevated raw material prices and selling prices of finished products across the supply chain which could lower the impact of fiscal stimulus given by the government. The supply chains are expected to readjust in 2022.
After witnessing record profits in H1 2021 amid high steel prices, mills are worrying about weak domestic demand due to the resurgence of the COVID cases in July. Most mills fear that in H2, the pace of recovery is likely to slow and the outlook is not as strong as was in the first half.
Impact of high steel prices
Construction steel prices rose nearly 9.3pc for the year to VND16,500/kg in July 2021, which was up 50pc over the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA). Higher prices have led many small constructors to bankruptcy and even big constructors have halted work.
Although record-high steel prices have provided significant benefits for steel producers in the short term, it has created economic pressure on many downstream industries including construction, machinery manufacturing, real estate and public investment.
The Chinese government’s intervention in commodity prices is likely to pressure overall steel demand in Asia and consequently lower prices in the H2.
In Vietnam, the difference between the price of hot-rolled coil (HRC) and finished products of galvanized steel companies was much thinner than the difference between iron ore and construction steel. This will increase the risk of lower margins as low-cost inventory runs out and input costs catch up with product prices or product prices fall.
Financials of major Vietnamese steelmakers
Hoa Phat Group (HPG)
In H1 2021, revenue rose to VND66.9 trillion, up 67pc from the prior year. Its profit after tax was more than VND16.7 trillion, three times higher than the same period last year. Driven by strong construction activities, construction steel consumption and total sales of galvanized steel and steel pipes grew by 14pc and 36c in H1 2021. In Q2 2021, revenue was at VND35.4 trillion ($1.54bn) and profit after tax of over VND9.7tr.
Tiến Lên Steel (TLH)
In H1 2021, net revenue increased to VND2.4 trillion, up 21pc from the prior year. Profit after tax was VND316.8bn, compared to a loss of VND11.7bn last year. In Q2 2021, consolidated net revenue was at VND1.4 trillion, up 36pc over last year. Net profit recorded at VND196.7bn, down VND15.4bn in the same period last year.
Hoa Sen Group (HSG)
In H1 2021, net revenue was at VND33 trillion and profit after tax was recorded at VNĐ3.37 trillion. In Q2 2021, it posted an increase in revenue of 90pc to nearly VND13 trillion. Its profit after tax reached VND1.7 trillion, over 5 times higher than last year.
Việt Nam Steel Corp (TVN) – In Q2 2021, net revenue was VND10.9 trillion, up 35.7pc over the year. Gross profit climbed 128pc to VND886.6bn. After deducting expenses, the company’s profit after tax was VND576.3bn, 2.6 times higher than the second quarter of 2020.


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Visualsoft is continuing its growth with an 18% rise in turnover to £13m this financial year.
The North East firm has seen its turnover grow from £7.9m in 2015, to £10m a year later and £11m in 2017.
Its profit before tax is also up a reported 100%, from £0.9m to £2m.
“In the current financial year, the company has seen strong performances across all business areas; in online retail platform sales, via our numerous marketing channel offerings and in our affiliate network,” said Dean Benson, CEO of Visualsoft.
“At the same time as achieving these results we remain committed to sustainable growth, which will allow us to deliver excellent service to our clients and offer secure employment for our staff, and a growing number of opportunities for prospective employees throughout the North of England.”


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On Feb. 2, 2016, Glenda Nalty sold their three bedroom, two bathroom home at 1404 Glendale Road, Towson 21239 to Samuel and Stella O. Ejiaku for $185,000.
This home last sold for $250,000 on June 30, 2005.
The median home sale price in 2015 in Towson was $250,000. This home sold for 74.0% of the median home sale price. In February 2016, 37 properties sold in Towson.


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U.S. consumers conducted nearly half of their online shopping using mobile devices, spending $5.9 billion in mobile commerce sales during the first quarter of 2013, according to Internet analytics firm Comscore.
Consumers using mobile devices accounted for 48% of total online shopping time, with 34% occurring on smartphones and 14% on tablets. The apparel and accessories segment was the highest-grossing retail mobile commerce category, accounting for nearly $1 billion in sales.
Retail e-commerce sales on desktop computers totaled $50.18 billion in the first quarter, excluding travel, auctions, autos and large corporate purchase transactions, according to Reston, Va.-based Comscore. The sales volume was up 13% year-over-year, but was down 11.6% from the 4Q12, when holiday shopping boosted online sales to $56.78 billion, the first time that U.S. e-commerce sales surpassed the $50 billion mark.
The rapidly expanding e-commerce sector is big business for the payments industry, where virtually all transactions are conducted electronically. In addition to providing payments acceptance and secure processing services for desktop and mobile e-commerce merchants, businesses like eBay’s PayPal unit are leveraging mobile to attract consumer adoption of their services, including more than 2.8 million new PayPal users added via mobile devices in the first quarter.
In desktop-based e-commerce, sales grew 20% or more year-over-year in five shopping segments: digital content and subscriptions; apparel and accessories; sport and fitness; consumer electronics and consumer packaged goods. Compared to the first quarter of 2012, the total number of e-commerce buyers increased 5% and average dollars spent per buyer was up 8%.
E-commerce sales volume has grown for 14 consecutive quarters, Comscore said, adding that online spending during the first quarter accounted for 10.6% of discretionary dollars spent — the highest share on record dating back to 2007.
“While the year-over-year growth rate of 13% remained healthy, it was a point or two below that of the preceding quarters. One potential explanation for this mild deceleration is the payroll tax increase, which went into effect in 2013 and which removed some disposal income from Americans’ wallets,” Comscore chairman Gian Fulgoni said in a press release. “That said, as long as job growth continues and consumer sentiment remains positive, the outlook for e-commerce in 2013 remains bright.”


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Target Adding Liquor Store to Chanhassen Store
The Target store in Chanhassen is officially getting a liquor store.
According to the Star Tribune, Target Corporation is renovating 28 Twin Cities Target stores this year, and as part of the makeover, some of those stores are getting liquor stores, including the one in Chanhassen.
The liquor store — which is a Target branded Wine and Spirit store — are built into its big-box stores, but have a separate entrance from the outside in accordance with Minnesota law, the report said.
Target had to apply for a liquor license from the city of Chanhassen, which has been approved. While the report didn’t say when Chanhassen store would be getting the new liquor store, it’s expected to happen in 2018.
- Chanhassen’s Target to Get Renovation as Company Modernizes Stores
- Chanhassen Author Raises Money for Dogs in Need
- Chanhassen City Council Gives OK for Panera Bread Restaurant
- Chanhassen Elementary Students Meet Medal of Honor Recipient
- Tickets Now Available For ‘Celebration 2018’ at Paisley Park
This local update courtesy of your Chanhassen Community Expert.


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Regulators from the European Union have said that they will decide before November whether to clear internet search giant Google's $3.1 billion takeover bid for online advertising company DoubleClick.
The European Commission set an initial date of October 26th to complete an initial review. However, regulators could subsequently decide to carry out a further in-depth review into the move.
Already the world's largest internet search engine, the take over of DoubleClick would increase Google's presence in the internet advertising sector.
Google's move has sparked anger from companies like Yahoo and Microsoft as they fear that the acquisition of DoubleClick would give the search engine unprecedented reach in the world of online advertising.
Experts believe the EU's decision will rest on whether online advertising is deemed to be a distinct market from other traditional platforms like print, television and radio.
The case highlights how the major players are attempting to improve their stake in the online advertising world.
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Numark is making quarantine for DJs a bit more exciting today, launching two brand-new Serato DJ controllers: the Mixtrack Platinum FX and Mixtrack Pro FX. Built to appeal to both beginner and advanced DJs alike, these controllers sit an affordable price point for anyone looking to learn, or as an upgrade for advanced DJs using Serato […]
The post Numark introduces new Serato controllers: Mixtrack Platinum FX & Pro FX appeared first on DJ TechTools.
The live streaming scene might feel crowded, but this week Mixcloud has introduced their own endeavor. They’ve launched a streaming platform built specifically for DJs, Mixcloud Live—not only taking on streaming giants like Facebook, Twitch, and Youtube, but also creating much-needed relief for DJ streams that are continually flagged for copyright. The team at Mixcloud […]
The post Mixcloud Launches A DJ Live Streaming Platform With Copyright Figured Out appeared first on DJ TechTools.
What makes a legendary artist in the DJ community? Often it’s having a lasting impact – and QBert continues to do that. In today’s interview from DJTT guest contributor Alex Amaro, Q talks about his most recent projects, his studio gear, and more. Read on. Who is QBert? QBert is part of a select few […]
The post QBert on the Photon Fader, his studio gear, and his favorite decade of drums to sample appeared first on DJ TechTools.
A new DJM-V10 mixer from Pioneer DJ has 6 channels, master isolators, four band EQ, per-channel compression knobs and sends for each channel. You could be forgiven for thinking that we’re listing features on an Allen & Heath DJ mixer. The new unit is expected to be present today at NAMM 2020 in Anaheim, so […]
The post DJM-V10: Pioneer DJ’s new 6-channel mixer looks like it was designed by a techno DJ appeared first on DJ TechTools.
InMusic is on a roll with product releases this NAMM. Rane DJ is the next brand inside of the company to roll something out: the Rane Seventy mixer. Look, we know the spec sheet already leaked over the weekend and everyone knew this release was coming. What we didn’t know was that Rane teamed up […]
The post The Rane Seventy: a new battle mixer designed to directly compete with the DJM-S9 appeared first on DJ TechTools.
We’re happy that Denon DJ is updating their Prime series players to add a few more features and a new look. At the same time, they’re also updating their flagship mixer, now the X1850 Prime. There’s very little different versus the X1800 Prime, as we’ll cover in this article. X1850 DJ Mixer Gear: X1850 Prime […]
The post Denon DJ’s X1850 Mixer: an aesthetic refresh and that’s about it appeared first on DJ TechTools.


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In December ECA International released a report covering all of 2013 listing which cities favoured by expatriates prove to be the most expensive to move to in the world. ECA International is a consulting firm assisting companies with the management of their international assignees all over the world. Their report makes for compelling reading.
Tokyo has been the most expensive city in the world to relocate to for a long time but since the weakening of the Yen it has since dropped to 10th position. Surprisingly Caracas in Venezuela has now topped the list of the top ten most expensive global cities to relocate to, having only been in 7th position this time last year. However experts are suggesting that Caracas will not hold this position for very long, as the Venezuelan government may have to devalue its currency in the near future. Caracas at present is experiencing high inflation and suffers from a severe shortage of exported goods even though the bolivar, their currency, is falling in value. As a result Caracas has now become the most expensive city in the world for expatriates above Luanda, Tokyo and Oslo, all three cities who regularly find themselves in the top places on the list. ECA International are also warning companies who have expatriate staff in Caracas to monitor what happens with the currency there so that appropriate living costs can be granted to their employees.
The ECA reported that their “shopping basket” in Caracas has risen by over 60% in the past year. The ECA International “shopping basket” is based on the cost of living covering the following items:
• General Everyday Items: To include clothing, eating out, electrical goods and motoring.
• Food: To include groceries, fish, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy products.
• Basic Items: To include: Drink, tobacco, services and miscellaneous goods.
The figures were compiled through surveys carried out between September 2012 and September 2013. The survey did not include accommodation costs for expatriates or their car rentals. School fees were also not included in the survey because these items are usually covered in an expatriate package.
Following Caracas on the list is Luanda, the capital of Angola and Oslo, the capital of Norway.
When multinational companies send staff on international assignments they often include a cost of living allowance within their pay package. This can be affected by exchange rates, inflation and the availability of goods whilst in that country. ECA International carry out two Cost of Living Surveys every year where they compare goods and services which are most purchased by assignees in over 440 locations worldwide, which then creates their ‘shopping basket’.
Surprisingly Manhattan is the 33rd most expensive city for expatriates to relocate to, some would think that it would achieve a much higher position, but it is still the most expensive city to relocate to within America. Vancouver is the most expensive Canadian city within the Americas but is only 53rd in the global list. In regards to Latin America obviously Caracas tops the global list then Haiti comes next at 57th position. Brazilian cities have fallen in the rankings quite dramatically, Rio de Janeiro has dropped to 130th in the world largely due to the depreciation in the Brazilian Real over the year, making Brazil a much cheaper place for expatriates to relocate to.
Asia still has Tokyo as the most expensive city even though it has fallen on the global list due to the Yen. Companies will now find it a lot cheaper to relocate staff to Tokyo than it once was a few years back. Weaker currencies play a huge part in a city’s position; Jakarta has dropped to 172nd in the world.
Alternatively some of China’s cities have gone up in the ranks, such as Shanghai now 18th in the world when it was 25th. Beijing is the second most expensive city in Asia after Tokyo but if the ECA International survey included housing costs within their survey then it would drop in the list because housing is a lot cheaper here than elsewhere like Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Australian cities have now dropped out of the top thirty altogether just in the last year, largely due to the dollar weakening against other major currencies. Just a year ago both Sydney and Canberra were both in the top twenty but they have now dropped to 31st and 39th position respectively.
Europe has Oslo as it’s most expensive city sitting at number three in the global list but the top 10 cities in Europe are dominated by Western European cities in countries such as Scandinavia, Finland and Switzerland, apart from Moscow which also features in the top ten. This is due to the euro being strengthened against the dollar. Turkish cities have seen dramatic drops in the list because of the depreciation of the lira.
In the Middle East Tel Aviv tops the list, sitting at 24th position globally followed by Jerusalem at 27th position, again they have risen due to the strengthening of the Shekel. In The UAE both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have risen in the ranks to 171st and 180th respectively.
Luanda is the most expensive city in Africa and 2nd globally, typically because the cost of goods purchased here by expatriates are high due to import and transportation costs.


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Commercial manager Gary Harrison said: "We are looking forward to seeing Jazz apples stocked in both outlets for the foreseeable future. And we'll take on increased volumes as the Jazz crops continue to get bigger year on year."
The company already supplies Waitrose, Tesco, Marks & Spencer (M&S), Morrisons and Booths with the apple, which is a cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala.
Harrison added: "Lidl is looking to market the apple as one of its premium apple lines through the northern hemisphere season."
He said the expected tonnage of Jazz apples sold in the UK this year was set to be around 6,500 tonnes, but next year's projection was 10,000 tonnes.
"These additional volumes will be used to supply the two new retail customers, while increasing national availability to our existing retailer base of the likes of M&S."
Worldwide Fruit has launched a Team Jazz sports sponsorship scheme, offering 10 budding stars the chance to win £1,500 of support to improve their game.


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The Nokia N8 might be the company's flagship, but problems with the handset have plagued the company since it's launch and they seem to continue as a tweet by Russian tech analyst Eldar Murtazin quotes an internal Nokia service bulletin revealing that phones made in December were “produced with faulty displays.” The issue also affects the more affordable Nokia C7 model, which might be coming on T-Mobile as the Nokia Tiger, and will require a complete replace of screens.
The Finns plan on selling 150 million Symbian handsets in the coming years before they make the switch to the Windows Phone platform for higher-end products, but the manufacturing issues could hamper the company's efforts. Currently, Nokia is still the world's biggest cell phone maker, but its footprint is mostly outside the United States. It aims to increase its U.S. presence and most recently advertised the N8 during the Oscars despite it not being available subsidized on any carrier in the States. Currently, the 12-megapixel camera phone can be had for $329 through Dell's website.