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As a rule, credit card advertising emphasizes spending — think "Chase what matters" or "Visa: It's everywhere you want to be."
But with the recession turning many Americans into penny pinchers, Discover Financial Services is taking a different tack with its new ad campaign. Rather than encourage consumers to spring for that flat-screen TV or the Caribbean vacation, the latest ads tout Discover's "Spend Analyzer," an online personal finance management tool designed to help its customers "spend smarter."
Discover, of Riverwoods, Ill., unveiled the Spend Analyzer in February, and has been promoting it in a series of television, print and online ads. It is the first major card issuer to build a major mass media campaign around a PFM tool.
Larisa Drake, Discover's vice president of brand communications, said that the Spend Analyzer had been in the works for a while. The company made it the centerpiece of its campaign because consumers are becoming increasingly more budget conscious. "Given the pressure that people are under right now it does seem more relevant than ever that customers have this information to help them," she says.
The latest ads are an extension of Discover's "Brighter" campaign that debuted last summer. One television spot shows "Bright" — an animated sphere representing Discover's logo — quizzing a crowd of people. "Question," Bright asks. "How many of you know what you spent on coffee this morning?" Several people raise their hands. He then asks, "How many of you know what you spent on it this year?" and hands quickly drop.
Bright goes on to explain that the sooner customers understand where their money is going, the better. To which a man in the crowd asks: "Hold on here, why is a credit card going to help me out?" Bright responds: "Maybe it's a different kind of credit card." The spot concludes with a voiceover: "With tools to help you spend smarter, it pays to discover something brighter."
That last interaction is the differentiator for Discover, says Ron Shevlin, senior analyst at Aite Group, a Boston-based research firm. "[C]onsumer sentiment is not exactly behind the credit card companies at the moment," he says.
For Discover, it's a way of showing it understands that what's best for business is to have customers on solid financial ground. "It's not just a tool to help consumers budget, it's a way of demonstrating customer advocacy."
The television and print ads were produced in collaboration with The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., while the online productions were developed in collaboration with brand management firm Magnani Caruso Dutton in New York. The company declined to release the campaign's price tag, but Drake says, "it will be consistent with what we've spent for other mass communication campaigns." According to TNS Media Intelligence, Discover spent $65 million on advertising from January through September last year.
Many banks now offer PFM tools that compete with the likes of Microsoft Money or aggregation Web sites such as Mint.com, and can go a step further than Discover because they can aggregate debit and check purchases. PNC Bank, for example, has an account called "Virtual Wallet" that helps customers budget, pay down debt and save for big-ticket items.
But Discover stands a good chance of quickly building awareness for its Spend Analyzer because it is the first big-name financial firm to wholeheartedly push a PFM product, says Marc DeCastro, research manager at Financial Insights in Framingham, Mass. "This is definitely Discover trying to get in front and gain some market share," DeCastro says. "It's a tie-in for them to say, 'Centralize all your purchases with this one credit card and then with the Spend Analyzer you can actually see where your money is going.'"


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Starbucks, (NASDAQ: SBUX) the world’s leading coffee chain, released its fiscal first quarter results on Jan. 24, 2013. As in its previous quarters, the company has posted improved same-store sales growth, better margins, and amazing growth potential for the future. Let’s look into the acquisitions made by Starbucks, its fundamentals, and target markets that will help it grow.
Same-store sales of Starbucks have consistently grown 5 more »
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) dipped 5.45% on Thursday, trading at as low as $66, although it picked up and closed at $69.02 at the day end – still a plunge of 2%. The primary reason why the shares of world’s second- largest technology-consulting company fell the most in more than a month are its revenue for first quarter falling short of analysts’ estimates and its estimate for the second more »
Recently gaining employment, I had to file my tax return for the first time. When I looked up tax consultancies in Pune (India) one name that struck me was H&R Block (NYSE: HRB). I had no knowledge that the world’s largest tax services provider has held its foothold in India too as a part of its international expansion plans. My search ended there and I have successfully filed more »

domain: news


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Delightful news today: Apple is planning to build a brand new campus here in Durham, spending 1 bln dollars over 10 years, and creating 3,000 highly skilled jobs, in particularly in AI, ML, and software engineering.
Exciting news for the region as a whole, and for the tech scene in particular, especially following Google’s announcement, only 6 weeks ago, of creating a cloud computing hub with over 1,000 jobs here in Durham as well. Very exciting news for myself as a computer systems faculty. So many opportunities for discussions and collaborations. So many new invited speakers and seminar attendees. So many local opportunities for student internships and full-time positions. Good news all around.


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The European Union’s move to mandate a universal charger for all new devices is expected to affect consumers globally, including in New Zealand.
The EU is making USB-C chargers the standard for all new portable devices from 2024 and for laptops from 2026.
Technology commentator Paul Spain said Europe’s move will shift the market without any need for a law change in New Zealand.
“That European Union mandate will be strong enough to have a global impact."
However tech giant Apple has opposed the move, saying it will stifle innovation. It uses its own proprietary "lightning cable" on its portable devices. But Spain doesn't buy that argument.
“The benefits of USB-C far outweigh any downsides of standardising.”
There are more than 50 chargers on the market for a variety of different devices from earbuds to cameras and phones.
The EU’s move is aimed at easing consumer frustration and tackling e-waste. Globally, 50 million tonnes of e-waste is thrown out each year.
The owner of ITRecycla in Lower Hutt, Kevin Ruscoe, said standardisation was a “brilliant move".
“We want to try and reuse stuff as much as we possibly can and save it from 'death row'," he said, pointing to a large machine that helps recycles old electronics.
Ruscoe now expects the USB-C to become the norm internationally.
“Now that the Europeans have done this, Apple will be forced to lift their game,”
But the tech giant could still throw a curveball and jump straight to purely wireless charging, bypassing a switch to the new wired standard, according to Spain.
“If they’re going to make a change at some point to wireless entirely, then when they’re under pressure to make a change that would seem like the right time to do it."


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JLT Specialty has launched a new cyber insurance policy to address specific and often overlooked risks related to data and a growing reliance on technology. The policy gives airlines greater contract certainty when insuring cyber exposures, as well as ensuring a faster payout for business interruption losses.
The airline industry continues to face a growing threat from cyber attacks, which if not handled effectively can have a devastating effect on a business, causing serious damage to reputation and consumer trust.
As the industry becomes more dependent on IT systems and technology, and with the growing sophistication of cyber attacks, the need for cyber security solutions is becoming more important. JLT has combined its in-depth experience of the aviation industry and its cyber insurance expertise to assist the insurers developing the product to ensure that it will help airlines recover more quickly should they become the victim of a cyber attack or an unplanned systems outage.
Recent years have seen a number of airlines affected by major systems outages. An IT systems outage cost British Airways almost GBP 60 million in May 2017. Several US airlines, including Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines, also suffered major outages in 2016.
Airlines have also been hit with cancellations and delays resulting from outages at third party service providers. Passengers suffered long delays in September last year when a software glitch hit check-in desks at a number of major airports around the world. Airline and hotel reservation company Sabre Corp was hacked in 2017 after stolen credentials were used to access personal data and payment card details.
In July last year, Virgin America confirmed that hackers had accessed its corporate network, stealing personal data and login credentials of employees. In another incident last year, Canadian airline WestJet was forced to apologise to customers after the personal details of its reward scheme members were disclosed online.
DART (Data and Reliance on Technology), fills a distinct gap in the current market, and ensures airlines are protected in the ever evolving cyber risk landscape.
Airline insurance provides some limited cover for cyber incidents tied to property damage and liability coverages. However, policies are not intended to cover non-damage business interruption and data breaches.
In a bid to clarify cover, the London market’s Aviation Insurance Clauses Group (AICG) published Data Event Clause AVN 124. The model clause effectively excludes data breaches and non-damage business interruption losses from standard aviation hull and liability policies, although the exclusion does not apply to physical damage to aircraft and bodily injury.
DART protection insurance is designed specifically to fill commonly identified cyber gaps in existing airline insurance portfolios, in particular the risks of data breach and non-damage related business interruption losses. The wording has been designed with insurers seeking to provide a rapid settlement of claims with pre-agreed flight values.
Cover includes the essential elements of cyber insurance, including access to a panel of cyber incident response vendors at pre-agreed rates. DART indemnifies the costs of incident response and data restoration, as well as cyber extortion, cyber and data breach liability and business interruption loss.
DART covers business interruption for extended outage of websites and on-board point of sale systems. It also covers business interruption for flights cancelled or delayed by more than three hours due to a cyber incident. To ensure rapid settlement of cyber business interruption claims, cover is on a pre-agreed value basis which takes into account lost revenue, duty of care and statutory passenger compensation.
Optional extensions to the policy can expand business interruption coverage to include outsourced service provider dependencies, such as cyber and technology issues at global reservation booking systems and other direct service providers. A technology infrastructure extension can also extend cover to named entities providing internet, cable or telecommunication infrastructure services.
Specific policy extensions are also available for data privacy or to cover the cost of customer goodwill initiatives as part of the incident response. The facility is underwritten in the London market and can provide capacity in excess of USD 125 million.
For further information, please contact Sarah Stephens, Head of Cyber, Content and New Technology Risks on firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Consumer Goods Industry’s First Ever Set of Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines to Help Drive Implementation of ‘Zero Net Deforestation’ Resolution
The Guidelines are intended to assist companies in designing their own policies for sourcing palm oil more sustainably, and were developed by CGF retailer and manufacturer members, with input from standard setting organisations, NGOs, banks and suppliers. The Guidelines will serve as a ‘live’ tool for companies sourcing palm oil as the document will be updated as the landscape evolves.
A key feature of the Guidelines is a two-stage approach that lays out steps to enable companies (from any industry) to start the journey to sustainable palm oil, together with further steps necessary for a fully sustainable palm oil supply.
Ignacio Gavilan, Director of Sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum, said, “The publication of the ‘Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines’ is another important step forward for our industry, and it’s a testament to what can result from effective cross-sector collaboration. This isn’t just a document from The Consumer Goods Forum, it’s a document that is built on a global industry’s commitment to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020, and several stakeholders have been involved in getting it to this point”.
Palm Oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. Malaysia and Indonesia are leading producers accounting for 86% of global production. Although potentially one of the more sustainable vegetable oils, there is serious concern that rapid expansion of palm oil plantations has on occasions resulted in loss of valuable tropical forests and social conflict.
Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO at Mondelēz International and CGF Board member, said, “I urge CGF members and other companies sourcing palm oil to adopt these guidelines to help make sustainable palm oil the mainstream option”.
Mike Barry, Director, Sustainable Business (Plan A) at Marks and Spencer and Co-Chair of the CGF’s Sustainability Pillar, said, “These guidelines give CGF members a roadmap to sustainable palm oil sourcing. They enable all companies, multinational and local, to play their part in delivering the CGF commitment to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020”.
While the CGF is proud of the Guidelines, it also appreciates that this is just a first step and that much more is yet to be done. The CGF will continue to work collaboratively with palm oil producers, processors, banks and NGOs, to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil.
A series of webinars will be organised later this year to walk members through the Guidelines and answer any questions.
— ENDS —
About The Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF
”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 2.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs.
For further information, please contact:
The Consumer Goods Forum
Senior Manager, Communications
The Consumer Goods Forum


text: Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles working from home is working out for Samsung Electron ICS. The South Korean giant said Friday that fourth quarter operating profit probably jumped 26%. That would take it to just over $8.2 billion. The game comes as home working drives demand for electron ICS. Consumers are snapping up new screens and other gadgets. Samsung shares soared 7% following the news. They're now up about 67% since September. The world's biggest memory chip maker has also Bean, buoyed by strong demand for semiconductors on Let's Say that's driving a faster than expected rebound in prices for chips. Smartphones are the one downside. Samsung estimates shipments will be down 17.5% on the previous quarter. That is in part due to competition from Apple's new iPhone 12. Samsung is now expected to unveil its latest flagship handset next week, earlier than in past years.


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Jeremy Elliott “Jez” San, an English game programmer and entrepreneur who co-founded FunFair Technologies, shares his new mission to build better online casinos with blockchain. Jez San considers blockchain and Bitcoin casinos as an opportunity to unveil the true potentials of the innovation in iGaming. Read on below and hear more of his future plans.
FunFair Technologies continuously seek ways to address the main issues frequently encountered by online casino players. To elaborate their plans in innovating more casino games, Jez San said: “The initial innovation was how can we get players to trust online casinos, and the way we’ve achieved that is by making some fundamental changes to the way casinos work. The first one is there is no deposit and no withdrawal needed, so the players don’t have to leave their money in the custody of the casino. That is going to make everyone feel much more comfortable playing an online casino. We can make the games provably fair both of the random numbers and also the game logic itself, which is in smart contracts, running on the blockchain.”
Most game developers, including Jez San himself, is aware that many casino enthusiasts are yet to be introduced to the blockchain technology. Hence, following FunFair Technology’s goal involves delivering products and services to people who already have their sights on the technology. Jez San explained: “We’re going after the crypto savvy audience, the people that already understand cryptocurrencies and blockchains and they already know phrases like provably fair. So they’ll be our low hanging fruit. And then eventually we’ll be able to work with payment processors to onboard regular people that haven’t heard about crypto before, but still want to get the fairness and trust benefit of the technology that we’ve invented.”
As for the casino operators’ interest, Jez San and his company will also take in some steps to capture their attention. He noted: “Some regulators are very pro blockchain and wish to take advantage of the new technology and the improvements in player fairness. Some regulators are a bit slow and will need more education.”
Educating Users and Operators
Jez San believes that U.S players and regulators need more time and effort to understand the properties of the blockchain. After all, the country’s regulatory measures for online gambling remains strict. With FunFair’s effort in attending U.S. gaming conferences like the Global Gaming Expo, Jez San and his team can educate more audiences in no time.
Jez San elaborated: “I think it’s spreading the word and educating because we’ve done something completely new that’s very innovative and a lot of people don’t understand what we’re doing. Some people even think that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are a dirty word. And we have to show them that actually there is a real reason we’re doing this and that the benefits to the player and the casino are extremely interesting, and maybe we’ll convince some of them.”


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WILSON GOLF SIGNS KEVIN TWAY TO ITS PGA TOUR ADVISORY STAFF
CHICAGO, JANUARY 8, 2020 – Wilson Golf announced today that PGA Tour Player Kevin Tway has joined its Advisory Staff. Starting at the Hawaii Open, Tway will debut the brand’s new D7™ Forged Irons as well as its V6™ irons. Tway’s short game will be powered by the all-new Staff Model™ wedges, clubs specifically designed for high-level, Tour players who demand control around the greens. Completing his Wilson Staff set, Tway will carry the iconic red Wilson Staff Tour Bag on tour – custom engraved with his name. As an Advisory Staff member, Tway will provide valuable insights on and test future Wilson Golf clubs and balls.
Tway, at only 31 years old, has found success in his last few PGA Tour seasons, including consecutive FedEx Cup Playoff appearances. Tway’s most recent PGA Tour win came at the 2018 Safeway Open, where he sank two birdie putts to win the three-man playoff over Brandt Snedeker and Ryan Moore.
“We are thrilled to have Kevin join the Wilson team,” Wilson Golf President, Tim Clarke. “Kevin’s skill and passion for golf enhance our presence on Tour, and he will help us reach and design equipment for the next generation of golfers. Kevin is a perfect fit for our culture and the team we’re building.”
Tway adds, “I couldn’t be happier to join forces with Wilson. I’m confident that my new equipment will take my game to the next level in 2020 and beyond. I look forward to working closely with Wilson to help develop new products and pave the way for the golfers of the future.”
About Wilson Golf
Wilson Golf, part of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., designs, manufactures and distributes premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world. Since 1914, Wilson Staff irons have won 62 major championships, more than any other iron manufacturer in history. The winning tradition continues today by delivering the highest quality equipment to all golfers to enhance performance on the course and overall enjoyment of the game.
Note: Pros often customize the clubs they use. Club specifications on endorsed consumer models may vary from the models used by pros for Tour-play.


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COLUMBIA, SC — Trace Jones wanted to spend his birthday this year getting dressed up and going to the Capital City Club for dinner with friends.
There was only one problem: His dad couldn’t find a bowtie to fit him that wasn’t a clip-on. And that wouldn’t do for Trace, who was turning 7 and wanted to tie his bowtie just like his dad, Terry Jones.
So the elder Jones had an idea. He would take one of his old bowties and have his seamstress cut it down and reshape it to fit his son. Voila, a perfectly functioning child’s bowtie was born and, as it turns out, so was a new start-up business that has taken off in the past four months.
Jones, who runs Columbia’s Palmetto Risk Management Group, had several bowties made for his son, including some that matched his own. They got compliments everywhere they went, especially on Sundays at Shandon Baptist Church, where friends kept asking where they could get their own.
So this spring, Jones started Tight Lines Y’all, featuring a range of washable cotton bowties, including four-in-one interchangeable ties and a Daddy-N-Me collection of matching father-and-son bowties, as well as hair bows for the girls. The company’s name harkens to a good-luck call for fisherman, where tight lines mean they are catching fish, Jones said.
Each tie is crafted by Jones’ team of seamstresses in the Columbia area and made with S.C. cotton. Prices range from $20 for a hair bow to between $60 and $85 for a bowtie to $129 or $145 for a father-and-son or formal collection. Jones sells the ties on his website – tightlinesyall.com – but also in a range of stores, including Craig Reagin clothing store in Lexington and M. Dumas & Sons in Charleston.
“The biggest problem we’re having is actually keeping up with production,” said Jones, who recently doubled the number of his company’s seamstresses to four and hired an administrative assistant to handle day-to-day responsibilities.
Jones and his wife – Heather Simmons Jones, who heads up her own economic-development consulting firm – remain heavily involved in the business, checking and packing each order before it is shipped.
“We all kind of jump in and pitch in,” Jones said.
• It’s Bo-Time for about 120 people looking for jobs in the Midlands.
Bojangles is hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Wingate by Wyndham at 108 Saluda Pointe Court in Lexington. Two new locations are planned in Lexington County this year, and the chain plans to hire more than 120 hourly workers.
Available jobs include customer-service staff, cashiers, drive-thru workers, biscuit makers, cooks and grillers. Four salaried management positions and 17 hourly shift manager jobs also are available.
Apply online ahead of the job fair at bojangles.com/about/employment or apply at the fair.
• A grand opening is planned for 4 p.m. Wednesday for the newly relocated Bubble Tea Cafe at 1226 Pendleton St. Bubble tea is a blend of tea and natural flavor served over sweet and chewy pearls, or “bobas,” made from tapioca starch, the company said in a press release. It offers more than 40 flavors of bubble tea, as well as desserts.


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An epilogue for a legend or the dawn of a new era for Tesla?
9:48 AM on 7th August 2018 and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk’s, infamous ‘420’ Tweet was about to thrust the startup from Freemont into a world of self-inflicted turmoil: “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.”
Image Source: CNBC.com/ Twitter
Whereas the first sentence may have been the crux of the message it’s the “funding secured” that proved to be Musk’s nemesis, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claiming that he issued "false and misleading" statements and failed to properly notify regulators of material company events.
The SEC’s ruling
While the SEC originally sought to have Musk banned from acting as an officer or director of any public company in the US, a negotiated settlement allowed him to remain CEO of the electric car company but relinquish his role as chairman, within 45 days, for at least three years.
On a personal level this concession was crucial if Musk was to be eligible for the USD 50 Billion potential performance remuneration package payable to the executive in ten years’ time.
As part of the contract the “Consequences of a Termination of Employment or Cessation as Chief Company Executive” demand that:
“If, for any reason, Mr. Musk’s employment terminates or if he ceases to be the Chief Company Executive he will forfeit tranches of the option that are not yet vested. Chief Company Executive is defined in the award agreement as service as either: (i) the Chief Executive Officer or (ii) the Executive Chairman and Chief Product Officer.”
Besides a new chairman, Tesla was also ordered to appoint two new, independent members to its board and establish a committee of independent board members.
Furthermore, after contending that Tesla had failed to exercise disclosure controls and procedures relating to Musk's tweets, the SEC ordered Tesla to pay a $20 million fine, over and above Musk’s $20 million.
Subsequent to the SEC filing its lawsuit Tesla's stock plummeted 14 percent, erasing more than $7 billion in shareholder wealth. Tesla's stock dropped 30 percent since Aug. 7, closing Friday 28th September at $264.77.
The reason for this was the uncertainty surrounding Musk’s tenuous position and the impact his possible departure would have on Tesla. For the last decade, Musk has been inextricable from Tesla. The quixotic executive transformed a tiny car startup into a $50 billion behemoth that is mass-producing electric cars, solar panels, and batteries, eclipsing the market cap of brands such as Ford, and even GM on occasion.
However following the SEC’s ruling Tesla shares soared to pre August levels of around $310 on Monday, largely on the back of Musk retaining the CEO role, but also on speculation that the company was about to exceed expectations for Model 3 deliveries.
Image Source: Google
The market’s vote of confidence would, at first glance, indicate that the majority of investors believe the ruling to be beneficial to Tesla.
If the new chairman is appointed from the existing Tesla board members, who are openly supportive of Musk, it is highly unlikely that there will be any meaningful or disruptive change to the company’s operation or direction. Several news outlets, such as CNBC, suggest that some company directors have proposed that James Murdoch, fellow board member and CEO of Twenty-First Century Fox, succeed Elon Musk in the role.
Would this appease the markets? Possibly not.
But while appointing a new chairman from outside the company, together with the two new independent board members, could provide the kind of tighter oversight that many legal experts, and Tesla investors, say is overdue for a company of Tesla's market value, there is also the danger that a more forceful board, coupled with a domineering CEO like Musk, could create conflicts at a risky time for the company.
Visionary CEOs such as Apple's Steve Jobs and Twitter's Jack Dorsey have been forced out by strong boards of directors, though both eventually returned to their companies.
The challenges of reigning in a visionary
Teresa Goody, a former SEC attorney and founder of The Goody Group, a consulting firm, contests that many startups begin with a powerful CEO who typically puts "friendlies" on the board. However, as a company grows and becomes more sophisticated, Goody said, more independent directors are typically brought on board to provide better oversight. Which hasn’t happened in Tesla’s case.
In light of this, the SEC lawsuit could be viewed as an opportunity, where Musk stepping down as chairman of the board would not only appease many critics on Wall Street but also bring balance to a board often seen as blind to Musk’s short-comings. The ruling creates an opportunity for Tesla to potentially put someone in place that is capable of influencing Musk and helping Tesla reach sustainability.
But possible contenders for the job are extremely difficult to identify: "Given the financial condition of the company, production problems and logistics/ delivery problems, it is unclear how quickly the Board could bring in a seasoned automotive executive even if they wanted to," Cowen analyst Jeffrey Osborne wrote.
And it won't be an easy job. Whoever becomes the new chairman of Tesla will face the formidable task of reigning in Elon Musk, the charismatic, visionary chief executive with an impulsive streak. At the same time, the new chairman will also have to help Musk achieve his dream of turning Tesla into a sustainably profitable, mass-market producer of environmentally friendly electric cars.
And this needs to be balanced against the company’s aspirations and the increased challenge from competitors.
Often quoted as an example of the companies instability, Tesla’s cash burn is probably largely due to the small company’s ambitious product rollout, as illustrated by the company’s comparative R&D spend:
Image Source: Statista
With Model 3 well on its way to achieving the forecast sales volumes Tesla is still faced with the industrialization costs to bring the Semi and new Roadster to production as well as developing the Model Y.
Consequently, any draconian short-term profit measures may very well harm or even destroy the company that for all intents and purposes seems set to turn a profit in the not too distant future.
While there has been much debate around Musk’s importance to Tesla as a brand it is important to not lose sight of what got the company to this low-point – the CEO’s propensity for ad hock tweets.
To safeguard investor confidence the SEC has demanded certain constraints be placed on all communication with the public as part of the settlement: All tweets and other comments will have to be vetted by the company before they can be released.
While these may be trying times for Elon Musk, he’s not the only talented visionary to have faced challenges largely of his own making.
Learning from Steve Jobs
Jennifer Chatman, a management professor who specializes in organizational culture at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, believes there’s a lesson to be learnt from Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs founded Apple in 1976, and almost ran it into the ground before he was pushed out. After running NeXT and Pixar, he returned to the troubled firm as Apple’s CEO in 1997, turning it into what it is today. But something had changed about Jobs in the interim, notes Chatman.
“Steve Jobs was known to be caustic, unpleasant to his people, and drove the company into the ground a couple of times before he was asked to leave,” she says. “But he eventually learned how to be a better leader. I think he was still narcissistic, but he learned how to channel his creative genius into organizational effort.” Jobs, crucially, cultivated a team of 13 executives with complementary skills, like current CEO Tim Cook, who stuck with him between 1998 until he stepped down in 2011. “I put Elon Musk in the Steve Jobs category,” says Chatman.
Musk could follow in the path of Jobs, stepping down from roles where a steadier hand would better serve, entrusting Tesla’s operations to talented deputies, and infusing the carmaker with the creative brilliance that made it so compelling in the first place.
It’s not as if Tesla’s CEO is not capable of delegating or selecting talented leaders, his other major company, rocket-ship maker SpaceX, has a clear team of well-qualified executives in the background executing his vision.
But doing so would require a U-turn for Musk, and it's unclear whether strong-willed Musk would be prepared to entrust his vision to a team.
According to corporate branding expert Rob Frankel: “Musk is very dynamic and very strong, and I think his visions are pretty much encoded in the DNA of all of his companies."
“He’s 100 percent the face of all of his interests, everything from flamethrowers to rocket ships,” Frankel said. “I would say he’s probably got higher public awareness than some of his own brands. That’s by design. That’s a big issue.”
Tesla delivered 18,449 Model 3 sedans in the second quarter, according to the company's last shareholder letter. Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino, who has a sell rating on the stock, says the 83,500 vehicles (55,840 of which were Model 3s) delivered in the third quarter of 2018 could mean that Tesla is on the verge of closing the books on its long era of losses.
It's likely to do that against long odds, said Bob Jorth of Kalamazoo, Mich., who ordered his Model 3 in February 2017 and picked it up on Saturday.
"Big auto and big oil want him to fail. There's a lot of corporate interest in him not succeeding," according to Jorth, who gave up his gasoline-electric hybrid to trade up to an all-electric Tesla. "It's a natural progression away from the internal combustion engine, and I'm very excited."
And as further proof of strong branding Tesla enjoys, in Bellevue, Wash., Janet Beach finally got behind the wheel of the Model 3 she ordered 18 months ago.
"I bought it without driving it, that's how much confidence I have," Beach said. She hasn't lost faith in the company that made it, or in Musk. Controversy is to be expected. "There's to be a little bit of negative commentary as he pursues his dream of changing the world."
With all these positives in the business it is extremely unfortunate that in its finest hour the company now faces this self-inflicted penalty. Whereas it would probably have made these changes in due course, it is now forced to implement what is a significant change in a relatively short time.
After all is said and done I believe that, despite the challenges facing the company, it will weather the storm as it enters a new era - having learnt from the experience.
- Dana Hull; Bloomberg; After settling with SEC Musk tries to answer other question; October 2018; https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-30/at-hopping-tesla-outlets-musk-s-volunteer-army-is-out-in-force
- The Associated Press; New York Times; Musk Out as Tesla Chair, Remains CEO in $40M SEC Settlement; October 2018; https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/09/30/us/ap-us-sec-elon-musk.html
- Simon Alvarez; Teslarati ; Tesla starts strong recovery amidst Musk’s SEC settlement Model 3 delivery estimates; October 2018; https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-stock-tsla-surges-q3-optimistic-model-3-delivery-numbers/
- Joseph Bachelder, Andy Tsang; Harvard Law School Forum; Elon Musk’s Compensation; May 2018; https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/05/22/elon-musks-compensation/


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A new online service that aims to support independent shops across Lewes district was launched this week.
Residents across Lewes district, including towns such as Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Telscombe and Lewes, are able to use Click It Local Lewes to buy from any participating local shops with delivery on the same or next day.
From weekly food essentials, gifts and treats to last-minute basics, customers can buy everything they need from as many shops as they like, with one payment and one delivery.
The virtual high street initiative is a partnership between Lewes District Council and Click It Local – which is described as ‘an ethical alternative to Amazon’ – funded from the Welcome Back Fund, part of the European Regional Development Fund.
Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council, said: “It’s so important to keep our local shops vibrant for the benefit of residents and to build wealth in the local economy, so I welcome this initiative in the lead up to Christmas and hope people across the district take advantage of it.”
Councillor James MacCleary, Deputy Leader of Lewes District Council and Cabinet member for Regeneration and Prosperity, added: "Our local communities are renowned for quality, diverse independent local shops and we are hugely supportive of initiatives such as Click It Local that help our traders, particularly with the enormous difficulties posed by Covid-19 and Brexit.
“I am always looking for ways to support local businesses and independent shops face daunting competition from massive online retailers like Amazon. Local shops are run by our neighbours and friends and this is a great way to support them as we head towards Christmas.”
Over 20 stores have already signed up to Click It Local Lewes.
Click it Local has already successfully launched in Cambridgeshire, Brighton, Essex, Surrey, Hertfordshire and London and is now looking to extend to further towns and villages across the UK in a bid to support local and independent business.
Click It Local co-founder Steve Koch said: "We are delighted that Click It Local has expanded to Lewes district. Click It Local is a virtual high street that enables residents to buy from any independent shop and have it delivered straight to their door on the same day. Our mission is to help save high streets and independent stores across the UK by making shopping local easier and faster.”
To shop Click It Local please visit clickitlocal.co.uk and enter your postcode:
Businesses interested in signing up with Click it Local should contact firstname.lastname@example.org


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- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Ultimate Electronics wants to sell off inventory, close all stores
- Staff Denver Business Journal
The owner of Colorado's Ultimate Electronics retail chain wants to sell off inventory and close all of its stores, including nine in Colorado, according to news reports.
The Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard reports that the Thornton-based chain has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for permission to sell off its remaining inventory.
The parents of Ultimate Electronics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 26. The 46-store chain previously passed through the Chapter 11 process in 2005 under different ownership.
The latest Chapter 11 filings were by Ultimate Acquisition Partners LP, which operates 35 Ultimate Electronics stores, and CC Retail LLC, which operates 11 stores.
Both companies are units of Ultimate Acquisitions LLC, which did not file. That company is majority owned by Wattles Capital Management LLC, the investment firm of Hollywood Video founder Mark Wattles, and Hewlett-Packard Co. owns 25 percent.
According to the bankruptcy filings, Ultimate Electronics owes $64.8 million to General Electric Capital Corp.
On Friday, Ultimate Acquisition Partners asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware for authorization to hire Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC and Hilco Merchant Resources LLC as consultants to sell off merchandise and close its stores.
"We have spent the past week working on alternatives and unfortunately determined that the best course of action is to enter an organized and orderly liquidation process," the email says.
KUSA said several Ultimate stores in leased sites have received closure notices from landlords because of a failure to pay rent, and nearly 40 corporate employees already have been laid off.
According to the Post-Standard, Ultimate had not lined up any new financing to keep stores in operation.
The going-out-of-business sales are to begin by Feb. 12 if U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Mary F. Walrath approves.
The first Ultimate Electronics store opened in 1968. After a period of decline, in which several stores were closed, Wattles took control in 2005, and Giesbrecht, his business partner, became CEO. Company veteran Jim Pearse was named president in 2008.
Compiled by the DBJ's Mark Harden | email@example.com
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New Brunswick — Following in the footsteps of Nova Scotia, which just removed the limit on how much alcohol a person can bring into the province for personal consumption, New Brunswick has made an announcement to appease its citizens as well.
“Beginning this week, there will no longer be a limit on how much non-alcoholic beer you can import into New Brunswick!” announced a proud Premier Blaine Higgs outside the legislature, while raising a green bottle of non-alcoholic Beck’s “beer” he purchased from Sobeys an hour before.
“Now we can be just like Nova Scotia and bring tons of cool drinks from other provinces to our parties and impress all our friends!” added the premier, barely choking down a sip of the swill that somehow can be called beer.
“Was there ever a limit on that crap?” asked a stunned reporter in the press conference crowd. “I see massive cases of it at the grocery stores and I’ve never once seen it at a party or barbecue or anything.”
The premier, ever quick with a retort, assured the gathered public that there was once indeed a limit, and it’s now gone, and it was also removed from historical record so that New Brunswickers won’t have to think back to those dark times.
“You’d have to be an idiot to question this,” added Higgs. “More beer is nothing but good news for our province! And I’ll drink to that!”
Somehow, some New Brunswickers are actually excited about the announcement.
“This is great, I can’t get enough of the President’s Choice de-alcoholized red brew,” gushed local lunatic Troy Dimsdale.
“It takes about 50 of them for me to get a buzz, so now I can buy them in bulk in Quebec and save a few cents. I’ll probably take my friends’ orders and do some big beer runs. My buddy James loves Budweiser Prohibition Brew. He looks so cool drinking it.”
Other weirdos echoed this sentiment.
“I can’t handle actual alcohol because I don’t know my body’s limits, so now I can drink two whole 24-packs of non-alcoholic Grolsh and not have a hangover!” said an excited Hila MacNaughton of Gagetown, who plans on bringing in large quantities of dirt-cheap non-alcoholic beer from Maine.
“It will look like I’m drinking beer, so everyone will think I’m social and chill…but in reality I’m pretty much just drinking weird-tasting yellow water all night!”
Share your thoughts. We reserve the right to remove comments.


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The healthier than milk chocolate to dark
Love to eat milk chocolates, but are wary of its negative health effects as a result of higher levels of added sugar and fat? Take heart. Researchers have found a way to introduce the health benefits of dark chocolate-a powerful source of antioxidants-into milk chocolates.
North Carolina State University, researchers from the United States to use a method for peanut skin without affecting the taste of milk chocolate, dark chocolate has been developed to have even more nutritional benefits.
they extracted phenolic compounds from peanut skins-a waste product of peanut production-and encapsulated them into maltodextrin powder which is an edible carbohydrate with a slightly sweet flavour that comes from starchy foods such as potatoes, rice or wheat. The maltodextrin powder was incorporated into the milk chocolate.
“If applied to commercial products, mild tasting products consumers enjoy peanut skin extracts and compounds that have proven health benefits, it will be possible to have exposure,” North Carolina State University, the lead author, Dr. Lisa L. Dean.
Peanut Peanut skins, including that of the tea industry, blanching process is a waste product discarded skins allow for the use of a value-added, the authors said.
Consumer testing of 80 subjects who compared samples of both milk chocolates with peanut extracts and without showed that the fortified chocolates were liked as well as the untreated milk chocolate.
These tests also showed that the threshold for detecting the presence of the peanut skin extract was higher than that needed to fortify the milk chocolate to antioxidant levels comparable to dark chocolate, the researchers noted in the paper appearing in the Journal of Food Science.


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2018 Ford Mustang, 2017 Chicago auto show
The updated 2018 Ford Mustang made its world debut during this past week’s 2017 Chicago auto show. The car benefits from a new look, a digital instrument cluster, a 10-speed auto, and more power under the hood. The only downside is that there’s no longer a V-6 option.
2018 Dodge Durango SRT, 2017 Chicago auto show
There was muscle of a different kind on Dodge’s stand. The automaker used the Chicago show to unveil a new Durango SRT. The fast family hauler packs a naturally-aspirated 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 good for 475 horsepower. Interestingly, the vehicle is quicker than the smaller Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT which packs the same engine, at least according to Dodge.
Mopar ’17, 2017 Chicago auto show
Dodge also had the Mopar ’17 special edition on its stand. The Challenger was the basis for the latest Mopar special. Just 160 of them will be built, split equally between SRT and SRT Hellcat versions.
Volkswagen Atlas Weekend Edition, 2017 Chicago auto show
Volkswagen used this week’s show to present a concept based on its new Atlas. The concept is aimed at families with active lifestyles and features a number of accessories that will be available when the SUV goes on sale this spring.
2018 Toyota Tundra TRD Sport, 2017 Chicago Auto Show
Toyota used the show to unveil updated versions of its Tundra and Sequoia. Among the updates is the addition of new TRD Sport trim. For the Tundra, this means uprated suspension, 20-inch alloys and unique exterior treatments.
2018 Ford Expedition, 2017 Chicago auto show
One of the all-new vehicles presented in Chicago was the 2018 Ford Expedition. The big news is the aluminum body that helps shed a massive 300 pounds. Note, this is the vehicle that will be twinned with the next Lincoln Navigator.
2018 Hyundai Elantra GT, 2017 Chicago auto show
It wasn’t all big and brawny in Chicago. Hyundai introduced its redesigned Elantra GT. The 2018 model features the Euro-styling and sport-tuned chassis of its i30 counterpart sold overseas, and it looks particularly tasty in Elantra GT Sport guise.
2018 Subaru Legacy, 2017 Chicago auto show
Subaru, meanwhile, had an updated version of its Legacy. The changes are hard to spot but include tweaks to the styling, more tech in the cabin and suspension tuned for increased comfort.
There was much, much more in Chicago. As always, you’ll find our complete coverage on the show over at our dedicated hub.


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Sphero BB-8 was, arguably, the coolest Star Wars: The Force Awakens tie-in launched last year.
A premium product that was a hoot at dinner parties and the diminutive droid stole the hearts of millions of fans (myself included) in JJ Abrams' movie when it was released last December.
Sphero announced at CES plans to release an app accessory for the app-enabled droid later in 2016. This is a wearable wristband - tentatively titled Force Band - that will enable force gesture control and extend the life of the gadget whilst we wait for Episode VIII in 2017.
The company will also release a BB-8 with Jakku wear and tear alongside the new wristband. However, current owners need not replace their shiny droid friend.


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WeChat, China’s largest social messaging and cost app that boasts of over a billion customers is all set to combine the digital yuan cost possibility on its platform. In China, there’s a frequent pattern of 1 app providing a number of options and WeChat is certainly one among them which acts as a messaging app like Whatsapp and Telegram and will also be used as a social media together with cost app. The mixing may probably make it the unofficial launch for digital yuan.
“Chinese language shoppers are so locked in WeChat Pay and Alipay, it’s not lifelike to persuade them to change to a brand new cellular cost app. So it is sensible for the central financial institution to workforce up with WeChat Pay and Alipay versus doing it by itself,” mentioned Linghao Bao, an analyst at consultancy Trivium China.
China started the event of its sovereign nationwide digital forex in 2014 which was accomplished by the top of 2019. The general public trials started quickly after, which has advanced from getting used as a touring subsidiary by just a few authorities staff to now being utilized in varied sectors together with retail and each day funds.
Is China eyeing the 2022 launch for e-CNY
The current enlargement of digital yuan trials which have been restricted to chose provinces within the nation trace at a attainable launch this 12 months. The trials have been happening for over two years now, and trade insiders imagine the upcoming Winter Olympics in February might be the right international occasion for the digital yuan launch.
At current greater than 100 nations across the globe are working in some type to develop their very own nationwide CBDC. The likes of Russia, Japan, and South Korea are set to start pilot tasks for its CBDC trials in 2022 whereas america is but to formalize any credible plans for a CBDC. France and Switzerland did their first cross-border trials this 12 months and plenty of extra are anticipated to affix the ranks quickly.
The introduced content material might embody the non-public opinion of the creator and is topic to market situation. Do your market analysis earlier than investing in cryptocurrencies. The creator or the publication doesn’t maintain any duty to your private monetary loss.


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Bank of England Governor Sir Mervin King today (8.8.12) slashed Britain’s growth forecasts to virtually zero per cent but marketing entrepreneur, Gordon Beattie, urged businesses to ignore prophets of doom and focus instead on profit growth.
The founder of PR agency Beattie Communications and the Only group of marketing brands said: “Times have been tough for two or three years but fortune favours the brave and dynamic companies will continue to grow because they don’t see problems, they see opportunities.”
Beattie pointed out that one of his businesses Only Web is the fastest-growing internet marketing brand in the UK.
He said: “Only Web has doubled in size each year for the last two years and it will do so again over the next 12 months creating valuable new jobs in the process.
“As a group, Beattie Communications is constantly looking for opportunities to grow. In the last few months we have launched a mobile advertising business, a video production and marketing business and a concierge service aimed at students.
For further information please contact Gordon Beattie on 0800 612 9890.


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Wii is struggling. As Nintendo fans across the globe wonder what they're supposed to be playing, Nintendo is watching its sales for the former console giant dip. In a recent interview with the Mercury News, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was asked if he was worried about the sales of the system, and whether the announcement of Wii U would impact them.
"Well, of course, no single entertainment device can enjoy eternal popularity," Iwata told the paper. "And when it comes to Wii, we have to understand that any potential sales are going to be affected by the seasonalities much more than before.
"If we cannot sell as well as we expect to during the holiday sales season, it's going to be a grave concern for us. But right now, I think it's premature to say, in terms of the current sales, what the one-year sales (result) will be like.
"It's nothing new. Last year and two years before, many people were very much concerned about the future of the Wii around this time of the year. However, the fact of the matter is that it ended up being the top-selling home console hardware of the year two years in a row, each year exceeding the previous record. That's simply because the Wii was able to enjoy great sales during the holiday season."
This isn't the first time Nintendo has pointed to the coming holiday season as Wii's key sales period. Will the system enjoy a resurgence with the arrival of a new Kirby game and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword?


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prsync.com Aug. 12, 2019
Sales Enablement Platform Market 2019 Manufacturers And Competitive Analysis 2025 By Top Companies Accent,bigtincan, Bloomfire, Brainshark, Clearslide, Highspot, Quark Software, Seismic, Showpad
MARKET INTRODUCTION The sales enablement platform market is increasingly gaining traction with the global rise in the startup ecosystem coupled with increasing organization spending on information technology for enhancing sales. Growing inclination towards cloud-based services is a trend across small and medium-sized enterprises, which is further creating a positive outlook for the sales enablement platform market in the coming years. MARKET DYNAMICS The sales enablement platform market is...
connect.media Jul. 17, 2019
Software Company Showpad Triples Loop Presence
Sales training software company Showpad leased 68,391 square feet at Shorenstein Properties’ One North State. The expansion more than triples the Belgium-based tenant’s footprint at the property: it came into One North State last year with an 18,368-square-foot lease. CBRE’s Sara Spicklemire and Kelsey Scheive represented Shorenstein. Cushman & Wakefield’s James Stein represented Showpad. “Showpad’s explosive growth has not only been fueled by the growing demand for solutions to scale sales exce
blog.bizzabo.com Jul. 3, 2019
How Showpad Is Driving Sales Enablement With Events
Each month we interview an events professional who is breaking the mold. This month we spoke with Elina Jutelyté—the senior events manager at Showpad—about scaling a global events strategy, identifying events that bring the best ROI, and accelerating event growth.
pehub.com Jun. 25, 2019
Showpad Raises $70 Mln - PE Hub
Showpad said June 25 that it raised $70 million in Series D funding led by Dawn Capital and Insight Partners. Existing investor Hummingbird Ventures and new investor Korelya Capital also participated. Showpad provides sales enablement software.
venturebeat.com Jun. 25, 2019
Showpad Raises $70 Million For Cloud-Based Sales Tools
Belgium-based sales enablement startup Showpad has raised $70 million in fresh venture capital, bringing its total raised to $180 million.
b2bnn.com Mar. 20, 2019
Showpad CPO Promises To Bring Better Coaching And A Unified Experience To Sales Managers
Showpad CPO Louis Jonckheere walks through the firm's unified Sales Enablement Platform launch and what it means for sales managers


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The African company that trumped Apple to launch first black emoticons
The African company that trumped Apple to launch first
The power regarding social
Going across borders
Creating a new brand
Changing the narrative
Oju Africa has launched a manufacturer new range of emoticons for you to tackle lack of racial
Company boss Alpesh Patel says your icons have been a huge hit
There are already a lot more than 16,000 downloads, with the vast majority coming from your U.S.
Celebrities had urged Apple to launch racially diverse emojis
Every week, African Start-Up follows entrepreneurs in a selection of countries throughout the
continent for you to find out how they're working to create their particular business desires grow for
you to be reality.
(CNN) -- While throughout nearly all aspects of life, timing in operation is essential.
About 1 month ago, subsequent complaints by celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Tahj Mowry over any
absence a new racial diversity in Apple's emojis (the cartoon-like icons utilized to liven up text
messages), the company executive told MTV the tech giant ended up being working to be able to
update its group of characters.
The news rapidly had Twitter buzzing as individuals joined the #EmojiEthnicityUpdate discussions --
however in which wasn't the end in the story.
Without wasting any kind of time, the Mauritius-based app business known as Oju Africa announced
a few hrs later that will it had previously tackled the particular not enough racial diversity simply by
introducing its pair of Afro emoticons about Google Play Store.
The organization said it ended up operating about the icons since late 2012 as well as was planning
to become able to officially launch all of them on April 10. Yet, your social media hype right after
Apple's response prompted them to speed up their own release date -- trumping market-leading
companies inside the process.
"Within a new couple of hrs of seeing that, we put our press launch out and we previously claimed
ownership -- that will we've really developed this already," chief executive Alpesh Patel advised
CNN. "It's very important with regard to us, as a tiny African company, to create it recognized to the
globe that people were the initial to do it."
The emoticons are designed to work on just about all Android platforms, and can shortly be available
about iOS. the company, a division regarding mobile devices manufacturer Mi-Fone, says in which to
date there've been a lot more than 16,000 downloads, the majority of that have arrive in the United
CNN's African Start-Up caught up with Ugandan-born Patel to locate out what's been the response
for the Afro emoticons, his plans for the future along with why he desires to notice Oju around the
packet associated with cereal boxes.
CNN: The purpose why did you opt to launch the Afro emoticons?
Alpesh Patel: It's a factor that we thought regarding since late 2012. We determined to complete it
because of our core business, Mi-Fone. We stood a take a peek at your offerings within the
marketplace and said what can we do to produce our phones more African; what are we able to do
with just about all the software, simply because all with the phones tend to be kind of looking the
We actually looked at it and said "you know what, there's truly a new insufficient black smilies" --
every phone that individuals checked out had yellow smilies and then we said "why can't we possess
some smilies, as well as some emoticons, which are more relevant towards the folks that we provide
The purpose we launched it three weeks in the actual past happens because involving this petition
coming from Miley Cyrus http://thetribe.wikia.com/wiki/Ebony and also MTV -- petition to become
able to Apple CEO complaining in regards in order to the insufficient racially diverse emoticons and
Apple said "yes, we're likely to consider it." Nevertheless within any couple of hrs regarding viewing
that, we place our press launch out as well as previously claimed ownership -- in which we have
actually developed this already. We're the first ones inside the world to accomplish it the ones must
function with us and make use of our emoticons because they will represent folks associated with
colour inside a very nice way, they're not derogatory from all.
Alpesh Patel, CEO Oju Africa
CNN: How can you really feel about beating tech giants?
AP: I don't feel truly it's concerning beating anybody with it -- I just feel that it's essential for people
as, a tiny African company, to make it identified to the world that individuals had been the extremely
first to accomplish it. Huge companies function along with tiny companies all regarding the time. We
would such as the big companies for you to perform along with us.
We've developed one thing extremely unique, very innovative. It's been a large hit over the last three
weeks and we believe it will truly help http://ebonywebcam1.com lift African innovation to the global
audience because actually certainly not significantly things come out associated with Africa which
you can offer overseas, most of your stuff will start via overseas along with straight into Africa.
We believe it'll actually aid lift African innovation to the global audience.
Alpesh Patel, Oju Africa
CNN: Are Generally an individual reluctant your emoticons may well fall from favor when bigger
companies release their very own icons?
AP: No, the important companies hold the muscle mass anyway, they'll do whatever they want to do.
In the finish with the day, we will just carry on along with what we're doing, we don't have got these
budgets and also resources such as they do therefore actually nowadays it's about which makes the
loudest noise, nevertheless no much less than i was your ones to create the actual noise first.
We're just planning to keep in stating to people, "why would you like to really go along with develop
along with waste funds when you will go at this time for the Google Play store
http://ebonywebcam1.com throughout Android as well as download your Oju Africa app regarding
free?" There's simply no have to go and reinvent the actual wheel -- it's currently accessible as well
as it's from Africa exactly where it's even better when compared with somebody throughout London
as well as new York performing this. We've really carried this out inside Africa.
CNN: How many downloads perhaps an individual have had so far?
AP: We've had 16,000 downloads and most of them are generally from your U.S. -- we've had
downloads via extremely seasoned markets and they've checked out it and also mentioned "hang on
the minute, wow, this can always be a really cool innovation but it's via Africa." An Individual
recognize innovation just isn't a factor that belongs to the West, therefore we're extremely satisfied
with what's happened nevertheless obviously we have a considerable ways to be able to go.
CNN: Perform you think which there ought in order to be more cartoon characters through Africa?
Mobile is actually basically the thing which makes Africa go round today, why is Africa function
Alpesh Patel, Oju Africa
AP: Oju is an iconic African character -- should you examine the primary logo with all the tongue
sticking out, he's a cheeky, really friendly, cool African character that will in addition works
throughout digital by the smilie, but additionally works within non-digital by a standard character
Today Africa does not have its own Mickey Mouse, will not have got access to its Hello Kitty, there is
absolutely no African character brand, and that we mentioned "hang on minute, we're sitting about a
factor that provides huge prospective worldwide. I suggest in the big event you may imagine an Oju
cereal packet like Coco Pops with Oju collectibles, should you may imagine Oju nappies with regard
to babies, an Oju chocolate bar, an Oju toy -- the possibilities are endless and also this is precisely
what I think really can help lift Africa.
CNN: Exactly what will become the role involving mobile in assisting inside the progression of
AP: Mobile will be basically the thing that makes Africa go round today, what makes Africa perform
today. We by zero means had any fixed infrastructure consequently Africa features result from
nothing to wireless plus in which process we've been capable of develop a range of superior
networks inside Africa in contrast for the ones within the western world.
The cell phone is becoming central to become able to everyone's life -- contrary to well-liked belief
the world is not round anymore, it's really any four-inch screen for many mass industry African
customers simply because this is exactly where they're likely to do all their business.
Milena Veselinovic contributed in order to this report.


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Anchor Bay Entertainment to release ‘Chuggers to the Rescue’
NEW YORK — More "Chuggington" adventures from Anchor Bay Entertainment are coming to DVD this spring.
"Chuggers to the Rescue," the latest "Chuggington" installment, will hit retail on April 5. In this six-episode DVD, everyone’s favorite trainee trio is set to save the day and teach preschoolers gentle lessons about emergency preparedness and responsibility.
Chuggers Wilson, Brewster and Koko help one another out of jams, learn emergency rescue skills and take on new responsibilities while they — and young trainees at home — learn about patience, accountability, following instructions and how to get the job done. The action-packed DVD features appearances from special “Chuggington” friends Calley, Dunbar, Zephie and Mtambo.
The 62-minute DVD will retail for $16.98.
Target to open 21 stores in 2011
MINNEAPOLIS — Target is opening 21 stores across 12 states, the retailer announced Tuesday.
Among the openings are five stores in California, a third store in Hawaii and a SuperTarget in Minnesota.
“Target takes great pride in designing stores that meet the needs of our guests and the communities we serve,” said John Griffith, Target EVP. “With the addition of an expanded fresh food assortment, our new stores will offer guests everything they need in one convenient location.”
Target names executive committee members
MINNEAPOLIS — Two leaders of Target have been appointed to the retailer’s executive committee.
Tina Schiel, SVP enterprise strategy and new business development, was promoted to EVP stores and will join the executive committee, while Laysha Ward, who will retain her position as Target’s community relations president and Target Foundation president, also will join the executive committee.
Schiel has been with Target for more than 23 years, joining the organization as a stores team member in 1987. Ward, a 19-year company veteran, has held a number of leadership positions across Target’s community relations organization and was named president of community relations and the Target Foundation in 2008.
“Tina and Laysha are proven leaders who have played a significant role in Target’s success over the years,” said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and CEO of Target. “Both women have a keen understanding of Target’s business and will bring valuable experience and unique insight to their new positions.”


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Topics to be discussed include the common investment issues among ECOWAS countries, the trade liberalization scheme, and trade imbalances among countries in the sub region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony in Accra, Dr Ammettovi Folli, Facilitator for the Trade Negotiations Capacity Building (TNCB) Project, ECOWAS Commission, noted that the workshop was organised due to member countries inability to fully implement the ECOWAS protocols.
“It is sad to note that the issue of free movement of persons among member states has not even been met without impediments ,“he said.
According to him, “ECOWAS, since its inception in 1975, had been bedeviled with a lot of challenges which needed to be addressed before its goals could be achieved”, he added.
He said participants would also be educated on the need for Ghana to open up its borders and allow for free movement of persons and goods.
“The workshop would help us sharpen the negotiation skills of our participants in international trade and also increase the number of trade negotiators in the country”, he added.
Mr Clement Nyaba, Multilateral and Bilateral Advisor, Ministry of Trade and Industries, advised the participants to fully partake in the workshop in order to reap its full benefits.
He said the workshop would be reciprocated in the 16 member countries of ECOWAS.
Sixty participants including officials from the Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana Immigration Service and the Ministry of Trade and Industries, took part in the workshop.


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Critical Barron's Article Weighs In On Pandora's Recent Stock Movements
Barron's called Pandora Media Inc (NYSE: P)'s Monday surge and the current pricing unjustified, pointing out the weak advertising revenue in the most recent quarter.
"[W]ith Pandora trading for 95 times forward earnings. That's slightly less than the 111 times it fetched when Barron's warned the shares could fall at the start of the year, but still too expensive, given that analysts expect sales growth to slow form 20 percent year over year in 2015 to 18.7 percent next year," the report read. On top of that, management provided downbeat forecast.
Monday's surge followed a SunTrust upgrade to Buy and a tripled target price to $18 from $6.
Barron's pointed out that the company lost about $170 million last year. Furthermore, the company is expected to lose over $200 million in the current year. In January, the publication "panned" the company, saying it sees the stock underperforming the broader index. Although the stock advanced 6.6 percent, it was lower than the 10.5 percent gain recorded by S&P 500 since its article in January.
Pandora Announces Potential Catalysts
Separately, Pandora disclosed that it reached direct licensing agreements with Merlin Network, The Orchard, Sony Music, Universal Music Group and over 30 other distributors and independent labels. The company believes that the agreements are a win-win alliance opening fresh avenues for revenue streams for artists and labels.
The company's founder and CEO, Tim Westergren, said, "This was a truly collaborative attempt to find a solution that would support artists while profitably growing our respective businesses."
At time of writing Tuesday, Pandora had risen 2.17 percent to a pre-market price of $14.60.
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Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures hit new eight month highs on solid beef demand and spillover from the outside markets. Traders were also encouraged by Wednesday’s solid cash business. December was up $.87 at $128.95 and February was $1.10 higher at $132.72.
Feeder cattle futures were up on spillover from the live pit but gains were limited by the firm corn. January was $.50 higher at $147.87 and March was up $.45 at $150.42.
Direct cash cattle business was wrapped up the week with packers taking a long post-holiday weekend. Wednesday, trade was light to moderate in most of the major feeding areas. Live trade in Texas was up $2 on the week at $128 on the live basis and Kansas was mostly $2 higher at $127 with a few up to $128. In Nebraska, live sales were $2 to $2.50 higher at $127 to $128.50 and dressed trade was $4 to $5 higher at $201. Live trade in Iowa was up $2.50 to $3 at $127.50 to $128 and dressed activity was $4 to $5 higher at $200.
DTN reports negotiated trade volume was better than expected with 41,422 head moving in Nebraska, 15,625 head traded in Kansas, and 3,325 head moving in Texas. USDA states negotiated sales for the week were 113,692 head, up sharply from a week ago but down from a year ago.
The estimated slaughter of 127,000 head was up 12,000 on the week and 1,000 on the year. Boxed beef was mixed on light to moderate demand and offerings. Choice was up $1.44 at $196.33 and Select was down $.20 at $174.17.
Lean hog futures were supported by spillover from hogs and good export demand. While USDA did report a record amount of pork in cold storage at the end of October, the number was lower than expected, indicating good export demand. December was up $.72 at $82.47 and February was $.25 higher at $87.37.
Coming back from the holiday, cash hog business was slow with light demand as an eastern plant and a few sow processors were closed for an extended weekend. The National Direct market was $.84 lower at $66 to $78 with the weighted average at $74.08, the Eastern Cornbelt was up $.92 at $66 to $77 for an average of $72.74, the Western Belt was down $.26 at $66.50 to $78 with the average at $76.18, and Iowa/Southern Minnesota was $.23 higher at $66.50 to $78 for an average of $76.75.
Butcher hogs at the terminal markets were steady in a very light test, with Peoria steady at $49 and Sioux Falls unchanged at $53.50. The Missouri Direct base carcass meat price was steady at $73 with limited bids and supply and demand both called light to moderate. Missouri Direct sows were steady on limited bids at $50 to $55.
The estimated slaughter Friday was 406,000 head, down 24,000 from a week ago and 10,000 below a year ago. The pork carcass cutout value was up $.22 at $81.92 in very slow trade with light demand and mostly light offerings.


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The ‘June heatwave’ has shown no sign of letting up, even now that we’re in July.
According to the Met Office, both Saturday and Sunday will be just as hot as today.
They expect the weekend to be another hot, dry and sunny one with near unbroken sunshine throughout. While averaging temperatures are expected to be around 26°C the Met Office say that highs may reach 29°.
The sunshine has left some Lincoln residents fearing a hosepipe ban. But Anglian Water say there’s no chance of that occurring this year.
Emma Staples from Anglian Water said: “There’s no chance of a hosepipe ban this year. Water levels in our reservoirs and groundwater stores are healthy and we are grateful to customers who help make the best use of the water we have in this dry region by loving every drop all year round.
“We’re well positioned in this area to cope with warm spells, despite living in the driest part of the UK.”
If you’re looking to enjoy the hot weather in Lincoln this weekend The Lincolnite has put together a series of videos highlighting our favourite beer gardens and ice cream parlours.


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Mailing that rent check or sending Mom her yearly birthday card is about to get a bit more expensive, if the post office gets its way. On Tuesday the U.S. Postal Service announced it wants to raise the price of your stamps by another two cents, bringing the price to 46 cents. The hike would also be applied to other postal services; the cost for mailing small packages would increase by roughly 7 percent.
All these changes come at a time when the postal service is very worried about its financial future.
"The postal service faces a serious risk of financial insolvency," said vice president Stephen Kearney.
Last year alone the postal service cut 40,000 full-time employees and made other reductions to expenses. It still ended up losing $3.8 billion last year and is looking at a deficit of $7 billion this year.
The post office has not raised prices since 2006, but this new round of hikes is already provoking howls from many business people. And the rate hike won't even fully solve the problem. The increase would bring in roughly $2.5 billion, not even half of what the postal service expects to lose this year.
This increase is just the most recent in a series of deficit-fighting plans the postal service has been trying out since March. Another large part of the plan is their proposal to cut mail delivery to just five-days a week, but eliminating Saturday delivery. According to their reports cutting back delivery by just one day would save two to three billion dollars a year.
But even cutting back on Saturday delivery might not be enough, so the post office is getting creative about other ways they can generate revenue in the future.
One idea involves turning the 36,000 post offices in the United States into places where you can buy retail items, get hunting and fishing licenses, or just hang out, much as one does at a Starbucks.
"It could well be something like where you get Wi-Fi or help with some sort of identification card that you need more info on," said Ruth Goldway of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Another idea still on the table? Charging extra for the ability to go online and track packages and letters that are in the mail to you. You would even be able to have mail you don't want delivered thrown away before it ever hits your mailbox.
"It is a very easy way to manage your mail, 24/7, anywhere in the world," said Sarah Carr of Earth Class Mail, a service that is already providing similar services.
Of course all these creative ideas have some asking if a private takeover might be the best option for our postal service. The Netherlands allowed its mail service to be bought by a private company a few years ago.
But the experiment didn't go exactly as planned; even the privately-owned company wasn't turning the profit needed. Now the Dutch are talking about firing all the postal workers and switching to a delivery system that only operates a few days a week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report


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Aldi to scrap best before dates on fruit and veg
Aldi has pledged to remove best before dates from around 60 of its own brand fruit and vegetable products by the end of the year.
The move forms part of the supermarket’s commitment to reduce food waste by 20% by 2025 and halve it by 2030.
As part of its food waste reduction programme, Aldi has been teaming up with Neighbourly to donate 700,000 meals during the summer holidays. It has also partnered with surplus food app Too Good To Go in a move where products that are approaching their use-by date are collated into ‘Magic Bags’ which customers can buy for just £3.30 each.
Liz Fox, corporate responsibility director at Aldi UK, said: “One of the reasons we are the UK’s cheapest supermarket is because we cut down on waste wherever we see it.
“And by getting rid of these dates on packaging, we can help customers get even better value by reducing the amount of food that goes to waste at home.
“This latest step, together with our partnerships with Neighbourly and Too Good To Go, is all part of our efforts to provide affordable, sustainable and responsible products for all our customers.”


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Meat-free athletes--from lawn tennis champion Venus Williams to Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton to Derrick Morgan of the NFL's Tennessee Titans--have already proven the performance-boosting ability of a plant-based diet. Now, "Plant-Based Diets for Cardiovascular Safety in addition to Performance inward Endurance Sports," a novel scientific review published inward the magazine Nutrients adds farther evidence that plant-based athletes produce goodness from improvements inward pump health, performance, in addition to recovery.
"It's no wonder that to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than athletes are racing to a vegan diet," says review co-author James Loomis, M.D., M.B.A., medical manager for the Barnard Medical Center. "Whether you're preparation for a couch-to-5K or an Ironman Triathlon, a plant-based diet is a powerful tool for improving athletic functioning in addition to recovery." Dr. Loomis, who is currently preparation for an Ironman Triathlon, is also featured inward The Game Changers, a documentary on vegan athletes scheduled to survive released inward 2019. He also served every bit squad internist for the St. Louis Rams in addition to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Plant-based diets play a primal component inward cardiovascular health, which is critical for endurance athletes. But the review finds that fifty-fifty well-trained athletes are at peril for pump disease. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 2017 study constitute that 44 per centum of middle-aged in addition to older endurance cyclists or runners had coronary plaques. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 low-fat, vegetarian diet is the close effective dietary designing clinically shown to contrary plaque. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plant-based diet also addresses other primal contributors to atherosclerosis, including dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, elevated torso weight, in addition to diabetes.
Because a plant-based diet is typically high inward carbohydrates, it may also offering functioning advantages. Carbohydrates are the original release energy rootage during aerobic exercise, in addition to endurance is enhanced past times a high-carbohydrate intake. But a 2016 study of Ironman triathletes constitute that fewer than one-half reported coming together the recommended saccharide intake for athletes preparation 1-3 hours per day.
The researchers also abide by that a plant-based diet boosts athletic functioning in addition to recovery past times increasing blood menstruation in addition to tissue oxygenation in addition to reducing oxidative stress in addition to inflammation. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 varied diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, in addition to legumes, along alongside a vitamin B12 supplement, provides all of the necessary nutrients an endurance athlete needs, including protein, calcium, in addition to iron.
"Like whatever endurance athlete, plant-based athletes only postulate to a greater extent than calories than less active people," says review co-author Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., a board certified specialist inward sports dietetics in addition to manager of nutrition teaching for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "And if they are eating a broad diversity of nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, grains, in addition to beans, they volition easily run across all of their nutritional needs."


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Moray businesses are being urged to sign up for a new scheme that will boost the number of toilets available to the public.
The comfort scheme aims to make clean, safe and accessible facilities available in convenient and popular locations for residents, visitors and tourists.
The council threatened to close all its public toilets this year in order to save money, but the facilities eventually received a 12-month reprieve when the budget was set at the end of February.
However, with the local authority likely to be facing similar financial pressures next year, it is looking for premises such as cafes, pubs, public buildings and hotels to join the comfort scheme now.
They will allow members of the public to use their toilets free of charge during normal opening hours, without the need for them to make a purchase.
Moray Council is working with the national Use Our Loos project, which is sponsored by bleach makers Domestos and the British Toilet Association.
The partnership claims that membership of the scheme can bring additional benefits to businesses.
Participating organisations will receive a welcome pack with cleaning products, samples and discounts as a thank you for supporting the scheme.
By joining the business will be promoted as a member via the Moray Council website, on partner sites and through the national ‘Use Our Loos’ campaign.
They will also be included on the Great British Public Toilet Map.
To find out more call Yvonne Joss on 01343 563159 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org


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Auto insurers, insurance agents, consumer groups and the Automobile Association of America are all urging Gov. Pataki to veto a bill that would make car renters liable for vehicle damage and allow auto rental companies to sell customers collision-damage waivers for up to $12 per day. The governor vetoed a similar but less far-reaching bill in 1996, saying he was worried about increasing costs for consumers and encouraging rental car companies to make unnecessary repairs. Insurers say the bill could also lead to an increase in car insurance rates. The bill's supporters, led by car rental companies, say New York is the only state to limit renters' responsibilities. The result, they say, has been that car rental prices are higher in New York and that many smaller companies have gone out of business.
AFL-CIO FOR SPITZER
The New York State AFL-CIO today will announce its endorsement of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The umbrella labor group normally makes its endorsements after its convention, but decided to endorse Mr. Spitzer, a Democrat, for re-election early because he has such overwhelming support against primary opponent Dora Irizarry, a former state judge, says a union spokesman. The group's executive board approved the endorsement 50-0 at a recent meeting. The AFL-CIO cites Mr. Spitzer's work on behalf of labor, including landmark settlements winning back-pay for immigrants paid below the minimum wage in the grocery, garment and retail industries.
Friends of Community Board 1 plans to issue a request for proposals next month for a 100,000-square-foot community center in lower Manhattan. The group plans to present final proposals in October to the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. The community board will seek to have the LMDC endorse the project as part of overall downtown revitalization, though probably not in the World Trade Center rebuilding area itself.
MOVING IN: The New York State Trial Lawyers Association has hired Christopher Goeken as political organizing director and Larry Park as political fund-raising director. Mr. Goeken, a veteran of several campaigns in the city and on Long Island, was most recently the political director for Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor. Mr. Park was the finance director for Assemblyman Scott Stringer's campaign for public advocate.
FINANCE: The New York State Deferred Compensation Board is looking for a financial organization to provide advice on liquidating a portfolio of securities received in kind from a significant mutual fund redemption. Proposals are due Aug. 9. Contact (203) 855-2260.


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What you need to know
Minecraft Legends is a unique action-strategy spin-off Minecraft game released earlier this year.
During Minecraft Live 2023, Mojang Studios recapped the journey the game has taken so far.
The studio also announced the next two Lost Legends challenges coming in October and December.
Minecraft Legends is getting new content this year, too, with new structures and mobs like the Frog and Witch.
Minecraft Live 2023
Minecraft Legends has enjoyed an interesting life so far. The game released earlier this year to mixed reception (I really enjoyed it in my Minecraft Legends review, but admitted the game was flawed), but has steadily improved since then with several updates and some major improvements. During this year's Minecraft Live event, Mojang Studios looked back at Minecraft Legends since its release in April 2023.
Of course, the retrospective didn't last long before the Minecraft Legends team turned to the future instead. The Minecraft spin-off still has a lot of life ahead of it, with a variety of updates heading to players before the close of the year. Two more Lost Legends challenges are heading to the game in the coming months, while a more significant content update will arrive in December with some new features and improvements.
It's been a busy year for the Minecraft Legends team! After a successful launch in April, we turned to our fantastic community to understand what they were enjoying, what needed to be improved, and what we could add to make the game better," said Mojang Studios' Craig Leigh. "Over the last 6 months the team have focused on greatly improving key systems and adding brand new features. We're excited to see the community's reaction to the new content announced at Minecraft Live."
You can check out some images of the upcoming content below, and continue on for some more information on exactly what you can expect for Minecraft Legends moving forward. Despite the shaky release, Mojang Studios isn't giving up on its unique action-strategy experiment.
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First, the "Creeper Clash" Lost Legend challenge is coming just in time for Spooky Season, releasing to players in a few days on Oct. 19, 2023. After that, players can expect the new "Snow vs. Snout" Lost Legend at some point in December. In case you weren't aware, Lost Legends are aimed to provide players with unique challenges outside of the core gameplay experience, with players able to earn exclusive rewards for completing them.
Minecraft Legends' core game is still set to improve, however, with new content and features dropping at some point in Dec. 2023, too. It's the follow-up to the game's earlier (and first) major content update, which let players pet animals and brought major improvements to the PvP and campaign. This time around, players can expect the Frog to join the limited list of available mounts, a new Piglin enemy to encounter (and an accompanying Piglin structure), and the arrival of the Witch — a helpful ally players can recruit that throw potions.
Minecraft Legends still isn't perfect, but I maintain that it's one of the best Xbox games for strategy fans that want a more casual or co-op focused experience. It has also already improve quite a lot since its release, and it's set to improve a whole lot more. For more information on the future of Minecraft and its related projects, be sure to tune into Windows Central's live coverage of Minecraft Live 2023.


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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) have played a crucial role in strengthening the private sector, which has resulted in a more diverse economic system in the United Arab Emirates. Since 2009, after the worldwide economic slump, the United Arab Emirates has prepared itself to cope with any kind of global financial catastrophe.
As a result, the division of business communities, the categorization of entrepreneurship, the promotion of creativity and innovation, and the encouragement of knowledge-based business modules became the primary objectives.
In less than a decade, the UAE had more than 400,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which generated almost 60% of the country’s GDP. Dubai alone is home to almost 95 percent of these SME businesses, which account for about 40 percent of Dubai’s total GDP. As a result, it is clear that Dubai recognises the importance of the credibility of these Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Dubai is an excellent location to establish a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) since it takes steps to improve chances.
Dubai continues to provide possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Here are some examples of why you should establish a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in Dubai:
Dubai organises a number of high-profile events and exhibits in order to provide a platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the nation. Such events not only bring in corporate behemoths with large sums of money, but they also benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai.
Governmental authorities and the commercial sector collaborate to establish a reserve aimed at promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai. According to a recent report, the Emirates Development Bank has set aside 1 billion dirhams for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2018-19.
The Dubai SME also provides a number of benefits to entrepreneurs who want to establish a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) in Dubai. They are supplied with reasonable interest rates, simple payments, and regulations that are not burdensome.
The introduction of VAT has made it more easier for SMEs or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai to get financing. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai will now have an easier time obtaining bank loans since their finances will not be documented in accordance with the tax legislation and their turnover will not be considered questionable by the lenders.
Dubai recognises that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are unquestionably a significant backbone to economic development, and as a result, the SMEs have been elevated to the status of a strategic priority in all government engagements.
The Dubai government is promoting equitable participation for small and medium-sized enterprises. For the most-anticipated expo, which will be hosted at Dubai South, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai will not be required to post tender bonds, advance payment guarantees, or other forms of leverage.
Furthermore, the ‘Superstore of the Future’ will propose a tender that will make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses in the retail sector to access a variety of future business possibilities in the city of Dubai.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai will also profit from the event, which is expected to generate 245,000 new employment in the following years. The hotel and tourist industries will expand by Dh143 billion, while IT start-ups and business consultants will also benefit significantly.


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The third annual conference for creative thinkers will take place in Bend on October 26 and 27.
With an emphasis on sparking conversations that drive social change, the annual Bend Design Conference is hoping to reach more than designers in its annual event.
Bend Design Conference returns for the third year on October 26 and 27 with the theme “Shape Our Future.” The two-day event, presented by Scalehouse, brings designers, writers, architects, business leaders and more to Bend for a conference that will explore how art, design and ideas can spur conversation and action.
“Bend Design has evolved this year with a more focused theme of how design thinking can impact social change,” said Bend Design co-producer René Mitchell. “Our speakers have diverse design backgrounds—architects, graphic designers, writers, and business leaders—yet they are applying their skills and experience to solve social and business problems.”
Bend Design begins with a series of talks from keynote speakers on Thursday, October 26 at the Tower Theatre. Presentations cover a range of topics, from women in the design field to how design can be used for social change. That evening, attendees can sign up to participate in Hosted Conversations, where speakers and attendees share a meal and conversation at local restaurants.
During the second day of the conference, attendees can choose from a range of workshops led by the speakers as well as community leaders. These interactive sessions are designed to be engaging and thought-provoking.
“We hope people will come away with new ideas on connecting and collaborating, new ways to use their talents to make a difference,” said co-producer Martha Murray. “Creative-thinking and design-thinking can be applied to most any situation or issue. The result is new options, new solutions, new perspectives.”
The conference brings creative people from around the country to participate. It’s one of a growing number of cultural and business-related gatherings that showcase Bend and Central Oregon as more than just an outdoor playground.
“We’ve gotten really positive feedback about the Bend community,” said Murray. “There’s been a hunger for what Bend Design is offering. Outside of Bend, we’re becoming known as a place to come and look for talent. That’s pretty cool.”
For more information and to sign up for the conference, visit benddesign.org