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38-year-old Jill Lynn Fiedler [left], ‘of Rosemount, Minnesota admitted to Apple Valley police in late March that she made the transactions totaling $8,727 in unauthorized checks, debit card transactions or cash withdrawals while overseeing the fundraising for the senior class party at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 9.
Fielder who is a parent to one of the students in the senior graduating class at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota, has been charged with stealing approximately $9,000 from the party fund.
The unauthorized transactions dating back to October included a $414 charge to AT&T, a $200 cash withdrawal and six charges from a PayPal account totaling $4,325 to Pure Romance, a retailer that sells beauty products and the “hottest bedroom accessories,” including sex toys, lingerie and more, according to its website.
Fiedler, who worked for the company as an independent contractor at the time, said she made the transfers to purchase prize items for the party, but “she had not done so yet,” according to the complaint.
“She admitted she knew she would have to repay the money as the purchases were no longer authorized and that she had the majority of it, but needed more time to pay it back,” the complaint reads. “She stated she believed that she owed them back a bit over $7,000 and had $5,000 or the majority that she could pay back immediately.”Fielder could not explain the AT&T charge, and as of early April, none of the money had been returned to the school, according to the complaint.
Fiedler has been charged with one felony count of theft by temporary control and is due to return to court on Aug. 7.
Jill Lynn Fiedler admitted to police in late March that she made the transactions totaling $8,727 for items that iclude sex toys and lingerie
Representatives from Pure Romance, meanwhile, said Fiedler was fired from the company last month.
“The school district contacted us about the fraudulent activity of Jill Fiedler in April and she was immediately terminated,” the statement to Fox 9 read. “Our consultants are independent contractors yet Pure Romance reserves the right to terminate upon violation of company ethics and policies.”
The Pioneer Press reports that Fiedler has a history of fiduciary impropriety. She was charged in 2015 with theft after prosecutors said she wrote 27 bad checks that were returned by American Express because they weren’t pre-authorized. One of the checks, which totaled more than $5,400, had been used for her wedding, according to a criminal complaint. She later pleaded guilty in October 2016 to a gross misdemeanor charge of theft-false representation and was sentenced to two years of probation and community service.


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2013 Mercedes-Benz G-Class sneak peek
The first official image of the revised Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been released in the lead up to the boxy 4WD's anticipated unveiling later this year.
The updated G-Class made a cameo appearance in the background of an official image that was intended to display fresh upgrades to the GLK-Class urban SUV, which is produced in left-hand-drive primarily for the US.
From the image, we can see the subtly revised G-Class will benefit from new LED daytime running lights under the headlights and sleeker side mirrors.
International reports suggest the upgraded model’s cabin will feature a new instrument cluster, new steering wheel, a revised centre stack and a new gear knob with updated Comand on-board computer system.
Mercedes-Benz Australia’s David McCarthy says the timing of the G-Class’s arrival is still to be locked in, but is hopeful the updated model will hit local showrooms before the end of 2012.
McCarthy said the local range would continue to feature an entry-level V6 diesel model and a high-performance petrol-powered AMG V8. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine will carry over (potentially with a boost to its current 155kW/540Nm output), but the 373kW/700Nm 5.4-litre supercharged V8 will be replaced either by Merc’s 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 powerplant or the larger 6.2-litre V8.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class will not be introduced to Australia until the launch of the second-generation model, which is expected around 2015.
The current model was not developed to be compatible with a 4WD right-hand-drive configuration, putting it off Mercedes-Benz Australia’s agenda.

domain: news


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Gym closed in move branded 'heavy handed' by owner
A gym in Castletown says it's engaging with lawyers after shutting its doors yesterday.
BodyCraft Fitness, in Market Square, claims the landlord of the building changed the locks and has forced its temporary closure ‘with no notice’.
In a post on Facebook the gym owner admits there is ‘some debt owing’ due to Covid-19 but says the amount has ‘greatly decreased’ and they were in negotiations for a new long-term lease.
According to the owner the lease was due to expire in two years.
Describing the landlord’s move as ‘unnecessary’ and ‘heavy handed’ they say they're hoping to have the doors reopened so the lease term can be completed.
In response, the landlord provided the following statement to Manx Radio:
"Bodycraft Fitness debt exceeds their annual rent currently. It is increasing continually and they have not paid a single payment of rent of service charge in xxxxx months. We are also receiving other bills they have not paid. Bodycraft Fitness’ debt’s all post date Covid contrary to their comments on Facebook. The tenant has had 4 months rent free as a consequence of Covid.
"At present Bodycraft Fitness are not paying any consumption bills under their service charge which means they are expecting the Landlord to fund their business and keep the lights on, which we have done until this point as they had assured us they would make payment but it is apparent they can and never could do this.
"We were informed by Bodycraft 2 weeks ago they were intending to voluntarily liquidate the business.
"Bodycraft Fitness have been given the opportunity to pay the bills and have since admitted they are not and never have been in a position to pay them despite assuring us they could.
"Our only route in these circumstances is to exercise the right of re-entry under the lease. This would prevent the consumption bills accruing and the rental levels getting out of control even further. Of course the consumption could be turned off but then the gym could not operate in any event."


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The all-new ShopOwner now includes technical content from Brake & Front End, ImportCar and Underhood Service.
A record audience tuned in from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia for the virtual meeting.
You can now access the interactive and easy-to-view digital edition of the May issue!
The interactive and easy-to-view digital edition of the January/February issue is available now.
Geotargeting has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for marketers, and for good reason. The ability to reach your target customer based on where they are spending their time is a revolutionary advancement, increasing a business owner’s chance of delivering the right message at the right time.
Shop owners and managers have to make decisions every day on parts, personnel, supplies, budgets, free time, family, balance, etc. The list goes on and on, right? From a budget standpoint, you, as an owner or manager, look at sales and expenses. You want to make sure your sales at least meet your expenditures and hopefully exceed your expenditures by a great deal.
Today’s consumers are more informed than ever before. They seek information throughout the purchase process and this, in turn, drives their use of smartphones and their consumption of online information. While this comes as no surprise, there is a deeper connection: opportunities exist for savvy business owners who find ways to take advantage of this behavior.


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Albania Holidays has been, and still is, one of the main supporters of this USAID project, which will help putting Albanian tourism back into international standards. Projects such as Quality Mark help classifying tourism businesses in Albania and diminish informality. Soon we will publish at our hotel websites www.albania-hotel.com and www.tirana-hotel.com which hotels are awarded the respective Quality Mark, adding in this way another professional source for tourists to find the right hotels. Below the article:
Country's first Quality Mark boosts membership and advocacy efforts of fledgling sector
A Mark of Quality for Albanian Tourism
Logo Authentic Albania
The visual identity of the Authentic Albania Quality Mark program was developed based on motifs placed on ancient Illyrian vases and amphora, as well as ornamental designs used in Albanian traditional folk costumes. The key symbolizes Albanian hospitality.
"This helps members set themselves apart in terms of quality."
USAID began work with the Government of Albania and its tourism industry (or ATA) in 2003 to promote the country's image and strengthen tour operator competition. In 2010, in partnership with the ATA, USAID's Rritje Albania ("Grow Albania") project launched the industry's first quality certification system for hotels and guesthouses: the Authentic Albania Quality Mark. USAID has supported assessor training and the design and promotional campaign.
So far, over 60 hotels and guesthouses have applied to the program to have their facilities and services evaluated based on the international hospitality standards and Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria that govern receipt of the Quality Mark. In April 2011, ATA awarded its first 20 Quality Marks to those businesses meeting its standards. The program is encouraging better business practices and providing recipients with an extremely effective publicity campaign.
"This is becoming one of our association's most visible and effective programs," said ATA's executive director, Ms. Matilda Naco. She added, "There is evident value in the Quality Mark for businesses because it helps members set themselves apart in terms of quality. […] It is increasingly important that we can advocate for sustainable tourism development at the national level. This must be the future of tourism in Albania."
USAID has been an important partner in the development of tourism sector since 2003, helping promote Albanian tourism, working with small and medium enterprises in the tourism sector, as well as the ministry to improve Albania's image as a desirable tourist destination.
The Agency will continue to support Rritje Albania until 2013, at which time local tourism authorities will assume full ownership.


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Recently, the Korean industry has suggested that the Private Label should be used as a scheme to improve the success rate of opening up the U.S.
According to a report released by KOTRA Los Angeles Trade Museum, the U.S. self-owned brand market is dominated by retailers such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty who own offline physical stores. Recently, e-commerce giants, such as Amazon, have launched their own cosmetics brands to expand their brands, which has made the competition in the U.S. market increasingly fierce. Only the existing retail channels can be the advantages of these brands. By saving marketing costs like this, cosmetics can be supplied to consumers at cheaper prices. According to Retail Dive, a professional retail media, the sales of self-owned brand goods in retail stores increased by 33.2% in the past five years (2013-2018), while the sales of traditional brand goods increased by only about 1%. Sales of traditional brand goods increased by 7.4% and sales of independent brand goods increased by 41% in the same period.
In 2018, the market share of self-owned brand goods increased by 4% compared with five years ago, reaching 19.3%.
Retail Dive selected Amazon and Target as the two most active companies in expanding their own brand market in various fields. It also pointed out that the Millennium generation of the United States did not resent the fact that `goods without brands'was also one of the bright prospects for their own brands. In addition, the Inkey List, Belei, Fifth City, Believe Beauty and Carmindy Beauty have launched their own brands, and the competition is becoming more and more fierce.
KOTRA said that in the increasingly fierce competition of the American cosmetics market, `self-brand cosmetics'is growing continuously, which may become one of the ways for Korean enterprises to solve the problem of low visibility and successfully open up the American cosmetics market.
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Status Quo and Policies of Chemical Industrial Parks in Guangdong Province
Status Quo and Policies of Chemical Industrial Parks in Jiangxi Province
Status Quo of Chemical Industrial Parks in Guanxi Province
Status Quo and Policies of Chemical Industrial Parks in Hubei Province
Status Quo and Policies of Chemical Industrial Parks in Shaanxi Province
Status Quo of Chemical Industrial Parks in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei


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Police have issued a health warning after dangerous chemicals were stolen from a Tyneside factory.
Two bottles of Aurotech FF Additive G were taken from stores at Circatex circuit board plant in South Shields.
Police say the bottles could have been stolen any time after Monday morning.
The two one-litre bottles contain potassium cyanide which is toxic if swallowed, inhaled or allowed to touch the skin.
Police are also concerned the chemicals may be poured away into drains or lakes which could have devastating effects on aquatic life. Call police on (0191) 214 6555 ext 65126.


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Talk about more bang for your buck.
Applebee’s announced it’s selling margaritas for just a dollar for the entire month of October.
The chain is slinging the “dollaritas” to say thanks to guests as part of the restaurant’s Neighborhood Appreciation Month. The boozy offer goes beyond happy hour – guests can order the tequila-filled sip any time as long as they “drink responsibly,” the company says.
Cheap alcohol could be a way to get more millennials in the door. Last month, Applebee’s announced it would close up to 130 restaurants due to declining sales. The chain recently rebranded to appeal to a more youthful crowd with items like a shrimp dish with sriracha sauce, but sales were still down by 6% in 2017, according to the company.
Other chains have cut back on their ultra cheap menu options over the years. McDonald’s replaced its iconic Dollar Menu with the Dollar Menu and More in 2013 because it was a challenge for locations to sell food for so little and still profit. Recently, the company announced it would try to bring back its cheaper items at a $1 to $3 price point, according to Fast Company.
SEE ALSO: The McDonald’s Happy Meal is getting a healthy makeover Here are some menu items you can still get for just a buck -- or less:
Wendy’s Junior Cheeseburger and Frosty, $0.99 Wendy’s may have ditched its dollar menu, but customers can still get a junior cheeseburger and a Frosty for a frugal $0.99. For a buck more, you can buy fries to dip into the coveted milk shake.
McDonald’s McChicken, $1 The Golden Arches are serving up a glorified chicken nugget on a bun – aka the McChicken.
Taco Bell tacos, nachos or quesadillas, $1 Liv mas with these classic Tex-Mex soft and hard shell tacos. Items include a beefy mini quesadilla, shredded chicken mini quesadilla or triple layer nachos -- all for just $1.
Burger King chicken nuggets, $1
While you won’t necessarily be eating like a king, you can fill up on four piece chicken nuggets for $1 and add on a small ice cream cone that will cost you just $0.89.
Sonic Mozzarella sticks, onion rings and more $0.99 This old school drive-thru has a happy hour menu from 2 to 4 p.m. that includes dollar items like onion rings, corn dogs and fried cheese
See the world with cash-color glasses. Get a weekly digest of personality finance: features, pop-culture and essays. Sign up here.


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The European Parliament has voted in favor of a directive requiring manufacturers of smartphones and laptops to facilitate the replacement of batteries. You are overwhelmingly in favor of a change in the legislation after our survey last week.
This week, the European Parliament took a strong decision in favor of consumers and the environment. The European legislator has indeed adopted a directive requiring manufacturers of smartphones and laptops to make it as easy as possible to replace the battery of their devices.
In addition to this first measure, the decision also sets some rules for the recycling of these batteries, since manufacturers will have to, from 2031, recycle at least 80% of the lithium used in accumulators and 95% of cobalt, copper , lead and nickel.
However, this new European decision, which is binding on manufacturers, is not to everyone’s taste. Some fear, for example, that these rules will constrain manufacturers as to the design of their smartphones, with thicker models. We have also read concerns both about the waterproofness of smartphones and about the problems that these rules could pose in terms of wireless charging by induction.
A salutary measure or too restrictive?
It is in this context that we wanted to collect your opinion. We asked you whether or not you were in favor of these new rules or whether you considered them too restrictive.
Of all the participants, you are a large majority (88%) in favor of the new rules that the European Parliament wishes to put in place. In the comments, Piti argues that “ it’s a painless gesture for everyone and which will still bring a lot. »
However, there are still nearly 10% of voters who find that they would be too restrictive (design, sealing issues). This is particularly the case of Denys: If it’s to go back on removable batteries, obviously not! “For Nicolas.k, “ going back to a removable phone would most likely force manufacturers towards a plastic back, which is not at all ecological “.
Finally, some are not decided, for the simple reason that they do not intend to replace their smartphone battery themselves.
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS application. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.


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Though hard cider still makes up a relatively small percentage of the overall U.S. adult beverage market, it has for several years been one of its fastest-growing sectors. And while FamilyFarmed regards craft cider as part of the Good Food movement, it was gratifying to see — while making the tasting rounds at Chicago’s Cider Summit — that more and more producers are wearing their local and sustainable values on their sleeves.
Farmhouse Chicago, located at the west end of downtown, is a genuine farm to table restaurant that sources most of its ingredients from the states that border on Lake Michigan: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Since its opening five yeas ago, Farmhouse Chicago also has been a friend of Family Farmed. So it is no coincidence that an event scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 3 — at which Farmhouse will introduce its five new proprietary hard apple ciders — is also a fundraiser for our nonprofit, which will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from the tickets sold.
T.J. Callahan, the founder and owner of the Farmhouse Tavern restaurants in downtown Chicago and suburban Evanston is a bit wary of the “farm to table” label, which some critics say has been overused to the point of becoming a cliche. “Farm to table, it’s such a nebulous kind of concept,” Callahan said in an interview with Good Food on Every Table. “So we’ve called ourself, from day one, a ‘Midwestern craft tavern.'”
by Roberta Laughlin, FamilyFarmed This is what happens when you invite top chefs who seek out local and sustainable food for their menus, match them up with farmers who produce the region’s best ingredients, and bring them all together in one place for one great night. You get Localicious, Chicago’s unique, one-of-a-kind party on March 20 that gives Read more about Localicious: One of the Year’s Most Delicious — and Virtuous — Tasting Events[…]
Hard cider can be described fairly as America’s native local drink, the most popular fermented beverage among the nation’s early drinkers. And while cider declined and today is a tiny sliver of the U.S. adult beverage market, sales and interest are surging all of a sudden.


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Crown Holdings has reduced the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 37 percent — 8,000 metric tons — against a 2007 baseline, according to the company’s 2015 sustainability report. The metal packaging products supplier has made a number of additional strides in managing its waste including a 9 … Read more »
BP has released its 2013 Sustainability Review. Highlights include: Energy efficiency BP’s Toledo refinery improved energy intensity 8 percent from 2010 to 2013. Factors contributing to this include updated technologies and improvements in how BP manages and measures energy use in the refinery’s operating units. BP says it is sharing … Read more »
A.P. Moller – Maersk, the worldwide shipping, oil and gas company with about 89,000 employees, has released its 2013 Sustainability Report. Highlights include: Greenhouse gases Relative CO2 is down 17 percent from 2010 to 2013, with a 9 percent reduction since 2012. Shipping division Maersk Line has improved its carbon … Read more »
Sappi Group has released its 2013 Sustainability Report. Highlights include: Greenhouse Gases Globally over the past five years, Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions fell by 12.2 percent and 28.4 percent. Scope 1 and 2 emissions were also down last year versus 2012 (see charts). In Europe, Sappi is aiming … Read more »
Danske Bank Group has released its 2013 Corporate Responsibility Report.
Ardagh Group, a €4.2 billion-sales ($5.7 billion) packaging company, has released its 2013 Sustainability Report.
Ikea has published its FY13 Sustainability Report. Highlights include: GHGs The company cut carbon emissions from its FY10 baseline by 19.3 percent in 2013, relative to sales. This is a slight worsening versus FY12, when carbon intensity was 21.3 percent below the baseline. The company has a target of 50 … Read more »
Bacardi Limited has released its 2013 Corporate Responsibility Report. Highlights include: GHGs and other emissions At the end of FY12, a biogas reactor failed prematurely at Bacardi’s largest distillery in Puerto Rico. The company says this failure was largely responsible for a rise in its GHG intensity. The site had … Read more »
Lilly has released its 2012-13 Corporate Responsibility Report. Highlights include: GHGs During 2012, the company’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHGs rose by less than one percent versus 2011, to 1,580,000 metric tons CO2e. Lilly’s GHG emissions intensity fell from 71.8 metric tons CO2e per thousand square feet in 2011 … Read more »
Canadian energy distribution, transmission and generation company Enbridge has released its 2013 corporate social responsibility report. GHGs The company cut direct GHG emissions from its Canadian operations by 21 percent below 1990 levels by 2011. For Enbridge’s liquid pipelines business, scope 1 emissions fell from 2011 to 2012, and scope … Read more »
Crown Holdings, a major supplier of metal packaging products, has released its second sustainability report, covering fiscal years 2011 and 2012. Results include: GHGs Combined direct and indirect GHG emissions per unit held roughly steady from 2010 to 2012, though down from 2009 levels – the exact numbers are difficult … Read more »
Caesars Entertainment has published its 2012 CSR and Sustainability Report. Results include: GHGs Caesars’ emissions were down 11 percent versus a 2007 baseline – beating, one year early, its target of a 10 percent cut by 2013. The company cut per-square foot emissions by 21 percent in that time. In … Read more »


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Ministry of Tourism has revealed it is working to introduce policies and guidelines for homestay tourism in January next year.
Homestay tourism is a popular form of hospitality and lodging whereby tourists share a residence with a local household in the country they are travelling to.
Speaking to PSM News, Senior Executive Director Ali Razzan said the diversification and localisation team of the tourism ministry are currently meeting local councils to discuss homestay tourism. The tourism ministry plans to introduce homestay tourism in all inhabited islands on January 1 after the necessary legal changes are made, said Razzan.
He said the ministry is holding discussions with industry stakeholders, noting that the most significant stakeholders are the island councils. He said the main purpose of the meetings is to gather their input in order to implement a legal framework before introducing homestay tourism. The tourism ministry has stated the councils are in favour of homestay tourism in the islands as soon as possible.
Furthermore, the ministry stated it will be hosting a seminar and submitting its proposed legal framework to the parliament for approval. Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom earlier said homestay will benefit numerous tourism establishments including resorts, guesthouses, and liveaboards as well as ordinary citizens.
The government has been working to implement various forms of tourism in the Maldives including homestay, sports, and cultural tourism as well as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism.


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Aston Martin stunned investors Tuesday by warning that its profit for 2019 would drop by about 45% despite healthy orders for its first ever SUV.
The British luxury carmaker’s stock plunged as much as 16% in London as CEO Andy Palmer pledged to take steps to get the business back on track after a “very disappointing year.”
The favorite automaker of fictional British secret service agent James Bond, Aston Martin has suffered from weak demand for some of its models, a global auto slowdown and uncertainty over Brexit following its IPO in 2018.
Investors have punished the stock: Shares have dropped more than 75% in the 15 months since their market debut in London.
Aston Martin said in a statement that market conditions were challenging in November and December — the peak period for deliveries — resulting in lower sales and higher selling costs, especially in Europe.
The 106-year old company was also hit by currency fluctuations, increased marketing costs and weaker average prices for its luxury vehicles.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for 2019 could fall to as little as £130 million ($171 million), Aston Martin said, down from £247 million ($326 million) in 2018.
Palmer said that he would seek to reduce costs and improve the company’s price positioning. He said orders for the automaker’s first SUV, the DBX, were coming in faster than for any previous model.
Aston Martin has in recent years sought to capitalize on its high end brand.
But investors balked at an IPO that put the company, which has a history of uneven profits and bankruptcy filings, in the same league as Italian rival Ferrari.
Aston Martin’s owners include Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler (DDAIF), private equity firm Investindustrial and investors based in Kuwait.
On Tuesday, the company said it was reviewing its plans for 2020 and confirmed it was still taking to potential investors about raising new funding.
Aston Marin raised $150 million last year by selling high-interest bonds. It now plans to tap an additional $100 million in notes that were conditional on the company receiving 1,400 orders for the DBX.


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Sales boom for electrical household appliances
ISTANBUL- Anadolu Agency
The sales of electrical household appliances boomed in Turkey last year amid the coronavirus pandemic as people followed stay-at-home orders with lockdown and social distancing measures.
Turkey saw more than a 300%-increase in domestic sales of electrical household appliances such as electronic bread makers, blow dryers, shaving sets, yogurt makers, and scales, Mesut Öksüz, the head of the Turkish Houseware Association (Zucder), told Anadolu Agency.
Personal care and kitchen appliances were the most popular items of last year, he said.
Forced to stay at home, people took up new hobbies such as baking bread.
With hairdressers and spas closed, people began buying self-grooming personal care items.
Noting that the sales shifted toward online platforms, Öksüz said, companies struggled initially to meet the rising demand.
"We solved the supply issue in a short time which was occurred by disruptions in imports," he noted.
On the overseas sales side, he said Turkey's electrical household appliances sector generated $831 million in export revenues last year.
Turkey is the 12th largest electrical household appliances exporter globally and 40th largest importer, he added.
"This shows the power of domestic production as the sector has registered more than $600 million of foreign trade surplus since 2008," he said, adding the figure rose to $720 million in 2020.
While Turkey's electrical household appliances exports remained stable in 2019 compared to a year ago, they fell 16% year-on-year in 2020.
Vacuum cleaners, shaving, hair cutting and epilation devices, irons, hairdryers, and water heaters garnered great demand from abroad last year, Öksüz said.
Stressing that Turkish appliances manufacturers have a wide export market of 170 countries, Oksuz said the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Poland, Greece, Netherlands, Spain, and Romania were the top recipients of Turkey-made electrical appliances.
Touching on the sector's expectations for the coming years, he pointed out the necessity of removing the tax burden on electric appliances to spur domestic consumer demand.
"Special Consumption Tax on electrical household appliances personal care and household appliances should be lifted as their usage is compulsory in daily life and they cannot be considered as luxury," Oksuz noted.


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If you’ve been dying to try a different Android ROM but can’t root your phone you’re in luck! MIUI, the well known Chinese Android ROM, has just released a replacement lock screen that can be installed on any device, even unrooted ones!
MIUI is a modified version of Android users can download and install on their mobiles, and it rivals the iPhone in it’s beauty. The ROM supports themeing and China happens to be host to some very talented designers.
Get your hands on MiLocker in the Android Market.


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Three grocery giants with stores in Colorado say they have no plans to use shopper cards to notify consumers about potentially dangerous purchases.
King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons say the decision reflects the mood of consumers, many of whom think the cards already give away
too much information about customers' spending habits.
Washington-based Quality Food Centers, posted signs in meat departments inviting customers to call to find out whether they had bought any of 10,400 pounds of recalled beef. Customers who called were asked to supply card numbers, and the chain then pulled up computerized purchase records.


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Premium coffee going mainstream
July 20, 2010
by Allison Gibeson
Finding premium coffees from Starbucks, Caribou Coffee or other brands is becoming easier as more recognized coffees are expanding in distribution in retail and food service locations.
“Premium coffee is mainstreaming,” said Steve Hayter, director of R.&D. and beverage, food and merchandise for Seattle’s Best Coffee, which is owned by Starbucks Coffee Corp., Seattle. “More and more people want access to a great cup of coffee, and we are well-poised to be able to meet that need in a couple of ways. Not only through the drinks we serve in our retail channel, it’s our distribution through partners such as Subway and AMC, and even the ready-to-drink iced latte line we recently launched in grocery.”
In terms of expanding distribution, Seattle’s Best is beginning to appear in various food service locations such as Subway. In addition, Burger King plans to offer the coffee throughout its restaurants in Canada.
“We knew that providing a great coffee would be key to having a successful breakfast program,” said Kevin Kane, a Subway spokesperson. “We looked at a lot of coffees over a period of a few years, but Seattle’s Best Coffee is the one that generated the most customer satisfaction and repeat coffee business. We have a unique breakfast menu in that, like our lunch and dinner sandwich offerings, people can customize and even choose low-fat options. We needed a coffee partner that could provide the same quality in their product, and Seattle’s Best Coffee did exactly that.”
Mr. Hayter said Seattle’s Best is trying to make its coffee accessible to the most people and available in the most places, and that’s a large part of the company’s strategy in offering its products in such varied locations.
In terms of ready-to-drink products, Starbucks Via iced coffee has been introduced this summer and is a blend of medium-roasted coffee and cane sugar and is offered in Starbucks stores as well as on-line. The product comes in 100-calorie single-size sticks sized for a 16-oz water bottle.
“Our customers are looking for refreshment that hits the spot during the hot days of summer,” said Annie Young-Scrivner, global chief marketing officer for Starbucks. “We’re excited to give our customers new ways to enjoy Starbucks coffee, and Starbucks Via iced coffee … is perfect for iced coffee drinkers and a great addition to our summer beverage selection.”
The product expands the Via line, which already includes Via Ready Brew Colombia and Italian Roast flavors as well as Decaffeinated Italian Roast.
This summer Seattle’s Best is offering a Peach CremeKula blended beverage and a Cookie Dough JavaKula blended beverage. Earlier this year, the company introduced a line of branded iced latte coffee drinks, which effectively entered the brand into the ready-to-drink coffee category. The products were introduced through the North American Coffee Partnership, a joint venture between Starbucks Corp. and Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, Purchase, N.Y. The company is launching the line of iced tea beverages in an effort to extend its platform.
Mr. Hayter said some of the success of the cold brew drinks has to do with the fact the company actually cold brews its coffee, which he said gives the coffee a more rich taste that is smooth and doesn’t have the same astringency a hot-brewed coffee served cold would.
Some restaurants are developing their own coffee as McDonald’s even has its own line of McCafe coffees. The iced flavors include iced mocha and iced latte. There are also Mocha Frappe and Caramel Frappe varieties as well. Overall, the company’s coffee platform is an important and growing part of its breakfast menu.
Mintel International, Chicago, said that in 2005 when the economy was doing relatively well, consumer were embracing gourmet coffee, leading to an 11% increase in coffee sales. The rate of growth then fell in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 during the recession, sales remained flat at $6.75 billion. Strong demand and price increases led to growth in 2009, and Mintel believes retail sales of coffee and coffee additives in 2009 reached $6.9 billion.
According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, there were 362 new coffee products introduced in 2009, down from 384 in 2008. In 2010 through June 24 there were 237 new coffee products introduced.


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Sources: FCA found sales were inflatedMon, 25, Jul 2016
An internal review ordered in mid-2015 by top Fiat Chrysler FCA US executives uncovered thousands of vehicle sales reported by FCA brands for which there was no actual buyer, according to two company sources.
Ford of Canada violated U.S. antitrust laws, lawsuit chargesTue, 19, Jul 2016
Ford of Canada must defend a class action suit accusing it of illegally conspiring to violate antitrust laws that restrict the export of lower-priced Canadian-made vehicles into the U.S.
Volkswagen to halt sales of most vehicles in S. Korea amid emissions probeFri, 22, Jul 2016
Volkswagen will suspend sales of most of its vehicle models in South Korea from July 25, as pressure builds on the automaker over its falsified emissions tests. The decision comes ahead of a pending environment ministry review on whether to revoke the certification of 32 cars made by the group, which would lead to a sales ban of the affected models in the country.
Judge allows dealership discrimination suit to proceedMon, 25, Jul 2016
A lawsuit alleges that a former new-car manager made "racially inappropriate comments every day" towards an African-American car salesman.
Japan's Nishikawa agrees to plead guilty, pay $130 million in U.S. price-fixing probeWed, 20, Jul 2016
Japanese supplier Nishikawa Rubber agreed to plead guilty and pay $130 million in one of the stiffest penalties in the U.S. Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into industrywide price fixing and bid rigging.
BMW's 2017 diesels delayed by more stringent EPA emissions testsWed, 20, Jul 2016
The EPA's crackdown on diesels has delayed the certification and sale of four BMW models. BMW confirmed it is still awaiting production certification of all 2017 diesels and would not say now long this would take.
EU steps up pressure on VW for bigger consumer payoutsWed, 20, Jul 2016
The European Commission is working with consumer groups and regulators in the EU's 28 nations to pressure Volkswagen Group to give payouts to customers caught in its emissions scandal.
Volkswagen sets aside another $2.4 billion for diesel scandal costsWed, 20, Jul 2016
Volkswagen said it has set aside another 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for costs associated with its diesel-rigging scandal as the company announced that first-half earnings rose 7 percent to 7.5 billion euros ($8.25 billion).
VW emissions-rigging claims reach back furtherWed, 20, Jul 2016
VW's emissions rigging dates back to 1999 when Audi engineers developed software to cheat emissions tests, U.S. lawsuits allege. Former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and other top company executives developed six generations of defeat devices, the lawsuits allege. Winterkorn's successor, Matthias Mueller, was "in the loop," according to New York's top lawyer.
VW execs covered up diesel cheating, state lawsuits allegeTue, 19, Jul 2016
Senior VW executives including former CEO Martin Winterkorn covered up evidence that the German automaker cheated on U.S. diesel emissions tests for years, three U.S. states charged on Tuesday in civil lawsuits against the company.
VW to face suit from U.S. states over diesel emissions, Maryland attorney general saysMon, 18, Jul 2016
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said in a statement that the state and others plan to sue Volkswagen AG over environmental damage from the company's so-called defeat devices designed to skirt pollution-control tests.
VW done with diesel push in U.S., exec saysTue, 19, Jul 2016
Volkswagen will take a step back from the diesel powertrains that defined its U.S. vehicle lineup for the better part of a decade amid a repositioning of the brand in the aftermath of the company's emissions scandal, VW's top U.S. official says. Hinrich Woebcken, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, told Automotive News that VW won't relaunch “clean diesels” as a core element of its brand identity in the U.S.


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LA Fitness is working on a project to renovate and rebuild its intranet for more than 25,000 users using SharePoint 2013, and the IT teams needed customized coding for extensions on layout and master pages, says Jim Zhang, manager of SharePoint development. One major benefit LA Fitness has seen already with SharePoint 2013 over 2010 is that custom coding and extensions in general are much easier to accomplish in the newer edition, says Zhang. They're still needed in 2013, but they are easier to do.
Custom extensions have also been made to connect SharePoint 2013 with other Microsoft applications, such as the financial management and ERP product Great Plains. That wasn't easy to do directly out of the box with SharePoint 2010. "We had to build a lot of Web services and work flows" to make it possible, Zhang says.
Another area where extensions were needed was in controlling content availability for users as they log in to the intranet, to be sure they can see only the content they are authorized to view.
Similar extensions and additional code were needed to provide custom search of the intranet and of the data available within SharePoint to users, says Kathleen Cramm, director of business intelligence for the company.
In addition, creating very sophisticated workflows, including things that are based on a series of conditions, requires extensions that are built by the LA Fitness IT teams, says Bedar. "It's easy to do some limited workflows out of the box, such as alerting somebody that something has been changed. But if you actually want to put some Boolean logic in there ... then that requires more sophistication."
Overall, big design changes in SharePoint 2013 make it much safer to run with extensions, consultant Beckett says. Now, instead of the extensions running within SharePoint, they run alongside it, making them less problematic for the main application.
"This is better," says Beckett. It appears to be fairly well-integrated, but the actual code is running somewhere else. "That mitigates a lot of the quirks and makes it much simpler for organizations to manage and control it."
Even with the new version, however, there are always going to be cases where users will need to extend SharePoint's built-in capabilities, Beckett says. "Companies are always going to push the boundaries."
Scott Jamison, CEO and chief architect at Jornata, a consulting company that has developed SharePoint extensions and customizations, says these are the most popular areas where customers ask for help:


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It’s recently been announced that over 1 million phones have been infected by malware. Obviously, we’ve got some impressive piece of anti-virus to recommend… Right?
If you’re a regular iPhone and iTunes Store user, you have nothing to worry about. If you’re on Android, you’ll also be just fine as long as you stick with the Google Play Store or Amazon App Store. These app markets publish certified applications from registered developers, and when any malicious software is discovered, the smartphone will receive “kill bits” that block those apps from ever running again.
When you’re using these smartphones and app stores as designed, you can’t download apps from untrusted providers on the internet. Infections will rely on hard-to-find vulnerabilities and devices that aren’t kept up-to-date. Modern apps rarely have enough access to the device to actually do damage, and they are often completely unaware of other apps on the device and have no way to interoperate with them. This also means that most anti-virus software offerings for smartphones are ineffectual. You may be able to detect an infected Windows executable that’s been uploaded to the SD card, but that’s about it.
So, what happened in this breach? The vast majority of infected devices are in Asian countries, where far more people enable “Third Party Applications“, a feature that allows you to install apps from anywhere. Afterwards, they’ll visit shady app markets that often contain illegally cracked apps or software that is too good to be true. When they install those apps, they’ll grant nearly full permission for the app to access the device. Finally, once installed, there’s nothing preventing the app from contacting a command-and-control server, downloads additional malware, and stealing much of the user’s protected information.
Unless the device is jailbroken, a victim won’t lose complete control of their phone, but it can be a way in for hackers to find bank account information, Google Authentication, and other private data.
- Keep Your Device Up To Date – Most of these infections happened on Android 4 – “Kit Kat”
- Use Common Sense – Don’t download apps from people or stores you don’t trust completely.
- Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have stringent vetting processes and the ability to instantly ban malicious actors, while most other vendors do not.


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I found an interesting article today about the upcoming Android phones of 2012.
It talks about the newly announced Tegra 3 SoC's and TI's OMAP equivalent. These new superphones will probably feature quad-core processors. The content below are snippets from the article I found. If you want to read more about these awesome new phones, hit the link at the end of the post!
HTC might be launching the first quad-core smartphone in the market among the smartphone manufacturers. Dubbed HTC Edge, it will run on NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 having four cores (and a fifth, companion core for less demanding tasks) clocked at 1.5GHz allowing the processor to simultaneously run multiple sets of program instructions. Along with this, the battery life will increase two fold. With 1GB of RAM will be at your disposal, along with 32GB of built-in memory, this mammoth device will offer a 4.7″ screen with 720p HD resolution; big-screen junkies should be happy.
Now, for Moto, if we are to believe the rumors, is gearing up with its Tegra 3 based devices lined up for the launch in the Q2 2012 and might be unveiled during MWC 2012. After the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, the phones have been codenamed as Motorola Bullet and Motorola Jet. Supposedly the Bullet will be a straight-up slate, while the Jet will be a QWERTY slider. Remember though, very little in the way of rumors has surfaced over the past few months, so this is likely to be the least credible among the bunch. Still worth considering.
The Arc was one of Sony Ericsson’s (soon to be just Sony) best smartphones last year. While it lacked dual core goodness, it was slim, as it was supposed to be, since most of their competition had phones like that already, and it was stylish. Design is still one of Sony’s strong suit, but it doesn’t go well with thick phones, which is how most of their phones still are. But they will be pushing other slim phones in 2012.
The giant Korean company, maker of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S2, is poised to be a leader in this particular superphone death-match. Samsung’s phones and tablets have used ARM, Snapdragon and Tegra chipsets, but the manufacturer’s semiconductor division is working hard on the next generation of its own Exynos line of systems-on-a-chip. They are testing possible processors like the Exynos 5250, which isn’t quad-core, but rather a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor. Samsung seems to be confident that the Exynos 5250 can produce benchmarks and performance competitive with a quad-core processor. Or it may even go with the 32 nm quad core Exynos 4412 (based on Cortex A9) having the same clock speed of 1.5 GHz.
LG has received a lot of flack for slow updates, and for software that doesn’t perform at its best, all the time. That being said, they still are considered one of the top five, in terms of market share, at least. So it should come as no surprise that LG does not want to stand idly by. Rumors have it that they will be debuting a very powerful quad core device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In terms of specs, it seems to match a lot of these other top tier phones that we are looking at, and includes the extremely powerful chipset, Tegra 3, and will feature a high resolution, 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1280 × 720. We’ve also had its dimensions confirmed by reliable sources that have told us it will be very thin – most likely under 9 mm.
Hit the source link below for the full article.


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While practically all of the coverage about the possible breach of iCloud has been about the disclosure of naked celebrity photos, the security issues with iCloud also poses a risk to data stored in in the cloud service.
Check out the hottest mobile IT stories for Sept. 2, including the credit card companies teaming with Apple for mobile payments, the global realization of LTE, the replacement of in-car entertainment by tablets, growth in the WLAN market and Amazon's plans for native mobile ads.
Various reports point to a failure in Apple's iCloud security system, ultimately leading to the leak of several celebrities' personal photos to the Internet. The flaw appears to be with iCloud's Find My iPhone service, explains Owen Williams with The Next Web.
Apple will equip the iPhone 6, expected to be announced on Sept. 9, with a near field communications (NFC) chip to enable mobile payments, reports Wired, citing sources familiar with the device.
Check out the hottest mobile IT news for Aug. 28, including the key to educating new hires on company BYOD policy, the latest in the Samsung and Apple court drama, a tagalong announcement with the iPhone 6, how RFID products are changing an industry and the retail ecosystem and electronic shelf labels.
Apple's anticipated 12.9-inch iPad could be exactly what the tech company needs to drive much needed growth in the enterprise, according to an article at ZDNet.
Check out the hottest mobile IT stories for Aug. 26, including the expected increase in tablet game revenue, what Apple's entrance into mobile payments means for the market, VMware's newest venture, the bipartisan push to ban in-flight calls and what mobile commerce has done for French e-commerce sales.
Apple has released Developer Preview 6 and the second public beta of OS X Yosemite.
Check out the hottest mobile IT news for Aug. 18, including the EU's 5G plan, the massive number of iPhone 6s Apple plans to move by year's end, how enterprises need to learn to love BYOD, the virtual assistant plans between Google and HP and what legal firms are moving their document storage to the cloud.
Apple's iPhone may be most vulnerable to malware when connected to a computer, according to IDG News Service.


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OnePlus Nord initial prototype is seen with a dual selfie camera setup
OnePlus Nord price has been suggested in a documentary episode
The new OnePlus phone is touted to offer “flagship-level” experience
OnePlus Nord was earlier speculated as OnePlus Z
OnePlus Nord has finally been announced as the name of anticipated smartphone by the company that is launching first in India and Europe. The new phone will be the first in the “affordable smartphone product line” that OnePlus is bringing next month to improve its market position and reach new users. In a documentary series released on Tuesday, OnePlus Founder and CEO Pete Lau revealed that the OnePlus Nord will be available under $500 (roughly Rs. 37,700) price segment. This means that the new OnePlus phone will be significantly cheaper than the OnePlus 8 series that is currently starting at $699 or Rs. 41,999.
“Nord will be our first product below $500 in recent years,” Lau said in the first episode of the documentary that will be available in a total of four different episodes. “For OnePlus and the whole team, it's a massive challenge.”
The documentary episode also hinted at triple rear cameras and dual selfie cameras by giving a glimpse at a OnePlus Nord prototype.
On Tuesday, OnePlus also released a press statement that said the new product “addresses feedback” from the company's community of users and incorporates its “flagship-level product and user experience standards.” This suggests that the OnePlus Nord would have some similarities with the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
The OnePlus Nord will initially be exclusive to India and Europe. However, the statement released by OnePlus does mention that a select number of users in the US would also get a chance to experience the new model “through a highly limited beta programme after launch.”
“We are immensely proud of our flagship products and will continue to create more tech-leading flagships for our users. Now we are excited to share the OnePlus experience with even more users around the world through this new product line,” said Lau in the statement.
A recent teaser revealed that the OnePlus Nord will debut in India in July. It didn't provide any further details, though a tipster suggested that the phone could launch as early as July 10. Earlier on Tuesday, the company teased pre-order details for the OnePlus Nord. It also accidentally confirmed the name of the new phone through an Instagram post last week and released a microsite on Amazon India to tease its debut.
Some initial reports mentioned that the OnePlus Nord would arrive as the OnePlus Z. It was also originally speculated as the OnePlus 8 Lite.
OnePlus hasn't provided any specifications of the OnePlus Nord yet. Nevertheless, the rumour mill has suggested that the new model by the Chinese company would be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC and feature a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display. The phone is also said to have the triple rear camera setup, with a 64-megapixel primary sensor. Furthermore, a recent report indicated the dual selfie camera setup along with a 32-megapixel primary sensor on the phone.
Is OnePlus 8 Pro the perfect premium phone for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
Jagmeet Singh writes about consumer technology for Gadgets 360, out of New Delhi. Jagmeet is a principal correspondent for Gadgets 360, and has frequently written about apps, computer security, Internet services, and telecom developments. Jagmeet is available on Twitter at @JagmeetS13 or Email at email@example.com. Please send in your leads and tips.


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Microsoft Confirms Hiring Push At Fargo Campus Inforum
Lokerjos.club newsysis and commentary on information technology trends, including cloud computing devops dataytics it leadership cybersecurity .
microsoft watcher mary jo foley's blog covers the products, people and strategies that make microsoft tick..
Get the latest science news and technology, read tech reviews more at abc news..
Hp is on the record stating that technology industry maturing. while this may provide cover as carly reduces once great innovator into a microsoft var, in .
Find the latest business news on wall street, jobs and economy housing market personal finance money investments much more abc.
Lokerjos.club connects the business technology community. award winning news andysis for enterprise it..
Latest trending topics being covered on zdnet including reviews, tech industry security hardware apple and windows.
In an email to dpreview, nikon inc. has confirmed ''the satu series cameras lenses and accessories are no longer in production'..
Amd's ceo and cto on radeon vii, ray tracing beyond.
Yesterday, it was revealed that sega is bringing its own "classic edition" system to market in the form of mega drive mini. a micro console pre loaded with .


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Tag: STONE ISLAND
Stone Island Spring/Summer 23 Icon Imagery Collection
Featuring outerwear, knitwear, and more.
Stone Island Debuts 40th-Anniversary Luminescent Jacket
STONE ISLAND and NEW BALANCE ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP
Stone Island has announced a new multi-year collaboration with New Balance. In an Instagram post, Stone Island explained how the brand’s mutual “analytical approach to innovative data-driven design” will unite to transcend current trends via a footwear partnership that will take arrive in various waves over the next few years. The announcement is the first major news from Stone Island following a recent… Read More STONE ISLAND and NEW BALANCE ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP
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Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Last week, the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division blasted Verizon for misleading customers with 5G advertisements that exaggerated the scope of the carrier’s network — a move triggered by rival AT&T. Today, AT&T is being held accountable for its own misleading 5G marketing, as the BBB has recommended that the carrier stop its controversial “5G Evolution” advertising, which it began in late 2018 to blur the line between 4G and 5G as it began to upgrade its network to newer standards.
Unlike the Verizon decision, which Verizon said it would appeal, today’s AT&T decision comes after the carrier lost an appeal process with the BBB’s National Advertising Review Board. Based on challenges brought by T-Mobile, the NARB said that AT&T should discontinue references to both “5G Evolution” and “5G Evolution, The First Step to 5G,” which a panel determined would “mislead reasonable consumers into believing that AT&T is offering a 5G network” when it was undisputed that AT&T’s 5GE was “not a 5G network.”
AT&T’s decision to mismarket its late-stage 4G LTE Advanced cellular service as “5GE” created measurable confusion with U.S. consumers, as surveys have continued to indicate that customers wrongly believed that their 4G phones were 5G-capable after AT&T began its branding campaign. Unlike competitors, the carrier convinced both Android phone makers and Apple to display a “5GE” indicator on phone screens when devices connected to AT&T’s LTE Advanced towers, creating the impression that consumers were getting a better experience on AT&T than on rival networks, though real-world tests suggested otherwise. Sprint sued AT&T in federal court over the marketing, but quietly settled the dispute months later.
The NARB also noted that AT&T’s claims of 5GE being “the first step to 5G” suggested that 5GE was already delivering on some of 5G’s promise, with “an even more robust 5G network” to come at a later time — clearly the message the carrier wanted to convey. However, the panel said, 4G LTE isn’t actually delivering early 5G technology, so AT&T was misleading consumers with that language as well.
While AT&T said that it “respectfully disagrees” with the NARB’s decision, it will apparently comply with the decision, though it’s unclear at this point whether it will discontinue both the 5G Evolution advertisements and on-device branding, or just the ads. In addition to its 4G network, the carrier currently advertises “5GE,” “5G,” and “5G+” services that continue to be confusing and in some cases elusive to consumers, as there are still no maps for AT&T’s millimeter wave-based 5G+ in cities or states a year and a half after the service supposedly launched.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


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A global effort to photograph every species of ant on this planet is embarking on an international tour, stopping by museums and scientific collections in the United Kingdom. With thousands of American ant species already accounted for, now Brian Fisher and colleagues at the California Academy of Sciences are taking AntWeb overseas.
Building a next-generation jet engine isn’t easy, but from the cool confines of a blacked out holographic chamber in Brooklyn, it can at least be easier. Here, GE and its partners at BBDO New York have assembled ThrottleUp, an immersive 3-D holographic experience that lets users build one of GE’s new energy efficient GEnx jet engines using a gesture controlled holographic interface.
The Sony PlayStation TV beams a different image to each player's eyes, so no more splitscreen--which means no more "screen-cheating," and no more half-size screens
By Joseph A. BernsteinPosted 02.09.2012 at 1:52 pm 4 Comments
Gamers who prefer their multiplayer limited and local, as opposed to massive and online, will be familiar with the practice of screen cheating. The technique involves sneaking glances at your opponent's section of the bi- or quadrisected television screen to determine his or her location to gain an advantage. If you were good at the seminal split screen multiplayer games--GoldenEye, Mario Kart, the first Halo--you screen cheated. If you were bad, you screen cheated.
The New York Public Library has an archive of over 40,000 historical stereographs, many well over a hundred years old. Stereographs are regular photographs, except in pairs, with the perspective very slightly different. Essentially, stereographs are what you were looking at through your ViewMaster as a kid. And now the NYPL has created a pretty amazing tool they're calling the Stereogranimator that lets users create animated 3-D GIFs from the photos in the archive.
In November 2010, Microsoft released Kinect, a motion-sensing accessory for its Xbox 360 gaming console. Kinect could measure depth by sending out thousands of small infrared dots to create a 3-D map of a room, and its microphones could pinpoint sound in space. Such hardware would not be confined to gesture-based videogames. Within a few days, engineers strapped the $150 device onto a robot vacuum and wired the machines together to allow the robot to see and hear. For developers and hackers, Kinect's promise proved irresistible (and affordable): It could give machines sense.
It's a kind of validation when our past visions of the future and the present collide, reminding us that things we thought were possible back then actually were within reach. Take, for example, Tokyo-based Burton's Aerial 3D technology. The company claims it's the first 3-D tech that casts three-dimensional objects in mid-air without using any kind of screen. It recalls that scene in Star Wars where the crustacean-faced guy is planning the rebel battleplan around his big holographic table.
3-D TV is still experiencing some growing pains, in large part because of its reliance on bulky, uncomfortable and expensive active-shutter glasses. That's now changing. A new wave of 3-D sets are using lighter glasses to make immersing yourself in the third dimension less cumbersome. Eventually, believable 3-D won't require specs at all.
Microsoft's Research department is always coming up with cool new ways to interact with gadgets, and this newly released video of the "Holodesk" is definitely one of the cooler ones. It uses a Kinect ("hacked" doesn't seem really correct when it's a Microsoft project) to see your hands and face, and allows you to juggle completely virtual 3-D objects--balance a virtual ball on a book, then tip it into a bowl of water, or stack virtual 3-D blocks. It's pretty amazing.
It's an entirely different kind of gadget lust felt when you know that the thing you're drooling over is dogged by the horrid words "Europe Only," or "U.S. release details pending." Here at PopSci, we get that a lot, but never is it more palpable than the one time a year we cross the pond for the annual IFA electronics smorgasbord in Berlin.
This year's IFA is just wrapping up, which means it's time to look back on the whirlwind of the last few days: what looked great, what didn't, what got us excited, and which technologies we're most excited about. The big themes this year were convergence, new ideas about 3-D, and thin everything--two of those three are represented in the Samsung Galaxy Note pictured above. Stay 'til the end for a couple show-floor sights that turned more than a couple heads.


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Opinion, Updates & Newsletters
In a case which has its origins at the introduction of
competition in the water sector in England and Wales, Albion Water
Limited ("Albion") has finally succeeded in obtaining at least some
recompense in its struggle to compete with incumbent Welsh water
monopolist, Dŵr Cymru.
24 April 2013
In a long-awaited and ground breaking judgment on 5 March 2013,
the Brussels Court of Appeal acknowledged the existence of legal
professional privilege for in-house counsels who are members of the
Belgian Institute of In-house Counsel ("IBJ/IJE"). The judgment
also imposes significant restrictions on the use of digital search
methods by the Belgian Competition Authority ("BCA").
24 April 2013
The UK Government has
announced reforms to the UK competition regime that aim to promote
more litigation in competition cases, particularly by small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government has tried to
steer a path between making it easier for businesses to bring cases
and avoiding what it sees as the excesses of a"US-style litigation
culture". The reforms are likely to result in more
competition risk for businesses engaged in potentially
anti-competitive activities - and more opportunities for their
victims to seek redress.
31 January 2013
On 31 August 2012, the Belgian Competition Council issued a
conditional clearance decision in a merger case involving Swissport
Handling and Flightcare, two providers of cargo ground handling
16 October 2012
Competition & Regulatory
The UK Government has modified slightly its proposed reform of
the criminal cartel offence. However, the new definition of
the offence still raises serious concerns that a wide range of
commercial activities will potentially be criminalised. The
Government should back down from this reform altogether.
11 October 2012
In its decision of 30 July 2012, the Belgian Competition Council
imposed a fine of 245,530 Euros on French company Presstalis for
abuse of dominant position by applying its so-called "BSC" rebate
scheme between 2000 and 2004. The scheme granted rebates to French
publishers that allocated their exports to Belgium, Switzerland and
Canada exclusively to Presstalis. The Council found that the scheme
was loyalty-inducing and restricted competition on the market of
exports of French newspapers and magazines on the one hand, and the
Belgian distribution market on the other.
19 September 2012
The Office of Fair Trading ("OFT") has issued
revised guidance on how it will set financial penalties in
future competition law infringement cases. The most significant
change is the increase in the maximum starting point for penalty
calculations from 10 to 30 per cent of "relevant turnover" (defined
as revenue generated in the market affected by the infringing
behaviour), bringing the OFT in line with the European Commission
and many of its counterparts in other European Member States.
13 September 2012
On 8 August 2012, the Competition Appeal Tribunal ("CAT")
published its much anticipated judgment in the appeals brought by
Sky, Virgin Media, BT and the Premier League against Ofcom's 2010
decision to require Sky to offer wholesale access to its premium
sports channels at prices set by Ofcom (the "wholesale must offer
obligation" or "WMO"). In a significant victory for Sky, the CAT
concluded that Ofcom's core competition concern, which underpinned
the wholesale access requirement, was not supported by the
09 August 2012
The UK competition authorities have formally charged a major
hotel group and two online travel agents with breaking competition
(antitrust) law by fixing prices at which rooms are sold
online. The case potentially has major implications for all
hotel groups and online retailers of accommodation.
02 August 2012
AMP condemned by the Brussels Court of Appeal for abuse of dominant position.
19 June 2012
There is a large consensus that the current Belgian Competition Act, which dates from 2006, needs some revision, at the very least on a number of procedural issues. This is, in the first instance, the result of the Court of Justice's VEBIC judgement, but there have also been a few decisions from the Competition Council and the Court of Appeal highlighting some shortfalls.
08 June 2012
In an interim order issued on 22 May 2012, the President of the Competition Council ordered a warehouse keeper storing certified Robusta coffee to maintain a minimum amount of loading (at least 500 ton on average) per working day. This is to be measured at the end of each month.
08 June 2012
Financial Services Regulatory
The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive ("AIFMD" or the Directive) creates a European-wide framework for regulating managers of ‘Alternative Investment Funds’ ("AIF") (referred to in the Directive as ‘Alternative Investment Fund Managers’ ("AIFM")) and imposes restrictions on “marketing” AIF to investors in the EU.
23 April 2012
Cases C-403/08 and C-429/08: Football Association Premier League Ltd & others vs QC Leisure & Others / Karen Murphy vs Media Protection Services Ltd
In October 2011, we reported the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision in two joined cases. In that decision, the ECJ was answering questions referred to it by the High Court in two UK cases.
20 March 2012
Competition & Regulatory
The UK Government has published its much anticipated response to last year's consultation on reform of the UK competition regime.
16 March 2012


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A collection of restaurant related news from all over South Africa
Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits Takes Flight for World Wildlife Day
29 February 2024
As the world gears up to celebrate World Wildlife Day on March 3, Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits is proud to announce its unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation with the launch of a special initiative in the month of March.
With a deep reverence for the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom, Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits has long drawn inspiration from this delicate ecosystem. The brand is enthusiastic about preserving the Cape Floral Kingdom, and what better way to celebrate the country's conservation efforts than through Sugarbird Safari Glitter Gin?
Crafted with the same care and attention to detail that has become synonymous with the Sugarbird name, Sugarbird Safari Glitter Gin captures the essence of the Cape floral kingdom beneath the shimmering African skies. Infused with distinctive fynbos botanicals, this innovative glittery gin pays tribute to the breathtaking landscapes and diverse wildlife that represent Africa at its best.
Initially a limited-edition festive gin, launched in December 2022, this sparkly addition to the Sugarbird gin range, in a Safari-themed bottle remains the perfect gifting solution from Africa to the world at large. However, with its Safari-scape bottle design, it speaks to the vital conservation effort, embodying the beauty and significance of Africa's wildlife and landscapes.
In recognition of World Wildlife Day, Sugarbird® Cape Fynbos Spirits is proud to announce that throughout March a percentage of the proceeds from every bottle sale of Sugarbird Safari Glitter Gin will be donated to the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve (TPNR) towards its community foundation and incredible anti-poaching unit.
The TPNR is at the forefront of wildlife conservation in South Africa. Employing dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line to protect and educate about our natural heritage. Through their tireless efforts in community engagement, boots on the ground and investment in state-of-the-art equipment, the TPNR has created a safeguard against rhino poaching and wildlife crime, ensuring that future generations will continue to marvel at the wonders of the African wilderness.
"We are thrilled to partner with the Timbavati in support of its vital conservation & community work," says Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits founder, Matt Bresler. "At Sugarbird, we view safeguarding our wildlife as both duty and privilege. By purchasing a bottle of Sugarbird Safari Glitter Gin, our customers can join us in making a tangible impact in the fight to preserve our planet's most precious resources."
In addition to supporting the Timbavati, Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits encourages consumers to explore ways they can contribute to the fight against poaching and wildlife crime. Together, let's ensure that future generations inherit a world teeming with the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
Find Sugarbird Safari Glitter Gin online from: Mother City Liquors, Makro, Takealot and Pick n Pay for an RRP of R299.95, or in selected stores nationwide.
For more information on Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Spirits and their commitment to wildlife conservation, please visit: www.sugarbirddistillery.com
For more information on Timbavati Private Nature Reserve (TPNR) please visit: www.timbavatifoundation.co.za


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The Crock-Pot Cook & Carry Digital Slow Cooker delivers all of the low-maintenance cooking performance we expect from a slow cooker, with a few nods to convenience and portability that give it an edge over its competitors.
Technically Incorrect: In the workplace, millennials have become entitled to a mocking. It's surprising that it's taken "Saturday Night Live" this long to join in.
One of Twitter's co-founders has come back to help the troubled social-networking company. Seen as part artist, part visionary, the question facing Dorsey now is whether he can turn the company around.
Technically Incorrect: Apple's CEO says that encryption is "a must" in today's world. He believes that everyone is coming around to that view. Except, perhaps, the FBI.
Technically Incorrect: Tesla's CEO wants to create constant nuclear pulse explosions so that there'd be two little suns to heat the planet and make it ready for our arrival.
Apple's iPads and Macs are going to stay separate products even with all the new similarities between them.
Technically Incorrect: After suggesting that the Apple CEO was opportunistic, especially in China, Sorkin appears to take back his words.
Technically Incorrect: In comments about his new Steve Jobs movie, the famed writer wonders whether getting your products made by cheap child labor in China isn't also opportunistic.
Spotify's Shanon Cook is back on the show bringing along news of a Chromecast support, the latest trending artists on the service and why metal is booming.
The CEO visits Stephen Colbert's new show ahead of Apple's launch of its latest iPhones next week.


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Hey all, it’s Sarah Frier. The next tech talent wars may be less about the free stuff, and more about the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. Those famously expensive Silicon Valley campuses that double as adult playgrounds, with their nap pods and herb gardens and bike-shares, are competing with a newfound love for the home office.
Just ask the Google employees irked when a senior engineer was granted the privilege of setting up shop in New Zealand. His lower-level colleagues are waiting anxiously to hear whether their pandemic living situations are approved, or whether they have to race back to Mountain View, California, my colleague Mark Bergen wrote. Apple employees also want to spend less time in their spaceship-esque headquarters, they said in a letter to Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook. Even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told staff he plans to spend as much as half of next year working remotely.
Why don’t the tech elite want to go back to their sprawling, full-service campuses? The answer isn’t just about Covid-19-era habits—it’s about a workforce that is aging, and that is now very rich.
I grew up in Silicon Valley. I remember when Google was just a Stanford University project, and when those in my high school class stayed local, deciding to go to that school or UC Berkeley, and then to work at Google or Apple or Facebook after graduation. As Google unveiled a workspace with perks, and others followed, it made sense to call these offices “campuses.” They were an extension of college life, with its special interest clubs, beer-pong parties and opportunities to play basketball or take a yoga class during a schedule gap. Except everything was free. Recent grads paying the exorbitant local rents were thrilled to bring home compostable containers of their workplace’s gratis gourmet food for their roommates or for their own weekend consumption.
But those companies are now some of the Bay Area’s largest employers, after a decade or two of rapid expansion. The same millennials who thrilled at free beer are higher-ups in their 30s now, reporting to people in their late 30s or early 40s. The value of their company stock has doubled over and over and over. Work is no longer the center of their universe; many have spouses and vacation homes.
The change was observable pre-pandemic. In 2019, if the timing aligned on my trips to Menlo Park to meet Facebook sources, my father would sometimes invite me to join him afterwards at a local event he’d come to love: a summer concert series, free on Wednesday evenings in suburbia. It happened to be sponsored by Facebook, with a giant branded banner affixed to the front of the stage, and was attended heavily by Facebook employees, whose small children danced around and played with sticks while their parents sipped wine and nibbled charcuterie. That, not office ping-pong tables, was the kind of family-friendly perk that kept Facebook’s more senior workers happy.
But every one of these companies has tens of thousands of employees, and there are only a handful of houses available for sale near headquarters at any given time—even the small ones selling for multiple millions. The campuses are now so spread out that even at work, employees complain that they spend most of their time on video chats with people in other buildings. The office makes sense for younger recruits, and for those who have already put down roots locally. The rest may want to decamp to where their money can buy a better lifestyle. —Sarah frier
If you read one thing
Advertisers are panicking. A new prompt for iPhone users who downloaded a June software update asked if they wanted to let app track their activities. On average only 25% of people said yes—severing data pipeline that has powered the targeted advertising industry for years. “It’s been pretty devastating for I would say the majority of advertisers,” one analyst said.
And here’s what you need to know in global technology news
Netflix is planning an expansion into video games.
Amazon considered building an Alexa-powered wearable device for children. Codenamed Seeker, the GPS-equipped gadget would take the form of a wristband, keychain or clip and let parent monitor their kids. It’s unclear if the project, discussed in 2019, ever moved forward.
Horacio Gutierrez, Spotify’s top lawyer, has done more than almost anyone to push the narrative that Apple is an abusive monopolist.
The creator of Dogecoin said he will not return to cryptocurrency, calling it a “right-wing, hyper-capitalistic technology.”
Goodbye Twitter Fleets, we hardly knew you.


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Technogym reported revenues of €510 million for 2020, representing a decline of 23.8 percent from 2019. The home fitness segment, strongly driven by stay-at-home measures during the Covid-19 pandemic, saw revenues jump by 71 percent to €154 million. The strong performance of the home fitness segment, which accounted for 30 percent of total revenues, mitigated the temporary slowdown and the postponement of orders across the B2B segments, the company said. In Italy, the country in which Technogym is headquartered and has the most consolidated presence on consumer channels, the performance of home fitness even allowed for an increase in the overall turnover.
The adjusted net profit went down by 49 percent to €43.4 million. This drop was mainly due to a decrease in the operating income, which fell by 47.7 percent as compared to 2019. Adjusted Ebitda amounted to €96.9 million, down by 34.5 percent in 2019, mainly due to the significant decrease in turnover in the period, although it was partly mitigated, especially in the first part of the year, by a reduction in operating costs.
In Italy, revenues increased by 1.9 percent, strongly driven by home fitness. In the rest of Europe, which continues to represent the main geographic area for the company in terms of revenues, there was a 25.0 percent decline in sales because of particularly bold revenue contractions in some key countries such as the U.K.
In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, revenues dropped by 25.3 percent, but the fourth quarter marked an initial recovery, with revenues declining by only 13.7 percent in the quarter. North America was the area most impacted by the pandemic, with sales down by 34.7 percent. With the pandemic worsening in the last quarter of 2020, several key accounts in the club sector and operators of the hospitality segment across North America postponed some of their investments. Among emerging geographies, the Middle East, India and Africa (MEIA) region registered a 14.1 percent decline, combined with the excellent performance of home fitness in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Revenues in the Latin American region declined by 43.7 percent.
By distribution channels, the best performance came from those that were most exposed to home fitness. Retail, represented by the company’s ten flagship stores, recorded a 48.8 percent growth in turnover. Inside sales, which includes teleselling and e-commerce, registered a 77.1 percent increase. Both segments experienced an important acceleration during the fourth quarter, including triple-digit growth in Inside sales. Field sales, the channel most impacted by the lockdown, suffered a 33.9 percent contraction. The wholesale channel recorded a 20.8 percent decrease, with a slight improvement in the fourth quarter thanks to better performances in countries that were no longer significantly affected by the pandemic.
For 2021, Technogym expects a sound recovery in the B2B segments, together with ongoing growth in the home fitness segment. The company projects home fitness to reach €300 million in revenues by 2022, nearly double the revenues of the segment in 2020, thanks to the expansion in the product range and new initiatives to better support sales. The company’s overarching goal is to reach €1 billion in group revenues in 2024.


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Sutherland emerges as heir-apparent at Kingfisher after reshuffle of top team
Thursday 01 July 2010
Kingfisher, the owner of the DIY chain B&Q, has anointed Euan Sutherland as a potential successor to its chief executive, Ian Cheshire, as part of a wider reshuffle of its top team's responsibilities.
The company has put Mr Sutherland, the chief executive of B&Q and Kingfisher UK, in charge of its global buying programme and sourcing offices worldwide. The 41-year-old Scot, who joined Kingfisher in 2008 after running Superdrug and Savers, retains his UK remit, which includes its trade DIY supplies business Screwfix.
While there is no suggestion that Mr Cheshire, who only became group chief executive in 2008, is contemplating stepping down, Mr Sutherland's expanding role signals that he is a leading contender for the top job as the company plans his succession.
Mr Sutherland has played a key role in the recent revival at B&Q UK and Ireland, which increased its retail profits by 12 per cent to £67m for the quarter to 1 May.
Kingfisher, which operates in eight countries including China, Russia and Turkey, said the reshuffle would put more "management resource" behind its strategically important global sourcing. It has previously said that it wants to increase its direct sourcing from about 12 per cent to 20 per cent.
Kingfisher said Peter Hogsted, the chief executive of its international business, who was previously in charge of group sourcing, had also been given more responsibility. In addition to keeping his brief for international and own-label products, Mr Hogsted will now be in charge of Kingfisher's innovation strategy.
Mr Cheshire said of the reshuffle: "We have made great progress on group sourcing and it will be one of the key drivers of growth at Kingfisher. It therefore makes sense for us to put more management resource behind it as we embark on the next phase of our 'delivering value' strategy."
Industry sources said Kevin O'Byrne, who is currently Kingfisher's group finance director, was another potential successor to Mr Cheshire.
- 1 To help fuel their propaganda machine against the poor, our government has now decided to redefine the word 'welfare'
- 2 Tower Bridge glass walkway 'smashed' by night-time visitor dropping bottle of beer
- 3 Anti-gay hate preacher accidentally tweets 4,000 followers cartoon clip of him 'confessing' to be a 'homosexual sodomite'
- 4 Woman opens professional cuddling shop – gets 10,000 customers in first week
- 5 Grayson Perry: London needs affordable housing because 'rich people don't create culture'
Anti-gay hate preacher accidentally tweets 4,000 followers cartoon clip of him 'confessing' to be a 'homosexual sodomite'
Woman opens professional cuddling shop – gets 10,000 customers in first week
Grayson Perry: London needs affordable housing because 'rich people don't create culture'
Kenya bus attack: Al-Shabaab militants slaughter 28 non-Muslims who failed to recite Koran
That Sugar Film director Damon Gameua receives shocking diagnosis after going on healthy sugar diet for just 60 days
Rochester by-election: Ukip gains second MP as Tory defector Mark Reckless holds seat
'Beast of Bolsover' Dennis Skinner takes Ukip MP Mark Reckless to task moments after he is sworn in
Rochester by-election: Labour MP Emily Thornberry resigns after posting white van and England flags tweet
France 'blocks' Russian sailors from boarding a warship
Revealed: How the world gets rich – from privatising British public services
Myleene Klass: Ed Miliband 'strikes back' by comparing UK's need for Labour's mansion tax to Hear'Say track
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Animals and transport are the vehicles chosen by Kraft Jacobs Suchard and Unlimited Design for a new range of Dairylea cheese in individual portions. The six shapes come in vivid colours to attract children. Kraft Jacobs Suchard product manager Dale Green is optimistic that the packs will ‘appeal to both kids and adults alike’. Unlimited Design, which has offices in both Cheltenham and London, worked on the project from its initial stages as a new product development concept through to its launch last week.
According to the London-based designers, Rihanna’s eponymous book took two years to design.
The mission to get to Mars is creating countless opportunities for design, according to the new exhibition.
The app’s update is inspired by streaming services like Apple Music and Netflix.
The new generation of space garments were made for use during the 2024 lunar mission, which will see the first woman on the moon.


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Android and Apple's iPhone OS were the fastest-growing smartphone platforms in 2009, with sales of the iPhone OS overtaking those of Windows Mobile, research company Gartner said Tuesday. Symbian and Research In Motion's BlackBerry still lead the mar...
Early reaction to the refreshed Windows Phone 7 Series operating system boiled down mostly to: "Microsoft desperately needed to do something."
When the over-the-top hype met the reality of Apple's iPad, a majority of consumers decided they didn't need, and wouldn't buy, the new device, a survey published today said.
IBM's mainframe division finished a disappointing 2009 with a 27% fourth quarter revenue decline, but Big Blue is hoping the next generation of its mainframe computer will boost sales in 2010.
Gartner has revised its outlook for worldwide IT spending this year, predicting the industry as a whole will see 4.6 percent growth to $3.4 trillion, up from its previous prediction of 3.3 percent growth, according to its latest figures released Thur...
IT budgets will only rise by a weighted global average of 1.3 percent in nominal terms in 2010, compared with 2009 levels where IT budgets declined 8.1 percent, said Gartner following the release of results from the 2010 CIO survey by Gartner Executi...
CIOs working to return to business growth have made technologies such as virtualization, cloud computing, Web 2.0, networking and mobility top priorities for 2010, according to research released Tuesday by Gartner.
The importance of advertising as a revenue source for developers will grow as users become less willing to pay for mobile applications, according to market research company Gartner.
Cloud computing will become so pervasive that by 2012, one out of five businesses will own no IT assets at all, the analyst firm Gartner is predicting.
Gartner has purchased the Burton Group, its second acquisition in a month, expanding the firm's already massive presence in the IT analysis market.
Smartphones grabbed a smaller-than-expected part of overall mobile phone sales in 2009, and Nokia is largely to blame, according to market research company Gartner.
Security measures such as one-time passwords and phone-based user authentication, considered among the most robust forms of security, are no longer enough to protect online banking transactions against fraud, a new report from research firm Gartner I...
Flash-based storage will quickly become one of the most important technologies in the data center, according to Gartner.
Last week, research firm Gartner released a PC sales forecast that initially sounded like good news for Microsoft and its hardware partners, but likely indicates trouble ahead.
Enterprise data needs will grow a staggering 650% over the next five years, and that's just one of numerous challenges IT leaders have to start preparing for today, analysts said as the annual Gartner Data Center Conference kicked off in Las Vegas Tu...
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Brides say Sharon bridal store hasn’t delivered dresses or answers
Shelby Waltman isn’t sure what she’ll do if her bridesmaids’ dresses don’t arrive in time for her October wedding.
With her wedding in just 10 days, Danielle Ransom opted to order new dresses from Amazon.
Jen Munholand has resigned herself to the fact that she and her bridesmaids might have to shell out significantly more than what they already spent to have the bridesmaids’ dresses reordered in time for her Aug. 11 nuptials.
The three women are among customers of Bling Bridal Boutique on East State Street who say they haven’t received orders paid for long ago. They want answers and refunds – and if they don’t get them, they said they will consider taking legal action against the shop.
A sign posted on the store’s door and a message on its website states that dresses are shipping late, and asks customers to provide an address so dresses can be shipped directly to them. The sign on the door states the store will be closed July 21-28.
A call to the store Wednesday was not answered. The store did not respond to a Facebook message from a Vindicator reporter.
Ransom, of Clarion, Pa., visited Bling Bridal with her bridesmaids at the end of February, she said. The entire party ordered dresses at that time, and were told they would ship in 12-15 weeks. Ransom received her wedding dress and one bridesmaid’s dress in the wrong size but is unsure where the other dresses are.
Ransom said she was in touch with store associates about the order when she picked up her dress in late June, then continued to check in this month as her Aug. 4 wedding approached.
“A lot of what they do is through text and through Facebook Messenger, which is really unprofessional,” she said.
Read MORE in Thursday's VINDICATOR.


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Parler CEO John Matze said that the social media platform might never return online after being cut off by major service providers following the accusations that the app failed to remove violent content.
Next year, the Bitcoin or the BTC is already 12 years old. Time flies so fast where it became the most popular cryptocurrency too. Many people have already heard about this platform of trading and investing. Many have already earned and get to have their savings through Bitcoin. Over time, this digital currency is continuously maturing and offers many opportunities that you can choose from. Many people are still figuring out how they will make money using Bitcoin. Sometimes, it's hard to ask our friends about this kind of matter, especially when money takes along the way. So, here it is we are making sure that you will understand this and help you to have your money.


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A new shop opened on Historic Fourth Avenue today and it may be, dare we say, the best-smelling shop on the block.
The Lavender Manor located in a historic house on the northern end of Fourth Avenue at 347 E. Fourth St. is the new home for all things lavender in Tucson.
The shop carries homemade products like soaps, lotions, lip balms, essential oils and mists that are all infused with locally grown, fresh lavender from the shop’s farm Life Under the Oaks in Oracle, about 37 miles north of downtown Tucson.
Carolyn Blair and her family have owned the farm for the last decade and began planting lavender there in 2018. Since Life Under the Oaks opened, the Oracle-based farm has become a must-see destination for Southern Arizonans.
After nearly five years of lavender farming and lavender-based workshops and events, Blair decided it was time to bring a taste of the farm down to Tucson.
“I'm super excited. A little nervous,” Blair said. “Because I'm hoping that people are gonna love it as much as they love the farm. You know, it's gonna be a little different clientele that we'll have here. But still, we have lots of people that come from Tucson up to the farm. So I'm hopeful that everybody's going to enjoy it and that it's something different, a different experience.”
Like the farm, The Lavender Manor will also host lavender-centric events like enjoying homemade lavender tea in the manor’s tea room and lavender wreath workshops on the back porch. Blair hopes to add yoga events at the manor, too.
The shop’s soft opening is this week, but their grand opening celebration with food and music will be on Nov. 12. Currently, the manor is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
While the manor is owned by the Blairs, it will be managed by Life Under the Oaks worker and friend, Kim Marceil.
“Working with Carolyn has just been such a calming and eye-opening experience,” she said. “(We’re) just looking forward to, you know, opening for the community, bringing people in with all of our natural products and then really starting to educate and share with everyone around us what we do.”
“We're bringing like a little little bit of the farm to Tucson except for the farm animals,” Blair said.
'It's a unique destination'
Upon entering The Lavender Manor, the slightly floral and earthy scent of fresh lavender is the first thing that welcomes you.
The walls of the historic 1903 house are painted in a shade of lavender and the decor is reminiscent of an old farmhouse. There’s even a “Farmer John” room — complete with a recliner, TV and an original fireplace with stunning green tiles — for all the gentlemen to relax in while they wait for their significant others.
The setup of the manor makes you feel like you’re in a home rather than a business — a feeling that was important to Blair.
“People are always asking, ‘When are you going to have product in Tucson?’ and ‘We wish you were closer’ and that kind of thing,” she said. “And so we thought, ‘Well, why don't we open a location in Tucson?’ but I needed the right location, I wanted something that would fit with, you know, the farm style. And this property came up and it's perfect because we have a yard and it's like a house setting. … It just felt like I was drawn to it and a part of it. I grew up in a house that looks sort of like this. So it's kind of like nostalgic to me. But I just thought it's just perfect for what I wanted to do.”
Blair was initially inspired to start the Oracle lavender farm after she took a family vacation to Washington, the state with the most lavender farms, and saw fresh lavender for the first time in her life.
“I just fell in love with that,” she said. “And I was like, you know, what a dream to have a lavender farm. And I kind of, like, always had that in the back of my mind, but it wasn't the right time.”
After her daughter moved out, the Blairs decided to convert a horse-racing arena, where her daughter used to barrel race on their farm, into a lavender farm.
“We made it bigger and got our plants,” Blair said. “And I tell everyone, people in Oracle thought we were crazy because it's hard to grow anything there because there's so much wildlife, they just eat everything. But I knew that the animals don't like lavender, like the deer will go in there and the bunnies and they'll nibble at it and leave it alone. So we have it fenced off because of the javelinas, not that they'll eat the lavender, but they'll dig at the water lines.”
Although the Blairs weren’t expecting a good harvest for a couple of years after the initial planting, they were shocked when the first summer harvest rolled around and the lavender plants bloomed “like crazy,” Blair said.
From there, the popularity of the farm took off with Southern Arizonans.
So much so that they have since opened a boutique in Oracle, the new shop in Tucson, and have plans to open another shop in Oracle. Despite having the new location in Tucson, Blair hopes that people will still feel inspired to make the trip up to the farm in Oracle.
“We're the only lavender farm in Southern Arizona that I know of,” Blair said. “And definitely the only one that does all the things that we do for all events. So I would say the same thing about the shop. It's a unique destination. It's a place you can come by yourself or with friends or with family. So it's just a new offering to Tucson.”
If you go
What: The Lavender Manor.
Where: 347 E. Fourth St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Visit the farm's website for more information.