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Although it has been a few months since the launch of the iPhone 14, do you already want to know more about the Apple smartphones of 2023? Well, you are in the right place. You should know, in fact, that what appears to be the features that will surely arrive on the next iPhones have been leaked online. In this article we are going to discover them together!
Apple will release 4 smartphones in the fall of 2023: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (Ultra). On the name of the largest model, which some claim will be called “Ultra”, there is still no confirmation. What is certain, however, is that it will special features. In fact, all iPhones will have something special. That’s what it’s about.
iPhone 15: the features coming to the devices
Do you like it Dynamic Island of the new iPhone 14 Pro, but do the prices seem very high to you? So wait, this year, Apple will bring the feature to all new models, even the basic ones. Say goodbye to the notch for good, the famous “pill” is about to definitively take its place. All iPhones will bring a USB-C port. Users have been waiting for it for some time and there were still doubts about its arrival with the 15 range. According to the latest rumors leaked online, the novelty will arrive on all iPhones as early as this year! Finally, there will be interesting news regarding the body of the device. The Ultra (or Pro Max) model could finally be the first Apple smartphone with a titanium shellbut it doesn’t end there, the physical volume and power keys will be replaced with gods pressure-sensitive virtual keys! This function could be exclusive only to high-end models, however, we still don’t know for sure.
Considering that these are only among the first leaks regarding the iPhone 15, we can already say that this year’s Apple smartphones will be a real success. The only antagonist in the matter could be the price. Will Apple be able to keep it the same, or will there be more hikes? Stay tuned for all the updates about it.
Ph. credit: apple.com


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Home > News & Events > Press Releases
FDIC Consumer News Features a Guide to Preparing Financially for Fires, Floods and other Misfortunes
Other topics include online fraud prevention and a coming increase in FDIC insurance for IRAs
While Hurricane Katrina was the dominant disaster story in the U.S. in 2005, fires, floods and other misfortunes occur frequently and force people to evacuate their homes at a moment's notice. Certainly, the first concern in an emergency should be personal safety. But consumers also should be ready to deal with the financial challenges of a disaster, such as having access to cash, banking services and personal identification they need to pay for supplies or temporary housing or to conduct day-to-day money matters. The Winter 2005/2006 FDIC Consumer News, published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, features a guide to preparing financially for disasters that includes practical tips on:
The newsletter also includes a note about legislation to raise the federal insurance limit for certain retirement accounts from $100,000 to $250,000. After FDIC Consumer News went to print, Congress
passed the legislation and President Bush signed it into law on February 8, 2006. The current insurance coverage remains the same until the FDIC adopts the necessary rule changes later in 2006. Changes in the insurance rules and their effective dates will be noted on the FDIC Web site at www.fdic.gov and in future issues of FDIC Consumer News.
The goal of the quarterly FDIC Consumer News is to deliver timely, reliable and innovative tips
and information on financial matters, free of charge. The Winter 2005/2006 issue is available online at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnwin0506. Current and past issues are online at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news. The FDIC also offers a free subscription service that provides an e-mail about each new issue posted to the Web site and a link to stories of interest. Instructions for subscribing are posted at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
Information in FDIC Consumer News may be reprinted in whole or in part without permission from the FDIC. Material used should be credited to "FDIC Consumer News, a publication of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation."
# # #
Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 8,854 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars –insured financial institutions fund its operations.
FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet at www.fdic.gov, by subscription electronically (go to www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html) and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). PR-17-2006
|Last Updated firstname.lastname@example.org|

domain: news


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Rap Overtakes Rock As The Most Popular Music Genre In America
As a kid, I can remember my Grandmom saying rap will never last I give it a few years and it'll be done. This was in the 90s mind you. It's Hard to beleave that rap, which started from humble beginnings in the Bronx, has now taken over our culture complety. Through all it's phases Rap has continued to grow through the years capturing the attention of more and more fans as it rolls. What began as a small nech genre, originally used as a collective spokesman of sorts for Blacks and Latinos in the inner cities, has today crossed both geographical borders as well as racial and social demographics. Nothing is testament to that more that recent news from Nielsen Music’s annual mid-year report, which breaks down how the music industry is doing halfway through the year. It Stated that Hip-Hop/R&B has suppressed Rock as Americas most-consumed musical genre for the first time ever. According to the report, rock is responsible for 23% all music consumption in the U.S, while rap has edged it out coming in at 25.1%. The change of guard can most likely be attributed to Millennials , when you consider the role streaming played. Because although rock still holds the top spot for physical album sells at 40% of all CDs sold, it wasn't enough to earn the top spot. According to Nelison, "A significant streaming milestone was also reached in March, when weekly on-demand audio streaming surpassed seven billion. For the first six months of the year, there have been 184.3 billion on-demand audio streams - a 62% increase over the same period in 2016." When you consider things like Kendrick Lamar's Damn Album is easily one pf the most popular albums out right now and Drake's More Life project pulled in more than a billion streams on Spotify, you start to see the full picture come together.
News like this means 2 main things, 1 rap is finally starting to get the global recognition it has deserved for decades, and 2 dispite the tremendous panic that i'm sure ensued inside major record labels across the country, the day they realized, hmm streaming is probably gonna be bigger thing than we originally thought. Has managed to find a way to get themselves paid off the art and creativity of others, in today's new way of consuming music. If you watched the recent HBO documentary "The Defiant Ones" Jimmy Iovine explained, due to the dirt cheap cost of producing a CD, the music industry saw record profits just before the streaming revolution kicked in the door. But worry not, just leave it to fat cat suits to find a way to make a buck. And they will. The news is for some a bit bittersweet however. Many hardcore rap fans will find it a bit ironic, that the genre sees a record high in popularity, at a time it is experiencing a record low in creativity.
But they may be able to find consolation in The old saying about the cream rising to the top, and two of the games most talented acts having the most popular album and a billion streams respectively proves the adage to be valid.
A few things are for sure, CD aren't coming back, sells of the outdated media will continue to fall. Which means streaming will continue to see increases, so in all likelihood we will see this gap continue to widen as the time passes.


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Changes in consumer buying habits, already existing, but enhanced by the consequences generated by the pandemic, such as difficulty in mobility, the closure of many regular shops and reduced hours, added to the entry of new consumersand products, have produced a significant increase in online commerce and therefore, the possibility of internationalization.
Although it is important to underline that the retail sector in Spain has not yet recovered the economic volume it had prior to the pandemic as France, Germany and the United Kingdom have done, in Spain, during the month of May in the middle of the outbreak of the pandemic, saw the highest year-on-year growth in retail in Europe and the third in the world (with an increase of 68%), according to Eurostat 2020 data. It is also expected that e-commerce will reach our country this year 11% of total sales, according to eMarketer 2020 forecasts.
Electronic commerce in Spain has progressed in 2020 the equivalent of the last five years and following the trend, three out of ten Spanish companies plan to invest in their ecommerce platform and 26% plan to invest in their export capacity to be able to develop their businesses by accessing a much larger market, according to a survey conducted by Google and presented to the media.
In this sense, there is room for improvement in terms of internationalization of the activity, according to Eurostat 21% of Spanish companies sell online, and only 7% do it abroad. The percentage, on the other hand, is higher for electronic businesses, where 33% of companies in our country that sell online already export.
Interest in starting to market products or services abroad increased during confinement, Google reported that a 150% year-on-year growth in the number of Spanish companies that use its free tool «Market Finder» (which allows obtaining practical information and identifying potential markets) in the month of April 2020.
The most cited reason why Spanish companies do not bet on international markets is due to the lack of information or qualified personnel (59%) and the second has been the location and logistics. In the post-covid era, 33% of Spanish users who made online purchases purchased products in stores where they had never done so before and in Europe 71% of users purchased products outside their borders, the reason, in addition to the mobility restrictions, is the new possibility of acquiring products not available locally. According to the survey carried out by Google, 67% of Spaniards who have bought online in the last six months plan to do so to a greater extent in the future.
The winners of online commerce due to the pandemic were fashion and electronics, sectors in which purchases of this type were already made, but which saw an increase of 39% and 38% respectively in purchases by people who had not bought “Never before the covid-19 crisis”In addition, the beauty and pharmacy sector together with the food sector also had an increase of 18%. The sector household household products it deserves “special mention” and has been “the most benefited during the confinement”, according to Google’s international growth consultant, Beltrán Atienza.
What Consumers Value Most to make your online purchases are first, the price (62%), followed by the terms and deadlines of deliveries (44%), return policies (36%), customer service (29%), and lastly nationality (14%).
Companies like Mango, presented by Google for having had high profits and using some of its tools such as “Discovery Ads” observed in the second quarter of 2020 “a growth of 50% compared to the previous year ”according to Roger Graell, Director of e-commerce and member of the company’s executive committee.


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NCSOFT Opens New K-Pop Multi-Platform 'UNIVERSE' With IZ*ONE And MONSTA X
The Kim Taek-Jin-founded international video game developer, NCSOFT, is preparing to launch a brand-new global platform named UNIVERSE.
A mobile playground that connects global K-pop fans
UNIVERSE is a mobile playground that will create an opportunity for K-pop fans in all aspects of the world to come together and uniquely connect with their beloved idols. It features various offline and online fandom interactions and activities by using their respective mobile phone devices.
Moreover, UNIVERSE is the largest global fandom platform, as per Hellokpop, combining the most modern and innovative technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), to produce the best entertainment content for its users. It comes in three distinct languages that are made available in 134 countries.
Through UNIVERSE, NCSOFT will establish original content in partnership with KLAP, which was stamped in the industry in July. Undoubtedly, UNIVERSE will become the home of K-pop fans as they come together to support and interact with their favorites.
K-pop artists set to grace UNIVERSE on its initial days
In a report by Korea Herald, K-pop groups IZ*ONE and MONSTA X are in the works to join hands with NCSOFT for UNIVERSE. The developer announced the matter on November 13 (Friday), making the fans of the two well-known acts to go nutty as a fruitcake!
IZ*ONE was the first artist to be announced, followed by MONSTA X, per Soompi.
Furthermore, UNIVERSE is set to unveil Collection; a feature that allows fans to purchase an album, stream live and recorded broadcasts, participate in fan meetings, and experience concerts.
Launching and further details
UNIVERSE will be facilitating reservations that kicked off on November 12, and since then, more artists will be unveiled. Additionally, credible sources say that more artists are in line to join the team in the days to come.
The new K-pop platform for fans will be hitting the internet in the early dates of 2021. And for the meantime, follow the official social media accounts of UNIVERSE and visit its official websites for further details.
Official social media accounts
- MONSTA X Grabs Second Win For 'Love Killa' On 'Show Champion'
- BTS Jimin Shares Thoughts In Curating New Album 'BE': 'Pretty Much Ready'
- 2020 KBS Song Festival Reveals Details For The Upcoming Event: 'No Audience For This Year'


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Carroll County-based screen-printed apparel manufacturer's expansion will create 118 jobs
Carroll County-based screen-printed apparel manufacturer Blue Ridge Designs LLC will invest $2.28 million to expand its operations, creating 118 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Blue Ridge Designs was established in January 2019 and manufactures screen-printed apparel with watercolor ink. Since January 2019, the company has purchased six presses and three dryers, hired 80 employees
Right-to-work backers say repeal would harm Virginia's economic development efforts
Buoyed by the Virginia legislature’s new Democratic majority, bills to repeal Virginia’s right-to-work laws have the greatest chance of making it to the governor’s desk in a generation, predict political scientists. “I think it absolutely will [get repealed], but it will be a big fight,” says Elsie Harper-Anderson, director of the Ph.D. program in public
The company is investing $1.4 million to expand its Herndon headquarters
Expel Inc., a managed cybersecurity provider, is investing $1.4 million to expand its Herndon headquarters, creating 164 jobs in engineering, customer experience, IT, marketing and sales during the next three years. “Virginia has emerged as a national leader in cybersecurity and continues to be at the forefront of workforce development in this rapidly evolving industry,
Fund is expected to catalyze more than $150 million in new community investments
Richmond-based LOCUS Impact Investing, a subsidiary of Virginia Community Capital, will manage a newly formed $33.1 million national guarantee pool to encourage community development, according to a press release Tuesday. The Community Investment Guarantee Pool has $33.1 million in unfunded guarantee commitments from the endowments of 10 philanthropic organizations, which help mitigate investment risks. The
GMAX Industries Inc. will invest $10.5 million, governor says.
A New York-based manufacturer of medical products is coming to the city of Franklin’s Pretlow Industrial Park, bringing 40 jobs and $10.5 million in investment, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. GMAX Industries Inc., which produces disposable medical products for health care providers and components for other medical manufacturers, will create a manufacturing and distribution site
The grants are expected to connect about 36,000 households, mainly in rural areas.
The Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) will award more than $18.3 million in grants to 12 broadband expansion projects in the state, mainly in rural areas, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. The grants are expected to connect about 36,000 households, according to a press release. The governor’s proposed 2020-21 budget adds $16 million to the $19
Globally sourced and distributed tea company will expand East Coast operations.
Rohnert Park, California-based wellness tea company Traditional Medicinals Inc. will invest $29.7 million to establish its East Coast operation, an herbal tea manufacturing and processing plant, in Franklin County’s Summit View Business Park, creating 56 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. The company will build a 125,000-square-foot facility for production of its organic and herbal
The Patton Logistics Group serves clients in the U.S. and Canada.
Milton, Pennsylvania-based warehousing company The Patton Logistics Group will invest $12 million to establish a logistics and warehousing operation in the New River Valley Commerce Park in Pulaski County, creating 33 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. Virginia competed with North Carolina for the project, which will create a hub for motor carrier freight services
Project would create 2,500+ jobs, tribe says.
Updated at 4 p.m. Friday The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has proposed a $350 million, 275-room resort hotel and casino in Richmond, the tribe announced Friday as the Virginia House of Delegates considers legislation to allow the Pamunkey to pursue commercial gaming in Norfolk and Richmond. The resort will include a four-diamond hotel tower with a
Jane Ferrara was formerly Richmond's senior deputy director for economic development
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has selected Jane Ferrara as executive director of LISC Virginia, a nonprofit organization that raises capital and creates programs to support community revitalization and economic development. Ferrara starts the new position Feb. 3. LISC has raised more than $32 million locally and has invested $639 million into Richmond-area housing,


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Feast your eyes on the first set of, admittedly blurry, photos of the production-spec Honda Civic Type R.
The images of the new Honda Civic Type R have leaked on the internet, and it appears very little has changed compared to the concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and 2016 L.A. Auto Show. This will be the first Civic Type R that will ever be sold in the U.S., a moment Honda enthusiasts have been waiting decades for.
Unfortunately no details have been spilled, but the Civic Type R is expected to offer more power than the current model’s 306 horsepower figure. Under the hood will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motor and in true Civic fashion, it will remain front-wheel drive.
2017 Geneva Motor Show Coverage
The big question remains if the Japanese automaker will chase after the Nurburgring front-wheel-drive record, which was taken by the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S last year. Look for more details on the new Honda Civic Type R next week, as will be reporting live from the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.


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Time Finance have launched a new offering to business owners looking to source vehicles to help drive their business forward. Dedicated to helping firms source the right funding solution for their chosen vehicle, they have continued their investment in their new site to provide customers with upfront information at the touch of a button.
The launch comes at an opportune time for business owners with investment high on the agenda. A recent survey conducted by Time Finance found that 100% of business owners plan to make key investments over the next 12 months to support their business growth.
Time Finance plc (LON:TIME) is an AIM-listed business specialising in the provision or arrangement of funding solutions to UK businesses seeking to access the finance they need to realise their growth plans.


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Moneycontrol makes tracking cryptocurrency easy through its new association with WazirX
Mumbai, 27th May 2021: Gaining prominence rapidly, cryptocurrency is becoming one of the most popular digital assets and trading spaces. It is impossible to shy away from crypto-mania, which is already a trillion-dollar industry globally. While there is abundant information out there, having all of it from a reputed source and in a manner that is easy to find and track, is critical. As India’s leading business and finance platform, Moneycontrol, has understood that cryptocurrency needs to be tracked, analyzed for better use and trading. With this driving objective, Moneycontrol joins hands with WazirX, the country’s largest Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange. WazirX is also backed by Binance, the world’s biggest bitcoin exchange and altcoin crypto exchange in the world by volume, and this association will help users keep track of the meteoric rise of cryptocurrencies by listing it on their platform/website.
With the launch scheduled in the next few months, the partnership will see them coming together in a product integration that will list all tokens on Moneycontrol website and app through an API powered by WazirX. It will allow users to track the movements of the cryptocurrency by visiting Moneycontrol and accessing each token from the multiple touch points. With cryptocurrency’s popularity surging Moneycontrol will also curate a section called “Cryptocontrol” which will be a one-stop destination for all the latest news and developments on cryptocurrencies and its related technology.
Sharing his thoughts, Mitul Sangani – COO – General News (Digital) at Network18 Media & Investments Limited said, “Taking into account all the speculations and confusion revolving around cryptocurrencies, we see investors struggle to understand its working and investment process. We have bridged this gap by curating a section called “Cryptocontrol” that will burst all the myths and perplexity around it as well as share the most relevant news about the same. By partnering with WazirX, one of the most reputed names in the crypto space, we look towards spread awareness and providing clarity to our audience by helping them to track cryptocurrencies effortlessly and make informed decisions.”
Nischal Shetty, Founder, WazirX, said, “At WazirX, our mission is to make crypto accessible to everyone in India. With crypto slowly going mainstream in India, our association with Moneycontrol for Cryptocontrol aims to bring value to our crypto enthusiasts and potential investors. The key objective of this is to enable more users to access credible insights, bust the misconception that exists around cryptos and help Indians make informed decisions before investing in Crypto. We’re always looking to partner with credible institutional and industry thought-leaders like Moneycontrol to meaningfully engage with our expanding crypto community. We hope to achieve the goal through Cryptocontrol.”
Keeping with the pace of emerging trends and evolving consumer demands, this partnership with WazirX, will see the platform pave the way for users and investors to stay at the top of their game and more people will consider cryptocurrencies as a viable wealth asset.


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Members of the Council of State say they will cut their monthly allowances by 20% till the end of the year in identifying with Ghanaians amid the country’s economic challenges.
Already, there has been pressure on government to reduce its expenditure.
Speaking at the Jubilee House, Chairman of the Council, Nana Otuo Serebour II, said, “We have decided to reduce our monthly allowances by 20% to the end of this year. This move is our way of contributing our widow’s to efforts towards economic recovery.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Russia-Ukraine war has created challenges to many economies.
The prices of fuel products have recently shot up across the world.
In Ghana, the fuel price hikes have led to a corresponding increase in the prices of general goods and services, sparking serious inflation concerns.
Government has said it will announce some measures this week to revive the economy.


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(PRWEB) September 11, 2014
Recently, Top10BestSEOHosting.com has compared plenty of web hosting suppliers and announced that Bluehost, iPage and HostGator are the best VPS hosting suppliers of this year. The senior spokesman for Top10BestSEOHosting.com says, “We understand how important web hosting is for an online business. All-sized businesses or enterprises can find the right hosting solution from these companies, which have outperformed their competitors on hosting features, uptime, server speed and customer support. People can get the best web hosting at affordable rates.”
BlueHost (http://www.bluehost.com/track/seohosts) is a reliable hosting product supplier in the market. The company has been around since 1996 and established itself as a reliable and long-standing force in the world of web hosting. More importantly, it takes its technology very seriously, doing as much in-house as possible to avoid reliance on outside companies and maintaining extra-resilient backup and redundant servers. However, the prices of its useful products are very low. It is worthy to mention that BlueHost currently hosts more than 1.6 million domain names.
iPage is a popular supplier of cheap web hosting in the current market. The company offers rich features and great Windows hosting solutions at affordable rates.
Host Gator is one of many top hosting companies that started thinking Green. The company is now investing in alternative energy sources. It also provides redundant power to ensure all its systems stay up and running, even in the event of a power-outage, or unforeseen disaster.
Top10BestSEOHosting.com is an independent, advertising-supported hosting comparison service provider. The companies mentioned above are web hosts who outperform their competitors on hosting features, uptime, server speed and customer support.
Top10BestSEOHosting.com aims to provide people with better products at cost-effective prices. For more details, please visit: http://www.top10bestseohosting.com/.


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MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela said it is positioning its offerings as the “home of local and sport” as a differentiator to compete in the streaming market.
Mawela spoke to CNBC Africa’s Fifi Peters at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos.
MultiChoice faces increased competition from streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+.
Amazon is also expected to launch a marketplace and its Amazon Prime membership programme in South Africa this year, which will bring even more competition to the streaming market.
Commenting on the rise of streaming services in South Africa, Mawela said they are being disrupted by the technology.
People are dumping their expensive satellite DStv subscriptions for more affordable streaming alternatives.
“Once you are disrupted by technology, you must follow suit. If you stay and don’t move with technological changes, you are going to suffer in the end,” he said.
MultiChoice’s answer to Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime is Showmax, which Mawela said improved significantly over the last few years.
“Showmax has improved a lot. It is more user-friendly, and the look and feel is much better,” he said.
The amount of unique content produced for Showmax has also increased significantly over the years.
Mawela said shows like Reyka, which received an Emmy nomination, indicate that MultiChoice can compete globally.
“Reyka and My Kitchen Rules show that locally produced shows have international appeal,” he said.
For us, producing local content is a business imperative. People love to watch themselves and their stories on television.
It also helps us to limit our exposure to foreign currency risk. In Africa, we often experience currency depreciation, and we can get an immediate return by producing content in local currencies.
The MultiChoice CEO said their unique selling point, which sets them apart from their competitors, is local content and sport.
“We are positioning ourselves as the home of local and the home of sport in the streaming wars that we are facing,” Mawela said.
The increased investment in local content and sport has helped to increase paying ShowMax subscribers by 50% over the last year.
Mawela is upbeat about their streaming prospects, saying they continue to see strong uptake of their streaming products.
“Competition is good for us. It keeps us on our toes, makes us more efficient, and makes us more creative,” he said.
“We embrace competition and believe we remain well positioned to be the leading platform in Africa.”


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Panasonic has today unveiled a new "3E" hybrid Windows tablet for the education sector. The 10-inch tablet will be priced at $499 and will be offered to poorer school districts at more affordable pricing. What's neat about this product is what Panasonic has chosen to include when it comes to extended functionality, including an attachable magnifying lens to transform the 3E tablet into a microscope.
Accompanying the attachable lens is a temperature sensor, a 1366 x 768 LCD five-point touch display, 1.3-GHz Intel Atom AZ3740D quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, as well as either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. The 3E is powered by Windows 8.1 Pro. There's also a tethered stylus for OneNote drawing and the creation of general notes. It's a rugged unit, much like the FZ-E1.
Panasonic designed the tablet for the day-to-day operation in a classroom. The tablet itself sports not only dust and water resistance, but also the ability to withstand a 70cm drop. Intel has bundled a suite of educational software and lesson plans to facilitate student learning. Overall, it's a neat tablet to learn with. The tech company is also working with Redmond on enterprise hardware.
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Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.


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Combined, these two problems could result in massive problems for gamers, as well as alienate third party developers that may feel “limited” by the technical restraints of the hardware. Since the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo has relied a tremendous deal on consistent third-party support, with companies like Square-Enix and Rare Studios providing the “Big N” with stellar, console-exclusive material for the Super NES and Nintendo 64. Since the release of the GameCube, however, the company has seemed to be drifting away from this model, instead focusing on first-party titles and outsourcing franchising rights to other developers. This could mean that while PS4 and XB720 owners enjoy next-gen Madden and Call of Duty, Wii-U owners could be stuck playing watered down ports and rehashes of current-gen titles – a crisis exacerbated by Nintendo’s inability to strike up deals with prolific developers and publishers, such as “Grand Theft Auto” maestros Rockstar Games. Simply put, the launch price of the Wii U could potentially be double that of the Wii’s launch price, and that’s not factoring other components, such as the price of additional controllers, let alone standalone games (which, according to Amazon, are estimated to be about $60 a pop.) Feasibly, a Wii-U unit, with an extra Wii U ControlPad, two “Pro Controllers” and two games, could cost launch day consumers anywhere from $700 – $1,000.
Yes, eight year old kids and their shovel ware-purchasing mothers may appear to be a more lucrative demographic, but it’s the traditional gamers that are the greatest “bulk” consumers of video games. Titles like “Wii Fit U” are expected to capitalize on largely non-gaming audiences, but are consumers willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for mildly re-tuned experiences of the like? Although just about everything regarding the console’s price is mere speculation at this point, it’s almost certain to be a costlier system than the Wii – a console whose success can be attributed, quite largely, to its reduced marketplace cost. Obviously, it’s not just Nintendo that’s trying to merge all of the electronic mediums together, but in the case of the Wii U – a system that’s already underpowered – pursuing “the Swiss army knife” approach could be a downright fatal move. The Wii U’s online service emphasizes social networking elements over multiplayer, a move which could alienate a sizable “hardcore” gaming audience.
While the emergence of smartphones have coalesced a lot of electronic communications together, it’s a fairly unwise move to assume that a gaming console – a stationary thing connected to a television set – requires the same “all-in-one” versatility that a phone or a tablet provides. The one thing the new network doesn’t seem to do, however, is rectify its predecessor’s many online gaming difficulties, including a clunky user-interface that requires “friend codes” in order to play over an Internet connection. It’s not exactly breaking news that Nintendo’s online gaming network is considerably less impressive than those promoted by Microsoft and Sony. While we North American gamers will not likely know the MSRP of Nintendo’s new console until later this year, there have been some leaked numbers as it pertains to other markets. England needs to avoid a defeat at the hand of the Czechs while a win would send them to the top of the group.
According to data collected by Visual Capitalist, 33 of the top 50 are Millennials, including the title holder, Cristiano Ronaldo. We all remember the ZombiU trailer – apparently, Nintendo’s idea of online gaming is the ability to access Twitter and look up cheat codes while playing a single-player title… So far, the third -party titles announced for the Wii U have been rather lacking , consisting mostly of ports and very unpolished I.P.s, such as the underwhelming “ZombiU” from Ubisoft. The “Call of Duty,” “Grand Theft Auto” and EA Sports series have made billions upon billions of dollars over the last five years, and these gargantuan series – in a “proper” iteration – have been MIA on the Wii. Known for his ever-present bow tie, Phelan won 830 games during his 49-season career at Mount St. Mary’s from 1954-2003. Phelan coached the school to a 58-57 win over Sacramento State in the 1962 Division II national championship, and later guided Mount through the transition into a Division I program. ‘They have developed over the years and have a lot ahead of us. Ten years ago this summer Scotland’s next competitive fixture also happened to be against Czech Republic.
1.Brazil 2.Germany 3.Italy 4.Spain 5.England 6.Argentina 7.France 8.Netherlands 9.Mexico 10.Croatia 11.USA 12.Switzerland 13.Paraguay 14Czech Republic 15.Russia 16.Ghana 17Australia 18.Korea republic 19.Japan 20.Greece 21.Denmark 22.Serbia 23.Cameroon 24.Cote de’Ivoire 25.Nigeria 26.Uruguay 27.Costa Rica 28.Egypt 29.Saudi Arabia 30. Chile, 31.South Africa 32.Korea DPR. He has had an illustrious career for his country as well. They feature an extremely comfortable sock-like construction to the collar, hugging your angle like a sock and providing you with a lightweight and comfy feel as well as great stability. You need to replace worn-out studs immediately because it can cause you a great deal of instability, poor performance and ultimately, injury during a game. One of these is the techfit construction, which works great in letting you enjoy a more locked-down fit. Nintendo’s far-reaching online network – debuted at E3 earlier this year – is more or less a visualized Facebook application, which allows gamers to hop in and out of centralized experiences, such as chatting and playing mini-games. Nikkei reports that the unit will cost about 30,000 yen, which equals out to about $383 USD. So it will be a loss of confidence in the con game and the con game is soon coming to an end.
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Graviola Soursop is the newly discovered health remedy which is found to improve key body functions and reduce cancer chances. The product is now available with a New Year Special Discount offer
San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/06/2014 -- Native to Brazil, Graviola is now widely used in several dietary supplements because of its healing and anti-cancer properties. The latest discovery has become a great buzz in the health industry which has captured the attention of millions of health experts and customers. Aside from its health promoting properties, new scientific research has also found its powerful anti-cancer effects since it was found to kill the cancer cells during several research studies. The product is now available with a New Year special discount. The offer is designed for customers to let them achieve greater health benefits at a fraction of the price.
Graviola Soursop is formulated with 100% pure and natural Brazilian Graviola which is processed under FDA approved conditions. Through extensive research studies, scientists have found that the most therapeutic parts of the fruit are the leaves, bark, roots and seed which contain a wide variety of bioactive Phytonutrients that work on cellular and systemic levels.
Click Here To Visit Official Website Of Platinum SourSop
Another American Study was published in the December 2008 issue of the “Journal of Dietary supplements.” The study found that Graviola is effective against various microbial and parasitic agents. The research presented the following conclusions:
- Graviola extract effectively targeted and killed malignant cells in 12 types of cancer including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer
- Graviola extract proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than chemotherapeutic drugs
- Unlike chemotherapy, the Graviola extract selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells without affecting healthy cells.
Some more recent studies have found that Graviola is rich in anti-cancer substances which help prevent cancer cells. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, soursop contain a number of natural substances or fatty compounds such as Acetogenins, acetogenins, annonacin and quinolones which help prevent or slow the growth of cancer cells. The Cancer Center also suggests that Soursop may also contain some compounds that are antiviral and anti-parasitic which can reduce inflammation.
A clinical study was conducted in 1997, which was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry”. During this study, compounds from soursop were tested on breast cancer cells and found to be up to 250 times more effective in killing these cells than some chemotherapy drugs.
Visit http://slimmingbeauties.com/platinum-soursop-reviews For More Information On Platinum SourSop
Slimmingbeauties.com is an online health and beauty products store containing all weight loss, skin care and herbal alternative supplements with extra discount offers and free month supply worldwide.


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Jackson Youseff, a member of the A1 family, has opened up his own shop on Lawrence Boulevard in Stellarton.
With A1, they are trying to bring something a little different to the county pizza scene.
“Our pizza is an Italian-style pizza, but in a Canadian way,” says Youseff.
Their pizzas will have a red sauce made from Italian tomatoes and spices and high-quality Italian deli meat as a choice of topping.
Everything is prepped in-store, with nothing processed or frozen and everything is made to order.
For now, they will be offering a limited menu, including pizzas, subs and salads to let their staff get into the swing of things.
Then hopefully every couple of months they can introduce more items like pasta and poutine.
Youseff says they are in a great location between Westville, Stellarton and New Glasgow.
They surprised employees at the Comfort Inn with some pizzas earlier this month, with the manager saying it was a nice surprise on a Friday afternoon and it tasted great.
“The more restaurants that are here to serve our guests is all the better,” she said.
Youseff says it’s great that their location is in a commercial area because they are close to multiple hotels and other businesses.
“I just want to give my thanks to the people here in the county for their support so far. They have been really good to us,” says Youseff.


text: The semiconductor industry, beset by a slump in sales during the past three years but now well into recovery, has found itself a beneficiary of the explosive growth in global telecommunications. Fred Zieber, president of Pathfinder Research, predicted that sales of semiconductor chips to the communications industry could total $35 billion in 1999. That's a small but significant slice of semiconductor industry revenues, estimated at $140 billion this year. Photonics suppliers who watch the computer industry for signs of semiconductor resurgence may find the telecommunications industry is a better signal of activity. "The PC market is doing better this year than people expected, but the telecommunications and data communications market ... is just exploding," Zieber said. The demand for semiconductor components stems from the need for speedy and efficient connectors, switchers, routers and servers that can make a fiber optic network sing. "Telecommunications is really driving a lot of our growth. It seems to be the highest growth segment of what we're doing right now," said Brent Dietz, public relations manager for Intersil Corp. in Palm Bay, Fla., formerly Harris Semiconductor. Intersil makes subscriber-line interface circuits, data converters and power units for Internet telephones. Other semiconductor companies are focused solely on the telecommunications market, including Sycamore Networks Inc. of Chelmsford, Mass., and Maker Communications Inc. of Framingham, Mass. Roman Kichorowsky, spokesman for Maker, said his company predicted that telecommunications equipment operators could save time and money by buying programmable chips instead of designing their own. Programmable chips allow equipment makers to combine the flexibility of software with the speed of hardware. Telecommunications analyst John Metz of Sterling Research in Sterling, Mass., said the area of programmable chips alone could generate annual sales of $1 billion by 2003. Programmable silicon chips will eventually be incorporated at some level into nearly all communications hardware, he said.


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Androids Might Copy This Rumored iPhone 8 Feature, Because Of Course They Will
Any news of the iPhone 8 has driven techies everywhere mad, but nothing has gotten as much attention as the iPhone 8's facial recognition feature. The rumored feature is said to use infra-red technology to read your face and unlock your phone. But Apple isn't the only company getting a piece of the pie, because Androids might get facial recognition, too.
OK, well it turns out the Galaxy S8 already counts on a facial recognition feature, but the feature isn't too safe because it can be manipulated by using a photograph of the persons face. Definitely a big no-no! Plus, the facial feature is not compatible with apps that require strong security.
BGR reports the next iterations of Galaxy phones might be coming with more sophisticated facial recognition features, but it's looking like Apple might just beat them to the punch. Qualcomm is the chip maker that works with Android, and they assure users that Galaxy will not only have sophisticated facial recognition technology, but that it also might be better than the technology Apple is coming out with.
Those are fighting words.
It's been reported by 9 to 5 Mac that these claims are in fact fighting words, because Qualcomm isn't on very good terms with Apple.
Whatever the case may be, I don't understand why Android getting facial recognition is such a big deal. After all, isn't every electronic device just a different version of another? Let's just hope the new Androids with facial recognition will come with a better price tag than the upcoming iPhone 8, because the iPhone is going to cost a small fortune.
Let's also hope the newer Androids will come with a wider variety of colors, as we already know the iPhone 8 will not be coming in the rose gold we've all grown to love. Who knew there was so much drama in the tech community?


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Willerby announces all-electric specification as green game-changer for holiday homes industry
Holiday homes designer and manufacturer Willerby has announced it has developed a pioneering all-electric specification enabling its models to be powered solely by electricity on the majority of UK holiday parks.
Willerby leads way with first Sustainability Report by holiday homes manufacturer
Holiday homes industry innovator Willerby has become the first manufacturer in the sector to publish a Sustainability Report, detailing its mission to combat climate change and cut carbon.
Willerby Wellbeing Hub provides a tranquil space for positive mental health
Holiday homes designer and manufacturer Willerby is supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its workforce by introducing a dedicated area for staff to take a break and access support.
Team Talk with Nick Narborough
In this month’s Willerby Team Talk chat we speak to VS2 Process Manager Nick Narborough.
Willerby shares sustainability journey at net zero campaign celebration
UK holiday homes market leader Willerby has taken part in a major event focused on how businesses can play their full part in the drive to net zero.
Willerby raises almost £15,000 for two Charities of the Year
Holiday homes market leader Willerby has raised almost £15,000 for two well deserving charities – the most over 12 months in the company’s history.
Team Talk – Amanda Goodwin
In this month’s Willerby Team Talk chat we speak to Quality Inspector Amanda Goodwin.
Willerby celebrates continued staycations success as turnover tops £200m for first time
Holiday homes industry leader Willerby has delivered record turnover and profits, buoyed by a structural market change in favour of holidays and short breaks in the UK.
Team Talk with Howard Dawson
As we continue our monthly Team Talk chats, we speak to Head of IT Howard Dawson.
Meet the Willerby apprentices helping shape the company’s future
We're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by sharing the experiences of some of its most exciting young talents.
Willerby Team Talk – Jo Sharp
In this month’s Team Talk chat we speak to business project manager Jo Sharp.
Willerby builds on success by promoting homegrown talent to leadership roles
UK holiday homes industry leader Willerby has invested in internal talent with a reorganisation of its senior team and a raft of promotions to drive the business further forward.
Willerby Team Talk – Richard Waite
In this month’s Willerby Team Talk chat we speak to supply chain manager Richard Waite.
Willerby sustainability champion joins panel of experts at major Yorkshire climate summit
Holiday home manufacturer Willerby’s sustainability champion joined a panel of business leaders at a major climate summit.


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Many retailers have seen well above normal demand since April and most are planning for record online sales during this year’s peak season. Whilst previous years' experience may seem less relevant given the ongoing pandemic, much can be learnt from consumers’ behaviours and retailers’ capabilities during the last 6 months.
As retailers prepare for Q4, we’ve taken a look at some of the latest data and what to consider to optimise this year’s peak trading season.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Whilst the recovery remains fragile, ONS reported total retail sales volumes in August increased for the 4th consecutive month, resulting in a 4% increase compared to February’s pre-pandemic levels. Read more about this data in our blog “Retail Ramblings and Reflections – Autumn”.
Footfall data shows consumers’ confidence in returning to physical stores remains low, albeit improving slowly. Despite ongoing concerns about the future of the high street, it’s worthy to note physical stores with multichannel offerings have driven much of the growth in online sales, and the most recent footfall increases have also been driven by the high street.
It is evident some retailers, across all sectors, are thriving more than others, and the physical store has a big role to play as a driver of online sales and providing a more convenient shopping experience.
HOW ARE CONSUMER BEHAVIOURS CHANGING?
The way we live, work and shop, as well as what we value, has changed considerably for many. We’re seeing a greater focus on more mindful consumption, cost consciousness, shopping local, safety considerations, sustainability, brand values and transparency, all of which are contributing to a changing retail landscape.
Digital engagement is increasing
The dramatic rise in online shopping shows no sign of abating as consumers opt for this safe and convenient option. We’ve also seen a new group of customers shopping online for the first time who are expected to continue to do so. Consumers have increased their use of various digitally enabled services and intend to continue to do so according to Accenture’s Covid-19 Consumer Pulse Research – Wave 7.
Shocks to customer loyalty
There was a shock to customer loyalty during the initial wave of Covid-19 caused by store closures and supply-chain disruptions. Consumers changed their behaviour with many trying a different brand or retailer to meet their needs.
McKinsey’s Covid-19 Consumer Pulse Survey, conducted globally in June, found over 60% of consumers had changed their shopping behaviour. The top 3 reasons for this in the UK were value, availability and convenience.
Financial security is a concern
Financial security remains a prime concern and people’s ability to spend money on themselves and gifts may impact peak sales. On the other hand, people who haven’t lost their jobs, or had their income reduced through furlough, may have extra money to spend.
Returns rates may be reducing as a result of more considered purchases
Whilst many retailers don’t disclose returns rates, estimates suggest over 30% of all online products are returned in the UK. Notably, Next and Asos have both reported significantly lower return rates this year, driven by more considered purchases due to lockdown restrictions and better selling categories with lower returns rates. Next, reported a returns rate of 23% year to date versus 42% in 2019. Astonishing.
Stay at home measures continue to influence our purchases
As long as restrictions on social gatherings and options for going out remain in place, the home continues to be the main focus for many. These categories are expected to continue to do well, including those operating in the off-price and budget range.
Electrical and tech
Leisure and sportswear
Arts, crafts, toys, games (plus others related to hobbies and interests taken up during lockdown)
Health, beauty and wellness (particularly self-care and easy maintenance items)
InternetRetailing recently reported on research from Adobe. It found more than half of UK shoppers regularly shopping online (nearly 70%), are doing so via marketplaces with Amazon being 4x more popular than retailer sites and apps. The inference being, even with more time on their hands and restrictions to shopping in-store, consumers were drawn to the broad product ranges, robust delivery infrastructure and limited steps between logging-on and checking-out that characterise marketplaces.
In summary, all of this presents continued opportunities for retailers to retain customers and acquire new ones by creating an omni-channel experience which offers a range of services supporting seamless paths to purchase and delivery across multiple channels.
Irrespective of product, the consumer expects choice, convenience (including safety), simplicity and speed. Giving them the product they want, on time, with a choice of delivery and payment options plus easy returns is a strategy for success. A retailer’s ability to adapt and execute well on this can be the difference between conversion and abandonment, and make or break a loyal customer.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PEAK?
This year’s peak is going to be unlike any other, with local lockdowns and tightening of restrictions, economic uncertainties, the unwinding of the furlough scheme, and concerns about the second wave and another national lockdown.
For sure, far more shopping is expected to take place online, with perhaps an increasing role of stores for collection and returns. In the case of holiday gifting, there's likely to be an increased reliance on delivery direct to the recipient. This may be the safer, and in the event of fuller lockdowns, locally, regionally, or nationally, the only option.
Retailers who manage store and online traffic well and optimise their omni-channel capabilities for browsing, product research and selection, points of purchase, payment options, delivery choices, virtual consultations and personal shopping, easy returns and aftercare, are likely to perform better.
TIPS ON OPTIMISING THE PEAK OPPORTUNITY
Download our thoughts on planning for peak success here. It's quick and easy - we don't ask for your contact details.
Wishing you a very happy, and successful, peak season!


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World Economic Forum
The Dirty Secret of Electric Vehicles
The number of electric vehicles on the world’s roads is rising fast. Latest figures show there are more than three million and sales are growing at close to 75% a year. But now doubts have been raised about the ethics of buying one.
Amnesty International says human rights abuses, including the use of child labour, in the extraction of minerals, like cobalt, used to make the batteries that power electric vehicles is undermining ethical claims about the cars.
Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty’s Secretary General, told the recent Nordic EV Summit in Oslo, that climate change should not be tackled at the expense of human rights. “Without radical changes, the batteries which power green vehicles will continue to be tainted by human rights abuses,” he said.


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text:
Spotted on the streets of Hong Kong:
“Wifi available here,” it says
Unfortunately, it’s just a convenient place for the telecom company to advertise that they are offering wifi… for a fee.
Correction: From a comment by Alex:
“Actually this is not true. PCCW had been offering paid Wifi access at more than 400 access points across the city, a majority of those are from PCCW phone booths! (including all the ones with this wifi label)
They actually have AP built into the phone booths like this one which the company owns.”


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NEW YORK CITY – October 25, 2012 – Rakuten LinkShare today announced the continued expansion of its international presence with the launch of its affiliate marketing network in Australia. The performance marketing network already operates in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan.
“Launching our services in Australia is a key part of our global strategy as we work to meet the global online marketing needs of ouradvertisers and publishers,” said Yaz Iida, chief executive officer, Rakuten LinkShare. “A combination of local and global resources, expert service, proven technology, and a vast network of quality publishers will enable online retailers to grow their businesses among consumers throughout Australia.”
The company entered the Australian market to meet the requirements of local online retailers in Australia as well as global advertisers looking to expand their reach to Australian consumers. According to the National Australia Bank Online Retail Sales Index, online retail spending is experiencing strong growth and reached $11.7 billion for the year ended June 2012.
Rakuten LinkShare is launching its Australian presence with a strong portfolio of local advertisers including: Appliances Online, Dyson Australia, oo.com.au, and styletread.com.au. In addition, global advertisers at the time of launch include ASOS, Farfetch and Hotwire.com.
“Performance marketing presents a low-risk, measureable way to enter the Australian market and it delivers great opportunities to reach the Australian consumer while achieving a target return on ad spend,” said Prue Thomas, senior marketing manager, Australia, ASOS Global Limited. “By working with Rakuten LinkShare in Australia, we have a true global partner who can help us build relationships with the best local publishers and help fine-tune our online campaigns to drive traffic and conversion among Australian shoppers.”
For publishers, the launch of the Rakuten LinkShare network in Australia presents an opportunity to work with the #1 ranked affiliate marketing network. The company has already established ties to leading and emerging brands across a wide variety of categories, therefore enabling publishers to thrive in this burgeoning ecommerce market. Australian publishers in the network include asperity.com.au, rewardscentral.com.au, ilovecoupons.com.au , starthere.com.au, Sophiehart.com and Virgin Australia Velocity.
“Having an established global leader like Rakuten LinkShare operating locally will raise the standard of affiliate marketing for publishers across the board,” said Peter Harris, general manager, Appliances Online. “Innovation by affiliate marketers will provide Australian consumers with a greater opportunity to compare and research products and services.”
For more information visit: au.linkshare.com.
About Rakuten LinkShare Corporation
Rakuten LinkShare provides online retailers and other businesses with expert online marketing services and solutions. Rakuten LinkShare’s cost per action (CPA) affiliate marketing network, search marketing services, lead generation campaigns and retargeting solutions can acquire new customers, increase revenue and drive overall results while achieving target return on ad spend. Rakuten LinkShare clients are Fortune 500 and other prominent companies doing business online, including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express and Avon Products. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Tampa, London, Tokyo and Sydney. For more information, please visit: www.linkshare.com.


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Chinese lithium battery supplier Eve Energy plans to sign an agreement with Chengdu city, in southwestern Sichuan province, to build a 50 GWh per year power and energy storage battery production base there, as well as a local research institute, it said in an announcement on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
The project will be built in two phases, with the first phase containing a 20 GWh power battery and energy storage battery production base and the first phase of the research institute. The second phase of the project contains a 30 GWh power battery and energy storage battery production base and the second phase of the institute.
The total investment of the project is RMB 20 billion ($3 billion), of which each phase is RMB 10 billion. The planned site area of the project is about 1,000 mu (0.67 square kilometers), of which about 480 mu in Phase I.
The partnership will help accelerate the company’s layout in power and energy storage batteries and further its overall development in lithium-ion battery production and R&D, Eve Energy said.
Based in Huizhou city, Guangdong province, Eve Energy’s main business covers consumer batteries and power batteries. The company’s performance has improved significantly in recent years as the industry has entered a high boom period.
From 2019 to 2021, the company achieved revenue of RMB 6.412 billion, RMB 8.162 billion and RMB 16.900 billion, respectively, and net profit of RMB 1.522 billion, RMB 1.652 billion and RMB 2.906 billion, respectively.
Like other Chinese power battery makers, Eve Energy continues to expand its production capacity.
In November 2021, it said it plans to build a 152.61 GWh per year power cell storage battery project in Jingmen city, Hubei province.
In March 2022, it said it plans to build a 20 GWh square lithium iron phosphate battery production line and ancillary facilities project and a 48 GWh power battery storage battery production line and ancillary facilities project in Jingmen.
Eve Energy achieved revenue of RMB 6.734 billion in the first quarter, up 127.69 percent year-on-year; net profit was RMB 521 million, down 19.43 percent year-on-year, it showed in its earnings report released yesterday.


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A collection of brightly coloured, painted barbershop signs lined the entrance to Doing Hair: Art and Hair in Africa, an exhibition that aimed to explore hairdressing and the sociocultural representation of hair in Africa.
Other hair-related objects, such as wooden makipo helmets (used during initiation rituals in Mozambique and southern Tanzania) and photographs by Pieter Hugo of black judges in white wigs, filled two levels of the Wits Art Museum (WAM) in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The gallery space was divided into four parts during its three-month run, which ended this week: hair paraphernalia, hair and how it relates to society’s standards of beauty, barbershop culture and depilation.
Multiple television screens showed hair advertisements on a loop and one printed quote announced: “For hair that is straight and incredibly shiny, up your social status; get tweetable, likeable hair.” Unlike the exhibition’s dated images of African men with finlike hairstyles and barbershop signs circa 1970 and 1980 from countries such as Togo and Benin, this quote is only a year old – and yet it is loaded. It was lifted from a promotion for Luster’s Pink Smooth Touch Relaxer, a hair product aimed at black women who want to achieve straight hair that “might start trending”, according to its online commercial, which uses Twitter-speak.
Against a backdrop of similar advertisements, the politics of black hair was visible. This part of the exhibition clearly spoke to the legacy of colonialism and its attempts to erase blackness with no-lye hair relaxing creams and even shaving. It recalled Anders Kelto’s video of pupils shearing each other’s hair as they tried to get rid of the upper cut, which their teacher viewed as a hairdo for gangsters. The exhibition’s project leader, Lesley Spiro Cohen, says Doing Hair did not attempt to address hair politics and was, instead, a vehicle to attract new visitors to the art museum. “The exhibition is not about black hair; the exhibition is about art and hair in Africa. It’s broad,” she tells me.
In addition to this, Cohen, who heads up WAM’s strategy, planning and development, says the exhibition “was the first step in attracting the Braamfontein people … I did a quick walk around Braamfontein and there were 50 hair salons in the few streets that are immediately adjacent to us. So we thought that we would attract the Braamfontein hairdressers and their clients.” But merely touching on black hair in Africa is bound to raise political, racial and socioeconomic questions.
Lack of content
“While the exhibition makes extensive use of mixed media … that does not save it from the lack of content,” writes Vanguard magazine founder Panashe Chigumadzi. “What I, and the number of others I did a snap survey on, saw was that this is a shallow interpretation of hair on the continent. I did not learn anything new, except for the new ways in which I can be othered in South Africa,” says Chigumadzi, pointing to the mainly white curatorial team of 10.
Reacting to such disapproval, Cohen points me to the exhibition’s accompanying catalogue. “[It] really responds to the criticism and [its] essays relate to each part of the exhibition.” And it does, as artist and researcher Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum addresses “othering” and curatorial intern Shayna Goncalves delves into beauty constructs.
But at R250, the catalogue might not be accessible to the Braamfontein students and hair-salon clientele the museum hopes to attract. Despite this, Cohen says the exhibition attracted hordes of young people, passers-by and hair stylists. A competition held in the run-up to Doing Hair, which was sponsored by the Black Like Me hair products company, invited professional and student stylists to showcase their art.
“We never really talk about black hair, so this show has been a great initiative,” Mzeezolyt, one of the competition winners, tells me. The Boksburg-based artist operates a mobile salon, going to clients’ homes to do their hair. She says she has “been getting more customers and doing more home calls” since her win.
Despite the applause the gallery gets for having attracted more visitors and more clients for its hair competition winners, this was a missed opportunity to dig deeper into a topic that merits more than merely being used as a carrot dangled on a stick.


text:
News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services.
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text:
The GST Council has fixed a target of goods and services tax collections worth Rs 12 trillion for the current financial year. The Council is happy with indirect tax collection figures in the...
May 01, 2018
With Centre and states relying heavily on petroleum sector for revenue, Assocham says consensus to bring petroleum products in the ambit of GST would never emerge. The the Centre is in favour...
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Marriott sees bright future in African travel
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Marriott International is hopeful that Africa's growing middle class will mean more travel both to and within the continent, and more guests for its 130 hotels and counting across nine African countries.
The hotel company announced Tuesday at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum here that it would invest $200 million in Africa by opening 36 new hotels and hiring 10,000 new employees by 2020, expanding its reach to 16 countries. Marriott is already the largest hotel operator in Africa since acquiring 116 properties from Protea Hotel Group in April.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson spoke about Africa's economic potential and why American companies have the wrong perception of the continent. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Why is Africa a priority for your company?
A: Well the growth is exciting in Africa. You've got two things happening. One is (gross domestic product) is growing quickly in many countries in Africa. That growth means opportunities for us. The second thing about Africa is it's got a hugely growing middle class. There are about a billion people. They are young. And that growth in the future means that those folks will be traveling within Africa but also traveling outside Africa. We want to make sure they know our brands.
Q: How has travel to the continent changed in recent years?
A: There are 50-some countries in Africa, and each one of them has got a different story. So what we see in a place like South Africa, where we have 80 hotels, is good growth. Comp store sales up 6, 7, 8%. Compared to Cairo all the way in the north — Cairo has been a very difficult market over the last three years. First half of this year, our comp sales were down 20% from a year ago. They're probably down 70% from before the Arab Spring. With stability in that market, they'll start to grow back.
Q: Are you primarily serving people who already live in Africa or tourists from abroad?
A: Mostly it is local travel. With 80 hotels in South Africa, our biggest source of business is South African travel. Cairo is a big international destination, so there'd be relatively little Egyptian business in that market.
Q: What are the biggest misconceptions about doing business in Africa?
A: I think the American view of Africa is still one that starts with, "it's a basket case economically; it's ungoverned or ungovernable, and therefore, to the extent we engage with Africa, it should be as a function of charity, not business."
Q: What are some the biggest challenges facing international companies getting involved in Africa?
A: The first one is probably human resources and making sure you have talent that is expert in doing business in Africa. And also doing business in a way which is consistent with our values.
Q: What are your hopes for the future of business and investment growth on the continent?
A: I think we'll see it continue to grow. It's a relatively small base, so it will still be some time before these African economies are top five in the world. But we will see the continent as a whole grow at 5%-plus rates; we'll see jobs growth. We'll see with the growth of the African middle class, both travel within Africa and outside of Africa by Africans grow dramatically.


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Farmers Market – Market Manager Workshop Opportunity
Posted On: March 28, 2018
The Wyoming Farmers Market Association and Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture are offering a Farmers Market – Market Manager workshop, open to current managers who want to brush up on their skills or those new to thinking about running a farmers market.
This all-day workshop will help you run your farmers market more efficiently; we will cover everything from a better understanding of market dynamics, to basic food safety.
The morning starts off with basic mediation skills on keeping the peace between vendors or even unhappy clients. We tackle getting the word out, by marketing the market and making social media work harder for you; then we’re on to keeping the books, real-world farmers market experiences, and basic cottage food laws. We end the program with a quick review of basic food safety and what a market manager needs to look for.
Friday, April 13, at Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Lunch, snacks and hot beverages are included in the $40 registration fee. https://farmersmarketmanager.e
For more information contact Catherine at firstname.lastname@example.org


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BGR.is reportedly preparing .2 for release within the next two weeks, according to
Citing a source inside Apple, BGR says the next update to Apple’s mobile OS will sport bug fixes as well as plugging security holes. Could Apple be looking to stop jailbreakers () once more with this update?, most likely yes. Though we’re sure the battle will rumble on.
We’ve just been told by one of our Apple ninjas that the company is working on another.x release: 4.3.2. It’s said to include a few enhancements, address security issues, and it will also fix several bugs that have affected users. We’re told to expect the software update for the , and in about two weeks.
More4.3.2 information as we get it.


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|Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh
To that end, it will keep a close watch of market developments in order to roll out the best business and production plans, expand its presence to foreign markets, optimise free trade agreements (FTAs), and effectively cope with protectionism and technical barriers imposed by other countries, the minister told the Vietnam News Agency in an interview.
Of note, he said, the MoIT will work to build, amend and supplement the legal system to realise the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and promote the signing and ratification of major FTAs, especially the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA), as the two deals will make Vietnam more attractive to foreign investors.
The ministry will improve its capacity for settling disputes and coping with trade protectionism, and intensify IT applications and administrative reform, Anh added.
Given uncertainties of the global economy, the Vietnamese Government, the MoIT and other ministries and agencies have employed various measures to ease the risks, according to the official.
Due attention has been paid to export market expansion, he elaborated, adding that apart from the US and China, the EU, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have also become Vietnam’s major trade partners.
The MoIT has also stepped up trade promotion to boost production and product consumption, he said.
Reviewing the ministry’s performance in 2018, Anh said it fulfilled and overfulfilled targets set by the Government.
In the year, the ministry took the lead in cutting 675 investment and business conditions, which has created an open environment for investors while improving the efficiency of State management, he added.


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TEMPERANCE, Mich. – Officials from TCC Materials, Track Enterprises and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) announced today that Akona would again sponsor the 2013 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event at Elko Speedway.
TCC Materials Akona brand of concrete repair products will be the race title sponsor the ARCA’s second visit to Elko Speedway on June 1.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with Menards to sponsor the second Akona race to be held at Elko Speedway,” said Brian DiGrado, Marketing & Business Development Manager of TCC Materials/Akona. “This exciting venue gives us an excellent opportunity to highlight our Akona brand of concrete repair products, which are manufactured locally in Minnesota and are available at Menards stores across the region.”
ARCA’s first-ever visit to Minnesota in 2012 saw the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards invade the three-eighths-mile Elko Speedway. A near capacity crowd witnessed Venturini Motorsports development driver Brennan Poole capture the checkered flag in a lightning-quick 200 lap event which took an hour to complete.
Series officials, along with Track Enterprises president Bob Sargent, decided to extend the 2013 version of the Akona-sponsored race event by 50 laps, much to the delight of drivers and fans.


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VADODARA: The UK's leading retail specialist Paul Mason Consulting (PMC) Ltd will invest Rs 225 crore to expand its Indian subsidiary in Vadodara.
PMC's founder and CEO Paul Mason told media persons here on Wednesday that the number of employees in Vadodara office will go up to 400 from the present 260.
Mason was speaking on the sidelines of the formal opening of PMC's new office premises.
"We are UK's largest independent specialists in store systems. We directly support 2,200 stores everyday in 16 countries. Our help desk deals with 4,500 calls in four languages every month," he said.
The firm's team of technical specialists in Vadodara comprises of developers and specialists in software testing, software support and technical operations.
Meanwhile, PMC has announced extension of its relationship with city-based Akshar Trust, which has been operating a school for the hearing impaired since 25 years. PMC will be donating funds to the trust for purchasing smart boards for two classrooms.
Earlier this week, the RP of FRL filed an application before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against the former and present directors of the company for causing a loss of Rs 14,809.44 crore to creditors.
New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) American toy and clothing retailer Toys 'R' Us is said to have shut within 24 hours a store it opened in Hyderabad to mark its second entry into India over some legal complexities with the mall owner, sources said.


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Ventura County Star (California)
Phone companies are often slammed by disgruntled consumers upset over service, cost or fees.
Verizon‘s basic rate customers had one more thing to gripe about when they opened their April bill — a new $2 charge for having the ability to make long-distance calls, regardless of whether they use the service.
The fee is a “minimum spend level” imposed on customers who have not selected a long-distance calling plan, said Jim Smith, Verizon‘s director of media relations in New Jersey.
Customers were notified through bill inserts in February. Verizon would not release the number of basic plan customers, but Smith said it is a small minority.
Most customers choose the 5-cent-a-minute plan with the $6 monthly fee or one of Verizon‘s unlimited calling plans that start at $34, he said.
Smith compared the fee to paying for cable TV. People pay the monthly bill because the cable service is made available to them, whether they watch a little or a lot of TV.
Customers who don’t use a land line to make long-distance calls can opt to have their long-distance access removed altogether. The one-time fee to cancel it runs about $5 to $7.
Eileen Valles of Camarillo is looking at alternatives ‘ such as switching to Vonage — so she won’t have to pay the $2 fee every month. Along with Verizon‘s increasing costs, she said, she is unhappy with their customer service.
When sifting through the baffling list of fees and charges on her April phone bill, she noticed a new plan charge that was prorated at $1.73, though it was unclear to Valles whether the fee was for the availability of long-distance service.
For many customers, the $2 fee might be the last straw. But paying to have the service available is only fair, Smith said.
“We decided that it was fair for them to contribute something to the operation and maintenance of the very complicated, very expensive network, in return for the ability to possibly make a long-distance call if they want to,” Smith said.
But customers do pay for the service via the high per-minute rate they pay, “so it’s not like they are getting off free,” said John Breyault, research associate at the Telecommunications Research & Action Center in Washington, D.C.
Smith disagrees, saying that having long distance available costs customers nothing until they make a long-distance call.
“The rates for long distance have dropped like rocks over the past 10 years,” Smith says. “We can’t afford to give things away anymore at the no-margin prices the market has taken us to.”
Breyault countered that the permanent rate for long-distance calls has decreased, but add-on fees have been increasing.
“Carriers are feeling the pinch from inter-modal competition, from cell phones, e-mail… they’re seeing the number of land lines decreasing, and it has for years,” Breyault said. “They see the writing on the wall, and they’re trying to make as much money as they can from the people remaining with them.”
According to the Federal Communications Commission’s February 2007 Trends in Telephony Report, there has been a decline of more than 17 million wire line telephone lines. The commission attributes the dropoff to some consumers using cell phones instead of land line service, and some households removing second land lines when they switch from dial-up Internet service to broadband.
Phone companies are looking for any reason to increase their profits, said Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, a consumer advocate group in Santa Monica.
“I think it’s a consumer outrage,” he said.
Good luck finding a phone company that doesn’t charge these types of additional fees, said Mindy Spatt, communications director of TURN, a utility consumer advocacy organization in San Francisco.
“You’re likely to find it anywhere you go,” Spatt said. “There are not many choices for the consumer.”
AT&T charges $4.95 a month to have long-distance service available under its basic rate plan. The fee was increased $1 on May 1. This is a monthly recurring charge for calling state to state that customers pay whether or not they use the service. Consumers are charged by the minute on top of that fee.
Smith said Verizon‘s charge is different, calling the $2 charge a minimum spend level versus a fee, because customers can “buy” the service back by making long-distance calls. For example, if customers talk for five minutes at 40 cents an hour, they are in essence not being charged for those minutes, he said.
He added that the basic plan is not economical, but Verizon offers it for its low-volume callers.
“Companies like Verizon and AT&T will penalize you if you don’t buy one of their bundles, and this is one of the ways they will do it,” Spatt said. “The real goal is to get people into expensive bundles so they can have more services they don’t use.”
The basic rate plans tend to be disproportionately subscribed to by seniors, who typically started their service 30 years ago and have never changed their plan since, Breyault said. He recommends families check the phone plan of their elderly relatives because, more than likely, they’ll have the basic rate plan whether it makes the most sense for them.
“They’re trying to make additional money off their legacy customers — the people who have been with the company for years and years and are unlikely to switch,” he said.
Contact the author at [email protected]


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NEW YORK (AP) — Add a pair of blue jeans to the grocery list.
Starting Friday, shoppers at a remodeled Kroger store in Ohio will be able to buy clothing in addition to food, gas and furniture. The nation's largest traditional supermarket chain says it will be the first time one of its namesake stores sells clothing.
"It's a one-store test. We'll see how that goes and make decisions based on customer feedback," said Keith Dailey, a spokesman for The Kroger Co.
The test comes as traditional supermarkets struggle to compete with big-box retailers such as Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which have expanded their food sections and draw shoppers with low prices. Traditional supermarkets now account for 51 percent of grocery sales, down from 66 percent in 2000, according to UBS Investment Research.
To hang onto customers, Kroger has been working to improve the shopping experience and differentiate itself from the pack. For example, the company has cut down on checkout wait times and offers a loyalty program that offers customers discounts base on their past purchases.
In select locations, it also has "cheese masters," or associates who wear red jackets and offer customers expertise on cheese selections.
The clothing section at the Kroger Marketplace in Mansfield, Ohio, will have shoes, jewelry and undergarments, including brands such as Skechers, Hanes and Levi's.
Kroger's "Marketplace" locations are larger than its typical grocery stores, and sell car parts and furniture in addition to groceries. Dailey said the development of Kroger Marketplace has been helped by the company's acquisition of Fred Meyer in 1999. Those stores already sell shoes and clothing.
Kroger, based in Cincinnati, also operates Ralphs, Fry's, Food 4 Less.


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Firms: Mills Oakley (Cox Automotive Inc.); King & Wood Mallesons and Robinson Legal (CarsGuide)
Deal: Cox Automotive Australia and CarsGuide have merged.
Key players: The Mills Oakley team was led by corporate partner Warren Scott (pictured), with assistance from corporate partner Daniel Livingston, special counsel Nicole Tumiati, senior associate James Williams and lawyer Luke Duggan.
CarsGuide was jointly represented by King Wood & Mallesons corporate partner Peter Stirling and senior associate David Bryant, and Robinson Legal corporate partner Julie Briscoe.
Deal significance: Cox Automotive is one of the world’s leading suppliers of automotive services.
This deal is expected to result in the combination of the existing Cox Automotive businesses in Australia, including Dealer Solutions and Manheim Auctions, with CarsGuide, one of Australia’s largest automotive classifieds websites.
Once the transaction is completed, the merger will allow Cox Automotive Australia to be able to connect customers to a suite of powerful solutions in the automotive marketplace, in both the wholesale and the retail sector.


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Search Tags: endocrine
Warming food and beverages in plastic containers has been a hot topic in recent years. However, experts say it is a warning that should not be ignored.
Friday - 04/26/2013, 08:21am EDT
, July 24, 2014
Now: 79 °FToday: Cloudy, a t-storm in spots; not as warm
Hi: 81 °F | Lo: 65 °F


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Image credit – Adam Dobson, Daniel Hellyer, Gina Dinesen, Kim Pearce , Paniz Alizadeh-irani University of Reading proposal for an urban room 2020
The community consultation CCQOL project at the University of Reading builds on existing relationships with the Moorgarth Group who manage the local shopping centre in Reading- Broad Street Mall, and Reading Borough Council. The shopping centre has been a focus for discussions about a new Urban room- as a community consultation space . The School of Architecture at the University of Reading has designed and built a series of pop up Urban rooms around the University campus and will be building on this work to install a pilot ‘urban room ‘ in the local shopping centre. The School is part of the Urban Room network who support a range of different approaches to the idea of urban rooms as spaces for local communities. In addition , the University has been working with the Reading Borough Council on Reading High Street Action Zone project.


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As previously reported, due to heavy user demand, Apple is planning to release a new 4-inch iPhone this year.
Today, cnBeta claimed that Apple might name its 4-inch smartphone iPhone 5e, indicating ‘e’ as ‘enhanced’. Since the latest 4-inch model would be an enhanced version of iPhone 5c, primarily upgrading from its design and features.
According to the same report, iPhone 5e might feature an A8 chip (not A9, as reported previously) along with 1GB of RAM. It might be available in 16GB and 64GB storage models, with 8-megapixel camera, similar to iPhone 5s.
The device might also feature Apple Pay, and the design could be very much similar to iPod Touch instead of iPhone 5s. Though, the smaller iPhone might launch without advanced features such as 3D Touch.
Mentioning the release date, the launch of the smaller iPhone could be around February or March, which perfectly lines up with our previous report claiming the launch to be in early 2016.
Additionally, iPhone 5e could be priced from $500 (approximately ₹32,000).


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Europe is struggling to deal with cross-border e-commerce, according to a new report by the Internal Market Committee of the European Parliament.
Despite the potential for online shopping across Europe, consumer confidence is low when it comes to buying online from abroad – only 6% do so, the report says.
Of those that attempt it, many also have difficulties doing so – 33% found that businesses refused to sell products or services because the buyer and seller were not in the same country.
The report added:
“Overall, European consumer and business confidence in the digital environment is low and in certain aspects of e-commerce Europe is lagging behind the United States.”
Pre-internet laws designed to regulate cross-border commerce may be at the source of the problem, according to the research.
It calls for a strategy to improve customer confidence and create a more attractive business environment for e-commerce; strengthen consumers’ legal protection; as well as voluntary standards and trustmarks for cross-border e-commerce.


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Amazon Prime’s annual subscription prices have increased by $20, while monthly subscription prices have increased by $2.
Roommates, it appears that “yesterday’s pricing is not today’s price” is a statement that Amazon Prime has taken to heart, since the firm has announced a fresh price rise, following in the footsteps of its rival Netflix.
According to fresh rumors, Amazon Prime customers will see a significant hike in the cost of using the lightning-fast shipping and entertainment service, as both annual and monthly subscriptions are on the rise.
It appears that now is the moment to consider how much you value Amazon Prime and how much you’re willing to pay for it. According to @CNN, Amazon has just notified its millions of customers that prices are going up…and much sooner than you think.
Annual Amazon Prime subscriptions will go up from $119 to $139 in the United States, while monthly subscriptions will go up from $12.99 to $14.99. For new Prime members, the price increases will take effect on February 18th, and for all existing Prime members on March 25th.
If you’re wondering why Amazon decided to boost its rates seemingly out of nowhere, it’s due to the upcoming “enhanced Prime membership perks,” according to company executives.
Additional Prime Video content and increased free same-day shipping are among the benefits, however, rising labor and transportation costs in the company’s distribution network are also contributing to the hike in membership fees.
The last time Amazon Prime hiked its costs was in 2018 when the yearly membership fee went from $99 to $119 (for a limited time only). The most recent price rise is a 17 percent increase.
The decision is the latest in a long series of recent ones in which businesses across the country have been forced to hike prices as the cost of nearly everything has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic.


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September 20, 2023
Russia's record wheat harvest eases global price pressures
Russia's consecutive bumper wheat harvests solidify its position as the top exporter while alleviating price pressures linked to the Ukraine conflict, The Business Standard reported.
Despite Moscow's war efforts, including port blockades and bombardments in Ukraine, Russian wheat exports continue to thrive. These record shipments have propelled Russia to the forefront of the global wheat market, given that Ukraine's food exports have been severely hampered.
Russia's wheat dominance is apparent in its ability to overcome financing and logistical challenges faced by some traders in the aftermath of the invasion. As a result, Russia is maintaining its status as the world's leading wheat exporter.
The surplus of grain in Russian ports has had an unexpected benefit for consumers grappling with rising living costs: the lowest wheat prices in nearly three years. Although the Kremlin aims to shore up wheat prices to replenish its own coffers, the Chicago market is trading at less than half the peak observed after Moscow's initial invasion of Ukraine.
Helene Duflot, a grain-market analyst at Strategie Grains, said that there are not a lot of competitors for Russian wheat. Russia is the price maker at the moment.
In light of the supply glut exerting downward pressure on prices, Russia is attempting to utilise its dominant position to establish a price floor. This strategy aims to appease Russian farmers dealing with reduced incomes and generate additional tax revenues for the Kremlin amid financial strains caused by the war.
Russian authorities have sought to enforce an informal price floor for wheat exports, although its application has been inconsistent. Some traders have been forced to renegotiate or cancel deals due to this pressure.
The government's enforcement of the price floor can involve withholding export documents for shipments below the designated price, though this practice varies.
Despite these measures, the Kremlin's efforts underscore its determination to assert control over Russian grain exports and the global market. The US Department of Agriculture recently raised its forecast for Russian wheat exports, further highlighting Moscow's dominance in this market.
- The Business Standard