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2017 BEST PRACTICEs CONFERENCES SERIES - BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY!
EUROPE, Middle EAST & AFRICASTARTS IN:
NORTH and south americasSTARTS IN:
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News : Avon to Create 70 Call Center Jobs in Springdale
Springdale, OH, USA, Aug 29, 2016 -- Management at the Avon Customer Insights Center in Springdale will hire 70 workers over the next two months.
The center is currently recruiting for the following positions: customer service professionals, digital media professionals, professional training staff, quality assurance managers and more.
Avon ended manufacturing operations at the Springdale site more than four years ago, eliminating hundreds of jobs. The company still maintains a few hundred employees at the facility.
Macy's has renovated about 110,000 square feet of space in the former Avon building near Interstate 275 and Princeton Pike. It plans to move about 225 corporate workers to the site from Sharvonille and Mason, with the possibility of adding more.
In March, Avon and New York-based Cerberus Capital Management announced a deal in which the private-equity firm injected money into the struggling beauty products company and carved out the North American business into a separate firm called New Avon.
A key area of focus will be enhancing representatives’ access to the customer insights center by providing multimedia tools, as well as expanded hours of operation.
The facility will also play a key role in collecting real-time feedback that will help Avon enhance overall business process support to field management and independent workers.
"The evolution of our Customer Insights Center is an important step in the transformation of our business, and it will be fueled by talented, innovative individuals who will directly impact the growth and development of our representatives’ businesses." said Scott White, CEO of New Avon.
White spent 15 years at Procter & Gamble, where he managed a variety of women’s and health and wellness brands.
Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Today's Tip of the Day - Rapid Review Of Outbound Campaigns
About Avon Cosmetics Ltd:
Avon is a New York-based direct seller of beauty and related products.
Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2016


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New Flex Forward recycling pilot program
All The Best has teamed up with Earth Animal (the maker of the beloved No-Hide chews, among other products), the Pet Sustainability Coalition, and Pet Food Express in a new pilot program aimed at reducing the estimated 300 million pounds of plastic pet food packaging that goes to landfills each year.
Most pet food and treat bags are made from multiple layers of different kinds of plastic so they are unacceptable to the majority of recycling centers around the country. The Flex Forward program will recycle and upcycle clean plastic pet food and treat packaging. The collected flexible packaging will be ground into pellets to be reused by the plastics industry for a variety of purposes. Some of the recycled packaging will be used to manufacture new test pet products, including crates, toys, and litter boxes.
All you have to do is bring these items into any All The Best store and put them in the Flex Foward bin. All types of flexible plastic bags (regardless of brand) and pouches used for pet products are accepted. Flex Forward plastic recycling does not include paper bags, cans, or boxes. However, these items are recyclable through most local municipal recycling programs.
We share our customers’ commitment to sustainability. Your participation will help make the campaign a success and may be pivotal in establishing a larger, national Flex Forward recycling program. The ultimate goal is to create a fully closed-loop recycling solution for plastic pet packaging, preventing plastic packaging from ending up in landfills and instead, using it to produce new products.

domain: news


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Microwave snack brand Rustlers has unveiled a new campaign with BJL, featuring butcher’s daughter Lexi O’Leary, who likes her meat ‘well-hung’.
As well as an on-pack promotion, the campaign will include national on demand video MPUs, a Facebook profile for Lexi, YouTube footage, blogging, seeding and mobile phone activity.
Nicky Unsworth, managing director at BJL, said: “The campaign is designed to communicate the quality of Rustlers’ products in an engaging and suggestive way for 16-24 year old males. It’s definitely the most risqué campaign we’ve done to date.”
Consumers are directed to an interactive butcher’s shop on the Rustler’s website, featuring a self-edit video produced by Gate films, where users can adapt what Lexi says, using number keys to change the phrases.
BJL has also created a series of banner ads where Lexi ‘stalks’ consumers, which will appear on The Sun online and on the Nuts website over a period of four weeks.
John Armstrong, Rustlers marketing director, said: “Fit As A Butcher’s Daughter will dispel some of the negatives in a manner that will not only appeal to our target market of 16 to 24-year-old males but will also engage people who may not have tried the brand due to their misconceptions.
"We are really pleased how our integrated approach, working with our creative team at BJL and our media team at Mediacom, has resulted in a campaign that is not only focused on the creation of an entertaining, brand building destination but is also focused on telling people about it with communications on five million packs and through seven million digital impressions."


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SYRUP is back with a new single before the end of the year. Rejet has some of the details regarding this new release already in the open.
The new single is titled “KIRAKIRA CIDER HOLIC” and is scheduled to be released on 28/12/2016, available in three editions: Syrup, Mashiro and Yashiro.
The cover art is the following:
The tracklist is the following:
01. KIRAKIRA CIDER HOLIC 02. PASSION DROP 03. ミニドラマ「Magical Mystery Tour」
All tracks have snippets already available on the official website – HERE.
“KIRAKIRA CIDER HOLIC” is already available for pre-order on Skitdolce’s store (Japanese residents only or proxy users).
SOURCE: Forbidden Star official website


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The creator of the most widely used voice and camera translator in Japan is attempting to set itself apart by aiming for a Nasdaq IPO with a billion-dollar valuation in two years.
Portable devices that can translate into 85 languages are available from Pockettalk Corp. The startup’s newest model, the $249 Pocketalk S, has been sold 1.1 million times since its debut in 2017. Through a collaboration with the mobile division of SoftBank Group Corp., the company intends to sell an additional million in 11 nations over three years.
Japanese companies often stick to their home markets, which are the third-largest economies in the world, but Pocketalk stands out among them for trying to go internationally and list in the United States.
The startup uses resources, including translation services from Google, OpenAI, and DeepL GmbH, according to Noriyuki Matsuda, CEO of Pocketalk and parent company Sourcenext, and uses proprietary source code to give the most accurate and natural translation possible.
For the time being, Pocketalk hopes to expand by offering translation services to business clients of the telecom company SoftBank Corp. in North America and Asia.
Daichi Nozaki, senior vice president of SoftBank, stated that “with Japanese companies expanding globally, there is a real need to establish seamless business connections with overseas business partners.”


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Hamborgarabúllan, one of Iceland’s most treasured hamburger shops, will soon be opening in London.
For Icelanders and expats alike, Hamborgarabúllan is the place to go for burgers and fries done in the style of classic American burger joints. Their success has allowed them to open numerous locations in Iceland, and now, their take on the hamburger will be expanding to Europe.
Viðskiptablaðið reports that Hamborgarabúllan will be opening a franchise in downtown London. Tómas A. Tómasson, the owner of the chain, said the new location “lies parallel to Oxford Street. But I guess it’s best to say that it’s close to Debenham’s, because every Icelander knows where Debenham’s is.”
The venture is being made in cooperation with the owner of Laundromat Café and Úrilla górilla. This new franchise will open next month, and Tómas stressed that the menu will be the same as in Iceland. Icelanders in London who miss these burgers, take note.
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The Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre is to be repainted in two shades of blue in a 16-week project due to start early next month.
News of the change of colour scheme for the complex comes just a few weeks after Southwark Council's cabinet agreed to cooperate with the centre's owners on plans for a new shopping centre incorporating the core of the existing building.
"We have said recently that there is much to do before the substantial redevelopment of the centre can take place, most likely to be in 2015 at the earliest," says James Stockdale, development surveyor at St Modwen which co-owns the building with Salhia Real Estate.
"In the meantime it is important that we continue to invest in the current centre to ensure it remains fresh and welcoming for our tenants and visitors alike.
"The centre was last repainted six years ago and this forms part of the normal maintenance programme of the shopping centre."
The exterior of the centre is currently white but the peeling paint means that the previous pink colour scheme is still much in evidence.
Work is due to start on 4 July and should be completed in the autumn.
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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of the world's two biggest automakers fell to multiyear lows Monday with General Motors and Ford Motor under pressure amid a gloomy U.S. economic outlook and constrained cost-cutting efforts.
General Motors GM, -0.06%, the world's No. 1 auto company, ended the day down 54 cents to $35.88 after hitting $35.62, its lowest level since May 1995.
Shares in Ford Motor F, +1.98% set not only a 52-week low, but also hit their lowest level in about a decade. At day's end, Ford was down 16 cents to $8.50 after trading as low as $8.40.
The No. 2 automaker on Monday detailed the latest labor accord with its Canadian union.
Bank of America analyst Ron Tadross wrote in an afternoon note that Ford's terms in the deal mean it's likely going to be behind on its high-profile 5-year cost-cutting plan. Though Ford will be able to close a Canadian truck plant, there may not be enough room to reduce other production costs.
"This puts the target date for Ford to get the full fixed-cost reduction it wants in 2009, 2-4 years later than plan," wrote Tadross.
Ford and General Motors declined to comment on Monday's developments.
DaimlerChrysler DCX, +0.00% fell 53 cents to $32.89. The Canadian Auto Workers union said Monday its DaimlerChrysler workers would strike on Oct. 15 if a new contract is not ratified.
U.S.-listed shares of Honda Motor HMC, -0.41% fell 93 cents to $19.05 and Toyota Motor TM, -0.13% lost $1.75 to $48.15 as dockworkers on the West Coast remained locked out of the major ports used by the automakers.
Last week, U.S. sales data for the month of September pointed to an industry decline year-on-year, and confirmed fears that auto spending may slow as the year winds down.


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Beginning tomorrow at 2pm PT/5pm ET, Nintendo will host one of its most anticipated Nintendo Directs of 2018, as the gaming giant plans to give us details on the game everyone has been waiting for, Mario Tennis Aces. Ok, maybe that’s a little hyperbole. Nevertheless, Nintendo has announced that they will divulge plans for their 2018 game line-up for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS tomorrow afternoon in a 30-minute long video, and the piece de resistance will be Mario Tennis Aces.
It’s hard to know what all Nintendo will show us during this Direct. In 30 minutes, it’s likely that the broadcast will be a flurry of information as new games are thrown at us like snow pellets in a blizzard. Regardless, we do know that Nintendo plans on releasing Yoshi, Kirby Star Allies, and (of course) Mario Tennis Aces, so that’s a good starting point.
What games would you like to see announced?
Tune in tomorrow, March 8, at 2pm PT/4pm CT/5pm ET to see everything Nintendo has in store! Click here for the broadcast!
Also, celebrate 1 year of the Nintendo Switch with our A Year In Review!


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Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry must sell the franchise back to the NBA for a below-market $575 million if the team does not find a new home arena by 2017.
As it buys Orbitz, Expedia points to a larger field beyond the Internet agencies.
U.S. stock futures fall as debt talks in Greece break down; Apple may be working on an electric vehicle; Amazon hits a roadblock in drone delivery; Transocean's CEO resigns.
The top U.S. online travel booking site is acquiring another rival on the heels of its deals for Travelocity and Wotif.
The casino operator alleges Polo North missed a deadline to close a $95.4 million purchase and thus seeks to terminate the deal.
Jim Cramer said CVS Health is a buy after the company reported better-than-expected earnings results, as the stock gyrates between negative and positive territory on Tuesday.
Pot-related stocks have gone up in flames over the past year amid legal woes and failure to show any profits.
The sports apparel company has proven the shorts wrong many times.
There are more than a dozen first-time advertisers at this year's Super Bowl, but one of these five is dumping its entire annual ad budget into it.
If you're complaining about Katy Perry this year, just be grateful that she isn't a 3-D Elvis impersonator.
Royal Caribbean's fourth-quarter upset investors. Its Chairman and CEO Richard Fain shares what investors may have missed.
Nevada health officials say they're considering condom use requirements for porn films following the announcement last month that two male performers tested positive for HIV.
The Sundance Film Festival is in its 31st year but Utah has been playing host to film-making since long before that.
Just five companies have accounted for 35% of all Super Bowl commercials within the past five years. Chances are, you're familiar with their best work.
This year Tough Mudder is introducing a whole new range of obstacles designed by the British Special Forces.
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âTis the season for gift giving, but there are certain rules that need to be followed when gifting in the office.
Continue Reading Below
âNot everyone in the office observes the holidays so you have to be very careful,â says Catherine Palmiere, president of staffing company Adam Personnel. âThere are rules people should follow.â
Choosing the wrong gift or presenting it in a tacky way can backfire and lead to long-term career damage.
According to a survey commissioned by staffing company Spherion, 52% of workers polled said they plan to give gifts to their co-workers. Of that gift givers, 36% are gearing up to give to colleagues at their level a gift while 27% are targeting their boss. Whatâs more, one in 10 workers who bought their boss a gift in the past spent more than their co-workers in an attempt to outshine them.
While most people think bestowing their boss with a nice holiday gift will get them ahead, career experts warn that any disingenuous gift giving will be apparent and have the opposite effect.
âItâs always a little bit awkward if one employee thatâs part of a team gives a gift to the boss,â says Palmiere. âOne can look at it as if they are trying to garner favor.â Instead of trying to one up your co-workers, she recommends going in as a group to buy a gift.
The survey also found 37% of workers said buying gifts for co-workers was as stressful as buying gifts for others on their shopping list.
No matter who you are gifting in the office, experts suggest staying away from anything that is too personal or may be deemed inappropriate. If there is any question of whether a gift is appropriate, Palmiere suggest finding something else.
Diane Domeyer, executive director of staffing company The Creative Group, adds that there is a fine line between finding a gift that reflects the recipientâs tastes and getting too personal.
âIt shouldnât be too lavish or overly personal. For example, a piece of jewelry could seem too personal coming from a manager. You also want to be careful not to give chocolate to someone trying to watch their weight, or a bottle of wine to someone with substance abuse issues.â
Many companies have rules and policies governing office gift giving, so review the employee manual before forking over money on a gift. According to Palmiere, many companies abide by the IRS guidelines donât want staffers exceeding $25 or even $20 with their gifts.
âExpensive presents can be awkward â a thoughtful, low-cost item is typically best,â adds Domeyer. âFor example, perhaps your manager loves oranges â a lovely orange-scented candle can be a nice gift.â
How you gift is also important. If you arenât giving something to the entire office, be discrete when presenting gifts to avoid hurting anyoneâs feeling. If you receive a gift but donât have anything to give in return, thank the person and make sure to send a thank-you note.
If money is tight but you still want to give a token of your appreciate to your co-workers, there are low-cost alternatives that will mean more to the recipient than a store- bought present.
âNever underestimate the power of a hand-written card or letter,â says Domeyer. âThe holidays are a time to appreciate the people around us and spread good cheer. A thoughtful note can do just that.â


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The Samsung Galaxy S10 is shaping up to be a very interesting device. Just recently, reports emerged that the South Korean tech giant is looking to adopt a three-pronged strategy with its upcoming 2019 flagship smartphone, with Samsung preparing to unveil a Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy S10, and a top-tier Galaxy S10+.
According to South Korean publication The Bell, the three devices, which reportedly are designated with code names Beyond 0 (Galaxy S10 Lite), Beyond 1 (Galaxy S10), and Beyond 2 (Galaxy S10+), are currently under development. What is particularly interesting about these three devices is the fact that they have different features.
The Galaxy S10 and S10+ will reportedly be equipped with a Fingerprint-on-Display (FOD) scanner, which would make the two flagships stand out from Samsung’s past premium devices during their release. While both the S10 and S10+ are set to be fitted with the sensor, reports suggest that the Galaxy S10 Lite will not be equipped with an FOD unit. Instead, the Galaxy S10 Lite will be equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, which would likely be placed close to the device’s power button, according to a report from Forbes.
Perhaps even more distinct would be the differences among the smartphones in terms of their camera units. Considering the smartphone industry’s trend of adopting multiple camera sensors for its devices, rumors are high that the Galaxy S10 Lite would be fitted with a single selfie shooter and a dual-lens camera at the rear, translating to a total of three imaging sensors for the device. The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, is expected to feature as many as four cameras, comprising of a three-sensor primary camera at the back and a single-lens selfie shooter.
As for the top-tier Galaxy S10+, rumors suggest that the device would pack as many as five cameras, comprised of a dual-lens selfie shooter and a rear camera unit with three lenses. With Samsung reportedly adopting the “more is better” strategy with this year’s Galaxy Note 9, these latest rumors about the Galaxy S10 suggest that the South Korean tech giant would continue the trend well into 2019.
While Samsung’s strategy for the Galaxy S10 might seem rather unusual, the company has actually adopted similar strategies for its flagship devices in the past, with smartphones like the Galaxy S4 Mini and the Galaxy S3 Mini being offered as low-lost alternatives to the pricier Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S3. During these times, Samsung’s “Mini” devices were largely underpowered versions of its premium devices, making them underwhelming compared to Samsung’s impressive midrange offerings.


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Broad-market trading was halted shortly after the open because a flood of selling triggered circuit breakers. At last check, Abercrombie & Fitch was off 14.5% at $9.64, Levi Strauss was off slightly to $13.34, and VF dropped 6.7% to $55.51.
Abercrombie & Fitch said it closed North American stores on Sunday, while its Europe-Middle East-Africa locations will close on Monday and remain shuttered until March 28. The company's Pacific Region locations will remain open.
All Abercrombie & Fitch store associates will continue to receive pay in alignment with business as usual operators, the company said.
The New Albany, Ohio, retailer also withdrew its first-quarter and full-year 2020 outlook, issued on March 4, "due to the heightened uncertainty relating to the potential impacts of Covid-19 on the company’s business operations."
Abercrombie & Fitch Chief Executive Fran Horowitz said in a statement the company has "a robust digital business."
Levi Strauss said it would close its U.S. and Canada stores as of Monday until March 27. Store employees will be paid for all scheduled hours during the closure.
The company said it would provide a more detailed update during its fiscal-first-quarter-earnings call scheduled for April 7.
VF, owner of such brands as the North Face, Timberland and Vans, said all its company-owned stores across North America will be closed beginning Monday and running through April 5.
All retail employees at these locations will continue to receive full pay and benefits, the company said.
VF said it also closed its corporate and brand offices in North America until April 5 and is enabling all office employees to work remotely.
The company closed all offices and retail-store locations in mainland Europe until further notice, and U.K. locations are operating on reduced hours.
VF initially closed the majority of its Asia-Pacific region offices and retail locations, but the offices in Greater China are open and about 90% of its retail-store locations are now open for business.
VF said it would provide an update on the operational and financial impacts of the coronavirus during the fiscal-2020-fourth-quarter conference call in May.
Other retailers closing stores include lululemon (LULU) - Get Free Report, Nike (NKE) - Get Free Report, Under Armour (UAA) - Get Free Report and Ralph Lauren (RL) - Get Free Report. Walmart (WMT) - Get Free Report and Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Free Report also are cutting hours and closing stores.


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The Huawei Mate 40E is expected to launch soon, after a reservation listing was spotted on Tmall before being taken down by the compny. The new device was seen on the popular Chinese website with its model number, OCE-AN00.
The Mate 40E from the Chinese tech giant was recently spotted passing certification with the Wireless Power Consortium. It is set to arrive with a 6.5 inch OLED display with a resolution of 2376 x 1080px. Under the hood, the HiSilicon 990E 5G chipset will run the new device, which will reach clock speeds of up to 2.86GHz. Notably, the ‘E’ in the smartphone’s name is likely to highlight the Kirin 990E processor.
In terms of other specifications, the smartphone was expected to launch with a 50 megapixel Sony IMX700 sensor, but will now reportedly arrive with a 64 megapixel OmniVision OV64A sensor. This sensor features a 1/1.34-inch outsole, a single pixel size of 1um, support for four in one pixel binning up to 2um. Unfortunately, finer details regarding the device are currently unknown.
The company might be planning an imminent launch of the Mate 40E, especially considering that it had been listed on the Tmall store. However, the company was quick to remove the listing, but the name of the device was confirmed, as per a TechSina report. In other words, we can expect an approaching launch date. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available.
- Huawei continues to lead the global telecom equipment market with increased revenue
- Huawei mulls partnership to transfer 5G tech to Indian company: Report
- Huawei P50 Pro tempered glass leak reveals its front facing design
- Huawei to unveil its flagship 5G tablet alongside the P50 series next month
ALWAYS BE THE FIRST TO KNOW – FOLLOW US!


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Kellogg, known for the "snap, crackle and pop" of its Rice Krispies cereal and for characters such as Tony the Tiger, who appears on boxes of Frosties (Frosted Flakes in the U.S.), said it was the largest redesign of its cereal boxes in the company's 113-year history.
Sales of Kellogg's Frosties have plummeted in recent years as health-conscious parents avoid sugary cereals for their kids. The future of the 60-year-old brand, known for its Tony the Tiger mascot, is now under threat.
[http://bmedia.fooducate.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Scooby-Doo-Cereal.jpg]Kellogg's has reintroduced its Scooby Doo cereal to the general public. You may ask - "Why another sugary cereal for kids ?!?" We're pleased to report that the cereal has...


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Some El Pasoans Are Wishing the McDonald’s Pails Rumor Is True
If the rumors are true, a certain fast food chain is about to have a busy flow of customers next month. Adults now love to reminisce about the good old days and the toys we once owned.
There was a rumor going around that has not only kids but adults excited as hell. Next month is the spookiest time of the year that Halloween fanatics anxiously wait around for.
El Paso adults fondly remember the Halloween pails they got as a kid after ordering a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Well, word has been going around about the Happy Meal Halloween pails from McDonald's possibly making a famous return.
Some El Paso grown-ups are crossing their fingers and lighting candles hoping the rumor is true. Rumor has it that the Halloween Happy Meal pails from McDonald's are set to release again on October 18 through October 31.
According to Nightmare Nostalgia, there is proof that can claim the rumor is possibly true for now. If McDonald's can make this happen and turn a rumor into reality then El Paso parents will be rejoicing.
If you're having a hard time remembering the famous Halloween pails from McDonald's just refer to 90s Nostalgia's YouTube video above. As a parent, I sure will share the same excitement as my kids when it comes to getting a Happy Meal next month if the rumor is true.
So now all the people who grew up in the 90s must anxiously wait to see if this rumor will really happen. But until then we must keep our fingers crossed and hope this can actually happen.


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22 AUGUST 2019
ANZ is currently responding to a data breach by another financial institution which has impacted a small number of our customers.
The data breach led to the disclosure of PayID details linked to a number of mobile phone numbers.
We understand that the information disclosed includes: full name, PayID nickname, and mobile, BSB and Account numbers of the impacted customers. The risk to customers is that those responsible may use this data to target phishing attempts to obtain customer credentials, leading to possible fraud. At this stage our monitoring has not identified any fraud as a result of the disclosure of these PayID details.
Customers with impacted accounts have been contacted and these accounts are being closely monitored. We are working with all relevant parties to manage the security of our customers' data and accounts and we will apply additional security controls to affected accounts where necessary. We will also continue to proactively contact customers where fraud has been identified.
ANZ takes the protection of our customers very seriously and we are extremely disappointed this incident has occurred.
Customers are advised to remain vigilant for phishing attempts. Customers are also reminded that ANZ will never send an email or SMS asking for your account or financial details, or log-in details for ANZ Phone Banking, ANZ Mobile Banking or ANZ Internet Banking.
For more information on how to protect yourself, please visit the ANZ security centre.
For media enquiries contact:
Brett Foley; +61 466 670 880


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The Pinotage Association recently honoured Duimpie Bayly for his outstanding contribution to the expansion of Pinotage. “Duimpie, you cannot resign from the industry, you are the industry” said chairman Beyers Truter.
He added that Duimpie’s contribution to all aspects of the South African wine is immense and he is truly one of the icons of the South African wine industry
Bayly, who is a founding member of the Pinotage Association, has been a part of the wine industry for more than half a century. Among other things, he was a director of Distell, President of the Cape of Good Hope-Agriculture Association (Agri-Expo), former chairman of the South African National Wine Show Association, Wine person of the year in 1999, and played a key role in the establishing of the Institute for Grape and Wine Sciences. He is also the independent chairman of the Cape Vintner Classification (CVC).


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- The total value locked (TVL) on BNB Smart Chain DeFi protocols has tanked.
- USDT continues to dominate among the stablecoins on the Binance Smart Chain.
- NFT secondary sales volumes on the BNB chain rose.
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — The Binance Smart Chain, now known as BNB Smart Chain, has emerged as a groundbreaking Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchain platform. The BNB token serves as the lifeblood of the BNB Smart Chain.
Beyond its status as the chain’s “gas” token, BNB also empowers its holders with the privilege of on-chain governance rights. This multifaceted utility positions BNB as not just a cryptocurrency but a tool for active participation in the governance of the BNB Smart Chain.
Here is a look at some of the numbers in recent months.
Total value locked (TVL) in DeFi protocols tank
Total DeFi Value Locked (TVL) on the BNB chain ecosystem is tanking, according to recent data provided by Messari. Both in terms of USD and BNB, there has been a stable Quarter Quarter decline since last year.
In the third quarter (Q3) of 2022, there was as much as $5.7 billion locked in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) projects. By Q2 of this year, that number had already dropped to $4.7 billion. However, the last quarter saw a further decline of over 23%, bringing the current TVL in USD to just $3.6 billion.
The picture is not nice regarding the total value locked in the BNB token. At the end of Q4 last year, there were as many as 20.2 million in locked BNB tokens. Although that was a 3.2% drop from the 2.9 recorded in the previous quarter, it was still impressive.
By the first quarter of 2023, it had shed almost 13% more, reaching 17.6 million. However, last quarter, the total BNB locked in DeFi projects was just 15.7 million.
Although Pancakeswap’s share has dropped from 53% to 39% between Q3 of 2022 and Q3 of 2023, it remains the top protocol by TVL percentage.
Meanwhile, daily average transactions (USD) have tanked from $2.1 billion to $1.2 billion during the same period.
The Stablecoin market cap of BNB chain takes a hit
Within stablecoins, the BNB Smart Chain (BSC) is a formidable player.
This blockchain platform boasts the third-largest market capitalization in the stablecoin sector. With an impressive figure of approximately $5 billion, it trails only behind Ethereum and TRON in this category. However, the total stablecoin volume has dropped significantly.
Tether (USDT) remains the top stablecoin by transfer volume. It increased its share from 43% to 81%. However, it did so after certain developments earlier this year impacted the Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin, which was closely competing with it.
In February 2023, Paxos notified customers of its intent to end its relationship with Binance for BUSD. The decision came after the Department of Financial Services (DFS) ordered Paxos to cease minting Paxos-issued BUSD.
Moreover, crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) suspended trading for BUSD in March.
With the BUSD losing its share, USDT confidently consolidated its position despite the overall drop in the BNB chain’s stablecoin market.
NFT secondary sales volumes on the BNB chain
In the past year, the NFT sales volumes on the BNB chain have been all over the map. Between Q3 and Q4 of 2022, the secondary sales volumes (in USD) of nonfungible tokens dropped from $64.2 million to $31.5 million. That constitutes a drop of over 51%.
That number had plummeted even further at the beginning of this year, reaching just $18.6 million. However, it succeeded in registering an over 230% rise in one quarter, closing Q2 at nearly $62 million. It has since slipped around 11% to $55 million in Q3.
In BNB terms, the secondary sales volumes of NFTs have also jumped. Between the first and third quarters 2023, it rose from over 61,000 to nearly 240,000.
These gains come on the heels of substantial growth in the previous quarter, where unique buyers and sellers skyrocketed by 294% and 1,454%, respectively.
At the time of writing, BNB exchanges hands at around $212 per token. With a market cap over $32.2 billion, it remains the 4th most popular cryptocurrency.


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previous 7 days, a number of the major and main Bitcoin exchanges and organizations together with Coinbase and BitMEX clarified that they are not in favor of Bitcoin hard cash and thus, are unable to help the hard fork led by ViaBTC.
Bitcoin is among An important innovations in all of human history. For The very first time at any time, any person can send out or get any sum of money with any one else, anyplace on the planet, conveniently and without having restriction. It’s the dawn of a far better, a lot more totally free environment.
While Chaps concentrates on identical-day assistance for prime-worth transactions, Faster Payments is personalized towards the much bigger range of scaled-down payments.
Bitmain, arguably probably the most influential mining gear company from the marketplace along with the operator of the biggest Bitcoin mining pool Antpool, to begin with introduced the opportunity of challenging forking the Bitcoin Blockchain in an effort to generate Bitcoin hard cash.
that is when, if miners stand by their term, the community will see the generation of Bitcoin money – a new cryptocurrency backed by a Model from the blockchain that features a singular specialized roadmap.
In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler arrested and executed ‘bogus news’ journalists who rightfully claimed that Jews had been staying exterminated bitcoin news deutsch
Combining sugary drinks with protein discovered to accelerate the body’s storage of fat - NaturalNews.com
“Bitcoin ABC is a complete node implementation with the Bitcoin protocol. We now have taken off the controversial SegWit code, changing it with a straightforward, practical, adjustable blocksize cap.”
MASS EXTINCTION function now below way that can decimate the global human populace, scientists assert - NaturalNews.com
Merchants accepting bitcoin ordinarily make use of the products and services of bitcoin payment company companies like BitPay or Coinbase. When a consumer pays in bitcoin, the payment service supplier accepts the bitcoin on behalf in the merchant, converts it into the nearby currency, and sends the acquired volume to service provider's bank account, charging a fee to the service.
in actual fact, if it normally coincided using a price reversal (assuming these dates are even valuable), Absolutely everyone might have been a bitcoin news deutsch billionaire trader way back.
bitcoin news deutsch While some international locations have explicitly permitted its use and trade, others have banned or limited it. polices and bans that implement to bitcoin probably increase to similar cryptocurrency methods.[a hundred and fifty]
A scholar of Austrian Economics, Kevin discovered Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever due to the fact. His passions lie in bitcoin stability, open up-supply methods, community effects along with the intersection between economics and cryptography.
Bitcoin was the 1st digital forex built on blockchain engineering, where transactions are independently confirmed with the community without the require of a intermediary just like a bank.


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Nielsen Analyzes U.S. Store Locations Benefiting the Most During COVID-19
In cities across America, the face of grocery and household shopping has changed dramatically this year. Months of working from home, reduced levels of commuting and high unemployment numbers are all adding up to a very different outlook for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.
Many of the top-performing stores across the nation have emerged in areas that haven’t historically shared the spotlight of strategic focus for companies. With signs of growing staying power, these changes are...
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Tags: roughterrain forklifts
Case Power and Equipment has added three branches in Southern California. All three locations had been owned by D3 Equipment and the D3 staff will continue to manage the locations and support customers in the areas. “It’s really just our name ...
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- Tops Markets saw its same store sales drop 3.4% during the first quarter of this year amid a slowdown in store traffic, according to Supermarket News. The 173-store retailer also attributed its declines to food deflation and reduced funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
- To combat the slowdown, Tops CEO Frank Curci said in a company release that Tops gradually increased its promotions in recent months and was seeing improved results by the end of the quarter.
- As an example, Curci highlighted six Hannaford stores Tops acquired last August as part of the Ahold Delhaize divestitures. He noted that the stores' sales improved as promotions increased, and are now making money for the company.
CEO Frank Curci said Tops' losses reflect “industry-wide trends.” The company’s sales, he said, accelerated as promotions increased throughout the quarter, indicating the fiscal second quarter would likely be better than its first. These comments are encouraging, but they mask the larger struggles Tops faces as a conventional retailer.
New York state, where Tops operates its 173 stores, is home to a host of strong operators — including Wegmans, Walmart, Price Chopper and Stop & Shop. While promotions can certainly give Tops stores a lift, the company will struggle against its competition without some key differentiating strategies. Tops has increased its assortment of fresh items and prepared meals, and the company sports a solid private label selection, store app and loyalty program. But it is still very much a conventional retailer operating at a time when customers are increasingly turning to alternative formats, including online shopping.
That said, Tops does run some very effective promotions. Over the holidays, it offered gift card discounts to shoppers based on how much they spent, and extended a popular “Price Lock Guarantee” that helped boost sales during a busy time of the year. These promotions helped the retailer maintain its market share at a crucial time.
Easing deflation and increasing promotions should produce results for the retailer, but other factors may weigh it down. The reliance on SNAP funding is troubling, especially considering the increased cuts proposed by the Trump administration. Tops also doesn’t have an e-commerce platform, which might not hurt the company right now, but definitely could down the road as competitors like Walmart continue to expand theirs.


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There is no wonder that the News Limited papers are so quick to spot wasteful spending by governments. They are part of a company that is a specialist in just that subject. “News Corp.’s shareholders have lost $25 billion since Rupert Murdoch offered 14.6 times Dow Jones & Co.’s profit to buy the Wall Street Journal,” reports the Bloomberg financial news service.
The Bloomberg story was commenting on News Corp. winning approval from the U.K.government this week for its bid to purchase the 61 percent of Britain’s biggest pay-television operator it doesn’t already own.
Murdoch, who turns 80 next week, wants BSkyB as he tries to boost revenue and prop up a stock that is less valuable relative to earnings than any of its biggest competitors. BSkyB has grown faster than its four main rivals and would help Murdoch expand his media company that includes the Fox TV networks and book publisher HarperCollins. Since closing the Dow Jones deal in 2007, News Corp. (NWSA) has fallen 13 percent while media companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index have gained 18 percent.
Here’s the record of the company’s shares on the ASX:
Get Crikey FREE to your inbox every weekday morning with the Crikey Worm.


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New Delhi, India, March 20, 2015: Snapdeal.com, India’s largest online marketplace, announces that the popular InFocus M2 smartphone will go on sale again by next week. The smartphone priced at Rs. 4999 has received tremendous response from customers with the initial batch of InFocus M2 being sold out within 3 days of going live on Snapdeal.com on March 10, 2015.
1,000 lucky customers who register before the next sale and purchase InFocus M2 on the first day of upcoming sale will win a Stylish InFocus M2 Flip cover on Snapdeal for free.
The users can now register on Snapdeal.com for the upcoming sale at http://www.snapdeal.com/offers/infocus-m2


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Toyota’s record-setting performance demonstrated a $4.6 billion lead over the next brand on the list. Toyota has 66 dealers with over 230 locations across North America. “Toyota Forklifts is customer-driven, which contributes to Toyota's position as a top brand in the world,” said Jeff Rufener, president of Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. “We are committed to safety, reliability and low cost of ownership. Those things keep Toyota Forklifts in the industry-leading position in a highly competitive global forklift marketplace.”
In order to receive consideration for the Top 20 Lift Truck Suppliers ranking released by Modern Materials Handling each year, companies must manufacture and sell forklifts in at least one of the seven Industrial Truck Association’s (ITA) truck classes. The forklifts manufactured and sold by Toyota are in six of those classes.


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Should marijuana businesses pay tax on gross profits or net profits? It sounds like a silly question. After all, virtually every business in every country pays tax on net profits, after expenses. But the topsy-turvy rules for marijuana seem to defy logic. And taxes are clearly a big topic these days.
Many have suggested that legalizing marijuana would mean huge tax revenues. As more states legalize it, the cash hauls look ever more alluring. In Colorado, the governor’s office estimated that it would collect $100 million in taxes from the first year of recreational marijuana. In the end, Colorado’s 2014 tax haul for recreational marijuana was $44 million, causing some to say that Colorado’s marijuana money is going up in smoke.
Still, that isn’t bad for the first year. Colorado was first to regulate marijuana production and sale, so other governments are watching. Colorado also collected sales tax on medical marijuana and various fees, for a total of about $76 million. The taxes are significant, but not all the sales are going through legal channels. Perhaps it was silly to think they would.
Avenues for cheaper prices in the illegal and medical markets can trump legal recreational sales where tax revenues are highest. That makes perfect sense, and is calling for a re-examination of tax rates and enforcement. In Colorado, legalization has surprised both supporters and critics, with a mixture of good and bad.
Washington state became the second to legalize recreational marijuana. Oregon and Alaska have followed. With four recreational victories, activists are pushing legalization in other states, including California. The tax tally is likely to keep growing, if not always as predicted.
In Colorado, there is a 2.9% sales tax and a 10% marijuana sales tax. Plus, there is a 15% excise tax on the average market rate of retail marijuana. It adds up to 27.9%. But with all those taxes, many smokers buy illegally. An estimated 40% of purchases in Colorado are not through legal channels. There is also a growing relationship between the 2.9% medical marijuana tax and the 27% recreational variety.
Some patients may be reselling 2.9% medical stock. Meanwhile, the Colorado tax on marijuana has been upheld despite claims that paying it amounts to self-incrimination that violates the Fifth Amendment. Amazingly, though, for even legal marijuana businesses, the federal tax problems remain huge.
Indeed, as the New York Times notes, Legal Marijuana Faces Another Federal Hurdle: Taxes. Federal law still trumps state law. Even legal medical marijuana businesses have big federal income tax problems: tax evasion if they don’t report, and a considerably smaller risk of criminal prosecution if they do.
More imminent, though, is the risk of being bankrupted by their IRS tax bill. Let's return to the question whether marijuana businesses should pay tax on their net or gross profits. The tax code says the latter. That because Section 280E of the tax code denies even legal dispensaries tax deductions because marijuana remains a federal controlled substance. The IRS says it has no choice but to enforce the tax code.
One answer is for dispensaries to deduct expenses from other businesses distinct from dispensing marijuana. If a dispensary sells marijuana and is in the separate business of care-giving, the care-giving expenses are deductible. If only 10% of the premises is used to dispense marijuana, most of the rent is deductible. Good record-keeping is essential, but there is only so far one can go.
Recently, the IRS issued guidance about how taxpayers “trafficking in a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances”—yes, the IRS means Marijuana dealers–can determine their cost of goods sold. After all, you have to report your profit, but how do you do that? If you buy goods for $10 and resell them for $20, your profit is $10. Your cost of goods sold is $10.
The IRS guidance (ILM 201504011) is complex, but tries to answer how dealers can determine cost of goods sold, as well as whether the IRS auditing a dealer can make them change. There is considerable tax history in the IRS missive. The IRS is clear that you can deduct only what the tax law allows you to deduct. The trouble started in 1982, when Congress enacted § 280E. It prohibits deductions, but not for cost of goods sold.
Most businesses don’t want to capitalize costs, since claiming an immediate deduction is easier and faster. In the case of marijuana businesses, the incentive is the reverse. So the IRS says it is policing the line between the costs that are part of selling the drugs and others.
Sure, deduct wages, rents, and repair expenses attributable to production activities. They are part of the cost of goods sold. But don’t deduct wages, rents, or repair expenses attributable to general business activities or marketing activities that are not part of cost of goods sold.
2013's proposed Marijuana Tax Equity Act would end the federal prohibition on marijuana and allow it to be taxed–at a whopping 50%. The bill would impose a 50% excise tax on cannabis sales, plus an annual occupational tax on workers in the field of legal marijuana. Incredibly, though, with what currently amounts to a tax on gross revenues with deductions being disallowed by Section 280E, perhaps it would be an improvement. More recently, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Co.) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Or.) have suggested a phased 10% rate here, ramping up to 25% in five years.
For alerts to future tax articles, follow me on Forbes.com. Email me at Wood@WoodLLP.com. This discussion is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.


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The Russian Product company increased exports by 84%
The Russian Product company increased the volume of exported products by 84% in the first quarter of 2022, the Federal Export Development Center reported.
The company noted that such results were achieved thanks to the opening of new markets and the strengthening of positions in traditional areas.
"We believe that well-known positions abroad will remain in focus: flakes and jelly. The consumer is not ready to give up traditional and familiar goods, while he is not against even small, but reasonable changes – for example, concerning the quality of products. First of all, this is due to the general trend of saving time and striving for a healthy lifestyle," said Sergey Shaposhnikov, head of export sales of the company.
Read the operational news in ourTelegram channel
Author: Alexandra Zaslavskaya
Made in Russia // Made in Russia
#made by Russia


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Unprecedented Highs in Indian Stock Market: The Journey Continues or a Temporary Triumph?
The Indian stock market has recently reached a historic high on June 28, 2023, and the rally continued into July. Several factors have contributed to this surge. Select auto stocks and banks, both from the public and private sectors, have been key drivers of the rally. However, heavyweight Nifty stocks like Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), HDFC Bank, HDFC Ltd, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) are yet to fully participate in this upward trend, despite outperforming the Nifty by a significant margin in the year-to-date period.
Strong economic growth, rising corporate profits, and increasing foreign investment have also supported the recent rally. Despite the global recession concerns, the Indian economy is expected to remain relatively less impacted due to its robust domestic demand. This internal strength acts as a stabilizing force even if the global economy slows down. Forecasts predict India’s GDP for FY24 to grow between 5.5% and 6.5%, making it the fastest-growing economy worldwide. The total value of Indian equities has reached $3.5 trillion, surpassing the combined value of Europe’s largest stock markets, the UK and France.
India’s burgeoning population of approximately 1.43 billion people provides a vast pool of potential workers and consumers. The growing urban middle class, with increasing levels of disposable income, presents an attractive market for companies both within India and abroad. Apple is increasing its manufacturing presence in India following supply chain challenges in China, with additional investments planned. Micron Technology will invest up to $825 million in a semiconductor facility, Applied Materials will invest $400 million in an engineering center, and Boeing will invest $24 million in a logistics center. Walmart plans a $10 billion investment to expand operations, PepsiCo plans to invest $1 billion in manufacturing and distribution, while Intel and Qualcomm both plan $10 billion investments for new facilities and research and development expansion in India.
However, some concerns exist regarding India’s economy, particularly in the labor market. To ensure inclusive growth and a positive feedback loop between demand and growth, India needs to generate 70 million jobs in the next decade. Additionally, if retail inflation in India rises again, the Reserve Bank of India may be compelled to implement rate hikes. Moreover, challenges in the global economy could adversely affect the Indian stock market.
In conclusion, while the Indian stock market has reached new highs driven by select sectors, concerns remain regarding the labor market and inflation. The country’s robust domestic demand, strong economic growth, and favorable investment climate continue to support investor confidence. However, vigilance is necessary given the potential impact of global economic challenges on the Indian market.


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PASADENA, Calif. — There is no place ABC won't go to get you to watch the network's shows — even the men's room.
The network has contracted with an advertising agency to place advertising for its sitcom "Norm" over some 1,000 public urinals in men's rooms in New York and Los Angeles. "It's the perfect thing for 'Norm,' " insisted Alan Cohen, ABC's executive vice president of marketing, advertising and promotion.
And these aren't just passive billboards. "There will be audio messages that, as you appear in front of this little stall area to do what maybe you consider your business, the audio will play," Cohen said.
As for the star of "Norm," he seemed a bit nonplussed by the whole thing. "It was just an idea that ABC had. It seemed like a funny idea," said Norm Macdonald. "I'm very embarrassed by all of that restroom stuff."
"Sometimes the low road is less congested," commented "Norm" executive producer Bruce Helford.
In the interest of educating critics, the network set up demonstrations of this particular advertising ploy in the men's room here at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel. And both male and female critics were invited to visit the urinals to experience this new form of advertising.
Which led to the surreal experience of being in a men's room alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, listening to a recording of Norm Macdonald make various off-color comments designed to make us want to watch his show.
It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world, isn't it?
Not that the men's room campaign is the only unusual bit of advertising we can expect from ABC in the coming weeks. The network is also planning:
"Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" ads running on ATM machines.
What the network is calling "the ABC flying dot," a downloadable computer thing that is an organizer, a planner and a scheduler that also gives you ABC program schedules and information. And "it tells you to stop working on your computer and go watch television," said Mike Benson, senior vice president of advertising and promotion.
Posters on the floors of grocery stores. "So the next time you're traveling down the aisle with your shopping cart and maybe going through the beer aisle, you'd be thinking about 'Drew Carey,' " Benson said.
They'll be sending out something called "ABC E-peeks," a database with "personalized messages that are actually electronic sneak peeks of all of our new shows," Benson said.
Kentucky Fried Chicken will be sending its product home in yellow-and-black, ABC-themed containers — "7 million chicken buckets and barrels at the Colonel's."
In top 10 TV markets (Salt Lake is No. 36), people are going to have messages left on their answering machines encouraging them to watch ABC's Friday-night sitcoms. And ABC execs already perhaps know that this might not be such a great idea. "How offensive is this?" Cohen asked jokingly. "Now, we're not going to call you and bother you like — 'Sign up for a credit card.' We're not going to even want to talk to you if you answer your phone."
But they had no answer for what would happen if you do answer your phone. Apparently, the automated system will hang up on you, even if you've jumped out of the shower or rushed into the house to answer the call.
"Well, we don't see it as harassing. . . . We feel like it breaks us out of the box," Cohen said.
And the executives quickly discovered that what they intend isn't always what's conveyed. They introduced a couple of spots that featured people in what was obviously some sort of news footage, speaking a foreign language while an English "translation" encouraged people to watch the returning series "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" And they were unprepared for critics who questioned whether these were, as they appeared to be, refugees from Kosovo who were being taken advantage of.
As it turns out, they were Hungarians talking about a drug store . . . but how viewers will interpret the ads remains to be seen.
And, while it's too early to say how effective the urinal advertising will be, the fact that four of them were stolen from the Ritz-Carlton men's room within a couple of hours — not, we hope, by any of the TV critics — says something.


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There is a pre-installed malware in the latest Barnes & Noble Android Nook 7 tablet that sends user data to the manufacturer’s server in China.
Google has officially revealed that the company will be launching two new smartwatches powered by Android Wear 2.0, an Android OS for smartwatches
After trying multiple times and after being sold and resold, Nokia is staging a comeback in 2017 by launching an Android smartphone with a high-end camera.
In the middle of the year Google had rolled out a keyboard for iOS called Gboard. Since the keyboard was well received, it has also been released for Android
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 may have 90% screen-to-body ratio. According to the rumours there might be no bezel in Galaxy S8.
To help you save your mobile data during Android app updates, Google has reduced the size of the update files by 65% although the download takes more time.
Wondering what’s the price of the latest LG V20 in India? It’s around Rs. 60,000 rounded off. This post contains more details and specs.
Although there is a big list of the top trending Android apps, in this post we have listed the 5 top trending apps of the Android era.
Android 7.0 Nougat reportedly has around 250 new features. Some of these features are reviewed in this blog post.
There is a dedicated Android app if you love playing crossword puzzles published in New York Times. The complete New York Times crossword puzzles database.


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CNET's Rich DeMuro goes to the Manhattan launch event for Nintendo's next-generation Wii in the early hours on Sunday, November 19.
By ZDNet Staff
| November 19, 2006 -- 02:02 GMT (18:02 PST)
| Topic: Tech Industry
Adobe reaches record revenue on Q1 earnings beat
Broadcom admits defeat, abandons Qualcomm takeover plans
Google's DoubleClick outage should force marketers to ask some hard questions
Broadcom-Qualcomm went from bad to worse to Trump: The whole sordid saga


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Valentino Hosts Cocktail Party at Maxfield in L.A.
The house celebrated its Maison Valentino Essentials collection.
Courtney Ogilvie’s Journey From Homelessness to Buzzy Brand
The California-based apparel brand crossed $1 million in sales in its first year in business and is opening…
Local Authority: An Outlaw Atelier Rises in Malibu
The brand pulls references from surf, skate, moto and the kind of sullen attitude imbued among punks into…
Miu Miu Type Debuts at Maxfield
The capsule collection featuring faces and letters can be customized with the wearer's letter of choice.
An Unlikely Rhude Boy Finds His Way Into Maxfield
Los Angeles streetwear brand Rhude's references to a drug den behind an unassuming arcade is its first go at…
Local Authority Coachella Capsule Is Desert Vintage for Maxfield, FWRD
The collection was made exclusively for the two retailers ahead of the company's sneaker launch and ramp-up…
Acne Studios to Open Second Store in Los Angeles
The Swedish brand is following up its downtown Los Angeles location with a new one on Melrose Avenue in West…
Adaptation to Hold Court at Maxfield With Spring Unveil, Pop-up
The Los Angeles ready-to-wear brand has linked with Dogtown Skateboards, Ocean Pacific and Vans for spring.
Fear of God, Maxfield Link for Holiday Pop-up
Jerry Lorenzo's church-themed concept at Maxfield's pop-up gallery space delivers Fear of God exclusives for…
Gucci Décor Arrives at Maxfield
The retailer's Melrose Avenue boutique will have the West Coast exclusive to sell Gucci's home collection.
Street Signs: Maxfield Sets ReadyMade Pop-up
The boutique's now a year into an aggressive strategy that's seen a steady stream of pop-ups, the latest set…
Maison Margiela Artisanal Pops Up at Maxfield
The brand will showcase its fall Artisanal collection, designed by John Galliano, at the Los Angeles…
Maxfield Marks Guns N’ Roses ‘Appetite’ Anniversary With Pop-Up
The shop-in-shop puts a new spin on the traditional routes of selling basic concert T-shirts.
Local Authority to Take Over Maxfield Malibu
The underground brand — the wares of which have been seen on celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Kendall…
Céline Debuts Exclusive Maxfield Pop-up Shop for Fall Collection
The fashion house will roll out its fall collection exclusively at the Los Angeles retailer.


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When Customer Service Isn’t Even Half-Baked
Published: March 9, 2013
(Page 2 of 2)
An interview was requested, and the Haggler was soon discussing this case on the phone with Kathy Nelson, the company’s vice president for consumer and appliance care. She works in the company’s headquarters in Benton Harbor, Mich.
“It’s very disappointing, as I look at how all this ended,” she said. It seemed a promising opener, but while Ms. Nelson uttered forms of company mea culpa, she also tried to deflect some culpa to Ms. Vintilla. Specifically, Ms. Nelson repeatedly said she wished that Ms. Vintilla had called Whirlpool, as though this whole crazy fiasco could have been avoided had the customer just dialed the company directly.
The Haggler noted, repeatedly, that Ms. Vintilla had made such a call, after summoning a service repairman for the fifth time.
A tip for companies in similar situations: Just apologize. Seriously. And if for some reason you feel the need to subtly needle your aggrieved customers, don’t subtly needle them for failing to do something they actually did.
The $75 haul-away charge was news to Ms. Nelson and, to her credit, news that she did not like. (The charge has since been dropped. As for the refund, that will take 14 to 21 business days, the couple were told on Tuesday.)
As for the confidentiality clause, Ms. Nelson said this was “standard.” Wait. It’s standard for Whirlpool to offer a refund only if a customer signs a confidentiality clause? Each time the Haggler posed this question, back came some variation of “Yup, this is standard.”
Another tip for Whirlpool: overnight the check, rather than say it’ll take up to 21 days to process.
Also, a confidentiality clause seems bonkers when replacing a $216 microwave. In fact, litigious overtones in the realm of customer service are generally counterproductive, at least if the goal is to keep customers.
Need proof? Asked if the couple would ever buy from Whirlpool again, Mr. Sirott said, “Maybe if they were the last manufacturer on earth.” Then he reconsidered: “On second thought, not even then.”


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Several years of work and planning at the Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery have finally begun to bear fruit – or beer, in this case.
The brewery began distributing its six flagship beers to local pubs and retail outlets earlier this year. The next milestone for the brewery stationed at 840 N. 7th St., Lebanon, will involve the opening of a brewpub this summer, according to director of brewery operations Mike Osborne.
Osborne is one of four co-founders who began working together on the business about four years ago. Along with Dave Koch, Kevin Booth, and Henry Goodwin, Osborne has spent the time getting the brewery set up and in working condition. “It’s been a slow process, but we want to get everything right,” he explained.
“Once the pub is open, that’ll kind of be the focus,” Osborne continued, who estimated the opening of the pub to be in June. “We’ll always be distributing, but it was never our intention to go into five states. I knew it wasn’t going to be a big distribution, but we did want to get it around the county.”
With the milestone of local distribution behind them, LVCB has joined a tradition of brewing in Lebanon that has continued for hundreds of years. In fact, the brewery is housed inside the same building that hosted a succession of historic breweries dating back to 1856.
Though the building includes around six levels, including a tower and a room carved underneath the adjacent hillside, LVCB is currently only using the first floor and the underlying basement. The first floor is home to a series of gleaming copper-plated tanks, part of a brewing system purchased from Five Seasons Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia. The rest of the system, including fermenter and brite tanks as well as the 12-ounce bottling line, is kept in the expansive basement.
LVCB uses a 15-barrel system, meaning that 15 barrels of beer (each one containing 31 gallons) can be processed at a time. Osborne, who’s been in the brewing business since the 1990s, has developed all of his recipes around the capacity of this system, which is common in the industry. At some point, Osborne hopes to install 30-barrel components so that two recipes can be held simultaneously.
The brewery is currently working on six flagship beers along with seasonal varieties and scratch series. As described by the brewery’s beer page, these include a Dortmunder-style lager, an American pale ale, an Irish red ale, an American-style stout, a Bavarian-style hefeweizen, and a New England-style IPA. Updates on these beers and where the brewery is taking them are regularly posted on the LVCB Facebook page.
The pub will be situated next to the tanks on the first floor.
“People can come in, and if I’m brewing, they can see me working on the operation,” Osborne said. Food trucks will provide something to eat in the summer, though an in-house kitchen is planned eventually.
If all goes well, more additions to the LVCB operation will be in the works. Osborne stated that “there’s room for expansion” inside and outside of the building. The original boiler house, a separate building behind the brewery, will be made into an outdoor bar, and Osborne suggested that a rooftop garden might even appear at some point down the line.
For now though, LVCB is taking an approach to its business in the same way it brews beers: steady, contained, and focused on producing one result at a time.
Written and produced with thanks to Chris Coyle.
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How Albertans are changing their spending habits to offset inflation
Angus Reid Institute survey shows changing habits brought on by rising prices
Alberta households are skimping on some of their usual spending habits due to inflation, according to a new survey from the Angus Reid Institute.
While 80 per cent of Canadians report cutting back on spending in recent months, folks in Saskatchewan (92 per cent), Alberta (86 per cent) and the Atlantic provinces (85 per cent) are more likely to have made changes to their budgets.
"The big takeaway here is while we've heard the macroeconomists and the financial experts [say] we've reached peak inflation, the worst is over, it doesn't meant that Canadians are not profoundly feeling the squeeze," said Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute.
That's led to actions like deferring RRSP and TFSA contributions, cancelling travel plans and reducing donations to charities.
In Alberta, the most common changes to offset higher costs of living are cutting back on discretionary spending (64 per cent), delaying a major purchase (48 per cent) and driving less (43 per cent).
Those numbers are all higher than in February, when 60 per cent of Albertans said they were cutting back on discretionary spending, 47 per cent were delaying a major purchase and 31 per cent were driving less.
"These are significant behavioural changes that we're seeing at a really unprecedented time in really the last 40 years," said Kurl. "For a lot of young Canadians, this is new territory."
She said the broader impacts of these kinds of behaviour changes are yet to be seen.
CBC News spoke to Calgarians about how their habits have changed recently.
"We are planning a holiday but we've had to really look at what we're going to do … and we're just saying no, we're not doing some of the extra things," said retiree Heather Toothe.
Meagan Dashkin said she's putting off big purchases, including a new computer, because of food prices and increased rent.
Marlene Harris said increased interest rates for loans and mortgages have her trying to save elsewhere.
"I've stopped buying expensive meats and produce that I don't need to buy that I might wish to buy," she said.
Thirty-six per cent of Albertans are scaling back on charitable giving, the highest across Canada, and 60 per cent say they can't keep up with the cost of living.
More than two in five Alberta households say they're dealing with uncertainty when it comes to job stability.
Thirty-six per cent of Canadians are concerned that they or someone in their household could lose their job because of the economy.
That number rises to 42 per cent in Alberta, the highest proportion among the provinces and territories. This response, however, has decreased slightly since February, when 46 per cent were worried about potential job losses.
Kurl said this is not new: Albertans tend to have a more pessimistic perspective on their economic outlook compared with the rest of the country.
The online survey polled a representative randomized sample of 2,279 Canadian adults from Aug. 8 to 10. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
With files from Colleen Underwood


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Ivybridge car park under pressure
Preparations begin for regeneration
People using two busy car parks in the center of Ivybridge fear there will be too few spaces to leave their vehicles when an area is fenced off on Monday [10 January].
South Hams District Council has admitted parking capacity in Glanvilles Mill and Leonards Road car parks will be reduced for the week.
Parts of the car park will be fenced off as preparatory work for a proposed £9million regeneration project for the city begins. The redevelopment is expected to include a new Aldi supermarket in the Leonards Road car park.
The council apologized for any inconvenience, but some people who regularly use the car parks say they are unhappy.
Darryl, who lives in the area, said: “It can only make doing business in Ivybridge more difficult. This will reduce attendance and probably irritate people. We might lose some custom.
He also doubted the new Aldi supermarket would increase footfall.
“If there is no parking lot where people go to park for their groceries?” he said.
Plans for the new store will provide adequate parking when completed.
Another local resident, Lisa, also expressed concern about the impact of closing parts of the car park.
“I live fairly locally so I can walk to work,” she said.
“But a lot of my colleagues who work on the high street don’t know where they’re going to park, so they’re going to clog up a lot of the rest of Ivybridge.
“I think there are going to be a lot of cars everywhere.”
Regarding the construction of a new supermarket and the impact on parking, Lisa was cautiously optimistic. “Apparently there will be enough for everyone to use what they need.
“I think long term, the jury is out on who I’m afraid of at the moment.
“But I think the streets of Ivybridge are going to get a lot more congested.”
Regeneration plans include developing a section of the Leonards Road car park to include the Aldi store. Earlier consultations suggested that the proposal had broad support from local people.
It is estimated that the planned store could create between 30 and 40 jobs, with up to 100 shoppers able to use it at any one time.
Buyers are expected to use other city facilities as well while in the area.
Construction preparations come as plans for a new city footbridge have been submitted to replace one of the existing wooden level crossings in the city centre.
The Pont du Nord, which spans the Erme and connects the Moulin de Glanvilles to the nearby car park, was built in the mid-1980s but has since suffered from rot.
If adopted, the replacement bridge would be metal rather than wood.
South Hams District Council is inviting people to comment on the proposed bridge replacement until Thursday, January 13.


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Yangon – Myanmar’s garment factories are facing the risk of shutdown as the coronavirus in China has restricted imports of raw materials, according to the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA).
Myanmar imports up to 90 percent of raw materials from China and the rest from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and South Korea for the garment industry which largely uses a cut-make-package (CMP) model.
The number of deaths from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose by 136, pushing the nationwide death toll to 2,004, the country’s National Health Commission reported (today) Wednesday. There are over 70,000 confirmed cases across the country. Many businesses, including suppliers for Myanmar’s factories, are struggling to function properly.
“We have problems as 90 percent of raw materials come from China. We are waiting for the day when the Chinese side will resume operations,” garment manufacturer U Myint Soe said.
Representatives from the Commerce Ministry and the MGMA met on Monday to address the issue, but no solution was found.
The majority of clothing factories have stopped running overtime due to dwindling stocks.
Normally clothing factories run 10 hours on weekdays, which includes two hours of overtime, as well as overtime on weekends. But many factories are closing on weekends and not running overtime on weekdays, said U Myint Soe.
“As a first step, the working hours are being reduced. Next, there will be redundancies. And then the factories will have to close temporarily. If the situation still doesn’t improve, there will be permanent shutdowns. This is the way it should be done,” he said.
U Khin Maung Oo of the MGMA said: “Some still have stocks and others have already run out. It appears that those who still have stocks will not survive through March. Factories which have run out of stocks will have to close.”
Meanwhile, the overland exports of melons, live cattle and marine products to China have virtually ceased.
U Nanda, director of the Trade Department on the Muse border, said: “China has imposed restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak. It informed us on Feb. 13 that the customs office in Ruili had reopened and trade recovered a little.
“Although some factories have reopened, many staff are not yet back at work. And some factories remain closed. So the trade does not gather momentum.”
U Nanda said it was difficult to predict the import volumes of raw materials for the clothing sector, but trucks supplying the factories entered Muse throughout the day before the outbreak.
Muse, Chin Shwe Haw and Lweljel were the most popular border gates for clothing supplies, he said.
The export value of garments from Oct. 1 to the end of January was over US$1.6 billion (2.3 trillion kyats), according to the Commerce Ministry.
Hlaing Tharyar Township’s employee representative Ma Kyi Kyi Tun from the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM) said: “It appears that some factories will close temporarily, providing certain compensation for employees. Employers must cooperate with trade unions.”
The CTUM estimates that more than 500,000 people work in the clothing sector in Yangon Region, with nearly 300,000 employed in 500 to 600 garment factories in Hlaing Tharyar Township alone.
Of 29 industrial zones in Yangon, Hlaing Tharyar compound is the biggest in terms of size, workforce and garment factories.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
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Prices still high
Golam Mostafa Jibon: Though, various varieties of vegetables have started appearing in the markets with the advent of winter season, buyers can’t buy their chosen vegetables as per their will due to high prices.
They complained that, vegetables are available in the market, but most of the consumers have lost their affordability to purchase the chosen ones due to high prices as well as reduction of incomes drastically. As a result, appearance of winter vegetables has not brought smiling on the faces of low and middle class people, market sources said. During a spot visit to different markets in the capital including Karwan Bazar, this correspondent came to know that, most of the vegetable prices have remained unchanged even after huge appearance. But, sellers assuring that the prices of various varieties of vegetables may decrease by Tk 10 to Tk 30 per Kg within next week, if the emergence flow remains continuous.
In some cases, the pricesmay be reduced by a maximum of Tk 50 to Tk 60 per kg. The supply of winter vegetables is increasing in the markets of the capital, due to which the prices will start to fall shortly.
Winter is the best time for vegetables and fruits in Bangladesh. Vegetables have also started arriving in the market, but the prices are much higher than that. Prices vary by market:
A Kg of potato is now being sold at Tk 25in Karwan market. But, the price is high at some other markets depending on location and transportation capacity.
In Motijheel, Malibagh and other markets, the product was seen to be sold at a slightly higher price than this.
A vegetable vendor of Motijheel area said, “The prices of different types of vegetables are little high here compared to other places due to varieties of destinations. We are selling different types of goods at a higher price of Tk 2 to Tk 3 per Kg.
Price of onion, ginger and garlic
A kg of local onion is being sold at Tk 55 after increasing Tk 5 compared tothe last week. And a kg of Indian onion is being sold at Tk 50 against the previous price at Tk 45.
Ginger is being sold between Tk 90 and Tk 180 and garlic between Tk 80 and Tk 110 depending on the quality.
Dissatisfaction over high prices:
Dissatisfactory is prevailing among the buyers over the unbridled price hikes of winter vegetables. They complained that, lack of proper market monitoring is the main reason behind the abnormal price hike of all commodities and vegetables even after huge arrivals. There is no shortage of supply, but prices are high. Consequently, many consumers are being deprived of the opportunities to buy fresh vegetables within their affordability.
The prices of cabbage and cauliflower, known as winter vegetables, are too high. Each cauliflower is being sold in the market for Tk 60, weighing not more than half of a kg. On the other hand, cabbageis being sold between Tk 30 and Tk 40 each.
Apart from this, Chinese carrot is being sold at Tk 140 per kg which is Tk 20 higher than before. Tomato is being sold between Tk 120 and Tk 160.
Buyer Ashraful Islam expressed his dissatisfaction and said, “The prices of most vegetables are above Tk 50 even in winter. Now it is not that the vegetables are not coming. Look around the market, everywhere of the market is filled up with vegetables. But, prices are still too high. Farmers do not get such a high price. Only for middlemen, the prices are on the rise everyday. The government should increase surveillance in this regard that, who are behind such price hike during the beginning of winter.”
A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman, Director General (Additional Secretary) of Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection under the Ministry of Commerce said, “Many farmers are now cultivating advance quality of vegetables with the aim to earn good profit. But, most of the farmers are being deprived of getting fair prices due to interference of the middlemen. Though, the buyers pay higher prices, the producers get lower prices than the right ones. On the other hand, many people can’t buy the required vegetables even after huge appearance due to lack of affordability lost centering global economic turmoil.”
Staff Correspondent: The landowners along both sides of Mugda Main Road are urging authori…


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Not her best look! Jessica Chastain sits front row in unflattering bizarre sheer lace trousers at Givenchy Paris fashion show
She is usually the queen of the arrivals line with her exquisite taste in clothes.
But on Sunday, Jessica Chastain had many doing double takes at the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week.
The Zero Dark Thirty star, 35, stepped out in a baggy pair of trousers which seemed to wear her rather the other way around.
What was she thinking? Jessica Chastain attended the Givenchy Paris fashion show on Sunday wearing a pair of mystifying trousers
The attire in question were basic black with an interesting gold fringe design around the hip area; the sheer lace material bunching at the top and tapering at the ankles.
Despite their clown-like appearance, Jessica's trousers looked very comfortable.
Jessica, who matched her bottom half with a satiny black top and gentlemanly black blazer, seemed proud of her outfit.
Like a swan: Jessica posed elegantly in spite of her questionable trousers, pairing them with a black blazer and strappy black heels
The newest Hollywood A-lister looked gorgeous nevertheless, wearing black single strapped heels and a pretty red pedicure.
The redhead wore her long hair in a straightened 'do as opposed to her usual curls.
Jessica is a huge fan of Givenchy and is often seen in the designer's fabulous fashions and no doubt was thrilled to be attending the Givenchy Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear show.
She was also seen sitting next to another famous beauty, Amanda Seyfried, who looked lovely in a black one-sleeve dress with white and gold patterned panel.
Sleek: Jessica wore her red hair straight in a razor sharp 'do
On Saturday, the actress looked stunning in black cigarette trousers and black waistcoat along with black heels as she of course sat front row at the Viktor & Rolf show.
Jessica's trip to Paris for fashion week followed a busy awards season in Los Angeles, culminating with her glamorous appearance at The Oscars last Sunday.
She shared the best moment of the star-studded evening in a touching blog post and it had nothing to do with the glitz, but taking her grandmother as her date.
'There was a special moment... while watching Barbra Streisand sing Memories. I looked over at my Grandma and she had tears in her eyes,' Jessica wrote.
Front row: Jessica watched the Givenchy show seated next to Amanda Seyfried, who also looked stunning in a black one-sleeve frock
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ITC executive vice president for corporate communications, Nazeeb Arif, who moderated the webinar, #RESETINDIA2020, said the pandemic had led to collaboration and compassion. There has been collaboration across industries in case of sanitisation and delivery and compassion to support one another tide this crisis, he said.
Jayen Mehta, the senior general manager for planning & marketing at Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), the pandemic had disrupted the supply chain from cow to consumer. In situations like these, communication with all stakeholders is the key — be it with the government, farmers or employees, he said, adding that it should be done at all levels to take timely and speedy actions.
Berger Paints India managing director Abhijit Roy said the company is working on a mobile app where each of its 20,000 paint workforce’s details could be viewed by consumers. All painters would be provided with safety kits and they would use germ-killing paints with a focus on the customer’s safety. The company has plans to sell also sanitisers, he added.
Rohit Ohri, the chairman of India & South Asia at FCB Ulka, said some behaviour would stay with even after the end of the crisis, but some would vanish. “Much of the consumer behaviour is driven by current fear of the virus,” he added.
Brands would pivot around immunity, healthcare and wellness and there would be an increase in automation and more machine interaction, with less human contact, he added.
BB Chatterjee, the president of the Bengal Chamber, said: “Once the lockdown is over, individually we all would start refurbishing, replacing, changing old with new.”
“Those who fight the crisis will emerge victorious … I think people should realise that corporate India is definitely ready and looking into the correct direction for a good tomorrow,” said Anoop Hoon, the chairperson of the marketing & brand committee of the Bengal Chamber.


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The chocolate brand invites fans to be the first to taste the new, mystery flavour live on air
On Tuesday the 25th of September, in a world first, Cadbury exclusively unveiled their brand new Dairy Milk Bubbly Mint live on a Google+ Hangout with lucky Cadbury fans.
The fans were sent the product and instructed not to open it until the event, hosted by two magical Joyville workers, where everyone opened their chocolate bars and tasted the new flavour for the first time together.
The unveiling caused such a stir on the channel that it was featured for the day on Google's 'What's Hot' section, which encouraged viewers and Cadbury's 2.5 million strong community to watch the event live on-air.
A sponsor for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cadbury has successfully hosted a number of Hangouts featuring Olympic champions like freestyle swimmer Rebecca Adlington and British Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer Shanaze Read.


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GEAR4 founder Tom Dudderidge shares his predictions for the year ahead:
I’ll remember 2011 as… the year that started with the post mortem of a very tough Christmas trading period, but ended with the triumph of a global hit product.
2012 will be great because… so many of our long-term strategies will come to fruition. Our US business will be growing, we ll be launching our range of wireless audio products, and the “appcessories” market will come to life. While we don’t expect the macro-economic situation to make our lives easy, we still see so much opportunity for growth.
One company we’ll hear a lot from next year will be… Moshi Monsters, an online community which has a trajectory much like that of Angry Birds. It’s great to see another UK company going global.
The one thing that would help me grow my business in 2012 would be… for the government to support post-PC technology businesses like us and app developers. The world is changing and these new markets will be measured in tens of billions in the coming years. The UK needs to grab its fair share of this rapidly evolving global market.
My New Year’s resolution for 2012 is… to keep working hard, but take a few weeks off. I really need to take my family on holiday in 2012!
Real Business will be running the “My 2012” series for the next month, bringing you top entrepreneurs’ views and predictions of the year ahead.


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TOKYO — Salvatore Ferragamo launched its newest fragrance, Incanto Amity, at a pop-up store in Tokyo on Tuesday. The store, located in a shopping complex at the intersection where upscale Omotesando meets quirky Harajuku, will be open through April 17, during which time it will be the only place in the world where the perfume will be sold.
Rollout will then continue throughout Asia, wrapping up in China in July and reaching a total of about 4,000 to 5,000 doors.
Steve Aoki held a presentation, a runway show and outdoor concert for his men's line Dim Mak. Here's a look from his spring 2018 collection, which was titled "Paradise Found." #wwdfashion #wwdmens (📷: George Chinsee)
"It's really hard sometimes. I think I have a reputation for being really tough and aggressive and pushy but I really am a very shy person who wants to be liked, and that's the conflict constantly. There's something that takes hold - I want people to like me, I don't want to be mean - but if I see something that just cries out to be answered, I go for it," says renowned NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. (📷: @axeldupeux)


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Yumpingo, the food intelligence platform, has announced a series of new contracts with high street restaurant chains and independents such as Bill’s, ASK Italian, Rosa’s Thai Café, BIRD and Mac & Wild. This announcement follows the platform’s success at the Casual Dining Show where it picked up Gold for its Intelligent Digital Bill in the Innovation Challenge Awards.
“Yumpingo are supporting our team to optimise all aspects of our guest experience. Yumpingo provides our business unique visibility to ensure our future investment decisions in new menus, new sites and refurbishments are made with more certainty than has been previously possible,” said Graham Ford, COO of Bill’s.
Yumpingo delivers more value from real-time customer feedback than any other platform by asking guests to complete a one-minute review at the end of their meal, either on Yumpingo devices or on their own devices. Up to 66% of tables take part with no incentive and 20% of guests leave a GDPR compliant email.
The data collected from these reviews allows restaurateurs to understand what their customers are really thinking across multiple sites and, by adding machine learning to this feedback, Yumpingo produces insights that enable them to optimise guest experiences at site, service, server and dish level.
“At a time when the restaurant industry is under significant pressure, we see an opportunity for Yumpingo to help brands de-risk decision making and deliver better food and service that will keep customers coming back for more,” commented Gary Goodman, founder and CEO of Yumpingo.
Yumpingo has also announced a partnership with Flyt to integrate with 14 EPOS platforms around the world including Micros, Zonal and Comtrex. Wahaca is the first brand to connect Yumpingo with their EPOS provider, which enables it to pull in digital bills for every table in live service. Yumpingo’s integration allows restaurants to track NPS and steps of service performance for every server, to provide personal improvement plans for each team member.


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BYD showed a prototype plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit during January of 2008.
Senior executives at Volkswagen AG and privately-held BYD have signed a memorandum of agreement to “explore the options for partnership in the area of hybrids and electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries.”
BYD, short for Build Your Dreams, showed a prototype plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit during January of 2008. The company claimed at that time that the complicated series and parallel hybrid drive system would add about $6000 in cost to one of its small sedans. The fledgling Chinese automaker is a major international supplier of rechargeable batteries for cell phones, computers, digital cameras, and personal electronics. U.S. based Berkshire Hathaway has taken a small, 10%, position in the company.
The VW link-up came after a visit by a delegation from the Chinese automaker headed by BYD’s Chairman of the Board of Management, Wang Chuanfu to VW’s Elektrotraktion Technology Center in Isenbüttel, Germany.
Wang and Dr Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen, signed the formal proposal after technical discussions and test drives of a variety of vehicles such as the Golf twinDrive and the prototype for an electric vehicle.
“Volkswagen will consistently expand its successful ‘BlueMotionTechnologies,’ said Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board for Technical Development at VW. “Hybrids and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role, of course. Particularly for the Chinese market, potential partners such as BYD could support us in quickly expanding our activities.” Hackenberg personally briefed the Chinese managers.
The Chinese market is closed to outside companies who do not form partnerships with Chinese makers. (more…)


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Sacramento, CA–(HISPANIC PR WIRE)–January 3, 2007–State Farm’s 3 million auto and 1.4 million homeowners, renters and condo owners in California will see nearly $500 million in savings in their annual premiums when the company’s recent auto and homeowners rate decreases are granted formal approval by the Department of Insurance. The combination of auto rate reductions and home, condo and renters policy decreases is the largest rate cut in the company’s history in California.
Auto insurance rates, scheduled to take effect in early March, are proposed to decrease 10.1 percent, totaling some $259 million. Homeowners, including condo owners and renters, will see a drop of 20 percent, for $230 million in savings, when the plan is approved. Currently, the homeowner rates are proposed to take effect in late April.
While virtually all of State Farm’s customers will see some savings, most of the significant decreases will go to policyholders with both auto and home insurance. Discounts will increase depending on how many years the policyholder has been insured by State Farm, what types of policies they have and other factors.
State Farm also reduced homeowner rates by 6.2 percent in 2005 and cut auto rates 7.6 percent in 2004 and 4.2 percent in 2005.


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RSS farmers’ body Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) Thursday said small and marginal farmers, who have already sold their produce, may not benefit from the MSP bonus.
It said that the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) await a formal intimation from the government and the farmers will have to wait for some time to avail of the bonus”.
“Had the government made the announcement in the beginning of the season, small and marginal farmers, who have been forced to sell their cotton at a low price, would have benefited. We demand that the government also thinks about such farmers,” Vitthal Dudhatra, general secretary of Gujarat unit of BKS, said in a release.
While making the announcement on Wednesday, Health Minister Nitin Patel, the spokesperson of the state government, had said those farmers who have already sold their cotton will not get the benefit.
On the other hand, a top officer of Ahmedabad branch of the CCI said it has not received any communique from the state government or the headquarters of the CCI on the bonus payment.


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Bulgarian vehicles sales in the 209 are further growing projecting the best score in this decade. Indeed, Year to Date October sales have been 37.309, up 6.5% and in October sales were 3.665 (+13.6%). Dacia is further reinforcing the leadership projecting the new record share at 13.0%.
Bulgarian Cars Market in 2016 posted the highest sales level since 2010, postingt the third increase in a string. Dacia remained the most popular brand, pushed up by Dokker. Great Wall is collapsing.
Bulgaria vehicles sales in Q1 2016 kept gaining ground fueled by accelerated economy. Dacia confirmed leadership, Skoda has lost a place on the podium. The Renault Captur fell down in fifth position.