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Spain is increasingly attractive to Chinese investors. In 2016 they pumped €1.7 billion into the country, nearly four times more than the previous year. Spain has now become the seventh biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Europe, where Germany and Britain still attract the largest amounts. They were followed by Finland, Switzerland, Ireland and France, according to a report by Baker McKenzie.
The most important transaction by Chinese investors in Spain last year was the acquisition of Urbaser, the environmental unit of the ACS Group, by Firion Investment, an investment fund which China Tianying has a stake in. The fund paid over €1.17 billion, which could go up to €1.4 billion depending on Urbaser’s performance.
The Chinese government is encouraging its population to watch European soccer
The second biggest operation was the purchase of the soccer club RCD Espanyol for €200 million by Chen Yansheng, owner of toy car maker Rastar.
The report by Baker McKenzie also mentions a deal that is still in the pipeline, involving the purchase by the China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) of Aritex, a tech firm owned by Spain’s Comsa, for €167 million.
According to Maite Díez, a partner at Baker McKenzie and an expert in Chinese investment, there is growing interest in Spain.
“They are attracted by European companies in several sectors such as the food industry, because that gives them access to the supply chains,” she notes. “The goal is to offer high-quality products in China, where there is a growing demand.”
This expert says that Chinese investors have made the most of the fall in prices triggered by the economic crisis in the West of 2008, and changed their strategy accordingly.
“Before this, their interest lay in Latin America and Africa, where public corporations were buying raw materials to supply their own growing population. They would finance it through the mass export of cheap products to the entire world,” she adds.
After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, private Chinese firms started buying industrial, infrastructure, environmental, tech and distribution companies with an international focus. They are also interested in real estate, in finance and in entertainment, a sector where they have snapped up hotel chains, movie theaters, shopping malls and soccer teams.
“The Chinese government is encouraging the creation of soccer schools in many regions, and encouraging its population to watch European soccer. That is why you see growing numbers of Spanish teams wearing Chinese advertising on their shirts, and playing schedules that are compatible with China’s time zone.”
English version by Susana Urra.


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A south Wales company is part of a collective of companies that have been tasked with bringing Wallace & Gromit to life.
Aardman Animation’s Wallace & Gromit, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, are about to bring their fans directly into their adventures via a first of its kind, story-driven experience.
Partnering with Aardman, a consortium of British companies including Potato, Cardiff-based Sugar Creative and Newport-based Tiny Rebel Games, with research support from the University of South Wales, are inventing an exciting immersive experience based on the Wallace & Gromit characters and backed by Government funding.
Susan Cummings, founder of Tiny Rebel Games and member of the consortium said: “We feel the future of immersive experiences lies in being able to weave a story together using a variety of media and experiences.
“At the core will be an engaging narrative, created in partnership with the incredibly creative team at Aardman, which will appeal to Wallace & Gromit fans of all ages. Around this core, we will use both cutting edge and traditional techniques to enable storytelling and allow people to engage with an evolving narrative.
“These may include immersive technologies such as augmented reality, mixed reality and haptics as well as live theatrical production, websites, social media channels and even comic books and audio adventures.”
Chosen by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Audience of the Future program, which is a key part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Deal announced in March 2018, the consortium has been awarded a multimillion-pound R&D grant to explore and pioneer cutting-edge immersive experiences.
And now, working hand-in-hand with Aardman, they will bring a brand-new adventure in the lives of Wallace & Gromit.
Sean Clarke, executive director, rights and brand development, Aardman said: “Aardman is a business built on great storytelling and creative ambition.
“We are delighted to partner with this bold project, developing brand new Wallace & Gromit content that can be interacted with on many levels.
“We are sure this will delight and engage fans, offer a unique experience and maintain Wallace & Gromit’s reputation as pioneers of technology.”
UKRI Challenge Director for Audience of the Future, Prof Andrew Chitty said, “It’s fantastic that we complete our line-up of audience facing demonstrators with this hugely ambitious collaboration between Tiny Rebel Games, Potato, Sugar, University of South Wales and the creators of Wallace and Gromit.
“Their aim to revolutionise Augmented Reality gaming along with the advances in AI, haptics, audience interaction and film production technologies from our other competition winners means the public will be able to try out some truly groundbreaking experiences over the next 18 months.”

domain: news


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This comes straight from MoRTH better known as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways who recently issued a new notification that states that the new PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate norms will be unformed for the entire nation.
According to the new notification, the new PUC certificate will contain the vehicle owner’s mobile number, name and address, engine number, and chassis number as approved by the Centre Government. Moreover, the new PUC will now be linked to the PUC database with the National Register.
The set notification also states that the government has also ruled out the need to get new PUC certificates at different locations for the same vehicle.
How will the new PUC data be digitalised?
MoRT&H has issued a notification for a common format of the PUC (Pollution Under Control) Certificate to be issued across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989.
This IT-enabled move would help in better control over polluting vehicles. pic.twitter.com/58xfZ6EebU
— MORTHINDIA (@MORTHIndia) June 17, 2021
- The new PUC certificate will now come with a QR code that will have information about the vehicle, its owner and the current emission status.
- The QR code will store the vehicle owner’s mobile number, name and address, engine number and chassis number.
- All vehicle owners shall receive an SMS Alert on their designated mobile phones which will have information about the validation and fees for the PUC.
Any other update?
- The Government has also introduced a new concept of a rejection slip in case the test result value is more than the maximum permissible value.
- The set document can be used at all authorized PUC centres if the checking fails to work at any of these centres.
- However, in case the vehicle owner fails to submit the vehicle for compliance or the vehicle fails to comply, the owner of the vehicle shall be liable for payment of penalty.
- According to the notification, If the owner fails to comply with this, the registering authority shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, suspend the certificate of registration of the vehicle and any permit granted, until such time a valid PUC certificate is generated”


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In a recent interview with the BBC, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak called for AI content to be labeled and regulated.
APPLE co-founder and tech entrepreneur Steve Wozniak has issued a stark warning over the advancement of artificial intelligence, saying we “can’t stop” its growth.
The warning comes just days after Geoffrey Hinton, the “godfather of AI,” warned that the technology could be used by “bad actors.”
Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with the late Steve Jobs, revealed a similar concern in a recent interview with the BBC.
The 72-year-old told the news outlet that he is worried “bad actors” will take advantage of artificial intelligence and use it to deceive unsuspecting victims, gain personal information, or steal data.
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“AI is so intelligent, it’s open to the bad players, the ones that want to trick you about who they are,” Wozniak said.
Britain’s former top cyber spy, Ciaran Martin, warns that AI fakes and lies will destroy society as they will make it hard to tell the difference between truth and lies.


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Is an all-electric supercar in the pipeline as well?
Right now, you can buy a Lexus hybrid but not a plug-in hybrid. The latter powertrain, according to Auto Express, will never be offered on a Lexus. Alain Uyttenhoven, Lexus Europe chief, wants to be ahead of the curve by ignoring plug-in hybrids altogether and go directly to fuel-cell cars and pure EVs in the next few years. This is a bold move considering rivals like BMW and Mercedes-Benz each offer plug-in hybrid versions of some of their models. Uyttenhoven's confirmation also clarifies a rumor we heard a few days ago regarding the brand's future plans.
The writing is on the wall, powertrain technology speaking, and Lexus feels its R&D budget will be better spent on the future instead of something that already exists. The specific plan going forward will be to launch a hydrogen-powered luxury sedan based on the LF-FC concept in 2020, followed by several new EVs, both cars and SUVs. However, those EVs will tend to be on the smaller side, something Lexus also previously previewed with the LF-SA concept. Another reason behind Lexus' decision is the expected more stringent emissions legislation, notably in Europe. If predications prove accurate, then that new legislation will literally make pure hybrids illegal, so Lexus had a choice: plug-ins or pure electrics and hydrogen cars.
Going with the latter was the practical smart choice. Although Lexus continues to neither confirm nor deny the existence of a new supercar/LFA successor program, skipping straight to EVs also opens the possibility for a new halo supercar. We certainly wouldn't be opposed to that.


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Create Music Group, the fastest growing privately held music and media company in the U.S., announced today that it has named industry veteran Chris Herche to the newly created position of SVP, Music Operations and Marketing at the company. In his new role Herche will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company’s music division which distributes and markets more than 25,000 artists and 5,000 label clients around the world.
“Chris brings with him a wealth of experience and passion in the independent music sector both as an executive and as a label owner,” said Jonathan Strauss, Founder and CEO of Create Music Group. “His deep marketing expertise will be invaluable to our artist and label clients as we continue to expand our operations around the world.”
Mr. Herche joins Create Music Group from Cinematic Music Group, where he was Chief Marketing Officer, leading the company’s marketing strategy for the past five years, helping to drive the company’s dramatic growth. Previously he served in a number of positions at Entertainment One, rising to Vice President of Digital Marketing and A&R. He began his career two decades ago at RCA Records where he served in various positions, Product Manager, Head of Tour Marketing and Digital Product Manager. Since 2011 he has also run his own independent record label, Vicarious Records, a company which started as a marketing firm and shifted into a record label focused on artists from the Cincinnati/Kentucky area.
“Jonathan and Alexandre Williams have built a truly world class company and are constantly innovating for their clients,” said Mr. Herche. “I’m excited to be able to lead Create’s music operations as we move into an exciting period of growth.”
Mr. Herche will be based in Brooklyn, New York.


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Belkin’s new Thunderbolt Express Dock ($299), enables Macbook and Ultrabook users to access multiple desktop peripherals with a single cable. For example, the dock has multiple USB ports and and Ethernet port for streaming movies in full 1080p HD as well as support for transferring large volumes of data within seconds.
Belkin also announced the Advance N900 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router, model F9K1104. It should be Belkin's top-of-the-line router that is designed to deliver "a high-powered signal that allows for higher and more-consistent network speeds and minimizes the number of wireless dead spots."
If you thought America’s wireless infrastructure was overtaxed now, just wait: 4G connectivity is coming to the car, says ZDNet's Larry Dignan. General Motors' Onstar Division announced a partnership with Verizon to bring more bandwidth to the family vehicle.


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Shoppers have been promised an immersive experience different to anything else on the high street when a candle shop upgrades its premises.
The Wandering Bee has enjoyed great success since being set up by Beth Warren during the Covid pandemic when she decided she was unhappy in her job at a dentist surgery.
Her candles – handcrafted from beer bottles – have been stocked by the likes of John Lewis, Chester Zoo and the World of Wedgwood and her journey has seen her have two pop-up shops on London’s Oxford Street.
Beth, who gave up her fulltime job within six months of starting the business in February 2021, opened her shop on Adies Alley in Stone in September 2022 but is preparing to move to new premises on Stone’s High Street next month.
“To say we are working on top of each other is an understatement,” Beth said. “We have completely outgrown the space that we have.
“Our new shop will allow us to create more, offer more and sell more.
“It will be an immersive experience where people can see the products being made like nothing else that is already on the high street.”
The Wandering Bee has a core range of eight scents with a new, limited-edition scent released each month. It also sells items such as reed diffusers, propagation stations and terrariums.
The new shop, which is taking the place of fashion boutique Something Different, will have larger selfcare and plant sections with products including planters made out of beer bottles and hydro-herbs, a way of growing herbs without the need for soil.
Beth, who has three members of staff and almost 10,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram, added: “We have been on such a journey since starting out in my kitchen and quickly having to turn it into a mini warehouse space for all the candles.
“I started out by Googling the top 10 most profitable business ideas but, being a perfectionist, I didn’t want to make any old scented candle – I wanted something really different.
“The idea to use beer bottles came from my partner because Covid meant there were shortages in the supplies of candle glass.
“The online business went crazy but then the money stopped coming in. That is when I threw the last bit of cash into opening the shop, which has turned the business around.
“We have an incredible customer base, and I think they like the fact that I talk open and honestly about the business.
“I think I have a knack for scents, but I have also developed a real passion for my products and being sustainable and sourcing ethical ingredients is really important to us.”
The new shop has a target open date of 30 March.


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Greggs has won his battle to sell sausage rolls and steak bakes until 2am from his branch in London’s Leicester Square.
The bakery chain was gearing up for a lawsuit against Westminster City Council after it was denied an extended license to sell food late at night in the square, considered the center of the capital’s nightlife.
Greggs planned to appeal the decision, with a three-day hearing set to begin Tuesday.
But the bakery withdrew the appeal after agreement with the municipality.
The agreement means it can sell pasties and sausage rolls until 2 a.m., but items from its hot food menu — including pizzas, chicken goujons and hot baguettes — cannot be sold after 11 p.m.
The store should also have bouncers at the door, install cameras and ensure that rubbish is cleared away from the store.
Greggs had hoped to open his Leicester Square store 24 hours a day from last July to serve hot food all day and night.
But the permit application was blocked by the municipality because of concerns that the store would cause ‘night disturbances and anti-social behaviour’.
Westminster City Council deputy leader Aicha Less said: “On the merits of this case, Westminster has reached an agreement with Greggs that works for everyone.”
The agreement means it can stay open until midnight on Sunday to Wednesday and until 2am on Thursday to Saturday.
“We are delighted to continue to support local businesses and look forward to working with the company in the future,” the council said.


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Insurer Pattern, in partnership with student insurance broker Endsleigh Insurance, is launching a new tailored travel insurance for students this spring. The policies sold will cover students when they are travelling and will include both cancellation cover as well as unique parametric products – like ski guarantee.
Policyholders are compensated if ski conditions are bad, and there is no need for them to make claim, as the Pattern platform checks weather conditions in real time and will issue a refund to the traveller if they are bad.
Offering affordable travel insurance to students
Alison Meckiffe, Endsleigh’s Chief Executive, said: “Partnering with Pattern allows us to bring students a unique and affordable travel insurance proposition. The parametric products Pattern offer, compensating the customer without the need for any claims process, is perfect for our student audience.”
Noam Shapira of Pattern added that the partnership as another step in helping protect travellers against risks that are relevant to their plans.


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FORD Australia has played a leading role in designing what could become the best-selling car in China, but Ford's global bosses won't give Australians the credit for doing the work.
A skilled team of Australian stylists based at Broadmeadows in Victoria designed the sleek new version of the Ford Escort, which is intended to be built in China and sold alongside the Ford Focus - the best-selling car in the world’s biggest car market.
While the future of Ford Australia’s manufacturing operations remains in doubt beyond 2016 - following record-low sales and no application for government funding beyond that deadline - the company has gradually restructured its business to supply designers and engineers to the rest of the Ford world.
But when Ford executives were asked about Australia’s involvement in the car unveiled at the Shanghai motor show overnight, senior management of the company claimed it was a “global effort” with “some Australian input”.
Jim Farley, Ford’s global head of sales and marketing declined to nominate where the car was designed, as did the former boss of Ford Australia (and Geelong resident) Marin Burela, who is now based in China.
The Asia-Pacific boss of Ford, David Schoch, and the new design chief for Ford in the Asia Pacific region, Joel Piaskowski, also downplayed or refused to confirm Australia’s involvement.
Ford does not have a design studio in China; Australia is the nearest - and one of only five fully fledged design centres in the Ford world.
Australia’s design and engineering workforce has grown from a staff of 350 in the early 2000s to more than 1100 today, as the company takes on more work for the rest of the region.
Ford Australia has also sent up to 50 designers and engineers to China on assignment to help establish a new development centre there.
Kumar Kalhotra, Ford’s Asia Pacific product development chief, told News Limited: “Ford Australia isn’t designing products just for Australia, they’re designing products for the globe.” But he stopped short of revealing Australia’s involvement in the new Ford Escort.
When asked if Ford Australia wasn’t given more credit for the work on such an important car because other international divisions might take offence, Kalhotra said: “I don’t think it’s about offending anybody, it really is a total team effort.”
*Article sourced from the Sydney Morning Herald


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AP: Establishment of 400 charging stations for e-vehicles in collaboration with NTPC, RIEl
State Electricity Minister Balineni Srinivasareddy said the government was giving top priority to increasing the use of electric vehicles (e-vehicles) in the state. He said he was ready to give the necessary incentives in this direction.
The minister on Thursday launched the state government’s ‘Go-Electric’ campaign online in collaboration with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to create awareness among the public about the use of electric vehicles (e-mobility) and the charging stations required for them.
On the occasion, he said that 400 charging stations would be set up across the state in the first phase. He said electric vehicles were an alternative to prevent pollution caused by diesel and petrol vehicles.
He explained that the maintenance cost of e-vehicles is very low and charging stations are being set up at the rate of one every 25 km on national highways for the convenience of the public.
Energy Secretary Srikanth Nagulapalli said the central government has set a target of using electric three-wheelers in the country by 2023 and electric two-wheelers by 2025.
Nedcap MD S. Ramanareddy said that NTPC and RIEL have entered into an agreement to set up 400 chargers in the state.
He said these would be set up at 73 places across the state under the Fame-2 scheme. It has an agreement with the International Center for Automotive Technology to test vehicles and spare parts.
He said the company was setting up testing tracks to test vehicles at a cost of Rs 250 crore in collaboration. The event was attended by State Energy Conservation Corporation CEO A. Chandrasekharreddy and others.


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Placed Adds In-Store Attribution Extension, Promising ‘Complete’ Online-To-Offline ROI
Location marketplace xAd is Placed Revenue's official launch partner.
The agencies, publishers, and brands who use Placed’s various tools for measuring whether or not their digital ads led to an actual sale to a brick-and-mortar business now have an added offering at their disposal: Placed Revenue.
Placed Revenue is able to determine whether a mobile user saw an ad. From there, the Seattle startup records data from offline purchases and then matches that to devices that displayed the initial ad. Essentially, this new offering is extension of Placed Attribution, the Seattle-based company’s primary measurement product.
Placed Attribution is based on a panel model that includes more than 600,000 active opted-in mobile app users — Placed notes that number represents 1 in 450 adults in the US. That metric is also used by over 80 publishers, networks, and demand side platforms, including ncluding IPG Mediabrands, DigitasLBi, Horizon Media, Tapad, DataXu, Drawbridge, and TapJoy.
‘Clicks’ Are For Kids?
“Placed Revenue… enables advertisers using Placed Attribution to measure store visitation to layer in purchase data, providing a more complete view on return on ad spend,” said David Shim, Placed’s CEO/founder.
When it comes to driving more revenue into a specific media channel — whether social or display advertising — the issue for advertisers and agency buyers is whether there is proof that the audience is receptive and whether that “proof” can be determined in an apples-to-apples comparison. The primary metric in online advertising is still the clickthrough. But for online-to-offline ads, the demand to prove an actual sale is the Holy Grail.
So we put the question to Shim as to whether Placed Revenue allows media buyers and their clients to see “beyond the click.”
“As the Trix Rabbit might say, ‘clicks are for kids,” Shim responded. “Placed Attribution and Placed Revenue enable advertisers to measure and optimize against the 90 percent of retail transaction that occur in the physical world.”
xAd Signs On
The company has lined up a long list of partnerships over the past year. To help support Placed Revenue, location marketplace xAd has agreed to be the launch partner.
“As mobile and location continue to garner a larger percentage of total media spend, marketers and advertisers are realizing the power of mobile location to measure advertising’s direct impact on offline store visits and real world sales,” said Monica Ho, xAd’s head of Marketing. “Placed Revenue and Placed Attribution have helped xAd’s clients receive an unbiased and accurate view on return on ad spend and help the industry to unlock the true value of location-powered marketing.”
Placed Revenue also allows a look into how stores rank according to Purchase Rate, Average Spend, and efficiency (how much in-store revenue is generated versus that marketer’s ad spending).
The Purchase Rate that Placed is showcasing is based on over 2 million first party survey responses during Q2 2015. Under Placed’s calculations,Dollar Stores and Warehouse Clubs led the pack in terms of Purchase Rate.
“With the dollar stores, the price point seems to be the driver, while Warehouse Clubs are destinations for big ticket purchases,” Placed’s report said. In terms of Drugstores, Walgreens leads the pack, but closely followed by Rite Aid and CVS.
“The addition of revenue in Placed Attribution enables us to see the impact of advertising down to the sale, providing a more complete picture of ROI,” said Sarah Bachman, VP of Mobile Strategy at independent media shop Horizon Media.


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We’ve spent a lot of this month looking at the importance of location in fulfillment.
From alternative ways to leverage location in a digital world to the physical reality of bringing ever-larger vessels through the Panama Canal, it’s clear that where we are and the routes we choose to move cargo through have a direct impact on product availability and customer satisfaction.
On Sunday, a Chinese container vessel will navigate its way through the expanded locks, in what shippers around the world hope will be the first of many successful passages by today’s larger commercial ships. It’s been a long time coming for shipping lines especially, many of whom have invested heavily in the 14,000 TEU capacity vessels that the expanded waterway is designed for.
The official start of the summer isn’t here until Monday, but we decided to take a note from our fulfillment team and get going a little early!
We gathered with some business peers, clients, and colleagues this week in New York City, to take in the visual delights of the Whitney Museum of American Arton a private tour. To take advantage of the beautiful weather, we followed it up with light bites and beverages at the Standard Biergarten, which is then ideally located for a sunset stroll along the Highline.
There are some sensations that only a retail store can replicate. Yes, we love e-commerce, but there’s something about the hands-on feel of a storefront that allows a brand to flow into a physical space.
Our client Bluemercury understands this sensation and channeled its value to score some exuberant press last week. The popular beauty brand opened its newest location in New York City, down in one of the most attractive neighborhoods for aspirational brands, TriBeCa.


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Polyphony Digital has released a new Gran Turismo Sport update today, and it fixes a few stuff! Usually, when a new unannounced patch drops, it’s for bug fixes and technical improvements, and that’s the case for this patch.
Nope, there’s no new car, new tracks or any new piece of content at all.
Gran Turismo Sport update 1.55 patch notes:
Main Features Implemented
Sport Mode & Lobby
– Fixed an issue wherein collisions between cars were not incurring a penalty, even for incidents where they should have.
And that’s basically it. Those looking for new content and whatnot, we’ll probably have to wait for February 2020’s big patch for a new slate of cars and more.
We’ll keep an eye out on new Gran Turismo Sport news, which we’re hoping involves a new track or track variant. The FIAGTC (FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships) will be kicking off soon this February, and we’re expecting new content to be released for the game alongside it.
Source: Gran Turismo


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Best Buy employee, fired for tackling burglary suspect, to receive medal from sheriff
Best Buy employee explains tackling suspect, getting fired and then receiving medal
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office will honor a second citizen with a medal next week, recognizing a man who aided deputies in restraining a suspect in the parking lot of a Roseville Best Buy store last month.
Tyler Metildi, a 26-year-old working in asset protection with the store, was outside assisting a customer on Jan. 11 when undercover law enforcement agents began to chase Timothy Trujillo of Reno, a man wanted for multiple burglaries in Nevada and in Placer County, through the parking lot.
Trujillo punched a deputy in the face and began to run away. That’s when Metildi gave chase, tackling the suspect to the ground.
“Deputies say Metildi’s quick thinking prevented Trujillo from potentially escaping law enforcement again,” a narrator says in a video by the Sheriff’s Office posted Friday to announce Metildi’s award.
Metildi will be honored with a “citizen’s medal of merit award” in a ceremony next Monday at Placer County Sheriff’s Office headquarters in Auburn.
Metildi was controversially fired by Best Buy about two weeks after the incident. He was terminated for violating Best Buy’s corporate-level policy that prohibits chasing or physically confronting people.
However, shortly after Metildi’s story became public, Best Buy reversed its decision; the company announced in a news release it would offer him his job back. It is not known whether he accepted the offer; he told The Bee prior to Best Buy’s rehiring offer that he planned to return to a school for security guards in April.
Before Best Buy offered to rehire him, Metildi told The Bee in a phone interview that he knew he was breaking company policy, but did not expect the consequences to be as severe as firing. However, he said he was willing to accept that.
“I figured it was safer to help tackle him there and end it than to have it drawn out in a parking lot,” the 7½-year Army veteran said at the time.
He told The Bee that he thought the policy may not have been applied as strictly since he was chasing a law enforcement suspect rather than a shoplifter at the store, but he said he did not regret his actions.
“Didn’t really have time to think about it,” Metildi says in the Sheriff’s Office video. “It only lasted – from the time that I stepped off the curb to the time that he went down was about 5 seconds.”
The Placer County Deputy Sheriff’s Association said in a Facebook post shortly after the incident became public that Metidi helped a deputy who had been “violently assaulted.” But in general, deputies advised against citizens engaging in law enforcement activity, for safety reasons.
Metildi will join 8-year-old Isabell, a girl who helped save the life of her father, Brian Pierce, when Pierce was shot in the chest while driving on Rock Springs Road in south Placer County.
Pierce was allegedly shot by Stanley Stepanski III, a 48-year-old Montana man who authorities say went on a shooting rampage Jan. 15. Stepanski allegedly, and shot and killed 93-year-old Mary Toste at her front door. Sheriff’s officials say Isabell helped put pressure on her father’s wound with a sweatband after he was shot.
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- Best Buy is punishing customers who return too many items — and it’s a disturbing trend sweeping across the retail industry
- Amazon, Best Buy partner up to sell new Fire Edition TVs
- We visited Best Buy and an Apple Store to see which was a better shopping experience — and the winner was clear
- Amazon and Best Buy are partnering to sell TVs — and it shows how complicated their relationship has become
- We went to Best Buy after it decided to pull most CDs from stores, and it’s never been more clear why Amazon is winning
- Best Buy tops fourth-quarter expectations amid surge in sales
- Amazon, Best Buy, and Home Depot are tracking your returns through a simple process that could get you blacklisted
- Best Buy’s CEO reveals why the company is closing 250 mobile stores
- Best Buy just launched a $200-a-year tech support service that takes a page out of Amazon’s playbook
- We compared shopping for electronics at Best Buy and Sears — and it’s clear why one is struggling while the other is thriving


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Samsung is celebrating the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 in Australia with a music festival, or “Flextival,” as the company calls it. The Flextival is an “exciting music and visual event” headlined by MC SHantan Wantan Ichiban and PNAU’s DJ Set.
Other acts include Set Mo, Dena Amy, Stacie Fields, Troy Beman, dameeeela, and Madami. The music-visual event will be held for one night only at Sydney’s Cargo Hall, Overseas Passenger Terminal. The main stage will consist of a 6-meter high LED wall that’s supposed to mimic the shape and proportions of Samsung’s latest foldable devices.
The so-called Flextival will kick off on September 28, and aside from the music acts, the event will bring to life content curated and created by a group of visual artists, including Tom Yau, André Hemer, George Dooley and Quinn.XYZ, all of which were inspired by the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4.
Samsung will be giving away limited free tickets to Flextival
While the Flextival event kicks off on September 28, Samsung plans to give away a limited number of free tickets beginning September 21. From that date onward, Samsung’s social media channels will post a registration code that fans can use on EventBrite for a chance to snag a ticket to Flextival.
Samsung fans who might not be able to attend the event will have the option to stream highlights from Flextival on MixMag from October 7. Those who can attend the event, however, will also have an opportunity to try out Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 in the Flex Studio.
The two new Samsung foldable phones were released last month. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 still seems to be a fan favorite, judging by the pre-order ratio between it and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in several markets. But both lineups have grown in popularity and are leading the foldable phone segment by a wide margin.
SamsungGalaxy Z Fold 4


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The Samsung Galaxy Fold is an ambitious foldable phone, but one with mounting durability problems, according to a handful of press who got early access to it.
We've seen a total of five broken Fold screens – four in which it isn't working at all and one instance in which half
When Philips announced its OLED 803 television back in February, it marked a notable turn away from the company's high-end LCD range to the promise of OLED’s superior displays. It was surprising, sure, but the 803 wouldn't be the only OLED from the European arm of Philips - we'd also be treated
If you’re after the best design and screen you can get for under £150, the Nokia 5.1 is it. The rest of the specs are fine, but it really is how this phone feels and looks that make it stand out in a crowd of entry-level Android smartphones.
Available in two
The new MacBook Air, not to mention macOS Mojave and a new Mac mini are all finally here, and the best Macs have never been better. And, if you want to get your hands on one of the best Macs, keep in mind that specs, performance and design mean way more in how
Samsung’s attempts to innovate and evolve LCD technology have been surprisingly successful. While its big Korean rival LG has invested billions developing OLED, Samsung has taken the view that LCD and ultimately MicroLED are necessary to deliver today’s ultra-bright HDR content.
Mainstream MicroLED might still be a few years off but
Announced back in January this year, Xiaomi's first smartphone to run Android Go Edition, the Redmi Go is coming to India on March 19. The official Twitter handle of Redmi announced the same early morning on Friday. The Redmi Go is a departure from Xiaomi's regular smartphones as it instead runs on Android Go
Samsung has just launched the Samsung Galaxy A80 which boasts three-camera selfie power thanks to a rotating camera array, but it looks like Huawei is interested in the idea too judging by new patents from the company.
The patents, filed in China and picked up by TechSmarti, show three front snappers
The Samsung Galaxy Fold gave us our first real taste of a foldable phone when it launched on February 20, 2019, and the handset is now just weeks from being available to the general public.
Arriving alongside a trio of new Galaxy S10 handsets, the Fold arguably stole the show as
We already know that OnePlus plans to bring two phones in 2019. One is expected to be the OnePlus 7, and the other is the yet unnamed OnePlus 5G phone.
Now two pictures of the alleged OnePlus 7 Pro have been posted to Weibo (a Chinese social networking site) by IT
If the Samsung Galaxy S10 is too rich for your blood then there are now some alternative options from the company, as Samsung has just taken to the stage to announce new entries in its A range, including the Samsung Galaxy A80 and Samsung Galaxy A70.
The Samsung Galaxy A80 (pictured


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Friday, April 24, 2015 9.21AM/CBN
It has been observed that some sections of the public are giving different interpretation to the recent circular Ref: TED/FEM/FPC/GEN/01/007 dated April 13, 2015 on the usage of Naira denominated cards overseas. It has there become necessary to provide the following clarifications:
For the avoidance of doubt, the circular refers to Naira denominated cards (debit and credit cards) to be overseas only.
•Debit/Credit cards used locally are not affected by this circular.
•Debit/Credit cards linked to customers Domiciliary account to be used overseas are also not affected.
Authorised dealers are therefore advised to take note and bring this to the attention of their respective customers for compliance.


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Dean Singleton’s MediaNews Group is increasing the amount of graphic design work it is sending to India. In November, the Press Club reported that MediaNews would be outsourcing ad production at the Contra Costa Times to Express KCS in India. Now, according to the trade publication Newspapers & Technology, MediaNews will send ad production for its Alameda Newspaper Group to that company as well. The ANG group includes The Oakland Tribune, The (Pleasanton) Tri-Valley Herald, the San Mateo County Times, The (Fremont) Argus, The (Hayward) Daily Review, The Alameda Times-Star and the Marin Independent Journal.
Above are some of the workers in Gurgaon, India who will produce ads for the MediaNews publications in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
At left is the facility for the outsourcing company, Express KCS, which will initially house about 40 workers to process MediaNews Group ads. That number could grow if other MediaNews papers decide to outsource their ad production. The San Jose Mercury News is among the papers considering such a move, the article said.
Robert Berkeley, chief executive of Express KCS, declined to say how much ANG and the Coco Times are saving by outsourcing their ad production to his company, but generally firms can save 25 percent to 50 percent of their costs, depending on the work involved. A total of 40 U.S. jobs will be eliminated by the outsourcing.
MediaNews isn’t alone in outsourcing. The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch says it will turn over its ad processing this spring to Affinity Express Inc., a company with a plant in Pune, India. That will eliminate 90 jobs in the U.S.


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DETROIT – It’s likely something you do without even thinking about it, but the type of post you “Like” on Facebook could set you up to be the victim of a con.
You may have seen a Facebook post that claimed a free Jayco RV would be given away to someone who shares and comments on the post -- or you’ve seen posts similar to it.
Melanie Duguesnel, with the Better Business Bureau, said that by liking the page, you’re potentially giving your personal information away.
"Now they can start to track you and or potentially get more information than you would normally provide because, ‘Hey, I could get $100,000 RV and get away from COVID,’ Duguesnel said.
The BBB is warning people that “Like Farming” scams are still going strong.
Duguesnel said the BBB had contacted local RV dealers and asked if they heard of the company allegedly giving away the RV and they said now.
“So we started to peel back the layers and look a little bit harder at it,” Duguesnel said. “And actually, other Better Business Bureaus across country also did the same thing and realize that there was no such site that was going to give away an RV.”
With “Like Farming," scam artists use an eye-catching post to get a lot of Likes and Shares. They’ll give you an emotional reason to click Like and Share. Posts can include cute animals, sick children and the promise of winning something big.
Once they get enough Likes or Shares, they can edit the post and add a weblink that downloads malware on your computer or they’ll sell the Page to the black market.
The free RV scam is so popular that Jayco has a post pinned to the top of its Facebook page to let people know they aren’t running a giveaway.
READ: More scam coverage
To prevent from falling for these scams, use your good judgement and don’t “Like” every post on your feed -- that’s what scammers are hoping you’ll do.
Never share personal information to a person or company you don’t know or trust and update your web browser so if you accidentally click on a scammer’s post, it’s more likely to warn you of the suspicious website. You can check the latest versions of some of the most popular browsers in the links below.


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Aldi's Christmas advert has finally been revealed - and fans of Kevin the Carrot will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
In an teaser commercial released last week, Kevin was left teetering on the edge of a cliff.
But Aldi's festive advert shows that the lovable carrot survived to be able to rescue his family from Pascal the Parsnip, who has the carrot's family locked up in a castle.
The ad, which will launch on Friday, November 9 at 7pm during ITV News, sees the return of award-winning actor Jim Broadbent to narrate the festive adventures. Viewers may also recognise the soundtrack from Edward Scissorhands.
But that's not it as Aldi’s Christmas adverts will run throughout the festive season and will feature Kevin the Carrot re-telling well-loved bedtime fairy tales.
Stories will include ‘Kevin the Carrot and Pea-nocchio’, ‘Katie the Carrot and the Fairy Cake Mother’ and ‘Kevin the Carrot and RhubarbStiltskin’.
Adam Zavalis, Marketing Director at Aldi UK, said: “Kevin the Carrot is loved by our customers and we felt it wouldn’t be an Aldi Christmas this year without the Carrot clan.
“Whilst Kevin gets up to more adventures, this time it’s all within the context of fairy tale stories being read to the family and each story brings to life our very best Christmas produce. From starters and turkeys to fresh meat offers and desserts, the campaign reminds our customers that with Aldi’s everyday amazing value, everyone can have a fairy tale Christmas."
This year, Kevin fans will be able to buy Kevin the Carrot (£3.99) and Katie the Carrot (£3.99) soft toys, as well as Pascal Parsnip (£3.99) and a giant metre tall Kevin (£19.99).
Christmas decorations, a Kevin and Katie story book (£2.99) and novelty gift mug (£2.99) will also be available to buy from November 22 in support of Aldi’s charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust.
Customers may also get a glimpse of the festive #KevintheCarrot trucks which will travel the country making deliveries to stores as part of Aldi’s Christmas campaign.


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TOKYO, JAN. 27 -- Japan soon will tell the United States that it will continue voluntary restraint on car exports to the United States for another year starting April 1, Kyodo News Service reported today.
The decision will be made this week by Hajime Tamura, minister of international trade and industry, and it will be relayed to the U.S. government, possibly as early as next week, the news service said.
The 2.3 million-unit limit on Japanese car shipments to the United States will be retained, the report said.
A spokesman for the ministry denied the report and said, "The issue is still under review and no decision has been made."
Most Japanese car manufacturers call for abolition of the voluntary restrictions on grounds that sales of Japanese cars on the U.S. market have declined because of the sharp appreciation of the Japanese yen against the dollar.
The strong yen has forced Japanese auto makers to raise prices of their vehicles several times and has made Japanese cars sold in the United States less competitive.
Automobile industry sources said Japanese car makers would not be able to fulfill their quotas for the year, ending next March 31.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association said this week Japan's overall car exports in 1987 are estimated at 6.3 million units, down 4.5 percent from 1986.
The sluggish sales overseas intensified competition on the domestic market, where sales gained 5.4 percent to a record 6,018,399 units, the association said.
Japanese car makers have been calling for abolition of the quota system because of slow sales in the United States.
"The market environment has changed because of the yen's appreciation, and we no longer can sell as many cars in the United States as in the past," said Takashi Ishihara, chairman of Japan's No. 2 auto maker, Nissan Motor Co.
But the report said the Ministry of International Trade and Industry is concerned that termination of the quota system could rekindle an export drive by Japanese carmakers and renew trade friction with the U.S. auto industry.
United Auto Workers President Owen Bieber sent a letter to Tamura last month asking Japan to limit its car shipments to the United States to 1.7 million a year, starting April 1.
"Conditions in the U.S. industry warrant a reduction in Japan's voluntary restraint," Bieber was quoted as saying. "It will require a commitment on the part of your government to adopt a meaningful restraint program."
Japan imposed a three-year self restraint in 1981 to help the U.S. auto industry recover from a slump. It has extended the measure annually since 1984 in response to U.S. requests.


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Mobile Phones: boost
News & Reviews: boost
TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #12 - Maxis Hari Raya, Celcom, Samsung Tips, Digi CXO, Google AR in Search, Shopee, HP Foundation, Micron, Kaspersky, Epson, Fave + Facebook, Snapchat, 5 ways Huawei P40, Boost, AMD, Special: LG OLED TV and NetflixLast Updated: May 26, 2020
TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #12 - Maxis Hari Raya, Celcom, Samsung Tips, Digi CXO, Google AR in Search, Shopee, HP Foundation, Micron, Kaspersky, Epson, Fave + Facebook, Snapchat, 5 ways Huawei P40, Boost, AMD, Special: LG OLED TV and Netflix
Last Updated: May 21, 2020
Samsung, in collaboration with Boost, has officially announced that they will be working together in order to provide the best mobile payment experience to Malaysians possible. With that said, Boost will be integrated with Samsung Pay, which allows Samsung smartphone users to easily pay their purchases simply by scanning a QR code if the merchants do not support card payments.
Last Updated: May 18, 2020
Just this morning, Boost just announced a new upgrade on their mobile app which is the long-awaited New Premium Wallet and Basic Wallet. What are the differences between the two and how do you upgrade to the New Premium Wallet? Here's everything you need to know.
Last Updated: May 06, 2020
With the festive Raya season around the corner, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is hosting a campaign called Jimat, Snap and Menang for you (yes, you) and it has already begun! Don't worry, you're not late because this campaign will end on 7 June 2020. Up to a total of RM424,000 prizes to be won, here's how you can participate.
Last Updated: Apr 22, 2020
Boost has officially announced that you can now make fulfil your zakat obligations via the Boost app, due to the fact that they have recently been appointed as an official zakat collection agent. With that said, you can easily contribution from the comfort of your own home with only a smartphone, as well as an internet connection.
TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #7 - Huawei P40 wins TIPA, Samsung Galaxy fit tips, Maxis #KitaSapotKita, SOCAR, Experian, 515 EParty, Boost, Texas Instruments, Vivo, PMPL MY/SG S1, Carousell + Special: Redmi Note 9S interviewLast Updated: Apr 19, 2020
In this episode of TechNave NewsBytes, Huawei’s P40 series wins awards from TIPA and Samsung has some fitness tips for their Galaxy users during the MCO. Maxis is working on #KitaSapotKita while SOCAR Malaysia is offering promos for Malaysia’s Healthcare Heroes. Experian is offering freebies for Malaysia’s SMEs and Moonton is holding a global Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 515 EParty.
Boost got recognised as leading fintech, Texas Instruments helped donate and Vivo achieved a few things. Team Secret emerged as champions of the PMPL MY/SG S1 and Carousell also pitched in free ad inventory for charity. For TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #7 we got some special Interview time with Xiaomi about the Redmi Note 9S and other plans for Malaysia, so do read on and check it out at the end.
Last Updated: Apr 08, 2020
Donations continue to pour in from around the country to aid those at the frontlines and hot spots of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Among them is e-wallet company Boost, which has been using its apps to help gather donations from Malaysians. Since it started its Tabung COVID-19 fund on 21 March 2020, the company has been funnelling sending all donations to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Last Updated: Mar 25, 2020
Today, the Malaysian government has announced the movement control order will be extended until 14 April 2020. It is not surprising at all as cases in our country have been increasing these few days. Therefore, it is better to stay home for a few more weeks to halt the spread. However, this may not be good news for some of the non-essential businesses especially micro-SMEs. Luckily, Axiata is here to save the day with its subsidiaries Celcom and Boost, as they’re contributing a RM150 million cash fund to support small businesses that are facing difficulties.
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Based on a report by astroawani.com, it seems that around 50 victims fell prey to a group of E-Wallet scammers who have managed to bag around RM600000. In order to pull the scam off, some individuals in the group will act as agents who will seek out selected individuals and promise them up to RM300 if they were to sign up.
Last Updated: Jan 15, 2020
E-Wallets offered by Touch ‘n Go, Grab, as well as Boost started giving out the RM30 E-Tunai Rakyat from today onwards until 14 March 2020. Malaysians who earn below RM100000 a year and are above 18 years old, will be able to claim the RM30 from one of the platforms mentioned.


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Hulu has seen explosive growth since its launch last year, according to data from Nielsen Online. The online video site, which features television programming, grew a whopping 490% year-over-year in April. Here are the top online video sites for last month, with YouTube maintaining its number one position:
The demographic that has seen the most growth is the 35-49 age bracket with second place belonging to (drum roll please) the 65+ set. That's right. Your grandma is getting her Hulu on.
The Original Search Marketing Event is Back!
SES Denver (Oct 16) offers an intense day of learning all the critical aspects of search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search advertising (PPC). The mission of SES remains the same as it did from the start - to help you master being found on search engines. Early Bird rates extended through Sept 19. Register today!


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Supermarket direct discounts would be better, watchdog says
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Supermarkets should give back to the public by offering discounts on each checkout receipts, Consumer Council's chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han said.
The SAR's two largest supermarket chains revealed their giveback plans last week that are required under the Employment Support Scheme.
The government has required its rebates to be not less than 50 percent of the wage subsidies.
“Why do supermarket chains apply for the Employment Support Scheme when they maintain their profit levels amid the sluggish market?” Wong questioned when attending a Commercial radio program today.
ParknShop launched a lucky draw for cash coupons worth a total of HK$32 million, as part of the rebate.
Wong said giving out coupons worth HK$32 million by lucky draw “cannot ease citizens' difficulties" as mass lucky draws in the past have seen their online registration overloaded and scams for personal data could also arise from these events.
During the pandemic, the Consumer Council noticed that the price for products such as milk formula, rice, and canned foods increased for about 10 percent. Also, supermarkets do not promote discounts such as “buy-two-get-one-free” which could affect consumers’ expenses.
Wong said on the same program that the consumer council has received over 10,000 complaints this year regarding online shopping. Those involve the purchase of masks, travel packages, as well as refunds for educational classes.
“Around 4000 to 5000 annual complaints are recorded in the past few years, there is a significant increase this year,” Wong said.
She reminded citizens to refrain from impulsive purchases, especially those promoted by live streams on social media platforms.
A government spokesman said that Wellcome will allot 54 percent of its HK$184.5 million Employment Support Scheme subsidy into its rebate scheme, while ParknShop will put in 50 percent of its HK$161.96 million subsidy.
About 90 percent of both supermarkets' rebate are distributed to the public and underpriviledge groups in forms of cash and food coupons, and around 10 percent is attributable to the rewards to frontline staff.
He said the government do not support the inclusion of discount offers by supermarkets as part of their giveback programs, which include price reductions and freezing prices, because discounts are hard to measure and lack transparency.
The government spokesman said Wellcome's freezing price measure cannot be included in the give-back proposal and that the HK$100 million rebate proposal of Wellcome does not include such initiative.
"Nonetheless, we appreciate Wellcome to include additional discount arrangements to benefit customers on top of its give-back proposal." Government spokesman said.
A Wellcome spokesman said their freeze-price scheme was "self-initiated in the hopes of supporting customers in tough times."
The spokesman added that the at least six months freezing price measure is to ensure customers will be protected from price fluctuations.
Also the freezing price measure is part of their ‘Heartfelt Give-Back’ programme to support the public community amid the pandemic.


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re: Google Sells Chromebooks Without Subscriptions
This is not a good sign. Normally, when a technology product is selling well, the company that made the product will issue a press release or let someone know. For example, Apple recently trumpeted the fact that four million of its iPhone 4S devices were sold in just three days.
You are of course referring to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 which has a massive half a billion dollar launch campaign and was sold in extensively distributed retail outfits. Microsoft said nothing about sales and when time became overdue to say something about sales, Microsoft reported the number of phones shipped (and mostly returned by the stores when they didn't sell). To date since launch a year ago about 1 to 1.5 million have been sold compared to 550,000 a day for Android.
The difference here is that Google's launch of the Chromebook is a low key affair, with no advertising, sales limited to online outlets and targeted at early adopters in schools and businesses, rather than and the mass market. The product was also a beta at launch, with lots of key software updates to come later. This is typically Google. They release early and then update it.
Hence unlike the Microsoft Windows phone 7 launch campaign, you wouldn't really expect large numbers of sales at this stage, because Google is trialing the Chromebooks as a beta. The same goes for their Chromebook areas in a few PC shops. These are not a permanent thing, and Google seems to be trialing retail sales outlets along the lines of Apple shops rather than actually selling a product.


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Dapper Labs, the creator of blockchain games Cryptokitties and NBA Top Shot, isn't a publicly-traded company. Dapper Labs has raised several major rounds of funding since it was founded in 2018. Recently, it raised $250 million in a round led by Coatue Management announced in February.
Dapper Labs emphasizes blockchain for entertainment and sells non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are non-interchangeable digital assets. They might consist of a digital token for an original piece of artwork or another asset that's unique to the token holder.
Dapper Labs and blockchain
Dapper Labs has also developed Flow, which is a “blockchain built to enable decentralized applications at scale.” Flow is meant to be easy to use and lowers the barriers to entry for anyone wanting to join this type of digital economy, said Dapper Labs CEO and founder Roham Gharegozlou.
Gharaegozlou also explained that blockchains are essentially “infrastructure that you pay to use in the form of a token rather than paying dollars to Amazon or Google to run your operations.”
To buy NFTs from Dapper Labs, be aware that NFTs are a riskier investment because they aren't a very liquid asset. The demand can be limited, much like the demand for fine art. To purchase NFTs, you need to have a crypto wallet and you have to purchase Ethereum.
Who owns Dapper Labs?
Currently, Dapper Labs is owned by its major investors. Several NBA players have invested capital in the company, likely due to the success of NBA Top Shot, one of its blockchain platforms. Players who have invested include Andre Iguodala of the Miami Heat, JaVale McGee of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic.
Other institutions and individuals that have invested in Dapper Labs include Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase Ventures, Distributed Global, Valor Capital Group, A.Capital, BlockTower Capital, Blockchange Ventures, EONXI Ventures, Reed Company, Greenfield One, North Island Ventures, Republic Labs, L1 Digital AG, and Pirata Capital.
NBA TopShot launched in October 2020 and generated almost $100 million in NFT sales as of February. Dapper Labs is well-known for its popular blockchain game, Cryptokitties, where users can collect and breed digital cats. According to the company, Cryptokitties has brought in over $40 million in revenue.
Dapper Labs is also working to create tokenized brands with Warner Music Company, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Dapper Labs is a private company
Dapper Labs isn't publicly traded. The recent February funding round of $250 million brought the company to an approximate $2 billion valuation.
Dapper Labs focuses on tokens
Dapper Labs specializes in tokens, specifically NFTs. These differ from regular Bitcoin because they aren't exchangeable. Authenticity and uniqueness are key aspects of NFTs.
For example, a clip of a memorable Lebron James dunk sold via token on NBA Top Shot for $200,000. NBA Top Shot sells “Moments” via NFTs, almost like old-school sports trading cards, but in digital format. Billionaire Mark Cuban is a big fan of NFTs and blockchain as well.
Dapper Labs' IPO plans
Dapper Labs hasn't announced immediate plans to pursue an IPO.


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Adobe and ARM have announced they are working together to optimize Flash Player 10 and Adobe AIR to run on ARM powered devices.
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) and ARM [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMH)] today announced a technology collaboration to optimize and enable Adobe® Flash® Player 10 and Adobe AIR™ for ARM Powered® devices, ranging from mobile phones to set-top boxes, mobile Internet devices, televisions, automotive platforms, personal media players and other mobile computing devices. The collaboration is expected to accelerate mobile graphics and video capabilities on ARM platforms to bring rich Internet applications and Web services to mobile devices and consumer electronics worldwide.
This is extremely interesting, because the iPhone is powered by the ARM11 processor. Steve Jobs previously claimed the iPhone is not capable of running a full version of flash. It is possible, though, that the version Adobe and ARM release may be stripped down or more lightweight.
Not only would this enable support for the iPhone, it could also enable support for other ARM powered devices such as BlackBerrys, which would be another big market for Adobe.
The other big component of this is Adobe AIR support on these devices, which would allow developers a near one click solution for creating iPhone applications from existing Adobe AIR based applications.


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I’m a big fan of Formula One—it amazes me that hundreds of sensors are gathering information on the cars' performance in real time, sending it back to Milton Keynes, Maranello, Brackley or wherever, making it possible for crews to make changes on the fly to gain that 2/10s of a second per lap. It's incredible when you think about it.
In the same way, there are numerous sensors in the marketplace that provide input into a brand’s make-up and health. In our context, the understanding and interpretation of information from these sensors allows marketers to build strong, relevant and differentiated brands.
I had a chance to sit down with Kyle Davies, Director of Marketing Research at Bond, to talk about the recent release of the Automotive Brand Telemetry Report.
Here's that conversation.
And, until next time.


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The Federal Reserve’s primary inflation rate showed that core price pressures cooled further in August even as rising energy prices lifted headline inflation. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose by 0.4% in August, with the annual inflation rate increasing to 3.5%. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, only rose by 0.1% in August, with the core 12-month inflation rate easing to 3.9%. This is the lowest reading since September 2021. Wall Street economists had expected a 0.2% monthly increase in the core PCE price index and a 0.5% gain overall.
Other data also showed that personal spending moderated in August after a surge in June and July. Personal consumption expenditures rose by 0.4% in August, slightly below expectations, and adjusted for inflation, consumer spending rose by just 0.1%. The Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, emphasized strong consumer spending as a reason for policymakers to project only a quarter-point rate cut over the next 15 months. The recent data confirms the Federal Reserve’s focus on core PCE services excluding housing, or supercore services, which reflect the impact of wage growth and the tight labor market on inflation. While the inflation rate for this category of spending eased slightly in August, it still remains high.


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In an interview with Josh Lipton of CNBC’s Fast Money, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained some of the reasons why there has been a slowdown in iPhone sales.
Cook mostly blamed the trade tensions between the U.S. and China for weaker iPhone sales especially in the second half of 2018. And Cook also pointed out that the battery replacement program has been slowing down the upgrade cycle. Essentially consumers are waiting longer to buy new iPhones due to the battery program.
In China, traffic in Apple’s retail stores and channel partner stores were “particularly bad in November” Cook said. And he is speculating that the metrics in December likely were not good either.
When Lipton asked Cook whether he talked to members of the Trump administration about the impact of the trade tensions, Cook said he had many discussions over the course of many months to give some sort of perspective on trade and the importance it has on the American economy. “I’m actually encouraged by what I’ve heard most recently coming from the U.S. and from China and hopefully we’ll see some changes,” Cook explained.
However, Cook threw cold water on reports suggesting that Apple is seeing a major backlash in China. The reports claimed that businesses have been boycotting Apple’s devices in retaliation to the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada.
When Cook was asked about the logic behind why Apple stopped reporting the number of units sold for the iPhone, he indicated that it has to do with the wide price range in the devices. Apple will still report the number of units sold when necessary, but does not feel it makes sense to do so every 90 days. And the company is going to provide additional disclosures such as gross margins and services businesses figures.
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We bring you a lot of stories every single day. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. So in case you missed anything from our feed, we have rounded up all our stories in one place to get the news at a glance. Here is your Daily Recap for Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Walt Disney World
- Today the Liberty Belle got stuck on the Rivers of America, forcing guests aboard to evacuate and preventing rafts to Tom Sawyer Island from crossing.
- Refurbishment on the World Discovery popcorn stand has finally completed and the stand has reopened to guests.
- A new Super Hero Donut is now available at Everglazed just in time for the new “Guardians of the Galaxy” film.
- Construction continues on the upcoming Summer House on the Lake restaurant.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
- Today we headed over to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to try the new Korean Fried Chicken Bowl with Cucumber Namasu.
- A new headband themed to the park icons has debuted complete with a removable bow!
- Celebrate one of Pixar’s finest films with a new “Finding Nemo” Spirit Jersey we found today.
Other Walt Disney World Resort News
- The new design for Walt Disney World Resort Cast Member nametags has been revealed.
- Complementary stickers and buttons are now available to promote The Villas at Disneyland Hotel from every Disney Vacation Club kiosk.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today said that his biggest victory in the battle with Disney is silencing the company on political issues.
- Chow down on Drax’s favorite Zarg-Bits, now available in Avengers Campus.
- The new Jeff Granito Star Wars Cantina–themed tableware is now available at the Downtown Disney District.
- As previously promised last year, a plush themed to the cancelled Elee attraction has arrived at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
- We went and tried everything new available at Pym Test Kitchen for the springtime menu refresh.
- Nutmeg, the Magic Key Terrace cat, has sadly passed away.
Entertainment & Media
- Our professional critic has weighed in on “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” and you can read his thoughts.
- Disney is demanding that striking WGA workers continue their other duties, an explicit violation of their union agreement.
The Walt Disney Company
- Disney has introduced the very first canine Imagineer, whose name is “Noodle.” And yes, she is a good girl.
That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!


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Compared to the same period of 2013Monday, April 21, 2014
Easter sales up 4%
Retail sales for the Easter week holidays increased by four percent in volume this year in respect to the same period in 2013, reported the Fedecámarcas chamber grouping. “After the price increases in January and February, in March there was a deceleration of prices, that permitted sales to recover,” said the organization’s leader Rubén Manusovich.
Rental properties had a 90 percent occupancy rate, with the most visited destinations being the Northeast region, Salta, Jujuy, Córdoba, Iguazú, Entre Ríos, the Cuyo region, San Luis, the Atlantic coast, Buenos Aires province, Patagonia and Buenos Aires city. The amount of money tourism generated in this holiday week reached 15 billion pesos, between airplane and bus ticket expenses, fuel, rent, food, excursions and entertainment.
“These are resources that flow from the great urban centres to the regional economies, permitting the reactivation of the domestic market,” explained Manusovich.
Almost 2.5 million people travelled on Easter weekend, representing five percent more people travelling and staying for longer periods at tourist destinations than in 2013. The business sectors that profited the most were the hotel, food and beverages, clothing, real estate, recreation and gift shops.
Thousands of vehicles travelled via various routes in the country back to their homes yesterday after having spent their mini vacations in different parts of the nation.
Herald with Télam


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SNK Interactive has revealed that it currently has in development two Metal Slug Games for mobile and console.
With successful revivals of both King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown under its belt, SNK is now turning its sights to another classic franchise: Metal Slug. In a post by SNK’s Korean subsidiary, SNK Interactive, the company announced that it is currently working on two Metal Slug games that will be coming to mobile and consoles in 2020. Metal Slug series was one of the indispensable cooperative action games of arcade halls in the 90s. Over the years, new Metal Slug games have also been moved to modern consoles and mobile devices. Now, SNK is getting ready to add new games to the series after a long wait.
What are the details of the mobile game?
The first one Metal Slug game will launch in 2020 on iOS and Android and its development is 80% complete. This Metal Slug mobile game will mix the usual 2D-scroll run and gun gameplay of the series. With a “card game” system. It’s unclear how it works, but it’s probably some kind of system where cards give you various abilities. Cards being weapons and characters isn’t out of the equation either seeing this is a mobile game. The cards will probably be pullable via a gacha system. One thing for sure is that it’ll be different from ongoing mobile game Metal Slug Attack. Which is more akin to a tower defense game.
What about the console version?
Next, SNK is also developing a new Metal Slug game on consoles. It will also launch in 2020. Which consoles it’ll release on wasn’t specified. Perhaps it’ll come to PS5 and Xbox One X? The upcoming console game for Metal Slug will reportedly feature the “usual” run-and-gun gameplay fans of the series will be familiar with, though it is unclear if it will remain a 2D experience like previous titles.
SNK Interactive CEO Jeon Se-hwan says that the mobile title will be aiming for a younger demographic. While the console title is for the “30-40-year-old” market. We may not see a return of pixel artwork. But SNK is attempting to cater to exactly what old-school fans want. News of a revival like this would normally be worrisome, but SNK has been on a roll the past few years. King of Fighter XIV may have had a controversial art style, but it was the best iteration of the series since 2002. Last year’s Samurai Shodown was also an absolutely stellar reimagining of the retro fighter that has become quite a hit for the company.
Both games are currently in development at SNK. And reports also seem to suggest that a third Metal Slug game is currently being developed at TiMi studios, a subsidiary of Tencent. With both games being slated to release in 2020, we’re sure more details regarding gameplay and screen grabs of the game will arrive fairly soon.
You may find interesting: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 drops September


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Further demonstrating why it recently moved up to the #2 spot on the Cloud Wars Top 10 rankings, Google Cloud continues to complement its rollout of GenAI products and services by adding Accenture to its aggressive GenAI partnership blitz that includes SAP, Salesforce, and several global SIs.
Google Cloud’s willingness — better said, its relentless aggressiveness — to add a wide range of force-multiplier partners to address the generative AI phenomenon underscores the company’s commitment to help customers quickly and capably capitalize on a generational phenomenon that is already profoundly changing how the world works.
Beyond that, though, is the perhaps even larger opportunity of changing how the business world dreams: what it can imagine, what it can create, and how it can blur the line formerly separating possible from impossible.
Here are my choices for the top partnerships Google Cloud has forged in the past few months to help address those uplifting possibilities:
Accenture: This sweeping agreement cuts across 19 industries and six different business functions, including:
- Process improvement in healthcare
- Supply chain optimization
- Mitigating cybersecurity risks
- Accelerating and improving software development
- Created tailored marketing and customer experiences
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian summarized the initiative in a press release by saying, “Together with Accenture, we will provide businesses with the advanced technology and expertise they need to help transform their organizations and realize value from their generative AI deployments.”
Salesforce: Earlier this month, Salesforce said its expanded partnership with Google Cloud was designed to “unlock the power of AI, Data, and CRM.” The companies hope that the integration of the Salesforce Data Cloud with Google Cloud’s BigQuery will enable businesses to get better overall insights into their customers and thereby create better experiences for them.
Also, businesses that have already created models using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI can seamlessly use those models with the Salesforce Data Cloud to boost productivity and drive better revenue opportunities.
SAP: The integrations with Salesforce outlined above are similar to what Google Cloud had previously agreed to do with SAP and its Datasphere platform. I analyzed that landmark agreement last month in a piece headlined SAP and Google Cloud Sign Blockbuster Deal to Create Massive Data Cloud. The timing clearly reflects the booming market demand for new types of data-management capabilities that the GenAI revolution has sparked.
Deloitte, KPMG, Cognizant: In early May, Google Cloud joined forces with those three global SI powerhouses specifically around the area of GenAI innovation, which I analyzed in an article headlined Google Cloud Fires Up Enterprise AI Via New Deals with Deloitte, KPMG, Cognizant. Here’s an excerpt from that analysis:
“Underscoring the strategic role that partners ecosystems will play in the massive enterprise AI market, Google Cloud has expanded its strategic alliances with leading systems integrators Deloitte, KPMG, and Cognizant to expand and accelerate AI adoption across the business world.
“The expanded alliances with three of the world’s leading systems integrators come as AI has truly reached a tipping point in the corporate world as business leaders fully recognize that AI has moved from being a promising though poorly understood technology to an essential capability for the digital economy.”
These moves by Google Cloud reflect the new reality here in the greatest growth market the world has ever known, whereby partners ecosystems are more essential, more strategic, and more impactful than ever before because the customer demand is so overwhelmingly strong.
Hats off to Google Cloud for being at the forefront of the GenAI revolution with not only its technology but also with modern and customer-oriented go-to-market plans.
To understand the shifting sands of how mid-market and enterprise CXOs are making purchase decisions to modernize technology, consider Acceleration Economy’s “Selling to the New Executive Buying Committee,” a Course designed to assist vendors, partners, and buyers in this process.


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HALIFAX — Two new vegan eateries are set to open this summer, adding to Halifax’s growing vegan scene, according to the NS Daily Business Buzz.
Wild Leek Food & Juice Bar on Windsor Street, which opened Thursday, will host its grand opening in late June. The 18-seat restaurant offers tofu ricotta wild mushroom tarts, sandwiches, tofu sliders and smoothies. The eatery will also sell vegan cakes and host cooking classes.
Another vegan eatery, EnVie, which will open in July, will offer pastas, artisan cheeses, creams and sauces as well as gluten-free items. “[It’s] a comfortable, relaxing space that you can come in and enjoy a nice glass of wine, some great pastas and a lot of different food,” owner Diandra Phipps told the Buzz. “We’re trying to do the new vegan.” [ns.dailybusinessbuzz.ca]


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This is the opening sentence to an article posted on CNN Tuesday:
“Buying groceries with the touch of a finger could be closer than you think, if new research touting the benefits of biometric payment for retail giants like Wal-Mart, Target, and Costco is anything to go by.”
Meanwhile, back in December of last year, Stephanie C. Schuckers, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clarkson University (whose research is amply funded by the NSF, OHS and the Department of Defense), concluded from her extensive research of existing biometric payment devices that:
“… even something as simple as Play-Doh or gelatin, can potentially be misread as authentic …”
Wow, that’s a relief – all this time I thought I was going to have to carry around someone else’s finger in a baggie like you see in the movies!


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According to the South African Meat Processors Association (Sampa) and the South African Association of Meat Importers & Exporters (AMIE SA), an urgent action plan by government is needed to ensure imported perishable food containers are re-routed to inland cold storage facilities, as KwaZulu Natal facilities have been severely impacted by the recent unrest.
This is critical if South Africa wants to avoid chronic food shortages across the country, specifically for the poorest who rely on affordable chicken and meat products such as polony, as their primary sources of protein.
There are currently 290 reefer containers (temperature-controlled containers) that require an urgent cold storage remedy, with many more containers en route from international markets to offload at the port of Durban.
The unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, compounded by the recent cybersecurity hack on Transnet’s IT systems, which affected its operations, has created major backlogs for both exports and imports in the Durban port.
As a result, the port is running short on space to store containers and running out of plug points used to keep containers cool, which will result in massive food wastage if not resolved immediately, says Sampa and AMIE SA. Exacerbating the matter are the events of the past two weeks which have severely impacted key cold storage infrastructure in the province.
Besides requiring an urgent solution for cold storage of containers, an additional complication lies in the micro-biological, phytosanitary testing of food product coming into the port, and the authorities curtailed capacity to test arriving product due to the damage to some testing labs.
Sampa and AMIE SA have written to DALRRD and the DTIC, recommending urgent intervention and a solution, which is to allow fully sealed containers to be transported to inland cold storage facilities, where the inland veterinary teams can follow normal testing and release procedures. In this process, consignments will be held in bond until cleared for release.
The associations say this is a 'perfect storm' that could lead to food shortages over the coming weeks.
"This is not a matter that can only be resolved by Transnet. We need the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to intervene to implement a solution with speed, and to communicate that plan with all stakeholders," says Peter Gordon, CEO of the Sampa.
"Even if testing were able to resume to normal levels, there is nowhere to send cleared product to, as processors and cold storage facilities have been destroyed, damaged or closed during the unrest," says Gordon.
Given the disruption to retail value chains, distribution and cold storage facilities, producers have had to ramp up their orders to replace what was lost in the value chain, says the associations. Consequently, it is expected that the problem will be exacerbated in the weeks ahead.
South Africa’s processed meat sector relies heavily on imported ingredients for the production of processed meats, such as polony, viennas and russians. The imported ingredients include mechanically deboned meat (MDM), which South Africa is unable to produce in sufficient quantities, so it must be imported. In May 2021, prior to the unrest, 16,000 tonnes of MDM was imported to South Africa, 75% of which came into the country via the Durban port. Much of this product is destined for inland producers who employ thousands and feed millions of South Africans.
South Africa also imports chicken to augment local production to meet the needs of local consumers. Local poultry and pork producers are also being impacted as they import animal feed, which is also being held up in the port.
"We estimate that it will take between 3 and 18 months to rebuild, repair and resume operations at strategic cold storage and processing facilities that were impacted in the province. The current blockages are not only impacting importers, but also exporters of South African products, including fruit and wine.
"We are already seeing a knock-on effect across the entire food value chain. As animal feed is bottlenecked in the port, farmers are unable to feed their livestock and are having to slaughter their animals. The issue is that abattoirs have a limited capacity, so the entire system is under threat," says Paul Matthew, CEO of AMIE SA.


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Jersey's Chief Minister will hold another media briefing on Wednesday announcing further restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Senator John Le Fondré is expected to announce a 10-person cap on all gatherings - indoor and outdoor.
Currently, up to 20 people can meet as long as it's not indoors or in a private garden.
Only places of worship, funerals, weddings and civil partnerships, funerals and after-school clubs will be allowed more than 10 people.
All 'non-essential' customer-facing businesses will also be told to close - including retail, betting shops, hairdressors, and visitor attractions.
There will be exemptions though for health services (including chiropody and dentists), take-away food outlets, supermarkets and corner shops, banks, pharmacies, pet shops, laundrettes, DIY shops and garden centres, post offices, petrol stations, vehicle sales and repair shops and computer shops.
The new measures will come into force from 6pm on Christmas Eve (24th December).
You can listen to the Ministers' announcements live on Channel 103 at 11am on Wednesday 23rd December.


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A University of Texas researcher has developed a modified plastic that can carry variable electric currents.
Dr. Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, studies, said the plastic - called polyaniline - could serve as flexible, inexpensive wiring in products such as foldable electronic displays and medical sensors.
By combining polyaniline with a chemical that gives it conductivity, Loo discovered she could increase the plastic's conductivity one- to six-fold based on the version of the chemical added. The results involving the chemical polymer acid were published in the April 7 issue of the Journal of Materials Chemistry.
According to Loo, chemically altered polyaniline has advantages over the more commonly used conductive metals, like gold and copper, in devices other than computers. For example, Loo's previous research has demonstrated that "doped" polyaniline can be manufactured in solution at room temperatures and without vacuum chambers. Producing metal-based wires requires special manufacturing conditions in addition to the high cost of the metals.
"Understanding how the structure of this polyaniline material changes when its conductivity changes will be crucial for selecting the right material for different consumer applications," Loo said.
She noted that the ability of the plastic to change colours depending on whether it was conductive or not could be especially useful.
"Its general versatility could lead to a variety of new consumer products in upcoming years," she added.
Some parts of Atacama have not received rainfall for 500 years - but a sudden deluge of water upset the Desert's delicate biological balance
Spitzer Space Telescope could not spot Oumuamua, suggesting that it is actually pretty small
Greenland crater one of the 25 largest impact craters on Earth
This long-sought progenitor star was identified in an image captured by Hubble in 2007


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One of most recognisable faces in Mzansi football has pimped out his garage with the addition a mind-blowing new Bentley worth around R3, 4 million!
Scroll through the gallery above for 10 images of Modise’s new ride!
Retired midfielder Teko Modise showed that he truly is the Don, when it was revealed that he joined the likes of Bafana star Dino Ndlovu to become the latest footballer to drive a Bentley.
Modise, who was a high flyer during his playing days is no stranger to luxury cars and has in the past driven luxury vehicles such as an Aston Martin, a Jaguar, as well as a Ford Mustang amongst others.
Pharoah Auto Investments revealed that the former PSL Player of the Year, who is a long-time customer of theirs, took ownership of a 2018 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S worth around R3,399,000.00.
This is the same dealership where Kaizer Chiefs star Khama Billiat forked out R2 million for his Range Rover Lumma.
Modise was all smiles as he posed alongside his luxurious new ride.
What are your thoughts on Teko’s new ride?


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ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Parents in one local school district say they’re outraged and willing to fight to stop a tobacco shop from opening near an elementary school.
Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski reported that Glass Gone Wild is slated to open up across the street from J W Burkett Elementary in the Montour School District.
According to the company’s Facebook page, Glass Gone Wild is “committed to bringing our customers a wide variety of high end smoking products and accessories.”
But members of Montour’s Parent-teacher association said the business should not be located so close to a school.
“It’s a retail shop that provides paraphernalia for use with tobacco and other illegal drugs. So that’s a big concern for us about clientele that will frequent the store,” Lisa Smarra said.
In a letter written to the Robinson Township manager, commissioners and several other political leaders, the Montour PTA wrote, “This is a concern to parents and teachers in the district. We are concerned that this business will bring people of questionable character to the area to make purchases from this 'head shop.' It is frightening to think who we are inviting to congregate near our schools and near the parks where our children play, not to mention the exposure to advertising of smoking material.”
The letter went on to say, “We just don’t understand how it can be legal to put a retail store like that so close to an elementary school. Were district officials notified (as neighbors) concerning the opening of this shop? Were any public hearings advertised concerning this retailer’s plans? We would like to discuss this matter and what efforts we can undertake to prevent the opening of this kind of retail store just yards from our elementary school.”
“You can see the building from the windows in the school. It’s absolutely too close,” Smarra said.
The owner of the shop, who owns another location in Cranberry Township, said he does not operate a “head shop” and the primary focus of his business is electronic cigarettes.
Kaminski reported that the store’s owner has obtained the proper permits to open along Steubenville Pike.
“Rest assured, I will not sell to minors. You must be 18 to even get into the store. We are an elite glass shop, not a head shop,” the owner said via telephone.


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Talking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast about how some cities in California, such as Beverly Hills, have instituted fines ranging up to hundreds of dollars for mask non-compliance, the Grammy-nominated musician said he was baffled the safety measure had become mandatory.
“It’s like me in school having to tuck in my shirt or else you get detention,” Malone noted. “It’s weird to be forced to wear something.”
Rogan pointed out wearing a mask does make an impact halting the virus from spreading.
Malone responded, “At the end of the day, it all comes down to respect for other people. It’s not a government thing. You shouldn’t be forced to wear a mask — but you should. And that’s because I respect you as a follow human.”
In May, Malone’s lifestyle brand, Shaboink, reportedly partnered with the humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief to donate 40,000 N95 masks to front-line medical workers combating the pandemic.
Watch the full Joe Rogan segment below.
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Kia Seltos SUV lineup will be spread across 5 trims and 16 variants.
Kia Motors is all set to commence its Indian operations with the Seltos SUV that’s slated go on sale on August 22, 2019. Unofficial bookings for the vehicle have already begun in Gurugram and Bengaluru. According to an online media report, the Kia Seltos SUV lineup will be spread across 5 trims – E, K, K+, X and X+ – and 16 variants. There will be 6 engines and gearbox combinations on offer.
The Korean carmaker has already confirmed that the Kia Seltos will be available with two body style – HT Line and GT Line. Engine options will include a 140PS, 1.4 turbo GDI petrol, a 115PS, 1.5L petrol and a 115PS, 1.5L CRDi diesel. The SUV will come with multiple transmission options including a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed torque converter automatic, a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and a CVT automatic.
Kia Seltos Picture Gallery
While the 1.5L SmartstreamG petrol with a 6-speed manual gearbox combination will be made available in four variants – THE, HTK, HTK+ and HTX, the 1.5L petrol-CVT will be offered in a single HTX variant. The 1.5L diesel-manual combo will be available across all five trims and the diesel with a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission will be offered in HTK+ and HTX+ trims. Read – Top 10 Features Of Kia Seltos SUV
The Kia Seltos GT Line will be exclusively offered with the most powerful 1.4L turbo GDI petrol that can be had either with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. While the GT manual will come in three variants – GTK, GTX and GTX+, the GT Line automatic will be offered in GTX variant only.
Related Video – Kia Seltos First Look


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ATLANTA, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanier Parking Solutions today congratulated its partner, Zipcar, Inc., on its successful initial public offering. Lanier brought car sharing to Atlanta in 2006 by partnering with Flexcar, which Zipcar acquired in 2007.
"Atlanta has embraced the car sharing concept," said Lanier Chairman and CEO Michael Robison, who serves on Zipcar, Inc.'s board. "We knew the concept would be popular, but car sharing companies declined to enter the Atlanta market until Lanier stepped in."
Lanier provided access to its more than 100,000 Atlanta parking spaces for the placement of cars in high-profile locations. It also promoted Zipcar locally and offered discounted Zipcar membership through www.lanierparking.com.
"That partnership helped car sharing get over the initial challenge of entering a very car-centric market," Robison said. "The ongoing success of Zipcar is proof that our optimism about car sharing in Atlanta was well-founded."
Lanier also congratulated its VP of Alternative Transportation, Glenn Kurtz, for his leadership in helping to establish the Zipcar brand in Atlanta.
Zipcar enables members to reserve cars online at www.zipcar.com and rent them by the hour or day. Zipcar provides the freedom of "wheels when you want them" to more than 560,000 members, known as "Zipsters." The company operates a fleet of more than 8,000 vehicles in over 60 cities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
About Lanier Parking Solutions
Headquartered in Atlanta, Lanier Parking Solutions is the largest provider of parking and related transportation services in the Southeast, with more than 350 facilities in 50 cities in North America and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For further information: Brennan Robison, JBR Communications, Inc. 404-702-2206. [email protected].
SOURCE Lanier Parking Solutions


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The new Toyota Fortuner receives an overwhelming response with close to 5000 pending orders.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced that the company has sold over one lakh units of its premium SUV- Toyota Fortuner, in India since 2009.
Ever since its launch in India in the year 2009, the Fortuner SUV has maintained its number one positioning in its segment. The SUV has been dominating the segment and the all-new Fortuner will further consolidate its position.
All new Toyota Fortuner
The new Fortuner also has received an overwhelming response from the market. With over 6000 booking orders within the first few weeks of its launch, the company sold close to 2000 units of the new Fortuner last month clocking more than 80% growth when compared to the numbers sold in the corresponding period in 2015.
The company has 5000 pending orders which they are trying to deliver to customers at the earliest possible.
The Fortuner’s wide spread popularity is its testimony to the fact that it is a value for money product. The cost of ownership of the vehicle is also low when compared to other vehicles in its segment. The Fortuner also enjoys a high resale value due to the proven and admired mettle of the vehicle.
The new Toyota Fortuner is a ‘True SUV’ proving to be a popular choice as a family vehicle as well as an off-roader alike. Launched in November 2016, the all-new Fortuner has been a runaway success for Toyota.