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…but all of our hard work has been paying off and we couldn’t be more excited about some of our recent accomplishments! We have truly amazing clients and it shows.
We recently beat out some larger shops around the globe to take home not one, but two prestigious International Summit Awards for our clients Tourism Victoria and Silk Road Tea.
Tourism Victoria’s Escape Your Everyday campaign won “Best of Category” in the Leisure & Entertainment category. Our submission showcased a multi-faceted, integrated marketing campaign that used everything from guerrilla handcuffs to (more…)
Twitter is no longer just a fun social tool, it can cause you to lose your gold medal, get kicked out of political office or fired from your job with the slip of a key. Twitter has started to make front-page headlines more than ever before. The most recent example of this was the recent London Olympics. You would think that with all of the media attention this social platform has been receiving these days, people would be a little more cautious with their words.
Twitter is a worldwide stage. With your Twitter account, you are essentially broadcasting your views to the world, and you better be ready to stand by them. What is it about Twitter that (more…)
There has been a lot of recent press on the positive implications associated with social media. We strongly believe that when planned properly it can improve brand recognition, strengthen customer relationships and help you reach your marketing goals. But, it’s important to realize, if so many great things are coming from social media, there has to be some examples of things gone wrong. Here are a couple examples of what we believe to be some of the biggest mishaps in social media thus far.
1.) Baja Fresh, a casual dining Mexican grill based out of the US offered its Facebook fans a “free burrito” coupon downloadable right off their fanpage. Apparently without actually needing to become a fan, just about anyone was able to access the coupon. The lesson learned: Think “social media strategy”, not “social media implementation”. This is a clear case of a company diving right into social networking without planning out their course of action first. The result: over 50,000 people across the country coming into restaurants to redeem their (more…)


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Through an announcement that surprised the world-wide competition community, on July 9th the United States Government published the Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy (Executive Order).
Said Executive Order recognizes the benefits of competition by indicating that sustained economic prosperity requires an open and competitive economy. It underscores that competition generates more choices for small businesses to sell their products and allows them to obtain higher profits; opens new opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment and innovate with new ideas which improve citizens’ quality of life; and provides the general population with more and better purchase choices, by allowing access to higher-quality products and services at lower prices.
The text drew attention because the Government itself points out that the United States’ economy has concentrated over the past decades and lack of competition has weakened some markets, denying citizens the aforementioned benefits. In order to revert this situation, it recognizes the need for an integral competition policy, whereby diverse government agencies (sectoral regulators) coordinate with competition authorities. According to the Executive Order, government agencies must identify and, according to each case, modify or eliminate regulations which pose unnecessary barriers to market entry or suffocate competition.
Similarly, Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) has noted that, to achieve competitive markets in Mexico, authorities in diverse areas of government must work together, as on many occasions a lack of competition derives not only from anticompetitive conducts by economic agents, but also from rules that favor concentration, protect incumbents’ market share and/or enable breaching the competition law. For this reason, COFECE has analyzed and diagnosed diverse markets which are relevant for the national economy, and put forth recommendations which may be implemented by sectoral regulators to eliminate obstacles to the entry of new suppliers, so Mexican families and enterprises may enjoy the benefits of competition.
In the context of the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue that will take place in the following days, and which considers the achievement of sustained economic prosperity as a topic in its agenda, COFECE publishes this document highlighting some of the markets it has analyzed and that coincide with those covered by President Biden’s Executive Order. It also summarizes some of its recommendations to inject competition into the Mexican economy which, in many cases, appear to be similar to those put forth by the Executive Order.

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A JAMES Bond-style watch which was mysteriously donated to a charity shop has been sold to help the homeless.
The 1950’s Rolex Oyster, made famous as the timepiece worn by Ian Fleming’s literary hero, raised £750 for ShelterScotland.
It’s believed the watch was bought by an Edinburgh resident as a Christmas surprise for her husband.
The watch, with a pigskin leather strap, stainless steel body and bevelled glass face, was donated anonymously last month to ShelterScotland’s Morningside shop in a bag of other items.
Staff at the shop initially dismissed the luxury wristwatch as a replica, but after an independent valuation realised they had stumbled on to the real thing.
Paul Knowles, manager of ShelterScotland’s Morningside shop, said: “We’re over the moon that the watch raised so much money and grateful to everyone who made a bid.
“We’re pleased that the watch is getting a new lease of life and hope the new owner is pleased with his very special Christmas present.
“Of course the money raised is also a very welcome Christmas present for ShelterScotland. Every penny will go towards helping people in Scotland find and keep a home.”
Graeme Brown, Director of ShelterScotland, added: “Although we don’t know who donated the watch we would like to thank them for their generosity.
“We welcome all donations to our shops, no matter how big or small, and it’s always humbling to know that people want to help ShelterScotland.
“Without this support we would not be able to deliver our vital services and campaign for the end of homelessness and bad housing.”


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John Lewis' week got better and better following its award for best British Retailer as trading figures for the week to June 23 indicated sales rose 5.1%.
The announcement by Which? magazine, on Thursday June 29, named it as the best British Retailer offering 'products of excellent quality' and 'good value for money'.
After stripping out the Direct arm of the business – which rose 40.3% – estimates by brokerage house Seymour Pierce put the contribution from department stores at 2.9% for the week to June 23.
Prime selling departments include furnishing accessories (cookshop and decorative accessories) up +4.3%, and furniture and textiles (living and dining furniture) up 9.0%.


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J&T Express as a delivery service provider with a network that has reached 13 countries, is now officially introducing the world star Lionel Messi as the Global Brand Ambassador. J&T Express' commitment to becoming a sustainable company is in line with its characteristics which are commonly known as an energetic football icon, having fast maneuverability to superior ability to be able to fly high in all challenges. Get ready for more achievements that will bring positive improvements with J&T Express in the future on the international stage.
"This is the new face of J&T Express globally, we continue to strive to reach broader needs from various sides, starting with developing several new service differentiations such as J&T International Standard Express for overseas shipments. Until network expansion in Southeast Asia, China, Middle East, and Latin America. We believe the presence of the Global Brand Ambassador J&T Express will be able to strengthen the focus of the global strategy going forward to be able to connect internationally with greater efficiency," said Robin Lo - CEO of J&T Express.
Lionel Messi is a professional footballer who is known to the public throughout the world, recorded as the winner of the Ballon d'Or 7 times in his career, the quality of his skills reflects the spirit of J&T Express in 7 years providing excellent shipping logistics services and the use of technology to achieve operational efficient. J&T Express and Messi have made joint steps to increase the strength of the J&T Express Brand and contribute to the transformation of the logistics service value chain.
"J&T Express has made extraordinary achievements since its launch. We share a lot in common in our passion and determination to never stop getting better. Just as the sport of football unites millions of people around the world, J&T Express strives to develop logistics solutions to connect its customers to the world. I hope to be part of this journey”, said Messi.
The joining of Messi to become part of J&T Express Global is an extraordinary collaboration that is hoped to bring about better changes going forward in terms of service development in each country and network innovation in the international market.


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Running shoe brand ASICS has developed, alongside Taiwan’s Tayin Research & Development Co., Ltd, a midsole creating process utilizing microwaves. The process is said to fuse different materials together to create sole units, and the company has given folks a sneak peek at the procedure, despite still being in testing stages. After the kinks are worked out, the company plans on bringing production microwaves to shops for consumers.
It’s not too dissimilar to the kind of customization adidas is currently offering up at its New York flagship, but the whole shoe cooking process takes as little as 15 seconds to complete, shorter than the 3D printing process many are exploring. ASICS says it’s going to bring it to “select footwear ranges in the future,” so check the video above to get an idea of the new endeavor in action.
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Apple is smart which is why it has been taking longer and longer to jailbreak the newer versions of iOS. However, the Dev team has been able to find a workaround to jailbreak and unlock. It’s more of a cat and mouse game between these two.
Since Apple cannot control the jailbreaks and unlocks Apple is taking that war to a new level by restricting access to apps on jailbroken devices. For example, recently they had crippled the iBooks apps for jailbroken devices and users who had jailbroken their iPhone were not able to access the books they had legitimately purchased.
Mind you, jailbreaking and unlocking your device is legal, but Apple can use software to restrict such devices. So what now? Well, Dev Team to the rescue again. The Dev Team, who work for free, just managed to overcome the iBooks issue with PwnageTool 4.2.
The fix was put in place by @comex and @pushfix who managed to fix the issue with the latest jailbreaking tool, allowing users to continue reading book they purchased through the app store.
So if you have been facing an issue with the iBooks software, head over to the Dev Team blog to download the latest PwnageTool 4.2 bundle to jailbreak and unlock your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and start using iBooks again. These updates will also be made available through the Cydia app, so you can just update the app and start using iBooks app without having to restore and jailbreak your device again.


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A blurb online that accompanied Pejic’s picture read: “Designers are hailing him as the next big thing. We think ‘thing’ is quite accurate... The gender bender has jumped the gun in hoping he might one day be signed as a Victoria's Secret Model (pass the sick bucket).”
After readers were outraged by the transphobic comments, FHM quickly removed the entry from its Web site and issued an apology. The June print edition of the magazine had already been published, but with less offensive text.
FHM’s blunder was only the latest in a string of controversies surrounding Andrej Pejic, the “fashion model the media can’t handle,” according to Salon. With his willowy frame, long blond locks, and willingness to model both men’s and women’s clothing, Pejic has also faced the discomfort of Barnes & Noble, which last month wrapped a magazine in opaque plastic because it featured Pejic’s nude torso.
In Salon, Mary Elizabeth Williams writes of the FHM debacle: “There are always those who'd prefer gender to run in neat lines, as clearly delineated as the icons on a public bathroom door.”
Pejic isn’t one of them.
In an interview earlier this year, he said, “I'm sure most people think of me as a woman. It doesn't bother me anymore and I feel fine about it.... I don’t consider my looks unusual.”
Below, read FHM’s online blurb, the blurb that went in print, and FHM’s apology.
The online blurb that was taken down (in full)
The blurb that went in print
“I would love to do a shoot for Playboy,” announced the 19-year-old Serbian-born model, who turned heads during London Fashion Week. Next up? Well, next up he …that’s right, Andrej is a man. Nice ‘internet campaign’ lads.”
Andrej Pejic appears at number 98 in FHM Magazine’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011.
Regrettably the copy accompanying Andrej’s online entry wasn't subbed prior to going live. Once we realized, we removed it immediately and apologized for any offense caused.
FHM has spoken to the individual concerned and taken steps to ensure this can never happen again.


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Taking to the ramp as yet another option in the L-series, the LG Optimus L9 has made an official appearance. It follows the Optimus L3, L5 and L7 which have already been launched in the market. Well, members in this lineup clearly do not think that even numbers are fashionable.
Though it can hardly be compared to the more recently introduced Optimus G, the handset still has enough to boast about on the specifications front. Rolled out across the face is a 4.7-inch IPS touchscreen as well as a VGA camera for hooking up with friends over video chat.
The phone runs on a sturdy combination of Ice Cream Sandwich, 1GB DDR2 RAM and a dual core processor clocked at 1GHz. The only mention about storage space comes in the form of 4GB eMMC memory and for photography needs, there’s a 5MP camera on the rear panel. Convenience features such as QMemo, QTranslator, My Style Keyboard and DLNA are also part of the mix.
“The Optimus L9 is a great smartphone that appeals to every consumer,” expressed Dr. Jongseok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile, while talking about the smartphone’s debut. “LG will continue to offer differentiated value through the Optimus L9 and strengthen our position in the smartphone market.”
Like a few other LG devices, even this phone’s 2,150mAh capacity battery is supported by SiO+ technology which allows for extended usage time between charges. The aforementioned QTranslator can translate scanned text from a horde of languages owing to Optical Character Recognition (OCR) intelligence. All of this technology is packed into a form factor measuring almost 131.9mm x 68.2mm x 9.1mm and weighing nearly 125g.
As of now, there’s nothing specific on the LG Optimus L9 price and release date angle.


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New research has revealed that drivers would like to see changes made to the driving test in the wake of heightened demand for electric cars.
Seventy-seven percent think that the driving test needs to be adapted, which rises to 92 percent among electric car drivers.
The research comes from insurance company LV, which is also the first to offer an insurance product tailored specifically for EVs.
It found that 29 percent intend to make an electric car purchase in the next five years. Seventy-eight percent said that they were looking at an EV as their next car purchase.
Eighty-seven percent of drivers have never driven an EV, which means they’re unaware of the differences in how they drive and what they’re like to own.
LV wants today’s learners – tomorrow’s EV buyers – to be clued up on electric cars before they buy them, from the moment they start learning.
There are also misconceptions that need addressing. Operation is one thing, but a change in the test could help familiarise motorists with EVs, and debunk certain myths that could be harming uptake.
Interestingly, a vast majority of current EV drivers took their own steps to initiate themselves prior to buying.
Eighty-four percent of the UK’s 195,000 electric car drivers have taken such measures. These include specifically requesting dealer demonstrations and explainers (47 percent), and taking advanced driving refresher courses (41 percent).
Seventy-two percent of EV drivers believe that taking the test in an EV would have been beneficial.
How to change the driving test for electric cars
So how do you change the driving test? You start by analysing what the differences are between EVs and ICE-powered cars. Electric car drivers have noted the following differences as most prominent:
- Getting used to the driving range (49 percent)
- Noise difference (46 percent)
- Getting used to a fully automated vehicle (41 percent)
- Difference in acceleration (41 percent)
- Difference in braking speed (28 percent)
As the driving test evolves, it will need to address everything from charging range to the difference in performance in terms of acceleration and braking. Indeed, EVs tend to accelerate more aggressively, while some can even ‘brake’ using regenerative braking, without the driver even touching the brakes. There’s also the issue of plugging in and charging, and how you use the infrastructure.
“As the UK moves towards becoming net-zero, UK drivers need to have a greater understanding of electric cars in order to have the confidence to make the switch,” said Tom Clarke, head of electric vehicle strategy at LV.
“The fact that nearly two-thirds (72 percent) of electric car drivers say taking their driving test in an electric car would have been a benefit to them highlights the reality that the driving test in its current form is no longer relevant for the new wave of ‘green’ drivers.
“It’s clear that more education is needed to encourage drivers to make the switch to electric. The nervousness around these vehicles can be tackled by ensuring prospective drivers are fully equipped to drive an electric car, and current drivers are fully educated on the differences between electric cars and ICE.
“We understand that a driving test overhaul is a big change that cannot happen overnight but making small alterations to the theory test, or ensuring that certain ‘show me, tell me’ questions are adapted for electric car drivers will be a huge step towards encouraging future take-up.”


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HUMAN intelligence is being tested.
The smart brains of the world are currently being outwitted by a nimble virus intent on pivoting, innovating and surviving. Traits the human race has been chasing in a world of constant and unexpected changes.
Instead of people tripping up old systems in the name of innovation and disruption, the CoV-2 virus is bewildering humanity and forcing global behavioural change.
For all the technology and the medical advances the human race prides itself on, the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the global economy. For more than a year, the wily virus has mutated and evaded attempts to curb its spread.
And that’s largely due to impatience on the part of humans keen to get back to making money, travelling and doing things they’ve grown accustomed and entitled to.
The arrival of vaccines was initially seen as the beginning of the end of the pandemic. But new mutations of the virus and fresh outbreaks of the disease have kept humanity from going back to a “normal” routine.
Now the routine is wearing masks, keeping your distance from people, keeping numbers down and occasionally being forced to stay home.
Being holed up at home is a prison sentence to many.
But a source of opportunity to others.
The various new businesses that have started up during the pandemic originate from a mixed bag of circumstances.
Lost jobs resulting in the need to make ends meet.
New opportunities that have arisen as the lay of the land changes: For instance, the spike in activity in industries like biotechnology and logistics; the growth of online businesses; the need for video technology to bridge the communication gap.
Then there are those intent on realising their dreams, and nothing, not even a pandemic, is going to stop them achieving their goals. Sometimes, the pandemic might work out in their favour, the result of barriers to entry lowering as businesses shutter and capital expenditure drops.
Once a popular fallback, opening a restaurant in these COVID-19 times might be viewed with some caution. Although the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 infections could result in in-restaurant dining curbs, there have been some new F&B outlets opening. However, with each iteration of a lockdown that results in a control of movement, it’s likely that even more will fold, unable to meet operating expenses.
With retail stores shutting and malls are emptying out, it’s easier and safer to shop online.
And travel is a distant glimmer, even if Europe has opened its borders and we see stadiums admitting spectators — many unmasked and celebrating their liberty in large groups.
Will we see a spike in COVID-19 cases in a couple of weeks? Would it have been worth it to fall ill just to watch a sporting team you support hold aloft a trophy?
In tiny Singapore, where residents were quick to hop on a plane to explore other locales, the travel restrictions have probably hit hard.
Singapore’s stuttering passage through the COVID-19 situation has made for uneasy times. Once praised as an example to follow, it too is learning how to pivot and find its way forward.
A busting economy has always been important to the country’s growth and image; an important showcase to attract more opportunities.
In this uncertain environment, what would motivate anyone to start a new venture?
Next Wednesday’s lunchtime WED WEB CHAT is on Starting A Business During A Pandemic.
What will our panellists have to say about starting their business in uncertain times? What opportunities did they spot? How will they navigate difficult times? What is their business plan?
Join in the discussion.
The WED WEB CHAT takes place on 2 June 2021 from 12:45 — 1:30pm. Register via this link: https://zurl.co/Khjr


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Porsche to investigate forced labour under Hitler
Stuttgart - German luxury carmaker Porsche is to take a critical look at forced labour carried out in its factories under Nazi rule, the company said on Sunday.
Suggestions that hundreds of people were forced to work at Porsche for little or no pay are to be investigated by external experts, the company's head archivist told Israel's Haaretz newspaper.
A Porsche spokesman said the carmaker had assumed there had just been a small number of forced labourers, but it has recently become apparent that the number was likely to be far higher than previously thought.
"We need to process the subject," the spokesman said. "We are just at the start of the procedure."
Experts still needed to find the relevant archives to study them in detail.
The issue came to light in the book, Nazi Culprits in Stuttgart, by economics journalist Ulrich Viehoefer. As part of his research, Viehoefer investigated the role of Ferdinand Porsche after Hitler came to power in 1933.
As many as 300 people were forced to work for Porsche, the journalist wrote.
So far, Porsche has acknowledged that 50 people had been subjected to forced labour. They were said to be Poles, Russians, Dutch, Flemish, Belgian, Czech and Italians.
Following an appeal, 11 people stepped forward, eight of whom were remunerated.
Porsche said the company had also paid 5 million marks (2.5 million euros) to a German fund aimed at compensating forced labourers. (dpa)


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The security software company, which largely focuses on corporate customers, has designed its Z100G wireless router to offer home users seven layers of security--from firewalls to intrusion detection and prevention to antivirus technologies. Check Point, however, faces stiff competition, given that have already entered the consumer market with their wireless-security offerings.
Check Point's Z100G
"Typical home wireless routers only include the most rudimentary security features, giving consumers a false sense of invincibility," Laura Yecies, general manager of , said in a statement.
The Z100G has a potential range of 984 feet indoors and 3,280 feet outdoors with extended range (XR)-enabled wireless computers. It includes parental controls, VPN remote access, wireless encryption and secure remote desktop access. With four Ethernet ports, it supports Super G standards at speeds up to 108 megabits per second. It is also compatible with older wireless technologies such as 802.11b and 802.11g, as well as USB-enabled printers.
The wireless router, set to ship to stores later this month, is expected sell for $199.95 sans promotions.


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Hostess plant closings aren’t tied to strike, union says
The closing of three Hostess Brands Inc. plants may have been in the works long before a nationwide union strike that started in Lenexa last week.
Frank Hurt, president of the striking Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, said a recent chain of events shows Hostess is being misleading by saying the plants closed because of the strike. The union represents 5,300 of Hostess’ 18,300 workers.
On Monday, Hostess CEO Greg Rayburn said the company would close plants in St. Louis, Cincinnati and Seattle, affecting 627 jobs. In explaining the decision, he said the company repeatedly had warned workers that if work stoppages crippled Hostess’ ability to produce and deliver products, he would close facilities permanently — and possibly the entire company.
But in a Tuesday article on the KMOX-CBS website, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said he “was told months ago they were planning on closing the site in St. Louis. And there was no indication at that time it had anything to do with the strike the workers were waging.”
Hurt said Rayburn’s claim continues “a disturbing pattern by the company of issuing public statements that are erroneous at best and disingenuous at worst.”
Bankruptcy filings indicate Hostess already had planned to close nine bakeries as part of its restructuring plan; three more bakeries were to be closed with Hostess’ planned sale of its Merita division, the BCTGM release states.
A Hostess spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Twinkies and Wonder bread baker formerly was based in Kansas City under the name Interstate Bakeries Corp. This is Hostess’ second Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
The company’s Lenexa plant employs 197.
Autumn covers retail, advertising and marketing, and creates Web stories and other online content.
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One of the biggest problems facing beacon companies is getting consumers to actually opt in to their services. To solve that, location-based messaging platform Phigital created an a la carte menu for beacons, letting users pick and choose what type of content they wish to receive from retailers.
“From a user experience, beacon messages are physical-world spam,” said Phigital co-founder and CEO Paul Cheng. “So we said, let’s do it from a consumer perspective. People should have a choice in what they’re receiving and know why they’re receiving it.”
Phigital’s approach has little to do with the physical beacon itself. Instead, the company works with beacon firms like Gimbal to help brands get the right messages to consumers at the right time. To do so, they created a more tangible beacon experience. Phigital’s platform shows consumers a preview of what they can expect from a retailer’s beacon-messaging program, and it allows them to opt in to the topics they’re interested in. The Phigital team believes people will be more likely to opt in if they’re more in control.
In making beacon messaging more personal, Phigital also took on another one of retail’s challenges: So far, retailers haven’t been able to figure out how to identify, and reward, their loyal customers as they’re shopping in store.
To let retailers recognize their customers, Phigital gamified the experience. Each Phigital customer has their own user ID associated with their name, so the retailer can recognize when they’re visiting, and upon multiple visits, they can unlock new beacon “experiences,” as Cole calls them. When Phigital worked with Ralph Lauren, the first experience included a welcome message recorded by the designer. After more visits, the customer’s ID will be recognized by Ralph Lauren’s system, and they’ll get a beacon experience that includes perks like faster checkout and event invitations.
“When something new gets introduced, like beacons have, the experience has to be really tightly integrated,” said Roy Bahat, head of Bloomberg Beta, which invested in Phigital. “The company can experiment with their audience, but it has to flow together. Otherwise, people won’t adopt.”
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President Trump announced tonight a 30 day travel ban from Europe starting Friday. This ban does not included The UK. If you currently have a trip booked within the next 30 days, it’s officially cancelled.
No word yet on how Disney plans to handle refunds.
Updates will be added as they become available


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A report from earlier this week claimed that Samsung will be launching its forthcoming flagship handset, the Galaxy S6 on March 2 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Korean publication Chosun now claims that a Samsung official has confirmed March 2 as the launch date for the next flagship smartphone. Also Read - Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge get January 2019 Android Security Patch
The other information the official revealed is more interesting. According to which, the company is still pondering over different prototype designs and is yet to finalize which one to move forward with. Also Read - Samsung Note 9 issue: Users report seeing a line of light leak on some units
From the recent leaks and rumors, the Samsung Galaxy S6 will carry a glass back and come with a non-removable battery. The handset will also have a dual-curved screen, which would enable it to display notifications and information from Yahoo! News and Samsung apps. Another report from earlier this month claimed that the handset will come with an improved iPhone-like fingerprint scanner. Also Read - Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge get August Android Security Patch
As for the specifications, the Galaxy S6 is pegged to feature a 5.5-inch display. Additionally, it is also expected to come with a 20-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel selfie camera with 4GB of RAM, and 32GB internal storage. The handset was supposed to be powered by the latest Snapdragon 810 processor, but the South Korean technology company has reportedly dropped it over heating issues.


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(PresidentialWire.com)- Janet Yellen, President Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary, has already proven that she and her team are completely incapable of handling the United States economy, with inflation skyrocketing and unemployment staying unacceptably high. But for some reason, Yellen seems to think that she knows better than former President Donald Trump who ushered in an age of ultra-low unemployment, low taxes, and high prosperity.
This week, Yellen questioned the tariffs implemented by the Trump administration against the billions of dollars of Chinese goods being imported into the United States every year. The tariffs were implemented as a way to reduce reliance on China and to promote American industry, but Yellen isn’t a fan.
During an interview with The New York Times, Yellen said that her personal opinion is that the tariffs were put in place in a way that was not “thoughtful” and were not in the interests of the United States.
The tariffs are one of the few things that President Joe Biden kept in place upon taking the White House. Whether that was simply a matter of time or if the president agreed with them, we don’t know, but the more we hear from the White House about the tariffs the more it seems that they are on the way out.
The tariffs were placed on almost $360 billion of Chinese goods, and by lifting those tariffs, President Biden will be granting huge economic relief to China at a time when the Chinese Communist Party is actively working against American interests and allying with Russia and North Korea.
President Biden has launched a review of the “phase 1” trade agreement established by former President Donald Trump, and the future of the agreement is now in doubt.
Yellen told the New York Times that tariffs are “taxes on consumers,” but completely failed to recognize the powerful effect that tariffs have on promoting American jobs and industry. She claimed that the tariffs “hurt American consumers.”
Does America really need more cheap Chinese-made stuff? Or should we be focusing on industries right here at home?


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Antitrust Alert: E-Commerce Sector Inquiry: European Commission Report Identifies Restrictive Practices and Prepares for Potential Antitrust Investigations
In its ongoing sector inquiry into e-commerce in the EU, the European Commission has published a Preliminary Report of its findings. Launched in May 2015, the sector inquiry is aimed at gathering evidence on potential barriers to competition linked to the growth of e-commerce and understanding the prevalence of potentially restrictive business practices. The Commission already has published a report concerning its initial findings on geoblocking (see our April 2016 Alert on geo-blocking).
The inquiry forms part of the Commission-wide Digital Market Strategy, which outlines several actions through which the Commission envisages to create a "Digital Single Market." Ensuring better access for consumers and businesses to goods and services via e-commerce across the EU is one of the Commission's key objectives. Whereas most of the actions of the Digital Single Market strategy seek to address regulatory barriers to cross-border online trade, the sector inquiry investigates barriers created by companies.
Preliminary Report findings
E-commerce in the EU has grown steadily over the past years, the EU now being the largest e-commerce market in the world. The percentage of individuals aged 16 to 74 ordering goods or services online has continuously grown, from 30 % in 2007 to 53 % in 2015. Despite this growth, in 2015 only 15% engaged in cross-border e-commerce, shopping online from a seller established in another Member State.
As concerns consumer goods, the Report confirms that e-commerce is an important driver of price transparency and price competition, enhancing consumers' choice and ability to find the best deal. However, as a reaction to increased online price transparency and competition, manufacturers seek "tighter" control over distribution so as to better control price and quality of distribution. This is usually achieved by vertical integration, by using a selective distribution system rather than an open one, or by contractually imposing vertical restraints upon distributors.
Vertical restraints can take various forms, such as pricing restrictions, the unjustified exclusion of pure online players in selective distribution systems, restrictions to sell or advertise through certain online channels (including online marketplaces, price comparison tools, and search engines paid referencing services), and cross-border sales restrictions (e.g. imposing geo-blocking measures). Whereas unilateral business decisions generally fall outside the scope of EU competition law (except for the situation of dominance), contractually imposed restraints may constitute unjustified restrictions of competition. The Commission acknowledges that justifications may exist – the Report for example examines the "free-riding" problem, where online shops free-ride on the efforts made by brick and mortar shops – such defense of a vertical restraint must be assessed individually in each case and will not justify all restrictions.
In relation to the online distribution of digital content, the preliminary results of the inquiry show that contractual restrictions, in terms of licensed transmission technologies, timing of releases and licensed territories, are the norm in digital content markets. Moreover, the large majority of digital content providers are required by right holders to restrict access to their online digital content services for users from other Member States by geo-blocking. Another widespread practice is exclusive licensing, whereby exclusivity may be granted in different forms, such as in relation to territory, technology, and time.
However, under certain conditions such arrangements may reduce competition, for example by making it more difficult for new business models and services to emerge and for new or smaller players to enter. The Report mentions the scope and duration of licensing agreements, the parties' market power, and the structure of payments as factors to be taken into account when assessing possible restrictions of competition.
Implications of the Commission's findings
As a follow-up to the sector inquiry, the Commission announced that it may further investigate the compatibility with the EU competition rules of certain practices that it identified as potentially harming competition, such as pricing restrictions, restrictions on online sales, territorial restrictions, and restrictive licensing practices. From past experience with sector inquiries, it can indeed be expected that separate enforcement actions targeting individual companies may follow, as happened following the EC energy, pharmaceutical, and telecom sector inquiries. In each case, the Commission will assess, on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the characteristics of the specific product and geographic markets, whether the practices restrict competition and whether enforcement by the Commission or national competition authorities is necessary.
In her speech delivered the day of the Preliminary Report's publication, the Commissioner for Competition, Mrs. Vestager, stated that the EC Report "should be a trigger for companies to review their current distribution contracts and bring them in line with EU competition rules if they are not." She added that some companies started doing so in the course of the sector inquiry.
The Commission already has pending antitrust investigations in the context of access to digital content. After having issued a Statement of Objections in July 2015 to Sky UK and six Hollywood studios for alleged geo-blocking, the Commission recently accepted commitments from Paramount to their geo-blocking, while continuing its investigation against the other parties. The Commission likewise has opened an investigation in the video game sector, suspecting illegal restrictions of cross-border commerce. It is likely that other candidates for further EU antitrust assessment have already been identified.
Commission regulatory initiatives
In parallel, the Commission is preparing a legislative package to harmonize online sales conditions. After having published its initial findings on geoblocking earlier this year, the Commission proposed a Regulation addressing geo-blocking and other forms of customer discrimination, which is currently being considered by the European Parliament and Council. The proposal prohibits the blocking of access to websites and other online interfaces as well as the rerouting of customers from one country version to another.
Tackling geo-blocking is only one of the e-commerce regulatory projects on which the Commission is working in the context of the Digital Market Strategy. Other legislative proposals concern the rules on contracts for the supply of digital content and the online sales of goods, the cooperation between national authorities for enforcing consumer protection laws, the rules on cross-border parcel delivery services, the modernization of VAT for cross-border e-commerce, the cross-border portability of online content services, and the modernization of EU copyright, focusing on wider online availability of content across the EU.
The Preliminary Report is open to public consultation for two months. Stakeholders are invited to comment on the findings of the Sector Inquiry, submit additional information and raise further issues. A Final Report addressing the effects of geo-blocking on e-commerce is expected by the first quarter of 2017. In the meantime, the Commission certainly will initiate new investigations into restrictive practices it identifies.
The EC Preliminary Report of September 15, 2016, can be found here.
For more information, please contact your principal Jones Day representative or any of the lawyers listed below.
Eric Barbier de La Serre
Yvan N. Desmedt
Amsterdam / Brussels
+31.20.305.4203 / +32.2.645.15.23
Nathalie A. Smuha, an associate in the Brussels Office, assisted in the preparation of this Alert.
Jones Day prepares summaries of significant antitrust enforcement, litigation, and policy events as a service to clients and interested readers, to provide timely insight on antitrust and competition law developments relevant to business, but not as legal advice on any specific matter. Please visit our Publication Request form to add your name to our distribution list.


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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- An Augusta, Ga., company plans to open a plant in West Columbia that will employ about 100 people.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that FPL Food LLC will occupy a plant that closed in December.
The agency says FPL Food will spend about $4.3 million and will transfer some workers from Augusta.
Marketing director Steve Hixon told The State newspaper of Columbia that FPL Food will have about 800 workers in Augusta and Columbia when the expansion is complete.
The company makes corned beef hash, marinated beef steak tips, pre-seasoned frozen beef patties, pre-cooked roast beef and pre-seasoned ground beef.


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(Yicai Global) Oct. 18 -- With just 24 days left until shoppers storm China's e-commerce sites for bargains in the so-called Double Eleven event -- the world's biggest shopping festival named after Nov. 11, the day it is held -- retailers and couriers are deep in preparation.
Electric appliance store operator Suning.Com will launch Double Eleven promotions at 9,000 brick-and-mortar shops nationwide from Oct. 26. The Nanjing-based company targets record sales of CNY8 billion (USD1.1 billion) in eastern China over the 24-hour event, said Xu Lan, general manager at its Shanghai branch.
Revenue from Suning's flagship store on Alibaba Group Holding's business-to-consumer site Tmall reached CNY10.2 billion during last year's Double 11, while earnings from physical stores jumped 47 percent, data from China E-Business Research Center shows.
Total sales from the annual shopping carnival have broken records year after year since its creation in 2009. Turnover was a mere CNY50 million (USD7.2 million) then. Last year it reached CNY168.2 billion (USD24.3 billion), with transactions spanning 225 countries and regions and 90 percent of them made on mobile phones.
Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, a courier set up by Alibaba's Taobao e-commerce platform, has already launched a marketing campaign for this year's event. The Hangzhou-based company will promote overseas express services to Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
Those packages will start out from cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Fuzhou and head to ports in Sydney, Taipei, Keelung, Singapore and Klang. After customs clearance, local partners will deliver ferry them on to their final destinations.
Editor: William Clegg


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MILAN — Belgian designer Dirk Bikkembergs has sold his brand to Zeis Excelsa SpA, the label’s footwear licensee. Based in Italy’s shoe production hub of the Marche region, Zeis Excelsa plans to strengthen Bikkembergs’ international retail structure, focus on the brand’s women’s wear collections and further develop its licenses, aiming at doubling revenues within three years. As per the agreement, the company takes control of the Dirk Bikkembergs Sport Couture, Bikkembergs and Bikkembergs Sport brands. The designer will remain as creative director of the lines.
“This is a new important development step,” said Maurizio Pizzuti, chairman and chief executive officer of Zeis Excelsa. “When we started manufacturing footwear together a few years ago, friendship, affection and mutual esteem developed between Dirk and myself.” Pizzuti said he plans to preserve the brand’s “Italian character of production.” Consolidated revenues of the Bikkembergs brands today are about 100 million euros, or $141.5 million at current exchange, excluding licenses for underwear, eyewear and children’s wear.
A Stella McCartney sketch of a custom dress made from protein-based silk in partnership with biotech lab Bolt Threads. The dress will be displayed at The Museum of Modern Art's upcoming design exhibition, "Items: Is Fashion Modern?"


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Converse Shoes White Women
Head shops always one step ahead
informed the meeting that the council was in the process of investigating the planning history of the two head shops in the town, and had sent a warning letter to one shop.
Castlebar Joint Policing Committee was told this week that the head shops were always one Converse Shoes White Women step ahead of legislation, despite public concerns. Castlebar Mayor Cllr Michael Kilcoyne asked town engineer Sean Higgins what the current situation was in relation to proceedings taken by the council on the issue. Mr Higgins Converse High Tops Womens
Fine Gael councillor Noreen Heston said parents needed to educate their children more on the dangers of the products the shops sell. However Mayor Kilcoyne told the meeting he was disappointed with the interest that parents have shown in the town over the issue. held a protest and if you took the press out of the number of people who showed up then we would have had only maybe 20 people at it, and when a second one was held only seven or eight members of the public showed up. F councillor Therese Ruane added that while legislation was being brought in to deal with some substances the people who make the products are always a step ahead. She said they will have a new alternative substance that gets around the law and it would be two years before the legislation will catch up with it. She also said it was time that regulation was brought in so that every substance that was sold had to be tested before it was allowed to be sold. Mayor Kilcoyne pointed out that this would be almost impossible as the products are all labelled not for human consumption to get around the current law. He said there are lots of other products, from paints and varnishes to medication sold in veterinary pharmacies, that are labelled not fit for human consumption.
The Mayor also praised the effort of the landlord of one of the shops who tried to bring a Circuit Court action to break the lease on his premises on Castle Street, in which a head shop was operating, but the court found that it was a valid lease and the Converse Shoes High Cut Black
these substances are not illegal and there is not much we can do about it, Mayor Michael Kilcoyne pointed out. Fianna F councillor Blackie Gavin praised the effort being made by the garda to police the stores, but said he was watching one of the shops and was disturbed by the number of young people he saw going in and out. He said and it was very frightening to see the change in the behaviour of some of the people who he saw using the shops.
The Converse Brown Boots
Rod O a community representative on the committee, brought to the meeting a phial that he found containing a substance that was sold in the head shop, and explained that he found it, half full, on the steps in Knockthomas, and that any child could have picked it up and ingested it.
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Avtura scoops Gatwick Diamond Business Person of the Year Award
Christopher Meeking, CEO of Avtura, has been named Winner of the Business Person of the Year, at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.
The Awards are sponsored by KPMG and the winners were announced in front of an audience of more than 650 of the top business people in the Diamond. Hosted by Actor Stephen Mangan and held at the Effingham Park Hotel, the Awards Dinner was the culmination of hundreds of hours of work by the sponsors, judges, organisers and the entrants themselves.
Julie Wheeldon, Director with KPMG, commented: "We were immediately impressed by Chris' hands-on, inclusive approach to running his business, which has recently won some major contracts, which are likely to prove transformational for Avtura. They are the perfect example of a Gatwick-based business helping to drive cutting edge innovation on a global scale, led by someone who grew up in the area."
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Soul Calibur Lost Swords gets a release window
Bandai Namco has announced a release window for their upcoming free-to-play brawler Soul Calibur Lost Swords.
Soul Calibur Lost Swords blends the classic weapon-duelling action of the Soul Calibur series with some new elemental weapon effects and a completely new item discovery and forging system.
Soul Calibur Lost Swords will arrive on the PS3 in Europe some time during the spring.
- Left 4 Dead 2 finally gets an uncensored release in Australia
- Starting Destiny from a “blank canvas” was liberating says Bungie
- Driveclub PS Plus Edition will be an added extra for PS Plus subscribers in October
- Chris Roberts: Star Citizen does have potential on next-gen consoles
- Rockstar explains the delay to the PC version of GTA V
- The plan is to bring PSOne, PS2 and PS4 games to PS Now in the future says Sony
- Major Nelson reveals three new Xbox 360 hardware bundles coming this week
- Markus 'Notch' Persson: “I didn’t have the connection to my fans I thought I had”
- Microsoft purchases Minecraft devs Mojang for 2.5 billion USD, Markus Persson and other founders to leave


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When the all-new Cadillac XTS sedan made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, more observant press members noted something immediately: the XTS was too small.
Read This Article
For 2013, Audi is extensively updating its R8 supercar.
There’s no denying the Audi TT RS’ appeal.
Audi finds itself in new territory in the luxury car wars


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Things are certainly looking up for London tourism-wise. Strong demand is pushing up the ADR, and with 4% growth predicted for 2014, both occupancy and rate are expected to be very high. And it is expected to be even better in 2015.
While the numbers started out poorly in 2013, as the year progressed, most tourists began to arrive, thus pushing the ADR up. Data released by STR Global reveals that the occupancy rate at 82% was more than decent. The overall ADR did fall by 1.6%, but that was negated by a 2.2% increase in occupancy, meaning that overall there was only a gain of 0.6%.
Compare these figures to 2011 and you’ll see that the performance metrics have largely been stable, and sometimes, they have even improved. That’s quite an achievement. It’s good to remember here that supply has been strong—even if we ignore the results of 2012, as that was the year London hosted the Summer Olympic Games.
Expectations for 2014 and 2015
– Market fundamentals are strong. Occupancy will be high. Rates will grow.
– Stronger GDP growth will lead to more leisure and business spending.
In fact, London is expected to top the list of 18 European cities both in occupancy and RevPAR growth.
Latest supply trends
With the Olympic Games in town, 11,000 more hotel rooms became available in 2011 and 2012. And it was only natural that the supply had to slow down after this in 2013. However, supply is expected to grow again in 2014, going up by 5%. Approximately 12,000 more hotel rooms are scheduled to open in 2015, so folks are expecting growth will be going up beyond 2014 as well. AM PM Hotels says that 50% of these will be budget rooms.
London’s economy is doing better than in other parts of the UK, consumer spending is going up, and more tourists are arriving. Everybody is saying that unemployment is going to go down. With all of this in mind, GDP is expected to grow by 2.5% in 2014 and 2.4% in 2015.
The hotel industry is expected to do much better in London, as both the tourism sector and the economy in general is all set to keep growing in 2014. However, over-supply could reduce the ADR in tough periods. But all things considered, London is an opportunity for those in the travel trade.


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The U.S. Department of Justice announced an indictment of six top Volkswagen employees in connection with the diesel emissions-cheating matter, leveling charges of wire fraud as part of what the DOJ described as a 10-year conspiracy. A federal grand jury indicted former brand chief Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, former engine development chief Jens Hadler, engineer Richard Dorenkamp, quality control engineer Bernd Gottweis, regulatory staff member Bernd Gottweis and regulatory chief Oliver Schmidt who was arrested in Florida over the weekend. All named employees excluding Schmidt are believed to be in Germany and have not been taken into custody.
Former VW brand development and engine development chief Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, along with Audi development chief Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche development head Wolfgang Hatz were suspended in September 2015 in the early days of the diesel crisis, though no charges had been filed against them by prosecutors in the German state of Lower Saxony who have also been working on the case.
The DOJ did not indicate whether it planned to launch extradition efforts, a process that had earlier been described as difficult by legal experts. It is not expected that the five employees not in custody will appear in the U.S. to be charged, though their travel outside Germany and the EU is expected to be restricted by the warrants.
"VW is charged with and has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and VW’s U.S. customers and to violate the Clean Air Act by lying and misleading the EPA and U.S. customers about whether certain VW, Audi and Porsche branded diesel vehicles complied with U.S. emissions standards, using cheating software to circumvent the U.S. testing process and concealing material facts about its cheating from U.S. regulators," the DOJ said in a statement released following a press conference roday. "VW is also charged with obstruction of justice for destroying documents related to the scheme, and with a separate crime of importing these cars into the U.S. by means of false statements about the vehicles’ compliance with emissions limits. Under the terms of the plea agreement, which must be accepted by the court, VW will plead guilty to all these crimes, will be on probation for three years, will be under an independent corporate compliance monitor who will oversee the company for at least three years, and agrees to fully cooperate in the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation and prosecution of individuals responsible for these crimes."
Each of the six individuals indicted faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, in addition to violations of the Clean Air Act and defrauding VW's U.S. customers by making false statement to U.S. regulatory agencies and the public. The DOJ singled out the marketing of "clean diesel" vehicles as the one of the central elements of the charge of defrauding customers and the public in announcing the charges. In addition, Neusser, Schmidt, Gottweis and Peter were also charged with counts of wire fraud.
“Volkswagen’s attempts to dodge emissions standards and import falsely certified vehicles into the country represent an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and financial laws," Attorney General Lynch said during the press conference. "Today’s actions reflect the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to defending consumers, protecting our environment and our financial system and holding individuals and companies accountable for corporate wrongdoing. In the days ahead, we will continue to examine Volkswagen’s attempts to mislead consumers and deceive the government. And we will continue to pursue the individuals responsible for orchestrating this damaging conspiracy."
As part of the settlement, Volkswagen will pay a penalty of $2.8 billion in relation to the three felony counts, and an additional $1.5 billion in civil penalties to the EPA.
The arrest of Schmidt and the announcement of charges came during the week of the Detroit auto show that was not attended by VW CEO Matthias Mueller.
“When Volkswagen broke the law, EPA stepped in to hold them accountable and address the pollution they caused,” said EPA Administrator McCarthy during the press conference. “EPA’s fundamental and indispensable role becomes all too clear when companies evade laws that protect our health. The American public depends on a strong and active EPA to deliver clean air protections, and that is exactly what we have done.”


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If you get 30 tire dealers in a room and bring up point-of-sale (POS) systems, prepare for 45 different opinions and a very long, passionate conversation. This month’s column is not going to endorse any particular POS system. Instead, it will help you learn to drive your POS system like the race car that it is and understand what role it plays at your dealership.
Consumer tire sell-out trends are rebounding in a big way, according to John Healy, managing director and research analyst with Northcoast Research Holdings LLC and author of MTD's monthly Your Marketplace column. Here's why.
Longtime Manager Steps Into Ownership of Flagship Store
May 3, 2021
Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. will acquire two of the four retail stores in Massachusetts previously owned and operated by Barry Steinberg. The longtime manager of the flagship Direct Tire and Auto Service store in Watertown, Mass., will become its new owner.
Replacement consumer tire sales continue to drive Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s recovery and rebound from COVID-19, with overall replacement tire volume increasing 14% in the first quarter, a number Goodyear says "significantly" exceeded the industry. The tiremaker recorded sales of $3.5 billion in the period, up 15% from a year ago, yet still shy of pre-pandemic results.
Barry Steinberg, who recently died at the age of 75, was named MTD's first Tire Dealer of the Year in 1993. This article from the November 1993 issue of MTD - titled "Tire Dealer of the Year Does Service with a Style" - explains why.
The tire and alignment data captured by the Groove Glove from Tire Profiles Inc. now integrates with AutoText.me, meaning the results are instantly transferred to a customer's Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) report.
During a two-month campaign Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Centers raised more than $7,000 for the Central Florida Muscular Dystrophy Association. Tuffy locations in central Florida and around the U.S. supported the effort.
In our latest exclusive interview with Peter Gibbons, CEO of TireHub LLC, we cover all the essentials, including the current state of tire supply, expansion plans, and what the potential Goodyear-Cooper deal could mean for TireHub and its customers.
The state of Washington has passed a law establishing a 2030 target for phasing out the sale of gas-powered vehicles. It sets the most aggressive state goal in the U.S. for moving to an all-electric future and puts Washington five years ahead of California's 2035 target.
“The industry looks considerably different than it did 15 years ago, both in the retail marketplace and the manufacturing and distribution arenas,” says Dave Marks, president and CEO of the Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC. “It’s impacting all sides of the market.”
A new feature for certain models of the Chevrolet Silverado & GMC Sierra (2019-2021 1500 & 2020-2021 HD) is an option to monitor the tire pressure of the trailer wheels on the truck's dashboard. Alligator-brand Sens.it RS universal TPMS sensors can be used on those trailer wheel positions.
Point S is celebrating 50 years in 2021, and since taking its first international steps in 1989, the brand has spread to 46 countries on four continents with more than 5,600 points of sale around the globe.


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There’s great variability in the pay of board members in wholly and partly owned state companies. Some board chairs get paid up to 75,000 euros a year – and that’s not including several thousand euros’ compensations for meetings. So finds a study by the Finnish Pension Alliance TELA.
Among the highest paid chairs in 2013 were Sari Baldauf from Fortum, Claus Heinemann from Finnair, and Neste Oil’s Jorma Eloranta.
Other state-owned companies or companies where the state has a majority stake are postal company Itella, alcohol retailer Alko and Finavia, which maintains the network of airports.
In state-owned companies, even board members not in leadership positions can be paid some 40,000 euros, plus meeting compensations.
According to the TELA report, in 2012 board chairs took in an average of 30,000 euros, while those just sitting on the board earned on average over 15,000 per year.
No raises this year
According to Eero Heliövaara, chief of the Government Ownership Steering Department, payments to state-owned companies’ board members were not raised last year, nor will they be raised this year.
“In this economic situation it was thought that last year’s level is enough, even though there were pressures to make raises in exchange-listed companies. You can’t really attract foreign experts to boards in Finland with these levels of remunerations,” Heliövaara notes.
In listed companies partly owned by the state, for example through its investment company Solidium, fees can be sizeable. A board chair may be paid up to 170,000 euros per year, and a normal board member 80,000 euros. On average chairs in such companies are paid 102,000 and board members 47,000 euros per year.
Among this group, Björn Wahlroos, board chair with investment and insurance company Sampo, is the highest paid.
Board members of big exchange-listed companies such as Nokia, Nordea and Kone get paid the most. A chair may be awarded hundreds of thousands of euros per year. In 2012, the average pay was 108,000 euros. In such companies, even a normal board member is paid an average of 50,000 euros.
“Working on the board takes a lot of time and familiarization. There are around ten meetings in a year, and each time one has to read and internalize 250-300 pages of facts. On top of this, there are committees,” Heliövaara explains.
TELA’s study shows pension companies paying the smallest board remunerations. In 2012, a board chair’s average pay was a bit over 26,000 euros, while the corresponding figure for a normal board member was a little more than 10,000 euros.


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Though it seems anticlimactic after almost three years, Korea's announcement last Thursday to resume importing U.S. beef on a limited basis is a crucial step in normalizing beef trade. The ban is lifted on only boneless beef derived from cattle 30 months old or younger.
"While this still doesn't represent a full resumption of trade, it does provide access to significant value for U.S. producers," say National Cattlemen's Beef Association officials. "In 2003, the U.S. exported around $814 million worth of beef to South Korea, and boneless beef cuts accounted for nearly $450 million of this total."
USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, says, "We look forward to expanding our access to the Korean market and other export markets to achieve trade consistent with international guidelines... We're mindful that significant technical issues exist that must be resolved. We'll continue to work with Korea to address these matters in the coming days."


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The European Union Gears Up for a Trade War With President Trump
The European Union has said that they will respond “firmly” if President Trump goes ahead with planned tariffs for metal imports. Trump announced on March 1 that starting this week, the U.S. will be imposing tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, 25 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
In response, EU officials are considering implementing their own tariffs to even the playing field. The EU may introduce duties of 25 percent on $3.5 billion of U.S. goods (one third steel, one third industrial goods, and one third agricultural).
Speaking on German television, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “We will put tariffs on Harley-Davidson, on bourbon and on blue jeans—Levis,” taking a direct hit at some of the most iconic U.S. exports.
“We would like a reasonable relationship to the United States, but we cannot simply put our head in the sand,” he continued.
Trump took to twitter in response to the concerns surrounding his decision.
“When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win,” the president wrote on Friday.
He added, “Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore—we win big. It’s easy!”
Critics of the decision have condemned the aggressive and wide-reaching nature of Trump’s tariffs. Rather than introducing duties on particular products (like the one President Obama imposed on cold-rolled steel in March 2016), the president has decided to apply them across the board on all steel and aluminium.
Many believe that these new tariffs will have little effect on China (the country Trump has been most concerned about since day one of his bid for presidency), as they supply just 2.9 percent of US steel imports. Instead, it will be Canada (16.7 percent) and Brazil (13.2 percent) that will be hit hardest, as well as numerous other countries that will be forced to absorb the shockwaves of this shift in global trade.
The EU has already begun looking into safeguarding measures (previously implemented in 2002 after then U.S. President George W. Bush set up steel import duties) that will help protect against the high number of imports redirected from the U.S. towards European countries once Trump’s tariffs go into effect.
Last week’s events once again highlight key differences in ideology between the EU and America’s president when it comes to economics. The EU takes seriously its position as a global alliance, bringing different countries together under collaborative economic policies. The organization has recently sealed an agreement with Japan as part of a trans-Pacific trade deal.
Trump, on the other hand, was elected on the promise of his protectionist values: the president has made clear his views on international trade deals and the way in which he believes they damage America’s economy.


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Tesla shares rare details about latest-gen battery cells designed for Model 3
California-based electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors has released some hitherto-unknown information about its newest generation of battery cells -- the 2170 li-ion cells -- which have been designed for the company’s Model 3 electric vehicle (EV). The battery cells are being produced by Japanese manufacturer Panasonic at Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 located in Nevada.
Although Panasonic has been producing the 2170 li-ion cells for Tesla Model 3 since June 2017, not much was known about these cells till now.
In sharing some details about the 2170 li-ion cells in its recently-published shareholder’s letter, Tesla has claimed that the battery cells use a lower content of cobalt, and are “the highest energy density cells used in any electric vehicle.”
For manufacturing these battery cells, Tesla and Panasonic have worked together to tune the chemistry of the Panasonic-manufactured 18650 battery cells which have been in use by Tesla for its EVs since its origin. The move to build the cells with a new chemistry resulted from the fact that the battery pack architecture of Model 3 has been designed by Tesla around a new larger 2170 cell format.
In its shareholder’s letter, Tesla has mentioned that it was able to achieve the ‘highest energy density’ on the market with the 2170 li-ion cells “by significantly reducing cobalt content per battery pack while increasing nickel content and still maintaining superior thermal stability.”
In a move which will enable BMW to support the production of its new iX3 electric SUV, the German automaker has recently announced a new expansion of its battery factory in China.
German automaker Audi has released new images of its forthcoming all-electric e-tron quattro SUV, to highlight the vehicle’s towing capacity. The e-tron quattro SUV is scheduled for an official launch by the automaker by the end of 2018.
In a recent announcement, US electric-scooter company Razor has said that it has launched its new electric scooter share service in Long Beach, after having received a permit from the city to operate the service.
Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has recently disclosed it is planning a 30 percent increase in the production of battery cells at Tesla Gigafactory 1 by the end of year 2018.
According to a recent confirmation by German automaker BMW via Reuters, the company has signed a battery-supply contract with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL.
German automaker BMW has claimed that it has thus far delivered a total of “more than a quarter of a million electrified vehicles.”


text: Israeli actress Gal Gadot has been tapped by luxury jewellery brand Tiffany for their newest High Jewellery advertisement campaign, BOTANICA: Blue Book 2022. The Wonderwoman actress is featured in campaign media wearing a 12-carat diamond medallion. Gadot shared the news on social media: 'I am so honoured to front the new BOTANICA - Blue Book 2022 collection and to wear these unbelievably beautiful pieces. This is a new era at @tiffanyandco, and I am extremely happy to be a part of this iconic brand and its legacy #TiffanyBlueBook #TiffanyHighJewelry'. The actress has worn Tiffany & Co. jewels on the red carpet for many seasons, and also found it way onto the set on Gadot’s neck for her latest film, Death on the Nile. The Blue Book collection is the brand’s name for one-of-a-kind-jewellery designs that signify the apex of handcraft, and which are normally bought by private clients around the word. The campaign was show in October 2021 in Los Angeles with photographer Dan Jackson. Brand partnerships with celebrities, brand ambassadors and public personalities have been shown to increase both sales and brand awareness THREE times more than a similar campaign without. This is something in which the talent agency The Celebrity Group are experts in with more than 30 years' experience. Contact them at www.celebrity-group.com.


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The NFL's first-ever Internet-only game will be exclusively broadcast on Yahoo platforms, the league announced on Wednesday.
An early-morning game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills at Wembley Stadium in London on Oct. 25 will be live streamed to a global audience for free. It was previously announced in March that the game would be the first to be an exclusively online, but Yahoo then had to win a bidding war for the rights.
"The NFL has always been committed to being at the forefront of media innovation," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Through this partnership with Yahoo -- one of the world's most recognizable digital brands -- we are taking another important step in that direction as we continue to closely monitor the rapidly evolving digital media landscape."
YouTube was reportedly among the other platforms that bid for the rights to the game, but Yahoo earned the right by paying at least $20 million, according to Peter Kafka of Re/Code.
The rights are a huge get for Yahoo, but also an interesting venture for the NFL, which will have the opportunity to experiment with a new form of distribution.
The Week 7 game is scheduled to have a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff and is one of three games in London. Local television stations in the Jacksonville and Buffalo markets will be the only TV networks able to show the game.


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Daimler and Renault-Nissan have confirmed the upcoming pickup models of Mercedes-Benz and Renault will be based on the current Nissan Navara NP300.
The German model will be re-engineered and designed especially to meet the standards of customers in Europe, Australia, South Africa and Latin America. Not long ago the producer explained we are going to see a truly premium product that will be a “real Mercedes.”
What’s more, the Mercedes-Benz 1-ton pickup along with the analogical Renault vehicle will be manufactured by Nissan at its plants in Cordoba, Argentina, and Barcelona, Spain.
In related news, Daimler also announced the upcoming electric versions of the Smart ForTwo and ForFour will use Renault-sourced electric motors. These will be built by Renault at its Cleon plant in France and are identical to the one used in the Renault Zoe.
Note: Mercedes-Benz Vans concept pictured.


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When Apple in September took the controversial step of announcing an iPhone without a headphone jack, it announced an accessory that provides a workaround: A pair of wireless earbuds called AirPods, which it said would ship in October for $159.
Now Apple is changing its tune.
The Cupertino, Calif. tech titan told tech news site CNET it needs “a little more time” to ship the AirPods. “We don’t believe in shipping a product before it’s ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers,” a company spokesperson told the site. It’s unclear exactly when the AirPods will be available.
That’s not to say iPhone 7 owners are completely without headphone options. The device comes with an adapter making it possible to use standard-issue headphones via the smartphone’s Lightning charging port, as well as wired earbuds that connect the same way.
Still, it’s an unusual misstep for a company that isn’t known to miss self-declared deadlines. Apple fans may find solace Thursday, when the firm is expected to unveil new Mac desktop and laptop computers.
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- China Is Finding Fewer Reliable Sources of Coal. That Could Be Bad News for the Climate


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OxygenOS 14 (or OOS 14) is poised to emerge as the latest cutting-edge software for OnePlus mobile devices in the near future. The renowned Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has formally announced its plans to incorporate a groundbreaking Trinity Engine system performance suite, along with one of the initial official upgrades to Android 14. This update is anticipated to usher in a new era of "fast and smooth" User Experience (UX).
Unveiling a Revolutionary Software
As of today, August 31, 2023, Kinder Liu, the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of OnePlus, has commenced building anticipation for OOS 14. He described it as "the most intelligent and intuitive software product" ever developed by the company. This iteration aims to enhance the pre-existing "fast and smooth" philosophy by leveraging the prowess of Trinity Engine-powered performance.
The Power of Trinity Engine
The centerpiece of OOS 14's innovation is the Trinity Engine, a dynamic system performance suite that underpins its capabilities. This feature is engineered to establish a profound synergy between hardware and software, resulting in a seamless and efficient device performance. Trinity Engine encompasses an array of cutting-edge technologies:
- HyperTouch: Redefining touch responsiveness to deliver an unprecedented touch experience.
- HyperRendering: Elevating the graphical rendering process to ensure fluid visuals and animations.
- Vitalization of RAM, CPU, and ROM: Optimizing resource allocation to guarantee optimum efficiency.
- HyperBoost: Building upon the foundation of OOS 13's HyperBoost feature to further accelerate performance.
While the OEM has chosen to keep further details about UI and feature enhancements under wraps for now, the promise of enhanced synergy between hardware and software is a substantial step forward.
The Android 14 Upgrade Program
OnePlus has made a bold assertion that additional revelations are imminent. It stands poised as one of the pioneering mobile device OEMs to execute an Android 14 upgrade program, commencing from September 25, 2023. This implies that OxygenOS 14 might come pre-installed on upcoming flagship devices such as the OnePlus 12. Additionally, it marks a significant milestone as the second major iteration of OOS to feature a dedicated tablet version. Notably, it might also be optimized to seamlessly adapt to foldable devices, solidifying OnePlus' commitment to innovation.
The impending arrival of OxygenOS 14 heralds a new chapter for OnePlus and its dedicated user base. With the Trinity Engine system performance suite at its core, OnePlus users can anticipate a next-generation "fast and smooth" UX. As the Android 14 upgrade program ushers in a wave of enhancements, OnePlus' commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology remains resolute.
With the announcement of OxygenOS 14, OnePlus has set the stage for a significant advancement in mobile device technology. By blending hardware and software in a synergistic manner, OnePlus aims to redefine the user experience. The Trinity Engine, a fusion of innovative technologies, exemplifies this commitment to excellence.
Under the visionary leadership of Kinder Liu, OnePlus continues to push the boundaries of innovation. The emphasis on intelligence and intuition in OxygenOS 14 signifies a shift towards more intuitive interactions between users and their devices. This aligns with a broader industry trend that seeks to make technology an effortless and seamless part of daily life.
As September 25, 2023 approaches, OnePlus users and technology enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the launch of the Android 14 upgrade program. The promise of a refined and enhanced user experience, coupled with the potential optimization for foldable devices, sparks excitement in the tech community.
In conclusion, OnePlus is once again poised to make a substantial impact on the mobile technology landscape. OxygenOS 14, with its Trinity Engine and Android 14 integration, promises to deliver on the company's commitment to speed, performance, and innovation. As the launch date draws near, all eyes are on OnePlus, a true trailblazer in the world of mobile devices.


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Apple will be launching several new iPhones later this year, if the rumors are to be believed. Unlike last year where they launched three models, this year could see the launch of four models. There will be a base model, followed by higher-end models. While 5G has been rumored for a while, it is not expected to be available across the entire lineup.
With all the success that TikTok is having (recent controversies aside), it’s not surprising that other companies are looking to create something similar, and it looks like YouTube is one of them. The company has announced that in one of their latest experiments, they will be testing out a new feature that allows users to upload 15-second video segments from their mobile devices.
Unlike human beings, robots generally do not display emotions because they can’t feel them. As such, you would think that there are certain jobs that simply cannot be replaced by robots, such as acting jobs, but think again. Over in Hollywood, it seems that an AI robot has been cast in the lead role in an upcoming sci-fi flick.
Many companies made fun of Apple when the iPhone X was first launched with a notch in its display, which is used to house the front-facing camera and other sensors. However, many were quick to follow the design, and in fact, Samsung adopted an even bigger notch with the Galaxy Fold smartphone.
Updates are supposed to be good things. They’re supposed to introduce fixes for problems, close security vulnerabilities, introduce new features, and improve on existing ones. But it seems that Microsoft’s Windows updates have been rather problematic, and the latest June update for Windows 10 is one of them.
Google is primarily a search engine, but over the years, we’ve seen how the company has expanded on what they offer to users in terms of services and features, where they want to do more than just help people search for information. Now it seems that Google has moved one step closer to launching its own news service.
It isn’t particularly difficult for people to sell products on Amazon. Also, given the sheer number of products being listed, we imagine that it would be rather difficult for Amazon to keep track of everything. While more choices are great for customers, unfortunately, this has also created a product with counterfeit products.
Several years ago, Apple made some changes to its Safari browser in which it would make it harder for advertisers to track you. Basically Safari came with a new smart cookie blocker where it would stop cookies from tracking users across multiple websites, thus reducing the chances of you seeing targeted advertisements.
According to the various rumors, it has been suggested that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 12’s launch could be delayed to either October or November. However, according to the analysts at Wedbush, they believe that things are now back on track and that Apple’s plan for a launch in September is possible.
After about a year or so of making the rumor rounds, Apple finally confirmed that native sleep tracking would be introduced in watchOS 7. This is great news for those who want to track their sleeping patterns, but it also raises a new problem: battery. How are users expected to wear the watch all day and all night? When would be a good time to charge it?
One of the benefits of Apple shifting to ARM-based chipsets is that it might address thermal issues that one might associate with regular computer processors. This also means that Apple could do away with additional components like a fan, and as a result, we could be seeing thinner laptops from the company in the future.
According to a recent report, it was suggested that Apple might not bundle the EarPods with the iPhone 12. In a way it make sense as it would help tempt and encourage customers to pick up the AirPods in its place. However, a new report from analysts at Barclays have suggested something even more outrageous – no bundled charger.
While Apple’s macOS does certain things great, there are certain apps that users need to use that simply aren’t available for Mac. As a result, they will need to use Boot Camp or another virtualization software like Parallels. Unfortunately, it seems that Boot Camp will not be supported by Apple’s upcoming ARM-based Mac computers.
CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 has yet to be released, but it seems that there is enough hype surrounding the upcoming title for Netflix to make an anime based on the game. The company has announced that come 2022, there will be an original anime based on Cyberpunk 2077 called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Apps do many things in the background that we might not necessarily be aware of, which is why companies like Apple and Google have built in permissions into apps where developers will need to ask for permission in order to access certain features of our phones, like photos, cameras, microphone, and so on.
If you’re someone who has bought into Apple’s ecosystem, you know how easy Apple makes it to sync across your devices. This is not a bad thing, save for Safari in which in terms of the number of extensions available for it, it simply isn’t quite on the same level compared to the likes of Google Chrome.
Ever wondered how fast a car could potentially go if it had rocket thrusters installed on them? We’re not sure how safe it would be, but thanks to @Pslavi on Twitter, he has put together a concept video that uses a bit of video editing to imagine how fast a Tesla Roadster could go (and what it looks like) if it had SpaceX thrusters fitted onto it.
News moves really fast and what could be relevant one hour ago could be irrelevant the next hour. For example if you were to learn that a company had filed for bankruptcy last month, but now this month they suddenly get a saved by an investment firm, what was news last month is no longer applicable this month.
Modern artists and graphic designers can no longer imagine how to work without a miracle tool produced by Adobe Systems.The Illustrator graphic editor turned out to be so convenient, functional, and fast that its popularity is beyond doubt. Just the ultimate dream! Is this so, is there any catch? Unfortunately, there is.
The Pokemon franchise has evolved greatly over the years where it has been released in multiple formats. For example there is the classic Game Boy version of the game, then there is the collectible card version, and then there is also the mobile version in the form of Pokemon GO.


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ESPN Grabs Political Football
ESPN has come up with an innovative way to get a bigger piece of election-year advertising: selling a chunk of its ad time to a cable-operator group that sells the time to political campaigns. The deal overcomes an issue that national cable networks have had: most political ads are sold locally on broadcast stations. Suzanne Vranica has details on Lunch Break.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... if ... you really love is seeing ... a lot of light ... put the question is in ... which he would kick CEO when the race came down to what you get the National advertisers on the political fight that was lots of money at the final hour but ... because their cable network they'll have all those local footy affiliates around the country so was harder for people in general have any of that ... sort of lead up to the whole race the cheaper side of political stuff you could say ... going in and now yesterday a heavier dose ... this mean yes and didn't give the Spurs video upfront ... dollars that they wanted to what what's the potato and this is really never been done before this kind of deal so when I press that networks I said look you know what happened is that impacting most wealth effect what you know what the upfront ... obviously they didn't have strong demand or else they would just can gladly handed than that time of is the national advertisers ... to be sure ESPN did pretty well the upfront that the price increase is they're selling mortgage rate it did last year but it's Deathly not full of what was the year ago ... aam where they cut double digit increases ... is a couple of factors you know there's that still shaky economy from the consumer packaged goods companies are cutting back a little bit of ... it the ended the day with that you know a big bucket of political ad dollars out there how can you ignore it gonna find a way these cable networks are dying because all going to backpack stations that a lot money now I was an occasion uncovering advertising for a long time for us here in the journal when you talk to victims the industry pundits what they say about ... the sports network injecting politics ... yet in between their games the team is ... expected on TV stations will get the news ... but the risk of a sports a common ground right to ... take like a breather from the rest of the world ... is there a risk for ESPN and doing it for that I was afraid because I'm a big sports fan of denying I he'd actually watching any TV when you get to the election time because it's wall to wall ... ESPN said the deal is not big enough that you may notice still much of it but there will be a couple in between some of the big teams and that's the thing ... you know with those acts are not usually done you know the way like the beer commercials are so that's that that the real risks me is ... the trade gap right when you're watching is can a lot of pulling out those commercials cuz it's usually a more expensive to create the usually have celebrities ... no I don't think Brock Obama are already the competitors out there again ago at Holly in Ohio higher but celebrities who appeared read but what does it into something special that by this ... time it's a really good comic reassigned I also think just two from the temperament ... audio in the living room of people watching but say you haven't you know family we've Ardi got sports a divided by health and that Mets fans that Yankees fans believe that Romney ... got Obama when it is as good as they complete the total chaos I mean I just think sports and politics probably doesn't expect from a financial standpoint actual Disney's pretty yet


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Greenville entertainment arena to get name change
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Greenville's 15,000-seat entertainment and sports arena will get a name change.
The Greenville News reports (http://grnol.co/YA7dUF) that the BI-LO grocery chain has given notice it doesn't plan to continue to sponsor the name of the downtown complex.
Greenville Arena District Board chairman Jeff Gilstrap says BI-LO notified arena officials the company won't extend the naming-rights contract when it expires this year. BI-LO officials couldn't be reached for comment.
BI-LO completed a financial restructuring and emerged from bankruptcy protection In 2010. Greenville-based BI-LO said the following year it's buying Jacksonville, Fla.-based grocery rival Winn-Dixie for $560 million.
Wind: 7 MPH
Humidity: 84 %


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A Melbourne investor has snapped up the Diamant Hotel in Sydney’s Kings Cross from the unlisted
The sale is a rare marker for Sydney’s boutique hotels as few properties have been developed and come to market in recent years.
But smaller accommodation properties are starting to move, with
These sales could reap a total of almost $50 million.
The 78-room Diamant Hotel hotel at 14 Kings Cross Rd last changed hands – along with associated retail property – for around $30 million in 2007.
The fund bought the hotel when it was run by Arena predecessor
The hotel was sold then with a 10-year lease in place to
While the latest price was $900,000 above book value, it was marketed last year in a public process and failed to immediately sell, Arena said.
The fund manager said the price was a good outcome in the current market and equated to a yield of 6.28 per cent. Arena said the sale was in line with its $263 million fund strategy to realise non-core assets and eventually create a liquidity opportunity.
Sale proceeds will go to cut the fund’s debt back to about 47 per cent.
The Diamant Hotel Sydney was developed by the
The 16-level building comprises ground-floor retail space, five levels of boutique office space, as well as the four-and-a-half-star Diamant Hotel on five levels.
Mr Durran said that domestic private investors had re-emerged as buyers over the past six months.
The Australian Financial Review


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So Nvidia announced their next chipset at CES 2014 called the K1 (formerly Tegra 5) and even though it is pretty early in the game for this new chipset, it has already been benchmarked in its current state of development and the results are already looking pretty damn good.
Day: 13 January 2014
iKoid has been trying to break into the ‘bundle’ game by offering up a selection of Android games on sale for a limited time. Usually these bundles are pretty decent but not overly worth talking about most of the time. Lately though that seems to be changing and the newest bundle, titled Dark Soul, has five good games available for $1.99.
Everyone in the world has dreamed of driving a snow plow and clearing roads, at least those of you who live in places where it snows a lot anyways. Now those dreams will soon be turning into a reality with a new game heading our way soon called Dawn of the Plow.
One of Crescent Moon Games’ earliest releases was a game called Paper Monsters and now the company has decided to release a completely free version of the game for those of you who haven’t snagged a copy of it just yet. This new version of Paper Monsters is completely free with no IAPs at all, just ad supported with an ad in the beginning.
The developers of Don’t Run With A Plasma Sword are looking for beta testers for their upcoming game Platforms Unlimited. XperimentalZ Games has officially announced the opening of beta testing for their new game on our forums and sign-ups are now live for those of you interested in testing out Platforms Unlimited.


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It’s a big day for DJs and their hard drives.
SoundCloud has officially announced DJ software integration from Virtual DJ.
The partnership will make SoundCloud’s catalogue available for high-quality streaming, allowing users to collect and mix tracks directly from the site within Virtual DJ. Currently, the DJ software integration will only be available to SoundCloud Go+ subscribers.
This may seem like a small step, but if successful, it could shift the paradigm for DJing, with streaming now becoming a viable medium—alongside digital and hard copies of music—to spin. The news follows on the heels of the integration of AI-assisted DJ technology for music platforms like Spotify, but allowing users to control how their tracks are mixed could finally convert DJs to streaming.
Read the full press release—and learn how to start crafting your own streaming-only mixes—here.