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NFT has seen an extraordinary boom in the trading of various art collectibles in the primary and secondary markets since 2020. According to the data, in the first three months of 2021, the value of the NFT market grew by 1,785%, with sales of over US$2 billion in the first quarter, a 20-fold increase from the previous quarter. This article is taken from the Economic Daily No. 13808, where the author will reveal how NFT works, whether it will be sustainable in the future, and the potential of NFT?
The recent trade about NFT collectibles has been unusually hot. American artist Mike Winkelman’s (nicknamed “Beeple”) digital artwork “Everyday – The First 5,000 Days” was sold for nearly $70 million. Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX announced that it has established an NFT trading marketplace for Indian artists and creators. The reporter noted that a large NFT gallery with academic support from the Central Academy of Fine Arts also opened in May in China.
NFT is the abbreviation of Non-Fungible Token, which is a non-homogeneous digital asset based on blockchain background, similar to and different from bitcoin and ethereum. Based on blockchain technology, NFTs are able to prove their originality and ownership, and each has a unique identity and uniqueness, and are extremely difficult to be stolen. NFT in the form of digital artwork is therefore favored by the market.
“NFT is essentially a smart contract used to mark digital assets, relying on the blockchain to create a technology-based, distributed, spontaneous formation of peer-to-peer transactions of trust system. People hope to achieve value transfer through blockchain technology trust.”
Pan He Lin, executive director and professor of Digital Economy Research Institute of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law
Right now, the development of NFT can be described as soaring: from digital houses, music paintings to collection tide play, as if everything can be NFT. data show that in the first three months of 2021, the value of the NFT market grew by 1,785%, with sales of more than $2 billion in the first quarter, a 20-fold increase from the previous quarter. Growth slowed in April, but is still substantially higher than it will be through 2021. Information seen in the press shows that institutions and individuals continue to enter.
“The openness and transparency of circulation time, flow traces, transaction prices and even the works themselves contribute to a more efficient borderless circulation, opening up a precedent for digital art.”
Li Zhen, founder and CEO of investment firm CRYPTOYC
Li Zhen said that there is no doubt about the prospect and vitality of NFT, but the current NFT market is still at a very early stage with a low threshold, speculative nature and wide audience.
The reporter learned that the NFT distribution method and tide play combined more and more closely, there are similarities in the cultural popularity. For example, NFT artwork and trendy play distribution platform FM Gallery in the distribution of a variety of ways to play.
One is in the form of a blind box, users open the blind box, will likely randomly harvest a piece of NFT works from a well-known artist; another main art fragmentation model: the use of blockchain technology, a piece of art into a number of fragments, each fragment is bound to a unique NFT, contains a unique background story, the user collects all the fragments, you can spell out the complete art NFT, and exchange the physical art.
FM Gallery founder and CEO Peng Fei-ming believes that the traditional art model, whether for artists or galleries, auction houses, etc., has many pain points that cannot be solved, and NFT is a bridge between the real world and the on-chain world. Nowadays, the combination of blind box, limited time sale and tide play, artwork and so on is getting closer and closer. FM Gallery hopes to interpret art distribution in an innovative way and promote the development of the industry through the form of blind box and art fragments.
Pan and Lin believe that from the perspective of economics, NFT is a kind of property right creation and clear ownership relationship. Especially in the era of the explosion of virtual goods on the Internet, the ownership of virtual goods cannot be defined, and NFT provides a way to facilitate the development of the Internet from the perspective of property rights. The creation of property rights is good for the economy itself. When property rights are clear, human creativity and innovation become more active, and when property rights can be traded in some way and can be guaranteed against copying and tampering, then the efficiency of human society’s transactions will be enhanced. However, Pan and Lin pointed out that there are also some behind NFT that are not motivated by technical aspects, but are similar to the hype of virtual coins. “For example, the use of NFT is called token issuance, but actually financing. But the NFT technology itself should still be supported.”
Virtual goods property rights will not be because of the NFT form once and for all, there will still be problems. Cao Jianfeng, a senior researcher at Tencent Research Institute, pointed out that NFT solves the problems of asset creators, asset owners, and asset quantities, connecting the real and virtual worlds together and bringing a more realistic experience like offline physical assets. But NFT also has some problems that cannot be ignored. First, the digital objects pointed by NFT may be pirated and counterfeited. In this regard, some platforms have adopted disclaimers and verification of creator identity information to avoid the risk. Second, it is sometimes unclear whether and what kind of intellectual property rights can be acquired by NFT purchasers when they purchase NFTs. If the NFT purchaser uses the NFT for purposes such as exhibition, production of derivatives, etc., there may be infringement issues. Third, the digital objects to which NFTs point are generally stored off-chain, and the question of who has the obligation to store and maintain the relevant content to prevent the relevant content from being taken offline or deleted is also of concern.
“CryptoKitties (crypto cats) used to be particularly hot a few years ago, but now few people pay attention to them.” Liu Fang (a pseudonym), a cryptocurrency circle member, believes that with the wide fluctuation of cryptocurrency coins and the emergence of new blockchain applications, it is better to observe more before jumping to conclusions.
How long does NFT’s spring have left? On the one hand, it depends on the value of NFT itself, but it also needs to be answered by the industry eco-participants together. The Japan Crypto Asset Business Association has studied the business opportunities and risks related to NFT, and at the end of April this year the association formulated the NFT business guidelines, aiming to regulate the sales and issuance to ensure the smooth operation of NFT business, thus providing a safe and secure environment for users to use and promoting the healthy development of the market.
Pan and Lin believe that blockchain will eventually connect all the virtual and real items in our world, thus enabling these items to be traded spontaneously and distributed peer-to-peer, without the need for a third party. However, technology advancement needs to be gradual.
Posted by:CoinYuppie，Reprinted with attribution to:https://coinyuppie.com/with-a-1785-increase-in-market-value-in-the-first-quarter-how-long-is-nfts-spring-ahead/
Coinyuppie is an open information publishing platform, all information provided is not related to the views and positions of coinyuppie, and does not constitute any investment and financial advice. Users are expected to carefully screen and prevent risks.


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Sears is returning to the toy market
Sears, Roebuck and Co. is returning to the toy business in time for the holidays.
The Hoffman Estates, Ill., retailer is opening toy shops at 20 Sears stores next month, including six in Southern California.
The department store chain -- famous for its Christmas Wish Book of toys for generations -- exited the toy business decades ago as price competition intensified from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other big-box chains.
Sears began to dabble in toys again several years ago by hiring KB Toys to set up temporary shops inside hundreds of Sears stores, including its flagship on Chicago’s State Street. But the experiment eventually fizzled. KB Toys went out of business last year.
Sears toy shops are set to debut Aug. 15 inside Sears stores in the Buena Park Mall, Inland Centre, Los Cerritos Mall, Montclair Plaza, Moreno Valley Mall and Westminster Mall.
Toy shops will also open at four Sears stores in San Francisco, seven in the Chicago area and three in the New York metropolitan area.

domain: news


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New Mego Action Figures Now Hitting Target Shelves: Here’s the Full Line
As we reported back in June, classic action figure and toy company Mego is back in business. Their new line of figures premiered at the San Diego Comic Con (pictured below), with a release date of August 1 exclusively at Target stores.
Mego collectors, however, are reporting that they’re already finding the figures in stores, offering a mix of classic TV and comic book characters. The line even includes the return of the classic action figure Action Jackson. Because of licensing issues, a few of the characters – namely DC Comics characters like Batman and Harley Quinn – are in a larger 14″ scale.
Star Trek fans will be happy to see that the original Star Trek lineup has finally been completed, as Mr. Chekov and Sulu finally get an official figure to join the classic releases. Even Joe Namath and Jimi Hendrix get a figure!
These scans from a company catalog show all of the figures released in the first wave.
Here’s a look at Mego’s booth at Comic Con.
Here’s a look taken by a collector who found the line out early at a Target store.
This video, by the Geek Speak Show, features an interview with Marty Abrams of Mego, and discusses the new line of figures.
Post your thoughts in the comments section below on the return of Mego to store shelves. In addition, share this on social media.


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The move reflects a changing business in which traditional food magazines, and a Manhattan address, are less important.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2014 - AUTHENTIC ICT USA, INC.
AROUND THE WEB
- Food & Wine Magazine Will Leave New York for Alabama
By STEPHANIE STROM - Friday Jun 23, 2017
- How Should Ad Tech Confront Authenticated Customer Data Challenge?
Friday Jun 2, 2017
Authenticated customer data in omnichannel marketing is a challenging issue. How does ad tech confront it?
- Rating The Authenticity Of Influencers' Followers
Thursday Apr 27, 2017
Fohr Card this week announced a rating system that lets brands see how authentic the following of each of its 15,000 influencers actually is on Instagram.
- How to socialize great smart cities strategies for all urban centers
By Amanda Razani - Friday May 19, 2017
The Smart Cities for All initiative, led by G3ict (Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs), with the support of Microsoft, has helped to produce a new toolkit to assist cities with implementing smart city programs that can help all community members.In a recent survey of more than 250 experts worldwide, research has found that 60 percent of people feel that smart cities are failing persons with disabilities and older persons. See Also: Asia tipped to be the global smart cities leader“Our discussions with city CIOs worldwide tell us that once they become more aware of this digital inclusion...Read More
- Best Practices For Email Authentication
Thursday Jun 22, 2017
A new study from the Online Trust Alliance suggests the Internet's most popular Web sites need to strengthen their email security.
- Soupman Inc. of 'Seinfeld' Fame Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Soupman Inc., of “Seinfeld” fame, filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday, just weeks after a top company executive was charged with tax evasion.
- A Slump in Tech Stocks That Leaves Some Investors Mystified
By LANDON THOMAS Jr. - Monday Jun 12, 2017
Shares of Netflix, Apple and other giant technology companies that have powered a market rally have taken an uncharacteristic pause.
- Leaner, Greener Nonprofits Need To Be Authentic To Stand Out
Wednesday Mar 16, 2016
For nonprofits, persuading the masses to donate is a matter of survival. To fund their work continually, they must be able to reach the people who care most about what they're doing - and make surethose people can find them, too.


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Realme is rapidly working to provide the Android 11-based Realme UI 2.0 update to several eligible devices. In addition, the company is also running the Realme UI 2.0 Early Access program for numerous phones.
As per the latest info, the company has started rolling out Android 11-based Realme UI 2.0 new beta update for Realme X2 Pro users. The latest update bring February and March 2021 security patch along with improvement and optimization.
In addition to the security update, this update fixes the probabilistic disconnecting issue of WLAN, flicker issue of entering Always-On Display, display issue of the control center, failure issue of opening photos after shooting, and more.
Moreover, it also optimizes the beauty effect in the portrait mode of the front camera, the smoothness of the 480FPS slow-motion mode of the rear camera, and the network stability in some scenarios.
- Build- RMX1931_11_F.07
- Package size- 1GB
- Update Android security patch(2021#2&2021#3)
- Optimized the beauty effect in portrait mode of front camera
- Optimized the smoothness of 480FPS slow-motion mode of rear camera
- Optimized the network stability in some scenarios
- Fixed the probabilistic disconnecting issue of WLAN
- Fixed the probabilistic password cannot be set issue in system cloner
- Fixed the probabilistic crash issue of using time application
- Fixed the probabilistic flicker issue of entering Always-On Display
- Fixed the probabilistic loading failure issue of opening photos after shooting
- Fixed the probabilistic display issue of control center
- Fixed the display brightness issue that re-enters the game after turning off auto-brightness and back to home screen
- Fixed the probabilistic opening issue of Bluetooth
- Fixed the probabilistic issue of crashing and not displayed after entering the interface
How to update:
To check for the latest software update manually, just head into the device Settings and tap on the Software Updates menu. You can Download and Install the latest update now.


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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CannaLogic™ ("The Company"), an ascending business in cannabis software, is pleased to announce that it has been approved as a Massachusetts METRC vendor. The Company is part of the first group of providers with approval by the state's Cannabis Control Commission ("Massachusetts CCC") which oversees and regulates Massachusetts' medical and adult use programs.
CannaLogic™ Celebrates Eleventh METRC State
This approval allows the company to provide its platform to cannabis operators throughout the state. CannaLogic's™ platform offers cannabis businesses customizable software to help them run compliant and efficient operations.The platform includes a state of the art e-commerce system as well as software for safe and secure cannabis deliveries.
CannaLogic™ is very excited to add Massachusetts to the list of states where they are a METRC validated provider. The Massachusetts market is one of the hottest in the cannabis industry.
Massachusetts Cannabis Market Makes History
In 2012, Massachusetts became the eighteenth state to legalize cannabis for medical use. The state made history in November 2018 by becoming the first state east of the Mississippi River to allow recreational cannabis sales and they are positioned to make history again.
Massachusetts Considers Social Consumption and Home Deliveries
Massachusetts CCC recently announced that it is convening a workgroup to discuss licensing social consumption clubs which could catapult the state's market into another stratosphere. It would be the second state in the country, right behind Colorado, to license businesses that permit its customers to consume cannabis onsite. The state is also examining cannabis home delivery which has been very popular in markets where it is legal like California.
The news about the state introducing new components to the market comes at an exciting time as more licensed cannabis businesses open their doors in the state. The industry is taking note.
CannaLogic™ Sees the Opportunity in Massachusetts
"This is a great time to be in Massachusetts, especially with the new laws," said CannaLogic™ CEO, Ronny Kadarishko. When asked about being an approved METRC vendor, "There is so much opportunity for the industry to grow here." He continued, "We are very happy to be in Massachusetts and are looking forward to being part of a market that continues to make history."
CannaLogic™ was developed in 2016, to provide the most modernized state of the art e-commerce, medical dispensary software, and POS solution to dispensary owners, offering a turn-key white-label solution. In addition, offering a seed to sale platform for marijuana producers. The CannaLogic solution is a proven process, helping dispensary owners and producers take advantage of the rapidly changing technological environment. As a result, dispensary owners and cultivation producers will experience less operational overhead, increased profitability and improved customer and employee satisfaction.
You can contact [email protected] for a live demonstration of the platform today.
This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.


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Alongside the Air Jordan 1 “University Blue,” the rumored release of the adidas YEEZY 450 “Cloud White” and more.
The Japanese favorite bring’s its signature aesthetic to the Pump Omni Lite and Instapump Fury Road.
The iconic Reebok silhouette reworked with vintage vibes.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Reebok’s famous internal inflation mechanism first
In a joint effort, Reebok has teamed up with the street art icon Keith Haring for its 2014
Iconic to not only Reebok, but to the culture of design, fashion, sports, and more, the Pump
A nod to thew anti-drug campaign in which the late artist was involved back in the 1980s, Reebok
After sporting the rugged construction over each of the previous two seasons, Reebok’s Pump Omni
Following November’s premiere of the modernized Reebok Pump Omni Lite CORDURA trainer in black, the


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A week ago today we told you that Apple had released the eagerly anticipated iOS 14.5 update. What made this update so desirable was the feature that allows iPhone users to unlock their phone merely by wearing an unlocked Apple Watch Series 3 or later. With masks blocking Face ID, iPhone users have had to scramble to unlock their handset by typing in their Passcode.
With many users not sure what their Passcode is, Apple decided that the easiest thing to do would be to allow an unlocked Apple Watch to help unlock the users’ handset when a face mask is being worn. The update also added the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature that allows iPhone users to decide whether they want to opt-in toward being tracked by third-party apps (resulting in the receipt of online advertisements), or whether they no longer want to be tracked at all. So far, 47% of those surveyed have opted-in and continue to be tracked.
Today, a week after Apple pushed out iOS 14.5, the company has disseminated another update and this one has important security features that you should enable. The update to iOS 14.5.1 will fix a pair of vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to run commands on a victim’s iPhone. Imagine a stranger with total control over your handset.
Meanwhile Apple posted a support page today for iOS 14.5.1 and iPadOS 14.5.1 in which it said that “Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.” Making this all the more serious, the tech giant said on the support page that “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.” To update to the next build, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Considering the potential seriousness of the exploit, you might want to take care of this update and install iOS 14.5.1 on your iPhone 6s or later, immediately if not sooner. The update is also available for all iPad Pro models, second-generation iPad Air and later, fifth generation iPad and later, fourth-generation iPad mini and later, and the seventh-generation iPod touch.


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Buying a sausage roll or steak bake will soon be easier than ever before.
Because Greggs is going to be launching drive-thru stations across the UK.
After a successful pilot in Manchester – a pioneering effort that saw customers get their fill of sausage rolls without having to leave the confines of their vehicles – the rest of Britain will soon enjoy the same level of efficiency.
The cult bakery giant announced the news in the Newcastle Chronicle – just a month after launching its Manchester trial.
CEO Roger Whiteside said there's a clear appetite for more of the same, as Greggs fans demand convenience.
“Customers are very taken by the idea of not having to leave their cars. We wondered if they would be welcoming to do this, and it’s been very positive – I don’t understand why we haven’t done this years ago," said Roger.
“We are actively looking for more sites but we will be competing against others looking for more sites. It’s something that’s become more and more prevalent – you’ve even got coffee shops now involved in drive-thrus.
“The main factor in how customers decide where to shop is convenience, and this is the most convenient – they don’t even have to leave their cars. And they are getting just the same as they would in the store – breakfasts, coffees and so on – so it seems to be the most natural thing to do."
The whole Greggs range is available at the drive-thru, including the much-loved steak bakes and sausage rolls as well as cakes and breakfast baguettes.
A version of this story has appeared on Mirror Online


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Crown Clinic was in the media again this week with a new survey about how men and women cover-up the effects of ageing in their hair.
The story was widely picked up in the media and featured on page 3 of the Daily Mail newspaper.
Our surgeon Asim Shahmalak explained to the Daily Mail how many stars’ livelihoods depended on them looking good and that included their hair.
You can read the full results of the survey here:
It is also featured here in full.
Half of women have never let their partner see them with their natural hair colour, according to a new study
* 80% of women keep hair secrets from their boyfriends or husbands;
* 57% tell fibs about how much they really spend getting their hair cut;
* Three-quarters have or would secretly pluck grey hairs to disguise the fact that they were going grey – like Cheryl Fernandez-Versini;
* The big-cover up extends to men who also pluck grey hairs and hide baldness by shaving their head and changing their hair style;
* Celebrities such as David Beckham have used dye to hide grey hairs in their beards;
* Men start going grey on average aged 30 while in women it is slightly later at 35
Half of women have never let their boyfriends or husbands see them with their natural hair colour, according to a new survey.
It found that eight out of ten women keep hair secrets from their partners.
Almost six out of ten women (57%) tell fibs about how much they spend getting their hair cut.
And three-quarters (74%) have or would secretly pluck grey hairs to disguise the fact that they were going grey.
Six out of ten (61%) of women have or would immediately start dyeing their hair when it started greying.
A further 54% said their lovers had never seen their natural hair because they were always dyeing it to look better or counter the effects of ageing.
The big cover-up extends to men, too.
Half of men (52%) have or would secretly pluck grey hairs.
A third of men (32%) said they have or would disguise their baldness by shaving their head or changing their hairstyle.
The results are revealed in a new survey of 1,000 people by Crown Clinic in Manchester, Britain’s leading hair transplant centre.
Lots of celebrities dye their hair to disguise the effects of ageing.
David Beckham, who turned 40 in May, has dyed his beard to make him appear younger.
He was pictured recently with grey flecks in his beard which had mysteriously disappeared a few days later.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 33, has also been pictured with a few strands of grey hair, though in other pictures she is free from grey hair.
And X Factor judge Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, 32,admitted recently that she had found her first grey hair, which she quickly ripped out.
She said: “It’s fine, I’ve accepted it. But I plucked it out immediately.”
The average man starts going grey at 30 while in women it is slightly later at the age of 35.
Hair transplant surgeon Asim Shahmalak from Crown Clinic said celebrities are under huge pressure to look good.
He said: “Their hair is their livelihood – and if it starts going grey or falling out that livelihood is threatened.
“That is why you see very few leading female stars who dare to show their true hair colour if they are going grey.
“Similarly, male stars go to extraordinary lengths to cover their baldness with hair transplants, hair weaves and clever changes of style.
“Thankfully more male stars are being honest and going public following transplants. Men admire stars like Wayne Rooney and Robbie Williams for being so open.”
Crown Clinic has seen a 25% rise in bookings in the last three years thanks to the ‘Rooney effect’- men copying the England captain.
Dr Shahmalak’s celebrity clients include Embarrassing Bodies presenter Christian Jessen and the model Calum Best.


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berries all tags
The domestic farmers do not cover the entire demand.
14:50, 08 September 2020
China is in the lead of main importers of Ukrainian goods.
15:59, 20 July 2020
Raspberries and blackberries are breaking all price records.
14:50, 01 July 2020
Wholesale prices for garden strawberries grew the most, by 61.5% on average.
18:40, 04 June 2020
Ukrainian farmers will be able to further increase exports of fruit and berries to the European Union.
10:00, 13 August 2019
In the first two months of 2019, Ukraine already earned $47.4 million from exports of fruit, berries and nuts.
16:05, 11 March 2019
Walnuts, frozen fruit and berries, as well as apples and pears were in the lead in exports in terms of revenue.
11:42, 23 October 2018
Ukraine in January-June 2018 shipped fruit and berry to more than 50 countries.
15:31, 28 August 2018
Ukraine in 2017 alone exported 1,800 tonnes of fresh strawberries.
13:57, 04 June 2018
Fruit and berry imports to Ukraine in January-March 2018 were estimated at $143 million.
20:28, 23 April 2018

While imports of Ukrainian fresh fruit and berries to the European market continue to rise, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on December is conducting a training seminar in Kyiv aimed at helping farmers prepare for even greater volumes of fruit and berry exports.

19:50, 06 December 2017

Economist from the Investment Center of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Andriy Yarmak says Ukraine may become one of the three largest raspberry exporters in Europe, after Serbia and Poland based on the 2017 results.

16:25, 25 October 2017

Ukrainian agri-businesses exported 2,900 tonnes of cranberries and blueberries last year, which was 3.3 times more than in 2015, according to the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.

19:52, 28 March 2017


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Technology company Root Inc., the Columbus, Ohio-based parent company of Root Insurance, is conducting an internal investigation into a series of payments made without prior disclosure to the company’s management by a former senior marketing employee last year.
The transactions involve payments of at least $9.5 million, transferred from the company at the former employee’s direction, to “entities in which the former employee had an interest,” according to Root’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. A spokesperson for Root said that due to the ongoing investigation, the company is not able to comment at this time.
Of the estimated $9.5 million in payments, $0.4 million was reflected as expense in the company’s financial results for the third quarter of 2022, ending on Sept. 30. The remaining $9.1 million was recognized as a prepaid expense within other assets in Root’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of the same date, the SEC filing said.
The company voluntarily notified the U.S. Department of Justice, the SEC and certain state regulators, the filing said, and plans to “pursue recovery of these funds through all legally available means and cooperate with law enforcement as appropriate.”
Root also said that it does not expect these payments to affect the company’s financial results as reported in its annual year-end report for 2021, filed with the SEC on Feb. 23, 2022.
News of the unauthorized marketing payments comes after Root said in a letter to shareholders for the third quarter of 2022 that it had implemented a number of efforts to strengthen the company’s financial foundations, including reducing marketing spend $60 million during the quarter compared with Q3 2021.
“We are utilizing our deep understanding by customer segment and geography to drive profitable new writings through our direct offering with very limited marketing,” the letter said.
This move was on the back of Root’s reported Q3 2022 net loss of $64 million, down from a net loss of $133 million during the same quarter in 2021, Carrier Management reported. In an effort to further reduce expenses, Root also said in its Q3 2022 earnings call that it made the decision in November to reduce its headcount by 17 percent as it works to right-size its non-headcount expenses as well.
“We expect these actions to collectively lower run rate expenses $50 million annually,” Rob Bateman, Root’s chief financial officer, said during the call.
This announcement marked the company’s second round of job cuts for 2022. It began the year by announcing in January that it had laid off approximately 330 team members throughout its business. Timm, in an emailed statement to Carrier Management, cited pandemic losses as factoring into that initial decision.
“As the pandemic has continued to evolve, supply chain and inflationary pressures have caused historic levels of loss cost increases,” he said.
At the same time, the InsurTech reported for Q3 2022 a 14-point year-over-year reduction in its gross loss ratio to 79 percent—effectively tripling the margins of Root’s business, according to Timm. He said in the letter that the organization is in a position to drive growth in profitable segments, adding that the company is showing “clear progress” on its strategy of accelerating new writings growth on Root’s embedded platform while materially reducing loss ratio year-over-year.
“Our number one priority is to become self-funding in coming years, allowing us to control our own destiny,” Timm said in the letter.


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Forecasts present challenges for grocery shoppers
The lines were long, the expressions were puzzled and frustrated, and the cashiers were moving as fast as they could.
At Midland's H-E-B on Thursday afternoon, shoppers waited in long lines just to get their groceries. The parking lot outside was crammed with cars. Rain was coming down steadily, just a taste of the weather that is expected today and Saturday.
Kim Poitevint, a payroll clerk at Sierra Engineering, was stocking up on her lunch break. She had a full cart that included raisins and orange juice.
"My first clue should have been the parking lot," Pointevint joked, standing sixth in line.
Richard Garner, unit director for H-E-B, said the impending snowstorm was causing a lot of people to come in and shop.
"We're running low on a lot of items, the normal things like soup and tomato sauce," Garner said.
The forecast calls for snow and sleet Friday and Saturday, ending a week of cold and sometimes wet weather in the Permian Basin. Thursday's high of 43 provided a window for shoppers wanting to get out and stock up. And judging by the long lines and reports of emptying shelves, there was plenty of buying going on.
"They're buying everything that's not bolted down," Garner said.
Bruce Brown, assistant manager at Midland's northwest Wal-Mart Supercenter said the store saw more customers than usual. "We have been noticing a lot of people coming in and stocking up."
Garner said his store wasn't expecting to be without the necessities. He said milk and meat deliveries had arrived Thursday afternoon and more trucks were expected Thursday night.
"When people come in (Friday), they'll find we've got plenty of food," Garner said.
Still, the crowded store was eye-opening to some.
Nick Master said, "this is as crowded as I've ever seen it in here. This is the biggest rush on H-E-B as I've seen in the last five or six years." Master, whose cart included ketchup, chicken and crackers, among other items, said he was getting "supplies to get through the weekend."
Kristin Wells was shopping with 2-year-old Kaiden, who was playing with his hat while both waited in line. She had "30 minutes to get out of here and pick my daughter up from school," she said. Her 4-year-old daughter attends Midland Montessori School. She said they were out of some items that she needed. "I wanted canned tomatoes and chili mix, and they didn't have any cream cheese," she said.
Katerina Scott was waiting in line while her two sons, Davy, 11, and Danny, 9, played in the toy aisle.
"The tomatoes and kidney beans were almost all gone," said Scott, whose basket included soda, milk, eggs, waffles and soup.
Virginia Lozano, normally a cashier at H-E-B, found herself shopping on this day with her sister Ana, 15, and her son, Lorenzo, 5 months. She said the forecasted weather made things a little eerie.
"It's kind of scary because everybody's here, all at once, getting ready for the weather," Lozano said.
And while the scene here and at Wal-Mart resembled what most expect at department stores the day after Thanksgiving, Wanda Moore said most people were taking it all in stride.
"I haven't seen any tempers flare," Moore said.


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Pot companies are reporting profit on unsold bud, and it's totally legal
Cannabis companies are free to book profit on pot that isn’t finished growing and hasn’t yet been sold. It’s all above board thanks to an accounting rule traditionally applied to assets like live hogs and grapes still on the vine.
Under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), companies in the agricultural sector pre-book profit for these “biological assets” while they are still growing. The unsold inventory impacts net income as if it were revenue, once estimated selling costs are deducted.
It means cannabis companies can, in theory, report net income in a quarter without a single sale.
Craig Wiggins, one-third of an independent analysis team called TheCannalysts, feels the accounting convention makes sense when applied to cattle — cannabis, he says, is another story.
Wiggins worries too many assumptions about an industry still in its infancy are being fed into these company-determined valuations, and expects many retail investors don’t understand the risk of write-downs if the real-world cost-per-gram falls short.
“There are far more examples of LPs (licensed producers) being too aggressive in pre-booking profits than the reverse,” he told Yahoo Finance Canada. “Canopy (WEED.TO) has had to reverse GoB (gain on biologicals) that they took at each of the last two year-ends.”
Futures contracts and the spot market for old school commodities like corn and soybeans help companies predict prices down the road. Not the case for cannabis, where no such pricing exists. Demand and prices for pot are much larger question marks.
Paul Rosen, CEO and chairman of the cannabis-focused financing company Tidal Royalty Corp. (RLTY-U.CN) and co-founder of Cronos Group Inc. (CRON.TO), said the biological assets rule is widely-accepted.
“Of the things that would keep me up at night about investing in the cannabis industry, that would not be one of them,” he told Yahoo Finance Canada. “It’s not like a big hush-hush secret. It’s just not that controversial in my opinion.”
Rosen admits the practice is likely not very well-known among the often young and inexperienced investors that piled into pot stocks ahead of recreational legalization in Canada on Oct. 17. He also concedes that cannabis companies and conventional agriculture make for odd bedfellows.
“Is cannabis ultimately agriculture? Or is it industrial, biotech, or CPG (consumer packaged goods)?,” Rosen said. “There are all sorts of elements in the cannabis ecosystem”
Rosen, who is by most measures a veteran investor in the nascent cannabis sector, has faith that regulators are doing an adequate job of protecting investors, and feels licensed producers are doing their part by making ethical decisions.
He also expects uncertainties around demand and prices will diminish as the industry works through its initial growing pains.
Wiggins, who boasts three decades of experience in commercial lending, and runs a boutique supply chain financing company, calls the IFRS measures “voodoo.”
His fellow Cannalysts, commodity trader Andrew Udell and Brock University biotechnology PhD candidate Graham Jones, recently emerged from anonymity on Reddit. They host a podcast about cannabis investment analysis.
It seems like Bay Street is listening.
Shortly after the Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO) became the first of the big Canadian lenders to wade into the cannabis sector earlier this year, TheCannalysts reached out and set up a meeting.
“We wanted to understand what they knew about the sector. We showed them what we knew about the sector. I think we pointed out a number of things that they weren’t aware of,” Wiggins said.
TheCannalysts have also arranged talks between five of Canada’s biggest licensed producers and Export Development Canada to discuss international business opportunities.
For Wiggins, the biological assets rule underscores the the need for cannabis investors to evaluate non-IFRS measures, his favourite being adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), and conduct their own trend analysis.
“If you’re reading a company’s press releases you’re not getting the fully story,” he said. “It usually focuses on the good stuff. At TheCannalysts, we like to focus on the bad stuff. That’s where you figure out where the rubber hits the road.”
Rosen too acknowledges that the commentary of exuberant cannabis company executives often ought to be taken with a grain of salt.
That said, until the recent pot stock pull-back, he was comfortable valuing companies in the sector at up to 200-times revenue.
“We’re genuinely bullish,” Rosen said. “Maybe we are all drunk on our own recipes, but we really believe in what we are doing.”
Wiggins also anticipates long-term value, but he’s calling for near-term “carnage” as weak post-recreational legalization numbers roll in.
The self-described “slayer of gain on biological asset voodoo” hopes the reckoning he sees on the horizon will encourage closer studying of cannabis company fundamentals.
“You find out that I booked this product at $6 (per gram), not including my selling price. Now I’ve got to sell it to the government wholesaler at $4,” he mused. “We are are going to see things start falling apart, and wheels falling off certain carts.”
Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.


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ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (WCCO) – While winter won’t be over for another six weeks, deals on cold weather gear are getting hot. Hats, jackets, even boots are 25-50 percent off.
Those deals will continue through spring, but now is the time to buy.
It doesn’t matter which department you’re in at Hoigaard’s, because everything’s on sale. And employee Chris Johnson says the discounts will only get deeper.
“We range right now from 20-percent off to 50 percent, and our clearance stuff is from last year is an additional 20-percent off of that half-off,” Johnson said.
Mid-February, most pieces will be marked down by 35 percent. By March 1, you’ll see deals at 50-percent off.
Many might be tempted to wait until deeper discounts are available, but waiting may lead to a lack of gear in your size.
“For a man to find a large jacket, March 1 at 50-percent off is going to be pretty unlikely. If you’re in the middle of that size range right now is going to be the only time you can find what you want,” said Johnson.
The store hopes to get everything sold as soon as possible. While many are still in winter mode, the plan is to move out hats and jackets for things like paddleboards and camping gear this week.
“Every year it seems like retail goes a little bit sooner, and little bit sooner we start to transition into spring,” he said.
We took a look at deals at other stores. Gander Mountain is offering 50-percent off hunting apparel and 60-percent off footwear.
Sports Authority is having end-of-season sales on some name brands.
And Dick’s Sporting Goods is offering 50-percent off its clearance items.


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VCN- The Government has recentlyissued a decree on the certification of fragrant rice exported to the EU. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also issued guidance to businesses on procedures for certification of fragrant rice exported to the EU. Currently, there are ninearomatic rice varieties exported to the EU that enjoy tariff quotas.
|Vietnam enjoys boost in rice exports to Africa|
|First batch of best rice strain to be exported to EU next week|
|Meeting standards, Vietnamese rice may be exported at price of US$3,000 – 4,000 per ton|
|Vietnamese rice still has many opportunities to boost exports tothe EU market in the near future. Source: Internet|
Great export potential
On September 4, the Government issued Decree No. 103/2020/ND-CP regulating the certification of fragrant rice exported to the EU.
After that, on September 7, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a decision to guide enterprises on procedures for certification of fragrant rice exported to the EU, creating a foundation for businesses to produce and develop raw material areas.
Talking to the press on September 8, Nguyen NhuCuong, Director of the Department of Crop Production (MARD) said that the preparation of luggage to bring Vietnamese rice to the EU has been deployed by the MARDfora long time.
Immediately after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into effect, the EU gave Vietnam a quota of 80,000 tonnes of rice per year (including 30,000 tonnes of milled rice, 20,000 tonnes of unmilled rice and 30,000 tonnes of fragrant rice).
The EU will fully open its doors to broken rice (this commitment helps Vietnam export an estimated 100,000 tonnes to the EU annually).
Currently, aromatic rice cultivation area in the Mekong Delta provinces annually reaches about 25% of total cultivated area, equivalent to about 1 million hectares, aromatic rice production is estimated at 5.5 million tonnes, equivalent to about 3, 5 million tonnes of fragrant rice.
Meanwhile, according to the EVFTA, the amount of fragrant rice exported to the EU enjoying preferential tariff quota is 30,000 tonnes, equivalent to 1.2% of the aromatic rice produced in the region. Therefore, the export potential of fragrant rice is still great.
"If EU regulations are well implemented and the export of 30,000 tonnes of fragrant rice in particular and 80,000 tonnes of rice in general under quotas to the EU with high selling prices, it will contribute to improving the efficiency of Vietnam's rice production,"Cuong said.
Review and supplement preferential rice varieties
Areport of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shows that every year, Vietnam exports from 6 to 6.5 million tonnes of rice, of which rice exports are mainly concentrated in the Mekong Delta.
With the EU alone, in 2019, Vietnam's rice export to the EU is 50,000 tons, worth 28.5 million Euros. Meanwhile, the EU's total rice imports are 2.3 million tonnes, with a turnover of 1.4 billion Euros. Compared to other ASEAN countries, Vietnam's rice export to the EU is only a sixth of that of Thailand, a tenth of Myanmar anda quarter of Cambodia.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le QuocDoanh said Vietnamese rice has great potential for export to the EU due toquota expansion.
According to the EVFTA, there are currently ninearomatic rice varieties exported to the EU that are eligible for tariff quotas including: Jasmine 85, ST5, ST20, Nang Hoa 9, VĐ 20, RVT, OM 4900, OM 5451, and Cho DaoResources.
“In the coming time, the MARD will coordinate with localities, organisationsand individuals exporting rice to review the list of fragrant rice varieties that are commonlygrown in production, and at the same time suit the consumption needs of EU to export, edit and supplement the list of fragrant rice exported to the EU to meet actual production requirements”, Nguyen NhuCuong added.
Deputy Minister Le QuocDoanh noted that right after the Government issued Decree 103/2020/ND-CP, the MARD quickly issued a decision on certification for rice exporters to this market.
Currently, there are threeunits submitting documents to the Ministry, the time to complete the certification within fivedays. Enterprises can submit registration documents through the Public Administration Service of the MARD, or by post. Enterprise certification will be completely free.
“Decree 103/2020/ND-CP takes effect from the date of signing, we recommend that businesses with fragrant rice listed in the EVFTA and having orders to export fragrant rice need to urgently send documents. The Department of Crop Production willquickly complete procedures for businesses andexport to the EU soon,” Deputy Minister Le QuocDoanh emphasised.
By Thanh Nguyen/ HuuTuc


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Rihanna is still giving us elite maternity fashion and she recently showed off her baby bump in an all-Gucci look while in Milan.
Marsai Martin can now add "model" to her list of accomplishments as the 17-year-old actress just made her runway debut during Milan Fashion Week.
Sponsored By Infiniti NBA All-Star Weekend is always good for memorable style moments. In honor of this year’s festivities we look at the best and worst dressed players in the league. While athletes of all sports are paid to make plays basketball players specifically have upped their efforts to make a great impression off-court, too. […]
One of the culture’s most beloved brands might be slotted for an upgrade. Industry experts speculate that Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy is in talks with Ralph Lauren regarding a possible merger. As per Axios the American label might be getting courted by the luxury giant. According to the article LVMH has engaged with Ralph and company […]
Social media can't get enough of reality TV star Apryl Jones and her suspected romance with "Brown Sugar" actor Taye Diggs.
Zoë Kravitz sizzled on the red carpet of "The Batman" premiere wearing a custom Saint Laurent gown that brought the Catwoman sex appeal.
Steve Harvey paid homage to the late André Leon Talley on the cover of Paper Magazine wearing a Balenciaga Couture cape; styled by Elly Karamoh.
Grab your wallets and secure some WiFi because Serena's latest collection is CAYUTE!
Given his longtime success as a comedian, actor, all-around businessman and soon-to-be investor in the cryptocurrency world of NFTs, is Steve Harvey quite possibly the flyest Baby Boomer of them all?
Tiffany Haddish pulled all the HAUTE looks during NBA All-Star weekend!
One of the world’s most beloved sneaker stores is about to get even better. Stadium Goods has renovated their SoHo store and we are here for it. Since opening in 2015, Stadium Goods’ Soho store at 47 Howard Street has long been a staple in Lower Manhattan. Founded and staffed by sneaker connoisseurs with deep […]
Ashanti took to Instagram to serve us fashionable vibes in an all-black Gucci look.


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More than 55,000 owners of 2010 and 2011 Hyundai models are being asked to take their cars back to the dealer to have corrosion-prone front springs replace.
In 2011 models of the Elantra and Sonata sedans and 2010 and 2011 Santa Fe crossovers, the springs could rust and fail, potentially damaging front tires and causing a loss of vehicle control. In the case of of the Elantra and Sonata, this is the second such recall; vehicles repaired under that previous campaign will be inspected and repaired again.
Hyundai has recalled a number of its models over the years for rusty suspension components, and its Kia subsidiary recently recalled the Sedona minivan for corroded control arms.
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(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.)
By Agnes T. Crane
NEW YORK, May 25 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Wal-Mart (WMT.N) shareholders can make their votes count at next week’s annual meeting – even if mainly as a protest. With half the votes sewn-up by the Walton family, directors tainted by the retailer’s Mexican bribery scandal are probably safe in their seats. But investors disturbed by Wal-Mart’s cover-up of the affair should make their displeasure known just the same by targeting Chairman Robson Walton himself.
Walton holds the real and symbolic power at Wal-Mart. He’s the son of founder Sam Walton, whose legacy he has pledged to honor. He also heads the family that controls half of the company. A no-confidence vote in his leadership would send a message to the board that actions that may have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as some evidence and allegations suggest happened as Wal-Mart pursued its Mexican expansion, are not acceptable. True, the number of nays will have to be large - say more than half of minority stakeholders - for the protest to resonate. That would make for some 26 percent of all shares.
Zeroing in on the chairman doesn’t mean other board members should get off scot-free. Chief executive Mike Duke and his predecessor Lee Scott were allegedly aware of the palm greasing south of the border between 2002 and 2005, according to a report last month in the New York Times that Wal-Mart has not denied. Those calling for directors’ heads – including The New York City Comptroller, California public pension funds and proxy advisers Glass Lewis and ISS - all agree they should go. Other targets include Christopher Williams, who chairs the audit committee and allegedly brushed off investor concerns about a “cavalier attitude toward legal compliance at the highest levels of management” back in 2005.
But since shareholders only can make a symbolic gesture, it might as well be one that punches by targeting Walton. That’s a far preferable course to giving up on the company, as the stock’s performance since the bribery allegations were first aired illustrates – it’s now at a 12-year high. Wal-Mart’s retail dominance isn’t likely to be derailed by scandal. But strengthening its governance will only make it a better investment.
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- Wal-Mart shareholders will meet at the Bud Walton Arena at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark for its annual meeting on June 1.
- The California Public Employees’ Retirement System and sister state pension fund the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the New York City Comptroller on behalf of its public pension funds, and proxy advisers Glass Lewis and ISS have recommended shareholders vote against some or all of the board members for their handling of the bribery scandal at the retailer’s Mexican operation.
- Directors of the board are elected by majority vote. The Walton family owns nearly 50 percent of the shares. Wal-Mart shares currently trade around $64.5 – a 12-year high.
- NY Comptroller Letter: link.reuters.com/kuk48s
- Reuters: CalPERS to vote against 9 Wal-Mart board members [ID:nL1E8GN7D1]
Ay caramba [ID:nL3E8FN7J9]
Greasy palms [ID:nL2EFNBYE]
- For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on [CRANE/]
(Editing by Richard Beales and Emily Plucinak)
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The media campaign for the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq, the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, is relying on strong showbiz personalities who can express the bold spirit of the new model. Actress Regina King is starring in the promotional video launched before Cadillac kicks off reservations for the upcoming Lyriq.
“If you want to be bold, you have to go off script” is the punchline in the new Cadillac Lyriq campaign video, where Regina King is changing the storyline as she goes, and making it her own. The idea behind the film is that the first Cadillac EV breaks with tradition, while also challenging the preconceived notion of what EVs are all about.
The 2023 Lyriq “proves that sexy and innovation can go hand in hand”, said the actress earlier this year, in a social media post where she announced the partnership with the car brand. Kid Cudi, another ambassador for the new Lyriq, also shared images of the future SUV on his social media accounts, saying that it has “the right vibe”.
Cadillac is getting ready to launch reservations for the Lyriq on September 18, at 4 p.m ET/1 p.m. PT. Promising a range of over 300 miles (483 km), with power ramped up to 340 hp and 440 Nm of torque, the Lyriq is designed to be just as efficient as it is luxurious.
By ditching the engine, Cadillac focused more on the vehicle’s interior, which is supposed to be ultra-comfortable, boasting a curved 33” diagonal advanced LED display, noise cancellation technology and “choreographed” LED lights (activated by automatic driver detection).
However, not everyone is excited about this future electric SUV. According to recent reports, several Cadillac dealers in the U.S. have preferred to close their franchise instead of investing an extra $200,000 in their showrooms, in order to adapt to selling and servicing EVs. This came as a result of General Motors reportedly asking dealers to choose between investing or being paid to cancel the franchise agreement.
Whether or not there will be fewer Cadillac dealers in the U.S., the new Lyriq is ready to debut with pricing starting at $58,795. Orders for the following Performance all-wheel drive model will be available in late 2022.


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Wednesday’s House “grilling” of tech CEOs didn’t feature quite as much posturing as the sitdown with Attorney General William Barr the day before, but it was almost as much a waste of time.
The Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee was ostensibly questioning the heads of Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon on concerns the tech giants have become too big and too powerful, but members frequently cut the witnesses off before they had a chance to get in more than a few words in response.
“Reclaiming my time!” Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said in shooshing Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg after “asking” him whether he illegally acquired Instagram with the intent of crushing a competitor.
The Obama-era Federal Trade Commission approved that sale in 2012. Ot was simply a cheap stunt for multiple members to complain now, when it’s clear nothing will reverse it.
Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline used his opening statement to intone, “These platforms enjoy the power to pick winners and losers, shake down small businesses, and enrich themselves while choking off competitors.”
Sounds a lot like Congress, actually.
Other members went off on truly head-thumping tangents: One Republican wanted to know why his campaign e-mails were going into his father’s spam folder; a Democrat pressed Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on the sale of knockoff products on the site.
None of it did a lick of good. Even with serious topics, such as social-media companies’ censorship standards, the format of each member getting just five minutes a round to ask questions and get them answered left no room for anything but spin.
“We do not want to become the arbiters of truth,” Zuckerberg declared. Yet they have — and that’s only part of the incredible power these companies have acquired.
Far too much power, in most people’s minds. Yet the members of Congress, through their technological ignorance and insistence on speechifying, can’t seem to ask the right questions, let alone offer answers.
So the tech moguls ran circles around the pols, even as they continue to amass more power and put their fingers on the scales of of modern discussion.


text: Walmart defends its poor labor practices as necessary to keep prices down. But as Walmart’s sales dropped with its payrolls, other retailers have proven that treating workers well is not mutually exclusive to a good deal. Walmart’s competitor, Costco, offers its employees an average wage of $21.96 an hour, about 40 percent more than Walmart employees make. Costco enjoyed a 19 percent increase in profits last quarter as Walmart sank, generating much more revenue and profit per worker. WinCo, a smaller grocery chain based in Idaho, boasts full health benefits for anyone working over 24 hours a week and retirement accounts for more than 400 workers — while maintaining prices even lower than Walmart’s.


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COVID-19 outbreak declared at Brant Food Centre
The exterior of the Brant County Health Unit.
KITCHENER -- A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a Brantford grocery store.
Brant County Public Health confirmed the outbreak at Brant Food Centre in a Friday news release.
According to officials, the outbreak was initially declared on Wednesday after two cases were found in staff members who did not have identifiable transmission outside the store.
The employees who tested positive are self-isolating for the mandated 10 days.
Public health says customers of the store are low-risk for acquiring COVID-19. However, they add that anyone who was at the establishment March 22-27, March 30, April 1 and April 3-5 can contact the healthcare system to arrange for testing.
Brant Food Centre is expected to remain open.


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Taylor decided that better in-retailer coaching, constructing designs, and restaurant decor would assist improve Roadhouse’s development. Taylor additionally hired a promising chef who labored in Louisville, Kentucky, named Jim Broyles. Broyles was employed because the director of meals and beverages, and reworked the way in which Roadhouse prepared and served food. The chain expanded quickly within the late Nineteen Nineties, and by the top of 1999, 67 eating places had been opened. In September 2011, Texas Roadhouse started their international expansion, with the primary international location in Dubai within the United Arab Emirates.
Taylor had handled signs related to COVID-19, together with tinnitus, a situation during which an afflicted person hears ringing or buzzing, the household mentioned. The restaurant chain, which operates greater than 500 eating establishments in forty nine states, confirmed Taylor’s demise in Facebook publish. The assertion indicated that Taylor was suffering from a severe case of tinnitus, commonly known as a ringing in one’s ears, on account of his bout with COVID. The assertion mentioned Taylor experienced extreme tinnitus — amongst different symptoms — following a COVID-19 analysis. Tinnitus is a common situation involving ringing or other noises in a single or both ears, and experts saycoronavirus can exacerbate present tinnitus problems. “Kent leaves an unmatched legacy as a folks-first chief, which is why he typically said that Texas Roadhouse was a individuals firm that just happened to serve steaks,” the assertion mentioned.
San Antonio Current
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, has died. His household and the company say he took his own life after suffering from symptoms related to COVID-19, including severe tinnitus. Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, has died.
Texas Roadhouse spokesman Travis Doster mentioned a small personal service is deliberate this week.
Texas Roadhouse Ceo Kent Taylor Dies After Covid
It’s not clear when Taylor contracted COVID-19, but his household mentioned that he suffered more and more dire signs within the wake of the virus, noting in particular his struggles with tinnitus. He drew up an idea for the Texas Roadhouse chain on a cocktail serviette, he stated – but once again, he hit a brick wall, with at least forty five traders turning him down earlier than he lastly received over a neighborhood cardiologist in 1993. Three of his five first Texas Roadhouse restaurants failed, and he quickly piled up debt and offered off different restaurants to maintain the chain afloat. After surviving a bout with COVID-19, Texas Roadhouse CEO Kent Taylor’s publish-infection signs grew increasingly painful. Taylor was beset particularly with a severe case of tinnitus – a loud buzzing or ringing in the ears that can be debilitating.


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Spin Master Ltd. has teamed up with McDonald’s to bring Zoobles back into the McDonald’s Happy Meal line-up. After an initial global launch of the Zoobles Happy Meal campaign last year, Spin Master and McDonald’s have launched an international campaign that will run in more than 55 countries around the world this year. McDonald’s guests can now rediscover Zoobles in all participating McDonald’s restaurants.
Zoobles are the breakaway collectible small doll toy for girls, featuring hundreds of characters that spring to life and transform when placed on their “Happitat.” Throughout the year, new characters and playsets will be added to the line-up.
This post was originally written by Sierra McCleary-Harris and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.


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Xiaomi demoed Its 200W HyperCharge Technology, Charges Smartphone from 0-100% in 8min
Xiaomi has demoed its 200W HyperCharge fast chargingÂ technology which is currently the highest in the smartphone industry. It can charge a your smartphone battery from 0-100% in 8 minutes.
In 2019, 100W fast charging technology was introduced and 120W fast charging in Mi 10 Ultra last year; and now this which is currently the highest in a phone.
Charge up to 100% in just 8 minutes using wired charging and 15 minutes wirelessly! #XiaomiHyperCharge
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) May 31, 2021
Xiaomi has demonstrated these fast charging technologies in a modified Mi 10 Pro smartphone that shows a 4,000 mAh battery on the phone being charged up to 10% in 1 minute, 50% in 8 minutes, and 100% in 19 minutes.
According to the company, these are the new industry records for both wired and wireless fast charging. The video posted below shows a phone with a 4000mAh battery that takes just 44 seconds for 10% charge, 50% in just 3 minutes and 100% charge takes just 8 minutes.
Well, just as usual, we donâ€™t expect you to see speeds like this on commercial phones any time soon and itâ€™s worth noting that battery degradation from charging at these surreal speeds will certainly be a big obstacle to overcome.


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It wasn’t that long ago that a short 10-second trailer was released for Solstice Chronicles: MIA which had more swear words crammed in than passengers on a London tube train. Soon you’ll be able to say all those swear words at the Martian hordes yourself as the release date for the game has finally been announced.
Yes, that’s right! Pencil July 26th in your diaries, and not just because I’m going on a training day with work, but Solstice Chronicles: MIA will finally be available on Steam. And along with the release date announcement, we also have this exciting new trailer to wet our appetite:


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Musk owns about 47 percent of SpaceX. Last week, the company was estimated to reach a valuation of $125 billion. However, this did not happen. However, Tesla’s stock performance in public markets has the most significant impact on Musk’s wealth. According to the BBC, Musk owns about 15 percent of the company. After the allegations emerged, Tesla’s share price gained 6.4 percent.
4 weeks ago
September 20, 2022


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U.S. consultant says ASEAN is ready for rapid progress
Boston-based management consultancy Bain & Company said last week that Thailand and the other nine members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are ready to make a “tremendous leap forward in socio-economic progress” in the post-pandemic world.
“Over the next decade, the region will be the world’s fourth-largest economy, with a $4-trillion consumer market,” wrote Praneeth Yendamuri and Zara Ingilizian of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“While Covid-19 will cause a significant economic impact with potential GDP contractions this year, the 10 ASEAN member states are poised for a tremendous leap forward in socioeconomic progress based on their long-term fundamentals,” they wrote.
Bain conducted a survey in April earlier this year and found that a majority of ASEAN chief executives believe pandemic-related restrictions will last through the third and fourth quarters of 2020, with economic recovery arriving in mid-2021.
“The pandemic has caused noticeable changes in consumer behavior. Some of those changes bring short-term volatility while others will alter consumer relationships and spending patterns in the longer term,” the columnists wrote.
They cited several trends that they believe would shape ASEAN in the post-pandemic environment. Among them were that consumer spending would double, driven by a middle-class boom. They forecast that by 2030 over 70 percent of people in ASEAN will be middle class, and they will drive a boom in consumption.
“Digital ubiquity will become the norm. The pandemic is accelerating the digital future, with many consumers making their first digital purchases and existing consumers spending more time online. In Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, consumers clock an average 4.2 hours of mobile screen time daily, or 1.2 times the global average,” they wrote.
Other important trends they believe will guide progress include technology tearing down socio-economic walls, and sustainability will become non-negotiable when consumers make lifestyle and product choices.


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Realme C30 with Unisoc T612 SoC To Launch in India on June 20
Flipkart will sell the Realme C30.
Realme will unveil a new affordable smartphone in the C series next week in India. The Realme C30 will be available in India on June 20th, according to the company. Realme's C series is devoted to low-cost devices, and the future one will be no exception.
The firm has already teased the handset on Flipkart ahead of the launch, giving us a clear look at the phone's design. The brand has also confirmed the device's Unisoc processor, battery capacity, weight, and thickness. Let us now examine the device and its characteristics.
Realme C30: Specifications
The Realme C30 is powered by an octa-core Unisoc T612 CPU built on a 12nm technology. This SoC has previously been featured in inexpensive phones such as the Realme Narzo 50A Prime and Realme C31. The C30 will include a 5,000mAh battery that is touted to last a whole day. According to prior studies, the gadget would enable a 10W charging speed. The Realme C30
Furthermore, the Realme C30 will be 8.5mm thick and weigh 182 grams. The device will have a vertical stripe design on the rear, giving it a distinct appearance. In terms of cameras, the gadget will have a single sensor on the back with an LED flash and a selfie camera under the dew-drop notch.
The Realme C30 will arrive with two storage options. The lowest model will have 2GB of RAM and offer 32GB of internal storage. There will also be a 3GB RAM model with 32GB of internal storage. Given that the phone will have 2GB of RAM, we may anticipate it to come pre-installed with Android Go Edition. In terms of colour options, the Realme C30 will be available in Denim Black, Lake Blue, and Bamboo Green.
A 6.58-inch Full HD+ IPS screen, a 13MP back camera, and a 5MP front camera are also predicted.


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News From Postville May Be Treyf, but Kosher Consumers Keep Buying
The news of the massive immigration raid on the largest kosher slaughterhouse in the United States has triggered national headlines and outrage among a group of vocal Jewish activists, but the raid seems to be having little impact on consumers’ appetite for kosher meat.
Based on conversations with kosher butchers, rabbinic authorities and consumers across the country, it appears that the demand for meat produced by Agriprocessors — the most commonly available kosher meat in America — has continued unabated since federal agents raided the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, on May 12 and arrested 389 workers.
The raid has spawned reports of worker abuse at the plant and has revived discussion among Jewish activists about the nexus between kosher laws and Jewish ethics. But people involved with the kosher meat business report that the greatest challenge has not been finding people willing to buy kosher meat, but rather, given the drop in supply coming out of Postville, finding enough kosher meat to sell to them.
“Most people don’t care where their meat comes from,” said Tibor Rosenberg, owner of Tibor’s Kosher Meat Market in Cleveland. “As long as it’s on the shelf and it looks good, they buy it.”
Indeed, during the past few years, Agriprocessors has been the subject of numerous negative reports, but figures that have emerged since the raid suggest that the company has strengthened its position as the country’s largest supplier of kosher meat, adding to the ranks of employees in the Postville factory.
Since the raid, a range of Jewish organizations have released statements acknowledging the gravity of the concerns that the raid has triggered. The rabbinical and congregational arms of the Conservative movement have urged members to consider avoiding products made by Agriprocessors. The Jewish Labor Committee and the Orthodox social action group Uri L’Tzedek have urged outright boycotts.
Shmuly Yanklowitz, co-founder of Uri L’Tzedek, said that his organization had collected about 1,000 signatures for a petition demanding greater compliance and transparency at Agriprocessors, and threatening a June 15 boycott if there are no changes. The signatories include prominent liberal Orthodox rabbi Avi Weiss; Rabbi Danny Nevins, dean of the Conservative Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, and Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service.
Yanklowitz said he was surprised to hear the reports that consumers seemed to be buying as normal, given the rapid response his organization had received from restaurants and from community leaders.
“Our inbox is flooded with people saying they’ve changed their convictions,” he told the Forward. He added that he saw it as a sign of progress that Agriprocessors has now contacted Uri L’Tzedek to ask for a meeting.
Mainstream Orthodox organizations have generally refrained from drawing attention to the controversy, but on May 30, the largest professional union of Orthodox rabbis in the United States, the Rabbinical Council of America, released a statement that, despite its refrain from criticizing Agriprocessors, suggested that kosher supervisory agencies could indeed incorporate ethical requirements into their oversight. The RCA is affiliated with the Orthodox Union, which jointly oversees the Agriprocessors plant.
There have been scattered anecdotal reports about consumers responding to these organizational efforts by moving away from Agriprocessors meat; however, calls to a dozen store owners and local kosher supervisors in such places as Houston, Manhattan, Baltimore, Dallas, Miami, Toronto and Los Angeles reported that only a few customers have raised questions about where their meat has come from, and even fewer have suggested that they have soured on Rubashkin’s.
“It doesn’t seem to be as big an issue with the religious community that [Agriprocessors] had illegals there,” said Chaim Fishman, head of the kosher meat department at Seven Mile Market in Baltimore. “A lot of people believe the big companies have illegals working for them.”
The kosher-eating community extends across a broad portion of the Jewish spectrum, though precise data is difficult to come by. According to Steven M. Cohen, a sociology professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, data from the 2000-2001 National Jewish Population Survey indicate that self-described Orthodox Jews constitute 40% of adults who keep kosher, with Conservative Jews another 32%, Reform 8%, Reconstructionist 2% and 18% not declaring an affiliation.
Menachem Lubinsky, editor of the trade periodical Kosher Today and a consultant to Agriprocessors, had somewhat different numbers, calculating that in 2006, Orthodox Jews made up 75% of regular kosher consumers, and Conservatives another 20%. A number of factors make the figures difficult to compare directly, including larger Orthodox family sizes and different shopping patterns, but both figures suggest that non-Orthodox Jews constitute a significant bloc of kosher consumers — a bloc that, it appears, has not changed its eating patterns.
One possible reason for the apparent consumer indifference to the raid simply may be ignorance. Despite extensive coverage of the raid and its aftermath by national media and Jewish newspapers of all stripes, an informal survey by the Forward of customers at two kosher meat stores in Brooklyn found that the majority of customers said they had not heard anything about the raid.
“I’m busy with this one,” one female customer said, pointing to her daughter as she wheeled a shopping cart into Moishe’s Supermarket in Brooklyn.
A few people who knew about the raid nonetheless said that it had not changed the way they shop. One woman at Moishe’s, who identified herself as Evelyn, said that while she was conscious of the raid as she shopped for meat, she continued to buy Agriprocessors products as long as they were fresh.
“The same thing must be going on in all the slaughterhouses,” she told the Forward.
Another factor in smaller cities is that Agriprocessors meats are often the only kosher meat available. Rabbi Daniel Isaak of the Conservative-affiliated Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland, Ore., said that one congregant e-mailed with concerns about Rubashkin’s meat but complained that the only alternatives were to give up kosher meat or stop eating meat altogether, neither of which was desirable. Isaak said the e-mail was the lone mention of the issue, though he estimates that 20% to 25% of his congregants keep kosher in some form.
Cohen suggested that buying patterns might not change unless a clearer message emerges from pulpits and organizations about the moral implications of eating various kosher meats.
“People are unclear about whether all kosher meats are ethically tinged or some, or whether there was a problem in the past and it’s cleared up,” Cohen said. “And people who are committed to eating kosher and having kosher meat as part of their rituals are loathe to give up a part of their religious identity for a point of moral principle.”


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172. James Jannard
The USC pharmacy student dropped out in the 1960s when the dean told him he had to cut his hippie hair. Jannard went on to found sunglasses maker Oakley, which went public in 1995 and sold to Luxottica for $2.1 billion in 2007. By then he was working on his next project, Red Digital, building highresolution digital cameras that have since been used to shoot such movies as Avatar and The Hobbit. Up next: the world’s first holographic smartphone, which, he says, has the best mobile camera on the market and will be available next year.


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JLR appoints Barbara Bergmeier into new operational role
- Posted by: Alan Feldberg
- Category: News
Jaguar Land Rover has appointed Barbara Bergmeier to the newly created role of executive director, industrial operations.
She will lead Jaguar Land Rover’s new industrial operations organisation, which incorporates the responsibilities currently split across manufacturing, purchasing and supply chain teams.
A key priority will be to transform this reconfigured organisation and Jaguar Land Rover’s robust, sustainable end-to-end supply chain as part of a fully connected industrial strategy.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Jaguar Land Rover at a time of strategic transformation. It is an exciting opportunity to create a fully connected, holistic industrial strategy, supported by the strongest supplier relations, that maximises the quality, efficiency and sustainability of our industrial operations around the world. People are at the heart of any business and, as Jaguar Land Rover pioneers a new era of electrification and digitalisation, I’m delighted to be part of the team contributing to its future success as the company moves to fully embody the modern luxury philosophy in everything it does.”
Thierry Bolloré, chief executive officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We are delighted to welcome Barbara to the executive team in this critical new role that harmonises all the elements of our supply chain. Barbara is a talented leader with immense experience of the challenges within industry. Her natural pursuit of quality and full end-to-end industrial experience, combined with a values-based and people-centric approach to leadership and diversity, will be vital in continuing our own Reimagine journey.”


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Nintendo has announced that it will end support for its online multiplayer service on the DS and Wii. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection will shut down on May 20th, meaning that games will no longer work online; offline features, however, will continue to work. Wii apps like Hulu, YouTube, and the built-in browser will also remain unaffected, as will the online store. The announcement comes under a year after Nintendo said it would kill various built-in apps on the Wii.
Although Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection supported popular titles in series like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., the DS and Wii were never seen as a haven for online gaming, partly because they employed an inconvenient system of "friend codes" rather than Xbox Live-style profiles. Late last year Nintendo released a version of the Wii, called the Wii Mini, that removed internet connectivity altogether.
Nintendo of Japan made the Wi-Fi Connection announcement today; The Verge has contacted representatives to confirm that the news applies worldwide.


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Investors woke up plenty of stock-specific news this morning.
It's already a busy day and the market just opened. Here are the major stories so far today:Lululemon cut its earnings forecast (down 14%). "We were on track to deliver on our sales and earnings guidance through the month of December; however, since the beginning of January, we have seen traffic and sales trends decelerate meaningfully," said CFO John Currie. "Based on this recent performance and assuming these trends continue through the remainder of January, we are reducing our outlook for the fourth quarter." Suntory investment firm will buy Beam Inc (up 24%). The company makes the popular Jim Beam brand liquor. Suntory will become the world's third-largest maker of distilled drinks after the $16 billion purchase, Reuters reports. The shares went ripping after the news. Wendy's shares surged after strong Q4 earnings backed by the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger (up 8%). "Same-restaurant sales accelerated in the second half of the year compared to the first half. Driving the positive same-restaurant sales growth was the strong consumer reaction to the Company's successful 2013 promotions, most notably, the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger, Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwich, and Bacon Portabella Melt on Brioche," the company reported.
SodaStream shares dropped after lackluster year-end figures (down 21%). "Despite achieving all-time record sales, we failed to deliver our profit targets and are disappointed in our fourth quarter performance...These preliminary results reflect a challenging holiday selling season in the U.S. and several factors, mostly from the second half of the quarter that negatively impacted our gross margin," Daniel Birnbaum, SodaStream CEO, said in a statement. Shares of Juniper are climbing after reports that Paul Singer's hedge fund is making an activist play (up 8%). Elliott Management already has a 6.2% stake in the company, but the stock is up after Bloomberg reported that Singer will make a stronger push for control, which could lead to a share buyback. Goldman Sachs gives Twitter a boost (up 5%). Goldman, which was Twitter's lead underwriter in its IPO, gave the stock a "buy" rating, saying it shows 14% upside. As the old market cliche goes, it's a stock picker's market these days. Market correlations are down, so investors keying in to the right stories are going to do particularly well. And bad stock pickers — and fund managers — won't be able to hide away in a highly-correlated market environment.
See Also:The Weekend Is Over And Markets Are Going NowhereSee? Even Warren Buffett's Favorite Stock Market Measure Says Stocks Are Wildly Overvalued...This One Paragraph Is The Greatest Summary Of The Market's Role In American Society
SEE ALSO: Crappy Stock Pickers And Fund Managers Are Losing Their Favorite Place To Hide


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In mid-February Capcom put a poll on their official site asking the community how much they'd be willing to pay, either $10 or $15, for the HD remake of Bionic Commando. Last Friday, Capcom dropped word that a whopping (and unsurprising) 83% of voters preferred a $10 price-point for the upcoming release and they would abide by the community's demands. While making the announcement, game producer Ben Judd said that more than a few gamers said they were willing to even more for HD bionic-arm action. " A majority were suggesting they would pay $15 or even $20 for the game," Judd wrote in the announcement post on the Bionic Commando Rearmed community blog. At a $10 price-point, Bionic Commando Rearmed is looking more and more like a must-buy when it hits Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network.
Gallery: Bionic Commando Rearmed (XBLA)


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Philadelphia-based retail chain Urban Outfitters opened its second Long Island store today.
The newest Urban Outfitters is located in a 7,263-square-foot space at 1950 Northern Blvd. in Manhasset. The chain already has a store at the Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City.
“Manhasset is a part of our overall typical new store expansion plan,” spokeswoman Amanda Hershey said in an email to LIBN. “We do not have any more stores to report at this time.”
Founded in 1970, Urban Outfitters operates more than 130 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, according to its website. Its offerings include men’s and women’s apparel and accessories and items for an apartment all geared for the “educated, urban-minded individual in the 18-to-30-year-old range.”
More breaking news
- NY Compensation rises 2.1 percent
- Maggiano’s chain to open its first LI location
- US factory orders advance 1.8 percent in June
- LI auto shop owner pleads guilty in tax fraud
- CVS earnings rise despite no tobacco fix
- Priciest home sales in Port Washington
- Greek fiscal crisis hits home on LI
- LI gas prices fall
- Education’s Erin Brockovich
- US consumer spending edges up in June


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Cigarette majors may be smarting from the ban on tobacco advertising, but pan masala companies are having a field day. Ad spends by various pan masala companies have gone up in the last four weeks ending May 15, even as the Tobacco Control Legislation prohibiting all forms of advertising by tobacco product companies came into effect from May 1, 2004.
According to data provided by advertising tracking agency, AdEx India, the pan masala category has emerged in the Top 10 advertisers list, which includes other big spenders such as toilet soaps, washing powders, soft drinks, automobiles and cellular services. For the month of April, the pan masala/zarda/gutka category had spent Rs 21.35 crore in the television and print media compared with Rs 19.93 crore spent by cigarette companies.
Brands such as Pan Parag, Rajnigandha, Chutki and others are advertising their 100 per cent tobacco-free version on news channels such as Aaj Tak, NDTV India and some general entertainment channels.
Senior officials in the Health Ministry said that the pan masala has always been available in tobacco and tobacco-free variants. "Unlike other brands, which have extended into apparel or lifestyle products during the last few years in anticipation of an ad ban, pan masalas have always existed in these two forms. Hence, these ads cannot be classified as surrogate advertising," said the officials.
However, advertising industry sources said that advertising of tobacco-free version is similar to liquor companies advertising apple juice or mineral water. "The advertising is for the liquor brand. Here too, the tobacco version of the brand would get the benefit of the ads," said a senior Mumbai-based media planner.
Even though the huge hoardings space occupied by tobacco companies have been vacated, some surrogate advertising by ITC for Wills Sport and Wills Lifestyle is still visible. "The ads will have to be monitored by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry but no action against erring companies has been initiated. However, the Health Ministry is part of the inter-ministerial committee set up by the I&B Ministry which monitors ads from time-to-time," the Health Ministry official added. The Ministry is expecting some litigation with regard to surrogate advertising.
Meanwhile, cigarette companies are unhappy with pan masala advertising.. "Under the present regime, pan masala companies have an unfair advantage over cigarette companies. But the flip side to this is that they are entitled to go in for product line extension under the Trademarks Act," said an official from a cigarette company.
According to Mr Sundeep Kumar, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Godfrey Philips India (GPI), "There has to be a common clear cut policy on surrogates across all product categories that are facing ad restrictions. There should be no room for interpretations."


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UK consumer portal Gumtree.com plans to expand into France and Germany over the next month as part of its strategy to create a pan-European classified ad forum.
The portal - which competes with sites like Loot and enables consumers to post listings for anything from flat-shares and cars to personals - is launching sites in Paris and Berlin.
If these sites prove successful, Gumtree director Michael Pennington said he plans to create sites for Milan and Rome in the near future.
“We launched a site in Warsaw in Poland last September to see if our model would work in other European markets and it has taken off pretty quickly,” he said.
He believes the fact that ads are free to view, no registration is necessary and there are no banner ads on the site makes it attractive to users. Gumtree is funded by recruitment ads, with employers being charged between £8 and £20 to place a listing.
French and German-speaking staff based in London will promote the site to employers in France and Germany, and companies won’t initially be charged for placing ads.


text: She's learning hospitality with Mickey and Minnie. Jessica Zloza, 20, of North Liberty, has headed south for a summer internship at the Disney Hilton Head Resort, Hilton Head, S.C. Jessica is a 2004 graduate of Marian High School and she will be entering her junior year at Purdue University, majoring in hospitality and tourism management. Her mother, Holly Witkowski, said her daughter wanted an internship and all her professors said Disney is the best for the résumé. She also is the daughter of John Zloza of New Carlisle. "She calls every night and she said she misses home but she doesn't want to leave," Holly said. Two nights a week, they cook dinner on the beach for the guests and the other time she is working in the resort restaurants. "She said it is 'like cheating and not work. You're watching people have a good time.' " Mom added that hospitality was her daughter's destiny. "She was a funny kid. She came home from school to watch Emeril (Lagasse) and cooking shows. No cartoons." Eventually, Jessica would like to run a resort. But it is back to Purdue in the fall and more hospitality schooling. *** It is spring cleaning time at the South Bend Police. The annual auction of found property will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the station, 701 W. Sample St. Capt. Joel Wolvos of the South Bend Police said he has been through at least 10 to 15 years worth of auctions. There will be a lot of bikes, lawn mowers, some computers, tools and other items. "Every year there are always lots of bikes and it is interesting to see the kids get all excited over particular bikes," he said. Wolvos said as soon as one auction ends, the paperwork starts for the next one. As the auction day approaches, it takes a day or two to set the items up in the garage. The day of the auction begins at 6 a.m. for the auction staff. "We get to wear our blue jeans and do something a little different," Wolvos said. People can inspect the items beginning at 8 a.m. The auction is cash only. *** Do you remember Nicolas Manolovits of LaPorte? He is a member of Troop 321, LaSalle Council of the Boy Scouts and he sold the amazing amount of $21,575 worth of Trail's End Popcorn in a fundraiser last fall. He was to hear how well he ranked in the country in the spring. Well, he placed second in the country, being beaten out by $1,000 by a Scout from Texas. He has placed second twice in the last three years. Nicolas said he is entering high school in the fall and will be taking accelerated classes. He will be selling popcorn beginning in August, but he will worry more about school. Bet he does well again because he has a system.


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Sky to open first retail shops across the UK
Sky to open first retail shops across the UK
- Sky to begin opening first retail shops across the UK
- Launch will bring Sky’s leading service and innovative products to the UK high street
- Launch reaffirms Sky’s commitment to customer experience and care
For the first time in its 30-year history, Sky are launching bricks-and-mortar retail shops across the UK bringing Sky’s leading customer service and innovative pay TV, mobile and broadband products to the UK high street, under one roof.
The first few shops are to set to launch in 2020, with the very first opening in Liverpool on 26th October. Sky has plans to open further shops in 2021, ensuring that they are in the right places for Sky customers.
Sky Shops are a departure from traditional shops and, in the long-term, will offer a new social hub for shoppers - whether they are looking for the latest Sky products, the assistance of Sky’s expert in-shop advisors, or simply looking to immerse themselves in all Sky has to offer.
Sky’s focus on customer experience is at the crux of the new shops and designed with customers’ needs in mind. The shop will be separated into designated themed spaces across an open-plan layout , encouraging easy conversation between Sky’s expert advisors and customers. It will also have a dedicated ‘Customer Hub’, complete with seating areas, that will allow existing customers to speak to advisors about their current products.
The shops will also feature a dedicated ‘Access All Areas’ stage which will host various interactive experiences for customers. It will be used to create moments that entertain and surprise, putting customers at the centre of Sky’s extraordinary entertainment content and leading products.
Customers will be able to test out Sky’s latest innovations, displayed across the shop for maximum convenience and accessibility, for the first time. Shoppers can experience Sky’s award-winning Sky Q technology, including entertainment content from Sky and established partners such as Netflix and Disney, and new, innovative partnerships with fitness app, Fiit and karaoke app, ROXi. This provides customers with the opportunity to make the most out of Sky’s products and services and ensure they take home the right products for them.
Sky has also struck a landmark deal with popular technology repair chain iSmash. This means that some shops will host iSmash in-store, providing customers with professional repair and support for their smart devices, at their fingertips.
All shops will operate in line with the Government’s Covid-19 safety measures, including strict social distancing, mandatory facemasks and hand sanitiser available across the shop.
Stephen van Rooyen, Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, UK & Europe, said: “Our new Sky shops are a great way for us to showcase the amazing benefits and customer service we have to offer new and existing customers. We’re proud to see our shops opening at a challenging time for the UK high street, and alongside our partners at iSmash, we’ll bring service, innovation and convenience all in one place, under one roof, at a time when keeping people connected has never been more important.”
Julian Shovlin, Founder & Managing Director, iSmash said: “We’re incredibly excited by our partnership with Sky and the launch of our new store in Liverpool. With both brands offering complimentary products and services, and an aligned approach to customer experience, we believe that this collaboration will bring tangible benefits to our business and customers, keeping them connected to the devices they love.
The unveiling of shops across the country builds on the successful launch of Sky Mobile, now with over 1.5 million customers, and launch of Sky Broadband Ultrafast, which gives 2 million households access to over 12 times faster speeds that Sky’s standard broadband.
For further information:
Jessica Bihari, Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Sky: email@example.com / 07866 896512Images
Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Across six countries, we connect our 24 million customers to the best entertainment, sports, news, arts and to our own award-winning original content.
Our technology, including the market leading Sky Q, connects people to everything they love - TV, music, games, online video, fitness and educational content, all in one place, easy. Our streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.
Building on the success of Sky Originals like Chernobyl, I Hate Suzie and Brassic, we are doubling our investment in original content by 2024 through Sky Studios. Sky News provides impartial and trustworthy journalism for free, while Sky Arts, the UK’s only dedicated free-to-air arts channel, makes the arts accessible for everyone. Our new TV and movie studio, Sky Studios Elstree, is expected to create over 2,000 new jobs and generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in the UK over the first five years alone.
We believe that we can be a force for good in the communities in which we operate. We’re committed to being Europe’s first net zero carbon entertainment company by 2030. We take pride in our approach to diversity and inclusion: we’ve been recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our commitment to diversity and we’ve put in place a new programme to invest £30million across our markets over the next three years to tackle racial injustice.
Launched in 2013 by entrepreneur Julian Shovlin, iSmash is the UK’s leading high street tech repair specialist, experts in the express repair of smartphones, tablets and computers. Born to fulfil the gap in the market for a trusted device repair solution across the UK, iSmash has quickly expanded to 31 high street, train station, office and shopping centre locations in 10 cities across the UK – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and Leeds. With plans to expand nationwide, iSmash is on a mission to provide a trusted and convenient solution to the nation’s device repair problem. With over 1 million customers to date, iSmash has established itself as the leader in the tech repair market in the UK.