text:
Adaptation of the feline-centric post-apocalyptic adventure game, to be directed by ‘Nimona’ helmer Nick Bruno, will reflect the game’s ‘hopepunk’ themes of positivity and kindness against all odds.
Tagged With: game adaptations
'Cobra Kai’ creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg will produce the project, based on Gearbox’s cult favorite ’90s shooting game.
In a video update on the game’s upcoming sequel, creator Sam Lake confirmed that the network has secured rights to adapt its story for the small screen.
Game creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced the schedule change on Twitter; DreamWorks’ ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ will take over its December 21, 2022 theatrical release date.
The forthcoming series was teased over the weekend with some chilly artwork set in the show’s fabled Hisui region.
Executive Creative Director Elaine Cantwell, EVP Strategy Allan Gungormez, and Creative Director Norn Jordan talk about the marketing campaigns for ‘Arcane’ and ‘Halo’ and the strategies that turn gamers into viewers.
Together with creative company Slow Curve, the anime streamer and TV network will develop new original anime series for Japanese and global audiences; current collaboration, ‘Muv-Luv Alternative,’ will be released next month.
The breakout star joins Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Justice Smith in Paramount and eOne's highly anticipated fantasy table-top game adaption penned by Johnathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.
Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions team up on their second live-action series based on a popular game; new series centers on a motor-mouthed outsider tasked with delivering a package in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.


text:
Samsung Pay is the latest of the mobile wallets to launch in China, hoping to gain traction with the country’s booming mobile user base and plug into its massive (and growing) online economy. Samsung’s wallet follows rival Apple Pay, which launched in the region in mid-February into a highly competitive market where local player Alipay already dominates.
Samsung is partnering with China UnionPay for the launch, as did Apple. It will be available to customers at China CITIC Bank, China Construction Bank, China Everbright Bank, China Guangfa Bank, China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd, China Merchants Bank, Hua Xia Bank , Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Ping An Bank with more in the works.
Alipay is far and away the strongest player in China’s payments space, a division of e-commerce behemoth Alibaba. To give an idea of scale, Alibaba said that during Single’s Day, China’s biggest shopping day, 115m buyers funnelled USD14bn in gross volume through its Alipay platform. Then there’s WeChat, powered by Tencent, which lets customers do anything from book a cab to organise insurance in-app. Stats from Didi Dache, one of China’s biggest on-demand cab companies, claim 21m taxi rides had been booked on its service via WeChat since integrating.
Back in February, Samsung Pay said it had more than five million registered users and has processed over USD500m in its first six months in the markets where it had launched so far: the US and South Korea. The firm’s advantage is that it works with more terminals, however coming up against the country’s homegrown payments companies will make for a tough road ahead.
Barclays has signed contracts with six of the fintech startups that just graduated from its second New York accelerator programme.
Company card killer Pleo has raised $3m in new funding as it prepares for public launch in the UK and Denmark.
Cheques are become less and less common in the UK according to new research from global market research firm Mintel which claims contactless card use has overtaken cheque payments in the UK for the first time.
Payments for digital and physical goods made mobile operating system-based payments platforms like Apple Pay and Android Pay are expected to boom in the next few years according to new analysis from Juniper.

domain: news


text:
UM launches free online lectures for alumni & friends
To add some fascination to your self-isolation, UM is taking one of its most popular lecture series online – for free – thanks to the generous sponsorship of iA Financial.
The new virtual Learning for Life program will host weekly lectures from UM experts on a variety of topics, including addiction, cannabis use and the emergence and spread of a pandemic in the age of social media.
Available to all UM alumni and friends, the program encourages participants to explore new ideas and hear about innovative research happening in Manitoba, while engaging in discussions online with others.
“The University of Manitoba is home to an incredible number of thought leaders and renowned experts, so we saw this as a unique opportunity to share their knowledge at a time when many people are craving novel ideas and connection,” says Tracy Bowman, Director of Alumni Relations. “We hope all UM alumni and their friends will welcome this new way of getting involved with the UM community.”
Lectures will be presented live from 1–2:30 p.m. every Wednesday from May 6 until June 24. The final session will be presented live from 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 due to the holiday the following day. For those who miss a session, recordings will be available on the UM YouTube channel.
Generously sponsored by:


text:
Iran will establish a direct shipping line between its southern port of Bandar Abbas and Syria’s Latakia port, announced Head of Iran-Syria Joint Chamber of Commerce Keyvan Kashefi.
Kashefi acknowledged that there are issues in trade with Syria regarding the shipping, transportation, and lack of common land borders. However, he noted that transportation through Iraq is currently impossible due to “several issues.”
The official told Fars news agency that the necessary coordination has been made between the Iran-Syria Joint Chamber of Commerce, the Committee for the Development of Iranian-Iraqi-Syrian Economic Relations, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).
Cargo ships will hold freight from Iran to Syria once per month starting March 10, announced Kashefi, adding that the service could be held twice a month if demand for shipping increased.
“There are no restrictions on export items; these ships are both container and bulk carriers, and any trader can choose Syria as his export destination if they want,” Kashefi stressed.
He did not discuss the impact of economic sanctions imposed on both countries on shipping.
Kashefi explained that goods are transported to Syria through three ways including the Bandar Abbas-Lattakia shipping line which was active but not regular. The second route was by land via Iraq, an option which is currently not possible for several reasons, which he did not discuss.
He noted that goods were also transferred from Iran via Turkey’s Mersin port, but it was a costly and problematic option.
Tehran is looking forward to increasing trade exchanges with Damascus, however, Kashefi did not disclose any details regarding the possibility of transit for the Iranian ship, in light of the US economic sanctions.
Washington imposed Caesar Act on the Syrian regime, which also targets individuals or entities that support the Assaad regime.
Kashefi visited Syria recently and met with a number of senior officials and members of the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce.
A number of economic sources in Damascus said that Kashefi discussed during his meetings the establishment of an Iranian Commerce Center that includes 24 Iranian companies. The center could provide access to the Syrian chambers of commerce, industry, and agriculture.
The officials in Damascus suggested using Syria as a gateway that allows Iranian products into the Arab markets.
The Syrian side also requested finding a solution for the issue of bank transfers between the two countries.
They proposed a barter system that could facilitate the flow of goods in both directions and stimulate large Iranian companies to support and rebuild Syrian factories.
The officials also hope the new agreements will supply Syrian industrialists with the raw materials they need and establish a land shipping route in cooperation with Iraq.
Iran-Syria Joint Chamber of Commerce was established in 2019 on the sidelines of the Joint Business Forum, with the aim of encouraging Iranian companies to contribute to the reconstruction in Syria.
Before the imposition of the Caesar Act, the two countries witnessed a remarkable increase in economic activity in 2019, with the arrival of six Iranian cargo ships to Latakia port 12 times through the Iranian Syrian maritime line.
Source » aawsat


text:
Seoul, South Korea – Samsung reported first-quarter
consolidated earnings estimates, which showed lower operating profits but
higher sales compared with actual results in last year’s first quarter.
Operating profit is estimated at 2.9 trillion won for the
quarter as compared with actual operating profits of 4.41 trillion won in the
first quarter of last year.
Sales are estimated at about 37 trillion won compared with
sales of 34.64 trillion won in the first quarter of last year.
Estimated net profits were not provided by Samsung. Analysts
from a variety of media outlets pointed to several reasons for lower operating
profits, including sluggish demand for TVs.
Samsung’s actual earnings results will be released later
- DEG Honors Dolby, Sony And Warner At Annual CES Awards Event - January 11, 2019
- LG’s CES Keynote: AI Is ‘Opportunity Of Our Lifetime’ - January 9, 2019
- Memories Of Our Friend John - April 12, 2018


text:
Google has finished work on the first complete prototype of its own self-driving car and is now ready to try it on the test track. The company’s latest prototype apparently has all the parts that a self-driving car requires to function and is said to hit the roads in 2015. Also Read - Google won't let you sign in on these Android phones and this will happen soonAlso Read - Google Play Store announces blanket ban on Sugar Daddy apps over sexual content
The vehicle we unveiled in May was an early mockup it didn t even have real headlights! the company said in a Google+ post. Since then, we ve been working on different prototypes-of-prototypes, each designed to test different systems of a self-driving car for example, the typical car parts like steering and braking, as well as the self-driving parts like the computer and sensors. We ve now put all those systems together in this fully functional vehicle our first complete prototype for fully autonomous driving. Also Read - Google, Facebook make vaccination mandatory for employees returning to office
The makers have not made many changes in the design of the car. However, the LIDAR system mounted on top of the vehicle to help it see the world has been cut down in size and it’s shrunk from a strange-looking mount to a sleek, black cap.


text:
Ford Sollers, Ford’s joint venture in Russia, has begun production of the facelifted Focus at the modernized Vsevolozhsk plant near St Petersburg, Russia.
The Focus is the fourth new Ford model to go into production at a Ford Sollers plant in Russia since the start of 2015 and will be built in three body styles for the local market: sedan, hatchback and wagon.
Produced at the Vsevolozhsk plant from 2002, the Focus was the first Ford model built in Russia in the modern era. The new model is tailored for the needs of the Russian market and specially-adapted for Russia’s cold winter climate and road conditions.
Ford says the new Focus has passed a series of complex tests on Russian roads with various surfaces, quality tests on the newest equipment, and has proven “completely capable of exceeding the harsh climatic conditions during the winter tests.”
The Ford Focus will be equipped with a special winter package, including an electric windshield defroster, electrically heated front and heated steering wheel. Furthermore, ground clearance for the Russian market has been raised up to 160mm (6.3in), but Ford says that doesn’t affect vehicle dynamics. The automaker also offers a 12-years perforation corrosion warranty in Russia.
The facelifted Focus is the first vehicle in the Russian Ford lineup to be equipped with the new 150hp 1.5-liter EcoBoost petrol engine. Prices for the local market will be announced on July 16.


text:
Former Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom will be featured on limited-edition collectors' boxes of "Detroit Hockey Heroes" cereal, according to a news release from Pittsburgh-based PLB Sports Inc.
The 14-ounce boxes of honey toasted oat cereal will be sold at Detroit-area Meijer stores and on PLBSports.com, said Doug Ritchart, account manager at PLB.
During Lidstrom's 20-season career with the Red Wings, which ended with his retirement in 2012, the defenseman won seven Norris Trophies, was named to 12 All-Star teams and helped the team win four Stanley Cup championships.
Ritchart said no plans have been made for other Red Wings to be featured on the cereal boxes in later editions, but that it is a possibility.
"With so many great hockey players from Detroit, it could happen, but right now we are focusing this year on Lidstrom," he said.
Proceeds from the granola bars will be donated to Verlander's Wins for Warriors initiative, launched in August to support returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and their families in Detroit and Virginia, according to the news release.
In 2012, Verlander's "Fastball Flakes" cereal sold 150,000 boxes with proceeds benefitting the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The cereal is no longer in production, but the collectors' boxes are still being sold on PLB's website.
Since Verlander debuted with the Tigers in 2005, he has been named to six American League All-Star teams, and he received the American Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award in 2011.
Last year, PLB introduced three flavors of "Miggy's Salsa" by Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera. About 120,000 units were sold; the salsa no longer is in production, said Ritchart.
PLB is a food marketing company that specializes in creating food products featuring athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, according to its website.


text:
Currently, fans of the Diablo series are most interested in the upcoming fourth installment, especially since just two weeks ago the open beta tests have concluded, in which anyone could participate for free - so the hype has been significantly stoked. However, there are certainly those who still pass the time with 2012's Diablo III. For these people, unfortunately, there are some bad news - soon Blizzard will finish adding new content to the game.
Season 29 will become the last to add a new seasonal theme to D3. At the same time, it will not be "as rich as season 28". However, Blizzard does not intend to completely abandon the game. Subsequent seasons will be released, but they are to be repeats of what we already know, starting with season 30 Diablo III players will get a mix of old cosmetic elements and other content. All this was announced during a group interview by Rod Fergusson, who oversees the development of the Diablo series (via Wowhead).
February 24 marked the start of season 28 in Diablo III, whose theme is Rites of Sanctuary. It introduced, among other things, a powerful Altar of Rites, where material offerings can be made in exchange for "unspeakable power" (26 types of seals and three legendary potion powers), as well as new-age cosmetic items (Taennin the Tiny pet, Primal Hunter portrait) and other rewards for seasonal progress.
As you can easily guess, Blizzard will not be creating new content for Diablo III, as it prefers to focus on the development of the new installment, which will be released on June 6 - which Fergusson also admitted. The interview in question, however, did not touch on the topic of Diablo II: Resurrected and what future updates will look like in this case. Currently, the game is seeing its third ranked season.
- Diablo III - official website


text:
Tue 14th Sep 2010, 02:30PM about graduate-jobs.com news.
Superdry fashion firm SuperGroup revealed a 60% jump in sales as it underlined its status as one of the UK's fastest-growing retailers.
The group, which has 49 stand-alone stores and 64 concessions within House of Fraser, banked £32.8 million in the three months to August 1 after it opened five stores in the UK, including its largest to date at Lakeside in Essex.
It is planning more outlets before Christmas, including at Glasgow's St Enoch Centre, as it looks to continue its recent rapid growth.
The business began life on a market stall in Cheltenham more than 20 years ago but floated nearly a third of the business in March to fund growth - triggering a huge windfall for directors including founder Julian Dunkerton.
The shares have more than doubled since the flotation to give the company a market value in excess of £850 million.
Mr Dunkerton said demand for SuperGroup's products in the UK and abroad remained strong. "Our new store design is proving to be a great success, reflected by the strong performance of recent UK store openings such as Lakeside," he added.
Freddie George, a retail analyst at Seymour Pierce stockbrokers, described SuperGroup's first quarter results as "outstanding", particularly in light of difficult comparatives with a year earlier and the impact of the World Cup.
|‘Foreign Students must be counted as immigrants’ says immigration minister…||8 March 2014|
|Universities UK reject lowering fees…||7 March 2014|
|UK Universities slip down global rankings…||7 March 2014|
|Bursaries fail to prevent drop-out rate…||6 March 2014|
|Cable: Teachers don’t know the real world of work…||5 March 2014|
|MOOC debate rumbles on…||5 March 2014|
|Severe warning over future of HE…||4 March 2014|
|Graduates commended in Oscar success…||4 March 2014|
|TUC calls for action on Youth Unemployment…||3 March 2014|
|Academics call out Home Office…||3 March 2014|


text:
Quality packaging has long been a signifier of a sophisticated retailer, and so it proved for Jo Malone, who sent dozens of her friends out in New York with her perfume shop’s white bags to establish her brand in the US.
Malone, whose perfumes, candles and bath oils are sold around the world, has revealed that the success of her business was built on a stunt in 1998, whereby she arranged for branded bags to be walked empty around New York City to drum up interest in her upcoming concession store at Bergdorf Goodman.
The entrepreneur told an audience at the Cheltenham literature festival that when she first arrived in the city she had only “1,000 bags and product” and no marketing budget, the Times reports.
“I sat there in a hotel room thinking: ‘I am going to fail, what am I going to do?” she said. And so, with the help of her husband, Gary Wilcox, she arrived at an idea to create a buzz around her product without spending millions on marketing.
Malone contacted 50 people she knew through friends and asked them to walk around fashionable districts with her bags every time they left their homes. “We called it walking the dogs,” she said. “Their bags were empty and I remember saying to Gary: ‘Well, what is the point of that?’ and he said: ‘Well, no one else knows.’
“These bags started to be recognised in really savvy parts of New York City, so when we opened the store people thought there was already a store somewhere. There wasn’t. There were empty bags wandering around New York City.
“When you are an entrepreneur and you have no money you have to think and you have to turn on a sixpence. I don’t think it was deceptive. I would salute anybody who uses creativity in a unique and different way.”
Malone, who grew up in a council estate in Kent and struggled in school because of severe dyslexia, launched the Jo Malone brand in 1991 and in 1994 she opened her first store in the UK. Soon after expanding to the US, her business was bought for millions by Estée Lauder, thanks in part to an endorsement by Oprah Winfrey.
Malone stayed on as creative director until 2006, when she stepped down after recovering from breast cancer. She launched her second perfume business, Jo Loves, in 2011.
Malone came up with the design for her brand’s packaging, featuring a black ribbon on a white box, after coming home from a formal dinner one night and putting her husband’s black tie around a box.
“The packaging is often what you fall in love with first,” she said. “It is a really important thing.”


text:
ROUSH Performance is pleased to announce that the entire lineup of 2017 ROUSH Mustangs is now shipping to authorized ROUSH dealerships. The top-of-the-line ROUSH Mustang – the 2017 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang – is a state-of-the art muscle car that … Continue reading
The post 2017 ROUSH MUSTANGS GALLOPING INTO DEALERSHIPS NOW! appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
The Roush Automotive Collection is pleased to announce the third Open House event scheduled for the 2016 summer season to be held on Thursday, August 25th, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Activities planned for the Open House event include … Continue reading
The post August 25th, 2016 ROUSH Open House, Driver Autograph Session, and Car Cruise-In! appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
The 2017 ROUSH Mustang RS is a streamlined fusion of irresistibly good looks, stunning body lines, and a ferocious tone. The RS’s 3.7L V6 engine, produces 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque to get its 19-inch black GT Performance … Continue reading
The post The New 2017 ROUSH RS Mustang. Now Available Under $30K! appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
The Roush Automotive Collection is pleased to announce the second Open House event scheduled for the 2016 summer season to be held on Thursday, June 9th, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Activities planned for the Open House event include a Roush Fenway driver autograph session, car cruise-in, RPP tours, drag race simulator, mustang pinball machine, door prize drawings, and an engine build competition. Continue reading
ROUSH Performance has supercharger news! This week, we released a big announcement involving our 2015+ supercharger, and also wanted to remind you about the ROUSH Diagnostic Tool. Firstly, ROUSH is excited to announce a free upgrade for our 2015+ ROUSH supercharger. … Continue reading
The post Free ROUSH Diagnostic Tool and Free 670 HP Upgrade! appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
About a month ago, we unveiled our all-new 2015 ROUSH F-150. We couldn’t wait for you to check it out, so without further ado, we’re giving you a closer look at the newest addition to the ROUSH Performance line-up. ROUSH … Continue reading
ROUSH Performance recently participated in the Triumph Games – a competition wherein wounded veterans compete in a number of various events including a triathlon, a virtual reality/simulation challenge, and a timed motorsports competition. A total of twelve wounded veterans took … Continue reading
The post Veterans in the drivers seat with ROUSH at the Triumph Games appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
When Ford unveiled the all-new aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford F-150 in January of 2014, Ford enthusiasts were pretty excited. The first truck of its kind, the F-150’s weight was cut by a whopping 700lbs (depending on engine, body style, and … Continue reading
The post It’s Here! Introducing the All-New 2015 ROUSH F-150 appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
ROUSH’s NASCAR Xfiniti Series driver Chris Buescher is officially rocking a 2015 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang! Chris took delivery of his optioned-out Stage 3 packed with our potent 5.0L Coyote and 2.3L TVS ROUSHcharger combination, and equipped with ROUSH Active … Continue reading
The post Racer Gets a Street Car: Chris Buescher’s 2015 ROUSH Stage 3 appeared first on ROUSH Performance Blog.
If you’ve never loaded up your Mustang and headed out to Mustang Week in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, you’re doing it all wrong. This event is one not to be missed – a bucket list addition, if there ever … Continue reading


text:
"foodpanda brings back the biggest food sale event: Hot ‘n Hungry!"
With over 80 restaurant brands participating in the fifth edition of Hot ‘N Hungry, customers can expect a lot of jaw-dropping offers, huge discounts and exclusive bundles in April. Customers can enjoy 100 deals from wide array of restaurant partners such as Yoshinoya, KHP Dabaw Kitchen, Dencio’s Kamayan, Sunday’s Modern Home Cooking and many more with up to 20% off.
The fifth edition of the food discount event is a prelude of what foodpanda users can expect on their fifth year anniversary next month, more deals and discounts.
For more updates about the Hot ‘n Hungry foodsale, visit foopanda’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@foodpanda_ph) or head onto foodpanda’s website (www.foodpanda.ph).
foodpanda is dedicated to bringing food lovers around the world their favorite meals from curated local restaurants. Since its creation, the on-demand food delivery service has grown to more than 27,000 partner restaurants in more than 190 cities across 12 Asian and Central Europe countries globally. foodpanda is active in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Romania and Bulgaria. It belongs to Delivery Hero, worldwide leader of the food delivery industry. For more information visit www.foodpanda.ph.
How it works:
Through the foodpanda website or via the new iOS and Android apps, customers can enter their address and view a curated list of restaurants serving their neighborhood. Once they have found their meal of choice, they can place an order in the comfort of their home or office, paying online through foodpanda’s secure platform. The order is then carefully prepared by the restaurant, picked up by the foodpanda rider and delivered straight to their doorstep.
Follow us on:


text:
SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 21 (Reuters) Lenovo Group Ltd. <0992.HK>, the Chinese computer maker that bought IBM's PC business last year, plans to hold off selling PCs to U.S. consumers until it establishes itself among U.S. business customers, Chairman Yang Yuanqing said on Thursday.
The company, the world's third-largest computer manufacturer and China's biggest, is focusing on selling its ThinkPad-branded models to large U.S. commercial customers and expanding among small and mid-sized businesses, Yang told reporters at a briefing in San Francisco.
In the United States, ''the first area we should focus on is the SMB segment,'' Yang said, referring to small and medium-sized businesses. ''For the consumer business, maybe we could have tele-Web sales,'' or direct sales by telephone and the Internet.
But Lenovo will not start selling computers to U.S. consumers, a market dominated by Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co.
, until next year at the earliest, Yang said.
Lenovo grew the fastest of any major PC maker in the first quarter after it bought International Business Machines Corp.'s personal computer business in May, 2005, for $1.25 billion.
The company claims 6.4 percent of the worldwide PC market, according to researcher IDC, compared with market leader Dell Inc.'s 18.1 percent and Hewlett-Packard Co.'s 16.4 percent.
In the United States, Lenovo has a long way to go before becoming a household name like Dell, HP or Apple Computer Inc.. The company plans to keep the ThinkPad brand developed by IBM for its large business customers but eventually would like to sell computers under the Lenovo brand alone, Yang said.
''We wish our brand would be among the top levels of PC brands,'' Yang said. ''Certainly, we have a long way to go. Our brand recognition is still very weak, especially in the U.S.'' LENOVO ''TOTALLY CAPITALIST'' Yang also took issue with attempts by some critics in the U.S. to portray the company as a potential threat to national security.
Lenovo, whose stock is traded on the Hong Kong stock exchange, last month said it would welcome a U.S. investigation, if necessary, to quell security concerns related to a U.S. State Department order of more than 15,000 of its computers.
Lenovo's biggest shareholder is Legend Holdings Ltd., which was founded in 1984 with a $25,000 investment from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Computing Technology.
The Chinese government's stake has prompted some members of a U.S. congressional commission to charge that China might use the Lenovo computers to gather State Department intelligence.
''This company is run totally by its founders and management,'' Yang said on Thursday. ''The government is never involved in our daily operations, in important decisions like strategy, nominations of CEOs or financial management.'' ''We are different from a state-owned enterprise,'' Yang said.
''It's a totally capitalist philosophy.'' REUTERS CS BD0909


text:
Workers at a Staffordshire biscuit factory have an anxious time ahead of them as they wait to hear whether their site is destined for major investment or closure.
Northern Foods (NFDS) said it plans to invest £40-50 million in opening a new Fox’s Biscuits “super site” at one of its manufacturing locations in Uttoxeter in Staffordshire or Batley in Yorkshire.
The firm also has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kirkham in Lancashire, which produces around 30 per cent of Fox’s sales.
But as part of the investment, the maker of Fox’s biscuits and Goodfella’s pizza is considering cutting its biscuit manufacturing sites from three to two.
If not selected for the investment, the Uttoxeter site, which employs 950 people, a high proportion of which are seasonal workers on temporary contracts, could close under the plans.
Northern Food said both the Uttoxeter and Batley sites are relatively old and require significant investment “if they are to achieve the ‘world class’ manufacturing standards required to underpin Fox’s management’s ambitions”.
The proposals could either see an extension of the current Uttoxeter manufacturing facility or the construction of a new-build manufacturing facility close to the existing Batley site.
The site in Kirkham would be retained, said the group.
Northern Foods said it was consulting with key stakeholders and development agencies in the regions concerned and a final decision would be made by early 2009.
The firm plans to complete the investment in the super site by 2011.
Northern Foods chief executive Stefan Barden said: “We intend to invest in a state-of-the-art biscuits factory for the business, the best in the UK, specially designed to manufacture Fox’s great quality biscuits efficiently.
“The resulting cost savings will ensure that even more money is available to invest in and grow the business, securing its future for yet another generation.
“We appreciate that this will be a difficult period for our loyal and hardworking employees; excitement will be mixed with apprehension and we will ensure that they are kept fully informed of any and all developments during the project.”
The news comes just two weeks after workers at nearby JCB, based in Rocester near Uttoxeter, learnt the firm was axing 650 jobs, nearly a tenth of its British workforce.
The construction equipment manufacturer said it had suffered a “rapid decline” in business as a result of the downturn in the building industry caused by the global credit crunch. Northern Foods also announced a rise in group revenue yesterday, but warned it would continue handing rising costs on to customers.
The group, which also supplies ready meals to Marks & Spencer, said revenue had increased by 7.6 per cent over last year’s figures in the first quarter.
But the firm said average selling prices were also up 5.5 per cent as it sought to pass on higher commodity costs to customers. Northern Foods said full-year commodity costs were expected to increase by around £20 million, together with a £12 million increase in its utilities bill.
“We continue to recover these cost increases,” the company said.


text:
Cowboy Boots on Fence Posts: What Does It Mean?
Ever seen cowboy boots on fence posts? Maybe it’s something you saw at a friend’s house or a relative’s house growing up — or maybe your own home’s fence has some boots on it. It’s mysterious, no doubt, so what does it even mean?
Colorado publication The Longmont Times-Call has a story about steel fence posts adorned with not just cowboy boots, but other shoes, at a cul-de-sac in the area.
The fence separates the airport from the Amgen campus in an unpopulated area. A child’s green slipper, a black cleat, workman’s boots — they’re all among the dozens of shoes capped on the posts. According to the article, a source who works at the airport near the fence said it’s been years that the shoes and cowboy boots have been on the posts. Initially, he thought the shoes belonged to parachutists called “swoopers” who, after doing a successful jump, donated a shoe to put up on the fence.
Not so, said a representative from the skydiving business. Apparently an “elderly man with a metal detector” is responsible for the shoes. Still though, they don’t really have a definite explanation.
Cowboy boots on fence posts at ranches isn’t something new. The article mentions how it used to be a signal that a ranch or homeowner was at home when there was a cowboy boot sitting on top of a fence. Again, though, there’s no definite explanation for the Longmont fence.
This made us awfully curious, so we couldn’t help but search around for more info. Just why do people but cowboy boots on fence posts?! Looks like someone else was curious about the same thing, as they posed the question at AnswerBag. Responses from others included some interesting explanations, including one that said once ranchers had worn out a pair of cowboy boots, they put ‘em on top of the posts to protect the wood from rain. Another one said the tradition started as a sign of respect to a rancher or farmer who had passed away.
Anyway, it seems like there may not be just one reason for cowboy boots placed on fence posts — it may have a different meaning for everyone. Or, hey, maybe it’s just plain good ol’ fashioned cowboy fun.


text:
Xenova signs up a booster
A SERIES of collaborations and cost savings gave a 16% boost to biotech drug developer Xenova Group today, lifting its shares 6 1/4p to 45 3/4p.
It has signed an agreement with Vancouver-based QLT for its cancer drug to be distributed in the US, Canada and Mexico. QLT will pay £10m upfront and provide £45m for development and regulatory approval for Xenova's XR 9676 drug.
Xenova has signed a separate agreement worth £15m with California-based Genecor International for the worldwide development of its vaccines for viral diseases.
Most watched Money videos
- Take a glimpse of the Bugatti supercar set to be auctioned for £2.1m
- Concept Recharge is Volvo's vision for ultra-green vehicle
- Taking a look at the electric converted Lunaz Aston Martin classic
- The classic Moke is reborn as an electric vehicle
- New £95k Range Rover unveiled - and will have an EV version
- Range Rover announces new fully electric version
- Rolls-Royce begin testing on their first fully electric car model
- MGB Roadster Limited Edition in detail
- Volkswagen launch stunning all-electric cars ID.5 and ID.5 GTX
- Government unveils new design for electric vehicle charging point
- 5% of public electric car chargers revealed to be unusable
- Portable electric vehicle charger that can be stored in the boot


text:
Honda, a brand that was very popular at the time in the car market of India. But now, it has struggled to keep its position at that very place in the last six years. The strict emission norms and aging product portfolio have consequenced in the firm’s not succeeding to live up to its magnificence in the market of India.
The Honda Discontinuation
As a consequence, the company has eliminated the Jazz, WR-V, and City 4th generation models from the Indian website and now provides only the Amaze and City 5th gen models.
In the last six years, the firm has stopped the production of nine cars in the market of India, a record high for any international carmaker. This step advises that something is not being okay for the company in the country.
Honda stopped the production of the Brio and Mobilio in 2017, and after that Accord, Civic, CR-V, BR-V, and Jazz Diesel in 2020. At present, the firm has discontinued the WR-V, Jazz, and City 4th generation from the market of India.
In spite of the rumors of Honda launching a new compact SUV to rival the likes of Creta as well as Seltos, it resides to be witnessed if the firm can restore its fortune in the car market of India.
The Great Fear Of Honda
Many Honda dealerships have been contacted to accumulate their thoughts on eliminating the three car models. As per them, Honda eliminated the models primarily due to the new RDE laws.
It is not feasible for Honda to put their money as well as resources to update these older models to fulfill the current strict emissions laws, as the return on investment is not clear.
Although, sources show that the automaker is making plans to introduce a new compact SUV. In spite of this, media reports advise that the judgment from the company to eliminate the three models was because of poor sales and low demand.
In February 2023, Honda Cars India listed monthly domestic sales of 6,086 units, demonstrating a negative growth of 15% from the same month in 2022 when the firm sold 7,187 units in the country.
Additionally, the exports of Honda also faced a drop, with the automaker exporting 973 units last month as compared to 2,337 units in February of the last year, consequencing in a 58% fall.
ALSO READ:US Universities Changing Their Studies Patterns Due to AI Chatbots Use
Moreover, the closing of the Greater Noida plant gave a contribution to the elimination of the Civic and CR-V, as the company rivaled to strengthen its foothold in the market in India.
ALSO READ: Honda To Launch A New Rival Of Creta; Bookings Open


text:
Baskin Robbins Logo Given A New Look!
The previous Baskin Robbins logo had a playful and ‘childish’ typeface with a hidden ‘31’ claiming that they had 31 ice cream flavours – one for each day of the month. The rebrand covers all elements of Baskin-Robbins’ visual identity from the employee uniforms to the packaging.
Also adding three new limited-time flavours: One is Non-Dairy Mint Chocochunk, another is Totally Unwrapped, made with peanut butter and chocolate ice creams, caramel swirls, fudge-covered pretzels, and fudge and caramel covered peanuts.
While addressing customer feedback the Baskin Robbins leadership team heard some customers felt very attached to the brand, which they associated with childhood trips with parents or grandparents. But they also heard that there were “some opportunities in being more relevant,” said Jason Maceda, Baskin-Robbins president to CNN.
While it’s important for brands like Baskin-Robbins to gain traction with people who remember them from their youth, they also need to keep in mind the new customers coming in.
The redesign is all set to redefine the company’s tagline, ‘seize the yay’, which aims to “turn fans of yesterday into brand loyalists of today and capture Gen Z’s heart with everyday moments of ‘happy’,” according to the agency behind the makeover.


text:
For many, Easter means sunrise services, egg hunts, chocolate bunnies and ham dinners.
For Mountaire, it’s about partnering with hundreds of churches and nonprofits in Delaware and three other states to provide meals for families.
SMYRNA — Duck Creek Gardeners will hold a Plant and Yard Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 at First Presbyterian Church.
Annuals, perennials, home grown plants and yard sale …
The Bug & Bud Festival is fluttering back to town next month.
The April 29 gathering, which combines Arbor Day with Milford’s particular love for ladybugs, will be the second to come after two years off due to the pandemic in 2020 and ‘21. It will include food vendors and a slew of activities for all ages, including the popular spring costume parade.
New Castle Presbytery and the First Presbyterian Church of Milford joyfully invite you to celebrate the Service of Installation for the Rev. Rick Upchurch.


text:
Christmas has just passed, and with Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year festivities around the corner, it is the season when cash registers ring loud for chocolate sellers.
The chocolate market drives the cocoa industry and one player that is busy preparing for this season is JB Foods, one of Malaysia’s largest cocoa ingredients producers, which listed on the Singapore Exchange in July 2012.
In 2010, about 15% of cocoa beans processed in Malaysia came from JB Foods’ factory in Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas, a strategic logistic hub within a free trade zone in Johor Bahru.
It supplies to customers all over the world, ranging from large international trading houses like ADM and Olam to F&B and confectionery manufacturers like Nestle and Hershey.
Strategic location in Malaysia
On the global cocoa market, Malaysia is an up-and-coming player, accounting for about 40% of Asia’s cocoa grinding volume.
In recent years, Malaysia has gained prominence as a cocoa processor, even though Europe and North America are the major consuming countries.
Firstly, cocoa trees grow in tropical areas such as Africa or Asia. JB Foods sources for cocoa beans from Indonesia, which is the world’s third largest cocoa producer.
The geographical proximity is important not only because shipment costs are reduced but also because product quality partly depends on how quickly the perishable cocoa beans reach the processing factory.
Secondly, high labor and operating costs in the traditional grinding nations in Europe and the Americas have resulted in cocoa grinding shifting to Africa and Asia.
Also, Malaysia has created a niche for itself in the halal foods industry, and is recognized as a regional halal hub.
In the long term, China, India and Southeast Asia, which are growing in wealth and have large populations, will be the emerging markets for cocoa products.
JB Foods is building facilities to ramp up its cocoa processing capacity by 42%, from 60,000 tons of cocoa bean equivalent currently to 85,000 tons by FY2013.
Commitment to dividend payment
9M2012 net profit
The company was listed on 23 July 2012 and has made a commitment to pay 30% of its net FY2012 profit as dividends.
A one-cent interim dividend was paid on 17 Oct 2012.
It generated net profit of M$32 million (S$13 million) during the first 9 months of 2012 on revenue of M$388.6 million (S$158 million).
Net profit was down 8.8% as it was affected by lower average prices of its cocoa ingredient products. Other than exposure to price fluctuation of cocoa beans and cocoa products, it also has forex risks.
Cocoa powder and cocoa butter contributed 86.4% to group revenue. Deodorized cocoa butter, cocoa liquor and other products contributed 13.6%.
Recent story: Insider buying @ AVI-TECH, JB FOODS


text:
Automakers have been standardizing a number of safety systems in their vehicles over the last several years. Most OEMs tend to focus on avoiding crashes with included tech like automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, but many are also worried about what could happen if a child or pet is inadvertently left in the back seat.
Hyundai on Wednesday announced that it will voluntarily standardize its Rear Occupant Alert system on “most” of its new vehicles by 2022. There’s a second, even more capable version of this system that the company says will also see expanded inclusion in the future, as well. As it turns out, July 31 is National Heatstroke Prevention Day, so Hyundai picked a good day to make this announcement.
The more basic version of Rear Occupant Alert detects if a rear door was opened or closed prior to starting the car, and if that’s the case, it will remind the driver through a message in the gauge cluster to check the rear seats for anything that shouldn’t be left behind. This is more or less the same system that other automakers use.
The more advanced version of Rear Occupant Alert involves more than just a new “if” statement buried somewhere in the car’s code. In addition to the door-based technology, Hyundai also embeds an ultrasonic sensor into the car to detect movement in the second row. If movement is detected after the vehicle is shut off and locked, it will honk the car’s horn and send a notification to the driver’s phone through Hyundai’s Blue Link connected-car system — provided the car is equipped with Blue Link and its service is active. Automakers haven’t really adopted systems like these en masse, in part because it incurs a greater cost than simply checking for opened doors.
Right now, the basic Rear Occupant Alert is standard on the 2020 Santa Fe and Palisade SUVs, with the ultrasonic version available as an option. The ultrasonic system is available on the 2019 Santa Fe, as well. Later this year, when the 2020 Sonata launches, it will have the simpler system standard, too. It’s unclear which Hyundai vehicles are slated to make this standard in the future, but we’ll definitely call it out as it happens.
GM is one of the pioneers of this tech, having added Rear Seat Reminder to more than 20 models for the 2017 model year. Nissan followed by making Rear Door Alert (there are a lot of silly proprietary names for this tech) standard on multiple cars in 2018. The 2020 Subaru Ascent added a rear-seat reminder system as standard equipment, too. As of May of this year, a bill has been floating around the US Senate that would seek to mandate this technology to reduce hot-car deaths, but nothing has come of it yet.
More about 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe


text:
The Apple M2 chip is expected to be Apple’s second-generation Apple Silicon processor, succeeding the existing M1 chip found inside the MacBook Air M1 and iMac 2021.
This shouldn’t be confused with the rumoured M1X chip, which is expected to be a souped-up version of the M1 chip, intended for performance-focused devices such as the MacBook Pro 2021. The M2 has seemingly been designed for next-generation MacBook Air and iMac systems instead.
The M2 will reportedly use a new Apple Silicon architecture, reducing the 5nm node to 4nm, which should boost the processor’s performance and power efficiency. It’s unknown whether Apple will increase the number of CPU and GPU cores for the M2, but it will likely attempt to balance both battery life and performance power.
The Apple M2 is expected to launch with the upcoming MacBook Air 2022, which will come with a refreshed design, multiple new colours and a Mini LED display according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac).
For more details on the Apple M2 processor, keep reading on and keep this page bookmarked for future updates.
The Apple M2 processor is expected to debut inside the MacBook Air 2022, with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac) suggesting the new laptop could launch “around mid-2022”.
This launch window makes sense, with the Apple M1X processor expected to launch Q3 2021 alongside the MacBook Pro.
There are no reports on how much the M2-equipped MacBook Air will cost just yet. If it replaces the existing MacBook Air M1, then it’s likely that it will adopt the £999 starting price.
However, it’s possible that Apple will launch the MacBook Air M2 as a more powerful alternative rather than a replacement, seeing a slightly more expensive price point so both laptops can coexist.
You might like…
The Apple M2 chip is expected to mark the beginning of Apple’s second-generation of Apple Silicon processors, with Apple making the move from a 5nm node to a 4nm one.
Reducing the size of a node typically improves a processor’s efficiency and performance power, and is usually what separates the different generations of AMD and Intel processors.
It’s currently unclear whether Apple will increase the CPU and GPU counts for the Apple M2 chip, with the existing M1 processor featuring 4 high-performance cores and 4 energy-efficient cores.
Apple could potentially increase the total CPU core count to 10, equalling the rumoured tally of the Apple M1X. However, it’s highly unlikely that the Apple M2 will offer as many GPU cores as the upcoming M1X chip, which Bloomberg claims to have a whopping 32 (the M1 has just 8 for comparison).
A lot of details about the Apple M2 chip are still up in the air, and we likely won’t hear more until 2022. However, we can at least expect the M2 to be faster and more power-efficient than the existing M1 chip.
The Trusted Take
I’m impressed that Apple is reportedly already planning to make the jump to its second generation of Apple Silicon processors. From the benchmark results shown by the MacBook Air M1, Apple already has the lead over AMD and Intel in terms of multi-core performance in the ultrabook market, so it’s good to see Apple doing everything it can to retain its crown.
While the MacBook Air M1 was a fantastic laptop, the MacBook Air M2 looks like a far more exciting option, with both a boosted performance and a refreshed design. The Dell XPS 13 has been my favourite ultrabook for a good few years now, but it’s looking increasingly likely that Apple will finally knock Dell off its perch in 2022.
The post Apple M2: Everything you need to know about Apple’s upcoming chip appeared first on Trusted Reviews.


text:
On a recent weekend night, the owner of a popular Monroe restaurant stared at empty seats and an empty parking lot.
At a large retailer across town, the aisles that normally bustle on a Saturday were desolate.
The same was true for some popular stores and restaurants in Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Meanwhile, well-heeled but winter-weary tourists with Canadian, British and German accents were packing Caribbean resort beaches, fleeing rough weather in their hometowns. Such are the lessthan- obvious but more-than-substantial impacts of one of the harshest winters in recent memory.
Consider that in the United States alone, it’s estimated that the harsh winter has cost $30 billion so far.
U.S. food and retail spending dropped .4 percent in January from December. National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said the harsh winter weather is masking economic performance due to extreme temperatures causing a slowdown in retail sales.
“Following a solid holiday sales season, it seems that many consumers decided to take a break from the stores and shopping malls this January in an attempt to avoid winter weather,” said NRF President Matthew Shay. About 46 percent of Michigan retailers said sales were way down from a year ago, largely due to frigid and snowy weather.
Meanwhile, home prices in the United States, recovering nicely since the recession, fell for the second straight month in January from prior year periods. Analysts said it was mainly due to the brutal cold. Few people have wanted to look at a house in recent months, unless it was in Montego Bay.
If you live in southeast Michigan, you can feel sorry for yourself because the area was hit with record cold and snow.
In the Detroit area, total snow for the season has neared a record high of about 80 inches.
But if you live in southeast Michigan, don’t feel too sorry for yourself. In Gaylord, a record 177 inches already has fallen.
We haven’t been alone in the United States when it comes to bad weather. Horrific winter weather also has hit the United Kingdom and much of Europe, causing a boom in travel to warmer climes, boosting rates.
The immediate impact on the global economy might not be adequately calculated. But the scary thing is that we might be in for more harsh winters for a while.
You might ask, “ Whatever happened to global warming?”
Well, scientists say that’s exactly what caused this freakish winter weather in the United States and elsewhere around the planet.
The jet stream, they say, has been pushed farther south due to gradually rising temperatures in the Arctic.
That has forced cold fronts farther south, causing a severe winter in places where no one knows the meaning of long-johns.
Consider that while we’ve had record-low temperatures, Alaska — which should be cold in winter — has been having a series of unusually warm winters.
This changing weather pattern means that more harsh winters are likely in the northern hemisphere, chilling the winter economy for some years to come.
Thomas Dail, a U.S. Commerce Department spokesman, said that weather can have an economic impact in several ways. “One aspect is that we do sometimes see weather affecting household purchases of energy,” he said, adding “there may be decreases in spending elsewhere.”
If you spend more than usual on home heating — despite lower natural gas prices — that means you’ll have less disposable income to spend on restaurant meals, groceries, La-Z-Boy chairs or automobiles.
Not only could routinely brutal winters change the dynamics of the economy in many countries, at the very least it might mean fewer lower-wage jobs, less personal service jobs and, frankly, less customer service.
The reason? Those jobs often are most affected by inclement weather. Business executives, professional service workers, engineers and many other kinds of employees often can work from home or are given the latitude and ability to telecommute, especially during foul or dangerous weather.
Store sales clerks, restaurant help, even maintenance workers and childcare providers often are under demands to show up for work at all costs or lose pay.
So if the forecast for continuing harsh winters comes true, the larger question might be whether the world economy can weather the weather without substantially altering the economic equation, including changing work habits for employees, declining levels of customer service due to short staffing and customer service that fails to meet expectations.
At the least, it might mean fewer businesses, fewer jobs and a continuing winter-related chill on economic activity in the years ahead.


text:
(Pocket-lint) - Rumours of Google's unified, cross-platform Babel messaging service have heated up in recent weeks, ahead of an expected launch at Google I/O this May.
To ease your excitement over Bable, Droid-Life has provided more details about the service, thanks to a leaked list of features allegedly from the folks at Google. The synced notifications, cross-platform conversation, new UI, photo sharing, Google+ Hangouts, and on-the-record chat history that we've been hearing about are all spot-on.
Additionally, Google Bable will be available across all clients, including iOS, Chrome, and Android. It will include a feature by which notifications across devices and platforms will be synced, similar to how Apple treats iMessage.
This is what the apparent feature list is, directly from Google, according to Droid-Life:
- - Brand new UI. We’ve designed a new UI that’s applied across all clients and promotes conversations.
- - Stay in sync. With just one conversation list and experience across mobile and desktop, everything is always in sync. Install the Chrome app, the Android app, and iOS app.
- - Desktop app. Stop playing whack a mole across blinking browser tabs. With the new Chrome app your conversations continue outside of the browser.
- - Keep a group conversation going to coordinate with your team, and start a Hangout with a single tap whenever you need to talk face-to-face.
- - Be notified…just once. Get notifications on your two phones, tablet, laptop and desktop. Open it on one and watch the others disappear. If you’re actively using your computer or phone we’ll even intelligently notify you on just one of those endpoints. Magic!
- - Message more than just text. Add a photo to the conversation and/or send some of the 800+ emoji to your co-workers. Kittens and poop are particularly helpful in explaining complex issues.
- - Get nostalgic. Scroll back in time and relive any (on-the-record) conversation, on any device.
- - More ways to talk. For the first time we are building a first-class iOS experience. Try out our very early preview on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
Droid-Life further adds that Google Voice support won't be available on Bable directly at launch, but will come to the service at a later date. Instead, Google's Talk, Hangouts, and Messenger will be brought together to kick things off.
This weekTechRadar got its hands on screenshots of Bable running within Gmail. The screenshots didn't seem to show Google going that far away from the interface that's typically been around Google Talk, besides a clean up and new features that are somewhat confirmed from the above list.
Given that Google has been pursuing high-quality iOS apps for close to a year now, its comments about the platform make sense. "For the first time we are building a first-class iOS experience. Try out our very early preview on your iPhone or iPod Touch," the company said. Earlier this year Google began running a web ad promoting its iOS team doing work "that matters."
The release of Bable has yet to be pinpointed. Google is holding its annual Google I/O conference in mid-May at which it's known for introducing its latest and greatest products. We'll keep you covered.
Are you excited for Bable?


text:
Football In, Motorsport Out at Kumho
Sport sponsorship is gaining popularity, and the tyre industry is no exception to this rule. While tyre manufacturers used to snatch up motorsport deals and then report the transference of know how and technology gleaned from racetrack experience to their on-road products, these days sponsorship of other sporting codes, such as football, basketball or golf, are increasingly playing a part in manufacturers’ marketing strategies. Now Kumho Europe also intends to follow this path. While the Korean tyre maker is currently still considering if and under which conditions its partnership with Manchester United should be extended, some Kumho people are not convinced of the deal’s benefit within Continental Europe and for this reason the company plans to begin a similar arrangement as premium partner to a team in Germany’s national football league, the Bundesliga. Speaking with Tyres & Accessories, Kumho Germany marketing manager Wolf Fuder said that negotiations to this effect are currently ongoing and therefore the company is not yet in a position to name which team it would enter such a deal with. Kumho would not, however, act as jersey sponsor.
Fuder also confirmed the company’s decision to end its nine-year participation in the Formula 3 Euro Series at the end of the new season. The single-seater race series is held as part of the German Touring Car Masters (DTM), which as of the new season will be exclusively supplied by Kumho’s Korean competitor, Hankook. In addition to supplying tyres, Hankook advertising will be displayed at the racing circuits; in such a setting its makes no sense for Kumho to participate. A successor to Kumho as exclusive supplier of the Formula 3 Series has yet to be named; the 2011 season begins in April. In addition, Kumho has not yet decided whether it will also end its involvement in the “Masters of Formula 3” at the end of the year when its current contract expires. All in all, it looks doubtful that Kumho will take on any new motorsport engagements in Europe at present.
This change in strategy in Europe has been mirrored in the US, where the Korean tyre maker recently announced that in future its focus will be upon sports marketing, and while it will not completely withdraw from its motorsport activities it will not enter any new “professional motorsport” sponsorship deals.


text:
While so much has been made about Google's increasing dominance of the smartphone and tablet space, it's easy to forget that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is no slouch in this space, either. In fact, as we recently saw from a long-time analyst in this space, Apple actually holds the crown as No. 1 in the PC market globally when you include devices like notebooks, ultrabooks, and tablets. However, some significant changes took place in this all-important tech market during the second quarter, including Samsung shaking up the rankings in a big way. In this video, tech and telecom analyst Andrew Tonner discusses the recent numbers, and a few of the key areas where investors should focus.
- Aug 8, 2013 at 9:00PM
- Technology and Telecom


text:
Many residents in Accokeek, MD want to keep their community “open,green and rural.” That’s why the Moyaone Association of homeowners voted recently to oppose a mixed use development that includes a Wal-Mart supercenter. The Moyaone Reserve community argues that the area already has excess commercial capacity up and down Route 210, with empty retail space in almost every shopping plaza north of Accokeek. A big box store will only worsen a bad traffic problem at the corner of Routes 228 and 210, where the developer wants to drop the Wal-Mart. In a state where the Governor has made much of “smart growth” pronouncements, local residents cite the Wal-Mart plan as a prime example of “dumb growth”.”At a time when awareness of the harmful efects of sprawl are becoming widespread,” the Association says, “it is essential to continue our fight to keep our corner of Prince George’s County open, green and rural.” The County’s Development Review Committee is already actively at work with the developer looking at mitigation measures like berms and architectural details — but many homeowners don’t want to concede the need for the store in the first place. The land in question is zoned “MXT”, which stands for mixed used/transportation, and the project includes 107 housing units, including a gated community. It would be difficult, however, for the developer to explain how a huge windowless Wal-Mart box would meet the purposes of the MXT zone, which include: promoting orderly development; conserving the value of land and buildings; enhancing the economic status of the county; encouraging land uses which blend together harmoniously; creating a distinctive visual character; increasing pedestrian-oriented activities. The Wal-Mart project scores a 0 by these criteria, and actually creates the opposite impact in most criteria. And who in an upscale gated community is going to want to have a Wal-Mart as a nightlight? They will have to keep the gates locked to keep homeowners from leaving the development.
Wal-Mart has apparently not yet submitted its plans for local permitting yet, but neighbors are gearing up for a difficult battle. For further information, contact Margaret Schmid at [email protected]


text:
Longton Exchange Shopping Centre has some exciting news to share! One of its restaurants, Peri Peri Guyz, has just been named one of the top three New Takeaways of the Year in the 2023 Independent Food Retailers Awards. This prestigious nomination is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of the entire team at Peri Peri Guyz, who have consistently delivered high-quality food and exceptional service to their customers.
The Pride of Staffordshire Awards, are an annual event that recognises excellence in various fields, including food and hospitality, and will take place on June 4th, 2023. This competition was fierce, with many new takeaway outlets vying for the coveted title. However, Peri Peri Guyz stood out with its exceptional food quality, innovative menu, and outstanding customer service.
Peri Peri Guyz has quickly become a go-to destination for people who are looking for delicious, healthy, and affordable food. Located in the heart of Longton Exchange Shopping Centre, the restaurant offers various dishes, including peri-peri chicken, burgers, wraps, and salads. It’s the perfect place to grab a quick bite while shopping or meet up with friends for a tasty meal.
In addition to its outstanding food quality, Peri Peri Guyz is also known for its excellent customer service. The staff members are friendly, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile to satisfy customers’ meals. They have quickly become vital to the local food scene, providing a unique and enjoyable dining experience that keeps customers returning for more.
The nomination is a well-deserved recognition of the restaurant’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. It’s a testament to the team’s passion for food, customer service, and community engagement. Longton Exchange Shopping Centre is proud to have such a fantastic restaurant as part of its community, and it’s no surprise that Peri Peri Guyz has quickly become a favourite among shoppers and locals alike.
So, next time you’re at Longton Exchange Shopping Centre, be sure to stop by Peri Peri Guyz and see what all the fuss is about. Congratulations to the entire team at Peri Peri Guyz on this fantastic achievement.


text:
DALLAS, March 18, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Attorneys at Dallas' Steckler Wayne Cochran Cherry PLLC on March 12 filed a class action complaint against Asset Marketing Services, LLC, which markets itself as GovMint.com, in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota on behalf of consumers who have made a purchase of commemorative coins since 2015 based on allegedly misleading, deceitful sales tactics.
One of the named plaintiffs, William Ballou, of Florida, was allegedly solicited more than 50 times over the phone and through email correspondence by GovMint.com. He eventually purchased more than $500,000 worth of coins. The other plaintiff, Joan Williamson, of California, spent her savings on coins because GovMint.com marketed them as an investment for her children and future grandchildren.
The complaint alleges that GovMint.com described these purchases as investments that would grow in value. Ballou and Williamson are representing themselves and others similarly situated who allege they purchased coins from GovMint.com due to the company's marketing practices.
"Our clients' purchased these coins because they were told they would increase in value, but that was simply false and misleading," said Bruce Steckler, lead counsel for the Plaintiffs.
According to court documents, the lawsuit outlines allegations of negligence, unjust enrichment, violation of the Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, violation of the Minnesota Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and violation of the Deceptive Acts Perpetrated Against Senior Citizens or Disabled Persons Act.
Steckler Wayne Cochran Cherry PLLC is a Dallas-based law firm that combines more than a hundred years' worth of experience trying over seventy-five cases to juries, judges and arbitrators (and preparing hundreds more that settled) in every field of law on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.
Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Case Number: 0:21-CV-00694.
Bruce Steckler, Steckler Wayne Cochran Cherry PLLC, 972-387-4040, [email protected]
Amy Boardman Hunt, Media Contact, 214-801-8116, [email protected]
SOURCE Steckler Wayne Cochran Cherry PLLC


text:
Gamesters in Canberra, 'console' yourselves! It's time for the July Gaming Festival
Fans of Fortnite, Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto, comics, movies, collectibles, and more will be able to celebrate the return of Canberra's biggest anime celebration of all time. For the first time since 2019, Gamma Con, Canberra's premier pop culture festival, will be taking place at the National Convention Centre this week, as it is the city's premier pop culture festival. A member of the Gamma Con marketing team and one of the event's organizers, Rob Thomas, says the annual event has been around since 2013. In 2020, we were all ready, but we were unable to run due to COVID, which caused us to not be able to run. Rob said, "Since then, the only thing we've done was to hold an online Twitch stream," he said. For the last few years, there has been a question about 'when will you return?', so it's great that the event will take place in 2022. It will be wonderful to see the faces of both children and adults who are thrilled."
"Fandom and geekery" was the theme of the festival, according to Rob. "This exhibition was a fantastic reflection of Canberra's creativity," he says. “When people think of Canberra, they don’t think of the wild cosplay competitions we run, or a strong gaming scene with computer gamers and video gamers, so this event just highlights the vibrancy we have here.” The Canberra pop culture scene has always been well received by Rob, who has been volunteering for Gamma Con since 2016. According to him, Gamma Con has been growing steadily as more and more people hear about it every day. It'll be great to see everyone's reaction to the cool stuff we've got on display." While the program is still being finalized, Rob said previous event guests will be part of a "jam-packed" lineup. He noted that guest appearances in the past included international cosplayers, comic artists and writers working for Marvel and DC titles, and anime voice actors.
The festival also featured comedians, singers, dance troupes performing k-pop and j-pop routines, as well as Q&A sessions with panelists." There will also be live performances, guest speakers, appearances from game developers, and plenty of vendors at this year's two-day event, Rob said. During the festival, there will be a showcase of computer, video, and board game developers sponsored by the Academy of Interactive Entertainment where people will be able to purchase games that they have developed," Rob told us. In addition to numerous local and national artists selling their products at the event, there is an 'Artist Alley' where every day a significant number of tailors, novelists, and comic book artists will be setting up shop to sell their products. In addition to fan art and comic books, there will also be genre-inspired craft items for purchase, such as steampunk items and anime-inspired gifts. There are expected to be more than 5000 people attending the event, according to Rob. On the 23rd and 24th of July, Gamma Con will be held on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm on both days. There will be a special 18+ event taking place on a Saturday night from 6:30 pm until midnight, which is open to the public.


text:
Restaurant News in Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice: July 22-28
This week’s restaurant news roundup for Sarasota and Manatee counties includes a highly anticipated farmers market opening, the temporary closing of a beloved Southern food spot and more including dining and wine deals. Let’s begin, though, with a popular doughnut shop chain making its area debut.
Duck Donuts coming to Lakewood Ranch
A Duck Donuts shop is coming to the new Waterside community in Lakewood Ranch next year. The popular chain, which originated in Duck, North Carolina, in 2007, features “fried-on-the-spot” custom cake doughnuts with a wide variety of coatings, toppings and drizzles.
The concept has grown to include 96 locations in 19 states with 145 more in the development stage, including several international shops. George Widunas is the franchisee for the Lakewood Ranch location, the first in the area.
The warm, fresh doughnuts may be accompanied by assorted coffee. Among favorite combinations for the vanilla cake doughnuts are maple with chopped bacon and salted caramel, vanilla with rainbow sprinkles and blueberry lemonade.
The sweet circles may be eaten in the colorful shop or taken out seven days a week, and online ordering, catering and delivery services will be available. The small shop will have a beach, family-friendly theme with cedar shake accents and a vibrant color scheme.
For information on Duck Donuts, visit duckdonuts.com.
Anthony’s to open in Landings Shopping Center
Sarasota’s Landings Shopping Center will soon have a new restaurant, but it will be a name that locals may already recognize.
Anthony’s Italian Deli & Eatery will take over the 4944 S. Tamiami Trail space that recently housed Kruk’s Philly Steaks, with hopes to open in mid-August, owner Anthony Puccio said. He and his family previously operated Sarasota restaurants under the Anthony’s name, with both a deli and fine dining restaurant on Osprey Avenue before selling the two locations in the 2000s.
Puccio, whose father opened the original Anthony’s in 1974, will own the new restaurant along with his wife, Karen. Since selling the Osprey Avenue locations, Puccio served as food and beverage director at Lido Beach Resort, then the same position and executive chef at Sarasota Yacht Club, but missed the sense of family and community involvement that Anthony’s brought.
“I’d been at the Yacht Club for 10 years and I was actually thinking of retiring at one point,” Puccio said. “But me and my wife talked about it and we’re like, ‘That’s kind of what’s been missing in our lives.’ So this opportunity came along and we grabbed it.”
Anthony’s will focus on lunch, with dishes including pizza, calzones, lasagna, spaghetti and sandwiches such as meatball and veal parmesan.
“That’s what we were kind of known for, especially our meatball sub, that was like our famous sandwich,” Puccio said. “Our meatballs were like the size of a baseball, we’d slice them up and people would think that was great.”
Puccio said there will also be an emphasis on carryout, with curbside available. The front of the restaurant will have a deli-style feel with grab-and-go meals, as well as specialty items such as imported pastas and olive oils/vinegars and baked goods like homemade biscotti and cannoli.
There also will be a dine-in section in the back featuring an open kitchen view. The area has 80 seats, and will operate at 50% indoor capacity if current state guidelines remain. The restaurant will offer beer and wine as well.
The Puccios plan for Anthony’s to be open Monday through Saturday and closed Sundays.
Sarasota Farmers Market set to reopen; another to debut in Bradenton
The Sarasota Farmers Market, a local tradition for more than four decades, has announced a reopening date following its closing on March 14 due to COVID-19.
The weekly downtown Sarasota market will welcome back vendors and guests beginning Aug. 1, with the hours remaining the same as before: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, on Saturdays.
The Sarasota Farmers Market noted it understands the severity of COVID-19 and is instituting guidelines for both vendors and customers. While face masks/coverings are mandatory in the city of Sarasota, the market has also issued a “customer code of conduct.”
Items include making a shopping list, pre-ordering and prepaying vendors online if possible, designating one shopper per household, leaving pets at home except for service animals, maintaining six feet of social distancing, trying to “shop quickly and get everything to go” and “look with your eyes, only touch what you will buy.”
Hand sanitizer will be available at vendor booths and sanitizing stations.
“We know this is an unprecedented time, and we know the market has always been a special tradition in the history of downtown Sarasota,” said Travis Kinsey, Sarasota Farmers Market chairman, in a statement. “We are excited to get back to serving our community, (which) has supported the farmers market for many years."
The Siesta Key Farmers Market, which takes place from 8 a.m.-noon on Sundays, reopened in mid-June. The Venice Farmers Market, open 8 a.m.- noon Saturdays, followed earlier this month. In Bradenton, the downtown farmers market closes for the summer each year with the 2020-21 market scheduled to return to Old Main Street on Saturday, Oct. 3. Meanwhile, though, folks in Manatee County looking to do some outdoor grocery shopping will soon have another option.
July 29 will mark the debut of Ortygia Food & Wine Market, outside Chef Gaetano Cannata’s Sicilian restaurant of the same name in the Village of the Arts. There will be fresh produce, Sicilian chocolate bars, homemade gelato, bakery items by Total Cakes, olive oil and fresh baked bread by Olive Branch, and more including wine by the bottle or by the case.
“It’s so important to see both counties support our local farmers and small business owners with these outdoor markets,” said Johnette Isham, executive director of Realize Bradenton, the nonprofit that oversees the Bradenton Farmers’ Market. “These markets are really important for cultivating hope in the communities.”
The Sarasota Farmers Market at 1 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota, will take place Saturdays from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. starting Aug. 1. For more information, call 941-225-9256 or visit sarasotafarmersmarket.org.
Ortygia Food & Wine Market, at 1418 13th St.W., Bradenton, will take place Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. starting next week. For more information, call 941-741-8646 or visit facebook.com/Ortygia.
The Blue Rooster to close temporarily
The Blue Rooster, a Southern comfort food spot and one of the few Sarasota-Manatee venues to feature live music by national, regional and local acts since reopening in June, will temporarily close once again.
Owner Bill Cornelius said the restaurant in Sarasota’s Rosemary District will shut its doors following this week’s shows, through at least Sept. 15. It had been open under Florida’s current 50% indoor capacity guidelines, as well as a city of Sarasota ordinance requiring masks when social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained — with certain exemptions such as while eating or drinking.
Unlike some other restaurants that have recently chosen to close temporarily, Cornelius said the decision to shut down Blue Rooster did not involve any cases of COVID-19 in employees or customers, but rather a drastic slowdown in business.
“I think our customers, a lot of them are older and they’re especially concerned about the virus,” Cornelius said. “Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we took in less than $1,000 in sales. We had just two servers, three cooks, pay the band $500 and take in $500. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to say you’re doing something wrong.”
Acclaimed Texas-based blues-rock guitarist Mike Zito, who was scheduled to perform two nights at The Blue Rooster this week on his “Social Distancing Tour,” will now play a single show Thursday. Cornelius said normally Zito “would sell out immediately” at full capacity.
Though turnout was initially good upon reopening in June, Cornelius said, it slowed as time went on and Florida’s COVID-19 cases went up. Some musicians also canceled their shows, including soul-blues artist Johnny Rawls.
Nonetheless, Cornelius said he is grateful for his customers and those who came out to show their support.
“Especially in the last week or so, we saw the same people, the hardcore regulars that come out no matter what, and we appreciate it,” Cornelius said. “We will be back — whenever the virus goes away, we’ll be back.”
Blue Rooster’s final shows before closing will be Zito on Thursday (July 23), Kettle of Fish on Friday and Jose Ramirez Band on Saturday. The venue is at 1525 Fourth St. For more information, call 941-388-7539 or visit blueroostersrq.com.
Sharky’s on the Pier reopens
After temporarily closing July 9 due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19, beachfront Venice restaurant Sharky’s on the Pier reopened July 17.
All employees who are currently staffed have tested negative for COVID-19, will be screened daily, including temperature checks, and will be required to wear masks, the restaurant said in a Facebook post. Patrons are encouraged, but not required, to wear masks.
The restaurant was also deep-cleaned and sanitized with hospital-grade disinfectant during closing, with tables spaced at least six feet apart and barriers installed between booths.
The employee who tested positive had last worked on June 28, according to a post on Sharky’s Facebook page during the temporary closure.
Gecko’s offering cocktails to go
The Gecko’s Grill & Pub at 1900 Hillview St. in Sarasota’s Southside Village is now offering cocktails to go.
“Our guests are already loving Gecko’s Grill & Pub’s convenient online ordering for curbside pickup to go, and now our mixologists have a treat to add to to-go meals with our handcrafted cocktails to go,” reads the press release. “We offer four Gecko’s signature cocktails to choose from: Lucky Geckorita, Siesta Key Punch, PAMA Pink Lemonade or our award-winning philanthropic cocktail, The Shark Lady.”
The cocktails, available for takeout only at the Gecko’s Hillview location, come in a 32-ounce jar and make four to five cocktails. Just pour over ice, garnish and enjoy. To order, visit geckosgrill.com or call 941-953-2929.
Free pizza for kids at Evie’s
Announcing that “no child should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” Evie’s is offering a free slice of cheese pizza and small drink between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Limited to one slice of cheese pizza and small drink per child in grades K-8 per day, the child must be present at the time of ordering. The deal, which expires Sept. 1, is valid at Evie’s Tavern on the Range (4725 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota), Evie’s Golf Center (4735 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota) and Evie’s Tavern & Grill on Main St. (1560 Main St., Sarasota). For more information, call 941-377-9300 or visit facebook.com/eviesontherange
Carrabba’s celebrates National Lasagne Day
Carrabba’s Italian Grill invites guests to honor Italian heritage by celebrating National Lasagne Day on Wednesday, July 29, with a legacy recipe passed down from founder Johnny Carrabba’s grandmother, Mama Mandola.
“Johnny would request her homemade lasagne dish every birthday growing up and this very same recipe is prepared in all their restaurants nationwide featuring freshly made pasta layered with ricotta, Romano and mozzarella cheeses and scratch-made pomodoro and meat sauces – just like Mama Mandola would want it,” reads the press releease. “As Johnny says, ’It’s all the flavors you could ask for in one bite!’”
Mama’s legacy Lasagne recipe can be enjoyed as part of Carrabba’s Italian Grill’s Lasagne Family Bundle ($39.99) that feeds up to five and comes complete with salad and fresh bread. Order for carryout or delivery at carrabbas.com.
The Generous Pour at The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille (180 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota) has just kicked off its annual summer event, The Generous Pour, which invites guests to sample as many wines as they wish from a selection of seven distinctive labels as they dine. Each wine is chosen with The Capital Grille’s menu in mind, and servers guide guests through the ultimate pairing experience, complete with tasting notes. The wine experience is $28 with dinner.
And for the first time ever, The Generous Pour is available to go, so guests can enjoy the guided wine tasting from their own dining rooms at home. Running through Sept. 6, the tasting event is billed as “perfect for wine enthusiasts interested in furthering their wine knowledge and trying new labels and pairings.”
For more info and to order online, call 941-256-3647 or visit thecapitalgrille.com.
Rosé all day, all summer at Seasons 52
Seasons 52 (170 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota) is celebrating all things rosé with the return of Rosé All Day, All Summer, a curated menu that celebrates the favorite summertime wine, complete with rosé cocktails.
Now through Sept. 14, guests are invited to come in and sip popular labels by-the-glass, such as Vanderpump Rosé and Jansz Brut Rosé, as well as the signature Rosé Lemonade and Rosé Sangria.
Guests can also purchase rosé by the bottle to go. Pair with Season 52’s new summer menu, highlighting peak season ingredients in dishes like the new street-style Wood-Grilled Corn Wheels and Roasted Corn & Bacon Flatbread.
For more info, call 941-702-9652 or visit seasons52.com.
Applebee’s celebrates National Tequila Day
For National Tequila Day on Friday (July 24), Applebee’s will offer its Dollarita for both in-restaurant and to-go purchase. That’s right. One-dollar margaritas for sipping at the restaurant or right at home on Friday only. For more information, visit applebees.com.
Restaurants are now permitted to operate with 50% indoor capacity and outdoor seating following recommended social distancing of at least six feet. There’s no limit on capacity for outdoor seating as long as social distancing guidelines are followed. The governor’s executive order does not mandate the use of masks. However, the FRLA recommends customers, employees and employers consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for employers responding to COVID-19, and certain cities and counties such as the city of Sarasota,Holmes Beach and the city of Anna Maria, have introduced mandatory mask rules.
For the latest Sarasota-Manatee restaurant news — including updates regarding local bars, breweries, coffee shops and food trucks — visit heraldtribune.com/sarasotamanateerestaurants. Please email restaurant news items to firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
The highest driving decentralized exchange Uniswap has included 1,000 new token sets in the most recent week, a portion of the dubious quality as the DeFi or decentralized money rage proceeds unequivocally.
Over the beginning of September, Uniswap customers have added a mean of 150 pairs each day, indicating the popularity of permissionless token creation now possible via the trade’s token factory, an eminent feature of the DeFi. As per the Dune Analytics, a high record of 221 pairs were made on Sunday. As per the decentralized finance (DeFi) analyst at Messari, Jack Purdy, aggressive growth in the pairs and number of tokens on Uniswap is a positive thing.
For all of August, Binance reported new postings for just 15 tokens, up from four postings declared a year back. Uniswap has detailed experienced record-breaking exchanging volume for as far back as four months, as CoinDesk recently revealed, despite the fact that solitary four tokens SushiToken, USDC, wrapped ether, and tether, report 24-hour exchanging volume more noteworthy than $50 million.
Uniswap presently bolsters 8,278 exchanging sets, a 90% expansion in the course of recent days, and about multiple times a larger number of sets than Binance, the biggest conventional digital money trade, which as of now underpins 838 markets, as indicated by Cryptowatch.
Obviously, without guards to favor or deny new postings, the trade platforms will definitely uphold a ton of useless tokens or through and through tricks implying to be something they’re not, Purdy told CoinDesk.
Exhibiting the total permission lessness of token postings on Uniswap, one user recorded the Uniswap Exchange Token on Wednesday evening, a token accepted to be phony and not made by the Uniswap group. Uniswap-recorded sets contrasted with the biggest conventional trades by the number of dynamic business sectors.
Image Courtesy : Pixabay


text:
Austin-based WP Engine, which focuses on hosting and powering WordPress sites, has acquired digital experience platform Flywheel to create a better workflow, digital experience, and creative process for its customers. It is not disclosing the price of the acquisition.
Subscribe to the Crunchbase Daily
“We think [Flywheel] adds rocket fuel to our whole thing,” said Eric Jones, vice president of global communications for WP Engine. He added that along with product updates, Flywheel’s core culture resonates with the team.
This acquisition caught our eye because overall, the WordPress, content management space appears to lack adequate venture funding for its size. Jones said that focusing on WordPress as a company has given the company dibs on a “huge market opportunity.” The company recently announced that it is making $132 million in annual recurring revenue.
WP Engine claims its acquisition of Omaha-based Flywheel is “the largest acquisition to date in the WordPress industry.” WP Engine will aid 120,000 brands in 150 countries, it said in a blog post.
There will be no immediate changes to the Flywheel platform, plans, brand, or experience, the company said. All 201 employees will have the opportunity to transfer to WP Engine, Jones told me.
While Pantheon has some competitive flair, Jones said WP Engine’s focus solely on WordPress sites puts WP Engine in a different position.
Last time I spoke to Pantheon, co-founder and head of product Josh Koenig told me that he thinks the pace of innovation is suitable for the industry. During that conversation, he said he’s seeing renewed interest in web management because it’s relied on by everyone, everywhere.
WP Engine’s Jones agrees with this sentiment, and at least in his case, doesn’t feel the rarity of venture capital. The company secured $250 million in capital from Silver Lake Partners last January, making it “the largest funding that any company has received in funding in Austin in over a decade,” he said.
Tom Wentworth, the senior vice president of product marketing at Acquia, says that this acquisition makes WP Engine the dominate alternative to running WordPress sites.
“We should expect more consolidation in the website hosting industry as companies fight to differentiate against the public cloud,” he tells me. Plus, he said, WP Engine took out a competitor by acquiring it.
These small indicators suggest that startups looking to work on WordPress, and other site management systems, are getting much-needed attention. After all, WordPress powers one third of websites. Those are Texas-sized numbers worth paying attention to.
Inside llustration: Li-Anne Dias
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect further commentary from Tom Wentworth.
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


text:
David Pogue, tech columnist at the New York Times, has listed his favorite product features of 2006. This list is all about the small touches on products that really make you think that someone thought about these items before they tried selling them. One Apple feature made it on the list, and I mus...
Most people know that the right ergonomic setup is important to maintain not only good productivity but good health. Far too many otherwise healthy and intelligent people, including Mac pundit and New York Times columnist David Pogue, succumb to painful, sometimes even debilitating, RSI or back pain...
Subscribe to Newsletter
Software Updatesmore updates
- Dropbox adds support for TouchID
- YouTube for iOS gets updated with full support for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
- iOS 8.0.1 update now available (Updated -- Don't update!)
- NFL Mobile updated for 2014 Season with new Fantasy Football features, NFL Now integration
- Yahoo Mail improves email inbox searching with new filtering options
- Ember for Mac gains 'hugely-requested' screen recording feature


text:
Since joining the CRS project in her village, Gertruda has doubled her soybean harvest and has earned six times more profit from her sales. Photo by Sara A. Fajardo/CRS.Read more about CRS' work in Tanzania.
Loving God, help us to remember the inherent dignity of all people.
Catholic social teaching focus:
Sacredness and Dignity of the Human Person
Like many farmers in Tanzania, Gertruda Domayo used to struggle to provide for her three grandchildren. Now she is a member of Soya ni Pesa, a Catholic Relief Services project that means “soybeans are money.”
Through the project, Gertruda has learned that a few small changes can make a big difference. Crop spacing and fertilizer have doubled her harvests. The soybeans themselves add nutrients to the soil, fueling future harvests.
Gertruda has learned a new way to sell her soybeans, too. She combines her crops with those of other soybean farmers. Together, they sell their soybeans in bulk. The farmers’ customers benefit too. They save time and money by purchasing large amounts of soybeans all at once. Gertruda’s new way of selling increased her income sixfold over last year, when she sold her beans alone. She can afford to buy healthier food for her family.
Gertruda wants everyone in her rural village of Nakahegwa to have the same success she’s had. “I encourage my neighbors to join the project,” Gertruda says. “It will help them move from poverty by increasing their income and therefore change their lives for the better.”
Facts to consider
- More than 70 percent of farmers in Tanzania work on plots of land smaller than three acres. In the United States, the average farm size is 441 acres.
- Soybeans are used to make poultry feed, which is in high demand in Tanzania, where the poultry industry is growing rapidly.
- A domestic soybean industry is attractive to poultry feed manufacturers, who, by buying from groups like Gertruda’s, are able to produce a higher quality product for less money than they would be able to with imported soybeans or feed made from fish.
- CRS works with 11,250 soybean farmers in Tanzania through Soy ni Pesa, increasing their harvest and connecting them with marketing groups.


text:
Last month the heads of eight influential multi-site operators wrote to Osborne describing recent price rises as “unjustifiable” and damaging to the industry, as well as criticising the British Beer & Pub Association’s campaign to cut beer duty.
Now Becky Salisbury from Salisbury Pubs, New Pub Company managing director Peter Linacre, James Penlington from the Distinct Pub Company, Mclean Inns managing director Mark Stockhausen, GC Mallen’s Garry Mallen and Vince Healy of Ascot Inns have all joined the fight.
Penlington said: “After what has been a very tough period for pubs everywhere, our industry should be working to ensure that those remaining pubs, especially wet-led, aren’t completely priced out of competing with supermarkets and brewery shops.
"Pubs are an amazing route to market for small brewers and other products, they also provide a safe environment and sensible price point for these products to be enjoyed responsibly, something the Government is right to promote.”
Salisbury added: “We can see no evidence to justify recent beer price rises when most of their commodity prices (grain, utilities, fuel) are going down. The breweries and pubcos seem to want to shoot their own on-trade in the foot and potentially cause unintentional and irredeemable damage.”
Mallen and Stockhausen said they had both highlighted “excessive” price rises to brewery representatives but had not received a satisfactory response.
Last week Charles Wells said it would up prices on its own-brewed beers by 2%, a move that led some operators to claim they would de-list its beers and replace them with local brews or products from breweries that had held prices.
All Our Bars chief executive Paul Wigham said: “We have now been battered with price rises. We have to make a start and this is my start —voting with my money. I can understand to some extent why some foreign owner brewers do not care about the UK pub industry, but in the case of Charles Wells whose main interests lie here, it is unforgivable.”


text:
The Agri-Food Innovation Centre in Saskatoon is getting a big boost to expand.
Agriculture Minister David Marit says $2.3-million in federal and provincial funding will assist processors to develop new food products from Saskatchewan farms.
Marit says the expansion of the Agri-Food Innovation Centre will create more jobs and a more diversified agricultural economy for Saskatchewan.
The total expansion investment is $7.5-million.
Since opening in 1997, the Food Centre has served over 400 clients and assisted in development of 885 new products.


text:
On a prototype device, with a development build on it
Although Windows Phone 7 is not yet in its final flavor, the mobile operating system seems to be moving pretty nice. A video available with a Windows Phone 7 prototype embedded at the end of this article shows that the platform is being loaded in a little more than half a minute, which is pretty impressive, one should agree.
The operating system in itself has been reported lately to look much better and more responsive than the flavor presented by Microsoft back in February at the Mobile World Congress. The clip below shows that the Windows Phone 7 platform on an LG prototype is starting to move pretty fast. When coupled with some of the latest reports on the platform, which showed a series of interface changes and some enterprise optimizations, the video can be considered proof of Microsoft's commitment to make Windows Phone 7 a highly appealing platform.
Here's what a recent post on istartedsomething(http://www.istartedsomething.com/) states in regard to the clip: “the short video [below] features a prototype LG Windows Phone 7 device with a recent but still not final build of the OS doing a cold boot after removing and replacing the battery. Consistent across several tests, the device booted in an impressive 30 seconds. What’s remarkable is that as soon as the lock screen displays, it’s fully initialized and ready to be used.”
Other devices on the market are not able to boot as fast as this prototype, that's a fact. For comparison, a Nokia 5530 (Symbian powered) we have in the office managed to boot in less than 30 seconds, while an HTC Hero (running under Android) needed about one minute and a half or more for that. As the release date for Windows Phone 7 approaches, things are starting to shape up nicely. And with the operating system already being named the fourth most innovative product of 2010, things were actually supposed to be so.
New Windows Phone 7 Boots Up Pretty Fast


text:
A week ago, Konami laid out its earnings forecast for the first six months of its current fiscal year, saying it expects revenue to be down 22.5 percent to ¥113.9 billion ($1.26 billion), with profit falling 81.6 percent to ¥2.20 billion ($24 million). Today, the Japanese publisher reported its official numbers for the period, and as it turns out, not much has changed between then and now.
As expected, Konami said that revenues for the period came in at ¥113.9 billion ($1.26 billion), down 22.5 percent from the ¥146.9 billion ($1.63 billion) it pulled in during the first six months of its previous fiscal year. That period, of course, was highlighted by the release of Kojima Production's top-rated Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which turned in a multiplatinum sales performance upon its debut in June 2008.
Net income during the period was actually slightly better than Konami projected last week. During the April-September window, the publisher's profit slipped 81.3 percent to ¥2.23 billion ($24.6 million), down from the MGS4-inflated ¥11.9 billion ($131 million) from the year-ago period.
The Japanese company's sports-game business led sales for the publisher during the period. Namely, Konami said that its Pro Evolution Soccer (known also as Winning Eleven) and Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu baseball franchises performed well, selling a respective 1.25 million units and 770,000 units across the various games in each series. The publisher also noted that the Metal Gear franchise sold an additional 360,000 units during the period.
Konami still expects to see marginal sales growth during its current fiscal year. The publisher reiterated its previous forecast of ¥310 billion ($3.43 billion) for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2010, compared to the ¥309.7 billion ($3.43 billion) it brought in during its previous fiscal year. Konami anticipates a 47.1 percent spike in net income, though, swelling to ¥16 billion ($176 million) from ¥10.8 billion ($119 million) last year.