text:
Apple Pay rewards program may be on the way as Google preps Android Pay
Rumor Has It
By Caitlin McGarry, MacworldMAY 28, 2015 1:47 am PDT
Apple Pay is growing steadily, with more stores, banks, credit unions, and card issuers signing on to support the service all the time. We don’t know exactly how many people use Apple Pay, but Apple reportedly wants to make its mobile payment service the default option, so using your phone to pay becomes more compelling than pulling out a card.
The company has a plan: An Apple Pay program that will reward you for using the mobile payment service instead of pulling out your actual wallet, according to the New York Times. The newspaper cited two unnamed sources “familiar with Apple Pay,” but those sources didn’t give any details about what the perks would include.
One of Apple Pay’s roadblocks is the limited number of retailers that accept it. Apple is wooing those companies so iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and Apple Watch owners will be able to use Apple Pay wherever they’d like, and more stores are signing on all the time. Best Buy will support the service in-store this fall after adding Apple Pay to its app, and Target has also expressed interest in bringing Apple Pay into physical locations. The big-box retailer has supported Apple Pay in its app since the service’s launch.
Target CEO Brian Cornell on Wednesday at
Re/code’s Code Conference said the reason it’s taking so long to get on board with Apple Pay is the transition to chip-and-pin payment terminals, which Target aims to have in place by the holidays. Those terminals typically come equipped with Near-Field Communication technology, which would make Apple Pay support simple.
“I’d love to have Apple Pay in our system right now,” Cornell said. “Before we move further, we have to complete the work on chip-and-pin.”
But Apple is gearing up for competition from Google, which has tried for years to push NFC payments to no avail.
The company is expected to introduce Android Pay at its Google I/O developers conference this week, which will work just like Apple Pay, and include its own rewards program. It’s unclear which financial institutions and retailers will partner with Google at launch, and which phones will support the new service. Samsung is releasing its own mobile payment product,
Samsung Pay, in the U.S. this summer, and may not want its users to choose between the two.
Why this matters: Google and Apple have grand ambitions to make paying with your phone more simple and secure than paying with a physical card, which is good news for every person whose financial information has been leaked in merchant breach. Rewards would only sweeten the deal. We’ll find out more about Apple’s rumored Apple Pay rewards program during the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off June 8.


text:
So, we've seen the announcement from Sony of two new 4K cameras, new codecs, new recording media and a new 30" 4K LCD monitor. Just how significant is this, and is this the 4K Tipping Point, at least for production, if not all the way to the home?
I recently encountered a thread on one of my favourite forums in which someone was asking for opinions on a Canon EOS-60D package he'd seen on ebay. This package included the 60D body and extras including three lenses including a battery, charger, flash cards, various filters and diopters, cleaning kit, tripod, and more. All of this was neatly photographed and posted for sale on Ebay by a vendor we'll call, in order to protect the guilty, Pretty Cheap Digital, based in New York
We're replaying some of the best articles from 2012 in case you missed them the first time round. Today: What does "broadcast quality" mean these days by Phil Rhodes
RED and ARRI don't need to worry just yet, but here's more evidence that phones are the new camcorders
You may have heard that one of the top camera manufacturers is taking legal action against another for alleged patent infringement. This is news, but there's very little point in speculating about the outcome at this stage. Only a select group of people working for those companies will have access to evidence that proves the rights or wrongs of the case. We certainly don't

domain: news


text:
Three cult classics from the late genre legend are coming to Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber & Redemption Films. Details within!
Genre fans around the world mourn the loss of prolific Spanish director Jess Franco, and today we honor one of his few but memorable giallo-style films.
Euro-cult great Jess Franco has passed away at the age of 82 after producing nearly 200 films.
Since Mondo Macabro's rerelease of the newly restored Countess Perverse — presenting the original director's cut of the near-lost film for the first time — we've


text:
Pointy to expand after hitting key US retail milestone
Dublin retail technology startup Pointy plans to hire more staff and expand further after it reached a milestone of being adopted by 1pc of all retailers in the US.
The company, established here in 2014, has raised more than $19m (€16.6m) in funding so far and has ambitions to raise further capital. Pointy's main investor is Noel Ruane's Polaris Partners, while late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen also invested through his Vulcan Capital firm.
Pointy makes technology which connects the inventory of local shops to online e-commerce channels. It makes a 'Pointy Box' which connects to a shop's barcode scanner and lists the shop's products online, optimising them for search engines, so when people search for products, they find results from local stores and not only on Amazon or other online specialists.
The company's chief executive, Mark Cummins, said the product has "exploded" in the US. "The big announcement is that we've crossed 1pc of all retailers in the US," he said.
"The core is that it solves a problem a lot of people have. It's a very common problem - a lot of retailers have no real online presence. They might have a Facebook page or a Yelp profile, but not displaying their inventory online."
Cummins also dismissed Sport Direct boss Mike Ashley's view that the high street is dead. "The UK is taking a battering but I think you're seeing a mixture of Brexit and other factors there."


text:
Online Sexual Predators:
Young people must be cautious when using chat rooms or social networking sites. This video shows children how to protect themselves from people they meet on these Web sites who may be dangerous.
Students often do not realize that the Internet—through Web sites, blogs, social networking, e-mail, and instant messaging—can escalate bullying behavior. This video shows students the consequences of cyber bullying and how they should handle these situations.
Teenagers tend to reveal personal information online without realizing it. Watching this video will help children avoid accidentally sharing personal information with strangers that could put them at risk.
Internet gaming has become a popular hobby for students, but it is important to remind kids that excessive gaming can be harmful.
“In today’s digital world, one online mistake can have a dramatic impact on your future,” said Fred Humphries, Microsoft’s Managing Director, U.S. Government Affairs. “These videos help teens understand the real-world consequences of the choices they make while using social networking sites, visiting chat rooms or gaming online.”
While it’s certainly important to ensure students are safe online, it is equally important that we teach the benefits of being online and establishing a purposeful digital footprint.
You can view the video by clicking on the “Clicking with Caution” image on this post.
HOW DO I HELP MY CHILD LEARN TO USE THE INTERNET WISELY?
You have read this article cyber bullying / cyber safety / digital footprint with the title Clicking with Caution Internet Safety Video. You can bookmark this page URL http://machining33.blogspot.com/2011/01/clicking-with-caution-internet-safety.html. Thanks!


text:
The National Development Plan (NDP) estimates that the agricultural industry has the potential to create close to one million new jobs by the year 2030. This would be a great feat considering that the International Labour Organisation’s 2015 report estimated youth unemployment to be sitting at 52.5%.
Closer to home, Agriculture South Africa (AgriSA) estimates that the average age of a farmer in South Africa is 62. What this simply means is that there are business opportunities in the agricultural sector but they are not being profitably tapped into by the youth.
One of the exceptions to this case is Youth Agrihub Agricultural Primary Co-operative Ltd (YAAPC); a fully operational business that runs as an agricultural co-operative in the town of eJozini.
The business is fully owned and run by five young and ambitious agriculture graduates, namely Mzwandile Nhleko, Gqamile Mthiyane, Sipho Mhlongo, Scelokuhle Mathe and Mthokozisi Nhleko.
Armed with sound experience in plant and animal production, the co-operative caters to tons of customers. They also offer a variety of premium seedlings and vegetables to supply at local retailers as well as to individual farmers. They do all of this from their 5 hectare Mjindi irrigation scheme which they recently acquired under their business name.
Telling to the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa, the business started when its members, all unemployed at the time, decided to join forces and use their skills and education to become farmers instead of waiting for handouts.
This was a smooth move as most of them already came from a farming background outside of their education. The members had to use their own savings to finance the business. Making the transition from graduates to sustainable business owners also required that they do their fair share of planning and research.
“Farming just like any other business has risks, so it is important to gain the necessary insight that will help you run a sustainable farming enterprise”, said Nhleko, one of the founders.
According to Nhleko, businesses need to extensively look into market research, access to land, means to finance, a thought-out marketing plan for products and keep up to date with the industry’s latest trends.
Along with a well managed production plan, this helps the business to minimize losses and ensure good management practices at the farm. Proper execution has seen the cooperative run efficiently and avoid a number of hiccups. However, they are fully aware of factors that may be beyond their control such as natural disasters.
In the front line of the business, its founders have adopted a hands-on approach, having a direct involvement in the day to day running of it. The YAAPC currently has four permanent employees and four more on a temporary basis outside of its founders.
The response to its products since it started, has been largely positive, more so among the local community members and supermarkets. They now supply the King Cetshwayo Fresh Produce Market and established relations with other cooperatives to supply them with seedlings for their farms.
Looking at the future of the business, Nhleko says their vision is to become the leading producer of seedlings and fresh produce in the province of KwaZulu and eventually nationwide. Not stopping there, as part of their growth strategy, they are venturing into hydroponics farming (tunnel farming). They hope that more young people gain access to agricultural education and land, as they believe this will see them tapping into the mainstream economy.
For more info and enquiries, email: firstname.lastname@example.org or Whatsapp: +27 73 269 4912 and follow @mzwa_nhleko on twitter.
~ Thabisile Ngeleka


text:
A new survey by Rover.com reveals that 50% of people have a Valentine’s Day celebration planned for their dog. Other findings:
– 40% of people spend more time cuddling with their dog than their partner
– 33% of people spend more time gazing into their dog’s eyes than their partner’s.
See the full story here


text:
After Five Years, Common Room Is Closing Their Katipunan Store
They're saying goodbye to their first home.
(SPOT.ph) It's a sad day for lovers of all things artsy: Common Room announced in a Facebook post that they will be closing the doors of their Katipunan store. "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Common Room’s first home in Katipunan," they write.
Exactly five years ago, the arts and crafts haven opened in a small corner of Katipunan and instantly became home to a number of local brands and works of Filipino artists. The shop was filled to the brim with unique finds and gift-worthy items—not to mention, every corner was IG-worthy, too! What started out as a humble little store that showcased the talent and craft of local artists ended up gaining a community of art lovers. It easily became a place to discover homegrown brands and local artists. The success of Common Room's Katipunan store sparked the opening of pop-ups around the Metro, and eventually, more branches around Manila.
"We sincerely believe, though, that the best way to celebrate its anniversary is to ensure that the community survives this pandemic, even if it meant saying goodbye to the home that paved the way for our other homes," they write. "This store will always have a special place in our hearts. Its opening made our community possible and its closing ensured our community continues to exist. "
Check out their full announcement below:
To celebrate their fifth anniversary and to look back at all the good memories from their Katipunan store, check out these photos that will take you back to the good times:
Common Room is still open in Power Plant Mall, Alabang Town Center, and Ayala Malls Manila Bay. You can also shop Common Room online through their website.
For more information, log on to Common Room's Facebook page.


text:
July 21, 2022
The Friendly Toast, 5 Other New Shops Coming To Legacy Place In Dedham
DEDHAM, MA — Legacy Place in Dedham has six new businesses that just opened or are coming soon to the outdoor shopping plaza.
Now open are men’s apparel store TravisMathew, eyewear shop Warby Parker, women’s fashion boutique Evereve and mattress store Tempur-Pedic.
Regional breakfast-lunch eatery, the Friendly Toast, as well as Carbon Health, an urgent care clinic, will open this summer, according to a Legacy Place spokesperson.
“Legacy Place is seeing a substantial amount of retail growth this year with several recent and upcoming store openings across fashion, décor, restaurants, co-working space, and health and wellness,” said Suzanne Kelly, the general manager of Legacy Place. “As we continue to introduce new brands to the neighborhood, we’re excited to create even more unique experiences for guests to enjoy their day with us. In total, Legacy Place will open thirteen new tenants in 2022.”
By Jimmy Bentley


text:
Well, this is exciting, isn’t it?
Green River will get a new store later this year as Bomgaars will establish a branch at the old Shopko building. This is an amazing development. When a store closes, it seems to take a long time before someone comes along to use the vacated space. Look to Rock Springs and Harbor Freight for example. What used to be a Hastings and sat vacant for a couple of years before that was turned around.
There’s still the massive vacant building K-Mart used to occupy and it’s been several years since the last blue light special lit up that space.
The fact a business took...


text:
Unhealthy information continues to dominate crypto media headlines and at this time’s juiciest tidbit was the sudden collapse of the Terra ecosystem. Along with the weak point seen in equities, listed corporations with publicity to blockchain startups and cryptocurrency mining have additionally declined sharply.
Bitcoin mining shares proceed bleeding…
Mining buyers most likely want they’d merely purchased bitcoin as a substitute at the start of 2022, as most bitcoin mining shares have underperformed bitcoin by a large margin. pic.twitter.com/anSoUEoUJ1
— Jaran Mellerud (@JMellerud) Could 11, 2022
Whereas it might be simple accountable for the present pullback solely on Terra’s implosion, the reality is that the value of Bitcoin mining shares has largely mirrored the efficiency of BTC since reaching a peak in November 2020.
BTC/USDT vs. RIOT, HUT, MARA and BITF .1-day chart. Supply: TradingView
It is doubtless that the value of those shares will wrestle so long as Bitcoin continues to bleed decrease within the face of a number of headwinds, together with rising rates of interest, inflation and international battle.
Crypto monetary companies additionally right
It is not simply Bitcoin mining shares which have fallen beneath the strain of late as all manners of corporations which have any sort of affiliation with cryptocurrencies have been feeling the warmth in Could.
Following the discharge of forward-looking statements that venture a continued decline in energetic customers and buying and selling quantity, the value of Coinbase (COIN) inventory hit an all-time low of $41.23 within the early buying and selling hours on Could 12.
COIN worth 4-hour chart. Supply: TradingView
Robinhood additionally noticed its inventory worth drop to a brand new all-time low of $7.73 on Could 12, sooner or later after the agency revealed that its crypto transaction income fell 39% year-over-year in Q1 from $88 million in 2021 to $54 million in 2022.
Whereas Robinhood will not be a crypto-only alternate, roughly 18% of its Q1 internet income got here from crypto-related transactions, which is important when evaluating the dimensions of the crypto market to the opposite markets supported on the platform.
Associated: Bitcoin fights to carry $29K as worry of regulation and Terra’s UST implosion hit crypto onerous
Weak spot spreads all through the tech sector
The declines in cryptocurrency-related shares mirror a backdrop of widespread weak point in monetary markets, particularly the tech sector.
A number of years of optimistic projections and quantitative easing have resulted in an overvalued and unstable tech sector that throws suits if earnings fall under expectations.
As soon as the darlings of the mighty inventory market, FAANG shares have led the cost decrease, weighing down the Nasdaq which closed April with its worst month-to-month efficiency because the 2008 monetary disaster.
NASDAQ composite 1-day chart. Supply: TradingView
The losses for the Nasdaq additional quickened in Could because the benchmark index fell one other 9.15% to its lowest stage since November 2020.
The views and opinions expressed listed below are solely these of the writer and don’t essentially mirror the views of Cointelegraph.com. Each funding and buying and selling transfer includes danger, you must conduct your personal analysis when making a choice.
#Cryptoassociated #shares #hammered #COIN #HOOD #drop #document #lows
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings


text:
South Africa’s largest sweet potato producer has been exporting to the UK, Europe and the Middle East for the past five years, totalling almost 10,000 tons of sweet potatoes last year. Langplaas takes up the baton towards the end of the North Carolina export season.
They’ve been filling that role with aplomb: Gert Janse van Rensburg, managing co-director of the farm which their grandfather established, says UK and European importers are increasingly turning to South Africa towards the end of the US sweet potato season and realizing the benefits.
When moisture is managed well, the clay particles in their soil buffer the sweet potato against impacts
Langplaas’ sweet potato exports start in April and continue through their dry winter season, dovetailing nicely into the next USA season.
The colour of the flesh is particularly intense, Gert notes, and the skin has a shine imparted by the black fertile clay soils of the Brits area in the Northwest Province of South Africa.
He observes that sweet potato growers from the United States of America built the sweet potato market in the UK and Europe on good quality. He also maintains that producers in other countries still lack the experience to equal the level of quality of US sweet potatoes.
Driven by varietal innovation
Simon Barnsdale, Langplaas export manager based in the UK, agrees that South African sweet potatoes deserve to be better known. He came to know South African sweet potatoes in his previous position as a sweet potato importer putting together a year-round sweet potato programme for a UK retailer.
“South African imports work really well because our window complements the backend of the USA season. South Africa production allows for a twelve-month quality-driven sourcing model on sweet potatoes, this is needed to support the continued growth the product has seen in recent years,” Simon says.
The Love Orange brand of orangefleshed sweet potatoes for the South African market
“It also helps that we’re hugely focused on driving varietal innovation and investing back into our business where we can. Last year we saw the installation of our world-class USA-built optical grader which is the first of its kind for sweet potatoes in South Africa, and will continue to benefit production whilst being the framework for further investments in the coming seasons.”
Trials with 2,500 varieties of sweet potato
In association with Dr Don La Bonte of the Louisiana State University with whom they have a longstanding partnership, Langplaas is intensively testing approximately 2,500 new varieties this season.
Gert shows samples of the purple-fleshed sweet potato lines which they are testing.
“We would like to develop the orange and purple-fleshed markets in the UK and in Europe. I believe Langplaas will play a role in this development as we are finally seeing promising lines coming through.”
Locally, they will start marketing purple-fleshed sweet potato this season under their brand Love Purple.
Among their new varieties is a white-fleshed sweet potato with unusually high levels of dry matter which, Gert says, tastes like fudge. It’s his new favourite, he remarks, and it will be launched in South Africa as Love Golden sweet potatoes this year.
Taking their cue from their American counterparts, Langplaas cures and stores all of their sweet potatoes, expanding their capacity every year.
During curing starch turns into sucrose, resulting in sweeter sweet potatoes, but it is not at all a common practice in South Africa. In fact, Langplaas could be one of very few sweet potato producers curing all of their product, outside of the USA.
“It has been a real trial and error process for us over the last few years, completing our own research to finesse the method,” Gert remarks.
Pivot towards municipal market
The South African sweet potato market is very different from the UK and European sweet potato market as South Africans have long known and loved white-fleshed sweet potatoes.
They’ve planted more white-fleshed sweet potatoes this year for the domestic market (usually their orange: white flesh ratio is around 2:1). Most white-fleshed sweet potatoes go to municipal markets nationwide. There is more of a niche in South African retail for the 10% of their orange-fleshed sweet potatoes that they don’t export.
They supply South Africans with sweet potatoes for twelve months of the year, along with carrots, beetroot, cabbage and green beans.
Gert is keen on getting closer to the consumer, whether that be housewives or restauranteurs.
They had invested heavily in developing niche sweet potato lines with South African retailers but recently have renewed their appreciation for the South African system of local fresh markets.
“Locally we are now much more focused on the municipal fresh markets, often doing better than through retail channels. The national markets are our price discovery mechanism and retailers base their prices on what’s happening at the markets. If the markets were to disappear, retailers would be setting the prices and that’s not what we’d like to see as that will not be beneficial for either producer or consumer – as we currently see with the shortages of fresh produce on retail shelves and higher than necessary inflation.”
They have taken the decision to send their best quality not only to their retail clients, as before, but also to the municipal markets so that independent greengrocers – who, he points out, often are family businesses, like Langplaas – can have quality on their shelves that rival those found in supermarkets.
“We try to be a name that is always on the market.”
Class 2 sweet potato tubers that are broken or ill-shaped for the packline, need a home where it doesn’t compete with class 1 product. They are busy developing an extruded sweet potato flour product that could be eaten as a breakfast cereal and do see a future for this value-added super food.
Packing Langplaas tomatoes
Soil carbon level approaching 4%
“We’ve been working for many years on biological hybrid farming practices and our soil carbon percentage touching 4% at places is the highest in this area.”
He explains they’ve done that through the use of organic acids (humic, fulvic and amino acids) which contain complex carbon chains.
“The way you put down nitrogen can burn away your carbon if applied in the absence of complex carbon chains, so we always place nitrogen (urea) with humic acid which chelates the nitrogen to an organic form. We’d add statically composted chicken manure when we feel it's necessary in order to increase the available phosphate and other trace minerals. We’re looking for higher fungal populations because most agricultural soils are on average bacteria-dominant.”
Pheromones to trap sweet potato weevil males (their biggest pest, especially under hot conditions) have been a game-changer for them, he remarks, and they have been able to reduce chemical spraying significantly.
For more information:
Tel: +44 791 285 6240
Gert Janse van Rensburg


text:
Facebook announced Tuesday that it is testing ads in its search results. The test will run in the platform’s primary search results as well as in Marketplace search results.
Why you should care
Search is one of the few untapped inventory sources remaining on the social platform, which has seen many advertisers directing more budget to Instagram this year. The initial ad test in search results is limited to select automotive and retail advertisers, but if the company sees a promising response, it will open up search results ad inventory more broadly.
“We’re running a small test to place ads in Facebook search results, and we’ll be evaluating whether these ads are beneficial for people and businesses before deciding whether to expand it,” said Facebook product manager Zoheb Hajiyani.
Advertisers participating in the test can select “Search Results” as an additional placement option that will apply to both primary search and Marketplace search inventory. With the current group of beta-advertisers, ads may appear in search results for terms related to auto or retail topics. Advertisers cannot select specific keywords or phrases to target.
More on Facebook’s search result ad test
This story first appeared on Marketing Land. For more on digital marketing, click here.
Amy Gesenhues is Third Door Media\’s General Assignment Reporter, covering the latest news and updates for Search Engine Land and Marketing Land. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including
This content was originally published here.


text:
Published 12:05 am Friday, October 24, 2014
Alexander retires after 40 years
Local residents will be losing their beloved Winn-Dixie produce man when he retires tomorrow.
Andy Alexander has been with the company for 40 years and has been the smiling face who has greeted customers in the produce section for more than 10 years.
“It’s exciting,” Alexander said. “It was a fun thing in the produce department. You had more time to talk to customers, talk to people and get to know them better.”
Current Winn-Dixie manager Josh Williamson said that Alexander has been an exceptional individual, a great employee and will be dearly missed.
Alexander said he began his career at Roses Department store in 1974 for $1.65 an hour, and was then offered a position at Quick Chick, which later became Winn-Dixie, for $3.85 an hour.
During these early years in the retail industry, Alexander said he was part of the incorporation of the Universal Product Code (UPC). The Quick Chick was the first store in Andalusia to use a scanner to read the UPCs, he said.
Alexander said he has worked in all levels of the Winn-Dixie store including bag boy to store manager, but has really enjoyed and preferred his time as produce manager.
“It wasn’t as much book work; it was more hands-on work, which I really enjoyed,” he said. “Plus it kept me in shape. For a 60-year-old man, I’d say I’m in pretty good shape.”
Being in this position, he has been able to meet many people in the community and has found encouragement through them, he said.
Alexander served as an Andalusia City councilman from 1996 until 2008.
“I won a seat on the commission board because I already had a relationship with customers coming into the store,” he said. “I had a lot of people encouraging me, and I think that had a lot to do with it.”
During his 40 years with Winn-Dixie, Alexander said he has never had to worry about how the economy has affected other people.
“You look at the economy over the years, with people losing jobs,” he said. “I’ve never been without a job. I’ve always had a steady job; always had insurance; never been laid off; never had to get unemployment; never had to get worker’s comp and just been at work all the time like I’m supposed to be.”
And he said he’s made a good living with the company and been able to successfully to raise his family.
“I’ve made a good living at it and was able to raise two kids that have done very well,” he said.
His plans now are to go to work for his daughter and son-in-law, who have recently purchased a company, and also to relax a little more and do some traveling.
He and his wife of 40 years, the former Frances Floyd, have two children, Chad Alexander and Mandy Alexander, and two grandchildren, Marybeth, 10, and Austin 5.


text:
AceShowbiz - %cKim Kardashian% continued to show off her curves amid reports that she lied about reaching her weight goal. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star was spotted wearing a sleeveless tight nude dress while leaving a studio in South California over the weekend.
The mother of two looked confident wearing the figure-hugging dress which she teamed with strappy transparent heels. She sported natural makeup with her straight hair falling naturally.
Last week, %cKanye West%'s wife revealed on Snapchat that she's now 131.4 lbs, and she's 12 pounds away from her weight in 2010. However, many fans doubted her weight loss. A weight loss expert told Radar Online that the social media queen was "absolutely lying" about her weight.
"Kim looks to be at least 142 pounds, which means that she is 10 pounds over what she claimed to be on that scale," one celeb nutritionist who has not worked with Kim said. "Also, it would be nice to actually see her face in a scale selfie for once," the nutritionist added.
On Sunday, June 5, Kim flaunted her cleavage in a black dress featuring white lace overlay in the chest which she wore underneath a long coat. She was with her daughter North and Kanye as they headed to Cipriani's restaurant in New York. North looked adorable wearing a fringed leather jacket atop a black lace dress while Kanye kept it casual by wearing a printed T-shirt under a black jacket.


text:
July marked the beginning of the fiscal year and state revenues totaled over $462 million, which is 1.4 percent lower than last year. Though some revenue sources are lower compared to last year, according to Friday’s released report, that does not necessarily indicate a negative trend to Arkansas’ economy.
Since this is the first month of the new fiscal year, there are no cumulative balances to consider. The report instead makes comparisons to last July.
Dr. Michael Pakko, state economic forecaster and chief economist with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, says at first glance, the report appears to be “fairly negative,” due to all of the main components of revenue being lower than last year.
“Little bit more concerning is the sales and use tax was both below last year’s level and below forecast, which is an indication that retail spending activity isn’t as robust as we might have thought,” Pakko said.
Sales and use tax collections totaled $205.8 million, down by $3.7 million or 1.8 percent compared to last year. However, motor vehicle sales tax collections are up by 8 percent. In the area of net available revenue, the numbers fell where they were expected to.
“Once you subtract off some of the basic deductions from gross revenues, everything’s right on target. 0.0 percent above or below forecast. So in some sense, July came right about where expected,” Pakko said.
One aspect of tax collection not disclosed in this report is revenue gained from out-of-state entities. These new collections, part of a recently passed law in the legislature, went into effect in July. Those numbers should appear on later revenue reports.
“We’re not likely to see any of that impact until the next month’s report because there’s usually about a month delay between the spending and the receipt of the taxes associated with it,” Pakko said. When those numbers are available, Pakko does not expect collections from those out-of-state collections to have a big effect.
One area of revenue that will probably increase in future reports will be in gaming. The report shows a 6 percent increase compared to last year. While there will be an increase in revenue as more casinos get built or expanded in the state, Pakko says new laws will break up where that revenue will ultimately go.
“The new gaming laws redirected some of the revenue. So now more of it is going to the county instead of directly to the state, but the gaming activity itself, the increase there should boost revenue,” Pakko said.


text:
EZZ Life Science Holdings reports strong quarterly performance
EZZ Life Science Holdings (ASX: EZZ) has announced its quarterly activity report and Appendix 4C cash flow statement for the quarter ended 31 December 2022. The company reported strong financial performance, ending 2Q FY23 with $8.6 million in cash inflows from customers - a 43% increase from the previous quarter. This represents a significant increase of $4.9 million or 132% compared to the corresponding quarter in FY22.
According to EZZ Life Science Chair, Glenn Cross, the strong performance is a result of the Company’s success over the shopping festival period, and significant strides in product innovation, with the company releasing five new EZZ products and upgrades to the Eaoron line over the last quarter.
“As the world continues to recover from the effects of COVID-19, EZZ is positioning itself for growth in calendar 2023. Last quarter, EZZ saw a notable upswing in sales through e-commerce channels across China, Australia and New Zealand. The October to December quarter is typically our peak season, with shopping festivals presenting a powerful opportunity to drive sales,” said EZZ Life Science’s Chairman Glenn Cross.
“We are increasingly seeing Chinese consumers turning towards high quality health and wellness products, and with the opening of China’s international borders, we expect to see an increase in Chinese tourism in our key markets of Australia and New Zealand, providing a significant boost to our tourism retail trade. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, 1.4 million annual Chinese visitors represented $12.3 billion in annual tourism receipts to Australia,” Cross added.
“EZZ is focusing on developing new products to appeal to both existing and new customers. We have a number of new product launches scheduled for 2023, and the strong growth of our Shopify store has provided us with valuable insights into consumer behaviour. In addition, EZZ has plans to expand our customer base into new markets, specifically Southeast Asia. With the pick-up in China-related sales and our planned new product releases, we are well-positioned to continue growing revenues and creating value for our shareholders,” he concluded.
Quarterly financial performance
EZZ demonstrated strong financial performance in 2Q FY23, generating an operating cash inflow of $608,000, compared to the previous quarter's operating cash outflow of $1.2 million. The company's cash balance remained robust at $9.6 million as at 31 December 2022, allowing it to continue to implement its strategic plan to accelerate growth opportunities. EZZ also invested $1.3 million in advertising and marketing to meet the needs for promotion during the major shopping festivals in the quarter.
EZZ's e-commerce platform, EZZ Shopify, also showed exceptional growth, with sales increasing five-fold from the previous quarter and 152 times compared to the same period last year. The number of customer orders also increased by 11 times, thanks to a significantly stronger customer conversion rate.
In October, the Company declared its second dividend, a final dividend for FY2022, and made the payment in December. Despite the challenges faced due to COVID-19, the Company remained profitable and decided to share profits with shareholders as a sign of appreciation for their ongoing support.
Key business highlights
During the quarter, EZZ launched new products including EZZ Incontinence Relief, EZZ Joint Energy Boost, EZZ Brain Focus Superblend, EZZ High Strength DHA and EZZ Luminescent Beauty Tablets. These products target a variety of different demographics, from children to women to the elderly. EZZ has already seen success with EZZ Incontinence Relief producing over $500,000 in sales within a month of its release in December.
EZZ's participation in China’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival was a highlight of the quarter, with sales up eight times from the previous year, reaching a new company record of $2.56 million. With over 41,600 items sold on Tmall and Douyin, the Company again ranked at the top of sales on these two major e-commerce platforms in China. Notably, the Company's L-Lysine Growth Capsule outsold competitors such as Swisse and became the top-selling product on Tmall Global in its category, based on monthly data calculations of sales figures, customer satisfaction rates, and re-purchases.
During the quarter, EZZ also had the opportunity to exhibit at international expos in China, Turkey, and Singapore, which attracted more than half a million visitors. The events provided an excellent opportunity for the Company to showcase its range of health and wellbeing products.
About EZZ Life Science
EZZ Life Science Holdings Limited (ASX:EZZ) is an Australian genomic life science company with a mission to improve quality of life and human health. EZZ Life Science has a focus on genomic research and development to address four key human health challenges: genetic longevity, human papillomavirus (HPV), helicobacter pylori, and weight management. EZZ Life Science is passionate about investing in the future of consumer health through the development of e-commerce and distribution of high-quality products via omnichannel models across Australia, New Zealand, China and worldwide. EZZ Life Science is led by an experienced senior management team that have implemented strategies to drive rapid and ongoing growth of the business.
For more information please visit our corporate site ezzlife.com.au and our consumer site ezzdna.com.au.


text:
Photo by Christer Berg
Not long after opening Bull City Burger and Brewery in March 2011, Seth Gross got a phone call with a message no restaurant owner wants to hear. On the line was his meat supplier, Durham-based Firsthand Foods: “Seth, you’re so busy, we don’t have meat for you tomorrow,” he recalls. “I didn’t sleep that night. It’s not like I can say, ‘I’m sorry, we don’t have burgers — try the chicken today.’ We are a burger restaurant.”
The problem was that Gross’ business plan is based on exclusively serving pasture-raised beef from North Carolina farms. His concept — and his kitchen design — also was based on selling an estimated 200-250 burgers a day, far fewer than the 900-1,000 the restaurant sometimes plates on a busy Saturday.
“We were really supply constrained,” says Jennifer Curtis, co-founder of Firsthand Foods, which also was just starting out at the time. Her business helps small farmers market their meats to restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses. “We just didn’t know enough of the farmers raising beef to our standards.” So, Gross got in his car and drove from farm to farm, picking up 10 pounds of meat here and 10 pounds there until the issue was resolved.
Nearly eight years later, Bull City supports more than 30 beef farmers in the state. As Firsthand Foods’ biggest restaurant customer — the brewpub goes through about 1,000 pounds of beef a week — it no longer has to worry about supply-chain issues. “They are a valued institution, really committed to making a difference in their local community and in North Carolina by supporting small-scale farmers,” Curtis says.
Gross, a chef, sommelier and brewmaster whose résumé includes working with famed Chicago chef Charlie Trotter, is uncompromising in his mission to serve locally grown and made-from-scratch products: The lettuce, tomatoes, arugula and other produce served at the Durham brewpub are sourced from local farms, and nearly everything is made in-house, including the fresh-baked buns, mayonnaise, pickles, hot sauce and ice cream.
That passion for supporting local vendors and engaging the community, along with a strong commitment to fostering employee growth and well-being, is why Bull City Burger and Brewery was selected by a trio of judges as Business North Carolina’s 2018 Small Business of the Year.
Growing up in Boston, where his family owned ice-cream shops, Gross, 49, always loved kitchens. In high school, he told his parents he wanted to attend Culinary Institute of America, the premier U.S. school for chefs-in-training in Hyde Park, N.Y. “They said, ‘There is no way in hell you’re going to spend your life cooking in restaurants. You are going to college,’” he says. Gross obliged, studying microbiology and cell science at the University of Florida.
As graduation approached, he applied to medical school. “But I was fooling myself; I didn’t really want to go. I wanted to cook.”
So instead of med school, he headed to CIA, earning a degree in culinary arts. He went on to work at Chicago’s Ambria, a five-diamond French restaurant, before meeting the late Trotter. He spent several years working for the award-winning chef, then joined Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Co. before the craft brewer’s 2011 sale to Anheuser-Busch.
A growing interest in wine brought Gross to North Carolina in the late ’90s, when he became the first sommelier at Chapel Hill’s Siena Hotel. After a stint running the wine department at Whole Foods Markets’ Chapel Hill store, he and a business partner opened a wine shop in Durham in 2007 called Wine Authorities.
“It did really, really well, but the problem for me was I didn’t make [the wine]. I love working with my hands, and so I really needed to get back to restaurants,” he says. The shop did enable him to make connections that helped finance the launch of Bull City Burger and Brewery.
When Gross opened the 108-seat restaurant in a long-vacant space that had housed an accounting firm, Durham’s “foodie” scene was just emerging. From 2011-17, the number of restaurants in the core downtown area more than doubled to about 37, and several new hotels have opened to support Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Convention Center, says Melissa Muir, director of operations and programs at the Downtown Durham booster organization.
Gross was “very conscious about trying to re-source and reuse materials” in the million-dollar upfit of the space, Muir says. Butcher-block tables are made from recycled high-school lab benches, and the bar is made of recycled paper and bamboo.
Customers order at a counter, and the atmosphere is simple and relaxed. But patrons seeking a typical burger-chain value meal might want to look elsewhere. Though the menu consists of burgers and hot dogs, “we treat the food like fine dining,” Gross says, noting that pasture-raised beef costs about four times as much as corn-fed beef. One of Bull City’s goals is to educate people about the food they eat.
“We pay less for our food in America as a percentage of our income than any nation on the planet. [Americans] don’t really prioritize the food.” Despite higher food costs, Gross says he is able to keep prices down — burgers start at $8 — because of higher margins on beer sales. “Beer subsidizes our burgers,” he says. Favoring authentic styles, Bull City brews 60 different types of beer, with eight rotating taps. Its Starlite Black Nite, a traditional German dark lager, won best in show at the 2017 N.C. Brewers Cup. Like many of Bull City’s beers, the name is a reference to Durham’s past, in this case the Starlite drive-in movie theater that opened in the 1940s.
Bull City’s concept has resonated with customers. Revenue has grown steadily since 2011, with the exception of one year when Gross says several new restaurants opened nearby. He’s paid back his original investors, and sales over the last 12 months are up 10.7% to more than $2 million. Sales at sibling Pompieri Pizza, which Gross opened in 2013, have climbed 9% over the last year to more than $1 million. The wood-fired pizza restaurant is located behind Bull City in a building that was Durham’s first fire station.
High employee turnover, a common hospitality-industry challenge, initially plagued Bull City. After a particularly rough shift in the restaurant’s second year, a discouraged Gross was having a beer and talking with Martha King, who spent two decades working in corporate human resources and has helped run the business since its launch.
“We were hiring badly. We were taking warm bodies, not screening people properly,” he says. “And I said to Martha, ‘We’ve got to change.’” King, whose official title is Queen of All That Matters, dove into the company’s hiring and employment data.
“We saw that, sure enough, there were spikes,” Gross says. “Fifteen days in, people were leaving, then we saw another spike at 10 weeks and then at three months.” That realization led to the creation of a new onboarding process. Prospective employees now start with a tryout. “In one shift you can tell a lot about a person,” he says. At set milestones, employees are rewarded with gift cards, gift bags and other incentives.
Gross and King began looking at other factors that might incentivize workers — the business refers to them as Heartbeats — to stick around: The company pays for work shoes and gym memberships and offers emergency loans and a simple IRA. Turnover rates have dropped from about 160% in 2013 to 38% this year.
When Gross learned about B Lab, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that recognizes businesses that meet certain standards of social and environmental performance, among other metrics, he decided to seek B Corporation certification. Interested companies take an online assessment that evaluates how a company interacts with its workers, customers, community and the environment. Bull City and Pompieri Pizza are the only two North Carolina restaurants that are certified B Corps.
“From Day 1, when [Gross] came and talked to us, it was very clear that [his concept] was about good food but also a place for the community,” says Downtown Durham’s Muir. Bull City contributes more than $30,000 annually through numerous fundraisers and donations of gift cards, beer and food. Recently, the company teamed with five local breweries to raise $50,000 for a Habitat for Humanity project called the House That Craft Beer built.
While his downtown businesses are thriving, Gross says he has signed a letter of intent to lease space for a new project outside the center city. “I don’t need to do more, but I want to do more. Because now I feel a sense of obligation to the people who work in this company, because I want them to feel the ability to grow and be able to do better,” he says. King, his chef and his head brewer have been with him since the business opened.
Long-term plans also include opening a community restaurant that would employ formerly homeless residents or those who have battled addiction. Instead of a menu with prices, patrons would determine how much they want to pay. An affiliated farm would provide jobs for people who are getting back on their feet but might not be ready for customer-facing roles.
For Gross, sticking to his core values has worked so far. When that phone call came in suggesting the restaurant might run out of meat, Gross never considered purchasing corn-fed beef from traditional suppliers. “I won’t enable a broken food system,” he says. “The animal suffers, and I just don’t want to be a part of that.”
As for the increased competition as Durham’s beer and restaurant scene grows, Gross is unfazed.
“I have always believed and will continue to believe that quality wins.”


text:
Adrian police are continuing to investigate a counterfeit North Face clothing sale operation that was shut down Saturday.
A trailer containing jackets and other apparel that were to be sold in Adrian was searched Monday after a judge authorized a warrant.
A North Face representative working with Adrian police estimated the seized clothing would have had a retail value of $146,222 if it was genuine, said deputy chief Laurence Van Alstine. The intended price of the counterfeit jackets and other items totaled $43,732, he said.
The counterfeit apparel was manufactured in China and shipped to the United States. Van Alstine said it is believed that another label was sewn over the false North Face labels in the clothing. After going through customs, he said, the labels were removed, leaving the fake North Face tags.
“It’s unfortunate for a business that has a reputation to have it basically stolen,” Van Alstine said.
An Indiana man suspected of being in charge of the sale in Adrian was booked into the Lenawee County Jail on Saturday on a preliminary misdemeanor count. He was later released on bond and is scheduled to appear in Lenawee County District Court on Sept. 26.
Van Alstine said the department is still investigating the case and officers are to discuss possible charges that could be authorized with the Lenawee County Prosecutor’s Office.
Adrian police were alerted by an investigator hired by North Face that counterfeit material was involved in a sale advertised to begin Saturday morning in the parking lot of VFW Post #1584 on North Main Street.
North Face Apparel has been fighting in court to stop sales of counterfeit clothing items sold under its label. A defendant in a suit filed last fall in federal district court in New York was ordered in July to pay $720,000 in compensatory damages to North Face for violating an injunction imposed in November to stop the counterfeit sales, according to court documents.


text:
Reliance Retail's Fashion and Lifestyle Business to invest in Data Analytics
Giving consideration to the above initiative, president and CEO Akhilesh Prasad commented, "Notwithstanding the general economic slowdown during the year, we are aggressively investing in data analytics to go hyperlocal in the next six months to one year."
Till date the retail arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is famously known for its activities of handling key formats like apparel, footwear and toys is planning to dive deeper into catchments and is targeting store-specific assortment to maximize sales in the next financial
"Fragmentation of the urban market has taken place. There is nothing called a metro market anymore. It is a sigma of catchments. With the ability of data analytics and artificial intelligence, we should be able to stock store-specific assortment in a matter of six months to one year," he said.
As the information shared, there about 50 relevant assortment combinations in its stores across the country which he company is further planning is to create as many as thousand combinations for each of its stores by the end of 2020. It has employed team of technology experts to develop applications in order to create seamless online and offline experience in the coming financial year. "One customer view and one product view features will be executed. Our online-only customer will be recognized at our outlet at his very first entry and will be served by the staff based on his online buying behaviour. Adoption of technology will enable the customer to buy online and even take a refund offline. We are testing technology to implement this in the next 6-8 months," confirms Prasad.
Reliance Retail is expecting to observe a significant growth in Q3 this fiscal and a strong Q1 in the next financial year. Prasad added that the company wants to capitalize on the depressed market to expand its footprint in the country and is targeting 70% growth in its business in 2020.


text:
The Mid and East Interim Borough Council has made a funding bid of just over 220 euros for the Tourism NI Coved Recovery Program.
In addition to electric bike trails in Gulnarum, Whitehead and Island Maggie, a water sports center in Cornlow, a boat trip between Cornlow and Gulnarum and a visit to Victorian Whitehead are also proposed.
In addition, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEERA) is working to create new coastal visitor destinations “centers” in the Whitehead / Island Maiji and Glenrum / Cornello areas.
Counselors have been informed that DAERA is developing a “Visitor Experience Development Plan” in collaboration with East Antrim businesses and local communities.
A report to the council’s Borough Growth Committee states: “By investing in new and improved experiences, these programs aim to spread the flow of tourists evenly across the country and create significant economic activity in rural areas.” To do
This is an important focus for the Council as we move forward with the economic recovery of our tourism economy.
“Attracting visitors to the borough by introducing new authentic experiences will increase the appeal of tourism in the region and encourage visitors to spend more and stay longer.”
Addressing a meeting of the Borough Growth Committee this week, Benside TV Councilor Timothy Gaston said there was “a huge opportunity in the years to come” for the establishment business in Central and East Antarctica, especially Kemper Van. Regarding motor supply. Home and shiny beans.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.
Click. Here To read: Call on coastal businesses in Central and East Antrim to promote پون 50,000 tourism.
Thank you for reading this article. We rely on your help more than ever because changes in consumer habits affect our advertisers with the Corona virus. Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also help reliable, fact-checking journalism. Digital subscription Of the newsletter.


text:
St. Albert vape shop busted for selling illegal cannabis, police say
Shop had been advertising for months it was selling cannabis products, police say
Three people have been charged with drug trafficking after RCMP raided a St. Albert vape shop that police say had been advertising for months that it was selling cannabis products.
On Sept. 26, the St. Albert RCMP drug unit executed a search warrant at Big Mike's Vapor Trails on Boudreau Road and seized cannabis products containing cannabidiol (CBD), and some containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), along with a significant quantity of cash, a loaded restricted firearm and a prohibited sawed-off shotgun, police said Wednesday in a news release.
"Prior to the legalization of cannabis ... the shop had been advertising for months on large signage in front of the store, as well as an online store, that they had CBD products for sale," RCMP said.
THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. CBD does not produce a high or intoxication, according to the Government of Canada health department website, and is being studied for its possible therapeutic uses.
Cannabis was legalized in Canada on Oct. 17, but can only be sold by licensed shops authorized by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission.
At the time of the raid in St. Albert, CBD was listed within Schedule II of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as a product that was illegal to possess without proper authorization, RCMP said in the news release.
A 29-year-old Edmonton woman was arrested at the shop. Two other people from the summer village of South Baptiste, Alta., later turned themselves in to RCMP, police said.
All three have been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000. One man has also been charged with three firearm-related offences.
"The RCMP in Alberta will continue to take a measured approach when dealing with illegal storefronts, with public safety being the priority," St. Albert RCMP Insp. Pam Robinson said in the news release.
The three people charged are scheduled to appear in St. Albert provincial court on Nov. 5.


text:
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG will make its debut on September 24 and it appears that the high-performance model is in the final testing phase. Recently, photographers snapped the 2016 C63 AMG Estate on the Nurburgring and if you look at the video you’ll see that the new vehicle is definitely a very fast car.
Also, the new twin-turbo V8 engine seems to do a good job and deliver a proper sound. For those who don’t know, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG will use the all-new M178 V8 twin-turbo engine that will be found on the upcoming 2015 Mercedes-AMG GT, which will be introduced on September 9.
On the brand new coupe, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine will produce between 461 and 510 hp. On the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, the engine is expected to deliver only 450 hp. Although the engine will be less powerful than the outgoing 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V8, the new C63 AMG will be lighter and faster.
For those who don’t know, the 6.3-liter V8 engine delivers 457 hp as well as 600 Nm of torque and it is able to push the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, all the way to a top speed of 155 mph or 250 km/h. With the optional Performance Package, power is increased to 487 hp, reducing the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.3 seconds.
On Friday, we also revealed you folks the first images featuring the interior of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. The photos showed new AMG sport bucket seats, a redesigned steering wheels with silver-painted paddle shifters, a 320 km/h (200 mph) speedometer and a speedometer limited at 8,000 rpm as well as a Burmester premium audio system and the new touchpad.
The exterior is expected to feature a new front bumper with big air intakes, enlarged fenders, side sills, as well as a new rear bumper with integrated exhaust system. In addition, the vehicle will feature new wheels, hiding large brake discs and new brake calipers fitted with the AMG logo.
Mercedes-Benz is also expected to offer an S version of the C63 AMG, which will be more powerful and will feature the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. In October, the 2016 C63 AMG will be officially introduced to the public at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, so stay tuned!


text:
Kaspersky Dumps BSA For Its Support Of SOPA; Says SOPA Hurts Consumers & Innovation
from the can't-support-that dept
Remember last month, when some SOPA supporters were pretending that because the Business Software Alliance (BSA) supported SOPA, it meant that all of its member companies supported SOPA too? Yeah, well, that resulted in the BSA backing down, after it realized (with some prompting from Microsoft) that perhaps SOPA wasn’t such a good thing. It appears that that’s not enough for some tech companies. Anti-virus firm Kaspersky has announced that it’s dumping its association with the BSA because of its support for SOPA. The company says that it “does not support this initiative,” explaining:
We believe that such measures will be used contrary to the modern advances in technology and the needs of consumers.
Perhaps the BSA will learn to not be so quick on the draw in the future to support every single idea to make copyright more and more draconian.


text:
As icons go, Rolls-Royce is up there with the best of them, and the new version of one of its most famous models - the Phantom - was eagerly awaited.
This quintessentially British brand has in fact been owned by German companies since 1998: Volkswagen manufactured its last of the marque at the end of 2002, leaving BMW to take up the name at the start of this year.
This did nothing to dampen UK interest in the event, since BMW had been embroiled in an unholy furore less than two years before over its plans to sell another venerable British brand, Rover.
The Phantom was launched in two stages: in Europe at the company's UK manufacturing facility in Goodwood on 3 January, and on 5 January at the Detroit Motor Show for the rest of the world.
As with all top consumer brands, purchase is restricted by wealth rather than geography, which meant the company was keen to maximise coverage in key international markets - especially the UK, Germany, Asia and the Middle East.
Bulletin International, which has worked with the brand on several projects, was approached to handle press and broadcast PR for the launch.
To maximise broadcast and online coverage for both launch events. To communicate the brand's independent position within the BMW group. To emphasise the cutting-edge technology and engineering expertise of BMW - along with the quality, heritage and iconic status of the Rolls-Royce brand.
Strategy and Plan
For several weeks before the launches, Bulletin worked closely with the Rolls-Royce PR team to determine the production requirements and PR strategy.
Bulletin directed its media relations push towards broadcasters, positioning the story on a number of angles. In addition to being a top-rank business piece in its own right, the Phantom launch was a time to assess the influence of another foreign owner on a British icon.
For the websites, Bulletin presented it as a consumer story about a recession-proof luxury brand for a niche market. An interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme put the event firmly on the news agenda on the morning of the launch and, on the basis that business programmes want to question senior figureheads, one-to-one interviews with chief exectuive Tony Gott were arranged on-site for national and regional broadcasters.
In addition to running the interviews on the ground, the agency was in charge of distributing multi-media content, although pictures were embargoed until the afternoon.
To maximise the impact in Europe, UK and German crews were invited to the Goodwood manufacturing plant for the initial unveiling on 3 January, and B-roll footage was made available to supplement broadcasters' own event pictures.
Filmed by Bulletin and Rolls-Royce, these featured production line shots and various static images of the car. Bulletin liaised closely with camera crews - particularly the BBC, which was there all day feeding back regular live reports for BBC News 24 and The Six O'clock News.
Key websites including BBC.com and CNN.com were given pictures of the new car and sound bites from Gott. Live interviews in front of the newly unveiled car were arranged as part of a news package, produced by Bulletin, that was distributed via satellite and also thenewsmarket.com.
A sister company to the agency, thenewsmarket.com is a web-based news video archive and distribution channel which allows broadcast-quality video content to be downloaded on demand as a cost-effective way of widening distribution to newsrooms.
The PR team had been concerned that the Goodwood launch should not be allowed to overshadow the Detroit event, which was scheduled to happen just two days later.
Bulletin offered the Middle East and Asia markets something different, integrating Rolls-Royce launch pictures into a general news package from the Detroit Motor show.
Included in this, crucially, was moving footage of the car for the first time. To further tailor the story to both markets, an interview with an Asian dealer was filmed weeks in advance and edited into the news feed.
Provision was made for those media outlets which were unable to take this feed: hard copy tapes were distributed to them from Bulletin offices in London, Singapore and Shanghai.
Measurement and Evaluation
The campaign generated nearly nine hours of coverage in over 280 TV, radio and online reports in all target markets. Near-blanket exposure ranged from live reports from Goodwood on the BBC Six O'clock News to live interviews on CNN, CNBC and Sky.
All the German networks ran the story using footage supplied by Bulletin as did major broadcasters in China, Singapore and the Middle East. The tone was generally positive, helping to position the car as one of the most desirable in its sector.
Unlike PR for some luxury car brands, Rolls-Royce's investment in PR aims to affect the company's bottom line for the better by driving sales.
Within 30 minutes of an interview on CNN, the company said that five US dealers had received enquiries for the new Phantom. Rolls-Royce is considering extending the broadcast campaign through 2003.


text:
UPDATE: Motor1.com spoke with Buick and learned that the Regal ST Appearance Package is not actually coming to the sedan.
As you know we have ended production of the Regal and the Sport Touring package was cancelled knowing that was coming," company spokesperson Stuart Fowle told Motor1.com. "A small handful of them (literally single digits) were produced in the first half of 2019 but saying it is 'coming' is misleading. We do not have official photos since it was cancelled. The few that exist have been at dealers for months."
The Buick Regal (Avenir trim pictured above) leaves the brand's lineup in the United States for the 2020 model year because people allegedly want crossovers more than sedans, but the company reportedly has one last package coming to the four-door. The ST Appearance Package is on the way to give the vehicle a somewhat more aggressive appearance, according to GM Authority.
Gallery: Buick Regal Avenir
The package gives the Regal a black grille, a subtle trunk lid spoiler, ST badges, and 18-inch wheels with a gloss black finish. GM Authority reports the the the option is exclusively for the mid-level Essence trim of the sedan.
save over $3,400 on average off MSRP* on a new Buick Regal Sportback
There are no powertrain changes, so buyers get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 250 horsepower (186 kilowatts) and either 260 pound-feet (353 Newton-meters) with front-wheel drive or 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) with the all-wheel-drive powertrain. Front-drive models get a nine-speed automatic, and AWD cars get an eight-speed auto.
There's no info at this time about when the ST Appearance Package would be available or how much it would cost. Motor1.com has reached out to Buick for more info.
With the retirement of the Regal and its TourX wagon sibling, the Buick brand will become a crossover-only brand in the United States. The reason is that traditional car sales are now only about 10 percent of the marque's business in America, so there's no reason to stay in the segment.
Regal deliveries totaled just 10,363 units in 2019, which was down 26.6 percent from 14,118 cars in 2018. In contrast, Buick moved 102,402 examples of the Encore compact crossover – an increase of 10 percent over 93,073 of them in 2018.


text:
10 February 2012 18:58 [Source: ICIS news]
LONDON (ICIS)--The European Council on Friday adopted a regulation restricting the use of phosphates and other phosphorus compounds in consumer laundry and automatic dishwasher detergents, it said.
The limit value for consumer laundry detergents is set at “0.5 grams of phosphorus per washing process in a standard washing machine,” the council said. It will be applicable from 30 June 2013.
The limit value for consumer automatic dishwasher detergents is set at “0.3 grams of phosphorus in a standard dosage.”
This limit will be applicable from 1 January 2017 but is subject to confirmation through a “thorough assessment in the light of the most recent scientific data and taking into account available alternatives to the use of phosphates,” the council said.
The deferred application is intended to give producers - in particular small and medium-sized firms - enough time to reformulate their phosphate-based detergents with more ecological alternatives, the council said.
The regulation would improve the free movement of detergents in the internal market by harmonising existing different national rules on phosphate content, the council said.
In the absence of EU legislation, some countries had taken national measures restricting the use of phosphates in detergents. Others had relied on voluntary action by industry to replace phosphates, it said.
The council added that imports of detergents from third countries into the EU were insignificant.
Phosphates and other phosphorous compounds are used in detergents to reduce water hardness and allow detergents to perform efficiently. However, they can damage the aquatic environment and disturb the ecological balance by increasing the proliferation of algae, a phenomenon called eutrophication.
In 2010, the European Commission had proposed a ban on the use of phosphates laundry detergents.
A EU regulation becomes immediately enforceable as law in all 27 EU member states. Unlike a directive, a regulation does not need to be transposed by the member states into their own law before becoming effective.
For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.
Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.
|ICIS news FREE TRIAL|
|Get access to breaking chemical news as it happens.|
|ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX)|
|ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX). Download the free tabular data and a chart of the historical index|
Asian Chemical Connections


text:
All crypto is current down
Looking at cryptocurrency you can see that all crypto down this week, but i bealive that next week all rise again.
The price has already fallen in the past by similar things, bad news, many people who buy or even know the blockchain technology...
As like 2013 where the price has dropped and rising again, everything can end up repeating itself.
And you can expect that the next time the price goes up to about 30 thousand dollars.


text:
Lamborghini Revuelto has filed a European trademark application for the term, hinting at a possible name for Aventador’s successor.
Lamborghini submitted his application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on May 25, as well as to the Italian Trademark Office (UIBM), according to CarBuzzWhich is the first filing spot.
The EUIPO application covers a variety of categories. This includes not only cars and electric vehicles, but also vehicles such as electric scooters. CarBuzz. Lamborghini also applied for trademarks in other categories including clothing, scale models, toy cars, and racing games.
2023 Lamborghini Aventador Successor Spy Shot – Photo Credit: S. Baldauf / SB-Medien
Although Lamborghini has not announced any plans for the Revuelto name, it appears that the automaker plans to use the name in future cars, as well as to secure the relevant merchandising trademarks. Executives do not want to introduce a new car and cannot use its name on T-shirts and scale models.
Due to the Aventador replacement, the next car could be named Revuelto. “Revuelto” translates into Spanish Scrambled, Turned, Fumbling, Higgled-Piglady, and Uncontrolled. Lamborghini’s V-12-powered models are named after the Spanish bull, and the Spanish connection makes sense for the new V-12 model. We already know that the Aventador successor will have a plug-in hybrid system and a new V-12. For its value, Revoltosaurus was also a lizard or crocodile-like dinosaur. Similar revuelta translates revolution.
We also know that the automaker is about to start an electrification push The Aventador Ultimae was the last non-hybrid V-12 Lamborghini, given to an Aventador’s successor. Lamborghini has not announced an all-electric model, but EU regulations could force its hand.
It is also possible that Lamborghini could use the name Revuelto for its upcoming electrified model. We will soon be able to narrow down the possibilities The Aventador successor is expected to go on sale in 2023, which means it will probably be released later this year.


text:
Interview: ASEAN looks to China to overcome sluggish global economy -- expert
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are looking towards China taking the lead to overcome the current global economic challenges, an expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.
China, with its vast manufacturing capacity and consumer markets, is expected to trailblaze through the prolonged global uncertainties including disruptions, softening demand, high inflation and other problems, said Lee Heng Guie, executive director of Socio-Economic Research Center, a think tank.
Zooming in on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Lee said these already provide the framework for better integration and urged the parties to take advantage of them.
"We can see RCEP and CPTPP are platforms for all the regional economies ... to widen the exports of goods and services and also to encourage more investment," he said.
"I will emphasize the need for global and regional cooperation on trade and investment to stimulate economic growth," he added.
Lee said China, as a world leader in green technology and sustainable practices, could work more closely with ASEAN, especially in terms of supplying technology while being a steady market for the region's raw materials and commodities.
Lee also urged Asian countries to close ranks and focus on global growth, prosperity and upliftment of people, stressing the importance of multilateralism.
"Focus on productivity, continue to collaborate, work together with ASEAN, for better cooperation in trade, investment, economic growth ... we still believe in openness of the economy, we don't want to be like a protected, closed economy. This is the message that we should send to the West," Lee said, adding that "China is a strong believer of openness."


text:
Gap teams up with Roblox for a new metaverse experience.
Gap goes deeper into the metaverse thanks to a new partnership with a hugely popular digital gaming platform.
The specialist clothing retailer will launch a virtual experience without purchase in Roblox’s virtual game environment on Friday, May 20, 2022. In partnership with youth technology platform SuperAwesome, Gap is integrating the experience into Club Roblox, a role-playing, user-generated world built on Roblox.
Gap designed its virtual “Roblox Club Store” as a metaverse version of a physical Gap Teen store. The virtual store allows consumers to participate in digital activities, such as participating in Gap Teen’s fashion show mini-game, “Style Stage”, which allows users to create Gap Teen outfits based on various themes.
Users can also visit an in-store virtual juice bar and photobooth to take photos of their Roblox avatar and those of their friends. Metaverse replicas of the current Gap Teen collection are offered, including summer items.
Gap began its metaverse trading business in January 2022 with the global launch of a range of non-fungible collectible tokens (NFTs) with a gamified digital experience. At the time, Gap said it planned to learn more about how customers want to interact with a digital-first environment, with additional digital experiences planned for the future.
Gap’s latest foray into the metaverse follows in the footsteps of several other retailers who have built promotional and shopping experiences on the Roblox platform. Pacsun recently opened a fantastic interactive shopping center on Roblox called Pacworld.
American Eagle Outfitters launched its Spring 2022 “Members Always” campaign with metaverse extensions on platforms like Roblox. Customers could virtually visit the “AE Members Always Club” section of the Livetopia Roblox game and collect exclusive in-game items, including models from American Eagle’s Spring Collection, to equip their avatars.
In December 2021, Forever 21 launched a similar fashion retail experience on Roblox, titled “Forever 21 Shop City”. In December, Ralph Lauren also launched a holiday-themed digital promotion, The Ralph Lauren Winter Escape, on Roblox.
“We want Gap teens to feel represented and connected in an inclusive Gap world with an immersive and unique fashion experience that gives them the freedom to experiment with their individual style and be their true selves, both in real life as in this expanding digital universe,” said Mary Alderete, Gap’s Global Head of Marketing. “Involving teens in Club Roblox where they live and play gives them another way to socialize more and express themselves in new ways. to press. “
“This generation’s digital identities are quickly becoming as important to them as their real-life identities,” said Nick Walters, CEO of SuperAwesome Gaming. “We are excited to bring our expertise in secure digital engagement to a young audience to help Gap launch a new immersive experience that allows teens in Club Roblox to connect with their favorite fashion brand. Like ‘real’ fashion, this collaboration encourages players to be creative, express their digital identity and explore their unique style while having fun. †
Beginning May 20, 2022, the Gap experience will be available worldwide within the Roblox Club, for all age groups. To visit it, click here.


text:
Earlier today we reported that Sony found itself in the “Ouch” condition ever since from the time it reported its yesterday’s planned release of the version 1.65 update for PS Vita that will remain offline but the company promises that it will be available for downloading again soon on the chart. The company has made version 1.66 available for download now. The 97MB update presumably fixes the issue with adhoc wireless multiplayer on PSP games that caused v1.65 to be pulled in the first place.
I2Mag, an Internet & Design Inspiration Magazine having emphasis on empowering and inspiring people by spreading the waves of knowledge. I2Mag is an independent news source dedicated to covering start-ups, reviewing internet products, social media, digital culture and technology news.


text:
"NYSE is working on an online trading platform that will allow large investors to buy and hold bitcoin."
https://alextones.com/bitcoin-growth-expected-soon 2018 is quickly becoming the year of advancement of trading platforms... Binance becoming decentralized and adding a plethora of fiat pairings, Circle revamping Poloniex, and the trust management/exchange Genesis Vision. I understand that the "trust management" feature of Genesis Vision is unique to the platform (and certainly revolutionary), but what other features will keep Genesis Vision competitive? -i've had "debates" a few times with friends on this topic. I am not an expert on Genesis Vision and would like a sound rebuttal :) Thank you all in advance!
@Techmeme: Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of NYSE, partners with Starbucks, Microsoft and others to form a new Bitcoin trading platform called Bakkt (Bloomberg) https://t.co/UcZRugSpqW https://t.co/DVVGKn5THE
@ReutersBiz: NYSE-owner ICE announces plans to form a company and trading platform for digital assets such as bitcoin https://t.co/xyN127MRFb . @jmccrank & @annairrera. For the latest #ReutersFintech news visit https://t.co/5vF325WRMz
ICE, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, is reportedly in the early stages of developing an online Bitcoin trading platform. NYSE owner reportedly working on Bitcoin trading platform The bitcoin-based ETF. The most convenient way to gain exposure to bitcoins is through the Bitcoin Investment Trust (NASDAQOTH: GBTC) . This fund was created so that buying bitcoins could be as ... The NYSE formally files with the Securities and Exchange Commission to list two ProShares bitcoin ETFs. Brown Brothers Harriman would be custodian to the funds, which will track bitcoin futures. NYSE Pillar Trading Platform. Our integrated trading technology platform that connects to all of our equities and options markets. Market Liquidity Programs. Promoting price improvement for individual investors on retail order flow for NYSE listed securities. Traded Products. The SEC has given the green light for the New York Stock Exchange to allow some ... Bitcoin Addresses ... including being likely to sell $100 million in shares on the first day of trading on the NYSE.
Bitcoin & NYSE possible dump live! BTC price targets & chart analysis, Dow Jones / S&P 500 - TA
Dow Jones is currently down - 600 points. If NYSE continues down then bitcoin will follow suit. ... Bitcoin, bitcoin news, bitcoin price, bitcoin analysis, bitcoin trading, bitcoin bull run ... #bitcoin #btc #NYSE Bitcoin price crash, bitcoin price dump, Bitcoin, bitcoin news, bitcoin price, bitcoin analysis, bitcoin trading, bitcoin bull run, bitcoin bullish, bitcoin crash, bitcoin ... Bitcoin is at a ring that could cause btc price to pump or dump! Website to access charts that play out live: https://opticalartcrypto.com Twitter page: http... NYSE pre-market trading data has the Dow Jones up 500 points. Very curious to see if the Dow Jones holds or starts to come back down bringing the US stock market down even further. I think this is ... NYSE pre-market trading data has the Dow Jones down -500 points. I am expecting the US stock market to start dropping which should also bring down the price of Bitcoin. I think this is the ...


text:
In the lead up to the launch of Development2030 we will be running webinar sessions. The next session takes place on Thursday 28th October at 2pm UK time.
This session is run by Development2030 Headline Sponsors Amazon. The topic is:
WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A DISASTER RELIEF HUB
Effective partnerships in building resilient communities
On June 1 2020, the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, Amazon announced the opening of its first Disaster Relief Hub in Atlanta for faster response to regions frequently impacted by natural disasters, particularly in the south-eastern U.S., Caribbean region, and Central America. Through the Disaster Relief Hub initiative, Amazon is donating logistics services, fulfillment center space, and over 500,000 relief items to support the global humanitarian efforts of community partners including American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Medical Corps, and World Central Kitchen, among others.
When a natural disaster hits, emergency teams quickly assess what supplies they have, procure items they need, and then consolidate, pack, and ship supplies into disaster zones. The process can take multiple days. To quicken that crucial timeframe, Amazon analyzed its data across four years of disaster support and formed a pre-positioning strategy. The strategy is tailored to the most common relief supplies needed by our community partners to do their lifesaving work. This session will cover some of the key elements that led to building the Disaster Relief Hub initiative and tips for effective community partnership
Previous webinar session:
Achieving the UN SDGs, how has the pandemic impacted our progress
Achieving the SDGs in the face of reduced funding has become a challenge that requires collective action in both policy making and implementation. The global labour market has experienced massive unemployment, and growing inequities, that have resulted in the slowing of economic growth across the world.
In this webinar, we approached this topic from a global perspective, and discuss how the pandemic has impacted our progress in achieving UNSDG8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), UNSDG9 (Infrastructure & Innovation) and UNSDG10 (Reducing Inequalities) and discuss some approaches to finding solutions.


text:
HMIL currently exports to Asian, Middle Eastern and African markets.
In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Mr Young Key Koo, MD of Hyundai Motor India Limited, has divulged that the Hyundai Creta will be exported to a total of 92 countries. Due to high demand in India where bookings have crossed 100,000, the Creta is currently shipped only to a handful of countries.
Other than the overwhelming response in the local market, Hyundai is reporting good demand from Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru & Panama, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria.
The company will further increase the production rate of the Hyundai Creta at the Chennai plant to 13,000 units per month in June, where 10,000 will cater to local demand. The Creta is manufactured in India and China, but the latter does not export. A report in December said the Creta could be made in Mexico, while the SUV was spotted on test for the first time in Brazil this month. Hyundai is designing a second B-Segment SUV to compete in developed markets, as the Creta lacks specification and safety features required in those countries.
In India, prices for the Creta were recently hiked by INR 26,000 to INR 65,000 from base version to the range-topping SX (O) variant. Hyundai’s compact SUV used to be priced between INR 8.69 - INR 11.29 lakhs for the petrol variants and between INR 9.56 - INR 13.8 lakhs for the diesel variants (all ex-Showroom, New Delhi).
[Source: CNBC TV-18]


text:
Children are harmed by synthetic food dyes.
Susceptible children—who likely number more than half-a-million in the
U.S.—experience episodes of inattention, hyperactivity, or other behavioral
effects, after consuming foods containing synthetic dyes. In addition,
recent research has revealed far higher levels of dyes in commonly consumed
foods than was previously thought.
Thousands of parents of affected kids have sent CSPI emails detailing their
families’ struggles to identify the cause and help their children. Please
join them in calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to warn
consumers about dyes, remove them from the food supply, and ensure adequate
safety testing before companies add new dyes to food.


text:
DeathSpank's sequel will arrive on PC and Mac later this year, EA has announced. DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue will launch on PC November 30, with a Mac release following on December 14 (the original DeathSpank will be released for Mac the same day as ToV -- that's a lot of spanking!). Like the console versions, Thongs of Virtue will cost $14.99.
DeathSpank: ToV comes with two pieces of free DLC at launch: "Snowy Mountain Dungeon" and "Sidekick Tankko: Half-man, half-spider, and all awesome." If you absolutely can't wait for next Tuesday, a minigame on the DeathSpank website ("DeathSpank: Spank This!") offers you a chance to win free stuff. One grand prize winner will get "a squawkin' chicken, a signed DeathSpank poster, a free copy of DeathSpank, and an Intel Core i7-870." All prize winners, actually, will get that squawkin' chicken, which leads us to believe there's a very large squawkin' chicken population at Hothead. That must make it hard to concentrate on programming.


text:
Many Internet savvy teachers in Qatar may already be familiar with the late Steve Jobs’ vision for education, which is to Applize it. iTunes U led the way with online seminars and free courses in subjects as diverse as art to heart surgery. These are undertaken much like an Open University course but come with better digital features as you might expect.
Now, last week in fact, Apple announced the launch of iBooks 2.0, which may well have the ability to completely revolutionise the school textbook market. Apple fans will already be familiar with Apple iBooks, the online bookstore to rival Amazon, iBooks 2.0 will fit nicely into this existing facility and naturally be a completely interactive learning experience.
Textbooks in iBooks 2.0 will be fully optimized for iPads, giving students access to videos within chapters, interactive study notes and 3D graphics, enhancing the whole learning experience. No matter what continent you live in, this makes good sense – saving the trees, easy to update content, no lugging heavy books about – it wins on so many levels.
The world leaders in educational publishing are on board, such as Pearson Publishing and McGraw Hill and there are some handy complimentary apps to help ensure absorption into the school curriculum such as iBooks Author, which provides templates for producing textbooks compatible with the iPad.
Speaking at an education event in New York last Thursday, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller said, “We want to reinvent the textbook. Current textbooks cannot compete. They aren’t portable, searchable, current, or interactive.” He pointed out that there are over 20,000 educational apps already available for the iPad and that more than a million iPads are already used in education. International universities in Qatar’s Education City already embrace the iPad, utilizing its features for workshops and as a library resource.
Yes – but what about the cost, I hear you ask? A basic iPad2 costs in excess of QR 2000, potentially making it a pricey investment for a student. Well – the really good news is that the price of the textbooks will be capped at a meagre $14.99, quite a coup considering that a typical medical or legal textbook could set a student back $100, therefore potentially making the iPad a prudent, money-saving investment.
Now an apple a day for the teacher is not what it used to be – and for that, I’m sure Steve Jobs is eternally grateful.


text:
We get it. Antibacterial soap is available in an abundance of delightful scents and fun foamy options, or sometimes it’s clear with those cool little beads. But don’t let the cute packaging fool you. Researchers in South Korea found that the antibacterial stuff is no better at killing germs dead than your regular old boring bar.
Using various hand-washing experiments, scientists found that it would take someone nine hours to get any benefit out of using antibacterial soap. NINE. Which isn’t realistic. So they then studied those who washed their hands with both antibac and regular kinds of soap for a reasonable amount of time — 30 seconds — and there was no difference found between the soaps.
Antibacterial soap has always promised that it kills bacteria, which means a lower chance of “catching” germs. That seems like a squeaky-clean theory. But antibac soaps also use triclosan, which is currently under safety review in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration for bad health effects like allergic reactions and skin rashes. And get this: the antibacterial soap may increase the chance of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and triclosan has also been linked to cancer in mice. So there’s that.
Granted, the potentially dangerous ingredient is useful in some products, like toothpaste, where it helps prevent gum disease. But as far as your hands go, since the study found that neither soap is better than the other, doesn’t it make more sense to use the plain — albeit less exciting — bar of soap?
It might be boring, but hey, it’s better than feeling dirty about it later.


text:
MLILY will certainly capture the attention of showroom visitors at the summer Las Vegas Market with its unique Outdoor Adventure display. The new display serves an important purpose: to promote MLILY Kids JAMA Collection, a juvenile sleep product line designed to give children their first “big-kid” mattress and pillow. Highlighting the success of the recently launched collection and underscoring its philanthropic partnership with Special Spaces—a non-profit that updates bedrooms for critically ill children—MLILY will transform a portion of its 20,000-square-foot showroom into a treehouse-themed bunk bed to replicate a Special Spaces-themed room.
As part of the JAMA launch, MLILY announced that it will donate part of the proceeds from the sales of the collection to Special Spaces, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based organization and long-time partner of MLILY. Introduced earlier this year, JAMA is already gaining traction with retailers.
“We have a very close relationship with Special Spaces, along with other charitable organizations located near our headquarters,” said Stephen Chen, president of MLILY USA. “The tree-house display was designed to demonstrate to our retailers the impact that Special Spaces can have on children, and we are proud to contribute a portion of our proceeds to help to bring happiness to their lives, one bedroom at a time.”
New Partnership With Haibu
Additionally, the display will highlight the company’s newly formed relationship with Haibu—a popular children’s character who engages in outdoor adventures to save endangered animals and protect the environment. Adorned with stuffed animals from
Haibu, the structure includes a twin over twin bunk bed nestled within the leaves of branches hanging from a realistic tree trunk with mattresses and a pillow from the JAMA Collection. A slide, tree and wooden prairie-style swing all complete the immersive and memorable display.
Designed for children three years of age and older, the JAMA Collection includes two mattresses and an adjustable pillow. All products in the collection adhere to industry safety guidelines for the age group. Each mattress comes packaged with a washable mattress protector. Marketed with bright colors and designs meant to appeal to children, the collection is also a worthy investment for parents with its contributions to a charitable cause and positive messaging around protecting endangered species.