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June 23, 2015 (LBO) – Serendib Hotels Plc, a unit of Sri Lanka’s Hemas group said the group revenue increase was supported by the growth of emerging markets and online bookings while occupancy level were up two percent. “A notable increase was observed in the volume of online bookings during the year, particularly from new emerging markets in East Asia,” the company told shareholders in the it's annual repot 2014/2015. “Interestingly, among all group properties, Hotel Sigiriya experienced the largest online booking volume for the 2014/15 period.” The company owns and operates five hotels in Sri Lanka including Club Hotel Dolphin, Hotel Sigiriya, AVANI Bentota Resort & Spa and AVANI Kalutara Resort. Overall occupancy levels of the Group for the year improved by two percentage points, with all hotels performing well, notwithstanding the challenges encountered during the peak season, the company said. All the group hotels experienced a 17 percent increase in revenue from online bookings. “We have continued to pursue key strategic partnerships with Online Travel Agents (OTAs), which has allowed us to benefit from the better yield offered via this channel,” Ranil De Silva, Managing Director of Serandib Hotels said. The company said it uses the online booking platform as a barometer to gauge customer pulse. “The steady growth of online travel agents has led to the informal sector receiving more visibility with wider reach to the end customer, resulting in more room nights generated to this sector,” the company said. “The group stepped up measures to further develop the online market, vis-à-vis improvements to the web based monitoring and online feedback mechanism. Conventional business channels continued to bring in bookings from traditional markets, with international travel promoters being the most significant source of volumes.” Serendib Hotels, reported profits of 201.3 million rupees for the year ended march 2015 up 32.6 percent from a year earlier, with its flagship Avani Bentora Resort and Spa upgrading restaurants and kicking off the second phase of the Hotel Sigiriya refurbishment in May 2014. The group reported earnings of 1.81 rupees per share, for the year ended 2015. Meanwhile, both Hotel Sigiriya and Club Hotel Dolphin were among the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, "Hall of Fame" inductees for 2015, having secured the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award, for five consecutive years. Among the other notable accolades, Club Hotel Dolphin was recognized by leading online travel agents, claiming both The “Holiday Check Award–2015 for Beach Holidays” and also the “TripAdvisor : Travellers Choice –Top 25 Hotels in Sri Lanka” award.
Empower your business in Sri Lanka and internationally with Prifinance expert corporate and financial services. Streamline company formation and investment opportunities with our tailored advice and solutions.


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Though not nearly as big as CES, the PMA trade show is coming to Las Vegas in three weeks. Yes, less than a month after covering CES, our editors will bravely return to Sin City to report on some of the biggest names in digital photography. That didn't stop camera and camcorder makers from revealing plenty of new products last week, though; major companies from Samsung to Sony revealed their newest digital imaging products at the show.
CES 2008 wasn't a very big show for gamers. Sure, there were plenty of controllers and accessories on display, but actual game developers were conspicuously absent. It's not surprising; CES is always oriented more towards general consumer electronics, and game-heavy companies usually wait until spring or summer shows like E3 to make their big announcements.
We were surprised by a major announcement from Namco at CES, though. According to the game company, its upcoming Soul Calibur 4 will feature Darth Vader and Yoda as playable bonus characters. Soul Calibur 2 saw Zelda's Link, Tekken's Heihachi, and … Read more
Just a month ago, home theater enthusiasts were clamoring Samsung's soon-to-be released BD-UP5000 HD DVD/Blu-ray combo player, which promised high-end features like HQV processing and the ability to decode DTS-HD Master Audio (after a future firmware update). But the BD-UP5000 was delayed, and now it's likely to face less demand considering Warner's decision to go Blu.
The same goes for Samsung's newly announced combo unit, the BD-UP5500. It appears that the main step-down from the BD-UP5000 is that it lacks HQV video processing, which … Read more
Argh, they make it look so easy. I was just sitting around and I made half a million dollars, they say. Oops, how did that happen, they say. Just a random idea, I had no idea it'd be popular, they say.
Hear from three insanely successful Web entrepreneurs on how they got their start.
Read more on SiliconValley.com (registration required): "Three who had the right idea at the right time"
Before I was a big-shot executive, the end of a year meant rest and relaxation. Now it's crunching fourth-quarter numbers and budgeting for 2008.
A friend in Japan read my fortune and told me that 2007 was my year of "turbulence," that 2008 is my year of "reunion," and that 2009 is my year of "wealth." Supposedly, 2010 will be "peace and stabilized," but at the rate I am going I can only hope to make it that far.
One full calendar year later, I am still happy that my company (MuleSource) gives software consumers a choice about the technology they use and ultimately, we, like the rest of the open-source vendors, bet on the fact that adoption eventually equals dollars. Having been a software consumer that felt burdened by proprietary products for most of my career, I retain a strong desire to flip the software industry on its head.
There is an inevitable flow of events in which software companies will either get on the path or be left behind. If you start a software company today that is not SaaS or open source you are betting that the market will somehow revert to 1999. And I think we all remember what happened in 2001 here in the valley.
Two years after founding this company I believe more than ever that open source is a question of when, not if.… Read more
If it's done nothing else, the Internet has turned countless piles of straw into gold.
The latest Rumpelstiltskin-eque ideas include a site that will use your DNA to tell you which diseases and other health risks you face, a GPS device that gathers info from you such as traffic problems and beams the data to other users, a social-networking site for businesspeople and other professionals, and a site that lets you find out what the Internet reveals about you.
These start-ups and six others are the ones that Wired expects to break into the Internet's spotlight next year. … Read more
It's a small step for mankind, but a giant step for Spaceport America.
According to a release from the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, UP Aerospace ("Space is 62 miles away, Getting there is just a phone call away") successfully launched a "test flight vehicle" on Wednesday.
UP Aerospace, according to its Web site, is in the business of selling cargo space on launch vehicles.
The release said that the Wednesday launch was private, … Read more
Today's WSJ (login required) has a great article about Voltage Security and the less glorious side of founding and running a startup--the fact that you have to keep slogging away regardless of what's going on around you.Every industry has its superstars and its sloggers, of course. But the tech industry of the late 1990s and earlier this decade has seen an unusual number of two-year cycles end with a lucrative sale or initial public offering. When that doesn't happen, the process can get so grueling and protracted that some VCs say they have to get creative … Read more
Reading about the demise of Edgeio over on Techcrunch made me think a bit about being an entrepreneur and wonder what's happened to the valley. Having been through the tech downturn here in SF and watching two companies I worked for go public only to flame out I should be last person who felt the desire to start a company. But, what's the point of living in the bay area if you can't seize the opportunity for technology greatness?
There seem to be less startups lately and I'm starting to wonder if would-be founders are taking … Read more
Pierre Ayotte, noted in a press release to be a "friendly upcoming Internet opportunist"--i.e. not The Devil Himself, just to be clear--would like to rent your soul for 10 bucks a week.
It's a new twist on an old nonprofit business model. He's gambling that the soul-leasing business will earn enough to keep him afloat from the charities that pay weekly to advertise on his site, RentYourSoul.com.
Ayotte swears he's not working for Beelzebub. He'll pay you $10--via PayPal, check, or bank note--and also donate $10 to the charity of your … Read more

domain: news


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Armed robbery at Midtown Mall
Rustenburg – Seven armed men fled with five mobile phones on Wednesday 5 February after robbing employees and clients of Exact clothing store.
The robbery occurred shortly after 9:30 inside the store, which is situated in Rustenburg’s Midtown Mall.
Police spokesperson captain Elsabé Augoustides told Platinum Weekly that seven males, speaking Zulu and English, entered the store while holding three bags.
“They made enquiries about where the mobile phones are kept and demanded the clients and employees to hand over their phones, threatening to shoot them if they do not cooperate,” Augoustides said.
“One of the employees, who saw what was happening, fled to a nearby clothing store and requested them to phone the police,” she added.
The robbers fled the scene with the five phones once they realised that the police had been contacted.
Nobody was injured during the incident and a case of common robbery is being investigated.
Police requests that anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects contact 014 590 4115 or 08600 10111.
© 2017 - All Rights with Platinum Weekly


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Australia is on the verge of an 'app age', with a pocket smoke alarm and a mobile telehealth app just some of the ideas awarded by the Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation today.
The CSIRO says that Australian farmers can help to tackle the global food shortage and significantly increase their productivity by taking advantage of new smart farming technologies enabled by next generation broadband networks.
A $50,000 CSIRO and industry-sponsored competition is aiming to foster some killer apps for the NBN.
With multiple players seeking to exploit the potential to service consumers in their homes via the increased bandwidth of the NBN the will need to collaborate and co-operate if the full potential of the 'connected home' is to be realised, says a report from the Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation (ACBI).
The CSIRO and NICTA have signed a four-year agreement with NBN Co giving them, through their recently established Australian Centre for Broadband Innovation (ACBI), access to the nascent national broadband network (NBN) for the development and testing of broadband technologies and applications. They have also announced the director and advisory board of ACBI.
I purchased a NOVOO USB C Hub 8 in 1 USB-C Dock back in 2020 for my Dell XPS-15 when[…]
Definitely vital to check that whatever USB-C multi-port / multifunction hub/adapter you get, if you are buying for Windows OS,[…]
Hi Bob,Yes, it looks like $89 is the best price. https://www.staticice.com.a...Not sure how to answer whether that price is expensive[…]
I was only able to find one entry for an Australian retailer selling this device. Cost was $89. Personally I[…]
Thanks David. It is unfortunate that programming has become enslaved to really bad languages and programmers are forced to work[…]


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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a reminder to give the millions of women who have battled cancer the support, help, and information they need as they deal with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
A recent survey reveals just how vulnerable one feels as they fight the battle of their lives. Over the summer, nearly a thousand women with all types of cancer were surveyed about emotional and lifestyle recovery. Nearly half of them rated support for body-image issues and improved self-esteem as extremely important to their overall recovery, ranking it a ten out of ten.
But there are companies like Cancer Be Glammed and Wrapped In Love are around to get them through it. The top five recovery and lifestyle products women used or wanted were hair loss solutions like headscarves, hats, and wigs. They were also interested in post-operative clothing such as stylish mastectomy bras, wraps, and garments with easy access to chemotherapy ports.
8 News NOW Anchor Denise Valdez spoke with Lisa Lurie, the co-founder of Cancer Be Glammed, about the support services her company offers.


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SHANGHAI -- A Shanghai food company on Thursday denied its famous "White
Rabbit" candy had quality problems despite a ban on the product by the
Philippine food watchdog which claims samples of the sweets were found to
contain formaldehyde and other harmful substances.
The manufacturer of the White Rabbit, Guan Sheng Yuan, cited an independent
report by the Shanghai branch of SGS-CSTC, a joint-venture under the Swiss-based
SGS Group, the world's largest inspection and testing company, as saying that
samples of the White Rabbit ready to be exported overseas and tested on
Wednesday contained no toxic substances.
Weng Mao, president of Guan Sheng Yuan, said his company had asked for the
testing report and the source of candy samples from the Philippine Bureau of
Food and Drugs, but had received no response.
Weng expressed regret that the Philippine food authority did not offer any
effective evidence before and after they released the quality report.
"We are innocent so far and we reserve the right to take legal action
concerning the case," said Weng.
The company pledged in an earlier statement that no preservative had ever
been used in the production of the "White Rabbit" creamy candy.
Guan Sheng Yuan said fake "White Rabbit" candy products were rampant both at
home and abroad due to the growing worldwide influence of the famous brand.
The Shanghai-based candy maker said it had exported more than 800 tons of the
sweet to the Philippines since 1991, but no quality problems had been found. The
candy is available in some 50 countries and regions.
Shanghai's quality and technical supervision authorities said on Wednesday
that they were investigating the case and would publish the results as soon as
Three other products allegedly found to be tainted with formaldehyde by the
Philippines are a brand of milk candy made by Romanticfish Food Co. Ltd. in
Jinjiang city, east China's Fujian Province, and two grape biscuits produced by
different companies based in Dongguan, Guangdong Province.
Chen Shifang, general manager with the Romanticfish which produces candies,
said that his company has never exported products to any places outside China.
It is still unclear whether the candy accused of containing poisonous
chemical substance was made by Romanticfish, but the company is working with
relative departments to find out the fact, said Chen.
The two Guangdong-based companies have issued no response so


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May 26, 2016
In 2004, Bill Gates declared passwords are dead, but they
somehow survived. But all that is about to change.
Users are ready to remove their biggest frustration and 200
of the biggest names in business such as Microsoft,
MasterCard, Google, PayPal and eBay are all part of the FIDO
The FIDO Alliance recently announced over 150 Biometric, and
Second-Factor Authentication Products have now been Certified and
eBay became the first e-commerce company to directly achieve FIDO
I invited BrettMcDowell, executive director of the FIDO
Alliance onto the show to learn more about their plans.


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Mazda Motor Corporation revealed two concepts today at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. The Mazda KAI CONCEPT, a compact hatchback that heralds a new generation of inspired vehicles from the award... Read more
Error: Error validating access token: Session has expired on Monday, 13-Nov-17 03:24:38 PST. The current time is Monday, 20-Nov-17 03:25:51 PST. Type: OAuthException Code: 190 Subcode: 463 Please refer to our Error Message Reference.


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Los Compas visit El Sombrero Mexican Grill in Ocoee fl
IG: https: https://www.instagram.com/tacoplug407/
BUSINESS INQUIRES: [email protected]
#STREETTACOS #TACOTUESDAY #AUTHENTICMEXICANFOOD #FOODIES #FOODREVIEW #TACOS #MEXICANFOOD #MEXICANSTREETFOOD #ORLANDOTACOS #TACO #TACOTIME #FOOD #FOODPORN #MEXICANFOOD
More info on Eating authentic tacos at one of the best Mexican restaurants around orlando fl
Eating authentic tacos at one of the best Mexican restaurants around orlando fl - BingNews
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Rather than retiring after 50 years of cooking, 72-year-old celebrity Chef Norman Van Aken is busy with his newest restaurant, dubbed Norman’s on Restaurant Row in southwest Orlando's Dr ...
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She invented the Kariba Suit (also spelled Kareeba), which was one of the national uniforms for Jamaica and politicians such as Michael Manley, PJ Patterson, and other politicians around the world ...
Stuart Hogg one of best players in history of Scottish rugby – Gregor Townsend
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Mar 10, 2023 (The Expresswire) -- Mexican Restaurants Market Size ... Empellon Cocina, Tacos Tequila Whiskey) with the best facts and figures, and its business scene, significant issues, answers ...
This hidden Argentine restaurant in Miami was named one of the best in the U.S. Is it?
Named after an imaginary Oscar Wilde character from “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Bunbury sits just around ... The restaurant and wine bar was recently named one of the best restaurants ...
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The former Lucie’s Red Light spot at North Limestone and Loudon Avenue is being renovated for a new Mexican restaurant ... around Lexington. There are so many options, ranging from Tex-Mex to ...


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Prominent angel investors who participated in the round included Snapdeal cofounder Kunal Bahl and managing partner of Endiya Partners Sateesh Andra.
Elevate Your Tech Prowess with High-Value Skill Courses
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Founded in 2021 by IIT and ISB graduates Neeraj Tulsyan and Mayank Bishnoi, Hubble aims to address the needs of consumers looking for ways to save money, while rewarding them for this behaviour. In the past, Bishnoi and Tulsyan have held leadership positions in companies such as fintech software provider Cleartax, ride-hailing giant Ola, card behemoth Mastercard, and consulting firm McKinsey.
“More than 95% of Indians count on their savings to fulfil their goals but savings options are limited and come with their own set of challenges. Bank deposits give you a return that is less than the inflation rate, and mutual funds returns are not predictable,” said Bishnoi, cofounder of Hubble.
The company has also launched a beta version of its mobile application on Android and iOS.
Hubble has around 200,000 users and has partnered with over 25 brands.
The company said most of its users were Millennials and Gen Z, who are "aware of the downsides of credit and are looking for innovative and digitally native savings products".
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Learn more about our print editionMore
- Byju’s New India CEO to Cut More Than 4,500 Jobs
Arjun Mohan, who took charge as the new chief executive of the India business at Byju’s last Wednesday, is set to unveil a series of changes at the financially troubled edtech firm, including cutting the headcount by a third or about 4,000-4,500 people to further tighten costs, people aware of the matter said.ADIA Looks to Put $600m into RIL’s Retail Business
After QIA, yet another oil-rich Gulf sovereign fund, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), is looking to buy an additional stake in Mukesh Ambani’s retail empire. ADIA is seeking to invest $600 million into the organised retailing business of Asia's richest person, people aware of the developments told ET, at valuations that significantly exceed those during an earlier concluded round three years ago.Bigger Ecommerce Sales Set to Light up Volumes
The upcoming festive season sales are expected to bring the steepest online discounts since Covid, up to 60% in certain categories, with several ecommerce majors indicating a push to expand volumes.
ETPrime stories of the day
6 mins read
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JB Straubel leaves Tesla for consultancy
Elon Musk announced in the context of the latest quarterly figure announcement that Tesla co-founder JB Straubel will withdraw from the operational business as Chief Technology Officer and will in future only work in an advisory capacity for Tesla. The new Tesla CTO will be Drew Baglino.
Tesla Q2: records broken and $5 billion in cash
In the second financial quarter of 2019, Tesla has produced 87,048 cars and delivered 95,356, surpassing all previous quarterly figures and enabling a similarly record-breaking cash flow. CTO, JB Straubel is stepping down after 15 years with the company.
China: Tesla’s Model 3 factory ready for orders
Tesla has opened the order books in China for the Model 3, which the EV manufacturer will produce in its Shanghai plant, which is still under construction. The first deliveries of the Model 3 from local production are scheduled to start in six to ten months.
Tesla aiming for record number of deliveries in Q2
It seems that Tesla may be having a new record quarter in vehicle deliveries. As Elon Musk wrote in an e-mail to employees, there is a good chance that the current quarter will see 90,700 deliveries exceed the record level reached in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Gigafactory 1 expansion on ice?
Nikkei suggested yesterday, that Panasonic and Tesla’s plans to increase production capacity for battery cells at Gigafactory 1 have been put on ice due to financial problems at Tesla and uncertainties about future demand. While us and others could but wonder, Panasonic now took a stand that is ambivalent.
Tesla to launch Shanghai production this year
Tesla has now officially placed the foundation stone for the so-called Gigafactory 3 in China, which will produce both batteries and the electric vehicles in which they will be used in future. The plan is to complete construction by this summer.
Tesla secures site for Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai
Tesla has found the spot to construct the Gigafactory 3 on Chinese soil. A 860,000 sqm plot of land in Shanghai has been secured according to a post the company made on Chinese social media and previous rumours had suggested as much. Still, the deal must be considered groundbreaking in every sense.
Tesla is about to buy land for its Gigafactory in China
The preparations for Teslas Gigafactory in China are apparently progressing. As Bloomberg reports, Tesla is about to buy land for the factory for 145 million US dollars. A decision by the Shanghai city government to allocate the land to Tesla could already be made this month.
Tesla is hiring for Gigafactory 3 in China
Tesla is looking for staff for their planned electric vehicle factory in Shanghai just one month after receiving approval to set up shop from Chinese autorities. Most roles posted on the Tesla website are at senior level, reaching from architectural designer to experienced finance manager.
Breaking: Tesla signs Gigafactory deal in Shanghai
Elon Musk has been busy in Shanghai as he inked the deal with the city for a new production facility. The construction of Gigafactory 3 is to “begin in the near future,” says Tesla so that they may start making both electric cars and batteries there in two years from now.


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Weak Manufacturing Demand Amid Trade War Leads to Layoffs: Caixin Survey
Growth in China’s manufacturing activity improved marginally in November, while muted demand amid the country’s trade war with the U.S. led to further layoffs, a Caixin survey showed Monday.
The Caixin China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which gives a snapshot of operating conditions in the manufacturing sector, inched up to 50.2 in November, little changed from October’s 50.1 and just off a 16-month low of 50 in September.
The Caixin index, one of the first available monthly indicators showing China’s latest economic conditions, is closely watched by investors. A reading of 50 separates expansion from contraction. The higher above 50 the faster the expansion, while the further below 50 the greater the contraction.
“Overall, domestic demand across the manufacturing sector improved in November, while overseas demand was still subdued,” said Zhong Zhengsheng, director of macroeconomic analysis with consultancy CEBM Group, a subsidiary of Caixin Insight Group. “China’s economy was weak, but did not show significant signs of deterioration.”
“Relatively muted client demand and efforts to lower costs contributed to a further reduction in staff numbers,” the survey said.
Of the five subindexes that make up the PMI, the one for new orders continued to rise marginally in November, pointing to slightly improved demand, according to the survey. This “may be due to a recent raft of government policies aiming to support the private sector,” Zhong said.
Amid a combination of relatively subdued sales and restrictions on factory production that governments have imposed for environmental protection, the output subindex dropped to 50, marking its lowest level since June 2016.
The gauges for output charges and input costs both dropped significantly. This was in line with the weakening domestic commodities market, Zhong said, adding that upward pressure on prices for industrial products eased somewhat. Notably, the prices that companies charged customers fell for the first time in 18 months as companies tried to attract new business.
Headwinds from the ongoing trade war with the U.S. continued to take a toll on new export orders, which contracted for the eighth straight month in November.
In a piece of good news on that front, China and the U.S. reached a temporary deal on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina over the weekend. The U.S. agreed that in January it will leave punitive tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods at 10%, and not raise the levy to a 25% it had previously threatened, according to a White House statement. China agreed to purchase a substantial amount of agricultural, energy, industrial and other products from the U.S. to reduce their trade imbalance, the statement said.
Since July, the U.S. has imposed additional tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, with 10% tariffs on $200 billion and 25% on the remainder. Beijing has retaliated with new levies on $110 billion of imported U.S. goods. Overall, each side has imposed charges on half of its annual imports from the other.
Manufacturing accounts for 30% of China’s gross domestic product. The official manufacturing PMI, released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday, dipped to 50 in November from 50.2 in the month before.
Contact reporter Lin Jinbing (email@example.com) and Liu Jiefei (firstname.lastname@example.org)
Read more about Caixin’s economic indexes.
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EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Ship Shape Car Wash is under reconstruction to transform its iconic ship exterior, according to the Leader-Telegram.
Sold earlier this year, new owner Joe Zink is updating the facility to make it more efficient, the article stated.
“We’re doubling the length of the conveyor to have the ability to process cars faster,” said Zink in the article. “That’s why we’d remove the bow of the ship. It was the only way for us to handle what we do.”
The carwash is closed for the remodeling but is projected to reopen Sept. 1, the article continued.
“It’s another iconic business facade that’s gone,” stated Scott Morfitt, resident of Eau Claire, in the article. “It’s just another one of those things on the around town highways that are seeming to go away. It’s sad, but it’s also a sign of an improving, changing city.”
Zink said the revamped carwash will be known for its low prices, with a grand opening special featuring $3 washes, the article reported.
Free vacuums will also be available for the wash’s customers, noted the article.
You can find the article here.


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Turkey's average daily hotel room rates decreased by 1.5% in September 2023, compared to the same period last year, amounting to 139 Euros. However, it increased by 16% from January to September 2023, reaching 135 Euros.
Hotel occupancy in Istanbul
According to the latest data, hotel occupancy in Istanbul witnessed a decline of 12.6% in September 2023 as compared to the same period in the previous year, eventually reaching up to 76.5%. Furthermore, the occupancy rates for the January-September 2023 period also witnessed a decline of 13% as compared to the same period in the previous year, reaching up to 64.7%.
On the other hand, the average daily room rates in Istanbul witnessed a decline of 7.3% in September 2023 as compared to the same period in the previous year, eventually reaching up to 151 Euros. However, the average daily room rate for the January-September 2023 period witnessed a rise of 13%, reaching up to 148 Euros.
Significant achievements of the Turkish tourism industry
According to TÜROB President Eresin, the Turkish tourism industry has experienced remarkable growth, with the number of tourists increasing from 2 million to 50 million and the bed capacity rising from 85 thousand to 1 million 700 thousand. Currently, the total cost of tourism investments amounts to around 100 billion dollars, and despite the challenges, the sector has created jobs for about 1.5 million people. Additionally, the tourism industry has emerged as a leading employer for women. Today, Turkey is among the top 10 countries in the world that attract the highest number of tourists.
Tourism is a Strategic sector for Turkey
The President of TÜROB stated that the tourism sector is one of the most booming industries in the history of the Republic of Turkey. He emphasized that the sector plays a crucial role in the country's development, as it supports 54 other sectors directly or indirectly without relying on imported goods. Tourism is a strategic sector that generates added value and provides high-quality employment opportunities. It also contributes to the country's economy by bringing in an average annual net foreign exchange inflow of 45 billion dollars. The tourism sector is critical in maintaining the macroeconomic balance with the foreign exchange inflow it provides.


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Thu Apr 29, 2010 @ 11:58AM PST
By Eriq Gardner
One of the interesting things about Gawker's letter to police in the wake of a raid in the lost iPhone investigation is the identity of the letter-writer.
The missive arguing that police had violated California's strong journalist shield law was written by Gawker COO Gaby Darbyshire. Judging by her personal bio
, it appears Darbyshire was a lawyer in London, mostly handling environmental cases and the appeal of some death row inmates. She's been involved in new media for years, but mostly on the strategic and operations side.
If Gawker had an experienced media lawyer involved in its shenanigans, perhaps it could have avoided this situation.
Siskind points out there's a difference between receiving "stolen" goods (like sex tapes and iPhones) and receiving information, protected by the shield law. He says that Gizmodo should have done what most tabloid magazines like Star do all the time:
"If you're Star magazine, you don't buy the sex tape, you pay to watch it, take a few saucy screen grabs. So instead of purchasing the phone itself, Gizmodo should have simply purchased access to the phone. This may seem like a small distinction, but according to Siskind, it would have made all the difference, and the San Mateo County DA would be essentially unable to prosecute. In that case, it would be clear that what they were getting was information. The California shield law protects that information from either a subpeona or a warrant. Apple would be in a tough position here."
Not just Apple.
The copyright claim may have been a lot weaker if Gawker had only posted a few screenshots of some stolen footage.
Gawker is now considering suing the police
over the iPhone raid. Maybe this is a good opportunity for them to beef up their in-house legal staff.


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Countering Xenophobic Ideas
Xenophobia, the chasing of foreigner spaza- shop owners out of the township is gaining momentum. The foreigners shop owners are being depicted as destroyer of local business. A new common sense is tasking hold: if only we had stopped those Somalis and Bangladeshi from coming to South Africa, our local business would triumph.
This common sense is fuelled by the rising unemployment, lack of opportunities and poverty amongst black working class in poor communities. These social problems often led to the scapegoating of foreigner working class spaza- shop owners.
This scapegoating of foreigner working class spaza- shop owners recently has been encouraged by the ANC leadership. The water and sanitation minister Nomvula Mokonyane wrote on her Facebook wall “Almost every second outlet (spaza) or even former general dealer shops are run by people of Somali or Pakistan origin in a yard that we know who the original owners were…”
The minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu said “Foreigners need to understand that they are here as a courtesy and our priority is to the people of this country first and foremost. They cannot barricade themselves in and not share their practices with local business owners”.
New research has dispelled the myths that the foreigner spaza- shop owners destroy local business. Research by Sally Peberdy of the Gauteng City-Region Observatory shows that far from taking jobs from South Africans, more foreign shop owners in Soweto employ local people. His research found that the local population partly benefit from the presence of foreigner spaza- shops.
The vast majority of foreign spaza-shop owners rent premises from the local population. Almost a third of foreigner spaza- shop owners (32%) paid rent to South African private landlords. Foreigner spaza- shop owners who rented from South Africans in the townships were more likely to pay more than R1 000 per month. If they are driven out of business, the poor landlords in the townships lose income from rent.
Research also reveals that far from “stealing” South African jobs, many foreign shop owners in Soweto employ locals. In Soweto, the 131 foreigner spaza- shop owners interviewed provided a total of 224 jobs (excluding family employees), of which 105 were held by South Africans. If looting take place, it means, it is not just foreigner spaza- shop owners who are will be out of business– their employees will be out of work as well.
According to recent analysis foreigner spaza shop owners buy their goods from the South African shops and by so doing they pay tax, just like any other South African. This tax money goes to the government. If they are not able to trade, they are not buying supplies, and therefore are not paying VAT.
This research shows that if the government were to “stop” them from doing business, South Africans would suffer just as much as the foreign nationals. If you want to pinpoint the real enemy, look at Corporate South Africa, which benefits from billions in tax breaks every year. These corporations happily profit while keep living standards for workers– including foreigner spaza- shop owners/ immigrant workers–as low as they can.


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The slump in auto sales continued in November, with auto manufacturers releasing their sales numbers for the same on Monday.
Honda Cars India Ltd and Tata Motors saw the biggest dip with a 50.33 per cent and 25.32 per cent decline in total sales respectively compared to the same period in 2018. Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) recorded an 18.86 per cent decline of domestic and export sales, while Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) saw sales drop by 9 per cent. Hyundai Motors India Ltd (HMIL) saw sales go up 7.2 per cent.
India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) reported a sales dip of 1.9 per cent, shipping 1,50,630 units in November compared to 1,53,539 units the previous year. Sales in the mini (Alto, WagonR), mid-sized sedan (Ciaz) and utility category (Vitara Breza, S-Cross and Ertiga) declined, while those of the compact segment (Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and DZire) rose.
Commercial vehicles manufacturer and Hinduja’s flagship firm Ashok Leyland reported a 22 per cent decline. Similarly, M&M’s commercial wing saw a ten per cent sales slump.
New players in the market, however, recorded decent numbers. MG Motors retailed 3,239 Hector units in November, a slight dip from its tally of 3,536 units in October—attributable to the festive sale season.
Kia Motors saw positive growth, selling 14,005 units of the Seltos SUV in November. According to the company, this makes the Seltos the bestselling SUV in India for the second consecutive month.
Motorcycle sales showed mixed results, with Bajaj Auto recording a sales dip of 12 per cent in domestic sales, but a 14 per cent rise in exports, leading to a total dip of just 0.9 per cent. Suzuki Motorcycles recorded an increase in sales by 23.39 per cent and both Hero MotorCorp and TVS motors facing a decline of 15.31 and 16.64 per cent respectively.
Shares of automobile companies tumbled as much as 2.59 per cent on Monday after the subdued sales numbers were released.
Maruti Suzuki India saw its shares fall 1.77 per cent to Rs 7,121.20 on the BSE and 1.61 per cent to Rs 7,129 on the NSE.
Tata Motors ended 0.28 per cent lower at Rs 161 on the BSE, while it fell 0.43 per cent to Rs 160.80 on the NSE.
Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) dropped 1.15 per cent to Rs 523.95 in early trade on the BSE. However, it recovered to close 0.79 per cent higher at Rs 534.25. On the NSE, the stock settled 0.68 per cent up at Rs 530.50.
Hero MotoCorp fell 1.08 per cent to Rs 2,405.80 on the BSE and 1.21 per cent to Rs 2,404 on the NSE.
TVS Motor Company lost 2.31 per cent to Rs 466 on the BSE and 2.59 per cent to Rs 464.90 on the NSE.
Bajaj Auto shares also registered 0.82 per cent decline to Rs 3,149.90 on the BSE and 0.43 per cent to Rs 3,162.45 on the NSE.
Analysts said the fall in shares of auto companies can be attributed to macro challenges faced by the industry. However, the sector might gain in December.
"After a blockbuster festive season, decline in auto sales numbers in November again failed to reinstate the confidence of investors. Macro challenges continue to plague the industry and is expected to remain subdued in the next couple of quarters," Paras Bothra, President of Equity Research, Ashika Stock Broking said.
"However, things might change in December as consumer demand for PVs (passenger vehicles) typically picks up in the year end," he added.
With inputs from PTI


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Beyond Vitamin D: Sunlight Exposure Reduces Weight Gain, Helps Stop Diabetes
(NaturalNews) In recent years, health experts have emphasized the importance of increasing blood levels of vitamin D as a way to prevent not just bone and tooth disorders but also autoimmune disease, cancer and many other chronic health conditions. Yet, rather than recommending that people spend more time in the sun, many health officials have instead recommended vitamin supplementation.
But according to a new study led by researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Western Australia, and published in the journal Diabetes, vitamin D is not the only mechanism through which sun exposure improves health. The researchers found that sun exposure causes the skin to produce nitric oxide gas, which in turn helps the body regulate its metabolism and slows weight gain.
“We know sun-seekers live longer than those who spend their lives in the shade,” said dermatology researcher Richard Weller of the University of Edinburgh. “Studies such as this are helping us to understand how the sun can be good for us. We need to remember that skin cancer is not the only disease that can kill us and should perhaps balance our advice on sun exposure.”
Benefit Not From Vitamin D
In the new study, researchers fed mice a high-fat diet until they developed both obesity and diabetes. Some of the mice were then exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation — which causes the skin to produce both vitamin D and nitric oxide.
When exposed to UV radiation, the mice showed lower levels of weight gain, blood sugar and insulin resistance. Full Story.


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Easily one of the most anticipated video game titles coming out in 2020 is CD Projekt Red’s upcoming Cyberpunk 2077. This open-world RPG is coming off of the developer’s trilogy success that is The Witcher so we there is already a ton of hype just from the development studio name alone. Since its initial announcement, we’ve been receiving plenty of trailer footage and gameplay details that have also been favorable from potential players. Now we have news that CD Projekt Red is bringing the game out onto the Google Stadia platform.
Google Stadia is a new platform competing against the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. However, unlike some the competition, there is a focus on streaming video games to the player which makes Google Stadia accessible on a wide variety of hardware. Speaking of hardware, because the game is being run by Google, the system requirements will not be a factor for players as long as they can keep a secure and stable internet speed.
With that said, if you don’t own a PlayStation 4, Xbox One or a PC capable of playing video game titles then you may find Google Stadia to be your best bet to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077. In this futuristic game, players will be taking on the role of a mercenary who takes on odd jobs to build up a reputation that may lead to the higher-paying gigs. After all, the game is set in a tough city where crime and corporations flourish so there’s always the need for a hired gun.
As for when you can get your hands on a copy of Cyberpunk 2077, the game will be releasing on April 16, 2020, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC platforms. Google Stadia is likely to follow soon afterward.
Source: Game Informer


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The Indian mining major Vedanta has tied up with Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company, Hon Hai Technology Group (better known as Foxconn) to form a joint venture (JV) for manufacturing semiconductors in India. Anil Agarwal, the non-executive Chairman of Vedanta, will be the Chairman of the JV company.
This is the first JV in the electronics manufacturing sector after the government announced a Rs 76,000 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for semiconductor and display manufacturing, to create an ecosystem of local production of semiconductors in India. Vedanta will be the majority shareholder in the JV while Foxconn will hold minority share.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:


text: More importantly, though, this lawsuit is about optics, on so many levels. Talent is eyeballing the lawsuit and its results to see how much power they wield in the current entertainment environment — and also to see if Disney is the friendly studio with which to collaborate that they appeared to be under Bob Iger. Audiences, meanwhile, are waiting to see what is going to come of the day-and-date model that’s being used by both Disney and Warner Bros. for their tentpole blockbusters. Jungle Cruise recently “opened” on Disney+ for that $30 Premier Access fee. And James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be available for HBO Max subscribers on Friday, August 6, the same day it opens in theters.


text: IF you need something to keep out the winter weather and you wouldn't mind helping a worthy cause, pay a visit to one of Operation Santa Claus' oldest friends. Esprit, which has been helping to raise funds for the past four years, has come up with a special Christmas collection with all takings boosting yesterday's total of $425,013. This year the company has come up with a cotton knit turtle-neck sweater for $185 and a matching cardigan for $245. When you buy a sweat-er or cardigan from the collection the tag is put into the Esprit Christmas draw. The winner will be announced on December 31, and will receive a $5,000 voucher. Stars of the RTHK Radio 3 pantomine Peter Pan were at Pacific Place yesterday to launch the new collection, featuring an unbelievably nasty Captain Hook (Martin Clarke) and everyone's favourite fairy, Tinkerbell (Larry Ottaway). Contributions to the fund can be dropped into boxes at all outlets of Mad Dogs, the Body Shop, Oliver's and Esprit.


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Will Keurig Gain Traction From The Kraft Coffee Deal?
in order to maintain the monopoly in
the U.S. coffee market, Keurig Green Mountain (GMCR)
publish his new coffee machine. after the expiry of its
‘K-cup’ patent in September 2012. Along with the release of Keurig’s new
brewing system 2.0, the Vermont based K-cups maker has announced
another lucrative deal on August 22 with Kraft Foods Group (KRFT).
Let’s take a closer look at the deal, and judge its long-term implications.
What the deal is all about
Starting this fall, caffeine addicts would be able to brew Maxwell
House, Gevalia, Yuban coffee brands of Kraft Foods and even McCafe
coffee of McDonald’s (MCD)
using Keurig Green Mountain’s popular single serve brewing system.
Keurig’s shares hit a new 52-week high of $135.99 on August 22 when it
signed the multi-year licensing, manufacturing and distribution
agreement with one of the biggest names in the packaged food and
beverage industry, Kraft Foods.
Keurig’s CEO Brian Kelley commented on the agreement: “Adding Kraft’s celebrated brands to the licensed
Keurig family means Keurig consumers will be able to enjoy even more
beverages they know and love with the quality and consistency they
expect from their Keurig brewer.” The agreement would also help Kraft
Foods to expanding distribution across multiple channels.
In a spree of winning bigger share of the $11 billion U.S. retail
coffee market, this deal earmarks another big partnership for Keurig
which recently saw an uptick in its share price close to 79%
year-to-date, largely due to Coca-Cola (KO) having
acquired 16% stake in the company. And with the current deal with Kraft
Foods, Keurig would also strongly add the McDonald’s McCafe coffee to
its beverage lineup.
That’s because earlier in August, Kraft Foods agreed to ship
McDonald’s McCafe to supermarkets and food outlets that were already a
part of its extensive distribution network. And now with Kraft’s deal
with Keurig, McCafe brand would be distributed via Keurig portion packs.
Keurig to benefit enlarge
Though the leader in coffee technology has been facing intense
generic competition, the addition of Maxwell House in its product
portfolio of pods offers Keurig almost all the major coffee brands. This
May, it had signed a similar distribution agreement with J.M.Smucker for the Folger’s coffee of the latter.
Currently, Folger’s coffee is the top selling brand by volume in the
U.S. claiming nearly 15% of the market share. Maxwell House is the
second most favored brand with 10% market share, and this is expected to
give Keurig’s revenue a big boost. The brisk addition of Kraft’s coffee
brands to the Keurig family would increase the beverage options for
And this synergic relationship will allow the availability of all the
added coffee options in K-cups format, K-Carafe packs and Keurig Bolt
packs at-home and away-from-home channels.
According to the National Coffee Association’s info-graphic report for 2014, the daily consumption of coffee in the U.S. is increasingly
with every passing year. Presently around 34% of the Americans consume
gourmet coffee regularly, which is a rise of 3% over last year. Over the
past six-months Keurig has entered into several distribution deals with
the top retail chains and coffee brands – such as Nestle and Subway.
The latest deal with Kraft Foods offers huge opportunity to the company
to strengthen its market share and accelerate top line growth.
Both companies have decided to work together initially to manufacture
Kraft-branded portion packs. But a slow transition is likely to take
place sometime later with Keurig solely manufacturing these packs using
coffee that will be sourced and processed by the packaged food giant,
The partnership with the coffee giant would help Keurig to reduce
competition in the retail coffee market. Moreover, as Kraft Foods raised
the prices of Maxwell House and Yuban coffee products by around 10%
this June, it could mean increased price for Kraft-branded portion
packs, translating to increased revenue for Keurig. Also, this
collaboration could lead to customers ending up buying their favorite
coffee brands in bulk at retail stores, as now they just need to buy
Keurig branded portion packs with their favorite coffee brands.
With a full range of coffee producers lining up to have their coffees
offered through the new Keurig machine, this coffee maker will have
little trouble brewing up its instant sales growth in the U.S. Overall,
the Kraft deal provides a huge platform to Keurig Green Mountain to
widen its customer base in the single-serve market. Keurig might be seen
to add more of licensed partners, and see its top and bottom lines
register healthy growth.


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packed New York’s Club Avalon last Wednesday (Dec. 6), for the first annual
DVD awards, where the Artist to Watch Movement was launched.The
event was produced by The Best of the Block CEO, Littles,
and NY Event promoter, Mook Diamond.
The awards brought together a group of emerging East coast artists, known as The
New Big East. The
line up featured many rappers performing together for the first time, included
Siagon, Tru Life, Maino, Stack Bundles, Red Café, Jae Millz, Grath, J-Hood,
and Uncle Murder. “We
bridged Hip-Hop together last night. There were a few crews and clicks on the
bill that didn’t get along, and to get all of them together on one stage
is a huge deal”, said Littles. Other
DJ Cipha Sounds, Zab Juda, Marley Marl.
The DVD awards were the first to recognize trailblazers in the Urban DVD genre.
Pioneering Urban DVD brand All
Accessswon top honors for Best Commercial DVD. "We
work hard to create exclusive content for every release and it was an honor to
even be nominated," All Access CEO, Kraze commented. "We’re able
to get into places that BET and MTV can’t. I started doing this five years
ago and just recently signed a major deal with Stars Network. This event and that
business partnership only reflects how far we’ve come ,that bigger entities
are aligning themselves with Urban DVD producers."
Maino who performed as part of the artist to watch Movement, also won an award
for the most consistent artist on a DVD. "This
event was all about recognizing the urban DVD creators and showing emerging artists
and their fan base. We had so many artists supporting The Artist to Watch Movement.
There’s a huge underground movement that’s about to rise to the surface.”
a complete list of the Urban DVD Award winners visit http://www.myspace.com/theurbandvdawards.


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Yes, it’s true! Halloween is officially here and Spirit Halloween is opening the doors on the season with a scary good grand opening celebration in its hometown of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey this Saturday, July 30.
This year, the festivities will include the exclusive trailer premiere for Spirit Halloween: The Movie, a feature-length movie starring Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook opening in the fall. The young stars of the movie, Donovan Colan, Dylan Martin Frankel and Jaiden J. Smith will be making a special appearance at the grand opening.
Hundreds of Halloween superfans from around the country will be in attendance at the annual event, where they can enjoy a wide range of Halloween activities, including tarot card readings, games and food & beverage vendors outside the store.
When doors open at 11:00am, guests can be among the first to shop Spirit Halloween’s 2022 collection, including costumes, animatronics, decor and more.


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1:10 min Sustainability & Circular Economy
UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Coverage of update to extended producer responsibility scheme
There has been coverage in the Financial Times, the Telegraph, The Times and i News following the announcement providing further details on the extended producer responsibility for packaging scheme. The announcement confirmed that, following extensive engagement with industry, and ...
1:49 min Sustainability & Circular Economy
Recycling record for PET to PET: 17,700 tons in the first half of 2023
17,755 t of PET beverage bottles were successfully returned to the resource cycle in the first half of the year - an increase of more than 17 percent compared to the previous year PET to PET is currently building a PV plant in Müllendorf with an area of 6,400 m² and an output of ...
Polytag: Consumers in the UK to receive money to recycle milk bottles in world-first initiative
Consumers in the UK will be rewarded 20p [approx. 0.23€] for recycling milk bottles as part of a world-first recycling initiative. UK-based recycling technology innovators Polytag and Sweden-based recycling app Bower have teamed up with the world's largest online supermarket Ocado ...


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The 3DS will be hosting the latest adventure by everyone’s favorite pink marshmallow, as Nintendo now confirms the release of Kirby: Triple Deluxe (or Kirby 3D if you’re fast enough to catch that).
The title was revealed in the Japanese markets last month, but this is the first official news of its release here in states. The trailer shows a very familiar Kirby landscape, with our pudgy friend utilizing the same abilities and power-ups we’ve seen in the past (like jumping between the foreground and background elements). We do see a new “super-inhale,” which is a pumped-up version of Kirby’s classic signature move he’s been rolling with since his days on the NES.
Also touched on during the Nintendo Direct were items such as the release of a YouTube app for the 3DS, the release of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, and Rosalina being an unlockable character in Super Mario 3D World.


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eBay are announcing their 2021 Global Give grantee winners. Their nonprofit grantees hail from communities all over the world where eBay’s employees live and work. From India and Australia, to Germany and the Netherlands, to Austin and San Jose, our employees were fully involved in the grantmaking program, making it a truly global effort to support inclusive entrepreneurship in local communities.
Through Global Give, the eBay Foundation invites eBay employees to make their communities a better place by helping entrepreneurs of all backgrounds. It’s also a way to live our purpose by supporting and creating economic opportunity for all, especially those from historically underrepresented communities.
This summer, the eBay Foundation asked employees to help choose innovative nonprofits that support entrepreneurship and small businesses in a variety of
For Full Article –
You can Find it Here: eBay announce Global Give 2021 Grantee Winners
Really helpful tips and urls can be read on this full article.


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-Juillard named president of consumer information services at Experian.
BANKING AND CREDIT NEWS-September 24, 2013--Juillard named president of consumer information services at Experian(C)2013 M2 COMMUNICATIONS http://www.m2.com
24 September 2013 -- Ireland-based financial information services firm Experian (LSE: EXPN) said that it has made high-level appointments to its North American Credit Services group in the process elevating a group of existing leaders to position the group.
The company said it recently appointed Genevieve Juillard president of its Consumer Information Services unit and Hiq Lee president of its Business Information Services unit.
In addition, Laura DeSoto, Michele Pearson and Robin Norris were promoted to senior leadership positions throughout Experian's Credit Services divisions.
Juillard, in her new position as president of Experian's Consumer Information Services, will oversee Experian's US consumer credit bureau and be responsible for all aspects of Experian's consumer credit activities within the business-to-business marketplace.
In this role, she will oversee the delivery and management of business and industry leading products provided to Experian's diverse clientele. Juillard returns to Experian North America after recently opening Experian's credit bureau in Australia.
Experian is the global information services company, providing data and analytical tools. The group offers businesses tolls for managing credit risk, preventing fraud, targeting marketing offers and automating decision making.
Find out more at www.experianplc.com.
1 USD = 0.624896 GBP
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Select KPMG member firm site and language
2017 China CEO Outlook
Our insights and analysis on the new insurance contracts standard
Plays a leading role in ‘bringing China to the world’ and ‘bringing the world to China’.
2016 customs policy review, customs risk areas and cash sharing, and looking ahead 2017 customs policy
Effectively managing VAT audits, risks and opportunities; impact of future Golden Tax system and invoicing developments
Sustainability is moving from being primarily about corporate responsibility to a process that can create long-term economic value.
Click for more details about the ranking and registration
KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services.
AutoTech: Driving innovation and future
Survey of Hong Kong banks’ 2016 financial performance
This year, we are pleased to announce the return of the China Leading Fintech 50 rankings.
Paul McSheaffrey, Head of Hong Kong Banking, and Simon Topping, Partner, discuss the key findings from the 29th annual Hong Kong Banking Survey.
VC investment in China startups tripled in Q2 2017 driven by an uptick in mega-deals.
KPMG partners Paul Lau and Maggie Lee discuss the highlights of the 2017 H1 China & Hong Kong IPO markets
07:15 GMT 27 June, 2017


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With Canada Day just around the corner, Microsoft Canada decided to get in the spirit of the season by hitting Canadian media with a look into the private lives of computer gamers in Canada. It's not all igloos and flapjacks, apparently, as a survey conducted reveals that nearly 20 percent of men with Internet access admitted to playing games without their clothes on, while almost 10 percent have played in the bathroom.
Other interesting numbers reported by the survey suggest that only six percent of online Canadians have never played a computer game, 30 percent play computer games at work, and 27 percent play computer games in the bedroom. 43 percent of Canadians aged 18-34 reported their first computer gaming experience to be playing educational games in the classroom—I myself recall the classics Math Blaster and Math Circus, though my first game was Prince of Persia on an Apple Mac.
I can't imagine what prompted the question of "do you play naked?" for this survey, and I'm even further surprised by the strong response. However, the bathroom statistics don't surprise me—in fact, they even look a little low. I've always said that you're not a diehard gamer until you beat a level while on the throne. Obviously, the surveyors weren't asking the right Canadians.


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On New Year’s Day, 2017, the Mexican government deregulated the price of gasoline and diesel across the country, leading to a 20 percent rise in prices. As Mexico adjusts, there has been well-publicized news of the fallout this generated including the price hike, a gasoline shortage, demonstrations, protests, increased toll booth costs, shutting down of roads, delayed transportation schedules and increased border security. Naturally, this has raised concern for all who depend on cross-border transport, including the produce industry’s customers and consumers – nearly all U.S. residents. At Organics Unlimited, we respect and value open and honest communication with our customers and we are happy to take this opportunity to give an update about this situation to dispel any concerns.
This situation has and will continue to have repercussions across many industries. Unfortunately, this means that as costs increase across many sectors, the price of many goods, including produce, will increase. At Organics Unlimited, despite the rising cost of doing business, we are committed to honoring the contracts we have made with our customers. Most importantly, we are happy to announce our customers will continue to receive Organics Unlimited organic bananas on time and at peak freshness and quality. Despite the situation, our delivery trucks are moving across Mexico on schedule. While transit has experienced some delays overall, our trucks are on the road and our warehouse in Southern California is doing business as usual.
Read more about our unique packing and shipping process that guarantees you the freshest organic bananas on the market in this blog post.
At Organics Unlimited, we will continue to monitor this situation and if there are any updates we will notify you immediately. We thank you for your continued support and urge you to contact us if you have any further questions.


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California Becomes the First State to Ban Cosmetics Testing on Animals
These days, we’re becoming more and more conscious about the ethical practices of the companies we’re shopping — namely animal testing in the beauty industry. However, California just passed landmark legislation that will help eliminate those harmful practices that, until now, was legal in all 50 states.
The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act bans the statewide sale of animal-tested products by 2020. The bill, introduced in February by California Senator Cathleen Galgiani, was given a unanimous vote on Friday, August 31. If Governor Jerry Brown moves forward with it, it will be illegal to “sell any cosmetic in California if the final product or any component of the product was knowingly tested on animals after January 1, 2020,” making it much easier for shoppers to purchase cruelty-free products statewide.
Plenty of mainstream beauty brands and retailers, including The Body Shop, Too Faced, and Lush Cosmetics, have spoken out against animal testing, but the industry still has so far to go, as evident by the 30+ popular beauty brands that still test. According to PETA, some of these brands try to get around the matter by not testing in the US, but paying overseas companies in China to do their dirty work. The bottom line: Animal-testing is still alarmingly common and this bill sets out to change that.
Now, if only the legislation can inspire other states to follow suit. Judie Mancuso, founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, a group that that sponsors landmark legislation in animal rights cases, said in a statement that when the European Union banned cosmetic testing on animals nearly a decade ago, “the sky didn’t fall.” She added, “The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act would save thousands of animals’ lives each year while making cosmetics safer for humans. … Animals have been saved while companies have flourished and grown without cruelty as part of their business model.”
What do you think about California’s decision to ban animal testing? Share your thoughts @BritandCo!
(Photos via Image Source/Getty; Supawat Punnanon/EyeEm/Getty)


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New York, London, Tokyo… Sydney. Meet our homegrown Rokt'stars
The future begins where it all collides
Recently billed as Australia’s newest unicorn, global startup Rokt, founded in Sydney, now operates in 16 locations around the world, including New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore.
With clients like Live Nation, Groupon, Staples, Lands' End, Fanatics, GoDaddy, Vistaprint, and HelloFresh, Rokt is a global leader in the field of personalised ecommerce marketing technology.
Consumers online expect a highly individualised and relevant experience. Through its proprietary technology, which uses machine learning, Rokt gives their clients the ability to serve their customers the right message at the right time. Each customer is treated as an individual and each transaction is a unique opportunity.
Rokt has helped hundreds of e-commerce companies’ stay ahead of the competition by unlocking the hidden potential of the Transaction Moment™ which increases their revenue and customer acquisition rates.
Since its foundation in 2012, Rokt has raised $162M in Series A through D rounds to grow the startup and now have over 300 staff (or Rokt’stars).
Rokt credits its success to their team of Rokt’stars who are smart and passionate advocates for their product. Deeply curious and obsessive about finding new and better ways to do things, Rokt’s results speak for themselves. 2020 saw a 42% increase in their valuation (of more than US$450M) and revenue for 2021 is expected to come in at over USD$170M. In 2020 Rokt won the prestigious MarTech Breakthrough Award for Best use of AI in MarTech.
Listed in the US annual Inc.5000 for 2021, which ranks America’s fastest-growing private companies, where well-known names like Zappos, Microsoft and Patagonia first gained exposure, Rokt is a startup to watch.
Tech Central is on Gadigal Country. We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.


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Sony just announced that Destruction AllStars, the exclusive sports action and car combat game for PS5 will be released in physical format on April 16th with a price of 19,99 euros. This title was originally released for subscribers to PS More last February 2, and still be available until April 5.
From 6 of April the game can buy on PlayStation Store in the Standard and Digital Deluxe editions, as well as the give it fsica to get to the stores from April 16th.
This way Destruction AllStars it will finally come out in physical format as it was originally intended, since it was going to be one of the PS5 launch games last November 19 at a price of 79,99 euros, but a few days after its launch Sony backed down and decided to delay it to include it in the PlayStation Plus subscription, and now launching it at a much lower price than initially planned.
The first season just started
This announcement coincides with the recent premiere of the first season in the new seasons way, Hotshots. The main novelty of the first season is the introduction of Blitz, the new competitive mode in which the players form teams of three players and four teams per game (3 against 3 against 3 against 3).
In addition, it will include a new Battle Pass during the first season, in which players will earn exclusive cosmetic content as they rank up regardless of whether they play the free or premium Battle Pass. To these new acquisitions are added two more great innovations: a new AllStar called Bluefang, of which more details will be known soon, and the new photo mode.


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A painting by the iconic artist Vincent Van Gogh is expected to sell for almost $17 million when it goes under the hammer in his homeland of Holland in March.
British high-end TV maker Aquavision has launched a new LCD television set that comes complete with a 24-carat gold plated stand and is exclusively available at prestigious London department store Harrods.
With Valentine’s Day fast-approaching and the highest percentage of marriage proposals taking place on the day, many people are likely to be deep into their research, keen to find the perfect ring with which to pop the big question.
South Korean tech giants Samsung have unveiled an innovative new contraption that combines the utility of a wardrobe with a smart washing machine, iron and steamer.
A year after their original launch, the ultra-luxurious Horizon Earphones by French fashion house Louis Vuitton have been augmented with a series of five upgraded styles.
The London Art Fair kicks off the 2020 international art calendar later this month, once again promising to connect seasoned and aspiring collectors with the best galleries from around the world through a world class display of modern and contemporary art.


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The rising popularity of vaping has been dramatic, especially among youth in America. Originally marketed as a device for smoking cessation, over the years they have acquired a more fashionable status and have become commonly available in retail stores and through websites. This is in part due to companies’ aggressive marketing campaigns. Also, it is often portrayed as a healthier alternative to smoking.
According to a 2018 study:
- 37% of high school seniors reported vaping, up from 28% the year before.
- approximately 2.1 million middle school and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2017
- In 2018 that number increased to 3.6 million middle school and high school students self-reported e-cigarette use.
Experts are warning that vaping could make one more vulnerable to a severe infection with the coronavirus. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, 41% of confirmed coronavirus cases are ages 20-49. Doctors are speculating that vaping could be a contributing factor since coronavirus is severely impacting more younger people in the U.S. than other countries.
What is the relationship between vaping and coronavirus?
- Similar to cigarette smoking, vaping can also compromise the respiratory system.
- Vaping has been shown to suppress the immune function (due to presence of aldehydes in vaping fluids) in the lungs and trigger inflammation, making vapers more susceptible to coronavirus and other lung infections.
Young adults who are now at home trying to adjust to abrupt physical isolation and online schooling may find themselves vaping even more or experiencing withdrawal symptoms if they are unable to access e-cigarettes.
Resources to quit vaping
An anonymous test message program designed to help youth quit vaping.
A digital quit-smoking plan and online community of thousands of smokers and ex-smokers.


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Stella Artois, in Times Square... "Originally Brewed to Celebrate the Holidays." Daily Billboard says, "a clever way to make the beer brand more relevant at this time of year when hot toddies, eggnog, and cocktails are being drunk and bottles of spirits are being given as gifts." Stella says, "[Stella was] originally brewed for the people of Leuven, Belgium as a Christmas beer."
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Remember Roller Champions? Ubisoft's free-to-play sports game first made an appearance all the way back at E3 2019, but since then it seems to have been going through a pretty rough time, still yet to get an official release.
Finally, Ubisoft has issued an update on the game, revealing that it's been delayed again, but it's currently scheduled to release in late spring. The team says "the wait is almost over" and it's currently in the "final stage of production".
Roller Champions has always shown a fair bit of promise, featuring fast-paced 3v3 gameplay, customisation tools and a variety of game modes, but the hype unfortunately seems to have died down over the years.
With the release just around the corner though, and considering it's a free-to-play game, hopefully Ubisoft can find a renewed audience for this one when it launches on Xbox this spring, and it'll be interesting to see how much it's evolved.
Any interest in Roller Champions? Let us know down in the comments section below.


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The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing Rovio with 25 million euros in financing to boost development of its mobile gaming platform. Rovio, the company behind Angry Birds, is one of the first investments by the EIB’s program to give loans to innovative startups for spurring growth.
Europe is known for its lack of risk capital available to technology ventures and startups.
The EIB wants to change that. The new financial instruments will be provided by the EIB and the European Commission on June 12th.


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FLORENCE – Florence Parks and Recreation, North Alabama Medical Center, Florence City Schools, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, and the National Fitness Campaign are proud to announce a partnership to bring an outdoor Fitness Court® and digital wellness programming for Martin Park.
The Fitness Court® located at 420 N. Royal Ave. will officially open on Tuesday, May 2, at 3pm with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and launch event. Residents are invited to attend and try out the Fitness Court®.
This Fitness Court® was developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and NFC to expand free access to high-quality workouts and create equitable access to exercise for communities around the state. The Fitness Court is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets people use their body weight to complete a workout using seven exercise stations.
Workouts are created for people of all abilities aged 14+ and are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users may download the free Fitness Court® app at https://www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com/app which acts as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience.
“The outdoor fitness court at Martin Park is an exceptional and unique addition to the many recreational opportunities offered within the City of Florence, said Mayor Andy Betterton. “I am grateful to our project partners for their passion to create and maintain a healthy community environment for our citizens, and I am proud of the hard work of the Parks and Recreation Department.”
Martin Park is one of 15 outdoor Fitness Courts® in a series of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Fitness Courts in easily accessible public spaces throughout the state.
“We are grateful to our project partners, Florence City Schools, North Alabama Medical Center, and NFC for their generosity in helping us offer this healthy environment for our community,” said Florence Parks & Recreation Director, Bill Jordan.
For more information about the launch event, visit Florence Parks & Recreation Facebook, or contact the Florence Parks and Recreation Department at 256-760-6416.
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The profit after tax (PAT) for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) giant Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is expected to increase marginally between 1 and 10 percent during the quarter ended March 2022 from a year ago. On a sequential basis, however, PAT is likely to remain flat. But some brokerages expect a mid-single-digit decline in PAT. The decline is attributed to the slide in rural and urban demand due to inflationary pressures which were made worse by the Ukraine crisis, while price hikes taken by the company to offset the input costs have resulted in diminishing of demand.
Brokerages expect HUL to report a standalone PAT of between Rs 2,050 crore and Rs 2,300 crore on April 27, when it will declare its results for the quarter ended March 2022.
Revenues for the owner of some of the best brands in India are expected to increase by 6-10 percent on-year but are likely to remain flat on sequential basis.
The company is expected to register standalone revenues of around Rs 13,000 crore.


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Sparkman & Stephens Under New Ownership
Sparkman & Stephens has announced that Donald Tofias, of Newport, R.I., has purchased the iconic yacht design and brokerage firm. Tofias will assume the role of President of the firm, having purchased 100 percent of the assets.
Tofias is a lifelong sailor and founder of the W-Class Yacht Company. Over the past 30 years he has owned and campaigned a Waldo Howland and Ray Hunt, Jr. Concordia Yawl, a W. Starling Burgess Cutter, and for the past 20 years, W-Class Racing Yachts, including the W.76 sloops, designed by Joel White, which will now be marketed by Sparkman & Stephens.
Tofias said, "We intend to preserve the history of Sparkman & Stephens, while at the same time building and expanding on its great tradition in yacht design and brokerage."
The company will be headquartered in Newport, R.I.


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GoPro has decided to recall the newly launched Karma Drone due to power failures during flight. The company has only sold 2,500 units of GoPro Karma worldwide. It’s unknown how many of these units that have been sold locally in New Zealand.
GoPro announced the Karma drone at the beginning of the year. Its main function is to allow owners of GoPro action cameras to record from above thereby adding one dimension to the recordings. The Karma drone is obviously optimised for GoPro Hero 5 Black and Hero 5 Session. Hero 4 cameras also fit into the drone’s camera harness.
The recall comes at the worst possible time for GoPro just prior to the Christmas shopping season. Furthermore, the company is facing steep revenue declines and increased competition from Sony and the Nikon KeyMission series in the action camera niche.
GoPro Karma, which is the company’s first drone, is an attempt to diversify its business. The company’s goal is to create an eco-system of outdoor action products. Additional concerns for drone manufacturers like GoPro and DJI are that some countries like Sweden have recently decided to forbid recordings and photos taken by dronesdue to privacy concerns.
GoPro refunds the entire amount including any related Karma accessories. Please note that Hero 5 and Karma Grip aren’t part of the recall and that it’s only the drone that’s being recalled.
More information about Karma Drone and its capabilities here:


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LAST UPDATED : Aug 08, 2019, 12:32 AM IST
- Kia Motors eyeing global markets with made-in-India Seltos
South Korean auto major Kia Motors is looking to export its made-in-India mid-sized SUV Seltos to various global markets like Africa and South America. Kia Motors India has already started production of Seltos at its Anantapur-based facility with an installed production capacity of 3 lakh units.
- Seltos has over 23,000 pre-bookings in India: Kia Motors
Mid-sized SUV Kia Seltos has over 23,000 pre-bookings as of now, a senior official of the Korean automaker said on Thursday. The automaker rolled out the much touted vehicle manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
- Kia Motors launches Seltos SUV at starting of Rs 9.69 lakh
Korean auto major Kia Motors on Thursday made its debut in India with the launch of an SUV, Seltos, at an introductory price of Rs 9.69 lakh. Seltos, a mid-sized SUV, is manufactured at the carmaker's Ananthpur plant in Andhra Pradesh. The model comes in both petrol and diesel variants. The company has already seen as many as 32,035 bookings till date.
- Kia unveils Seltos SUV, likely to be priced at Rs 10 lakh
Hyundai's sibling Kia Motors unveiled Seltos SUV, its first car for India, and said the company plans to have at least four cars in the market over the next three years. The Seltos, likely to be priced around Rs 10 lakh, will primarily compete with Hyundai's Creta and also target customers of other brands such as Jeep Compass and Nissan Kicks.
- Slowdown in auto sector temporary: Kia Motors
Korean automobile maker Kia Motors India said the current slowdown in the industry is a temporary phase, and customer sentiments will revive again. The company claimed to have received around 33,000 bookings in the last five weeks. The Andhra Pradesh facility of the company has a capacity of three lakh units per annum.
- Kia Seltos crosses 6,000 bookings on first day
A day after the pre-bookings of the Seltos began, the Korean auto makers said the SUV received 6,046 booking. The mid-SUV will be launched in India on the August 22 and the bookings are currently being accepted for a token amount of Rs 25,000. The manufacturers are planning to have a network comprising 265 touchpoints in 160 cities.
- Kia Motors to roll out Seltos on July 31 from Andhra plant
South Korean auto major Kia Motors is all set to roll out its first made in India mid- SUV, Kia Seltos, from its plant located in Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh on July 31, according to company sources.The model, upon launch will be available in two trims -- GT line, which is suitable for the performance enthusiasts, and Tech line, aimed at families.
- Kia Seltos bookings to start from Tuesday: Things to know
South Korean auto major Kia Motors said the pre-bookings of its upcoming SUV Seltos will begin in India from Tuesday. The company said the bookings would commence online as well as on its 206 sales points in the country from July 16. The model will be available in two trims - GT line, which is suitable for the performance enthusiasts, and Tech line, aimed at families.
- Downturn Blues: Carmakers line up six new launches in next 15 days
To beat the blues, carmakers are lining up new launches in order to create excitement and pull buyers to the showroom. Almost half a dozen new launches are slated to be available for sales next week ahead of the festive season. Carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Renault, BMW, Tata Motors and Kia Motor will launch new products starting from August 20th, 2019.
- Kia Motors names first mid-SUV as Seltos in India
Kia Motors has named its first mid-SUV in India as Seltos. The car is expected to launch at a price range of Rs 10-16 lakh (ex-showroom), in the second half of 2019. Kia Seltos will rival the likes of Tata Harrier, Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Creta and the upcoming MG Hector. The Kia Seltos is based on the SP2i concept shown at the 2018 Auto Expo.
- 2019 Kia Seltos SUV global unveil in India
Kia Motors on Thursday unveiled a new SUV called 'Seltos' in India which will be Kia's first product in India. The car is expected to launch at a price range of Rs 10-16 lakh (ex-showroom), in the second half of 2019. Kia Seltos will rival the likes of Tata Harrier, Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Creta and the MG Hector. It will get Normal, Eco and Sports driving modes.
- Bengaluru: Diaper station at Kempegowda International Airport men’s loo a hit online
After a Maldivian passenger posted photos on Twitter of a baby diaper changing station inside the men’s washroom at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), many netizens have hailed the authorities’ move as the right one in breaking gender stereotypes.
- Hyundai, Kia to invest in Ola Electric
Ola Electric Mobility, an arm of the ride-hailing major, will raise capital from South Korean automotive giants Hyundai and Kia. The details of the transactions could not be ascertained but it comes after Hyundai and Kia invested $300 million in Ola’s parent company, ANI Technologies.
- KIA air-taxi service may take longer to resume as BIAL rejects helipad proposal
The heli-taxi shuttle service between Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and Electronics City, which was temporarily grounded in May, may take longer to be up and running again, said officials of Thumby Aviation, which ran the service.
- Suburban rail to link KSR Bengaluru City railway station with KIA, RITES submits revised DPR
In a move that could benefit airport-bound passengers, Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) has proposed to link the KSR Bengaluru City station and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with a dedicated suburban rail network.
- Kia Motors unveil new SUV for India
Kia Motors India on Tuesday revealed official sketches of its upcoming SUV manufactured in India. Kia’s first product for India is based on the SP concept SUV shown in the Auto Expo 2018. The SUV comes with a wide tiger nose grille, one of Kia’s trademark designs. It will also get LED headlamps extending over the radiator grille, a long hood and sharp lines pressed into the bodywork.


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Local news stories affecting the auto body industry in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
Christmas came to Overture Center for the Arts in the form of much-needed body repair services donated by the Russ Darrow Group to the organization van. The Russ Darrow Collision Center, located at the Russ Darrow Kia of Madison dealership, 6525 Odana Road, Madison, WI, is responsible for repairing nearly US$4,500 worth of body work to the vehicle. The front and rear bumpers and sliding door were replaced, as well as other body work from normal wear and tear. The new sliding door is donated by LKQ Corporation-Keystone Automotive, and the paint is donated by Auto Paint and Supply. The labor and remaining costs are donated by the Russ Darrow Collision Center. The van was detailed and completed on Friday, December 20, 2013. “We are incredibly grateful to the Russ Darrow Group and their partners for this incredible gift,” says Overture spokesman, Robert Chappell. “The Russ Darrow Group investment in us, like every donation we receive, really demonstrates their commitment to the success of the community as a whole.” Russ Darrow Group is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI.
Belron is closing the Glass Medic distribution center in Columbus, OH. The company will now serve the Belron business units exclusively, including Safelite, according to Melina Metzger, public relations manager for Safelite. “After a thorough business review, the Glass Medic parent company, Belron Technical, determined its core purpose is to serve the Belron business units exclusively. Therefore, Glass Medic has ceased sales of all products and its Columbus, OH, distribution center will close,” says Metzger.
The slippery driving conditions that have plagued drivers this winter are creating more business than usual for body shops in the Twin Cities, MN. Collisions on icy pavements are pushing cars into each other—and into car repair businesses. Some reports have drivers waiting as long as six to eight weeks to repair damage from recent crashes; however, body shops tell local news that the wait should not be that long. “Right now, I would say we could get it in within the next week, although we are still booking,” said Chris Thorston, owner of Minnetonka Collision. “I see a lot of shops are a week and a half, two weeks out.”
“It is a little heavier than normal, but we are poised to handle the excessive work load,” said Gary House, ABRA Auto Repairs of Plymouth, MN.
Repair shops say most of the damage has been front- and rear-end collisions in February 2014, with the icy spin outs adding some total body repairs.” Most repairs that I am seeing average five days,” said Thorston. “There are still some bigger ones that are obviously taking two to three weeks to do the repair.”
The Auto Collision Repair program at Greene County Career Center (GCCC) in Ohio won its division thanks to paint and body work on a 1949 Chevrolet panel wagon. The class placed third in the pedal car challenge with their GCCC tow truck. Shane McCormick spent six days over winter break painting the vehicle. Juniors and seniors from the Rick Burton program along with members of the Automotive Technology program spent part of a career day sponsored by Cavalcade of Customs.
All Line CARSTAR in Bolingbrook, IL, recently became certified in the Honda and Acura ProFirst Body Shop Recognition Program, and has received I-CAR Gold certification as well, CARSTAR announced. The American Honda ProFirst Program is designed to promote the correct, complete, and safe repair of Honda and Acura Vehicles, and provide support to those collision repair businesses.
“As vehicle technology evolves, we have to constantly educate our technicians and enhance our processes to provide the best auto body repair available,” said Teresa Kostick, owner of All Line CARSTAR Auto Body.
“We’re honored to receive these certifications and applaud our team members for their hard work in earning them. This is a tremendous benefit for our customers—they can trust that we are committed to providing the highest-quality body repair possible and have the best trained staff repairing their vehicles.”
“In the last 17 years, by far, it’s been probably one of the busiest years,” said Wayne Boocher, owner of Boocher’s Body Shop in South Bend, IN. “I hate to say it, but it’s been a great year for people crashing,” he told local media.
“There’s not a shop around that doesn’t have some type of work coming in and out the door.”
There’s been a lot of collisions, he said, not to mention people damaging their cars from potholes.
Damage underneath can also come from snow that has turned rock-hard after melting and freezing again, said Greg Barth, president of Barry’s Seat Cover, Auto Body, and Glass in South Bend.
“This time of year we see more suspension damage than the summer because the snow is so hard and icy now. When you hit it, it’s like hitting a curb, cement, or a small tree,” Barth told the South Bend Tribune.
Today’s cars have a lot of plastic shields underneath, Barth said, which make the car more aerodynamic, while also protecting the car engine from road realities.
“You get a lot of that broken off this time of year because of the snow,” said Barth, adding that accidents change as winter progresses.
“Early in the year, it’s tough for people to drive on snow again,” said Barth. “There’s always a big increase in accidents with the first snow around Thanksgiving, and then people start to drive more cautiously,” he said. “Right now we are seeing more slide-offs, more so than car-to-car accidents. More slide-offs and rear-end collisions where people can’t stop is what’s going on right now.”
Trucks are not immune to weather accidents, noted Mike Mills, vice president of Jefferson Auto Collision Service in Mishawaka, IN.
“We just had a really large Dodge 250 diesel pickup roll in that was a roll-over,” Mills said. “He just lost control on black ice and flipped it over in a ditch.” He said that he has seen vehicles big and small brought in. “There’s really no consistency with anything,” he said, including the type of damage. The only consistent thing is how busy he is, usually a couple of days after a major snowstorm, he said.
People will come in and say that they need an estimate right away, he said. But often there’s four people ahead of them. The snow keeps coming, and so do the repairs.
“We’re always busy in the winter,” Barth said.
“People drive crazy.”
The Collision Center of Dayton in Centerville, OH, is one of the places that is getting a big boost in business due to the winter storms.
Manager, Brad Hamilton, says that the auto body shop is seeing everything from US$100 worth of damage to US$20,000, and that the cold weather makes cars more fragile and more susceptible to damage.
Hamilton says that, for example, a bumper is more likely to bend and dent in the summer but, in the winter, it can shatter and cost you more.
Hamilton also says that the shop has seen a steady flow of business for the past couple months, and he expects that to continue.
“I believe I only have one or two cars in the shop that are non-snow- and ice-related right now. Everything else is definitely related to the weather we’ve been having recently,” says Hamilton.
He recommends customers do their research and reminds them that it is important to go to an auto body shop with a good reputation.
Axalta Coating Systems’ Mount Clemens, MI, facility was presented with the Michigan Values Veterans (MV2) certification at the Michigan Values Veterans conference presented by TMG, Inc. in Troy, MI.
The certification is for the Axalta pledge to hire and retain U.S. veterans. “We are very excited to be one of the first companies involved with the Michigan Values Vets Initiative,” said Virginia Gronley, Axalta learning and development consultant.
“As one of Mount Clemens’ largest employers, we believe in attracting, hiring, and retaining the best talent out there. And with the discipline and focus that many of our veterans have, it’s a great talent pool for us.” MV2 is an economic investment initiative that offers an opportunity to recapitalize the Michigan workforce, while reducing veteran unemployment.
A fire at a Milford auto body shop that left two dead on February 14, 2014, was caused by an electrical malfunction, according to the Kosciusko County Fire Investigation Team. The fire happened in the morning at the Medina’s Body Repair Shop at 310 North Higbee Street in Milford, IN. The identity of a woman found dead has been confirmed by the Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office and a man found on the first floor is presumed to be Jose Cruz Medina. Annalu Nunez, age 25, Medina’s fiance, was found by firefighters on the second floor of the building. The coroner said she died of smoke inhalation.
Police said Nunez and Medina both had the body shop’s address listed as their residence. Police had said the two people who died lived in an apartment above the body shop. Medical examiners of the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center determined the man also died of smoke inhalation. But, authorities are waiting for DNA testing to be completed to confirm a positive identification of Medina. The fire was ruled accidental.
The Kosciusko County Fire Investigation Team sent out a release on February 18, 2014, stating that “the fire originated in the ceiling of a work bay and spread throughout the structure. Evidence found at the scene indicates an electrical malfunction in the wiring supplying power to a ceiling light.”
The fire was called in just after 7:00 a.m. State Route 15 was closed near East Syracuse Street while fire crews—three different departments—battled the flames. Because it is a body shop with presumed oil, gas, and a paint storage area were all potential dangers for the firefighters.
The roof was also sagging in and one wall is bowed. For all of these reasons, emergency workers were at first unable to get inside to check for the residents of an apartment above the northwest corner of the shop.
“They were happy together, and they’re together again now,” said Alex Nunez, Analu’s brother. Analu was a secretary for Medina’s Body Shop. “She was always making somebody happy, her smile. That’s just how she was,” said Alex Nunez.
Cars were coming into the LJI Collision Center on Chagrin Road in Orange Village, OH, two at a time on February 5, 2014. “They just keep coming in, the weather and the salt shortage have made it rough for drivers,” says owner, Jill Strauss. “This winter has been much worse. Cars are just sliding across the roads and need to get towed in. We are working late nights and weekends to catch up.” The banged up bumpers and off-kilter wheels underscore the slick road conditions that have been worsened this year as 44 counties in Ohio have seen a massive salt shortage because of backlogged salt provider, Morton Salt. “We have never had an issue like this in the heart of the winter, and we will plan differently in the future as a result,” says Bill Boag, the head of Shaker Heights Public Works. “I've called the Morton Salt people—and my calls were not returned. As a result of the shortage, we have to be stingy and think outside of the box for next year.” Boag says not only will Shaker Heights order more salt and expand storage options, it will not rely on one vendor.
“We will never go with one contractor again, I would bet,” he said.


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WWD looks at the facts: Kim Kardashian's appearance on the front of artistically-leaning fashion magazine W caused a big buzz, leading to that issue tying for second highest seller of the year.
Who did Kim tie with? Megan Fox, in March. Times are changing.
Shape had its best-selling issue of the year in June on newsstands, with Kardashian on the cover. Allure's September issue, featuring Kardashian, was its third most popular seller of the year.
We hope you like the Kardashians because with this kind of selling power you'll likely be seeing a lot more of them in 2011.