text:
This week, Whitbread's Premier Inn will become the world's largest Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified national hotel chain, with all its restaurants brands awarded MSC certification.
All 635 Premier Inn restaurants, including Beefeater, Brewer's Fayre and Table Table, will now feature the MSC ‘blue tick' on menus.
The news also means 27% more locations in the UK are MSC certified, with more than 2,000 restaurant locations across the UK overall serving MSC-certified traceable and sustainable seafood.
MSC-labelled menus can be found in outlets including Wahaca, Ikea, Hilton and more than 80 fish and chip shops. The MSC ecolabel on a seafood product means it comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC's science-based standard for environmentally sustainable fishing, and that it is fully traceable to a sustainable source.
James Pitcher, director of sustainability for Whitbread, said: "It is becoming ever more important for the hospitality industry to operate a sustainable, traceable supply chain and it is something we have been focusing on for a while now. Our customers expect us to do the right thing, so we are immensely proud to have achieved MSC certification for our restaurant brands.
"Whitbread is committed to sourcing products responsibly and we hope this will be a landmark step in helping set standards across the industry. The MSC's certification and ecolabelling program enables everybody to play a part in securing a healthy future for our oceans."
George Clark, MSC UK commercial manager, added: "It's great news that UK diners have more sustainable choices when eating out. Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table, and all our other certified restaurants are doing a great job of making eating out more sustainable."
Videos from The Caterer archives


text:
Global Packaging Leader MeadWestvaco Partners With inno360(TM) for Innovation Engine
CINCINNATI and RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — inno360, Inc., today announced MeadWestvaco (MWV) has selected the inno360(TM) innovation engine and framework to power the packaging company’s new Open Innovation portal called “MWV Exchange”. Together the companies will work to connect customers, suppliers and partners both upstream and downstream in next generation innovation practices.
“Companies today are looking to connect more seamlessly with key suppliers and partners to innovate together,” said Glenn Wienkoop, CEO of inno360. “With the launch of MWV Exchange, global packaging leader MWV is breaking new ground among traditional supplier relationships, and bringing their innovative approach to developing valued packaging solutions to a new level. inno360 has played a key role in creating an open innovation platform and validating direct connections to customers, suppliers and partners.”
“Our new open innovation platform reflects our focus on innovation, and we are expanding our reach to capture and generate novel ideas and solutions to challenging problems,” said Alex Cedeno, vice president of Global Innovation for MWV. “Having access to the best in class, web-based networking tools gives MWV a clear competitive advantage in serving both our customers the brand owners, as well as strengthening our relationships with our suppliers.”
“By leveraging MWV Exchange (MWVExchange.com) as our Open Innovation management system, MWV taps into the expertise of employees, suppliers, customers, inventors and academicians to solve our toughest packaging challenges,” said Paul France, director of Open Innovation for MWV. “inno360′s advanced collaboration tools will accelerate our capability to innovate with others, and bring the outside in.”
“inno360(TM) is the result of more than two years of cooperative development with recognized leaders in open innovation,” said Frank Kovacs, chief marketing officer, inno360, Inc. “It is specifically focused on enabling collaborative innovation.” In 2009, Procter & Gamble contributed proprietary technology and know-how embedded in its Synergy Software as part of their commitment to co-developing inno360. Included in inno360(TM) is the next generation multi-tier release of these capabilities. Suppliers and partners are connected for seamless collaboration as an active part of an extended team of the company, facilitating faster awareness and time to innovation.
inno360, Inc. is the leading provider of a global software as a service (SaaS) platform for open innovation. inno360(TM) empowers companies to drive organic growth, achieve order-of-magnitude improvements in innovation effectiveness and productivity through the availability of “infinite innovation(TM)” ecosystems created through a unique innovation engine. inno360(TM) enables private and public clients to dynamically define new networks of knowledge and best fit talent, and rapidly build their own proprietary innovation ecosystems. The platform includes access to millions of global innovators and leading-edge technology. Included capabilities assist with problem definition, Innovator Relationship Management(TM) (IRM), innovation campaigns, internal and external collaboration, and proposal management. Together, these capabilities and innovation communities provide an unparalleled foundation for organizations to drive top-line growth and bottom-line results by accelerating time to innovation – globally. The Company is an affiliate of SpencerTrask Collaborative Innovations, LLC (STCI). Founded by visionary venture capital firm SpencerTrask&Co. and some of the world’s leading visionaries and pioneers in open collaboration, STCI and its Member Firms are designed to bring the collaborative innovation revolution to fruition at the world’s leading corporations, and government organizations. For more information, please visit www.inno-360.com.
MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries. The company’s businesses also include Consumer & Office Products, Specialty Chemicals, and the Community Development and Land Management Group, which sustainably manages the company’s land holdings to support its operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 19,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the seventh consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.mwv.com.
SOURCE inno360, Inc.

domain: news


text:
PARIS There is no sweater too hideous for Brantford artisan Sylvia Wight-Holder to transform into something wearable or whimsical.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“The ugliest sweaters make the nicest mittens,” she said as she pulled a pair she fashioned from a wool jumper adorned with red flowers. “People love them.”
Wight-Holder regularly scouts out discarded wool clothing, mostly sweaters, from thrift stores that she makes into cozy mittens, tiny children’s slippers, small bags, oven mitts and other original items.
“I really love the properties of wool. It’s a natural fibre that stays warm even while it’s wet and naturally repels dirt.”
Most recently Wight-Holder has been using her scrap wool to make beautifully detailed mice clad in itty-bitty sweaters, dresses and shoes, some of them topped with a jaunty acorn hat.
“I’ve always loved creatures,” she said. “Creatures with clothes are just that much more fun.”
The owner of Handcrafted Originals by Sylvia was among 30 artists and artisans displaying and selling their creations over the weekend at the 28th annual Christmas in Paris. All are members of Kindred Spirits, a group whose mandate is to encourage and support the creative arts in Paris.
Just a day after Halloween, visitors by the hundreds turned their minds to December and getting in some early holiday shopping at the event. Mac MacLaggan, chair of the Christmas in Paris committee, said just over 3,300 people paid admission to the sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Proceeds from admission go to further the local arts, provide bursaries to high school graduates pursuing a degree in the arts, and to sponsor awards for artists exhibiting at the Paris Fair.
So popular is the sale that it required more space, prompting organizers to move it this year from several locations around Paris to a single site at the Paris fairgrounds. Many shoppers are local but others travel from London, Stratford and all over the Greater Toronto Area for the holiday show.
This is the first year Burford woodturner Kevin Weir has taken part. He said that he joined Kindred Spirits after seeing the exquisite work of other local artists and artisans at previous Christmas in Paris shows.
Weir said he was captivated by woodturning the first time he used a lathe in his high school shop class.
“The wood moves fast and the tool holds still,” he said. “The possibilities are literally endless. Every log contains millions of bowls of all sizes, shapes and colours and it’s up to me to bring them out. They already exist in the tree. I’m just exposing them.”
Using planks of walnut, maple, butternut and even rapidly disappearing ash, Weir, who operates One Full Turn Woodturnings, creates elegant salad bowls, platters, jewellery boxes and wooden knives and spatulas.
He jokes that his pieces are 202 years in the making – from tree seed to finished product.
Among the other handcrafted items for sale were hooked rugs, photography, ceramics, thread work, watercolours, metal work, beading, hand-painted silk, stitchery, and block printing.
Members of the Kindred Spirits Artisans of Paris meet monthly to plan the annual sale and also have a booth at Springtime in Paris, held in June, where they encourage children to get creative.


text:
The fledgling Detroit Electric car company introduced its first product, the fully electric SP:01 two-seat roadster, on Wednesday. Like the Tesla Roadster, the SP:01 will be built on a Lotus Elise chassis. Detroit Electric will handle only final assembly of an initial production run of 999 vehicles.
The Detroit Electric name is familiar to automotive historians. The early 20th century electric-vehicle manufacturer produced about 13,000 cars in its nearly 30-year history. This new venture, which has its headquarters in Detroit’s Fisher Building, acquired the brand name from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Detroit Electric is assembling SP:01 prototypes in Europe. The car’s top speed is 155 miles per hour and its time from zero to 62 m.p.h. is 3.7 seconds, the company said.
The SP:01 is powered by a 201 horsepower (150 kW) electric motor mounted behind the passenger cabin. The Lotus Elise donor car’s manual gearbox delivers the power to the rear wheels. In the Lotus, the manual gearbox has six forward speeds, but in the torque-rich electric car only four are used, with fifth and sixth gears blocked off. However, to achieve that 155 m.p.h. top speed, fifth gear must be reinstated. That fifth ratio can be added as an option at the time of purchase. A two-speed automatic will also be available. Steering and suspension components are similar to those of the Lotus, but have been modified to better suit the SP:01’s weight distribution.
Two lithium-polymer batteries provide electricity. According to a Detroit Electric media release, the SP:01 achieved a range of 180 miles on the European driving cycle. The company said a 7.7 kWh home charging unit could fully charge the car in about four hours.
The car’s body is carbon fiber, which sits on Lotus’s aluminum tub-style chassis. The company said the car weighed 2,400 pounds.
Detroit Electric said the SP:01 would go on sale in several markets in the United States by the end of August. Pricing will start at $135,000, but will vary depending on vehicle specifications and local taxes.
A report in a roundup of Wheels blog posts last Sunday about a new electric roadster misstated the process by which the Detroit Electric car company obtained rights to its name, which was abandoned when the original automaker of that name went out of business in 1939. The United States Patent and Trademark Office authorized the new use; the name was not purchased from a previous owner.


text:
Mohammad Reza Karimian, member of the board of directors at IKAC and responsible for logistics management, said Tuesday the new center is aimed at facilitating the registration of new companies seeking to start their operation in the free trade zone, according to IKAC press.
The official pointed to the “great potential for large local and international companies to invest in the FTZ at IKAC,” saying, the short distance to capital Tehran and easy access to IKAC’s surrounding areas have provided a great opportunity for investors in this zone.
The process of registering a company takes seven days upon the establishment of the new building, he added.
IKAC, which includes a 1,500-hectare free trade zone and a 2,500-hectare special economic zone in a 13,700-hectare area, aims at helping national and international companies cluster around the airport and engage in business activities, Karimian said.
The airports free trade zone was launched in June.
- source : Mehrnews


text:
In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Pilva, Inc. v. Mensing that the makers of generic pharmaceuticals cannot update their warning labels independently. This proscription holds, even when new, dangerous side effects of a medication are found. Drug makers cannot add those dangers to their labels by themselves.
Pilva v. Mensing was an interesting, subtle case, but critics argue that the SCOTUS ruling created a loophole that put thousands of Americans at risk and unfairly limited their legal recourse. They say it created a de facto “two tiered” system — one set of rules for updating warning labels on brand drugs and another set of rules for updating labels on generics. This system needlessly confuses people and lacks accountability.
Consider this fact: 80% of prescriptions filled in the United States are generic. That’s four out of every five prescriptions filled. Since Pilva, thousands of people hurt by side effects of generic drugs have been unable to have their day at court.
Recognizing this insanity, in November 2013, the FDA proposed a new rule to let generic drug makers revise warning labels when new side effects are discovered. This amendment to the process would effective end the annoying and unfair de facto “two tiered” system.
The American Association for Justice (AAJ) supports the FDA’s proposed guidelines. AAJ president, Burton LeBlanc, noted that “the proposed rule takes account of both the need for accurate warnings and the need for the sameness and proposes regulatory changes that will [further] both of those goals… [It] will make consumer safety information work accessible and available sooner… In addition, the proposed rule will ensure that generic pharmaceutical manufacturers are responsible, if they fail to warn the public of a known safety hazard associated with their products.”
Consumer advocates want the FDA to push this rule through, ASAP, and they’ve created an online petition to get the FDA to act. This petition already has over 20,500 signatures.
The proposed rule changes would constitute a good start towards cleaning up the regulatory environment and making systems less complex for consumers and doctors. However, tons of work still needs to be done. Regulatory authorities are often shamefully slow to react the dangerous, careless, and negligent behavior of drug makers and pharmaceutical companies. Their sluggishness can leave injured consumers confused, overwhelmed, and sick — forcing them to engage in lengthy, fractious, expensive legal processes to get justice.
If you or someone you love was hurt by a generic pharmaceutical drug, the Washington D.C. personal injury lawyers at Regan Zambri & Long would be happy to provide a free and confidential consultation about your case. Call us now at (202) 463-3030 for much needed strategic insight.


text:
IONIA — Another marijuana dispensary has opened in Ionia — this one along Steele Street near downtown.
Consume Cannabis, 406 S. Steele St., celebrated its grand opening Thursday, July 22. The Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce was on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The dispensary currently sells medical marijuana and will add adult-use once it receives approval from the state of Michigan, said General Manager Anthony Serpico.
Consume Cannabis has several locations in Illinois and Michigan, according to its website. Its Michigan locations are in Alma, Harrisville and Quincy. The company launched in January 2020, per its website.
The motto for Consume Cannabis is “We will guide you,” Serpico said.
“We want to make sure we have the proper education for all of our guests and make sure we meet all of their needs when it comes to cannabis,” he said. “We love being an instrumental part of the community and getting active.”
Consume Cannabis will sell adult-use marijuana once the physical license is on the property, Serpico said.
Ionia’s location played a role in Consume Cannabis’s decision to set up a store there, Serpico said.
“Ionia just seemed like a good place to be in Michigan,” Serpico said. “The company’s


text:
Bench-made upholstery resource Nathan Anthony is expanding its product offerings with new collections of accent tables and rugs that will debut at the fall High Point Market in the company’s InterHall showroom, IHFC IH-505.
Rug and home accents manufacturer Nourison has launched an online product review system on its website.
Rug and home décor supplier Surya as named the winners of the third round of its popular Surya Spaces Contest, which invites retail customers to submit photos of their favorite design projects featuring Surya rugs and accessories.
Surya, a major resource for rugs and home accessories, has kicked off its fifth annual Miles for Meals fundraising initiative, which supports Akshaya Patra (Unlimited Food for Education), an award-winning school lunch program that provides daily, hot nutritious meals to underserved children living in rural India.
Kalaty Rug Corp. has re-launched its company’s website, Kalaty.com, following an extensive remodeling effort.
Marking the 11th anniversary of its partnership with Biltmore Estates, Capel Rugs is expanding its Biltmore line in time for the October High Point Market.
Marketing services provider Wright Global Graphics will host a one-day event for floor covering manufacturers in North Georgia on Sept. 1 that will showcase a variety of branding and marketing options created specifically for flooring and rug manufacturers.


text:
Eighty-one percent of local businesses sell online, according to a new report.
Officials at tech firm Square say businesses in Windsor are best prepared in Ontario to generate additional online sales as the holiday shopping season approaches.
âMaple products are very popular online,â says Katie Stokes, co-owner of Whiskey Jack Boutique.
Stokes says their Maiden Lane store sells many Canadian products online and virtual sales have been a priority since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
âThe pandemic has really caused us to focus more on our online store than we originally would have,â Stokes said. âBeing able to sell 24/7 even when we’re not in the store is really helpful for a small business. “
According to Square economist Felipe Chacon, the lack of American buyers has made it essential.
âThe tendency to move online and the tendency to move away from cash have jumped three to five years depending on where you are,â says Chacon.
Chacon says the share of businesses selling online in Windsor was higher than in most cities before the pandemic.
âNow it has moved up to number one across Canada among the 30 or so subways we reviewed. “
Chacon says the rate of local Windsor-area businesses now selling online far exceeds the national average of 58 percent. New Ontario data from Square shows that 63% of Ontario businesses are now selling online and Niagara / St. The Catharine region has Ontario’s fastest growing business community that moves online.
âWe are seeing a consistent trend with border towns tending to slightly increase the share of businesses selling online,â Chacon said. âThere seems to be a pattern of geographic isolation where cities that are more remote or that are an international border where there maybe not as easy a flow of traffic, especially after the pandemic, appear to have increased online sales more than other places. “
Chacon believes most companies are offering online offerings to reach a wider audience, noting that customers now expect online options.
“Everything from curbside pickup to QR codes is just a convenience that people now expect after the pandemic.”
Top cities in Ontario selling the most online at the end of August 2021:
- Windsor 81 percent
- Norfolk 68 percent
- Ottawa 66 percent
- Hamilton 64 percent
- Kitchener-Waterloo 63 percent
- Toronto 60 percent
According to Square, October is the busiest month for businesses growing online for the holiday and winter sales season.
Chacon told CTV News that the food, beverage and retail industries were the first to jump into online spaces, but home repair businesses have taken longer.
“Even home and repair type businesses over the last few months have started to feel the pull of the Internet more and I think it’s the product of their customers who expect these options.”


text:
JD Group launches bond offering
IOL Business - Jun 13th 2012, 08:37
JD Group (JDG) on Tuesday announced the launch of its inaugural offering of convertible bonds due June 2017 in a nominal amount of up to R1.0 billionâ€š with an option to increase the issue size.
The bonds are expected to carry a semi-annual coupon of between 7.0 and 7.5% per annum and will be convertible into ordinary shares in JD Group.
The company said it intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to primarily fund the expected growth in its consumer finance business.
The initial conversion price is expected to be set at a premium of 30-35% above the reference price of R43.62â€š being the 5-day volume-weighted average price of JD Group shares up to Monday June 11.
The bonds will be issued at 100% of their nominal amount andâ€š unless convertedâ€š repurchased or redeemed before June 2017â€š will be redeemed at par in June 2017.
JD Group will have the option to call the bonds after four yearsâ€š if the price of JD Group Shares exceeds 130% of the then prevailing conversion price over a specified period.
â€śThe offering is open with immediate effect and will close as soon as is practicable todayâ€š Tuesdayâ€š June 12â€šâ€ť JD Group said in a statement on SENS.
It is expected that settlement of the bonds will take place on or about Wednesdayâ€š June 20.
Rand Merchant Bankâ€š a division of FirstRand Bank and The Standard Bank of South Africaâ€š are acting as joint bookrunners. - I-Net Bridge
JSE will pause for Nelson Mandela
06/12/2013 - 09:13
Johannesburg - The Johannesburg Stock Exchange said it will pause trade for five minutes at 11am (09h00 GMT) on Friday to mark the passing of former president Nelson Mandela.
China's wine deal in SA
06/12/2013 - 08:49
Cape town - Following on Chinaâ€™s recent significant investments in the French wine industry, especially in Bordeaux, they have also made their first investment in the South African wine industry.
DionWired unveils multichannel retailing to meet shopping trends
05/12/2013 - 15:33
DionWired has embraced the multichannel retail concept with the launch of its brand new website, which was developed to give consumers a highly positive, symmetrical shopping experience between the web and the brick-and-mortar stores.
New mall to feature Namibiaâ€™s first food court
05/12/2013 - 09:28
Ninety percent of office and restaurant space at The Grove Mall of Namibia, which is currently under construction in Kleine Kuppe in Windhoek, has already been taken.
South African economic growth â€śheld backâ€ť
04/12/2013 - 08:46
The growth of the South African economy was held back and activity slowed in the third quarter of 2013, the SA Reserve Bank said on Tuesday.


text:
Legacy Foodservice Alliance LLC has joined ProMark Produce Procurement Group, Rockford, Ill., as its newest member.
Legacy Foodservice, which defines itself as a distributor marketing and purchasing group, joins ProMark’s membership base of broadline distributors, according to a news release.
“We needed outside partners to bring us the expertise necessary to be able to grow and thrive in this rapidly evolving product category,” said Donald Hughes, executive vice president of merchandising at Legacy Foodservice, in the release.
Hughes said ProMark would augment its produce procurement solutions and enable the company to better support some of its own broadline members.
“(ProMark) will give us more options for niche distributors,” Hughes said.
A group of distributors formed ProMark 20 years ago to handle their produce needs through consistent grower-shipper partners, contract pricing and resources to help its members market produce, according to the release.


text:
Banks cry poor, hike account fees: Are they bluffing?
First, some background: Legislation passed in July gives the Federal Reserve the power to set limits on how much an issuing bank can charge a store when a customer uses that bank's debit card to pay for their purchases. Despite the fact that banks like to market debit cards by saying they're the same as cash but better, this comparison doesn't extend to the merchant's point of view.
Retailers pay a lot to take your debit cards: $22.8 billion each year, according to CardHub.com, which conducted a research project to study the issue. CardHub concluded that if the Fed made big banks lower their fees by 20%, they'd collectively lose $3.6 billion, or $7.30 per card, each year. If fees dropped by 35% on the Fed's order, those figures would be $6.4 billion and $12.84, respectively. Finally, if the Fed cracked down in a really big way and slashed current fees by half, banks would lose $9.1 billion annually, or $18.35 per card.
This article in the Wall Street Journal (generally a pro-bank publication) grabs onto the most dire of CardHub's stats for its analysis, raising the alarm that banks could lose $9 billion a year. In reality, though, this is unlikely, says Odysseas Papadimitriou, founder and CEO of CardHub. "My guess is that they will go conservatively," he tells WalletPop. "I think the 50% is the least likely. I wouldn't be surprised if they act conservatively at 20%, consider the market reaction and go from there," he says.
Nonetheless, banks point to the prospect of these fees as the reason some of them are sharply hiking rates on consumer checking account. The Journal article lists two examples already being rolled out -- a nearly $9 monthly fee on a basic checking account from Bank of America, and an $8 monthly fee on Citi's version -- and accepts the industry's assertion that they're just trying to recoup their losses. But do the math, and another picture emerges.
A year -- that is, 12 months -- times $8 a month is $96. Even under the more dire prediction, in which banks were forced to cut their interchange fees in half (an unlikely scenario), banks would still only be out $18.35 per cardholder. They lose $18.35 at most, and probably something closer to $7.30, and you pay them $96 as a result. Does that seem fair?
Papadimitriou says big banks will try to get around this by switching lower-balance account holders to prepaid debit cards. If you want the ability to still write checks, though (and not get dinged with the many fees that often characterize prepaid cards), there are other options. Small banks are exempt from this new legislation, so Papadimitriou says this means they'll probably step up their game and offer more competitive products -- like checking accounts that don't charge you the price of a paperback book each month.


text:
Trucco provides kiwi 365 days a year
Trucco works with kiwifruit year-round thanks to strong relationships with growers from different regions around the world.
“Kiwifruit is a very important product for the company and is by far the largest product we handle,” said Yasmin Pacia, marketing director for Trucco. “We started handling kiwifruit in 1995, and today we are proud owners of the KiwiStar brand, which is well established among consumers and a state-of-the-art kiwifruit facility from growing to storage to production to distribution — it’s all under our control.”
In addition to offering its KiwiStar kiwifruit brand in Green, Gold and Organic varieties, the Vineland NJ-based company is also one of Zespri’s exclusive distributors and can provide its kiwifruit as well.
“We believe the only way to really make a difference is to supply the best eating kiwi, day in and day out, 365 days a year,” Pacia said. “The key to successful relationships with our growers is to be fair and fully transparent and part of the overall process.”
The way the 2021 season is shaping up Trucco expects things to be behind the numbers its seen in recent years.
“It will be a challenging season — there are short falls in volume from Italy, and extremely high ocean freight costs this year that will contribute to increased prices,” Pacia said. “It’s been challenging from the start of the pandemic, but now we are expecting even greater challenges, especially with labor and transportation issues. It’s been very difficult in terms of a shortage of drivers, equipment, etc.”
The pandemic naturally brought on its own challenges, but a tremendous effort by Trucco’s entire team helped the company adjust and evolve and continue to offer kiwi to its customers.
“Our facility has given us greater control over our distribution and production,” Pacia said. “We could not be happier and proud of the impact this has given to us within the kiwifruit category.”
On the retail front, she recommends that store concentrate more on positioning, noting that front store displays bring higher sales, offering larger packs and increased sales.


text:
It appears that publishers in the gaming industry might not be as trustworthy as we all believe them to be. Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart while talking about the recent success of their Kickstarter game Project Eternity mentioned that they were approached by publishers who wanted them to create Kickstarter projects on their own but let the publishers keep the rights to the games. The trick was that the publishers would publish the games for Obsidian but would then want to retain rights to the game as well:
“We were actually contacted by some publishers over the last few months that wanted to use us to do a Kickstarter. I said to them: ‘So, you want us to do a Kickstarter for, using our name, we then get the Kickstarter money to make the game, you then publish the game, but we then don’t get to keep the brand we make and we only get a portion of the profits.’ They said, ‘Yes’.”
Urquhart went on to defend the publishers as just trying to find ways to fund more creative games, and not just the same old first person shooter sequels we are getting now:
“I think they were trying, honestly, to be able to do something with us and they felt that was the easiest way to do it. They would then not need to go get budget approved and deal with the challenge of that. What I don’t think they did was to think about our side of it and what they were really asking.”
Urquhart wouldn’t name any publisher names but this behavior doesn’t surprise me in the least. I think Urquhart was being much to nice about defending the publishers who were trying this method of basically funding a game for free.
I think the bigger issue is, should we now be more suspicious when major video game developers like Obsidian try to sell us their Kickstarter project. Publishers like EA have talked about funding games through Kickstarter before, but usually as something upfront not like this where they have someone else do it for them and reap all the benefits without the risk.
However, all this has not stopped Obsidian’s Project Eternity from raising more than 1.8 million dollars in funds, and there is still twenty-five days to go.


text:
Mobile search ad clicks grew 230 percent in the past year, according to Performics.
Ten percent of online search ads were served to mobile devices in March, and those devices accounted for 9.8 percent of ad clicks over the same period, according to data from Performics.
The Publicis-owned search agency aggregated its clients' data for the first three months of 2011, and estimated that mobile search impressions grew by 195 percent on a year-over-year basis to reach 9.6 percent of all search ads in Q1 2011.
Growth in clicks on mobile ads outpaced that of impressions, increasing 230 percent over the same period. Meanwhile clicks from desktops grew more modestly, by 13.7 percent year-over-year.
Increases in both ad impressions and clicks via mobile devices reflects their continued proliferation throughout the U.S., as well as increasing marketer investment in the channel. As users' search behavior migrates from the desktop, so too are search advertisers, the data suggests.
On the heels of a fantastic event in New York City, ClickZ Live is taking the fun and learning to Toronto, June 23-25. With over 15 years' experience delivering industry-leading events, ClickZ Live offers an action-packed, educationally-focused agenda covering all aspects of digital marketing. Register today!
Want to learn more? Join us at ClickZ Live San Francisco, Aug 10-12!
Educating marketers for over 15 years, ClickZ Live brings together industry thought leaders from the largest brands and agencies to deliver the most advanced, educational digital marketing agenda. Register today and save $500!
Jack Marshall was a staff writer and stats editor for ClickZ News from 2007 until August 2011.
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce
This Magic Quadrant examines leading digital commerce platforms that enable organizations to build digital commerce sites. These commerce platforms facilitate purchasing transactions over the Web, and support the creation and continuing development of an online relationship with a consumer.
Paid Search in the Mobile Era
Google reports that paid search ads are currently driving 40+ million calls per month. Cost per click is increasing, paid search budgets are growing, and mobile continues to dominate. It's time to revamp old search strategies, reimagine stale best practices, and add new layers data to your analytics.
June 10, 2015
12:00pm ET/9:00am PT


text:
HMRC adds to no deal Brexit import information
The government has announced plans to phase in for EU imports the pre-arrival forms known as entry summary declarations, if the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal deal, in a bid to ease trading arrangements post-Brexit
19 Feb 2019
Officials held a series of meetings with organisations who represent the haulage industry and handle a significant portion of the UK’s cross border trade, to confirm that from 29 March, the status quo will be temporarily maintained and they will not need to submit entry summary declarations on imports for a period of six months.
Currently entry summary declarations are not required when importing goods from the EU. They will continue to apply for trade from the rest of the world.
The measure is designed to give business more time to prepare for changes to EU-UK trade arrangements in the event that the UK leaves without a deal. This builds on the plans that transitional simplified procedures (TSP) can be used for at least 15 months for customs declarations.
Mel Stride, financial secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘We’ve listened to businesses and are responding to their concerns.
‘We have been adamant that in the event of no deal, trade must continue at our borders, and we will continue to make our borders secure.
‘Maintaining continuity with the current system for the first six months and phasing entry summary declarations in will ensure we deliver on that promise.’
The new rules only apply to goods coming from the EU, and will maintain the status quo for carriers. Importers will still be required to submit import declarations for customs purposes – which are not the same as entry summary declarations.
After the six-month transitional period, carriers will be legally responsible for ensuring entry summary declarations are submitted pre-arrival to HMRC at the time specified by mode of transport.
Report by Pat Sweet


text:
Japanese Chat App Line could soon Integrate Cryptocurrencies
Jan 12, 2018 Posted / 3636 Views
From last few days, the Japanese media has been discussing that Line one of the most popular chat app in Japan with 168 million active monthly users has could soon amalgamate cryptocurrencies in its mobile payment service. According to the reports circulating in the media, the company is conversing with a large number of companies to integrate cryptocurrencies into Line Pay.
Line is regarded as one of the most admired messaging apps in Japan was launched in 2014, and is operated by Line Corp. The integration of cryptocurrencies into its platform will give a huge boost to digital currencies adoption in the country.
As per the opinion of the people recognizable to the matter and familiar with company dealings, the Tokyo-based company is setting up deliberations with numerous companies on the utilization of cryptocurrencies for payment services including Line Pay. The company additionally mentions that their “broader goal is to create products that keep users within Line’s ecosystem and keep them coming back to the app, increasing stickiness.”
Read More Related Articles
Line Pay is a service, which has been added as for completing the user’s mobile payments and is integrated into the chat app itself. According to one website called Mobile World Live, it has signed deals with over 30 banks across Japan to facilitate in the immediate transactions using its platform. In May 2017, Line Pay accumulated 30 million users in Japan.
The statistics provided in the Japanese news media state that Line has a market capitalization of ¥1.2 trillion (~USD$10.75 billion). The Line app at present has about 168 million monthly active users in its major markets of Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Line has not yet announced that it will associate with which companies and has been maintaining it is still in the discussion period. Nevertheless, as per the reports of Bloomberg, there is speculation that it will probably associate with South Korean bitcoin exchange Upbit. Conversely, an official for Line has refused to comment on the matter and a possible alliance with Upbit.
Upbit, a South Korean exchange is supported and managed by Kakao Corporation and is the operator of the country’s most popular chat app called Kakao Talk.
Since the time it was launched in October, Upbit has swiftly garnered market share in South Korea. In December last year, the platform asserted that its volumes have exceeded those of Bithumb, which was South Korea’s biggest exchange by volume before Upbit. There are at present over 120 coins listed on Upbit, which can be owed to a partnership with the US-based exchange, Bittrex.
Recently there has been an increasing trend that can be seen that many of chat apps around the world are beginning to take notice about cryptocurrencies. Previously this week, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology could probably be added to Facebook’s platform.
Applancer is an open platform for discussion on all things like Blockchain , Cryptocurrency and Ico news updates. As such, the opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Applancer .
Hottest Blockchain Newsletter
For updates and exclusive offers, enter your e-mail below.


text:
The Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia reported that three operators are removing fees for Internet distribution.
MegaFon has already done this from October 23 on all tariffs. Over the course of the month, we may observe technical changes due to the cancellation of options.
Tele2 will cancel the service for new subscribers from November 22. And from December 19 it will be removed for all clients.
Beeline will cancel commissions on all tariffs with limited Internet packages until December 1. As for unlimited tariffs, they are fixed within a specified period.
MTS doesn’t give up that easily. The company notified the FAS that it does not infringe on the rights of its paid Internet distribution subscribers.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.


text:
The timing of the letter is interesting. Yesterday, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an investigation into the safety of Tesla Autopilot. The package of semi-autonomous driving assistants is said to have played a role in several Tesla collisions with stationary ambulances and police cars.
The name Tesla Autopilot has been criticized for some time (it may not be used in Germany). The designation would be misleading and suggest that the system can do much more than it actually can. Many non-automotive media incorrectly characterize Tesla's as 'self-driving'. That is far from a Tesla, not even with the so-called Full Self-Driving option.
And so two US senators want an official investigation by the stock watchdog FTC into deception. "Tesla's marketing has repeatedly exaggerated the capabilities of its vehicles," they write. "And these claims are a threat to the safety of motorists and other road users."
Want to stay informed about the developments in this Tesla case?
Sign up for the Auto Review newsletter
"We believe that Tesla Autopilot and the Full Self-Driving option are not as mature and reliable as Tesla would lead the public to believe. On April 22, 2019, Tesla uploaded a video to YouTube entitled 'Full Self-Driving', in which a Tesla Tesla CEO Elon Musk has bragged several times about Tesla's systems. In July 2020 and January 2021, Musk said Tesla's cars will reach Level 5 autonomy very soon."
And that claim is incorrect. Even Tesla has brushed off Musk's comments as nonsense. However, the problem, according to the senators, is that Tesla and Musk's messages are reaching a huge audience. "The Full Self-Driving video has been viewed 18 million times. And that while Tesla hides the disclaimers about Autopilot and Full Self-Driving somewhere deep on its website. The link below the video points to a sales page, on which no nuanced information is given. about the true capabilities of the car."
Backyard Jr. is known for its pursuit of excellence in classic whisky blending. Backyard Jr.… Read More
All leather covered by hand Excellent rhombus texture The interior renovation of this third-generation Japanese-standard… Read More
Compared with modifying the appearance, chassis or power, it is actually more comfortable to remodel… Read More


text:
ARLINGTON, Va. -- The line stretches back from a locked gate, past the Washington Redskins store and the World Hats Embroidery kiosk. There are office managers and members of the Coast Guard, clad in Yankees caps and University of Miami jerseys. Here in the nation's capital -- well, make that a suburban shopping mall -- a group of constituents stands united. Only they aren't casting ballots, picketing the White House or ambling onto a tour bus.
Nope. They're simply waiting to buy a video game.
Not just any video game. Madden NFL '06.
"Everybody plays Madden," says Will Tucker, 19, an Arlington resident. "Everybody who knows football, talks football, loves football. Madden is the Bible."
When the Founding Fathers gave us the right to peaceful assembly, they probably didn't have this in mind. Then again, Jefferson and Co. probably didn't envision dudes in Stormtrooper armor camping out for "Star Wars," either. The price of freedom is what freedom brings -- in this case, about three dozen guys (and they're almost all guys) camped around an Electronics Boutique, counting down the seconds till midnight, itching to snag the latest installment of a game that will deluge the nation's retailers in about eight hours.
But never mind that. It's Madden. It's football. Why wait?
"It's all about having it first," says Vic Turner, 33, who lives in District Heights, Md. "I called in sick for tomorrow. Don't go saying it too loud. I work really close to here."
Melvin Ludacka stands by the gate. He has milled around for more than an hour, jonesed for Madden for what seems like forever (in reality: the six months since he tired of last year's game). If everything goes according to plan, Ludacka will head home, grab a controller and spend the rest of the day on the virtual gridiron, occasionally pausing to use the bathroom.
Needless to say, he won't be in the office today. Or for the rest of the week.
"I took leave for the whole week to play Madden," says Ludacka, 26, who serves in the Coast Guard and works in an adjacent building. "My wife is at home in bed right now. She said, 'You're childish.' I said, 'Expect the same next year.'
"After this, I'll go to 7-11, get a Double Gulp of Mountain Dew. That's all I need."
Hundreds of midnight release parties. Thousands of games sold. Countless calls to the office, embellished by fake, wheezing coughs. For the Madden faithful -- possibly you; probably someone you know -- today is more than the start of a new virtual season. It's an unofficial national holiday, akin to the Super Bowl and vastly superior to, say, Arbor Day.
Plant a tree? Please. Will a tree let you set stadium hot dog prices in franchise mode?
"I'll probably stay up for three days," Tucker says. "This is better than Christmas."
No kidding. Christmas lasts only a single day.
He's getting too old for this. That's what he tells himself. Every year, George Tennant Jr. ponders giving up Madden; every year, he finds himself back in line, pre-order slip in hand. The game has that effect on people. So does crack cocaine.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.
"Sometimes I see older guys in line and I feel like I should be doing something else," Tennant admits. "But I can think of a lot worse habits to have. In my line of work, I see people with real addiction problems. So I think I'm OK."
In 12-step lingo, this is called rationalization.
A 36-year-old criminal defense attorney from Houston, Tennant played Madden on the Commodore 128. He played in college for pizza money. He's still playing. Hobby, habit, same difference. His work calendar reads as follows.
AUG. 9 AND 10 -- MADDEN HOLIDAY. NO COURT APPEARANCES.
"I clear my docket," Tennant says. "If you plan ahead, it's really easy to do. I'll just say there's a conflict; and under Texas rules, you don't have to say what it is."
"It's genuinely in the best interest of my clients," he adds, "because if I'm in court, I'll be distracted."
And at home? Put it this way: Tennant has a wife and three children, ages 7, 5 and 2. The 7-year-old loves playing Madden with Dad. Everyone else in the house hates the game.
Actually, hate might be an understatement.
"The ad that EA [Sports] has with the Madden widows? That's my wife," Tennant says. "When Madden comes out, I lock myself in the [game] room for about three days."
Tennant's behavior is hardly unusual. Twisted, perhaps, in a Fortress of Solitude sort of way. But commonplace, nonetheless.
Consider the numbers. Last year, the NFL's Kickoff Weekend drew approximately 1.1 million fans. By comparison, retailers sold 2.1 million copies of Madden in August, more than half of those during the game's first week on the market, according to the NPD Group.
Small wonder, then, that hundreds of Electronics Boutique and Blockbuster Game Rush stores remained open late last night, many holding Madden release parties with food and music.
"Every year, Madden is one of our most important titles," says Joe Carey, Electronics Boutique district manager for Northern Virginia. "It warrants the midnight opening. People want to wait in line. And they're probably not going to work tomorrow."
Tell that to Jordan Edelstein. A marketing manager at EA Sports, the company that produces Madden, Edelstein once sold children's snack food for General Mills. He says his current job is more of the same -- only now, the kids in question have families and mortgages.
Last year, EA Sports ran ads poking fun at "Madden Widows" and calling for a "National Madden Vacation Day." For Madden '06, the company rolled out an online sick day excuse generator that was only half-joking.
At age 33, Edelstein can relate. When he interviewed with EA Sports, his résumé included a bullet point reading, led Rutgers to back-to-back national championships in NCAA Football.
"If you're buying Madden in the first two minutes of the day, you're either taking the day off or pulling an all-nighter," he says. "People are entertained by our ads. They don't think it's freakish."
Of course not. Freakish would involve risking one's life -- or maybe going to another country -- to get Madden as early as possible. Dan Onysechuk did both.
Four years ago, Onysechuk and two friends drove from Toronto to Buffalo for a midnight Madden sale. Anticipating heavy rain, they brought along a PS2 game console. Just in case.
"The storm was huge, so we ended up staying in a hotel," recalls Onysechuk, 22, a Toronto resident. "Really seedy, didn't smell nice, dimly lit. Like something you would expect from a horror movie. We stayed there for two days, playing Madden. It's sad.
"People were wondering where we were."
Onysechuk and his buddies have made the same trip -- sans fleabag hotel -- three years running. Drive an hour and a half. Stop at Buffalo's famed Anchor Bar for some wings. Pick up Madden. Drive back.
They planned to go last night, too, which makes perfect sense considering that Madden releases later in Canada.
"Actually, it comes out the same day," Onysechuk says. "We just don't want to wait the extra eight hours."
Oops. Perhaps unsurprisingly, trekking to Buffalo is only the second craziest thing Onysechuk has done for Madden. The first? While working for a maintenance company in 2002, Onysechuck approached his supervisor, red-eyed and ashen.
Sir, my grandmother has passed away. Sniff.
Nearly two weeks of bereavement leave ensued. Onysechuk played Madden the whole time.
"In retrospect, maybe that wasn't the best thing to do," he says with a laugh. "Especially since my grandmother is still alive."
James Zuch used to call in sick, too. Lately, though, the 32-year-old sales representative from Sanborn, N.Y., wonders whether his Madden addiction is a bit much.
Zuch runs a side business in photography and Web design. It eats up his free time. At the office, coworkers tease him: Oh, you have the Madden sickness, huh?
"I asked for the day off this year," he says. "They say, 'It's the busy season; is this important?' I'm like, 'Yeah, Madden's coming out.' I'm starting to feel a little weird."
This year, Zuch swears, he plans to leave work only a few hours early. With good reason.
"I have a fiancé now," he says with a laugh. "After Madden comes out, I might lose that."
The call came on a Saturday afternoon. Sandy Sandoval was sitting on his couch, watching the first day of the NFL Draft. During a commercial break, EA Sports ran a teaser for its next-generation Madden game, a digital Donovan McNabb tossing a touchdown to Terrell Owens.
Twenty minutes passed. Ring! Sandoval answered his phone. On the line? Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich.
Sandy, I got to get that.
Byron, calm down. The game doesn't come out for months.
No, I have to get that right now.
"I couldn't believe it," recalls Sandoval, EA Sports' director of athlete relations. "He kept going on about it. Then I ran into Byron at the ESPYs. It wasn't even, 'Hey, how are you?' It's just, 'Where's my Madden?'"
One might assume that after a long professional season, NFL players would turn elsewhere for their digital amusement -- shooting space aliens, perhaps, or maybe the Nazi undead. Uh-uh. Turns out Leftwich and company are as hooked on Madden as everyone else. And when it comes to scoring the game, they have one great advantage over the average fan.
They can get on Sandoval's list.
"Michael Vick called me over the weekend," Sandoval said last week. "He's on the list. I sent him the game. He called me back and thanked me. Then he asked for three more copies."
For Madden aficionados, the only thing better than getting the game at midnight is getting it days in advance. And the best way to secure an early copy is through Sandoval. Every year, he gets about 100 units of the game, weeks before the official release date.
Soon after, his cell phone starts ringing. Chad Johnson. Carson Palmer. Ray Lewis. Ben Roethlisberger. As many as 20 calls a day.
Santa Claus endures less pestering.
"You have to be careful," Sandoval says. "It's like opening a can of worms. If you send one copy to a team, you'll get everyone calling you."
Sandoval isn't exaggerating. Last year, he gave a preview copy of Madden to Oakland's Jerry Porter, touching off a locker room bidding war. One teammate offered Porter $1,500 for the game.
When Page 2 approached Clinton Portis at the Washington Redskins' training camp last week to talk Madden, the running back had a single, burning question. Do you have Sandy's number?
(For the record: We passed it on. Good luck, CP).
"Man, they won't put me on the cover," Portis lamented. "I'm about to stop dealing with EA. Next year, I need to be on the cover."
"This year, an early copy would do just fine."
With demand outstripping supply, Sandoval prioritizes. First on his list is Philadelphia's Michael Lewis, reigning champion of the Madden Bowl, an all-NFL player video game tournament hosted by EA Sports during Super Bowl week. Next comes this year's coverboy, Donovan McNabb, followed by athletes who have worked with the company.
Then there are the coaches. Think Marvin Lewis, Jim Haslett (whom Sandoval dubs "his main man"). Bill Cowher's daughter plays Madden. So does Andy Reid's son.
True story: About a month ago, Reid and Sandoval were chatting on the phone.
Sandoval: "Andy, you owe me. You look nice and slim in this year's Madden."
Reid: "Sandy, I gotta get a copy. I want my wife to see how I looked in my heyday."
With that, Sandoval cracks up. At age 49, he's grateful -- if a bit amazed -- to push a product that mostly sells itself. Eight years ago, he worked for Easton Sports, peddling hockey shafts and baseball gloves in locker rooms around the country; today, the pros come to him.
Case in point: A few years back, one of Sandoval's coworkers had a neighbor who played college football. The kid wanted an office tour. Sandoval obliged, gave him some free games, sat him down in his office. On the back wall were autographed photos of Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammad Ali.
"Sandy, I want to get on your wall," the kid said.
"Well, you've got to be a pretty big hitter to get up there," Sandoval replied.
More recently, the two met again -- this time at the Pro Bowl. The kid's name? Tom Brady.
"He says, 'Let's take a picture right now, so I can get on your wall,'" Sandoval said. "I was a little embarrassed."
Comes with the territory. When Sony released the PS2 in the fall of 2000, Sandoval took a call from Kevin Spacey. Thinking it was a prank, he hung up on the actor. Not once. Not twice. Three times.
Today, Sandoval knows better. Andy Roddick, Snoop Dogg, the guys from "Entourage" and the Anaheim Angels are among those who have contacted EA Sports, asking -- read: begging -- for an advance copy of Madden.
"The Angels PR director wanted one for their clubhouse," says Wendy Spander, a senior PR manager at EA Sports. "They're jonesing. And these guys are in a pennant race. We don't even answer our phones right now."
No one, it seems, is immune.
"Donovan McNabb told us his teammates are hitting him up for copies," Spander added. "Just because he's on the cover. It's like they think he keeps a stash in his car."
Like Spander, Will Kinsler doesn't answer his phone. Not when Madden is about to drop.
The Web master of a popular Madden Web site, maddennation.com, Kinsler receives preview copies of the game. Last year, he posted movies and impressions on his site. Readers wanted more. Kinsler had a listed number.
In came the calls, one after the next.
What are the Redskins rated?
Can you get me a copy?
You live in Maryland. So do I. Can I come over to your house and play?
"I had to unplug the phone," says Kinsler, 23, a resident of Glen Burnie, Md. "Our site has close to 30,000 members. Some of them are pretty straightforward about what it is they want to do."
Kinsler has a wife and two daughters. He used to sell mortgages, work in a luggage store. Not anymore. The Madden site is his full-time job. Don't laugh: He and partner Fred Villaruel also work on strategy guides for the game and broadcast a weekly Internet radio show that draws 1,500 listeners a pop.
Are they making a fortune? No. Is Kinsler getting by? Yes.
Does Villaruel, 26, plan to open a gaming center in his hometown of Valparaiso, Ind.? You bet.
"If someone had told me that I'd be making a living off this, I wouldn't have believed them," Kinsler says. "But it's become a source of income, as opposed to something where I'm ignoring my family. My kids love the game. They don't fully understand what is going on. But they know it's good."
So good, in fact, that when rapper B-Real of Cypress Hill heard that Kinsler's site was putting together a Madden-themed mixtape, he offered to contribute a track. Gratis. Such is the fervor surrounding the game, a fervor that inspired Kinsler to start an online petition asking Congress to make Madden's release day a national holiday.
The petition's Web site, maddenholiday.com, boasts 753 signatures. Among the accompanying comments:
"Madden is more than a game. It's a way of life."
"I've called in sick for 13 years now :("
"I need this, my boss may be getting suspicious."
"American children have great hand-eye coordination thanks to Madden."
"We can just replace Mothers' Day with Madden Day."
"My fantasy football buddies think Madden is cute, tell me to go play on my Nintendo," Tennant says. "But I'm gonna have the last laugh. When we're 50 and everybody is playing EA football, I'll be the one stomping them." "In my generation, everybody wanted to play guitar after 'Purple Rain' came out. Well, there's gonna be some movie that does the same for Madden. It will be a 'Rudy' for nerds."
Dare to dream. In the meantime, a national Madden Day might not be as far-fetched as it seems -- certainly no more ludicrous than Prince as a motorcycle-straddling tough guy. After all, Congress already takes August off. And greeting card companies will get behind anything.
(National Boss' Day? Are you kidding?)
Better yet, politicians seem to be coming around. On Monday, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush paid a visit to EA Tiburon, the Orlando-based studio that produces Madden. Gamemakers surprised Bush with a special in-game video that pitted his digital likeness against that of his presidential brother.
Say this for the man who could become our next commander-in-chief: He knows a good photo op -- and a popular cause -- when he sees one.
"I don't think a national holiday will ever happen," Villaruel says with a sigh. "But if there's one thing that connects everyone, it's Madden."
Sure seems like it. After appearing at Tiburon, Bush was given a commemorative football -- and two copies of the game.
If the governor calls in sick today, you'll know why.
Read the full article at ESPN.com


text:
Sony Online Entertainment announced that more than 20 million users have registered for Free Realms since its launch in 2009.
“This benchmark is an honor and a true testament of SOE’s succe... Read More
SOE has revealed that Free Realms has surpassed 10 million players!
“Reaching 10 million registered players on the eve of Free Realms’ first birthday is an incredibly exciting event for SOE and... Read More
Sony Online Entertainment today announced that its family-friendly online game, Free Realms, has surpassed nine million registered players.
“With Free Realms, we’ve been able to reflect the n... Read More
Free Realms, the free MMO launched last year, has already managed to acquire an impressive 8m registered users.
According to John Smedly of Sony Online Entertainment, the success is due to heavily ... Read More
Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms has reached a new landmark. Over one million people have signed up for the game just about two weeks after launch. Satisfied by its success SOE announced that... Read More


text:
In just a bit more than 100 days in England, Liverpool’s new-boy from Germany has already started negotiating deals and signing endorsement contracts in the country.
The 48 year old has signed a multi-year contract with German beer company Warsteiner. He is now set to be the face of face of the North Rhine-Westphalia-based brewer’s non-alcoholic Warsteiner Fresh brand in the UK.
The Germany’s largest private owned brewery has announced that it is set to launch a new campaign in April. The financial terms of the agreement are yet to be released.
“I am particularly pleased about this partnership because I associate the taste of Warsteiner with home,” said Klopp. “My grandparents owned a small brewery and I do enjoy a good beer.
“I am a German football coach and one of the ambassadors of our national sport, just like Warsteiner beer is one of the best ambassadors for the German beer tradition.”
Klopp was a huge success at the German club Borussia Dortmund before moving to England and signing a deal with Liverpool. He won 2 Bundesliga titles with Dortmund and took them to the Champions League final in 2013.
Catharina Cramer, the Warsteiner owner, added: “Jurgen Klopp is a perfect brand ambassador for our non-alcoholic premium beers. He is straightforward, authentic and close to the people. In particular, his passion is in line with our brand philosophy.
“He is a popular figure and we are thrilled that we will work together with Jurgen Klopp.”
Klopp however has a tough task at hand to take Liverpool to a top 4 finish after a January without a single win in the Premier League so far.


text:
Having revealed the PlayStation 5 logo at the CES 2020 tech show in January, Sony is now all set to host its next PS5 event on June 4th. The company has now also confirmed that the upcoming console will come with a number of exclusive games that won’t be playable on older hardware. This was revealed by PlayStation boss, Jim Ryan, who said that buyers of the new console will get “something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5”.
In an interview to GamesIndustry, he said: “We have always said that we believe in generations. We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, that it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features”.
With a custom AMD 3.5GHz CPU based on the Zen 2 architecture and a custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU, the PlayStation 5 is obviously expected to be more powerful than the 7-year-old PlayStation 4. However, the complete unavailability of some new titles on the older device is likely more of a marketing strategy than a true reflection of the actual hardware strength of the two devices.
Either way, Ryan didn’t reveal anything further about any new titles, but at Sony’s corporate strategy meeting earlier this month, CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said that the company will soon reveal a compelling line-up of games for the upcoming console. According to rumors, launch titles for the PS5 may include Watch Dogs Legion, Godfall, FIFA 21 and Battlefield. An untitled Harry Potter RPG could also be an exclusive at launch.


text:
E-mail this story
More supermarkets refuse to sell 'pink slime' in their meat
The federal government and the beef industry say “pink slime” is safe for human consumption, but more supermarket chains across the country are saying they won’t sell the ammonia-treated meat.
Web reporter, David Knowles
March 19, 2012


text:
Market Street protecting parking with towing policy
Market Street General Manager Harold Dull wants to make sure his customers have access to the 2,000 parking spots available at the shopping center.
"As we grow, we need to make sure people are aware of our parking policies," Dull said.
There have been some problems with individuals parking at Market Street who are attending events at other Town Center locations, Dull said.
Market Street has put up signs stating that it will tow vehicles of patrons who park there and are seen walking off the premises to another venue.
"If they ignore the sign, they will have to face the consequences of their car not being there when they get back."
Valet parking is not included in the policy, Dull said.
"When they pay their money, I feel it's my responsibility to allow them to stay," he said.
Visitors are allowed to park in Market Street lots if the special event is sponsored by the retail center, Dull said.
He said the parking policy includes people who eat at restaurants in Market Street, then leave to go somewhere else in Town Center.
"We want them to move after they're done here," he said. "While they're here, we want to give them a phenomenal experience. But after they leave, they're someone else's patron."
Market Street is located across Woodloch Forest Drive from The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, which can draw more than 10,000 patrons for concerts at the venue.
Many Pavilion visitors shop or dine at Market Street and around The Woodlands Mall prior to attending concerts and other vents, said Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO of the Pavilion.
"With most of our events starting at 8 p.m., I don't think they (shopping areas) will turn over their parking again," he said.
The Pavilion has about 4,000 spaces for its patrons. The spaces are spread out over five free lots on the southwest side and a paid parking garage on Pavilion grounds.
MacDonald said a vehicle averages bringing three people to the Pavilion for an event, which means the parking spaces would accommodate an average of 12,000 visitors. The Pavilion has a capacity of 16,150 people.
"There are only five shows that we're expecting to have more than 12,000," MacDonald said.
The Woodlands Mall has a similar policy regarding individuals parking there for other events.
"Mall parking is for mall patrons while they're here shopping," said Jill Liccioni, general manager at the mall.
Nick Wolda, vice president of marketing and public affairs for the Town Center Improvement District, said it is recommended that customers park in whatever establishment they are utilizing.
"Ultimately, you don't control the consumer, but you do the best you can to direct them," he said.
Market Street has its security force give cards with an explanation of a particular policy if a visitor has an issue with it, Dull said.
"The cards have my name and phone number on them," he said.
Hopefully once people are given an explanation of the policies, they will understand, Dull said.
The last resort for Market Street would be to charge for all parking and validate it for customers, he said.
Dull can be reached at Market Street at (281) 419-3247.
Burton Speakman can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
Mobile phones (and particularly smartphones) are growing in popularity, and survey data released in June by the US National Health Information Survey (NHIS) reveals that more and more American households are abandoning their landlines and going wireless-only. In fact, from H1 2008 to H2 2011, the proportion of wireless-only households almost doubled, from 17.5% to 34%. At the same time, the percentage of homes with a landline phone (either with or without an accompanying cellphone) decreased from 79.1% to 63.6%.
The percentage of children living in wireless-only households is also growing, up from 17% in H1 2008 to 38.1% in H2 2011, while the percentage of children living in households with a landline has fallen from 80% to 59.5% in that period. This drop is reflected in American teens’ communication habits. According to a Pew report released in March 2012, just 14% of all teens said they talk to friends on a landline phone on a daily basis, down from 30% in 2009. At the same time, 31% said they never talk to friends on a landline, up from 19% who indicated this in 2009.
Americans without landline phones are also more likely to have cut the TV cord, according to June 2012 survey results from TechBargains.com. Among respondents who had discarded their landline phone, 36% have cut the cable cord, compared to 16% who maintain their landlines. Read the rest at MarketingCharts.


text:
THE Bank of Zambia says December 1, 2012 has been set aside for vendors and chain stores to start pricing their goods with the rebased currency.
BoZ regional office director Chisha Mwanakatwe said during a press briefing on the kwacha rebasing exercise that duo pricing that commences on December 1 was voluntary while mandatory dual pricing would commence on January 1, 2013.
He said the voluntary duo pricing was meant to help the general public appreciate and understand the values of the new notes to be introduced on January 1, 2013.
Mwanakatwe said the old currency would cease to be legal tender on July 31, 2013 but would still remain available for exchange at commercial banks for a further one year.
"From 1st July 2014 to 31st December 2015, exchange of the currency will only take place at BoZ and designated agents, and no one should charge anything for changing money. There is no commission for changing this money. It's free of charge, and if anyone says let me change for you at this per cent, that is illegal," he said.
Mwanakatwe also said the central bank has put adequate security measures in place that would make it very difficult for unscrupulous individuals to print counterfeit money.
"Counterfeiters are becoming more and more sophisticated with the nature of photocopying machinery today but we'll make it very difficult for them to lessen this vice, of course you cannot completely eradicate it," he said.
Mwanakatwe said the country's inflation rate today was reasonably low to allow for the re-introduction of coins in the economy.
- Manhood enlargement goes wrong for Katete man
- Sata mourns Liwewe
- Mihova turns down land offer for eliminating Mailoni brothers
- Paddy Blues hosts B-Flow, Macky 2
- UPND careless, naive - Nawakwi
- Scott explains fuel price increase
- It's a joyous Easter - Sata
- Sata did not want Mulenga to head any PF organ - Chumbwe
- Lusaka, Kitwe bus operators oppose fare hikes
- KK richest man in terms of friendship - Chinese ambassador


text:
Walmart is creating mini stores on wheels for a travel company that rents out tiny cabins in remote places— see inside the General Store
The "General Store by Walmart" will have the same matte black exterior synonymous with Getaway's Instagrammable cabins.
Elon Musk said he uses a prototype, prefab tiny house from Boxabl as a guest house. See inside the little dwelling.
A hospitality company that creates off-grid luxury tiny home stays just launched its newest offering — see inside the Maldhi
Eyre.Way's first model has been almost completely booked out since its launch in 2021 as travelers have flocked to unique remote accommodations.
Danish startup 3DCP Group's first project was built using COBOD's popular BOD2 printer. The team only had five weeks to complete the tiny home.
I'm a 42-year-old who lives in an ADU in my parents' backyard because I didn't want to splash out for a pricey California home. Here's how I set it up.
Vu-Bang Nguyen spent $250,000 on the tiny home, or ADU, which allowed him to cut housing costs long-term and gave him the flexibility to travel more.
A Georgia couple lived in a Home Depot shed turned tiny home while paying off their debts before selling it for a huge profit.
A European hospitality startup using tiny homes as boutique remote hotel rooms is seeing huge success — see inside its cabins
Raus hasn't been in operation for a full year but the startup is already seeing near full occupancy, its cofounder told Insider.
A New York startup creating $150,000 off-grid modular portable hotel rooms is opening its first resort near NYC — see what it'll be like
Travelers have been flocking to atypical accommodations, but Moliving's CEO doesn't see its hotel room "on wheels" as a replacement for the traditional hotel.
The Camp Margaritaville RV resort location in Auburndale, Florida has 60 "cabana cabin" tiny homes for guests who didn't arrive in an RV. Take a look.
A startup is building prefab solar-powered backyard tiny homes that can supply excess energy to the main home — take a closer look at the units
Cosmic uses a standardized modular prefabricated building system to cut time, waste, and money. It currently has two models: a studio and a one-bedroom.
At nearly 800 square feet, the houseboat is larger than many apartments in London and costs around $223,000.
The houseboat is spacious enough to live on comfortably, and has a kitchen, living area, bedroom, bathroom, and terrace.
The accessory dwelling unit and its 2,000-square-foot home counterpart were printed at the same time in eight days.
San Francisco debuted its first 70-unit prefab tiny home village to help solve the city's homelessness crisis— see inside the structures
Cities are increasingly using prefab tiny home villages house people facing homelessness. In 2021, Los Angeles opened six multimillion-dollar villages.
A Seattle nonprofit is using Airbnb's model to put prefab tiny homes in backyards to shelter the homeless — see what they're like
Unlike the tiny home villages that have been popping up around cities like Los Angeles, the Block Project's tiny homes are permanent housing units.
A luxury tiny home company's CEO says demand 'exploded' during COVID-19 — see inside its most popular $95,000 unit
New Frontier Design's tiny homes range from $95,000 to $209,000, but these high prices aren't stopping buyer interest.
A European architecture firm made a $50,000 portable tiny home out of shipping containers — see inside
Wiercinski-studio's prefabricated little home was made out of two shipping containers. The home was then trucked and craned to its current location.
Ikea Japan is leasing the tiny apartment in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for just 99 Japanese yen (about $0.86) per month.
The million-dollar beachside home sold for above its initial $988,000 listing price. To compare, the tiny house last sold for $250,000 in 1999.
A Washington company is creating $5,500 prefab tiny homes that can be setup in under one hour to help solve the homelessness crisis — take a look
The tiny homes come with security features, beds, shelves, air conditioning units, heaters, and the potential for desks.


text:
After Xiaomi, another Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has entered India's financial services sector with the launch of Realme PaySa, an app-based platform that will have four businesses across lending, savings, payment and protection space.
Realme PaySa will offer digital personal loans up to Rs 1 lakh and digital SME loans up to Rs 5 lakh in partnership with fintech players Early Salary and LendingKart for personal loans and business loans, respectively. The interest rate will range between 14-36 per cent for individuals and 11-24 per cent for businesses on reducing basis, says Varun Sridhar, Lead, Realme PaySa.
The company will also offer mutual funds, screen damage insurance (for Realme phones) and credit reports. Details on mutual funds are awaited. As for insurance, the premium will vary based on the age of the phone and the phone model. For example, if a customer has a Realme 5 Pro phone priced at Rs 12,999 and she wants screen protection for 12 months, she will have two options - one-time screen damage for Rs 445 and two-time screen damages for Rs 515. is PaySa's has partnered with ICICI Lombard for its insurance services.
In partnership with CreditMantri, PaySa will offer credit reports having information such as credit score, summary of each loan account, loan level details, debt income ratio and repayment track records. The first three credit reports will be free, while the company is yet to decide the pricing strategy for beyond three reports. PaySa will also have a payment platform that will let consumers pay bills and transfer money.
"We aim to acquire 25 million customers over the next two years by making mainstream financial products accessible to consumers in emerging India," says Sridhar.
"We shall be targeting young Indian users aged between 18 and 30 years, enticing them with seamless delivery of financial products and riding on the back of tech-led innovation. Complete data security will prove to be our key strengths in this endeavour," he adds.
Unlike Realme, Xiaomi only offers personal loans up to Rs 1 lakh. It has partnered with NBFC Aditya Birla Finance Ltd and fintech start-ups such as Money View, EarlySalary, Zestmoney and CreditVidya. Its payment app Mi Pay was launched in March 2018. The company has plans to expand into other segments of financial services as well.
Should you avail such services?
Anuj Kacker, Coo and Co-Founder of fintech NBFC MoneyTap says people should be wary of Chinese handset manufactures coming up with financial services, especially lending. "You must check where the money is coming from. If they have collaborated with RBI-registered NBFCs or banks, it is fine. But if they have unknown lending partners offering payday loans, it could be a problem. They might set up shops and move away after sometime," says Kacker.
Shweta Jain, founder, Investography says while platform is not a big issue, everything boils down to guided financial goals to avoid debt trap. "For customers who know why they are borrowing or where they are investing, these platforms are fine from the execution point of view. But, they must make a comparison based on costs involved and user experience," Jain says.
Copyright©2023 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


text:
Disney Interactive delivers Disney-Themed Starter Pack and Disney originals figures in time for the Holidays
Disney Interactive just announced the availability of the Disney Infinity: Toy Box Starter Pack (2.0 Edition), a special Disney-themed Starter Pack featuring fan favorites Merida and Stitch and new Toy Box Games set in the worlds of “Lilo and Stitch” and “Brave,”. The company also announced the launch of its Disney Originals figures including Donald Duck, Tinker Bell, Maleficent and Aladdin, as well as Hiro and Baymax from the upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Big Hero 6.”
This unique Starter Pack allows fans to begin their Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) experience using existing Disney figures and Power Discs, new Disney Originals characters, and the latest additions from the recently launched Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes game.
“It’s important for us to offer Disney fans an alternative entry point to the Disney Infinity sequel this holiday season, and the Disney Infinity: Toy Box Starter Pack is a great way for fans to experience the game and the new Toy Box 2.0,” said John Blackburn, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Infinity. “We built an entirely new Toy Box for this year’s version of Disney Infinity and we can’t wait to see what our fans will create.”


text:
According to a source, Amazon may have settled on a location for the mammoth office space the company began seeking in February: the Williamsburg waterfront.
Back in February, both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported that Amazon was seeking up between 250,000 and 500,000 sq. ft. of office space in New York City, greatly expanding its presence here beyond its Midtown outpost. Williamsburg was thrown around as a possibility, along with One World Trade and Brookfield Place.
This past November, Amazon announced it was leasing a 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse at 35 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg to serve as a photo studio to shoot images of products/"mecca" for "creative talent." But the source told Valleywag that the waterfront deal is "bigger and hush hush."
Cresa New York, the brokerage firm reportedly working with Amazon, said "no comment" on anything related to Amazon. Some of the other local realtors Valleywag contacted had heard the rumor, but seemed very skeptical, although one broker said Google had also been nosing around.
The logical assumption for that amount of space would be the former Domino Sugar factory. But Dave Lombino, director of special projects for Two Trees, the developer that purchased the waterfront property for a reported $185 million, said Amazon had no plans to become one of the occupants of the gleaming luxury complex. Lombino told Valleywag:
It makes perfect sense for companies like Amazon or Google to want to be in Williamsburg/Greenpoint, because there's a ton of creative talent in the neighborhood. Unfortunately they're going to have a hard time finding a significant amount of existing, functional space, because there's currently a huge shortage of commercial space.
But another source said difficult, "but not impossible" for Amazon to relocate to Williamsburg:
They got the money and space size that they could snap up one of the warehouses that JUST SIT THERE waiting for 30 year leases and someone to foot the bill on renovation. If that's the case, it'd be pretty quiet. Rough Trade is in the middle of a 30,000 retail renovation on N9 and NO ONE knows about it because they did the deal with a warehouse owner and are doing a complete renovation on their dime.
New York City's Economic Development Corporation, which has been very vocal about its desire to bring tech jobs to the city, expressed doubts about the veracity of the waterfront deal. The agency previously assisted Amazon with its photo studio lease, helping secure the company an ICIP abatement, according to a document provided by Good Jobs New York.
Whether or not the Williamsburg rumor is true, the possibility that "one of the largest expansions by a company in the city in years," would come from the tech sector is an intriguing thought experiment about what New York will look like should tech continue to displace finance as the monied class.
A couple weeks ago, Crain's reported that Facebook was negotiating to lease two floors of a 15-story office building in the East Village. According to Serkan Piantino, head of Facebook's New York engineering team, Frank Gehry will design the 100,000 sq. ft. space to "share many of the features of our headquarters."


text:
Apple don’t need the old model.
September 12 evening, Apple unveiled its new iPhone Xs, Max Xs iPhone and iPhone Xr. Immediately after the announcement of the flagships from the official online shop of the company has disappeared some popular models — including last year’s iPhone X to.
Starting today, Apple officially sells iPhone X, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE. The end of sales of the flagship 2018 predicted long before the release of new models. Latest 4 inch smartphone in the line and 4.7-inch device is also gone from the store predicted — the device came out a few years ago and the toppings were considerably behind the new models.
Apple simplified the product line and reduced prices for newer smartphones, making them more accessible. So now directly from the manufacturer you can buy these devices:
- iPhone 7 — at the price from 38 999 rubles
- iPhone 7 Plus at a price of 49 999 rubles
- iPhone 8 — price from 51 999 rubles
- iPhone 8 Plus — at a price of 59 999 rubles
- iPhone Xr — at a price of 64 990 rubles
- iPhone Xs in price from 87 990 rubles
- iPhone Xs Max — at a price of 96 990 rubles
The beginning of sales of the iPhone Xs iPhone Xs Max in Russia is scheduled for September 28. iPhone Xr hits the market later — October 19, kicks off a campaign to collect pre-orders and 26 October, the device will appear in stores.


text:
A Homer received a suspicious package in the mail containing a white powdering substance, according to an incident reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman reported that she received a purple package to her P.O box located in Homer with a return address from Rosemead, California. She said the return address was “Will Will.” She became suspicious because she not ordered anything and was not expecting a package.
The woman reported that she opened the package and found three vacuum sealed clear plastic bags containing a white in color powdery substance, along with three vacuum sealed silver colored bags. She stated that she could not see inside the silver colored bags but they also felt like they had a powdery substance in them.
The woman told the deputy that she looked up the return address on the Internet and found comments from other people who had received suspicious packages from the same address.
The bags were turned over to the sheriff’s office for testing.
Other recent incidents reported to the sheriff’s office includes the following:
•shoplifting at Walmart when a man was spotted putting a flashlight in his jacket and eating marshmallows without paying for them.
•reckless driving when a man was reported driving at a high rate of speed on I-85 and weaving all over the road. A deputy went to the scene and the vehicle did not stop. Two other officers joined the chase and a Georgia State Patrol officer was able to perform a “PIT maneuver” causing the driver to stop.
•a man reported receiving threatening text messages from a man he knows, including one that stated, “you’re going to die.”
•property line dispute at a Wynn Lake Road, Alto, residence. A man reported that someone moved his 9-1-1 sign and trimmed the bushes on his property.
•shoplifting at Walmart when a woman used the self-checkout line and scanned less expensive items than what she was actually purchasing, including scanning gum and putting gloves in her bag.
•damage to property at a Mangum Bridge Road, Maysville, address when a woman said someone damaged the door of the house.
•battery and cruelty to children during a domestic dispute at a Maysville address.
•theft by deception against a Baldwin woman who said someone used her information to access her bank account.
•forgery when a Commerce woman said her soon-to-be ex-husband forged her name on her stimulus check and cashed it.
•shoplifting at Walmart when a woman used the self-checkout line and did not pay for several items in her basket.
•illegal dumping when a woman said someone has been throwing trash on her property on Windmill Farm Road, Homer.
•disorderly conduct and trespassing at a Hwy. 441 business when a man kept knocking on the door of a business that was closed. A man was inside cleaning and he said he told the man that it was closed but he kept knocking. He said when he opened the door, the man formed his way into the business. He said the man grabbed him and pulled him which caused a visible red scratch on his arm. When the deputy arrived, the offender was lying in the floor of the business and said he had been shot.
•mailbox damaged at a Browns Bridge Road, Commerce.
•theft by deception when a Commerce man said he ordered an item online and did not get the correct product.
•a man said someone damaged the door of his vehicle while he was parked at Home Depot at Banks Crossing.
•a Commerce man said fraudulent charges were made on his debit card.
•disorderly conduct at a Banks Crossing business when a woman was reportedly yelling and cursing at people.
•shoplifting at Walmart when a woman filled her book bag with baby clothes and left the store without paying.
•two necklaces stolen from a Railroad Avenue, Lula, location.
•abandoned vehicle found at a 4th Street, Lula, address.
•theft of cash from a Commerce business.
•a man said he stayed at a friend’s residence on Hwy. 326 and parked his vehicle in the yard. He said he vehicle was gone the next morning.
•shoplifting at Walmart when a woman put several items in her purse and did not pay for them.
•chainsaw taken from a Loggins Road, Commerce, address.
•damage to property at a Banks Crossing motel when someone left the room with a broken mirror, two holes in the wall and a broken picture frame. The person left a note in the room to charge their credit card for the damages but it was declined.
•burglary when someone broke into Ryan’s at Banks Crossing. The games and change machine were damaged.
•two rolls of carpet stolen from a Hebron Court, Commerce, location.
•shoplifting at Walmart when a woman put makeup in her purse and left the store without paying for it.
•trespassing at a Henderson Road, Gillsville, address.
•theft when an employee at a Maysville business took lottery tickets and cashed them in for cash while working.


text:
Turns out that LG has a session scheduled for the MeeGo Conference held next month in San Francisco. Last we heard, this company and some more major brands were preparing to take over from Nokia and further develop MeeGo into a great platform. The MeeGo Conference will take place in San Francisco between May 23 and the 25th.
LGE MeeGo Devices were mentioned and prototypes running MeeGo 1.2 on multiple LG units. The smartphone version is also mentioned in there and considering LG has just recently joined the MeeGo world, it’s exciting to see them coming up with innovations so soon after Nokia has bailed out of this initiative, although not totally yet.
Can you imagine an LG Optimus phone with some MeeGo love on board, fused with the Optimus UI? I, for one, would leave customization aside and focus on the core of MeeGo, appealing on its own.


text:
Arbor Forest Products has launched a competition to reward merchants who get creative with marketing activities to drive sales of Trex, with a £500 cash prize available.
The company’s Arbordeck brand has recently launched a Trex point of sale pack to encourage end users to purchase the composite decking.
The pack features two Trex sample boards, floor graphics, ceiling hangers, wobblers and an external banner.
To enter the competition, Trex stockists must send a photo and a short description of the display via the Arbordeck website, with entries judged on both creativity and value achieved. Entries are open until 29th June 2018, with the winner set to be announced on 31st July 2018.
Last year, the competition rewarded stockists who demonstrated an inventive approach to their own Trex marketing. West Sussex-based Southern Sheeting took home the prize after the launch of its dedicated composite decking website, which featured detailed product information and how-to-videos, a sample request service and an option for customers to buy online.
Trex Product Manager, Sarah Francis, commented: “As we don’t sell direct to consumers, our relationship with stockists is key to the success of the Trex brand. Our stockists are important partners, which is why we have invested in the creation of the point of sale pack to give them the tools they need to make the sale.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what our stockists come up with and seeing how they are making the most of the display materials we have provided.”


text:
Spas are moving into more of a wellness offering as holidaymakers look to get the best out of trips and treatments.
In a forum at ILTM Spa earlier this week, Na Tasukon, director of marketing at Chiva-Som said clients want to see a measure of results when they visit a spa, just as buyers want to see in booking patterns.
“Spa is clearly shifting into wellness which has been reflected in what the buyers also want. It’s all about measurability of results, evidence based treatments, and this will then lead to repeat business, which is what we all want,” he explained. “It’s all about the right treatments and growing with your clients, changing their treatments as they age and that also means addressing their health issues as well”.
The ILTM Spa debut in London this week marked the start of a new series of spa events, as the market continues to grow and develop.
The event will return in October 2014 in London.


text:
New details have been revealed on the all-new Dodge Dart compact sedan by Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.
The Dart is designed to rival cars like the Hyundai Elantra so first and foremost it has to be just as efficient. Dodge has taken care of that and promises 40 mpg or about 5.8 liter per 100 km. That’s good for the next two or three years.
Another great feature of the car which is also good for publicity is a 9-speed automatic ZF gearbox available as an option. It might sound like an overkill for a car of this type, but it contributes to the car’s fuel economy by up to 15 percent.
At launch Dodge Dart will be available with a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.0-liter engine, a 16-valve 1.4-liter MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine, and a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.4-liter MultiAir four cylinder engine.
To catch the first glimpse of the car’s looks we are going to have to wait for 2012 Detroit Motor Show.Dodge Dart Gets 9-Speed Auto, 40 MPG ,


text:
With home Internet speeds increasing and computer power getting smaller and faster, the promise of the connected home seems to finally be a reality. With smart appliances and even smart light bulbs that can be controlled from a smartphone, the so-called “Internet of things” is quickly gaining traction in today’s world.
One of the easiest and most practical places for this is the thermostat. A massive amount of home energy is used to heat and cool, much of which is wasted. Thermostats are very simple devices that are basically just an on/off switch. The smarts come in deciding when and how to turn it off and on. Companies like Nest have captured the market’s attention with their thermostat and now smoke alarm for being dead simple to use, beautiful to look at, and extremely functional.
The thermostat is also easy to sell to new buyers because it promises immediate money savings, often paying for itself very quickly. Now, Google may be interested in this market. According to a new rumor from The Information, Google is said to be testing a smart thermostat, even letting non employees use it already. Any information as to when (if ever) this device actually becomes a reality is anybody’s guess. Big companies like Google are always testing crazy ideas, many of which never leave the testing phase.
This isn’t the first time Google has experimented with home automation and energy tracking. Back in 2009 they launched a product called PowerMeter which promised to let users monitor and track their home’s energy use. It required placing a small but expensive device into your home’s electrical system which would then connect to WiFi and keep constant tabs on energy use. You could then monitor it from your smartphone and see what appliances were using the most energy and when they were using it.
But in 2012, Google canceled the PowerMeter project, citing lack of consumer interest. Perhaps they were simply focusing on smaller individual pieces of home automation, instead of the broad picture of whole-home energy monitoring? Maybe they’ve been working on the thermostat project since PowerMeter was canceled.
Those who have already adopted smart thermostats like the Nest swear by it and would never want to go back to a traditional, “dumb” thermostat. Google’s mission is to organize information and to draw people into using Google services more.
So what business sense would a thermostat make? Would Google use Motorola to manufacturer it, or partner with another company? What type of value proposition does the company see in selling home energy equipment directly to consumers?
One possibility is that this is never, and was never a consumer product. Perhaps they are simply researching more efficient and smart energy solutions for their data centers and offices and have opted to make one themselves instead of buying. Until they officially announce something, we won’t know for sure what they have planned.
If Google were to release a smart thermostat like the Nest, would you be interested?


text:
According to Dow Jones November 14th news, New York copper fell on Tuesday, the Chinese economic data released earlier than expected, warming demand worries.
COMEX copper contract fell 5.15 cents, or 1.7% in December, and the settlement price was $3.0650 per pound.
Copper prices rose about 25% this year to the highest level in nearly three years, strongly supported by China's demand. China is the world's largest consumer of metals.
Analysts have warned, however, that the slowdown in the economy is likely to drag down copper prices. China accounts for half of the world's total copper consumption. Industrial output and fixed asset investment growth slowed in October, according to data released on Tuesday. Industrial output data is the second lowest level in the year.
Ole Hansen, a commodities strategist at Saxo Bank, says copper prices have fallen because of poor output and consumer data in china. These two data were weak in October, exacerbated bad popularity.
Hansen said that with the coming of winter, some investors worry that the copper price rally this year may not continue. Winter is the traditional off-season of China's demand. He said that the credit crunch and the slowdown in the real estate market also indicate the cooling of China's economic growth.
Investors will continue to focus on China's economic data, which has supported industrial metals prices this year because of strong demand and expected supply shortages.