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Ohio’s A-List Airstream Dealership
Mark Wahlberg Airstream & RV benefits from the actor’s name, Airstream’s reputation for quality and the business savvy of its partners.
It started with burgers, then grew to include cars and trucks. Now, Mark Wahlberg is selling RVs.
Of course, the successful Boston-born actor – whose filmography includes “Three Kings,” “Boogie Nights,” “The Departed” and many others – hasn’t given up his day job, but Mark Wahlberg Airstream & RV in Columbus certainly bears both his image and his influence.
“He has an expectation, much like Airstream, that if you’re using his name, you better do it right, so that’s what we’re doing,” says Chris Haydocy, general manager of the dealership. “Mark wants to make sure that we’re not a weak link in anything that he’s associated with.”
To that end, the store covers all the bases a customer would expect today and then some. There’s a thorough sales department offering new, used and consignment units, a complete service shop with more than a dozen service and PDI bays, and a parts store that includes typical RV items and accessories, as well as Mark Wahlberg-branded products. There’s even a rental business that contributes almost 10 percent of the dealership’s annual revenue.
Yet, like Wahlberg, who once led a troubled life on the streets of Boston as a youth before turning things around, the dealership Haydocy manages had a rough start, too.
Business Endures Ups & Downs
Things began well enough when Haydocy’s father and uncle opened a Pontiac store in Columbus back in 1954. Business progressed to the point where, in 2001, they were able to build a complex on 12 acres of prime property on the west side of Ohio’s capital, offering Pontiac, plus Buick, GMC, and GMC medium-duty trucks. The Haydocys even constructed a standalone 15,000-square-foot store for Oldsmobile next door. It was open only a month when GM announced in December 2000 it was closing the Oldsmobile division.
“We had a vacant building, and around that same time there was a large Delphi manufacturing plant directly behind us that employed several thousand people and it closed down,” says Haydocy, a 30-year auto industry veteran. “It started a downward spiral of business failures and people leaving the neighborhood. So much so that in 2009, the 43228 ZIP code was named the most vacant neighborhood in the United States. We took another turn for the worse that year when GM did away with Pontiac and GMC medium-duty trucks. That was 60 percent of our revenue stream. Literally, we had no path forward.”
It didn’t help that GMAC, the automaker’s financial arm known now as Ally Financial, was calling in loans the Haydocys used to build those stores. That’s when Chris Haydocy went to his congressional representative; after a discussion between her and the U.S. Treasury Department, the loan was extended for a year.
That gave the dealership some much-needed breathing room.
Near the same time, Ohio permitted four casinos to be built in the state and a possible alternate location was the nearby former Delphi site. After collecting 3,000 signatures, Haydocy sent a petition to the mayor and city council of Columbus, plus the head of casino developer Penn National Gaming. A month later, a statewide vote to relocate the proposed casino from a controversial downtown Columbus spot to the property behind him was announced. The move overwhelmingly passed and Haydocy had an investment potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars with thousands of jobs in his backyard.
The former Oldsmobile store played a vital role; it was first used as the statewide headquarters for the vote and then again for a year-and-a-half as Penn National’s hiring center. Once the casino opened in 2012, the building was vacant again, so Haydocy – who grew up camping with his family in the 1960s and ’70s – went to Ally with an idea to sell RVs in it.
Partnership Proves Profitable
Coincidentally, the bank had recently hired several personnel from a bank specializing in RV loans. Their relationship with THOR Industries meant Haydocy’s empty store would soon be empty no more.
“The DNA of Airstream was exactly what we needed. The big question was: Would people around Ohio travel to the ‘most vacant neighborhood in the U.S.A.’ to buy an Airstream?” Haydocy says. “We began in the RV business in April of 2013 and we sold two Airstreams. I thought we were on top of the world.”
Five years later, a former locally-owned Chevrolet dealership across the street was purchased by Wahlberg and business partner Jay Feldman, the first of now five auto stores in the Buckeye State bearing the actor’s name. Feldman, a Michigan native and second-generation auto dealer with locations across two states, met with Haydocy about either selling the RV dealership or partnering with each other and Wahlberg to grow the business.
Fortunately for all involved, a partnership was created and the name change took place on the last day of June 2020.
“Obviously, we love the Airstream business. It’s been very good for us,” says Feldman, who is quick to credit the dealership’s success to Haydocy’s expertise in the RV market. “Chris is our expert in the RV world; he’s really the one that’s running the operation.”
Likewise, Haydocy credits the Feldman’s expertise from his 35-year track record in the automotive market with elevating the performance of Mark Wahlberg Airstream & RV.
“We want to treat everyone with respect, whether they’re buying a $5,000 or a $250,000 RV,” Haydocy says. “We absolutely use the Feldman Automotive best practices because he’s got 18 car dealerships now and they brought some amazing technology that I wasn’t aware of that we now utilize each and every day.”
He knew from his decades selling cars and trucks that the heart of the store, which employs 25, lies in its dealer management system, or DMS, so having CDK Drive installed throughout has been fortuitous.
“CDK is probably in 30 to 40 percent of all automotive dealerships across the country. If we don’t have a whole lot of people, we have to make sure we give them the right tools in the background, and part of the right tools is a dealer management system. We have incorporated an automotive dealership DMS into the RV side, so it serves everyone at all times,” he says.
The CDK system connects each department’s activities in real time, and Haydocy says that DMS is what separates Mark Wahlberg Airstream and RV from a mom-and-pop store.
“The partnership with Feldman and Wahlberg has brought a degree of sophistication on marketing, CRM and BDC. I thought I was good as a single-point automotive dealer and when they came in, all my firm beliefs and values were greatly in doubt once I saw what they had to offer,” he says.
Rentals Business a Big Hit
Haydocy already had the foresight to offer RV rentals before the partnership. In 2016, he and John Ehmann, a former eCommerce leader at IBM and eBay, developed Road Adventures, a service that provides travel trailers, including Airstreams, and motorized units for rent. It has become, Haydocy is pleased to say, a big hit.
“The rentals are great because they help feed sales, service and parts. It takes a dedicated staff to do it right,” according to Haydocy, who has several staffers devoted to the rental counter. “Recently, 13 of our rentals were reserved by a company that wanted to have an employee-appreciation day at a local outdoor brewery.”
The goal is to offer the rental business to licensees anywhere in the country; in Columbus and soon in Cleveland, the program is known as Road Adventures by Mark Wahlberg.
“I’d love to double the size of the rental department. As we go, we are looking at different options on how to do that. When we did the transition, we did add about three or four sales offices, too,” Haydocy says. “Every square inch counts in our dealership.”
Of the 15,000 square feet available, almost two-thirds of the dealership is devoted to the shop, which is staffed by 12, including six technicians. Like dealerships everywhere, keeping enough personnel aboard is challenging.
“We’ve got some great homegrown talent here and we have found a couple from the automotive side. We also have a standing offer with our people that if they find a new team member, they get $500. Last week, I signed checks for two of my team members,” he says, noting the referrals must be employed for 90 days. “There’s not a better check to write than that one.”
The dealership can handle practically all types of service work, whether it’s for towables or motorized RVs. The dealership even accepts paint and body repairs, Haydocy says, and thanks to being a part of the Wahlberg-Feldman team, units needing such work are sent across the street to Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet.
“Due to COVID-19, we’ve been doing a lot of triage with respect to service operations. We weren’t necessarily focused on long-term growth in service and parts due to supply side disruptions,” he says.
Revenues from service and the dealership’s 1,200-square-foot part store provides just under 12 percent of the dealership’s annual total, a strong figure compared to other dealerships. The biggest factor in growing the business is simply room.
“We’ve got enough space right now for what we’re doing, but as we get better and the supply side improves, we will have to find areas around here for off-site service and parking,” Haydocy says. “There’s an outside chance we’re going to do $30 million in sales this year, so we’re just about $24 million in sales thus far and obviously in November and December, the RV business in Ohio does get some headwinds because of the weather but we’re really happy with where we’re at.”
Retailing Winning Ohio RV Makers
The dealership’s two biggest-selling brands are, naturally, Airstream, followed by nuCamp, also both Ohio-based companies. Haydocy’s staff sold 407 units last year and is on track to move 500 units during 2021. Towables make up the majority of sales, with new RV sales dominating used by three units to one. Still, he takes great pains to acquire pre-owned units.
“A brand-new Airstream is fantastic and I love them. However, not everyone will see the value on a new one, but they still want an Airstream. So, we scour the country to get late-model Airstreams,” he says. “That’s really a focus of ours, too.”
In addition to acquiring via trade-ins, the sales staff peruses social media, as well as follows up with previous customers who may be interested in selling their units. Haydocy stays away from auctions, given that he prefers to offer Airstreams with only one previous owner.
“If someone’s going to get an RV and have a 10- or 15-year loan on it, it’s important – and this is part of our DNA – that we can stand behind every square inch of it and make sure to the best of our ability that there are no known issues with it,” he says.
With Wahlberg’s name on the building, fair dealing is paramount, according to Haydocy.
“To do it right, you’ve got to be honest, you’ve got to have integrity and you’ve got to communicate,” he says. “You’ve got a bigger audience and they’re much more critical, so you’ve got to do things right.”
For anyone who watched the first episode of “Wahlburgers” – the reality TV series featuring the Wahlberg family and its attempts to turn a casual dining restaurant into worldwide chain – it should be no surprise Mark Wahlberg is focused on expansion. For the RV business bearing his name, that expansion is taking place in Cleveland.
“Mark and Jay bought the former Joe Firment Chevrolet in Lorain, Ohio, a few months ago,” Haydocy says. “We found Neff Brothers RV, which is a real good RV rental business that’s been around for 20-plus years, nearby and on Dec. 1, we’re going to reimagine it as a Road Adventures by Mark Wahlberg.”
The search is on for additional staff to build the sales and service side, according to Haydocy. Once that’s in place, the site will become the second Mark Wahlberg Airstream & RV store.
“The investment that we will make in Cleveland will be more so than probably even here, just to make sure that the image from the showroom all the way to the back fits the Airstream and Mark Wahlberg brands,” he says.
Meanwhile, Feldman says he anticipates opening more RV dealerships moving forward. He’s particularly keen on the Airstream brand because of its reputation, but he says he is open to the idea of acquiring or opening stores focused on other brands.
“We certainly like Airstream, but it wouldn’t stop me from getting an RV store that didn’t carry Airstream or where it wasn’t possible to get Airstream,” he says.
Most likely, any RV dealerships the business opens will be in the same communities where the company has automotive dealerships, according to Feldman, who points to the benefits of being able to sell customers both a trailer and the truck or SUV to tow it.
“We’ve definitely had some cross-pollination,” he says.
More partnerships are also possible with Wahlberg, says Feldman, who started his business relationship with Wahlberg by investing in the Wahlberg family restaurant chain, and who credits the actor as being very ambitious and “very engaged in everything he does.”
Haydocy echoes Feldman’s comments on Wahlberg, saying the actor is down to earth but also a savvy businessman whose story is inspiring to others.
“The United States has been through a challenging 18 months on so many different levels, but there’s a feel-good story with Mark Wahlberg coming from the streets of Boston, making it, becoming an entrepreneur and teaming up with the most iconic American brand you can get in Airstream,” Haydocy says. “It shows that in this country, there’s potential in each and every one of us, but it’s hard work.”


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Just a few days ago, popular boxing champions, Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and ‘Dangerous’ Don Moore confirmed an exhibition bout for the month of May. While this is good news for boxing lovers, the latest announcement has also sparked interest in a new trend in the cryptocurrency space.
According to the official statement released on Wednesday by the ‘Global Titans Fight Series’, the exhibition match between Mayweather and Don Moore will be held on the 14th of May, and will include an exclusive livestream pay-per-view for NFT ticket holders. Wait, did we just say ‘NFT ticket holders’? You’re absolutely correct.
The exhibition bout will be hosted in Dubai at Burj al-Arab’s helipad, and the event organizer has made provisions for hybrid audience attendance. As a result, people can either walk into Burj al-Arab’s helipad to watch the match in person, or they can live-stream the event from anywhere in the world.
However, taking a step back from the typical method of streaming live events, the organizers of the exhibition bout are taking an unprecedented approach.
In what has now been tagged as the world’s first-ever NFT sports event, the match’s virtual stream will only be available to NFT ticket holders. As a result, spectators who are not physically present will be able to benefit from exclusive access to a pay-per-view stream via NFT tickets.
Interestingly, this is not Mayweather’s first pay-per-view exhibition since his retirement back in August 2017. He has previously made headlines for a number of such exhibition fights, including those with Tennshin Nasukawa and Logan Paul in December 2018 and June 2021 respectively.
Regardless, the upcoming display marks the first of its kind to be backed by NFT technology, which makes it a truly sensational fight to look forward to for next month.
Considering that this will be the first NFT pay-per-view for a sports event, all interested viewers will be required to purchase tickets from ‘Rarible’ to enjoy exclusive access to the event.
What to Expect from the Merge of NFTs and Sports
Without a doubt, the virtual streaming of sports events is not a new initiative, and has been an age-long practice. However, it can’t be denied that the current methods employed for streaming sports events are not without their flaws.
The current dominant model of generating revenue via streaming services is not at its best, especially for organizers, who often have to sign a partnership deal with host streaming services for exclusive rights, thus hampering their audiences, and therefore revenue streams. For lack of a better explanation, people have to subscribe to services like DSTV, Hulu, ESPN, and so on to even have a chance to access some of these sports events.
While this practice is highly profitable for streaming services, it might not be the same experience for the organizers themselves, who largely have to wait to receive a portion of the streaming revenue.
However, all that is about to change with the integration of NFTs with sports, which introduces a new streaming and ticketing approach. To cut a long story short, NFT ticketing will foster the airing of exclusive content beyond the traditional method embraced by streaming services.
By combining NFTs and PPV, organizers can make revenue directly from the sale of NFT tickets, while airing the live show at a dedicated landing site. Though in the beginning this might not generate as much attention or buzz as the conventional methods might, it will certainly help organizers to maximize their revenue potential as time goes on.
In terms of the viewers, people can enjoy the luxury of exclusivity as they can brag about acquiring unique NFT access to a sports event, such as the upcoming exhibition bout between Mayweather and Don Moore.
In addition to bragging rights, NFT ticketing ensures that the number of screen views and the number of tickets sold is exactly the same. In comparison, most traditional streaming services offer multiple screen views, which means that a single subscription can provide access to up to five additional viewers, depending on the streaming service; and that’s not to mention viewing parties and get-togethers.
Lastly, the new ticketing approach eliminates some of the existing setbacks inherited by the traditional ticketing system, including black market sales which ultimately lead to a lack of trust among buyers who find it hard to identify the difference between a fake or genuine source.
The lack of true exchange protocols has also been a continual drawback to the traditional ticketing system, considering that it is nigh impossible to track customers, or exchange data beyond the boundaries of a supplier.
For instance, when an event is sold out, people often resort to secondary purchases. Sadly, when a ticket is sold again on the secondary market, it no longer belongs to the original buyer, whose details the event organizer has. Therefore, event organizers find it hard to track who is at their event. Likewise, it becomes hard to change the name on a ticket, let alone control how many times a ticket will change hands.
Ultimately, while the NFT use case is still in its infancy, it absolutely has the potential to disrupt the ticketing industry.

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The pop star has overtaken UK musicians who found their fame in the 1960s and 70s
Rihanna's beauty brand has propelled her onto the Sunday Times Rich List.
The Barbadian pop star made her debut on the exclusive round-up of Britain's wealthiest residents this week, with an estimated fortune of £368m.
Rihanna's wealth is considered to be a result of the success of her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, which launched in 2017, in partnership with LVMH.
Fenty Beauty is currently valued at US$3bn and the singer has a reported 15% stake in the business – making her shares worth $433m (£351.6m).
Rihanna, who lives in London, is now the third richest musician in the country, behind Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paul McCartney, who are joint first with fortunes of £800m a piece.
The beauty entrepreneur has overtaken British musicians Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger.
She is also the only female singer in the top 10, as author Olivia Harrison – in sixth place – inherited her fortune from late husband Beatles member George Harrison.
'Fenty Skin' was first trademarked in March 2019, but was not confirmed as a brand extension until this year.


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The January Outline of Google has highlighted plans of spending 2022 trying to make the Chrome OS and the Android 13 experience match Apple. This would include a feature that would mirror a messaging app from one’s Android phone on their Chromebook.
As reported by 9to5Google, there is some information that has come to light in the recently-released developed preview which provides a clear idea of what the feature would look like. Based on the findings, it appears that Google will essentially be enabling streaming apps to one’s computer. And the feature might end up working on most non-Chrome OS computers.
Android 13 Has Some Exciting Features For Pixel
According to 9to5Google, the Android 13 feature would ensure that the Pixel would be generating an entirely separate virtual display, which would then be streamed to one’s desktop or laptop- rather than simply mirroring the portrait screen of the phone. This second display is where one’s messaging apps will be appearing. This entails that one would have their app opening on their desktop or laptop screen without disrupting any apps running on the main screen on the phone.
Incidentally, the new Android 13 won’t just offer features in messaging- one would be able to open any apps that they want on their phone. At the bottom left of the screen, there is a menu button that has been installed which when clicked, reveals the full list of apps that have been installed on one’s phone. With this menu, one would be able to launch any app on their phone, and not just the messaging apps. In effect, one’s entire phone would be accessible through the cross-device streaming of Pixel.
The article from 9to5Google has some screenshots and videos that do a pretty great job at highlighting what exactly this app from Android 13 was capable of- and one would definitely be gaining some major brownie points if installed.


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Latina entrepreneurs know they fuel the economy, but often aren’t acknowledged by the business community for their contributions. To address this, a small group of women business owners in Phoenix—led by former Arizona state lawmaker Ceci Velasquez —established an organization in September 2018 called ELLA: Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona. The acronym is the Spanish word for “she” and is pronounced “AY-yuh.”
“We formed this team of women, ranging in age from millennials to veterans in business and politics, to pay our respects to those women who have come before us, and to advocate, educate and celebrate,” says Velasquez, who also works as a community support representative at the local headquarters of a tech company.
According to Velasquez, ELLA wants to advocate for economic equality for women entrepreneurs, educate the larger community about the accomplishments of Latina business owners, and celebrate women belonging to the business community.
“We want to call attention to the reality that a Latina typically earn $0.53 for every dollar a white male earns.”
That fact is a centerpiece of Latina Equal Pay Day, observed every year on Nov. 1 to signify that a Latina must work an extra 10 months and one day to earn as much as a white man earns in a year, according to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Families. Velasquez and her six ELLA co-founders decided to hold a Mujeres Mercado (“women’s market”) last November to give Latina entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their products that include clothing, accessories, jewelry, artwork, crafts and homemade food items.
Held on the patio of Fair Trade Café in downtown Phoenix—a successful business owned by ELLA co-founder Stephanie Vasquez—the event was intended to demonstrate that Latina entrepreneurs “are major contributors to the business community,” Velasquez says. She put the word out on social media and 20 local Latina vendors responded.
“We were only going to hold the mercado once,” she says, “but so many people who came to the event asked when the next one would be. So we’ve held three more so far in 2019.” The mercado in April attracted 61 vendors.
Gloria Elox is an ELLA board member and a regular participant in Mujeres Mercado. She calls her business La Pequeña (“Little”) Market and sells beautiful handmade clutch purses crafted by women in her hometown of Tepoztlán in Mexico.
“The items I have in my tiendita (“little store”) represent my culture, my roots and my familia,” she says on her website.
“It’s amazing to see so many Latina entrepreneurs participating in Mujeres Mercado,” says Elox, whose full-time job is as a social worker. “When I see how passionate these women are about the products they sell, it inspires me to continue with my own journey of becoming an entrepreneur. I’m definitely learning from them.”
“We’re creating a welcoming space for women to connect as they uplift and support each other,” Velasquez adds. “We don’t want to be competitive with other Latina entrepreneurs. We want to engage them in a way that hasn’t been done before.”
For many of the 58 vendors who participated in the most recent market, their businesses may be a hobby at this point, but Velasquez hopes the event will help them transform their efforts into significant income. Another incentive for Mujeres Mercado is to encourage shoppers to buy locally made or locally distributed items.
“Shopping at locally owned businesses helps the community so much,” Velasquez says. “It’s such an important investment in Arizona. Shopping for locally sourced items creates a bond with the community.”
Life hasn’t always allowed Velasquez to be as creative as she is today. Now 45, she became a mom at 17 and struggled financially for many years. In 2016, she pleaded guilty to unlawful use of food stamps and was sentenced to a year’s probation and community service.
“I should be accountable for my mistakes,” says Velasquez, explaining that she was trying to manage complications from a surgery about three years before that and neglected to notify the state Department of Economic Security that her circumstances had changed. “It was not at all intentional. That experience convinced me that as a woman of color, I have to try harder to help myself and my family financially. That’s one of the reasons why ELLA was created.”
The next market, the first-ever indoor event, is scheduled for June 27 at Tradiciones in Phoenix. Mercado Mujeres Noche Edicion will feature local vendors, artists and entertainment. In addition, another dimension of ELLA is in the works. Su Voz (“Your Voice”) is envisioned as a series of empowerment talks on topics that are important to the Latina community, particularly women business owners.
“One topic I’d like to tackle is how do we, as entrepreneurs, deal with everyday stresses when the roles we’re filling now have been male-dominated for so long?” says Velasquez. “Getting together to discuss issues such as this will help all of us realize that many of us have similar concerns and that we’re not alone.”
Story: Debra Gelbart
Photos: Mark Lipczynski


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From now on, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury shoppers can pay in 4 interest-free installments at checkout
Klarna has announced its partnership with Macy’s to offer its Pay in 4 solution in-store and online across all Macy’s retail brands.
Shoppers can now purchase items on Macys.com, Bloomingdales.com, and Bluemercury.com and across their 750+ retail locations throughout the US, and pay in four interest-free installments with Klarna.
According to the press release, this is the latest endeavor for Macy’s to continue its transformation as a digitally-led omnichannel fashion retailer.
Shoppers can pay in-store by downloading the Klarna app, creating a one-time-use digital card, and adding it to their Apple or Google wallet.
We’ve reported that a Germany-based major retailer launched its payment solution.


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Few of our readers will be surprised to see how poorly the "big six" energy suppliers performed in a recent Which? customer service survey, with all six companies ranking in the bottom 20, out of 100 major companies.
Npower came in last place, while rival Scottish Power came second to last. Telegraph Money has received hundreds of complaints about both suppliers, as well as some of the other energy providers.
In response, we launched an Energy Shambles Watch campaign to improve appalling customer service standards across the industry. You can follow our updates on the campaign by signing up to our weekly newsletter here.
British banks and building societies fared better in the survey of more than 3,500 consumers, with First Direct winning.
The internet and telephone banking offshoot of HSBC has long had a strong reputation for customer service, and repeatedly won in similar polls.
Internet-only bank Smile, a brand under the Co-operative Bank, also performed well coming joint 14th out of 100.
In the supermarket sector, Waitrose and Marks & Spencers were both rated in the top 10 for customer service this year, while the Co-operative Food and Lidl were two of the worst rated.
Below, is the full list of all 100 major companies rated in the Which? annual customer service poll.
The best and worst companies in 2013
For comparison, these are the best and worst companies from last year's customer service survey.
Top five: Lush - 88pc; Lakeland - 85pc; First Direct - 84pc; John Lewis - 82pc; RAC - 82pc
TK Maxx - 62pc; 99pc Stores - 62pc; TalkTalk - 59pc; Npower - 59pc; Ryanair - 54pc
- Tell us your customer service story: email@example.com


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To help celebrate Liverpool’s thriving independents scene, Liverpool BID Company is throwing a massive street party on Bold Street.
Bold Street has a special place in the hearts of many in Liverpool, as it’s known for being a hub of indie restaurants, bars and shops in Liverpool.
On Sunday, July 8, the iconic street will be even more lively than usual as the pavements will come alive with stalls, street theatre and pop ups.
The event is the finale of Liverpool BID Company’s Independents’ Week from July 2 to 8.
Now in its second year, Independents’ Week includes a number of special events and offers to showcase and support the city’s independent business community.
Nisha Katona, Mowgli founder, said: “Being our mothership and the birthplace of Mowgli, Bold Street holds a dear place in my heart.
“Before launching here in 2014, I used to park on the street on a daily basis and counted customers to Leaf and Bold Street Coffee which were then, the only established, thriving hip independents. The whole scene and atmosphere in the Bold Street area really excites me.
“From restaurants and eateries to retailers specialising in unique gifts and wares, Liverpool can proudly boast a thriving independent scene.
“Independents’ Week not only throws the spotlight on these fantastic businesses but supports the community and encourages us to all work together supporting each other.”
The full Independents’ Week and Celebrating Bold Street programme will be revealed closer to the time.
Visit www.independentsweek.co.uk for more information.


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Memberium was recently contacted to do an interview with Website Planet about general membership topics and also the future plans for Memberium.
You can read through the full Website Planet/Memberium interview here.
Some of the questions asked and answered were:
- How can a membership site owner stand out from the competition?
- One of the most important things you should focus on when starting a new membership site or online course.
- and Memberium’s plans for the next 3-5 years.


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Mr. Hauksson, senior consultant, co-founder and partner at the Creative Activation Agency SMFB Engine, will be Judging the 2016 UK Social Media Communications Awards accompanying a great number of digital communication professional and industry thought leaders.
The awards are at their seventh year and celebrate the very best in UK Social Media Communications, rewarding the individuals, companies and organisations that are using online platforms to communicate in fresh and innovative ways. As before the awards are open to all corporate, creative, design, digital, marketing, advertising, media and public relations organisations that are based in the UK.
“With final entry date for the awards already passed the work now begins for the judges, I have been of the judging team over the past years and it’s been wonderful to see the professionality and innovation develop. Looks like this year will be no exception” said Hauksson and continues “it is a privilege and an honour to be among some fantastic people judging the awards this year. These are industry professionals from brands like Sony, SEM Rush, Google, State of Digital, Sky, Barclays Bank, LateRooms.com, Great Manchester Police, Hello Magazine and more.”
The awards short list will be announced on the on the 7th of September this year and the ceremony itself will be held on the 3rd of November.
Kristjan Mar Hauksson is the senior consultant, co-founder and partner at SMFB Engine, has a long history in internet marketing and web application development, Kristjan has degrees in marketing and communications from University of British Columbia and Thunderbird University, System Engineering from the Computer and Engineering School in Iceland and studied Electronics at the Iceland Trade Collage. Kristjan is a frequent speaker and a publish author on the topic of Internet Marketing and teaches at various education institutes.
About SMFB Engine
SMFB Engine was founded early 2014 and is a creative digital activation agency with 25 people in three countries and over 15 years in local and International marketing and communication experience.
The Engine has offices in Oslo, Reykjavik and London and gained repeated success showed in repeated awards and nominations or our work. SMFB Engine is a part of the SMFB family.
SMFB Engine has local and global clients such as IKEA, Mondelez, Diadora, Nordic Choice Hotels, Visit Telemark and Tine to mention few.
To read more about the awards please go their web site.


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Xiaomi next-generation Android One smartphone Mi A3 will be launched in India soon. Xiaomi India director Manu Kumar Jain has released a teaser video on Monday, showing that it can be launched in India soon. The Video released is 1 minute 23 seconds. In this video, nothing has been said about the specifications of the phone, but a glimpse of the new Xiaomi is definitely shown.
This new Mi A3 of Xiaomi will be the upgraded version of Mi A2 launched in India in August last year. This smartphone runs on stock Android and is the only smartphone in Xiaomi’s portfolio that comes with Android One. The Mi A3 has recently been launched in Spain.
A teaser video has been released from Xiaomi India Twitter account, in which Manu Kumar Jain is asking Mi Fans to predict the launch date of Mi A3 in India. Also, Manu Jain has also shown a glimpse of this smartphone, where gradient finishing can be seen on the rear panel of this smartphone.
In the context of the price of this smartphone in India, no information has been revealed at the moment, but speculations are being made that the price here may be around the price for this smartphone in Spain. Let us tell you that last month Xiaomi launched Mi A3 in Spain. There it is priced at EUR 249 (about Rs 19,900) for the 64GB variant and EUR 279 (about Rs 22,200) for the 128GB variant.
Specifications of Xiaomi Mi A3:
This device has a stock Android 9 Pie operating system with a 6.1-inch HD + AMOLED display. Its display has a waterdrop-style notch and has an in-display fingerprint sensor for security. The company has given this smartphone 6GB RAM and Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor with 64GB and 128GB storage options.
There is a triple camera setup in the rear of the Mi A3 for photography and videography. 48MP + 8MP + 2MP cameras are provided in this setup. Its battery is 4,030mAh and 18W fast charging is also supported in it.


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Today's article in the Charlotte Observer speaks to exactly what we've been preaching at Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry for the last few years...the excess consumption of fruit juices is a real problem for kids today. It is directly linked to childhood obesity, early onset diabetes and, of course, dental caries! We love the article's quotes..."Don't drink an apple, eat an apple!" and "Juice is just like soda...."
We all know the bad effects of soda but since it's "natural" many do not understand the consequences of juice consumption to our kids.
Here is the article:
Over the last decade, the nation’s war on obesity has targeted some fairly obvious culprits, including fast food, pastries, fried foods and soda.
But recent scientific studies and a new government-sponsored documentary that aired last week on HBO have identified a new, less obvious enemy: fruit juice.
This might surprise the many parents and school districts that in recent years have proudly ditched soda in favor of 100-percent juice. But health experts increasingly agree that it is not a better alternative.
“Juice is just like soda, and I’m saying it right here on camera,” pediatric obesity specialist Robert Lustig said in the documentary “Weight of the Nation,” produced in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “There is no difference. When you take fruit and squeeze it, you throw the fiber in the garbage. That was the good part of the fruit. The juice is nature’s way of getting you to eat your fiber.”
Since 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised limiting daily juice consumption to 4 to 6 ounces for children 6 and younger and 8 to 12 ounces (the size of a soda can) for children 7 to 18.
The academy’s head of environmental health, Jerome Paulson, took it even further when he told the Tribune in December that children do not need to drink any juice at all.
“Don’t drink an apple,” he said. “Eat an apple.”
An important difference between fruit juice and fruit, researchers point out, is that calories and sugar delivered in liquid form don’t trigger feelings of fullness and can lead to excess consumption.
Beverage-makers dispute claims that fruit juice and obesity are linked. The Juice Products Association said it supports the pediatrics group’s recommendations on juice but added that “current scientific evidence does not support a relationship between being overweight and juice consumption.”
“Scientific evidence strongly maintains the nutritional benefits of 100-percent juice,” the association said. “In fact, studies show that drinking 100-percent fruit juice is associated with a more nutritious diet overall, including reduced intake of dietary fat, saturated fat and added sugars.”
As proof, the association cited a cross-sectional study – a snapshot in time – funded by the juice industry that found a correlation between consumption of 100-percent fruit juice and higher nutrient intake in children.
In response, UNC ChapelHill global nutrition professor Barry Popkin cited six other studies that show correlations between increased fruit juice consumption and increased risk of obesity and diabetes.
“There are no studies that show the opposite – that drinking a glass or two of fruit juice each day will have positive long-term health benefits on weight or diabetes,” added Popkin, author of “The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race.”
In recent months, so-called “sugar sweetened beverages” (often sweetened not with sugar but with high-fructose corn syrup) have come under increasing attack for their contribution to the obesity epidemic. Whether this label should be applied to fruit juice is subject to debate, with some organizations counting only those juices with sugar added.
But even 100-percent juice beverages can contain as much sugar as soda. In addition, most commercial fruit juice is derived from concentrates, which often results in a higher sugar content than if the product were, say, simply squeezed from oranges.


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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Friday was a good day for your investments on Wall Street.
A strong jobs report – even better than expected – unleashed the bulls, with all indexes seeing green.READ MORE: MTA, Union Leaders Call For More NYPD Officers To Patrol Subways After Off-Duty Conductor Nearly Blinded By Attacker
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day up more than 400 points to close over 25,000. The S&P 500 went up about 50 points to 2,786, and the Nasdaq hit a record high before finishing the day over 7,500.
President Donald Trump tweeted, “jobs, jobs, jobs” Friday morning, on the heels of the latest numbers. Employment rose in several sectors, including construction, retail trade and manufacturing, CBS2’s Andrea Grymes reported.
Consumers in Times Square reacted to another indicator the economy is heading in the right direction.
“I think it’s good. I think it’s the best it’s been in years,” one man told Grymes.
“You just don’t have to travel too far outside of Times Square to recognize that not everybody is feeling the love of the economy, regardless of what the numbers say,” said another.
On Friday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. economy added 313,000 jobs in February. That far exceeded the 200,000 many analysts predicted. It’s also the biggest gain since July 2016. The unemployment rate stayed at 4.1 percent, the lowest in 17 years.READ MORE: New Jersey Native Jovan Collazo Accused Of Hijacking School Bus At Gunpoint, Holding Elementary School Students Hostage In South Carolina
“Very strong growth in jobs. Of course, that’s great for the economy, it’s great for consumers and individuals and the unemployed,” Tim Ghriskey, chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel, told Grymes.
One reason for the good numbers, according to some experts, is the recent tax cuts. They say some businesses and consumers likely boosted investments and spending.
Ghriskey said inflation is a big factor to watch moving forward, because that’s going to drive the Federal Reserve in terms of raising interest rates.
“We want the Fed to raise rates but very gently and very slowly,” he said. “We don’t want them to raise rates significantly, or it’s going to shock the economy.”
The stock market has had several recent corrections – that’s when an index, like the S&P 500, falls 10 percent or more from a recent high – most recently in February.
Ghriskey said, historically, there are always corrections, and he thinks we’re going to head higher when it comes to stock valuations.
A story that’s still to be played out is exactly how Trump’s new tariffs on steel and aluminum will impact the markets and the economy in the long term.MORE NEWS: NYPD Investigating Possible Hate Crime After Statue Of Polish Hero Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Is Vandalized
Another interesting note Friday – the stock market is celebrating the ninth anniversary of the ongoing bull market.


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"September is really more convenient for far Eastern companies, which provide about 70% of the total Russian catch. By this time completes the active phase of salmon fishing and businesses have more information on the volume of fish and seafood that they can offer the market", - commented General Director of industry Expo operator Expo Solutions Group Ivan Fetisov.
For foreign participants the autumn period is also more favorable for travel to the Russian exhibition, as will be sufficient time after the world's largest parades in Boston and Brussels, which will be held in the spring of 2020.
"The dates chosen strong enough yet divorced and Eastern economic forum, which also actively involved of the far Eastern fishermen. And in front of Qingdao, we will have a good supply. Moreover, in September held the first two events in 2017-2018, so autumn is more familiar and more comfortable for absolutely everyone, including the organizers," - said Ivan Fetisov.
SEAFOOD EXPO 2020 RUSSIA will be also held in Sokolniki exhibition and Convention centre "Expoforum". Operator of the event traditionally will be the exhibition company of the full cycle Expo Solutions Group.
Translated by service "Yandex.Translation"


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Apr 09, 2021 News
In recent years, the former mobile phone giant HTC, which has launched many classics, is almost invisible in the current mainstream mobile phone market. Due to the shift of business focus to VR, HTC has stopped its innovation in smartphone hardware. Since the release of HTCU12+ in May 2019, HTC has maintained its presence in the market only by launching several low-end and mid-range phones.
Even the top Android flagship HTCU series, which many rice rolls unforgettable, has now been reduced to a mid-end flagship mobile phone. In June last year, HTC launched its first 5G mobile phone, HTCU205G, which is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, supports dual-mode 5G, uses a 6.8-inch FHD+ single punch screen, with 8GB of RAM + 256GB of body storage, and 4850mAh battery.
With the continued sluggish sales data, HTC can only lower mobile phone prices to maintain its competitiveness in the 5G mobile phone market. According to media reports, HTC has lowered the price of the HTCU205G to $490 to compete with mid-range phones of the same price.
According to sources, HTC plans to launch a new 5G smartphone in the second quarter of 2021, which will also introduce to the European and Middle Eastern markets. At that time, a new generation of AR and VR products and solutions will also release to activate market sales potential.


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Yesterday’s emergency ‘mini-budget’ from Chancellor Rishi Sunak will do much to help small business, logistics companies and retailers struggling to survive the impact of Covid-19, says the small business champion ParcelHero. It believes the schemes he revealed will boost High Street and multichannel businesses and reduce costs for struggling manufacturers.
ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks MILT says:
‘Britain’s retailers and the logistics companies they rely on will find plenty to welcome in today’s financial statement. A new jobs retention bonus of £1,000 for businesses who bring staff out of furlough and retain them through to January will give companies the funding to retain valuable (currently furloughed) employees, such as warehouse and back office staff preparing orders for delivery.
‘Many couriers and retailers are looking to take on new staff to cope with unprecedented levels of home deliveries and e-commerce. The new £2bn kickstart scheme for 16-24 year olds, with businesses being paid directly for new starters, will be a boon for many firms.
‘New funding measures such as £1,000 per new trainee, £2,000 for new apprentices and a further £1,500 for apprentices over-25 will also boost logistics companies who make considerable use of trainees and apprentices in distribution centres and vehicle maintenance roles.
‘The slash in VAT from 20% to 5% for hospitality and tourism industry businesses will be a significant boost to, for example, home delivery companies that rely on delivering food from restaurants and take-aways to customers’ homes.
‘Finally, the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme, which will halve the price of a High Street meal from Mondays to Wednesdays throughout August, will further boost High Street footfall and encourage people to return to town centre stores. This is more good news for any retailer that has a multichannel physical store and an online sales strategy.
‘Far from being a traditional ‘tax and spend’ budget, this was a ‘tax cuts and send’ mini-budget that will considerably ease the strain on stretched retail, manufacturing and delivery organisations.
‘For ParcelHero’s latest information on every available quality courier service currently available, for both everyday senders and retailers, see its live parcel price comparison quotes at https://www.parcelhero.com/en-gb/uk-courier-services


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Sadie Keljikian, Express Trade Capital
The trade finance world is all abuzz about blockchain technology, which sources claim will change the industry for the better.
Blockchain, a variety of digitized ledger system originally established for Bitcoin, provides a new, simplified way of verifying and monitoring transactions. All pertinent parties can access and update data entries and must approve each transaction. Then, the system encrypts each transaction into a “block,” or digital code. The software then backs up information from each block in a short code or “hash,” and attaches it to the subsequent block. The backup hash makes any tampering with the ledger immediately evident.
A system to encrypt transactions could be incredibly useful in trade finance because of its implications for securing supply chains. Manufacturers have recently struggled with supply chain transparency. This is largely due to the fact that consumers have become more concerned with where their money goes. There is potential for dubious practices in any supply chain, but certain goods are difficult to monitor. Among these are conflict minerals, which are one of the recent concerns among consumers.
The tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold industries have recently fallen into the hands of rebel warlords. The resulting turmoil is painfully reminiscent of the diamond mines in Sierra Leone. Given the option, many consumers prefer to purchase ethically manufactured products. Blockchain allows for transparency, even in cases of complex, multinational supply chains.
With a blockchain system, the details of every single transaction are both accounted for and secure. This means that all materials, labor, and shipping costs can be ascertained through a transparent, secure tracking mechanism. Consumers who seek to avoid the products for ethical reasons will have the tools to make more informed buying decisions. Mineral purchases are listed with a “stamp” indicating origin of the mine or smelter, making background checks throughout the supply chain far simpler. Among the obvious benefits, consumers and retailers will be better able to reward producers who supervise their processes and products thoroughly. In short, the promise of more transparency and security offers the hope that consumers can make more informed decisions. Presumably, the public availability of supply chain details will make it harder for unscrupulous businesses to continue operating in obscurity.
From the perspective of the manufacturer, the effects of blockchain technology are a mixed bag. A system for tracking transactions reduces the cost of due diligence when sourcing suppliers. As a result, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers can make more educated decisions overall. Manufacturers can also use blockchain to investigate pricing in less familiar areas of their supply chain, allowing them to negotiate better terms. This is good news for the manufacturer and, potentially, bad news for suppliers of raw materials. Suppliers may struggle to adjust prices as needed, since they will be in more direct competition with others.
On the other hand, manufacturers may not be comfortable with the public nature of blockchain systems. Although the system is secure insofar as it cannot be tampered with, the ledger is publicly available, meaning discretion will no longer be an option. The system is also fairly new, so there are not yet enough test cases to get a thorough sense of what difference it will make. For those who prize transparency above all else, blockchain seems to offer a panacea to the opacity necessary for complex, multinational supply chains. Transactional efficiency is another major advantage.
In short, blockchain technology offers a promising solution to problems with ledger accuracy and supply chain transparency. Advocates say the system will be instrumental in streamlining and modernizing international trade and finance. Only time will tell if the system will live up to expectations in practice.
Looking for supply chain and finance solutions? Click here.
Contact us for more details.


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In its usual manner of rewarding its dealers and partners, FMN, Nigeria’s leading integrated food business and agro-allied group, owners of the iconic food brand, Golden Penny, recently awarded five of its top-performing dealers with a 30-ton trucks each.
The trucks were awarded to FMN’s top five dealers across the country, in the B-to-B and the B-to-C business categories.
Devlin Hainsworth, the Managing Director of the Foods division at FMN, informed that the move was part of FMN’s commitment to recognize and appreciate the distributors for their hard work and celebrate the Group’s anniversary of doing business in Nigeria for the past 60 years.
He said, We have grown with the country for 60 years. So, the award underscores our commitment to continue to develop our relationship with our top dealers as we feed our nation every day, which is what FMN does. We have made a breakthrough in partnership, a breakthrough in fulfilling our promises, and that is why we are presenting the trucks to our customers.
Devlin noted that the gesture would significantly improve and grow the partnership and relationship from a primary level, to a secondary level including freight, logistics and many more.
On his part, Jeevan Bansal, commercial head, retail sales, FMN, informed that rewarding distributors was an annual initiative. He disclosed that the prizes awarded to dealers varied but were always significant, with the aim of celebrating the contribution of the dealers to the growth of the company.
Bansal said, They have contributed significantly in terms of volumes and value to the business, and it reflected in the last financial year. Today’s world is about time and speed. This is to help them; the faster you get your products to the market, the better. It will help them ensure the products get to the wider market and consumers.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Elizabeth Ajibola, the Managing Director, Mount Olive Limited, one of the recipients of the trucks who was full of praises for FMN disclosed that she had been a partner dealer for FMN for over 20 years. Gleaming with smiles, she said that she would vouch for the company’s track record of delivering its promises and was thrilled with her win.


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Music Ally wrote about Swedish startup Corite when it launched last year as the latest way for artists to make money by selling off stakes in their songs to fans. In its first month of operation, it raised $24k in fan-funding for its first crop of artists. Now the company has been raising some funding of its own: a seed investment round from a mixture of institutional investors and music industry figures – including artist Danny Saucedo and manager Tomas Lööw. Corite hasn’t said how much the seed round is worth, but it did provide an update on its business: it has run more than 40 artist campaigns so far in its Swedish pilot, raising more than $40k.
The new funding comes as Corite launches its platform across Europe, opening up to artists beyond its homeland at a time when many are looking for new income streams amid the collapse of live revenues. “Through Corite artists can fund and release music with the backing of the fans – from the bedroom, kitchen or studio,” said CEO Mattias Tengblad.
Music Ally’s next Learn Live webinar will help you understand what’s required for artists to thrive in new international markets!


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Unfortunately, the price cycle changes in these three capital cities appear likely to occur in the week before the 2018 Easter Holiday Break.
And we all know what that means….
Yet again, as service station owners and their employees give up holiday time with their families to ensure that Australian motorists have ready access to fuel during their Easter Holiday break, our industry will likely cop a wave of criticism alleging holiday period petrol price gouging.
While we could respond by saying that the timing of these petrol price cycles could have been readily predicted months ago by simply applying the average capital city cycle durations to the date of the last price peak in each of these cities (as posted for all to see on the ACCC website), such a rational argument will be largely ignored in favour of the more sensationalist allegation about holiday period price ‘gouging’ by fuel retailers.
It is ironic that much of this criticism will come from motoring bodies like the RACQ who seem to have no problem running an accommodation service that freely connects their members to hotels and holiday resorts that advertise and charge substantially higher rates during public holiday periods.
The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
But let’s just skip over the fact that hotel operators, airlines and cafes all seem to lift their rates during holiday periods and look at what happened to petrol prices during the tail of these latest price cycles.
Given the RACQ’s keen interest in Brisbane’s petrol prices of late, let’s focus on Brisbane’s average petrol prices during the past week.
Comparing this break-even sale cost of 132.8cpl for Brisbane servos with the average Brisbane petrol price of 127.2cpl during the past week (again using data from the AIP weekly pricing report), we can see that Brisbane fuel retail businesses lost 5.6cpl during the past week as shown in the table below.
Further, the mismatch in the timing of the Brisbane cycle with the Sydney cycle means that average Brisbane petrol prices were 8cpl cheaper than average Sydney prices.
So, let’s take stock for a moment. During the week ending 18 March 2018, Brisbane motorists:
Paid 5.6cpl lower than what it actually cost to get petrol to their car’s petrol tank
Paid an average 8cpl lower for their petrol than Sydney motorists
Now if we used the same approach as apparently used by the RACQ, we could extrapolate the findings of this one-week snapshot to draw the following conclusions about Brisbane petrol prices:
Brisbane motorists pay an estimated $145.60 per year lower than what it costs to actually make fuel available to them.
Brisbane motorists pay $200 less per year than Sydney motorists for their fuel and, if we use some of the base data from the ACCC Brisbane petrol study on annual volumes, we can estimate that Brisbane motorists pay $121M less than Sydney motorists for their petrol
Extrapolating the one-week findings as we have done above is, of course, nonsense. But it does demonstrate a point about some of the apparent games being played by organisations like the RACQ in respect of the select use of petrol price data.
It is interesting to note, for example, that the RACQ has made no media mention during the past week about Brisbane petrol prices being lower than Sydney for the past 12 days.
No congratulatory message to the industry. Nothing.
Nor have they commented on the fact that fuel has been retailed below cost across much of Brisbane over the past week.
But, you can bet on the fact that they will likely cry foul next week as the fully predictable petrol price cycle starts to impact on petrol prices in the lead-up to Easter.
Why would you ever let the facts get in the way of a good story?


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A pop-cult fix for a generation that grew up playing Nintendo and watching Saturday morning cartoons
Today Google announced the first device to run Android TV, the $99 Nexus Player. It will be available for preorder October 17 to compete with the Rokus and Apple TVs of the world. It will offer fewer native apps at launch, however.
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has confirmed the "Dark Knight" actor will go from Gotham to Silicon Valley in a new biopic of the Apple co-founder.
A British maker has built Pi-powered tapes that re-create our physical connection to music for the Digital Age.
For the first time, researchers have used a video camera mounted on a hexacopter to monitor the behaviour of killer whales in the wild.
With Yosemite, you can use Spotlight for more than just searching for documents and launching apps. Learn three new helpful functions that have been added to Spotlight.
The company says users will find they can pick music based on the time of day, their mood, or activity.
The FI9826P's unnecessarily tedious setup process, old-school Web interface and lack of push notifications seriously stunt this otherwise impressive Wi-Fi camera.
Up-and-coming android performer Repliee S1 stars alongside well-known French actors in a piece based on Franz Kafka's absurdist classic "The Metamorphosis."


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Catering equipment supplier Nisbets has acquired Beaumont TM Limited (‘Beaumont') for an undisclosed sum.
Beaumont carries a range of bar accessories ranging from traditional spirit measures to the latest trends in cocktail-making accessories. It operates a manufacturing and warehousing facility in Flitwick, Bedfordshire, where it dispatches thousands of products a day to a network of distributors ranging from cash and carries to catering equipment and bar and hygiene specialists.
Under the Nisbets umbrella, Beaumont will have access to additional growth opportunities in the pubs and bar sector, broader hospitality sector, as well as access to additional international markets where Nisbets already has a presence. The deal will enable Nisbets to expand its knowledge, range and proposition, creating further opportunities for growth.
Peter Sephton, executive chair of Nisbets, said: "We are delighted to welcome Beaumont to the Nisbets family. Beaumont has a strong brand and reputation, which its team has built since its establishment nearly 45 years ago.
"We are keen to preserve this separate identity and as such Beaumont will continue to operate as a standalone business. The company operates in a market with strong growth potential and by leveraging our operating model and omni-channel expertise, we believe we can scale quickly and efficiently."
Nick DeBorde, Beaumont's managing director, added: "We are really pleased with the new collaboration between Nisbets and Beaumont. The past few years have seen new opportunities arise for both companies, which will undoubtedly provide further areas for growth particularly considering the existing synergy between the two companies.
"The combination of support and expertise from Nisbets, with our knowledge and passion for barware and with myself staying as managing director, will allow us to continually nurture all of our existing customers the way we have done for 45 years".


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MUMBAI:A week after it imposed stringent restrictions in the state, the Maharashtra
government will now further restrict timings of grocery shops
to just four hours a day, from 7am to 11am. However, a formal notification in this regard is yet to be issued and is expected in a day or two. Relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar also told mediapersons that CM Uddhav Thackeray will take a final call on complete lockdown
in the next two days as current restrictions don’t seem to be serving their purpose and the desired effect in terms of reduction in cases is not being achieved.
Officials from the relief and rehabilitation department said they expect restrictions on grocery shops to come into force from April 21 (Wednesday). “If the proposal is approved on Tuesday, it will come into force from Wednesday,” a senior bureaucrat said.Curfew has been in vain as cases still on the rise: Minister
The state government will further restrict timings of grocery shops to four hours a day, from 7 am to 11 am. The decision on further curbs was taken in a review meeting chaired by deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Monday with some cabinet ministers and bureaucrats. It is likely timings of vegetable markets too may be restricted.
On Monday, Nagpur district guardian minister Nitin Raut announced a reduction in timings for all essential shops in Nagpur, which will now remain open only from 7am to 11am. Only fruit and milk shops there will be allowed to stay open in the evening from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
A cabinet meeting will be held on Tuesday in which the Covid situation will be reviewed, and many ministers who are demanding a complete lockdown in the state will also be raising their issues. Restrictions on inter-district movement of people and vehicles are also not ruled out. “The results of restrictions have not been satisfactory as there has been non-cooperation from people. We will have to bring in a new strategy to halt any further surge,” a bureaucrat told TOI. “Law-enforcing agencies will have to act ruthlessly, otherwise the exercise of tackling the pandemic will be meaningless,” he said.
Wadettiwar said, “The curfew has not served any purpose as cases are on the rise. This is not a complete lockdown. Many traders were against complete lockdown, but now traders, shops selling groceries, political parties and common people are demanding complete lockdown. This has been conveyed to CM and he will take a final decision after discussing with all ministers.”
He further said a six-day lockdown was imposed in Delhi. “I have asked the department secretary to compile information about how they are managing services like Metro and concessions to be given for essentials during lockdown,” he added.
In the meeting chaired by Pawar, he directed police authorities to ensure strict implementation of restrictions, increase checks and penalise violators. “From the feedback we are getting from police, the most common excuse given by people caught moving unnecessarily is they are going grocery-shopping. We will be issuing orders to restrict timings of grocery shops from 7am to 11am,” said public health minister Rajesh Tope
who attended the meeting. “There is a need for strict implementation of restrictions till April 30,” Tope added.
To deal with the shortage of oxygen, district collectors have been empowered to give work orders for setting up of oxygen generation plants without waiting for the tendering process; a post-facto clearance from the cabinet can be taken.


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Today marks the first day of the last official month of summer, but that hasn’t stopped Victoria Beckham from getting a leg up on the new season. Two weeks ago, the designer added yet another chapter to her storied use of warm-weather tweed when she stepped out in a power suit made from the textured fabric, and as early as June, Beckham was schooling us on the art of transitional dressing when she opted for a sleeveless trench that was as breathable as it was office AC–friendly. Arriving to LAX on Sunday, the designer offered up another take on seasonless style in a printed tank and midi skirt from her Pre-Fall 2016 collection.
The 42-year-old’s allover matchstick motif provides a playful statement that would delight even the most stoic of TSA agents, while the pleated plissé-style skirt all but ensures a wrinkle-proof arrival. Understated nude strappy sandals lend a neutral counterpoint to the trompe l’oeil print—a far cry from the traditional in-flight sneakers typically seen being slipped on and off in the security line. But the true beauty of the look is in its transitional ease: Once she lands, all Beckham needs to take her ensemble into after-dark territory is a switch up of accessories—perhaps one of Fall’s embellished bags?—while for cooler climes, a thin knit and suede bootie will easily do the trick. A very smart traveler, indeed.


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BMW Motorrad is masterfully increasing anticipation for the R 1300 GS motorcycle, set to release on September 28, 2023, by providing enthusiasts with a tantalizing sneak peek. Contrary to the usual dimmed silhouettes or microscopic details that brands typically share before a launch, BMW has opted for a refreshing take. Across multiple social media platforms, they've shared an evocative image of the R 1300 GS dynamically navigating through water, keeping the finer aspects shrouded in mystery.
Intriguingly, BMW Motorrad has decided to adopt a diverse captioning strategy across its social media presence. Instagram posts come with an exuberant message: "The wait is almost over!" and an invitation to "experience the extraordinary" at the specified launch time. Facebook prompts viewers to "set the pace" with the R 1300 GS, while the platform previously known as Twitter encourages fans to "explore new paths." Time to set reminders, the official reveal will happen at 5 PM CEST, translating to 11 a.m. Eastern for U.S. fans.
Although the shared image features the R 1300 GS in motion amidst splashing water, it reveals just enough to stir conversation. Keen observers have noticed wire-spoke wheels and dual brake discs, both unsurprising features. Speculation also abounds about a potentially streamlined front end when compared to its predecessor, the R 1250 GS. However, due to the dynamic nature of the image, it's challenging to glean concrete information.
Earlier in the year, spy shots of the R 1300 GS surfaced, displaying a prominent beak below the headlights. However, this element appears diminished in the recent teaser. Whether this is due to environmental conditions or if the design has genuinely changed remains a subject of debate.
As the clock ticks down to the much-anticipated release, fans and experts alike can only speculate what the final version of the R 1300 GS will entail. With a mere fortnight remaining, the excitement reaches new heights.


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Heavy metal contamination is a problem in all areas of the cannabis industry today. In cultivation, in manufacturing and concentrate production, the sector seems plagued with stories of lead contamination. With so many consumers choosing to vape above other methods of ingestion, it's a growing health concern. Despite the increased testing and regulatory oversight, it's still hard to pinpoint the root cause of heavy metals in vape cartridges.
The industry often advertises vaping as a healthier method of consumption. It is popular among younger consumers and patients using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. In many markets, concentrates (including those for vaping) are nearly as popular as flower products. Vaping technology, which was initially adopted from e-cigarette designs, is far from perfect. There are also issues on the cultivation and production side of cannabis. Heavy metals in vape cartridges, including lead, arsenic, and mercury are a growing concern for regulators and consumers.
Over the last year, the US cannabis industry has experienced a wave of contamination scandals, from California to Michigan. Dangerous heavy metals are making their way into concentrates, and eventually into consumers bodies. Even low-level exposure to lead can cause long term and irreversible brain damage, not to mention the carcinogenic or even deadly characteristics of the other heavy metals. The potential fallout from consumer exposure to these elements through vaping is no laughing matter. It's paramount to identify the root cause and control the risk of exposure.
The Spread of Lead in Vaporizers – A Growing Concern for Consumers
The Bureau of Marijuana Regulation (BMR) out of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) in Michigan issued a public health bulletin on April 12, 2019. The announcement urged all state-licensed providers to test for heavy metals in vape cartridges. The notice came after the BMR discovered failed test results within the state's monitoring system. There is a concern that other contaminated products may have escaped notice, and are now in the hands of consumers.
California has also been grappling with lead contamination in cannabis vape cartridges. The most recent problems come from a flood of imported vape cartridges from China. Heavy metal contamination intensified in January 2019, after the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) lowered the threshold to 0.5 micrograms per gram (ug/g). As a point of reference, Washington state has a lead threshold of 1.2 ug/g, and Michigan a limit of 2.0 ug/g in finished products. Suddenly, imported vape products were falling these newly instated limits.
Let's not forget other states who have dealt with their fair share of heavy metal contamination, including Colorado. After reports surfaced in 2014 about fungus, pesticides, and heavy metals contaminating the cannabis supply, the state required better testing protocols. Testing for potency and cannabinoid content was quickly adopted, yet the state has been slow to roll out other mandated testing. Lawmakers are set to look into heavy metals in cannabis this summer.
Each state has a patchwork of legislation concerning heavy metals in cannabis. Some, like Oregon, have no legislation at all. There is also not a standardized approach to testing for heavy metals in vape cartridges. One laboratory may find toxins in cannabis (or the device), while another does not. Without a standard set of protocols, there isn't a coordinated effort to get to the bottom of the issue.
Finding the Source of Heavy Metal Contaminants
Lead, and other heavy metals, are strictly controlled in consumer goods. The days of lead-based paint and household products are long gone. However, as we've seen in the recent wave of bad press, lead is still making its way into cannabis. With a diverse set of regulations across the country, it's hard to get an accurate understanding of where it's all coming from – is it from the soil, the production process, or the device itself?
Cannabis Sativa is a bioaccumulator (also called bioremediator). In the hemp industry, this process is often billed as a positive. Bioremediation is the ability of a plant to remove pollution from its environment. Hemp crops can help pull chemical and heavy metal contaminants from the soil, and it is currently under investigation for how to take advantage of this characteristic.
However, phytoremediation is only positive for products not destined for human consumption. As soon as hemp grown for industrial purposes makes its way into the food chain, there is a high possibility of seeing toxins in those hemp-based products, and THC-rich strains of cannabis as well. If there is lead or other heavy metals within the environment, its safe to say you'll find it in the mature plant.
Earlier studies have shown that the cannabis plant stores the highest levels of heavy metals within its leaves, which are the parts of the plant used for consumer products. In 1988, a study found worryingly high levels of mercury contamination in cannabis grown in Hawaii's volcanic soil, which is naturally high in the compound. There have been similar findings with other metals.
Beyond soil pollutants, heavy metals may also come from fertilizers and pesticides used during cultivation. Although most regions have detailed regulations on what farmers can and cannot apply to cannabis, the industry is rife with indiscriminate fertilizer usage. Of particular are 'bud bloom' products (phosphate fertilizers) which can contain high levels of arsenic. Rockwool, a common hydroponic growing medium is also of concern. Organic producers should additionally be concerned about contamination coming from animal manure.
But that's only the beginning. The newest culprit for heavy metal contamination is the vape cartridge. Most cartridges come from China, where lead is commonly mixed with other metals during the manufacturing process. While lead infused metals may not be a concern with most electronics – most electronics don't have a heat component and aren't destined for direct contact with cannabis. As regulators in Michigan and California have seen, somehow the lead is leeching from the vape components and into the concentrate.
Part of the problem is that cannabis is acidic, which means it may naturally pull heavy metals like lead from the surrounding container. Another possibility exists if the concentrate comes into direct contact with the heating coils — an issue originally outlined by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The Need for Direction on Heavy Metals
With no international or national rules about heavy metal contamination within the cannabis industry, cultivators, concentrate producers, and device manufacturers are left without clear direction. For example, while California producers prepared for the recent changes to heavy metals in cannabis, the vape cartridges they imported were not. Manufacturers in China were following an entirely different set of rules.
The toxins in cannabis from the cultivation side of the equation are also complicated. Cannabis isn't like other conventional crops. As a phytoremediator, it pulls chemicals from its environment in unique ways, which we are only starting to understand.
Manufacturers need to get a better understanding of how their designs, material, and cannabis concentrates interact over time. If cannabis oil is acidic, how can they redesign the cartridge to prevent heavy metal leaching into the inhaled product?
There also needs to be universal guidelines on testing. Testing an empty cartridge will produce very different results than testing the concentrate within the cartridge. Finally, instead of a patchwork of regulation (or no regulation at all) on heavy metals – the entire cannabis industry needs to follow the same set of laws. Cultivators, producers, manufacturers need to all be on the same page when it comes to heavy metals in vape cartridges.


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New research from the University of Delaware concludes that food labels such as “organic” and “fair trade” can stigmatize foods produced with conventional processes even when there is no scientific evidence that they cause harm or that products are compositionally different. Such process claims often are not based on science and can cause consumers to misinterpret these labels and misalign their personal preferences and food purchases, the researchers said.
Cargill is offering consumers turkeys with a side of traceability. The company’s Honeysuckle White brand recently launched a pilot project that that uses blockchain technology to trace turkeys produced by family farmers. To learn more about their Thanksgiving turkey, consumers in select markets can text or enter an on-package code at HoneysuckleWhite.com to access the farm’s location by state and county, view the family farm story, see photos from the farm and read a message from the farmer.
There's a genetic technology that scientists are eager to apply to food, touting its possibilities for things like mushrooms that don't brown and pigs that are resistant to deadly diseases. And food industry groups, still reeling from widespread protests against genetically engineered corn and soybeans (aka GMOs) that have made it difficult to get genetically engineered food to grocery store shelves, are looking to influence public opinion.The technology is called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, or CRISPR. It's a technique that Alison Van Eenennaam, an animal genetics professor at University of California, Davis, says can de-activate a gene. Or, as she puts it: "It's editing. It's like going into a Word document and basically replacing one letter, maybe that instead of 'wind,' you want it to say 'wine,' " she says.
No sense in crying over spilled milk, but what about $437,000 in legal fees? Florida’s paying that amount to the attorneys of Ocheesee Creamery, which is about 50 miles west of Tallahassee. State officials under Adam Putnam’s Department of Agriculture had pushed to label the dairy’s skim milk as imitation, because vitamins aren’t added to it, according to the Associated Press.The state defines skim milk as having Vitamin A. Ocheesee, an all-natural dairy that doesn’t add ingredients to natural products, objected.Florida taxpayers have paid more than $20 million since 2011 to cover expenses for lawyers who have sued the state.
The countdown to the opening of Eataly’s massive food theme park begins. Fico Eataly World, which promises to be the “world’s largest agri-food park,” according to a press release, will open on November 15 in Bologna, Italy. Like the Eataly markets in New York, Dubai, and Boston, the Bologna complex will include Italian restaurants and Italian products. But, Fico Eataly World will go beyond simply selling Italy’s wares to cover the entire breadth of the country’s culinary landscape, “from the field to the fork.” Essentially, it’s the Disney World of Italian food.The park will be enormous, encompassing more than 20 acres in Bologna. These acres of fields and farmland will include 40 farming factories where visitors can see how farmers process meat, cheese, pasta, and other Italian goods; 40 restaurants and refreshment stations; and, to further Disney World comparisons, six “educational rides.” The park will also host daily classes and events and Eataly expects it to become a destination for conferences.
JD.com’s exclusive products will include bone-in cuts and variety meats, with a focus on small packaged frozen products. Smithfield specializes in these products and they are the types of products in high demand in China.
In an audit released October 13, the USDA’s Office of the Inspector General once again found that the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) inadequate oversight of imported meat and poultry is putting U.S. consumers at risk. FSIS is supposed to determine whether countries that export meat, poultry, egg products or catfish have a regulatory system that can meet the standards required in the United States. However, the OIG audit reveals that FSIS is not doing enough oversight of the process used to determine which countries have “equivalent” food safety systems. “This report shows why we must not allow imports of Chinese poultry or Brazilian fresh meat,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “USDA must fix its oversight system so it can keep potentially dangerous food imports off of our shelves.” The audit states, “without more robust controls over ongoing equivalence evaluations of foreign countries’ food safety systems, we concluded that FSIS’ inspection program is vulnerable to weaknesses that increase the risk of adulterated or unsafe meat, poultry, or egg products being imported into the United States.” The OIG found that FSIS fails to conduct audits of other countries’ food safety systems in a consistent, timely manner and that FSIS is not able to adequately monitor which facilities in exporting countries are eligible to send product to the U.S. The OIG also found that FSIS failed to address recommendations made in previous audits of this program about how it conducts audits of other countries’ food safety systems.
Complying with European Union legislation adds, on average, an extra 16 percent to the cost of egg production in Europe, a new study reveals. These additional costs of egg production at the farm level directly relate to European legislation on animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety, according to new research from the Economic Research Institute (LEI) of Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Most of the additional cost arises from the minimum 750 square centimeter space allowance per bird in enriched cages in the EU.
Federal officials are attempting to seize more than $70,000 in raw camel milk products stored in a warehouse in Kansas City, KS, including some bearing labels from a Missouri dairy, because they were allegedly shipped in interstate commerce in violation of federal law. In an action filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, KS, the Department of Justice states that inspectors from the Food and Drug Administration estimate about 4,300 8- and 16-ounce bottles of frozen camel milk, colostrum and kefir are stored in the My Magic Kitchen Inc. refrigerated warehouse.More than 3,800 of the bottles contain raw camel milk and products made from it, which sell for $10 to $18 on the internet. A few hundred of the bottles contain pasteurized camel milk products. Kansas does not have any licensed camel dairy operations. If it did, sales of raw camel milk/products would be limited to “on-farm” scenarios. Kansas law prohibits retail sales and herd share sales of unpasteurized milk.The Kansas Department of Agriculture embargoed the products in question in August.Illegal interstate commerce isn’t the only problem with the camel milk products stored at My Magic Kitchen warehouse. They are also considered “new drugs” under federal law because of health claims made on their labels and on the website of Desert Farms Inc., a California company that contracts with a network of raw camel milk producers across the country.
Six percent of U.S. households are access-burdened: they do not use their own vehicle to travel to the store for groceries and live more than 0.5 mile from the nearest SNAP-authorized supermarket or superstore (SM/SS), which we use to proxy the nearest source of healthy and affordable food. Further analysis showed that: • Seventy-seven percent of access-burdened households reported a shopping event at a supermarket, superstore, large grocery store, or warehouse store during the survey week compared to 87 percent for households with sufficient access. Of those who visited these large stores during the survey week, sufficient-access households had 2.8 shopping events at such a store, while access-burdened households averaged 2.4 shopping events. • Although they average fewer trips, access-burdened households spend almost the same percentage of their weekly food expenditures at large stores as households with sufficient access—57 percent of total spending for access-burdened households and 58 percent for sufficient-access households.The per capita spending of access-burdened households at such stores is slightly lower—$28.77 on average for the survey week compared with $29.97 for households www.ers.usda.gov United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Economic Information Bulletin Number 180 October 2017 The Influence of Foodstore Access on Grocery Shopping and Food Spending Michele Ver Ploeg Elizabeth Larimore Parke Wilde Summary with sufficient access. These findings suggest that access-burdened households overcome limited food retail options to spend similarly to sufficient-access households at large stores. Access-burdened households have a median monthly income of $1,240 compared to $4,388 for sufficientaccess households, which may account for some of the differences in spending patterns at restaurants and other types of stores.


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The first round of openings for the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway virtual queue filled up in less than a minute for the ride’s opening day at Disneyland park.
The virtual queue opened at 7:00 a.m. PT and we took this screenshot within that first minute. The virtual queue will reopen at 1:00 p.m. PT.
Individual Lightning Lane entry is also available for $20 today via the Disney Genie Tip Board.
For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.


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Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has hired another former Google employee to help the company with its big ambitions. This time around, according to The Wall Street Journal, it has picked up Jai Mani, who will serve as lead product manager in India. The ex-Googler reportedly worked as a strategy and analytics associate for Google Play.
This comes little more than a year after Xiaomi brought on Hugo Barra, Google's former Vice President of Android Product Management, to serve as its VP of Global Operations. He told the Wall Street Journal to think of this hiring as "the beginning of our R&D center development in India."
“The first person we hired is someone who’s going to be the glue between our users in India, product feedback that we receive, and the engineering team we have in Beijing as well as the engineering team that we are going to be building fairly soon in India."
- Hugo Barra, Xiaomi VP of Global Operations
Barra says he worked very closely with Mani during his time at Google. The latter left the search giant in 2013. Here's a picture of Mani demoing a product on-stage that Barra shared on Google+.
Xiaomi is a powerhouse in China, but its influence is limited in other parts of the world. The company wants to establish a strong foothold in India, the world's second largest telecommunications market. With no US presence, we don't have all that much to say about the company's products, but we'll continue to keep an eye on them as they make inroads in other parts of the world.


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Former Google staffer Falon Fatemi is the founder of Node, a tech startup that makes an AI-powered search tool for finding sales leads. She has plenty of experience in answering probing questions from venture capitalists about funding her startups.
So when she gets an unexpected, surprising question during a pitch interview, she has her own method of dealing with the question for the next interview.
That technique, plus which popular investor from “Shark Tank” has helped invest in her startup, in this story from Business Insider.
Photo credit: Falon Fatemi, from Twitter/Node


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Sep 18, 2011 1:06 AM
richtfest geschenke, a Norwegian vehicle
Fuel economy was regarded as a significant factor in their choice of a new car by a minimum of 1/3 of buyers in America. Because of the preoccupation today with pollution, global warming and Europe's dependence on international sources of oil, it's actually shocking to learn that as long ago as 1992 a car that got 100 miles to the gallon was built by richtfest geschenke company. Yet another automobile, the richtfest geschenke company TPC, which looked a lot like the Geo Metro, weighed only 1000 pounds and could easily get 75 miles per gallon. However, as a way to meet European safety regulations, the 3-cylinder vehicle required reinforcement weighing 200 pounds, which ended in further development being discarded.This was not the only protype designed by richtfest geschenke company which ended up on the scrapheap. A few of these were the 1982 richtfest geschenke company Lean Machine which performed 80 miles per gallon, and the richtfest geschenke company Ultralite which managed to do 100 mpg. richtfest geschenke company had been presenting cars to the purchasing public in 1992 that did 20 mpg, while the richtfest geschenke company was getting 50 mpg with their richtfest geschenke C4, but right then richtfest geschenke company already covertly had cars doing 100 miles per gallon. Given that cars have already been developed that get 100 miles per gallon, then why are they not being offered to the general public?It's a strange phenomenon that some companies promote traditional vehicles in the US, but sell different, more efficient cars in other countries. Buyers in Japan and Europe have for many years now had the opportunity to get cars that do 70 miles per gallon and more. The Lupo, a Volkswagen, is a great instance of a car that gets 78 MPG, but has never been sold in the US. the richtfest geschenke company released to the European sector in 2007, a car called the Fit, but known as the richtfest geschenke B4 in other parts of the world. In Japan the richtfest geschenke B4 versions include one with a more compact engine, plus there are ways to improve fuel consumption, but with the richtfest geschenke A in the European not even the option of a smaller engine is offered.In The United States the manufacturers claim they have to build big cars mainly because that is what the European public wants. It is evident that manufacturers don't make a lot of money selling a small 2-person commuter vehicle, but they certainly do selling big richtfest geschenke wagons. A Tank on Wheels may be the thing to get,that's the sales message that the commercials beguile the European public with. Fuel-saving choices from the big companies are uncommon, so it's pretty easy to deduce where their motivations lay. The top in fuel economy may have been richtfest geschenke company, but they opt to remain the leader in richtfest geschenke wagons instead. The rest of the car manufacturers did the same thing by producing fuel-efficient cars, then again denied them to AmericansWe all live in a world that has fought wars over oil, that has been polluted, and car makers have never even given the choice to people in this country of fuel-efficient http://www.gluecksgeschenk.de/ cars. The question comes up: how many Europeans would have appreciated the option of getting a car with good gas mileage but weren't ever offered it? Can it be time to recover those abandoned designs and, again, start building those vehicles that were once built a long time ago?


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Namco's Star Fox game delayed
Star Fox appears to have been delayed until 2005, following reports quoting insiders and its omission from Nintendo Europe's Christmas schedule.
Namco's Star Fox game will not be released anywhere in 2004, according to reports. A story on IGN this week quotes "insiders" who claim that the previous November target has now been scratched in favour of something in 2005.
Meanwhile, Nintendo of Europe's Christmas release schedule, released to the press today, makes no mention of the title, virtually confirming what Nintendo of America reps characterised as rumour and speculation this week.
Star Fox, in development for GameCube at Namco and Nintendo, features classic Arwing shoot-'em-up action with a new focus on multiplayer, and has appeared in playable form at the last couple of E3 trade shows.
Nintendo has so far been unwilling to comment directly on the report, with a spokesperson for the US reeling off the usual "Nintendo does not comment on rumours or speculation" line, while our contacts on this side of the Atlantic have been unable to comment so far.
If true, however, it leaves Nintendo's winter schedule looking a bit less exciting, with Geist already having disappeared into 2005. Metroid Prime 2 ought to bring us a bit of joy, and likewise Paper Mario 2 and Pikmin 2, but games like The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure and Donkey Konga are unlikely to "win Christmas" for the Japanese giant.


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Here’s an interesting bit of news that has found its way online. Star Wars is finally entering its renaissance with new game announcements and the release of The Book of Boba Fett. 2022 is looking like a stacked year for the galactic franchise and it seems that a popular game is finally getting the sequel to reveal that many have been anticipating. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order explored the story of Cal Kestis after the rise of the Empire. The first game – while buggy – offered a perfect blend of Jedi action and Dark Souls-lite combat. There hasn’t been much information out there on the next entry, but luckily that seems like it’ll end soon.
In a new report by Grubb from Giant Bomb, he has shared that the Fallen Order sequel is likely to get a “significant” reveal ahead of this year’s E3, which is likely going to be around May or June. There are hints that it may potentially even be released at the end of the year, or in 2023 at the latest. It’s the first real information we are getting on the sequel, but it comes just as the game took over Amazon Prime games. As it’s still a rumor, for now, we can only hope that it turns out true once we near the E3 event.