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Activist investor Elliott Management Corp. has taken a big stake in Nielsen Holdings PLC and plans to push the TV-ratings company to sell itself.
The New York hedge fund owns more than 8% of Nielsen NLSN, +0.80% , worth at least $640 million, people familiar with the matter said Sunday. Elliott, which has been launching campaigns at a blistering pace this year, could unveil the new effort as soon as Monday. Multiple private-equity firms already have expressed interest in Nielsen, the people said.
Nielsen, which measures how people shop and consume media such as radio and TV, has been hurt by a rapidly changing retail environment. The company has a market value of almost $8 billion and is the S&P 500’s third-worst performer in 2018, with its shares off around 40% so far this year.
Nielsen’s stock price tumbled 25% in a single day last month after the company reported a weak second quarter and lowered its revenue estimates for the year. Chief Financial Officer Jamere Jackson said in July the second quarter “was one of the most challenging quarters for our business in over a decade.” He cited challenging conditions for consumer-packaged-goods clients, which hurt its “buy” business, which measures retail and consumer behavior.
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DETROIT -- A record number of business launches will help Metaldyne Corp. overcome low volumes from its Big 3 customers this year, CEO Tim Leuliette says.
If the rest of the year resembles the first quarter, Leuliette may have a reason to be optimistic about 2005.
Metaldyne, which manufactures engine, driveline and chassis components, typically launches about 20 programs a year. But this year it expects that number to be 50.
It expects the product launches to bring in about $400 million in revenue over the next 18 months.
"We call this the year of the launches," Leuliette says. "This is the year we start to see the business model do its thing."
Metaldyne's acquisition of the Chrysler group's former chassis and machining plant in New Castle, Ind., has driven much of the company's new business. In addition to the Chrysler group, the plant has won contracts from Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.
Metaldyne has moved toward more complicated assemblies, as opposed to simple forgings. In fact, forgings are down to about 16 percent of revenue.
Metaldyne of Plymouth, Mich., reported a net loss of $3.5 million on sales of $578.8 million for the quarter that ended April 3. That compares with a net loss of $5.3 million on sales of $481.1 million in the comparable quarter of 2004.
Metaldyne is a private company but reports financial results publicly because of its bond debt.
For the second quarter, Metaldyne expects sales of between $560 million and $590 million.
Metaldyne still is dealing with a high debt of $959 million and increased its debt by $28 million in the first quarter.
High steel costs have hurt, but Metaldyne recovered $31.7 million in price increases in the first quarter.
Among its cash obligations, Metaldyne has $80 million interest expense, $120 million in capital spending and debt payments of $12 million. The end of fast-pay programs from the automakers, whereby suppliers were paid early on receivables, will take away $24 million in liquidity, says Shelly Lombard, a Gimme Credit bond analyst, in a report.
"Metaldyne's operations, however, are performing better than we expected," she wrote.
Metaldyne was formed in early 2001 by private equity firm Heartland Industrial Partners LP when it combined MascoTech Inc., Simpson Industries Inc. and Global Metal Technologies Inc.
The company continues to cut costs. This month it canceled post-retirement health and life insurance benefits. The company wouldn't say how many retirees it affected, but only one of the three companies that formed Metaldyne had the benefits.
Metaldyne ranks No. 29 on the Automotive News list of the top 150 suppliers to North America with North American original-equipment automotive parts sales of $1.7 billion in 2004.

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Exponential Interactive has received "Certified Against Fraud” accreditation by the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG).
Popularized by P&G's Marc Pritchard following his AMA speech in early 2017, becoming TAG-certified was among the five steps highlighted for the advertising industry in order to usher in a new era of digital transparency. The remaining four measures were the adoption of a single viewability standard, the implementation of third-party verification, the widespread adoption of transparent agency contracts, and tangible steps towards ensuring brand safety.
Exponential has a global reach of 700 million monthly users. It regularly updates whitelists and blacklists, has proprietary activity-based detection checks and manual invalid traffics checks and has partner qualification controls for publishers upon being accepted into the network.
The accreditation was achieved via an audit by BPA Worldwide, a TAG-approved independent third party. Exponential Interactive also works in compliance with The Media Rating Council’s Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Guidelines.
“In Asia Pacific where the ad-tech ecosystem is not only full of opportunity but often subject to fraud, brands, and agencies looking to invest in advertising across desktop, mobile and video need to work with partners that are one step ahead”, said Steffen Crouwel, Exponential’s APAC commercial director. “To that end, efforts to eliminate ad fraud and improve brand safety continue to be an integral part of Exponential, and this certification reinforces our commitment to a secure experience for our customers.”


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Many problems have been identified in the investigation of climate change and the wine industry. So let us also address a few words to this problem. A group of researchers has developed a model to collect data on the development of the 11 most common grape varieties in the world with projections of climate change and the wine industry. They concluded that, due to the warming of the atmosphere and the increase in exhaust emissions, there is a possibility that the temperature on Earth will increase by 2 ° C, which would have a direct impact on as many as 56 percent of the world’s wine regions. If the temperature rises by 4 ° C, as much as 85 percent of the vineyards will disappear.
Riesling is expected to lose 66 percent of the cultivable area, Guardian reports.
Are Climate Change and the Wine Industry Really Connected?
Yes, climate change and the wine industry are connected, but for things were not so black, instead of existing ones, other regions would become favorable for grapevine and wine production, such as parts of the UK, according to a study led by researcher Ignacio Morales Castilla of the University of Alcalá in Spain.
Regions where temperatures are already high, will suffer the greatest losses, and the Mediterranean will suffer the most. Spain and Italy could lose almost 65 percent of their vineyards, and there are very few new territories that would become suitable for grapevine production.
At the same time, researchers point out that losses can be reduced by changing grape varieties in a particular area. For example, many areas suitable for Pinot Noir, including South Africa and Burgundy, will need to switch to late varieties such as Shiraz, Monastrell, and similar grapes, as they can better withstand warmer climates. In contrast, early varieties such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay could be grown in northern areas.
Regions such as New Zealand and the northern United States are expected to see an increase in vineyard areas of 15 to 100 percent, depending on grape varieties.
It should be noted that this study also has limitations, including the fact that only a few of the 1,100 grape varieties that are estimated to be in the world were studied.
How will be with the Slovenian wine industry this study did not cover. We have to know that Slovenia is positioned somewhere between the Mediterranean and the continental environment.
Climate Change Threatens Fruit Growing in California
Experts warned that climate change could also decimate fruit growing in the fertile California Central Valley. Reuters reports that walnuts, cherries, plums, and peaches are the most endangered, and to a lesser extent, also pistils and almonds. In order to produce good fruit, these fruits need to be exposed to mild frost, and with climate change, winters in California are expected to be warmer. More than 1.2 million hectares of land under fruit also need winter frosts in the Central Valley, with an estimated value of nine billion dollars a year.


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Battlefield 2042 has had a disastrous launch. Less than a week after launch, the game is already one of the worst-review games on Steam, getting on the same list as games like Uriel’s Chasm and RollerCoaster Tycoon World.
According to data provided by Steam Charts, Battlefield 2042 peaked at 100,590 players but is currently already down to about 30,000 players daily. That’s around a massive 70 percent drop, which is massive for games that many gamers play for its online modes.
Many of the game’s negative reviews cite many bugs and technical problems. Players also complained about the game feeling like it’s missing many features and a lot of content, including the lack of a traditional scoreboard and others. Thankfully, DICE has already plans for further major patches to fix the game.
Battlefield 2042 is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.


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AshbyCapital Secures $142M in Financing for London Property
- Mar 13, 2019
AshbyCapital has secured $142 million in acquisition and renovation financing for 127 Kensington High Street, a 127,000-square-foot mixed-use project in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London.
The property, a Brutalist-style building constructed in the 1970s, will be fully renovated and transformed into one of the premiere office and retail assets in the area. Included in the acquisition is an adjacent retail arcade that serves as the entrance to the High Street Kensington underground station.
The property is situated between the neighborhoods of Holland Park and Kensington Gardens and is located near local businesses like Equinox, Whole Foods Market and other local amenities. An HFF debt placement team representing the borrower was led by Managing Director Claudio Sgobba and Director Andrew Hornblower.
“Prime freehold development opportunities are increasingly rare in central London and we are delighted at the prospect of delivering best-in-class office and retail space to Kensington,” said Charles Lawrence, investment director at AshbyCapital, in prepared remarks. “This financing validates our enthusiasm for this unique project and frees up further capital for us to deploy as we look onwards to the next opportunities.”
According to a JLL report released last month, London was the number one city for global real estate investment in 2018.
Image via Google Street View


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Amid every crisis are stories of resiliency, grit, and success against the odds. I’ve heard stories about countless businesses who have stepped up to do what’s right for their customers and society at large during a time of extreme need and uncertainty. In many instances, companies have gone above and beyond to ensure services continue as expected to provide a hint of normalcy during the pandemic.
Telstra is one of those companies, and here’s why.
Last March, most of us hunkered down as COVID-19 spread across the globe. Millions of students were sent home thinking they’d be back in class within a week or two, but we all quickly learned that wasn’t going to be the case. That’s what happened to students at schools across Australia.
Over the course of the weekend, the state went into lockdown, which meant every school would be required to implement virtual learning.
That’s when one of the biggest global providers of video collaboration software and services called Telstra’s team in the United States. They were experiencing unprecedented demand as the world began to live, work, and learn online. In the first two weeks of March alone, the company logged 5.5 billion minutes in their video service – the equivalent of 10,500 years of meetings.
Meeting that demand – and enabling students to learn – meant the company and its partners needed to upgrade their networks, implementing new services that would normally take weeks or months to deliver in mere hours. Bringing together ordering and pricing, solution architects and engineers, and service and delivery teams, Telstra was able to partner to deliver services in record time.
Students’ lessons started promptly at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning and Telstra did right by the customer.
Critical customer experience lessons learned during uncertain times
The story above highlights a critical lesson: the focus on customer experience, even amid uncertainty, is likely to be the difference between success and failure for many businesses. That’s especially true for companies in industries where product or cost differences are fading. In fact, according to Gartner, as many as 81 percent of executives say they expect to be competing mostly or completely on the basis of customer experience in the next two years. Ten years ago that number was just 36 percent. That’s mind-blowing!
Consider the telecommunications industry. Traditional models and mindsets focused on product and process had enshrined a slower, less flexible approach. But they are increasingly being seen as relics of times past. We’re now working in a notoriously fast, agile technology and connectivity industry, acting as a technology enabler as opposed to just a technology provider.
At Telstra, we’ve committed to investing in improving the service, delivery, and incident response experiences we provide to customers around the world. And we’ve learned a few key lessons along the way:
Lesson 1: Create customer experiences tailored to each region (or country)
Differentiating based on experience demands every staff member contributes to a culture that puts the customer first. And that starts with creating customer experiences that are not “one size fits all” – which is especially critical during a pandemic that has exposed the differences among every end-user and every business.
This means investing to ensure customers are managed by experts in the same places as they are. Not only does it create a relationship beyond the transactional, it empowers teams to understand the customer, and help them make the right decisions for the business outcomes.
It also means creating resources for customers that are tailored to their specific needs. For example, at Telstra we’re adding more value for our customers with dedicated service desks staffed by expert teams to serve unique transmission requirements.
We’re also emphasizing self-service tools and services to empower customers with the control to customize their own experiences. Solutions like T-Connect, which offers simple on-demand management for enterprise service, or the Telstra Programmable Network, which enables you to design and deploy your network connectivity, are key means for businesses to tailor their services to their needs without jumping through hoops on phone or email.
Lesson 2: Always focus on the business outcome, no matter what
It can be easy to get swept up in the day-to-day of our work – of provisioning new connectivity routes or spinning up new clouds, for example. But it’s critical to remember why we do that and what impact those services have on our customers and the real people who use their service
That extends throughout the business – even to customer contracts. At Telstra, we’re focused entirely on achieving customer outcomes, so when we’re considering service level agreements (SLAs) we’re not limiting ourselves to measuring mean time to restore (the net length of time between an issue and it is resolved, minus exclusions for contractually defined reasons) but instead total time to restore (the time from the minute of an issue to the minute it’s solved, with no exclusions).
Take the story of the video-conferencing students we told earlier. Delivering to the letter of the SLA would not have achieved the outcome – ensuring lessons could start on time – the customer needed. Only by doing right by the customer and going above and beyond could we get the right result for everyone.
Lesson 3: Listen and adapt to make your customers happy
Finally, it’s essential that experience is measured, so it can be iterated and improved. At Telstra we take a two-pronged approach to this.
As I mentioned above with T-Connect, we empower our customers with data and analytics-driven dashboards to monitor and manage their own experiences.
And we get our customers to tell us how we’re doing. Net Promoter Score (NPS) is an industry experience benchmark based on real customer feedback. We’re extremely proud of the fact Telstra America finished 2020 with a significantly improved NPS score, even while we endured the complexities of the pandemic.
But we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. Tomorrow, that number means nothing to a new customer who is looking to us for a network solution and tired of fielding complaints from their customers.
A focus on experience future-proofs your business
While businesses are trying to return their operations to somewhere near pre-pandemic levels, many of the practices we’ve all adopted over the past months out of necessity are likely to remain with us and continue to improve. This includes the faster response times people have come to expect from brands, especially service providers.
That’s fine with us, as it’s all part of continually perfecting the art of the experience.
Whatever the state of the world looks like in the coming months or even years, Telstra will remain committed to ownership and accountability in all our customer relationships.


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It’s official: Sony’s PlayStation 4 will be released in the UK at a price of £349. This latest announcement means things are heating up in the next gen gaming console battle – the PS4 is coming in at around £80 less than the Xbox One*.
If the latest information is anything to go by then it seems the new Xbox One is going to be a little pricier than rumours first suggested.
Microsoft revealed its Xbox One last night at its Redmond campus in Washington and according to the tech giant, this new console will revolutionise the lives of its users. Ok, so “revolutionise” may be a strong word but the fact that you can use voice recognition and hand gestures to control it is rather cool. In the world of gaming consoles, this one’s bound to be a winner.
Latest news from Electronic Arts is that it will release The Sims 4, for Mac and PC, in 2014. This will have countless life simulation game fans across the globe saving pennies and jumping for joy.
The world’s most popular smartphone game, with over a billion downloads and counting, continues its insatiable appetite for expansion, this time by launching on consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360, as well as smart TVs from Samsung.
- Photo: Razer
Last week at E3, Razer, the creator of the world’s first PC gaming mouse, released its most advanced gaming mouse yet: the Razer Taipan which boasts an incredibly accurate and responsive 8200 DPI 4G dual sensor.
- Photo: Nintendo
Since neither Sony nor Microsoft had a new console to show at E3, Nintendo got to steal the limelight by officially introducing the new Wii U handheld touch console, slated for a late 2012 launch. But is the tablet-like new Nintendo console enough to silence the critics?
- Photo: Sony
E3 is well underway and the two console giants, Microsoft and Sony, have both finished their presentations. However, with a next-gen console unveiling not on the agenda, we’ve instead been treated to announcements like the new PS3 Wonderbook motion accessory.
- Photo: Ubisoft
The latest iteration of the decade-long Tom Clancy Ghost Recon tactical shooter series, Future Soldier, lands in the UK today, May 25th. Does it stick to its strategic roots or try to appease action fans too much? Honestly, the game does a bit of both.


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Interswitch Limited, a leading payment system has announced the acquisition of eClat Healthcare Limited, a Nigeria-based health technology company that aims to improve healthcare delivery in Africa.
According to a statement by the company, the acquisition was sealed after procuring a 60% stake in eClat through the purchase of shares from current shareholders and subscription to new shares issued by the company.
Speaking on their acquisition, Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Managing Director of Interswitch, explained that the company was innovating to deliver social and economic development across sectors. He added that the acquisition aligned with their corporate vision.
“We are a technology company that is innovating to deliver value across sectors that are critical to Africa’s social and economic development. Our acquisition of eClat demonstrates strong progress along with this strategy and alignment with our corporate vision.”Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Managing Director of Interswitch
He added that healthcare is evolving and that Interswitch’s expansion plans are to provide customers access to healthcare beyond hospitals.
The newly acquired company, eClat, was established in 2012 to provide modern solutions to health care delivery.
eClat’s healthcare technology platform consists of a core e-Clinic software used in more than 250 primary care centres in Oyo, Delta and 5 other states across the country. The software also includes electronic billing, immunisation, ante-natal and care pathway functions.
Interswitch is not new to healthcare solutions
Interswitch has had an investment interest in healthcare technology aimed at addressing the challenges plaguing the healthcare sector in Nigeria and eventually in Africa.
To actualise its goals, Interswitch has been modernising healthcare through healthcare product offerings like Smarthealth, an automated service platform that helps manage non-core functions such as record keeping, claims processes and administration services easily and efficiently.
The technology also offers biometric identification at hospitals, online submission and processing of claims, capitation payments and other payments such as salaries, vendors, suppliers, taxes and pensions.
How Smarthealth works
Once a healthcare provider signs-up for Smarthhealth, all patients’ records are transferred to a secure server. Patients are then issued a chip and biometric PIN-based identification card.
The card can be used by patients to make payments and can also be used by the hospital to request a payment claim.
Is Interswitch merging Smarthealth and eClat?
It is not yet clear if Interswitch intends to merge both healthcare platforms together but Elegbe revealed that the eClat acquisition provides an opportunity to introduce new Interswitch products. These will include Verve Health cards and a payment collection & disbursement solution (Quickteller for business), to drive the needed efficiency in payments for health services.
The product offerings of Interswitch and eClat are expected to enable operators in the healthcare sector improve the efficiency of their core operations and facilitate seamless payments.
They will also utilise a major data source provided by eClat: the Electronic Health Record (EHR) platform. It is hoped that this platform will help healthcare policymakers make informed and efficient upgrades.
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UK group looks for breakthrough in sustainable food packaging
WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has recently begun a scoping project with the aim of enabling retailers and brands to use recycled polypropylene plastic in food packaging.Polypropylene is regularly recycled into industry plastics application (such as buckets and pallets) but, until now, recycling it into food grade packaging has not been possible. WRAP has commissioned Axion Consulting, in partnership with Greenstar WES, Fraunhofer IVV and Pira Consulting, to undertake the scoping study to test the process of recycling polypropylene, and the commercial viability of it in food grade packaging. Using recycled polypropylene instead of virgin plastics, for food packaging also presents significant environmental benefits which can be enjoyed by retailers, brands and consumers.
With developments in infrastructure, HDPE and PET bottles are now widely recycled back into new plastic bottles and in some cases, into food grade packaging too. As polypropylene makes up a significant proportion of plastic packaging in the household bin in terms of food pots (e.g. yoghurt pots), food tubs (e.g. margarine), and sauce bottles (e.g. brown sauce), developing a process to enable it to be recycled is an important next step towards sustainable packaging.
“Developing a commercial process for food grade polypropylene is widely seen as the next big challenge for food grade recycling technology,” Paul Davidson, WRAP’s Special Advisor on Plastics, said. “WRAP recognises that the retailers, brand owners and packaging companies all want polypropylene to be available for food grade packaging. However, with its many different grades and colours used in packaging, developing such a process will be demanding.”
Roger Morton, Director of Axion Consulting, believes the challenge will be an exciting one for the project team. “This is a fascinating and technically challenging development project, which will involve us gaining a more in depth understanding of the issues associated with the feasibility of recycling polypropylene for food packaging,” he said. “The project will also test whether the food grade High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) recycling process already in existence can be used to recycle polypropylene which meets food grade standards. The findings will help to identify what further technical requirements exist to developing a successful food grade recycling process for polypropylene and what recommendations need to be made to achieve this.”
The scoping study ends in late August 2009 and WRAP will make findings available later this year.
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why the price of coffee is soaring
The cost of your average store is rising, with a new Eurostat estimate suggesting consumer prices here rose 8.2% on the year to the end of May.
This translates into much larger shopping bills – according to Kantar, this means the average household will pay €330 more each year.
But not all price increases are created equal, and a myriad of factors affect different products in different ways.
To help understand what’s going on, we’ve taken a closer look at a selection of everyday grocery items.
Each has seen significant price increases, but each has a different story to tell as to why.
In this article, we will look at coffee prices.
What drives up coffee prices?
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Adam Maguire talks about the cost of coffee on RTÉ Radio 1’s Today with Claire Byrne
Brexit has significantly disrupted the Irish supply chain, but that’s not the only problem. The pandemic is the other big one.
Indeed, at the start of the pandemic, all but the largest factories in the world closed and the world’s ports also closed.
This resulted in massive shipments queuing up at ports with nowhere to go – and empty shipping containers piling up because there was no way to store them and put them on ships.
And it’s not the case that everything starts to work properly once the ports reopen – those backlogs take a long time to clear up.
The fact that we also had the blocking of the Suez Canal and the gradual closing of ports in China only made the situation worse.
So what impact does this have?
Before the pandemic, the global supply chain meant it was easy, and often cheap, for businesses to source from halfway around the world.
According to the International Monetary Fund, approximately 80% of goods traded worldwide are transported by sea. And it pretty much worked like clockwork too; businesses knew they could order goods now and they would arrive within a predictable amount of days.
As a result, many companies have operated on what is called a “just in time” model. The idea is that they order parts and products as they are needed, instead of building up a small inventory that needs to be processed.
The advantage is that companies don’t tie up a lot of money in goods that sit there in storage – but the disadvantage is that when there’s a major blockage on the other side of the world – as was the case with Covid – they don’t have their own stock to fall back on.
And when the pandemic hit, it led to bidding wars for space over the few containers coming out of ports. The longer the shipping distance, the more companies had to pay.
But shipments have also become much slower and less predictable, as ports seem to prioritize high-end goods, and those deemed less valuable end up having to wait longer for space on a ship. .
The disruption was such that you also have this weird phenomenon of empty shipping containers piling up in some parts of the world, waiting to be filled, while at the same time you have goods in other parts of the world waiting for a container to be put on a ship.
It’s even led to some companies paying top dollar to ship empty boxes from one part of the world to another, just to try to get their supply chain back on track.
What does it have to do with coffee?
Obviously, there is no possible local supply of coffee – you have to travel to very distant places like Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia or India to get it.
You therefore have no choice but to pay the shipping costs, whatever they may be.
And they’ve really increased since the pandemic.
According to the IMF, the cost of shipping a container across oceans has increased sevenfold in the 18 months since March 2020.
But other factors beyond shipping also affect coffee prices.
Higher energy prices mean it costs more to roast beans and transport the finished product to stores, for example.
And the price of the coffee itself is also rising.
The US Coffee C Futures is a commodity market that tracks the price of specialty coffee, and it is used as a benchmark when pricing orders.
It rose by around 50% last year – and it has more than doubled in the past two years – in part because of weather warnings from Brazil that traders feared would impact the harvest.
And it hurts big players as much as small players.
Starbucks raised prices in October, then January — and said more hikes are coming — all because supply chain costs, as well as labor costs, were reaching their peak. net profit.
According to the CSO, coffee prices jumped almost 3% between March and April – so in just one month – and are around 4% higher over the year, which follows just above the global rise in food prices.


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Google Announces the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro with Google-designed SoC
Google has introduced the new Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro featuring a new System on a Chip (SoC) designed by Google, called the Tensor SoC. Both models will be equipped with the new Tensor SoC, a titan M2 security chip, and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
According to leaked renders, the Pixel 6 features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. It is equipped with a double rear camera module comprising a 50 MP wide camera and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera on a matte-finished camera bump. For the front camera, it has an 8 MP lens. Beneath the hood, it has 8GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, along with a 4,614 mAh battery. According to Google's Chief of Hardware Rick Osterloh, the Pixel 6's camera will let in about 150% more light than previous Pixel models.
Meanwhile, The Pixel 6 Pro displays a 6.7-inch Plastic OLED screen. It sports 12 GB of RAM, up to 512 GB of storage, and a 5,000 mAh battery. On the outside, it features a triple rear camera module consisting of a 50 MP wide camera, a 48 MP telephoto camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera on a shiny camera bump. It also has a 12 MP front camera.
Osterloh also claimed that the new models will process images and videos for clearer, better exposed images of moving subjects. Google has also redesigned its speech software with Speech On Device API (SODA) that allows apps to leverage the Tensor SoC for data-center-level speech recognition. In addition, there will also be a new Live Caption with Translate feature that translates and transcribes almost at the same time an audio is playing through the device. The Tensor SoC allows for almost instant translation without the use of the cloud for processing.
Google has also upgraded the Dictation feature which will allow users to narrate messages and trigger actions with keywords like "send" or "clear" using the built-in microphone. Additionally, users can edit typos via the onscreen keyboard while the microphone is still receiving users' dictation.
Google has not released the full specs of the new models, including the CPU, GPU, and 5G modem. There is still no news on the exact date when the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will be released too.


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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is making two financial contributions to improve the quality of life for the people and neighborhoods on Detroit’s east side.
FCA is contributing $400,000 to the Impact Neighborhood Fund for improvement projects in the three neighborhoods. And a $285,000 contribution to the Chandler Park Conservancy will enable the nonprofit organization to start construction on Detroit’s first community-based environmental education plaza.
“FCA’s commitment to Detroit goes beyond our facilities,” said Ron Stallworth, external affairs lead for Wayne County, FCA in a release. “Our collective futures will be defined by how we collaborate to transform our neighborhoods, and we are just getting started.”
Philanthropy has become a big part of marketing this year, especially in light of the pandemic. Consumers have repeatedly stated in research that they look to the charitable actions of companies to inform buying choices.
The expectation for companies and brands to act ethically continues to grow. Nearly all (97%) consumers in a recent Mintel survey agreed that it's important a company acts morally/ethically, up from 76% who said the same in 2012.
Consumer support for corporate social responsibility initiatives has truly gone mainstream, as 87% of consumers agreed that companies should always do the right thing, even if it isn’t required by law, and nearly two-thirds (65%) said that they’d stop buying from a brand with irresponsible practices.
FCA’s $400,000 contribution to the Impact Neighborhood Fund represents half of the $800,000 outlined in an agreement it made with city of Detroit. The second $400,000 will be contributed in 2021.
The automaker also donated 20,000 face masks to the community leaders. It is part of the automaker’s ongoing efforts to ensure that Detroiters stay safe and play a role in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Ford Motor Co. has been focusing on downtown Detroit since buying the long-neglected train station two years ago and beginning a multiyear, multimillion-dollar renovation.
Recently at a community meeting, the automaker revealed the site plan for Michigan Central. The automaker envisions an inclusive mobility innovation district in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, as well as designs for some of the district’s first buildings.
Ford’s vision for a 30-acre walkable community anchored by iconic Michigan Central Station is part of its plan to reshape the future of global mobility, working with other partners and connecting to a broader network of city and regional assets and innovation, according to the automaker.
Along with a mobility testing platform and new open spaces, the site plan prioritizes the needs of the community with abundant green space, biking trails, cafes, shuttles, scooters, retailers, grocery stores, day care, housing and parking all within a 20-minute walk.


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Building reliable, affordable and good quality cars for mass-market is certainly the ultimate goal of all big automakers. Competition is the driving force of this globalized industry, powering economic growth.
But to keep afloat in this highly competitive sector, car manufacturers and their suppliers are constantly looking for cost savings opportunities in today’s challenging market, with its rapidly changing trends and products.
When French car maker Renault announced in 2007 plans to build a giant manufacturing complex in Morocco to rival Chinese plants in terms of costs and standards, some analysts and even Nissan, Renault’s partner, thought the move too risky.
Despite criticism, Renault went ahead with its project in a bid to boost profits by using low-cost Moroccan labor and banking on its proximity to the European market.
Few years later, production and export of the Renault plant set up in the free-trade zone in Tangier (Northern Morocco) gained momentum, inciting the French company to expand operations.
The plant doubled its annual production capacity to 340,000 units and making it the largest car factory in Africa. Renault builds in Morocco low-cost popular brands Dacia, Sandero hatchback, the Dokker small van and the Lodgy wagon.
Latest industry figures show that Morocco’s car industry contribution to export soared 26.5 pc in 2014 to become the leading export sector for the first time in the North African nation history. This is an astonishing performance for a new sector in the country which is emerging as industrial hub and quietly transforming its economy from agricultural to industrial.
It was not until Morocco’s nascent car industry started developing rapidly against all odds that major international automakers began paying attention and showing serious interest to set foot in the market to seize the business opportunities offered in the Kingdom.
The latest new comer is French PSA Peugeot Citroën which has announced plans to set up a new factory in Morocco to produce up to 200,000 cars annually for the African and Middle East market.
The $ 632 million factory, to be operational in 2019, is expected to start producing 90,000 engines and vehicles that meet the needs of the region and of Moroccan customers.
According to Peugeot-Citroën CEO Carlos Tavares, the Moroccan plant will provide the French group “with centrally located production capacity for helping achieve our ambition to sell 1 million vehicles in 2025 in the region”.
He also stressed the importance of ”Africa and the Middle East as historic markets for PSA”, two regions of great importance to Morocco looking forward to expanding trade and investment with African and Middle Eastern countries.
According to some analysts, Peugeot-Citroën chose Morocco as a gateway to Africa because the French automaker seeks to boost sales in the continent and the Kingdom can help it achieve its goal as the North-African country has leverage in Africa thanks to the presence of its business clusters and thriving private sector.
The new Peugeot-Citroën plant to be built in the free-trade zone in the Atlantic coast city of Kenitra will undoubtedly enhance the competitive supplier base in Morocco which exported $ 4 billion worth of cars and parts in 2014.
In the first four months of 2015, the sector, which provides some 80,000 jobs (10 pc of industrial payroll), posted a 12 percent increase from the same period last year.
Morocco offers investors several key enticing advantages including a strategic geographic location, tax breaks & incentives, skilled man-power and good transport infrastructure allowing easy access to Europe, the Mediterranean region and sub-Saharan African markets.
The choice of Morocco by Peugeot-Citroën to expand its operations in Africa will not go unheeded by rival Europeans and Asian automakers such as Volkswagen AG, Fiat, Nissan, Hyundai…or spare parts manufacturers. They got the message. They will have to book their sites in the car manufacturing chain being deployed in the Kingdom, the sooner the better.


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Singapore. In 2023, rent for prime retail spaces will continue growing, following its increase in 2022. According to real estate agency JLL, this growth extension will happen amidst a falling vacancy rate.
More from OMY: Warehouse spaces in Singapore limited, prices to go up in 2023
“Despite macroeconomic headwinds, Singapore’s safe-haven status and resilient domestic and tourist consumption should encourage strategic business expansion, albeit prudently,” shared JLL.
In the 4th quarter of 2022, rent increased 0.6% QoQ. This is the fifth consecutive quarter of rent growth across three-submarkets.
“Over the first two months of 4Q22, the retail sales index (excluding motor vehicles) in chained-volume terms eased on dissipating demand but remained relatively resilient despite inflationary pressure,” JLL stated.
More from OMY: Ultra-high-net-worth families setting up offices in Singapore


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Woman Allegedly Finds Live Bat in Bag of Carrots [VIDEO]
A woman recently posted a video of a bag of carrots she purchased and she says that the bag of carrots came with a bat that was still alive.
Governor Edwards Answers Four Most Asked Questions About COVID Vaccine
As more people are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Louisiana, Governor Edwards has the answer to four very important questions surrounding the vaccine.
Target Store Stops Selling Food Items After Rats Spotted in Store [VIDEO]
A video posted on Facebook shows huge rats running wild in a Target store and now that store has halted all food sales.
Geese Chase Person Showing Up for Work at Hospital [VIDEO]
Watch as a woman who is showing up for work at a medical facility is chased by two very angry geese.
Man Bowling Pulls Off Most Spectacular Shot Ever [VIDEO]
Watch as a man who is bowling spins a bowling ball while tossing another over it to nail a strike.


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New Delhi. Government telecom firm BSNL has introduced presents for its prospects. The firm has elevated validity and speak time for its pay as you go cell prospects amid lockdowns as a consequence of coronovirus. During the interval of lockdown from 22 March 2020, BSNL has prolonged the validity of their plans until 20 April 2020, because of the issue of cell prospects whose plans have expired and are unable to recharge. That too at no cost. BSNL prospects' SIMs won’t be discontinued till 20 April. They can even be given speak time of Rs 10. Customers whose steadiness has been zero in the course of the lockdown will probably be given a credit score steadiness of Rs 10. <! –
In view of emergency, this free service has been supplied to BSNL cell prospects.
Reliance particular preparations, will deliver new high-speed stay fiber plan
Please inform that Telecom Regulator TRAI has requested telecom corporations to offer steady companies to prospects. Following this, BSNL has grow to be the primary firm to supply such service. TRAI additionally requested to extend the validity of pay as you go prospects' plans. According to TRAI, telecom companies are categorized as important companies. In this fashion, they’re exempted from closure. But within the occasion of lockdown, customer support facilities / level of sale areas will probably be affected, which can damage those that need to get a brand new recharge or to extend the subscription of pay as you go tariffs by way of offline means.
Relief given to telecom corporations
TRAI has additionally given telecom operators an extra six weeks to file their month-to-month and quarterly reviews in view of the lockdown. According to a report revealed within the Economic Times, in keeping with TRAI Secretary Sunil Okay Gupta, in view of the epidemic, telecom service corporations have been given greater than 6 weeks or one and a half months to submit month-to-month and quarterly reviews. This will present reduction to the telecom corporations.
BSNL additionally gave a shock
However, BSNL has additionally given a shock to its prospects. BSNL has modified its plans. The firm has modified its 6 plans and lowered their validity and advantages. The plans for which BSNL has modified the advantages embody recharge of Rs 98, Rs 99, Rs 186, Rs 187, Rs 319 and Rs 1699. Keep in thoughts that the modifications made in these plans are going to be carried out from April 1. BSNL has lowered information advantages in its 2 plans. These two plans are Rs 186 and Rs 187. Both these plans used to get three GB information every day, however now solely two GB information will probably be obtainable every day. 250 minutes and 100 messages are additionally obtainable for calling in these plans.


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Jobs at the Lincoln branch of a chain cake store are at risk as the company announces that may be forced to close.
Patisserie Valerie has one store on the High Street and another in Sainsburys on Tritton Road where jobs could be cut.
When The Lincolnite contacted the High Street store, staff were not aware of any potential closures.
It is among other major stores in the area like Toys R Us, Ruddocks and BHS which have been forced to close.
The company went into a financial crisis on Wednesday, October 10 after it revealed that millions were missing from its accounts.
Now the board has said that it is “assessing all options available to the business to keep it trading and will update the market in due course.”
Across Patisserie Valerie’s more than 200 stores, it employs around 2,500 members of staff.
HM Revenue and Customs filed a winding-up petition at the High Court on September 14 over an unpaid £1.4 million tax bill.


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AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Each year the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) gives out accolades to vehicles in different classes, but none carry the quite the prestigious honor as the “Truck of Texas” title. For 2010 TAWA has awarded the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor as the “Truck of Texas,” making this the seventh year in a row that a Ford has won the top truck award.
“Winning the Truck of Texas is a distinct honor,” said Mark Fields, president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company. “Texans know their trucks, and this award is further proof of why the F-150 remains America’s number-one selling pickup. We built F-150 SVT Raptor for truck enthusiasts. And we’re gratified it’s gaining recognition for both its unequaled off-road performance and confidence-inspiring on-road demeanor.”
The F-150 SVT Raptor gets big fender flares, FOX Racing Shox with 11.2-inches of front suspension travel and 12.1-inches of rear suspension travel, as well as 35-inch BFGoodrich tires. A 5.4-liter V8 engine with 320-hp and 390 ft-lbs of torque is currently offered and Ford plans to make a 6.2-liter V8 with 400-hp and 400 ft-lbs of torque available.
But what really makes the Raptor so amazing is that as off-road capable as it is, you can actually use it for normal daily driving.
See our review of the F-150 SVT Raptor here:
GALLERY: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Official release after the jump:


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Liberty Global has launched a new Gigabit broadband speed service in Warsaw for the benefit of its UPC Poland customers. Warsaw is the second European city to launch this innovative service, following a similar roll-out in Bochum, Germany, in May.
The new Gigabit broadband speed service is made possible by the introduction of Liberty Global’s innovative ‘Gigabit Connect Box’, which was developed in-house by the company’s Technology & Innovation team. In addition, the state-of-the-art network was upgraded to the new technology of allowing for a much bigger data capacity, without the need for major capital investment.
The new broadband internet Gigabit service is also accompanied by “Smart WiFi” software, which resides inside the ‘Gigabit Connect Box’. It facilitates the use of more than 10 WiFi antennae in an adaptive way to intelligently manage the connection between Liberty Global’s ultrafast fibre-based network and each of the many connected devices in customers’ homes: smart TVs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, gaming devices and so on. The result is a market-leading connectivity and entertainment experience – whether customers are watching sports, streaming music, playing multiplayer online games or shopping online.
Liberty Global’s Chief Technology Officer, Enrique Rodriguez, said: “The launch of ground-breaking Gigabit speeds in Poland is a tangible example of Liberty Global’s commitment to delivering transformational products and experiences to customers across our international footprint. It follows a multi-million Euro investment in the deployment of DOCSIS 3.1 technology, which was managed by our centralised Technology & Innovation team. We’re proud to be bringing Gigabit speeds to Poland and look forward to introducing these services to other Liberty Global markets in due course.
The creation of Gigacities throughout Europe will transform societies and boost economic growth by enabling consumers and businesses to do things they could previously only have dreamed about. These include providing the bandwidth and capacity needed to develop Smart Cities – where there could be billions or even trillions of devices transmitting data that can be used to improve transport, lighting and cleaning – to futuristic applications such as remote keyhole surgery and holographic telepresence.
The new “Gigabit Connect Box” builds on the success of Liberty Global’s original “Connect Box”, which surpassed 10 million distributed units in July this year.
Learn more about our Gigabit Broadband here.


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Valentine's sell-off fears hang over Google
WILL Google insiders choose St Valentine's Day to reveal that their love for the company is merely fleeting?
Wall Street is nervously watching to see what happens to the internet company today when a mammoth 177m shares held by Google staff can be sold.
For the first six months of Google's life as a public company, share sales by employees were severely restricted in an attempt to stop newly- enriched workers rushing for the door.
Google is a household name among internet users with UK advertising clients including British Gas, BA and Lloyds TSB.
At its Googleplex headquarters in California, the company cultivates a hippy-ish atmosphere. Staff play roller hockey in the car park. The canteen is run by chef Charlie Ayers, who used to cook for 1960s band the Grateful Dead.
But this right-on style does not extend to disdaining hard cash. Thirty-something founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have crystallised their status as multimillionaires with regular share sales. Last week Brin sold shares worth $33m (£18m), though he retains a sizeable stake.
The temptation for employees who have the chance to shift from being rich on paper to being actual millionaires will be huge. The company continues to raise eyebrows on Wall Street. It invited top analysts to its headquarters last week for presentations that left them scratching their heads.
Google has already made it clear that it will not give any hints about its financial progress ahead of results - making it almost impossible for analysts to deliver forecasts to investors.
Still, many were surprised to hear four hours of presentations that hardly touched on its finances. The chief financial officer did not even give a talk, though Ayers held forth on the grilled pork tenderloin he had prepared for lunch. Google shares opened at $85 last summer and reached $216.80 recently.
Despite Ayers' no- doubt delicious food, traders responded to the quirky briefings by marking down the shares, which closed on Friday at $187.40. Even so, that values the company at an astonishing $51bn.
Part of the reason why Google shares have soared since the float is that so few have been available to trade. It sold less then 20m shares in its initial public offering.
Demand for the stock has been high, partly because some tracker funds and other funds that specialise in tech stocks have been obliged to invest, whatever their managers' opinion on Google.
From today, more than 60% of the equity in the company will be available for trade - the first real chance for the market to give an indication of how it values the business.
Not all staff with shares will offload immediately and it is not certain they could all find buyers even if they wanted to do so. Still, many will want to cash in, even if they have to sell at comparatively depressed prices.
Once again in its short life as a public company, Google shares will be closely watched when trading opens today.
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In December Apple secured their long awaited deal with China Mobile, and have already seen 100,000 handset pre-orders.
China Mobile is the world’s largest mobile network, and the deal makes Apple’s iPhones available to the carrier’s 750m subscribers – three times bigger than the entire US mobile population.
The 5s and 5c were made available to order on Christmas Day, and will be available on 17th January.
Analysts predict that the deal could amount to anywhere between 10-25m sales in the next year, which would generate nearly $9bn revenue.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said: “Apple has enormous respect for China Mobile and we are excited to begin working together.
“China is an extremely important market for Apple and our partnership with China Mobile presents us the opportunity to bring iPhone to the customers of the world’s largest network.
“iPhone customers in China are an enthusiastic and rapidly growing group.”
China is the world’s largest smartphone market, with sales reaching 87.7m in the third quarter of 2013, according to IDC.
The market’s sales growth totals 52% each year, in comparison to 40% for the rest of the world.
Apple are ranked 7th in this $80bn market, with a share of 5%.
The Chinese market is more budget-conscious, with many companies profiting from selling low-cost smartphones.
Many thought Apple’s 5c would be a much cheaper phone, designed to compete in the more budget-conscious markets of China and Russia.
However the sales in China were relatively disappointing for Apple, which heightened the need to push the China Mobile deal through.
Xi Guohua, the chairman of China Mobile, said: “Apple’s iPhone is very much loved by millions of customers around the world.
“We know there are many China Mobile customers and potential new customers who are anxiously awaiting the incredible combination of iPhone on China Mobile’s leading network.”
Apples shares jumped 3% after the deal was signed, and they saw 100,000 pre orders in 2 days, according to estimates by an analyst from Wedge Partners.
China Unicom and China Telecom, who already sell the new iPhones, saw 120,000 and 150,000 pre-orders of the new iPhones respectively.
The pre-order numbers might seem lower than expected, but the phones, released in September, are no longer brand new.
The real success of the deal will become more clear when the phones become available on 17th January.


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Nokia is in for a rough two years and when it emerges with Microsoft's mobile OS it's unclear what market share base it will be working from.
Articles about Nokia
Not everyone has a DLNA-enabled TV and I discovered via trial-and-error that the HTC Media Link HD works well with the Nokia 808 PureView and Samsung Galaxy S III.
The Olympics open this Friday, but some events kick off today so grab one of these smartphone or tablet apps and follow all of the action on the go.
Symbian gets a bum rap, particularly in the US, but the latest Belle Feature Pack 1 really is quite functional and modern.
Nokia has reigned in camera phone technology over the years and the 808 PureView demonstrates the pinnacle of their imaging success. However, the camera is partnered with a dead OS that holds it back, especially with a price of $699 before tax and shipping.
The Nokia 808 PureView has the largest sensor in a smartphone available on the market today, but without operator support Nokia is unlikely to sell many. So why the uber-cameraphone even exist?
The cameras on phones just keep getting better and better and the great thing is that most of the higher end models compare well with each other too. Check through this gallery and see what photos you like best.
The Nokia Lumia 900 stole the show at CES this year and next we will see it hit the AT&T stores for just $100. You can actually find it for free from various online vendors and this gorgeous piece of hardware is sure to be a hot seller.
The Nokia N9 is a fantastic piece of hardware with a beautiful OS. Nokia tweaked the OS once with a nice update just after launch and is rolling out another update that adds several more functions and improvements.
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Nokia Lumia 800. Inside the Windows Phone 7.5 handset, he found hardware from Qualcomm, Hynix, Broadcom and others.
Nokia announced their first two Windows Phone devices at Nokia World last fall and now we are seeing the first model appear officially in the U.S. The Lumia 710 is a $50 smartphone, but is still a solid Windows Phone device.
The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first Nokia Windows Phone and it copies the Nokia N9 MeeGo device in terms of form factor, with just a couple minor differences. Is the Lumia 800 going to be the hit that Nokia and Microsoft need at this time?
At Nokia World, the phone maker showed off the centerpieces of what it hopes will be a road to Windows Phone-powered recovery, the higher-end Lumia 800 and lower-cost Lumia 710.
Cameras on today's smartphones are getting better all the time and in many cases people are leaving their point and shoot behind. I decided to test out some of the newest devices and put together an image gallery and video below from the HTC Amaze 4G, Apple iPhone 4S, Nokia N8 Symbian device, and Nokia N9 MeeGo device. There are other contenders, but these four are representative of the latest and greatest available today.
Nokia's first, and likely last, MeeGo powered device is now shipping outside the United States to select countries. The hardware is beautiful and the OS is powerful, but there may be very few people that get to experience such a good device.
Today Nokia announced three new Symbian devices with the Nokia 700, Nokia 701, and Nokia 600. They also revealed official details on the next OS update, Symbian Belle, that is loaded on these phones and coming to many existing smartphones later this year and in 2012.


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Filicori Zecchini opened for business in the Towson Town Center in December, and while the franchise focuses on coffee, the new Maryland location is making waves in the Baltimore Jewish community because of its commitment to keeping kosher.
“There’s not a lot of places that are kosher in the area,” said Cladiu Onigoaie, manager at the Towson location. “[The owners] wanted to bring something special that you don’t find in any corner store and [have it be] kosher on top of it all.”
The Italy-based franchise started nearly a century ago, taking its name from Aldo Filicori and Luigi Zecchini who set up shop in Bologna to begin perfecting what they saw as the key to perfect coffee: the roasting.
With the exception of food ingredients, almost everything Filicori Zecchini uses is an Italian import, from the beans for their coffee to the décor of the cozy café, which sits near Nordstrom in the mall.
The restaurant has taken strides to cater to the observant Jewish community by being certified kosher under the supervision of Rabbi Y. Zvi Weiss. It also stocks several kinds of milk including soy, almond and Chalav Yisrael — a level of kosher that ensures that dairy products have been created only under the supervision of an observant Jew.
“Starbucks is fine, but I can give you something better for cheaper. This is how coffee is supposed to taste, and we take a lot of pride in our coffee.” — Cladiu Onigoaie, manager at Filicori Zecchini in Towson
Onigoaie began learning about brewing coffee in his native Romania, when a friend offered him a barista position at a high-end coffee shop. When he moved to the U.S. five years ago, he had heard about the American obsession with Starbucks so he decided to taste it for himself. He was less than impressed.
“Starbucks is fine, but I can give you something better for cheaper,” said Onigoaie. “This is how coffee is supposed to taste, and we take a lot of pride in our coffee.”
Onigoaie explained the idea behind the menu was to offer small, light food items to be paired Filicori’s coffee. While he personally favors espresso, Onigoaie recommends the hazelnut latte and cheese Danish.
The amount of attention to detail is reflected in Filicori’s drinks, which focus on crafting full-flavored lattes, mochas and cappuccinos that, unlike a traditional cup of coffee, don’t need any alterations with cream or sugar.
Diners will notice that the cheese Danish in particular offers a little more sweetness with a creamy center and a chewy, doughy exterior — a satisfying snack for any mall goer, but light enough to not discourage walking around the town center.
“[Europeans] take time for coffee,” said Jordan Pompey, a barista at Filicori. “We don’t drink coffee while driving or on the go.”
Pompey, who is a native of Metz, France, used to live in New York, where he was general manager at a Filicori location. He moved to Baltimore several months ago when the Towson location opened and has been helping to train new staff.
He explained Americans and Europeans have a different culture surrounding coffee. While Americans are always on the go, Europeans tend to sit down more often just to enjoy a coffee.
“I have become a little more American in this way. I started to drink a lot of coffee to go because in America, I think people work more hours,” said Pompey. “I don’t have as much time to sit at a table and drink coffee, I wish I had time to do that.”
When it comes to his drink of choice, Pompey enjoys a “double espresso to wake me up.”


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Fytexia, an ABF Ingredients (ABFI) company, is aiming to expand its health targets with the acquisition of Vital Solutions, a German company specialising in natural science-based ingredients for supplements and functional foods.
Fourfive, the UK-based CBD and wellness startup founded by athletes, has been announced as the exclusive Official Wellness Partner of Saracen’s Mens and Womens rugby teams, and the Saracens Mavericks netball team.
Under a new collaboration agreement, flavours and fragrances giant Givaudan and Danish biotech firm Biosyntia are jointly exploring the use of fermentation technology for developing natural flavouring ingredients.
Robertet and Klersun, global partners in hemp oil, have joined forces with Alponics, a Swiss based CBD and hemp producer, to provide the 'highest level of traceability and transparency' for makers of Swiss food, drink and supplements.
Singapore-based e-commerce portal Fitlion has become the official nutrition partner of English Premier League club Burnley FC, in a deal that will focus heavily on a personalised approach for each player.
The latest collaboration between the Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) aims to help improve seniors' health through extensive research...


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Domino's gives South Bend a grant to fix potholes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – South Bend was chosen as a recipient for the Domino's Paving for Pizza Grant.
Domino's is giving the City of South Bend $5000 to help repair potholes.
Domino's launched their Paving for Pizza program in June 2018 in an effort to improve the state in which a pizza arrives.
Potholes can be huge obstacles for pizza getting to its final destination in good condition and Domino's set out to fix that them in across the country.
“Actually quite a bit of drivers that talk about it a lot and that’s the cool thing about the program is hopefully it will make the roads better for the residents and our drivers. That’s kind of the key to what Domino's is trying to do,” said Ryan Sims, a Domino's District Manager.
Pizza lovers can nominate their cities on the Domino's website.
Once Domino's has given the grants to selected cities, the city then chooses their own pavement company to carry out the deed.
“People are really passionate about their pizza and obviously Americans are very passionate about their potholes. Obviously, we need it and I think it’s going to be a big benefit to the town and our delivery area,” said Sims.
Pavement in South Bend will start in Spring 2019.
ABC57 wants to hear about the worst potholes you have experienced in Michiana.
You can share your experiences with us by using #57PotholeProblems on Facebook and Twitter.


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Maersk Growth invests in green methanol
Maersk Growth, a venture arm of industry major A. P. Moller – Maersk, has revealed an investment in Berlin-based startup C1 Green Chemicals AG which specializes in the production of green methanol.
The company has developed innovative technology enabling the mass production of green methanol without the usual premium paid for sustainably produced methanol.
C1 has invented new ultra-efficient catalysis for green methanol to be produced from waste biomass or CO2 and H2, which will enable green methanol to become cost competitive.
The chemical processes are designed with the help of quantum chemical simulations and implemented in proprietary production technologies.
Due to the containerized design of the C1-reactor, currently, in the pilot stage, production is possible where sustainable feedstocks are available or close to harbours where green methanol is needed to fuel the vessels.
“With current technology, powering our vessels with green methanol will be much more expensive. We believe in C1’s ultra-efficient catalysis to bring down the price – and scale fast with their decentralized approach,” says Maria Strandesen, Head of Future Fuels Innovation at Maersk.
Maersk has 19 green methanol vessels with dual-fuel engines on order, which are at the center of the company’s plans to meet its net-zero emissions target by 2040 across the entire business.
Green methanol is the alternative fuel of choice to start decarbonising the shipping industry today and save millions of tons of CO2. However, price and scale remain a challenge.
“Green methanol is the most promising way to drastically cut emissions from long-distance shipping at scale in the short term, and we see much traction in that space. We are really excited about C1’s cutting-edge scientific approach, reinventing every production step. Such a level of innovation and attention to detail is key to success, and we believe that their technology can play an important role in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries, including shipping,” explains Peter Votkjaer Jorgensen, Partner at Maersk Growth.
“We are proud to have partnered with the global pioneer in green shipping in an industry where many fear a first-mover disadvantage. The 19 methanol-enabled container ships they have ordered already are a strong advanced buying signal into the market. We look forward to joining forces with Maersk to make low climate impact shipping a reality,” states Christian Vollmann, who has founded C1 together with renowned chemists Dr. Marek Checinski, Dr.-Ing. Ralph Krähnert and Dr. Christoph Zehe.
C1’s existing investors include Planet A Ventures, Square One Ventures and experienced industry managers such as Jim Hagemann Snabe, chairman of the supervisory board of Siemens, or Prof. Wolfgang Reitzle, most recently chairman of the supervisory board of Linde.
Maersk has signed nine agreements with strategic partners working to supply the green fuel needed for the 19 methanol-enabled container vessels, the most recent one being with SunGas Renewables. The other partners are Carbon Sink, CIMC ENRIC, Debo, European Energy, Green Technology Bank, Orsted, Proman, and Wastefuel.


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As you've no doubt heard, there are big changes afoot for your U.S. Postal Service. The perennially cash-strapped movers of mail recently announced that they will soon discontinue most Saturday delivery in order to save $2 billion, against a $15.9 billion shortfall last year. As Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe put it, "Our financial situation is urgent."
And so they are acting, because Congress won't -- as the Associated Press reported, most of the Postal Service's "red ink comes from a 2006 law forcing it to pay about $5.5 billion a year into future retiree health benefits, something no other agency does." Congress has also "stymied the service's efforts to close some post offices in small towns," another move the Postal Service could have made to save on costs.
But the agency is bent on raising as many ducats as it can in as many ways as possible, it seems, because it has also announced that it will sally forth on a plan to create and sell a clothing line. Just let me make sure I am reading this report from the Washington Post's Josh Hicks correctly...okay, yes, that's the deal: a Postal Service clothing line. I've double-checked that now.
The basic idea is that the Postal Service wants to leverage its famous "neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night et cetera" brand identity in the service of making "a new line of all-weather apparel and accessories," and so it is partnering with an apparel manufacturer, The Waconah Group, to "produce Rain Heat & Snow apparel and accessories using technology to create ‘smart apparel’ — also known as wearable electronics." A men's line will be launched initially, followed by a women's line, and it's all to be sold "in premium department stores and specialty stores, but not at post offices" -- presumably to avoid having to scale up existing post offices to include fitting rooms or Gap-style greeters.
If you are wondering if this has been tried before, well, Hicks has the answer to your question:
The Postal Service introduced a limited retail line in the 1980s that included items such as T-shirts, mugs and neckties, all sold exclusively in post offices. Betts said the agency discontinued those products after lobbyists complained to Congress that the organization was directly competing with private businesses and that it was not established to sell merchandise.
It's always the lobbyists.
At any rate, I suppose you should look for The Postal Service's gear in stores near you, starting in 2014. One potential conflict that I can see with this is that the other The Postal Service has reformed and embark on a world tour in support of a deluxe, 10th anniversary edition of their 2003 record, "Give Up," and will obviously be selling "The Postal Service" branded merchandise of their own.
The band and the mail carriers have famously reached peaceable accords over their identical names before, but one has to imagine that those bonds were a bit frayed when the band licensed their song "Such Great Heights" to the United Parcel Service to use in their famous "Whiteboard" commercials:
We'll see if tensions reignite after every indie-rock nostalgist is wearing a newly topically ironic t-shirt that reads "The Postal Service: Give Up" at the same time the agency is trying to sell anoraks.
[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not?]
Also on HuffPost:
Rod Blagojevich Rampage
During former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial, tapes were played as evidence against him. Not only did they incriminate the former governor, but they also showed off his fondness for curse words. "I mean, I've got this thing and it's f*cking golden," Blagojevich told an aide, Doug Scofield. "And I'm just not giving it up for f*cking nothing. I'm not going to do it."
Vice Presiden Joe Biden dropped the f-bomb live, on camera while congratulating Obama on passing health care reform. "This is a big f*cking deal," he said.
Bush Blasts Journalist
Former President George W. Bush made an offhand remark about a New York Times reporter  to former Vice President and running mate Dick Cheney in 2000 during his second-term election season. “There’s Adam Clymer — major league a**hole — from the New York Times,” Bush said.
Chris Christie Curses
At one of his infamous town hall meetings, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed a local Democratic lawmaker, calling him "one arrogant S.O.B" "He's got to be one arrogant S.O.B. ... to tell the people when they've been good enough [you] get your money back," Christie said.
Bloomberg Jokes Around
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was giving a speech at a Coney Island hot dog-eating contest when he realized how corny his speech was. "Who wrote this sh*t?" he asked, jokingly.
Obama Lets It Slip
Obama has been praised for his clean mouth. But that doesn't mean the president hasn't let it slip on occasion. Obama called Kanye West a "jackass" -- twice, once in an off-the-record comment that circulated via Twitter, and later in an interview with The Atlantic. During the 2012 election he also unabashedly called Gov. Mitt Romney a "bullsh*tter."
Rick Santorum Rips A Reporter
Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum blew up at a reporter while signing autographs at a Wisconsin rally. New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny clearly pushed Santorum's buttons, provoking the clean-cut republican to curse him out. "Quit distorting my words,” Santorum said, enraged. “If I see it, it’s bullsh*t! Come on, man! What are you doing?"
Dick Cheney Owns Up To It
Former Vice President Dick Cheney had no problem owning up to a Senate-floor slip up. Cheney was caught telling Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to "go f*ck yourself."
Nixon's Watergate Revelation
The Watergate tapes revealed a lot about former President Richard Nixon, including his favorite curse words. Though he was known to swear often in private, the tapes showcased his unrestrained bad language. In one instance he said, "I don't give a sh*t what happens, I want you all to stonewall it." That quote marked the first time the New York Times printed the word "sh*t."


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Jessica Simpson is proud to be a real woman with curves! Simpson made her way out of her New York city hotel earlier today in a short black dress and a pair of fierce animal print heels. Jessica has been known to walk out the back door in shame of her weight which is always the talk of the media but today she looks to take great pride in her voluptuous body.
more Jess after the jump…
Jessica hosted a fashion presentation Tuesday night that featured real women and their curves in her preview for the Spring 2011 Jessica Simpson Collection “Show Me Your Blues” Jeanswear. Jessica will be a busy lady for the next week with Fashion week coming into New York.
Bravo Jess, women don’t necessary have to be skinny to be gorgeous! Don’t you agree?


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Following the recent arrival of native support for VPNs, the NordVPN app is now available on Apple TV players running on tvOS 17.
If an Apple TV player is running on tvOS 17 and encountering a problem, it is now possible to use an iPhone to restore the streaming player.
Apple has now released the latest version of tvOS, unlocking access to all the new Apple TV player features, upgrades, and enhancements.
Apple TV users will soon be able to see what the latest tvOS version has to offer, with tvOS 17 now confirmed for release on September 18.
Thanks to the release of the first tvOS 17 public beta, it is now possible to try all the latest Apple TV features before everyone else.
Even though Apple does provide Apple TV users with a way to put their device to sleep, it isn’t a sleep timer in the traditional sense.
tvOS 17 will bring with it a number of upgrades and improvements to the Apple TV experience, including the ability to find a lost Siri Remote.


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Houzz recently completed a study of 1,361 homeowners who had either remodeled a master bathroom in the last twelve months or plan to in the next year. There are some surprising trends that are sweeping the nation in 2019 like anti-fog mirrors, smart toilets and accent walls.
The trend of clean, hard lines appear to be fading in popularity among homeowners and being replaced with combinations of different styles and more minimalist and modern.
“The general goal is to create a sanctuary, a private retreat for at least two people,” says Nino Sitchinava, the principal economist of Houzz. “They want their master bath to be functional. They want it to be useful because they use it multiple times a day. But they also want it to be beautiful.”
According to Houzz, homeowners spend a median $8,000 on a master bathroom renovation, and that is up by fourteen percent from 2018. “The cost of products and materials are increasing, and [that’s] driving up the average cost of a bathroom remodel,” says Sitchinava.
More than half of bathroom renovations include increasing the size of the shower, and in many cases ditching the tub for a larger shower instead. Its likely that this trend is driven by boomers who are aging in place and worry about the safety of climbing out of a tub and would rather walk into a shower that is large enough to accommodate a walker or wheelchair in the future.
About a third of homeowners are making their showers stand out with an accent wall. About fifteen percent added the wall inside the shower, while twenty percent place them outside the shower. “An accent wall can bring a lot of personal touch into the room: a master bathroom that reflects their personal style,” says Sitchinava.
Another growing trend are smart toilets, as homeowners want their bathroom to be as high-tech as the rest of the house. About a third of renovations include a toilet with smart features such as self-cleaning, bidets, heated seats, overflow protection and built-in night lights. This trend is up by six percent this year.
Medicine cabinets are getting an upgraded too, with forty percent of homeowners opting for upgrades like lighting and hidden plugs. Mirrors are getting some special attention theses days with features that include anti-fog technology, LED lighting and hidden electrical plugs. Bathroom lighting is trending towards recessed and shower lights. For an extra pizzazz, some homeowners are installing chandeliers and pendant lighting using a mix of metal and glass elements.
Crystal Creek Builders
“Thoughtfully Planned…Carefully Crafted”


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The Historic New Orleans Collection, in collaboration the West Baton Rouge Museum, the Office of Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, and area conservators will present a “Restoration Roadshow” to provide the public with free consultations for flood-damaged belongings on Sunday, October 16, 2016, from noon-4 p.m. The Roadshow will take place at the Mall of Louisiana, inside near the Dillards entrance, at 6401 Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge.
Experts in conservation and preservation will be on hand to examine a variety of items – including books and paper documents, frames and mirrors, furniture, glass and ceramics, jewelry and metals, paintings, photographs, and textiles – and provide practical advice on the preservation those flood-damaged items.
Admission is free. Visitors can bring their items or photographs of their items – or simply their questions – to the event. Attendees will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. For more, visit here.


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Thync, the company that uses neurostimulation to change your mood, has announced the Thync Relax Pro, which unlike its first product, solely concentrates on relaxation, stress reduction, and better sleep.
Despite the impressive stabilization tech in today's cameras, there are times when you need a tripod. We've rounded up seven of our favorites, each of which has its own unique approach to keeping your camera steady.
After announcing it at I/O 2016, Google is finally launching Android Wear 2.0, a major revamp that's meant to breathe new life into the company's smartwatch platform. Here's when you can expect it on your watch.
Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.


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Nokia has launched its Lumia smartphones on Windows 7.5 Mango platform in Europe, US and majority of other markets except China, so far. Nokia has received luke warm reception to its Lumia range of smartphones, in almost all the markets. One of the reasons for the same is the timing. Nokia has been late entrant to the smartphone segment when Android smartphone have almost captured the space.
Another major test for Nokia would be China market, where Nokia intend to launch its Lumia range of smartphones in the first quarter of 2012. Nokia will face challenge from comparable high-end models rolled out by HTC and Samsung Electronics as well as entry-level models by ZTE, Huawei Device and Lenovo, according to industry sources of Taiwan and China.
As per the assessment of a Taiwanese website based on industry sources, Nokia may lose its advantage if it delays the launch of Lumia phones in China to the second quarter of 2012, since rivals HTC and Samsung are likely to roll out comparable high-end Mango models very soon and they may bring the same to China market before the arrival of Nokia smartphones, adding that major China-based handset makers such as ZTE, Huawei and Lenovo all have ventured into the development of Mango phones.
Furthermore, Microsoft plans to lower the hardware specifications for smartphones running on its Tango OS – a move which is likely to encourage China-based handset makers to bring out low-priced Tango phones to compete with Nokia Lumia phones, the sources added.
2012 does not appear to be bright for Nokia as far as China is concerned and Nokia will have to be more aggressive to make a mark in huge China market to remain afloat.


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Businesses are flocking to Right to Work Kentucky as a result of it’s Right to Work laws. Vector Corrosion and Ellie Diagnostics, as well as Eurofins Genomics are all adding new locations within the state. These are only the most recent investments.
Read on in order to learn more about each company’s investment!
Vector Corrosion Technologies is investing $1 million in order to add a new location and create 20 new jobs in Right to Work Lexington, Kentucky.
“On behalf of the Vector team, we are excited to open our first U.S.-based manufacturing facility in Lexington. […] We look forward to gearing up quickly to bring Kentucky-made corrosion solutions to extend the life of critical infrastructure throughout the country.” […]
“I am glad to see a new company locating in Lexington to create quality job opportunities for the local workforce. […] Vector Corrosion Technologies has a proven track record of success and will be a great addition to the manufacturing sector in Fayette County. The company’s leaders have plans to get this operation up and running quickly, and I look forward to Vector’s growth in Kentucky.” […]
“We are excited to welcome Vector Corrosion Technologies to Central Kentucky. This growing manufacturing operation plans to provide a variety of great jobs for the community. […] This is a key strategic target for our economic development efforts and will further strengthen our competitive advantage in this important economic sector. We want to thank Vector Corrosion Technologies for its investment and confidence in Lexington.”
Ellie Diagnostics is opening a new location soon in Right to Work Louisville, Kentucky. This will create 100 new jobs as a result!
“We are thrilled to expand our operations in the great city of Louisville.” […]
“Companies continue to recognize the many advantages of locating in the commonwealth, including our ideal geographic location, strong logistics and distribution presence, talented workforce and low cost of doing business. […] Congratulations to the Louisville community on landing another great company. I look forward to seeing Ellie Diagnostics grow in our state.” […]
“We are excited to welcome Ellie Diagnostics to a growing list of medical companies that are taking advantage of Louisville’s unique value proposition as an international logistics hub and center for rapid turnaround lab services and bringing high-wage jobs in this growing field to our city.”
Eurofins Genomics is adding a new location soon in Right to Work Louisville, Kentucky with a $35.7 million investment.
“I am pleased to see Kentucky companies continue to do their part as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic. […] This investment by Eurofins Genomics will directly boost testing capabilities while also setting the company up for future growth and job creation in our state. I appreciate this commitment by leaders at Eurofins and hope to see the company continue to grow in the years ahead.”


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Hey, parents – quick question: Are your school-age kids still schooling from home?
If you’re nodding your head (while possibly shuddering), you’re not alone: Much of the world is in the same boat. Not quite homeschool and definitely not your standard education, COVID-age virtual schooling is both an understandable safety measure and an almost-guarantee of cabin fever. Whether your kids are 6 or 16, we stand in solidarity.
We also have an idea.
Costa Rica has long been an outdoor playground for kids and their families. From surfing and rainforest hikes to paddle-boarding and waterfall-rappelling, this is the kind of place that’s naturally outward bound. No effort required.
And so, when The Wall Street Journal recently discussed a wild homeschooling alternative in Costa Rica… parents around the world perked up. But wait: That program is only for teens. Teens who are mature enough to travel without their parents – and the parents who are comfortable enough to send them alone.
What about the rest of us? Well, that’s where our idea comes in…


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U.S. banking institutions have money to spend, but do they know where best to invest it? That's the question begged by the results of the 2012 Faces of Fraud Survey.
Following a year of high-profile fraud incidents, anti-fraud budgets have been fattened. Asked how their fraud resources will change in the coming...
Too many banks and credit unions are being narrow-minded in their approaches to FFIEC Authentication Guidance conformance, by focusing on commercial accounts and neglecting retail accounts, one ACH fraud attorney says.
The bring-your-own-device phenomenon has swept global businesses, and the challenge only intensifies with every new wave of smart phones, tablets and portable storage devices.
It's no longer a question of whether organizations will allow employees to use their own mobile devices. That's already happening.
While Microsoft's move to take down Zeus malware-related botnets is touted as a unique approach to fight financial fraud, some industry experts question its long-term viability. What are their concerns?


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U.S. skier and Under Armour endorser Lindsey Vonn is "poised to be the face of an ad campaign this fall for the athletic company's 'Infrared' cold-weather gear," according to Michael McCarthy of AD AGE. Marketing firm DLB President Darcy Bouzeos said that Vonn has the "most marketing buzz by far" heading into the Sochi Games. Other Vonn sponsors include Red Bull, Oakley, Rolex and Head (ADAGE.com, 11/4). Meanwhile, UA Founder, Chair & CEO Kevin Plank said that women's apparel sales account for 30% of business, up from 20% eight years ago and "outpacing the overall growth of the company." In Baltimore, Sara Meehan noted UA "projects revenue" of $2.26B this year, meaning women's sales would come in around $680M. Nike as it stands "is running away with the women's sportswear market." Nike last year controlled 21.3% of the market and "lays claim" to 26.1% of the women's sportswear market. UA has 14.1% of the women's market. Nike has "grand plans to nearly double its women's business in the next few years." But Nike Global Corporate Communications Dir Mary Remuzzi said that the company "does not see women's as a segment that will eclipse its menswear sales." However, UA "has a different philosophy." Plank last month said, "Women's has the potential to be larger than men's." UA VP/Women's Apparel Gwyn Wiadro said that she "sees early evidence of success on the women's side domestically and in foreign markets like Europe, Asia and South America." UA is "backing its goal to grow sales of women's apparel with investments in the women's segment." UA this year "began creating three marketing 'holidays' in February, July and November," with the month-long marketing campaigns "designed to highlight a particular technology or product." The February '14 "marketing push will be the first campaign dedicated to women's products" (BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/1 issue).
TAILOR-MADE: Meehan notes UA is "tailoring the shopping experience to women in different venues: in its brand houses, in sporting goods stores and in department stores." UA's brand house "displays equal parts women's and men's products, and the strategy has paid off," as sales "reflect a 50-50 split between the men's and women's lines." UA is "taking steps to make female customers feel more at home in sports stores through miniature studios called 'Shop-in-shops.'" It is a "store within a store, where Under Armour's retail partners dedicate floor space specifically to the brand instead of mixing it in with competitor brands" (BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/1 issue).
Farmers Insurance Open Tournament Dir Peter Ripa yesterday said that the purse for next year's event will be $6.1M, "with escalators in the contract that would increase the purse each year," including a $200,000 bump in '15. He added that one "considerable upside" of the tourney's five-year title sponsorship extension with Farmers Insurance is "continuing to build on the brand that has been established in the last five years." Farmers Insurance CFO Scott Lindquist said, "To be a sponsor of a PGA Tour event of this caliber is a perfect fit for us. There's been tremendous success for the tournament through the years and we've been pleased to be involved since 2010. We look forward to continuing that growth through 2019" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/6).
OAKLEY GOES AFTER RORY: The IRISH INDEPENDENT reported golfer Rory McIlroy has accused former sponsor Oakley of "trying to 'harass' him by seeking a vast amount of documents." Oakley is "suing the golfer and Nike over McIlroy's lucrative deal with Nike." Oakley claims that prior to the Nike deal, McIlroy "had an agreement with Oakley to wear and endorse its products." Oakley also "claims this deal gave it a right of first refusal over any new deal with McIlroy." The golfer is "relying on the credibility of his former agent Conor Ridge in the case in California -- the same agent he is accusing of deception in a separate case in Dublin" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 11/5).
CLEVELAND GOES AFTER CALLAWAY: GOLFWEEK.com's Alex Miceli reported Cleveland Golf has sued Founder Roger Cleveland's "current employer, Callaway Golf, for use of the Cleveland name." Cleveland Golf and parent company Dunlop Sports last month filed a suit "claiming trademark infringement relating to Callaway's Mack Daddy 2 wedge" (GOLFWEEK.com, 11/4).
In N.Y., Claire Atkinson reports TNT NBA analyst Shaquille O'Neal "has just signed on as a spokesman for Monster Products and its bargain-priced line of tablets." O'Neal will "endorse the Monster M7, a $149 gadget sold at Walmart.com," and an "amped-up marketing campaign is expected to kick off shortly." One of the "top earners in NBA history," O'Neal also is "turning out to be one of its top pitchers," currently endorsing Buick, Icy Hot and Gold Bond, with licensing deals for Arizona Iced Tea, Reebok, Zales and Macy's (N.Y. POST, 11/6).
GO FIGURE: In Chicago, Philip Hersh notes U.S. figure skater Ashley Wagner's sponsor portfolio "keeps growing," as Cover Girl is "the latest to sign her, joining Nike, P&G, Hilton HHonors, the Century Council, Highmark, Pandora and BP." Hersh: "I can't remember a U.S. figure skater without an Olympic medal who has had more endorsements, and it is more remarkable for one who has not even won a senior world championship medal" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/6).
FLAG BEARERS: This morning's "What's Trending" segment on NBC's "Today" featured the controversy over Under Armour's latest football uniforms for Northwestern. NBC's Matt Lauer noted people online are calling the American flag-inspired uniforms, which has what "looks to be blood stains, ... unpatriotic and disrespectful." NBC's Natalie Morales said it was not intended to represent blood stains but that it is a "distressed pattern." Lauer noted it is an "unintended result" of including graphics that are "so popular on every item." Morales: "The intent, though, of the project is great" ("Today," NBC, 11/6).
NOTES: Sports-drink brand SOS Rehydrate yesterday announced an endorsement deal with Pacers G C.J. Watson. The brand has previous endorsement deals with Izod IndyCar Series driver Scott Dixon and Gold Medal-winning U.K. sailor Ben Ainslie (SOS Rehydrate)....The Lightning have partnered with Tampa-based Florida Cane Vodka. The brand will be available at two bars named after Florida Cane at Tampa Bay Times Forum (Lightning).