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It seems that every month brings with it news of yet another state that has taken the bold step toward legalizing marijuana. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have already legalized the substance for medical use (soon to be joined by New York state), and Colorado and Washington state have gone a step further and legalized even the recreational use of marijuana.
Apart from the supposed medical benefits of marijuana, the most compelling arguments for its legalization involve its supposed benefits on the economy. Although it is true that marijuana can potentially raise much-needed dollars for the government, the reality is that doing so isn’t quite as simple as it may seem.
In theory, legalization of marijuana should bring down the costs of production drastically, and bring about a free market where anyone can grow marijuana. By taxing it as well, money that would have gone to illicit marijuana growers and suppliers will theoretically end up in government reserves. But there are factors that can prevent the government from seeing the money, the tax policies of individual states, the changing market habits of buyers and sellers, and the confusing state of mountain range legalization all over the country.
One obstacle standing in the way of more profitable legalization is the high price of legal marijuana compared to the black market price. In Colorado, the price of marijuana has increased significantly to $400 versus the $150 to $250 that a similar amount would fetch in the black market. When you consider the hefty taxes piled on top of every transaction–which in Colorado is 15% for wholesale and 10% for retail–the reality of raising revenue by way of the legal marijuana industry becomes a bit murkier.
Of course the factors that have brought about the outrageously high prices of marijuana–insufficient inventory and new consumer demand, among others–will ease up after some time. However, entrepreneurs who wish to maximize profits will have to consider selling better quality product in order to compete. When the market normalizes, the price of high-quality legal marijuana may not be all that different from the price of similar quality product in the black market. Given these high prices, it would seem that there is little incentive for users to go for legal marijuana, when the alternative is cheaper and better.
There is also the issue of actually levying the appropriate taxes on marijuana. In Washington State, marijuana is already subject to an 8.75% sales tax. However, an additional 25% excise tax would be levied in each phase of bringing the product out on the market. Altogether, the taxes will bring about a 37% increase in the sale price of marijuana. Given the resulting high prices of legal marijuana, patients and recreational users may just opt to get their medicine from black market sources instead.
But the biggest issue remains to be the continued federal government regulation of marijuana. As long as state governments and the federal government have different views on marijuana legalization, tax collection for the new industry will not be as optimal as it could be.


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The decision to go compostable demonstrates Santini's commitment towards continuously evolving and growing in their effort towards sustainability.
Santini has made the switch from conventional plastic packaging to TIPA’s compostable flexible packaging solutions for all of its cycling gear in 2021. Internally, the brand has been committed to choosing local manufacturers and continues to utilize recycled fabrics for its production. Santini continuously evolves to extend the scope of their pledge to sustainability and the most natural next step became finding an alternative solution to single-use plastic. TIPA’s compostable flexible packaging fit all of the necessary criteria for Santini to transition and adopt the next generation of packaging solutions. This switch showcases great leadership, paving the way forward for more businesses to take responsibility for the impact their choice of packaging has on the rest of the world.
‘So this means that it won’t just be the cycling wear that is environmentally friendly but its packaging too!’ – declared Paola Santini, marketing manager at Santini Cycling Wear – ‘Thanks to our agreement with TIPA, we will also be using compostable packaging from January 2021. That is our commitment to becoming increasingly sustainable and lessening our environmental impact.’
As global urgency for environmental sustainability is rising, corporate companies that take accountability for their environmental footprint will have a huge competitive advantage. A brand that showcases commitment to sustainable efforts, positions the consumer to feel comfortable investing in them. Santini continuing to innovate itself by finding feasible business solutions that simultaneously act as an aid to the environment achieves more than relieving the earth of its resources but also employs a strategic marketing tool to earn the trust of consumers. In particular, the sustainable fashion industry is gaining tremendous momentum in popularity as many hard truths about ‘fast fashion’ are being revealed to the public, being one of the biggest contributors to waste, pollution, and carbon emissions. TIPA is committed to answering the needs of businesses by creating compostable food packaging, and compostable fashion packaging that rely on the functionality conventional plastic affords them, but with a built-in end-of-life solution. TIPA supplying Santini with compostable packaging for all of their cycling gear demonstrates how compostable materials provide an ideal solution for players in fashion that are looking to take their brand image to the next level

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23 April 1998
Meat wholesalers warn of long-term beef decline
THE UKs balance of payments faces a £1 billion adverse swing on the beef trade because the Government has pushed the British beef industry into long-term decline, according to the Federation of Fresh Meat Wholesalers.
Richard Cracknell, president, said the UK had exported more than £500m
of beef a year before the export ban was imposed in March 1996. He said in
future the UK would have to import the same amount to meet demand, which could
not be met by UK production.
Beef consumption had returned to pre-BSE levels, he said, but the UK was expected to import 250,000 tonnes of beef this year, currently at low prices because of the strength of sterling.
Mr Cracknell attacked the calf processing aid scheme under which farmers receive a payment to send male calves to slaughter. With 600,000 to 700,000 calves going through the scheme each year, there is a real risk of creating a home-grown beef shortage in the future.
- Calf Processing Aid Scheme must be axed – report, FWi, yesterday (22 April) — Click here
- Financial Times 23/04/98 page 17


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Nibbles: Culinary happenings in the Vail Valley
You know its fall in Colorado’s Vail Valley when you start hearing about the Eagle Valley Humane Society’s annual Harvest Party, now in its 10th year. Tickets for the event, which will take place at Lion Square Lodge in Vail, can be purchased for a minimum donation of $45 at Wags & Whiskers in Eagle and Edwards and at West Vail Liquor Mart. All proceeds benefit the Eagle Valley Humane Society.The Harvest Party is at 6 p.m. Oct. 10. As always, the event will include gourmet food, wine, a silent auction, a raffle and a wine ring toss. Dave Laub & Friends will perform live music. Call 970-328-PETS for more information. This event sells out nearly every year, so don’t hesitate to get your tickets.
The snowflakes a flyin’ this week won’t put a damper on The Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch’s summer send-off soiree, set for Thursday through Saturday. Spago is offering $11 appetizers, entrees and desserts, $3 cocktails and 50 percent off all wine. Valet parking is also complimentary and a DJ will be spinning dance tunes in the great room. Call 970-343-1106 for reservations. If you have a few too many cocktails, you can spend the night at the Ritz without breaking the bank – on Thursday and Friday rooms are being offered at $99/night. Call 866-266-8444 to make a reservation. Additionally, the Bachelor Gulch spa is offering $1/minute spa treatments Thursday through Saturday. Call 970-343-1106.Go ahead, get pampered.
Grouse Mountain Grill in Beaver Creek has a new executive chef. Dave Gutowski, who has worked for the restaurant for about a year and a half as a sous chef, took over the lead position around two weeks ago, said Tom McNally, restaurant manager. Joe Ritchie, the previous executive chef, moved back to Seattle, McNally said. The menu remains the same and this week the restaurant is offering a three-course special, which includes the entire menu, for $39. For more information, call 970-949-0600.
La Tour is hosting a special Oktoberfest beer dinner on Saturday. The four-course menu, developed by chef/owner Paul Ferzaca and chef de cuisine Chase Wilbanks, is paired with four beers chosen by Paul DiMario, the beverage director. “In Germany, Oktoberfest just kicked off, and we wanted to do something in the spirit of that,” DiMario said. The menu is full of comfort food, perfect for the fall weather that’s settled in. The first course is crispy potato-wrapped cod with malt vinegar and bitter greens paired with Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager. The second course, spiced barbecue pork belly with pumpernickel crisp and caraway red cabbage, is paired with Odell Brewing Company’s India Pale Ale. It’s the third course that grabbed us, though – mole-brased Colorado lamb shank paired with Olathe corn polenta and rosemary pinenut and apricot gremolata with a tall Belgium beauty – Trappistes Rochefort No. 10. And for dessert? Warm chocolate fondant with creme chantilly and raspberries paired with Brouwerji Lindeman’s Framboise Lambic, also from Belgium. The dinner is $49 and if you want the beers too (how could you not?), it’s another $18. “It should be a really fun dinner,” DiMario said. Call La Tour at 970-476-4403 for reservations or more information.
Kelly Liken, the chef/owner of Restaurant Kelly Liken, is launching her own gourmet specialty snack line. Her namesake line will include some of her favorite snacks, as well as her award-winning handcrafted cocktails. Every product in the line is created from Liken’s personal repertoire of recipes and she packages them herself.”I have always experimented and made my own foods at home – from pickles to spiced nuts,” Liken said. “Many of my dishes or bar bites have started out in my home kitchen before taking them to my customers at the restaurant or bistro.” The snacks will be available via special order from http://www.kellyliken.com. Among the items in the line are Liken’s favorite soups, (16 oz., $15) in flavors like spiced buttermilk squash, vanilla-scented golden beet, truffled-roasted cauliflower, apple fennel or brandied wild mushroom puree. Liken’s kettle chips (which include flavors like dill pickle, buttermilk and herb and cheddar and habanero) come in a 4-ounce bag and retail for $5 each. Liken uses herbs grown in her backyard garden in her gourmet dips (8 ounces for $6). Flavors include Colorado spinach, creamy three onion dip, garlicky black bean dip and roasted red pepper humus. Cocktail mixes ($10 each, makes four cocktails) include step by step instructions for the drinks and come in flavors like chai-ti-ni, roasted red pepper bloody mary, pumpkin pie cocktail and riding out the (snow) storm. Call 970-479-0175 or visit http://www.kellyliken.com for more information.


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Walgreens filed a lawsuit against disgraced blood-testing startup Theranos on Tuesday.
The retail pharmacy giant once helped float Theranos to a $9 billion valuation, vaulting its founder and CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, to tech industry stardom. But in October 2015, The Wall Street Journal exposed major problems with the company’s marquee product, which claimed to be able to run 240 different tests on a single drop of blood.
Theranos vehemently denied the report, but new revelations kept coming. Nine months later, Walgreens abandoned the scandal-struck company, vowing to no longer use its laboratories to test blood from patients at its walk-in clinics. Theranos’ valuation plummeted, wiping out much of Holmes’ $4.5 billion net worth ― held largely in company stock ― seemingly overnight.
Walgreens is now accusing Theranos of violating some nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements that were part of its original partnership with the startup, according to court filings.
Walgreens spokesman Jim Cohn confirmed to The Huffington Post that the suit had been filed Tuesday in Delaware. He declined to comment further.
But John Carreyrou, the star Wall Street Journal reporter who led the investigation against Theranos, said on Twitter that Walgreens is suing for $140 million.
A major hedge fund investor said last month that Theranos had used a “series of lies” to convince it to invest $100 million, and sued the startup for fraud. That same week, Theranos announced plans to lay off 40 percent of its staff and get out of the blood-testing business.
Theranos did not respond to a request for comment.


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ILoveMakonnen is finally back with some fresh music! The artist has teamed up with Gucci Mane on his brand new single titled “Spendin'”.
Tag: Gucci Mane
Gucci Mane’s long-awaited album Evil Genius is out now! The project comes with 18 songs and guest appearances from Quavo (twice), 21 Savage, Kevin Gates, Lil Yachty and more.
Gucci Mane has enlisted Quavo for his brand new single “BiPolar”. This catchy song will appear on his upcoming album Evil Genius, which will hit stores on December 7th.
After teasing the project for a while, Gucci Mane has finally revealed the release date and tracklist for his next album Evil Genius.
UPDATE (November 27th, 2018): Gucci Mane has revealed the artwork for the album.
Gucci Mane has enlisted Kevin Gates for his brand new single and music video titled “I’m Not Goin'”. This song will appear on his next album Evil Genius, which will be released on December 7th.
Lil Wayne has decided to surprise to his fans with the release of 3 brand new bonus songs for his latest album Tha Carter V. These are titled “What About Me” featuring Post Malone, “Hasta La Vista” and “In This House” featuring Gucci Mane.
Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars and Kodak Black have teamed up for the official music video for their collaboration “Wake Up In The Sky”. Gucci’s new album The Evil Genius is coming soon.
Project Pat has recruited Rich The Kid and Gucci Mane for his brand new single titled “Racks”. No word on what forthcoming project this song will appear.
Gucci Mane and Lil Pump have premiered the official music video for their collaboration “Kept Back”. Gucci is currently working on his upcoming studio album The Evil Genius.
Gucci Mane has surprised his fans with the release of a brand new single titled “Wake Up In The Sky” featuring Bruno Mars and Kodak Black. The rapper is currently working on his upcoming album Evil Genius.


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JLL, Lendlease launch proptech accelerator in Singapore
GLOBAL real estate giants JLL and Lendlease are partnering to launch an accelerator in Singapore to kickstart innovation in real estate, an industry said to have been slow to tech advancements.
But unless both companies commit to a substantial investment and a long-term
- CALL +65 6388 3838
- EMAIL email@example.com


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SWIMMING POOL AND SPA NEWS
AstralPool Australia to buy Poolrite assets
Poolrite Australia and Poolrite Research have gone into liquidation, and negotiations are underway to sell the assets to AstralPool Australia, reports Splash! Magazine. The AstralPool offer is worth...
Keywords : fluidra, poolrite, australia, astralpool, liquidation,
Spatex reports ‘unprecedentedly high’ bookings for 2014
The organisers of the Spatex trade show have announced that stand bookings for the 2014 event at the Ricoh Arena are “running at an unprecedented high” after booking opened three weeks ago.
Keywords : spatex, trade, show, event, ricoh, arena,
Register to attend Piscine SPLASH! Asia today!
Piscine SPLASH! Asia will take place from 20-21 May 2013 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.Piscine SPLASH! Asiais a must attend exhibition for manufacturers,...
Keywords : piscine, splash, asia, expo,
PM officially launches Certikin fiftieth anniversary celebrations
Prime minister David Cameron has officially kicked off Certikin International’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations by visiting the company’s Witney headquarters, which are in his constituency. ...
Keywords : certikin, prime, minister, david, cameron, visiting,
Spatex 2013 report
Despite the state of the economy, and the continuing credit crunch, there was a surprising but welcome upbeat feel to this year’s Spatex pool and spa trade show – the last to be held in Brighton...
Keywords : spatex, state, economy, credit, pool, spa, trade, show,
Golden Coast support package helps you sell sauna
Independent wet leisure product distributor Golden Coast is spreading the message that ‘if you can sell pools, you can sell saunas’, as part of its ongoing package of resources to help...
Keywords : golden, coast, support, package, helps, sell, sauna,
New make-up for NSPF board in USA
The US National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) has announced a new make-up for its management board, which took effect on 1 November 2012. President of Counsilman-Hunsaker & Associates D. Scot...
Keywords : new, make, up, nspf, board, usa,
Tintometer - Lovibond® Water Testing wins the "Golden Wave" for 2013
Real innovation brings about permanent improvements in the market. This is why Europe's largest-circulation pool & spa magazine "Schwimmbad & Sauna" (www.schwimmbad.de), an organisation with more...
Keywords : tintometer, lovibond, water, testing, golden, wave, 2013,
Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak report highlights need to follow good practice
The British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association (BISHTA) has endorsed the recent report from the Health Protection Agency on the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak in Stoke in 2012, emphasising the...
Keywords : british, irish, spa, hot, tub, association, bishta,
Passion Spas and Almost Heaven Saunas in transatlantic partnership
European spa brand Passion Spas and USA-based Almost Heaven Saunas have announced a partnership to begin distribution of Passion Spas and swim-spas in America. The companies have formed a US...
Keywords : european, spa, passion, spa, usa, saunas,
10 multilingual editions per year + of 70.000 specimens distributed in worldwildLast editions


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You Can Kiss in VR Games Now
VR is the latest step to make games more realistic than ever, but the biggest thing that’s still missing is a sense of touch. To overcome this, some companies have built vests with tiny motors in them to simulate the feeling of being touched on the shoulder or stomach; others have built gloves that let you pick up objects in-game by closing your fist around the empty air in real life. But what about kissing?
There’s lots of kissing in games, but there’s no way to actually feel your in-game makeout sessions. Until now. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s Future Interfaces Group have modified a Quest 2 VR headset to recreate the feeling of someone’s lips on yours.
“We use this hardware to focus air-borne acoustic energy onto the lips and into the mouth, creating sensations such as taps and continuous vibrations,” they say on their website. “In addition to the lips, our effects can be felt on the teeth and tongue. When coupled with coordinated graphical feedback, the effects are convincing, boosting realism and immersion.”
Thankfully, that’s not the only thing their modified headset can do. It can simulate all kinds of physical touches on your face, like raindrops and walking through a spider web. It would no doubt be cool to feel the rain on your face as you walk through Night City, for instance, but I personally think it’s okay when games are a little unrealistic if that means I don’t have to touch a spider.
There’s also the possibility that this technology could be used to put people in uncomfortable situations. Feeling like you’re being kissed by someone you don’t want to kiss wouldn’t be a welcome experience. But scenarios like that are still a long way away, and hopefully by then developers will have come up with ways to protect users.
The kissing VR headset is still very much a working prototype at the moment, but the researchers say their device can theoretically be built into future VR headsets. So who knows, there might be a lot more kissing in our games in the future.


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Business@ Breakfast in July
Three Business@Breakfast virtual meetings hosted by the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce will take place from 7:45 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays, July 8, 15 and 22.
The July 8 meeting will feature Basem Bishay from SunGuide Solutions on quality vs. quantity; the July 15 meeting will have Kristina Gutierrez from Fresh Cut Catering sharing a cooking demonstration with healthier ingredients; and the July 22 meeting will feature Serena Chapman from Bright Prospect talking about the insights and actions of Bright Prospect in the response to COVID-19’s impact on students.
The meetings will be held at https://us02.web.zoom.us/j/82575212766
The Meeting ID number is 82575212786.
COVID-compliant business list
San Bernardino County in its ongoing efforts to help local businesses recover from the COVID-related economic shutdown, while also reassuring patrons and staff of safe reopening, launched its COVID-Compliant Business Partner Locator, an online search database.
The database will allow residents to quickly and easily find businesses committed to ensure the health and safety of employees and customers.
After being listed on the database, each business received a $2,500 grant from the county and window signs confirming their COVID-19 compliance and the ability to obtain personal protective equipment at cost.
“This is another tool to reward those businesses that take other people’s well-being seriously,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman, a Chino Hills resident. “Workers and customers alike prefer to interact with companies that make their health and safety a priority, and the locator will help them easily find such companies.”
Participating businesses are invited to fill out a listing form to provide an array of relevant information, including company name, products and services, location, contact information, including website address, social media links, hours of operation and employment opportunities.


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Leaked images of Google?s upcoming Nexus phones believed to be the rumored ?Sailfish? & ?Marlin? have been shared by Android Police.
The phone pictured is the ?Sailfish? and is reported by Android Police to be the smaller of the two models designed with a 5-inch screen. It closely resembles the current Nexus 5X that includes a similar camera and front plate design while boasting a fingerprint scanner on the back. Android Police also believes that the larger 5.5 inch ?Marlin? will be closely similar to the ?Sailfish? with both sharing ?the same basic industrial design and materials? and that both phones will also sport the same specification with only a difference in screen resolution, battery life, and screen size. The report also affirms that there are no plastic versions of the two phones and that Google?s iconic ?G? logo is absent in the leaked phone photos but is expected to be added onto the device once the phones enters into full production, which will in turn replace the Nexus logo.
An anonymous twitter user is also claiming to have a hold of the two Nexus phones and claims that the lower end version of the two will have a plastic finish. In the user?s latest tweet, he says that: ?AndroidPolice’s [metallic] Nexus isn’t of the final design. The Nexus in my picture had a full glass back.? With two different leaked photos circulating on the net, it leaves people wondering which one to believe in. It is only a matter of time before we see more news and photos on the two much anticipated phones to be revealed. However, it is known that the two smartphones are already expected for imminent launch. It is believed to be dubbed as the ?Sailfish? and ?Marlin?. The FCC has already approved the two phones and has listed them online. Although the two phones are not named ?Sailfish or Marlin? in the FCC filing, it is important to take note that their manuals are listed to support.google.com/nexus causing many to believe that these are indeed the much anticipated ?Sailfish? and ?Marlin? Nexus phones.


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The November issue of the EUMOFA’s Monthly Highlights analyses prices for species such as Atlantic salmon from Norway, frozen fillets of Alaska pollock from China and frozen tropical shrimp (genus Penaeus) from Ecuador. Salmon price in week 39 (4,75€/kg) was down by six percent from the preceding four-week average (5,07€/kg) and down by 22% from the prevailing price a year earlier (6,08€/kg).
The importance of free trade agreements (FTAs) for Europe fisheries and aquaculture products was also assessed. In addition to the several established trade agreements, the EU has opened talks with a number of potential FTA partners. These agreements could change the market dynamics of fishery and aquaculture products, both for the EU and from a global perspective. EU agreements have given both producers and consumers a better foundation for accessing new markets and products. The implementation of trade agreements with partners which already hold a solid position in the EU market will give, in theory, incentives to increase their involvement, either as suppliers of raw material or as competitors.
This Monthly Highlights’ issue provides main trends about consumption of fresh seafood. In August 2019, consumption of fresh fisheries and aquaculture products increased in both volume and value in most of the surveyed member states except in Ireland.
Download the November issue of EUMOFA’s Monthly Highlights here.


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FASHION SCENE MIAMI
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Starlight Children’s Foundation is hosting Fashion Scene Miami, a fashion runway experience at LMNT Arts in the heart of Midtown Miami, benefiting Starlight Children’s Foundation Florida, on October 17, 2013.
Presented by Northwestern Mutual, Fashion Scene Miami will feature two runways featuring fashion designers Isabel Riera as well as Fabrizio de Castro. There will also be live entertainment, exotic cars on display a fashion collective of pop-up boutiques; succulent spirits and culinary delights from local restaurants; incredible photos, artwork and more. 100% of donations benefit the programs and services of Starlight Children’s Foundation Florida. Even NBC6′s own Trina Robinson will be MC’ing the event!
I’m very excited that Motives Cosmetics and my team of make up artists are helping this great cause by doing the make up for the event.
Tickets for Fashion Scene Miami can be purchased by CLICKING HERE or they can be purchased at the door at the event. 100% of donations benefit the programs and services of Starlight Children’s Foundation Florida.
Fashion Scene Miami
Presented by Northwestern Mutual


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Dreamlines, the company behind CruiseAway, has secured a further €14 million ($20.4 million) in funding from its existing investors Hasso Plattner Ventures, Holtzbrinck Ventures, Dimaventures, Truventuro, Target Global and Altpoint.
General Partner at Holtzbrinck Ventures, Dr Christian Saller, said the additional funding would strengthen Dreamlines’ position as an industry leader.
“The new investment will enable Dreamlines to further consolidate its position as the uncontested market leader in Germany and gain a greater market share here, while also securing continued global growth,” he said.
Dreamlines, which launched in 2012, operates in seven markets around the world, giving it a broader global base than all other rivals.
The online cruise portal is the biggest of its kind in Europe and employs more than 350 people in Germany, Australia, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia and Brazil.
The Dreamlines portfolio consists of over 30,000 cruises operated by more than 100 cruise lines, which represents practically all cruises presently available on the market.
Managing Director Felix Schneider said Dreamlines’ employment of highly specialised cruise agents who advise and support their customers from branch offices in each country provides the highest degree of consultancy that is essential when selling cruises.
“Think global, act local: with this philosophy we will continuously strengthen our position in existing markets, and are confident that we will open up new markets for our services,” he said.
Dreamlines recently announced a partnership with Aeroflot to provide cruises to Russia’s largest airline’s customers.
The company is also extending its package business; these carefully selected cruise package deals are in great demand as they offer a great customer experience by simplifying travel planning.


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Dubai Tourism hosts fun board game to help hoteliers go green
Dubai Tourism has hosted its first ‘green’ education workshop for hoteliers.
But instead of staging a traditional presentation, the tourism authority put the emirate’s hotel professionals through their paces by asking them to play a ‘Hospitality Sustainability Board Game’.
Created specifically for the hotel industry, the game, which was the inaugural activity of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Initiative (DSTI), helped hoteliers gain insight into Dubai’s commitment to adopting sustainable practices and their role in achieving the goals.
The unique educational tool was designed by Dubai Tourism in collaboration with Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF, Roya International and Insignia.
Participants at the event included staff involved in all aspects of hotel operations. They worked in teams of two to three people to measure consumption baselines and identify opportunities to reduce consumption.
Speaking at the event, Solaiman Alrifai, senior manager, Tourism Development, Dubai Tourism, said: “Dubai’s hospitality industry, which recently crossed the 100,000 room threshold, has been a cornerstone of the city’s economy. As we look forward to capacity expansion and increased visitor volumes in the lead-up to 2020 and beyond, it is paramount for us to implement measures for this industry to reduce consumption and conserve resources. Raising awareness of conservation practices is a key pillar of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Initiative, making this game a very significant step towards creating a clear understanding of how powerful hospitality employees are in bringing about change.
“We have seen the success of gamification to communicate processes and procedures in an interactive manner that results in increased information retention levels. With this in mind, the Hospitality Sustainability Board Game has been created as an engaging yet informative platform for hospitality professionals to better understand energy consumption in hotels across Dubai.”
The DSTI is not only designed to encourage Dubai’s hospitality industry to become more sustainable and efficient in managing their resources, but also aims to develop a framework to promote sustainability, introduce carbon emission reduction strategies, and share innovative solutions to improve sustainability.
TFG Asset Management is also playing a significant role in helping Dubai Tourism achieve its sustainability goals for the hospitality industry.
Earlier this year the company, which is part of The First Group, released a white paper focusing on this topic.
The Hoteliers’ Guide to Going Green stresses that in an age where sustainable practices are becoming more widely used and recognised, it is imperative for hotels to put a ‘green’ strategy in place.
The research paper includes an eight-step guide to help hoteliers achieve ‘green’ certification.


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DNEPROPETROVSK, UKRAINE -- Novarm has announced a call for submissions for an electronic hardware design competition based on the company's DipTrace PCB design software.
The DipTrace Electronic Student Awards are open to all university and college students (undergraduates and postgraduates) and student teams who are passionate about electronics.
The company is offering a $1,500 cash prize and DipTrace software licenses to the winning electronic design project entries. There are no restrictions on the field of application or country of origin.
Winners will be selected via online voting on the DipTrace Facebook page. Voting is open to all registered Facebook users.
Submissions will be accepted through Dec. 1, and voting will take place Dec. 6–20. Winners will be announced Dec. 23. For details, visit diptrace.com/community/student-awards/.


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Some of the toy industry's most powerful players are trying to hijack the Tooth Fairy. Until now, the Tooth Fairy was one of the few iconic children's fantasy figures that escaped being captured, branded, and monetized. But shocking footage from a pitch to investors by Paul Yanover, CEO of Fandango and former Disney senior executive, shows that's about to change -- big time. The pitch is preposterous enough to be parody, but its intent is dead serious.
Turns out The Real Tooth Fairies, LLC really didn’t want you to see their pitch to investors. Could they be ashamed? Six scantily clad censor fairies slipped a copyright claim under You Tube’s pillow and removed both the edited version and the original. Fortunately (but admittedly, not as much fun), there’s a transcript! Please click here to read it.
"Can you believe?" the video begins, "that a childhood character known by millions worldwide has not yet been licensed?" To the alluring "ca-ching" of a cash register ringing up sales, a voice-over exclaims, "With a target audience of 10 million U.S. girls ages 6 to 10 who lose 20 teeth, that translates to 200 million Tooth Fairy moments. And biology guarantees that will never stop."
Losing a "baby" tooth marks a milestone in a child's life -- symbolizing the transition from early to middle childhood. Families frequently celebrate the event with small gifts, monetary and otherwise. Defining exactly who the Tooth Fairy is, and what those gifts might be, differs from family to family, depending on culture, family history, and children's imagination. But to Yanover, and a slew of other past and present toy-industry executives, any fantasy figure in the public domain of childhood imagination is a wasted asset.
By harnessing the Tooth Fairy, The Royal Council of the Real Fairyland, LLC (also known as The Real Tooth Fairies, LLC), wants to "leverage and define this rite-of-passage moment" and literally profit from each tooth a child loses. The company is already selling VIP memberships, deluxe Real Tooth Fairy Collections, and more. Participation in Real Fairyland doesn't come cheap. "Give your girl the gift of everything Tooth Fairy," the website exhorts. A Real Tooth Fairies Birthday Party Collection costs $379.
Aside from the sleazy sales pitch, here's what's wrong with branding the Tooth Fairy. It commercializes an inevitable biological milestone, the celebration of which has always been the purview of family rituals. Branding replaces children's own creations with homogenized, corporate-constructed images, constricting both imagination and cultural diversity. The "real" Tooth Fairy no longer resides in the richness of children's conjurings -- she/he/it has been usurped by Mr. Yanover & company.
Yanover pushes what the marketing industry calls an "immersive" Tooth Fairy experience, including a virtual world, toys, games, clothing, accessories -- and a creepy "interactive" component where girls can "communicate" with their Tooth Fairies. Plans for licensing include, "toys, oral care, party & greeting card, & more." According to the company, "This world was built for licensing; it's a character that everybody already recognizes and is engaged with."
The Real Tooth Fairies swaddles its product in virtue, claiming that its goal is to empower girls and promote kindness. But its target audience of girls as young as 5 are disempowered when a free-ranging, child-driven vision of Tooth-Fairyness is reduced to just six sexualized options, largely preoccupied with appearance, shopping, boyfriends --and leg hair! And it's unkind to millions of girls, and the women they will become, that the "villain" in Real Fairyland, and the butt of its jokes, is a hairy-legged, buck-toothed, roly-poly, glasses-wearing fairy-wannabe. At present, the site's target is mainly 5- to 10-year-old girls -- but lest you're wondering why boys have been left out of the marketing equation, they haven't. Heavily-armed, superhero, Tooth-Fairy-counterparts are in development.
"Our intent in 2 to 3 years is that we project we'll have over 30 million girls, unique users to the site," said CFO Howard Bollinger, former Senior Vice President of Kennar and Hasbro toys, "At that point, the site will become a hugely valuable asset and a prime target for acquisition by scores of companies who want to connect with our girl demographic." In other words, they intend to amass a huge database of 5- to 10-year-old girls in order to sell them and the entire enterprise to the highest corporate bidder. The stakes are high. In 2005, Viacom paid $160 million for the children's virtual world, Neopets and two years later, Disney bought Club Penguin for $350 million upfront.
In addition to Yanover and Bollinger, stakeholders in The Real Tooth Fairies include "a former President of Mattel, an Executive Vice President of Mattel and top brand-builders and inventors from the toy and entertainment world." Licensed products are expected to be in stores by 2014. The company has raised $3.9 million and needs another $4 million dollars to meet its goal for expansion. And unless there's a public outcry--or enough potential investors with the ethics to "just say no" to profiting from such a crass exploitation of children and violation of family -- they could succeed.
The good news is, despite the millions of dollars and years of toy industry savvy already invested, we don't have to relinquish control of our children's lost-tooth experience to Bollinger, Yanover, and crew. Let them, and potential investors, know exactly how toxic their brand is. There's still time to save the Tooth Fairy -- and your favorite "girl demographic" -- from the clutches of The Real Tooth Fairies, LLC. Enough noise could make all the difference.
Click here for the entire Real Tooth Fairies video pitch to investors.
Also on HuffPost:


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Apple Set to Spend $1 Billion a Year to Become Global Box Office Player
Having previously only dabbled in theatrical distribution, Apple is reportedly looking to follow Amazon's blueprint
Apple has committed to spending $1 billion a year to become a serious distributor of blockbuster movies in the global theatrical marketplace, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.
Apple has dabbled at the box office before. It paid $25 million to buy the indie film CODA at the Sundance Film Festival two years ago, arranged a small international theatrical release for it in Italy, Korea and Mexico, and ended up becoming the first streaming company to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
And three years ago, Apple stepped in and agreed to finance filmmaker Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon -- at a cost of more than $200 million -- after Paramount Pictures turned away form the project. But under that arrangement, Paramount agreed to distribute the film globally.
Now, Apple reportedly wants a more committed approach to establishing gravitas and awareness to big film projects before they reach the Apple TV Plus streaming platform.
The blueprint isn't new.
In November, it was reported that Amazon had also committed around $1 billion a year to produce an annual slate of 12 - 15 films, all eventually funneled through Amazon Prime Video after a theatrical window of at least a month.
On April 5, Amazon Studios will widely release Air, director/co-star Ben Affleck's drama focused on the early days of the seminal and highly profitable partnership between NBA GOAT Michael Jordan and shoemaking GOAT Nike.
In terms of the global movie business, $1 billion isn't a massive investment, but having Silicon Valley giants like Amazon and Apple validate the global box office and the value of windowing content is certainly impactful, given the state of worldwide theatrical distribution post-COVID.
The Bloomberg leak was actually the second significant Apple TV Plus announcement this week, following Apple's disclosure on Wednesday that Friday Night Baseball will now be put behind the Apple TV Plus paywall.
Now just shy of 41 months after launch, Apple has remained cagey as to how many subscribers and how much usage its subscription streaming platform is generating.
In fact, this might be one of the more carefully guarded unknowns in all of the video business, but we would be careful to avoid insinuations that Apple TV Plus is "struggling."
Apple disclosed in early February that it now has 935 million paid subscriptions across services including not just Apple TV Plus, but Apple Arcade, iCloud, Apple Music, Apple News Plus, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple One and Apple Pay. Collectively these services generated $20.8 billion in the most recently accounted for quarter, Apple's first of the 2023 fiscal year.
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Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!


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Bunting-Redditch 2023 Review
Despite the global economic uncertainty, at least partially generated by conflict and fuel prices, Bunting-Redditch registered another successful year in 2023. In this blog post, we look back at the year.
The year started with an announcement that Bunting-Redditch registered a record-breaking year in 2022, driven by high-demand from the recycling sector.
Highlighting the importance of recycling, the first exhibition of the year for Bunting-Redditch was the 21st International Electronics Recycling Congress (IERC 2023) held in Salzburg, Austria (18-12 January). Many companies have identified the value of metals lost to landfill from e-waste (WEEE) and Bunting-Redditch is working with recyclers to find optimum recovery processes.
In complete contrast, magnetic separators and metal detectors are also used widely in food manufacturing. A post at the end of January reviewed the metal contamination related food safety alerts issues by the UK Food Standards Agency in 2022. An issue that affected companies including Tesco and Superdrug.
In February, there was a focus on the Bunting-Redditch team. Adrian Coleman and Alison Flower assumed new roles of Technical Director for all Bunting’s European operations and General Manager respectively.
In response to the growth in the supply of solutions and equipment to the recycling sector, Bunting Technical Sales Engineer, Tom Higginbottom, joined the British Metal Recyclers Association’s Young British Metals Recyclers (YBMR) committee.
Bunting-Redditch has a rich history of developing and supplying high-intensity magnetic separators to the mineral processing and mining sectors. This resulted in Wardell Armstrong, a leading global consultancy for mining and mineral processing, has acquired a laboratory-scale Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) from Bunting. The laboratory WHIMS is for the consultancy’s material test facility located in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The laboratory-scale WHIMS is part of Bunting’s range of small-scale high-intensity magnetic separators.
Bunting-Redditch has strong ties with the local University of Birmingham and second year students from the Chemical Engineering faculty visited the site to gain a better understanding of the UK’s strong engineering and manufacturing sector. During the visit the students saw heavy engineering manufacturing and witnessed material tests in the Customer Experience Centre.
The development of Bunting’s European management team continued with the appointment of Bradley Greenwood as the European Sales Manager. Bradley heads up a sales team and representative network covering the whole of Europe.
Successfully developing export business was highlighted with the sale of a large towable Electromagnetic Sweeper for logistics company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was the company’s third purchase.
The second exhibition for Bunting-Redditch in 2023 was Interpack 2023 (4-10 May, Düsseldorf, Germany). The exhibition proved very successful with enquiries for a wide range of contamination identifying equipment such as metal detectors and magnetic separators.
The exhibition trail continued in June with attendance at the Plastics Recycling World Expo Europe (14-15 June, Messe Essen, Germany). Discussions at the appropriately timed exhibition focused on the ongoing pressure for the plastics sector to address waste concerns. Successful plastic recyclers and industry experts were brought together with the aim of improving plastic recycling rates.
Plastics recycling was again to the fore with the news that a large UK plastic recycler had purchased a Bunting Metal Separation Module. The Module, featuring a Drum Magnet followed by an Eddy Current Separator, removes ferrous and then non-ferrous metals from <20mm plastic flake.
July also witnessed the installation of a new 12.5 tonne crane at Bunting’s Redditch manufacturing site. The new crane was installed by local crane specialist AG Cranes Ltd, who supplied both the new single girder overhead travelling crane and pillar mounted slewing jib crane. This latest investment enhances Bunting’s ability to design and manufacture large magnetic separators such as Electro Overband Magnets for the mining and recycling sectors.
September and October are always busy times of the year for exhibitions. The first exhibition was PLAST 2023 (5-8 September 2023, Milan, Italy), where live demonstrations on the Bunting stand showed equipment including metal detectors, eddy current separators and drawer filter magnets removing metal from virgin and recycled plastic.
At the same time, the Bunting team was exhibiting at the International Congress for Battery Recycling – ICBR (6-8 September, Valencia, Spain). In the latest reported European statistics, around 229,000 tonnes of portable batteries and accumulators were sold in the European Union (EU) in 2020, with 99,000 tonnes being collected as recyclable waste. Bunting is working with a number of recyclers to develop processes to recover the metals within batteries.
Bunting’s newly appointed Indian representative NPK India exhibited in India at two international textiles shows, techtextil India (12-14 September, Mumbai) and Nonwoven Tech Asia (26-28 September, Delhi). At the show, Bunting promoted their range of metal detectors specifically designed for identifying pins and other metal in textiles.
The export focus continued with the announcement of a new distributor in Turkey for the food sector. Istanbul-based Empathy represents international companies in the food processing and packaging industry. The company provides complete processing and packaging solutions for food and beverage producers.
Bunting’s engineers continually seek to make equipment improvements leading to the announcement of a new manual-clean insert for the widely used Drawer Filter Magnet. With the new design, operators withdraw the complete drawer insert. Once clear, they then pull the tubes magnets through the front Perspex cover. Any metal contamination is drawn to the front of the plate, which is fitted with strong plastic washers that block the metal from moving outside the housing. As the tube magnet is withdrawn entirely, the captured metal is no longer magnetically held and falls under gravity into a waste collection chute.
The Skip & Waste Magazine featured an article looking at vital metal recovery from household waste. The article reviewed methods to maximise not only the recovery of both ferrous and non-ferrous metal, but also the purity.
Bunting supports charity initiatives across all worldwide sites and announced their support of Press Officer, Paul Fears, and fellow Dads taking on the #BikeBoatBoot challenge for South Wales children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan. The #BikeBoatBoot challenge involves travelling the length of Wales on off-road cycle paths, mountain hiking trails, and kayaking along the whole length of Lake Bala. The estimated distance is over 200 miles, with the team climbing nearly 18,000 feet.
One of the most high-profile projects of 2023 was securing an order from ICL Boulby to replace and upgrade Overband Magnetic Separators at the mine in North Yorkshire, UK. In early 2024, ICL will be installing four (4) ElectroMax-Plus Overband Magnets to provide enhanced screen, crusher and conveyor protection against tramp ferrous metal.
There was a return to plastics recycling with an article, first published by Power and Bulk Solids (August 2023), focusing on the separation challenges of recycling PET for plastic bottles. A combination of metal detectors and magnetic separators produce an end product that is 99.9% free of metal contamination.
The final post of 2023 returned to the issue of metal contamination in food. In one single month, the UK Food Standards Agency reported the recalling of 51 separate food products due to concerns about metal contamination. The food product recalls affected some of the UK’s largest supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Aldi. Correctly specified and installed magnetic separators and metal detectors would have averted such costly recalls.
We wish to thank everyone who has taken the time to read our posts in 2023. Our aim is to produce interesting and informative content that will assist companies using magnetic separators and metal detectors.
For further information on Magnetic Separators, Eddy Current Separator and Metal Detectors, please visit our website or contact us on:
Email: Michael Allen at firstname.lastname@example.org
Telephone: +44 (0) 1527 65858


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Urban Outfitters reported record third-quarter sales, but the clothing company’s profits fell year-over-year as it’s namesake brand courted controversy. Here are some of the key points from Monday’s third-quarter earnings report.
What you need to know: Quarterly sales for Urban Outfitters — whose brands also include retailers Anthropologie, Free People and Terrain — increased by 5% year-over-year, to $814 million, but sales at the company’s namesake brand fell by $1.5 million. What’s more, same-store sales across the company dipped 1% after analysts predicted they would be flat for the quarter.
Urban Outfitters (URBN) also reported a quarterly profit of $47 million, or 35 cents per share, which is down nearly a third year-over-year. Shares of the company fell almost 5% in after-hours trading following the release of the earnings report. The company’s stock has tumbled nearly 17% since the start of the year after profits through the first three quarters of the year have dropped 22% year-over-year, to $152 million.
CEO Richard Hayne said in a statement that he is “disappointed by the results at the Urban Outfitters brand.”
The big number: Sales for the Urban Outfitters brand dropped again, offsetting gains from some of the company’s other brands. Same-store sales for the namesake brand fell 7% in the third quarter after dropping 10% in the previous quarter.
The Urban Outfitters brand recently suffered through a social media firestorm after the retailer put a bloodstained Kent State University sweatshirt for sale on its website, drawing connections to the 1970 student massacre at that school. The item was removed from the website after much public outcry, but the incident was just the latest for a chain that previously peddled a women’s t-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Eat Less,” which critics said was an inappropriate swipe at people with eating disorders.
It is hard to say whether or not the controversy adversely affected the brand’s sales in the third quarter, especially since same-store sales took an even bigger hit the previous quarter, but Hayne clearly thinks improvement is needed at Urban Outfitters stores.
“There is much work to be done to improve the merchandise margins and store performance at the Urban brand, but I see positive signs as shown by strong results at the brand’s direct-to-consumer channel,” the CEO said.
What you might have missed: Once again, the poor performance by Urban Outfitter stores overshadowed positive news from the company’s other divisions. Same-store sales at Free People jumped 15% in the quarter while the Anthropologie got a 2% bump. Same-store sales at the two chains were also up in the second quarter: 21% and 6%, respectively.


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Find out the hottest news from Japan right as it breaks related to anime, manga, live action adaptations, and more!
What You Need to Know: Aniplex of America is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated release of Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond on Blu-ray ...Readmore
What You Need to Know: There's a crowdfunding campaign currently going on to produce a virtual reality (VR) anime of Souichirou Yamamoto's Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-s...Readmore
What You Need to Know: Crunchyroll and VIZ Media Europe Group have announced today the signing of an agreement to bring together Crunchyroll’s global plat...Readmore
What You Need to Know: Today, the cover illustrations were revealed for Vocal Collection Vol. 2, a collection of songs from the second cours of the anime, and...Readmore
What You Need to Know: Tokyo Otaku Mode will open pre-orders for new character jewelry products made through a collaboration with U-TREASURE, a jewelry com...Readmore


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A Thanksgiving gathering is being held tomorrow for those who don’t have enough or wouldn’t have anyone to spend the afternoon with.
Keywords: OC Community Church, Thanksgiving, Waco High School
Amazon wants to start using unmanned drones to deliver packages. Is this a good idea?
call: (319) 653-2113


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Tesla Semi and the Modern Fleet: A Technology Driven Industry
The next wave of transportation is here: what does this mean for the fleet industry?
The next wave of the transportation industry is here: it’s fully electric, powerful enough to achieve a range of 500 miles when fully charged, and comes in a sleek design. Tesla’s reveal of the Tesla Semi this past November made the desired improvements many in the automotive industry have been talking about for years a reality, such as increased efficiency and less hassle using technology.
Whether you’re considering adding yourself to the pre-order list or not, the introduction of the Tesla Semi demonstrates the reality of a changing landscape. So, what does this really mean for the fleet industry?
More miles, less stress
The Tesla Semi exemplifies how technology integrations in fleets will continue to make a driver’s job easier, not more stressful or overly-complicated. This includes during the drive itself, with a fully-electric semi-truck offering features like the elimination of gear shift for an easier time for drivers on the road, as well as incredible speed capacity, and therefore productivity. The Tesla Semi will be powerful enough to reach a range of 500 miles on a full charge, as opposed to a 250-mile average speed of freight shipments. With this kind of speed and a maximum load weight of 80,000, the Tesla Semi promises efficiency.
We’ve already seen how technology focused on fleet management can boost fleet productivity and profitability. Electric vehicles are part of the overall equation for saving time and resources.
Assistance, not autonomous
You may be wondering how this will affect driver job security. The answer is not by much, if at all. Technology is nowhere near replacing drivers with machines. In fact, fleet companies are expected to experience a shortage of drivers in upcoming years.
The reality is that significant developments in the ability for cars to effectively communicate with one another and various aspects of the automotive infrastructure (stoplights, road signs, etc.) will need to be done for autonomous driving to ever take off. With the demand for fast and convenient deliveries higher than ever thanks to online shopping, the fleet industry is expecting a surge in driver positions.
An economical long run
Lower fuel consumption is another highly relevant benefit that comes with the introduction of the Tesla Semi. Not only is the 500-mile range a significant improvement compared to other electric and hybrid vehicles, such as the Mercedes heavy duty truck’s 124-mile range, but the market is projected to rapidly grow with Tesla’s entrance. As competition grows, prices will drop, and profit margins will continue to grow as you save big on fuel.
While drivers certainly shouldn’t quit their day jobs with the introduction of Tesla Semi, there is no doubt technology is changing the way we drive. From real-time access into fleet deliveries with GPS tracking, to using aggregated data for improved operational decisions, technology is and will continue to work together with fleet managers and drivers for a more efficient job. You can learn more about how technology is already helping fleet professionals make intelligent management decisions here.


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Liverpool’s Firesprite studio, recently acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment, has now itself acquired Manchester’s Fabrik Games. With the move being described as happening “in connection with” the initial acquisition.
Firesprite and Fabrik already had strong connections (and who says the two cities can’t get along) with Firesprite MD Graeme Ankers having set up Fabrik back in 2014. More recently Fabrik Games worked with Firesprite on bringing VR sci-fi horror title The Persistence to non-VR formats.
The move bolsters Firesprite’s numbers to over 265 and means the developer now has two locations in the North West to build upon as needed.
Fabrik Games is best known for heist title Filthy Lucre, a top-down title with impressive co-op support. Along with The Lost Bear, an unusual VR adventure that uses a side-scrolling camera view and platforming.
It’s great to see Sony further spreading its wings with new investments in the UK development scene.
“I’m delighted to announce that we will be bringing Fabrik Games and Firesprite together as part of our exciting next step with PlayStation Studios,” said Graeme Ankers, Managing Director, Firesprite. “They are a team of passionate and committed developers, led by industry veterans who have worked on many AAA franchises. We’re looking forward to bolstering our creative talent as we continue on our journey to offer truly unique experiences for PlayStation fans.”
“We have a history working and collaborating closely with Firesprite,” said Errol Ismail, Studio Head, Fabrik Games. “There’s a huge amount of creative and cultural alignment already and the entire team is excited to be on board. We can’t wait to show everyone what we’re capable of.”


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First came the flights to nowhere in countries like Australia, Japan and Taiwan. Now is the turn of cruise ships, looking for ways to limit the damage that the coronavirus pandemic is causing to their business results.
In its latest effort to put some wind in the sails of a tourism sector left high and dry by the coronavirus pandemic, Singapore will from next month permit cruise ships to sail, for the first time since March.
It will not exactly be full steam ahead, however, with the Singapore Tourism Board saying on Thursday that cruises will be round trips with no port calls allowed.
When the first ship sails on 6 November, the operator will have to apply "stringent hygiene and safety measures" based on what the tourism board calls "CruiseSafe Certification." Only half the usual passenger numbers will be permitted to travel.
There were several coronavirus outbreaks on cruise ships in the early stages of the pandemic, with hundreds of passengers infected onboard the Diamond Princess of Japan.
Temporary cruise ban
Most countries imposed a temporary cruise ban, though Singapore allowed passengers to disembark from an Italian ship in March after rebuffs by Thailand and Malaysia before the country sealed its borders as international travel came to a standstill.
Asian countries have largely kept frontiers closed since March, though Singapore has reopened to tourists from Australia, Brunei, New Zealand and Vietnam.
The wealthy city-state, which functions as an anchor for foreign investment in South-East Asia, has restarted business travel with China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.
While several airlines, such as Australia's Qantas and Japan's ANA, have promoted so-called "flights to nowhere," Singapore's national carrier instead announced in September it would deploy grounded aircraft as restaurants and offer in-flight menus on food delivery services.


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PCGS is offering a $10,000 reward to verify a genuine 1964-D Peace dollar, the number one coin on the new PCGS Top 100 Modern U.S. Coins list. This image is a PCGS artist’s conception of a 1964-D Peace dollar.
- Andrew Jackson Presidential Silver Medal on Sale Feb. 24 February 18, 2020
- United States Mint Celebrates Official Release of 51st America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin February 18, 2020
- U.S. Mint News Release: Set of 2020 America the Beautiful Quarters® Silver Proof Coins on Sale Starting Feb. 20 February 18, 2020
- 2020 America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™ Honoring National Park of American Samoa on Sale Feb. 18 February 14, 2020
- Dean Schmidt Receives Service Award for Kansas Bill Efforts February 13, 2020


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Over the last few weeks, and as reported previously in our first article about the fashion industry’s response to Coronavirus, you’ll have seen a whirlwind of activity from global fashion.
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Cloud-based storage service Box on Thursday unveiled an updated Android app that boasts new collaboration features, support for new languages, and 50GB of free storage.
The update will be available for Android phones and tablets. Box said the revamped app leverages the Android 4.0 design, but users do not have to be running Ice Cream Sandwich to use it.
Among the feature updates this revamp brings is the ability to view and add comments on individual Box files (below). Just like you might comment on a Facebook photo, chat with co-workers in Box about document changes or suggestions and view any previous changes.
"Exchanging feedback with others doesn't have to stop when you're away from your desk," Simon Tan, product manager for mobile at Box, said in a blog post.
The update also allows users to upload multiple files and monitor their progress while you work on other tasks. If you want to offload files on your device, meanwhile, the Android app now supports multiple file uploading from the SD card.
"For mobile workers such as project managers at a construction site being able to quickly send photos and other status updates back to the home office directly from an Android device in the field is a big time saver," Tan wrote.
Box for Android now also supports French, Italian, German, and Spanish. In talking with PCMag yesterday, Matt Self, vice president of platform engineering at Box, said 40 percent of Box customers are located outside the United States and 20 percent of Box's business revenue is from non-U.S. businesses.
"Android is [also] very prevalent in Europe, so we want to make it easier to use Box in those countries," Self said. "Areas outside the U.S. haven't been as well-served, so we're making a push."
For those who download the new Android Box app, or upgrade their existing app, the company is throwing in 50GB of free storage for life, while file upload limits will jump to 100MB. A normal Box account provides 5GB of free storage. The company has done this with other app launches, like iOS, which received 1 million downloads in the first five days.
As part of the launch, meanwhile, Box has teamed up with Samsung to give away 20 Galaxy Tab tablets to the business that can tell Box why having these gadgets will help their company. More details are available on sites.box.com/mobile-giveaway/.
Box has positioned itself as the cheaper and more open alternative to the cloud offerings from major tech firms like Microsoft and Google.
"Android is so important because the Windows monopoly is really, finally being broken with more than half of the end points out there not running Windows," Box's Self said, pointing to the dominance of iOS- and Android-based tablets and smartphones.
However, "there aren't a lot of great solutions today for Android that really work for enterprise," Self said. "[But] we provide the tools to enable Android to be a productive tool."
When asked to elaborate on that, Self pointed to the ability to open any documents within the Box Android app. "You can edit the documents and when you save them, they get saved into the cloud automatically. That's a huge business enabler," he said.
The addition of commenting, meanwhile, "builds a business workflow."
For more, see PCMag's recent interview with Box CEO Aaron Levie, who talked about battling Microsoft, creating an app ecosystem for business, and more.
For more from Chloe, follow her on Twitter @ChloeAlbanesius.


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Johnson and Johnson has announced a voluntary recall on the products.
Press Release Service – Wired PR News – Johnson and Johnson has reportedly announced a voluntary recall on children and infant liquid Tylenol products. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), the company is recalling 57 lots of the products due to possible contamination of bacteria.
The company is quoted by the AP as stating of the recall decision, “It was decided, as a precaution, to recall all product that utilized any of the raw material manufactured at the same time as the raw material that tested positive for the bacteria.”
As noted in the report, the recalled products were manufactured between April and June. A list of these may be found at http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?idtylenol/news/subpchildinfantnews.inc. Questions about the recall may be directed to McNeil’s consumer call center at 1-800-962-5357.
WiredPRNews.com – The latest in Health News


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The boss of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment division Don Mattrick, has revealed the full amount Xbox Live subscribers have spent on the service – a cool $1 billion.
Speaking at the platform holder’s E3 media briefing this morning, Mattrick added that a new member joins every five seconds, an that the Xbox Live audience had already downloaded 500 million pieces of content’.
Mattrick also declared his belief that Xbox 360 would outsell PS3 overall this generation – and gloated over the number of previously PlayStation-exclusive IP that has made its way to the console.
Today, a new member joins Xbox Live every five seconds – adding to over 12 million members,” he said.
I’m thrilled to share with you that, since we launched 360, consumers have spent more than $1 billion on Xbox Live. And they’ve downloaded more than half a billion pieces of content. No only can you find the games – but we give you the entertainment you want, when you want it.”


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GOWEX said it would make Miami the third city in the United States where it offers free Wi-Fi access in public hot spots.
The Madrid-based company (OTCBB: LGWXY) said it would create about 400 Wi-Fi hot sports in the county, including on Lenox Avenue, parts of Biscayne Boulevard, Collins Avenue, Miracle Mile, Flagler Street and Ocean Drive. The connection at speeds of one megabite per second will be free for those who register, although premium options can be purchased.
GOWEX will also sell advertising over the Wi-Fi network. It has already launched this program in New York City and San Francisco.
RELATED CONTENT: Developers to vie for $30K in prizes at eMerge Americas Techweek
"Personally, I feel very comfortable at Miami, I have a special fondness because it was the city in which I initiated and developed a big part of my business and career,” said Jenaro Garcia, CEO and founder of GOWEX. "Miami is a very important and strategic link between the U.S. and Latin America."


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The sale of online grocer FreshDirect to a Dutch company has been cleared by federal antitrust authorities, closing a deal that was first announced last November. The Dutch company, Ahold Delhaize, is partnering with New York-based private equity firm on the deal, which sources speculate to have cost $300 million.
Early reports are that FreshDirect will continue to operate out of its 400,000-square-foot South Bronx facility.
FreshDirect has been beset by controversy since the city first announced in 2011 it would heavily subsidize the company’s move from its cramped facility in Queens to the Harlem River Yards on the Port Morris waterfront. Grassroots groups bitterly opposed the move, saying the delivery company’s near-1,000 trucks per day operation would worsen already high asthma rates in the area, and that the company and elected officials haven’t fulfilled promises of good-paying jobs for local residents.
Then, in 2018, the company’s CEO Jason Ackerman stepped down amid reports his mismanagement had led to reliability problems that caused major revenue losses, as well as damage to the FreshDirect brand. Ackerman went on to head a Canadian cannabis company, and was replaced by David McInerney, a former executive chef at reputed Manhattan restaurants.
Ahold Delhaize is the parent company for about 2,000 grocery stores nationwide, as well as e-grocer Peapod.


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As the weather gets warmer, people are starting to do those outside jobs you have been putting off all winter.
That is why MLGW wants you to know what is below, and call 811 before you start digging in your garden.
MLGW hit Lowes stores across the Memphis area promoting the dangers of natural gas and how leaking can be prevented.
Workers were there to ask questions and hand out pamphlets that told people what to look out for with natural gas. Click here for more information.


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Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse parent company Darden Restaurants turned in improved sales and profits Tuesday, but weakness in the restaurant sector continues to put a haze on the company's recovery.
Darden boosted sales 1.6 percent to $1.714 billion during the first quarter that ended Aug. 28. Profits were up 27.5 percent for the quarter compared to the same period last year, bringing net earnings to $110.4 million.
Same restaurant sales were up 2 percent at flagship brand Olive Garden, outperforming a sluggish restaurant industry.
But previously hot restaurants brands Capital Grille and Eddie V's saw same restaurant sales drop, and LongHorn Steakhouse's growth slowed. Yard House sales were also flat.
Darden reported earnings per share of 88 cents, about 3 cents above analyst estimates.
Darden is the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in Orlando, with about 1,000 employees at its corporate headquarters.
Olive Garden has now turned in eight straight quarters of same restaurant sales growth and CEO Gene Lee said the company has made improvements in the two years he has led the company.
"We remain confident that we have the right strategies in place," Lee said in a call with investors.
Lee did outline some changes in promotions at Olive Garden over the last few months, including more targeted coupons to customers through email. Olive Garden has also reduced broad discounting, Lee said.
Darden also repurchased about $196 million in its own stock (NYSE: DRI) during the quarter.
Neil Saunders, CEO of research firm Conlumino, said Darden's number were impressive considering the rest of the industry.
"Darden has started its fiscal year with a fairly subdued set of sales numbers," he said. "However, in the context of the wider market and against some fairly tough comparatives from last year, these are far from problematic."


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We’re now into Day 3 of the big CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment event in San Francisco, and CEO Steve Largent shed some bliding light on the industry’s subscriber growth: According to Largent, as of June 2007, the U.S. wireless consumer market surpassed the 243 million subscriber mark–representing roughly 81 percent of the overall national population. As a reference point, this beat Jupiter’s 2005 growth predictions by almost 3 years!
In addition, U.S. subscribers now send an average of 1 billion text messages every day–transmitting 28.8 billion messages in June alone–and are slowly-but-surely getting onto the mobile Web. Case in point, CTIA reported that wireless data service revenues for the first half of 2007 rose 63 percent year-over-year to $10.5 billion: now accounting for 15.5 percent of all wireless service revenues. (And most of these are BlackBerry and Treo subscriptions; so just think when the average guy with the RAZR starts surfing…).
Separately, the CTIA survey also found that wireless subscribers in the U.S. sent 2.6 billion MMS messages during the first half of 2007, which is nearly twice as much as last year. But that barely registers against our talk time: Wireless customers used more than 1.1 trillion minutes (yes, that’s with a “t”) in the first half of this year alone.
All of which, of course, leads me back to what I’ve been saying all along: Mobile is a fad. Just like the Internet. Why doesn’t anybody get that?


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XCOM 2 Anarchy’s Children expansion release date and content confirmed
The first expansion for XCOM 2 will arrive on 17 March and will feature more than 100 new customisation options.
Firaxis Games has released new details for Anarchy’s Children, the upcoming expansion for PC exclusive XCOM 2.
The expansion will include more than 100 new “exotic” customisation options. These include hairstyles, face paint, armor, helmets, masks and other such items.
Some of the new additions are a little ridiculous, but will no doubt make defending the planet from aliens a more stylish affair.
Related: Steam Controller Review
The pack will cost £3.99, or can be downloaded as part of the game’s Reinforcement Pack for £15.99
Firaxis has also confirmed that it will be releasing a new patch that will “optimise performance” and provide general gameplay fixes.
XCOM 2 came to PC back in February to critical and commercial success. Firaxis hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a console release, so fingers crossed for now.


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Buzz: Wizcraft International Are Now Venturing Into Talent Management
The producers of the International Indian Film Academy Awards – IIFA, Wizcraft, are up to something interesting. According to an undisclosed source of ours, Wizcraft International is set to venture into a new business. The event management giant is ready to launch their talent agency.
With this venture it look like Wizcraft is looking at bringing in international best practices for talent management. Taking into consideration the brand they are already we are guessing many big names of the industry may approach them to become their managers. Especially given the current scenario where many talents are accusing the agencies managing them of harassment.


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This year’s release of Madden NFL 15 is going to feature several Ultimate Team items that are locked behind a pay-wall.
The Ultimate Team mode tasks players with collecting cards of NFL stars (past and present) to create their fantasy or Ultimate team. The cards are collected by playing the mode and earning points which can then be redeemed for a pack of cards. Once you’re on your way, you can then opt to sell, purchase or trade in the game’s marketplace.
For those with low patience, cards and other associated goodies can be obtained through micro-transactions using real-life cash. The concept is nothing new and has been done before in the Madden NFL franchise.
This year however, it is being reported that there will be several items in the game’s Ultimate Team mode which can only be obtained through money. There’s no option of redeeming them through the game’s progression or the in-game currency.
The prices are said to vary between $0.99 for 100 points and $99.99 for 12,000 points.
EA has always been blamed for being a scrupulous company when it comes to milking its user base. While an official clarification from their side is pending, those driving the EA-hate bandwagon will not even be surprised knowing this latest Madden NFL 15 update.
Madden NFL 15 is scheduled for release next week for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.


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Group-IB, the global company specialized in addressing cyber threats, surveying data and information about cyber threats, and investigating and preventing advanced cybercrime, has uncovered an ongoing and widespread fraud wave targeting the Middle East and Africa region. Nearly 140 popular brands in 16 countries in the region were exploited by scammers who created fake pages with the aim of stealing users’ personal information and payment data according to the information, at least eight brands are being exploited in a wave of multiple frauds. These stages go back to the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The results, obtained with the help of AI-driven digital risk identification and mitigation platform called Digital Threat Protection System, were released by Group-IP.
Analysts pointed out that Egypt is one of the top five countries targeted by this continuous and multi-stage fraud wave, according to a press release.
In the process, scammers create fake web pages, after which the typical victim receives an electronic link, either through social media channels or through a messaging app, or they may come across an ad in search engines inviting them to participate in a prize draw, get promotions, or fill out a survey. Associated with a famous brand or the name of a celebrity.
The web page the victim accesses includes an online form designed to extract key personal details. Once the form is filled out, the victim finds himself a prize winner and is then asked to share the link with his contacts. After the victim expands the fraud surface, it is redirected to other fraud resources, such as new giveaways, phishing sites, or sites that may put the user's devices at risk of malware infection. The total monthly number of the target audience as a last stage in the scams is about 500,000 people.
The report said that the majority of the brands targeted by this multi-stage fraud wave belong to the telecommunications sector with a percentage of 34.8%, while 10.4% of them represent public services and 9.6% belong to the retail sector.
Other sectors affected include entertainment, fast food, automobiles, electronics, oil and gas, banking, and insurance. In addition, the group's analysts discovered more than 4,300 fraudulent web pages registered using legitimate blogging services this year alone, of which 160 Fraudulent page exploits Egyptian brands.
The pandemic has pushed companies towards electronic transformation, as the proportion of purchase deals made through social media channels is 40% at the present time, and this represents unprecedented growth, but at the same time, it has doubled the level of threats. In all, scams make up 73% of all cyber attacks: 56% are scams that lure victims into voluntarily revealing sensitive data, and 17% are phishing attacks that ultimately lead to the theft of bank card details.
In this regard, Ashraf Kahil, General Manager Business Development Unit Middle East and Africa at Group-IP, says: “Organizations cannot deal with this fraud epidemic through classic monitoring approaches and blocking links individually, as the volume of fraudulent activity is increasing. Comprehensive digital risk protection systems should be able to detect and see all components of the infrastructure that a fraudster puts in place, and a fraud-centric approach, similar to yours Group-IP enriches monitoring results and makes the monitoring process more sophisticated, complex, and scalable.
Group-IP, which recently opened the doors of its first center specialized in collecting information and conducting research on cyber threats in the Middle East and Africa, indicated that fraud and phishing operations detected by the company in the Middle East increased by 27.5% in 2020, compared to the previous year. It also provided analytics from several other fraud schemes detected using SCAM Intelligence. In just one year, the system has helped save up to $443 million to businesses in the Asia Pacific and Russia Europe, and the Middle East by preventing potential damages associated with the fraud.


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LAKATO MONSTER FARMERS, INDONESIA — — The word kratom comes up repeatedly in conversations with Indonesian farmers and farmers’ friends who have grown kratom and now have the best tasting orange juice on the island.
The fruit and vegetable varieties are grown in the same area as kratom in Laksa and Laksantan, Indonesia.
One of the key ingredients of kratom, known as a kalamata, is the alkaloids mitragynine and mitragyanine, both of which are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.
But while they have anti-anxiety and anti-depressant properties, kratom also can help people with depression, bipolar disorder and chronic pain.
Indonesia’s kratom trade is booming.
There are currently more than 1,200 kratom plantations in Indonesia, according to the country’s Ministry of Forestry and Environment, and about 30% of the countrys kratom exports are to Southeast Asia, according the United Nations World Drug Report.
In 2013, there were about 50,000 kratom farmers in Indonesia.
Some say they have not seen a single drop of the drug since 2014, when kratom was removed from the country, according Reuters.
It’s hard to see how a traditional, non-psychoactive plant could compete with the growing demand.
As a result, the growers say they are experimenting with new ingredients that they think could provide better quality and health benefits.
A kratom plant in Lakatan, Indonesia, where the fruit and vegetables are grown.
The plant has been a popular ingredient in kratom drinks since at least the 1980s.
For many Indonesians, the name kratom makes them feel like they’re getting their hands on something special.
Even the names of the plants have been changing, but the main ingredients remain the same.
“I’m not a kamaleen, a komodo, a meer or a kumu, so I just use the word kamak, and I say kamalah or kamali,” said Pahap, a farmer and former president of the Indonesian Association of Vegetables and Fruit Growers.
Pahap said his orange juice is the best in the region and he has been able to sell it through the marketplaces on Laksanto, a popular tourist destination.
My kratom juice is so much better than anything you’d find in a bottle, said Pohap.
Kratom was once popular with backpackers who used it to treat chronic pain and insomnia, but now people are using it for a variety of reasons, from pain relief to weight loss to a mood boost.
This is why it’s important to make sure people are taking kratom safely and responsibly, said the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Abdul Rahim.
With so many people trying to find something to use kratom for, it is important to ensure that people are not abusing it, Rahim said.
He added that the government is monitoring the situation and that the Government of Indonesia is working with local authorities and farmers to find a solution to the kratom crisis.
On April 6, police raided a kampung in Lakhanap, which is home to one of the plantations.
After a two-day search, police arrested three people, including two kampeng growers.
The farmers were taken to Laksanti prison, where they were being held on suspicion of trafficking.
Officials said they were not sure how the kampang’s fruit and plant parts were sourced.
Many of the growers are members of a rural community that has been battling the drug’s rapid rise in popularity.


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Apple has released iOS 9.1 to the public, with bug fixes, better Live Photos and 184 brand new emoji -- including the middle finger, a burrito and a unicorn.
The new emoji are based on a list already set by the Unicode Consortium, the organisation that standardises the list of characters across different operating systems. So they're not new, but now iOS 9.1 supports all of them -- and iOS is the first operating system to include every emoji in the Unicode Standard.
The update means all kinds of in-demand emoji are coming to iPhones, including middle finger, taco, nerd face, robot, burrito, champagne, a man in a business suit levitating, hot dog, cheese, crab, lion.
There are also added religious symbols, like prayer beads and places of worship. And a super magical unicorn. Emojipedia states that there are 184 new emoji across all categories.
Also rolling out this week are updates to Apple's watchOS for its watches -- as well as an update for OS X El Capitan, which will both get the new emoji too.
The tvOS golden master (GM) has also been released this week and Apple is now inviting developers to start submitting tvOS apps ahead of the Apple TV launch next week.
iOS 9.1 is available as an over-the-air update to all iOS 9 users. To download it go to Settings -> General -> Software Update -> Install and then follow the on-screen instructions.


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NEWARK – The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, along with other agencies nationwide, are marking Sunday’s kickoff to National Consumer Protection Week (“NCPW”) by releasing the top ten list of consumer complaints from 2022. National Consumer Protection Week is a coordinated campaign between state and federal agencies that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their rights and make better-informed decisions. NCPW 2023 is taking place from March 5 through March 11, 2023.
In 2022, the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection (“OCP”) received a total of 18,084 complaints. Complaints regarding motor vehicle sales and repairs once again topped the list with 2,514. Home improvement came in second with 2,310 complaints followed by major appliances with 1,080. Internet sales, medical care, moving and storage, professional and occupational services, stores, credit and finally gasoline rounded out the top ten. The top three categories made up nearly one third of all complaints received and accounted for 65% of all complaints in the top ten categories.
“The Division of Consumer Affairs is a crucial part to the everyday lives of New Jersey residents by enforcing consumer protection laws and educating the public to avoid fraud,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin “Consumer complaints alert DCA on who is violating those laws and what patterns of fraud are emerging in the marketplace.”
“The complaints we receive each year help the Division set its priorities and deploy its resources to best serve New Jersey’s consumers,” said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Our public outreach campaigns and enforcement initiatives are guided by the complaints we receive, and the information consumers provide to us.”
In 2022, the Division initiated or resolved a variety of motor vehicle related investigations, the top consumer complaint category for 2022. These cases involve predatory towing, automotive repairs, car sales, and auto-parts pricing. Among other things, last year DCA reached significant settlements with nine car dealerships totaling more than $650,000 throughout the State. The dealerships’ alleged violations include failing to list prior accidents, damage, and repairs made to vehicles; failing to honor the advertised price of a used car; charging excessive vehicle preparation fees; failing to disclose the full sale price of a motor vehicle; and deceptive advertising.
OCP typically receives over 1,000 new complaints every month through its online portal. Staff review each complaint to determine whether it alleges a violation of our consumer protection laws, and whether it should be referred to a unit within OCP, another part of the Division, or another agency. OCP may open a formal investigation, which could lead to an administrative or civil court filing. OCP also may attempt to informally mediate a resolution between a consumer and a merchant without the need for a formal filing. Other matters may be handled by formal mediation or arbitration through the Division’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.
Throughout the week, more information on each top-ten category will be posted to the Division of Consumer Affairs’ Twitter and Facebook pages, along with information on how consumers can protect themselves.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file an online complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504- 6200.
The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs, within the Department of Law and Public Safety, is to protect the public from fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and professional misconduct in the sale of goods and services in New Jersey through education, advocacy, regulation and enforcement. The Division pursues its mission through its 51 professional and occupational boards that oversee 720,000 licensees in the state, its Regulated Business section that oversees 60,000 NJ registered businesses, as well as through its Office of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Securities, Charities Registration section, Office of Weights and Measures, and Legalized Games of Chance section.


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The drone industry has taken a huge step. Flirtey, the “world’s first autonomous aerial delivery company”, delivered on Friday medical supplies to a rural area in Virginia, United States.
On an interview with The Verge, Flirtey’s CEO Matthew Sweeney talked about the event’s implications for the industry:
In this area, we had 3,000 people camping out for medical care in cars, blocking single-lane roads on the way to the medical clinic. The supplies are typically delivered by car, a 90-minute drive over bumpy, often broken down roads. “In circumstances with traffic congestion like this, or over rugged terrain, or in emergency scenarios like Katrina, drone delivery provides the fastest and most reliable method of delivery of emergency supplies.
Sweeney also reflected on the reasons why drone delivery face too many problems:
In the early 1950s many people thought it was impossible to run a mile in under 4 minutes, until Roger Bannister broke the barrier. The barrier turned out to be largely psychological and today that happens routinely. I think our achievement of the first approved drone delivery on US soil will break a psychological barrier.
Take a look at the drone delivery made by Flirtey. The video lasts for almost 7 minutes and shows the drone delivering the supplies and making it back to a safe landing spot:
Please, let me know what you think in the comment section.


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Currently, the rumor is that Guerrilla Games is cranking away on Killzone 4 and a mysterious new IP.
It's unfortunate that the developer wasn't at E3 (the most glaring omission of Sony's press conference in our estimation), but at least we get a new hint thanks to a recent job listing for a Senior Game Designer (as spotted by PlayStation LifeStyle ).
The listing says they want you to apply if "you've worked on (and completed) one or more FPS/action games as a Senior Game Designer," which basically implies that the new title in question is a shooter. But then there's the part where they put a heavy emphasis on online multiplayer, saying they " really want to hear from you if you have an extensive knowledge of and affinity for Online/Multiplayer design." The implication there is interesting…it could just be talking about a standard multiplayer mode but the way it's written, it almost sounds like a MMOFPS or something that puts multiplayer before single-player.
Oh, maybe I'm just being paranoid. I hate the idea of not having a campaign, so I could be looking for fire where there is no smoke. At the very least, Guerrilla is working on something and gamers everywhere would like a peek. Soon.


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Credit card providers should consider cutting or waiving fees for people in persistent debt spirals, the City regulator has said.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also said firms should not just suspend a credit card without having an objectively justifiable reason.
The watchdog has set out its expectations by writing to credit card companies telling them to review their approach to borrowers who are stuck in persistent debt – where they have been paying more in interest, fees and charges than the amounts they have shaved off their balance.
The FCA estimates that customers could collectively save up to £1.3 billion a year in lower interest charges.
The regulator’s previous market analysis found that more than three million credit card holders, with a total of four million accounts, were in persistent debt.
These customers pay around £2.50 on average in interest and charges for every £1 repaid.
We estimate these measures could save customers up to £1.3bn a year in lower interest charges – but it’s important that firms get this right pic.twitter.com/NWg48PGrxD
— Financial Conduct Authority (@TheFCA) February 3, 2020
The FCA said firms should help people who have been caught in a cycle of persistent debt for three years by proposing and agreeing plans with customers to resolve the situation.
Credit card providers should make sure their approach is in line with the FCA’s expectations.
The regulator said companies must encourage customers to speak with them to discuss potential repayment arrangements.
If customers cannot afford the options proposed by the firm, they must be treated with forbearance and due consideration, for example, by reducing, waiving or cancelling any interest or charges.
The FCA said there is also a concern that providers may impose a “blanket” suspension of credit cards for everyone in persistent debt, including those willing to engage and come to an agreement.
In these circumstances, firms are not allowed to suspend a credit card without having an objectively justifiable reason.
Jonathan Davidson, executive director of supervision for retail and authorisations at the FCA, said: “Under our rules, firms must help customers to reduce the level of debt they have on their credit card more quickly.
“If a customer cannot afford the firm’s proposals for how to do this, the firm must offer forbearance, potentially including reducing, waiving or cancelling any interest, fees or charges.
“My advice to consumers is don’t bury your head in the sand. If you can’t afford to meet the repayment schedule that the credit card firm is suggesting, don’t be afraid to tell them. If we find firms are not offering their customers the appropriate level of help, we will not hesitate to take action.
“If the firms do this right, we estimate that this could save customers up to £1.3 billion a year in lower interest charges.”
If people are concerned about persistent credit card debt or are dealing with multiple credit cards, free help is available from the Government-backed Money Advice Service.
Rachel Springall, a finance expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, said the FCA “may well have thrown struggling credit card borrowers a lifeline”.
She said: “There may well be borrowers out there who are keeping up with the minimum repayments but are unable to pay more each month, and these borrowers need support.
“Hopefully this interjection from the FCA will protect vulnerable consumers who need more guidance on ways to reduce their debts.
“However, if card providers are forced to reduce or abandon interest charges on debts, then this could impact the range of credit card deals that they are prepared to offer overall.
“It will be interesting to see what credit card providers will do in the months to come.”


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Watch the new Super Smash Bros. gameplay reveal of Pyra and Mythra
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game director Masahiro Sakurai will offer an in-depth look at the next character(s) coming to the Nintendo Switch fighting game on Thursday morning. The newest episode of “Mr. Sakurai Presents” will cover Pyra and Mythra, the duo from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Sakurai will explain all starting at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT, in a YouTube video, which you can watch above. Nintendo says the presentation will run about 35 minutes and include a release date for Pyra and Mythra.
There will be no further new fighter announcements in Thursday’s presentation, Nintendo said.
Nintendo revealed the addition of Pyra and Mythra during a Nintendo Direct presentation in February. The pair appear in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 as main character Rex’s two-in-one ally, and they’re invited to Smash Bros. later this month.
Pyra and Mythra join recently added characters Sephiroth from Final Fantasy 7, Min Min from Arms, and Steve/Alex from Minecraft. They’re the fourth of six new fighters promised as part of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Fighters Pass Vol. 2.
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