text:
The story behind the MoviePass subscription service has certainly been quite a roller coaster ride over the last couple of years but it appears that we will now be able to close the book on this ill-fated attempt to disrupt how consumers purchase tickets for their favorite films. The service has officially been shut down as of today according to an announcement from parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.
This does not mean that MoviePass is completely dead at this point. The parent company is working to obtain financing to bring back the subscription service though the tone of the announcement does not sound particularly optimistic. “The Company is unable to predict if or when the MoviePass™ service will continue. The Company is continuing its efforts to seek financing to fund its operations. There can be no assurance that any such financing will be obtained or available on terms acceptable to the Committee,” noted executives at Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.
MoviePass offered a subscription service which allowed consumers to watch movies at their local theaters in exchange for a monthly fee. At the peak of its popularity MoviePass allowed consumers to watch an unlimited amount of movies at the theater for just $9.99 USD per month.
The problem is that the company would have to purchase these tickets from theaters at full price while only bringing in about ten dollars every month from each subscriber. Heavy users of the service – those that would watch at least one money every single day – would cause the company to quickly burn through its cash reserves.
Sinemia – a similarly ill-fated subscription service for movie theaters – abruptly shut down operations within the United States earlier this year.


text:
If Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton was aiming to stir a hornet's nest with his comments last week that Nintendo's handhelds were a "great babysitting tool,"
Gamers around the web seemed incensed when the consumer press picked up on Tretton's assertion that "self-respecting 20-somethings" are "too old" for Nintendo's portable.
But at the same time, his comments were thought-provoking on the nature of a hardware-platform's "identity" and how its market positioning correlates to the audience it addresses.
Past platform wars were often just muscle contests where the highest-performer won (if the price was accessible), but this generation has seen a significant stratification in the market, making it advisable for each hardware manufacturer to attempt to address an ever-widening audience from a slightly-different angle.
For example, Nintendo made it clear early on that it would largely bow out of the race for high-fidelity and sophisticated online features, focusing instead on a friendly, approachable market position that highlighted all-ages content and innovations on the hardware side, from the Wii's motion controls to the DS's touch screen.
Microsoft drove adoption of its Xbox platform by driving squarely for the core market, developing early on the sort of multiplayer infrastructure that made it the preferred home for the traditional player. Later, it redoubled its efforts on the "media center" billing that aimed to position it as a lifestyle hub. It finally aimed for Wii-style marketshare with the addition of Kinect.
Sony took an entirely opposite tactic, banking on the idea that consumers would desire a high-priced "lifestyle console" -- at the launch of the PlayStation 3, many gamers even felt that Sony, with the PS3's Blu-ray drive, focused too much on multimedia at the expense of gaming itself. That decision would prove costly to the company early on in the hardware cycle; the PS3 wasn't able to make its most meaningful push into the market until its price was significantly lowered and the content lineup became more compelling.
The "ten year plan" for the PS3 has been part of Sony's marketing strategy from the beginning; one could translate it as "we'll get there," building a feature-rich foundation and only later evolving on the specific vertices that its rivals went for directly from the get-go.
There's now much more overlap in the audience for the Big Three's platforms than there once might have been. Although Wii made its sales primarily in the mass market -- where it's since peaked -- while leaving a perpetually-unsatisfied core consumer to grumble, Nintendo's portables have benefited widely from a social climate where gaming in general is more prevalent and more socially-appropriate.
Much is made of the iPhone and Android platforms supposedly stealing away the audience for portable play, but perhaps that perspective gives little credit to the broad nature of the "core" label -- you don't need to be the kind of gamer who primarily plays matches of Halo
and Call of Duty
to feel that a game like Angry Birds
isn't persistent or rich enough for you, either.
But ride the subway to work or stand in line at the bank and you'll see lots of very casual players engaged in some light "snack gaming" on the iPhone. And that kind of environment makes it much more common to see adults who want even just a smidge more sustenance holding Nintendo handhelds -- or even Sony's own PSP, for that matter.
And they've stopped feeling so childish about it. Night after night, everyone sees commercials for Kinect that show adults jumping and dancing in front of their TV to play video games -- and having a grand old time of it. They don't care if they look silly. People feel Kinect looks futuristic and cool, Wii's influence is inescapable, and mobile gamers are suddenly everywhere you look.
It's more and more rare that having a video game system immediately brands you as a basement troll tapped out of the real world. New consumers now look at the industry and start to see a place for them. Gaming in public and on the go is rapidly becoming mainstream, and the person playing Cut The Rope
is unlikely to look at a peer with a DS and think, "how childish." That's where Tretton's wrong.
The strategy Sony's tried to use in the market positioning against its rivals in the past -- the high-end, grown-up alternative to the little-kid boxes everyone else is buying -- didn't work so well in the past, and it'll be even less effective now. "Self-respecting 20-somethings" are increasingly less self-conscious about playing portable video games, and about gaming in general.
No doubt Sony is setting up to angle its sleek, feature-rich NGP as a more mature, more capable choice than the DS platform. And to gain meaningful penetration, they'll have to persuade some percentage of the audience that it's worthwhile to replace that old DS, to "trade up" not to a 3DS (whose ability to inspire awe at first sight for gamers of all ages should not be underestimated) but to an NGP.
Gamers might be eager to shed the "dumb toy" image of years past, but social evolution's helping them do that already, and the NGP will launch to a market newly settled into relatively pricey portable hardware -- 3DS and smartphones -- that people may be hard-pressed to convince are worth spending to enhance.
And by implying that there's some kind of immaturity to those users of the most common portable platform -- at least the one most popular among gamers who actually like to spend money on retail hardware and software -- Sony actually risks alienating a key portion of its potential audience.
Sales numbers this gen have proven it: People care less about being "high end", and no one is very worried about their image anymore, either. They care about whether a piece of hardware has the content and features that they want, and that's it.
Of course, when Apple now famously unveiled its iPad, no one believed that anyone would shell out so much cash for something people mocked as no bigger than an upscaled iPhone (without the calling feature, no less). Those people have since stopped laughing, and have now started gazing lustfully at iPad 2s. That success was one part Apple's inimitable grace in commanding brand loyalty and desirability, but the other part was that the company saw a new market -- a device that lies in between the phone and the computer -- and seized it.
The NGP could do something like that, too. With its control scheme and innovative back touchpad, it certainly promises more than just better graphics; not only does it look gorgeous, capable of piquing true gadget-lust, but rumblings from developers suggest games on the device have tons of potential, from interface to performance. Sony's marketing lines should focus on that, and not on the dated practice of setting up one-to-one rivalries with other platform-holders.
Nintendo's players aren't being babysat, they're being engaged, and instead of sassy talk, Sony should start planning how it's going to distract them.

domain: news


text:
Scala JWT Romania made the latest campaign for Floriol, oil brand in portfolio of Bunge Romania & Bulgaria. The press campaign announces the launch of the 2 liter packaging for this cooking oil and has as target the specialised publications.
Bunge Romania’s team for this project included Simona Hancu- Senior Brand Manager Romania & Bulgaria and Florin Ciobota – Junior Brand Manager.
From Scala JWT Romania, the team that realized the campaign included Felicia Stoica – Copywriter, Gabriel Avram – Art Director, Ruxandra Mirea – Client Service, Ilinca Dumitrescu – A/V Producer, Mihai Gheorghe – DTP and Ciprian Tantareanu – Photographer.
The media part of the campaign was handled by Zenith Media Romania, through Alina Cirlan – Senior Communications Planner, Mihaela Cojocaru – Communications Planner and Dorina Ene – Media Buyer.
Scala JWT Romania started its activity in 1996 and is partof the global network JWT, one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world. JWT was the 1st multinational agency in Romania – in 1932 – and is part of.
In Scala JWT Romania’s portfolio includes companies such as Vodafone, Bayer, Johnson &Johnson, Kraft Foods, Mazda, Bunge, Nestle, Nokia and others.


text:
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The headwinds buffeting the auto industry are making themselves felt at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with companies confronting a slowdown in sales due to global trade uncertainty and pressure from governments to lower emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Signs of the times at this year's show include a slew of new, market-ready electric cars led by Volkswagen's ID.3 compact that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There will also be protests from cyclists, environmentalists and industry critics who want a more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly transportation policy, and efforts by the auto executives to engage those critics in discussion.
Here's a look at key themes at the IAA show, which opens to journalists Tuesday and to the general public Saturday. Last year, 810,400 visitors toured it, organizers report, with more than half saying they were considering purchasing a car in the next six months.
If you build electrics, will customers care?
European carmakers are the focus of the show, and they will be rolling out new battery-powered vehicles to meet the European Union's tougher limits from 2021 on emissions of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. The lower limits are part of the EU's effort to meet the targets of the 2015 Paris climate accord. China, the world's largest auto market, is also pushing for more low-emission vehicles.
Yet it remains very much open whether consumers will want to buy electric cars, given concerns about range, lack of places to charge away from home, and higher purchase prices. Battery vehicles were only 1.8% of the European market through the first six months of the year, according to figures from industry analysts at JATO Dynamics. The cars have sold better in the high end of the market, as exemplified by Tesla's Model S and Model X.
The argument for rolling out so many new electric cars is that consumers need to see enough to choose from before they will change their purchasing habits. Some 20 models will hit the European market by 2021, targeting 400,000 in sales, according to research firm Bernstein, in a European market of roughly 15 million cars sold annually.
Volkswagen has committed most heavily to electric cars among European manufacturers. It hopes to have a mass market electric car in the ID.3 compact, which it says will have a base price under 30,000 euros ($33,000), about as much as a similarly equipped Golf diesel.
Others with new electric offerings include Honda with the e, which replaces side mirrors with cameras, and Daimler's Smart with restyled versions of its fortwo and forfour small cars. At the high end, Porsche is taking aim at the Tesla Model S with the Taycan, a high-performance coupe starting at 152,000 euros in Germany including value-added tax and from $152,000 in the U.S.
World sales of cars are expected to slip to 78.3 million this year, from 83.0 million last year. The U.S.-China trade conflict has hurt economic growth in China and dented earnings at companies like Germany's BMW and Daimler, both of which make cars in the U.S. for export to China. Europe's car market grew only 0.1% last year amid weakening economic growth.
On top of that comes continuing uncertainty over the terms of Britain's departure from the EU, currently slated for Oct. 31. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is willing to leave without a divorce deal that would smooth the transition to new trading arrangements. A no-deal Brexit could disrupt business between Britain and continental Europe by imposing new tariffs and border checks, and the auto industry's supply chains are particularly vulnerable to such chaos.
Protests and discussions
Environmental groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Germany and Germany's ADFC bicycle club are organizing a march to the exhibition center on Saturday to call for what they view as more environmentally friendly transportation policies. They want more space allotted to bicycles and pedestrians and more use of renewable energy instead of gasoline and diesel.
The rally coincides with a mass bike ride starting in different towns outside Frankfurt and converging at the rally. Another group has called for a blockade of the auto show on Sunday.
The show's organizer, the German Association of the Automotive Industry, is organizing a civic dialogue on Sept. 13 with up to 200 citizens who can put questions to industry figures, including auto association head Bernhard Mattes, Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius and Porsche CEO Oliver Blume. Kallenius is slated to appear on stage Thursday with Robert Habeck, the chairman of Germany's environmentalist Greens Party, for a discussion of sustainability strategies, the future of transportation, and balancing economic growth and environmental protection.
Shifting market strategies
The number of companies exhibiting at the show has dropped to around 800 from 994 during the last edition of the show in 2017, and some 30 major carmakers are staying away, including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Peugeot Citroen, Fiat, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota. That's in part due to the costs of setting up at the show measured against returns in sales. Carmakers are also finding different ways of reaching the public, including by web-streaming vehicle launches and holding their own exclusive events away from the show.
Still, there will be a strong presence, especially by the German home team. Daimler's Mercedes is putting on four "experience rooms" to emphasize the technology, comfort and connectivity of its vehicles, in addition to the usual long rows of vehicles. The largest contingent is from China with 79 exhibitors.


text:
The first goal, that is, reaching 3 billion euros, is getting closer and closer at this point. When Francesca Bellettini took office as chief executive officer at Saint Laurent, the fashion brand’s revenues amounted to about 600 million euros. Today, 6 years later, the overall turnover of the brand, which belongs to Kering group, is currently 1,7 billion euros. “We are aiming at 3 billion euros, to begin with: we have great potential for that – pointed out Bellettini while speaking to L’Economia, an insert of the Corriere della Sera –, though in the sector some companies are much bigger, therefore Saint Laurent might well go beyond this financial threshold”. In one fell swoop, the manager replied to analysts who are inquiring about profits achieved by Kering group, mostly linked to flagship Gucci’s business boom. Yet, even though Bellettini does not specifically mention the brand, led by Michele and Bizzarri, as a reference benchmark, when she talks about bigger businesses in the sector, more than likely she hints at her colleagues based in Florence.
All right: is it feasible anyway?
“We must strive hard to be relevant in every type of product: our business can’t hang too much on a market or a nationality, on one single product or possibly a channel”. Questioned on Saint Laurent’s development strategy she is planning to set, the chief executive officer pointed out that her solution includes the implementation of a full supply and distribution. Processes turn out to be rather important, of course: “That is why we have created some business units for footwear in Veneto and for leather goods in Tuscany – argued Bellettini – while aiming to internationalise the product development. That enables higher and higher quality and its control, therefore providing consumers with a fair value for money”. The economic and political scenario, in Europe and in the world, is not comforting at all. Yet the chief executive officer is not that concerned. How about investments in Italy? “We are planning to increase them”.


text:
Cipla Health’s Maxirich engages audiences with Augmented Reality on mobile
The brand has tied up with mCanvas to leverage mobile as the platform to deliver geo-targeted AR campaigns on the small screen
Cipla Health endeavours to educate consumers about the importance of health supplements through its flagship health supplement brand ‘Maxirich’, with the campaign #ImmunityKaDailyDose. Maxirichis a Daily Multivitamin Supplement which has the power of 13+ vitamins and minerals that help build immunity, boost energy and improve memory.
Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Shivam Puri, CEO, Cipla Healthsaid, “At Cipla Health Limited our endeavour is to constantly strive to make our brands more meaningful and relevant for our consumers. Our marketing efforts are also guided by this principle and we work towards delivering engaging and impactful experiences to our consumers. This tie-up with mCanvas provided us with one such opportunity where we could leverage mobile as the platform to deliver geo-targeted AR campaigns on the small screen; and we are happy that the campaign has delivered some strong results for us.” Integrating geo-targeting, the ad is reaching users in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, West Bengal.
The expandable opens to the copy ‘Let’s find ways to lead a healthy life!’, with a ‘Find the solution’ button at the bottom of the screen. On tapping, the camera in the phone is activated and users can see their surroundings in real time. Prompting them to move their phone around to discover and collect the five nutrients that helps to strengthen immunity and stay fit, the ad communicated the message that the solution to improving their immunity and health is quite literally around them. Users can see the vitamins and their benefits in real time, and are encouraged to tap on them. On collecting all the vitamins, the campaign then reveals the product with relevant messaging and key visuals. The CTA ‘Shop Now’, directs users to an e-commerce landing page for more information on the multi-vitamin&mineral capsule.
Commenting on the advanced technology integrated in the mobile campaign, Kosal Malladi, Vice President, Madison Media added, “With the advancement of technology in the mobile ad space, the possibilities of promoting a product innovatively are endless. This gave us the priceless opportunity to stand out from the competition with a campaign that intelligently coupled creativity and technology to build awareness aboutMaxirich.”
With users spending over 10seconds on average engaging with the interactive ad, the campaign is also witnessing a whopping engagement rate of 2.1%, which is over 10 times the 0.20% industry average for mobile banners.
Indrani Khanvilkar, Director, National Sales, mCanvas concluded, “Our ultra-engaging mobile ad for Maxirich worked wonders in terms of engagement. Integrating AR, we enabled users to have an out-of-the-box sensory rich experience for users on small screens that garnered impeccable results.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube


text:
Many of us Generation Xers grew up around grandparents who survived the Great Depression. My own grandparents used to say, “Waste not, want not.” They pounded it into me to not waste food. I really try to not waste food and only buy the fruits and vegetables I need. I cook in smaller batches so I actually eat leftovers. However, not all food waste is on the consumer end. Much of it occurs on the farm, at the distributors, in the packaging process, or at the grocery store.
Food waste really is a big problem in the U.S. where around 25 to 40 percent is wasted. There are major inefficiencies in the American food system, as a National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) paper points out. In 2008, food losses in the U.S. totaled an estimated 43 billion pounds, or 10 percent of the total food supply at the retail level. However, the losses that retail chains are responsible for are even greater, according to the NRDC. The USDA estimates that supermarkets lose $15 billion a year in unsold fruits and vegetables.
There are many different reasons why grocery store chains are responsible for so much food loss and one of the reasons has to do with consumers. We tend to not pick fruits and vegetables that are misshapen, despite the fact that they are just as tasty and nutritious as their better looking counterparts. One grocery store chain is taking a gamble on selling this imperfect, perfectly edible produce. That chain is Raley’s and it will launch an imperfect produce program in July.
Raley’s will partner with Imperfect Produce to help sell imperfect looking fruits and vegetables. The grocery store chain will launch a pilot program in 10 Northern California stores starting in mid-July. The program is called “Real Good” and will sell imperfect produce at a lower price.
“Raley’s is proud to take a meaningful step forward to help reduce food waste in our country," said Meg Burritt, Director of Wellness & Sustainability, in a statement. “Our ‘Real Good’ produce will educate our customers about the food system, offer our growers a new pathway to market their produce, and provide greater access to produce that is aesthetically imperfect, but just as flavorful and nutritious.”
Photo: Flickr/David Billingham
Gina-Marie is a freelance writer and journalist armed with a degree in journalism, and a passion for social justice, including the environment and sustainability. She writes for various websites, and has made the 75+ Environmentalists to Follow list by Mashable.com.


text:
Viet Nam News
CẦN THƠ – Thoresen Thai Agencies Public Limited is planning to invest in logistics services and ports in Cần Thơ City, according to the People’s Committee of the city.
On May 8, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Cần Thơ City Trương Quang Hoài Nam met Sigmund Stromme, executive vice president for shipping and logistics at Thoresen Thai Agencies Public Limited from Thailand. The Thailand-based company is looking for business opportunities in the local seaport and logistics industry.
Speaking at the meeting, Nam said Hoàng Diệu Port in Bình Thủy District and Cái Cui Port in Cái Răng District are both located in Cần Thơ. "Logistics is a key industry of the city," he said, adding that the Government had approved Cần Thơ City’s proposal to build a logistics hub for the Mekong Delta, which would cover 242ha in Cái Cui Port, Cái Răng District.
The city has proposed to the Government the merger of three ports -- Tân Cảng Cái Cui, Vinaline Cái Cui and Cái Cui – to make it the largest port in the region with wharf length of some 1,200m. Site clearance for the logistics hub is underway and firms have visited the site to learn about investment opportunities.
The city has also suggested merging ports and supporting expansion of business for companies providing logistics services at ports.
Nam said Thoresen could buy stake in Viet Nam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) to join the port-merging project, build a new port at another site along the Hậu River or invest in the existing warehouse and transport system at Cái Cui Port.
For his part, the executive vice president of Thoresen gave Nam an overview of the Thai company, saying the company had been operating in fertiliser production and shipping and logistics in southern Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province.
Stromme expressed hope the company could partner with Cần Thơ City to improve port management and expand local shipping and logistics services with emphasis on container transit service to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Singapore. Its investment in logistics services in this city is expected to promote cooperation in logistics activities with southern Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province and support the transport of cargo in the Mekong Delta region.
Cần Thơ has a large potential to develop logistics because of its favourable location in terms of water and land transport, besides having many ports and warehouses, he said. After the meeting concluded, the two sides took a field trip to Cái Cui Port. — VNS


text:
PicMix, a photo-sharing app based in Indonesia, will build more features and venture into new international markets after raising a Series A totaling $3 million.
The first close consists of $1 million from Gobi Partners, while the remaining final close of $2 million is from a strategic investor that hasn’t been disclosed yet.
Launched back in 2012 when BlackBerry was the most popular smartphone in Indonesia, PicMix was created to give the platform’s users better photo-editing tools since there weren’t many apps available, says founder and CEO Calvin Kizana. Within two months, PicMix claims it reached a million users. Versions for Android and Windows rolled out at the end of 2014, with an iPhone app added a year later. Now the startup has about 27 million registered users.
Indonesians are among the world’s most avid social media users. Facebook, Instagram, BlackBerry Messenger, Line, and Path are all popular, but Kizana says PicMix doesn’t position itself as a competitor and instead tries to integrate into most other social media platforms.
PicMix’s largest single user base, or about 35 percent, is still in Indonesia, but it is also gaining traction in African markets where BlackBerry smartphones used to be popular. About 22 percent of its users are in South Africa and another 16 percent in Nigeria. PicMix is currently working on growth strategies for those markets and looking for brand partners in South Africa. Venezuela is another one of its top markets.
Kizana says that the startup hasn’t had to spend any money on marketing so far, but decided to raise a Series A four years after its launch because “this year we would like to be more aggressive and need to boost our user acquisition, as well as taking care of user retention to win the market in mobile content discovery and social commerce space, especially in Indonesia, says Kizana.
Some of the capital will go toward marketing, events, and hiring. It is also planning to expand PicMix Mall, an in-app peer-to-peer marketplace, by working with small e-commerce businesses that want more exposure and opening it to users outside of Indonesia. Another part of its revenue model are partnerships with brands that run campaigns on PicMix or use it to host contests. The company has already partnered with about 60 brands in Indonesia and claims that each contest gets an average of 6,000 user submissions.
Finally, PicMix’s Series A will also be used to build a machine learning engine to analyze user data and give more insight to brands and improve its content discovery features.


text:
At 60, Barbie’s Ken is more diverse than ever but still ‘continuing to evolve and grow’
Ken, the iconic male doll in the Barbie universe, turns 60 Thursday. The milestone birthday highlights how much the doll has changed in the years since its 1961 debut as Barbie's beau, but the brand says there’s still room for Ken to grow.
Robert Best, senior designer for Barbie, describes Ken and Barbie’s journeys as “an evolution," adding that part of Ken’s progress has included following Barbie’s strides in the areas of diversity and inclusion.
Just like Barbie, there are a range of Ken dolls that represent different ethnicities, body types and abilities.
Best noted one of the most recent Kens, which features the doll in a wheelchair, follows the success of a similar Barbie, which was the No. 2 selling Fashionista doll last year.
"(It) shows that representation is so important," he said. "So we’re excited to be able to do the same thing with Ken."
Currently on the market, Ken dolls are available in four body types, 18 sculpts, 13 skin tones, nine eye colors and 22 hair colors. With Barbie added in, the brand boasts more than 35 skin tones, 94 hairstyles and 9 body types on shelves today.
“I think that is part of our goal – to be the most inclusive, most diverse doll line in the market, and really represent something for everyone,” Best said. “People want to see themselves in product, which is why being inclusive and diverse is so important."
He continued, "But we also leave enough open-ended, where you can play out your own stories, and you can find a doll that reflects you or reflects your taste.”
Barbie gets more diverse:Mattel unveils dolls with no hair, vitiligo
From a design standpoint, Best explained that inspiration for a new Ken doll is “pulled from many different things,” including fashion runways, celebrities, pop culture and art. This inspires everything from what the doll looks like to what he’s wearing and what career or activity he might have. In today's world, Ken isn't just a groom or surfer dude, but also a babysitter and man-bunned barista.
On the website, some reviewers praised the babysitting Ken for "breaking stereotypes."
"I love that this includes a male babysitter. It’s nice to show kids that anyone can be a babysitter," one reviewer wrote in 2020. Another wrote that it was "nice to see a male babysitter represented."
“More and more, both Ken and Barbie are reflections of culture and the world that they inhabit,” Best said.
In the future, Best predicts Ken will "continue to push boundaries – and similar to Barbie, be as inclusive as possible to really reflect the world as it continues to evolve as well."
Eleanor Roosevelt doll:Barbie releases historical role model for International Women's Day
What a doll! The most popular Barbies in her 60-year history
Though less research has been done on Ken dolls specifically, studies have shown that playing with Barbies with unrealistic body shapes can negatively affect children's body image.
In a 2019 study, researchers noted that while Barbie's newer "curvy," "tall" and "petite" dolls "are more diverse than the original doll, they remain unrepresentative of the diversity of female body shapes."
Best says Ken is "making strides on his own" but that both Ken and Barbie are "definitely continuing to evolve and grow."
On its page about the "power of representation," the website echoes this commitment to growth: "We're not done yet."


text:
Tokyo, Seoul to Discuss Export Controls under WTO Rules Fri.
Tokyo, Oct. 10 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo and Seoul will hold bilateral talks on stricter Japanese export controls in Geneva on Friday under the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement procedures, Japan's trade ministry said Thursday.
Japan plans to say that the review of its export control system is consistent with the WTO rules, the ministry said. South Korea requested such discussions.
In July, Japan tightened its controls on exports of three semiconductor materials to South Korea, citing security concerns related to the country's trade control system.
South Korea filed a complaint with the WTO in September, claiming that Japan took the measure for political reasons amid rows over wartime labor and other bilateral issues.
Japan and South Korea are unlikely to reach a settlement through the bilateral talks, given the wide gap between the two countries.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]


text:
We reported last week that more and more pubs are deciding to either ditch the plastic straw or replace it with a biodegradable one. Now The Pavillion Bar in Trinity are taking a huge step in reducing the amount of plastic they use.
Sunny days in Dublin mean flocks of students and non-students alike coming to the Pav to bask in the sunshine and to have a pint outside. People usually either buy cans of beer or get a pint in a plastic cup.
The bar are now introducing a €1 deposit system for cups to cut down on the amount of plastic used. You just pay €1 extra when you get your first pint and get it back when you bring it back. Very simple!
There is a launch night for the initiative on February 15th organised by TCD Plastic Solutions. Facebook Event.
They’ll be using hard plastic reusable cups. All going well in The Pav, it might be a system easily replicated at other university bars, festivals, and sporting events.


text:
Perma-Bound Books has hired Leslie Bermel as its new Title Acquisitions and Library Services Manager. Bermel comes to Perma-Bound after a 15+-year tenure at the Junior Library Guild in Plain City, Ohio, most recently in business development. In that position, she was responsible for maintaining corporate stakeholder relationships with publishers, building and expanding relationships with librarians and school administrators, promoting professional development, and managing aspects of exhibiting events nationwide.
News From Perma-Bound
After a national search, Perma-Bound Books has hired Jerry Mullen as its new National Sales Manager. Mullen comes to Perma-Bound with three decades of sales success at the regional and national levels. His most recent position was as Midwest Regional Sales Manager for Paper Pak Industries of La Verne, Calif., based out of the St. Louis-area office.
Last week, Perma-Bound raised over $2,000 for the Texas Library Association at the organization’s Annual Conference, held April 19-22 in Houston, Texas. The event, which took place over four days at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX offered continuing education opportunities for K-12 school, public, and academic librarians, and featured the annual Texas Bluebonnet Award Luncheon.
Perma-Bound has launched a new website interface to help librarians more easily keep track of popular series. The new tool, called Series Tracker, is being rolled out in March after a soft launch at the end of February. The feature tracks a librarian’s list over time and provides updates when new installments in flagged series become available.
In an expansion of its partnership with Findaway, Perma-Bound is now adding Playaway Launchpad pre-loaded learning tablets to its extensive collection of premium digital products for the library and curriculum markets.
Perma-Bound Digital Expands its Collection to Include Disney Content on Playaway Pre-Loaded Products
Perma-Bound Books today announced that Disney content is now available to customers on Playaway Pre-Loaded Products. With a new agreement between Findaway and Disney, Perma-Bound will be able to offer its customers popular shows, movies, and audiobooks, and read-alongs on Playaway, Playaway View, and Playaway Bookpacks.
Perma-Bound Books Partners with Clever to Simplify and Secure the Login Process for K-12 Digital Curriculum in US Schools
Perma-Bound Books announced today that Clever will provide single-sign-on functionality for Perma-eHub, the company’s digital content management system. Now millions of K-12 students across the U.S. will be able to access Perma-Bound’s award-winning digital textbooks and audiobooks quickly and securely with a single click.


text:
More than 26 years ago, Morey’s brought in Jim Walstrom − who had an established presence in the seafood industry at the time − to come work for the company.
Walstrom has served as president of the company’s distribution business since 2003 and has functioned as CEO and president of Morey’s overall business for the past 10 years. His long list of accomplishments includes playing a key role in the seafood company’s recent acquisition by Rich Products, which distributes frozen value-added seafood under the SeaPak brand.
Since his first day at Morey’s, Walstrom has guided the company through numerous changes, including shifting government regulations, new methods for processing, supply chain challenges, and of course, consolidation. Now Walstrom is embarking on the next phase of his career, leaving behind an unmatched legacy in seafood.
Morey’s has largely stayed a family outfit over the years. Walstrom describes the team in Minnesota as the best in the business, and a hard-working, tight-knit crew.
Walstrom will be providing support to Rich’s in an advisory role and will continue to reside in Minnetonka, Minn., with his wife.


text:
Shunde district, Foshan has exported 54.5 million flower plants worth over $17.82 million this year to countries involved in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, according to statistics from Guangzhou Customs.
Guangzhou-based GAC Motor has recently delivered 150 GA3S cars to the Nigerian police force in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd, the world's biggest electric vehicle battery producer by sales, said it will start the subscription period for its shares on Wednesday, in a bid to raise 5.35 billion yuan ($834 million) for further expansion.
Vzoom Credit, a Shenzhen-based financial technology or fintech provider, will deploy more resources to link tax data of small and micro businesses to banks and financial institutions, so that the former can receive timely credit.
The Qianhai Pilot Free-Trade Zone in Shenzhen is expected to expand cooperation with Hong Kong in the coming years.
Zhanjiang enterprises clinched more than $65 million worth of deals and cooperation pledges during the first phase of Canton Fair from April 15 to 17.


text:
Upcoming Tekken/Pokémon hybrid Pokkén Tournament was recently added to the Pokémon Championship Series, with a handful of competitions being held at GameStop stores across the country. The regional winners of these events will head to the Nintendo NY store on March 17th to participate in the Pokkén Tournament Early Access Competition.
Nintendo previously announced that Early Access Competition contestants will be coached by professional gamers, and the trainers have been revealed. In a new video titled “Meet the Trainers,” pro gamers Justin Wong, Eric “Esam” Lew, Reepal “RIP” Parbhoo, Will “DK Will” Walsh, Justin Flynn, Shaun “Fab” Swain, Nairoby Quezada, and “Tasty Steve” Scott all share details about their gaming history and their hopes for the tournament. You can check it out by clicking above!


text:
- Special Features
Blogs & Columns
- Fun & Games
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s recently released memoir, Hard Choices, has been banned by Chinese publishing companies due to its in-depth and unflattering content about Chinese officials.
Jonathan Karp, president of Clinton’s publishing company, Simon and Schuster, discussed in an interview with Buzzfeed that though the Chinese booksellers have yet to release any formal statements justifying their refusal to purchase and distribute the book, it is clear that they fear the government will shut down their businesses.
Karp deemed the ban “outrageous and unfortunate,” and a “clear indication of the level of intellectual freedom in China right now.”
In 2003, Clinton’s first book, Living History, was heavily edited by the Chinese government before hitting the shelves in China. Mentions of the Tiananmen Square protests were omitted and several other revisions were made, unapproved by Clinton and her team.
According to Gu Aibin, in charge of the government-run publishing company that took on Living History, much of the content was “not suitable,” as reported by the New York Times. Simon and Schuster halted the distribution of the altered memoir.
Despite its absence from Chinese bookstores, Hard Choices remains a best-seller in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Canada.


text:
Walgreens mobile pill reminder feature and its activity tracking digital health solutions has improved medication adherence among pharmacy patients, according to two recent company studies. Recent Walgreens research has shown that consumers over 50 years of age who track activities through its Balance® Rewards for healthy choices (BRhc) program, which awards loyalty points for healthy behaviors and activities, are more adherent to their medication therapies. A separate Walgreens study found that the pill reminder feature within the Walgreens mobile app is also demonstrating better optimal adherence among users.
Balance Rewards for healthy choices and patients over 50 Study
The Walgreens retrospective cohort study examined patients who filled an antihypertensive, oral antidiabetic or antihyperlipidemic medication among those 50 years old or greater, between March and October 2014. The findings concluded that tracking physical activity four or more times per week were 11.2 percent higher for antihypertensives, 5.1 percent higher for oral antidiabetics and 4.5 percent higher for antihyperlipidemics.
 In addition, tracking blood pressure twice or more per week or tracking blood glucose once or more per week was associated with significantly better optimal adherence: 6.8 percent higher for patients taking antihypertensives and 12.3 percent higher for oral antidiabetics.
Mobile Pill Reminder Research Findings
For the mobile pill reminder feature, the Walgreens study took a group comprised of patients who used the pill reminder and had oral antidiabetic, antihypertensive or antihyperlipidemic medications between an index period of January 2014 and September 2014 and compared to a control group comprised of those who did not use the pill reminder.
The research found that utilization of the Walgreens mobile app pill reminder was 12.3 percent higher for oral antidiabetics, 11.3 percent higher for antihypertensives and 9.1 percent higher for antihyperlipidemics.


text:
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (WESH) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that Publix stores in more Florida counties will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines this week.
DeSantis said Wednesday that stores in Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties will begin taking appointments for vaccine shots this week.
According to Publix, there will be 18 stores offering shots in Volusia County and four in Flagler County.
DeSantis announced the program last week in Ocala. It had originally been scheduled for 22 pharmacies across Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties. The program was expanded to stores in Santa Rosa County, Escambia County and Okaloosa County on Tuesday.
Each store can schedule approximately 120 vaccinations per day, while supplies last.
You can see a list of participating locations here.
LATEST NEWS FROM WFLA.COM:
- Florida coronavirus: Over 1 million COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the state
- More backlash for GOP’s Josh Hawley as Loews Hotel cancels Orlando event
- Florida coronavirus: State reports 12,119 new cases; resident deaths surpass 24,000
- Data scientist Rebekah Jones says she’s turning herself in after police issue arrest warrant
- State representative, community organizations give out 500 bags of PPE


text:
Grocery Channels Hard Hit by Hungarian Tobacco Law
In 2013, the Hungarian government passed a bill reforming tobacco retailing with the aim of reducing underage smoking and overall smoking prevalence in the country. This law is having a major impact on grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and forecourt retailers, all of which can no longer sell tobacco products. As of July 1 2013, only a limited number of shops branded as “National Tobacco Stores” are allowed to sell tobacco products at fixed prices. At the end of 2013, tobacco sales through modern grocery channels dropped a massive 24 percent, and illicit trade sales are expected to grow from 10 percent at the end of 2013 to 12 percent by 2014.
Download as an MP3


text:
Evil Geniuses Joins Team AORUS
AORUS will provide the best hardware to help Evil Geniuses ascend to excellence
AORUS, a premium gaming brand by GIGABYTE, today announced a new strategic partnership with Evil Geniuses. With the deal in place, AORUS will be the team’s official PC hardware partner, supplying the Xfinity Training Facilities with high-performance laptop and desktop systems with top-of-the-line components, including the latest AORUS gaming motherboards and graphics cards.
Evil Geniuses has been active in esports since 1999, housing many championship-winning players and providing them with the tools to succeed. AORUS is honored to become the team’s official PC supplier that helps the organization continue their dominance in many years to come.
“At Evil Geniuses, we compete at the highest level of many technically demanding games, so we need the best technology and hardware to power our players. Joining forces with AORUS means EG players will have an unparalleled advantage at our Xfinity Training Facilities,” said Phillip Aram, COO of Evil Geniuses. “The state-of-the-art AORUS hardware is built to empower the best gamers in the world, and we intend to push it to its limits every day.”
Eddie Lin, Vice President at AORUS added to the new partnership. "We are excited to team up with Evil Geniuses, one of the world’s best known esports franchises with years of victories and triumphs under their belts. Their success reflects their extraordinary teamwork and determination, which corresponds to the values that we hold at Team AORUS.”
For more information about Team AORUS, visit https://www.aorus.com/esport.php
About Evil Geniuses
Evil Geniuses is a premier professional gaming team with a worldwide following. Founded in 1999 from humble beginnings, the team has grown to a place of massive influence as one of gaming’s best known brands. Long known by a hallmark of elite players with un-breaking determination, Evil Geniuses is unapologetic in victory and the world’s best video game team.
AORUS, a premium gaming brand powered by GIGABYTE, delivers a full spectrum of gaming products ranging from gaming laptops, motherboards, graphics cards, mechanical gaming keyboards, to many other gaming hardware and gears, offering the most extreme gaming experiences for enthusiasts worldwide. An active member of the gaming community, AORUS is a proud sponsor of prominent esports teams, and participates in major gaming events around the globe.


text:
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – For almost two decades Jenny Massey was a teacher, but now her title is business owner. Her online boutique is called Coco Couture, and for the holidays she opened up a pop up shop at Parkway Place Mall.
Massey has always loved teaching but she says fashion has her heart.
“I loved the freedom of it and the travel and you know just kind of doing something kind of different you know, just a different challenge,” says Massey.
Coco Couture launched about a year ago, but the name is in memory of someone who has held a special place in Jenny’s heart for much longer.
“It’s named after my sister-in-law,” Massey said. “She passed away unexpectedly. She and I have been friends from the time we were 5 until she wound up marrying my brother, and she’s the mother of my nieces and nephews,” says Massey.
Coco passed away almost 2 years ago. Though she wasn’t much of a shopper, Jenny knows Coco would love the store.
Jenny Massey says, “She was probably the most supportive friend I ever had, so I knew she would support it and love it .”
Thursday’s Black Friday shoppers also seemed to enjoy the boutique.
Melissa Gerrish has been shopping online at Coco Couture for a while now and when she found out about the pop-up shop she made it a priority.
“I am a huge fan of theirs. I shop online so whenever I found out they were here in the pop-up shop I had to make this one of my first stops,” says Gerrish.
With unique tops, jackets, and jewelry it can be hard to remember to get stuff for others.
“I personally have bought for myself so far but I do shop for others,” laughs Gerrish.
Jenny says that is the kind of style her sister Coco would have wanted in a boutique, and in the spirit of who she was.
“She was always fun and sweet and caring and protective and loyal,” says Massey.
Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. Coco Couture and many other local businesses will be open for those shoppers who want to support their neighbors.


text:
Biometric Kiosks The new version of the Border Xpress Automated Passport Control kiosk makes use of fingerprint technology and can be used by travellers from 38 countries. According to Vancouver Airport Authority, the updated kiosk reduces the CBP inspection process by 89%, and lowers overall waiting times at the customs checkpoint by 50% See on www.futuretravelexperience.com Global Entry… Read More »
Travelers willing to pay an annual fee could have an easier time making their way through security checkpoints beginning…
BIOMETRIC SCANNERS – THE FUTURE OF KIOSK SECURITY IS NOW! Biometric security is on a rapid growth curve, and the market for biometric scanning devices is expected to reach $13.8 billion in 2015>. Traditionally, biometric security methods have been employed by government agencies, but with the use of biometric security in consumer devices, such as smart phones and… Read More »
Would you expect to find a solution based on biometric technology that provides employees with fast and highly secure access to personal data in SAP in a vast and sparsely populated country like Namibia? Although I have been visiting this beautiful desert country privately for more than 20 years and have seen great achievements and
Success story for biometric kiosks for employees. Fujitsu and SAP make it happen in Namibia
Airport KIosks The Vancouver Airport Authority has announced an upgrade to its BorderXpress kiosks, with new biometric technology from Cross March that enables international Craig Keefner‘s insight: Interesting too is the purchase of Digital Persona by Cross Match which consolidates a large range of biometrics See on www.biometricupdate.com Post Views: 652
Acuity Market provides new numbers to complement the new deployment news. Thanks Maxine! Craig Keefner‘s insight: Earlier this month, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago O’Hare — two of the world’s busiest airports — announced the introduction of biometric Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks. According to Maxine Most, Principal at Acuity Market Intelligence, “APC kiosks offer a cost effective and… Read More »
Learn more about biometric kiosks & how they offer instant ID processing, these kiosks are customizable in functionality. Contact Us to learn more. Source: www.olea.com Post Views: 635
one week from now in London, the latest trends and security techniques will be shown at Biometrics 2014. Learn how the most current technology can mitigate SAP insider fraud. Come visit us with Fujitsu at STAND W60 to see how SAP users are combining PalmSecure biometric readers with SAP-certified bioLock software to prevent unauthorized activity in SAP. PalmSecure is… Read More »
Biometric technology is helping to drive forward a major expansion of the self-service technology market, according to a new report. Source: findbiometrics.com Post Views: 775
Clear, a biometrics security company, plans to add lanes at Los Angeles International Airport.
The kiosks, which resemble ATMs, will be expanded by the end of March to three more airports: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and LAX. Editor note: Kiosks are designed and made by Olea Kiosks.
The kiosks can process new customers in under four minutes by utilizing biometric authentication, and at a cost to the bank of just $4 per new customer.
Fingerprint and photo. $4 a customer is the cost and over 100,000 customers signed up so far. 700 kiosks.


text:
Google+ has opened up a whole new world for zombie haters. Zombie Lane™, new and hilarious look into the zombie phenomenon from Digital Chocolate, a leader in cross-platform social games, is among the first games launched on Google+.
Zombie Lane is currently recruiting brave players in the quest to defend and take back control of their neighborhood from endless waves of zombies determined to eat their brains. Players and neighbors go into survival mode, forced to protect their homes and families from hordes of the rotting but ambulatory dead.
Created specifically by Digital Chocolate to take full advantage of the social features on the Google+ platform, players can customize everything about their characters as well as gift items and share coins between friends or even visit their friends neighborhoods to help in the fight against zombies. Zombie Lane players can purchase weapons from the market or gather materials from around their home to assemble super weapons, like the powerful flamethrower that provides unique firepower. Just be careful! All that takes energy and in early play it is easy to exhaust yourself!
Zombie Lane is from the makers of other social gaming hits including Millionaire City™, Army Attack™ and MMA Pro Fighter. Digital Chocolate will be implementing a steady wave of enhancements and new content to Zombie Lane in coming weeks.
To get started playing Zombie Lane, Google+ members should visit https://google.zombielane.com/?src=zigp. Look for Mena, she’s there. Max Brooks and the guys at the Department of Zombie Defense would be so proud!


text:
InfoRocket.com agreed to support LookSmart's LookSmart Live! by serving as the exclusive question-and-answer marketplace for its free community of users. LookSmart Live! is a self-sustaining, free user community that enables people to swap information. Each time users post a question on LookSmart Live! they will be offered a "one-click" option to send their question to InfoRocket.com
, allowing members to tap into InfoRocket.com's more than 250,000 registered members with expertise in more than 94 categories. This is InfoRocket's second deal with LookSmart; in July, the companies announced a yearlong agreement, naming InfoRocket.com the online person-to-person question and answer marketplace featured on search pages throughout LookSmart's network of partner sites.
Copyright November 2000, Crain Communications Inc.


text:
CMI Declares July the Month of Jumbo Cherries
By Grocery Headquarters Staff
Columbia Marketing International (CMI) has declared July to be the month of jumbo cherries in response to the season's larger than usual sizing and top of the line sugar levels coming from the Pacific Northwest. To meet the demand, CMI is setting up retail programs with their retails customers to make sure that they have adequate supplies in stores. Also as part of CMI's cherry promotions this season, CMI is tooling their customers with a high-graphic instant cherry display, which ship with two-boxes of red or Rainier cherries. The pictured display can be easily assembled in less than 30 seconds. According to Steve Lutz, vice president of marketing at CMI, the industry has an incredible opportunity with this year’s Northwest cherry crop. "After a low cherry production out of California this season, consumers are hungry for cherries. With our estimated 22 million box crop out of the Northwest this year, consumers can expect great eating cherries, with larger than normal sizing,” he says. Warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights have provided optimal growing conditions for the Northwest cherry crop this season, leading to high sugar development and great flavor. Packouts continue to be high; this trend looks like it will only continue through the end of the season, offering a great retail opportunity for stores looking to increase incremental sales in their produce section now through the beginning of August, note company officials.


text:
Silvio Ghyoot (54) has a distinguished career in the petrochemical industry and has held many international management positions with Albemarle Corporation and other chemical companies. Most recently Silvio served as Executive Director of Petrochemicals Europe, an industry sector of CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry Council. Prior to that Silvio was President of Albemarle corporation’s Catalyst business, with over $1.1 Billion in sales and 1300 people worldwide. During his 20- year tenure at Albermarle Corporation, Silvio has gained valuable experience on all aspects of the petrochemical business including general management, commercial, manufacturing and supply chain. As such he has the right skill sets to bring Black Bear to the next level.
Black Bear Chairman Koos Breen: “We are very pleased to have Silvio Ghyoot on board to lead the roll-out of Black Bear’s technology. At the same time, I want to thank Martijn for his great work in the last six years. Under his leadership the company developed from lab scale to industrial scale with proven market adoption and has become a well-recognized leader in the circular economy”
Martijn Lopes Cardozo: “I congratulate Silvio Ghyoot on his appointment and look forward to working with him during the transition. I strongly believe that he has the right experience and skills to bring Black Bear to the next phase of growth. Leading Black Bear during the last six years has been a great honor. It was a privilege to work with such an incredible group of ‘Black Bears’, investors, suppliers and partners to bring the circular economy to tires.”
Silvio Ghyoot: “I am looking forward to joining Black Bear and us my experience and insight in the additives and petrochemical industry to take Black Bear Carbon to the next level. Black Bear is a remarkable company that has the technology and capability to flourish in the future circular economy, a cornerstone of the chemical industry going forward.
About Black Bear
Black Bear is a green, recovered carbon black (rCB) manufacturer that produces carbon black using end-of-life tires instead of fossil oil as a resource material. Black Bear chooses to change the industry with breakthrough technology and with passionate people; because we believe that we can save considerable amounts of CO2 in the carbon black market, solve the waste-tire problem and operate a profitable business at the same time.
Carbon black is a crucial component in rubber, plastics, inks and paints and is used to modify their properties into usable products. Almost everything that you see around you that is black in color has carbon black in it. Current manufacturers produce carbon black by combusting oil (the “furnace process”), emitting CO₂ and thereby polluting the environment. Black Bear recovers carbon black from used tires in a clean and sustainable way.
Black Bear plans to lead the transition towards a circular economy for tires by rolling out hundreds of tire upcycling plants with local partners around the world, focusing on Europe for its next plants. When it reaches its full potential of repurposing every end-of-life tire with its circular solution, Black Bear will reduce global annual oil consumption by more than 215 million barrels. After 6 years of testing and 2 years production experience, Black Bear is now ready to roll-out its concept worldwide and start producing on large commercial scale.
Black Bear Carbon, Winnerstraat 28, 6031NL Nederweert, The Netherlands.
Pieter Dankers – firstname.lastname@example.org – +31624177780


text:
Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) decision to couple its DSL service with landline service for new customers and those seeking to change service plans has drawn the attention of U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) who had some pointed questions for the carrier.
"What are Verizon's plans for its DSL network? Does the company plan to continue investing in network maintenance and upgrades? What was the reason behind Verizon's recent decision to couple 'standalone DSL' service with voice service for new subscribers or those subscribers seeking to make change to their service?" Doyle asked in a letter to Verizon.
Verizon has shifted its focus--some say to the benefit of competing wireline cable operators--to a fixed LTE Home Fusion product for areas where FiOS is not an option. This, critics say, strands those subscribers who don't mind the lower DSL speeds and do like the lower DSL costs.
Doyle linked his questions with Verizon's efforts to acquire wireless spectrum from a group of cable operators and, at the same time, enter into a joint marketing agreement with those operators.
- Broadband DSLReports has this story
Verizon to stop selling 'dry loop' DSL to consumers
Groups press Verizon to offer standalone DSL, Cox targets business customers with new website
Verizon HomeFusion fixed LTE service launched nationwide
Verizon faces lawsuit from customer over advertised DSL speed


text:
Bargain: Bacon is 25% Cheaper Now
NEW YORK -- Bacon lovers can breathe a sigh of smoky relief. No, a study didn't find bacon to be healthy. But America's favorite smoked meat is more affordable today. A one-pound package of bacon is 25% cheaper now than a year ago, according to U.S. Agriculture Department data. That's over a dollar and a quarter in savings and puts bacon back on par with breakfast sausage prices.
Post to Tumblr


text:
US PVC prices falter in global markets
Outages fail to curb export inventories
PVC turnarounds at Shintech and Westlake’s US plants seem to have failed to reduce the export volume availability. This was mostly attributed to the persistently weak demand in global markets as well as the domestic PVC market.
Competitive offers surface in China
Following the Taiwanese producer’s unexpectedly lower offers, American PVC prices moved lower in the China’s import markets and saw a weekly decrease of $50/ton for the week ended March 22, forming the low end of the price ranges. Accordingly, data from ChemOrbis Price Wizard suggests that China’s import PVC market is at a four-month low on average.
US PVC poised to extend losses in Egypt
In Egypt, where the US material is the main supply source for the import PVC market, the weekly average of import PVC prices in Egypt has declined by almost 10% since the start of March.
An agent stated that they were expecting further decreases. Another distributor offering on behalf of a US producer stated, “Supplies are comfortable and sellers are willing to negotiate their offers down.”
Turkish market also feels downward pressure
PVC players in Turkey also agreed that American PVC prices are set to be weighed by lower Asian prices. The weak sentiment for US PVC offers has also been exacerbated by the upcoming elections in the country.
Influx of US material weighs on European markets
In Europe, players reported that there has been an increased number of offers from the US producers and added that the supply availability is currently higher when compared to the first months of 2019.
According to statistics from Global Trade Tracker (GTT) PVC imports from the US to the EU doubled last year. Italy had the largest share of US material, with imports tripling from a year earlier while it was followed by the UK.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Turkey’s premium over China relatively narrows for PE, virus-led uncertainty lingers
- Will China’s recovery mitigate bearish pressure on SEA PP market?
- Expectations for May PVC pricing call for sharp decreases in Asia
- Confusion over Vietnam lockdown drives local PE prices to fresh lows
- European PVC producers start revealing April offers, drops vary in size
- April drops send import PP to 4-year low in Turkey, PE lowest in 12 years
- Vietnam’s homo-PP market plunges to lowest since 2009
- China’s total PE imports in Jan-Feb fail to catch up with last year’s record on coronavirus
- Saudi major announces April PP, PE prices with sizeable drops as lockdown ramps up
- European PET demand soars, will it alleviate cost pressure?


text:
Ford is recalling about 1.28 million Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans over concerns that collapsed fluid hoses might slow the rate of deceleration when braking, increasing the risk of an accident.
The agency stated that the problem stems from “suspect” front brake jounce hoses, which are the rubber hoses that connect the metal brake line to the brake caliper. They can bend over time, which poses the risk of rupturing and leaking braking fluid, according to NHTSA. When this happens, drivers may notice a change in how a braking system feels. A warning light should also illuminate.
Ford says the brakes do not fail completely because they are designed with two isolated circuits, providing redundancy in the case of a hose rupture. But two customers who experienced reduced braking told Ford that the issue caused them to lose confidence in the braking system, although they kept driving their cars and had no problem stopping.
It is not the first Ford recall involving problems with a front brake jounce hose. An NHTSA document shows Ford began tracking similar problems on another vehicle, the Ford Edge SUV, after reports of hose ruptures in China and South America. For the next two years, it investigated vehicles that shared the parts in question while phasing them out of factory production.
Two other vehicles sharing the same braking materials, the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, were found to have a “low but increasing” rate of hose ruptures over the course of their useful life. In August 2020, the automaker recalled nearly half a million of them to correct the problem.
Owners of the affected vehicles are to be notified by mail from mid-to-late April and instructed to find a Ford or Lincoln dealer for repairs, according to NHTSA.


text:
HONG KONG, Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Startup Factory China with its embedded Smart Factory Kunshan IIoT Hub and Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, laid the foundation and road map for a deeper collaboration to empower Chinese and German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions and cloud technologies in a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The digitalization of manufacturing and maintenance services to counter costs will result in an increase of IT workload by 32 % in the industry and 21 % in manufacturing on (mostly) private clouds by 2025, as predicted by McKinsey in their recent “Cloud in China” outlook.
SMEs in particular, such as the German companies that have invested in the Startup Factory incubator near Shanghai, will require a strong partner like Tencent Cloud for this transformational step – not only in terms of cloud-based data storage, but also for the development of data-driven service and maintenance models for their clients in China.
By joining Smart Factory Kunshan’s partner program, Tencent Cloud becomes an active member of the IIoT Hub community from day one and gains access to a powerful platform for various events and real-life demonstrations of its IIoT solutions on the manufacturing shopfloor towards Chinese and German SMEs. Both parties also aim to co-host IIoT events in Smart Factory Lab and real-life demonstrations on the manufacturing shopfloor of Tencent Cloud’s IIoT solutions.
The MOU is a step towards the migration of Startup Factory Kunshan’s IT systems to Tencent Cloud. “We are very proud to have yet another global technology company to join us as a strategic partner.” stated Bernd Reitmeier, founder of Startup Factory and co-founder of Smart Factory Kunshan.
As one of the world’s leading cloud companies, Tencent Cloud is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through its robust global data center infrastructure of 70 availability zones across 26 geographical regions, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT and network security.
Tencent Cloud builds the cloud services in accordance with internationally recognized standards for information security and IT management, thereby providing our customers with cloud services certified by authoritative third-party accrediting agencies. We meet a number of international data compliance and information security requirements, including CSA STAR, K-ISMS, ISO 27001, 27017, 27018, 27701 and more. We also strictly abide by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Startup Factory is the largest incubator for small and mid-sized European enterprises that are looking for assembly or production facilities, a repair workshop or a “job shop” in China to expand their business. At present, Startup Factory operates subsidiaries for 38 European companies on 40,000 sqm with a total of more than 350 employees at its site in Kunshan, near Shanghai.
Smart Factory Kunshan IIoT Hub, along with its partner network is an open ecosystem for Industrial IoT technologies especially for medium-sized manufacturing companies and a lighthouse project of bilateral cooperation on intelligent manufacturing between China and Germany. The purpose of the demonstration and integration factory is to create an innovative environment for Industrial Internet of Things/ Industry 4.0 from research to demonstration and education in a real-life production environment.
About Tencent Cloud
Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel and transportation.
SOURCE Tencent Cloud


text:
The plus-size market represents an $842.7 million chunk of the fashion industry in Australia, according to the 2017 IBISWorld study “Plus-Size Clothing Stores in Australia: Market Research Report”, where revenue is expected to grow in the next five years.
According to the study, about 63.5 per cent of Australia’s population is overweight or obese and retailers are taking notice of this growing market.
World famous designers like Donna Karan, Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta, to name a few, are offering plus-size fashions in department stores, and Michael Kors and Christian Siriano have featured a range of body types on their fall runways.
The recent New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2018 show featured more plus-size models than ever before.
In Australia, the plus-size clothing industry is thriving. It has flourished over the past five years due to strong demand, according to the IBISWorld study.
“Statistically, as a nation, our waistlines are growing, with almost two in three adults overweight or obese,” Suzanne Scozzi, CEO of womenswear clothing Suzanne Grae, told Inside Retail.
“There are many reasons for this change over time and fundamentally, it is linked to diet and physical activity.”
“As a business, we found that our customers wanted to continue shopping with brands they love and didn’t want to be treated differently,” Scozzi said. “We could see the sentiment shifting with customers as we expanded our size offering and introduced more diversity in our model choices for different campaigns.”
According to Scozzi, Suzanne Grae has recently extended their size range, which was traditionally 10 to 18, to include size eight to 22.
A wide range of styles across all product types is available in all of the retailer’s 198 stores and every colour and style is now available in sizes eight to 22 online, Scozzi said.
“Our stores’ teams work with our customers to help order stock that might not be available in-store so all customers have a wide selection of styles and sizes wherever they choose to shop,” she added.
Scozzi said in their stores across Australia and online, a wide selection of shirts, dresses, jackets, tees, knits, denim and pants are being offered.
“At Suzanne Grae we have always been very focused on how our clothes fit, how comfortable and easy they are to wear and how practical they are to care for,” she said. “We saw a real opportunity to offer our clothes to more women of both smaller and larger sizes.”
“Why should regular sized women be the only ones who benefit from our great value, great service and on trend clothing?”, Scozzi added.
Scozzi explained designers interpret the key fashion trends for the season in a way that their customer will find flattering and comfortable – whatever their size.
“The key to the success of the extended range has been exactly that – the fact that it is simply an addition rather than a standalone ‘plus-size’ brand – why should these women be treated any differently?”
Pointing to internal research that showed plus-size women did not want to shop in expensive or exclusive plus-size stores – instead they wanted to be able to enjoy shopping with their friends of all sizes in regular stores at regular prices.
“At Grae, our customers pay the same price regardless of the size,” she said. “It is often not practical to offer all styles in all sizes in every store across the country but we can offer everything in all sizes in all colours and styles online.”
Scozzi said there are also some challenges that they have to face in the plus-size industry. Maintaining the price of their offerings is one of those.
“Many brands offering plus-size ranges can be very expensive in comparison to regular size brands and we were determined that this was not going to happen at Grae,” she said.
“We worked very hard with our suppliers to ensure that the value we offered in our regular range was extended just as the sizes were extended and price has been maintained across the range of sizes.”
Plus-sized menswear retailer Johnny Bigg has also experienced high demand for plus-size clothing.
Julian Hayman, founder of Johnny Bigg, said since the brand relaunched almost three years ago, it has experienced 30 to 40 per cent growth and plans are currently in the works for the brand to add more stores.
According to IBISWorld, the plus-size clothing industry has thrived during a period of economic uncertainty and weak retail conditions, and although other retail industries have struggled over the past five years, the plus-size clothing market has flourished due to strong consumer demand, and added it will continue to grow even more.
Scozzi said fit is always incredibly important whatever size market a retailer is in, but in the plus-size area it becomes even more important.
“We have a dedicated quality assurance department that in conjunction with the buyers and designers and house models ensure that our fit is perfect on all of our sizes offered from 8 through to 22,” she said.
Scozzi added their effort must be working as well over 50 per cent of their customers are returning customers.
Access exclusive analysis, locked news and reports with Inside Retail Weekly. Subscribe today and get our premium print publication delivered to your door every week.


text:
Expedia Group introduced its COVID-19 Travel Advisor, a tech-enabled tool that provides travelers with current details about travel restrictions worldwide.
Powered by sherpa, the COVID-19 Travel Advisor is now part of several Expedia Group consumer brands to simplify the experience for people seeking guidance in destinations they hope or plan to visit, such as quarantine and COVID-19 testing requirements. Expedia Group saw initial success in its pilot phase, with more than 1.6 million travelers using the COVID-19 Advisor across brands since the winter of 2020, and around 13 million pieces of communication sent to customers via email, push notifications and SMS, with the sherpa link included.
Communicating destination-specific information about restrictions and travel information is critical to rebuilding traveler confidence in the wake of COVID-19. Since July 2020, there have been almost 10 million clicks on travel advisories from across Expedia Group's core brands and in the month of March 2021 alone, more than 1.7 million clicks, a 97% increase from the month prior, suggesting an increased desire to travel as the industry recovers.
Travelers are also turning to OTAs for trip planning nearly 25% more than pre-pandemic, according to a recent Expedia Group study. The COVID-19 Travel Advisor is well-positioned to communicate information about restrictions and safety measures at scale, and will act as an important step forward in boosting traveler confidence in the coming months.
The COVID-19 Advisor supports the entire traveler journey, whether customers are trying to decide where to travel or have already booked a trip. To align with traveler needs and preferences, each Expedia Group consumer brand incorporated the COVID-19 Travel Advisor at the following readily accessible locations:
- Expedia COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- Hotels.com COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- Vrbo COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- ebookers COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- Orbitz COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- Travelocity COVID-19 Travel Advisor
- Wotif COVID-19 Travel Advisor
“Travel is critical to our world economy and an important part of human connection,” Max Tremaine, co-founder and CEO of Sherpa, said in a statement. “Since the pandemic started, our focus has remained firmly on helping our travel partners restore consumer confidence and trust in travel. This partnership with Expedia Group exemplifies our shared goals and speaks to Expedia Group’s commitment to power global travel for everyone, everywhere.”
See all comments


text:
The National, Thursday July 18th, 2013
PAPUA New Guinea’s steady 8% growth in gross domestic product during the past nine years would not be able to address the unemployment crisis, Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru says.
He said yesterday the country should concentrate on local processing to address unemployment issue.
Maru said this after returning from the 4th Global Review for Aid for Trade at the world trade organisation (WTO) secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
“We (PNG) are losing billions of kina in foreign exchange and thousands of jobs for our young people while we are creating wealth and jobs for other countries,” he said.
Maru also said he would bring a submission to Cabinet for the National Government to introduce very high export taxes to discourage primary producers from exporting raw materials or semi-processed products.
He added: “Industries that would be targeted under this proposed export tax included palm oil, fisheries, coffee, cocoa and copra industries.
“It is time we produced our own finished products and stop being a raw material supplier to the world.
“The current government is committed towards seeing adding value to our raw products from agriculture, forestry, fisheries and mining for the country to generate sustainable revenue base and at the same create employment opportunities for our people.”
The government through the Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry would be seeking to enlist the support of the WTO in Geneva to assist with the policy and submission to government for this critical reform.
Maru said this would be a key strategy to help develop our local manufacturing industry, while we work concurrently on reducing our cost of doing business in PNG
“The government is keen for us to value-add and process our raw materials to their final stage to increase the value of our exports and create more jobs for our citizens.
“We are also finalising a very attractive fiscal incentive package for our manufacturing companies to process raw materials into finished goods,” he added.


text:
Skoda Confirms New Made-For-India Compact SUV; Launch: Late -2020
Modified On Jul 06, 2018 09:35 AM By Raunak
Based on the soon-to-be-localised MQB A0 platform, the upcoming Skoda SUV will make its international debut in India in 2020
Pictured: Skoda Kamiq's sketch for representation
Skoda has confirmed that the first product to be based on the localised version of the MQB A0 IN platform will be a made-for-India SUV. It is set to make its world premiere in India, which will be a first for a Skoda, in the second half of 2020.
Pictured: Skoda Vision X
Earlier, it was expected that the made-in-India MBQ A0-based Skoda SUV would essentially be the production-spec version of the Vision X concept. However, Skoda has now clarified that it will be a brand new product instead. This approach is similar to the way Volkswagen Group functions in other markets such as Brazil and China wherein it has given the responsibility of launching market-specific products to its subsidiaries.
The upcoming Skoda SUV tailor made for India is likely to follow the same path as the VW Virtus, Teramont and the Skoda Kamiq in Brazil and China, respectively. For example, the Virtus, which made its world premiere in Brazil and is only on sale in the South American market, is now expected to replace the ageing Vento/Polo sedan in other markets such as Russia and India. The VW Teramont, a full-size seven-seat SUV which was launched exclusively for the Chinese market, was later found to be feasible for the US market as well. Similarly, Skoda introduced a China-exclusive compact SUV called the Kamiq at the Auto China 2018.
Pictured: Skoda Kamiq
Although Skoda hasn’t mentioned the segment in which its upcoming SUV would compete in, it is likely to be positioned in the compact SUV space. Here, it will compete against the best-selling Hyundai Creta, Renault Duster and Captur, and the upcoming Nissan Kicks and Kia SP concept-based SUV. Skoda says it aims to localise at least 90 per cent of the MQB A0-based products in India. So, expect the upcoming SUV to sport a competitive price tag starting at around Rs 10 lakh.
While Skoda has remained tight-lipped about its new SUV, we expect its name to start with the letter ‘K’ and end with ‘Q’, just like its siblings such as the Kodiaq, Karoq and Kamiq.
0 out of 0 found this helpful


text:
New York crime fighting officials recently managed to apprehend individuals accused with stealing more than $13 million from American and European consumers in what’s being billed as the the largest identity theft spree in U.S. history.
A press release by the Queens County District Attorney’s office indicated that law enforcement officials had indicted 111 individuals linked to five different organized crime rings within county.
Over $13 Million Stolen in Under Two Years
The office’s investigation, dubbed “Operation Swiper,” revealed that more than $13 million was stolen from an unknown number of victims over the course of 16 months.
According to the District Attorney’s Friday statement, eighty-six of the defendants in question are in custody while the remaining are still at large and believed to still be in New York.
Those involved were also revealed to have ties to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, while nearly two dozen of the defendants are also being indicted for their participation in burglaries and robberies that occurred throughout Queens County.
Those crimes included both the theft of $95,000 worth of cargo from Kennedy Airport and $850,000 worth of computer equipment from the Citigroup Building in Long Island City, Queens.
How Did They Do It?
Materials to carry out the heists—lists of credit card numbers and blank credit cards—were either shipped to the U.S. from areas like Russia, Libya, Lebanon and China, or came from individuals working in restaurants, bars, retail stores or financial institutions who used skimming devices to swipe a customer’s credit card information. Once credit card information was obtained, those indicted allegedly used those credit card numbers to create forged credit cards and identification cards.
With the phony cards in hand, teams of shoppers then used them to go on multi-state shopping sprees throughout New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Los Angeles and other areas of the United States. In some cases, the cards to pay for stints at five-star hotels such as the Fountainblue and The Royal Palm in Miami Beach. The criminals also used the credit card information to purchase expensive automobiles and even a private jet to take them from New York to Florida.
“These weren’t holdups at gunpoint , but the impact on victims was the same,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelley in a statement. “They were robbed. We assigned detectives to financial crimes because of the potential victimization is so great, especially as the use of credit cards and their vulnerability to identity theft have grown along with the Internet.”
According to the indictments, the bosses behind the identity theft and robbery schemes were individuals by the names of Imran Khan, Ali Khweiss, Anthony Martin, Sanjay Deowsarran and Amar Singh. The crimes took place between May 2010 and September of this year, and involved thousands of consumers as well as financial institutions like Visa, American Express, Discover Card and MasterCard according to the DA’s office.
While there are no exact figures on how many individuals were affected as a result of the fraud scheme, a representative from the Queen’s DA’s office placed the number somewhere in the thousands.


text:
Good morning. Here's what you should know today.
- A guest op-ed in the Baltimore Sun makes the case against a proposed Walmart in Remington that neighbors say is the wrong kind of development for the neighborhood. Neighbors aren't necessarily opposed to a Walmart, but they'd like it to look more like this.
- Also in Remington, Seawall Development Co. is negotiating to bring a boutique grocer to the neighborhood.
- MARC and Amtrak trains should be running on schedule today, but the Baltimore Brew writes that the B&P Tunnel, the site of Monday's train derailment, is a disaster waiting to happen.
- The Orioles will play in Major League Baseball's annual Civil Rights game May 30 in Houston.
- Online travel site Orbitz has reached a settlement with Baltimore and Montgomery counties following claims that the site avoided paying taxes.
- I keep mentioning Bitcoin, the electronic currency with the volatile value, and I'll mention it again today. Bitcoin — or something like it — could play a huge role in our future. The Washington Post offers another explainer on what it is, comparing it to the early days of the Internet when it didn't have much practical value for most people. For the early adopters who bought Bitcoin when it was virtually worthless, though, there's a lot of bragging going on.
- You've might have heard that a Cleveland Walmart is encouraging employees to participate in a food drive for other Walmart workers — you know, implying that people who actually have jobs at the store can't afford food. Business Insider Editor Henry Blodget writes a chart-filled take on how this story reveals what's wrong with America's economy.
- If you're considering buying the new iPad Mini, here's the Wall Street Journal's review.


text:
Be The First To Know
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and stories in the interior design across the Middle East straight to your inbox
Cadillac design looks to the future
Cadillac has pulled the wraps off a far-flung concept car called the Ciel at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, said to be the world’s premier celebration of the automobile in California.
The four-door, four-seat dreamliner is simultaneously a homage to Cadillacs of a similar stature from the 1950s and ‘60s and an indication of the aspirations GM has for its premium brand over the next five to 10 years, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The name (pronounced ‘See-El’) means ‘sky’ in French, a fact relayed by GM’s interior design manager Gael Buzyn and senior creative designer Charles LeFranc, both of whom are French.
The pair said the car was conceived, styled and built by hand in GM’s Burbank design studio and will be working the auto show circuit around the world for the next several months as GM uses markets like Europe and China to gauge consumer interest.
Buzyn said that the goal of the Ciel was to “redefine optimism” both for the Cadillac brand as a whole and for the type of relaxed, top-down touring that large cars like this once represented.
He said the design team used California in particular as a point of inspiration and imagined occupants cruising from Los Angeles to Northern California’s wine country for a long weekend.
This led the team behind the Ciel to develop the ‘Cabernet’ colour of the exterior and a similar colour for Ciel’s leather. Italian olive wood also lines the cabin.


text:
It seems that ARM has beaten again the forecasters’ predictions for Q2 2012, and even better, the British chip designer outperformed the industry as well.
While Intel and Qualcomm had to reduce expectations for their results, ARM surprised everyone with a 23% profit surge in the last quarter, or a $103.2 million pre-tax profit for $135 million worth of sales. Analyst Julian Yates at Investec said it was a good set of numbers – “It’s 5 percent ahead of our profit number, and they have beats on top-line royalties and licenses”.
Admittedly, ARM is not playing with billions every quarter like Intel does. But they don’t need to, [...]
The humble central processing unit (CPU) has been powering our computing devices for decades and the changes and innovations seen over the years have been nothing but astounding. But the big CPU companies aren’t resting on their laurels. Recently AMD and Intel have made announcements which give us a tantalizing taste of what could be to come. First up, AMD has announced that it will start including ARM Cortex-A5 CPUs inside of its x86 APUs (Accelerated Processing Units). AMD coined the term APU for a single piece of silicon – known as system-on-a-chip (SoC) – which contain more than just a CPU. The current AMD APUs contain an x86-based CPU plus an integrated GPU. [...]


text:
Think before you act online Taking a minute to think about what you are about to do can be really useful when it comes to shopping or dealing with money online.babyliss curling iron red light 0 In the wake of the highly publicised Volkswagen emissions scandal, MPs say the UK government should introduce a diesel scrappage scheme to help tackle the NOx (NO2) pollution problem. Easter Sale – pick from a host of magazines all for just £1 an issueYou are here:HomeAmericans eye up Canada after Super Tuesday and other tall talesRead more: PeopleWorld News One Minute Read PREVIOUSNEXT View the discussion thread.
iPhone 7: Apple lands blow on Samsung ahead of Galaxy S712 FebruarySamsung is to launch its new iPhone 7 rivalling handset the Galaxy S7 later this month but Apple has dealt its key competition an early blow, from a business point of view.babyliss curl secret online zwroty The same applies to Britain, if she belongs to anyone it is to those who were born, bred here, those (or their descendants) who defended her when she was under threat, those who would again take up arms if the need arose, and not to those who arrive and behave as if they had a claim on everything. Report Score: 4 Martin Brooks Keith William Hendry 11:36am Thu 3 Mar 16 Of course, it's Westminster's fault.babyliss pro curling wand ireland
With clear independence from the BBC, Ofcom would be better placed to defuse the kind of political square go seen at the end of the Referendum and would be a buffer against the kind of fears expressed by Archie McPherson. Now, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say the German carmaker could be facing fines of up to(. 13453 views I've just spent a good day in a workshop with Jane Hart (of elearning Pick of the Day fame), as the first stage in a programme looking at the whole breadth of social learning systems and approaches.babyliss curling iron 1.5 inch
Again, whether you fully believe Donaghy or not, he does provide a fascinating perspective into the world of refereeing that simply no one else can provide.


text:
Black Friday 2020 will be here before you know it. Here's everything that'll be different this holiday season.
The Dell XPS 15 2020 offers great performance and one of the most immersive, colorful displays of any 15-inch laptop.
The Dell XPS 17 is the most elegant 17-inch laptop you can buy, with blistering CPU and graphics muscle packed into a slim and attractive design.
Apple is moving away from Intel in upcoming Apple Silicon MacBook Pros, MacBooks and desktops, with its own chips. Here's what you need to know.
Cheap MacBook sales are easy to find if you know where to look. Here are today's best MacBook sales.
We've picked the best college laptops for students going back to schoool, and at multiple price-points.
These are the best laptops you can buy in every category, from ultraportables and Chromebooks to gaming laptops.
VPN Stay anonymous, unblock the world's content, keep your data private and more with our guide to the best Windows 10 VPN.
A Reddit poster claims big product news is coming at next week's Apple event, highlighted by the first Apple Silicon MacBook Pro.
A new report shows that the Microsoft Surface Laptop might get a much more affordable model this fall.
The new MacBook Pro 13-inch delivers a great Magic Keyboard, blazing performance and long battery life — if you’re willing to pay a premium.
The holiday may be over, but these Labor Day sales are still available and cheaper than they were yesterday.
Yes, the Acer Spin 7 is supposed to last for days, not just one. Here's everything you need to know about the Acer Spin 7
Lenovo has revealed the Legion Slim 7i: a customizable and potentially pricey laptop that aims to be both a gaming station and a productivity tool.
The new Acer Spin 5 2020 Core i7 laptop is on sale for just $989. It's the lowest price we've seen for this configuration.


text:
Tesla Began the Serial Production of Solar Roofs
Tesla launched the mass production of Sun Roof solar roof tiles. At the same time, the company of Elon Musk started installing the new roofs, reports kaldata.
Tesla's Solar Roof is not cheap. One square foot (0.0929 m²) costs $ 21.85 (about $ 220 per square meter). But the roof has lifetime warranty, and the technology's lifetime of construction is 30 years. The solutions offered by other companies are more expensive. Tesla officially announced that the mass production of tiles for new roofs has already begun. The installation of Solar Roof has also started for all customers who deposited $ 1,000 a deposit last year.
In order to deal with numerous orders, Mr Musk transferred production from Californian Fremont to a large factory in Buffalo, which now employs 500 people, and by spring, the plant must start producing solar cells with a total power of 1 GW. Sun Roof solar roofs had to appear earlier, but Elon Musk said he needed a 6-month trial period during which he personally monitored the quality of the construction work. The solar roof, which produces electricity without the use of conventional solar panels, is one of the key points of Tesla's strategy for an environmentally-friendly way of life that provides for the divestiture of fossil fuels and the use of renewable energy sources in everyday life.
- » Azerbaijan Ready to Invest in Bulgaria’s gasification
- » The Average Value of Heat Invoices For Household Customers of EVN Heating Company in December 2017 is BGN 80.32
- » Minister of Energy: There are no Grounds for Raising the Price of Electricity
- » Bulgaria's NPP Kozloduy Opens 21.2 mln Euro Repair
- » Russia has Delivered the First Quantities of Liquefied Gas in the UK
- » Natural Gas Price Rises in First Quarter of 2018