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Aeon Co., which operates the Jusco supermarket chain, reported record sales and record profits on a consolidated basis for its business year, which ended Feb. 20, company officials said Monday.
Group sales rose 7.2 percent from the previous year to 2.93 trillion yen. Its consolidated pretax profits jumped 31.3 percent from the previous year to 114.76 billion yen and its consolidated operating profits also leaped 29.5 percent to 119.22 billion yen.
Aeon President Motoya Okada attributed the rises to brisk business at Jusco stores, U.S.-based fashion chain Talbots, Inc. and Aeon Credit Service Co.
But the retailer posted consolidated net losses of 16.14 billion yen from consolidated net profits of 22.52 billion yen a year earlier, due to a one-time charge on changes of its pension and retirement allowance systems, they said.
On a parent-only basis, Aeon posted 1.67 trillion yen in sales, up 2.9 percent from the previous year. Its operating profits rose 12.4 percent to 26.54 billion yen and its pretax profits increased 12.2 percent to 28.84 billion yen.
It reported net losses of 37.51 billion yen, compared with net profits of 3.72 billion yen the previous year.
Okada said Aeon will accelerate its group efforts to reduce operating costs by utilizing information technology and introducing more private-label brand products.
“We must reform our operations to increase profitability so that we can compete with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (which last month announced its impending entry into Japan),” he said.
For the current business year through next Feb. 20, Aeon predicts group sales of 3.03 trillion yen, consolidated pretax profits of 124 billion yen, consolidated operating profits of 132 billion yen and consolidated net profits of 43 billion yen.
On a parent-only basis, the retailer forecasts sales of 1.7 trillion yen, pretax profits of 32 billion yen, operating profits of 32 billion yen and net profits of 17 billion yen.
Ministop profits fall
Ministop Co., Japan’s seventh-largest convenience store chain, said Monday its group net profits fell 22 percent to 3.6 billion yen for the year ended Feb. 28, due mainly to retirement expenses.
Ministop, a unit of major supermarket chain Aeon Co., blamed the decreased profitability on one-time costs to make up for a shortfall of 684 million yen in reserves for retirement allowances, as well as 894 million yen to dispose of old computer systems.
Per-share group net profits fell to 121.53 yen from 155.76 yen the previous year.
Group pretax profits fell 4.3 percent to 8.69 billion yen on slim profit margins amid sagging retail prices, although group operating revenues rose 6.8 percent to 58.87 billion yen.
Ministop said it will pay a yearend dividend of 17.50 yen per share, unchanged from the previous year, bringing its annual dividend up to 34 yen from 33 yen, as it raised its interim dividend by 1 yen to 16.5 yen.
For the year to next Feb. 28, Ministop expects group net profits of 3.8 billion yen and group pretax profits of 8.2 billion yen on operating revenues of 60.7 billion yen.
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THIS is the heartbreaking moment an online gambler gets very lucky - and then loses all his winnings in the click of a mouse.
The unlucky punter goes under the name Casino Daddy and is well known for streaming footage of his flutters on the website Twitch.
But a video currently going viral across the internet shows him having a minor meltdown after appearing to win €3762 (£3181) whilst playing an online gambling game.
"I can't gamble this win, I'm sorry guys," he told viewers.
The cyber-punter then goes to press the button which should store his money away safely, but clicks the gamble button instead and loses EVERYTHING.
EYE SPY Amazon risks creating 'surveillance state' with network of Ring cameras
SWITCHED OFF Ex-Amazon exec admits strangers DO listen to you and turns his Alexa off
FLIPPED OFF Samsung's £1,300 folding phone 'already breaking' just days after launch
ET, PHONE HOME! Supercomputer to scan 'entire sky' for signs of ALIEN signals
GAME ON PS4 owners can get Sims 4 for FREE today with a PS Plus subscription
FACE UNLOCK Surgical masks that look like your face target coronavirus-fearing phone owners
G-ENIUS Apple is about to release the first 'superfast' 5G iPhone, insiders claim
NIGHT LIGHT Nearby star still mysteriously 'dimming' and could explode, say scientists
SPACED OUT Elon Musk to launch SIXTY WiFi satellites today – defying 'space junk' critics
"What the f*** did I do?" he asks, before appearing to storm off in a huff.
Let's hope he has better luck next time.
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By Maria Murzyn
"Awaken" is the theme for the annual student fashion show at Dominican University in River Forest coming this weekend. This is always an amazing event put together by the apparel design and merchandising department. And, did you know, their fashion program is ranked as one of the best in the country? So come see what the designers of tomorrow have in mind. Showtime is Saturday, April 9th at 3pm and at 7pm and on Sunday, April 10th at 3pm in Lund Auditorium, 7900 W. Division. Tickets and more info at 708-488-5000.
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Introducing: The All-New Toyota GR 86
Toyota’s latest sports car becomes the third model in its global GR portfolio, joining the widely acclaimed GR Supra and GR Yaris.
The all-new Toyota GR 86 has now made its world debut in an online event hosted by Toyota Gazoo Racing and Subaru Corporation.
The new GR 86 stays faithful to the essential ‘fun-to-drive’ characteristics of the original GT86.
The GT86 was launched first in 2012 and went on to amass more than 200,000 sales worldwide.
The all-new Toyota GR 86 is set to be the lightest four-seater coupe in its class, thanks to weight-saving initiatives such as using aluminium for the roof and body panels.
The athletic coupe is powered by a new, lightweight, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine.
An increase in displacement to 2.4 litres brings a step-up in performance from the 2.0-litre unit in GT86.
The car’s dimensions are almost identical to its predecessor, allowing new model to maintain a low centre of gravity for agile handling.
Torsional rigidity has been increased by around 50 per cent to deliver even sharper handling and steering.
The incredibly popular GT86’s experience in motorsport competition has supported the development of functioning aerodynamic components for GR 86, such as the front air ducts and side rocker panels.
Features such as these will help the new Toyota GR 86 achieve expected best-in-class handling and stability.
Set to reach UK shores late this year, more details on the all-new GR 86 will be revealed by Toyota soon.
Stay tuned in our newsroom for more updates on all things Toyota.
In the meantime, why not take a look at our current deals across Toyota’s latest range:


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Japan based auto giant Honda is recalling nearly 1.4 million of its vehicles in the United States for repairing three issues. The vehicles are being recalled to repair its repair drive that have a tendency to break, a software flaw and the window switches that tend to overheat. For the software flaw, nearly 737,000 Accords have been recalled that are manufactured between 2018 and 2020 and Insights between 2019 and 2020.
The company has said that there is a programming flaw in the software which can make the turn signals, rear camera and the windshield wipers to malfunction. The owners of the vehicles are expected to be notified in late January, 2021 and they will be informed about where they are supposed to take the vehicles for the potential repairs. For the drive shaft recalls, nearly 430,000 Honda Civic Hybrids from 2012, Honda Fit models and Honda Accords have been shortlisted.
The recalls will be announced in 22 states, where salt is used to clear the roads during winter season. Due to this practice, the drive shafts tend to break due to corrosion. During the repairs, the dealers are expected to check the right and the left side of the drive shafts and will be replacing them if needed. For now the parts are not available and the owners of the vehicles are expected to get a notification in the month of February 2021 and will also be informed about the date when they will have to take the vehicle for repairs.
For the power-window switch recall, nearly 268,000 CR-Vs have been shortlisted from 2002 to 2006. If water enters to the open driver’s window it can cause an electric short and could also touch off a fire. This will mark a second recall for the same problem. Honda has informed that it has reports of 16 incidences of fire but no injuries have been reported so far.
Photo Credits: Bernardsie from Pixabay


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First pics of Honda NSX interior design
* Acura-badged car shows design direction * Virtually button-free dashboard * On show at motor show...
This Acura NSX Concept was orignally revealed at Detroit motor show, and gives an indication of how the interior of Honda's next-generation supercar might look.
Honda says the cabin is designed to give outstanding visibility and a sporty, low-slung driving position.
Inside, the concept car has a central touch-screen 'interface', which helps to cut down on clutter and creates a virtually button-free dashboard allowing the driver to concentrate on the driving experience, according to Honda.
There's also plenty of plush leather, soft-touch materials and carbonfibre trim throughout the cabin.
Honda has previously said the new car will use a tuned version of its SH-AWD powertrain, which blends a V6 petrol engine and electric motor with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There will also be two additional electric motors; one on each front wheel.
The NSX Concept wears the companys American premium Acura badge, but Honda has said the supercar will be sold in Europe, too.


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Estee Lauder said it would focus on younger consumers to turn around its legacy brands, Clinique and Estee Lauder, and spend on launching new products and improving its distribution to boost revenue growth.
Ahead of the release of the live-action "Cinderella" film on March 13, MAC, the cosmetics giant for all ages, all races and all sexes brings us breathtakingly beautiful peachy lips, shimmering eyes and glittery skin -...
Estee Lauder bought French luxury perfume brand Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, its third acquisition in less than a month as the company looks to boost its portfolio of high-end luxury perfumes and skin care brands.
The 2014 edition of the Andam Fashion Award will be led by François-Henri Pinault, CEO of the Kering group, which recently became one of the fashion prize’s sponsors. M.A.C. and Tomorrow showroom also signed on.


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Huang Wei, known as Viya, is an internet celebrity with tens of millions of followers. She has used her platform to sell a variety of products.
Authorities in Hangzhou accuse her of hiding her personal income as well as other financial offences between 2019 and 2020.
In a post on her Weibo account, she said she was "deeply sorry".
"I thoroughly accept the punishment made by the tax authorities," the post said.
The 36-year-old has become a major internet celebrity in China, fuelled by the meteoric growth of online shopping.
She's known as the country's "live-streaming queen" and has sold everything from noodles to a commercial rocket launch on the online shopping Taobao platform.
Viya had been due to host a cosmetics sales event on Monday evening before her streaming account went offline, according to the Reuters news agency.
Her huge platform meant she was named on Time magazine's list of 100 influential figures in 2021.


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Evidently, there’s a football game on Sunday bookending the Beyoncé concert. Nobody asked, but I predict the 49ers will win a very physical, low-scoring game at 24 – 21. About 100 million people are expected to tune in and many of those will be watching specifically to see the commercials.
In recent years, the big studios have used this unprecedented audience to show off their upcoming films. Disney released a sneak preview today ahead of their Big Game commercial for Oz: The Great and Powerful, and we’ve got it for you. I love that stretching of the image to CinemaScope dimensions; it’s a cool addition to the switch from sepia to color to let us know we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Evidently, the Wicked Witch of the West will be taking over Disney’s website after the commercial airs during the game.
Disney also released a new set of character posters today featuring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams. Oz: The Great and Powerful opens March 8, 2013. Kickoff for the Big Game is Sunday at 6:30 p.m. (East Coast Time) from the New Orleans Superdome.


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President Joe Biden on Friday attacked shipping companies over the prices they’re charging, as he also continued to tout his administration’s efforts to help Americans deal with high inflation.
His speech at the Port of Los Angeles followed news that the annual rate of inflation rose to 8.6% in May, topping forecasts and marking a fresh 40-year high. Rising rents and high gasoline and food prices drove up the latest reading for the consumer price index, or CPI.
Biden called for “letting those nine foreign shippers understand the ripoff is over.”
He said there are nine major companies that ship from Asia to the U.S., and they “have raised their prices by as much as 1,000%,” while their profit has increased by sevenfold in one year to $190 billion.
The president praised the Senate for passing the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act, adding that he’s “hopeful the House is going to act soon to crack down on these companies as I’ve asked and lower the cost.” The bill aims to establish new restrictions around how carriers may coordinate operations, prohibit shipping lines from “unreasonably” declining exports, and limit added fees on container handling.
Biden blasted Exxon Mobil XOM, -1.83% and other oil giants as well, saying they should use existing drilling permits and invest more, rather than spending on stock buybacks. Share repurchases should be taxed, he added.
“Exxon made more money than God this year,” he said, while telling the company to “start investing, start paying your taxes.” Some Democratic lawmakers have proposed taxes on the buybacks made by publicly-traded companies.
In addition, the president said inflation is a global challenge, and the U.S. can fight it better than other nations thanks to his economic policies.
“America can tackle inflation from a position of strength unlike any other country in the world,” he said.
“Every country in the world is getting a big bite and piece of this inflation — worse than we are, in the vast majority of countries around the world. But make no mistake about it. I understand. Inflation is a real challenge to American families.”
Related: Biden adviser says U.S. still would face ‘record high inflation’ if there hadn’t been a $2 trillion spending package — and there would be ‘much higher unemployment’
The president also said one of the key ways to fight inflation is by lowering the cost of moving goods through supply chains, and that’s why his administration has focused on decongesting the LA port and others. There are about 40% fewer containers clogging the docks for long periods currently than last November, Biden said.
The World Shipping Council, a trade group whose members include Hapag-Lloyd HLAG, -6.56%, Maersk MAERSK.B, -3.55% and HMM 011200, , didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, while an Exxon spokesman pushed back on Biden’s characterization of the company.
“We have been in regular contact with the administration, informing them of our planned investments to increase production and expand refining capacity in the United States,” the Exxon spokesman told MarketWatch in an email. The company increased production in one key oil-and-gas producing area, the Permian Basin, by 70% between 2019 and 2021 and plans to boost output there by another 25% this year, he said. The spokesman also said Exxon has increased capital spending in the Permian Basin this year and ramped up refining, as well as reported total taxes of $40.6 billion on its 2021 income statement.
U.S. stocks DJIA, -2.73% closed sharply lower Friday after the CPI figure came in hotter than expected. The main equity gauges have tumbled this year, with the S&P 500 SPX, -2.91% down about 18%, as investors fret about inflation, the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate hikes to tame high prices, and the potential for a recession.
Biden’s moves to tame inflation have ranged from the largest-ever release from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to programs that aim to make internet service free for 48 million low-income households. But economists have warned that presidents lack powerful weapons for battling high prices.
Analysts have stressed that Biden’s Democratic Party looks on track for defeats in November’s midterm elections if inflation persists. Americans’ frustrations with soaring prices are helping to keep Biden’s approval ratings low — and providing a talking point to Republicans ahead of the elections.
GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas tied the president to high inflation in a tweet shortly after the CPI release:
Republicans are widely expected to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, with betting market PredictIt giving an 88% chance for that outcome. The GOP is getting good odds for taking back the 50-50 Senate, too, as PredictIt puts that likelihood at 77%.
Now read: ‘Catastrophically bad’ inflation report is boosting chances of a 75-basis-point interest-rate hike next week
This article was originally published by Marketwatch.com. Read the original article here.


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Intel, VMware Join Patch Tuesday Parade
Technology giants Intel Corp. and VMware joined the Patch Tuesday parade this week, rolling out fixes for security defects that expose users to malicious hacker attacks.
Intel released two advisories to fix privilege escalation and information disclosure vulnerabilities in the SGX software development kit and Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM) software products.
The more serious of the two flaws — CVE-2021-0186 — affects the Software Guard Extensions (SGX) Software Development Kit (SDK) applications compiled for SGX2-enabled processors and may allow escalation of privilege in certain circumstances.
Intel has tagged the bug with a “high risk” rating and a CVSS Base Score of 8.2 and credited multiple academic institutions with reporting the issue.
The second Intel advisory covers a pair of security vulnerabilities in the Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM) software that may allow escalation of privilege or information disclosure. The HAXM updates are available on Github.
Separately, VMware released a trio of advisories to warn about security defects in the VMware vRealize IT operations management platform.
VMware released patches for an open-redirect flaw in the vRealize Orchestrator product (moderate severity), a CSV injection vulnerability in vRealize Log (medium-severity) and a low-risk SSRF flaw in vRealize Operations product.
The Intel and VMware updates follow a major Patch Tuesday freight train for October with zero-day fixes from Microsoft and Apple (iOS 15.0.2), and critical updates from Adobe and SAP.
So far in 2021, there have been 73 documented in-the-wild zero day attacks, the majority hitting vulnerable code in products sold by Microsoft, Apple and Google.


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Right on the heels of opening its second store Amazon go today has announced that is opened its third Amazon go location. With its first location being opened up in early 2018 at 1800 square feet And its second location being opened up at 1450 square feet, it’s the third location Is the biggest of the mall at 2100 square feet.
The reason to note the importance of the increase in size from their first to their third location is due to the amount of technology that is required for the convenience store to operate. Therefore the larger the square footage the more cameras and AI computing power needed to identify individuals and correctly match the items they have in their cart and charge them accordingly upon leaving the store.
It is also been announced according to TechCrunch that Amazon does not plan to stop at this third location what does have intentions On opening Amazon Go locations in Chicago and San Francisco as well. At first, I have to admit that I have my doubts in the scalability of this new convenience store concept given the amount of infrastructure needed to produce this concept however given the pace of new store openings that like many other things Amazon takes on into there is no slowing them down once I get going.


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With the Super Bowl happening this weekend, some folks may have missed the fact that Valentine’s Day is Tuesday, but there’s still plenty of time to get something for the special person in your life. And based on a recent survey, most people will be spending slightly less on the romantic holiday this year.
A new poll from LendingTree finds:
- Americans in a relationship will be spending an average of $187 on their S.O.s this Valentine’s Day, which is down 10% from last year’s average of $208, but still more than spending in 2020 and 2021.
- Couples who have been together longer tend to spend less than those in new relationships. The ones who’ve been together for less than two years expect their partner to spend the most, at $215. Those who’ve been together for two to five years expect their partner to spend an average of $177, those together between five and 10 years expect their S.O. to spend an average of $97 and that drops to $80 for couples together longer than 10 years.
- Men expect to spend almost three times more on their valentine’s than women ($286 compared to $103).
- For gifts, thoughtful gestures are better than material things this year. The most desired gifts overall include a special meal, a card and chocolate or candy, which works out well because those are also the top three gifts people plan to give their partners.
- But for women, flowers top the wish list, fortunately 39% of men are planning to buy the lady in their life flowers.
- To pay for all this, 27% say they’ll take on debt by paying with a credit card and 41% say they‘ll hide that debt from their partner.
- When it comes to celebrating, the top ways couples will spend the holiday include going out to a special dinner (38%), having dinner at home (31%) and going to the movies (10%).


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The Motorola Droid Bionic, by most accounts, is a fantastic phone. But unfortunately, Verizon really hasn’t found its rhythm marketing it. The commercials with the robot-killing heroine were just plain bad.
Verizon then released a couple of ads for the Droid Bionic that were much better than the initial batch. but they still left something to be desired. In other words, I watched them once, nodded, and immediately forgot about what the commercials were selling me.
If this happened to me, I am willing to guarantee that it happened to many of you reading this and it certainly happened to regular people who saw the ads on television.
Today’s new Droid Bionic ad is a commercial titled ‘Rooftops.’ And quite honestly, it makes me want to jump off of one. It’s that frustrating. I don’t quite get what Verizon is trying to do here. It’s saying that the Droid Bionic is powerful enough to handle your work away from the computer but not only does it not show off the device’s webtop accessory, it’s impossible to figure out what it’s trying to say upon first viewing.
That’s bad marketing.
Currently, there is only one comment on the above commercial and it states, very bluntly, that the ad is pointless. That actually sums it up well. This is a pointless commercial. And it’s a shame that the Droid Bionic, one of the most anticipated phones of the year is being treated this way.
And that worries me.
You see, there are two other big name Android phones that will be hitting Verizon’s network soon. Two phones that are going to be doing battle with the iPhone 5. And two phones that absolutely deserve better than commercials like ‘Rooftops.’
Those phones are the Droid Prime/Galaxy Nexus and the HTC Vigor. Both phones could be smash hits but as I’ve pointed out in the past, the iPhone 5 is going to crush them if Verizon is lackadaisical on their marketing campaigns.
It’s not all about hardware or how powerful a phone is.
The original Droid was a good phone hardware-wise but it also had an innovative and fresh ad campaign behind it. And quite frankly, there hasn’t been an Android phone (maybe the Droid X) since that has had that kind of marketing support.
And people wonder why these phones are hitting the bargain bins just a few weeks after release.
Advertising, love it or hate it, is essential to a smartphone release. And that’s what has me distressed. I realize us nerds are excited about the Droid Prime and HTC Vigor but unless Verizon figures out how to market these to the general public, they simply won’t put a dent into iPhone sales and they won’t gain the traction that they deserve.
The iPhone isn’t the only problem either. Verizon and really, Google, need to start selling the average consumer on 4G LTE as that will be a trump card these phones can play against the iPhone for the foreseeable future.
Verizon needs to stop just assuming people know about the benefits of 4G LTE devices.
So, Verizon, if you’re listening, please do something smart, innovative, and interesting for the Prime and Vigor. Your loyal customers deserve it, smartphone owners as a whole deserve it, the hardware deserves it, and Android deserves it.
And if you want to refresh an ad, take a page out of Apple’s book and make sure you clearly highlight the benefits of the phone’s hardware and software. That’s a worthwhile twist.
You never know, maybe Amazon won’t have to drop the prices (a sign of slow sales) of the Droid Prime or HTC Vigor to $150 below retail three weeks after they launch.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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BellaNotte, a new Italian restaurant has opened in Sotogrande Marina. The new restaurant comes with a unique design and incredible outside terrace space overlooking the Marina.
“Italian… but different” is their slogan, and although you can find true Italian food it is definitely “different” – unique quality ingredients and very friendly staff promise to make this one of the top restaurants in Sotogrande.
BellaNotte also aims to cater to an all-year-round crowd with drinks and events.
“This is the best pizza I’ve had in a while” said Aaron, one of the restaurant’s first guests.


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Ikea is giving kids free meals and donating $1 to “Feeding the Future” to support the fight to end hunger.
Collaborating with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Ikea will help support local Feeding America member food banks. Through the “Feeding the Future” program, Ikea U.S. will donate $1 to local Feeding America food banks for every healthy kid’s meal purchased at any Ikea U.S. restaurant through June 30. Long Island Cares and Island Harvest are the two food banks that will benefit from this initiative on Long Island. The four healthy kid’s meals in the program include: organic penne pasta with marinara sauce; grilled chicken with baby carrots, strawberries and string cheese; vegetable ball with steamed vegetables; and Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Additionally, kids ages 12 and younger can eat for free Mondays through Fridays now through July 29 with the purchase of one adult entree. Customers can get up to two kid’s meals with each adult entree purchase.
“There are millions of Americans, including children, who struggle with hunger every day,” Gerd Diewald, Ikea U.S. food manager said in a news release. “We want to support our customers and local communities, and also help our customers to support their local food banks. Collaborating with the Feeding America network, along with our commitment to healthy eating, benefits many in need.”


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(Yicai) Nov. 8 -- Zeiss Group remains fully confident about the future development of the Chinese market, as China's economy is experiencing major transitions, according to the chief executive officer of the Chinese arm of the German manufacturer of optical systems and optoelectronics.
China is not only a big market where to sell products but also a source of business innovation, Maximilian Foerst told Yicai at the ongoing China International Import Expo. Relying on China's innovation ecology, Zeiss got ideas from local scientific researchers and then explored new product development and industrial production before pushing them to market, he added.
Zeiss set up three exhibition areas, themed innovation reshapes big health, innovation empowers future technologies, and innovations drive smart manufacturing, at the sixth CIIE, showcasing 70 innovative solutions, including some debuts and premieres.
Zeiss will continuously expand investments in China and enhance its research, development, and manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities to actively strive for growth in the Chinese market, said Foerst, who is also the president of Zeiss China.
For example, the presence of Zeiss' key products in the Yangtze River Delta region will be further expanded after the new research and development and manufacturing base of the company's unit in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, becomes operational next year.
During the interview, Foerst also stressed the role of openness and innovation for high-tech firms. Innovations are the results of mutual learning, he said, adding that the opener an environment is, the easier it is to generate new ideas. "Cutting off the innovation process and carrying out scientific research under blockades and restrictions of personnel mobility are inefficient."
As a firm operating worldwide, Zeiss supports free trade and abides by the policies of countries where it does business, Foerst pointed out.
China has been Zeiss' biggest market worldwide since 2021 and one with the highest innovative vitality and fastest growth. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, Zeiss China's revenue rose 22 percent to CNY13.5 billion (USD1.9 billion) from the previous year.
Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione


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FDA's OPDP Warns Metuchen Pharmaceuticals Over Misleading DTC Ads
Posted 26 August 2019 | By
The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) sent a warning letter to Metuchen Pharmaceuticals earlier this month for several false and misleading advertisements for its erectile dysfunction drug.
In several print and online ads, including one in the American College of Cardiology’s magazine, the drug, known as Stendra (avanafil), is portrayed as being approved for a new use for which it lacks approval, and several misleading claims are made that fail to include risk information.
The print ad, for instance, says Stendra can: “Treat ED and Reduce Risk of Heart Failure with a PDE-5 Inhibitor” and that “Stendra is the next-generation, PDE-5 inhibitor that improves erectile function.” But FDA notes that this first claim, “which misleadingly suggests that Stendra is safe and effective for a use for which it is not approved and for which you have provided no evidence to support, is especially concerning from a public health perspective given that the PI [product information] contains a warning and precaution regarding cardiovascular risks.”
And although FDA concedes that there is evidence that PDE-5 inhibitors, including Stendra, may be safe and effective for men with some types of heart disease, FDA again notes that the PI for Stendra “contains a warning and precaution for cardiovascular risks associated with the drug.”
The print ad also fails to disclose any of the contraindications or other warnings and precautions associated with the product, FDA says.
The online ads, which were displayed on adult and other websites, create a misleading impression about the product’s safety and that the product can be used at any time, which is not the case, FDA adds. Other claims were misleading because they fail to communicate material information regarding the indication for Stendra.
OPDP requests that Metuchen immediately cease misbranding Stendra and it also seeks a written response by Friday.
Metuchen CEO Greg Ford told Focus
via email: “We have received the FDA letter and will be responding and addressing the FDA’s concerns.”
This is OPDP's first warning letter of the year. The office has also issued four untitled letters


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Visakhapatnam: Are you buying a basket of mangoes? Beware of the quality. The department of Food Safety, Health and Family Welfare carried out surprise checks at various fruit shops in the city on Monday to check the use of artificially ripening chemicals such as calcium carbide in mangoes.
Confirming this to TOI, food safety assistant controller B Hanumantha Rao said they collected samples of mangoes from various sellers in the city on Monday. The samples were sent to the laboratory at Nacharam in Hyderabad to scientifically check the presence of artificial ripening chemicals, Rao said.
“Consumption of mangoes with Calcium Carbide is dangerous as it can lead to health problems like cancer, damage to the nervous system and indigestion. We have started keeping a vigil on the mango selling outlets in the city and will do so till the end of the mango season. If anyone finds artificially ripen mangoes they can bring it to our notice for further action,” Hanumantha Rao said.
On Monday, the Food Safety officials collected samples from TTD Kalyanamandapam in MVP Colony and Poorna Market. According to the mango sellers, most of the artificially ripened mangoes are from Duvvada. “If our laboratory tests prove that the mangoes are being ripened with calcium carbide, we will take action against the seller as well as the supplier. We allow artificially ripening of fruits with ethane, but not calcium carbide,” Hanumantha Rao said.
Meanwhile, horticulture department assistant director G Prabhakara Rao said naturally ripened mangoes will hit the market by the end of April or first week of May. “Because of high demand and price of mangoes in the beginning of summer, some mango traders use chemicals to ripen the fruit,” Prabhakara Rao said.
The horticulture officer said the department conducts a special mango mela every summer, in April-end or first week of May.
“Mango seeds take 100 to 105 days to ripen after its flower stage. If any mango is harvested before that, they are not fully matured. Both mango growing farmers as well as the consumers should know this,” said a horticulture professor from Dr YSR Horticulture University, Venkataramannagudem, in West Godavari district.
Horticulture officials said good varieties of mangoes like Banginapalli, Suvarna Rekha and Cheruku Rasaalu will come to the city in May. Moreover, artificially ripened mangoes have yellowish skin and white pulp whereas naturally ripened mangoes are yellow both in and out.


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March 28, 2014 |
Tesla Motors Inc. has announced plans to reinforce the undercarriage of about 16,000 cars with high-strength shields to reduce the risk of damage from a crash starting a fire. Elon Musk, the electric car company's chief executive, outlined the retrofit Friday morning, at the same time the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it has signed off on the changes and was closing a probe into two fires that occurred in Tesla Model S sports sedans. The NHTSA said it has not identified a safety defect trend that would justify asking Tesla to issue a recall for the Model S. It said "consumers should have their vehicles serviced promptly once they receive notification from Tesla Motors.
April 6, 2013 |
Car fans -- especially those interested in pre-World War II French icons -- have a little more time to enjoy some ultra-rare classics in Southern California. The Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard has announced it is extending through June an exhibit of Voisin automobiles and motorcycles. The exhibit was previously scheduled to close in April. "The success the Voisin exhibit experienced over the past six months has been amazing," Peter Mullin, owner of the museum, said in a statement. “It is with great personal pride that we continue to recognize and showcase such a design visionary and aviation pioneer.
October 21, 2011 |
The idea for a themed land at Disney California Adventure celebrating California's car culture had been kicking around at Walt Disney Imagineering for years. The working premise focused on the classic cars, tourist attractions, auto-centric restaurants, roadside architecture and cross-country road trips popular during the 1950s and '60s when vehicles became less about transportation and more about personal expression. > Photos: The evolution of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure The Carland concept, like many other lands and attractions at Disney California Adventure , lacked one key ingredient: Disney characters.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
April 10, 2013 |
A series of tire slashings on luxury cars and SUVs early Saturday in northwest Glendale was a "random act" of vandalism, according to police. In some cases, all four tires were slashed on the high-end cars, most of which were parked in home driveways and on the dimly lighted streets of Vista Drive, West Mountain Street, Grandview and Winchester avenues, and Cumberland and Kenneth roads, according to Glendale police. One of the cars, a Cadillac CTS, belonged to City Manager Scott Ochoa and had all of its tires slashed.
October 30, 2012 |
LAS VEGAS - Batman has the Batmobile. Green Hornet has Black Beauty. But why did the other superheroes miss out on a flashy ride? On Tuesday, Kia Motors America and DC Entertainment changed all that. The two companies opened the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. trade show in Las Vegas by unveiling five custom cars inspired by the superhero members of DC Comics' Justice League. Photos: Highlights from the 2012 SEMA Show Each Justice League character was assigned to a specific Kia vehicle based on personality and attributes to create the five cars.
May 12, 2011
POP MUSIC Ric Ocasek's defining New Wave band the Cars helped set the tone of the '80s with their synth-slicked guitar pop. They haven't done much recording or touring since 1987, but an unexpected new album finds them in overdrive, deploying the same tricks that made them essential listening. Hollywood Palladium, 6215 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. 7 p.m. Thurs. $48.50. http://www.livenation.com.
May 23, 2013 |
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez and Gina Carano are billed as the stars of "Fast & Furious 6," opening Friday. But it only takes a few scenes of the latest installment of the "Furious" franchise to realize that the millions of dollars of cars are the real action heroes. Dennis McCarthy, the Sun Valley-based car nut who's been responsible for cars in the past four "Furious" films, said his team actually lost track of how many cars were destroyed over the course of filming.
March 10, 2012 |
Reporting from Las Vegas -- ¿¿Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch hit the wall during practice Saturday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, forcing both to use backup cars for Sunday's race. The shift to backup cars also means Johnson and Busch will have to start the Kobalt Tools 400 at the rear of the 43-car field. Johnson, the only four-time Cup series winner at Las Vegas, slammed into the Turn 2 wall after losing control on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval early in the final round of practice.
August 6, 2012 |
LONDON -- They're not very big, but they certainly are amusing. In events such as the hammer throw and discus, track and field staff has taken to ferrying the implements back to their throwers by way of remote-controlled cars. At the 2012 London Olympics, they are using miniature versions of Mini hatchbacks, built to 1/4 scale. According to BMW, each car can carry about 17 pounds, the equivalent of one hammer, one discus or two javelins. There are three cars working in four-hour shifts, each traveling about 6,000 meters per day. They zip around the infield in circles and dashes.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
July 3, 1988
It is apparent to me that there is a humorous nature to the "no- and slow-growth initiatives" we are facing in the city of San Diego and San Diego County November elections. Why anyone would want to reduce the number of homes built or impact job availability is beyond me. I would like to propose a more appropriate method of controlling the amount of growth in San Diego County. Since much of the argument of growth relates to traffic, we should immediately suspend all automobile sales.


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Oklahoma Drug Card Media Center
Oklahoma Drug Card, Powered by United Networks of America, Supports Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
The Food and Drug Administration is warning the public that most Internet pharmacies are fraudulent, selling drugs that likely are counterfeit and could harm or even kill people.
Pharmacist at Economy Pharmacy in Tulsa, Chris Schiller, said that he has had inquiries from customers about purchasing prescription medicine from online pharmacies. Schiller said he discourages people from opting to buy prescriptions online unless they know that the pharmacy is reputable.
“When you order online you never know what you are going to get,” said Schiller.
On September 28th the FDA launched a national campaign, called BeSafeRX, to alert the public to the danger.
A recent survey by the agency found nearly one in four Internet shoppers has bought prescription drugs online.
Most don't realize that only about 3 percent of online pharmacies are licensed and following the law. The rest likely are selling fake drugs that won't help patients get better and may contain arsenic or other poisons.
Schiller said that many people are drawn to internet because the pills are advertised at very low prices.
“You might save money but you don’t know what you are going to get in when you buy these medications,” said Schiller, “It might have nothing in it, like a placebo or it may have something harmful in it.”
Schiller says that buyers should be wary of any price that seems too good to be true.
“Whenever you are way below cost its very unlikely the potency of the drug will be there,” Schiller said.
According the FDA there are red flags that will warn you that an online pharmacy is not legitimate:
- Pharmacies that allow you to buy drugs without a prescription from your doctor
- Offer deep discounts or cheap prices that seem too good to be true
- Are located outside of the United States
- Are not licensed in the United States
Dr. Suzy Willard at Utica Park Clinic says that there are ways to find a good deal on prescription medications in Oklahoma without putting your health at risk. Dr. Willard encourages patients to run there prescriptions through oklahomadrugcard.com
“It will tell them where they can get it at the cheapest rate at local pharmacies,” said Dr. Willard.
Dr. Willard encourages patients to do their homework instead of jumping at a deal that is too good to be true. “It’s not worth it; the harm is too high to do it.”


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Tampa may be the Cigar City, but as Jeff Borysiewicz — owner of Corona Cigar Company and Davidoff of Geneva’s Tampa location — has learned, there’s lots more cigar culture to explore across the globe.
Borysiewicz primarily travels to Latin America, as his companies produce cigars at factories in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “1999 is when I really started traveling,” he says. “About three years in, I had the opportunity to go straight to the factories in the countries and make unique blends. That led to a cost savings because the product went right to us.”
Though he says it has become less of a cigar-focused country in recent years, Borysiewicz first explored Costa Rica. That nation’s tobacco industry is centered in the Pursical region, about an hour’s drive from the capital city of San José. A number of the region’s cigar factories and tobacco plantations are still in operation for visitors to tour.
Borysiewicz then began spending time in Honduras and eventually Nicaragua, where Corona now produces cigars at the Gran Fabrica Drew Estate factory in the city of Estelí. Corona exports its own Florida Sun Grown tobacco (grown in Clermont, Florida) to Estelí to be blended and wrapped with premium tobacco from Nicaragua and Honduras. Earlier this year, the Drew Estate Florida Sun Grown stick was named the best Nicaraguan cigar by Tobacco Business magazine.
“Some of the best cigars are Nicaraguan cigars,” Borysiewicz says. “It’s a beautiful country with beautiful people. They’re growing such great tobacco. [Producing cigars there is like] being a chef and walking into this awesome kitchen with all these great ingredients. Combine that with some American tobacco, and you’ve got great cigars.”
The Davidoff brand produces cigars at a factory in the Dominican Republic, which Borysiewicz says is currently the best bet for American cigar lovers looking to go international. The country’s cigar industry is centered around the capital of Santiago, and Borysiewicz recommends making a stop in the city of La Romana for a cigar tour (“It’s a fun little day trip,” especially for cruise passengers, he says). Notably, La Romana is home to the 50-year-old Tabacalera de Garcia, the Dominican’s largest cigar factory. Visitors can see the tobacco aging and hand-rolling process up close on a walking tour of the facility Monday through Friday.
Borysiewicz does venture out of Latin America, too. Davidoff of Geneva Tampa features a full bar stocked with exclusive, rare spirits, including a huge selection of scotches and bourbons that Borysiewicz sources from the Scottish Highlands each year. He and his wife (who hails from Scotland) make a near annual trip to rural distilleries throughout the country to bring back spirits found hardly anywhere else in the world.
“Single malt whisky, especially if it’s old and rare, is incredibly expensive,” Borysiewicz says. “Certain distillery-exclusive whiskies are over 100 years old. We have some very, very exclusive products in our location.”
While Scotland might be an easy trip across the Atlantic, it’s currently a much trickier task for Americans to reach most of Latin America’s cigar-producing countries. In April, the US government announced new restrictions on non-family visits to Cuba — where Borysiewicz has historically spent time learning about Cuban tobacco with farmers who grow it — and civil unrest in Nicaragua has made some travelers reconsider their plans. The Drew Estate factory in Estelí even scrapped the 2018 dates for its highly popular Cigar Safari as a result of the uncertainty and has not yet announced a 2019 tour. On the upside, Borysiewicz says, great cigars and cigar events aren’t relegated solely to tobacco-producing regions. Cigar lovers should explore experiences wherever they happen to be traveling.
“You wouldn’t think of Hawaii being a cigar state, but we had a great time at a cigar festival there,” he says. “People love cigars all over the world, no matter where they are.”
Across all his travels, Borysiewicz has found that cigars, more often than not, are a point of agreement for people who have little else in common.
“Cigars are a global product,” he says. “There are people in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and all over the world that enjoy fine cigars. Cigars are like a token. You can be hanging out with someone who doesn’t speak English, and maybe you don’t speak Mandarin, but there’s still a bond there. There’s an understanding and respect of the craft.”


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Though the Miami-Havana flight barely takes an hour, Cuban exiles returning to the island to visit family and friends often end up spending as much money as if they were traveling to Europe.
While Washington politicians debate whether to revise the Cuban Adjustment Act to stop abuses by those who have “fled communism” in recent years and yet return repeatedly to the island, Raúl Castro’s government and American companies enabling the trips squeeze the last penny from Cubans who go back in Santa Claus style — carrying suitcases overloaded with gifts, huge boxes with household appliances and badly needed essentials.
On both sides of the Florida Straits, people know how to exploit the emotional vulnerability of these immigrants who actually left for economic reasons and want the best for their loved ones — working here as hard as they can to make a decent living — and to enjoy a few vacation days in their homeland.
Even among Cuban exiles in South Florida, the topic of travel to the island is a touchy one. Many historic exiles, those who fled the repressive Fidel Castro regime in the 1960s and 1970s, are angry at the newer exiles’ open travel to the island.
To better understand the reality of thousands of Cubans in South Florida making the most of the relaxation of previous stricter restrictions to travel, with Havana’s blessing, a 49-year-old Cuban Miami resident spelled out for me a breakdown of his budget for the trip he will make in the next few days.
He was able to leave Cuba, where he was a doctor, in recent years thanks to the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery program. Here, he works 80 hours a week cleaning a gym and working as a guard at a posh Miami Beach nightclub. He has a valid Cuban passport. It costs $375 to get one for the first time through Cuba’s Interest Section in Washington.
The airfare cost him $450, a hefty price partly due to the regulations imposed on Cuba travel by the U.S. government and the lack of competition.
He plans to travel with two suitcases and a carry-on that are already packed. For each suitcase, he will pay $20 at Miami International Airport, in addition to $30 to wrap both in plastic for safety. Any weight over 44 pounds allowed by the airline will cost him $2 per pound or $3 per pound for electrical appliances. In his case, the first suitcase, carrying clothes and imperishable food, weighs 25 additional pounds. The second one, carrying electrical appliances, is 40 pounds over. This will represent an additional $170 in excess baggage, plus $40 for the carry-on that weighs 20 pounds.
When he arrives in Cuba, he will also have to pay excess baggage, incongruously, since overweight cargo is normally charged by airlines, not the destination country. For any weight over 66 pounds and up to 110 pounds, Cuban customs charges $5 for every additional pound; from 110 to 130 pounds, $10 for every additional pound, and for over 130 pounds, $15 for every additional pound.
In clothes and food, this Miami Cuban will carry 23 pounds of excess baggage, representing $115. In electrical appliances Cuba calculates the customs fees based on a list of prices it estimates. In a previous trip, he had to pay $440 for entering with a 32-inch television set, two electrical fans and two DVD players. This time he will bring lower-priced equipment that he estimates will require a $90 customs fee.
“It’s going to cost $950 to simply put down my baggage and say, ‘I arrived in Cuba,’ ” said the former doctor who asked me not to reveal his name for fear that he may be charged more in customs or be subjected to any kind form of retaliation.
Additionally, he spent about $1,000 shopping for the small appliances, food, clothes and medicine he will bring to the island.
And that’s not the end. Then comes treating his family to meals and fun activities with the money earned with his sacrifice. On this trip, he estimates that his contribution to the Cuban economy will be $1,200.
For starters, to exchange dollars for CUC, a dollar-like convertible currency unit (about 25 Cuban pesos,) he will pay a commission of 12 cents per U.S. dollar. Then he will give $100 in CUC to each of his parents, $50 to each of his siblings and so on. He will also be expected to fill the family refrigerator, as it has become a tradition among South Florida visitors.
Many Cuban exiles rent a car booked by Miami travel agencies or even at Cuban airports. In the high summer season, daily prices for car rentals range from $80 to $100, depending on the model. Though some prefer to stay with their families, others opt to stay in a hotel. The price for a basic room is never less than $50 per day. Some visitors also spend quite a bit of money partying and drinking, as well as on sexual tourism.
Exiles like him arrive in Cuba euphoric, boisterous and hopeful for stepping again on the land of their roots, reuniting with family and friends and rekindling memories. A few days later, they return to Miami taciturn, disappointed and depressed for having seen the Cuban reality and acquiring the perception that it has no solution.
Their pockets hurt. To top it all, they feel spiritually bankrupt. Its time to start saving once again from scratch to plan the next trip back to Cuba.


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My Twitter (s):
We’re surprised, but not shocked, to find that the top CEOs in the country appear to be mostly absent from the social media community. That’s the result from research we conducted over the past several weeks. We looked at Fortune’s 2009 list of the top 100 CEOs to determine how many were using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, or had a blog. The results show a miserable level of engagement. Here are the topline results:
- Only two CEOs have Twitter accounts.
- 13 CEOs have LinkedIn profiles, and of those only three have more than 10 connections.
- 81% of CEOs don’t have a personal Facebook page.
- Three quarters of the CEOs have some kind of Wikipedia entry, but nearly a third of those have limited or outdated information.
- Not one Fortune 100 CEO has a blog.
The full results of the research can be accessed and downloaded by clicking the image below. And yes, we name names as to who is doing well, and who is screwing it up.
And for those who don’t want to be bothered with the graphs and stats, here’s a short slideshow with the summary and more visual impact.
Twitter was the least used service by Fortune 100 CEOs, despite being one of the fastest growing social media networks. Wikipedia had the highest level of engagement among the Fortune 100 CEOs, yet 28% of those entries had incorrect titles, missing information or lacked sources.
LinkedIn, a site mainly used for professional networking, only attracted 13 Fortune 100 CEOs, five of which had just one connection. Three CEOs stood out from the pack on LinkedIn, each having more than 80 connections. However, they are all from technology companies – Michael Dell (Dell), Gregory Spierkel (Ingram Micro) and John Chambers (Cisco).
While there were slightly more Fortune 100 CEO users on Facebook than on LinkedIn, most of them had limited information on their page and few friends. More surprising is that no Fortune 100 CEO has a public blog that could be easily found.
In our opinion, the top CEOs appear to be disconnected from the way their own customers are communicating. They’re giving the impression that they’re disconnected, disengaged and disinterested. No doubt regulations such as Sarbanes Oxley and Reg-FD make CEOs cautious about comunicating freely, they’re missing a fabulous opportunity to connect with their target audience. We suspect the reasons CEOs aren’t using social media is because of:
- Lack of knowledge
- Time constraints
We’re not suggesting that every CEO should participate in every aspect of social media. That’s a decision each CEO needs to make as part of an overall company marketing strategy. But we are recommending that every CEO examines their online image and reputation.
The long and short of it is that CEOs have the opportunity to positively effect their company’s perception, visibility and brand experience by taking part in social media activities. Right now, they’re absent from the discussion. With the public already skeptical about large corporations, CEOs can’t afford to pretend that social media is not for them.


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At the Reuters Tech Summit, Trulia chief executive Pete Flint says private equity investors are starting to pull back from buying U.S. real estate, while overseas buyers are coming on strong once again. Video
- Angelina Jolie stunt double sues News Corp over hacking
- Kanye West wins over critics with 'daring' new album 'Yeezus'
- Shares choppy, dollar steady as Fed meets
- Massachusetts police search NFL player's home in homicide probe: report
- Journalist who brought down U.S. general is killed in Los Angeles car crash
iPad 2 sold out in the afterlife as Chinese pray for the dead
KUALA LUMPUR |
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Apple's iPad 2 shortage has spread to the afterlife as Chinese families in Malaysia rush to buy paper replicas of the popular new gadget to burn for their dead as part of a centuries-old rite.
During the Qingming festival, also known as the tomb sweeping festival, Chinese communities in Asia honor their ancestors by burning fake money or replicas of luxury items such as flashy cars and designer bags.
The festival, which stems from Confucian teachings of loyalty to family and tradition, is also celebrated widely among the Chinese in Malaysia, who make up a quarter of the 28 million people in the mostly Muslim but multicultural country.
"Some of my customers have dreams where their departed relatives will ask for luxury items including the iPad 2," said prayer item shopkeeper Jeffrey Te as he filled cardboard chests with fake money at his shop on the outskirts of the capital.
"I can only offer them the first iPad model," he added, pointing to shelves stocked with the gadget along with paper iPhones and Samsung Galaxy Tabs.
Te shipped in 300 iPad 2 replica sets from China for the Qingming festival, which has just flown off the shelves and left him struggling to meet demand -- a scenario Apple Inc also faces.
In Te's shop, the first and second generation paper iPads sell at a dollar for 888 gigabyte capacity, an auspicious number in Chinese culture. A basic 16 gigabyte iPad for the living costs $499.
For some Chinese, technological gadgets will not be part of the shopping list for their dead relatives.
"They belong to the older generation. If you give all these so-called iPads, they don't know how to use it," said Thomas Soong, 61, as he set fire to a pile of fake money at his grandmother's grave on the fringes of the Malaysian capital.
"So traditionally we give them shoes, shirts ... all the necessities," he added.
(Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage; Editing by Sugita Katyal)
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Why did Newcastle Brown Ale began moving away from TV advertising last year?
“We just realized it was like pissing into the Grand Canyon,” said Ted Royer, chief creative officer for Droga5, New York, the brand’s creative shop. The brand’s budget “will never be big enough to compete with anybody on the national scale the way Bud Light and Coors and Miller [advertise].”
So Newcastle, beginning this year, has undertaken a digital-only strategy aimed at generating viral video hits timed around a few big occasions each year.
For more Social Media News visit http://www.buzzmouth.com


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We are excited to see you in person AND virtually for MetaCenter Global Week!
- If you’re in Orlando this week, say hi!
Christi will be on the panel Human Connection intersection of Art and Technology with fellow panelists Philip Noyed (Neo Art Space) and Eric Gunther (SOSO), moderated by Scarlett Arana (BitBasel) — Tuesday at 11:45 am EST, located at Tier #3, Discover Stage – South Atrium.
- Whether you’re physically in Orlando or not, you’re invited to join us virtually in our latest collaboration: MetaCenterOrlando’s Neon Aqua Theater! (Info Below):
OFFICIAL INVITE: Join us on October 17 & 18 from 3pm to 5pm (EST Daily) for the debut of the MetaCenterOrlando’s NEON: Aqua Theater inside VIVERSE, presented by MetaCities in collaboration with MetaCenter Global Week, Immerse Global Summit, Synapse, BitBasel, Innovate Orlando, VRARA, MetaCenter Orlando, built by Cause + Christi: Immersive XR Design.
Virtual VIP Guests will enjoy complimentary live music from DJ Celeste, with special guest appearances, fireside chats, and networking events available to view on all devices with a browser including mobile phones, tablets, PC’s, and most virtual reality headsets. There is no APP to download. Guests can simply login with your email to create an avatar and enter the event in just a few clicks.
Be sure to take a selfie and post it to social media using hashtag #MetaCenterOrlando !
RSVP TO RECEIVE COMPLIMENTARY EVENT LOGIN TO THE METACENTER ORLANDO’S NEON AQUA THEATER. DETAILS: https://bit.ly/metacities
Official Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
METACITIES TO DEBUT METACENTERORLANDO NEON AQUA THEATER VIRTUAL WORLD VENUE INSIDE HTC VIVERSE DURING METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK
MetaCenter™ Global Week will take place October 16-19
at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, FL
ORLANDO, Fla. (October 13th, 2023) – MetaCities, an award-winning metaverse company based in the United States, will debut the “MetaCenterOrlando Neon Aqua Theater” virtual world event venue inside HTC VIVERSE during MetaCenter Global Week, which will take place October 16-19 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida.
MetaCities is building the world’s first open source connected network of geocentric metaverse experiences, where your custom avatar can live, work, learn, and play, inside of an ever-expanding fifty city event-based ecosystem designed to enable a more sustainable future focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and accessibility.
“MetaCities is honored to be collaborating with HTC VIVERSE, and the team at Innovate Orlando, to bring our first-class hybrid metaverse experiences to life during MetaCenter Global Week,” stated MetaCities’ Co-Founder, Christopher Crescitelli. “With Orlando as the leading region in the United States building the foundation of the metaverse, it’s the perfect flagship MetaCity for us to debut our products. We are so excited to begin collaborating with local businesses in the MetaCenterOrlando area to turn all of their metaverse dreams into virtual reality.”
MetaCities will host two virtual world launch party events that will take place during MetaCenter Global Week in Orlando with hybrid metaverse event activations being held on October 17-18 from 3pm to 5pm EST (daily). The events are presented in collaboration with Innovate Orlando, Immerse Global Summit, Synapse, BitBasel, Cause + Christi: Immersive XR Design, and HTC VIVERSE.
Registered guests of the MetaCenter Global Week event in Orlando will get a chance to experience the MetaCenterOrlando Neon Aqua Theater. This will be on display during the event at multiple demo areas inside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, powered by the HTC VIVE XR Elite, a powerful, compact, and versatile all-in-one headset combined with mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR).
Virtual event attendees from around the world are invited to RSVP to enjoy complimentary VIP admission to the virtual world events that will feature live music performed by DJ Celeste, XR networking events, fireside chat sessions, and special guest appearances.
With platform and hardware agnostic virtual worlds, custom avatars, hybrid events, hologram performances, and digital twin replicas of some of the planet’s most famous zip code
destinations, MetaCities and its partners are poised to lead mass adoption toward a free and open metaverse for everyone. Powered by HTC VIVERSE, MetaCities provides unrivaled privacy controls and security standards for its users who can choose their level of immersion when accessing the platform on any device, including MAC, PC, tablet PC, mobile devices, and most virtual reality headsets.
“VIVERSE is thrilled to collaborate with MetaCities in bringing MetaCenter Orlando to life. This partnership marks a significant stride towards a sustainable and immersive future,” stated VIVERSE’s General Manager, Joseph Lin. “With VIVERSE’s exclusive Polygon Streaming technology, which provides high-fidelity 3D visualization, along with the platform’s cross-device access fortified with enterprise-level security and seamless integration, we are excited to assist our industry partners in creating interactive 3D digital twins accessible to all.”
MetaCities and the MetaCenterOrlando project in collaboration with HTC VIVERSE and Innovate Orlando, plan to revolutionize the way Orlando can be experienced online, from visiting tourist attractions to attending concerts, festivals, conventions, and other location-based events.
By embracing these technologies, local businesses and event venues in Orlando can generate additional revenue by offering exclusive metaverse only products, offers, services, or virtual show tickets to a much broader global audience. Schools and universities will be able to host online classes and seminars inside their own virtual worlds equipped with hologram teachers and in-world projection screens that can live stream from any classroom in the world. The possibilities for MetaCenterOrlando are limitless.
METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK TICKETS:
Tickets for the MetaCenter Global Week on October 16 to 19 can be purchased at: www.MetaCenterGlobalWeek.com
VIRTUAL WORLD LAUNCH PARTY RSVP:
Virtual attendees can RSVP for complimentary VIP access to the MetaCenterOrlando Neon Aqua Theater Virtual World Launch Party on October 17 & 18 from 3pm to 5pm EST. Please Note: This RSVP does not grant admission to the MetaCenter Global Week events at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Click here to RSVP for Complimentary Virtual VIP access to the virtual event. RSVP covers both days of online programming.
RSVP LINK: https://bit.ly/metacities
MetaCities is a US based start-up company which was founded by tech pioneers Chris Crescitelli and Tricia Costello in 2020. The company has produced multiple top performing hybridmetaverse events for the United Nations, InterPride, Revry, McDonalds, Bud Light Seltzer, and other fortune 500 companies. In 2021/2022, MetaCities was the recipient of the Cox Business Big Idea Grant, and winner of ASCAP’s “Music in the Metaverse Challenge” in collaboration with New York City Media Lab. The company is also a recent graduate of the UNLV Office of Economic Development led Entrepreneurial Incubation Program for Innovators. The team at MetaCities are currently working in beta mode behind the scenes with global governments and municipalities in order to establish the world’s largest network of connected cross platform metaverse experiences which will become accessible through MetaCities’ new online portal for all things metaverse. Stay up to date on our upcoming launch announcements on our website at www.Meta-Cities.com. For investor relations or to meet with our team about bringing your metaverse goals to life please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
HTC VIVE is the premier virtual reality (VR) platform and ecosystem that creates true-to-life VR experiences for businesses and consumers. The VIVE ecosystem is built around premium VR hardware, software, and content. The VIVE business encompasses best-in-class XR hardware; VIVEPORT platform and app store; VIVE Enterprise Solutions for business customers; VIVE X, a US$100M VR business accelerator; and VIVE ARTS for cultural initiatives. For more information, please visit www.vive.com
VIVERSE is an open and user-centric 3D place that connects people from all walks of life to a boundless virtual world. We strive to empower as many people as possible to explore, work, and play in a safe environment. Every experience is unique, and your transactions and data are secure. VIVERSE provides an array of tools and services for individuals, creators, corporations, and developers to build and explore in this immersive space. Visit the VIVERSE website here: www.viverse.com
About Cause + Christi
Cause + Christi: Immersive XR Design is a premier virtual and augmented reality production studio, based in North Carolina, specializing in original VR and WebXR experiences tailored for live events across an array of spatial computing platforms. Austin “Cause” Caine and Christi Fenison both take pride in designing and building each bespoke experience, ensuring unmatched quality and unique craftsmanship. Distinguished not only for roles in developing award-winning projects and media spotlights, their diverse portfolio spans red carpet premieres, live holographic entertainment, narrative-driven gaming, inclusive social hubs, evocative digital twins, and much more. With expertise in everything from 3D modeling and virtual world building to mobile optimization and VR platform development, Cause + Christi sets a high standard for the future of innovative immersive experiences. Visit their official website at https://causechristi.com to keep up with the latest updates.


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2008 News Archive - Holidays - Holidaymakers 'do their homework'
04 11 2008
Over a third of holidaymakers say they 'do their homework' before travelling and learn about the customs and traditions of the place they are heading to.
In a survey carried out by Holiday Extras, 37 per cent of Britons said they always research their holiday destination, with 56 per cent claiming that they "occasionally" swat up before travelling.
Just seven per cent of people say they are happy to travel abroad without knowing anything about their destination.
Commenting on the figures, Mike Whiting, managing editor at Holiday Extras, said: "Each country has its own customs and traditions and a knowledge of these can enrich the holiday experience. According to the Foreign Office 'Know before you go' campaign, thousands of British travellers seriously regret not taking simple steps to check how the laws and cultures differ from our own."
In related news, a separate survey by the company revealed that beach breaks are our favourite type of holiday.
Of those polled, 59.7 per cent of people said they enjoy nothing more than lounging around by the pool.


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Every quarter, fund managers have to disclose what they've bought and sold. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.
Today let's look at investing giant Bill Ackman, who founded Pershing Square Capital Management in 2003. An investor with roots in real estate, Ackman is an activist, often advocating strongly for big changes at companies in which he has invested heavily. Soon after Ackman invested in the Fortune Brands conglomerate, for example, the company began looking to spin off various divisions -- which it has now done, breaking up into the alcohol-focused Beam and Fortune Brands Home & Security (NYS: FBHS) .
Pershing Square's portfolio totaled $7.8 billion in value as of Dec. 31, 2011, spread over just 10 stocks. Now that's concentration! Its top three holdings, Canadian Pacific Railway (NYS: CP) , J.C. Penney, and General Growth Properties, make up a whopping 52% of the portfolio's total value.
So what does Pershing Square's latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:
Well, there was only one new stock on the list, and it was Fortune Brands Home & Security. The fact that fellow Fortune Brands spinoff Beam, the liquor company, isn't among Pershing's holdings suggests that Ackman either saw more value in the security arm of the company or perhaps that he simply thinks it's a better bargain these days. After all, many housing-related companies are rather beaten down, waiting for the eventual housing recovery to revive them.
The only holding that saw the number of shares held increase was Canadian Pacific Railway, and boy, did they increase, by nearly sixfold. Ackman is reportedly advocating a CEO change, trying to bring in Hunter Harrison, who retired from Canadian National.
Two companies saw a significant decline in number of shares held -- Kraft (NYS: KFT) and FamilyDollar (NYS: FDO) . It can be argued that these are defensive stocks, holding up well in tough economic times as consumers tighten their belts -- and that they may not perform as well as our economy rebounds and people start to spend more on food and other items. Of interest to many investors, Kraft is splitting itself up, dividing its North American grocery business from its global snack business. Family Dollar, meanwhile, made many investors happy with a 17% dividend increase recently.
Finally, only one company was eliminated from the roster during the quarter, and that was Lowe's (NYS: LOW) . Some investors like its growing attention to online sales, via its acquisition of ATG Stores, but others weren't thrilled last year as the company announced store closing and pared back its expansion plans.
We should never blindly copy any investor's moves, no matter how talented the investor. But it can be useful to keep an eye on what smart folks are doing. 13F forms can be great places to find intriguing candidates for our portfolios.
Looking for promising investments? Check out our free special report -- "The Stocks Only the Smartest Investors Are Buying"-- and learn which stocks are appealing to Warren Buffett and other great investors.
At the time thisarticle was published Longtime Fool contributorSelena Maranjian, whom you can follow on Twitter@SelenaMaranjian, owns shares of Canadian National Railway, but she holds no other position in any company mentioned.Click hereto see her holdings and a short bio.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of Beam, Lowe's, and Canadian National Railway, as well as writing covered calls on Lowe's. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.


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Small Business Sessions podcast: Starting a lockdown business and the power of pivots
Posted: Wed 23rd Jun 2021
It's time for episode two in series five of the Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast sponsored by Starling Bank.
The coronavirus pandemic has been tough for many people but for some entrepreneurial individuals, it has been the time to start their own company. One of those new business owners is Katrina Borissova, founder of vegan soap brand Little Danube, who incorporated her new venture on 23 March 2020, the day the prime minister announced Britain was going into lockdown.
In this week's episode, Katrina tells freelance journalist Dan Martin her inspiring story and explains how she launched her business during lockdown.
Also on the show is Jade Evans from Starling Bank. She discusses how entrepreneurs have pivoted their business models to cope with the pandemic, the financial support the bank has provided to small companies and how founders have used the funding.
Listen to the podcast episode now
You can also listen, subscribe and review on:
Missed episode one? Catch up here.


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September 22, 1999
CSO Plans Rough Price Increase
De Beers' Central Selling Organisation announced today it will increase prices at its Sept. 28 sight in a number of categories of rough diamonds.
Categories where demand is strong will see increases, while soft categories will experience declines in price, said De Beers spokesperson Andrew Lamont. "We've resisted increasing prices for 10 months," said Lamont, even as demand has grown in the U.S. market. Lamont said the balancing of increases and decreases in price will neutralize the overall impact on rough diamond prices.
- by Peggy Jo Donahue


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When thinking of marijuana, the first thought isn’t usually about how it is grown and maintained, but rather where to get it or how to consume it. But there have been some very disconcerting reports on the growth and maintenance of cannabis that may cause you to think twice before consuming it.
Since cannabis cannot be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration because it is labeled as a Schedule I drug classification by the Drug Enforcement Administration on a federal level, marijuana farmers cannot be certified as organic growers which causes a disruption in what the general public can consume.
For example, Oregon has implemented requirements in order to test for pesticides in 33% of every batch of cannabis flowers and concentrates produced. But as of late, the Oregon Health Authority has proposed a change to these requirements by reducing the testing of concentrates to a single annual test, and lowering the test of cannabis flowers and concentrates to 20%. The Oregon Health Authority’s main incentive behind this is because of the current backlog of pesticide testing since there are only a few certified labs in the state.
These proposed changes are receiving backlash from extract producers and lab owners because relaxing these requirements will eventually lead to contaminated cannabis reaching the market. Some pesticides that have been found in cannabis concentrates and oils include Carbaryl, Avermectin, Myclobutanil, Bifenazate, Imidacloprid, and Etoxazole.
According to Roger Voelker, the lab director of OG Analytical stated “We find pesticides on about one third of flower and about seventy percent of concentrates.” And although they are not all dangerous, they definitely should not be made available for human consumption at high rates.
And still, Oregon is in a better place than most of the country regarding pesticide testing. In California, the city of Berkeley is the only city to place a requirement for concentrates having to meet a standard for the amount of pesticides found. The rest of California has no statewide regulations meaning that the farmers are allowed to do as they please, and there have been cases that have found that up to 80% of concentrates show signs of pesticides.
But as cannabis comes closer to legalization, we will see a huge spike in the number of restrictions for everyone in the industry.


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Starting this Summer, Travelzoo® Members in Canada will Enjoy Unprecedented Ultra-Low-Cost Airline Options
May 31, 2018, 12:13 ET
TORONTO, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelzoo® (TZOO), a global publisher of exclusive offers and experiences for members, believes that 2018 is set to transform the way Canadians live and travel, as the influx of new ultra-low-cost airlines this summer is poised to disrupt the travel landscape. "Adding ultra-low-cost airlines to the Canadian travel market is a turning point in how we think about travel," says Lara Barlow, General Manager, Canada, of Travelzoo. "This is very good news for Travelzoo members who are always looking for new experiences to enrich their lives." Travelzoo members are known to go on trips the moment airfares drop.
'Ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCC)' is a term coined by the Canadian travel industry to describe value airlines that offer price points at rarely-seen lows. Starting in late June, Canadians will see the arrival of the WestJet-owned Swoop, the independently-owned Jetlines, as well as the expansion of Air Canada's discount brand Rouge. While service of these new carriers will initially be domestic, both Swoop and Jetlines have plans to expand internationally to destinations such as the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Flights within Canada and departing from Canada have always been notoriously expensive—but this will now change with the arrival of new low prices and many more flight options.
Given this diminished price barrier, ULCCs are widely predicted to finally give Canadians the freedom to travel as frequently as they would like to. An online poll of more than 2,800 Travelzoo members in Canada found that in the past year, the majority (64%) hadn't planned on flying but changed their mind when they saw a deal on Travelzoo that was too good to pass up. Also, more than half (56%) noted that price was their primary motivator when deciding on flight travel destinations.
Lara Barlow explains: "Price has been such a significant barrier to travel that Canadians will often take extreme measures such as driving hours south of the border to catch a more economical flight from a U.S. airport. No longer do we have to skip a close friend's wedding, or say no to grandparents' anniversary, or even turn down an impromptu weekend getaway, simply because of price. In Europe, where ultra-low-cost airlines were pioneered, airfares under $100 are very popular. We expect the same to happen in Canada."
To see how new flight options can change your life, become a Travelzoo member today. Visit: www.travelzoo.com/signup.
Travelzoo® provides our 28 million members with insider deals and one-of-a-kind experiences personally reviewed by one of our deal experts around the globe. With more than 25 offices worldwide, we have our finger on the pulse of outstanding travel, entertainment, and lifestyle experiences. For 20 years we have worked in partnership with more than 2,000 top travel suppliers—our long-standing relationships give Travelzoo members access to the very best deals.
Travelzoo and Top 20 are registered trademarks of Travelzoo. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
+1 (604) 537-1207
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By Mark Sutton
Intel hit by downturn in PC markets, processor and chipset sales down
Intel has reported fourth quarter profits down 90% and revenue down 23% from Q4 2007, due the downturn in PC markets.
The company posted net income of $234 million from revenue of $8.2 Billion, with microprocessor and chipset sales significantly lower versus the previous quarter.
Revenue from Intel’s Atom processors and chipsets was up 50% to $300 million, although the lower cost of the processor meant that they did not have significant impact on the company’s bottom line.
Intel also made a $1 billion net loss from its equity investment in WiMAX wireless broadband provider Clearwire.
Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini said: “The economy and the industry are in the process of resetting to a new baseline from which growth will resume. While the environment is uncertain, our fundamental business strategies are more focused than ever.
“Intel will continue to extend its manufacturing leadership, drive product innovation, develop new markets and implement operating efficiencies that have already taken more than $3 billion out of our ongoing cost structure since 2006. Intel has weathered difficult times in the past, and we know what needs to be done to drive our success moving forward. Our new technologies and new products will help us ignite market growth and thrive when the economy recovers,” he added.
Owing to the uncertainty of the economic situation, Intel has refused to make a revenue prediction for the first quarter of 2009, although the company said that it was planning on revenue of around $7 billion.


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Etsy announced that it is launching Etsy Manufacturing in beta for Etsy designers. The offering will let designers connect with the manufacturing community as announced last month.
In September, Etsy announced the launch of the Etsy Manufacturing Marketplace and invited manufacturing businesses and individual makers to apply for that. The company works with its seller community to build “responsible partnerships.”
“Since we announced Etsy Manufacturing, we’ve already received interest from more than 500 manufacturers, from our own backyard in Brooklyn to the wide open spaces of Montana to the suburbs of Ontario,” an Etsy spokesperson said in an email. “Many of the applications have come from Etsy sellers themselves. Sellers are no stranger to collaborating with other sellers, and we’ve heard over the years that many work together in a production capacity. Community between sellers has always been one of the most vibrant things about Etsy, and we’re thrilled this marketplace can help foster this ecosystem.”
“Our principles of authorship, responsibility and transparency have guided us for two years and will continue to do so,” the spokesperson added. “We’ve reviewed and approved manufacturer applications on an individual basis according to a number of criteria, such as their commitment to transparency, the degree to which they allow subcontracting, and their size. Manufacturers on Etsy Manufacturing must also agree to a series of commitments on transparency, safe and just workplaces, and customer service.”
For the marketplace, Etsy started with the apparel and textiles, machining and fabrication, printing, and jewelry and metalwork categories.
Etsy Manufacturing is being made available in the United States and Canada. More on what the offering means for designers here.
Image via Etsy


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Green Thumb Industries Inc., which is one of the six new Alternative Treatment Center license winners in New Jersey, is also expanding its operations to Connecticut.
The national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner-operator of the national retail chain RISE announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Advanced Grow Labs LLC.
AGL is one of only four companies in Connecticut licensed to grow and process cannabis and operates a 41,000 square foot manufacturing facility in West Haven with the potential to expand. In addition, AGL has a 46 percent ownership of a recently awarded dispensary that will be located in Westport, which makes it the only vertically licensed company in the state. AGL produces and distributes a wide range of cannabis products to every operating store in the state.
“We are full steam ahead executing on GTI’s expansion plans as we look to create shareholder value. This transaction is an example of that given the attractive multiples,” said GTI Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. “In the past two months alone, we announced the acquisition of Nevada-based Integral Associates; were awarded additional retail licenses for 12 stores in Pennsylvania; and entered the New Jersey market with a cultivation, processing and retail license win. We are now solidly positioned in the tri-state area with our entry into Connecticut via AGL. The momentum is strong.”
Upon the close of AGL and the other recently announced acquisition, GTI will have 12 manufacturing facilities and licenses for 85 retail locations across 11 states.
Transaction details: The transaction is valued at approximately $80 million which includes $15 million to be paid in cash and 7.0 million Subordinate Voting Shares of GTI. The purchase agreement also includes additional consideration based on performance targets and up to an additional 1 million Subordinate Voting Shares of GTI subject to pricing conditions prior to closing. The arms-length transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, subject to customary regulatory approvals.


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System Delivers Audio Ads to Wireless Devices
The product does not require wireless listeners to use an audio player. Instead, they dial into a local phone number to hook up to a network of content providers that have signed deals with Savos.
Furthermore, users can customize lists of audio channels in a manner similar to radio listeners programming stations on their car radios.
The service is aimed at advertisers and radio stations that might have a natural interest in targeting the wireless demographic. Wireless users in the United States so far have consisted of business professionals looking for real-time updates on stocks and sporting events, Savos said.
This demographic allows a company marketing its online stock trading service, for example, to place an audio ad for special commission rates. Listeners can respond to the ad by hitting a button on their cell phones or personal digital assistants that will either activate an e-mail with instructions on where to get the offer or enlist a phone call from a sales representative.
Content providers, according to the firm, will be able to enhance their revenue from the sale of audio ads. The British Broadcasting Corp., Wall Street Reporter and BroadcastSports.com are examples of the dozens of radio-oriented firms that have signed content distribution deals with Savos.
Savos' MediaCrossBar technology provides the infrastructure for the system, which does not have a product name yet. The product is available for licensing and varies in price according to each order.
Savos launched the product in Asia and Europe, where wireless users are ahead of their American counterparts in numbers and applications.
Music marketers in those regions are employing mobile commerce to convert offerings of free wireless music samples into CD sales, said Sanford Cohen, CEO of Savos.
Cohen said his company is talking to telecommunications carriers about launching an m-commerce initiative sometime in 2001, which will enable his firm to target music marketers, among other businesses.
Further information is available by calling 212/813-6500 or logging on to www.savos.com.


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NEW YORK (AP) -- Foot Locker Inc. said Friday that its first-quarter net income rose 8 percent, helped by higher sales at its established stores. The earnings beat Wall Street expectations, while revenue matched predictions.
For the quarter ended May 4, the athletic shoe retailer earned $138 million, or 90 cents per share, up from $128 million, or 83 cents per share, a year ago.
Excluding acquisition-related charges, the company posted an adjusted profit of 91 cents per share for the recent quarter.
Revenue rose 4 percent to $1.64 billion from $1.58 billion.
Analysts, on average, expected earnings of 88 cents per share on $1.64 billion in revenue, according to FactSet.
Foot Locker said its revenue at stores open at least a year increased 5.2 percent. The metric is a key measure of a retailer's health, because it excludes revenue at stores that recently opened or closed.
The company opened 25 new stores during the quarter and closed 39. As of May 4, Foot Locker operated 3,321 stores in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. There are an additional 45 franchised stores in the Middle East and South Korea.
Foot Locker shares fell 83 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $34.85 in premarket trading.


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Football Manager 2023 has been in the hands of players on PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and even on mobile devices for a few months now. But an important platform is missing here, and this was PlayStation 5. The console version in Sony hardware it was scheduled for November 8 like the others, but a few days after the launch it had to be delayed indefinitely, due to “unforeseen complications that arose during the presentation and approval process,” according to what they pointed out. in press release.
It seems that these difficulties are behind us, and PS5 players will be able to enjoy the feeling of being a manager of a football team in the latest iteration of the Football Manager series starting on February 1st. Miles Jacobson, Director of Research at Sports Interactive, has stated the following:
“We are delighted with today’s announcement that FM23 Console will finally be able to reach the hands of PS5 gamers. Since the initial delay, the team at Sports Interactive and our colleagues at SEGA have worked tirelessly with Sony to overcome all obstacles and Finally, we are proud to have everything ready for next week’s launch.
While it’s rare for us to release the game during a major transfer window, our priority from the time the initial release was postponed was to get PS5 players into their hands as soon as possible. Once all global transfer windows close, we will provide a data update for the PS5 edition in line with the updates for all our other platforms.”
In addition, this launch will be accompanied by an additional 20% discount for those who purchase the game digitally and are also PlayStation Plus subscribers.


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Does the future of business center on integrating the twin goals of building a better world alongside growing profits? With an increasing frequency, Americans are saying it should—with their wallets.
According to a recent study, 78% of Americans want companies to address important social issues. And 87% say they will purchase a product because the brand supported a cause. 1
NextGen entrepreneurs have recognized this trend. According to TheDeloitte Millennial Survey2017, 76% of Millennials believe the success of a business should be measured by more than just its financial performance.2 For this cohort, addressing both profits and social good isn’t just a PR strategy, it’s a progressive business model that should be an integrated part of how businesses operate.
During another panel, Nancy Pfund from DBL Partners expanded on this idea, talking about businesses which have integrated sustainability strategies. DBL Partners—named from the concept of Double Bottom Line (profits and social impact)—believes in using venture capital to invest in companies that aim to deliver both top-tier venture capital returns as well social environmental and economic change directly through their products and business operations. “The old view is if you ever tamper with your profit motive by addressing any sort of social concerns you would diminish the brand. That is not what the vanguard of investors believes today. And the biggest cohort of that thinking is the millennial group.”


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U.S. consumer spending rose as households stretched to cover the higher cost for food and gasoline as inflation posted its biggest year-on-year rise in 10 months.
The Commerce Department said on Friday consumer spending, adjusted for inflation, edged up 0.2 percent last month after rising 0.5 percent in February.
Nominal spending increased 0.6 percent for a ninth straight month of gains, after advancing 0.9 percent in February.
Economists had expected spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, to rise 0.5 percent.
"The story in the first quarter was higher gas prices are forcing people to spend more at the expense of other items," said Christopher Low, chief economist at FTN Financial in New York. "The inflation burden increased in the quarter, things were progressively worse as you moved from January to March."
U.S. stock index futures maintained earlier gains after the report, while bond prices held their slight gains. The dollar was weaker versus the euro and yen.
The government reported on Thursday that consumer spending grew at a 2.7 percent annualized rate in the first quarter after a 4 percent increase in the final three months of 2010.
That contributed to economic growth slowing to a 1.8 percent rate in the first quarter after a 3.1 percent expansion in the last quarter of 2010.
The moderation in spending was not as sharp as economists had feared, suggesting that consumers were somewhat adapting to the high commodity prices, but could face a litmus test should gasoline prices shoot above $4 a gallon.
The national price for regular unleaded gasoline rose 3.5 cents to $3.88 in the week through Monday.
The Fed this week expressed confidence high energy prices would not spark broader inflation, with Chairman Ben Bernanke saying he did not believe gasoline prices would continue to rise at their recent pace.
High food and energy prices kept inflation elevated in March, with the personal consumption expenditures price (PCE) index up 0.4 percent after rising by the same margin in February.
ompared to March last year, the index was up 1.8 percent - the largest increase since May - after rising 1.6 percent in February.The core PCE index -- excluding food and energy - slowed to a 0.1 percent increase after rising 0.2 percent in February. The core index, which is closely watched by Federal Reserve officials, increased 0.9 percent in the 12 months through March.
The index rose 0.9 percent in February and the Fed would like to see it around 2 percent.
Spending was supported by incomes, which increased 0.5 percent last month after a 0.4 percent gain in February. The rise in incomes was a touch above economists' expectations for a 0.4 percent gain.
Savings edged up to $651.2 billion from $647.5 billion in February. The saving rate was unchanged at 5.5 percent.
Separately, wages rose at a 0.4 percent rate in the first quarter, a Labor Department report showed, after increasing by the same pace in the fourth quarter.