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Friday, November 23, 2012
In honor of Small Business Saturday and Thanksgiving, Patch asks: Which local shops and services are you most thankful for?
Whether it's a hot cup of coffee before work in the morning, a fantastic massage or a dry cleaner who always manages to resurrect your favorite suit, there are products and services in almost everyone's routine that make life in Shorewood a little better. To honor Small Business Saturday (Nov. 24) and Thanksgiving, Patch is asking you to post the products, businesses and practitioners in Shorewood that you couldn't live without.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Family-owned jewelry stores say their clientele is much different than the crowd running to a mall jewelry store on Black Friday.
Back in 1990, a week after Black Friday, David Nelson Exquisite Jewelry opened its doors. And, they have been going strong ever since. The jeweler, which is owned by Joliet native David Nelson, believes that there is something more important than offering the biggest discount on Black Friday - customer service. "Instead of advertising, we try to keep the customers we already have," he said. To that end, the jewelry store sends ornaments every year to its top 2,500 customers. The ornament is not a sales gimmick. "It's just an ornament; a gift to hang on their tree," Nelson said. Nelson said his store is not crowded on Black Friday. "We're not usually busy on that Friday," Nelson said. "Most people swarm to the malls to do their power …
Monday, November 19, 2012
Labo's Flowers and Gifts has served multiple generations of families at its Joliet store.
Owner Barbara Bracken has seen it time and time again. A woman who bought her wedding flowers at Labo's Flowers and Gifts decades ago brings the next generation of her family into the store to buy her daughter's wedding flowers. Bracken has worked at the shop since 1977. "I started at Joliet Central (High School), at the horticulture class there," she said. "I enjoyed the class and thought I'd like to go in that direction." What began as a job, ended up being a career and in 1999, Bracken bought the shop. Her favorite part of being a florist is the time she gets to interact with the customers. She likes knowing that she is helping someone express a feeling. "It's an emotional business," she said. Bracken sees people at their happiest - …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Every time the bell rings, an angel gets its wings ... and Holiday Hop participants will know it's time to move to the next location.
Think of it as a pub crawl, minus a few drinking stops but with lots of downtown Joliet restaurants and stores waiting to roll out the red carpet with live music, free samples and lots of door prizes and drawings. Organizers think the Downtown Joliet Holiday Hop will celebrating the Christmas season with a unique walking party of sorts that will not only offer entertainment but introduce some people to places they haven't yet tried, merchant spokeswomen Hallie Brenczewski. Participants will gather either at Brenczewski's restaurant/bar The Department, 205 N. Chicago St., or Judge's Bar, 35 E. Cass St., at 5 p.m. Dec. 7. At 6 p.m., a tour leader will gather the group together so they can depart en masse and make their way to Gji’s Sweet …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Owner said being chosen as the best groomer in town by Patch readers made them grateful for the support from the community.
- LOCAL CONNECTIONS
- Dawn Aulet
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Karen Bartolomei has never had a job that didn't involve animals. "My first job was working for a vet in kennels," Bartolomei said. She has turned that into a successful business that is everything animals. Although primarily a groomer, Karen's Pet Grooming is also a kennel, a doggie day care and part owner of a rescue organization. Truly an animal lover, Bartolomei trained for animal grooming in a time before the field of grooming had established training. "You were very lucky back then to get somebody to train you," Bartolomei said. Her apprenticeship was two years long. She spent a number of as a vet tech, but eventually, she found her way back to grooming. Karen's Pet Grooming has been in business since 1998. They were voted the …
Monday, November 12, 2012
Keep your gifts budget-friendly by shopping in area thrift and consignment stores.
There are only 42 days until Christmas. Yup, 42. And that is as of Nov. 12. So if you have a big family and you haven't started yet, you need to get going. If your budget is a consideration, we at Patch are ready to help. There are plenty of stores that offer gently-used or even brand-new items that you can get for a bargain. Here is all you need to know about the area stores. Channahon Address: 2108 Plainfield Road Phone number: 815-744-0202 Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. What you should know: The store stocks gently-used kids' clothes, baby supplies and toys. Address: 2372 Plainfield Road Phone number: 815-744-0291 Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday …
Saturday, November 3, 2012
It used to be Black Friday was for the earliest of early shoppers. Not anymore. Look around. The stores are ready now.
Look around the Chicago area and you'll see all the signs: The early birds no longer wait until Black Friday to do their Christmas shopping. This year, Black Friday is on Nov. 23, but big retailers and mail-order companies are starting well in advance. Amazon, for example, is beginning its Black Friday on Nov. 14. Crazy or crazy smart? Just how early is too early to shop for Christmas 2012 gifts? Take our poll.


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The world of viral videos is colliding with traditional TV and film content.
Playa Vista online media company Fullscreen Inc. announced last week that it planned to launch a paid video subscription service on April 26. The $5-a-month service would be a cross between a video-streaming service such as Netflix and a YouTube multichannel network.
The offering is to include feature films, scripted and unscripted shows as well as content from social media content creators.
Fullscreen got its start in 2011 as a YouTube multichannel network, selling advertising on behalf of independent video creators. The firm has since branched out to other social media platforms such as Facebook and has started producing shows for television as well.
“This is for an audience that we know and love – a generation of young people that grew up with online video and social media,” George Strompolos, Fullscreen’s chief executive, said in a statement. “The phone is their primary screen and they look up to an entirely new breed of creators and stars.”
Fullscreen’s subscription service is several dollars less expensive than those offered by Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube Red.
The timing is right for such an offering, said Jonathan Skogmo, chief executive of Culver City’s Jukin Media, a YouTube multichannel network featuring viral videos.
“Generally, as you look at the industry right now, it’s really the greatest time to be a content creator and content provider because there are so many platforms that you can create content for and distribute it to the masses,” he said.
But he noted that nothing is a sure bet.
“Building a platform like this there is definitely a huge risk and there is also a high reward,” Skogmo said.
Fullscreen’s new service is targeted at audiences between the ages of 13 and 30, and it will feature more than 800 hours of content. The firm has licensed the rights to numerous TV shows and movies produced in the 1990s, including “Dawson’s Creek,” “Saved by the Bell,” and “Daria.”
Fullscreen will also show original movies produced in partnership with its YouTube stars, such as superhero comedy movie “Electra Woman & Dyna Girl.”
Adding traditional TV and film content to its library and increasing the production value of content produced with YouTube stars will be important factors in convincing prospective customers to subscribe to Fullscreen’s streaming service, said Skogmo.
“The television audience does expect things to be a lot more premium,” he said. “It’s got to be more polished.”
Salary comparison website Comparably of Santa Monica, founded by Jason Nazar, has released the results of a survey on salary satisfaction among tech employees.
Not surprisingly, the survey says there is dissatisfaction with compensation among female tech employees. Women are often paid less than men and are underrepresented in the industry, according to numerous studies.
Women in tech working in operations and sales roles were especially dissatisfied, according to Comparably’s survey. Only 28 percent of female respondents in sales roles reported satisfaction with their compensation, compared with 54 percent of men. Only 36 percent of women in operations roles reported satisfaction with their compensation compared with 53 percent of men.
The survey also says female tech employees are more likely than men to have close friends and mentors at work.
“Almost in every single case women have more mentors at work than men,” said Nazar, Comparably’s chief executive. “I think that is fascinating, and maybe a byproduct of women sticking together because they are underrepresented.”
However, only 31 percent of women in engineering roles reported having a close friend at work, compared with 60 percent of men.
“That speaks maybe to how male engineers are bonding and maybe the lack of bonding of females in engineering,” said Nazar, noting that women are far less represented in technical roles.
Comparably’s survey drew from 1,000 online respondents.
The website also allows employees to share their salary anonymously in order to compare their earnings with what others make in similar work environments. Comparably is focusing on tech industry salaries before expanding to other sectors.
The startup has raised $6.5 million in seed funding and launched to the public earlier this month.
Car price comparison website TrueCar Inc. of Santa Monica has hired Jim Menard as senior vice president of dealer sales. Menard previously worked as an executive at Search Optics of San Diego, a digital marketing agency for the auto industry, and Autotrader.com Inc. of Atlanta, an online marketplace for car buying and selling. TrueCar has staffed up in recent months to support its efforts to mend relations with car dealers.
Staff reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or (323) 549-5225, ext. 232.
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, CLICK HERE.
Stories You May Also Be Interested In
- Demand Media, Jukin Buy Indie Content Creators
- Worth a Look?
- Comparably Tech Salary Survey: Women Dissatisfied
- Fullscreen to Launch Paid Video-Subscription Service
- Fullscreen Buys Social Media Promotion Company
- YouTube Partners With L.A. Media Companies on Subscription Service
- Fullscreen Forms Feature Film Division
- Fullscreen Joins Forces with India’s Qyuki

domain: news


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HP, Dell going cold on 10-inch netbooks
Two of the industry’s biggest PC makers, HP and Dell, are reportedly cutting back on investments in 10-inch netbooks.
HP may even quit the 10-inch business altogether to focus on 11.6-inch netbooks powered by AMD processors, according to DigiTimes. The report cites only unnamed “sources from netbook makers.”
DigiTimes says profits from netbooks based on Intel’s latest Pine Trail platform have been lower than expected. Pine Trail, which includes the Atom N450 processors, gave the latest netbooks better battery life while improving performance by combining GPU and CPU on a single chip. But it seems the extra power didn’t provide the sales boost manufacturers were hoping for.
The original big shots of the netbook category, Asus and Acer, plan to stay active in the market, along with Samsung. Smaller companies and “white-box netbook vendors” — those who build the machines and slap a better-known name brand on top — have already backed off the market, DigiTimes says.
It’s not as if this is a bad thing for Dell or HP. Market researcher The NPD Group recently reported that desktop PC revenues and unit sales are climbing, possibly due to Windows 7 and the increased popularity of home theater PCs. Meanwhile, NPD noted, PC makers are finding success with sub-$400 notebooks, which nearly outsold netbooks in February.
Netbooks might be looking like an increasingly hard sell, especially when bundled with the feature-limited Windows 7 Starter. And with Windows XP on its way out consumers might be more willing to opt for a basic Windows 7 laptop instead of an underperforming netbook.
There is, of course, the tablet wild card. HP and Dell are both developing touch screen devices that aren’t phones (HP has the unnamed slate, and Dell has the Mini 5), and it’s possible they want to focus more energy on this new category to avoid falling too far behind Apple and the iPad. Given that netbooks have stagnated lately, and there’s so much potential in tablets, I’m not complaining.
There are 2 comments
- MyCE Resident
- Posted on: 03 Apr 10 13:51
- MyCE Resident Commenter
- Posted on: 05 Apr 10 04:55
I bought one - a Gateway. Works good. Probably give it to my mom when the next big thing comes out.
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AUSA 2017: US Army tests MANET counter-UAS solution
Radio manufacturer Rajant Corporation has disclosed details of a Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) counter-UAS solution currently undergoing evaluation with the US Army’s Program Manager for Counter-Rockets, Artillery and Mortars (PM CRAM).
Speaking to Shephard at the Defence Communications conference in Krakow, Poland on 26th September, company officials explained how ...
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Irresponsible use of antimicrobials, including antibiotics, is accelerating the rise of ‘superbugs’. These superbugs are causing infections that were once easily treatable by antimicrobials but are now becoming increasingly difficult to treat and, in some cases, turning life-threatening. Unnecessary use of antimicrobials coupled with poor infection prevention measures and lack of new antimicrobials has resulted in a full-blown global health crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The climate crisis is also affecting patterns of infectious diseases which may lead to an increase in the use of antimicrobial drugs and a rise in AMR.
While the problem of AMR has reached a tipping point in India, there are countless and yet, often unheard of superheroes – in research labs, hospitals, and on the ground, among communities – who are working very hard to stop the rise of these deadly superbugs. In our SaS-AMR Champions Series, commemorating the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW2021), we bring to you conversations with some of these ‘Superheroes Against Superbugs’ that we hope would inform, inspire, and encourage us all to act against AMR to ensure a healthy future for all.
Agriculture, on which 70% of the rural households are dependent, accounts for around 22% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of our country. Even though agriculture forms the backbone of our economy, Indian farmers are under a lot of distress due to multiple social, economic and environmental factors which are threatening their livelihood. One of the ways in which farmers protect their crops from diseases is by using antibiotics. This rampant and excessive use of antibiotics in agriculture today is a major driver of AMR. But do farmers have a choice? As a veteran agricultural researcher and an experienced executive director of a non-profit organization, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), G.V. Ramanjaneyulu (Ramoo), shares his thoughts on controlling the spread of AMR in agriculture.
How does AMR spread through plant or animal farming and what are some ways in which this can be prevented?
Ramoo: The use of pesticides, particularly antibiotics like oxytetracycline and streptomycin, for managing diseases make plant pathogens resistant to them. Some of the streptomycin-resistant genes in plant-associated bacteria are similar to those found in bacteria isolated from humans, animals and soil. These are also associated with gene transfer proficient elements – these elements enable the genes to spread from one bacteria to another, and thus, spreading streptomycin resistance among those.
Antimicrobial genes used as markers in Genetically Modified crops, like Kanamycin resistance markers, increase the chance of developing AMR in plant-associated pathogens through reproduction as well as through horizontal gene transfer which involves direct movement of genetic material from one pathogen to another.
Only way we can avoid these problems is by promoting natural pest and disease management practices which are quite successful in reducing the disease incidence and use of resistant varieties among other ways. Rampant use of antibiotics in dairy, poultry, aquaculture and small ruminants production can be avoided or minimised by promoting low density production systems and by having good agricultural practices in place.
Are there any awareness programmes and incentives for farmers to help them adopt practices for sustainable agriculture? Do you think that the majority of farmers are able to understand and relate to the problem of AMR?
Ramoo: There are no major programs in agriculture or livestock production. Forget about farmers, even the consumers do not understand the problem of AMR through agriculture. At best, they engage themselves in animal growing practices from an ethical perspective. There is a need for a special campaign around this and more communication material may have to be produced for both groups of people. Farmers and consumers both want to understand the impact agricultural practices will have on their lives before they think of the environment or other people. Farmers use antibiotics hoping for higher productivity and profits. But in the process, they end up having high-density farms which harbour more pathogens and give rise to more diseases. Communications aimed towards farmers should inform them that sustainable small farms are the way to go in the longer run. Communications for the consumers, on the other hand, should focus on the impact of food production practices on their own lives. Impact on the environment is secondary to them.
60% of those who drop out of school get into agriculture in India. We run programs with schools to train children about sustainable farming techniques along with training programs with farmers to encourage them to adopt sustainable agriculture. We also routinely conduct nutritional counselling sessions in cities to inform the consumers.
Considering the resource-intensive nature of these practices, how do sustainable farming enterprises sustain amidst strong competition in India?
Ramoo: The growing demand for safe and healthy food and the impending threat from Climate Change will ultimately tilt the preference for shifting towards sustainable production. India’s demand for organic food is increasing at a 28% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) whereas it is 16% internationally. The production is also increasing at 23% CAGR. There are examples from coastal Andhra Pradesh on growing fish sustainably. We have been involved in encouraging backyard poultry with 50-100 free-ranging birds and small poultry farms with 500-1000 birds but in low density in various districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
We need to create models for scaling up these and other successful examples already available.
Sahaja Aharam run by CSA is one such example where the food is sourced from 100% certified organic farms and processed at exclusive certified organic processing facilities by farmers themselves. In addition, the ecological footprint of the produce is actively shared with the consumers, thus, actively engaging them in the process and encouraging them to make better choices. There are other similar models like 24 Mantra Organic that sells 100% organic food and Safe Harvest specialising in pesticide-free food. Sahaja Samrudha is an NGO that works with farmers to conserve the biodiversity of the indigenous crop varieties.
There is also the concept of agricultural carbon credits being implemented in other countries. The farmers generate carbon credits by reducing their carbon footprint, which they can sell to companies interested in offsetting their carbon emissions. This is, however, an idea that has not caught on in India yet.
Are consumers in India sensitised on the issue of AMR? Will they pay a premium for products made ‘without the routine use of antibiotics?’ How can this message be driven into the communities?
Ramoo: The demand for pesticide-free products is certainly growing. The upper-middle-class and people transitioning into this class are the biggest consumers. They are involved in their food and are becoming health conscious. We can add AMR also into the campaign and build awareness.
We should ask for access to food with labels like ‘pesticide free’ or ‘without the routine use of antibiotics’. Currently, in India food companies except the organic food companies are not required to mention their production process. They only mention the ingredients, allergen content and expiry dates. If consumers see clearly where and how their food has been prepared, there are people willing to pay extra.
Messages should be sharp and solutions in terms of access to food with labels like ‘pesticide free’ or ‘without routine use of antibiotics’ should be increased.
As a consumer, how can we contribute to stopping the spread of AMR through farming practices?
Ramoo: The consumer has to become an active consumer. They have to talk to others, write about it on social media. They can push for labeling food and ensure the food packet labels describe the production process. This will help consumers make informed food choices.
In the market, it is the customer’s rejection that makes all the difference!
Interview by Team SaS and G Bhargavi Krishna Sree; Bhargavi is a research scholar, with an inclination to study and understand the coordination between the synthesis of various cell wall components in bacteria. She uses E. coli, an established model organism to study these natural processes.
Cover Art by Mahek Kothari


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Ubisoft's CEO claims that the current generation of consoles has worn out its welcome, and that the lack of new home gaming consoles is stifling developer creativity and putting pressure on publishers.
In an interview with MCV, Yves Guillemot (CEO of Ubisoft) explained that going six years without a new console is beginning to stifle the industry's creativity by promoting only the well known brands that have been with the consoles since their inception. "As consoles get more mature it is the big established brands that soak up most of the sales," he said. "When a new format launches, we look to use the new technology to bring new games and new ideas to our consumers. We would always hope to be more successful on new formats than our competitors."
The consoles are also becoming a bit out of date, tech-wise. "Processors are more and more powerful, graphics cards have moved on, there are many technologies that would help us deliver a better experience and help the industry to grow."
It isn't just up to publishers and developers to innovate, he said; the console manufacturers need to innovate on their end as well, to keep the gaming climate from stagnating. "That's part of the reason why the industry is in depression. Consumers like the current formats, but there is not enough creativity at the end of a cycle to really spark the business."


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The Nintendo NX will be coming out next year, but fans have been wondering if we will see any other games aside from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is also coming out on the Wii U. Well, in an interesting move, Warner Bros recently revealed that their developers would be making games for the next-gen console, so it looks like we can expect Injustice 2 and maybe even Mortal Kombat X.
Seeing Injustice 2 on the NX isn?t that hard to believe, since Injustice: Ultimate Edition was released on the Wii U. It will be interesting to see how this possible version of the game differentiates itself from the PS4 and Xbox One versions coming out next year, since not many details on the NX have been revealed.
While seeing Injustice 2 would be great, we could also see Mortal Kombat X come to the console. After all, an ultimate edition of the game with all of its DLC was recently released for PS4 and Xbox One, which was christened as Mortal Kombat XL.
Aside from these two games and Zelda, there has also been speculation on Cyberpunk 2077 coming to the Nintendo NX. Conversations for this started after CD Projekt Red said plenty of nice things about the console, which has led many to believe that they will be releasing their newest open-world game on it.
It was clear to many a gamer that the biggest flaw of the Wii U was the lack of third-party support. While it did have a number of awesome games like Splatoon and Super Smash Bros, the lack of any other big name games almost doomed the console. While it does have a quality library of games, it is also a small one, and fans can only hope that the NX will have more games than its predecessor. Here?s hoping that the partnership with Warner Bros fixes that.
The Nintendo NX is currently slated for a March 2017 release date, while Injustice 2 is also coming out in 2017. It will be interesting to see what kind of games Warner Bros develops for the system.


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Rite Aid Corp (RAD.N)
19 Jan 2018
BOSTON, Jan 16 Hedge fund manager David Einhorn told investors on Tuesday that he made a "large" bet on insurer Brighthouse Financial late last year, and had made money on General Motors but lost by shorting Amazon and Tesla.
* COO- RAD WILL HAVE 2,569 STORES LOCATED PRIMARILY IN 8 KEY STATES, TO BE SERVED BY 6 DISTRIBUTION. CENTERS POST TRANSFER OF STORES TO WBA
Drug retailer Rite Aid on Wednesday posted smaller-than-expected quarterly revenue due to a fall in reimbursement rates and comparable-store sales.
Jan 3 Drug retailer Rite Aid on Wednesday posted smaller-than-expected quarterly revenue due to a fall in reimbursement rates and a drop in comparable-store sales.
* RITE AID ADOPTS TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN TO PROTECT VALUABLE TAX ASSETS
* Q3 ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE $0.00 FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
Jan 3 Rite Aid Corp on Wednesday posted a jump in quarterly profit, as the drugstore operator benefited from its ongoing sale of 1,932 U.S. stores to larger rival Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.
(The following statement was released by the rating agency) NEW YORK, December 29 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has downgraded GNC Holdings, Inc.'s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'RD' from 'C' following the Dec. 27 closing of its distressed debt exchange (DDE) for approximately $99 million of its $288 million in convertible notes for approximately 14.6 million shares (or approximately 17%) of its common equity, valued at around $50 million. Subsequently, Fitch upgraded GNC's Long-Term IDR to '
(The following statement was released by the rating agency) NEW YORK, December 22 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has downgraded GNC Holdings, Inc.'s Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'C' from 'B-' following the company's announcement that it will be exchanging approximately $99 million of its $288 million of convertible notes due August 2020 for approximately 14.6 million shares (approximately 17% of pro forma share count or around $55 million in value), given Fitch's view that this represents a distressed
Discount store operator Fred's Inc said on Wednesday it had canceled its quarterly cash dividend and was exploring alternatives for some of its assets, sending its shares plunging 25 percent to their lowest in more than 18 years.


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January 2015 Auto Sales: Every Automaker Enjoys Increased Sales
By Jeff Youngs, February 04, 2015
In January, U.S. auto sales increased for every automaker group, and an overall sales increase of 14% compared with the same month in 2014 set the fastest pace in nearly a decade.
However, analysts are quick to remind the industry that the United States experienced unfavorable winter weather patterns in January 2014, and during that time many car buyers stayed home rather than shop for a new vehicle.
In an interview with Automotive News, AutoNation Inc. CEO Mike Jackson said that year-over-year sales comparisons for the remaining months of 2015 would appear to be less impressive than January's results. Nevertheless, Jackson believes total sales (including retail and fleet) will top 17 million units this year.
A new survey conducted by Bloomberg is aligned with Jackson's prediction. The survey indicates that falling gas prices and lower unemployment rates will add 200,000 additional vehicle sales in 2015, compared with previous forecasts. Bloomberg now predicts 16.9 million new-vehicle sales in 2015.
Low gas prices are likely fueling light-truck and SUV sales, which rose 19% in January, compared with a 7.8% increase in passenger car sales. At General Motors, sales of pickup trucks rose by 42%, compared with January 2014, bolstered by the new Colorado and Canyon midsize trucks.
"Consumers feel very good because more people are working, the U.S. economy is expanding, and fuel prices are low," said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of sales operations for GM, in an interview with Automotive News.
An improving economy and low gas prices are also inflating the average transaction price of new vehicles. Kelley Blue Book says the average transaction price of a new vehicle sold in January was $33,993, up 5.2% from the same month in the previous year.
While optimistic, AutoNation's Jackson is also cautious, telling Automotive News: "Long term, the industry is to have to deal with this issue: That we've been mandated to sell fuel efficiency, manufacturers are investing billions in the technology, and that's not what the consumer is asking for, because of gas prices."
Highlights: January 2015 Car Sales
While auto sales increased for every automaker group in January, not every brand saw improvements. Sales for Bentley, Buick, Jaguar, Maserati, Scion, and Smart all declined, compared with the same month in 2014, with Bentley experiencing a 50% reduction in sales.
Following are additional details regarding January 2015 auto sales for each major automaker:
American Honda--Sales increased 11.5% over the previous January, with Acura and Honda each posting double-digit gains for the month. The Honda CR-V compact crossover SUV was the best-selling model in the company's lineup, exceeding sales of both the Accord and Civic models.
BMW Group--Sales increased by 6.8%, compared to last January, with Mini sales improving by 26.9% due to a plentiful supply of the redesigned Cooper Hardtop model. BMW and Rolls-Royce sales also increased over the same month in 2014.
Daimler AG--Though Smart brand sales declined 5.6% in January, Daimler AG sales increased 9% overall. Smart models accounted for a small percentage of total company sales; therefore, the effect of the brand's decline was negligible.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)--Across all of its brands, FCA sales increased by 13.8%. Maserati, which had enjoyed a year of triple-digit sales increases throughout 2014, was the only FCA brand to decline in January, and by 20%, compared with the same period in 2014. Jeep and Ram continued to see sales increases greater than 20% year over year.
Ford Motor Company--Sales increased by 15.6% in January, with both Ford and Lincoln brands enjoying double-digit gains. The automaker's redesigned F-150 and Mustang models--and the new Lincoln MKC--were readily available to consumers in January, which helped boost sales.
General Motors--Truck sales fueled an 18.3% increase in GM sales in January. Buick declined by 5.6%, while GMC increased by 28.6%, thanks in large part to the new Canyon pickup. Chevrolet rose by 20% and Cadillac posted a modest gain of 2.6%.
Hyundai Group--Total Hyundai Group sales increased 2.2% in January compared with the same month last year. Sales for the Hyundai brand rose a meager 1.1%, while Kia improved by 3.5%.
Jaguar Land Rover--A 13% rise in Land Rover sales bolstered the automaker, with overall sales increasing by 8.7%. Jaguar sales declined by 6%.
Mazda--Mazda continued its upswing in January, with deliveries rising by 7.7%, compared with the same month last year.
Mitsubishi--Mitsubishi sales rose 33.4% in January based on the continued popularity of the Outlander Sport crossover SUV and Mirage sub-compact car.
Nissan Group--Nissan Group sales increased 15.1% in January. The Infiniti luxury brand improved by 7.3%, while the Nissan brand increased by 15.9%.
Subaru--Subaru continued its momentum and set sales records in January 2015. Overall brand sales exceeded 40,000 units for an 11th consecutive month, demonstrating a 23.7% increase over the previous year. Most individual Subaru models recorded their best January U.S. sales in history.
Tesla--Sales of the Tesla Model S electric luxury sport sedan rose by 2.3% in January.
Toyota Group--Overall Toyota Group sales rose by 15.6%, with Lexus posting a 31.2% increase following the debut of the company's new NX compact crossover SUV. Toyota brand sales rose 14.2%, while Scion sales declined 8%.
Volkswagen Group--While Volkswagen Group sales increased 5.9% in January, and though the automaker doubled sales of its Golf model, Volkswagen brand sales were flat in January, with dealers selling 10 additional cars, compared to the same month in 2014. Porsche sales increased 27.2%; Audi sales rose by 14.3%; and Lamborghini improved by 3.3%. Bentley sales declined by 50%.
Volvo--Volvo sold two more vehicles this January than it did last January, with the company posting a sales increase of 0.1% for the month.


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Cunard have announced their plans to offer Alaska Cruise Itineraries for the first time in 20 years
Cunard are set to offer Alaska as part of their destination guide in 2019, under the ‘Oceans of Discovery’ program, after more than 20 years…
Recently announced ‘Grand Voyages’ itineraries, includes a 27 night voyage, departing from Yokohama in Japan, over to Vancouver in Canada on board Queen Elizabeth. Featured Alaskan ports of call include Anchorage, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and the Icy Strait Point
Cunard are not strangers to Alaska, itineraries were offered, prior to the current ships within the fleet.
Details have also been released for alternate Cunard sailings from 2018, right through to May 2019.
Itineraries are set to include all three ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth visiting 49 countries between them with a total of a 109 destinations, with 21 of these being new ports of call, including ports within India, Philippines and Japan
Queen Victoria’s World Cruise will feature a Westbound Circumnavigation sailing, sailing through the Panama Canal, and will feature ports of call such as New Zealand, Samoa, Hawaii, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, departing from, and returning back to Southampton.
Queen Mary 2, is set to feature ‘Grand Voyages’ and their new ‘Regions of the World’ program, which will allow passengers to sail through the Arabian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, the Far East, as well as through the Mediterranean
Bookings for these sailings are open to the public, on Wednesday 29th March 2017
Watch this space for more information!
Did you know here at Cruise Club UK we have a Loyalty Bonus Scheme. Book your chosen cabin type and you can receive up to 50 Bonus Points (1 Point = £1) That’s a saving of up to £50 off your next cruise booked with us.
Email or call me to discuss your dream cruise: Angelina@cruiseclubuk.com or call me on 0161 7982536


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It’s Friday, May 22, 2020, and two pizza pies cost $45.90 at Stromboli's, across from my apartment in New York City. But 10 years ago, in Florida, two pies from Papa John’s cost Laszlo Hanyecz about $41—or 10,000 bitcoins, which is how he paid. And how Bitcoin Pizza Day was born.
Late on Friday night, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling tweeted: “I don’t understand Bitcoin. Please explain it to me.” It was an opportunity for the crypto community to offer a clear, direct explanation of why Bitcoin exists, why it’s worth so much, and how it differs from dollars and dimes. Crypto Twitter blew it.
The vast majority of the cryptocurrency community thinks Craig Wright is lying when he claims to have invented Bitcoin. This includes luminaries like Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin, Binance exchange CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, and many others who have reacted with rage to the Australian’s claims. That said, when people call Wright a liar, they generally refer to loads of proof without going into detail. So, we decided to dive into what proved to be a very deep pool.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit restaurants, retailers and millions of other small businesses hard. Now, a blockchain startup is attempting to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 for companies who have been forced to close their doors. Enterprise blockchain developer Tatum’s nonprofit Save Your Business project is designed to deliver much-needed cashflow to firms that saw their income practically dry up overnight.


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We all know TCL as a TV company. However, the company also deals in tablets and smartphones. Remarkably, TCL debuted NXTPAPER technology. Initially, the company used this technology inside its tablets, and now the technology is going to be a part of the company’s smartphones. TCL 40 smartphones will feature NXTPAPER technology.
You might be wondering, What is the NXTPAPER technology? Well, as the name indicates, the technology behaves more like paper. This implies that it will feel similar to paper. This is excellent if you want to write on a tablet that you are using. It should feel more like using a piece of paper than a piece of glass. Furthermore, the blue light that might strain the eyes is filtered away, which is great for the eyes.
TCL announced the new TCL 40 NXTPAPER phones
As a part of this announcement, the company has unveiled two new smartphones. They are the TCL 40 NXTPAPER and the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G. The TCL 40 NXTPAPER features a 6.78-inch FHD+ display. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It features a 50MP camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP ultrawide camera on the back. On the front, a 32MP selfie camera is provided.
On the other hand, the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G features a 6.6-inch HD+ display. It is a slight downgrade as compared to the non-5G model. It features 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It includes a similar camera island to the TCL 40 NXTPAPER. The RAM and screen technologies are what differentiate these phones’ specifications the most.
The two smartphones are expected to be officially available at some point next month. Reportedly, the TCL 40 NXTPAPER will be priced at €199 and the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G will be available for €249. The phones will initially debut in the European market and later in other markets.
Brian is the news author at Research Snipers which mainly covers Technology News, Microsoft News, Google News, Facebook, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, and other tech news.


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Churchkey Can Company Resurrects the Flat-Top Steel Can
Fifty years after the death of the flat-top beer can, the historic container has seen a resurrection. Seattle’s Churchkey Can Co. is opting to use the old-school flat-top can (which must be opened with a churchkey) to package their sole beer, a Pilsner.
Churchkey co-founder Justin Hawkins explains to BA via email, “Co-founder Adrian Grenier and I both shared an interest in someday drinking a beer from the original flat-top-style beer can—to experience a great beer in a simple can as generations before had enjoyed. Experiencing packaging that was standard for more than 30 years and—until recently—was all but forgotten, is exciting. Connecting the original beer can with the craft beer of today seemed like a win-win situation.”
According to a representative from can manufacturer Ball Corporation, steel cans tend to have a higher recycling rate than aluminum thanks to their more rigid structure, meaning contents are usually consumed at home. This matters because a recycled-steel can saves around 74 percent of the energy needed to make new steel. Recycling stats aside, the two can types have a comparable environmental impact.
Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Lagunitas have each announced major expansion plans, which include building additional brewing facilities across state lines.
After a multi-year search of hundreds of potential sites, Sierra Nevada chose to build on a 90-acre tract of land in the town of Mills River, N.C. The brewery—which will also include a restaurant and gift shop—is slated to have an annual production capacity of 300,000 barrels, “with room to grow,” according to the press release. The brewery is expected to begin production in early 2014, and will eventually provide around 90 jobs, plus those of the restaurant staff.
After their own extensive search process, New Belgium held a special press event to announce they would be building a 400,000-barrel-capacity brewery and packaging facility on a 17.5-acre site in Asheville, N.C., 12 miles away from Sierra Nevada. Total costs are projected at $100 million. Construction is slated to begin in early 2013, with the first brews shipping out in 2015. New Belgium says they hope to employ more than 100 workers in Asheville within three years of opening.
In a radically different approach, Lagunitas owner Tony Magee kept things a bit more quiet. Magee announced via a series of tweets on April 9th that Lagunitas had secured a space, and would be opening up a brewery in Chicago with an initial capacity of 200,000 barrels. The new space resides in an old steel mill, and production is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Magee explains via Twitter, “I thought about all the truck loads of brew leaving eastward. Thought about all the freight. Added it up. It was enough to … cover the financing for a whole new brewery. … So I jumped a plane n flew back to Chicago … found a perfect space … so I rented it.” As Magee points out in his tweets, these expansions also signify “fresher beer w/ less diesel in it.”
Study Finds Two Drinks a Day Could Be a Life Saver
A recent study published in the European Heart Journal claims that men who drink two alcoholic beverages a day may be more likely to survive a heart attack than non-drinkers.
The study, conducted at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed 1,818 American men who’d had a heart attack between 1986 and 2006, taking into account their ages, medical histories, body mass indexes and whether or not they smoked cigarettes; 468 members of the group died during the course of the study.
The results showed an association between those who consumed two alcoholic drinks per day (between 10 and 29.9 grams of alcohol) over a long period of time and good overall heart health. More specifically, findings showed that these moderate drinkers were 42 percent less likely to die of heart disease, and 14 percent less likely to die from other causes. The type of drink had no effect on the results.
The study illustrates that moderation is key. Binge drinkers did not see any noticeable benefits; their statistics were nearly identical to those of non-drinkers. However, at this point, the study is not conclusive. Researchers stress that this correlation is not a clearly proven causal link, and a doctor should be consulted before changing a drinking regimen.
Regional foods, customs and tourist attractions are always showcased during the course of the Olympic Games, but this summer, there’s one British favorite that won’t be seen—at least by name—in London: local beer. Heineken has paid an estimated £10 million for the rights to be the only branded beer available at all Olympic venues.
Under the conditions of the sponsorship, the Dutch company will be the only one to receive any brand recognition or signage. Its beers and ciders, including Bulmers and Strongbow, will be sold by name at sanctioned locations. If another brand’s trademarks are in a venue, they will be covered or removed for the duration of the games. This includes handpumps, tap handles and even portraits of famed cricket player Matthew Hoggard (a spokesman for British brewer Marston’s) that adorn Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Mike Benner, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), tells BA via email, “Britain’s brewing industry is revered the world over, not least at a time when there are now more small brewers in operation than at any time since World War Two. As a grand spectacle showcasing everything that is great about Great Britain, it is hugely disappointing that attendees inside the Olympic venues won’t have access to a range of British real ales. Such a move represents a major missed opportunity to show off one of Britain’s most historic industries.”
Indiana: Indiana’s House Bill 1054, also known as the “3 Floyds Amendment,” has been signed into law. The new law tweaks the amount a brewery can produce and sell annually while still being considered a “small brewer” when it comes to tax laws, self-distribution regulations and the right to sell beer on-site. While the amount of beer that an Indiana brewer can sell in-state remains capped at 30,000 barrels, the amount sold out-of-state is no longer included in total. So essentially, a brewery can sell as much as they want outside the state, while keeping the benefits promised to small brewers.
Georgia: The Georgia state Legislature has passed House Bill 472, which greatly increases the amount of beer a brewpub can produce and sell each year. The annual production limit has been lifted from 5,000 to 10,000 barrels, and of that, a brewpub can sell up to 5,000 barrels to a wholesale distributor, up from the previous limit of 500. Georgia’s brewers and lawmakers view this as a positive development for the local economy and expect it to boost commerce and spur job creation. ■


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Microsoft is reportedly resorting to aggressive tactics, to roll put the Windows 10 upgrade.
The Redmond company launched its new operating system about two and a half months ago, at the end of July, and is offering it as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 7, 8/8.1 users until the end of July 2016.
Users were originally asked to reserve for the upgrade, and cancel the reservation at any time. But now, some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users are claiming that they are unable to opt-out of the free upgrade offer.
And it actually gets worse, some users are finding that there is absolutely no way to cancel the upgrade, and so the only way out is a temporary [...]
Microsoft is officially launching Windows 10 tomorrow, after several months of testing the preview builds of the operating system.
The upgrade to Windows 10, is free for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users with a genuine license of Windows, as long as they upgrade to 10m within a year.
After which, the systems will continue to get Windows Updates for the lifetime of the device.
You may be aware that Microsoft released an optional Windows Update for the above mentioned eligible users, in April, which was a silent downloader of Windows 10. This was later found to be the Get Windows 10 App (GWX), which asked users to reserve their free upgrade to Windows [...]
Microsoft had announced that Windows 10 will be released on July 29th.
In preparation for this it had released an optional Windows Update, for Windows 7 and 8.1 computers.
This update recently activated an app called the GWX (Get Windows 10), which asked users with a genuine license of Windows 7 and 8, to reserve their free upgrade to Windows 10. Initially, it was believed that Microsoft would roll out the final build of the operating system to all users just like Windows Updates.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Microsoft says that it will be rolling out Windows 10 in phase. According to the Redmond company’s announcement, a vast [...]
A couple of days ago, AMD’s CEO Lisa Su, spilled the beans that Microsoft would be releasing Windows 10 in late July.
We already reported many times, about how the Redmond company is offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade to PCs running on Windows 7 and 8.1.
A few weeks ago, Microsoft released an optional patch for Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs, which installed a silent downloader for Windows 10. The KB3035583 update is believed to download Windows 10 once it is released, in July.
The official description for the patch reads:
“This update enables additional capabilities for Windows Update notifications when new updates are available to the user. It [...]


text: US recession fears as retail sales fall telegraph ^ | 10:25PM BST 16 Jul 2012 | Richard Blackden [ quote] The 0.5pc drop last month was marked by waning demand for goods ranging from furniture to electronics as Americans retrenched in the face of weak wage growth, a slowing jobs market and persistent fears over Europes debt crisis. For the second quarter as a whole, retail sales fell at an annual pace of 0.8pc compared with an increase of 6.7pc in the first three months of the year when the countrys jobs market showed signs of improvement. With the consumer again cutting back, the report raised fears among some economists that the US could slide back into recession. The report offers no quarter for those looking for good news for the US consumer, said David Semmens, an economist at Standard Chartered. Nine of the 13 categories covered by todays report from the Commerce Department showed declines, with essential categories such as food among the handful to buck the drop. Wall Street had been expecting a gain of 0.2pc. The weakness of the report will bring into even sharper focus tomorrows appearance by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke before Congress.... [/quote] US recession fears as retail sales fall - Telegraph It never ever ends. What recovery?


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It is not known when the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE will launch in India, but we have exclusive information on its release date. According to retailer sources who spoke with us, the smartphone will launch in India in the first half of October. Below are Samsung’s teasers that have already been shared with retailers.
There are three camera lenses shown in the teaser, which presumably show the Galaxy S23 FE’s camera setup. According to the design and images leaked earlier, they are quite accurate.
Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) is usually reliable when it comes to Galaxy S23 FE leaks. According to reports, the upcoming smartphone will feature a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is the same as the Galaxy S21 FE that was recently refreshed with Qualcomm processors in India.
Depending on the market, the phone will have an Exynos 2200 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. According to a previous leak, Samsung is considering returning to two chipset variants. With the next-generation Galaxy S24 flagship series, Samsung is expected to use the Exynos 2400 processor.
It is reported that the Galaxy S23 FE will have up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. A triple camera setup includes a 50MP camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto sensor. The device will feature the same 10MP selfie shooter.
The Galaxy S23 FE is expected to feature a 4,500mAh battery and 25W fast charging. This is another feature carried over from the Galaxy S21 FE. Besides wireless charging, the smartphone is expected to be dust and water-resistant.
According to the leak, the Galaxy S23 FE will boot Android 13 out of the box with One UI 5.1.1. The smartphone will receive four major Android OS updates and five years of security updates.


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The reason for going to China is hammered into Steve Zylstra on a regular basis.
Every time the president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council hears a speech by Ángel Cabrera, a native of Spain and president of Thunderbird School of Global Management, it becomes clear to Zylstra why he and others need to visit China.
"One of the things he does is he'll put up a few charts of various commodities like cellphones," Zylstra said. "He'll show how many Americans own cellphones and what the market penetration is. Then he shows how many Chinese own cellphones and he'll show the market penetration there. While the number of Chinese that own cellphones actually exceeds Americans, only a tiny percent of the market has been captured, while the American market is pretty much fully penetrated. He does this for several different kinds of products just to send the message the future markets to the world are places other than the U.S."
Beginning Wednesday, Zylstra will lead a delegation of 15, including two government officials with the Arizona and U.S. Departments of Commerce, on a five-city, 10-day trip to China.
The trip was organized after some of the technology council's board members suggested it.
"Usually you see the economic-development folks doing that, but they're usually focused on trying to attract foreign direct investment or they're trying to attract a company to locate here," Zylstra said. "But the question was posed for a little different reason. Increasingly, people understand that the emerging opportunities in the world are in places like China, India, even Brazil, for the emerging economies."
He said the council has member companies that have an interest in potentially manufacturing in China. Some hope to sell their products in the Chinese market and others are interested in finding distribution partners.
James Powers, chairman and CEO of iLinc, a Phoenix-based provider of Web and video conferencing, was one of the members who suggested the trip.
"It's a great way for small to midsize companies to be exposed to business opportunities in China," he said. "As an individual, putting together a trip like this would be somewhere between daunting and nearly impossible. The big companies - the Intels, the Avnets, the Honeywells - those organizations are in China on a regular basis and have many of their executives that are. But for the small to midsize businesses, it's more difficult to open the doors over there."
This is the first trip to China for Powers. His company employs about 50. He has a background as an entrepreneur and moved here about 10 years ago after merging a health-care company he started in Nashville, Tenn., with a public company in Phoenix.
"It's an introduction to the culture of Asian business, and I want to begin laying the groundwork for future iLinc Web- and video-conferencing-software distribution," he said.
The group from the technology council will visit Beijing and Shanghai and take trains to other cities. They will spend time in each city, visiting with local-government officials, something Zylstra said is "sort of a prerequisite when you're doing business in China."
The company that booked the trip has relationships with about 75 of 150 industrial parks in the country, Zylstra said.
"It's our first attempt at something like this. I'm sure we'll learn much. We are going to do a few side trips. We're going to see the Great Wall and we're going to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, but other than that, it's primarily a business-focused trip."
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Fintech in 2021: PSD2, super apps and digital integration
2020 has seen all aspects of our lives change in a way no one could predict. In fintech we’ve seen accelerated growth as we switch to more digital services. But what can we expect from the industry in 2021? Björn Goß, CEO and Founder of Europe’s leading mobile wallet , shares his thoughts.
PSD2 as an enabler for all fintechs
PSD2 was aimed to allow users to access their bank data through other applications to increase the choice for the customer. For financial institutions, however, it wasn’t mandatory to execute the regulation and most of them tried to work around it to lock in customers and to not offer them choice. With the regulation becoming fully effective in 2021, the lock-in effects by banks will end and fintechs will have the ability to access customer’s banking data.
Thanks to PSD2, customers can seek more suitable products and services and aren’t obliged to use the offers of traditional financial institutions that have dominated the industry for years. This will undeniably drive the next wave of growth of the fintech sector. As a consequence, this will invigorate competition and in 2021 fintechs will be able to create a seamless experience and on-the-go financial services for customers.
The rise of the super app
As payments and accounts are moving to our smartphones, the digital wallet will become the central hub for anything around money, shopping, and banking. The future of banking will look very different from what it is today. Like it has in Asia we anticipate the digital wallet will see huge growth in Europe in 2021.
Consequently, we will see a fusion of shopping, payment and financial services in one wallet app. Which solution can add the most value to the user will be determined beyond pure banking and payments with use cases that are relevant in our daily lives such as shopping and more. These services will be the differentiator and make certain solutions stand out.
With more countries creating digital solutions of IDs and driver licenses stored on the mobile phone, we will likely see already in 2021 the first European super apps emerging.
The continuation of digital integration
COVID and the lockdowns have undeniably accelerated the shift to digital across all sectors and there is no doubt this will continue in 2021. Many retailers, for example, have invested quicker in better cashless payment services to provide a safer and seamless way to pay for goods and services.
No matter which industry you look at, digital solutions are crucial as we continue in the pandemic. Bringing the users additional services and features next to the necessary banking experience has been the most successful factor this year.
Therefore, fintechs really have to use their most significant competitive advantage compared to regular institutions: react and adapt to changes in the industry and the needs of consumers. This will be a major challenge in the future but also the most significant advantage of fintech we’ve seen. Some of the fintechs will find their niche with specific services. The big question of the decade, however, is: who will be able to position themselves in 2021 as the app that is relevant on a daily basis and the first point of contact for everything around money for all Europeans - all other services can follow.
This article was contributed by Björn Goß, CEO and Founder, Stocard
Singapore FinTech Association launches new networking club
The Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) has announced the launch of a new SG FinTech Club, which will act as hub that enhances networking among local fintech companies based in Singapore.
The APAC nation, which is a leading regional centre for fintechs, accounting for 13% of Singapore’s GDP in 2020. More than 1,400 fintech companies are based there, employing an estimated 10,000 people.
Technology is a driving factor within the space, and the SG FinTech Club will act as a base through which knowledge, resources and connections can be shared, as a way to increase the level of expertise in the space.
According to reports, the SFA will also develop and curate the engagement programmes for the fintech ecosystem. SG FinTech Club members will benefit from hospitality privileges offered by Supporting Partners , such as co-working spaces, which they can leverage on for social engagements.
The club’s existing membership platform will also enable users to sign up for talent matchmaking sessions, industry expert mentorship programmes, and masterclasses organised by SFA.
SG Fintech Club partnerships
The initiative has attracted the attention of several global fintech leaders, including the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF). J.P. Morgan has also joined the club as Supporting Partner and Corporate Partner, respectively, to develop skills and career development events.
Speaking about the launch of the new club, Shadab Taiyabi, President of SFA, explained, “We are proud to collaborate with MAS on the launch of SG FinTech Club, and play our part in contributing to Singapore’s thriving FinTech ecosystem.
“We hope that the Club would be the key platform for inspiration and innovation, where professionals in the financial services sector can come to exchange opinions, network, and explore endless ideas with other like-minded individuals.
He continued, “Through the Club, we strive to champion and bolster Singapore’s FinTech entrepreneurship growth, facilitate the sharing of insights, collaborations, discussions and advocate the importance of upskilling amongst professionals across the financial services industry.”
Image credit: Singapore FinTech Association event


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SMA Diffusion, which designs and manufactures unusual food products and “design” and is already present in 22 countries, won the 1st prize “Export”. The company has been awarded by the jury for its work and its desire to export more and more.
In 2011, the company’s export turnover represented 20% of total turnover, thanks to a contract in Belgium that boosted its exports. In 2012-2013, she participated in the Primo program (today Objectif Export).
Today, SMA Diffusion has recruited an Export Manager and generates 30% of its turnover abroad. It exports to the USA, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. To accelerate its development, SMA Diffusion has just raised € 0.5 million from an investment fund. The objective is to achieve more than 50% of international sales within 5 years, strengthen its presence in supermarkets, gain notoriety and boost productivity.


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New York CNN Business — Taylor Swift spoke Friday about the ticketing debacle this week as many fans were unable to purchase tickets for her upcoming tour on Ticketmaster. “It goes without saying that I am extremely protective of my fans,” Swift wrote on Instagram on Friday. “It’s really hard to trust an outside agency with these relationships and allegiances, and it’s painful to watch mistakes happen with no recourse.” Swift pointed out that “there are many reasons why people have a hard time getting tickets,” she blamed Ticketmaster. “We asked them several times if they could handle this kind of demand and we were so sure they could, so we’re not going to make excuses for anyone,” she wrote the singer. “It’s amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really upsets me that so many people feel they’ve been attacked by bears multiple times to get tickets.” “We’ll try to figure out how this situation can be improved going forward,” Swift added. Sales for the singer’s new Eras Tour started on Tuesday, but the sheer demand crippled her ticketing site, angering fans who couldn’t get tickets. Customers have complained about Ticketmaster not loading, saying that the platform does not allow access to tickets even if they have a pre-sale code for verified fans. On Thursday, Ticketmaster announced that sales to the general public, which were scheduled to begin on Friday, had been canceled due to “extremely high demand for its ticketing system and insufficient remaining ticket stock to meet that demand.” “All I can say to those who couldn’t get a ticket is give us more opportunities to come together and sing this song,” Swift added. Trouble with Ticketmaster began Tuesday when the site went on sale to “verified fans,” a mechanism to weed out bots that give out pre-sale codes to individuals. In 2017, a “verified fan” platform was created to help Ticketmaster deal with the huge demand situation, but the system was overwhelmed with over 3.5 million people pre-registering as Swift “verified fans.” According to Ticketmaster, this is the largest registration in the company’s history. “Historically, working with ‘verified fan’ invite codes has worked because we have been able to manage the volume that comes to the site to buy tickets.” This has brought unprecedented traffic to our site.” Ticketmaster noted that it “usually takes about an hour to sell through a stadium show,” but the site has delayed some sales and others to “stabilize the system.” That put it all to a halt: The site appears to have averted a major problem on Wednesday when pre-sales for Capital One credit cardholders began, but the company’s inability to handle the demand for Swift’s tour and tickets to meet the additional demand appear to have been averted. “The lack of public sales planned for Friday was canceled. Fans lashed out at Ticketmaster, and others, including members of Congress, heavily criticized the company’s control over the live music industry. Senator Amy Klobuchar said in an open letter to CEO Wednesday.” Ticketmaster’s strength in the primary ticket market usually protects Ticketmaster from competitive pressures that force companies to innovate and improve their services,” he wrote. “This is what we’ve seen this week, when consumers pay the price. Senator Richard Blumenthal echoed Klobuchar’s concerns, tweeting that the tour was “a perfect example of how the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger harms consumers by creating a near-monopoly.” “I have long urged the Department of Justice to investigate the state of competition in the ticketing industry,” he said. “Consumers deserve better than these anti-heroic actions.” The backlash also reflects Swift’s immense popularity. The pop star had numerous hits during her career and a loyal following of fans better known as “Swifties.” She’s built, and recently became the first artist to crack all the top 10 at the same time. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 after the release of her latest album ‘Midnights’, which was released last month. Her Eras Tour, which begins on March 17 in Glendale, Arizona and ends in Los Angeles on August 9, is hitting 52 venues across the United States. Ticketmaster revealed on Thursday that tickets for Swift’s upcoming tour had sold more than 2 million copies on Tuesday. The company also said ticket demand for the Erath Tour is double that of the top five tours and the Super Bowl combined in 2022. “Based on the amount of traffic on our site, Taylor should do more than 900 arena shows (nearly 20 times the number of shows she does),” Ticketmaster wrote on Thursday. “It will be a stadium show every night for the next 2.5 years.” Tickets for Swift’s upcoming tour also hit astronomical prices on her ticket resale site, with some tickets listed for tens of thousands of dollars. Since her 2006 debut album, Swift has established herself as a cultural icon with enormous influence in tackling the problems of her industry. She has taken over music streaming services like Spotify (SPOT) and Apple Music in regards to her artist payments and is currently re-recording her songs to get her master ownership back. Like Swift in many respects, so is the music industry. Serona Elton, music industry professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, further explained Swift’s popularity by citing her success in both record sales and touring. Most music is now consumed through streaming, she said, which is more popular among the slightly female-leaning younger generation. “The demographic group that drives the highest percentage of her music consumption is closely related to what she sees herself in and what she sings about,” she said.
#Taylor #Swift #Ticketmaster #fiasco #extremely #CNN #Business


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Shares in The Warehouse immediately fell over 7% after the New Zealand stock exchange (NZX) opened this morning in response to the retailer's less-than-positive trading update over its second financial quarter.
Total group sales for The Warehouse’s second financial quarter – the busiest time of year for the retailer – are down 5.5% due to cost-of-living pressures pinching consumers' wallets.
In an update on the NZX yesterday evening, the retailer said that while The Warehouse's sales were down 1.3% compared with the same period last year, its other brands had seen sales drop much further.
“We’ve continued to see the relative strength in The Warehouse as customers seek out value, however, we haven’t had sales momentum across our other brands,” group chief executive Nick Grayston said.
Warehouse Stationery's sales were down 9.2% compared with the last financial year’s corresponding period. Appliance and electronics retailer Noel Leeming's sales fell 11.8% and outdoor adventure store Torpedo7's sales were knocked down 8.5%.
“We’ve seen softer trading at Noel Leeming after a strong couple of years and some categories like bike and water at Torpedo 7 have not performed at the level we would expect at this time of year."
Year-to-date group sales in FY23 were up 6.4% to $1,506 million compared to $1,414m in the same period in FY22.
Group gross profit margin for the second-quarter period was down approximately 300 basis points compared with the same period in the 2022 financial year.
The year-to-date group gross profit margin in FY23 also fell about 200 basis points compared with the same period last year.
Grayston said The Warehouse brand had continued to bear most of this decrease due to the continued strength of lower-margin grocery and the current mix of seasonal sell-through.
“With cost-of-living pressures impacting discretionary spend, we are focused on providing the best value essentials for Kiwi families at the lowest prices."
Cost of doing business
The Warehouse still expects the gross profit dollars in the retailer’s first-half results of the 2023 financial period to be “broadly in line” with last year’s corresponding period.
However, the cost of doing business (CODB), including depreciation, was expected to be between $20m to $27m higher than in the first-half results of FY22.
“The higher CODB and depreciation largely reflects the investment in core systems and digital platforms the group is currently undertaking and will continue to be monitored relative to trading conditions,” Grayston said.
The Warehouse’s half-year result for FY23 will be released on March 21.
The retailer’s weaker second-quarter update followed first-quarter sales in the 2023 financial period jumping to $764.7m, up 21.2% from the previous corresponding period.
When the market opened this morning, The Warehouse was down 7.9% to $2.58 – down 22 cents from yesterday.


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MMA gear heads get ready because it looks like Hayabusa is about to change the game. Giving us a teaser of things to come, check out this preview of the new Hayabusa Mirai Series that’s set to drop in September 2013. Tagged on Twitter with “Something new is on its way…”, the Mirai Series appears to offer the perfect fit with what seems to include some sort of disc closure system tied-in with a new type of fight gear. Get ready to experience the difference when this new Hayabusa line hits stores this fall. In the meantime get a glimpse below and stay tuned for more info as we get closer to the official 09.13 launch.
Source: Hayabusa Twitter @Hayabusa_MMA


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Instagram continues to surprise the social media community with its latest announcement: more than 500,000 active advertisers now populate the app after a year of opening up its online advertising platform, doubling the number of business advertisers it gained from the past six months. This only proves that Instagram for Business is truly becoming a social media marketing tactic essential for business growth.
The Facebook-owned photo- and video-sharing network already reached its 400 million user mark and almost 1.5 million of these Instagram users have converted their accounts to business profiles on the platform since the option has launched two months ago.
“Sponsored posts” are also said to receive over 1 billion user interactions around the globe; with US, Brazil, UK, Australia, and Canada listed as the top five countries for advertiser adoption globally.
This just proves that Instagram is on a mission to be recognized as a powerful platform for social media marketing and content marketing.
Its continuous effort to launch Business tools such as Insights analytics, longer video feature, algorithmic feed, and multiple-accounts paved way for brands to step up their marketing efforts and optimize the use of social media for business growth.
Ready to start your social media marketing campaign?
If you want to utilize Instagram’s Business Tool features, IH Digital, a trusted digital agency in Malaysia can extend a helping hand. Contact us today.


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Asos Praised for Disabled-Friendly Clothes (BBC)
"The online retailer has released a tie-dye waterproof jumpsuit for festival season, which has been adapted to be wheelchair friendly. It was designed in collaboration with GB Paralympic hopeful Chloe Ball-Hopkins, who also modelled it for the site."
Feminist Apparel Chief Executive Fires Entire Staff After They Learn He's an Admitted Sexual Abuser (Refinery29)
"In June of 2018 Feminist Apparel staff discovered that the brand’s founder and chief executive Alan Martofel had an admitted history of sexually abusing women. He claims it’s the reason why he started the company in the first place. After asking for his resignation, all nine employees were fired without notice or severance."
J.Crew Is Launching Plus-Sizes (Racked)
"J.Crew debuted a collaboration with Universal Standard, the fashion start-up dedicated to extended sizing, on a collection of clothes that will be available from sizes XXS through 5X."
Handbags, Apparel Hit as Trump Tariffs Target Consumers (Bloomberg)
"The US Trade Representative released a new round of proposed tariffs on Chinese goods, listing 200 pages of items with a value of $200 billion. President Donald Trump’s declaration that 'trade wars are easy to win' will now be put to the test — China responded Wednesday saying it would be forced to retaliate."
Eileen Fisher Helps Make the Eco-Fashion Dream of Circularity Come True (Fashionista)
"Eileen Fisher has become a thought leader in the realm of circular design in fashion, inspiring everyone from fledgling sustainable companies to more mainstream designers like Heron Preston."


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Knight Residence Hotel on Lauriston Street was ranked 41 in the global list. Only four UK hotels made it into this year’s Insider Select top 100.
The annual global ranking from Expedia’s Insider Select revealed this year’s must-visit hotels following the consideration of 500,000 independent guest reviews across 150,000 hotels on Expedia websites.
Colin Stone, general manager of Knights Residence said: “We are delighted to have been recognised again for our high quality and value.
“However, I firmly believe we made the Expedia Insider Select list again this year thanks to the exceptional customer service we provide. Each member of the team here takes great pride in our product and will always go the extra mile to ensure our guests make the most of their time with us here in Edinburgh.”


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(Pocket-lint) - Pebble hasn't decided to give up just because Apple Watch is launching in two months and Google plans to forge ahead with Android Wear. On the contrary, it's suiting up for battle.
Eric Migicovsky, CEO and founder of Pebble, told The Verge that his company will launch new products and new software in 2015. Although Migicovsky didn't get into specifics about what type of products, we can presume he meant new Pebble smartwatches. Migicovsky did however divulge information about Pebble's new software.
It won't have a focus on apps, breaking away from the standard we currently see not only on smartphones but also competing watch platforms from both Google and Apple: "We’ve found a new framework to use as an interaction model on the watch. It doesn't look like what we have today, and it doesn't look like what's on your smartphone".
Apps will supposedly continue to exist on Pebble, even though they won't be a main focus of the platform. It is also likely the company's new software will feature some webOS TV-inspired design cues, as Pebble nabbed some of LG's webOS TV design team last year. But for the most part, Pebble is keeping things a secret until it's ready to unveil things.
Migicovsky would only reveal that Pebble has shipped 1m Pebbles as of 31 December, doubling what it reported in March 2014, and third-party developer activity has also doubled since September, with 25,000 developers contributing worldwide.
There are even more than 6,000 Pebble apps and watchfaces now available.


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Starting today and running until December 8, a new 99 cent game will be featured everyday on the Games for Windows store, Microsoft announced in a press release. Additionally--also running until December 8--gamers can purchase a copy of World of Goo for $4.99 (75% off), as part of the site's "Deal of the Week" promotion. As an added bonus for purchasing the fantastic title, players can unlock Achievements for their Xbox Live/GFW account--presumably to show off their goo-management prowess.
Each daily deal runs until 8:30am PT the following day. Stay tuned tomorrow for another 99 cent special during Microsoft's new promotion.
99 cents every day?
Count me in.
Shadowrun. Not reviewed all that well, but it's 99 cents.


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It was rumored, based on unnamed sources, before the weekend, and it turned out to be accurate: the United States is granting Huawei an additional 90-day reprieve, during which the Chinese company can buy U.S. tech from American suppliers. The original amnesty expired today, August 19, and the U.S. Commerce Department today has decided to extend the period with an additional 90 days.
As we continue to urge consumers to transition away from Huawei’s products, we recognize that more time is necessary to prevent any disruption — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross
According to the official statement from the U.S. Commerce Department, the reprieve “is intended to afford consumers across America the necessary time to transition away from Huawei equipment, given the persistent national security and foreign policy threat”. Additionally, the Department has added an additional number of 46 Huawei affiliates to the Entity List, bumping the number to above 100 companies affiliated with Huawei, from Argentina, Australia, Belarus, China, Costa Rica, France, India, Italy, Mexico, and other countries.
“We’re giving them a little more time to wean themselves off“, Ross said, while Huawei did not immediately comment on the matter.
More coverage: Reuters


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Maneater is now available on PlayStation 5
Tripwire Interactive’s Maneater is now available on the PS5. Maneater is the world’s first ShARkPG (Shark RPG), making its way on Sony’s next-gen console, the PS5. Maneater is completely optimized for the PS5 and takes the swim (battle) to a whole new level.
In Maneater, players have the opportunity to play as the apex predator of the seas, the scary and devastating shark. With its transition to the PS5, Maneater will get its incredible looking next-gen visuals and run at 60FPS in 4K Resolution.
PlayStation 5’s DualSense haptic feedback is here to take the gameplay experience to a whole new level. Imagine rain, swimming, diving, and most definitely shark-biting occurrences sensed on the new gamepad. Undoubtedly, the Haptic feedback makes playing video games a lot more entertaining, so it’s the perfect fit for Maneater in a literal way.
Starting today, you can order Maneater on PS5 directly from the PS5 store.


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By David Bailey, Professor of Industry at Aston Business School
After its best first half year in ages, UK car and engine manufacturing took something of a hit last month, as annual summer shutdowns kicked in and as demand from emerging markets like China faltered.
A total of 793,642 cars were built in the first six months of 2015, up by 0.3 per cent on a year ago, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
This was the best first half year in seven years, since the onset of the global financial crisis.
UK automotive production volumes are up by more than 50 per cent since 2009 and further big investments are planned, with new models set to start production in the coming months.
The SMMT was right to stress that this recent success of the industry was built not only on “significant industry investment” (over £7 billion worth in the last three years) but also a “positive relationship with government, essential if the industry is to maintain its international competitiveness”.
The latter means an intelligent industrial policy – something that the new Business Secretary Sajid Javid needs to take note of.
I would also add in another factor for the industry’s success – the flexibility and hard work of workers and unions in pulling out all the stops to help make the UK a competitive place in which to assemble cars and source components (something the media all too often fails to recognise).
But, after a strong first half year, car production fell 11 per cent July, according to data published by the SMMT this week.
The auto industry trade body put a positive spin on things in putting this fall down to seasonal factory stoppages being taken earlier in the summer than last year.
That’s correct to an extent. Annual shutdowns are indeed taking place earlier than last year.
At JLR, the usual August shutdown was brought forward to late July and early August.
Nissan’s Sunderland plant (which produces one-in-three of all cars made in the UK), was also shut in late July.
On top of that, several plants are undertaking retooling to get ready to produce brand new cars, including the GM Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port, which will assemble the new generation Astra (won after a bidding war with other GM Europe plants).
But there’s another factor in the slowdown. Faltering demand from emerging markets like Russia and China is also now taking a toll.
Indeed, despite the recovery now under way in European car markets, last month exports were down seven per cent year-on-year.
That emerging market slowdown has a particular impact on the UK’s premium car sector (which is the second largest in the world), including JLR, Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin.
As I noted in a recent Birmingham Post blog, JLR’s recent remarkable growth stalled in the last quarter as sales in China slipped and China became more like a ‘normal’ car market.
JLR’s revenue fell 6.6 per cent to £5 billion but it was the firm’s pre-tax profit and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) which took the biggest hit, with profit down over 30 per cent to £638 million and EBITDA down 24 per cent to £821 million.
But, as China and Russia slow, the ongoing pick-up in the European market should help the volume producers in the UK – comprising Nissan, Toyota, Vauxhall and Honda (the latter has had a torrid time in Europe in recent years having misjudged the European market).
That may mean something of more balanced growth in the UK car industry.
Growth over the last few years has been driven mainly by JLR and Nissan. Expect the other volume producers to play a bigger role over the next few years.
That means output growth is still likely going forward over the next few years unless the strength of sterling damages the competitiveness of the industry too much.
The strength of the pound is already holding back UK exports in other areas of manufacturing, with factory output barely above recession levels.
As a result, overall manufacturing is virtually stagnant and acts as a drag on UK economic growth (so much for the march of the makers).
Recent CIPS/Markit data showed export order books shrinking for the fourth month in succession, with the rising value of sterling making UK goods more expensive in the Eurozone (which accounts for almost half the British manufactured goods sold overseas).
This is one reason why I’d prefer to see interest rate rises to come later rather than sooner and to be modest in scale.


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THE GUT MICROBIOME OF DEEP-SEA FISH IS A POTENTIAL TREASURE TROVE FOR ANTIMICROBIALS
Down in the depths of the ocean, scientists believe they may have discovered a treasure trove. Not a sunken chest filled with gold coins and lost riches, but perhaps something even more valuable. A soon to be published study has revealed that the gut microbiomes of deep-sea fish are teeming with new antimicrobial molecules that could fight common foodborne infections. The findings shed a new light on this previously untapped resource and could one day pave the way for new antimicrobial medicines.
Display your AMR Technology, Product and Service
Suppliers and Users of Technologies, Products and Services benefit from CAPI.
CAPI (Continuous AMR Partnering Initiative) unites Suppliers and Users worldwide with the aim to add to the curbing of AMR.


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The videogame industry in Latin America is experiencing a sweet moment. Its continuous growth since the beginning of the decade, not only in users but also in creators, has placed it on the investors and large companies’ radar. There is no doubt that the traditional Latin creativity has found a expansion field in the videogames world, but it’s also true that this talent is faced daily with the limitations in access to finance, the need for a more favorable technological environment and a bigger development of the marketing and commercialization structures. Many creators are successfully exploring the crowdfunding way to finance their projects.
With a total of 1.428 billion dollars, Mexico has surpassed Brazil and Argentina and is already Latin America’s country that spends the most in videogames, also reaching position 12 among the main markets worldwide, according to the latest from NewZoo. Colombia and Venezuela close the list of the five main countries in Latin America, with sales of over 291 and 204 million dollars respectively.
Throughout 2017, the videogame sector recorded revenues of over 100 billion dollars, an increase of 12% over the previous year. Although Latin America barely represents four percent of the market’s income worldwide, it’s also the one that shows a better performance and a higher rate of growth. In just one year, videogame sales grew between 20 and 30%. In the case of consoles, they also represent the only place where sales increased, with a 9% growth.
Argentina is a market known worldwide for its great creativity. From there, world-renowned figures such as Daniel Benmergui, who in 2012 won the Nuovo prize for videogame innovation awarded at the Independent Gaming Festival (IGF), have emerged. More than 100 companies are devoted to creating videogames in Argentina, according to the Developers’ Association (ADVA). Last year the sector billed 30 million dollars.
Chilean videogame industry has a turnover of more than 12 million dollars and generates 350 jobs. In spite of the numbers, in constant growth, the sector’s actors recognize there is little support from the private sector, a problem that most of the companies in the region also have. In Chile, there has been an increase in the foreign companies’ interest to make alliances in Chile such as Sony, Microsoft, Valve, Google, Apple, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, EA, Activision, Atlus, Pebblekick or Spil Games. This year the investment will be about US $ 190 thousand.
However, it’s Mexico, without a doubt, the ecosystem that is focusing the greatest investors and companies’ interest and where there also is a more dynamic and creative activity. According to The Competitive Intelligence Unit firm, Mexican market’s pace grew by 13% in 2016, but in 2017, that growth has increased. Mexico’s industry has a value of 25 billion pesos, which has turned the videogame industry into a more important sector than the film industry, also of great strength in Mexico.
In the videogame consumption field, Mexican players consume over 1.5 million dollars, which places them in the twelfth position among the videogame markets worldwide. The NewZoo agency study, which specializes in e-games and global digital markets’ information, reveals that 61% of game players are men, among which, those in the age range of 21 and 35 suppose 25%. It also reveals that 39% plays on PC, mobile and consoles; that is, they are multi-platform. Another interesting behavior fact is that 71% of Mexican players watch video content about gaming, consoles and gaming tricks.
At PanamericanWorld we have chosen five Latin American videogame sector’s players. When we speak about actors, we refer to both the creators and the designed games, which in many cases have been key to popularizing videogame culture in the region and taking it to all areas of consumption. There are established names and others that are willing to break powerfully into the market. The year 2018 can be a key for them.
Fat Panda Games is one of the leading Mexican companies in videogames founded in 2013. Devoted to videogames and intellectual property creation and development, it produces videogames for PC and Mac platforms that they later upload to the Steam platform. They also have a mobile development area and they are working to implement some of their projects to PlayStation. Fat Panda’s idea was born, according to one of its founders Pedro Suarez, after watching Indie Game: The Movie in which they realize the industry and videogames potential. Being lifelong gamers, they say: “If these guys could do this, then we can too”. Fat Panda is one of the few studios in Mexico that are present on PC and Mac platforms and consoles. Most have focused only on the mobile market. Suarez acknowledges that the videogame industry in Mexico is still facing the investors’ lack of confidence, who continue to observe this sector with many misgivings and risk. As far as the videogame industry is concerned, not many investors understand the market or see the potential because they simply don’t know about it. The most complicated issue has been investment.
Daniel Benmergui is one of the best-known and most influential game designers in Latin America. Known for the art games creation such as “Today I Die”, “I Wish I Were the Moon” and “Storyteller”, the Argentine won in 2012 the Nuovo prize for videogame innovation awarded at the Independent Gaming Festival. After becoming an independent game developer, Benmergui was development director at the French mobile gaming studio Gameloft, and managed more than 120 game developers. His most recent creation is “Fidel Dungeon Rescue”, a game starring a friendly dog, named Fidel, who tries to find through a puzzle-crawler the best way through monsters, treasures and magic. Each game is only a few minutes long, but there are many surprises and tricks to learn every time. For Benmergui, between simple proposals like Angry Birds, or very complex ones like Grand Theft Auto 5, “there are a lot of games that can be done, with a lot of people willing to play, buy and support, and you don’t need to have 20 million of dollars to make them”.
Mulaka is announced as one of the most interesting independent games for early 2018. It is developed by Lienzo, a studio founded in Chihuahua that managed to move elements of the Tarahumara culture to a title that will reach PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Mulaka is an action and adventure game, based on the Tarahumara culture. Its developers decided to focus on that culture because they know that abroad people identify Mexico for the Mayans or the Aztecs, trying to demonstrate that in Mexico there are more than those two cultures. Lienzo is the first Mexican studio to position its Mulaka videogame on all available platforms. With only eight members, this group of millennials has managed to get the Nintendo’s attention so their project is promoted for their new Nintendo Switch console. Mulaka, which in Spanish means corn stem, is a sukurúame or Rarámuri shaman with skills to transform into animals, prepare explosive potions and a vision that allows you to see beyond reality. The protagonist of the videogame that Serrano places in the category of action, known as hack and slash, has to save the world from one of its imminent destructions resulting from the wrath of the gods disappointed by humanity.
Neon City Riders, by Mecha Studios, has been developed by a three-people team in Xalapa, Veracruz. It is an adventure game with overhead vision that takes design and gameplay elements from the 16-bit era. Its creators have managed to raise through a Kickstarter’s crowfunding campaign the necessary funds (150.000 pesos) to complete the game’s development, which will be commercialized in next year’s first quarter. Jorge García, the studio founder and game director, explains that everything started a year ago; he decided to give up his job as a full-time programmer to focus on a videogame design with all his favorite elements.
Neon City Riders found high acceptance among the Mexican public due to the quality of their demo. They have also developed an intelligent communication campaign that has included visits to events such as Campus Party in Guadalajara, or local showcases in Mexico City. In just a week they made enough money to develop their project. The game takes place in Neon City through the violent Rick’s figure, whose mission is to infiltrate the bands that are ravaging the city. Among the game references is the eighties aesthetics of movies as “The Warriors” or “Big Trouble in Little China”. It is an action adventure with overhead view and elements inspired by the Zelda saga.
The Chilean game “Endless Lake fye” recognized as 2016’s best Facebook Instant Game. It is a type of game that can be used within this social network and was developed by the Bekho Team’s Chileans. Until December 2016 12 million unique users had played it 33 million times. The Dutch company Spil Games developed the game as well, and it competed with classics such as Pacman and Space Invaders, which are part of the titles that Facebook offers online. “The future looks promising. In Chile, there is a lot of talent and good ideas, and we can offer competitive prices compared to other markets since our development costs are lower”, says Bruno Camousseigt, one of the Bekho Team founders.
As other companies that belong to the videogame industry in Chile, Bekho Team has received ProChile’s support for the internationalization of its offer. This is how they have been able to participate in important industry events in key markets, such as the Tokyo Game Show in Japan. “The support we have received from ProChile so far has been fantastic, mainly with financing for trips to fairs abroad and ProChile’s team support in the destination countries to establish commercial links, as well as advice on doubts regarding foreign trade”, Camousseigt added.


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Upcoming fashion designers showcased their garments at the fourth annual Khayelitsha Fashion Week (KFW) at Isivivana Centre on Saturday April 27.
Under the theme, Construction Zone, more than 50 models strut out different garments in full view of a packed audience. The show is a platform which seeks to provide fashion designers and models a rare opportunity to showcase their designs and God given talent.
However, the core aim of this initiative was to develop, expose and prepare these upcoming designers for bigger platforms.
Founding member of KFW, Zuko Langeni, said through the show they wanted to local brands to be established themselves and showcase their latest offerings.
He said part of their mission was to assist upcoming designers to identify their target clients, develop a name for themselves while developing a content marketing strategy.
He said this was the only show in the Western Cape which is seeks to give a platform to township and upcoming designers a platform to show their brands. He alluded that a sad reality was that many upcoming designers were frustrating because they are yearning for such platforms to exhibit their work.
He noted that it was also not easy to break into the industry. However, he said Khayelitsha Fashion show becomes a much needed stepping stone in their careers.
Mr Langeni said they discovered that a number of fashion designers were talented but the problem was that they were working with few individuals in their own cycles.
He highlighted that one of their mission was to change that notion and promote the spirit of working together and expand the cycles of designers. He said they had 17 fashion designers who were showcasing their work and others who brought their own stalls.
He said the entry was free for models and fashion designers because they aim was not to make a revenue but to create a platform.
He said one of the key challenges was funding and getting a sponsorship because it was extremely difficult to host such event from your own pocket.
“We want to grow this event into a bigger event. When we started we had ten designers but now we have grown. At this point in time what we promise for models and designers is exposure. We hope in the future that some of these designers and models to get something out of the show. We want these models to launch their careers from the show. We want their brands to be established,” he said.
But Mr Langeni said among other challenges was the fact that designers had other commitments that creates some sort of communication breakdown between them.
Fashion designer, Lulama Ntise, said he had been creating clothes for himself for years and never really thought that he should create garments for other people. But he said people were always amazed by his clothes and heaped praises.
The 22-year-old said he has no formal education or training in clothing and textile but he has passion and love for clothes. He said he has a nine to five job which helps him to cover up financial costs of buying a material that he needs.
He said he sees himself beyond the limits and wants to conquer the world of fashion. He said such shows empower them as locally designer and many of them don’t have a space and opportunity.
Model, Siphelele Qinisile, said it was important to have such event as it empowers young and local designers as well as models to be recognised world wide.
Ms Qinisile said the show exposes their talent but it was just that no one was there to encourage them to show it off.
Model Olona Njengwa said the shows young people that they could pursue a career in this industry. She said as a plus-size model it was important to be part of such shows as it boost their self-confidence.