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The major toy manufacturer Hasbro recently announced its games division, Wizards of the Coast, launched a new gaming studio, which is currently being referred to as the New Raleigh-Durham Studio. This news comes after descriptions for several roles within the company were posted to the organization’s job board.
Multiple online publications are saying the first project being launched by the studio will be a G.I. Joe video game. The title, which is expected to be a third-person action-adventure game set in the G.I. Joe metaverse, will reportedly use Unreal Engine to create a melee combat system and a unique shooting system.
“New Raleigh-Durham Studio is a new game development studio in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area led by industry veterans from WB Games and other AAA studios,” reads a description for the role of Lead Game Designer. “The New Raleigh-Durham Studio is a development studio of Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro. We are building a new development team with outstanding talent to create our first multi-platform, Action-Adventure video game set in the GI JOE Universe! New Raleigh-Durham Studio seeks a hardworking, experienced, and team-oriented Lead Game Designer to help us build an outstanding AAA, 3rd Person Action/Adventure game.”
Wizards of the Coast is an American game publisher that has been owned by Hasbro since 1999. The company is famous for producing hit games and toys like Magic: The Gathering, The Pokemon Trading Card Game, and Dungeons & Dragons.
The Profit‘s Take:
It’s kind of disappointing they didn’t try to make a direct competitor to Call of Duty with the G.I. Joe branding. Hasbro owns this and Transformers, so this development team could have some other projects waiting in the wings. They may be just building out their gaming capabilities and testing the waters to see if there is a market for these kinds of AAA Hasbro-inspired games..
(All information was provided by Comicbook Gaming, PC Gamer, Wikipedia, and Wizards of the Coast)
0 comments on “Wizards Of The Coast Launch New Gaming Studio, Announces Development Of G.I. Joe Game”


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As shaving products company Harry’s plans to announce its $112 million in new financing, the company is looking to grow its brand beyond men’s grooming. The move could provide competition from large conglomerates such as Procter & Gamble, The New York Times reported.
“We’ve built a lot of infrastructure at Harry’s that we think we can leverage into new categories,” Jeff Raider, one of Harry’s founders, told the Times. “It’s something that we’ve been excited about for a long time, and we’re now at a point in our business where we can act on it.”
Harry’s and competitors such as the Dollar Shave Club have built their business on a subscription model. They market their products to younger consumers through eCommerce to gain market share from more established players such as Gillette and Schick. Beyond eCommerce, however, the brand began selling its razors in brick-and-mortar Target locations in 2016.
Despite its success with razors, Harry’s is already looking beyond men’s grooming. The company invested in hair loss product startup Hims and is seeking to gain ownership stakes in other brands, according to reports. Harry’s founders also have an interest in branching out into consumer goods such as personal care, baby products and household items.
The news comes three years after Harry’s capped a $75.6 million Series C round that brought its value to $750 million in 2015. The round, led by Wellington Partners, also saw involvement from previous investor Tiger Global Management.
All in, the maker and distributor of shaving blades and products had snapped up $164.5 million in venture capital (VC) funding as of 2015, a figure which comes on top of its $211 million in debt financing. That funding went to growing the brand through hiring, research and development (R&D), marketing and advertising, Raider said at the time.
In 2015, Harry’s also planned to purchase proprietary machines for its blade factory to help the company keep prices fairly low.

domain: news


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Federal taxes paid by big American corporations declined to 20.5 percent of their earnings in 1981, an independent tax study has found. Partly as a result of last year's tax cut, the actual rate of taxation for the nation's 514 largest corporations fell from an average 22.7 percent in 1980.
Dozens of profitable enterprises -particularly banks, railroads and paper companies - paid no taxes at all last year, according to the annual study by Tax Analysts, a nonprofit research organization. Thirty-three companies with United States earnings of $100 million or more paid no Federal corporate taxes in 1981, the study showed.
The corporate tax rate is 46 percent of United States earnings, but the actual rate is much lower because of deductions that companies claim. Some even have a ''negative tax rate.'' For instance, Tenneco Inc., which is active in oil and shipbuilding, had United States earnings of just over $1 billion last year but claimed it was owed $43.7 million by the Government.Continue reading the main story


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Tesla’s innovative approach to car design is under scrutiny as its decision to replace traditional steering wheel stalks with force touch buttons for turn signals threatens its stellar safety ratings in Europe. The American electric vehicle manufacturer, known for its commitment to safety and technological advancements, might see its nearly impeccable record challenged by recent changes in Euro NCAP’s evaluation criteria.
Historically, Tesla vehicles have excelled in safety assessments worldwide, securing top marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States, along with the highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Euro NCAP in Europe, and the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). These accolades have bolstered Tesla’s reputation as a leader in automotive safety.
However, Euro NCAP, the main vehicle safety rating organization in Europe, has indicated that Tesla’s latest design choice could jeopardize its ability to achieve a 5-star safety rating. Starting with the refreshed Model S and Model X in 2021 and extending to the new Model 3, Tesla has phased out traditional turn signal stalks in favor of steering wheel-mounted force touch buttons.
This move has divided opinion, with some praising Tesla’s forward-thinking elimination of analog controls, while others criticize it as a step too far away from conventional and potentially safer inputs. Euro NCAP’s forthcoming guidelines aim to address this by requiring physical controls for essential functions, including turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and emergency features, to qualify for a 5-star rating.
Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s Director of Strategic Development, has voiced concerns over the industry-wide trend of migrating crucial controls to touchscreens, highlighting the increased risk of driver distraction and subsequent accidents. While Euro NCAP does not have the authority to ban specific features, its ratings significantly influence consumer and industry practices.
Editorial Perspective: Tesla’s quandary over its turn signal design versus maintaining a 5-star Euro NCAP rating epitomizes the broader industry challenge of balancing innovation with user safety. Tesla has been a trailblazer in redefining vehicle user interfaces, often leading to debates on the appropriateness of such innovations. The crux of this issue lies not in the technology itself but in the balance between advancing automotive design and ensuring these innovations do not compromise safety.
The force touch turn signals represent a significant departure from traditional controls, and while they may symbolize progress, the safety implications warrant careful consideration. Adapting to new controls requires time, and what matters most is whether these changes lead to safer driving experiences. As vehicles become more complex, the industry must not lose sight of the primary goal of any safety feature: to protect the occupants and other road users.
As this situation unfolds, it will be crucial for Tesla and other manufacturers to work closely with safety organizations to ensure that innovation and safety go hand in hand. The future of automotive design is undeniably exciting, but it must not come at the cost of safety.


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The Mitchell City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday evening to consider a second round of bids for the demolition of the former VFW building on Main Street. Only one company, Ironman Construction of Tyndall, submitted a bid to demolish the building. That bid was nearly 217,000 dollars. The council voted against awarding that bid. The second round of bids will open at 1 pm. The special council meeting will be held at City Hall at 5 pm.
From modest beginnings of cheap tickets and empty seats to $4.5 million for a 30-second TV ad, the Super Bowl is the undisputed king of U.S. sporting events.
A look back at some of the biggest headlines to ever come out of Hollywood.
More than 325,000 counterfeit jerseys and Super Bowl-related merchandise were seized by the NFL and law enforcement.


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After American president Donald Trump arrived in Ahmedabad of west India on February 24, he announced the two countries will sign a multibillion arms deal the next day but didn’t seem eager to address their thorny trade disputes.
Trump sets the tone for US-India trade deal
US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump arrived in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, around noon on February 24, starting his first official visit to India after taking the office.
Trump gave a speech at a stadium that was said to be able to accommodate 110,000 people. He set the tune for the tricky US-India trade disputes with the wording that “India and US are in the early stages of discussion for an ‘incredible trade agreement’.”
A limited trade agreement has been expected to be inked during Trump’s visit to India, in which India will make trade concessions in exchange for resuming, at least partially, Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) treatment from US.
But just days before his visit, Trump said that he might strike a grand bargain on trade with India after the presidential election in November 2020. A senior official in the Trump administration admitted February 21 that no limited trade deal will be signed during the two-day visit as Washington still has many concerns over India’s high trade barriers.
US Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer wasn’t among Trump’s retinue this time. He called off the trip in mid-February and talked with Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, on the phone instead.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on February 20 that New Delhi is in no hurry to strike a trade deal with Washington and will not set a deadline.
The US is India’s second largest trading partner. The Trump administration imposed tariffs on India-made steel and aluminum products in 2018 and canceled its GSP treatment last June, affecting more than USD5 billion worth of Indian exports to the US. In response, India imposed tariffs on a variety of American goods too.
According to reports by Reuters, the US-India disputes focus on whether India should open up its poultry meat and dairy market and relax the price regulation on medical devices.
Arms sale is the priority
On the contrary that Trump wasn’t in a hurry to sign a trade deal, he predicted on February 24 that the two nations are scheduled to sign a USD3-billion arms sales contract the next day.
"I'm pleased to announce that tomorrow our representatives will sign deals to sell the absolute finest state-of-the-art military helicopters and other equipment to the Indian armed forces," said Trump.
Russian media Sputnik reported February 24 that Indian Cabinet Committee on Security approved earlier this month a USD 2.6-billion order to purchase 24 MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters from Lockheed Martin, and New Delhi is also reportedly planning to spend USD900 million purchasing six AH-64E Apache armored helicopters from Boeing.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) predicted that the representatives of both sides will also discuss the prospects of providing New Delhi, the Indian capital, with missile defense systems that may cost as much as USD1.9 billion.
Trump said on February 24 that the United States should be India's premier defence partner, which sounded like a warning for India to rely less on Russia for weapon import.
As the largest weapon provider for India, Russia signed a more than USD5-billion contract with India in 2018 to supply five sets of S-400 air-defense missile systems, which has prompted the US to give repeated warnings that it may impose sanctions on India if New Delhi continues to buy Russian equipment.
Disclaimer: The author of this article is Du Juan. The article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.


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HCM CITY — To take full advantage of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement, Vietnamese agricultural firms should clearly understand its important commitments, experts said.
The EVFTA is a new-generation trade deal with comprehensive standards that conform to the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Việt Nam has signed 12 bilateral and multilateral FTAs but the EVFTA is of especial significance to the country’s economy as it would help Vietnamese firms improve the country’s competitive edge in Europe and join new value chains, Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh told a conference in HCM City on Wednesday.
It would bring great opportunities to the agricultural sector as import tariffs in the EU would gradually reduce zero, he said.
This is the highest commitment any FTA partner has given Việt Nam, he said.
This benefit is particularly significant since the EU is consistently one of Việt Nam’s two largest export markets and export growth is very high, he said.
Last year exports to the bloc were worth US$42 billion.
Besides, the interaction and complementariness of the two markets are very large, he said.
Therefore, the room for export growth and economic co-operation is huge, he said.
The EVFTA has given a major opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to enter the lucrative market with 508 million people and GDP of around $18 trillion.
However, the trade deal has also brought many challenges, especially with Việt Nam being at the lowest level of development compared to other countries in the region that have signed FTAs with the EU.
Businesses should be more proactive in accessing resources and small and-medium-sized enterprises should make thorough preparations and do careful research into the opportunities and challenges, and adopt measures to improve their product quality, competitiveness and productivity, experts said.
Businesses should ensure their products meet requirements related to traceability, technical standards and plant and animal safety and hygiene in the EU.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường said his ministry would strengthen the dissemination of EU regulations and guidance to agricultural firms.
Source : VNS
Photo : VAM


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Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, told CNBC in an interview that he thinks Tesla will go bust by 2019. This is with his view that Tesla has been getting a lot of fame but at its core is lacking a dealership network, a unique proposition which can’t be replicated and inefficient manufacturing.
These are all problems faced by Tesla these days as it tries to meet manufacturing targets for the latest Model 3 release. Bob Lutz then went on to say that even the batteries used by Tesla is the same lithium ion batteries used by other car makers which doesn’t give Tesla any competitive edge.
Tesla recently announced their electric semi as well as new roadster (video below) which garnered a lot of press attention but overall the company is literally burning through a lot of cash to keep up. Tesla is expected to raise another round of capital cash in order to keep going but in today’s world, I think Tesla being the pioneer can shoulder through the times.
Everyone so far has been amazed by the cars and vehicles which Tesla is releasing such that new style of buying behaviour is emerging (imagine putting a $1000 deposit for a car you have no idea when it will be ready).


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CiviI War Museum-BEER!
FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — It could be just what the doctor ordered -- in 1865. The National Museum of Civil War Medicine has gotten the OK to sell souvenir beer. The Frederick County, Maryland, liquor board has approved brew for the museum's gift shop. But visitors won't be able to drink it there. The Frederick News-Post reports officials say the beer may not be opened on museum property. The museum's David Price says a partnership with Brewer's Alley has produced several specialty beers in the past, including Gettysburg Wheat.


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News tagged capex
Last update: Thursday 12 May 2016 [460 news items]
Inotera swings to 2Q13 profit
Jul 24, 11:35
Taiwan-based DRAM chipmaker Inotera Memories has reported net profits for the second quarter of 2013, ending a string of 13 consecutive quarter losses.
Fab equipment spending to soar in 2H13, says SEMI
Jun 6, 12:46
Fab equipment spending for the second half of 2013 is expected to be much stronger with a 32% growth rate or US$18.5 billion compared to the first half of the year, according to SEMI...
SPIL to hike capex budget for 2013
May 29, 22:15
IC backend service company Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) has decided to hike its capex budget for 2013 to NT$14.9 billion (US$496.14 million), up nearly 32% from NT$11.3...
ChipMOS capex for 2013 to reach NT$2.5-2.8 billion
May 20, 16:23
ChipMOS Technologies, which specializes in assembly and test services for LCD driver ICs and memory chips, expects its capex for 2013 to total NT$2.5-2.8 billion (US$83.6-93.6 million)...
TSMC to budget US$1.5 billion for R&D expenditure
May 10, 10:58
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has unveiled plans to invest a record US$1.5 billion on research and development in 2013. The spending remains focused on maintaining...
Macronix approves NT$2.62 billion for 2013 capex
Stockwatch - May 3, 15:54
The board of directors of Macronix International, a manufacturer of mask ROM and NOR flash memory, has approved plans to budget NT$2.62 billion (US$88.7 million) in capex for 2013...
ASE to issue NT$15 billion convertible bonds
Stockwatch - Apr 9, 12:23
Taiwan-based Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), which provides semiconductor assembly and test services, has unveiled plans to issue overseas convertible bonds worth up to...
Ledlink 2013 capex to reach NT$200 million
Mar 28, 21:57
LED optical lens maker Ledlink is optimistic about the second quarter, as order visibility is clear to April-May. Telung Tang, CEO of the firm, noted that 2013 capex will reach NT$200...
China Mobile 2013 capex increases 49% on year
Mar 14, 21:56
China Mobile, one of the biggest telecom carriers in China, reported 2012 total revenues of CNY560.4 billion (US$90 billion, up 6.1% on year. Net profits were CNY129.3 billion, representing...
FET sets record capex of NT$10.5 billion for 2013
Feb 8, 10:59
Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET), one of the three largest mobile telecom carriers in Taiwan, has set aside a capex budget of NT$10.5 billion (US$355 million) for 2013, the highest...
Taiwan PCB makers to raise 2013 capex
Feb 5, 12:30
Major Taiwan-based PCB manufacturers including Unimicron Technology, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech Printed Circuit Board have all set higher capex budgets for 2013, according to...
Samsung, Hynix cautious about 2013 capex plans
Feb 1, 13:59
Memory chip vendors Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have both taken a cautious approach to planning for capital expenditure (capex) in 2013, implying that the pair is looking to...
Chipbond, ChipMOS 2013 capex to stay flat
Jan 22, 19:58
LCD driver IC packaging and testing houses Chipbond Technology and ChipMOS Technologies will have their capex for 2013 stay unchanged at the prior year's level.
FPCB maker Flexium to raise 2013 capex
Jan 18, 12:38
Flexible PCB manufacturer Flexium Interconnect expects its capex for 2013 to top the NT$1.7-1.8 billion (US$58.73-62.18 million) it spent in the previous year, with plans to upgrade...
Sigurd plans flat capex in 2013
Dec 27, 22:14
IC packaging and testing house Sigurd Microelectronics expects to maintain its 2013 capex at the same level as 2012. The expenditures will be spent on expanding capacity and R&...
KYEC sets 2013 capex at almost NT$5 billion
Dec 27, 15:50
Taiwan-based King Yuan Electronics Company (KYEC), which provides wafer probing testing services, has budgeted NT$4.989 billion (US$171.9 million) in capex for 2013, compared to the...


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News of the new Nexus 7 leaked early, so the highlight of today’s breakfast with Sundar Pichai was a product that truly surprised us: Chromecast, a tiny, $35 dongle that streams audio and video to your TV from phones, tablets and laptops. But that wasn’t all: the new Nexus 7 emerged as expected, with a slimmer form factor and significantly improved screen. So did Android 4.3, an incremental update to Jelly Bean that improves graphics performance and communication between devices. We learned that more than 50 billion apps have now been downloaded from Google Play — 2 billion of them since Google I/O in May — and that more than 1 million apps are now available in the store. If you missed our liveblog of the day’s events, all the news is below.
Google’s first announcement Wednesday was the slim new Nexus 7, which Google bills as the world’s highest-resolution 7-inch tablet. The new Nexus has a “true 1080p display” of 323 pixels per square inch, up from 216 ppi in the original. At 2 mm thinner and 50 grams lighter, the tablet promises to feel better in the hand than last year’s model. It should sound better, too: the new Nexus includes dual stereo speakers. And it ships with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
The new Nexus 7 is Google’s first unlocked LTE tablet, and it’s compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon’s networks. It costs $229 for the 16 GB model, $269 for the 32 GB model, and $349 for the 32 GB model with LTE. Beginning July 30, you’ll be able to find it at retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart.
You can find our hands-on with the latest from the Nexus series here.
The biggest news from today’s event was Chromecast, a 2-inch dongle that allows users to stream videos from a phone, tablet or laptop to their TV. So much for the ill-fated Nexus Q, and maybe even Google TV: the Chromecast appears to be the future of Google’s living-room strategy. The device, which sells for $35 and comes with three free months of Netflix, connects over HDMI and is powered by USB. You can stream from Android devices and from iOS, through the YouTube app.
Chromecast doesn’t directly mirror to devices, as with Apple’s AirPlay. Instead, it turns the phone into a remote, allowing users to queue up and play videos, control volume, or even turn on the TV. A Chromecast API will allow developers to build other integrations.
Chromecast is available now on Google Play and ships within a couple of days. Check out our hands-on here.
The long-awaited 4.3 update to Android arrived today, but doesn’t include many new features. The latest version of Jelly Bean does offer restricted profiles, allowing you to restrict app content at the user level to prevent younger members of your family from seeing inappropriate content. The update also includes Bluetooth Smart, aka Bluetooth Low Energy, which enables devices to communicate with reduced power consumption; and OpenGL ES 3.0 support, an enhancement to Android’s graphics rendering capabilities that Google calls “a big deal for game developers.”
Android 4.3 is coming to the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, first-generation Nexus 7, and the Galaxy Nexus today. The HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Editions are getting it “very soon” as well, Google said.
Google Play Games app
Google introduced Android’s answer to Apple’s Game Center — an app called Google Play Games. It displays your games and your friends on a single screen and lets you see highlights from both categories. Tap through to see your achievements in the games you’re playing, social and public leaderboards, and the most recently played games from your friends. The Games app builds on the Play Games API and services that the company introduced back at I/O in May. It’s available today.


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For the third time in less than two weeks, local law enforcement are investigating a major shoplifting incident at a CVS Pharmacy.
Around 9:45pm Tuesday, Smithfield Police confirmed an incident at the CVS at 1180 N. Brightleaf Boulevard. Two men entered the pharmacy and took approximately $1,000 in merchandise before walking out of the store without paying.
It’s very similar to two shoplifting cases on Oct. 14th at CVS locations on Highway 210 at McGee’s Crossroads and on Highway 42 in Cleveland.
At the Highway 210 location, $2,553 in items including large quantities of allergy medication, Crest white strips, hair clippers, razors, diapers and over-the-counter digestive medicine were stolen. Less than 3 hours later, the same suspects are believed to have taken $233 in items from the Highway 42 location including allergy medication and nasal spray.
Each incident involved two heavy set men.
The incidents are under investigation by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and Smithfield Police.


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The Kia brand name has been doing the rounds in India and there has been a buzz surrounding Hyundai’s sibling brand and how it is going to perform in India. Well to kick things off, the automaker has unveiled its SP concept SUV at the 2018 Auto Expo. It’s a new D-segment car and in production form, it will enter the same slot as its sibling the Hyundai Creta.
The concept car is a bright orange and the right size for that segment. On the face of things, there's the signature Kia tiger nose grille, sleek head lamps and silver bash plate -elements that give the SP its unique look. The glass section narrows down at the rear and gives the car a unique look thanks to the chunky C-pillars and the white coloured roof. At the rear, you can’t miss the wedge-like wrap around tail lamps and the large chrome strip running across both brake lamps. The car gets a muscular stance thanks to the large x.xx-inch wheels which sport a star-like design and have been painted in orange and white.
The grey interiors are standard Kia fare and borrow most of the design cues from the current crop of Kia cabins found in cars like the Niro and the much larger Sorento. There is no word on power trains of any kind but we believe that Kia will offer a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as well as AT and MT options for both fuel variants.


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Systems integrator, Certus, has partnered IBM to deliver a new mobility-as-a-service offering to help A/NZ companies deliver enterprise apps to mobile devices.
Certus Mobile is a complete MaaS solution that includes out-of-the box and customised mobile app development, hosting, device distribution and management capabilities, device and data security software, and ongoing maintenance and support.
It will give companies access to IBM’s mobile platform in the cloud for a monthly fee, with little or no upfront costs.
Certus director of mobile solutions, Matt Smith, said historically IT departments faced some significant challenges around delivering mobile apps to the enterprise.
“Developing an enterprise-grade app has historically cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and taken months to bring to market; then there’s the infrastructure costs, security concerns and ongoing operational overhead associated with maintaining and supporting those apps,” he said.
According to a company statement, the Certus Mobile solution overcomes those barriers to adoption by eliminating the delivery and maintenance overhead.
Certus’ Premier Partnership with IBM ensures that apps are developed on secure, scalable, enterprise-ready IBM software.
The application framework also significantly accelerates time to market, enabling mobile apps to be delivered in weeks rather than months.


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Ever since launch, the Renault Kwid has been a successful car for the French automaker in India, regaled by buyers in the country for its SUV inspired design. 2020 Renault Kwid facelift has now been spied on test though under heavy camouflage. The images are credit to automotive enthusiasts Siddhu__Sk and Satishstz, who shared the images first on Rushlane Spylane.
2020 Renault Kwid facelift BS6 is slated for launch later this year and will come in with several exterior and interior updates along with a BS VI compliant engine. It will borrow designs from the Kwid K-ZE, an electric vehicle, which recently made its presence felt at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show.
The heavy camouflage hides its interiors, but considering its extensive exterior updates, the interiors could too come in with a complete makeover. It gets a similar split headlamp design, LED DRLs, a redesigned bumper, new front grille, revised fog lamp designs and a larger air dam.
It could receive new upholstery, a new instrument cluster as seen on the K-ZE electric hatchback and an undated MediaNAV infotainment system along with several other driver and passenger convenience, infotainment and updated safety features. To comply with new crash test norms coming into effect from October 2019, the Renault Kwid facelift would also come in with structural modifications.
The Renault Kwid facelift, though it will receive the same engine lineup, the engines will now comply with BS VI emission standards. However, it is not yet confirmed whether both the engines or only one will be updated to BS VI norms. The 0.8 liter petrol engine will continue to offer 54 hp power and 72 Nm torque and 1.0 liter, 3 cylinder engine will also continue to offer 68 hp power and 91 Nm torque.
The engines will be mated to 5 speed manual and 5 speed AMT. Launch in India is planned for later this year. Ahead of which the company will be bringing in the Triber MPV. The Renault Kwid facelift will continue its rivalry against the Tata Tiago, Maruti Suzuki WagonR and the Hyundai Santro.
Along with these updates, the Renault Kwid facelift will also see an increase in prices. As on date, the Renault Kwid is priced from Rs.2.77-4.75 lakhs while the facelift could be priced from Rs.2.81 lakhs onwards.


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TESCO is set to open more stores in Spain.
Britain’s largest supermarket flung the doors open to its first shop on the Spanish mainland in Murcia a couple of weeks ago.
Operating under The Food Co brand, Puerto de Mazarron’s Tesco sells 7,500 mostly British products, including beers, teas, sausages and cheese.
But, now the British supermarket giant has revealed plans to conquer Mijas and Ibiza, where it hopes to open stores soon.
The supermarket chain aims to have shops in Madrid and Barcelona by 2021, according to consumer thinktank Alimarket.
The Herefordshire-based supermarket chain is being dubbed the ‘British Mercadona’ by retail insiders.
Tesco has 2,500 stores in 12 countries in Europe and Asia.
It has a 27% market share in the United Kingdom, slightly higher than Mercadona’s 25% share of the market in Spain.
The supermarket has struggled to compete with the emergence of discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl into the British supermarket scene in the last few years and has seen its market dominance gradually eroded.


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Next Generation Third-Party E-Commerce Fulfillment Business Scales to Meet Consumer Demand;
New, State-of-the-Art 355,000 Square Foot Facility Brings 150 Jobs to Devens, MA
Devens, MA /PRNewswire/ - Quiet Logistics, Inc. (www.quietlogistics.com), the leading outsourced fulfillment partner to premium apparel and lifestyle brands, today announced significant expansion with the opening of a world-class, 355,000 square foot fulfillment center on Jackson Road in Devens, Massachusetts. The new facility creates 150 full-time jobs, and is designed to handle Quiet's current and projected growth, enabling the company to scale with customers that are facing significant increases in order volumes fueled by the booming global e-commerce industry.
"Retailers today are under tremendous pressure to manage higher order volumes and shifting consumer expectations due to fierce competition from big e-commerce players like Amazon and Walmart," said Brian Lemerise, President of Quiet Logistics. "We are thrilled to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Devens that will allow us to continue to deliver the highest level of service to current and future customers, ensuring that they are able to meet demand for faster online order delivery."
Founded in 2009 by Bruce Welty and Michael Johnson, Quiet Logistics integrates cutting-edge robotic technology, robust proprietary software systems and human touch to deliver the next generation of post-click fulfillment services with unprecedented speed and precision. The new facility deploys 200 new autonomous, mobile robots from Locus Robotics, which work safely and collaboratively alongside human employees to drive unparalleled productivity and precision.
"We have found the Greater Boston area to be a strong source of talent and robotic technologies," said Bruce Welty, Chairman and Founder of Quiet Logistics. "We are excited to bring a third fulfillment warehouse to the community as we continue to drive growth and innovation in the Devens area."
About Quiet Logistics
Quiet Logistics partners with premium fashion and lifestyle brands to deliver flagship fulfillment services. With proprietary software and best-in-class technology (featured on CNN, Wired,The Business of Fashion and CBS' 60 Minutes), Quiet helps companies grow quickly without compromising quality, scaling up at high speed while maintaining unprecedented order accuracy. At the same time, their sartorial savvy, obsessive attention to detail and ability to finesse the post-transaction process allow them to present a highly customized brand experience on behalf of their clients.
Quiet Logistics ships over $1 billion in e-commerce orders for customers ranging from big-box retailers to small boutiques, including Bonobos, Mack Weldon, Away, and Love Your Melon. For more information, contact Nick Saunders, firstname.lastname@example.org or visit www.quietlogistics.com.


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After a couple days of uncertainty, the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES:^DJI) roared upward today, jumping almost 124 points in marking yet another new all-time record high. Positive comments from an influential hedge fund manager helped rally Wall Street traders, and a lack of inflationary pressure from the import market in light of the soaring U.S. dollar gave investors reassurances that the Federal Reserve will be able to keep its monetary policy accommodative for its promised extended period.
But a few Dow stocks didn't join in the celebration. The biggest decliner was UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH), which dropped more than 1% on news from the Congressional Budget Office that Obamacare might bring in a smaller number of uninsured Americans onto insurance company rolls through subsidies or expansions of Medicaid expansions than previously expected. With states no longer having to participate in Medicaid expansion, the estimate has fallen by more than a quarter since early CBO estimates two years ago, and that's bad news for insurers that have hoped that more customers would offset higher costs under Obamacare's other provisions.
Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) also lagged behind despite a good day for technology stocks overall. The chip maker fell 1% despite its recent efforts to bolster its presence in the tablet and smartphone space. As Fool contributor Steve Heller told analyst Rex Moore yesterday, what bullish investors aren't fully realizing about Intel is that because mobile margins are narrower than PC margins have historically been, it's not good enough for Intel to match its PC sales in the mobile arena. Rather, it has to sell many more chips in order to keep up, and that's a tall order in a highly competitive market.
Finally, Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) rounded out the list of declining Dow stocks, falling 0.6%. The dollar's persistent strength spells trouble for the company's international sales, as the currency's strength make Caterpillar's exports more costly in local currency terms. With competitors from Japan and elsewhere gaining a competitive advantage, Caterpillar will have to work that much harder in an already-challenging environment of slowing economic growth and weak commodity prices.
By themselves, these stocks won't cause an end to the bull market. But given their past leadership, the fact that they aren't joining in the bull run could become a problem if they don't turn around and start participating in the near future.


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Wouldn’t it be great if all the companies in the world had to pay at least one tax? U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believed the idea was practical and suggested it at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Conference. With former US President Donald Trump, such a tax reform was unthinkable, and his successor, Joe Biden, now seems likely to do so in the near future.
Details about the implementation of the minimum tax are still open
Yellen did not want to commit to the minimum rate amount and how the tax would be levied. It has to be decided by the global community of states in the Group of G20 countries and the 140 members of the OECD, an industrialized body. The former head of the US Federal Reserve sees this as a contribution to global tax justice if international corporations pay the minimum corporate income tax rate in all cases.
Experts expect the tax to be as low as 10 to 15 percent, which can be added to the second regional tax in individual countries. The new U.S. administration is now thinking of a lower limit of 21 percent.
Relatively high corporate taxes in Germany
Yellen’s move was welcomed by federal finance minister Olaf Scholes (SPD), who expects a quick deal to bring about global tax reform by summer. Most importantly, the federal government and other EU countries will impose a new rupee tax on digital services from Google, Amazon, Facebook or Apple. For the first time, the new US government is open to this.
It is not a fact that big internet companies pay practically no taxes in Germany. Competition between locations that advertise that countries like Ireland are not taxing will also fail. Considered a high-tax country, Germany is not under much pressure from companies to relocate their products abroad or migrate en masse.
Fierce competition for locations to find companies
In Germany, the total weight of many companies is at least 30 percent. The corporate income tax that ensures the financial viability of many municipalities is only 15 per cent and the solidarity surcharge.
The main question is what will happen in advance in Germany in favor of global taxation, which is happening in other countries as well. This is especially true for export companies or international corporations operating from Germany.
Low taxes hurt exporters like Germany
There are still many unanswered questions about the imposition of a minimum tax on international companies, and the G20 tax base, one of the 20 industrial and developing countries proposed by the US Treasury Secretary, is very important. First and foremost, you need to clarify what taxes are being levied.
Tax evasion is another matter. International companies and corporations in particular can easily reduce their tax burden by reporting low profits or shifting losses back and forth between different locations. This leads to costs such as domestic loans from subsidiaries in parent companies. International financial investors often finance such loans to acquire their company.
Tax losses are possible for federal, state, and local authorities
On the other hand, with the new minimum tax, tariffs on tax offices will increase further in the countries where companies do their business – that is, in the markets where they sell their goods and services. It would be bad for countries like Germany to export.
German carmakers will have to pay the lowest taxes, mainly in the USA and China, where they sell more vehicles, not in company-headquartered Germany. The German finance minister will lose more than he gained from Amazon and Google with export companies in the automotive or mechanical engineering industries.
Extra income for US President Biden’s economic stimulus plan
Tax revenue will increase for imports from countries like the USA where the economy lives heavily on consumption. From the long-running trade deficit that is weakening the U.S. economy, the government in Washington can achieve a new advantage with the minimum tax.
Billions of dollars in investment plans for US President Joe Biden’s U.S. infrastructure could be funded as part of the new tax.
More reasonable taxes for poorer countries
This applies to poor countries and developing economies where production is not well developed. Such countries can often supply only raw materials and agricultural products. Finished goods arrive there from industrialized countries, and companies gain financial added value. Profits and taxes are mainly in rich producing countries, not buying countries. Only consumption taxes such as sales tax or value added tax are possible there.
Many people think this is unfair because the weak position of poor countries also reinforces the fact that corporate taxes are low. In this regard, the Global Minimum Tax is intended to ensure better distribution around the world.
Prone to fits of apathy. Unable to type with boxing gloves on. Internet advocate. Avid travel enthusiast. Entrepreneur. Music expert.


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Under Armour has opened its newest retail location, the Boston Brand House, at the Prudential Center in Boston’s Back Bay area.
The 19,000 square-feet, two-floor space will feature men’s, women’s and youth apparel, footwear and accessories, including a dedicated space for the new UAS label of American sportswear. In addition, it will sell localized Boston apparel that celebrates the legacy of the city in both sport and style including Boston Red Sox gear and the New England Patriots NFL Combine Authentic Team collection, along with gear that celebrates an existing partnership with Boston College.
The store will also feature numerous interactive and immersive features, such as the Optojump experience, an interactive readiness/skill test that helps athletes measure speed, power, and reaction, as well as a wall map in the fitting rooms follows a run path from the perspective of the brand’s Connected Fitness running community.
“Bostonians have a true passion for sports and a fortitude that is hard to rival – qualities which are the essence of the Under Armour Brand,” said Susie McCabe, SVP of Global Retail. “The Under Armour Boston Brand House will highlight our commitment to making all athletes better through performance and innovation, while providing consumers with an elevated shopping experience.”
In conjunction with the store opening, Under Armour is hosting the “50 Flight Fight” Tower Climb at the Prudential Tower on Saturday, November 5 beginning at 9 a.m. The race, which will begin the Boston Brand House, is open to the general public and benefits the city’s first responders.


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Dancing humanoid robot rolls in to Calgary banks
'She certainly won't replace anyone's jobs, but she can take away some of those less value-add activities'
The next time you walk into an ATB branch, you could be greeted by a four-feet tall dancing humanoid robot named Pepper.
The companion robot, created by Softbank Robotics America, is the first of its kind capable of recognizing human emotion, and this is Pepper's first foray into the Canadian market.
Beginning in May, Pepper will roll out in Calgary — first at the Chinook Centre ATB branch, followed by Eighth Avenue Place and then the Stephen Avenue Centre branch in July.
ATB aims to use the robot to draw more people into the bank and provide them with a fun and engaging experience that keeps them coming back, said Sandi Boga, senior manager of innovation.
Pepper's interactions will be fairly basic at first.
The three-wheeled robot will be able to dance, recommend products and services, pose for selfies and interact with people via a mounted touch screen tablet, or verbally in several different languages.
"As we're welcoming new Canadians, she can actually help them break through some of the early barriers they might have when they're setting up their first account in Canada, for example," Boga said.
But ATB has hinted that Pepper's functionality could eventually be expanded by connecting it to an artificially intelligent system. This would allow the robot to perform biometric authentication via the camera installed in its head, making it possible for Pepper to address customers by name and provide them with personalized banking recommendations based on their stored customer information.
Not to replace staff, says ATB
ATB Financial says it partnered with SoftBank Robotics America after customer research found many people carry a lack of trust and high levels of discomfort in dealing with the banking industry.
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"We found out that there's some people who don't really love banking, and don't love coming into banks," Boga said. "We want to bring happiness to people using banking,"
Boga said Pepper "certainly won't replace anyone's jobs."
The robot is meant to free up staff so they can engage on a more personal level with customers, said Bill Lott, global project manager with SBRA.
"Pepper is not designed to take away any jobs. In fact, she's best used to do repetitive, mundane tasks that humans may not want to do," he said.
With files from Monty Kruger


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GameStop: "We're On Offense When It Comes to Digital"
President Tony Bartel says that in fact, most of the company's digital revenue comes from its brick-and-mortar stores.
Some believed that the rise in digital distribution for games would lead to the downfall of retailer GameStop, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, at least not anytime soon. In a new interview with VentureBeat, GameStop president Tony Bartel outlines some of the ways in which the retailer is not only surviving--but thriving--in this increasingly digital age of gaming.
"Most of our digital revenue comes from our brick-and-mortar stores," Bartel said. "The console digital is predominantly things like Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo eShop cards. Then there's downloadable content, which is fast-growing in the console digital."
GameStop's total digital sales for 2013, including the company's Kongregate mobile gaming platform, PC downloads, and in-store digital sales, came out to $724.4 million. And things are already looking up so far this year, with first quarter digital revenue up 9.5 percent year-over-year.
One digital sector that GameStop is seeing solid performance in is DLC season passes. Bartel said Ubisoft games have been particularly successful. "Over 70 percent of the season passes for Ubisoft's games in Q1 were sold through physical retailers," Bartel said, citing Ubisoft data "We believe that we nearly corner that market as far as digital downloads."
"We don't talk about defending against digital distribution. We talk about driving digital distribution. We're on offense when it comes to digital" -- Tony Bartel
Bartel went on to say that he believes shopping in a physical store for content is beneficial to the gamer because they can speak with a knowledgeable store associate. If you're shopping online, you don't get that.
"The reason we're so adamant about that is because we believe this downloadable content is incredible content," Bartel said. "It's just that not a lot of people know about it. It's not the most customer-friendly experience to find it on either PlayStation Network or Xbox Live."
Another reason why GameStop's digital business is booming, Bartel says, is because shoppers have flexibility with how they pay for games. "More than 60 percent of the payments for digital content [at GameStop] are not with credit cards," Bartel said. "It's trade credit, cash, gift cards, and things like that."
Overall, Bartel said GameStop's ambition with digital is to try to be a market-leader instead of thinking of itself as a company that needs to survive as digital distribution becomes more and more commonplace. "We don't talk about defending against digital distribution," Bartel said. "We talk about driving digital distribution. We're on offense when it comes to digital."


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Guy Elitzur, CEO, Vertical Field notes: "Recently, we have been experiencing another phenomenon in the changes the world is going through. From severe climate changes, extreme natural disasters and fatal epidemics attacking everywhere, these permutations have an impact on the way we do business, the way we raise our children and the way we grow and consume food. There is no doubt that it challenges the food chain in many ways, and it forces agriculture and the food chain to reinvent the wheel and rethink about how food is grown, supplied and consumed. This is one of the reasons we experience the integration of many types of technologies in the agriculture industry aiming at improving its efficiency, lowering the risks attached and improving its quality and safety."
Within the agriculture industry there is one extremely interesting segment that is growing rapidly and is aiming to provide a solution to some of its problems. This segment is called vertical farming or urban farming. Indoor farming is not a new concept, as greenhouse-based agriculture has been in existence for some time. Numerous commercially viable crops (e.g., strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs and spices) have seen their way to the world’s supermarkets via indoor farming in ever increasing amounts over the last few decades. Most of these operations are small when compared to factory farms, but unlike their outdoor counterparts, these facilities can produce crops year-round.
What is new in the vertical farming concept that differs radically from what currently exists under the indoor farming industry? The main issue is the availability to scale up the concept of indoor farming inside the urban ecosystem in a safer, more secure way that reduces the dependency of the traditional food chain, with the additional benefit of significantly less space required.
Read more at Israel Agri


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When visiting the nation’s capitol last month, in addition to enjoying the museums, monuments and memorials, I couldn’t help but take notice of the popular beverage of choice on those hot July days — bottled water. Vendors carried around coolers and walked up and down the streets selling water, and tourists flocked to them.
Whenever holidays or birthdays roll around, time sometimes gets the best of me. To save myself the hassle, I find myself turning to the Internet for a quick shopping trip. Before, I only used to shop online for things I couldn’t find in stores, but now it is becoming more the norm for my regular shopping — and I’m not the only one. The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and PwC US 2011 Food, Beverage, and Consumer Products financial performance report “Thriving in a Connected World” indicates that digital transformation is empowering consumers while allowing consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to manage their enterprises effectively and efficiently to drive growth.
Somewhat serendipitously, I opted to read the May 16 edition of The New Yorker featuring an in-depth profile on PepsiCo’s food and beverage innovation plans while traveling to last month’s IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans. The “Snacks for a Fat Planet” article by John Seabrook details PepsiCo’s plans for innovation across its portfolio of products with insight from senior PepsiCo executives, including Jonathan McIntyre, senior vice president of R&D global beverages, who was featured in Beverage Industry’s April cover story.
In a way, The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, approached the occasion of its 125th anniversary with a celebration of change. The company has gone through a multitude of overhauls in its century and a quarter history that represent the evolution of its business and the industry, such as the following: Until 1955, The Coca-Cola Co. offered one product in one package. Today, the company owns a stable of 3,500 products globally.
When it comes to innovation, Charles Gibb, president of Belvedere Vodka, knows how important it is to do something new and different. That approach helped the company to develop its newest variety, Bloody Mary flavored vodka. While many flavored vodkas are formulated around sweet combinations, Belvedere wanted its focus to be on something different.
I once dreamed of baking treats for my daughter’s birthdays to take to school to share with her friends like my mother did when I was a child. When my friend told me that her children can only bring store-bought treats to school because of allergens, among other safety concerns, I was disappointed to hear that, but after reporting on the beverage and food industries for nine years, I was not surprised.
During an interview for this month’s cover story, Rick Zimmerman, senior vice president of marketing and innovation for Cincinnati-based Sunny Delight Beverages Co., mentioned that his innovation strategy is influenced by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen.
Beverage Industry’s November issue highlights the 100-year advocacy of the American Beverage Association and what’s next for CEO Katherine Lugar and a new plastics initiative, Every Bottle Back. This issue includes a special report on craft beer, an Up Close With feature on PRESS hard cider and what is sparking innovation in natural colors. Read more about how protein is powering up beverages and how warehouses are using WMS and WCS systems to streamline operations. As usual, the latest trends in new products, packaging and ingredients are highlighted.
Check back throughout the month for additional content.


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The global appetite for organic products is still stronger than ever. There are now approximately 43.1 million hectares of land devoted to organic agriculture across the world, according to a FiBL-IFOAM report. The countries with the most organic agricultural land are Australia with 17.2 million hectares, Argentina with 3.2 million hectares and the United States with 2.2 million hectares.
The global market for organic produce looks very healthy indeed, having increased five-fold since 1999. In 2013, global sales of organic food and drink reached $72 billion, with Europe and the United States driving 90 percent of the world's sales. Indeed, the United States has the largest appetite for organic produce by some distance with sales amounting to just under $27 billion in 2013. Germany is in second position with $8.3 billion. Demand is still strong across the European Union as a whole, with sales reaching $24.56 billion in 2013.
*Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)


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Dave & Buster’s stock price climbed nearly 12% midday Friday on news that global investment firm KKR & Co. raised its stake in the eatertainment chain and was discussing business strategy and more with the company.
New York City-based KKR now holds about 10.7% of Dave & Buster’s shares, according to a recently filed Securities and Exchange Commission document.
Representatives from the firm “have and intend to continue to engage in discussions with management” about “business, operations, strategy, plans and prospects,” the filing said. It also notes that KKR may talk with management, the Dave & Buster’s board, stockholders and others about “any extraordinary corporate transaction,” including a merger or reorganization.
Previously, KKR held a 2.65% stake in the Dallas-based chain, according to a filing in September.
Dave & Buster’s did not respond to a Restaurant Business request to comment on the development.
The 134-unit chain has been struggling in recent quarters, blaming increased competition in the eatertainment space for its declining same-store sales. For the quarter ended Nov. 3, the company reported a same-store sales drop of 4.1%. The chain predicted comps would decline 2.5% to 3% for the fiscal year ending next month.
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An Intro to Lollapalooza
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
Initially started as a touring event in 1993, Lollapalooza became a permanent event in 2003 in Chicago, Illinois in the United States. As of now, the festival happens in 8 other countries which include Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Sweden, and France, and finally found its inception in 2023 in Mumbai, India.
Some of the most famous artists have graced the Lollapalooza stage over the years which include Lady Gaga, Kesha, Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, Diplo Twenty One Pilots, and many more.
Lolla India 2023
Photo by LollaIndia from Instagram
There was a huge buzz when Lollapalooza announced in 2022 that they would be bringing their flagship show to 2023. Apart from Sunburn and Bacardi NH7 Weekender, there had only been individual artist’s tours from time to time such as Justin Beiber, Ed Sheeran, etc.
LollaIndia announced its stellar lineup on November 2, 2023, but as soon as it was released, little news surfaced online. Popular opinion was that the artists that were announced to be participating were not the most exciting for the ticket prices people were paying.
But we think that since this is the inaugural version, the LollaIndia team was testing out their pricing model with the help of the largest ticketing platform in India, BookMyShow.
What does it mean for Indian Music & Culture
1. Cultural Integration
The world knows about the rich culture of India and the artists from India carry these values and culture that are so close to them and incorporate them into the music they make. For example, Raveena’s second album ‘Asha’s Awakening’ is a concept album from the point of view of a Punjabi Princess Asha. The album is completely inspired by South Asian music.
In 2023, this is a much-needed topic to discuss. The integration of culture and the spreading of culture from the east to the west brings globalization and acceptance of multiculturalism.
2. Platform of positivity for Indian Artists
The Indian independent scene has blown the past few years with artists like Divine, Emiway, and King killing it internationally. With Lollapalooza coming to India, the stage and the setting only gets bigger. Artists who have performed in front of thousands of people now can get to perform in front of 10,000 people.
For budding artists from multiple languages who want to take their music globally, Lollapalooza can be a great motivator. If they can perform on a stage in their home country at the highest level and showcase their music to a global audience, that could serve as a break to put them on a top tier artist list.
3. Bringing Indian pop culture brands to the world
Several Indian-made brands are trying to make it big on the world stage, especially in the sneaker and fashion industries. One of the most important marketing for them is influencer marketing.
With the advent of Lollapalooza, there can be collaborations between these Indian cultural brands with local and international artists which can in turn be the driving force for establishments across the globe. This can be a vehicle for these brands to enter into a new untapped market worldwide.
4. Music Collaborations between Indian and Foreign Artists
We have seen collaborations between Bollywood and artists such as Akon and Snoop Dogg. And the crazy part is people love collaborations, especially in Hiphop. People love seeing artists together in tracks. Feature songs gain more hits than solo songs. What would it be like to see Brodha V or Krsna on a track with Jack Harlow? Sick, right?
Lollapalooza can help with this. When we put two like-minded artists together in the same room, we do not know the amount of impact it can create.
5.Spotlight on upcoming local bred talents
India has almost 100+ genres and it is so diverse that every region has its form of music. Every region has its own set of artists who make it mainstream. Every artist in turn yearns for a stage like Lollapalooza to make their mark on a national and global stage.
The more diverse local region-bred talent Lollapalooza features, the more good music artists can produce.
6. New genres of music making
2022 saw the rise of Afro beats and artists like Burna Boy making waves internationally. Genres such as Afropop, Jersey Drill, and Soul Rap created a way for new artists and a completely new flavor for the audience.
With the number of genres available in India and the mix of western genres, we could be looking at many new music genres that are yet to be identified, named, and brought to the market.
7. Increase in job opportunities
This is obvious. Whenever there is an event that is set at the size of Lollapalooza, it eventually leads to an economic boost for the city, and along with it brings many jobs to people in the area. From stage setup assistants to security to cleaners to lighting people, the list goes on and on.
We have already heard that Lollapalooza is coming back to Mumbai, India in 2024. If this is recurring and Lollapalooza can make it to India every year, this would be a tremendous gift for Indian Music and Culture as a whole


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Shop opens at Suffolk village pub
- Credit: Charlotte Bond
A shop has returned to a Suffolk village - and it is located inside the pub.
The Saracens Head in Newton Green, near Sudbury, has diversified and opened a shop on the premises that focuses on high quality, local produce.
Saracens Shop manager Hannah Faulkner, 31, said the idea for the shop was borne out of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It took a long time to put together," said Miss Faulkner. "There was a lot to wait for in terms of equipment and permissions.
"It's situated in the front section of the pub. We still use the same front door as before. We did it because obviously it's another string to our bow and the village needs a shop and has done for the last 20 years."
Saracens shop, which opened last Wednesday, stocks its own homemade sandwiches and hot counter food, as well as goods by local producers and "home makers," who have their own small businesses.
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Since the shop opened its doors, its scotch eggs, sausage rolls and pasties have been particular favourites with shoppers.
There are freshly-made cakes and bread, takeout coffees and more.
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Their suppliers include Sparling and Faiers bakery in Lavenham, Weston's Bakery in Sudbury and fresh and frozen meat by Jamie’s Meat Inn, also in Sudbury.
Workers are popping in for takeaway food and drink, and Miss Faulkner added: "We do get the villagers using it as well, which has been great.
"A couple of ladies have brought their little shopping trolleys especially for us which is nice."
Miss Faulkner's mum Beverley Faulkner had worked at the pub for more than 20 years before buying it from Punch Taverns.
Beverley said the new shop was "going quite well" and added: "We need people to use it."
Her daughter said because of the Covid crisis the pub was shut for about eight months in total, but they used that time to refurbish the private areas upstairs and the garden.
"Just jobs we wouldn't have got done," she said.
They expected the shop to open before they started running the pub again, but in the end the rules relaxed and the Saracens Head opened first.
To find out more about the shop visit the Facebook page.


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7 Reasons to Wait for the OnePlus 7T & 4 Reasons Not to
Devices like the OnePlus 7 Pro and Galaxy S10 are great smartphones, but some of you might be better off waiting for the OnePlus 7T or OnePlus 7T Pro. Even better versions of the already great OnePlus 7 Pro that are coming next week.
And now that the Galaxy Note 10 and iPhone 11 are here, those in the market for a new phone have several options, including Google’s upcoming Pixel 4. That said, the OnePlus 7 Pro really impressed a lot of people earlier this year, and we’re expecting even more from its replacement, the T upgrade.
While we’ve received several leaks of these phones, the company CEO himself recently shared the image you see above. Essentially confirming the new phone ahead of its release. Keep in mind that’s the regular OnePlus 7T and not the 7T Pro. We’re hearing the 7T Pro will stick to the same design as earlier this year.
The company uses the “T” variant to compete with the iPhone, Galaxy Note, and Google Pixel as the year comes to a close. Not to mention keep its devices up to date with the latest technology. And this year it’ll get announced in September and released in October, instead of November like previous years.
That’s where things get tough for the OnePlus 7T too though because it’s already ahead of the competition in several areas, so how will they improve what’s an already great phone? Well, that’s where we come in. This post will go over a few early rumors, what we’re expecting, then talk about what we want to see next with the OnePlus 7T and the OnePlus 7T Pro.
07/17/2019 at 3:41 am
No one even knows if there will be a 7T. This is all very loose speculation.
07/17/2019 at 9:55 am
Yes. but considering we got a 5T and a 6T, it’s a little more than “loose” speculation.
BILAL EL ETER
08/15/2019 at 12:11 am
ONE PLUS 7 IS STILL WORTH PAYING FOR THAN ALL AVAILABLE FLAGSHIPS AND EVEN THE ONES RELEASED BEFORE THE END OF 2019. CONSIDERING WHAT YOU GET FOR THE PRICE
07/17/2019 at 8:45 am
If they kill the pup up camera n the screen size they are killing everything that make this phone stands out. Water proof not so much. The 5G thing n 12 Ram they been playing us about that in a way.For US they aren’t available or u must get it directly from them, that’s kind turn off. But am still happy with my 7 pro if they asure 5G is a plus n the Android 10 OS that’s all I need
07/17/2019 at 9:58 am
Thanks for the comment Josue. I agree. The 7 Pro will get Android 10 Q before December, and I don’t think 5G will be relevant until this time next year. Your 7 Pro is still a great phone.
And while I agree that making the screen smaller isn’t ideal, but a lot of people complained the phone was too big and heavy. Which is why I think we’ll actually get TWO 7T phones. Plus, as neat as the popup camera is, that’s a potential fail point and a moving part they’ll want to remove ASAP.
I don’t know if under-display camera tech is ready yet from Oppo and for OnePlus, but if they manage to put the front camera under the screen in 2019 that would be a big deal. It’s doubtful though.
07/17/2019 at 8:12 pm
It should be with snapdragon855 plus with 12 g ram and more improved camera may be 64 pixel.
08/19/2019 at 7:13 pm
1. Why does anyone care about IP ratings??? OnePlus makes their devices water resistant to sufficiently withstand being accidentally dropped in water. Unless you take your phone deep sea diving, the only thing that an IP rating will do to a OnePlus device is drive the price up unnecessarily!
2. Please explain the logic behind the alleged demand for wireless charging, when it’s so damned slow? Especially in comparison to OnePlus’ fast charging!?!? Why would you want to pay MORE for a device that charges slower? Who cares if it doesn’t have wireless charging? I want FAST charging, because I can’t afford the luxury of standing around with my thumbs up my ass. I’m an IT professional; and I need my device ready when a situation arises. I can’t afford to leave it on a wireless charger for an hour, just to get enough battery juice to allow me to hotspot off my phone… and establish a VPN connection… while I troubleshoot and resolve a problem (which may very well require downloading and uploading large files).
3. News Flash: not everyone cares about the front camera, because not everyone takes selfies. More than half the phones out there are never used to take selfies! The current pop-up camera solution on the OnePlus 7 series phone is more than sufficient! Unless OnePlus can implement something that offers better photographic results AND is more cost effective, let them leave the pop-up camera in.
Stop whining for better this, or more that… which only makes the device more expensive and less attractive! I want VALUE for my money! If I didn’t, I’d buy an iPhone.
08/31/2019 at 4:11 am
As far as the rumors are concerned, will there be any upgrade in the camera like 64mp ??
Also does the pop up camera work well with use??


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Five years later.
Almost five years after the Duke and Alexander McQueen and creative director Sarah Burton are being sued by Designer Christine Kendall, who claims Burton used her sketches as inspiration for Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.
Kendall claims to have sent her sketches to the palace and received a letter of thanks – though a spokesperson has confirmed the Duchess never saw the sketches.
“Miss Catherine Middleton has asked me to write and thank you so much for your letter of November 18 enclosing bridal-gown designs,” the letter reportedly said. “Miss Middleton was most interested to see your work and very much appreciated you taking the trouble to write. Should she wish to see more of your designs I will of course be in touch.”
Alexander McQueen and parent company Kering released a statement in which they have whole-heartedly denied the claims. “We are utterly baffled by this legal claim,” said the statement which also revealed that Kendall had approached the company some four years ago.
“Any suggestion that Sarah Burton's design of the royal wedding dress was copied from her designs complete nonsense. Sarah Burton never saw any of Ms Kendall's designs or sketches and did not know of Ms Kendall before Ms Kendall got in touch with us - some 13 months after the wedding. We do not know why Ms Kendall has raised this again, but there are no ifs, buts or maybes here: this claim is ridiculous.”
Kendall has taken the matter to the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and has previously indicated that “without my sketches, the royal wedding dress would not have looked like it did.”
Kendall’s legal team will not be pursuing matters with the Palace, only with Alexander McQueen.


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Automakers and States launch ‘Drive Change. Drive Electric.’ campaign in US
In an apparent effort to promote the adoption of electric cars by consumers, a new campaign called ‘Drive Change. Drive Electric.’ has been launched by a group of automakers and State governments in the US on Wednesday.
Automakers that have come together to launch the electric-car promotional campaign include BMW, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Nissan, Kia, Mazda, Volvo, and Subaru.
The US states partnering with these automakers for the campaign include New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire.
The key objective behind the launch of the ‘Drive Change. Drive Electric.’ campaign by the mentioned automakers and state governments is to directly encourage consumers to consider the purchase electric cars before they go to a car dealership. To achieve that objective, the campaign largely involves the creation of a website to entice potential electric-car customers, producing advertisements, as well as launching social media campaigns and events.
Highlighting the fact that the aim of the campaign is to inform consumers about the benefits of electric cars while they are mulling the purchase of a new vehicle, Fred Turatti -- General Manager of Environmental Regulation at Toyota -- said that the campaign will basically “educate and inform” the consumers in the US about the availability of “a wide range of zero-emission vehicles, electric vehicles.... at a price point they can afford.”
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) start-up NIO is all set to deliver its first production vehicle to the market; and its first EV service center in Beijing is coming up right next to EV manufacturer Tesla’s service center.
According to an Automotive News report, German automaker BMW plans to discontinue its i3 all-electric compact car and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car ahead of introducing its next-generation electric vehicles (EVs).
The monthly sales figures for plug-in electric cars for March 2018 have revealed that Toyota’s Prius Prime plug-in hybrid managed to achieve a startling sales total for the month among plug-in electric cars.
According to reports, the electric-car sales system which is being adopted by China is similar to the one applicable in California.
In a noteworthy move aimed at making public transport more sustainable in the Netherlands, “world’s largest charge depot” for electric buses has recently gone live in Amsterdam.
Toyota has shared some information and photos of the US version of the 2019 Corolla Hatchback at the New York Auto Show. The vehicle was earlier unveiled by Toyota at the Geneva auto show, two weeks back.


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20 reasons why 2014 is shaping up to be the year of the family gamer on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U, 3DS, Vita and PC.
Jan 23 2014, 5:37am CST
Read More PS4 Games Stories
Will we see a Playstation 5? How about an Xbox…um…two? As soon as Sony and Microsoft announced the PS4 and Xbox One,...
Jan 13 2014, 11:41am CST
Sony announced on Tuesday that PS4 cumulative sales have reached 4.2 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2013. PS4 software sales have also reached 9.7 million copies worldwide.
Jan 8 2014, 11:55am CST
It’s time to revisit an old saw. Hello, saw. How are you? It’s been a little while! Months, at least. Still predicting...
Jan 8 2014, 10:31am CST
Sony has just announced that it has sold more than 2.1 million PlayStation 4 consoles worldwide since the launch date. PS4 is now available in 32 countries worldwide.
Dec 3 2013, 4:49am CST


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LAS VEGAS (January 8, 2009) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc. – In conjunction with its announcement yesterday of its all-new telematics systems, Safety Connect and Lexus Enform, Toyota announced today its multiple strategic partnerships in support of the new systems.
“Our selective partnerships are the cornerstone of our success in the launch of our proprietary telematics services,” said Jon Bucci, TMS vice president, Advanced Technology Department. “We are very proud—and entirely confident—in the business relationships we have forged in the development of Safety Connect and Lexus Enform, and know that we’re working with the best in the field.”
ATX: A Telematics Industry Leader
A key collaborator in Toyota’s telematics efforts is ATX, a leading provider of telematics services to global automobile manufacturers.
“Toyota is a company that strives to provide the best quality possible to its customers and believes in doing things right from the start. This philosophy is the foundation of our partnership,” said Steve Millstein, president of ATX Group. “ATX has been associated with a number of industry ‘firsts’ and ‘bests,’ we foresee that our partnership with Toyota will make us even better.”
All Safety Connect and Lexus Enform calls—for automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency assistance, roadside assistance and directions requests—will be sent directly to Toyota’s dedicated ATX call center.
“ATX brings over a decade of experience launching a variety of successful telematics platforms,” said Bucci. “Their passion for telematics resonates in both their willingness to meet and address our specific business needs as well as their dedication to meeting Toyota’s high standards for personalized, customer care.”
VoiceBox’s Flexible Voice Interface—An Automotive First
On the Lexus Enform side, Toyota has partnered with VoiceBox® Technologies Inc., to provide one of the most functional—and sure to be favorite—systems in the new platform. VoiceBox is the award-winning innovator of conversational voice search applications.
"VoiceBox’s applications represent a true advancement over traditional speech applications available today,” said Mike Kennewick, CEO of VoiceBox. “Toyota is leading the initiative to develop and deliver advanced voice applications for their customers, and we’re happy to help and support their market-leading vision as we begin to deploy VoiceBox to help offer the most satisfying experience to drivers.”
Lexus Enform vehicles will feature VoiceBox software as an enhancement to the standard voice recognition—an application not seen before in the automotive world. This innovative voice command system works to control many functions of the audio system, HVAC, and the navigation system as well as Bluetooth® calls, all easier to accomplish—in fewer steps, with more flexible speech—allowing drivers to focus more on the road ahead.
“Driver distraction is an issue that deeply concerns Toyota,” said Jim Pisz, TMS corporate manager, Advanced Technology Department. “Our ongoing goal—and aim in our partnership with VoiceBox Technologies—is to help enable drivers to safely and reliably communicate and retrieve information while on the road.”
XM: Reaching Beyond Radio
“With the launch of our new telematics systems, we are excited to see our long-standing partnership with XM to launch into new terrain,” said Pisz.
In addition to XM’s ongoing satellite radio offerings, including the now available “The Best of SIRIUS,” Toyota’s XM services are now expanding to include XM NavTraffic® on more Lexus and Toyota models, as well as XMNavWeatherTM and XM® Sports and Stocks on most Lexus models. Also of note, XM has provided Toyota with proprietary bandwidth for the broadcast of Lexus Insider audio casts.
“These expanded XM services on Toyota and Lexus vehicles only further solidifyour substantive relationship with TMS,” said Steve Cook, group vice president automotive, SIRIUS XM Radio. “We look forward to continuing our efforts and providing Toyota and Lexus drivers the services they want and need on the road.”
Zagat: On-Road Access to Best-Selling Restaurant Guides
TMS has collaborated with Zagat to enhance and improve the Lexus ownership experience by utilizing Zagat’s best-in-breed content within the navigation system.
“When looking for points of interest that would resonate with our discerning Lexus drivers, there was no better choice than Zagat,” said Bucci. “The Zagat name goes hand-in-hand with the quality our drivers have come to expect and rely upon in their Lexus vehicles.”
With the Lexus Enform navigation platforms’ Destination Assist and eDestination features, drivers now have easy access to Zagat-rated restaurants nationwide.
“We see our collaboration with Toyota as a perfect fit, providing Lexus owners with integrated Zagat content which will help them make better, more informed dining decisions while on the road,” said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey.
Safety Connect and Lexus Enform will be delivered as embedded, factory-installed hardware on select vehicles with an included one-year trial subscription beginning in late summer 2009. More details on product roll-out will be announced closer to launch.
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What states legalized cannabis
There are certain what states where cannabis will probably be legalized and one or two where it has already been legalized. for example, as of november 8th cannabis is completely legal for adults to own and grow in the state of nevada. what the farm bill legalizes the ( regulated) production of hemp; until now it has not been differentiated from other cannabis plants. 8, as the legalized cannabis industry in the united states grows with nearly every election, consumers what states legalized cannabis interested in these products have more and what more options. but they might also. a study published in the journal of the american medical association – pediatrics, in july found that the number of high schoolers who used cannabis in the last 30 days fell by 8% in states where adult- use marijuana has been legalized. furthermore, the number of high schoolers who used cannabis at 10 times or more in the last 30 days. people who live in states that what have legalized marijuana for adult use broadly feel that the policy has been a success, according to a new poll. a majority of people from eight states that were surveyed said the programs are working well. and in maine, which legalized cannabis in but still doesn’ t have any [.
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) four states and d. had legalized adult use of pot. four states and d. alabama: while long known as one of the most conservative states in the nation, alabama is actually one of the more likely to pass a medical cannabis program via its legislature in. a study commission approved a draft bill that would legalize mmj for diagnosed medical conditions but prohibit smokable flower and edibles. cannabis oil pennsylvania. cbd plus gold. welcome to the state of the cannabis union, your one- stop shop for everything you need to know about which states are stacking hundreds of millions of. every year, more states vote to legalize medical marijuana. navigating each state' s different rules can be complex. check out our comprehensive us map showing which states have legalized medical marijuana and recreational cannabis in. currently, there are 10 states in what america where marijuana is legalized both medically and recreationally.
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here’ s how and when you can use recreational cannabis in these four states. in the election cycle, four more states legalized recreational cannabis. california, nevada, massachusetts and maine now join the ranks of legal cannabis in the united states. with recreational laws already passed in alaska, keep. cannabis legalization is sweeping over north america – 10 states plus what states legalized cannabis washington, d. , have all legalized recreational marijuana over the last few years, and full legalization came to. currently, 33 states and washington, d. have legalized medical marijuana, while recreational cannabis is legal in 11 states and washington, d. that means some form of cannabis. cbd distillate oil. cbd oil and seizures.
according to a recent study, motor vehicle crashes are up 6 percent in four states that have legalized recreational marijuana compared with four neighboring states where the drug is restricted or. the more states that legalize what cannabis, the lower the cost of enforcement would likely be; if marijuana were to be legalized on a national level, these costs would likely drop considerably. now that marijuana legalization is taking hold across the country, the cannabis industry is really starting to bud. at any rate, in the 40 odd states that have legalized the leaf for medicinal and recreational use — see, there are so many legal jurisdictions that we’ ve actually lost count — we are starting to witness an uprising in cannabis what dispensaries, all of them dedicated. originally published dec. while many states pondered adult- use cannabis legalization in, only illinois found success with its cannabis regulation and tax act ( crta), which passed the state legislature and earned the governor’ s approval this past summer. with rapidly approaching, many states with failed legalization efforts may try again, while others have. although recreational cannabis has been legalized in just 10 states and washington, dc, patients can use marijuana medicinally in 33 states and washington, dc. and that number is only expected to rise.
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