text:
New COVID bill in Congress could be retailers’ ‘key to recovery’
New COVID bill in Congress could be retailers’‘key to recovery’
5 things retailers need from a COVID-19 recovery bill
When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the U.S. economy this spring, Congress and the White House quickly came together to provide assistance to the thousands of businesses and millions of workers affected. The scale and speed of the packages they created were truly historic.
Now, lawmakers are at work on another major piece of legislation that will help rebuild our nation’s robust economy and could be the key to recovery for retailers.
Tell Congress what retail needs
Join our grassroots campaign for COVID-19 relief here.
As Congress negotiates, NRF’s largest priority is the health and safety of retail workers and customers. We want businesses to remain open, jobs to come back and the economy to grow again, but the key to that happening is safety. That’s why we recently called on all retailers to require customers to wear face coverings or masks. And assisting businesses with the ongoing costs of making workplaces safe – from constant cleaning to testing employees – are the elements that must be included in the new bill.
It is vitally important to get it right on this new round of relief. The packages of the past few months provided an important bridge for some businesses that helped them get through the crisis. Many initiatives, notably the landmark Paycheck Protection Program, delivered timely relief to the smallest employers and helped avert a much deeper employment crisis. Others, such as the Main Street Lending Program, were too slow and poorly designed to deliver the urgently needed liquidity they were intended to provide to mid-size companies. As a result, some mid-size retailers have sought bankruptcy protection while others have found credit only under the harshest terms.
Many mid-size companies remain hamstrung from weeks of limited revenue, high costs of personal protective equipment and supplies, and limits on capacity in their stores. Simply adding more money to programs for small businesses would leave these employers without help.
That’s why NRF has asked Congress to ensure that the new stimulus bill provides help for all retailers. Here are our key requests:
Increase funding for loan and financial assistance programs that help retailers retain employees and remain solvent. The Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for small businesses should be well-funded so retailers can continue to access them, and complex loan forgiveness paperwork should be simplified. NRF supports the Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, which would allow PPP loans under $150,000 to be forgiven upon completion of a one-page document.
Enact liability protection against unwarranted lawsuits. As an industry whose employees interact with the public every day, we support a targeted and limited safe harbor for companies that implement government-issued public health safety guidelines. Retailers have taken extraordinary measures to make their stores safe. But without liability protection, the threat of litigation will severely impact business operations, slow retailers’ recovery and negatively impact the economy overall.
Adopt tax relief to boost liquidity for retailers that have lost sales or face increased costs. The proposed Healthy Workplace Tax Credit would help cover the cost of measures taken to make stores safe such as personal protective equipment and employee testing. Congress should also allow businesses with 2020 operating losses to obtain an advance on refunds they would otherwise receive next year anyway, and should increase the size and flexibility of the Employee Retention Tax Credit. In addition, the tax treatment of charitable inventory donations should be improved – retailers currently get a larger tax break for destroying unsold merchandise than donating it.
Allow retailers to use loan and assistance programs to cover fixed costs. Much of the assistance has focused on employee payrolls, but retailers faced fixed costs such as rent and utilities while closed, and those costs continue amid reduced sales after reopening. Congress should allow funds provided by loan programs to be used for those costs and do the same with the Employee Retention Tax Credit.
Prioritize economic relief for individuals. The $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits created under the CARES Act provided vital assistance. But when combined with state benefits, some individuals received more in unemployment than previously received in wages, creating a disincentive to return to work. Rather than extending the $600 benefit, NRF is urging a more targeted approach including return-to-work incentives, unemployment benefits that are proportional and account for state conditions, and expanded job training.
NRF’s largest priority is the health and safety of retail workers and customers.
Beyond those priorities, NRF supports the Small Business Comeback Act, which would create a recovery fund tailored for small businesses. In addition, the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act would encourage insurance companies to cover business interruption caused by a pandemic by providing a federal backstop.
What can retailers do? Sign up now for our “Five Ways Congress Can Support Retail” grassroots campaign to send messages to your members of Congress and make the voice of retail heard in the nation’s capital. Time is of the essence – this legislation will likely be passed by the time Congress begins its summer recess in early August. And retailers need help today.
Jinhan Fair online exhibition will be held this October from 21 to 27.Should you have any query, we are glad to extend help at firstname.lastname@example.org or you may reach us by a phone call to 0086-20-89308925.
To discover more about JINHAN FAIR, Please click to view the previous post-show reports.


text:
Cryptocurrency Gambling As of now, it’s legal for Chinese citizens to hold cryptocurrencies but they’re not allowed to carry out any sort of transaction; hence the ban of exchanges. because the market stabilizes within the coming months (or years), we’ll see undoubtedly see a revival of the Chinese crypto-market. Blockchain and cryptocurrency come hand-in-hand (with the exception of personal chain where a token is unnecessary). Countries thus cannot ban cryptocurrency without banning blockchain the awesome technology!
One thing we will all agree on is that blockchain remains at its infancy. Many exciting developments awaits us and immediately is certainly the simplest time to get the inspiration for a blockchain-enabled world. Here may be a question that comes up often: How do i select which crypto currency to take a position in – aren’t all of them the same?
There is little question that Bitcoin has captured the lion’s share of the crypto currency (CC) market, which is essentially thanks to its FAME. This phenomenon is far like what’s happening in national politics round the world, where a candidate captures the bulk of votes supported FAME, instead of any proven abilities or qualifications to control a nation. Bitcoin is that the pioneer during this market space and continues to garner most of the market headlines.
The Current State Of Cryptocurrency Gambling in 2020
If you had any doubts about the relevance of blockchain technology in the future, the online gambling industry would have changed your mind. There are an official license and regulation for online gambling in most countries in the world. But when it comes to cryptocurrency gambling, it’s more complicated.
Right now, there are little interactions between the global regulatory authorities, and only a few countries have started the initiative to control cryptocurrency gambling. There’re countries that have initiated the process, but many wonder if they will complete the full regulation of the cryptocurrency market.
The primary concern is with the framework of cryptocurrency. Satoshi Nakamoto created the digital currency to eliminate the control and regulations that banks have on traditional currencies. Millions of people prefer to have full control of their money without any third parties charging costs and giving them instructions on what they can and can’t do with their money.
That’s the core reason why the growth of cryptocurrency gambling is expanding. Players want transparency, minimal fees, quick transactions, and full control of their crypto funds. The online casino software provided by Vegas-X is a perfect solution if you want to take care of all these things.
In this guide, we’ll discover the current state of the regulations, and how COVID-19 has affected crypto gambling.
Let’s get into it.

domain: news


text:
Sale process accelerates for DP World’s U.S. port business
Deutsche Bank has begun this week to send out financial statements about Dubai Ports World’s U.S. container terminal and stevedoring assets to almost 100 interested buyers, clearing the way for a tentative agreement to sell the P&O Ports North America business by late August or early September, according to an industry source close to the situation.
DP World, owned by the government of Dubai, acquired London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. in March for $6.8 billion. It agreed to divest the U.S. part of the deal after running into fierce opposition in Congress, which threatened to block the deal over fears that terrorists could infiltrate the company to attack U.S. ports or facilitate smuggling of mass destruction weapons into the country. Most security and industry experts dismissed that possibility, but the political debate in the United States became so heated that the emir of Dubai decided the bad publicity was not worth trying to hold onto the U.S. assets.
The sale process has been slowed by difficulties in consolidating the financial figures for nearly two dozen separate P&O subsidiary companies that operate container terminals, or carry out passenger and cargo handling, in the United States and listing the assets according to generally accepted accounting principles related to mergers and acquisitions. Some industry observers had expected Deutsche Bank, DP World’s financial advisor, to make the financial books available to potential bidders by mid-April or May. The delay led to speculation that DP World was not really interested in selling the P&O business, as it had promised.
The source said that Deutsche Bank is sending out the financial books to parties that have signed agreements to keep the material confidential. The book includes financial statements and projections about P&O’s earnings potential.
Initial offers in typical merger and acquisition activities are frequently made within a month of receiving financial information. Entities that are serious about placing a bid may conduct extra due diligence through site visits or meeting with management of the company that is up for sale.
A mix of maritime terminal and transportation operators, private equity consortia and infrastructure funds such as those managed by Australia’s Macquarie Bank and Goldman Sachs are believed to be interested in the P&O business.
The Financial Times first reported about the accelerated movement in the P&O sale process.


text:
One reason US sellers are wary of cross border trade is the shipping hurdle and the risk of stolen packages, yet serving overseas customers can open the door to increased revenue. Endicia launched Global Services to help merchants overcome some of the hurdles in reaching the Latin American customer.
Endicia Global Service includes Mexico and Brazil, promising businesses quicker and more reliable customs clearance and package tracking at affordable rates. The shipping service provider partnered with SkyPostal, Inc., a parcel delivery company specializing in Latin American logistics, to create the new service.
One feature that is likely to allay some concerns is the end-to-end tracking. Another advantage – there are no customs forms to fill out.
Endicia explains that in June 2014, customs began physically checking all postal parcels entering Brazil to ensure proper duty and tax collection. “With this procedure, if duties and taxes are not pre-paid, addressees need to physically go to customs and pay the fees before receiving their packages. As a result, delivery speed has been impacted, and postal packages can take upwards of 20 days to reach their destination. The delays have forced many online businesses to stop shipping to Brazil.”
Endicia Global Service promises same-day customs clearance – “shipments clear customs in as little as six hours as opposed to an average of five days” – and shipments are delivered in eight to 10 days.
Endicia co-founder and General Manager Amine Khechfe said, “Brazil and Mexico account for more than 70 percent of the ecommerce market in Latin America – a tremendous opportunity for U.S.-based online sellers. Endicia Global Service makes shipping to Brazil and Mexico as easy as shipping in the United States.”
Endicia provides more information about the program on the Endicia website.
Update: Endicia’s Shea Felix said Endicia Global Service is helping keep shipments to Brazil on track during the current postal strike. “The strike by workers at the Brazilian Postal Service (Correios) adds to the challenges faced by U.S.-based businesses that ship packages to this booming ecommerce market. To avoid the extra delays caused by the strike our newly offered Endicia Global Service is a great alternative. Packages shipped via Endicia Global Service clear customs in one day and then our partner, SkyPostal, chooses the best delivery method available; whether Correios or another Brazilian delivery service. Given the current strike, SkyPostal is relying on other carriers to ensure that packages shipped with Endicia Global Service will not face any delays and will continue to arrive at their destination within eight to 10 days of the original ship date.”


text:
It’s become too common. Reports of a data breach that leaves thousands or millions of consumers vulnerable to identity theft, fraud or other types of scams. But what can you do to keep your personal information safe when online commerce is every day business?
HOST: Lori Townsend
- Davyn Williams – consumer protection attorney-Alaska Dept. of law
Chuck Harwood – regional director-Federal Trade Commission
- Statewide callers
- www.identitytheft.gov (site to help victims of identity theft exercise their legal rights and report to law enforcement that they have been victims; operated by FTC)
/0275-place-fraud-alert (how to place an identity theft fraud alert on a credit report, from FTC)
civil/consumer/IDtheft.html (State of Alaska page describing Alaska credit report security freeze law and breach notification law) (A chart/ summary of state security freeze laws:www.ncsl.org/research/financia l-services-and-commerce/ consumer-report-security- freeze-state-statutes.aspx (National Conference of State Legislatures)
- Call 550-8422 (Anchorage) or 1-800-478-8255 (statewide) during the live broadcast
- Post your comment before, during or after the live broadcast (comments may be read on air).
- Send email to firstname.lastname@example.org (comments may be read on air)
LIVE Broadcast: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. on APRN stations statewide.


text:
By Sahil Patel
Online video ad tech provider TubeMogul has launched BrandPoint, a new product that aims help agencies plan for and buy digital video based on the language they already understand, the one that exists on TV: GRPs.
Integrated with Nielsen’s Online Campaign Ratings data, BrandPoint is a self-service platform, allowing agencies to target audiences by age, gender, designated market area (DMA), and day-parts, as well as specific sites across public or private video inventory. The product also supports multiple video ad formats, including pre-rolls, videos within display ads, and social video.
The goal here is pretty straightforward: Video ad budgets are not going to shift from TV to online video in any significant way until TV buyers are comfortable with planning and buying digital video. You can say a lot about GRPs, but the fact remains (as I am reminded often), no one has lost their job buying GRPs. Which means, they are here to stay.
BrandPoint is aiming to simplify the process. Which is why the platform allows agencies to set target audience info for age and demographic, and the number of GRPs they want to hit, and then automate the campaign.
And while TubeMogul is ready to concede what everyone already knows — that there is still room for improvement in online video advertising when it comes to targeting audiences by age and gender — the company says it’s always working to better that process. Built on top of Nielsen’s OCR product, BrandPoint allows agencies to dive in and verify that their campaigns are reaching their target audience.
For online video publishers, if a tool such as this catches on among the buying community, it means a larger network to sell their inventory to.


text:
Apple\'s mac.com email service, part of iTools, has been down for some users since this morning. Frustrated users have been unable to get any response from Apple regarding the outage, when a fix for the problem can be expected, or why only some users are having difficulties. [updated]
Apple is now offering a flat panel/G4 bundle, which includes a standard configuration of its Power Mac G4/450 MHz with a Apple 15" Flat Panel Studio Display for $3498. The offer is good until July 1st (or while supplies last).
"The Future of Data: Workgroup, Web and Beyond" will be the theme of the FileMaker Developer Conference 2000, which takes place August 27-30 in Palm Desert, California. A preliminary listing of this year\'s technical sessions is available on the Web and FileMaker is offering a $200 discount registrations before July 7.
David Vicent notes that Apple has finally made CarbonLib 1.04 available via direct download for those having trouble with the Software Update control panel in Mac OS 9.
Ryan, of Cheech and Chong Dot Com, sent us the back page of tomorrow\'s Wiz Sunday newspaper circular, which introduces the "complete line of Apple iMac and iBook products plus [its] special introductory finance offer."
RSX Solutions has released QuickList MP3 1.1, its free QuickTime-based MP3 player that "takes up relatively little screen space, yet still retains important features."
Compuserve 2000 is now available for Mac users, offering new pricing plans, support for up to 7 screen names (@cs.com instead of @compuserve.com), integrated support for AOL Instant Messenger, an interactive calendar for tracking events, 128-bit encryption, and improved email options such as personalized email signatures and multiple file attachments.
Metro Technologies announced that it will begin exclusively offering Merant\'s DataDirect ODBC products for sale beginning May 15, 2000, including Merant\'s DataDirect Connect ODBC drivers for Macintosh and DataDirect SequeLink 4.51 for Macintosh.
BlockForge 1.04 is a maintenance release of the $10 shareware version of the classic "Tetris" game.
A MacNN reader was finally able to track down the changes in GameSprockets 1.7.4, which was released earlier this week: "[it] is a maintenance release to address a context handling issue in 1.7.3. No features were added.The documentation will follow with the SDK update. The priority was to get the update to users."
A new Apple TIL describes a workaround for "an issue with the way that Final Cut Pro 1.2.1 recaptures clips that are in PAL format." Another describes a workaround for a known issue with the new version of the Sony DV media converter (the DVMC-DA2) with either iMovie 1.0.2 or Final Cut Pro 1.2.1, noting that you "may not be able to output video from the converter to camcorders or VCRs."
Apple is warning users against using the Password Security control panel on FireWire PowerBooks: "The Password Security control panel does not come with the PowerBook (FireWire) computer and cannot be custom installed. If you copy the Password Security control panel from another computer and try to use it on the PowerBook (FireWire), you risk losing data on the PowerBook (FireWire) computer\'s hard disk."
Now AAPL Stock: 93.24 ( -0.95 )
Lunch with Cook auction nets $515K
The Charitybuzz auction that offered lunch with Apple CEO Tim Cook at Apple HQ and a pair of passes to a future Apple event (winner's pick) has ended with a high bid of $515,000, the highest amount the annual auction has fetched since 2013. Proceeds of the auction will benefit Cook's preferred charity, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, where Cook was recently named to the board of directors. The winner, who was unnamed, will be responsible for their own transportation and accommodation, and Cook has up to a year to schedule the meeting -- making it possible that the winner will be among the first to dine with Cook in the new Campus 2 cafeteria, which is set to open along with the rest of the new facility early next year. http://bit.ly/236Wf9N
Free Windows 10 upgrade program ends July 29
Ending speculation, Microsoft has officially announced that it will end free Windows 10 upgrades on July 29, the one-year anniversary of the rollout of the OS. Following the 29th, Microsoft's ubiquitous OS will retail for $119 and up. http://bit.ly/1O0a7kA
US tech giants to candidates: support TPP
Tech giants including Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Uber are among thirteen major US corporations who have written an open letter to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton urging them to support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal, reports Reuters. Although not yet made public, the letter also asks the candidates to make it easier for the companies to hire tech workers from overseas. Both are not happy with the TPP deal, although Trump is sterner in his opposition to any kind of trade deals between countries. Trump has not rejected outright the idea of importing high-tech talent from overseas, while Clinton has already voiced her support for the idea. http://reut.rs/1Wb0Zwq
Apple mandates June 1 app IPv6 support
Apple has set the deadline for IPv6 support for App Store-supplied software. On June 1, apps thast use a custom networking stack and that are submitted to the app store must support IPv6-only networks. The rule, announced last year as coming soon, will only affect a small portion of submitted applications that do not use the NSURLSession and CFNetwork APIs. http://apple.co/24yBTIY
YouTube Unplugged OTT service coming 2017?
As part of the continuing YouTube evolution, the video streaming service is reportedly considering a paid subscription service that would provide users "over the top" cable TV service. According to sources familiar with the matter, the service has been in the works since 2012, has already made changes to accommodate the live video feeds, and could debut the offering as soon as 2017. http://bloom.bg/1rvx8BW
Kohls Apple Pay integration with loyalty program
Kohl's customers are now able to pay for their purchases with Kohl's Charge and simultaneously earn loyalty program Yes2You Rewards in conjunction with Apple Pay. The service is currently available in approximately 250 Kohl's stores and is expected to be in all Kohl's stores nationwide later this month, making Kohl's the first retailer to deliver a one-tap checkout that integrates both its private credit card as a form of payment and a loyalty program with Apple Pay. http://yhoo.it/21wEUI6
AirMap iOS app for drone operators
Provider of airspace information and services for unmanned aircraft AirMap announced today the release of the AirMap app for iOS and Apple Watch. Operators can now access low-altitude airspace advisories, create flights, file digital flight notices to over 80 airports, and manage unmanned aircraft. Building on the success of AirMap's Digital Notice and Awareness System (D-NAS), the AirMap app brings to iOS devices a fully integrated airspace management solution for recreational and commercial drone operators. The app is free. http://apple.co/21wCadD


text:
Displaying items by tag: app
Google has plans to roll out a controversial new app in which AI will make phone calls on behalf of users to arrange appointments, book tables and order food. Duplex will run through Google Assistant, and is described as “a new technology for conducting natural conversations to carry out ‘real world’ tasks over the phone.”
At a conference in May, CEO Sundar Pichai played two recordings of Google Assistant running Duplex, arranging a hairdressing appointment and booking a table. The assistant understood the context and responded appropriately, even when the conversation didn’t go as expected.
In both phone calls, the receiver did not suspect they were talking to a robot; the bot speaks with realistic sounding human inflections and pauses. The next-generation voice assistant has raised some ethical questions as to whether humans should be told they are speaking to a robot and be clear that the conversation is recorded.
“It’s important to us that users and businesses have a good experience with this service, and transparency is a key part of that,” Says Yaniv Leviathan, Principal Engineer at Google.
“We want to be clear about the intent of the call so businesses understand the context. We’ll be experimenting with the right approach over the coming months.”
Currently, only Pixel owners in selected US cities can run the app, and are, for now, limited to making restaurant reservations.
“We hope that these technology advances will ultimately contribute to a meaningful improvement in people’s experience in day-to-day interactions with computers.”
An open letter condemning Google’s ‘Project Dragonfly’, has garnered the support of human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders. Written by staff at Google, 407 of its workforce have already signed the petition, which has called upon the internet giant to end plans to provide a censored search engine for China.
To comply with strict laws, a search application would be designed with the Chinese government to filter out censored content from results. In 2010, Google shut down its search engine after it would not capitulate to Beijing’s censorship demands. However, last month Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said it was “important to explore the options for China,” and would be able to serve over 99 percent of the search queries.
The signatures believe such a search engine would enable “state surveillance” and make it easy for the government to monitor user’s searches. It also would deny users to access politically sensitive information like the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. The letter says it would “make Google complicit in oppression and human rights abuses” and believes it is at odds with the company’s values, whose motto ‘don’t be evil’ is used within their code of conduct.
Amnesty International is calling upon other members of Google’s 88,000 workforce to sign the petition.
“This is a watershed moment for Google. As the world’s number one search engine, it should be fighting for an internet where information is freely accessible to everyone, not backing the Chinese government’s dystopian alternative,” said Joe Westby, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Technology and Human Rights.
Google said there were no plans to launch a search engine in China, and it was merely at exploratory stages.
Global ride-hailing incumbent Uber has announced that it will cease using diesel cars in London by the end of 2019. City officials in the English capital are aggressively pursuing initiatives and programs aimed at reducing the number of diesel vehicles being driven in and around the city, with London recording alarming levels of pollution.
Uber have shown their support for this movement by vowing that they will be using no diesel cars for their services by 2019, with a spokesman for the firm claiming that by that stage the vast majority of rides will be in either hybrid or electric vehicles.
Uber says currently almost half of its fleet that embark on journeys in London are undertaken in greener vehicles on the company’s standard low-cost Uber-X service, which enables users to book their journeys on their smartphone device.
A number of leading car manufacturers has announced plans to electrify a large proportion of their new cars. The most notably automaker was Swedish giants Volvo, who earlier this year became the first manufacturer to set a date on when it was phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine.
The UK has followed the lead of France and cities such as Mexico City, Athens and Madrid by declaring that it will prohibit the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040. Uber, which has around 40,000 drivers based in London, has indicated that they will only offer hybrid or electric vehicles on Uber-X by the turn of the decade – but plans to roll-out the program on a nationwide basis by 2022.
Uber’s Head of UK Cities, Fred Jones said Uber shared the concerns expressed by city officials in London in relation to growing problem of air pollution, and said the US-based ride-hailing service was keen to its part.
Jones said: “Air pollution is a growing problem and we’re determined to play our part in tackling it with this bold plan. Londoners already know many cars on our app are hybrids, but we want to go much further and go all electric in the capital.
Uber has endured a difficult number of months with the firm being at the center of a number of salacious scandals ranging from sexual harassment to allegation of bullying, investor pressure eventually led to controversial and high-profile resignation of Uber co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick.
However, Uber has also faced stinging criticism in London, and has been locked in legal rows with trade unions, lawmakers and traditional black cab drivers over working conditions and the legality of its operations. It has also been reported that Uber intend to appeal a decision by a British judge which ruled that the tech company should treat two of its drivers as employees and pay them the minimum wage and holiday pay.
In addition to this, Uber is also waiting on the decision by the capital’s transport regulator who will determine later this month how much the ride-hailing app will need to pay in order to renew its new license.
In Uber’s statement in relation to its phasing out of diesel cars, it also announced its plan to help drivers switch from diesel cars to greener cars with a £150 million-pound fund, which would pay up to 5,000 pounds per upgrade from a petrol or diesel vehicle. Uber will generate the funds for this initiative by taxing an each fare with an additional 35p in London.
Uber reported an increase in bookings and revenue jump on August 23. The California-based ride-sharing company reduced its losses by 14 percent in Q2 compared to the same period the previous year. The company posted a net loss of $645 million on revenue of $1.75 billion, compared to revenue of $800 million the same period last year.
Global trips increased 150 percent from the previous year, the company said, while gross bookings reached $8.7 billion, up 17 percent which is twice the amount of bookings for the same period in 2016. The company said it had $6.6 billion on hand at the end of Q2, down from $7.1 billion at the end of Q1.
Internally, Uber’s stability has been rocked by the sensational resignation former chief executive, Travis Kalanick. The co-founder stepped down in late June under increased pressure from investors who raised concerns about his leadership. A growing momentum of voices demanded changes at the helm, and it was the call from investors that ultimately forced Kalanick to concede that his position was untenable.
Uber also stiff competition abroad - the need to keep both drivers and customers satisfied has driven up expenses for the company. Cuts are being made to Uber’s US car-leasing business, for instance, amid costs that were thousands of dollars more than expected for each vehicle.
In July, Uber and Russian search engine company Yandex agreed to combine their ride-hailing services to create a joint entity in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan. The combined company, controlled by Yandex, will be valued at $3.725 billion, with both Uber and Yandex investing hundreds of millions of dollars, CNBC reported.
Russian messaging service Telegram has declared it will block terrorist-related channels after Indonesia’s government threatened to completely block the service expressing concerns that the app had become a breeding ground for terrorist content sharing.
Telegram’s web version was blocked by the Ministry of Communication and IT on July 14. The Ministry threatened to completely block access to Telegram’s app as well if it didn’t do more to combat terror groups. The app has been used to promote radicalism, Jakarta claimed, and used for giving instructions for carrying out attacks, due to messages being encrypted.
Indonesia’s concern comes amid increasing influence of so-called Islamic State in Southeast Asia. The island nation experienced a string of attacks this year by the terror group, as has the Philippines which has fought battles against IS at Marawi, on the island of Mindanao.
The founder of Telegram, Russian national Pavel Durov, said he was “upset” by situation, and told his Telegram followers his firm had now removed all terrorist-related public channels reported by the Indonesian government. He said the firm is forming a team of moderators with knowledge of Indonesian language and culture to stamp out all terrorist-related channels faster.
“Telegram is heavily encrypted and privacy-oriented, but we’re no friends of terrorists,” said Mr. Durov, “in fact, every month we block thousands of ISIS-related public channels.”
Telegram has garnered a reputation for playing a central role in Islamic State’s communication strategy, particularly because of a channel feature that allows users to broadcast to an unlimited number of users. Telegram is active in shutting down these channels, but IS operatives often create replica channels, which repeat or mirror the same content.
Apple recently launched a new app development curriculum designed for students who want to pursue careers in the fast-growing app economy. The curriculum is available as a free download from Apple’s iBooks Store.
App Development with Swift is a full-year course designed by Apple engineers and educators to teach students elements of app design using Swift, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. Students will learn to code and design fully functional apps, gaining critical job skills in software development and information technology.
Starting this fall, six community college systems serving nearly 500,000 students across the United States will be among the first to offer the innovative curriculum. At many campuses, local businesses will also offer students mentoring and internships.
“We’ve seen firsthand the impact that coding has on individuals and the US economy as a whole. The app economy and software development are among the fastest-growing job sectors in America and we’re thrilled to be providing educators and students with the tools to learn coding,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
“Community colleges play a critical role in helping students achieve their dreams, and we hope these courses will open doors for people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue what they love.”
The curriculum will be offered by the Alabama Community College System, Columbus State Community College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Houston Community College, Mesa Community College and San Mateo Community College District, among others. Select high schools across the country will also be teaching the App Development with Swift curriculum starting this fall. Houston Community College is opening an iOS Coding and Design School that will teach Apple’s new curriculum.
“The world calls Houston a knowledge capital because of the incredible concentration of ideas and innovation in our great city,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Apple’s investment in our community with the launch of the app development curriculum will tap into the creativity of our students, inspire new possibilities and foster our culture of technological transformation.”
“We are focused on preparing our students for life in a global and technological society, and in 2017 that means making sure our students have access to a state-of-the-art coding curriculum,” said Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado.
“We are thrilled Apple is offering this incredible opportunity to advance student learning, which will especially help us bridge the gap in computer science training for minorities and women. We can’t wait to see what these students will do and already have local businesses offering mentoring and internship opportunities.”
App Development with Swift is an extension of Apple’s existing K-12 Everyone Can Code curricula which offer everyone the power to learn, write and teach coding. Swift is Apple’s powerful and intuitive programming language that gives developers the freedom and capabilities they need to create the next generation of cutting-edge software.
Popular apps including Airbnb, KAYAK, TripAdvisor, Venmo and Yelp are all created with Swift. In addition to over 1 million downloads of Swift Playgrounds, there have been over 430,000 downloads of the additional Everyone Can Code materials and over 1,000 schools across the US plan to teach with Everyone Can Code materials in the fall.
Earlier in the month, Apple announced the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Fund focused on creating jobs in the US throughout our supply chain, with an initial investment of $1 billion. The new Swift coding curriculum is another example of Apple’s commitment to economic development and will help create even more career opportunities for students across the country. Apple now supports 2 million jobs across all 50 states, including more than 1.5 million jobs attributable to Apple’s app economy.
Instant messaging application Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on March 2, and it surged more than 40 percent from the level set in the initial offering the night before. The company soared as its IPO raised $3.2 billion with a price of $17 a share.
Snap Inc. was up about 45.4 percent to $24.72 near 16:30 GMT, shortly after logging its first trades. It was the largest public offering of a US tech firm since the debut of Facebook in 2012. Snap's arrival has been seen by some supporters as an opportunity similar to that of Facebook and its continued success.
The company boasts over 158 million daily active users who create 2.5 billion "snaps" a day in 20 different languages, generating an expected $936 million in revenues in 2017, according to a report by venture equity firm Goodwater Capital. The report reads, "Snapchat is well-positioned to scale rapidly and take market share in the $652 billion global advertising market."
However, some aren't so enthusiastic about Snapchat's potential, referencing Twitter, which has struggled to grow its user-base since its 2013 IPO, and now trades well below its offering price.
There are concerns that Snapchat's user engagement has peaked and could become stale, according to Lou Kerner, manager of the Social Internet Fund and a partner in the venture investment firm Flight VC.
"We know all products have life cycles – you can look at Twitter for a lesson," he said. It isn't a good sign that Snap's IPO didn't include details about historical trends for user metrics, he added.
Social networking platform Twitter announced details of a new initiative which has been specifically designed to crackdown on online harassment and ‘abusive accounts’. Twitter, like other social media platforms have struggled to manage the issue of online abuse from anonymous accounts.
Twitter vice president Ed Ho said they have introduced new measures aimed at identifying individuals who have been suspended from creating new accounts. In a statement issued to the press, Ho said: “We're taking steps to identify people who have been permanently suspended and stop them from creating new accounts. This focuses more effectively on some of the most prevalent and damaging forms of behavior, particularly accounts that are created only to abuse and harass others."
Twitter is hugely popular due to its ability to allow healthy exchanges on public issues, but the social network has also been utilized as a tool to harass and ‘troll’ people – celebrities and those in the public eye particularly come in for some vile abuse. Twitter suspends these users - but until now has been unable to prohibit them from creating a new account.
Former chief executive, Dick Costolo attributes Twitter’s issues in dealing with the problems as one of the primary reasons it has affected its efforts to grow.
Present chief executive added in his statement that Twitter will no longer tolerate ‘trolls’ from stifling users engaging with the platform. He said: “Making Twitter a safer place is our primary focus. We stand for freedom of expression and people being able to see all sides of any topic. That's put in jeopardy when abuse and harassment stifle and silence those voices. We won't tolerate it and we're launching new efforts to stop it."
Part of these efforts includes a new application Twitter added last week which enabled users to use a ‘safe search’ option. This removes tweets that ‘contain potentially sensitive content’ from appearing on their accounts.
In addition to this, the Twitter chief executive reiterated that his engineers will continue to work on identifying ‘abusive and low-quality replies so the most relevant conversations are brought forward.’
The changes are expected to be rolled-out on the social networking platform in the next coming weeks.
Digital analysts have expressed their surprise at the explosion in popularity of video and messaging app Snapchat in the Middle East region. A global study by a leading research consultancy firm established that the proportion of internet users in the UAE who use Snapchat increased from 15% in 2014 to 53% this year.
These statistics significantly outpace the global trend of growth for Snapchat which has risen from 12% to 23% during the same timeframe. Analysts claim that Snapchat, an app which enables users to capture and share video and photo content which is only available to view for 24 hours before it is deleted, ties into the growing youth population in the Middle East which is searching for new ways to express themselves and be creative.
Some felt that restrictions imposed on Snapchat by the UAE government would have a detrimental effect on its popularity, but that hasn’t transpired which has caught many digital experts by surprise.
Bhomik Chanda, Head of Media and Digital Solutions for the Mena region attributed the success of Snapchat to the fact that it was specifically designed for smartphone devices, unlike some other popular social media outlets. In addition to this, he claimed that the younger population in the Middle East is looking for spontaneity which the popular platform provides in abundance.
He said: “Snapchat has an appeal among the 13-34-year-old age groups, and that’s why it is picking up really fast in the region. Especially in Saudi Arabia, given the fewer forms of entertainment there, Snapchat, unlike some other social media platforms before it, was made for your smartphone. And it’s about being instant. So for instance, you’re walking on the beach and you spot something fun, click it and at that very moment you can broadcast it instantly to your snapchat followers. That is the type of spontaneous and instantaneous platform young people want and Snapchat provides it for them.”
Snapchat was developed by Stanford University students Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy in 2011, and they incredibly turned down an offer of $3billion from Facebook to buy them out. Facebook have taken inspiration from Snapchat and have tried to challenge them by developing a special effects camera option on Facebook Messenger which it launched recently. Other attempts to replicate Snapchat’s success from other outlets have ultimately failed as it goes from strength-to-strength, particularly in this region.
Perhaps the biggest factor in its success was Snapchat’s decision to focus on events in the region with its ‘Live Story’ feature last year. Thousands of smartphone users joined the #mecca live story, posting their experiences from Mecca during Ramadan. Businesses are now looking at ways to utilize Snapchat for their benefit commercially, with marketing guru’s declaring that using Snapchat is a smart way to attract attention to as brand and product. It looks inevitable that the Snapchat success will continue to expand in the Middle East.
Technology giants Apple and Google Play have rejected an app which would enable women to upload nude photos on social networking service Instagram. Model Melina Di-Marco has accused the online photo-sharing platform of double standards. Instagram currently allows men to post topless photos, but prohibits women from doing so. However, both the App store and Google Play Store say her app promotes explicit content.
Instagram's policy on nude photos has come under fire in recent years, and high-profile stars such as Scout Willis and Rihanna staged public protests against its stance on the censorship of female photography. Di-Marco’s app is designed to provide simple illustrated "lady parts" to post over your own, to get round the sites rules on nudity.
Instagram’s policy states that they ban ‘violent, nude, partially nude, pornographic or sexually suggestive photos. In practice, this means men can post topless pictures, but women can’t. Despite the high-profile and sustained protests aimed at Instagram in relation to their stance, the company has not changed its policy, insisting that it’s priority is to make the social networking platform a ‘safer place’.
Melina Di-Marco, who's a model in the US, has come up with what she calls a ‘temporary solution’. She's created an application called Nood.
She said: "It's a photo editing app where you can upload a photo and put illustrated nipples over your nipples and an illustrated vagina over your vagina. As a woman and as a model I don't quite understand why my male counterpart can post freely on social media, but I cannot. Nipples are nipples, there's no difference. Female nipples, male nipples, they're all the same."
Melina thinks the current options available for women to censor their photos aren't good enough." I get very frustrated when I see X’s and bars and cutesy stickers on the female body. To me that promotes the over sexualisation of the female form."
But Apple claims the app "includes content that many users would find objectionable and offensive", while Google says: "we don't allow apps that contain or promote sexually explicit content."


text:
Entrepreneurship event for polytechnics
Medha recently organized an entrepreneurship workshop for all students at Jawahar Lal Nehru Polytechnic, Mahmudabad (JLNP) 120 students from Dairy Technology, Agriculture Engineering, and Electronics Engineering participated in the event to learn more about potential opportunities to start their own venture in various fields.
Senior scientist and ex-director of Biotech Park, Lucknow, Mr. Prahlad Seth introduced the basic principles and importance of entrepreneurship and explained how it can result in greater overall economic growth for the country. He also briefed the students on the entrepreneurial potential in the field of organic farming, tissue culture, and horticulture farming. Along with Mr. Seth, ISRO scientist Dr. D.K. Mishra also presented, where he talked to the students about start-up possibilities in the field of remote sensing and electronics.
The event was the joint effort of Medha and JLNP and aimed to demystify entrepreneurship for young people from small towns that currently lack quality job creation. It was a great success and we look to replicate it across campuses where we work.


text:
Some members of Forbes' inaugural Top Influencers list were happy to disclose their going rate for a sponsored social media post. Rachel Brathen, the most sought-after yogi on the internet, commands upwards of $25,000, for example.
Fellow fitness influencer Lyzabeth Lopez, creator of the Hourglass Workout, charges between $3,000 and $5,000 per post, and between $20,000 and $100,000 per campaign.
Others were more tight-lipped. So we asked influencer analytics platform Captiv8 to crunch their numbers and tell us what a top digital star can expect to make based on his or her following.
For now, YouTube reigns supreme, with the most-followed folks -- 7 million subscribers or more -- able to command $300,000 for a video partnership.
On Facebook and Instagram, that figure dipped to $187,000 and $150,000 respectively.
Even a so-called micro-influencer can make a decent living working sponsored content into their social media diet, according to Captiv8's data.
An Instagram user with 100,000 followers can command $5,000 for a post made in partnership with a company or brand.
For more on Forbes' Top Influencer list metrics and methodology, see here.


text:
The PS5 is still out of stock. According to Sony, the shortage of next gen consoles will also continue until the second half of 2021. The Japanese manufacturer reassures and affirms that the offer of PlayStation 5 will gradually improve in the coming months. Nevertheless, the home console may be a scarce commodity until the end of the year.
The standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition have been available on the market since November 2020. Many players have jumped on the new consoles. In a few days, online resellers and physical stores have sold their entire stock of PlayStation 5. Despite several stealthy restockings, especially on Amazon, Cdiscount or Carrefour, many players are still deprived of the precious machines.
Asked by the Washington Post, Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, reassured buyers still deprived of PS5: the situation will gradually improve in the coming months. During the second half of the year, the offer of next gen consoles will be more important. “We are working as we always have, but with renewed vigor and energy after Christmas to increase supply. And the situation will start to improve quite quickly in the coming months. We have tried tirelessly to increase production ” Jim Ryan promises the Washington Post.
On the same subject: Sony unveils the first details on the Playstation VR 2
Sony reveals the causes of the PlayStation 5 shortage
In a second step, Jim Ryan returns to the causes of this chronic shortage worldwide. “During the pandemic, supply chains become complicated. You know, the difficulties in the semiconductor market are a very telling example. Whether it is cars, smartphones, PCs or game consoles, the problems in all these areas are very well documented ” underlines the leader.
According to market watchers, the industry suffers from a severe shortage of chips. This shortage is the result of an explosion in demand for certain high-tech consumer products (TV, PC, smartphone, etc.) during containment, the slowdowns encountered by production lines and the Sino-American trade war. To protect themselves from sanctions, many Chinese groups, including Huawei, have amassed a stockpile of chips in recent months. In this context, Sony finds itself deprived of the chips essential to the functioning of the PS5. Ultimately, the Japanese giant is unable to increase PlayStation 5 production despite gargantuan demand.
1 in 4 PS5 buyers did not have a PS4, says Sony
“We had to move to a fully online distribution model and that’s something we’ve never had to do before” Jim Ryan continues. Finally, the executive points out that the demand for a PS5 has exceeded anything Sony could have imagined. The CEO also reveals that1 in 4 PS5 buyers did not invest in a PlayStation 4. De facto, the manufacturer has managed to attract players from outside the Sony ecosystem. In fact, half of the new PS5 owners are new entrants to the PlayStation Network. “So it’s really good to be able to bring in people from the outside” Jim Ryan advances.
“I know there were people who wanted a PS5 and couldn’t find one. We are very sorry for that, and of course we are grateful that the demand is so high ” continues the frame. Obviously, Jim Ryan isn’t promising that everyone will be able to get their hands on a PlayStation 5 by the end of this year. Nevertheless, it seems that the chronic shortage affecting Sony is expected to ease in the second half of the year. AMD, Sony’s chip supplier, is also betting on PS5 out of stock until the summer. After the summer, the situation could therefore be different. Are you going to wait until then to get your hands on the PS5? We await your opinion in the comments.
Source: Washington Post


text:
BACpress : According to a recent report by IDC, digital transformation spending is expected to surpass $6 trillion dollars within the next four years, and it’s believed that enterprises globally will spend more than $1 trillion on digital transformation before the end of 2019 alone.The report also notes that industries like process and discrete manufacturing and transportation will be some of the biggest spenders. These investments are fueling the growth of machine learning (ML) and the internet of things (IoT) to improve customer experiences and operational efficiency and accuracy. As companies have begun adopting digital transformations, there are a few things I’m looking forward to seeing more of in 2020.
Big Data Grows To Ginormous Data
According to a Network World article, “IDC predicts that the collective sum of the world’s data will grow from 33 zettabytes this year  to 175ZB by 2025, for a compounded annual growth rate of 61%.” (One zettabyte is equal to one trillion gigabytes.) This means that we’ll see not only a massive increase in the amount of IoT-generated and real-time data, but an abundance of new data created and managed by enterprises.
By 2025, nearly 60% of the 175 zettabytes of data will be created and managed by enterprises versus consumers. Driving this growth is IoT edge devices sending waves of information to the cloud.
IoT And ML Are No Longer Future Technologies
The workforce is just not equipped to analyze such large amounts of data, so enterprises will be (and already are) looking for new ways to do so using ML and augmentation. As a consequence of ginormous data, IoT should be viewed as the backbone of today’s data-driven economy. To make sense of this data, the evolution of IoT products and services will become less focused on core technology and more focused on technologies that make better use of the data gathered.
Data As A Service
With all of the data developed day to day — in 2020, every person will create 1.7MB of data per second — it only makes sense to use this data to make more knowledgeable business decisions.
For example, KAR Global has released a platform that gives automotive dealers a wide-angle view of cars currently in demand. The platform also shows the best ROIs and how dealers can move less-desirable vehicles, in addition to inventory segmentation analyses and recommendations for remarketing. All of this uses data available from KAR and its customers in a proprietary way that benefits the auto sales industry as a whole. We should expect other industries to begin using the DaaS model in the same way for decision-making.
The Decline Of Packaged Apps
Instead of downloading apps, soon progressive web apps (PWAs) will be much more commonplace. PWAs are accessed the same way as those downloaded from app stores, but they load faster, they are more secure and they are far smaller in size. Companies such as Lumavate help developers in industries such as motorsports, medical manufacturing, construction, and financial services move from native applications to cost-effective PWAs that ultimately deliver a better user experience and free up space on devices.
Prescriptive analytics goes beyond forecasting possible options and instead suggests a range of actions and the potential outcomes of those actions. As more tools become available, this type of data analyzation is becoming a holy grail.
Autonomous vehicles are fantastic examples. A self-driving car must make millions of calculations based on analyzed data to decide when to turn, change lanes and so on.
Oil and gas industries are also using prescriptive analytics to assess supply, demand, pricing and impacts on the industry when they change. Prescriptive and predictive analytics work together as business intelligence that gives executives insight, as well as foresight, into their company data.
More Jobs Will Actually Be Created From AI Rather Than Lost
AI is predicted to eliminate 1.8 million jobs but also create 2.3 million jobs in 2020. Industries such as healthcare, education and the public sector will see growing job demands. While middle- and low-level positions will take the biggest hits, new roles for these types of workers will open up in sectors such as solar-powered energy, which is now the fastest-growing industry for job creation. Industrial manufacturing is also an industry working to reskill its workforce, marrying the technical and nontechnical know-how of its employees for the digital transformation.
Work Augmentation Through Machine Learning
Machine learning used to mean automating tasks and replacing human work. The focus now is on ML’s ability to augment human work to make us more productive and efficient. In 2020, we’ll see machine learning models engineered to optimize logistics, retail and robotics. Things like recommendation engines, fraud detection, and robotic process automation will become standard and make industry competition fierce.
Robot Process Automation (RPA)
This year, Deloitte saw enterprises double the number of intelligent automation tools (e.g., robot process automation) for day-to-day business tasks such as inventory management. The manufacturing industry, in particular, has been watching RPA for several years and will increase its adoption in 2020. Already, successful RPA solutions in manufacturing include order fulfillment, purchase order processing, inventory reports and transportation management. Executives who have implemented RPA note that employees are more engaged by way of strategic and creative thinking.
No matter the industry, investments in IoT, ML and data analytics will increasingly be required to stay competitive. Most of what we’ll see in technology next year and in the future will center on IoT products and services that enable us to comprehend data acquired by the second. Building and analyzing data now gives enterprises more information than ever before. In 2020, they will use this data to elevate customer, employee and stakeholder experiences.


text:
Bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, Ripple's XRP, and bitcoin cash, the top five cryptocurrencies by value (excluding stablecoin tether), leaped over the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The bitcoin price climbed from under $7,000 per bitcoin to almost $8,000 in just two days, with ethereum, litecoin, Ripple's XRP, and bitcoin cash all making similar gains (despite some worrying news from elsewhere in Europe).
The reason for the sudden rally was not immediately clear, however, reports that banks in Germany will be able to sell and store bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from next year might be behind the latest uptick.
From 2020, German banks can support the sale and custody of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, local business newspaper Handelsblatt reported.
Germany's Federal Council passed the law at the end of last week, with the new regulation expected to come into force on January 1 2020.
Today, German banks are not allowed to sell bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and the bill would overhaul the status quo.
Panic Is Suddenly Spreading Among Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, XRP And Dogecoin Traders Even As The Market Soars Toward A $1.7 Trillion Price
The news was welcomed by the local bitcoin and crypto industry, as well as the banking association BdB, which said the new regulation makes it possible for investors to invest in crypto-values via domestic rather than foreign funds, could help prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, and allow "experienced" credit institutions to protect investors.
"Germany is well on its way to becoming a crypto-heaven," Sven Hildebrandt, head of the blockchain and crypto consulting firm DLC, told the newspaper in comments translated through Google. "The German legislator is playing a pioneering role in the regulation of crypto-truths."
Bitcoin's epic 2017 bull run, which saw the bitcoin price surge from under $1,000 per bitcoin at the beginning of the year to almost $20,000 in under 12 months, was largely due to expectations the traditional financial industry was about to wade into crypto.
When banks and financial institutions failed to buy into bitcoin as much as some had hoped the price fell sharply throughout 2018.
Over the last year, institutional money has gradually flowed into bitcoin and cryptocurrency, however, with the price being bolstered this year by interest in bitcoin and crypto from the world's biggest technology companies.
Elsewhere, the bitcoin and cryptocurrency market may have been further boosted by reports Twitter and Square chief executive Jack Dorsey, known to be an advocate of bitcoin, revealed he plans to spend time in Africa next year, where it's thought he will work on some bitcoin-related projects.
Dorsey expects Africa to "define" the future, especially when it comes to bitcoin.


text:
Published on : Oct 18, 2022
On Tuesday, NordPass, a password management company, launched its annual Cyber Month sale in order to celebrate the global Cybersecurity Awareness Month initiative and ensure more people and companies can secure their accounts using a password manager. From October 18 to December 1, a NordPass Business subscription is available for up to 60% off, and Personal or Family Premium plans are discounted by up to 50%.
“We aim to ensure our cybersecurity solutions are accessible to everyone. With the growing number of cyberattacks, securing your identity online is ‘hygiene’ rather than luxury, and tech companies are responsible to keep it this way,” says Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of business development at NordPass.
In addition to joining the FIDO Alliance a few weeks ago, NordPass has also recently complemented its password manager with various new features. Here are some key improvements:
Data Breach Monitoring
With the Data Breach Monitor tool introduced in September, NordPass notifies the company’s clients in-app or via email if their credentials have appeared in publicly available data breaches. This feature, scanning the internet 24/7 to find new leaks, complemented Data Breach Scanner, a security tool NordPass developed last year.
Both business and private users of NordPass can now try the Switch Account function, which allows the user to toggle between different accounts without logging out. In total, a user can add up to five accounts.


text:
Famitsu has revealed that the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII-2 won't be split across multiple discs, a welcome change from Final Fantasy XIII's three-disc release.
It's rare these days that we hear of a sequel taking up less space than its predecessor. As this generation has brought us bigger, more graphically complex games, developers have found themselves butting up against the 8.5 GB space limit. Several high profile games, including Rage and Battlefield 3, will be shipping for the 360 on two discs. Of course, the PS3's Blu-ray, which offers up to 50 GB of space on a dual-layer disc, hasn't presented similar problems.
According to Director Motomu Toriyama, this improvement comes by way of real-time cutscenes. Like most Final Fantasy games, XIII used prerendered videos to drive the story forward. With XIII-2, Square Enix built from the ground up with the 360's limitations in mind, making it the natural decision to render everything in real time.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 launches in Japan on December 15. North America will be getting the game on January 31, and PAL territories will be able to pick it up a few days later on February 3.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB) has announced the appointment of Khalid Humaidan as the new chairman of the board, succeeding H.E. Khalid Al Rumaihi. BFB would like to convey its appreciation and gratitude to H.E. Khalid Al Rumaihi for his leadership and support in his time as Chairman during which BFB was established and transformed into one of the region’s leading FinTech ecosystems.
Khalid Humaidan, who was recently appointed as the Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), brings a wealth of experience in the financial services industry, having previously served as Head of Global Markets MEA for BNP Paribas. His experience and leadership will be instrumental in helping grow BFB’s ecosystem and strengthening Bahrain’s position as the region’s leading FinTech hub.
On this occasion, Mr. Khalid Humaidan, Chairman of BFB said: “I am pleased to join Bahrain FinTech Bay, who are a key pillar of our FinTech ecosystem. As Bahrain embarks on an ambitious digital transformation journey, organisations like Bahrain FinTech Bay are instrumental and play a central role to the development of non-traditional sectors, like FinTech.
Through its forward-thinking regulator, Bahrain has introduced a number of regulations over the past two years to promote investment in the sector, including the region’s first nationwide sandbox. This, combined with the efforts of Bahrain Fintech Bay, helps support the growth of the ecosystem and makes the Kingdom an ideal testbed to the region. I look forward to seeing innovation in this sector thrive and I am excited to be working alongside Bahrain FinTech Bay”.


text:
If there’s one reason to subscribe to Hulu over Netflix, it’s the ability to watch the latest episode of a TV show just hours after it airs. Streaming current seasons of shows has been one of Hulu’s biggest draws from the outset, but as talks are… [Read more on BGR]
Plus, half off in-store accessories.
T-Mobile announced a new phase of its Un-carrier Unwrapped holiday promotion on Thursday. The company already offered Sprint customers $200 to change carriers and tempted AT&T subscribers with… [Read more on engadget]
Hulu may have introduced a commercial free-tier to improve the user experience for those who can’t stand watching ads, but a new deal with Fox Networks has the potential to make the ad-supported version of Hulu less painful as well.
This week, Fox and Hulu announced a new type of ad format… [Read more on TechCrunch]
It may be late to the party with some features, but aggressive content acquisition and a new ad-free model make the service a formidable rival to Amazon and Netflix.
It seems crazy, but a little over a month ago Hulu still included ads, even its premium subscription option. With… [Read more on Fortune]
Even with all the hype surrounding their original series, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, in order to attract subscribers, each rely on popular shows that first air on TV. And the war for exclusive rights to these binge-worthy properties has never been more pitched.
Over the last two weeks of September, the Big Three subscription VOD providers announced a string of… [Read more on Variety]
Hulu to produce original VR content, starting with bonus short for ‘RocketJump: The Show’
In addition, Hulu said it will… [Read more on Variety]
I finally gave up my cable subscription in 2007. By that time, the culture was already awash in stellar serial narratives, and I had begun to think of TV the way I thought of reading fiction — all I really needed to keep me happy was one good story at a time. Thanks to Netflix DVDs, I worked my way through Battlestar Galactica, The Office, and The Wire. Fast-forward to today, and the problem feels way more complicated. We’re drowning in good TV, renting DVDs has fallen out of fashion, and shows are… [Read more on The Verge]
DÉCRYPTAGE – Face au succès de Netflix, devenu la référence en matière de vidéos à la demande et de production de programmes originaux, les multinationales et les acteurs traditionnels du marché de la télévision veulent tous leur plateforme de streaming par abonnement.
“La télévision linéaire va encore durer un peu grâce au sport, dont la fin n’est jamais écrite. Mais elle aura disparu dans 20 ans car tout cela sera disponible sur internet”. La prophétie de Reed… [Lire la suite sur RTL]
Hulu announced on Wednesday that it was starting a commercial-free version of its streaming service, costing $12 a month, in its latest effort to enhance its offerings and become a stronger rival to Netflix and Amazon.
Le service de séries et de films Netflix a annoncé qu’à partir du 1er octobre prochain, il retirerait de sa plateforme les films détenus par le réseau Epix. Son concurrent Hulu s’est porté acquéreur.
A la fin du… [Lire la suite sur Le Parisien]
Clear branding is key
While Amazon and Hulu are trying to compete with Netflix, the reality is that Netflix is the clear victor in the battle of the streaming services. Nielsen notes that 36 percent of U.S. households subscribe to Netflix (more than 40 million U.S. subscribers in all), with Amazon Prime (13 percent) and Hulu Plus, now known simply as Hulu (6.5 percent), lagging behind.
If you want a digital subscription to Showtime, you can buy one from Apple, Sony or Roku for $11 a month starting in July.
But if you pay for a subscription to Hulu’s premium service, you can also pick up a Showtime subscription from the video service — for $9 a month.
The 20 percent difference in the two plans, announced today, says a lot about… [Read more on Re/Code]
The streaming pioneer adds star power to juice up its lineup
When Hulu launched in 2008, the ad-supported streaming service wasn’t a big priority for owners Fox, Disney and NBC. “It was like, if the ship is going to blow, at least we have an escape pod, but we don’t want to equip this escape pod so well that everyone would prefer it to being on the ship with us,” Forrester analyst James McQuivey put it.
While Hulu attracts… [Read more on AdWeek]


text:
Srinagar: A two week design development workshop for upgrading the skills of papier mâché artisans concluded at Craft Development Institute (CDI) on Thursday.
The workshop titled ‘USTTAD’, about development in the traditional arts and crafts, was held in collaboration with National Institute of design, Ahmadabad and Ministry of Minority Affairs Government of India.
Around 25 artisans participated in the workshop to upgrade their skills on new designs and colour combinations.
Kousar Ahmad Shah, head of papier mâché artisans said that they had attended many workshops before but this workshop was helpful for them, as they received the training for the transformation of the traditional papier mâché products with new designs.
“The workshop we attended from past two weeks here in CDI was very helpful. We got an idea how to make new and innovative designs which will help us in generating more income and the products we made during this workshop are interesting,” said Ahmad.
Waseem Ahmad Dar, a student of Craft Management and Entreprenuership, (MCME) at CDI said that this workshop gave an in-depth to the transformation of the papier mâché products because “earlier the products were only for decoration but now they can be used and will be functional.”


text:
The Online Apple Store is now quoting estimated U.S. ship times for all iPhone 5s models at three to five days, a marked improvement from only one week ago, signaling the company is making strides to catch up with demand.
According to Apple's digital storefront, the popular flagship iPhone is available for shipment within a week in the U.S. and other countries, even the hot-selling gold version.
The iPhone 5s saw brisk sales after the device launched in September, with certain models saw ship times slip to seven to ten business days after being on sale for mere hours. At the time, supply of the gold model was most constrained with ship dates falling to October.
At launch, Apple reportedly faced trouble with low production yields of its new Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which is still only incorporated in the company's iPhone 5s. The lack of supply culminated in a sellout of initial stock in under two days.
While the iPhone 5s has proven to be quite popular, the same cannot be said of the iPhone 5c. According to a report on Monday, Foxconn will be halting production of the 5c at one of its large factories in Zhengzhou, China, and will instead focus on the iPhone 5s. Foxconn is responsible for 30 percent of all iPhone 5c production, with Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron picking up the bulk of orders.


text:
Models at risk include Patriots, Compasses, and V-6 Wranglers
It helps to have a fix. And, Chrysler would say, a problem.
In a week that it didn't need any more negative attention on its Jeep brand, Chrysler says it will do two Jeep recalls totaling 630,000 vehicles worldwide. The announcement comes just two days after Chrysler refused a government request to recall 2.7 million older-model Jeeps
Chrysler said Thursday that it will recall more than 409,000 Jeep Patriot and Compass small SUVs around the world from the 2010 and 2012 model years to fix air bag and seat-belt problems. Continue to USA Today...
Digital Daily Signup
Sign up now for the Michigan Chronicle Digital Daily newsletter!
- Detroit is eligible for bankruptcy, pension cuts (2)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network among lowest priced health plans on Michigan’s ACA health insurance marketplace (1)
- WIGS 4 KIDS HOSTS TENTH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISING GALA (6)
- Charles Barkley ‘Agrees’ With GZ Verdict, Says ‘Black People Are Racist Too’ (2)
- Why France’s lens is focused on Detroit (1)


text:
Gigaset AG publishes report on the second quarter and first half of 202024. September 2020 Published by Jana Greyling
Gigaset AG (ISIN: DE0005156004), an internationally operating company in the area of communications technology, today published its report for the second quarter and the first half of 2020. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic led to a significant decline in both revenue and earnings in the first half of 2020. The trade restrictions imposed by the European governments also practically brought brick-and-mortar retail to a standstill in many places well into Q2 2020.
Accordingly, revenue in the first half of 2020 stood at €75.8 million, after having still reached €107.1 million in the same period of the previous year. At minus €8 million, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were also well below that of the previous year (H1 2019: €6.7 million).
“All of the company’s business segments were affected by the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the first six months of 2020. Restrictions on public life, as well as business closures and lockdowns, especially in other European countries, lasted in part well into June,” said Thomas Schuchardt, CFO of Gigaset AG. “We nevertheless expect business activity to normalize in the second half of the year and additional catch-up effects from Q1 and Q2. We especially anticipate a strong fourth quarter for 2020. Christmas trade is traditionally the biggest revenue driver of the year.”
All in all, the company’s early and consistent liquidity management led to positive results, or almost at the planned level, for the individual months despite the fall in revenue (€0.5 million in April, minus €0.4 million in May, and minus 0,6 million in June). The intensive focus on active cash management in combination with targeted savings measures made a significant contribution to the overall result in the first six months.
Digitalization provides future potential
The decline in revenue in the first half year is an unavoidable consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. Gigaset AG successfully dealt with this dynamic through its swift action regarding consistent liquidity management, and by adjusting its investment activities in the fields and research and development and marketing. The developments in the first half of 2020 affected thousands of companies worldwide – the coronavirus effect cuts across the German, European and global economy.
Regardless of the short-term challenges, the Executive Board of Gigaset AG sees potential in the future. The coronavirus pandemic is speeding up digitalization, as the proportion of online sales also showed, rising by 115% in the first half of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019. Home office and remote work will lead to a large-scale redesign and adjustment of the IT and telecommunications structures both at work and home. Gigaset is excellently positioned to accompany and benefit from these developments:
With work increasingly shifting to the private setting, DECT telephony has experienced a renaissance. Reasons why this effect will last are the voice quality, the ergonomics of the devices, and the call and standby times – all factors that are wanted and needed in the home office.
Gigaset is the only provider to offer fixed-line, professional and mobile telephony from a single source. The expansion of the ecosystem is speeding up the merger of B2C and B2B solutions. In the context of remote working, customers will opt for end-to-end solutions for their employees that Gigaset can offer.
- Smart Home
When home becomes the new focal point, investments in this area shift accordingly. There is already a perceptible increase in DIY projects. The smart expansion of the home is a logical step, and rising demand can be expected as a result from 2021. Gigaset is in a central position with its four application fields of security, energy, convenience and help for people in need of care.
Digitalization will primarily permanently change what is offered by telecommunication system providers and manufacturers of devices such as Gigaset. Regardless of all these changes between the provider and the device, the latter, in other words, the hardware required for the call, will remain unaffected by them. The company, as a manufacturer in the B2B field with close links to cloud partners, will also benefit from this.
Performance by business segments
Revenue for Phones was still at the planned level until mid-March in fiscal 2020, despite what continued to be a challenging environment. The negative effects of the anti-coronavirus measures then made themselves felt. Through the massive intervention into public life and store closures, sales and revenue fell dramatically. In the first half of 2020, Phones generated total revenue of €56.7 million (H1 2019: €76.4 million).
The Smartphones segment was especially hard hit by the coronavirus restrictions in all sales markets. On the sales side, many devices were returned as a result of the measures, leading to negative revenue in the first quarter. Despite catch-up effects in the second quarter, only €0.2 million was generated with smartphones in the whole of the first six months of 2020 compared with €4.2 million in the same period of the previous year.
With revenue of €1.3. million for the first six months, the Smart Home segment was slightly down year on year (H1 2019: €1.6 million), although a very good first quarter – mostly thanks to a strategic partnership with a European operator – slowed down the revenue decline in Q2 caused by the pandemic.
In the Professional segment, the measures taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic led to projects and orders being deferred by customers and hence also to a drop in revenue to €17.6 million (H1 2019: €24.9 million).
Comment on Outlook for 2020
Gigaset AG will not issue a detailed business forecast for 2020. In view of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the company’s dependence on external factors outside its control, in other words, decisions by governments to impose lockdowns and close businesses and borders, as well as the duration and further evolution of the pandemic itself, a reliable forecast is not possible. As September 2020 draws to a close, there are developments across the whole of Europe that, after the situation eased during the summer months, suggest a surge of infections in the fourth quarter. In view of these developments, no improved predictability can be expected for the last three months of the year. Gigaset continues to react flexibly and dynamically to economic developments resulting from the infection process and the associated political decisions. Overall, as a result of the unprecedented crisis, the company continues to expect a decline in the relevant key figures compared to the previous year.
The complete report on the second quarter and first half of 2020 can be downloaded here.


text:
Tamashii Nations has released official pictures and details on their upcoming SH Figuarts The Dark Knight Batpod. The SH Figuarts Batpod is made to perfectly fit their previously released The Dark Knight Batman Figure (which you can order from Entertainment Earth). The company will be including additional interchangeable hands for Batman, with this Batpod vehicle, to make sure he can grip the controls. The Batpod measures over 12″ front-to-back.
It’s scheduled for release in January 2018. The Batpod will set you back around $110.00 when it is available. The item goes up for pre-order August 10th. Check out the photos below!
About The Dark Knight:
With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
SH Figuarts Justice League Wonder Woman Figure Officially Unveiled
Official images and solicitation information has been released for the SH Figuarts Justice League Wonder Woman Figure coming from Bandai Tamashii Nations. Although the figure was revealed during SDCC 2017, this is our official first look at the figure. Wonder Woman will include multiple interchangeable hands, an additional swap out portrait, a sword, a shield and two lassos.
The SH Figuarts Justice League Wonder Woman Figure has a release scheduled for December 2017. The figure is going to cost you around $60.00 when pre-orders go up next week. Check back for links for those on August 1.
Check out the official images below, which includes a look at the entire Justice League team in SH Figuarts form!
About Justice League:
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash — it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
The film hits theaters November 17, 2017!
A Look at the SDCC Tamashii Nations Booth!
It’s that time of year! The time when pop culture’s biggest stars hit San Diego to show off their latest movies, TV shows, toys, comics, and more! That’s right, it is time for San Diego Comic-Con! Next is a look at the SDCC Tamashii Nations Booth!
This year the team at Tamashii Nations has brought a few new Justice League toys, as well as fan favorite The Dark Knight items, and also some Suicide Squad figures. The SH Figuarts figures are always a collector’s favorite.
Check out a few images from our pals at ToyArk, then head on over there to get even more detailed photos!
About Tamashii Nations:
TAMASHII NATIONS is an umbrella label encompassing Japan’s top collectible brands that contain products from popular giant robot shows like Mazinger Z and Gundam to anime franchise like Saint Seiya and One Piece to live action shows like Kamen Rider. The mission of Tamashii Nations is bring “tamashii” the Japanese word for soul or spirit into everything they create.
SH Figuarts Justice League Batman Gets a U.S. Release!
Tamashii Nations has announced that their SH Figuarts Justice League Batman, will get an official US release! That’s right, no importing of this figure, it will be with toy retailers in November, just in time for the release of the film.
This is also one of the first Justice League collectibles we have seen from the film. Check out the figure, including photos and solicitation information, below!
The ever-popular Batman from JUSTICE LEAGUE (The movie will be released at November!) joins the S.H.Figuarts series of ultra high quality figures! Utilizes digital coloring and incorporates a bendable cloth cape! The highly posable and expressive 150mm tall figure includes 5 pairs of optional hands (L/R), a batarang, grapnel gun and a grapnel gun’s part.
Available for pre-order now!
Releasing November 2017
Look for pre-order links later this afternoon!
Kotobukiya3 weeks ago
Official Solicitation of the Kotobukiya DC Comics Nightwing Ikemen Statue
Funko3 weeks ago
Funko to Release Lobo POP Vinyl Figures
DC Collectibles4 weeks ago
DC Collectibles April and May 2018 Solicitations
Funko7 days ago
Booster Gold and Blue Beetle Finally Get Their Own Funko POPs!
DC Collectibles3 days ago
DC Collectibles June 2018 Solicitations
Diamond Select Toys4 weeks ago
Diamond Select May 2018 Solicitations
Omnibus4 weeks ago
DC Comics April 2018 Omnibus Solicitations
LEGO3 weeks ago
LEGO Announces New The Joker Manor Set!


text:
6-Year-Old Injured When Ice Flies Off Truck, Crashes Through WindshieldFalling ice on the highway caused another dangerous incident Friday. Ice flew off a truck and smashed the windshield of a sedan on I-95 North in Peabody, according to Mass. State Police.
Nearly Half The Calls You Receive This Year Will Be SpamNearly half the calls made to US cell phones in 2019 will be spam, according to a study by First Orion referenced in a Federal Communications Commission report Thursday.
Terror Plot Suspect Charged With Threatening President Donald Trump, FamilyA man who allegedly planned a terrorist attack in Cleveland last summer and expressed his desire to plan an attack in Philadelphia also made threats to kill President Donald Trump and his family, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
'I'm Fixin To Blow It Up': Bathroom Warning Mistaken For Bomb Threat At Home DepotA report of a bomb threat at a Home Depot store in Kansas turned out to be a big misunderstanding.
Fisher-Price Recalls 44,000 Power Wheels Barbie Dream Campers Due To Injury HazardFisher-Price is recalling a popular Barbie toy over fears that it could cause injuries.
'I Was In Shock': Woman Shot In Face With Crossbow Drives Herself To HospitalAn Arkansas woman who was shot in the face with a crossbow is recovering in a hospital and the man who allegedly shot her faces felony charges.
Colorado Sports Store Owner Who Boycotted Nike Now Closing Up ShopA sporting goods store owner in Colorado Springs decided to close up shop months after he started boycotting Nike products.
How Love Sparks Better Heart HealthWhen you think of your loved one, does your heart feel warm and fuzzy? Or would you say it skips a beat, goes pitter-patter or begins to race?
Drinking Two Or More Diet Beverages A Day Linked To High Risk Of Stroke, Heart AttacksMore bad news for diet soda lovers: Drinking two or more of any kind of artificially sweetened drinks a day is linked to an increased risk of clot-based strokes.
Fisherman Catches Giant 20 Pound 'Goldfish' With A BiscuitA fisherman in Kentucky used unusual bait over the weekend to reel in a giant catch that looks like a goldfish.
'Heaven Has A Wall, Hell Has Open Borders': Grocery Store Ad Stirs Political Debate
Police: Son Sets Mother's Home On Fire After Argument Over Box Of Cheez-ItsA man in Georgia set his mother's home on fire early Tuesday over a box of Cheez-It crackers, authorities say.


text:
Geissler’s Supermarket held a grand reopening at the end of February at its store in Agawam, Massachusetts.
In July, Geissler’s began the remodel of its Agawam location. The project entailed moving every grocery aisle and produce refrigerated cases throughout the store to make way for a new deli and kitchen that doubled in size.
Family meals, sides, pizza, wings and sandwiches have grown deli department sales. The addition of a new smoker has allowed new offerings, such as grab-and-go ribs, wings and pulled pork items.
The store added a new kiosk popping fresh popcorn, kettle corn and caramel corn, along with a variety of other flavors. The produce department also saw the addition of a new juice machine for fresh squeezed orange juice. The bakery grew and a new service chocolate case features locally made Munson’s chocolates, truffles and other treats.
“We are thrilled to unveil our renovated store to the Agawam community. It took many long hours, major adjustments and dedication,” said Bob Rybick, Geissler’s CEO and president. “We thank our customers for being so patient and understanding as all of this was done to better their shopping experience.”
Geissler’s Supermarkets is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. To stay up to date on store happenings, visit its Facebook page.
The company was founded in 1923 by A.F. Geissler, delivering groceries to the small village of Broad Brook in the Town of East Windsor, Connecticut. Geissler’s daughter, Mary, married Jim Nilsson, who took over and expanded the business into a multi-store independent chain. Today, there are seven locations in the New England area. The Nilsson family still owns and operates the Geissler’s stores.
To view the photo gallery of the store’s remodel presented by The Shelby Report, click here.


text:
WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Leave it to our creative retail neighbors to the north to find a fun way to merchandise over-the-counter products and wellness.
(THE NEWS: In sweeping overhaul of its retail mission, Rexall unveils ‘Healthy Living’ prototype. For the full story, click here)
The flagship Rexall division of Canadian drug store giant Katz Group has spent two years crafting a new and appealing approach to the retailing of preventive health products and services and the management of chronic disease. And Tuesday, Rexall Healthy Living Pharmacy was ready for its close-up.
Rexall execs and planners proudly displayed the results of that two-year effort Oct. 19, with a media walk-through at the company’s 16,000-sq.-ft. prototype Healthy Living store in the Toronto suburb of Milton, Ontario. Five top Rexall managers — including CEO Andy Giancamilli, COO Warren Jeffery, marketing and advertising chief Denise Darragh, chief merchant Ron Lalla and Tracey Phillips, head of pharmacy services, marketing and supply — gave Drug Store News an exclusive, nearly hour-long interview to explain the evolution of the new concept and its goals.
Much like what is happening in the United States, the Canadian healthcare system is under duress as costs continue to skyrocket and physicians are overwhelmed by patient caseloads. The new Rexall concept, said ex-pat and former Kmart COO Giancamilli, will “bridge the gap” between patient and doctor by offering up accessible, community-based care by specially trained pharmacists, wellness advisers and skin care experts, and by giving shoppers and patients the information they need to make more informed decisions about products, health services and healthier modes of living.
It’s a tall order. But Rexall’s pharmacy and merchandising teams have labored to make the six Healthy Living pilot stores fun and informative, with interactive kiosks and “health information touch points” scattered throughout the store to guide purchases and provide advice. And among the roughly 20 Rexall employees who staff each of those stores is a healthy living advisor, installed in a specially marked “focal point” station near the front of the store to guide customers through each department.
Rexall called each of the advisers “a specially trained health and customer experience ambassador,” and said they will be key to the expansion of the Healthy Living concept to more stores going forward [including a seventh prototype store, set to open in Kelowna, B.C., in spring 2011]. But the advisers won’t act alone: They’ll be part of “an increased level of interactivity between store staff and customers … throughout the store, including in the Skin Health area,” according to the company.
Also new: Interactive terminals where patients can use touchscreen technology for information on health topics, disease, prevention and OTC medicines.
The goal: to “help Canadians live their healthiest” and “inspire them to take charge of their health,” Lalla said. That means elevating Rexall’s image and draw as a health-and-wellness destination, and building on its already strong links with family physicians.
Some 150 stores within the Katz Group’s 1,800-store retail network across Canada are already linked with doctors’ offices; in some cases, those primary-care physician practices are even housed within the store as walk-in clinics. The partnership likely will expand as the country looks for new solutions to its own healthcare crisis.


text:
NaVorro Bowman Joins Heroics! October 27 2014
The MON5T3R "NaVorro Bowman" 49ers has joined the Heroics Family! Be on the look out for new merchandise and the story how we all came together.
There are tons of new things in the works so be patient! There is going to be a huge change in the market. If you are a Heroics supporter you already know we have created the Bay Area sports fashion movement. Now look at it!
We are happy to see others hop on, but we are changing the game once again.


text:
Peace Tree Brewery will open Jan. 1 in the East Village
Peace Tree Brewing will open its East Village tap room and brewery on Jan. 1 in a remodeled Quonset hut.
The Knoxville-based company will be serving its popular brews in addition to some new varieties at the East Village location, 317 E. Court Ave., said owner Megan McKay. The taproom will have 25 taps that will include five barrel aged beers that the company has been stocking away for the opening, she said. will also offer root beer and a guest cider brew, she said.
The full brewing system will get underway soon with the East Village brewery making sour beer, a tart brew that is gaining in popularity. Brewing sour beers requires a specific type of bacteria. To safeguard against infecting other batches with the bacteria, it is best to make sour beers in a separate facility, McKay has said.
The 1,500-square foot taproom will seat about 100 inside and 30 more on the patio when Iowa weather permits, she said. There’s also a semi-private space for holding events.
There won’t be food available, save for some light snacks. But McKay said there will be food trucks nearby as well as take-out food from nearby eateries that patrons are welcome to bring in, she said.
Local real estate developer Jake Christensen bought the building with partners Jim Cownie and BDC, a construction company, late last year and began renovating it into commercial space, which McKay is leasing. “I really feel proud to refurbishing a run-down building,” she said.
Christensen said the Quonset hut design with its high ceilings and open space is an interesting building for the brewery. Peace Tree is a good fit for that portion of the East Village, which is becoming more an entertainment district with nearby Iowa Taproom and other businesses coming to the area.
McKay plans to keep open the Knoxville brewery and taproom open. The six-year-old brewery has won several accolades, including a World Beer Cup gold medal for Blonde Fatal, its Belgian style strong ale.
Opening in the East Village on Jan. 1 was perfect timing, she said. "It's a great way to start out the new year and build the business," she said.
Peace Tree Brewing will be open 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Call 515-288-2739 or find it on Facebook.