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The insights behind instincts in business
Resilience, adaptability and innovation are just some of the many characteristics associated with Australian small businesses. One of the biggest, but often overlooked traits, is instinct.
While there are numerous ingredients that contribute to a successful entrepreneur, from industry skills and business acumen to diligence and planning, turning a dream into reality and a passion into a purpose ultimately requires decisiveness and a leap of faith.
The power of instincts backed by research
According to new ‘Go for it’ research released by GoDaddy, there’s more to trusting your instincts than we may realise.
The research, carried out amongst a nationally representative sample of 1015 Australian entrepreneurs, small-business owners and side hustlers found that a whopping 85 per cent of Aussie small-business owners said that instincts were either ‘important or very important’ in their decision to start their business. Three quarters (78 per cent) of survey respondents believe that trusting their instincts has positively impacted their business, while only one per cent believe it has had a negative impact.
Looking at how often Aussie small-business owners use their intuition, more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those surveyed said they trust their instincts to make business decisions ‘most days’, while 84 per cent do so at least once a week. A third (31 per cent) said they make an instinct-based decision every single day.
It turns out backing your instincts can also be advantageous when it comes to business growth, with pricing changes (30 per cent), business strategy (30 per cent), investments (28 per cent), and hiring (24 per cent) reported as the top instinct-based decisions, according to the research. When it comes to hiring and upskilling, Aussie entrepreneurs are prioritising soft skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving – two characteristics that can help to develop stronger instincts – compared to hard skills like a relevant degree, coding or bookkeeping.
Barking up the right tree
Roxane Coutts and Corrin Elliot, co-owners of Victorian-based Barkery Deluxe Dog Treats are just two of the thousands of Aussie business owners who wouldn’t be where they are today if they hadn’t trusted their instincts. With a shared love of dogs and a desire to enjoy more freedom and flexibility around their families, they trusted their instincts, built a website using our Website Builder and haven’t looked back. Both agree that it’s incredibly important to plan and prepare when launching a business, but there comes a point when they had to back themselves and go for it.
Many have business ideas, but our moment of inspiration is often curbed by self-doubt. Whether it’s the decision to start a business or to overcome challenging situations, our research shows that instinct and assuredness are crucial for Australia’s entrepreneurs.
The last two years have presented some of the toughest challenges entrepreneurs have ever faced, yet data from ASIC (The Australian Securities and Investments Commission) revealed that business registrations were higher than pre-pandemic levels. Australian entrepreneurs are demonstrating that dreams can become a reality when you trust your instincts and ‘go for it’.
Author: Tamara Oppen, managing director for GoDaddy Australia.
This article was first published on sibling website Inside Small Business.


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Governor Wolf Honors Reading Terminal Market’s 125th Anniversary
February 22, 2018
Philadelphia, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today joined Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Congressman Dwight Evans, and community officials and leaders to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Reading Terminal Market.
“Reading Terminal Market is so much more than just a farmer’s market. It is a true example of the best of Philadelphia,” said Governor Wolf. “It’s a location for tourists to come to see what Philadelphia has to offer, a provider of quality, local foods to our citizens, a place for people to congregate, and the opportunity to engage with their food providers. Reading Terminal Market is a bastion of the Philadelphia community and I am proud to honor this major milestone.”
Today’s event, 1893 Day, serves as the kick-off of a year-long celebration that will include a series of special events and programming showcasing the Market, and will offer visitors the chance to experience Reading Terminal Market as it was when it first opened, including special 1893 prices. Following the formal remarks, the governor took part in a ribbon cutting as a symbolic “grand opening” of the Market.
“The Market has withstood more than a century of transition in Center City, and today remains a vital piece of Philadelphia’s civic fabric and the most visited site in the region,” said Anuj Gupta, General Manager of Reading Terminal Market. “It is an important source of fresh food for Philadelphians and an authentic showcase of our city for national and international visitors. We encourage our customers, community members, and everyone who loves Reading Terminal Market to join us in 2018 as we begin a year of special programming that will memorialize our past, celebrate our present, and chart our future for the next 125 years.”
One of America’s largest and oldest public markets, housed since 1893 in a National Historic Landmark building, the Reading Terminal Market offers an incredible selection of farm fresh produce, meats, and poultry, plus the finest seafood, cheeses, baked goods, confections, flowers, kitchenware, cookbooks, jewelry, and crafts.

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What's better than beautiful polygon dog adventure Home Free meeting its Kickstarter goal? The fact that it's now coming to PS4. Fully funded in just five days - and with a soundtrack so bouncy that I'm listening to the trailer right now - Home Free is the story of a lost dog finding a way to survive in a procedurally generated city.
"It currently seems like we’re living in the golden age of video game dogs: the dog in COD: Ghosts, DD in MGS5, and Dogmeat in Fallout 4," explains developer Kevin Cancienne on the PlayStation Blog (opens in new tab). "And there have been a few games, over the years, where you get to play as a dog: Cult favourite A Dog’s Life on PS2, of course. You can even briefly control Chop in GTA V. And Okami has a special place in my heart (OK, technically Amaterasu isn’t a dog, she’s a mythological wolf sun goddess. But still)."
Cancienne has been working on Home Free for two years and it combines a procedural city engine and a local multiplayer game he'd been working on called Dog Park. "I was interested in making a game where you’re basically just a dog, seeing the world from a dog’s perspective," he says. "A game where you can run, jump, wrestle, tackle, and sniff butts. That’s why I started by creating Dog Park for NYU’s No Quarter Show in 2014. I wanted to create a game about the sheer joy and physicality of dog play. "
"But ultimately, I had something bigger in mind. The idea of being a dog in an open world city game seemed like something I had to pursue. A dog can’t steal a car or shoot a gun, but has to use its instincts to survive in an environment that wasn’t built with canines in mind." Inspired by the cityscapes of Jet Set Radio and even Katamari Damacy, Cancienne wants us to get truly lost in each world but eventually find a way home.
With a release date marked for November 2016 now its met its Kickstarter goal, Home Free already looks ridiculously exciting. Canine out of ten? Right? Right...
Seen something newsworthy? Tell us! (opens in new tab)


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Mobile phones with built-in MP3 players are starting to form the mainstream of the cell phone market.
All products introduced by Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Pantech & Curitel this year equipped with an MP3 function. Industry insiders expect that over 70 percent of the 15 million units of old and new handsets to be sold in the Korean market will be MP3 music phones. LG Electronics said We are predicting that MP3 phones will account for more than 80 percent of our sales this year.
The memory size and functions of MP3 phones have developed to approach the level of proper MP3 players. Samsung Electronics has released handsets with a 1.5-Gb HDD (hard disk drive) through KTF in February and plans to launch a super music phone with 3 GB of storage. Users can store up to 500 tunes with 1.5 GB and 1,000 with 3 GB.
LG has recently released a Real MP3 Phone with an exclusive chip for MP3 playback whose more powerful high and low registers offer users a crisper sound. It also provides equalizer effects, and a multi-tasking switch lets users to do multiple jobs simultaneously, such as sending text messages while listening to music.
Pantech & Curitel have released a necklace-style MP3 phone.
Domestic mobile telecom providers are also pushing the trend by opening music portal sites, with SK Telecoms MelOn, LG Telecoms MusicOn, and KTFs Dosirac opened in the months since November. The market share of music phones will grow as they are increasingly becoming a personalized fashion accessory and fashion trend, while mobile operators are expanding their music business, an LG official said.
From Park Chang-shin, heri, chosun.com


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The company intends to utilise Flipkart's marketing intelligence support to target smartphone users in smaller cities and towns across the country.
iVOOMi plans to facilitate its Research and & Development (R&D) in Hong Kong and China with support from Flipkart's analytics of smartphone usage in India.
"We are glad to be associated with the e-commerce major Flipkart. Through their verified intelligence reports, our focus is to ensure the development of latest technology in the most cost-effective range, as desired by users in this geography," said Ashwin Bhandari, CEO, iVOOMi India, in a statement.
iVOOMi also chose Flipkart as its exclusive sales partner for its upcoming range of smartphone. The cost of the smartphones will range between Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000.


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Psst, Wanna Buy A Rolex? Or A Mercedes, Or Plane?
Sniffing a bargain, the middle-aged woman in a fashionable silk dress squeezes through the crowd to take a closer look at the second-hand ring.
If her bargaining is successful, she can wrap it up and take it home - which is a tad more convenient than the delivery arrangements for the slightly used small plane that is on the block nearby.
Buy a Rolex, slap it on your wrist. For the right price, a late-model Mercedes Benz is yours to drive away.
Pretty upscale, this Bangkok flea market. Welcome to the "Market of the Formerly Rich," a weekend affair where the baubles that sparkled so brightly during Thailand's boom times are being sold off to pay the bills come due.
`Bought too much of everything'
Thailand's bubble economy, built on speculation in real estate and the stock market, made a few people very rich and a lot of people a little rich.
Thailand was the second-biggest market in Asia - after Japan - for Mercedes Benz. The words "Thai tourist" became synonymous for "big spender" in the boutiques and department stores of Europe and the United States. But the Thai currency, the baht, has lost 50 percent of its value over the past six months.
The weekend market was the brainchild of a local Mercedes dealer who had a little time on his hands as the country slipped into recession.
Wasun Panon, who set up the market at his auto showroom, says he recognized that Thais were guilty of overconsumption, and he wanted to campaign for people to stop buying more new things, especially imported goods.
"We have bought too much of everything," Wasun says. "Even if we stop buying things for a year or so, we'll still have plenty to use that's already here inside our country."
Used goods: patriotic, `even chic'
Wasun's sentiments are echoed in the media. A new TV commercial viciously lampoons conspicuous consumers, and calls on Thais to: "Buy fewer imported luxury goods - Boost Thai exports." An old patriotic song plays in the background.
The media's latest heroes are white-collar workers who have successfully coped with downsizing. The real-estate broker turned sandwich maker. The finance executive turned taxi driver. The journalist turned milkman.
Buying used goods, the English-language Bangkok Post recently proclaimed, used to be something shameful for the well-heeled. Now, the newspaper says, the practice is acceptable, "even chic."
Rolex loses its shine
Wasun's market opened Oct. 25 and is one of several flea markets that have sprung up, some in the parking lots of malls seeking to lure back fleeing customers.
Pathana Fakchamroon, 40, manages a tour company, but this weekend she's a saleswoman for a Rolex watch her sister bought in the United States two months ago.
Her asking price for the gold watch, which is decorated with mother of pearl and small diamonds: $12,800. She says the same model usually sells for $16,000.
"The economy is bad. . . . We prefer having money over wearing a Rolex," Pathana said.
Land and houses, antique cars, motorboats, vintage wine and cameras are among the other items offered at knockdown prices.
The star attraction so far has been a French-made five-seat airplane that belonged to a Thai businesswoman. It was purchased by a Singaporean businessman for $110,500 after being on display for only two weeks.
Mercedes Benz automobiles are the marketplace's best sellers, with more than 30 changing hands each weekend.
Pianos also are good movers, with at least 10 sold so far, usually for half their normal local price, $600 to $1,800.
More than 5,000 people have been visiting the market each weekend, and estimated total turnover so far is more than $2 million.
"This is a chance for the rich to get rid of their excess property," Wasun said. "And it is the turn of ordinary people to own what they have wanted for a long time."
Copyright (c) 1998 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.


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FTC: Whole Foods Purchase Of Wild Oats Would Lead To Higher Prices
The FTC says that the purchase of Wild Oats Markets by Whole Foods Market, would increase concentration of the country’s natural and organic supermarkets and lead to increased prices, The New York Times reports.
The agency said June 5 that it planned to block the acquisition of Wild Oats, the second-largest natural-foods grocer after Whole Foods.
“Consumers have benefited directly from the price and quality competition between Whole Foods and Wild Oats,” the agency said in a sealed lawsuit filed this week, portions of which were released yesterday. “If the acquisition occurs, those benefits will be lost.”
Whole Foods plans to challenge the F.T.C.’s decision. “We are very disappointed by this decision and we intend to vigorously challenge the FTC in court,” said John Mackey, chairman and chief executive officer of Whole Foods Market. “The FTC has failed to recognize the robust competition in the supermarket industry, which has grown more intense as competitors increase their offerings of natural, organic and fresh products, renovate their stores and open stores with new banners and formats resembling Whole Foods Market. Evidently the FTC does not appreciate the many benefits for consumers of the proposed merger, including our plan to invest capital in and improve many of the stores currently owned by Wild Oats.”
Whole Foods and Wild Oats, in that order, are the top two green brands, according to the 2007 ImagePower Green Brands Survey.
Energy Manager News
- Clean Energy Commitment in the Corporate and Local Small Business Sphere
- MIT Develops Promising New Battery Storage Technology
- Xcel Asks for $90M ‘Switching Fee’ If Lubbock Utility Joins ERCOT
- EDF Sending 127 Climate Corps Fellows to 100 Organizations
- Capegemini, Siemens Working on Analytics Platform
- Fulham Retrofit Kits EPA Approved
- Brookings Study: Net Metering Offers Cost Benefits to All Utility Customers
- Window Films: Low Hanging Fruit for Efficiency Gains


text: The American Egg Board says it is planning a print and online advertising campaign featuring the actor Kevin Bacon and puns using his last name. The online spots feature a woman making scrambled eggs for breakfast, when Mr. Bacon appears lying suggestively on the counter behind her. At one point, she leans in to sniff the actor and says she loves the smell of bacon. Then her husband walks in. The “Wake Up to Eggs With Bacon” push by the ad agency Grey is an update on a “Wake Up to Eggs” campaign that started in 2012. “I always felt like egg farmers were too conservative,” said Bob Krouse, chief of Midwest Poultry Services, an egg producer in Mentone, Ind.


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Tech-Connected Consumers Have Limited Tolerance For Brands Not Delivering Relevant and Meaningful Experiences
July 7th, 2016, Napa California: VeraCentra, a leading customer relationship agency, published the findings of a recent study: “Fulfilling the Relevancy Promise: How People, Process and Technology Strategies Impact Customer Loyalty”. The May 2016 commissioned study, conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of VeraCentra, was designed to better understand how consumer brand marketers are investing in new and different strategies to engage today’s customers with greater relevancy and ultimately win their loyalty. The study was conducted among marketing decision makers in the US, in companies generating between $300 million and $5 billion in annual revenue.
The study reveals that marketers are prioritizing their efforts around customer loyalty with 78% of marketers stating their priorities are influenced by always-connected customers and 81% stating they are seeking to address decreased customer loyalty.
Connie Hill, VeraCentra’s President and Founder noted, “The survey validates that empowered customers have pushed B2C marketers to reshape their organization’s priorities. But we wanted to dig deeper and truly understand the challenges marketers face as well as understand what strategies they are employing in the battle to improve customer loyalty.”
A major finding of the study shows that despite best efforts, brands and their marketing departments continue to be challenged in three key areas:
• Generating customer insights from the vast amounts of data which marketers rely on to design relevant experiences for their customers.
• Increasing marketing operational efficiencies to support personalized and individualized customer communication distribution across multiple devices and channels.
• Moving from basic loyalty reward programs to more advanced and holistic strategies that engage customers throughout their entire lifecycle.
The study also revealed that some brands are getting it right. Those in this study who stated that their people, process, and technology strategies are either mostly or fully coordinated with each other are 31% more likely to witness a high impact on their overall engagement and retention goals.
The full study, “Fulfilling The Relevancy Promise: How People, Process and Technology Strategies Impact Customer Loyalty”, is available to download at VeraCentra’s web site: http://bit.ly/VeraCentraTAP
VeraCentra is a customer-relationship marketing agency helping brands transform their marketing organizations by placing their customers central to their marketing efforts. Using their data driven strategies and technology, VeraCentra’s clients can now deliver personalized customer experiences and are being rewarded with more customer loyalty. By combining analytical, creative and technical services, each client receives a tailored solution – marrying customer insight with the delivery of meaningful customer communications.
At the core of VeraCentra’s work is a closed-loop framework, allowing clients to integrate their unique business rules into a cross channel ecosystem; performing automated and hyper-personalized customer messages across multiple devices, throughout the entire customer lifecycle.
Since 1988, VeraCentra’s approach to customer marketing has proven to deliver continuous and sustainable value. VeraCentra enjoys client partnerships with some of the world’s most admired brands, with several relationships spanning over a decade. Learn more at www.veracentra.com.


text: Folks who use Micro Four Thirds cameras, like the Olympus PEN E-PL1, don’t have as many lenses to choose from when compared to those who tout DSLR cameras, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t exciting lenses for them. The US-based company, Noktor, has announced its HyperPrime 50mm f0.95 lens for said camera format. Considering that f0.95 is more than a stop faster than f1.4, you’re going to get some insanely shallow depth of field. If you’re already drooling over it, you can start saving your pennies now, and prepare to pick it up when it goes on sale in April for $750. Who said folks who use the Micro Four Thirds format don’t get as much fun, eh?


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Beijing, March 9: Chi on Friday called on the US to withdraw the new tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, warning of a serious impact on intertiol trade. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce warned in a statement that it will take action against the new tariffs announced on Thursday — 25 per cent for steel imports and 10 per cent for aluminium — and will affect all countries that sell them to the US with initial exemptions for Cada and Mexico, reports Efe news.
“Chi urges the US to respect the authority of multilateral trade system and withdraw the measures as soon as possible,” said Wang Hejun, Director-General of the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau. Trump defended the new tariffs as aiming to protect the steel and aluminium industry which are vital for tiol security.
Wang said that Trump’s argument was unjustified and goes against the trade order of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and reiterated Chi’s firm opposition to these measures that will have a serious impact on the intertiol level.
The Chinese Iron and Steel Association (CISA) Friday also expressed strong opposition to the new tariffs that violate WTO rules and disturb the intertiol trade order. CISA warned that the new US tariffs will hurt the steel industry worldwide, including the US, and particularly consumers of steel products.
Protectionism has been one of Trump’s campaign promises and the imposition of these new tariffs may open a possible trade war with other countries and organisations. (IANS)


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Nintendo has announced that the production of the Wii U will soon be coming to an end.
Nintendo released the following statement: ”
“We can confirm that as of today, all Wii U hardware that will be made available in the North American market for this fiscal year has already been shipped to our retail partners. We encourage anyone who wants Wii U to communicate with their preferred retail outlet to monitor availability(Via Kotaku).”
The Nintendo Wii U was released in November of 2012 and has sold 13.36 million units.
What do you think about the end of the Wii U? What was your favorite game for the console? Feel free to leave your comments in the section below, and for more Nintendo news you are in the right place, VG Newswire.


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IS THE ECONOMY in a pause? If so, does it mean an economic slump? Or is it merely a "mini-pause," and therefore a good sign? The answer from economists, you will not be too surprised to read, is yes - and then again, no.
But something of significance seems to be going on, revealed by the fact that manufacturers' stocks climbed $2.1 billion in May, the fifth monthly increase in a row, and the largest in two years.
When factory inventories start to accumulate, it's a tell-tale sign that businesses are producing more than their customers are buying.
"Not particularly encouraging," was the verdict rendered by Commerce Department economist Courtenay Slater. "Things look pretty flat. You like to see things going up in a growing economy."
Commerce Secretary Juanity Kreps reminded this reporter that the economy later this year and in 1978 may get a lift from the jobs and public works part of the Carter stimulus package. But right now, she says, " I don't see any source for a pickup" in the crucial area of business investment, except a psychological lift if tax reform proposals seem to be making headway.
Carter administration officials have assumed right along that 1977's second-half pace of activity would be slower than the first. The unanswered question that seems to be developing is whether the current "flat" period cited by both Kerps and Slater will turn into a decline.
Economic Council Chairman Charles L. Schultze doesn't think that's going to happen. "The statistics in June do make you reflect," he said in a telephone interview, "but I wouldn't call it a 'pause,' if by 'pause' you mean a growth rate sharply flattening to a very low number in the second half of the year."
IF THE PAUSE turns into something worrisome, a stubborn inflationary trend will be assigned much of the blame. Gary Wenglowski fo Goldman Sachs notes that, with a 6 per cent inflation rate, federal tax laws automatically reduce real consumer income by about $7 billion a year, at present income levels.
The divergence in viewpoint among the experts is seen, as well, at the Federal Reserve system. At the May 17 meeting of the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee, there was a clear split. Beatish members worried openly that the economy is repeating its 1976 pattern, when inventories piled up, forcing a curtailment in production and a rise in unemployment.
More hopeful FOMC membbers predicted that expansion "in the quarters immediately ahead" would be stronger than expected.
On the optimistic side, Citibank's "Economic Week" letter acknowledges a decline in May's leading indicator index, but says that is "not enough to suggest the economy is headed for trouble."
Other measures show that "the economy is still healthy," Citibank's letter says. "Price increases have slowed, retail sales have held up and industrial production has soared."
The most pessimistic private forecaster appears to be Michael K. Evans of Chase Econometric Associates, Inc. He says that "the U.S economy is begining its slide toward a growth recession in 1978."
A growth recession is one in which the gross national product doesn't increase enough to provide jobs for an expanding labor force. Evans put real GNP growth at no more than 2 per cent in 1978 (compared to the Carter expectation of 5 per cent).
He predicts that unemployment - which edged up from 6.9 per cent in May to 7.1 per cent last month - will rise to 7.5 per cent by the end of this year, while the administration is sticking to its forecast that the jobless rate will be 6.5 per cent or less at the end of the year.
A MAN IN THE MIDDLE is Otto Eckstein of Data Resources, Inc., who says flatly that "the economy has entered a pause." But Eckstein can't decide whether it is a "momentary hesitation" or something "more dramatic." Give it another four weeks, and one can tell better, Eckstein suggests.
The basic negative signs that Eckstein lays out are the inventory pileup, the fact that the real volume of retail sales hit a peak in March and is "edging sideways since," no gain in the shipments of non-defense capital goods: and "surprising ease" in financial markets.
On the other hand, his analysis also shows many plus signs, including rising federal spending, and prospects that the potentially frightening U.S. trade deficit will shrink, aided by a sharp revaluation of the Japanese yen.
"In summary, the available evidence leaves no doubt that at the very least there is a mini-pause," Eckstein says, trying to balance it all out. "That is sufficient to mark down the risks of a boom-dust developments . . . Little pauses are to be expected in a recovery that is meant to be sustainable over quite a few years."


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To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the New International Version (NIV), “the best-selling translation with more than 300 million copies in print,” Grand Rapids-based publisher Zondervan is launching a nationwide RV tour, “Bible Across America.”
The RV will be making stops at various locations across the nation and encouraging people to contribute a verse to a hand-written Bible. New Zondervan CEO Moe Girkins started the tour off yesterday by inscribing Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (The Grand Rapids Press recently published an in-depth profile of Girkins.)
The tour is scheduled to wrap up in San Diego, CA in February at the 2009 National Pastor’s Convention. The tour will cover over 15,000 miles, 90 cities in 44 states. 31,173 Americans will handwrite the entire NIV Bible.
In other Bible news, Zondervan’s parent company, HarperCollins, will soon be releasing The Green Bible in the NRSV translation. As Time magazine reports, The Green Bible is intended to be “a Scripture for the Prius age that calls attention to more than 1,000 verses related to nature by printing them in a pleasant shade of forest green, much as red-letter editions of the Bible encrimson the words of Jesus.”
Perhaps we can look forward to the formation of a new group of “Green Letter Christians,” much like we currently have the “Red Letter Christians.” There’s likely to be a lot of cross-over between the two groups, though, so maybe having two groups would just be redundant. When you mix red and green you get brown…so an even better idea might be to create a group called the “Brown Letter Christians.”


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Over half of UK public pledging to use more sustainable mobility in 2023, says FREE NOW research
According to FREE NOW’s new research, the cost-of-living crisis and increasing environmental awareness is encouraging the UK public to adopt more sustainable transport habits in 2023.
Over half of the UK public plan to increase their use of sustainable transport choices in 2023, as a way to cut spending and look after the planet, says FREE NOW’s new research. According to the research, almost a third of the public have said that sustainable transport – including shared mobility and public transport – is more important in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis.
The findings are revealed in the UK’s top transport resolutions, released by FREE NOW and show a marked shift in travel priorities across the country, where micro-mobility including e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as ride-hailing and lift-sharing have been increasing in popularity.
The UK’s top transport resolutions include:
- Using more shared mobility – people plan to travel in different ways with 14 per cent pledging to use shared mobility more, with FREE NOW reporting a 200 per cent growth in micro-mobility usage in 2022 alone
- Considering living without a private car – almost half of young people think that they could live without their own vehicle by using cabs, PHVs, e-scooters and e-bikes
- Using more public transport – 37 per cent of people said that they will rely on public transport more in 2023
- Going electric – over one in 10 (14 per cent) are going to replace their car with a new, cleaner model, such as an electric car (EV) or hybrid, with new EV driver registrations on the FREE NOW app up 120 per cent in 2022.
FREE NOW’s findings are revealed following the company’s increase in sustainability throughout 2022. Whilst overall trips have increased by 32 per cent, 74 per cent of those trips have taken place in EVs in 2022. In addition, there has been a significant rise in EV drivers coming onto the platform this year, up 120 per cent. The company also offers a £2,000 subsidy to help drivers make the switch to an EV – both for black cab drivers and private hire vehicles.
Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager UK at FREE NOW, said: “Sustainability is increasingly an important topic to both the general public and FREE NOW drivers. Already this year (2022) we’ve seen a 200 per cent increase in micro-mobility usage on the platform and nearly three-quarters of all taxi and private hire tours were done in electrified vehicles. This is only set to continue in 2023, with more people pledging to prioritise sustainable transport in their daily lives, with FREE NOW on hand to support them in any way they like to travel. We are committed to becoming net zero by 2030, making all taxis in the UK market electric by 2024 and all private hire vehicles by 2025 and we will continue to work towards this goal.”
If you liked this, you may also be interested in:


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Officially, getting a pair of Kanye West’s new Air Yeezy 2 sneakers, designed by ‘Ye himself and debuting at sneaker boutiques this Saturday, would only run you $245. But as TMZ is reporting, one pre-listed pair of the kicks has already gone for $89,100 (!!!!!) on eBay to its 79th bidder. It’s a given that West-endorsed kicks would be pricey, but it doesn’t seem wrong to think whoever made the bid might be overestimating their value.
We’re not sure where this puts the AY2 on the list of the most expensive sneaks ever, but it’s got to be up there. See the shoes above; West has already been rocking ’em for months.


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After more than 10 years of business, high-end kitchen wares and home furnishings shop Williams-Sonoma will close its doors at Columbiana Centre on Jan. 16.
The departure that did not come as a surprise to mall management, however, who say it is part of the mall’s overall long-term planning.
“Obviously we hate to see them leave but there’s a plan in place for what we hope to be a huge surprise in 2018,” said Columbiana general manager Andrew Peach. “We can’t really disclose it at this time but it’s going to be something great.”
In addition to Williams-Sonoma closing, The Limited women’s apparel shop is leaving the mall, as well, as part of the company’s overall closing of all of its 250 stores nationwide. Despite those vacancies, the 826,000-square-foot center remains 99 percent occupied, Peach said.
“Our leasing strategy is such and our occupancy stays high enough that we can tweak things as far as a year out to be able to accommodate new tenants that that move us along with trends we see on the horizon,” Peach said. “The mall’s definitely not dying. We’re in a great position right now. We’re not going the direction some other malls in the area are going.”
On Feb. 13, the mall will welcome Dave & Buster’s restaurant and entertainment venue in the space previously occupied by Sears.
“Dave & Buster’s didn’t just happen. That required long-term planning,” Peach said. “With 10-year leases you have to plan out well in advance to know what’s going to happen when that lease runs out.”
During the same week Williams-Sonoma closes at Columbiana, the store will also close its location in The Market Common at Myrtle Beach. The Columbiana location is the only Midlands-area location for the chain. The next closest locations are in Greenville, Charleston, Charlotte and in Columbiana’s sister mall in Augusta.
There is very limited merchandise remaining in the Columbiana store, according to store staff, but all of what is left is being sold at 40 percent off.


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Appliance retailer Lowe's Companies, Inc. announced that it will add John Deere brand products to its outdoor power equipment line up starting in Spring 2006.
"John Deere is the most trusted name in the business and is a recognized leader in the outdoor power equipment industry by building products that are innovative, reliable, and dependable," said John Jenkins, president of Deere & Company's Commercial & Consumer Equipment. "Showcasing our products in the Lowe's shopping environment will help us reach millions of customers each week who aspire to improve their outdoor living spaces."
According to the companies, lawn tractors will be the first products available in all Lowe's stores throughout the U.S.
to Daily News


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The fast food chain Chick-fil-A is making headlines after its owners made a statement denouncing marriage equality. Chris Matthews talks to Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno, who wants to prevent Chick-fil-A from coming to his neighborhood, and R. Clarke Cooper, head of the Log Cabin Republicans, about the controversy.Aug.02.2012


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Get down to earth and celebrate our planet – today is Earth Day.
Actually, given the fragile state of our planet’s environment, make Earth Day every day! From here on out, we need to shake off the apathy, distasteful self-absorption and over-consumption, and embrace sustainable habits and curb our wastefulness.
Earth is feeling the pain – deforestation continues at a frightening rate, destructive coral bleaching is alarming, and natural wonders crumble.
And our nasty habits contribute to Mother Nature’s struggles: Plastic pollution, for example, is a threat to human health and life on the planet. Single use plastics are shameful. Plastics use is on the rise by 10% a year. Even small things like disposable drinking straws, utterly unnecessary and generally not recyclable, add to the tonnage of plastic debris, and it sucks for the planet. In the U.S. alone, more than 500 million plastic straws are used every single day.
While there is an anti-straw movement gaining momentum in Canada, with kudos to Canadian franchise Boston Pizza for switching to biodegradable straws last year, we’re drowning in plastics of all kinds – five trillion pieces of it swirl in our oceans. And we just keep contributing!
It’s fast becoming Public Enemy Number One: “No corner of the earth, no animal, no body of water, no human, is immune from its impacts,” says Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network which leads Earth Day worldwide, and is campaigning to end plastic pollution. Fossil-fuel based plastics are fast becoming as serious a problem as climate change.
“From poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our waste streams and landfills, the exponential growth of plastics is now threatening the survival of our planet,” reports the Earth Day Network at earthday.org. The network has released an online Plastics Pollution Calculator (earthday.org/plastic-calculator/) for consumers to calculate their yearly consumption of disposable plastic items and make plans to reduce the waste.
Reducing consumption is a moral imperative, says Deborah Doncaster, president of Earth Day Canada. “Buying things and acquiring wealth does not create lasting happiness. Connecting to others and our natural environment is the key. This is the mindset of sustainability. Our children gain these values through spontaneous, unstructured outdoor play.”
consume less, play more
That’s their 2018 Earth Day message – “consume less, play more.” Outdoor play is vital to the healthy development, education and well-being of our children and to the sustainability of the planet. “As we reclaim the right to play for our children, we are fostering in them creativity, resilience, happiness and a sense of connection to nature which will produce ardent stewards of the environment for future generations,” says Doncaster.
Did you know that we’re rank 29 out of 41 countries for child health and well-being! Lack of outdoor play and independent mobility contributes to this poor UNICEF ranking. “Today less than 20% of kids engage in outdoor free play during the course of the day – the kind of play that builds resilience, self-confidence, connection and a sense of well-being. Kids are spending 60 hours a week on screens, and 60 minutes per week outdoors,” says Doncaster.
Earth Day Canada is aiming to engage 20,000 kids in self-directed outdoor play in 2018 through their EarthPLAY programs at earthday.ca. They’re also encouraging earth play for Earth Day by using loose parts in children’s outdoor play. “This is 100% cost effective in that it makes the purchase of expensive toys unnecessary, and recycles/reuses manufactured materials – tires, wooden spools, ropes, tools, kitchen utensils, natural materials – off cuts, sand, snow, dirt, etc. that would otherwise go to waste or trucked to sites for decomposition,” says Doncaster.
Loose parts are adaptable and enable creativity – they rank higher for play value than standard toys and playground equipment. It produces immeasurable creativity/imagination in children, she adds.
Start making changes today
Lessen your plastics impact with these tips from earthday.org:
- *Ask yourself every time that you are considering buying a disposable plastic item: Do I absolutely need this? Can I use something else that I already have? Could I buy something that I can use long-term instead?
- *Prevent the creation of micro-plastics by properly disposing of plastic products and being careful not to toss plastic products near waterways, beaches or in open spaces.
- *Pick up plastic trash whenever you see it, especially in ponds, streams, rivers, and beaches.
- *Choose not to buy products containing microbeads; choose products that have natural exfoliators instead.
Practice good sustainability
Smart sustainable practices are good for business and the environment.
Green Circle Salons is contributing to a healthier planetby helping divert millions of pounds of salon and spa waste from landfills. Think chemical-laden formulas, colour tubes and aerosol can, papers and plastics and more – 70% to 90% of waste is now being diverted by member salons across Canada that have joined greencirclesalon.ca.
Apparel titan VF Corporation – think North Face, Vans and Timberland – has progressive sourcing policies eliminating products that contribute to deforestation and human rights abuses.
L’Oréal’s Sharing Beauty with All campaign promises that by 2020 all products will come from entirely renewable raw materials and sustainable sources so that deforestation ends.
Unilever is also working to eliminate large scale deforestation from its supply chain by 2020.
Canadian airlines are aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the future by procuring biofuel transformed by forest residue, farm crops and consumer waste.
Thirteen Canadian companies were recently recognized as part of the 100 top global environmental innovators for 2018. San Francisco-based Cleantech Group reviewed 10,000 nominees from 75 countries. Leading the way in protecting the environment and growing the economy:
- *Awesense (BC)
- *Axine Water Technologies (BC)
- *CarbonCure Technologies (NS)
- *Ecobee (ON)
- *Enbala Power Networks (BC)
- *Enerkem (QC)
- *Farmers Edge (MB)
- *GaN Systems (ON)
- *MineSense Technologies (BC)
- *Opus One Solutions (ON)
- *Saltworks Technologies (BC)
- *Semios (BC)
- *Terramera (BC)


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Line extension based on recipe from the late 1800s
DETROIT -- The Stroh Brewery Co. expanded its beer offering with the return this week of Stroh’s Bohemian-style Pilsner. The new/old beer returned to the Stroh's stable Aug. 22, once again being brewed in Detroit, where the brewery was founded in 1850. “Stroh’s is Detroit,” said Dan McHugh, chief...
Product launch underscores partnership with gamer community
PURCHASE, N.Y. -- Pepsico's AMP Energy will introduce its newest flavor exclusively at 7-Eleven convenience stores this week. The new flavor, Tropical Punch, celebrates the partnership between AMP Energy and Twitch, a leading social-video platform and community for gamers. The new Tropical Punch...
Inc. 5000 list highlights the beverage industry's biggest trends
MillerCoors' Tenth and Blake Beer Co. announced three significant acquisitions of brewers across the country in the past two months.
Data shows two beverage categories rising to the top as others struggle to stay afloat


text: TEAMING UP. Allnet Communication Services Inc. and Lexitel Corp. announced Monday an agreement in principle to merge, creating the nation's third-largest alternative long-distance phone company behind MCI Communications Corp. and GTE-Sprint. Terms: Allnet shareholders would receive a total of $15 million in cash, $40 million in securities and 21.6 million shares of common stock of the combined company. Lexitel shareholders would receive 21.6 million shares of the combined company. The merged company would have a customer base of 500,000 and annual revenue of $500 million, said a spokeswoman at Allnet's Chicago headquarters.


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Outsell has released data showing the continuing demise of print newspapers in favor of digital technology. They surveyed 2,787 US news consumers to get an idea of their preferences on receiving news.
57% go to digital sources, which is up from 33% just a few years ago. Online news aggregators are popular among news users, coming in at 31% compared to newspaper sites at 8%.
Apparently, the fondness for news aggregators stems from a desire to quickly devour news. 44% of visitors to Google News simply scan the headlines.
And if newspapers think they're going to build a successful online business model through paid content, they may want to reconsider.
Only 10% said they'd be willing to pay for news. Meanwhile, 75% said they'd switch to a different source for local news if their current source started charging.
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On September 27th, 2019, Furama Resort Danang in collaboration with the Cooperative Community-based Ecotourism Group of Hoa Bac commune in Hoa Vang District, Danang donated useful items and tools to Co-tu ethnic community residing in Ta Lang – Gian Bi of Hoa Bac commune for the Homestay project. The project aims to attract tourist, travelers and contribute to the tourism and economy development of the region.
There are total 140 items including blankets, mattresses, cushions, slippers and some kitchen tools donated, which will contribute to the operation of the Homestay, the economy development of the Co-tu ethnic community, eventually promote the village as the ethnicity tourism destination, thereby facilitating the hunger eradication and poverty alleviation process.
The central city of Da Nang welcomed over 157,000 tourists during National Day holiday from August 31st – September 2nd, up nearly 6 percent annually.
Of them, more than 51,000 were foreigners, up 15.34 percent while the remaining were domestic visitors, up 6.77 percent.
The launch of several new international aviation routes between Da Nang and Busan, Cheongju (the Republic of Korea), Kaohsiung (Taiwan) and Bangkok and Chiang Mai (Thailand) has helped bring more visitors to the city.
The number of visitors staying overnight rose by roughly 21 percent to over 57,100, including more than 27,000 foreigners.
Da Nang tops the list of 10 most popular destinations for Vietnamese tourists in the 2019 summer, which was recently revealed by Agoda, one of the world’s fastest growing online travel booking platforms.
On August 29th 2019, Danang Hotel Association in co-operation with Ariyana Convention Centre and Outsourcing and Purchasing Club – Central Vietnam Chapter organised the Danang Hotel Solutions Exhibition 2019 at Ariyana Convention Centre.
Amongst the attendants of Danang were Leaders of Danang City, Danang Department of Tourism, Danang Tourism Association alongside 60 distinguished exhibitors who showcased high-calibre hospitality products, services and solutions. The event also gathered 1,000 attendants who are business owners, hospitality industry management and professionals, travel agencies, and also the presence of members from Food and Beverage Managers’ Club, Chief Engineer Club, Housekeeping Club, Chefs’ Club and Tour Operators in Danang and the Central Region.
On the sidelines of the Exhibition, the informative talk-shows also provided audience an in-depth look into the Market Segments of Danang tourism as well as the development trends of the hotel industry such as the Go Green Tourism, environmentally-friendly products in line with Responsible Tourism towards a sustainable tourism development, contributing to the socio-economic development of Danang city.
From the 5th – 7th of September 2019, Mr. Tran Huu Huy – Barman of Furama Resort Danang was the representative of Danang Hotel Association to attend the Bartender Competition at the International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first nationwide bartender competition hosted by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, Vietnam Hotel Association, Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association and a number of hospitality training premises to pick out the excellent bartenders, improve the professionalism, honour the civilised beauty of the bartender, create good impression on domestic and international visitors.
The three-day competition involved 03 categories: basic bartending (cocktail, mocktail), flair bartending and making espresso (barista). This is a valuable opportunity for the staff of Furama Resort Danang and other hotels, resorts, restaurants across the country to interact with each other, update up-to-date knowledge and improve their performance skills and creativity in preparing drinks, thereby improve the quality of service to domestic and foreign tourists.
On August 24th 2019, “Brave Tour – Journey to search for the Brave Heart” has ended with the final stop at Furama Resort Danang. This is a series of events on the sidelines of Miss Universe Vietnam 2019, which was successfully held in Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi before.
The event welcomed 2 special guests: Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H’Hen Nie and the second runner-up of Miss Universe Vietnam 2015 Le Hang. Especially, Ms. Le Hang was also the guest speaker at the talkshow “Futurista” taken within the framework of Miss Universe Vietnam 2017, held at Furama Resort Danang 2 years ago.
Through this event, potential candidates had the chance to directly interact with Ms. H’Hen Nie, Ms. Le Hang and other guest speakers hence got the chance to listen to useful advice and better prepare themselves for the tough competition ahead.
Furama Resort Danang is proud to continue to be the sponsored venue for accommodation and registration in Danang for this year’s beauty contest.
Danang – Haneda (Japan) route will operate on a daily basis from October 30th, 2019. With a flight time of approximately five hours and thirty minutes per leg, flights are scheduled to leave Danang at 06:10 P.M and land in Tokyo at 01:00 A.M. The return flight is timed to depart from Tokyo at 02:30 A.M and arrive back in Danang at 06:40 A.M (All in local times).
The new route linking Danang and Taipei will operate daily starting from December 19th, 2019 by the new and modern A320/A321 aircraft. The flight departs from Danang at 10:50 A.M and arrives in Taipei at 02:30 P.M. The return flight takes off from Taipei at 03:30 P.M and lands in Danang at 05:30 P.M (All in local times). With just around three hours, passengers are ready to explore Taipei – one of the most bustling cities in Asia.
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on July 21st 2019 launched a new route between the central city of Danang and Busan city, connecting Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).
This is the third route linking Vietnam and Busan run by Vietnam Airlines, following those connecting Busan and Vietnam’s major cities of Hanoi and HCM City. It is also the seventh route between the two countries.
Vietnam Airlines uses Airbus A321 with four-star international standard for the flights, which are expected to bring more RoK visitors to Vietnam, and vice versa.
Flights on the route are scheduled to take off at 0:20am from Danang and 7:30am from Busan on Tuesday; and at 0:50am from Danang and 8:00am from Busan on Saturday.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyễn Vũ Tú hailed efforts make by Vietnam Airlines to open the new air route to Busan – the second largest city of the RoK, meeting the increasing travel demand as well as boosting economic and trade relations between Vietnam and the RoK.
In 2018, Vietnam Airlines carried over 350,000 passengers on flights connecting Hanoi, HCM City and Busan, contributing to promoting trade and tourism between the two countries.
Vietnam Airlines has been certified with a four-star airline rating by prestigious international air transport rating organisation Skytrax for the fourth consecutive year. It is striving to become the first five-star airline in Vietnam after 2020.
From January to June, Vietnam Airlines operated 73,650 safe flights, transporting more than 13.9 million passengers and over 180,000 tonnes of goods, a year-on-year increase of 2 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively.
In the last six months of 2019, besides implementing drastic efforts to restructure, Vietnam Airlines plans to complete a new investment of 20 narrow-body Airbus A321neo aircrafts; receiving and operating three wide-body Boeing 787-10 aircrafts; implementing the plan to invest 50 narrow-body aircrafts in the period of 2021-2025.
The carrier will also research and deploy new services to enhance passengers’ experience such as internet on airplanes, replace non-environmentally friendly products, and launch new menus in business class.
During the two days of 12th and 13th July, 2019, nearly 600 guests including senior management, company members and distinguished guests of The Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade Of Vietnam (Vietcombank) attended the Half-year Business Summary Conference 2019.
This event took place at International Convention Palace (ICP) – Furama Resort Danang. Besides the conference meetings, the guests also enjoyed 5-star services and culinary experiences, highlighting the Gala Dinner at our iconic oceanfront Courtyard and Café Indochine restaurant.
Vietcombank is currently one of the largest commercial banks in Vietnam with 101 branches and 395 offices nationwide. Their banking operations are also supported by a network of over 1,726 correspondent banks in 158 countries and territories around the world. Vietcombank is continuously voted as the “Best Bank in Vietnam” by prestigious organizations in the world and is the first and only bank in Vietnam to be in the Top 500 World Banks according to The Banker Magazine.
On July 24th and 25th, 2019, the Potatoes USA Organization in cooperation with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) organised a training program on American potatoes and red meat at Furama Resort Danang. This training course was organised with the participation of nearly 50 chefs from prestigious restaurants and hotels in Da Nang, Hoi An and Can Tho, under the guidance of Ms. Sabrina Yin – USMEF ASEAN Director, Ms. Phuong Dang – representative of Potatoes USA in Vietnam and renowned chefs of the two associations. The content of the training mainly focused on the introduction and demonstration of creative recipes for American potatoes and red meat, helping these cooks to learn new skills and innovative ways to enrich their own menu.
The all-new luxurious BMW X7, imported and distributed by THACO, was successfully launched to Danang market in the middle of July 2019 at Ariyana Convention Centre Danang after its launching ceremonies in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Alongside the launching ceremony, 400 distinguished guests had the chance to enjoy a feast of delectable cuisine prepared by the professional Ariyana culinary team and immerse in flawless performances from famous Vietnamese singers including Diva Hong Nhung, Truong The Vinh, etc.
New-generation BMW X5 & BMW X3 models with sporty and stylish design were also introduced to customers in Danang during this event.


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A batch of the forthcoming Tesla Model 3 Performance seems to have been spotted at a showroom in California, where some sources say the automaker is holding a private event for the yet-to-be-unveiled variant.
In a series of photos posted on Monday, the highly-anticipated Model 3 Performance, dubbed “Ludicrous,” can be seen both covered and uncovered at what appears to be Tesla’s showroom in Malibu, California. First spotted by X user Chris Zheng on Monday morning, many users also remained skeptical in the thread due to it being April Fool’s Day.
Despite the skepticism and the date, the claims were confirmed by multiple sources, with the initial photos showing a row of the electric vehicles (EVs) parked outside under covers, along with an additional covered unit in the center of the showroom with chairs surrounding it.
Later in the day on Monday, fellow X user BooDev shared additional photos surfaced showing the Model 3 uncovered outside, along with a photo of the matte black Cybertruck belonging to Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen. The post said that the showroom was doing a private event for the new configuration.
In addition, you can see the Model 3 Performance’s Texas manufacturer’s license plate, as well as the Ludicrous badge spotted in a Model 3 Performance sighting in late February. One of the shots includes perhaps the best sighting yet of a new aero front bumper design on the Model 3 Ludicrous, along with a brief video of the vehicle as it drives away. BooDev says that they heard the configuration’s 0-60 mph will be 2.9 seconds.
better quality vid pic.twitter.com/iOpzTAEbKO
— Boo (@BooDev) April 1, 2024
While the Model 3 Performance has been spotted multiple times covered in the U.S. and other markets in the past few months, it was officially confirmed to be coming by von Holzhausen in late January. Reports in China the same month suggested that the variant would be launching sometime in the second quarter of this year, while leaked documents in South Korea last month seemingly hinted at a few of the trim’s specs.
The upcoming trim, expected to eventually hit markets in North America, Asia and Europe, will come as the third of the long-awaited upgraded Model 3 (which Tesla now calls the “Reengineered Model 3” on its website in the U.S.), adding to the currently available rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations.


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I’ve missed the rain; and the green grass. I hope it rains for the next few days.
We missed the first release of “Dry Fly”:http://www.dryflydistilling.com/main.php whiskey this weekend — all sold out state-wide. This is the first whiskey made in Washington since Prohibition from the first distillery in Washington since Prohibition. They will be releasing another batch around the holidays, we’ll have to be more on top of it then. We “visited”:https://troyandgay.com/blog/2008/08/02/dry-fly-distillery/ Dry Fly last year.


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California Governor Signs Collectibles Fix into Law
In a victory for California booksellers, on Thursday, October 12, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a legislative clarification to California’s collectibles law. After an outcry from booksellers, among others, last year, the law has been amended to exempt signed books.
The original law, passed in June 2016, required sellers of signed books and artwork to provide the buyer with a certificate of authenticity (COA) for any item sold for $5 or more. Soon after it was signed into law, many booksellers, led by Bill Petrocelli of Book Passage in Corte Madera, reached out to California lawmakers, expressing their concern that the law would apply to general bookstores and author signing events. Booksellers were worried about the onerous prospect of having to generate a COA for every signed book.
Book Riot Announces $500 Bookstore Giveaway Contest
Literary website Book Riot has announced it will be running a “$500 gift card to the bookstore of your choice” giveaway from now until November 26.
Independent bookstores can share the giveaway contest with their communities and encourage customers to complete the giveaway form. Book Riot will be purchasing the gift card directly from the winning bookstore and delivering it to the winner.
Entries are open worldwide and will be accepted until 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, November 26. The winner will be randomly selected.
President Bill Clinton to Present Literarian Award at National Book Awards
The 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, will present Scholastic Chairman, President, and CEO Dick Robinson with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 68th National Book Awards, according to the National Book Foundation (NBF).
Clinton, a longtime supporter of the arts, will honor Robinson’s service to readers and the literary community as a leader in children’s publishing, education, and media at the ceremony on November 15, according to the NBF, which administers the awards. Robinson’s win was announced last month.
Brian Napack Named Wiley CEO
Former president of Macmillan Brian Napack will join John Wiley and Sons as the publisher’s new president and CEO starting December 4, as reported by Business Wire.
Matthew Kissner had served as Wiley’s interim CEO since Mark Allin resigned in May for family reasons and will remain as chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. Said Kissner, “After a thorough and thoughtful search, the Board of Directors unanimously agreed on Brian as the type of proven leader that can drive our continuous evolution as the trusted, innovative partner that our customers rely on to deliver the critical content, tools and services that they need to meet their goals. Brian has the deep industry experience, the passion for our business, and the leadership ability to get us there.”
Napack has also been senior advisor for private equity firm Providence Equity Partners since 2012. He also serves on the boards of companies including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ingram, Blackboard, and Recorded Books but will transition off of some of them, according to the company.
Black Dog & Leventhal Founder to Step Down
The company, which Leventhal founded in 1992 after years working at Crown Publishing Group, was acquired by Hachette Book Group in 2014. Black Dog & Leventhal will now become part of Perseus Books’ Running Press imprint effective immediately, reporting to vice president and publisher Kristin Kiser.
Consortium Adds Five Publishers for Distribution
Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, an Ingram Publisher Services brand, has announced agreements with five new publishers for the spring 2018 season.
Black Inc., Blair, Fitzcarraldo Editions, Oberon Books, and School of Life all begin distribution with Consortium on January 1, 2018.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Makes Changes to Leadership Team
Educational and trade publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) has announced changes to its executive team, including new employees and internal promotions. The following executives will report directly to HMH President and CEO Jack Lynch.
Jim O’Neill, who joins HMH from Achieve3000, will take on the newly created position of executive vice president and general manager of core curriculum, where he will focus on enhancing the company’s basal core business. In addition, Matthew Mugo Fields has been named executive vice president and general manager of supplemental curriculum.
Rose Else-Mitchell, who joined HMH in 2015, has been named to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief learning officer. Amy Dunkin, who has also been with the company since 2015, has been named senior vice president and chief marketing officer.
Alejandro Reyes has joined HMH as senior vice president and chief people officer from Laureate Education, where he served as the chief talent and organization development officer. Trish Torizzo is also a new addiiton to the HMH team, in the capacity of senior vice president and chief information officer. Finally, Vicki Boyd has been promoted to executive vice president and general manager of Heinemann, HMH’s professional development publishing arm. Boyd has been with the company since 2003.
Ingram Expands Global Connect Program to Spain
Lightning Source LLC, part of Ingram Content Group, is expanding its Global Connect print-on-demand program and distribution network to Spain, Ingram announced.
Through a new alliance with PodiPrint, one of Spain’s largest media publishing and distribution groups, the company will now be able to provide publishers with access to high-quality, POD book manufacturing as it does now at Ingram’s Lightning Source facilities worldwide. This relationship also gives publishers access to PodiPrint’s established relationships with more than 1,300 retail points of sale in Spain.
Ingram’s Global Connect program now includes eight countries: Spain, India, Italy, Russia, Germany, Poland, China and South Korea.
Bookselling Without Borders Seeks to Increase Number of Scholarships
Bookselling Without Borders, which provides scholarships for American booksellers to attend international book fairs, is expanding to include more scholarships, Shelf Awareness reported. The program was founded by Europa Editions in 2016.
This year, Bookselling Without Borders, sponsored by partner publishers Europa Editions, Catapult, Graywolf Press, and the Other Press, sent three booksellers to Turin, and last year, sent one bookseller, Ariana Paliobagis of Country Bookshelf in Bozeman, Montana, to Frankfurt. Next year, the program plans to send 15 booksellers to book fairs in Turin, Frankfurt, and Guadalajara.
In addition to publisher sponsorships, this expansion to 15 booksellers will be funded through a Kickstarter campaign that runs through Sunday, October 29. So far, the campaign has raised $13,000 toward a goal of $30,000. The next Bookselling Without Borders scholarship application period begins in early 2018 and is open to all booksellers in the U.S.
Lincoln in the Bardo Wins 2017 Man Booker Prize
Lincoln in the Bardo by American author George Saunders (Random House) was named the winner of the 2017 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.
The first full-length novel from Saunders, an internationally renowned short story writer, Lincoln in the Bardo focuses on a single night in the life of Abraham Lincoln: an actual moment in 1862 when the body of his 11-year-old son was laid to rest in a Washington cemetery and the sprits of the dead come to life.
Saunders is the second American author to win the prize in its 49-year history. He was in contention for the prize with two British, one British-Pakistani, and two American writers.
Saunders’ win was announced by Lola Young at a dinner at London’s Guildhall, where he was presented with a trophy, a £50,000 check, a designer bound edition of his book, and a further £2,500 for being shortlisted. Saunders will take part in his first official public event as the winner at Foyles Charing Cross Road on October 19.


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The Business Review is reporting that Jos. A. Bank Clothiers will open a store in the former Limoncello restaurant space on Broadway in the Granite Palace.
Work began last week to rip out all signs of the Italian eatery. The Business Review said that the store will open by the fall. The national men’s clothing chain already has a location in Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany.


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The greatest digital Cannabis conference of 2020 is about to be held entitled as “Global Cannabis Summit”.
This summit is going to be featured with the experts and influencers who will be gathering for a three-day experience i.e. June 27-29.
The attendees are claiming it to be the ultimate cannabis event!
Global Cannabis Summit: Need Of The Hour!
The COVID-19 breakout has brought really tough times for all the nations around the globe. In this pandemic, some people have an aim to change the tensed environment by carrying out this ultimate global cannabis summit.
Most of the events around the globe have been cancelled worldwide but the board of directors of Global Cannabis Summit 2020 has decided to play their parts for evolving the Cannabis world in the following areas:
- Agricultural Technologies
- Business Practices
- Evolution of Cannabis Regulation
This summit is said to be the world’s biggest digital conference!
They said that Cannabis has the power to reunite everyone and help recover the devastated economy of the globe.
The global cannabis summit 2020 is going to be featured with young entrepreneurs, enthusiast consumers, cannabis experts and leader from the industry.
Without taking lengthy flights and getting outside from home!
To get this conference done digitally a virtual platform has been developed and integrated with some of the newest technologies where people around the globe can participate in the conference, attend workshops and interact with the corporate world.
One of the official representative from the Global Cannabis Summit stated:
“77% of the people we have invited said, the digital conference would be ‘better’ or ‘way better’ than physical events on 2020, because the world will still be partly isolated when coronavirus is gone, and this is a great way to reunite the global cannabis community!“


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A team of researchers from the University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science (SIRLS) has been studying non-traditional publishing for the past five years. They recently published their results and a few of their observations and findings seem to confirm what we have heard from others. These apply to individuals publishing one or two books as well as corporate publishers:
- The stigma of self-publishing is diminishing.
- The public is responding to lower prices by buying more books.
- Self-published books are popular (30 of the top 100 paid sellers on Amazon are self-published).
- Quality tends to be lower among self-published books (“inconsistent writing and grammatical errors”)
One quote stood out to me and it has to do with the variety of material:
“Self-help books on subjects from exercise to grieving were written by people with considerable experience. Authors wrote convincingly about local events, stories and history that would probably never interest mainstream publishers.” -Jana Bradley, a SIRLS professor.
My second take-away from the release has to do with the fact that readers are increasingly driving the market. Readers no longer have to be satisfied with what the traditional publisher releases. Narrowly focused books by authors with expert backgrounds are finding a market.
To this last point, how are these books finding a market?
When it comes to marketing the researchers observe that the decline of traditional media outlets like newspapers and magazines is being replaced by a rise in alternative media that offer their own reviews, “amateur editorials” and social media.
Exactly the kind of marketing that self-publishers understand, and can afford.
- The 2020 Guide to Amazon Fees and Royalties for Kindle eBooks and KDP Print
- How Much to Charge When Pricing a Self-Published Book to Sell on Amazon
- Kindle eBook Royalties: 70% vs. 35% and 6 Essential Things You Need to Know
- Amazon Book Review Policy Demystified for Authors
- Should You Use Amazon KDP Select or Distribute Your Book Wide?


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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Apple's stock price crossed the $300 benchmark for the first time on Wednesday, driven by the success of the iPad and other products.
This has been a great year for Apple's stock, which has surged about 40% year-to-date. That's compared to the Nasdaq, which has gained about 1.2% so far this year.
"It's the runaway success of the iPad and the continuing success of the iPhone," said Andy Perkins, analyst for Societe Generale in London.
He said that Apple has not had to lower the price of the iPad, despite having produced a large volume of the devices since their debut earlier this year.
"The anticipation was as they shipped more the price would lower, but the margins have kept much higher than people had anticipated," said Perkins.
Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., plans to announce results for its fiscal fourth quarter on Oct. 18.
The company is expected to announce a 91% gain in quarterly revenue of $18.8 billion and a 123% gain in earnings to $4.05 per share, according to a consensus of analyst opinion from Thomson One Analytics.
Attorney General Eric Holder wants to amend U.S. law to raise the amount that whistleblowers receive for sharing information with law enforcement. It's currently capped at $1.6 million. More
Frederick Hutson launched Pigeon.ly in 2012 to help inmates communicate with their friends and family. He's on target for $1 million in sales this year. More
Are you living for your job? Working around the clock? These questions will help you determine whether you've ventured into workaholic territory. More


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Van Andel Global Trade Center
March 25, 2015
VAGTC seminar on Mexico's new customs laws and tax reform
February 4, 2015
DOING BUSINESS IN CHILE AND COLOMBIA | Register Today!
January 22, 2015
Van Andel Global Trade Center's 15th Anniversary Celebration
January 8, 2015
2015 Customs Brokerage Exam Workshop | Register Today!
December 16, 2014
VAGTC Offers Students Valuable International Business Experience
- See all news items
GVSU sponsors Global Trade Days
Date: October 7, 2013
Five international market specialists from China, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and United Arab Emirates will offer business advice during Global Trade Days, sponsored in part by the Van Andel Global Trade Center at Grand Valley State University.
Participants will learn about trends in these top export markets, hear success stories from Michigan companies and have the opportunity for one-on-one meetings with featured speakers.
Global Trade Day speakers include:
Ning Shao, director, Michigan China Center
Nancy Ward, director, Michigan Canada Center
Claudia Tomaselli, director, Michigan Brazil Center
Efren Flores, contractor, Mexico
Anne Jafery, managing partner, United Arab Emirates
Global Trade Days
October 17 8 a.m.-noon
Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences
301 Michigan St., Grand Rapids
Register at www.vagtc.org
The event is sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Center and Van Andel Global Trade Center. Partner organizations include the U.S. Small Business Association, U.S Department of Commerce and Pure Michigan.
For more information, contact the Van Andel Global Trade Center at (616) 331-6811.


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From Left: Coca-Cola's Pio Schunker, Katie Bayne, Peter Schelstraete and Marc Mathieu
Squinting through the glare of awards from spots like "Happiness Factory" and "Videogame," it's almost hard to see that Coca-Cola had almost lost its way. Prior to this, the Coke brand around the world had suffered from serious case of "Who am I?" and was close to becoming just one of a zillion other cans in the refrigerated section of the local grocer. But, then, something happened. Coke came back with a strong contemporary voice that retained and reclaimed the nostalgic fizz of the past, welcoming a new generation to the "Coke Side of Life."
How did the prodigal soda find its way back home? Clearly it must have been a long, hard path given the Atlanta-based organization's reputation in the last decade as an innovation repellant. This is the company that gave the boot to Steven Heyer, former President/COO, a high profile "change agent" who was responsible for steering Coke into industry-changing entertainment territory with CAA and the solo sponsorship of American Idol. But not before he helped to lay the groundwork for a creative revolution. In 2002 he brought in agency vet Esther Lee, co-founder of DiNoto/Lee, to steer a newly established in-house creative department for North America, and later, for worldwide. Around the same time, Heyer also brought to the U.S. Coke global marketing vet Marc Mathieu to manage the Coke trademark.


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Wednesday is, by far, the busiest day of the week for industry events. In addition to panels on 3D printing; the conflict minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold) rule; and getting hired; attendees can learn what makes for a great optics and photonics workplace, or listen to industry leaders share their perspectives on the world of optics and photonics. The SPIE Startup Challenge gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch new photonics businesses to a panel of judges for cash prizes, and the day ends with the gala PRISM Awards Banquet and Ceremony.
For those diehard attendees who just can’t get enough, Thursday kicks off with a photonics industry update keynote address and ends with a commercialization and prototype showcase where attendees can meet one-on-one with the entrepreneurs who pitched their business ideas during Wednesday’s SPIE Startup Challenge.
A popular event for SPIE Fellows is the annual SPIE Fellows Luncheon, which will be held on Monday, February 15, from noon to 1:30 pm. This year’s speaker will be Prof. David Sampson from the University of Western Australia, who will speak about using optics to image cells in human tissues.
For many attendees, the high point of the event is the exhibitions. Kicking off this year’s Photonics West week is the BiOS Expo where the products and technologies of 220 exhibitors in biomedical optics and photonics will be on display. The BiOS Expo, located in Moscone West, will be open on Saturday, February 13, from noon to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, February 14, from 10 am to 5:00 pm.
The main Photonics West exhibition opens on Tuesday, February 16 in Moscone North and South, and will showcase the products and services of more than 1250 exhibitors specializing in lasers, photonics, optics, fiber optics, imaging and sensing equipment, lenses and filters, metrology, and more. The Photonics West show floor will be open on Tuesday from 10 am to 5 pm, Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm.
If you’ve never been to San Francisco, or even if you have, take some time before and after the show to explore the many scenic, cultural, and gastronomical pleasures the iconic City by the Bay has to offer.
Spend some time exploring the city’s diverse, multicultural neighborhoods from North Beach and Chinatown to the legendary Haight-Ashbury or Castro district. Ride up and down the hills on one of San Francisco’s classic cable cars, walk or bike across the breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge (1.7 miles long, 220 feet above the water), or visit the historic City Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio Café where the ghosts of famous Beat writers like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac still linger. Take a boat ride to Alcatraz Island and explore one of the world’s most notorious prisons. If shopping is your thing, the Union Square area offers everything from souvenir shops and boutiques to indoor malls and major department stores. And when those hunger pangs hit, you can find a restaurant serving any type of cuisine you crave from fresh seafood on Fisherman’s Wharf to tasty tacos and burritos in the Mission District.
When all is said and done, between the show and the city that hosts it, there will be no lack of stimulation for your mind, your body, and your soul.
To download the complete SPIE Photonics West 2016 program and register for the event, go to http://spie.org/photonics-west.xml


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In the middle of August the last thing that kids want to be thinking about is school. But that hasn't stopped Amazon from announcing its latest iPhone app - Amazon Student.
With the September back to school week looming on the horizon for kids across the land, the Amazon Student app should take some of the pressure off of packing that all important first day bag.
The app will allows students to check out the prices of stationary and books, trade textbooks and, for tax-dodgers, sorry - further eduction students - will also have a section on bedding for getting their dorms up to shape.
"Students care about getting the best deal possible on their textbooks and all of their dorm essentials, and now they can easily compare prices and save money no matter where they are," said Julie Todaro, VP of Books at Amazon. "Plus, for eligible textbooks, when they're done with the book, they can scan the barcode, see the trade-in price, and submit the books for trade-in with Amazon, all right from their phone."
The app also allows students to join the Amazon Student program, which offers college students (in the States) free Two-Day shipping on "millions" of products.
The app is free and in the App Store now.


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A new start-up is selling dirty, used tissues which they claim will help you stave of illness as flu season drags on.
Called Vaev, the company sells just one product: a box filled with crumpled snotty tissues which "carry a human sneeze".
Priced at $85, or around £60, the product is being marketed as a way to intentionally give yourself a cold - so that you have immunity when you might inadvertently cross paths with the germ later on.
The tissues, packaged in a sleek white box with a gold logo, are shipped with a note that says the product will help you "get sick on your own terms."
However, The NHS says infectious flu viruses can survive on tissues for only 15 minutes.
And it says the ability of cold germs to cause an infection reduces rapidly and they don't often survive longer than 24 hours.
The NHS recommends people bin their used tissues to avoid spreading colds and flu.
34-year-old Oliver Niessen, of Denmark, told TIME that Vaev was designed with the idea that everything in life is becoming customiseable.
He said: "I mean, we customize everything in our lives and we have everything the way that we want it, so why not approach sickness that way as well?
“The simple idea is you choose now to get sick, with the idea in mind that you won’t get sick with that same cold … later.”
He told the website that the company maintain a group of go-to sneezers, some of which were recruited online.
Each one has been vetted to confirm they are suffering from a cold or illness, rather than something non-contagious, like allergies.
The company's website doesn't explain exactly how the product works, but instead propagates the belief that the human sneeze is safer than medical alternatives.
The Vaev website reads: "We believe that when flu season comes around, you should be able to get sick on your terms.
"We’re not about chemicals or prescription drugs here at Væv. We believe using a tissue that carries a human sneeze is safer than needles or pills.
"This isn’t like any tissue you’ve used before, but we love using them, and you will too."
It doesn't mention whether the product is backed by science.
However, it would appear that doesn't mean much to the consumer.
Vaev is currently sold out, with no indication of when it will be back in stock.
Would you be willing to try this? Get in touch by email at firstname.lastname@example.org or on Twitter @Jillian_MacMath.
NHS advice on avoiding spreading a cold
How to avoid spreading a cold
Colds are caused by viruses and easily spread to other people. You're infectious until all your symptoms have gone. This usually takes a week or two.
Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading a cold:
- wash your hands often with warm water and soap
- use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
- bin used tissues as quickly as possible
How to prevent catching a cold
A person with a cold can start spreading it from a few days before their symptoms begin until the symptoms have finished. The best ways to avoid catching a cold are:
- washing your hands with warm water and soap
- not sharing towels or household items (like cups) with someone who has a cold
- not touching your eyes or nose in case you've come into contact with the virus – it can infect the body this way
- staying fit and healthy
Want more news?
To subscribe to our daily newsletter, enter your email address into the box at the top of this story.


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Crime rate rises around holidays, police say
SULPHUR, LA (KPLC) - Police say crime rates tend to spike in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and last into the new year.
“We see all types of burglaries," said Detective Ryan Arnold with Sulphur Police. “Vehicle burglaries, business burglaries, residence; it doesn’t matter, nowadays. It used to be only at night, but now, suspects are getting braver. Now, it’s during the day and during the night. There’s no time they won’t."
Sulphur Police Department has safety tips for residents during this holiday season:
Lock your vehicles
“First off is always lock your things,” Arnold said. "Always lock your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is secured. Your residences are secured. Your businesses are secured. "
Leave your outside lights on
“I always like to tell everyone to make sure their lights are on,” Arnold said. “At night it helps deter thieves and burglars from attempting anything.”
“Make sure you customize your packages this year," Arnold said. "People don’t think about that when they get their packages delivered. Make sure you get a hand receipt. That way, they don’t just leave the packages on the front door. We see a lot of Christmas packages being stolen off of front porches that way.”
Don’t post you’re going on vacation on social media
“It leaves an opening for people who troll Facebook to know when you’re home, when you’re not home," says Arnold, "The time frame you are going to be gone, and gives them an opening to go to your residence. So, just be smart about social media.”
Arnold says if you see anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to call local law enforcement.
Copyright 2018 KPLC. All rights reserved.


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After numerous phones, powerbank, gaming mouse and keyboard the Elephone engineers are up to something new, but it’s all kept under wraps so far. All we know about it so far that they are working closely with the China Aerospace Science and Technology corporation (CASC).
CASC is the main manufacturer and contractor for the chinese space program including space ships, rockets and tactical rocket systems. But aside of that also taking care of the civil sector with products like comms, logistic devices or computers.
Gizchina News of the week
We have so far only two vague pictures of the planned fruit of the Elephone and CASC cooperation project so it’s hard to estimate what’s it going to be about. We can only speculate and it’s probably quite safe to say that it’s not going to be a new starship or missile system with the Elephone logo.
So what’s it going to be? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.


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New rankings: Best high schools in Pa.
Find a new home on the cheap in these 15 best cities to buy foreclosures, as ranked by RealtyTrac, the online marketer of foreclosed properties. Cities are ranked by how much sales of bank-owned homes increased in the last three months of 2012. Average sale prices are also included.
Foreclosure sales have hit their lowest level since 2008, but there are still deals to be had in these 15 cities.
Actress Olivia Wilde proudly announced the birth of her baby boy on Wednesday, tweeting a photo to share the news with her fans.


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By Tanaya Macheel
Brex, the start-up that provides credit cards for start-ups, has created a rewards program for its customers that awards points for spending on ride-sharing, software, travel, and dining, as well as offers from partners like AWS, Salesforce, and WeWork.
Brex aims to service early stage start-ups, which tend to have difficulty getting corporate credit cards because of their lack of revenue — similar to how consumers tend to have trouble being approved for credit cards before they’ve established any credit. The issue often forces founders to use personal credit cards to fund their businesses. Brex extends them a line of credit based on their corporate bank account balances.
CEO Henrique Dubugras called it a "niche program" that may not necessarily be best for every startup but is competitive for tech companies specifically, in a recent conversation with Cheddar. He shared the details on Product Hunt [late Monday] (https://www.producthunt.com/posts/brex-rewards).
The new points system earns users a point per dollar with no cap on rewards, plus multipliers of seven for every dollar spent on ride-sharing companies, three for travel and dining and two for software, allowing companies to earn more than $25,000 back from partner offers including Amazon's ($AMZN) AWS, Salesforce ($CRM), and WeWork.
The company claims an average startup can earn at least 20 percent more with the Brex Exclusive card than with competitor cards. A comparison table on the Brex Rewards website shows the card’s value against AmEx’s ($AXP) SimplyCash Plus and Business Gold Rewards cards; the Chase Ink Business cards and Capital One’s ($COF) Spark card.
Dubugras told Cheddar on background that with its most recent funding, he is confident Brex can take on industry goliaths like AmEx. Previously, young startups tended to find a sliver of the market or just the right angle so as not to step on the toes of larger companies with incomparable scale that they might need, he said.
The two-year-old Brex is something of a darling among startup lending companies. Earlier this month it raised $125 million with a $1.1 billion valuation ー following a $57 million Series B round it [raised in June] (https://cheddar.com/videos/building-a-start-up-with-brex) from investors including PayPal ($PYPL) Mafia members Peter Thiel and Max Levchin. Ribbit Capital, Y Combinator Continuity, Facebook ($FB) investor Yuri Milner, and former Visa ($V) CEO Carl Pascarella are also investors.
For full interview click here.


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- The specifications duvet the Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G New Radio (NR) requirements.
- Hardware construction according to those specifications can now start.
- The Standalone (SA) 5G specifications are scheduled to be approved in June 2018.
The transfer against launching the first true 5G wireless networks and smartphones took a large step lately. The contributors of the third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have officially approved the hardware specifications for the Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G New Radio (NR) requirements. The specifications have been showed right through a gathering of the 3GPP team in Lisbon, Portugal, in step with a record at Fierce Wireless.
The professional 3GPP Twitter web page additionally introduced the approval of the HSA 5G wireless specifications lately. They reportedly duvet enhance for low, mid, and high-band spectrum, from underneath 1 GHz to about 50 GHz. The exact specifications will probably be posted someday later this week at the team’s professional web site.
NSA 5G NR specifications have been approved lately at RAN#78. Balazs Bertenyi , RAN Chair known as it “an Impressive achievement in a remarkably short time, with credit due particularly to the Working Groups”. News article to apply at the 3GPP web site and from 3GPP Member bulletins. %.twitter.com/b10fTV5V5n
— 3GPP Live (@3GPPLive) December 20, 2017
This construction implies that smartphone hardware firms corresponding to Qualcomm, Intel, and others can start to make 5G wireless merchandise and elements according to those professional requirements. In November, Qualcomm, ZTE, and China Mobile introduced a a success take a look at of the sector’s first end-to-end 5G NR interoperable machine according to the factors that have been advanced through the 3GPP team.
While that is a very powerful step against launching 5G wireless telephones and networks, the paintings of the 3GPP team isn’t executed but. They can even have to approve the Standalone (SA) 5G specifications, and that isn’t anticipated to occur till June of 2018.


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LOS ANGELES (BLOOMBERG) - Apple is angling to delay making the most significant change to its App Store business model since the platform was launched in 2008, an overhaul that could cost the tech giant a few billion dollars annually.
The iPhone maker gave notice last Friday (Oct 8) that it will appeal a judge's ruling in its fight with Epic Games ordering the California-based company to stop blocking developers from letting users complete in-app purchases on the Web.
It also asked the judge to put the Dec 9 deadline for App Store rule changes on hold during the appeal, which, if allowed, could keep business as usual for Apple for at least a year.
The Sept 10 ruling largely vindicated Apple's business model, which charges commissions on developers for App Store transactions, but the judge said Apple must allow direct communication between users and app makers and permit links to the Web to complete transactions.
Bloomberg Intelligence has said that pressure on Apple to lower its commissions, which currently run as high as 30 per cent, could squeeze revenue by US$2 billion (S$2.7 billion) to US$4 billion in a worst-case scenario.
Apple said in its filing that it wants to maintain the status quo as there is "no reason to expend resources" on App Store changes during the appeals process. It also argued that there could be "unintended downstream consequences for consumers and the iOS platform" if the judge's order goes into effect on Dec 9.
A postponement would give the company time to address concerns in a way that could potentially do away with the need to let developers allow consumers to make Web purchases, Apple said.
"Apple is working hard to address these difficult issues in a changing world, enhancing information flow without compromising the consumer experience," the company said.
A hearing on Apple's stay request has been set for Nov 16, but the company said in a briefing that it is seeking to move the proceeding to Nov 2. If US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers refuses to grant the stay, Apple said, the company could go to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
When the ruling came out, following a three-week trial in May, Apple hailed it as a victory because the judge did not find that the company had violated federal antitrust law.
Mr Tim Sweeney, Epic Games' founder and chief executive officer, said in a tweet that "the ruling isn't a win for developers or for consumers" and his company promptly filed notice that it will appeal.
Epic Games declined to comment on Apple's appeal on Friday but Mr Sweeney tweeted an image of Agent Peely, a banana action figure in Epic's popular battle-royale game Fortnite that briefly became a source of controversy in the trial.
Apple has announced that it plans to keep Fortnite off of the App Store until appeals are exhausted, a process that could take as long as five years if the fight goes all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
While the judge said Apple could no longer ban developers from pointing users to the Web to complete transactions - bypassing the App Store's in-app purchase system - she did not state outright that Apple could not collect its commissions. That has led some observers to believe that Apple could still take its cut of revenue via other means, but lawyers and analysts say doing so poses logistical hurdles and risks political blowback.
Mr Paul Gallant, an analyst at Cowen & Co, has said Apple would want to put off changing App Store rules "because things could get messy if developers get to do workarounds starting in December".
Mr Gallant said in a research note last month that Apple has a good chance of winning a stay at the Ninth Circuit.
"That would prevent developers from using non-Apple payment mechanisms (and avoiding the 30 per cent commission) until at least late-2022," he wrote.
Before the September ruling, Apple announced two App Store changes in settlements with small US developers and the Japan Federal Trade Commission.
Both concessions are similar to the court's injunction. Apple is letting developers communicate directly with users about alternative payment methods and next year, it will begin allowing so-called "reader" apps - those that deal with media content like video, photos and news - to point users to the Web to subscribe, bypassing Apple's fees.
The company highlighted those changes in Friday's filing.


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International Conference on Knitwear Practices
A key aspect of the Fleece to Fashion research project has been running events to promote engagement and outreach across the extended community of researchers, home-knitters, industrial designers and producers, and heritage professionals.
Most recently, the project team welcomed a range of international participants, in-person and online, to a conference held at University of Glasgow on 8-9 September 2022.
Exhibit from the Fleece to Fashion Conference presenting Twomax, a Scottish knitwear company founded in Glasgow in the 1920s
Speakers covered a wide range of topics addressing the conference theme of 'creativity, authenticity and sustainability in knitted textiles past and present'. Panels spanned work on business and retail, heritage, curation and collections, wool and sustainability, design and creativity, learning and teaching craft, and the role of knitting in promoting expression and well-being.
Look out for future news of 'Knit a Margaret Klein', another event organised by the Fleece to Fashion team in collaboration with National Museums Scotland and the Klein Estate, and timed to coincide with a major Bernat Klein exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland running from November 2022 until April 2023.
First published: 11 October 2022


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2018 Honda Accord Named 2018 North American Car of the Year
January 16, 2018 –
The all-new 2018 Honda Accord, the 10th generation of America's most popular car, has earned the prestigious 2018 North American Car of the Year award. Accord's win marks the third consecutive year that a Honda model has received top honors from the North American jury of automotive journalists, with the Honda Civic and Honda Ridgeline winning the car and truck awards in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
"Honda took a clean-sheet approach to reinventing America's most popular car, and we couldn't be prouder to receive this honor for Accord as the North American Car of the Year," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of the Automobile Division and general manager of Honda Sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We're especially proud for the production associates in Ohio where Accord has been built to the highest quality standards for over 35 years."
The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards honor excellence in innovation, design, safety features, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Initiated in 1994, they are judged by 60 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for independent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and industry websites.
Completely redesigned from the ground-up, the all-new Accord features a lighter and more rigid body structure, an advanced new chassis design wrapped in a more sophisticated, sleek and athletic design with top class interior space and comfort. The drivetrain options include two all-new, high-torque VTEC® Turbo engines, the world's first 10-speed automatic transmission for a front-drive car and a new generation of Honda's two-motor hybrid technology. The Accord also includes a host of new safety, driver-assistive and connected-car technologies.