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Talk of an all-wheel-drive BMW M5 dates back to 2011, and over the years we’ve had both hints and denials from official sources. Now the recently appointed chief of the storied M division, Frank van Meel, a former Audi quattro employee, has confirmed that an all-wheel-drive M5 is coming.
The information was confirmed by van Meel in an interview with Autocar, where the German engineer also said that the next M5, as well as the mechanically similar M6, will still have a rear-wheel-drive bias despite having all-wheel drive.
“The philosophy will remain rear-wheel drive, even if there is all-wheel drive,” he said. “As we increase power and torque, then the M5 and M6 will have large outputs, so we’ll look at those solutions with these cars in the future.”
A new generation of the BMW 5-Series is due in 2016, with its M5 variant likely to follow a year or two after the regular model's launch. What still isn’t clear, however, is whether the M division is looking to make all-wheel drive an option or a standard feature on the car.
Franciscus van Meel
“There might be a business opportunity with the X3/X4,” he said when quizzed about the possibility of new M cars. “We’re continuing our success story with new versions of the X5 M and X6 M.”
Finally, he reiterated that there were no plans to develop an M version of one of BMW’s new i cars, like the i8. However, he did say that there was room for technology sharing between the i and M divisions, such as in the area of carbon fiber usage.


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That X-Factor Simon Cowell has? It's more than just a TV show…and it's downright powerful.
The reality television guru isn't just leaving American Idol after this season to launch an American version of the U.K.'s X-Factor. He's taking his Syco brand to epic new heights.
Cowell has inked a new deal with Sony to produce and distribute music, television, film and digital content in a joint venture, per Variety. Each party will have a 50 percent stake in the new company under the Syco banner.

domain: news


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Big Bite: How to combat high food prices
The Calgary Eyeopener explores why food costs have risen and what to do about it
We don't need to tell you that food prices are up.
You feel it every time you see that pound of beef scanned at the grocery store, and don't expect a break anytime soon — food prices are going nowhere but up.
For our series Big Bite, we look at how this affects Calgarians and what you can do to keep your costs down.
This issue will be explored all week on the Calgary Eyeopener and CBC Calgary's website. We'll hear tips from a thrifty shopper on how to get your food costs down, a cattle rancher on soaring beef costs and how the Calgary Drop-in Centre has changed its food habits.
To understand up, look down
You can explain the rising costs primarily by looking south, according to Lindsay Tedds, visiting professor at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy.
"The biggest driver in food prices over the last year has been the decline in the exchange rate with the American dollar. Because we import most of our food from the United States, the decline leads to increases we see in the grocery store," she said.
The single largest increase in food prices is with beef, which has skyrocketed 40 per cent over the past five years.
There are many reasons for that: supplies are tight after many ranchers reduced their herd sizes after the BSE crisis, the drought has forced the cost of hay to go up and the costs of running a cattle operation (machinery repairs, land purchases) are also up.
Tedds says although families are seeing food take up a bigger part of their monthly budget, it's single and non-working Calgarians who really feel the pain.
"People at the low-income spectrum are just not able to afford the transportation costs to go out and buy foods in bulk. They tend to be income constrained so that they can only buy small amounts of food at a time. And the smaller amounts that you buy, the more you pay per unit price."
Doesn't leave bad taste for everyone
There are benefits to the rising cost of food, according to Sylvain Charlesbois of the University of Guelph's Food Institute.
Charlesbois says stores are reinvesting their profits into stores, creating a "better in-store experience."
He says quality is also improving.
"Higher food prices have allowed the industry to refocus on quality and that's why you're hearing of a lot food processors get rid of artificial flavours and putting in natural products."
Charlesbois refers to the recent decision by McDonald's to only use eggs from cage-free chickens for its Egg McMuffins as a game-changer.
"Consumers are willing to pay more. They actually value better practices."
When food prices are too low, it chokes local processors out of the game, which ultimately leads to increasing prices.
"Between 2004 and 2009 when prices were much lower, we actually lost 150 manufacturing plants in the country."
Charlesbois, who currently lives in Austria where people spent upwards of 20 per cent of their household budget on food (compared to Canada's 9.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent for Americans), says Canadians should expect food prices to keep rising, though at a "modest rate."


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Staying connected can be difficult for those using multiple Chromebooks or sharing notebooks among family members which is why the search giant has introduced a new Wi-Fi Sync feature in Chrome OS.
With Wi-Fi Sync, users will no longer need to reenter their Wi-Fi passwords when using a different Chromebook as they become part of the user profile's keychain and are stored to their accounts.
- We've put together a list of the best Chromebooks around
- Get more done with the best productivity tools
- Also check out the best online collaboration software
Google's AirDrop competitor Nearby Share, which allows users to easily share content with those around them, is now rolling out to Android devices but it will also be coming to Chromebooks.
In addition to making it easier for users to share content and connect to their home Wi-Fi networks, Chrome OS 85 also reworks the operating system's settings menu.
The latest release provides users with an easier way to search for settings such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networks. It's clear that Google wants the Chromebook Launcher to serve as an “everything button” similar to how Spotlight works in Apple's iOS and macOS. According to the company, the ability to use Chrome OS' launcher to search through settings will be coming soon to Chromebooks.
To make being heard while video conferencing easier, Google has added a new mic slider in Chrome OS' Audio settings that allows users to control the volume of their voice to help others hear them better. Changing the volume of your microphone can be done by clicking on the volume icon in Quick Settings.
Recording video will also be easier for Chrome OS users as Google will now let them pause and resume video recording as well as take still pictures while recording.
While Chrome OS first gained popularity in schools due to how easy Chromebooks are to setup and manage, Google is now positioning its operating system as an alternative to Windows and macOS for everyone including remote workers and even developers, who can now use it to develop Android apps.
- These are the best business laptops on the market
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After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.


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Storage solutions provider SanDisk has unveiled the world’s highest capacity microSD card at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new microSD card can store upto 200GB of data.
According to SanDisk, it is using the proprietary technology developed by the company last year for the 128GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC card and has created a new design and production process that allows for more bits per die.
“We continue to push technology boundaries to deliver record-breaking solutions that transform the way consumers use their mobile devices. By focusing on achieving new capacity and speed milestones, we are able to deliver trusted mobile memory solutions that give consumers the freedom to never stop capturing, saving, or sharing – with the benefit of fast speeds to transfer it all quickly,” said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk.
The 200GB microSD card from SanDisk provides transfer speed of up to 90MB/s and should be compatible with all the Android smartphones and tablets in the market, which tout the support for cards up to 128GB.
Pricing and availability
The 200GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, Premium Edition, features a ten-year warranty and will be available worldwide in Q2 for $399.99.


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Last updated on December 10th, 2021
After nearly 75 years, Archie’s announced something surprising for its core “Archie” monthly comic: a reboot.
News came earlier today that in 2015, Archie will renumber its core monthly title with an all-new #1. Accompanying this is a new creative team, writer Mark Waid (of “Flash” fame) and artist Fiona Staples, who’ll be retooling the title into what’s described as a more “modern” direction. As the New York Times notes,
Plans for the redheaded Romeo include a new look and an edgier tone, which will be introduced in 2015 when the Archie comic book is reset at No. 1 with a new creative team. The effort is timed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Archie, who was introduced in 1941, and coincides with plans for a television series on Fox and an apparel line from the fashion designer Marc Ecko.
The article notes the previously announced plans to expand the Archie characters into non-comics media, as well as sums up its recent revival efforts under new leadership.
Mark Waid gets cited in the article:
Mr. Waid said his primary goal was to return Archie to a modern audience, which included restoring the contemporary attitudes that the teenagers of Riverdale had lost.
“Over the years, some of the sharp edges have been sanded off,” he said. “They are kids, and they should act as kids.”
(Update) More details have arrived, via a press release stating it’ll feature an origin revamp:
ARCHIE #1, hitting next year from writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples, will reenergize the story of Archie and his friends, presenting for the first time ever the origins of everyone’s favorite redheaded teen and his friends while showcasing the beginnings of the historic love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica.
The new series will focus on the strengths of the popular characters, their world and harken back to the comic’s humorous and edgier roots, said Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater.
“The Archie characters aren’t in need of a tune-up, ‘shocking change,’ or revision. These characters have stood the test of time and resonate to this day – we’ve proven that over the last six years,” Goldwater said. “What ARCHIE #1 will do, though, is bring together two of the most talented creators in comics in Mark Waid and Fiona Staples and create a surprising and definitive take on Archie’s origin – a story that has never been. The book will bring back some of the bite of Archie’s original tales in a modern, forward-looking manner, while still retaining the character’s all-ages appeal. What better way to celebrate 75 years of Archie Andrews?”
(Update) Even more details have emerged, via Comic Book Resources interviewing Archie co-CEO Jon Goldwater about all the changes.
Summing up my reactions to all this (which is a surprise to me):
For the past several years, Archie’s been modernizing its books to try to attract newer audiences. So far, the efforts have been successful in attracting attention, so I can see why they might finally want to apply this to their core title. “Archie” is one of two Riverdale-set “floppy” comics (excluding non-kid-friendly alternate title “Afterlife With Archie”) that they still produce—the other being the now-bimonthly “Betty and Veronica.” Sales for both floppy comics have slid dramatically for years; “Archie” in 2013 sold an average of 11,093 comics a month, numbers that’re abysmal even for modern comics standards. (If curious, “Betty and Veronica” did even worse in 2013, with an average of 8,680 a month sold.) While the digests are the core comic money-maker for Archie, sprucing up sales of the core title might not hurt.
Of course, cue the usual questions/other comments I’d have about this:
- I assume ultimately the goal is to get new readers, but will this title still include Archie’s traditional core audience, kids? Most of the attention for its books have seemed aimed at getting an older audience interested, but there’s still a huge amount of room for decent children’s comics.
- Presumably, the new Archie’s direction won’t be nearly as grim or dark as “Afterlife.” Though I do wonder if it’ll use any elements of successful books like “Life With Archie”? Adapting Moose’s direction from there would be interesting; maybe a story about him trying to reform, but facing stumbling blocks along the way? Plus, given real life incidents like NFL player Ray Rice’s arrest, Moose’s creepy jealous violence shtick is even less funny than it already was, and badly needs either updating or being disposed.
What’s going to happen to “Betty and Veronica?” Will it get a similar revamp? Cancelled?(Update) It sounds like “Betty and Veronica” will get a similar revamp, from remarks made by Goldwater. Also per Goldwater’s interview, the digests will stay in their traditional form, with new stories. The revamped look will apply just to the floppies.
- The article notes they’ll “act like kids,” so I assume less of a perfectionist tone from characters like Betty, or more clashes between the kids and their parents.
- Renumberings for long-running titles aren’t new for Archie. The late 80s saw long-running titles “Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica” and “Archie’s Pal Jughead” renumbered with new #1s, and the former losing the dated “Archie’s Girls” prefix.
- “Archie” is probably the highest-cover-numbered still-published mainstream American comic. Assuming the renumbering sticks (versus Archie pulling a Marvel), and assuming DC doesn’t renumber “Action”/”Detective,” that leaves the record-holder, Dell’s “Four Color Comics,” safe. I’m not sure what the current highest-numbered still-published American comic will become without Archie. “Journey into Mystery” is in the 600s at Marvel, though it’s had title changes and renumberings over its long run (mostly titled after its main star, Thor). At Marvel/DC, the longest runner without restarts or retitlings is the “Looney Tunes” comic (hitting issue #223 in February). At Archie, “Archie Comics Digest” will be their highest numbered book if continuing its usual numbering, hitting issue 259 in February.
- Gather the “shocking change” line is a jab at the likes of DC and Marvel. Wonder what this origin revision will consist of…Betty moving to Riverdale and meeting the gang for the first time, a la the actual first Archie story (1941’s “Pep” #22)? (Guess we’re ignoring “Little Archie.”)
- Finally, while I hope it boosts sales, I suspect “Archie”‘s sales slide is in part from the lousy business model floppy comics face these days—$4 for a ten-minute read?—and that the digests are a much better buy at only a dollar more.


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Bye bye, ice cream and milk tea? Lactose intolerance gets worse with age – here's why
In this series on digestive health, CNA Lifestyle finds out if you can get your body to accept dairy products again – and what to avoid other than milk, cheese and ice cream.
Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life, and you might feel like your body has let you down when your digestive system starts to turn in a less-than-stellar performance as you age. What’s up with your body? Here, we look at your increasing intolerance for dairy products.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MY GUT?
Since over 90 per cent of East Asians have lactose intolerance, according to the US National Institutes of Health, you’ve probably felt its effects.
After a bubble milk tea or a slice of the recent dessert trend, the basque burnt cheesecake, you might feel bloated, gassy, nauseous, diarrhoeal, pain in the abdomen and/or even heard rumblings from the abdomen, said Dr Alex Soh, a consultant with National University Hospital’s Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Those uncomfortable – and sometimes, embarrassing – symptoms are caused by lactose, a sugar found in dairy products such as milk, butter, cream and cheese.
Many Asians lack lactase, an enzyme found in the small intestine, which Dr Soh said, is needed to break down lactose into simple sugars.
What happens instead, is that the undigested lactose “rapidly transits through our intestines and gets fermented by gut bacteria, leading to the symptoms of lactose intolerance”.
“These symptoms often occur about 30 minutes to a few hours after consuming the lactose-containing food or beverage,” said Dr Soh. “Its severity depends on how much lactose is consumed – higher amounts of lactose could result in more symptoms.”
Dr Soh highlighted that lactose intolerance is unlike irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder. However, IBS patients may have a lower threshold for lactose.
WHY IS IT ONLY HAPPENING NOW THAT I’M OLDER?
You might not have too much of a problem after a latte in the past. But as you age, your digestive system starts to produce less lactase and that’s when the problem worsens. “Lactase activity is highest in newborns and is genetically programmed to decline in our early years for the majority of people worldwide,” said Dr Soh.
Aside from age and genetics, he said that there are conditions that affect your small intestine – such as intestinal infections, bacterial overgrowth, surgery, and inflammatory conditions, including celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease – that alter the intestine’s ability to handle lactose.
WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
A 2000 study by Purdue University’s School of Consumer and Family Sciences found that the controlled consumption of dairy foods may help you to recondition your digestive system to accept milk and such without discomfort.
"If you only consume dairy products once in a while, you are more likely to have symptoms from them," said Professor Dennis Savaiano, the school’s dean. "Also, if you consume them by themselves, as opposed to as part of a meal, they tend to be transported throughout the intestine more rapidly and are more likely to cause symptoms."
Start by drinking one-quarter to one-half cup of milk with meals two or three times a day, and slowly increase the quantity, he said. “By altering the diet over time, bacteria more effectively digest lactose, making milk very well tolerated."
If you’re not keen to break wind more often than usual, limiting your intake of cheese and yoghurt will certainly help to lessen the symptoms, said Dr Soh. But other than these usual food culprits, lactose can also be found in foods such as salad dressings, biscuits, cakes, cereals and pancake mixes.
To spot lactose in processed foods, look for ingredients such as whey, caseinates, casein, nougat, cheese, milk byproducts, dry milk solids, dry milk powder, butter, curd, and nonfat dry milk on the packaging. Lactose powder, for instance, is a common food additive found in some foods and condiments, said Dr Soh.
Lactose is even used as the base for over-the-counter medicines such as some tablets for stomach acid and gas, according to MedicineNet. The good thing is, such medicines contain small amounts of lactose and typically affect only those with severe lactose intolerance.
However, a strict, non-lactose diet may not be required, said Dr Soh. “People with lactose intolerance are often able to tolerate varying amounts of lactose (up to 12g of lactose) without symptoms, and the tolerance threshold can be increased when lactose is consumed with food.”
You could try supplementing with a lactase enzyme to improve lactose digestion and symptoms, suggested Dr Soh.


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A NEWLY-built mansion in Doncaster East has reaped an eye-watering sum.
Woodards Manningham sales director Carmen Stenta said 9 Grasmere Ave’s $2.6 million sales figure was secured after the house passed in.
“It was a great result in the end; it sold soon after passing in for $2.6 million,” Ms Stenta said.
“The auction was huge; some people even commented after that it was as big as a Bruce Springsteen concert.”
Ms Stenta estimated more than 100 people attended.
SUBURB PROFILE: Doncaster East
Ms Stenta added the result showed supply and demand at work, and said homebuyers were eager to purchase houses like these in Manningham.
“It would be great if there were more of them,” she said.
She added the home had been popular with Asian buyers.
A five-bedroom brick house occupied the block in 2015 and was sold for $1,361,150, according to CoreLogic records.
Doncaster East’s median house price was $1.215 million at the end of February, according to latest CoreLogic figures.


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EU's NIS2 Cybersecurity Legislation: What You Need to Know. The new NIS2, which updates the 2016 NIS Directive, expands the scope of cybersecurity rules to new sectors and entities, and requires organizations to take steps to improve their cybersecurity posture.
The decision concludes that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection–comparable to that of the European Union – for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies under the new framework.
The European Commission has launched its draft Cyber Solidarity Act, putting forward a proposal for boosting EU-wide cooperation in preparation for and response to major cyber attacks.
THE UK INFORMATION Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling on UK accountants to recognise the crucial role they play in helping their SME clients have the right data protection practises in place from the day their business is established.
DLA Piper’s latest annual General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Fines and Data Breach Survey of the 27 European Union Member states plus the UK, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
UK ICO started publishing data sets about the work it conducts including data breaches and investigations. The data sets cover the period from Q4 2021 onwards.
The UK government’s recent announcement that it will ‘replace’ GDPR and pause the Data Reform Bill, has raised fresh questions about the UK’s EU data equivalence, according to a leading tech and data lawyer.


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Updated : November 14, 2015, 8:05 pm
Updated : November 14, 2015, 7:10 pm
Snapchat is known as a form of "ephemeral social media", which are platforms displaying shared content for a brief
Updated : November 2, 2015, 2:16 pm
Updated : October 27, 2015, 5:25 pm
Twitter will also try to work more closely with developers who use software tools from the company to create their own apps.
Updated : October 22, 2015, 11:54 am
Updated : October 20, 2015, 6:10 pm
What is common between Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry? All these celebrities have jumped on the app bandwagon and have taken the tech world by storm.
Updated : October 19, 2015, 3:09 pm
Apple Inc said on Sunday it is cleaning up its iOS App Store to remove
malicious iPhone and iPad programs identified in the first large-scale
attack on the popular mobile software outlet.
Updated : September 21, 2015, 6:35 pm
Want to give your walls a new look, but dont know where to start? Apps and websites launched by paint companies come to your rescue.
Updated : September 18, 2015, 3:08 pm
Novopay Solutions Ltd, incubated by entrepreneur-cum-investor Vinod Khosla unveiled a consumer payment application with a bank partnered wallet.
Updated : September 18, 2015, 2:21 pm
Mobvista said it will invest USD 100 million (about Rs. 665 crores) over the next three years to expand its India operations.
Updated : September 10, 2015, 7:09 pm
Meru launched what it calls the first-of-its-kind ride sharing service 'CarPool' for its customers across the country.
Updated : September 1, 2015, 6:46 pm
LA-based eHarmony plans to launch its recruitment service - Elevated Careers - in 2016, and expects the business to contribute about 60 per cent of the company's revenue within three years.
Updated : September 1, 2015, 4:17 pm
Govt citizen-centric web platform MyGov and Google India announced the final top 5 teams Pan-India to build the official mobile app for the PMO.
Updated : August 27, 2015, 5:16 pm
Taxi hailing app Ola said it will offer benefits worth up to Rs. 1,00,000 to enable its driver partners to switch to CNG vehicles.
Updated : August 27, 2015, 10:52 am


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Recently, Hawaii is holding the second Xiaolong Technology Summit. Among them, Qualcomm also announced a number of technologies at the conference, including the Snapdragon 845 and the Snapdragon 835 supporting the Windows 10 system. It is worth noting that the first ASUS notebook equipped with the Snapdragon chip also officially appeared on the market.
骁龙 845 will achieve a new level of computing
In fact, the current Qualcomm Xiaolong 835 has achieved performance improvements, and this time the launch of the Xiaolong 845 is bound to cause a new round of computing changes. From the current known situation, the 10nm process will enter a popular stage. The next generation of Xiaomi‘s flagship mobile phone and Samsung‘s flagship mobile phone seem to be equipped with a new round of all-round upgrades. It is because of this that we can feel that the changes in the industry are starting in a new direction.
Qualcomm will achieve a computer version across
At this technical summit, the Snapdragon 835 processor will officially support the Windows 10 system. It is reported that notebooks equipped with the Snapdragon 835 processor will remain connected. And these devices will also have more outstanding performance such as battery life, stability and so on. Compared with traditional notebook products, notebooks equipped with Snapdragon 835 will have obvious advantages. First of all, there will be a significant improvement in standby and there will be a dual connection between mobile and wireless networks. On the other hand, the notebook will last more than 20 hours. Obviously this is a great experience for office workers and gamers.
At present, Qualcomm is also beginning to step up preparations for its globalization process, and will allow the business to cover a wider range of fields before the advent of the 5G era.


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After Nedlloyd, is P&O also selling her silverware?
P&O agrees bid from Dubai Ports
The ports and ferries group P&O has agreed to its acquisition by Dubai Ports World (UAE) in a takeover deal worth GBP 3.3 billion (USD 5.7 billion). P&O said that Dubai Ports (DP World) had offered GBP 4.43 per share in cash for the company. In October, P&O announced that it had been approached by a potential bidder and speculation mounted that Dubai Ports was behind the talks. The takeover signals the end of 168 years of independence for the world's fourth-largest ports group. DP World, owned by the Dubai government, said it planned to keep P&O's headquarters in London (Great Britain) and chief executive Robert Woods would continue to head the business.


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The 2013 Range Rover went on sale in December, 2012 and now most Land Rover dealerships in the country are sold out of the new SUV until summer. Continue Reading...
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Dropping 700 lbs, and adding even more luxury features, the 2013 Range Rover was just unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Continue Reading...
Gracing the halls of the Paris Motor Show today, the 2013 Range Rover with its lightweight aluminum chassis stood for all to see. Continue Reading...
After the debut earlier this week of the 2013 Range Rover, it has now been revealed that at the base trim level the luxury SUV will cost $83,500, representing a $4,000 price increase over the previous model. Continue Reading...
Despite having already made its official debut, there are still versions of the 2013 Range Rover under wraps that our shooters caught spy photos of. Continue Reading...
Earlier this month, the 2013 Range Rover officially debuted with the announcement of a diesel hybrid variant coming later in the year. It’s now been confirmed that America won’t be seeing the diesel hybrid, at least not anytime soon. Continue Reading...
Land Rover has revealed its new 2013 Range Rover model, ushering in a fourth-generation of its flagship SUV after a 10-year lifecycle with its predecessor. Continue Reading...
Information on Land Rover’s 2013 Range Rover is expected very soon, but photos that seem like they might very well be legitimate have already surfaced online. Continue Reading...
Wearing what would barely pass as anti-photo camouflage, our auto paparazzi snapped spy photos of the upcoming 2013 Land Rover Range Rover on the road. Continue Reading...
The luxury SUV market is slowly but surely growing, and customer demand for these premium vehicles is causing companies like Lamborghini and Maserati to listen up and take notice. With the Range Rover, Land Rover has always had a premium offering in the upscale SUV market, but now with added competition the English marque is… Continue Reading...
Our photographers have captured the latest spy photos of the upcoming Land Rover Range Rover, including photos of the new SUVs interior. The photos below show what appears to be a significantly larger LCD screen in the center of the dash. The all-new Range Rover is expected to shed significant weight compared to the current… Continue Reading...
Land Rover will roll out yet another improvement to its Range Rover models next year, introducing an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment in North America. Manufactured by ZF, this is the same unit currently being used by BMW and Audi and is set to be offered in several Chrysler products in the near future…. Continue Reading...
The next generation Range Rover is due out in 2012 and according to a new report by AutoCar, it will be drastically different – although it might not necessarily look that way. The biggest change planned is that the fully-capable luxury SUV will ride on an all new platform similar to that used for the… Continue Reading...


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Putin says missile attacks damages Russian-US relations; launched under false pretext.
Sunoco will sell 1,110 U.S. stores to a 7-Eleven operator for $3.3 billion.
Unilever to divest spreads business, raise dividends and launch share-buyback program.
11 Democrat Senators back bill to bring back internet privacy rules.
Henry Blodget launches live streaming business show The Bottom Line on BI’s social media platform.
To clear path to confirm Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination, Senate Republicans end filibuster option for High Court nominees.
It’s official: People like Microsoft’s tablets better than the iPad.
YouTube will now block ads on channels with under 10,000 views.
A family keeps turning down millions for its house next to Master’s golf course.
Photo: U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) conducts strike operations while in the Mediterranean Sea which U.S. Defense Department said was a part of cruise missile strike against Syria on April 7, 2017. Ford Williams/Courtesy U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS


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Marketwired.com, posted February 15, 2017
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 15, 2017) - Versus Systems, Inc. (CSE:VS)(CSE:VS.CN)(OTCQB:VRSSF)(FRANKFURT:BMVA) today announced February speaking engagements for the company's founder and CEO Matthew Pierce.
UCLA Anderson PULSE Entertainment, Sports & Technology Conference: A UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA, a graduate of Stanford University, as well as current entrepreneurship lecturer at UCLA and UCLA Anderson, Versus CEO Matthew Pierce was tapped for the Future of Content panel discussion during the 8th annual PULSE conference. He was joined by executives from Fox, A&E Networks and KPMG in a discussion about the intersection of entertainment, technology and data. The PULSE conference also featured CEO and Chairman of CBS Les Moonves, Los Angeles Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten, and CEO of Def Jam Recordings Steve Bartels. (Conference Date: 2/10/17, PhotoLink)
[a]list summit: Competitive Gaming & eSports: The fastest-growing media segment is competitive gaming and eSports, a market opportunity Pierce and the Versus team seek to expand on behalf of all game developers, publishers, brands and gamers. The 14th annual [a]list summit brings together experts from this innovative media segment to educate marketers on how to engage and learn from experts in the space. Pierce will be discussing how brands can leverage competitive gaming's worldwide millennial and younger audience in the Reaching the Global Gaming Audience panel. [a]list summit will also feature speakers from Amazon, HTC, Blizzard, Coke, and TBS. (Conference date: 2/16/17)


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A Lincolnshire tech company has launched a new safety device to help staff socially distance following a £200,000 investment.
Tended secured the finance from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, supported by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
Tended Hub, the company’s social distancing device, allows employers to monitor social distancing in the workplace, detecting the distance between devices with centimetre accuracy.
If employees come within a pre-set distance of others, their device will vibrate, notifying them to move to a safe distance.
The device can be worn on a lanyard, armband or clipped onto the user’s belt and is accompanied by an online dashboard, which logs distance breaches and their duration.
In the event of a COVID-19 diagnosis, employers can use the technology to reliably trace contacts to quickly contain a potential outbreak.
The social distancing and contact tracing device has already gained interest from over 400 businesses and Tended is currently working with industry-leading aircraft manufacturing and media organisations to help them continue their operations without compromising on employee safety.
“The idea for the social distancing and contact tracing device came to me one night in lockdown after seeing the sheer number of companies that had to stop operating and send their workers home because they couldn’t effectively enforce safe distancing measures, costing businesses and the economy millions each day,” said Leo Scott Smith, founder and CEO of Tended.
“We wanted to see if we could expand on our existing technology to help companies get back on their feet and manage safety measures. Our goal for Tended Hub was to develop an intelligent, innovative and highly-accurate social-distancing and contact tracing solution for the workplace.”


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Alpha Bank and Vodafone have partnered with Visa and First Data to conduct the first NFC payments pilot in Greece. The service is being tested with a select group of consumers using Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 and Samsung Galaxy SIII devices containing a Vodafone SIM that stores their Alpha Bank Enter Visa debit card.
- US merchant groups call for creation of open tokenization standards
- Facebook closes gifts business
- Amazon Wallet teams up with Blackhawk
- Square unveils EMV card reader
- Nestle runs NFC marketing campaign in 480 Woolworth stores across Australia


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Int'l trade fair in Dehradun to target holidaymakers
1st Nov, 2016 | Tourism Mail Crew
KANCHANPUR : The Kanchanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry is set to hold a trade fair in Dehradun, the capital of India's Uttarakhand state, with an aim to promote ecotourism.
The Chamber is holding a first ever international trade fair to promote its art, culture and tourism destinations. The event is expected to attract Indian tourists as well as tourists from other countries to Nepal.
The five – day trade fair to start in the second week of December will showcase handicraft materials, herbs, readymade garments, Pashmina and information related to the tourism destinations through more than 40 stalls, Chamber's senior Vice Chairman, Jung Bahadur Malla said.
"The tourists that come to Dehradun are less curious towards the tourism destinations across the border due to lack of publicity, so the fair will be held to inform them that peace has been established in post-conflict Nepal and all tourism destinations are secure," Malla added.
The fair will also act as a medium to draw foreign investment through publicity of the possible tourism destinations. RSS


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Editorial: A better solution than healthier Happy Meals: eating less fast food
McDonald’s is again tinkering with the Happy Meal to make it healthier for kids, announcing plans to dump the cheeseburger version and cut the number of fries in a portion later this year. Bottled water will become the featured kids’ drink, and chocolate milk made with less sugar will be added to the lineup. Soon, all of the Happy Meal combinations served in the U.S. will have no more than 600 calories, with lower fat, sugar and sodium content, the company promised.
Healthy changes are welcome from the fast-food outlet that feeds millions of Americans, especially as they may inspire competitors to do the same. But let’s not delude ourselves. Happy Meals may be more nutritious than kids’ meals at most other chain and fast-food restaurants, but that’s a low bar.
In fact, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, 97% of kids meals at the top 50 chains don’t meet basic nutritional standards. At most of the top chains, sugary sodas are still an option, despite the fact that these drinks offers lots of calories and little nutrition. Many nutrition experts see a link between soda and high obesity rates among children and adults.
Prompting kids to make better drink choices should be easy. McDonald’s removed soda as a standard Happy Meal offering in 2013, making it available only by request. Since then the percentage of Happy Meals sold with soda dropped significantly, and there has been no consumer backlash. A few other chains, Burger King and Jack in the Box among them, have followed suit. That’s good for kids, assuming they aren’t switching to juice, which can be just as sugary as sweetened soda. Where McDonald is going next — setting water as the featured drink for kids’ meals — is ideal.
Without whole grains, fruits and green vegetables as defaults, however, even healthier Happy Meals shouldn’t be a regular part of anyone’s diet. But they are. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, on any given day about one-third of American children eat fast food, and on average kids derive 12% of their calories from fast-food outlets. Sadly, the calorie numbers are slowly heading in the wrong direction.
McDonald’s deserves a lot of credit for leading the effort to improve the foods kids eat at fast-food restaurants. But no one should lose sight of the fact that healthiest choice of all is to eat less fast food.
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Positions in Europe: Long British Pound (FXB); Short Spain (EWP)
If nothing else, the European discourse in recent weeks has proven out Keith’s Keynesian Endgame thesis – European leaders will continue to throw money and more favorable loan terms at member countries to prevent the failure of any one country, and therein preserve the structure that unifies unequal countries that share a common currency. This, along with the recent hawkish stance of the ECB and 25bps interest rate hike on April 7th, has been bullish for the EUR, currently pushing against $1.45 versus the USD.
With Portugal’s bailout imminent (in the neighborhood of €50-80 Billion), Greece’s fiscal issues are bubbling back to the surface. This weekend at a meeting of European finance ministers in Hungary, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble re-stoked the fear trade by saying that Greece may need more capital and/or more favorable loan terms to return to fiscal health. The statement in and of itself comes as no great surprise – remember that Greece’s debt as a % of GDP is expected to ramp to 159% in 2012, and we’re of the camp that PM Papandreou and Co. will come well short of their target to reduce the country’s deficit from a high of 15.4% of GDP in 2009 to 3% by 2014 – yet the Greek equity index ATHEX was pounded down a full -2.6% on the news today.
This weekend’s meeting also opened up the prospect of a further restructuring of Greek government debt, with EU Economic and Monetary Commissioner Olli Rehn saying, “We have a solid plan. It is based on a very careful analysis of debt sustainability”. Translation: let’s fill up the trough. And this follows the already generous terms of the country’s €110 Billion bailout, which were amended last month to include repayment in 7.5 years instead of 3 and a cut to the interest rate of 100bps to around 3.5%.
Hedgeye’s weekly European Risk Monitor shows that Greek bank swaps (in particular) pushed higher after improving on the margin last week (see chart below). Sovereign CDS spreads show a near-term downward inflection in risk for Ireland and Portugal, while on the TREND Greece pushes higher as Spain and Italy wane (chart below).
R3: REQUIRED RETAIL READING
April 11, 2011
- According to real estate research firm Reis, mall vacancy rates reached 9.1% hitting the highest level in a decade in the 1Q of 2011 up from 8.7% in Q4. Strip mall vacancy rates remained flat with prior quarter at 10.9% close to the prior peak of 11.1% in 1990 – a level that could be breached if new property scheduled to come online does in 2011. Looks like rents are one of the few input costs likely to remain stable for retailers in the coming months.
- Following our recent comment on increasing Blockbuster store availability and the positive implications for Hibbett Sports, a recent New York Times article suggests there could be increasing competition for the locations. Significantly smaller than other recent vacancies such as Linens ’n Things and Circuit City, the average 6,000 sq. ft. layout is better suited for a multitude of retailers like the featured La Familia pawn shop. With 700 stores expected to close by month’s end, speculation remains high that Dish Network is likely to liquidate the remaining 1,700 locations.
- Retail earnings revisions ticked up last week in the wake of same store sales. Though for the first time since January, the direction of stocks deviated from the direction of revisions. This shows how this group NEEDS earnings to head higher to stand still. Here’s an interesting dose as to which retail sub-groups are leading/lagging peers:
- The biggest callout to us is discount stores vs. footwear/sporting goods retail. Most notably – Target has underperformed over every single duration. This has been, and still is one of the top short ideas in the Hedgeye Portfolio.
- Similarly, in the Home category, we’ve got the soft side (BBBY and WSM) standing out over the hardlines (LOW and SHW).
OUR TAKE ON OVERNIGHT NEWS
Toning's Rocky Road - While the toning footwear category has declined in recent months, experts say the category could reverse course by fall, albeit with some changes. According to data gathered by The NPD Group, sales of toning product fell in February to $41.2 million, compared with $87.3 million in March of last year. Experts pointed out that declines in the past few months largely are due to excess inventory, which is driving down prices and holding up fresh product from entering the marketplace. “What the problem is today is not a lack of demand but rather an oversupply of product,” said Matt Powell, an analyst with SportsOneSource. “The consumer still likes this category.” Powell added that the short-term success of toning would depend on how quickly retailers can push through aging inventory. “Before back-to-school, we should be back to [positive growth],” he said. “Retailers are telling me that newer styles of toning are selling at an acceptable rate at an acceptable margin.” <WWD>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: These figures largely depend on how the category is defined. There’s no disputing the fact that ASPs continue to slide and are now below $60 on average. While the margins at retail may still be at an “acceptable rate,” the reality is that this is most likely due to increased markdown money from the brands to protect shelf space.
Footwear Exports From Vietnam Exceed $1Bn in Q1 - Vietnam’s footwear sector continued ranking third after garment and crude oil with export revenues reaching US$1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2011. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that a year-on-year increase of 29.7 percent in export revenues was attributable to the continuous economic reovery. The European Union continued to be the largest market for Vietnam’s footwear, importing $356 million worth of products in the first two months of the year, followed by the US ($230m) and Japan ($54m), respectively, worth of Vietnam’s footwear. Vietnam’s footwear exports to China, the Republic of Korea and other markets also rose. <FashionNetAsia>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: About 40% of this is Nike. No joke…
At Macy's, a Makeover on Service - Several Macy's sales associates sat in a training room in the chain's Christiana Mall store recently hashing out sales-floor scenarios. Mary Martin, Macy's vice president of learning and development, directed the group's attention to a card at the center of the table with a statistic: Forty-eight percent of Macy's customer complaints are focused on interactions with sales associates. The training session is part of a new strategy by the department store to improve its track record on customer service, which in recent years has dented the reputation of the storied retailer, lowered its scores in annual customer service rankings—and most likely slowed growth. Part of the problem may be attributed to Macy's Inc. 2005 merger with May Department Stores Co., after which the company struggled with poor customer service as it focused on integrating various regional chains under the Macy's banner. "A couple of years ago we had seven different divisions, so we had great service in some divisions and not as good in others," said Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive of Macy's, in an interview.<WallstreetJournal>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: Exceptional customer service has long been a hallmark of Macy’s key competitor, Nordstrom. It should come as no surprise then that JWN’s same store sales outperformance on a relative basis is highly correlated with the company’s top customer service satisfaction score according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. However, it’s worth noting that over the past year, Macy’s score improved to 76 from 71 while Nordstrom’s stepped back to 82 from 83.
Japanese Department Store Sizes 2012 Impact - Department store operator Takashimaya posted double-digit growth for the fiscal year just completed but warned its performance will be less stellar over the next 12 months in the aftermath of Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami. The retailer said it sees net profit falling 38.6 percent to 8.5 billion yen, or $99.78 million at current exchange, for the year ending February 2012. Operating profit will slide 12 percent to 16 billion yen, or $187.83 million, and revenue is seen dropping 2.6 percent to 846.8 billion yen, or $9.94 billion, it said. A spokesman for Takashimaya said in the first week following the earthquake, sales at the retailer’s 18 stores in Japan were down 38 percent compared with normal levels. The following week they were down 22.6 percent, the week after that they were down 8.2 percent and in the first week of April, they were only 1.5 percent lower than usual, signaling that consumer confidence may be returning to the country. <WWD>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: On the one-month anniversary of the Japanese quake – one thing is clear, we are still a long way off from fully understanding the full magnitude and duration of the tragedy. While Takashimaya sees operating profit down 12% in F2012, Onward Holdings’ updated outlook from Friday suggests stable domestic earnings in Japan offset by growth overseas. According to the weekly sales data, performance rebounded rather quickly all things considered – however, between disruptions, discounting, etc. margins are likely to report a more lasting impact as Takashimaya’s outlook suggests.
Jimmy Choo Sale Takes Step Forward - The £400m-£500m sale of luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo took a step forward on Friday, with the original shortlist of 10 parties whittled down to four. It is understood that TPG Capital, a private family office and potentially a consortium of Investcorp and luxury group Labelux are through to the second round. Big luxury goods groups were also expected to look at Jimmy Choo, as well as Asian buyers, although it was not clear whether any made the second round. The company’s shoes, costing as much as £1,800 ($2,948) a pair, have become a favourite of Hollywood celebrities, being worn by the stars of Sex in the City, actress Julia Roberts and singer Beyoncé. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy has been mooted as a potential suitor, as has the brand’s eponymous founder Jimmy Choo. However, Mr Choo is not thought to be in the second round. Some analysts thought the business could appeal more to a strategic buyer than a private equity group. <FinancialTimes>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: There’s no shortage of interest for top luxury brands of late. Yes, Bulgari is more of a jewelry/accessories brand, but the premium doesn’t hurt and now with a Prada IPO slated for later this summer, there’s likely to be increased urgency in getting a deal struck. In addition, the brand’s re-introduction of its men’s line since it started exploring strategic options last fall is also likely to be a further positive for Choo’s valuation.
Laura Ashley to Launch Intimates - Laura Ashley Inc. has signed a licensing agreement with Secret Lace LLC to produce, market, sell and distribute the first collection of intimate apparel bearing the Laura Ashley Intimates and Laura Ashley London names. Distribution will be aimed at major specialty and department stores and specialty boutiques in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and 400 Laura Ashley stores in Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand. The Laura Ashley Intimates line, which will be unveiled at the May innerwear market here, will be launched for fall, while the Laura Ashley London collection will be introduced at retail in early 2012. Wholesale sales projection the first full year for the combined lines is more than $2.5 million, said Albert Zaccai, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Secret Lace, a division of privately owned Just One LLC. <WWD>
Hedgeye Retail’s Take: $2.5mm? That seems like a joke. Laura Ashley continues to be (and always has been) a very solid name in both home furniture and women’s fashions. Intimates should be a lay-up.
Though still early, April revenues have been impressive.
Macau is off to another great start to a month with April table gaming revenues of HK$6.7 billion through the 10th. Adding in slots and taking into account the number of weekend and weekdays, we are making an early projection of HK$19.0-20.0 billion for the full month. That range of revenues would produce a YoY increase of 44-52%, fairly spectacular given the +70% comparison last April. We would caution that with only 1/3rd of the month in, it is still early. We think we’ve taken into account a likely slowdown in late April ahead of the May Golden Week, but that week may be a bit unpredictable.
MPEL is the clear winner in terms of market share here in April, climbing to 19.5% versus the 14.5% trailing 3 month average. MPEL’s high teens share in early April is likely unsustainable but we are hearing volumes have been strong. It is likely that MPEL will post another strong month of share. Wynn’s share was also strong while Galaxy, SJM, and LVS have taken a hit. It’s probably not as prudent to be overly focused on market share given the overall strength of the market, however.
Here are the details:
Big jump on transaction volume in Q1
Market M&A Trends for Q4 and Year 2010
- Q1 US transaction volume soared close to $5BN, more than half of total volume for 2010
- Biggest deal: Ashford Hospitality’s acquisition of 28 Highland Hospitality hotels for $1.28BN in a foreclosure deal
- Consistent with 2010, REITS (existing and newly formed) dominated the M&A market in Q1
- Hotel delinquencies have stabilized. The latest data from Fitch showed hotel delinquencies in February hit 14.3%, a rate similar to Q4 2010
- Average Price per Key
- Q1 2011 Global average: $279,697
- US average: $289,733 (4 transactions)
- Q4 2010 Global average: $998,687. In Q4, there were several sales in Europe (London, France, Dubai) that surpassed $1MM in average price per key.
- No US transactions
- Q1 2011 Global average: $279,697
Upper Upscale Segment
- Average Price per Key
- Q1 2011 Global average: $250,532
- US average: $261,559 (20 transactions)
- Q4 2010 Global average: $257,295
- US average: $291,945 (7 transactions)
- Q1 2011 Global average: $250,532
Notable news items from the past few days and price action from Friday.
- MCD CEO, Jim Skinner, received a total of $9.7 million in compensation in 2010, including his roughly $42,000 annual salary increase as well as a 38% rise in his annual performance bonus.
- JACK was cut to “Underperform” from “Neutral” at Credit Suisse.
- WEN is challenging its biggest rival, McDonald’s, by putting its marketing dollars behind gaining more French fry market share. A “national taste test” carried out by Wendy’s claims that 56% of consumers preferred Wendy’s fries to McDonald’s, with 39% taking the opposite view and 4% having no preference. Wendy’s fry unit sales were up 16% during the national media in December versus the base period.
- DIN is carrying out an internal investigation after a toddler at a Madison Heights, Michigan, Applebee’s location was served alcoholic margarita mix. Police are looking into the incident and Applebee’s has pledged to cooperate and conduct its own investigation.
- YUM gained on strong volume on Friday.
- KKD gained on strong volume on Friday, also. The stock has declined sharply since 3/31, when the company announced disappointing earnings.
- RT declined once more, on accelerating volume, as confidence in the company’s ability to meet the Street’s expectations waned.
Daily Trading Ranges
20 Proprietary Risk Ranges
Daily Trading Ranges is designed to help you understand where you’re buying and selling within the risk range and help you make better sales at the top end of the range and purchases at the low end.


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(PRN) Summertime Scoop: Dreyer's(R) Dishes out 1,500 Neighborhood Block Parties
Published 10:10 am, Wednesday, March 14, 2007
OAKLAND, Calif., March 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dreyer's is dishing out its third annual Dreyer's Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute(SM) -- a national contest that rewards 1,500 neighborhoods across America with free, old-fashioned ice cream socials. Ice cream fans can visit Icecream.com for a chance to scoop-up enough ice cream and fixings (scoops, invitations, nametags and more) to host a block party for up to 100 neighbors this summer.
Since the Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute program debuted in 2005, Dreyer's has delivered ice cream socials to 3,000 neighborhoods and their 300,000 residents. The Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute builds and recognizes strong communities, which are the bedrock of our country. Dreyer's believes ice cream can be a sweet social liaison that breaks the ice and enables neighbors to share and bond over a scoop of their favorite flavor.
And the cherry on top has been comments Dreyer's has received from previous winners:
Latest Houston & Texas News
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- Study: White men stockpiling guns Fox 26 Houston
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- Family desperate for answers after 22-year-old man gunned down on southwest Houston street Fox 26 Houston
- Harvey victims slapped with violations by the City of Houston Fox 26 Houston
- "We are all so busy we usually only briefly speak or wave to each other. This was an opportunity to sit and chat for awhile. In almost 40 years of living near each other, I don't recall ever having a party for the neighborhood before now." -- Ruby Harris, Biloxi, Miss.
- "The director of activities from The Village at Sherman Oaks said it was the first time he had seen so many people in the lobby on a Sunday afternoon. And, even more unusual was that they were ALL smiling!"
- Carol Karp, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
- "Our neighbors are the best, because you can count on them in times of
trouble or if you just want to talk and share something. We feel very lucky in these sometimes scary times that we have such a great place to live. I thank all of our wonderful neighbors for being so caring."
- Karen Friebolin, South Whitehall Township, Pa.
- "Thank you so much for allowing us to have an awesome evening! Our
neighborhood needed it, and we will certainly never forget it!"
- Peg DesEnfants, Torrington, Wyo.
- "After four years, our family was leaving Ft. Huachuca for MacDill Air
Force Base. This was a great opportunity to say farewell to our many neighbors and welcome new families." -- Victoria Glynn, MacDill AFB, Fla. "During the last three years, Dreyer's has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans by offering our ice cream as the ultimate neighborhood ice breaker," said John Harrison, Official Taster for Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. "We would like to again invite neighbors across the country to slow down and get to know one another over scoops of our Slow Churned(R) Light Ice Cream."
Studies confirm that having neighbors who know each other offers significant benefits to a community. Harvard's Kennedy School of Government Seguaro Seminar on Civic Engagement in America has hypothesized that if 10 percent more citizens knew their neighbors' first names that would be a better neighborhood crime prevention strategy than adding 10 percent more police officers.
Ice cream lovers are invited to nominate their neighborhoods to win a doorstep delivery of 12 cartons of Dreyer's Slow Churned in a variety of flavors, including the new American Idol Limited Edition Flavors. With half the fat and 30 percent fewer calories than regular ice cream, Dreyer's Slow Churned gives neighbors even more reason to celebrate. Each Neighborhood Salute party comes complete with a "Party in a Box" which includes napkins, spoons, scoops, cups, bowls and other supplies to host up to 100 neighbors.
More about Dreyer's Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute Contest: Visit Icecream.com beginning March 14, 2007, and submit a paragraph (350 words or less) explaining why your neighborhood deserves a "Dreyer's Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute." Contestants must be residents of the United States and at least 13 years of age as of March 14, 2007. Official contest rules and entry forms will be available on Icecream.com beginning March 14, 2007. All entries must be received by May 25, 2007. Dreyer's will notify the winners in June and will salute each of the 1,500 winning neighborhoods with a Dreyer's Slow Churned prize package during July and August.
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiaries manufacture and distribute a full spectrum of ice cream and frozen dessert products. Brands of frozen dessert products currently manufactured or distributed by Dreyer's in the United States include Grand, Slow Churned(R), Dibs(R), Haagen-Dazs(R), Nestle(R) Drumstick(R), Nestle Crunch(R), Nestle(R) Butterfinger(R), Nestle(R) Toll House(R), Nestle(R) Carnation(R), Nestle(R) Push-Up(R), Frosty Paws(R), Eskimo Pie(R), Chipwich(R), Fruit Bars, Starbucks(R) and The Skinny Cow(R). The company's premium products are marketed under the Dreyer's brand name throughout the Western states and Texas, and under the Edy's(R) brand name throughout the remainder of the United States. Internationally, the Dreyer's brand extends to select markets in the Far East and the Edy's brand extends to the Caribbean and South America. For more information on the company, please visit http://www.dreyersinc.com.
The Starbucks trademark is owned by Starbucks U.S. Brands, LLC and is licensed to the Starbucks Ice Cream Partnership, a joint venture partnership between Dreyer's and Starbucks Holding Company.
In the U.S. the Haagen-Dazs trademark is sub-licensed to Dreyer's by Nestle.


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“Internet for Citizens” (also known as Internet Things) has become one of the leading technologies in technology 2013, so Google Trends can be easily seen. This term refers to increasing digitalization of everyday objects – any new technology device is designed with connection in mind whether the device in question is a smart tv or smart tooth. With more and more online devices, make sure that these devices become one of the biggest security challenges.
Increased players and reality
2014 has a fantastic series of exciting technologies to start. The players have a lot to look forward to: Not only did the last console war begin, but Valve will also bring the Linux game forward with the steam engine, Oculus Rift can revolutionize the interactive game. Gambling has already been a profitable goal for offenders, where game accounts are traded regularly in criminal forums. If the steam engines are popular, Linux malware can be on the cards.
2014 may be the year in which the extra reality (RA) begins to become more prevalent in everyday life. There are lots of AR apps that you can play on your smartphone; However, a phone is not suitable for AR. You have to pick it out of the pocket, unlock it, open an app, take it to the item you’re interested in – and even after all, you work with a relatively small screen of 4 or 5 inches.
AR works best with full immersion – and this is portable technology like Google Glass and SpaceGlasses. There are many interesting and even psychological attacks that can be performed against these devices. For example, the owners of these devices (literally) go with a camera attached to their head. It’s not great for a bank malware expert to realize that this is a great way to keep your PIN and bank passwords.
SCADA then four
Since the discovery of Stuxnet, the ICS / SCADA community has had an intense control of the security industry. Most security conferences now contain at least one SCADA-secure chat. Trend Micro’s proposed threat research team launched a series of papers on the subject in 2013 and showed that SCADA is not only attacking theoretically but actually occurs.
By 2014, this will certainly continue, especially in targeted assaults or cases of deposit and abstinence. A new area begins heating for researchers and security attacks – the entire area of radio communication. Because the radio does not use wires and is sent “magically” through the air, many people assume (inaccurate) that it is certain.
Trend Micro has shown that the AIS standard for ship tracking has many problems this year – and other researchers have shown similar problems with ADS-B (used in the aircraft). We expect to see more research published in 2014. More technology than ever in mind, or being easily accessible from the remote – is suddenly connected to the Internet and leaves your security barriers to everyone watching them.
With all this exciting and new technology on the horizon will Internet Assaults be a major issue in 2014? No, we do not think so. Although we are confident that the attacks on IoT inventories and basic architecture will be an important area of attack in the future, this future will not be until 2015 and beyond.
As discussed later in our 2014 predictions, what is now missing is the “abductor app” that will drive the adoption of an IOT. There are many innovative devices, but no major development. Google Glass (or something) may be the closest to finding your “slaughtered app”, but even then it will take time to be complete. Only at that time – when there is a critical mass of targetable users – it makes sense for offenders to go after it.
But when this device reaches the big appeal – this world’s cyber crime will not be slow to trade.


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Nevada Approves License of COPPA Compliant-ID Verifier for Online Poker
The Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) and Gaming Control Board (NGCB) gave their unanimous approval to award California-based Aristotle International, a license to operate in Nevada as a provider of player identity and age verification services. In fact, the recently approved Australian gaming company, Aristocrat Technologies, has selected Aristotle as one of the service providers for their Nevada-based online poker operation.
Aristotle International distinguishes itself as the only FTC- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) compliant company that renders ID-verification services within the bounds of the “safe harbor” standards and other privacy directives, across various types of communication platforms, such as the Internet, mobile and hand-held devices, as well as IVR or Interactive Voice Response systems.
The company boasts of its IntegrityTM product, which has the ability to authenticate in real time the age and identity of persons registering online. By checking personal information against a broad database of voter registration records, passport data and government-issued IDs in 135 nations, and covering about 3.4 billion citizens across the globe, online verifications can be completed in less than three minutes.
John Aristotle Phillips, CEO and co-founder of the company believes that their vast experience in verifying more than 50 million consumers transacting with various types of government agencies, merchants and Global Fortune 1000 companies, gives them the capability to meet the demand for instantaneous player verification processing to Nevada’s licensed online gaming companies.
Their clientele includes, but are not limited to, the U.S. Federal Election Commission, U.S. Lotteries, European IGaming companies, financial service institutions, transportation security agencies and advertising firms.


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At an Apple town hall meeting, Steve Jobs allegedly took at swipe at Google and Adobe. He then talked about how the world is moving to HTML 5.
A Chinese tablet maker is threatening legal action against Apple because, allegedly the iPad has a similar design to a product they released last year. Hopefully we'll be able to get the Chinese tablet in for review.
There are plenty of good remote access apps for the iPhone and iPod touch which will surely get an upgrade to take advantage of the extra real estate on the iPad. But one big name in the corporate world has already announced their client app for the iPad is a done deal.


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We love smart thinking and big ideas here at AD Communications. If you do too and you’d like to tell us about it, feel free to comment on a blog, or get in touch with us by emailing email@example.com
Author: Imogen Woods
According to The Guardian, about 43% of 18-24 year olds are expected to vote in this year’s general election, with an expected turnout of 75% of over 65s. So why aren’t the younger generation more likely to vote? The general consensus amongst young people is that they aren’t voting either because they “can’t be bothered” or simply they don’t know the facts to make an informed voting decision.
Author: Steph Hails
With huge disruption to flights at Heathrow and Gatwick during the recent British Airways computer outage, many passengers found themselves sleeping on the floor of the airport, unsure what was happening or when their flights would leave. With the terminals in chaos and thousands of passengers completely stranded, a storm was brewing over on social media, with everyone asking the same thing: what was going on?
Author: Tom Platt
This year’s FESPA exhibition was every bit as grand and colourful as the print industry has come to expect from the world’s foremost international wide format event. And while there were plenty of innovations and new technologies on display, arguably digital textiles stole the show.
Author: Michael Grass
Fewer hot topics have been bandied about trade shows more than ‘Industry 4.0’. And yet, despite the term being used to announce the arrival of a new industrial revolution, not many industry bods are familiar with its meaning, or more importantly, what it means for their business.


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The no-reserve deals show a confidence in the market, meaning that the car enthusiast (not the investor) is keeping the market steady and afloat, if not thriving.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, car buyers are getting more used to buying online, and it seems like car enthusiasts, not investors, are in control of growing the market. Car auctions are on the rise and so are listing vehicles without reserves, even rare collector cars.
There have been auction houses that have exceeded and increased sales, including The Market which is online only. Through the pandemic, they have been upping monthly sales totals and that the no-reserve listings are "becoming an increasingly important part of the classic market". The Market saw its best month to date in July, bringing in £1.26m ($1.665 million U.S. dollars) selling 85 percent of their cars with 77 out of 91 cars. Also, it was the no-reserve deals that showed there was a confidence in the market, meaning that the car enthusiast (not the investor) is keeping the market steady and afloat - if not thriving.
Buyers are more accustomed (if not becoming more accustomed) to bidding online, especially if the car can be seen before making a bid online.
The highest July price came from a '73 Jaguar E-Type roadster that sold for £75,000 (or $99,112.50 U.S. dollars) with an £85,000-90,000 estimate. On top of that, a rare pre-production 1985 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth went for £52,500 ($69,378.75 U.S.) against a £39,000-59,000 estimate. The no-reserve auctions are being driven by buyer confidence increasing.
Ainsley Pierce, The Market's administrator manager said: ‘We’ve seen a slight increase in the number of no-reserve auctions which we offer. This has been driven by increased confidence from sellers in our process and the fact that they have seen consistently strong results from other no-reserve auctions. In fact, such is the success that we now have a dedicated day for no-reserve auctions.
‘Regardless of the whether a given car is valued at £10,000 or £200,000, we would always advise that a no-reserve auction will create a much bigger buzz and will therefore achieve a genuine market value, so we don’t see a ceiling price on no-reserve auctions.’
A rare numbers-matching 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda (just 1 of 284 built with a four-speed transmission for that model year) will soon be up for bids through the Barrett-Jackson Fall Auction 2020 on October 22 through October 24th. Failing to sell during the July 2020 auction, the car will be up for bids without reserve.


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Before making the movie “Minority Report,” Steven Spielberg was strugglingto imagine life in 2050. So he assembled a group of leading science and technology thinkers to spend a weekend dreaming up the future. One of the film’s most memorable depictions was the personalized advertising, where in-store and outdoor advertising addressed consumers directly, taking into account the person’s context and past purchases. What shocked the consultants the most was how quickly their predictions came true.
“What we thought would take 50 years took 15,” Douglas Coupland, author of “Generation X” and one of the 1999 Spielberg Summit’s participants, told an audience in London last month.
Michael Altendorf, the founder and CEO of Adtelligence and a scheduled speaker at NOAH 2013 in London November 13th and 14th, is one of the people at the forefront of personalized marketing, helping brands harness big data and machine learning to tailor their web sites so that they look different to each customer. His Mannheim, Germany-based company was named a 2014 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in recognition of the potential its technology offers to influence and shape the future of business and society.
Worldwide, digital ad spending topped $100 billion in 2012, according to eMarketer. (See the story on pages 1, 22 and 23 for more on on-line advertising trends.) And digital ad expenditures are projected to nearly double between 2012 and 2016, increasing to $163 billion from $87.3 billion. If pundits are right, the effectiveness of those ads will depend largely on personalization. The companies that understand how to operate in this new environment are hot. Witness Criteo, an ad-targeting company that prices and supplies personalized advertising in real time for its e-commerce clients. It listed on NASDAQ in late October, raising $251 million in an upsized IPO that is further increasing excitement around the sector.
“We are going from a totally anonymous Internet- where we knew a bit about you, but not everything — to a totally personalized web where we know
everything about you,” says Altendorf. You already see it happening, he says. Google algorithms personalize search results based on your history and serve targeted ads. Yahoo! delivers different headlines to each visitor. Then there’s the personalized recommendations on Amazon’s landing page.
Adtelligence works with more than 100 companies, offering them technology that customizes web pages on the fly based on customer demographics, social networking, and product interest information.
The company’s business had been concentrated in Europe until now, but it has already started working with clients in the United States and is in talks with potential clients in Japan. Adtelligence has built up experience across nearly every e-commerce sector including travel sites like Opodo and eDreams, rental car company Sixt, fashion retailer Zalando, gaming companies Travian Games and ProSieben Games and car classifieds autohaus24 and larger “eBay-scale” brands that Altendorf says he cannot name for competitive reasons.
So far in every case, personalizing the user experience has a dramatic effect, significantly boosting conversion rates and revenues, he says. “We are all individuals; you and your wife have different interests,” he says. “If you know who’s coming, what time and where they are, it definitely makes sense — especially if they’re on a mobile phone, to show much more tailored content or products.”
Customization could be a retailer re-ranking a selection of millions of products to show the top 10 that are most likely to appeal to the customer. For example, a man shopping for clothes isn’t interested in women’s fashion. Or it could be a travel site changing the destinations it promotes based on the user’s location. People in London are more likely to want to fly to Barcelona, than Munich, Altendorf says.
Or, it could even mean changing the site’s appearance to better suit visitors’ layout or color preferences. “We have a car rental service that found if you rent a car in Munich there’s better conversion rate if you show the site differently than you would in Berlin. And to be honest, it works,” Altendorf recounts. “In Munich, the background has to be orange, but in Berlin they love a white background and they’ll just buy 20% more. It’s because the brand is much stronger in Munich so they’ll buy more with the orange because of the branding.”
The larger the site, often the bigger the lift in sales, he says. This is particularly because larger brands’ sites were first designed 10 to 20 years ago, long before personalization was possible. “If you take these sites sometimes huge clients make uplifts of 30% to 40% plus,” Altendorf says, “This is, for them, unbelievable.”
To prove the technology, Adtelligence will normally take 10% of a site’s traffic for a month. Then once they can show it works, all traffic is routed through Adtelligence’s system.“It’s like a cloud layer that is on top of the shop … Then once somebody clicks on the product and puts it in the basket, you jump into the shop system,” he says.
“The data is owned by the e-commerce shop. Especially the profiles. The only thing we are interested in is the correlations between GPS location, the kind of device and the product ID, for example. This is what we will try to learn from: the product graph, interest graph, search graph. Then we try to put it all together.”
Personalization might not look like Minority Report yet. On desktops, we log in and out of sites but our mobile, which is fast becoming people’s primary device, is always logged in, Altendorf says. Mobiles are key to sending and
receiving practical personalized information. “For instance, if you know you fly tomorrow from London to Barcelona, we know we can tell three hours before how long you will be in traffic. We know when you arrive on your gate at the airport. We can show you the parking lot.
We can show you the way to the gate,” he says. The mass adoption of Google Glass and other wearable smart devices will only open more possibilities. “This big wall between anonymized web and personalized web is falling away,” Altendorf says.


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While Kahoot! will always be available to educators for free, Kahoot! is now offering educators free access to its Premium plan to better facilitate distance learning.
March 12, 2020
Campus Technology shares Kahoot!’s announcement of free Premium access
For a limited time, educators impacted by the coronavirus will be able to able access Kahoot! Premium for free


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One of the few undisputed “winners” in the Covid economy has been Zoom, the virtual meeting tool whose use exploded as the coronavirus pandemic forced many workplaces worldwide to operate remotely. Now, more businesses may use Zoom as a springboard for their own growth as “Zapps” make their debut. (Zapps are apps available directly within the Zoom UI.)
In an October 15, 2020 Zoomtopia presentation, Zoom described its app marketplace as providing shortcuts for users’ “most valuable business processes.”
Advertised as offering the “best of breed” for each function, a number of big names — such as Slack, Salesforce, and Dropbox — have already partnered with Zoom to offer Zapps. Speech-to-text giant Rev will provide English transcription and captioning, plus subtitles in more than 15 languages.
As one Twitter user noted, there are still “so many categories up for grabs!” It remains to be seen which companies will snag the slots for interpreting and automated translation. Zoom already offers a feature for live interpreting, which allows users to designate specific meeting participants as interpreters.
Zoom’s existing language services are good enough that Powys County Council in Wales recently dropped Microsoft Teams in favor of Zoom due to issues with Welsh language translation. (In April 2020, another Zoom competitor, Google Meet, published research on simultaneous translation, potentially laying the groundwork for live translated captions for audio or video.)
Possible contenders for an interpreting Zapp include remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) platform Interprefy, which the World Trade Organization has used regularly in conjunction with Zoom since the pandemic hit. Interprefy founder Kim Ludvigsen told Slator in a recent interview that they have been “delivering interpreting through Zoom for almost a year and, since Covid-19, the business has exploded.”
Another contender, multilingual video conferencing system Kudo raised USD 6m in July 2020 — a sign of investors’ confidence in the platform’s staying power throughout the pandemic and beyond. Meanwhile, interpretation tech company Boostlingo launched its own Zoom integration in July 2020 Of course, there are numerous other potential candidates for the RSI Zapp and Zoom may surprise the market.
According to a guide on Medium, the software development kit is not yet available, but interested developers should submit a request for more information.


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Produce for Better Health Foundation Taps Largest Have A Plant® Influencer Network to Inspire Fresh Produce Consumption; Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak and Katie Calligaro Share
BRENTWOOD, MO - Continuing the growth of its award-winning Have A Plant® Movement, Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has tapped its largest group of Ambassadors to date, utilizing the influence and expertise of nearly 60 retail registered dietitians, culinary and foodservice professionals, and lifestyle, nutrition, and agriculture leaders to substantially boost fresh produce consumption.
“Our valuable network of all-star Ambassadors leads with experience, taste, and flavor to ensure the Have A Plant Movement continues to have a powerful impact with consumers,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and Chief Executive Officer of PBH. “As this group of Ambassadors continues to grow, I am confident that we will be able to spread the Have A Plant love far and wide. No other organization is committed to building and nurturing a diverse community of enthusiastic experts who authentically and credibly advocate for enjoying more fruits and vegetables.”
According to a press release, this year’s class of Have A Plant Ambassadors was identified based on a number of factors including their credibility, digital and social media reach, media-savvy smarts, compelling expert content, and genuine passion for promoting fruits and vegetables in their professional work.
After a highly competitive selection process with nearly 200 plant-passionate applicants, the 2022–2023 class has been enlisted for a two-year term and will collaborate with PBH to bring the Have A Plant Movement to life.
To see PBH’s influential network of Ambassadors, click here.
“We recognize hundreds of influencers want to be a part of our Movement, whether promoting produce in stores, in schools, in restaurants, or online via social media,” said Katie Calligaro, Marketing and Communications Director. “Expanding and evolving the Have A Plant Movement so that all plant-passionate advocates can take part means that any professional who believes in the PBH mission can collaborate with us and make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans, helping them to experience greater health and happiness by eating more fruits and vegetables.”
Have A Plant Ambassadors reach over 2 million shoppers a day, promoting the consumption of fresh produce to a broad audience.
In addition, PBH also works with a large network of advocates who back the organization’s mission and work to promote fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Those interested in joining the Have A Plant community can do so here.
As always, leave a tab open for AndNowUKnow for all this fresh produce.


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General Electric (GE) Consumer and Industrial will shut down several of its plants in Hungary for two weeks in February and introduce a four-day work week from April to November because of falling orders, business daily Napi Gazdaság reported.
Zoltán Sejpes, director of GE's plant in Zalaegerszeg (NW Hungary), told the paper he hoped further shutdowns would not be necessary after the one in February. Falling orders have hit GE's lighting unit especially hard, he added.
Production at eight of the division's nine plants will be shut down, affecting 90% of workers, GE Consumer and Industrial spokeswoman for Erika Windisch said. The four plants of GE's other business divisions in Hungary will not be affected, she added.
The four-day work week will be introduced to save jobs. (MTI - Econews)


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WASHINGTON—The Trump administration on Monday further detailed its vision to change the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, proposing that the regulator get less funding and fewer enforcement powers along with an overhauled mission that is friendlier to companies.
In the CFPB’s new five-year strategic plan, the administration articulated the thinking behind the changes in its enforcement and rulemaking policies being pursued under Mick Mulvaney, a longtime CFPB critic now serving as its interim director.
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Local reaction to new cigarette warning labels
Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:10:01 GMT —
For the more than 46 million people who still smoke in the U.S. get ready to see something a little different on your pack of cigarettes in the future. The FDA, which regulates tobacco, is going ahead with a plan to redesign the packaging to include graphic pictures to deter smokers.
"Today, FDA takes a crucial step toward reducing the tremendous toll of illness and death caused by tobacco use by proposing to dramatically change how cigarette packages and advertising look in this country " said Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner.
The FDA is looking at 3 dozen different labels like "smoking can kill you" and "cigarettes cause cancer" to be partnered with graphics and in some cases, graphic photos to reinforce the negative aspects of smoking.
Dr. James Luce says he thinks it will work as long as the photos don't go overboard.
"Seems that when they tried scare tactics before, it was not effective in fact, it was counter effective. But if they put graphic images...and it's not too gross, I think it might be helpful.
The 34th Street Discount Store, where cigarettes are a major seller, they're not convinced that the new packaging will break old habits.
"If you're already smoking, you know the risks, I think putting it in front of your face is one way, but most people aren't going to pay attention and will just throw them out," said Lacy Bristow.
With more than 443,000 deaths atributted to smoking every year in the U.S., the FDA is hoping to add to the steadily decreasing rate of smoking, now at about 20 percent.
"It's hard to tell what will get people to stop smoking so they need to try and see if it works. If it works, great. If it doesn't, try something different," said Luce.
Bristow believes the money would be more of a deterrent than the new images.
"It'd probably be the cost, more than anything. Maybe the health issues later, or if they have a family member who's gone through the health issues that'd be the biggest impact."
The FDA plans to finalize it's choices this coming June. The new warning labels are to take up half of a pack both front and back. Cigarette makers will then have 15 months to start using the new labels.


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By Anna Chorazyczewski
Five India-based startups will arrive at Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone (DMZ) on Nov. 2 for two weeks to further their business development.
The startups — AdSparx, Flip Technologies, Konotor, Shield Square and Vidooly — work on web and mobile-based products.
These businesses were the winners of the Next Big Idea Contest run by Zone Startups India, a joint venture consisting of Ryerson Futures and the Bombay Stock Exchange Institute, along with the Government of Ontario and IBM’s Global Entrepreneurship Program. The winners were among 200 contest applicants.
“My focus in Toronto would be to build good contacts [with] potential customers or those who can help me reach out to potential customers in Canada and US,” said Srikrishnan Ganesan, one of the contest winners and co-founder of Konotor.
“The objective of this selection criteria was to enable us to select the best five founders who can be ambassadors for Ryerson and [the] DMZ and enable us further to grow the Zone Startups India brand,” said Ajay Ramasubramaniam, director of business development at Ryerson Futures Inc.
The DMZ will provide these companies with development support and mentorship from industry experts. The startups will also have networking opportunities with potential clients and exposure to investors.


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CHICAGO—The U.S. economy expanded at a slower pace in October despite a boost in employment, according to a survey of Chicago-area purchasing managers.
The Chicago Business Barometer fell to 58.4 in October, the lowest reading since May, the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said Monday. The barometer, also known as the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index, or PMI, had been at 60.4 in September. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires projected the business barometer would slip to 59.8 in October.
Still, the October report marked the 25th straight month that the business barometer showed economic expansion. It had been as low as 33.3 in November 2008, shortly after the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the deepest economic recession since the 1930s.
Barometer readings above 50 indicate the economy is growing, while sub-50 readings reflect economic contraction.
The index's employment component rose to a six-month high of 62.3 in October from 60.6 in September.
Investors closely watch the barometer because it offers a snapshot of national economic conditions. Purchasing managers participating in the survey do business beyond the Chicago region. The purchasing managers represent various sectors, including retail, manufacturing and resources.
Write to Howard Packowitz at firstname.lastname@example.org


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The work has been on hold since plans were first revealed in May 2012.
But British Land has now bought out its joint venture partner Tesco’s stake in the 300,000 sq ft shopping centre for £48m.
The developer will now submit revised plans for a £38m upgrade which will include a 100,000 sq ft extension, the extensive refurbishment of the existing centre along with improvements to public spaces and connections to Surrey Quays and Canada Water tube and bus stations.
Charles Maudsley, Head of Retail at British Land said: “We intend to create a modern retail environment to attract the growing, affluent local catchment.
“We are aiming to take the scheme beyond its current functional shop by broadening the tenant mix and introducing larger retail units alongside a more attractive food offer. All this should increase overall spend.”
The centre is anchored by a 115,000 sq ft Tesco Extra with key retailers including Bhs, River Island, New Look, JD, Boots, Burton and Dorothy Perkins.
British Land has also taken control of the 14.57 acre former Daily Mail printing works site in Harmsworth Quays, south east London.
The developer will now start working with Southwark Council to create a mixed-use scheme once the Mail moves its printing operations out to Thurock later this year.
Nigel Webb, Head of Development for British Land, said: “We are delighted that the London Borough of Southwark has agreed the assignment for Harmsworth Quays.
“We can now begin the process of working with the local community, the London Borough of Southwark and other key stakeholders to bring forward a new, mixed use development in the heart of Canada Water.”


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Starfield was just delayed a few hours ago by publisher Bethesda Softworks in order to ensure a polished and stable release. The delay, however, was also pushed by concerns of ending up with another Cyberpunk 2077 situation.
Taking to Twitter earlier today, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier revealed that developer Bethesda Game Studios was already considering a delay last spring. Several of its developers were afraid of releasing “the next Cyberpunk 2077” which was believed to be guaranteed if Starfield was forcefully released in its slated November 2022 window.
It goes without saying that no publisher will want to repeat the same mistakes of Cyberpunk 2077. While fans will surely be disappointed, delaying Starfield “ensures that you receive the best, most polished version” of the game, reminded Bethesda Softworks.
Last spring before E3, I spoke to some folks on Starfield who were extremely worried about committing to a 11-11-22 date based on the progress they’d made so far. (“Next Cyberpunk” was the term floated.) Good on Bethesda for delaying even after announcing that specific date. https://t.co/QdWFf0zGIY
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) May 12, 2022
Starfield as well as Redfall have been delayed from their 2022 release window to the first half of 2023. Both are console exclusives for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and will be available on Game Pass on day one.
Cyberpunk 2077 will continue to be told as a lesson for game publishers and developers. The once highly anticipated game from developer CD Projekt Red, the makers of the Witcher trilogy, was rushed out in such an abysmal state that it was nearly unplayable on previous-generation consoles.
The half-baked state of Cyberpunk 2077 even forced Sony Interactive Entertainment to remove the game from its PlayStation Store because of mounting requests for refunds.
Following a number of meaty patches and updates, Cyberpunk 2077 is in a much better state at the time of writing. However, CD Projekt Red has lost the goodwill of its fans and should be looking to redeem itself when the next Witcher game releases in the future.


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Newspaper news & analysis
Jamie's Italian, the Jamie Oliver restaurant group, has hired Karmarama as its first advertising agency, after a three-way pitch against Antidote and CheethamBell JWT.
First Direct is rolling out its biggest ever ad campaign and repositioning as "the unexpected bank", reinforcing its credentials as a challenger brand against traditional high street banks.
The campaign plays on Sheffield's past and present, including the respective red-and-white and blue-and-white colours of local football teams Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.
Steve Hatch, chief executive of MEC, and Linda Grant, managing director of DMG Media free division, will lead proceedings at the industry's biggest night of recognition as co-chairs of the Media Week Awards 2013.
Roberto Mancini, the sacked manager of Manchester City, took out an ad in the Manchester Evening News on Saturday to thank the club's fans.
BSkyB has paid for The Sun to produce a mini-documentary about British super-middleweight champion Carl Froch, as part of the broadcaster's promotion ahead of Froch's next bout this Saturday.
Campaign's selection of media news and views of note in the week before 17 May 2013.
Trinity Mirror, the national and regional newspaper group, has reported a 10% drop in revenues for the start of 2013 following double-digit falls in display advertising.
Beattie McGuinness Bungay has launched a PR agency led by Simon Kelner, the former editor-in-chief and managing director of The Independent.
In a rare interview, the Daily Mail and General Trust owner lays bare his big ambitions for Mail Online's global dominance.
News International Group has today announced its long-awaited paywall for The Sun website will launch on 1 August and cost £2 per week.
Extensive coverage and reflection following the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher drove thousands of readers to the newsstands last month, the latest figures by the Audit Bureau of Circulations confirm.
The7stars has been appointed to work on ads that will be sent to MPs and appear in national press to support a lobbying campaign against biomass subsidies.
BT has set aside £100 million to promote its new sports channels, as it attempts to overthrow two decades of football dominance by BSkyB ahead of next season's Premier League.
The Financial Times will be available on the mobile app Flipboard as of today, in response to mobile's increasing importance as a channel for driving the FT's traffic and digital subscriptions.
Blinkbox, the film-streaming service owned by Tesco, is turning up the heat on LoveFilm Instant and Netflix with a campaign that highlights selected films on its platform can be viewed over a year before they become available on other rival sites, wi...
Panasonic is launching an international multimedia campaign to highlight the way viewers can customise the home screen of the brand's Viera TVs.
Campaign's selection of media news and views of note in the week before 3 May 2013.
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