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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Starting Friday, Philadelphia businesses will begin phasing out single-use plastic bags.
A six-month grace period will give customers and establishments time to adjust to the bag ban. Enforcement will begin in April 2022.
Wawa says it is ready with its 'Skip the Bag for Good Initiative.'
Starting at 7 a.m. Friday, Wawa is offering 1,000 free reusable bags, with a purchase, in all 42 Philly stores, while supplies last. After that, customers can buy the reusable bag for 25-cents, bring their own or skip using a bag altogether.
Philly's plastic bag ban was passed in December 2019 but was delayed due to the pandemic.
"Even as we continue to confront challenges presented by the global pandemic, the climate crisis and plastic pollution remain two very serious threats to our planet and society," Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement last week. "Philadelphia remains committed to advancing our environmental goals, and the ban on single-use plastic bags will be an important step forward to achieve those goals.
Philadelphians will have two options: use the new bags provided by the retailer or bring your own reusable bags with you.
"I think it's pretty easy. I have some pretty bulky bags that I bring and I always try to bring enough," said Gabe Roark of South Philadelphia.
Though Teri Jeffcoat of Mount Airy used plastic bags at The Fresh Grocer on Monument Road Thursday, she's now prepared for the switch.
"Still got to shop. Got to eat," Jeffcoat said.
We also spoke with Nick George outside the ACME in South Philadelphia.
He admits this will be a change.
"I'm shopping for a family. It's tough. It's tough to comply with, starting to train myself," George said.
But it's a change he thinks should happen. He just hopes everyone keeps a cool head while adjusting to plastic bags being a thing of the past.
"I really hope that people don't give the workers a hard time. I think it's going to be hard for the workers and hard for the consumers, too," George said.
What business establishments are affected?
The ban will affect all commercial establishments of all sizes in Philadelphia that make bags available for carryout items (such as food, clothing, home goods, etc.) and/or for delivery. These businesses include establishments, indoor or outdoor, where food or other products are offered to the public for sale-including but not limited to: supermarkets, convenience stores, shops, service stations, department stores, clothing stores, restaurants, food trucks, farmers' markets, and delivery services.
What bags are banned?
The legislation prohibits retail establishments from providing for checkout or delivery:
- All single-use plastic bags. This includes bags created through a "blown film extrusion" process. The blown film extrusion process is the primary way that all plastic bags that use plastic film are created, regardless of the thickness of the plastic. Therefore, this legislation bans all bags we commonly refer to as single use plastic bags, no matter their thickness.
- Bags made from PLA (polylactic acid) created through a blown film extrusion process.
- Any paper bag that does not contain at least 40 percent recycled content and does not meet the labeling criteria set in the legislation.
What plastic bags are exempt from the ban?
The following bags are exempt:
- Dry cleaner bags.
- Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as garbage bags or to contain pet waste or yard waste.
- Bags used inside a retail establishment by a customer to deliver perishable items to the point of sale (including bags used to package bulk items, meats or fish, unwrapped prepared foods, bakery goods, flowers, potted plants, or similar items).
- Bags provided by pharmacists to contain prescription drugs.
- Newspaper bags.


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A sign is placed in front of a McDonald’s restaurant in San Leandro, California on April 28, 2022.
Justin Sullivan | Good pictures
McDonald’s Both higher prices and value items on Tuesday fueled U.S. same-store sales growth, which was stronger than expected in its second quarter.
However, CEO Chris Kempczynski said the environment was still “challenging” as inflation and the war in Ukraine weighed on its quarterly results.
Shares of the company were roughly flat in premarket trading.
Here’s what the company said, compared to what Wall Street expected, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:
- Earnings per share: $2.55 adjusted
- Revenue: $5.72 billion vs. $5.81 billion expected
McDonald’s reported second-quarter net income of $1.19 billion, or $1.60 per share, compared with $2.22 billion, or $2.95 per share, a year earlier. The company announced a $1.2 billion charge Related to the sale of its Russian business due to the war in Ukraine.
That charge, excluding a French tax settlement and other items, left the fast-food giant earning $2.55 cents a share. According to Refinitiv estimates, the Wall Street firm was expected to post earnings of $2.47 per share. It’s unclear whether those numbers are comparable.
Net sales fell 3% to $5.72 billion, hurt in part by the closing of McDonald’s Russian and Ukrainian restaurants.
Global same-store sales rose 9.7% in the quarter, driven by strong international growth. Russian locations are excluded from the company’s same-store sales calculations, but Ukrainian restaurants are included.
US same-store sales rose 3.7% in the quarter, beating Street estimates of 2.8%. The company credited strategic price increases and its value proposition for its strong performance. Last quarter, McDonald’s executives said some lower-income consumers were trading down to cheaper options in response to inflation.
The company’s International Growth Licensed Markets division saw its same-store sales rise 16% in the quarter. Same-store sales in China shrank as the government reimposed Covid restrictions, but growth in Brazil and Japan offset the market’s weaker performance.
McDonald’s International Driven Market division reported same-store sales growth of 13%, driven by strong demand in France and Germany.

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Many national and regional organic trade organizations have busy schedules set for the next few months. Here’s a look at some of their upcoming activities.
- Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut, Derby, Conn., is planning a grower mixer that is open to the public on Dec. 11 at Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford, Conn., said Eileen Hochberg, executive director.
- The 10th Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference is set for Jan. 24 at Connecticut College, New London, and the 33rd annual winter conference is scheduled for March 7 at Western Connecticut State University, Danberry.
- The website “Healthy Farms, Healthy Food Healthy People” — ctnofa.org/HealthyFarms.html — provides a wealth of information for anyone looking for organic or locally grown food in Connecticut, Hochberg said. “It compiles a lot of good information in one place.”
- Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts, Barre, Mass., is planning a Dec. 4 seminar addressing dietary interventions to address autism and neuro-degenerative disease at Bristol Community College, Fall River, Mass. Treatments discussed will focus on nutritional approaches to provide excellent quality nutrition using organic and whole foods, said Julie Rawson, executive director. And on Jan. 10, the association will hold its winter conference at Worcester State University, Worcester, Mass. More than 60 workshops and exhibits are planned as well as a children’s conference that will provide “a lively, interactive way for kids to get educated.” Finally, a soil and nutrition conference is set for Feb. 11-12 in Northhampton. For information, visit nofamass.org.
- Organic Trade Association, Brattleboro, Vt., regularly sends staff members to participate in events throughout the country, said Barbara Haumann, senior writer and editor. For instance, Gwendolyn Wyard, OTA’s regulatory director of organic standards and food safety, will speak on “Organic Non-GMO and So Much More” at the Natural Products Show SOHO Expo on Dec. 4-7 in Orlando, Fla. Another event for the organic industry will be the Organicology — How to Market Organic workshop, in early February in Portland, Ore., she said.
- Pennsylvania State University extension presents the fifth-annual, two-day Organic Vegetable Production Intensive Dec. 11 and 12 in Easton, Pa. The advanced grower track will focus on farm success and take an in-depth look at profitable farms with different marketing models. Expert farmer presentations and discussions will focus on factors contributing to farm profitability, including labor management, marketing, production efficiencies, infrastructure and equipment. The production track will focus this year on ecological disease management. Experts will provide the latest research on systems based management for bacterial diseases of onions and tomatoes, soil borne diseases, late blight and downy mildew. For information contact Tianna DuPont at email@example.com.
- Pennsylvania Certified Organic, Spring Mills, Pa., is a supporter of Growing Pennsylvania’s Organic Farms winter conference for organic producers, said Lee Rinehart, director of education and outreach. Speakers will be on hand for the special educational farm conference focused on advanced organic vegetable, crop and livestock production Dec. 9-10 at the Sheraton Inn, Harrisburg, Pa., he said. The conference includes in-depth presentations and forums on organic farming issues with university speakers, certified organic farmers and farm industry representatives dedicated to organic production, Rinehart said. Session topics include fruits, vegetables, soil health, pest control, transitioning to organic production and becoming certified through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. For information, call Darlene Livingston at 717-705-2121.


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Why no BlackBerry Storm 2 Announcement from Verizon?
The Latest smartphone out of the Research In Motion stable, the BlackBerry Storm 2 has now made its debut on Vodafone, but the guys over at Crackberry pose the question…”Where is the Verizon’s BlackBerry Storm 2 Announcement?”
Well according to the guys, there hasn’t been an official BlackBerry Storm 2 announcement coming from Verizon Wireless because the BlackBerry Storm 2 hasn’t yet passes Verizon’s technical acceptance process.
Apparently the whole game plan was for RIM, Vodafone and Verizon to all announce the BlackBerry Storm 2 on the 15th, but Verizon decided to change things and not make the announcement until such time as the BlackBerry Storm 2 passes their technical acceptance process. For the full article hit up the link.


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Powdered Caffeine Ban for Minors: Rhode Island Senate Decides on Wednesday
Mar 02, 2016 05:30 AM EST | By Mark Jason Alcala
Rhode Island lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on the bill seeking to ban the sale of powdered caffeine to minors, according to an article from The Washington Times.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Crowley of Central falls, cites U.S. Food and Drug Administration which advised consumers against the use of powdered caffeine. Senator Crowley said usage of this powerful stimulant should only be restricted to adults.
Just how dangerous is powered caffeine? According to the FDA warning, powdered caffeine is essentially 100 percent pure caffeine. The product is way more powerful than the ordinary coffee brew available in coffee shops. For comparison, the FDA says that a single teaspoon alone is roughly equivalent to 28 cups of the regular coffee.
Because of its very concentrated form, fatal overdose from powdered caffeine is possible even if taken in very small amounts. Minors taking the product are especially at risk since they were only informed of its perceived benefits by equally misinformed peers, without being properly aware of the real dangers involved.
Caffeine overdose symptoms include rapid and erratic heartbeat, seizures and death. Caffeine toxicity symptoms also include vomiting, diarrhea, stupor, and disorientation. According to the FDA, symptoms of powdered caffeine overdose are likely to be more severe when compared to caffeine overdose from drinking normal coffee, tea or caffeinated beverages, due to the high potency of the pure caffeine.
Highlighting the real dangers posed by powdered caffeine, the FDA mentioned that two young men have already died as a result of powdered caffeine overdose, one from Georgia and the other from Ohio. This refers to the case of 18-year-old LaGrange teenager Logan Stiner, who was found dead last May 2014 due to seizure and cardiac arrhythmia, which was later traced to pure powdered caffeine ingestion. Ohio has since passed a law banning the dangerous substance last 2015 according to a Chronicle Online article by Anna Merriman.
If the bill is successfully passed, it would join similar health-related legislations passed by the state. Recently, the Rhode Island Senate banned the sale of powdered alcohol and vapor alcohol, according to a Chronicle Online article.
Big Yellow Box by Dickey's Barbecue Pit is convenient and compact and is ideal for small groups, for any occasion.
Get a free Domino's pizza, Karen!
London is now having its first-ever cheese conveyor belt restaurant, and it's going to be cheesy.
The Shake Shack app now offers direct delivery.
You can now order your favorite drinks and snacks from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf through their mobile app.


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Steven Mnuchin lent his support to the Republican bill to replace Dodd-Frank while blasting the current regulatory regime
The period marks the most profitable time for home sellers in nearly a decade
We have a strong aversion to people who don't do what they say they're going to do. But don't we often fall into that trap as well?
eLEND/American Financial Resources has tapped industry vets Craig Chapman and Jay Patel for leadership positions within the company
This week will be filled with key economic reports, from Fed Chair Janet Yellen speaking to congress Tuesday and Wednesday to retail sales, import and export prices and business inventories. This and more in today's rate snapshot
Paying its originators more than industry standard, keeping an open, friendly culture and offering a wide array of products make Geneva Financial a different kind of company
Citigroup has agreed to shell out $7 billion to settle allegations that it sold shoddy mortgage bonds in the run-up to the financial meltdown – and more mortgage-related litigation is on the way
Gateway Funding started 20 years ago with three people and a dream. Today it has 80 branches in 44 states and is still growing


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Motogp 15 Ps4 Release Date - Motogp 15 cheats & codes pc - cheatcodes., Get the latest cheats, codes, unlockables, hints, easter eggs, glitches, tips, tricks, hacks, downloads, achievements, guides, faqs, and walkthroughs for motogp 15 on pc.. Motogp 14 - wikipedia, Motogp 14 is a video game developed by milestone.. the game was released in 2014 for microsoft windows, playstation 3, playstation vita and xbox 360.on 10 june 2014, milestone announced that the game would be released in north america on 4 november and that bandai namco entertainment would be the distributor for this region. motogp 14 was also released on playstation 4, and was the first next. 2018 ps4, ps3, ps vita video game release dates, 2018 ps4, ps3, ps vita video game release dates calendar. these playstation 4, playstation 3, and playstation vita video game release date pages will highlight all of the confirmed games and dlc. Release schedule | bt games online store, To find out when the latest games are available visit our release schedule at bt games online. get pre-order titles and be the first in the country to play.. Ps4 news, playstation 4 news - push square, News star wars jedi: fallen order release date locked for november. a galaxy not that far away. we got our first real look at star wars jedi: fallen order today, and with it, a confirmed release. Ps4 news, playstation 4 news - push square, News sony offering free game of thrones ps4 theme and avatars in the us. for a limited time only. the final season of the massively popular fantasy drama, game of thrones, has begun, and to. 2015 video gaming - wikipedia, The year 2015 saw releases of numerous video games as well as a follow-up to nintendo's portable 3ds console, the new nintendo 3ds.top-rated games originally released in 2015 included metal gear solid v: the phantom pain, the witcher 3: wild hunt, bloodborne, undertale, and fallout 4.sales of video games in 2015 reached $61 billion, according to analysis firm superdata, an 8% increase from 2014.. Lego jurassic world ps4 - latest cheats codes, Lego jurassic world cheats & more for playstation 4 (ps4) cheats unlockables hints easter eggs glitches guides trophies get the updated and latest lego jurassic world cheats, unlockables, codes, hints, easter eggs, glitches, tricks, tips, hacks, downloads, trophies, guides, faqs, walkthroughs, and more for playstation 4 (ps4). allcheatscodes.com has all the codes you need to. List ps4 exclusives - gematsu, The ultimate list of video games available exclusively on ps4..
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KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell parent Yum! Brands (YUM) served up a third-quarter earnings and revenue miss, even after lowering the book value of its investment in Grubhub undefined and taking a hit of 15 cents a share for it.
The company posted fiscal third-quarter net income of $255 million, or 81 cents a share, vs. $454 million, or $1.40 a share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were 80 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet had been expecting earnings of 96 cents a share. The company said it revalued its stake in online food delivery service Grubhub, which shaved 15 cents off its third-quarter per-share earnings.
That prompted investors to ditch the stock, with shares dropping nearly 8%, or $8.54 a share, to $101.11 in morning trading on Wednesday. Grubhub shares were up 2.64%, or 88 cents a share, at $33.98.
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Tourism will Save the Economy
Currently, we are witnessing a lot of online discussions about the future of the tourism industry and its importance in the global economy. It is clear that the entire world economy has suffered from quarantine, but there is uncertainty about what industries in different countries will become the leaders for its recovery. According to the WTTC report, tourism could become such a leader.
Read the article here.
The report provides calculations and specific numbers, of course, it is a sign of new digital thinking when decisions are made, not relied on subjective yet expert assessments, but on strict, verified numbers.
Travelers interested in smart tourism, namely traveling with the goal of exploring culture, followers of eco-friendly and sustainable tourism, in most cases they are usually from North America and Europe. The industry recovery on these continents, the opportunity for tourists to travel is important for smart tourism, because it is tourists from America and Europe who bring more financial resources to the tourism industry worldwide. Also, thanks to technological advancement and having various smart devices, these tourists move tourism technologies forward.
Because of the crisis, many governments will appreciate the importance of tourism industry and its contribution to the economy. They will help in the restoration of tourist flows through their DMOs, certain subsidies and encouraging the introduction of modern effective technologies.
The faster a destination recovers from the crisis, the quicker it will be able to provide the previous level of service to tourists. Moreover, the work that a destination carried out during quarantine and possible identification of mistakes in their policies will make it possible to correct previously discovered shortcomings in the tourism sector. In our opinion, quarantine is the time for engaging in online marketing, checking and improving online presence, with these we can easily assist destinations.
Countries where tourism is understood as an important sector of their economy will seek to restore this industry as soon as possible and, most likely, tourism will pull the economies of these countries to the same level. And countries, where tourism doesn’t have a government attention, will reduce costs in this industry. Consequently, they will lose their tourists, resulting in even more stagnation of their economy and a further reduction in capital and jobs.


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New subs boost DirecTV's quarterly results
CEO: Company 'immune' to troubled economy so farDirecTV Group continued to sign up subscribers at a solid pace during the fourth quarter of 2008, prompting an analyst to say the satellite TV firm has been "impervious" to the deepest U.S. recession in decades.
"We've been immune to a lot of the economic pressures," though DirecTV has seen weakened advertising-revenue momentum, CEO Chase Carey said Tuesday during a conference call, adding that his firm will not be able to avoid an economic hit completely.
"I expect the economy to put pressure on us," Carey told analysts.
El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV reported a fourth-quarter profit of $332 million, down 4.6% from the year-ago period on higher marketing and installation costs. Revenue rose 9% to $5.31 billion. Both figures fell slightly short of analysts' expectations, but subscriber growth exceeded estimates.
The company added 301,000 net new U.S. users during the quarter, compared with 275,000 during the year-ago period, making for its biggest quarterly gain in more than three years. Collins Stewart analyst Thomas Eagan had expected only 215,000 adds, and the average Wall Street estimate was 233,000. As of Dec. 31, DirecTV had 17.6 million customers.
Carey said the quarter capped "the best year ever for DirecTV in both the United States and Latin America."
The results prompted Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett to say DirecTV has managed to stay "22 thousand miles above the recession." In a report, he said: "One could make a case that DirecTV has, at least so far, been as little impacted by the recession as any company in America. Others may have gained (Wal-Mart comes to mind), a great many have lost ... but precious few have remained essentially untouched."
He argued that DirecTV's results reinforce the view that the pay TV sector will "remain relatively unscathed" during the downturn.
Carey predicted that DirecTV's U.S. business in 2009 will "look a lot" like it did in 2008, with net subscriber growth around the 861,000 seen this past year. That figure was only slightly below the gain of 878,000 recorded in 2007.
Eagan said DirecTV is taking market share from cable as Time Warner Cable lost 119,000 basic subscribers during the holiday quarter, and he expects Comcast Corp. to report a loss of 130,000-140,000.
DirecTV shares closed down 1.2% on Tuesday at $22.30.


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FESTIVAL chic is now a major summer fashion consideration, alongside beachwear and the inevitable summer wedding - but homelessness charity Shelter and organic fashion label Komodo have simplified this year's search.
Based on Simon Danby's iconic portrait of Peel, a Komodo sketch will adorn the limited edition T-shirts, available in pink, turquoise and grey - and will benefit the charity which Peel supported throughout his life.
"I love these t-shirts, they're not only really cool but have an ethical edge, and are a wicked way of people continuing the legacy of the legend that was John Peel," Jaime Winstone told VOGUE.COM. "I hope everyone gets involved and buys a T-shirt, giving money to help Shelter's important work to end homelessness, and I'll definitely wear mine at Glasto, rain or shine."
The T-shirts will be on sale at the Shelter stand in the John Peel Field at Glastonbury festival, Rough Trade record stores in London and online at www.roughtrade.com. Just add wellies.
DID YOU SEE - our top fashion spots of the week on Street Chic?


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Last Tuesday (16), US billionaire Jeff Bezos surpassed his rival Elon Musk in the ranking of the richest people in the world and resumed the leadership of the list, according to the Forbes real-time ranking.
The dispute for the title of richest in the world has become fierce in recent months, as the fortunes of the two billionaires are getting closer and closer. The South African Tesla owner overtook Bill Gates in November last year and since then has seen his wealth grow even more, until he overtook Jeff Bezos last month.
Now, the current CEO of Amazon has just claimed the post of richest in the world, which he held since 2017, after Musk’s fortune “shrunk” a little. The justification for this is the shares of Tesla – one of Elon’s main sources of income – which fell about 2.4% last Tuesday and caused the businessman to lose $ 3.9 billion in wealth. Now, each slice of the company is worth about $ 796.22.
In August last year, Jeff Bezos became the first person in the world to achieve a fortune of $ 200 billion. Since then, he remained well in his post until he was temporarily overtaken by his rival last month.
Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are competitors in the space exploration industry. While the South African is the founder and CEO of SpaceX, the owner of Amazon also runs Blue Origin, a company that developed a prototype lunar module for NASA’s Artemis program.
Remember that in early February, Bezos announced his departure from Amazon and will no longer be the company’s CEO. He will hand over the position to Andy Jassy, while focusing his attention on his other projects, such as Blue Origin itself, as well as its foundations, the Bezos Earth Fund and the Amazon Day 1 Fund and in its periodical, The Washington Post.


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As of Thursday, June 16, 2022, the Thai government has strengthened regulations on marijuana, notably for minors.
The decree, which was signed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, will take effect once it is published in the Royal Gazette, and it was created to allay public concerns about youth and minors using cannabis for recreational purposes.
Without a doctor’s prescription, anyone under the age of twenty will no longer be permitted to consume cannabis or possess cannabis plants.
The order forbids pregnant women from using cannabis.
This comes after the Bangkok Governor issued an order declaring schools to be “cannabis free zones,” i.e., allowing no cannabis-related products on Bangkok Metropolitan Administration school grounds.
In addition, marijuana smoke can be charged as a public nuisance under regulations that virtually forbid smoking the plant in public.
Last but not least, the Thai government is also requesting that eateries that use cannabis in their cuisine properly disclose this information beforehand, especially for customers who may have allergies.


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17 Jun 2002
Including news from Ulm Photonics, Alcatel, Lucent, Terahertz Photonics and more.
Ulm Photonics, a Germany-based developer of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), has opened a new manufacturing facility in Ulm, Germany. Equipped with a new molecular beam epitaxy system, Ulm will use the facility to ramp-up production of its flip-chip VCSEL arrays to meet growing customer demand.
RSoft, a developer of software for the photonics and fiber-optics industries, has completed its merger with fellow US-based software company
Network Design Tools. The new company, called
RSoft Design Group, will supply performance, optimization, modeling and simulation software for optical component design.
Alcatel of France is to acquire US-based
Astral Point Communications in a deal valued at EURO 153 million (USD 135.5 million) in Alcatel shares. The companies will join forces to develop next-generation optical technology for metro networks.
Lucent Technologies has reported revenues of USD 3.5 billion for the first fiscal quarter, a loss of USD 1.3 billion from the previous quarter. In response to recent cost-cutting measures, the loss per share was reduced from 28 cents to 23 cents over the quarter.
Scottish optoelectronics start-up
Terahertz Photonics has won GBP 6 million of second-round funding to further the development of its planar lightwave circuit technology. This funding comes after the closure of Terahertz's semiconductor devices division. (See related
High-performance imagesensor maker
Dalsa of Canada is set to acquire the CCD image sensor business of
Phillips Electronics based in the Netherlands. Savvas Chamberlain, chief executive officer of Dalsa said: "This will extend Dalsa's traditional position in industrial applications to the professional digital camera marketplace, and high-performance sectors."
Agere, a communications component developer, has reported quarterly revenues of USD 537 million, a loss of 10% from the previous quarter. Agere will now streamline its operations by selling its fabrication facility in Florida, US, and combining the majority of its integrated circuit development.


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The Nifty Future is trading at 11,293.00 up with +0.57% percent or +63.90 point. The Nikkei 225 Future is trading at 22,413.00 with a loss of -0.08% percent or -17.00 point.The Hang Seng Future is trading at 24,423.00 up with +0.31% percent or +76.00 point.
TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS
Tata Consumer Products Ltd’s shares have undergone a massive re-rating since the restructuring of the Tata group’s consumer businesses last year. This has continued and even accentuated after the company’s June quarter results.
The non-alcoholic beverages and food company delivered a strong set of results, with pre-tax earnings increasing by 42% year-on-year (y-o-y). But the stock’s 15% jump in three trading days is clearly taking things a bit far. Tata Consumer shares now trade at 47 times estimated FY22 earnings based on Bloomberg data. Valuations are now on a par with packaged foods company, Britannia Industries Ltd’s stock, which trades at 47.5 times FY22 estimated earnings. Britannia’s pre-tax earnings had increased by 81% for the June quarter, as a result of a spike in at-home food consumption as people stayed indoors
PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY
For the day the Dow is trading at 27,433.48 up with +0.17% percent or +46.50 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,351.28 up with 0.063% percent or +2.12 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 11,010.98 with a loss of -0.87% percent or -97.09 point.
In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at at 22,329.94 with a loss of –0.39% percent or –88.21 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 24,377.43 with a loss of –0.63% percent or –154.19 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 3,379.25 up with 0.75% percent or +25.22 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 38,159.93 up with +0.31% percent or +119.36 point at 12:15 PM.


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Troubled East Kilbride-based Goals Soccer Centres plc confirmed on Monday that “actions undertaken” by former CFO Bill Gow and former CEO Keith Rogers “form part of the current investigations of the company into the mis-statement of historic financial statements.”
The two former directors have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct holds a near 19% stake in Goals Soccer Centres.
In a stock exhange statement, Goals Soccer Centres said: “Following press speculation, the company can confirm that actions undertaken by Mr Gow and Mr Rogers while employees and directors of the company form part of the current investigations of the company into the mis-statement of historic financial statements.
“The company can confirm no finalised conclusions have yet been reached, although as stated in the 02 August 2019 announcement by the company it is clear inappropriate actions have taken place.
“Once the company has concluded its findings the directors, alongside its advisors, will take appropriate action and liaise with the appropriate authorities.
“The company will make further updates as appropriate.”


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TORONTO — Subway Canada has partnered with PepsiCo Canada to bring the company’s food-and- beverage portfolio — including brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana, Pure Leaf, Mountain Dew, Lay’s, SunChips, Miss Vickie’s, Doritos and Ruffles — to Subway locations across the country. The agreement builds on the long-standing relationship between Subway Canada and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay products.
“It’s a perfect combination, bringing together Canada’s largest sandwich chain with Pepsi, the country’s favourite cola choice, as well as the rest of PepsiCo’s popular food and beverage brands,” said Kathleen Bell, director of National Marketing, Subway Restaurants Canada. “Subway Canada and PepsiCo Canada will partner on exciting new innovations, unique consumer engagement programs and powerful brand activations to further enhance the Subway customer experience.”
One key element of the new partnership will give customers customization options with the installation of Pepsi Spire — a touchscreen, state-of-the-art fountain beverage dispenser that allows customers to create a multitude of personalized drinks using a combination of PepsiCo’s carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and zero-calorie flavour shots. The partnership will also bring promotional opportunities with premier sports leagues, including the NHL, and more Frito-Lay snack options.
Conversion to the new PepsiCo brand choices is currently underway at Subway Canada restaurants and will be completed in all 3,200 Canadian outlets by spring 2016.


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- Gain competitive edge in the breakfast and coffee market by launching All Day Breakfast (ADB) in Canada
- Engage Canadians in the launch in a way that makes them feel a part of the announcement
The 2015 U.S. launch of ADB had been met with accolades from consumers and fueled strong business results, but it also generated significant global attention. Nowhere was this more prevalent than social media, where thousands of Canadians expressed their disappointment that ADB wasn’t yet available in Canada.
In 2016, McDonald’s Canada began the process of bringing the highly-anticipated program to Canadians. To ensure success, a test run was planned in select key markets months in advance of the official national launch. While operationally sound, this posed a risk to the national communications launch campaign slated for February 2017, for fear of a potential news leak.
Given the many ways Canadians consume information, Weber Shandwick planned a fully-integrated announcement to support the Canadian ADB launch.
We started by conducting a traditional and social media audit of the U.S. announcement, reviewing coverage written by Canadian journalists. Based on the audit findings, we found that Canadians wanted to feel a part of the launch in Canada, and so rooted elements of the launch strategy in consumer engagement.
Each phase highlighted social media as a priority channel, due to its ability to connect with Canadians and reinforce their McDonald’s brand love. Armed with a strategy that included an arsenal of social influencers, brand fans, media, and crew/executive spokespeople, we set out to tell the ADB launch story as part of the brand’s most robust program in Canadian history.
Originally scheduled for a national launch in late February, ADB had been testing in select markets for several months, garnering no major media attraction. But on January 13, after confirming with a radio news reporter, 680 News in Toronto broke that ADB was available and had been testing in Canada (with a Tweet), with many suspecting it would transition into a national roll-out. We swiftly and successfully pivoted the communications strategy to ensure we maximized the ADB storytelling opportunity and owned the conversation. This resulted in a multi-phased program approach:
Phase 1: Navigate Leak
- Within hours, McDonald’s issued a statement on its site confirming the company was testing All Day Breakfast.
- Media inquiries were given a statement alluding that more information might be released shortly, but didn’t comment further.
- A few days later, we reached out to top-tier business media under embargo, giving them full details about the upcoming launch.
This move ensured the message was controlled while holding maximum consumer demand and excitement for launch day which was only a few weeks away.
Phase 2: National Announcement
- On January 26, McDonald’s Canada officially announced the launch of All Day Breakfast in Canada. Weber Shandwick lifted the embargo, and issued a press release on the newswire.
- Given the importance of social media in the original strategy, Weber Shandwick sent custom notes and shareable content to 200 social influencers and brand fans, timed exactly to when our news release was issued to make them feel part of the announcement.
- We also partnered with 20 national social influencers to help maintain the conversation until our official national launch.
- The note included an animated GIF that could be shared with their followers and start conversations about the official program launch.
Client Experience & Program Lead
Launching a program as highly anticipated as All-Day Breakfast to the Canadian marketplace for a brand like McDonald’s may have seemed like a homerun opportunity. However, the magic for our team was the ability to design a program that lasted beyond just a launch “moment” and allowed McDonald’s guests and fans from across the country to truly feel part of this iconic launch for the brand.
Senior Manager, Consumer
Client Experience & Program Lead
The launch of All Day Breakfast in Canada was a moment of pride, and proof of what Weber Shandwick can achieve alongside a trusting client like McDonald’s Canada. When the news leaked, both teams truly came together as one, and we were able to swiftly adapt our strategy and execute it flawlessly. Together, we built the momentum for the business with this major launch announcement and were able to sustain the conversation over the course of several weeks.
Phase 3: Canada-wide Availability
- On Friday, February 21st at 11:01 a.m. (one minute after breakfast service would traditionally end) McDonald’s officially launched All-Day Breakfast Selections in Canada.
- Weber Shandwick executed a rolling thunder approach, beginning with the most Eastern region of Canada in St. John’s, Newfoundland, hosting local in- restaurant events in major cities across the country as clocks in each time zone struck 11:01 am. inviting local media and social influencers, with franchisees cracking the first egg representing an end to the breakfast/lunch changeover.
- Media kits and Egg McMuffins were delivered to radio stations across the country to generate regional coverage and on-air chatter.
- Additional content creator partnerships came to life, with content focused on enjoying ADB now that it was available nationwide, creating sustained positive conversation timed with the launch.
- Separately, 40 influencer kits were sent with gift cards, branded slippers, sleepwear and bedding for personalized content creation.
Phase 4: Sustained Conversation
- Influencer content was cadenced and shared in order to sustain the launch conversation and buzz from February 22nd, until March 7th, when National advertising officially launched.
The influencer program for ADB allowed us to tap into a variety of brand fans, social media influencers and content creators to authentically share the launch news across multiple channels. It was a rewarding process for both McDonald’s and Weber Shandwick as a vehicle to continue fostering brand love.
All Day Breakfast was the single largest-reaching and most engaged program in McDonald’s Canada history.
of content from social influencers resulting in a social media reach of
our largest social influencer program to-date for the brand.
More importantly, at the time of the launch, mass advertising wasn’t in market yet. So with earned news and social conversation being strong communication forces, the sales for All Day Breakfast exceeded the brand’s targets.
often a challenging media market to break into, results were just as impressive:
The Weber Team were tremendous partners on the Canadian launch of All Day Breakfast.
Their strategic approach allowed McDonald’s to tell the story through three news cycles, all while navigating hurdles and making smart adjustments along the way. They were true professionals through an ever-evolving program, and ultimately contributed to strong results for the McDonald’s Canada brand.
Director, Corporate Relations – McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada


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Inseego Corp. (Nasdaq: INSG), a pioneer in 5G and intelligent IoT device-to-cloud solutions, today launched a new 4G LTE fixed wireless access product for business phone connectivity. Ideal for small/medium businesses (SMB) and enterprise users, the new BPC100 by Inseego
"Today's LTE networks offer a great alternative to traditional hard-wired telephone service, and the BPC100 makes it easier than ever for businesses to cut the cord on their landline service,"
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The 14th China International Meat Industry Exhibition (CIMIE 2016)
orgazised by China Meat Association(CMA) and International Meat Secretariat(IMS) will be held in China International Exhibition Center, Beijing during Sept. 27-29, 2016.
CIMIE is the most professioal meat show in China with 13 years experience and nearly 300,000 in total of trade visitors.
Meat professionals and c
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Yesterday’s Media Create sales figures from Japan gave us hope for the Wii U’s revival in the market after a considerable slum. Now, it has been revealed that Pikmin 3 managed to shift over half of its stock in just two days. The real-time strategy game sold 53 per cent of its entire stock in the two days prior to the release of the Media Create figures.
According to a tweet published by senior research analyst David Gibson based on Enterbrain sales figures, Pikmin 3 sold 102,000 copies out of its 193,400 total shipped units. The Wii U title also places as the third best-selling game in its first week, just behind New Super Mario Bros. U and Monster Hunter 3 HD in Japan. Next week’s Media Create figures should prove interesting, however. Do you think Pikmin 3 can hold onto the top spot again? Let us know in the comments below.
“Pikmin 3 sells 102k in 2 days in Japan but leaves another 91k on the shelves, becomes #3 biggest seller in wk1 after NSMU and MH3HD for WiiU”. – David Gibson, Senior Research Analyst


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"On the subject of economies of scale, I find chain stores quite interesting. Just think about it...You get a whole bunch of little laboratories out there in which you can conduct experiments" - Charlie Munger
Certain former market darlings are having a rough go of it these days. Though Mr. Market's mood has turned decidedly positive over the last 3 months, certain retailers remain mired at cyclical lows. The market has all but written off some of the country's largest electronics retailers, as they have seen declining sales and profits as a seemingly non-profit competitor continues to expand its reach.
But Mr. Market's outlook may be grossly wrong, having under-estimated the advantages some of these companies have combined with ROIC mean reversion. Now that the industry faces challenges, you are likely to see some of these advantages come to light once again.
For a few years leading up to the housing bubble and thereafter, Americans couldn't get enough of new flatsceren tv's. As a result, electronics retailers were in cruise control, selling these high margin products for generous profits. When overcapacity finally hit the tv industry, however, the recent glory days for electronics retailing came to an end. Prices, along with margins and profits, fell. New products (smartphones, tablets, e-readers) could not grow fast enough to match the declines in tv's, especially as one supplier (Apple) came to dominate a chunk of the market (commanding market power in the form of lower gross margins) and a major online competitor (Amazon) had a sales tax advantage and saw no real need to generate profits.
This has forced the industry's bricks and mortar retailers (Best Buy, hhgregg, RadioShack among them) to re-think their strategies. And the initial results appear to be positive.
Consider the latest of these companies to report, hhgregg (HGG). While same-store sales are down in the high single digits, there were a number of new initiatives discussed on the company's latest conference call which provide reasons to be optimistic.
The company is using in-store experiments to test a number of new ideas, some of which have gone so well as to be rolled out company-wide. Following these experiments, the company has begun selling furniture and fitness equipment, taking advantage of the company's local presence in delivery and installation. It is growing its non-recourse consumer credit program, having found that customers using hhgregg credit cards become more loyal shoppers, buy more expensive products (thanks to credit), and have higher attachment rates.
At the same time, the company is cutting SKUs in its declining tv business, which is a positive for the industry as a whole. When an industry is plagued by overcapacity, sometimes exits are the only way to push returns back to normal, which bodes well for all participants.
For their part, both RadioShack (RSH) and Best Buy (BBY) are also cutting investments in areas that aren't profitable through a combination of reductions in store-count, store type, and square footage. In addition, Best Buy has also been testing new-concept stores with better-trained employees, which will also provide the company data it can use to determine which initiatives to roll out nationally. Despite the headwinds facing the company, Best Buy actually managed to hold US same-store sales flat in the all-important holiday season that just passed, demonstrating that the company is far from dead.
With strategic exits leading to ROIC normalization in poorly performing categories, along with declines in the importance of the video category, the beaten-down shares of leading electronics retailers (i.e. those with economies of scale and barriers to entry) could see dramatic rebounds. The power of the experiments Munger describes in this article's opening paragraph can help these well-capitalized retailers find categories suited to their localized presence and their more personal contact with the customer.
Disclosure: Author has a long position in shares of BBY, HGG, and RSH


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Posts tagged Rip Off Britain
Whether it’s fake news, fake likes or fake adverts, Facebook hasn’t been far from the top of the news agenda over the last few months.
On Monday’s Rip Off Britain: Live (BBC1, 9.15am) I addressed the fake Facebook adverts issue which has recently seen money-saving expert Martin Lewis sue the social network for damages after his face appeared in fake adverts for scam financial products.
The fake Facebook adverts I see generally fall into three main categories:
Fake Celebrity Endorsements
Advertisers have long worked with trusted names to grow reach and sales – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, as Martin Lewis and others have found, it’s a doddle for rogue advertisers to mock up fake celebrity endorsements, fake news reports – even entire fake websites – in an attempt to ensnare unwitting readers into their sales funnel.
MY ADVICE: Don’t trust an advert just because it features a trusted face, or appears to be a news story from a reputable news site, do your own research first.
Free Trial Offers
Invited to sign up for a free trial of smart pills, skin cream, eye serum or anti-wrinkle rub? Be very, very wary – it’s not often there’s a free lunch on the Internet. Or a free miracle anti-ageing or weight-loss cure.
Buried away in the T&Cs may be clauses which mean – one way or another – you’ll end up forking out a fortune, often as a subscription. And working out how to cancel it or get a refund can prove a real headache.
Good trial offers do exist online, but they’re often for digital services – video and music streaming services, for example.
MY ADVICE: Be suspicious of free trials of physical products on social media from companies you’ve never heard of, and give the terms and conditions every possible scrutiny, keeping a digital copy to refer back to.
This is where the beautifully presented goods you see in the advert bear little resemblance to what you eventually get in the post, and it’s something we’ve covered many times before on Rip Off Britain.
Often the advertisers rely on people giving up hope at this point, not bothering with the inevitable hassle of returning an item. And the firms that walk this tightrope certainly don’t make it easy for those that can be bothered.
MY ADVICE: Always do your own research, away from the social network, before you press ‘buy’; research the company advertising the goods, see where they’re actually based and what other people say about their experiences of buying from them.
More Tips To Spot Fake Ads
- Be suspicious if the advert you click on passes you from one website/company name to another; always make sure you know who you’re dealing with and check each company carefully if you haven’t heard of them before (and watch out for look-alike company names)
- Look at the web address of the page and check it matches the title of the site – don’t trust a news story purporting to be from a well-known news source (BBC News, for example) but with an unfamiliar web address (http://buythisno-w.com/bbc-news-live-debt-free/ for example).
- Look for an address and phone number – and if it’s a free/cheap number then call it to get a feel for their customer service; if not, then go elsewhere
- Beware of pressure tactics: “stock running low”, “offer ends in 19 minutes”, “8 others are also looking at this product” are all there solely to speed you into buying. Make up your own mind, on your own terms and in your own time
- Get rich quick schemes? Bitcoin, binary trading etc? I advise you to steer well clear – schemes like these rarely help anybody get rich except the people selling them
BBC Rip Off Britain: Live airs every day on BBC1 and 9.15am Monday 25th -29th June 2018 – catch up on iPlayer here.
Rip Off Britain is back with a new series on BBC1 this week.
In one of this season’s films, I talk about how internet-connected doorbells are now being used help to catch crooks.
Think of a connected doorbell as a video intercom – similar to those already popular in flats and offices – that connects your front door to your phone. Not only do they provide peace of mind when your doorbell – or perhaps that of an elderly relative – rings, these smart devices can also record video of who is at the door. Needless to say, they have already been used to help identify criminals.
In another item for the show this series, I take Julia Somerville to a Bitcoin cashpoint to explain what cryptocurrency is and how it works – and how some viewers may have lost substantial sums of more traditional cash to so-called Bitcoin scammers.
This year for the show we’ve also been making some quick advice films for Facebook – here’s me talking about why some viewers’ second-hand smartphone have suddenly stopped working days or weeks after they’ve bought them:
Rip Off Britain airs on BBC1 at 9.15am from Monday 13th June 2018, available on catch-up on BBC iPlayer.
The new series of Rip Off Britain – series nine! – began on BBC1 this month and once I am on-hand as its resident technology expert.
Earlier this week, I spoke with Angela about how high-tech car criminals are able to hack their way past current keyless security systems. I also shared a few tips that may help concerned viewers prevent their cars being stolen. Here’s a quick taster:
Car crime has largely moved on from the coat hanger and hot-wire days of old, with crime rates decreasing by 80 percent since 1993 according to the Office for National Statistics. However, a new wave of tech-savvy car criminals is now making easy work of making off with many makes of car.
I’ve been following the high-tech car crime trend closely, trying to understand the ways in which criminals are able to bypass or subvert car keyless security systems – whether through signal amplification, wireless jamming or keyless code capture. Criminals often steal to order, targeting high-value vehicles that are driven to so-called ‘chop-shops’ and sold on for parts.
Next week I travel to Glasgow for BBC Rip Off Britain Live. I find the live shows particularly enjoyable because we are able to be responsive to news stories as they break. As such, I can’t say yet exactly which stories I’ll be covering, but I believe we’ll be discussing how the Internet of Things has made our homes vulnerable to hackers.
Among the topics I cover in this series of Rip Off Britain: Live on BBC1 is speech recognition. In Tuesday’s show I went to Liverpool to investigate how viewers are talking to their tech to help make their everyday lives easier.
According to researchers at Stanford University we can talk three times faster – and with 20% more accuracy – than we can type or swipe on a mobile phone.
Proof that it’s good to talk, right?
It was no surprise, however, to find that many I spoke with were initially sceptical about the effectiveness of speech recognition. But I had a hunch that their lack of confidence was misplaced, with judgements on poor comprehension based on older generations of the technology.
Our day of filming in and around Liverpool proved my point: I found that Apple’s intelligent personal assistant Siri was better than even I was at comprehending commands, irrespective of accent or background noise.
Speech recognition technology – and Siri is far from the only or even the best example at present – has now reached a level of useful maturity. What is needed next to help more to benefit from it is further accessibility and behavioural change.
In the main Rip Off Britain series in September I also took a look at how voice biometrics are being used by major service providers as an authentication factor to make logins to our online accounts safer, simpler and more secure.
Check out further clips from this series of Rip Off Britain here on the BBC website.
The new series of Rip Off Britain begins this Monday on BBC1 resuming its mission to expose shams, scams and poor customer service.
In this series I look at how failures in Vodafone’s billing systems and customer services have left subscribers out of pocket and with costly black marks on their credit history; also I investigate how freely available information might be used by identity thieves to build up detailed profiles of their victims.
One item that I hope to be covering more of is the future of passwords.
Like a stuck record, over the last four or so seasons on Rip Off Britain I’ve made the point again and again about the importance of good password hygiene to minimise the risk of hacks.
But recent developments in voice biometrics technology might be part of a move to make our live online much safer. In fact, customers of some major UK banks and service providers are already using just their voices to securely log-in to their online accounts.
The software claims to analyse around one hundred different behavioural and physical characteristics of our voices (for example accent or length of vocal folds) and is being used by customers of TalkTalk and HSBC among others. Its developer, Nuance, says the technology is so sophisticated that it can even distinguish between identical twins.
We took a special version of the voice recognition app to the BBC pop up shop at the Trafford Centre in Manchester to discover whether shoppers there felt secure using their voice as their password.
Rip Off Britain airs on BBC1 Monday to Friday from 12th September at 9.15am.
Of all the high-profile hacks and leaks of 2015 the TalkTalk Data Breach in October may prove to be one of the most significant yet, potentially impacting all four million of its UK customers.
While details of the breach are still emerging the leaked data appears to include unencrypted names, addresses, email addresses, bank account/credit card information, customer account numbers and more.
The ‘significant and sustained’ cyberattack, likely using a DDOS (distributed denial of service) attack as a smokescreen for their chosen method of entry and extraction, shows the hallmarks of highly-organised cybercrime.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time that the UK telco’s customers have had their personal details sneaked out of the back door. Data leaks in November 2014 and August 2015 exposed information that has been used to successfully defraud customers of thousands of pounds with phishing and vishing attacks.
- Treat incoming telephone calls purporting to be from a service provider – TalkTalk or otherwise – as potentially toxic. Regardless of any account number or information quoted, or the telephone number called from (Call Line IDs are easy to spoof), in my opinion phishing and vishing fraud is now so common that incoming calls are impossible to trust. A reputable/genuine caller will quite understand any concerns and give you an option to call back on a verified number found on your (for example) bank statement or the firm’s main website (not a link they send). However, make sure you call back from another number (maybe a mobile if you have one – but check call charges) or ensure your landline has been cleared first (wait 5 minutes or call a friend first).
- Check your bank statements, credit card bills and any online payment service accounts (eg Paypal). If there are any transactions you don’t recognise, no matter how small, query them. And then keep checking them – this is good practice anyway.
- Check and change your passwords, particularly if you use the same password as your TalkTalk account across any other accounts? Email, social network, PayPal, auction sites etc?
TalkTalk has a dedicated page to keep those concerned updated with the latest news and advice on the data breach: http://help2.talktalk.co.uk/oct22incident
BBC Rip Off Britain LIVE returns for a second year to The One Show studios in Central London, and once again I will be on-hand to answer more viewers’ consumer technology questions. Last year I spoke about contactless payments and passwords – this year it’s online gaming.
In the first show of the week-long series I’m due to talk about how online gamers are increasingly being targeted by ‘bounty hunters’ eager to hijack their account to gain access to their games, achievements or even their credit card details (bear in mind that the show is live so anything could happen instead…!).
In a plot that quickly begins to sound like a video game in its own right, the fraudsters use a variety of tactics to trick high-value gamers into revealing their login details so that their gaming accounts and virtual identities can be stolen and sold on for real cash.
Earlier in the series Rip Off Britain spoke with two disgruntled gamers whose Sony Playstation accounts had apparently been hijacked, but other gaming platforms can be hot targets too. With over 4,500 games and 125 million gamers, PC gaming platform Steam is one of the largest gaming networks around and, inevitably, it is also a target for scammers.
Despite a well-publicised security flaw identified in July 2015 Steam generally has a sound reputation for security of its users’ data. However, this hasn’t stopped gamers from having their accounts compromised — in fact, the majority of fraud appears to be as a result of phishing and social engineering rather than any hacks of either Steam’s or its users’s systems.Posts like this on gamebanana go into some detail on the social engineering methods that scammers have successfully used to hijack accounts. It describes how scammers have used in-game instant messaging to pose as Steam administrators warning (ironically) that their account has been hacked and needs to be regenerated.
The post may be several years old, but sadly the same tactics are still in use. More recent scams may attempt to install malware onto your PC or into your browser, but they all involve convincing you to click a link or reveal your account information. Here’s another incredibly useful post that shows some scams in action, along with how to spot a Steam scam.
Steam Community: Avoiding Common Scams:
Vigilance, it seems, is the best defence, along with basic awareness of the tactics employed by the scammers.
But if you find yourself a victim of Steam account jacking then help is at hand – in fact, Steam has a special form to help recover stolen and hijacked accounts:
Recovering a Stolen or Hijacked Steam Account:
However, Valve bosses do acknowledge that Steam’s current customer service is far from good enough, with support tickets seemingly going unanswered or ignored, but it is working hard to remedy it.
Valve Explains Why Steam Customer Service Is Still Terrible:
Questions will inevitably be asked whether Valve, the parent company behind Steam, is active enough in trying to prevent this kind of fraud. In response Steam is currently introducing a two-factor authentication mechanism, Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, which in theory should reduce some fraud.
Rip Off Britain LIVE airs on BBC1 from 9.15 until 10am from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd October 2015.
A new series of Rip Off Britain begins on BBC1 today, Monday 14th September, from 9.15 to 10.00am.
The popular consumer affairs show starring Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville is now in its seventh series of helping viewers tackle rip offs and scams. I’m delighted to have been involved for the last four as a digital consumer champion across everything from cybersecurity and nuisance calls to mobile roaming and online safety.
For one film this season I took a detailed look at how safe we are when using the Public Wi-Fi hotspots increasingly found in coffee shops, airports and hotels. Even I was staggered at just how much information hackers can see on wireless networks with relatively little equipment or, frankly, expertise. This information can include unencrypted usernames, passwords and other sensitive details that can easily be used to execute identity fraud or phishing attacks.
This ‘digital eavesdropping’ might be the perfect crime, with coffee shop surfers quite unaware of a fraudster syphoning off valuable personal data on an adjacent table. The first they might realise something is amiss is when they get locked out of their social networking accounts or their email inexplicably starts spamming their address book.
During research for the show I uncovered some shocking security holes from well-known online and high-street retailers who really should know better. I also discovered how I wasn’t immune to sharing sensitive and valuable data by accident too.
Rip Off Britain airs every weekday on BBC1 for four weeks from Monday 14th September at 9.15am; see here for episode information and iPlayer links to watch on demand.


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Nanoco Climbs in London After Announcing Development Agreement
Nanoco Group Plc (NANO), a U.K. maker of nanocrystals for solar cells and light-emitting diodes, rose 3.2 percent in London after saying it signed a product development agreement that provides an initial payment of $800,000.
The shares climbed as much as 2.5 pence to 80 pence, their high for the day, as of 4:19 p.m. local time.
“Following the successful completion of its material joint development agreement with a major Japanese electronics company, Nanoco has signed a follow-on product development agreement,” the company said today in a statement, without naming its partner.
Nanocrystals, also known as quantum dots, are tiny particles of a semiconductor material that have different optical properties than traditional semiconductors.


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T-Mobile announced that customers can get LG’s latest superphone, the LG G8 ThinQ™, for an incredible deal. Un-carrier customers, including T-Mobile for Business customers, get $200 off the device’s MSRP upfront, PLUS an additional savings of UP TO HALF OFF via monthly bill credits when you trade in a qualifying device or add a new line on T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan (EIP).
Pre-orders open on April 5th at 5:00 AM PDT, or you can pick one up in T-Mobile stores on April 12th.
The LG G8 ThinQ is the latest device that taps into T-Mobile’s 600 MHz Extended Range LTE network, giving you better coverage than before in buildings and rural areas.
This superphone comes with a 6.1-inch QHD+ FullVision OLED screen, a new Crystal Sound OLED speaker technology and innovative front-facing sensors for touchless control. The device sports the option of Aurora Black or Carmine Red color and comes with 128GB of memory.
The LG G8 ThinQ can be yours for just $25.84/month ($0 down, Full Retail Price: $619.99)– all for 24 months on T-Mobile’s no-interest EIP.


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As the nation prepares for the final of the Women’s Euros 2022 at Wembley this weekend, Central England Co-op (CEC) colleagues are giving their support to some of the local Lionesses raised near their stores.
Colleagues across CEC’s 260 plus stores will be donning their England colours and dressing their stores to give their backing to the England team as they look to beat Germany in the final on Sunday.
However, some stores have special reasons to back the girls on Sunday with a number of the players having grown up in the communities they serve.
The Lionesses have featured three players from South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, where CEC have a number of food stores, with one of the players of the tournament centre-back Millie Bright growing up in Killamarsh, striker Beth England from Barnsley and goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck from Sheffield.
Steve Herbert, Store Manager at CEC’s Eckington food store just down the road from where Millie grew up, said his team were backing Millie and the team to bring it home on Sunday.
He said: “All of us here at Eckington have been really excited at the fantastic run to the final and the incredible performances of the Lionesses during the Euros.
“Seeing a local girl like Millie right at the heart of it all and playing so well has made it all the more exciting and we will be backing the team to go all the way and win the cup on Sunday.”
England’s number one goalkeeper Mary Earps made some vital stops in the semi-final victory over Sweden, and she was born and grew up in Nottingham.
Jenny Hurst, Store Manager at CEC’s Farnborough Road store in Nottingham, said: “Like the rest of the country I have been so proud of the Lionesses’ brilliant performances this summer and having a Nottingham girl really starring has made it extra special for the team here.”
Another key part of the England team’s success has been North Norfolk-born winger Lauren Hemp, who was born and grew up in North Walsham, between CEC stores in Cromer and Reepham.
Reepham Store Manager Brad Tuckfield said: “We will be backing the Lionesses this weekend to do the job and we’re thrilled that Lauren is representing North Norfolk so well and everyone here at the Reepham store will be desperate to see us win it on Sunday. It’s coming home!”
CEC stores have some great offers available this weekend for shoppers looking to stock up ahead of the game.
Customers and members will hopefully be able to toast an England win with Co-op Irresistible Prosecco available for £6, or for those particularly confident supporters Victorious Gin is available this weekend for just £10.
There are also some great snacking options, with Co-op Irresistible Crisps £1.25 a bag this weekend, 3 packs of popcorn and candyfloss 2 for £3 and for those after a bit of cake for the big game, Co-op Irresistible Chocolate and Red Velvet Cakes are just £2.50.
To find a local CEC store, visit https://stores.centralengland.coop


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Netflix generated an all-time high record income from mobile devices, earning 86.6 million dollars this past November. That figure is up 77% from last November YoY, in which the company earned just 49 million in estimated mobile revenue, reports TechCrunch. more The post Netflix generates all-time high revenue from iOS Android devices appeared first on 9to5Mac.
While WWDC won‘t be for another 6 months at the very least, Apple has today updated its WWDC app with a handful of new features such as supporting the new iPad Pro display sizes. more The post Apple updates WWDC app for 2018 iPad Pros, 3D Touch and widget included appeared first on 9to5Mac.
9to5Toys now has a new app! Download it to stay to date on the best gear and deals on the web. Plus don‘t forget to check us out on Apple News andsign up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on:Twitter,RSS Feed,Facebook,Google+andSafari push notifications. Listen to the new 9to5Toys Daily Podcast: https://9to5toys.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/12/9to5Toys-Daily-12-06-2018.mp3 more The post 9to5Toys Lunch Break
A day after the release of iOS 12.1.1, the Apple Watch received its last major software update of 2018 with watchOS 5.1.2. The anticipated update includes the ECG app that Apple demonstrated on stagein September for performing single-lead-style Electrocardiograms. In this hands-on video walkthrough, we take the ECG app for a test drive, and briefly discuss the other new changes and features that arrive alongside watchOS 5.1.2. more The post What
With the release of watchOS 5.1.2, Apple launched its highly anticipated ECG feature for Apple Watch Series 4. While taking ECGs (electrocardiograms) is fast and easy on Apple Watch, some users may see inconclusive results. Follow along for a look at what this means and how to fix it. more The post What does an inconclusive ECG result mean on Apple Watch? appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Earlier this week, Apple received FCC clearance with a new sleep monitor product that looked like an updated version of the Beddit Sleep Monitor that it acquired in 2017. Now the updated Beddit Sleep Monitor 3.5 (replacing version 3.0) is now available through the Apple Store. more The post Apple‘s sleep tracking company Beddit releases new 3.5‘ sleep monitor appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Feral Interactive has announced that the award-winningColin McRae rally game DiRT 4 is coming to Mac next year. It follows earlier porting to Mac of DiRT Rally, Grid Autosport and F1 2017 more The post Award-winning Colin McRae rally game DiRT 4 coming to Mac next year [Video] appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Apple has removed game developerSlitherine‘s Afghanistan ‘11from the iOS App Store for using a specific person or real entity as the enemy of the game, even though it is touted as being entirely historically accurate in depicting the US war in Afghanistan. more The post Apple removes war simulation game from App Store for using Taliban as enemies appeared first on 9to5Mac.
After promising to enable HomeKit support earlier this year,Sensibo is out today with an update to its smart a/c and heat pump controller. While the HomeKit support hasn‘t arrived yet, Siri Shortcuts are now available with Sensibo Sky to control all types of air conditioners and heat pumps. more The post Siri Shortcuts arrive on Sensibo Sky smart controller for heat pumps and air conditioners appeared first on 9to5Mac.
This week Benjamin and Zac share a quick review of the Smart Folio cover for the new iPad Pro, talk about Apple Music coming soon to Amazon‘s Echo speakers, recent iPhone XR discounts and Apple‘s marketing strategies, the launch of the Apple Clear Case for iPhone XR, the 18W USB-C charger, and lots of software updates and new features including iOS 12.1.1 and FaceTime fixes, HomePod in China, dual SIM in the US, and the new ECG app o
Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon said in an interview withYahoo Finance that the company‘s ever-intensifying dispute against Apple will end soon, one way or another. This comes despite mounting evidenceApple plans to play hardball with the American chipmaker, afterreports last week said Apple rejected a settlement offer. more The post Qualcomm president saying Apple battle ending soon ‘one way or another‘ despite the evidence
When people ask me what‘s different about the new Apple Watch Series 4, my immediate answer is simply the design. There‘s way more to Apple Watch Series 4 than its appearance, but the way it looks is arguably the one difference that anyone can appreciate. The design isn‘t so different that Series 4 feels like something different thanthe Apple Watch on your wrist though. It‘s absolutely the biggest external change to Apple
Apple has reportedly acquired Platoon, a London-based music startup co-founded by iTunes veteranDenzyl Feigelson and LoveFilm co-founderSaul Klein. The acquisition is likely to allow Apple Music to tap emerging artists more The post Report: Apple acquires unsigned artist‘ startup co-founded by iTunes veteran appeared first on 9to5Mac.
DxOMark today revealed their official score for rating the iPhone XR‘s sole rear camera, awarding the shooter a mark of 101, the highest ever for a single-lens smartphone. The score even got Apple‘s Marketing chief Phil Schiller‘s Tweet of approval, which is notable because previous DxOMark‘s often ambiguous scores were disavowed by many in the Apple community after the company often rated relatively inexpensive Android p
Apple has reportedly acquired Platoon, a London-based music startup co-founded by iTunes veteranDenzyl Feigelson and LoveFilm co-founderSaul Klein. The acquisition is likely to allow Apple Music to tap emerging artists more The post Apple acquires unsigned artist‘ startup co-founded by iTunes veteran appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Analysts believe that the smartphone has reached the end of its growth phase, and that the future is a declining smartphone market. Even in markets like India, cheap phones mean that the market is not as far from saturation as you might think, so sales numbers may not increase markedly people will just buy more expensive models. Does that mean that Apple can defy gravity‘ and keep its own sales constant, or even growing, while the smartph
Back in October, we reported that Apple was one of four tech giants opposing a proposed law in Australia focused on law enforcement access to encrypted data. Now, Australia has successfully passed that encryption legislation, which means companies including Apple, Facebook, Twitter, and Google could be forced to build new capabilities to thwart encrypted messages. more The post Australia passes new encryption laws that could force Apple to offe
A pair of the most powerful iOS apps has today been updated with notable enhancements. Prompt 2, the popular SSH client from Panic, has added highly anticipated optimization for the iPhone XS Max, as well as the new iPad Pro. Additionally, the powerful text editor from Panic, Coda, has received a similar update. more The post Panic updates Prompt SSH client Coda text editor for iPhone XS Max new iPad Pro displays appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Both ATT and Verizon have confirmed that they will be supporting eSIM on iPhone within the next week, if not already. Notably missing is T-Mobile, America‘s third largest carrier, but that may change soon more The post T-Mobile‘s app-based eSIM service launching on iPhone by the end of the year, report says appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Thanks to GDPR, Apple now offers a way to view and download all of the data it has collected from you over the years. Australian developer Pat Murray has created an incredibly interesting tool that is able to visualize your Apple Music year in review. more The post [Update: Spotify Wrapped now live] How to visualize your Apple Music listening history, including top songs, artists, and more appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Remember MoviePass? The subscription service that initially let you watch unlimited standard movies every month and then crashed because it couldn‘t afford to pay for all the movies? Well, it‘s apparently making a comeback in a big way (maybe). more The post MoviePass introduces three new subscription tiers for 2019, hopes to break even on ticket sales appeared first on 9to5Mac.
9to5Toys now has a new app! Download it to stay to date on the best gear and deals on the web. Plus don‘t forget to check us out on Apple News andsign up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on:Twitter,RSS Feed,Facebook,Google+andSafari push notifications. Listen to the new 9to5Toys Daily Podcast: https://9to5toys.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/12/9to5Toys-Daily-12-06-2018.mp3 more The post 9to5Toys Last Call: M
watchOS 5.1.2 includes the much-anticipated ECG app for Apple Watch. With it, you‘re able to take anelectrocardiogram and send it to your doctor. This is especially crucial if the ECG results show that you may potentially have atrial fibrillation. Follow along to learn how to share ECG results with your doctor. more The post How to share ECG results with your doctor appeared first on 9to5Mac.
Along with the highly anticipated ECG (electrocardiogram) capability arriving on Apple Watch, the new update also brings additional heart focused health features. Follow along for how to set up irregular heart rate notifications on Apple Watch. more The post How to set up Apple Watch irregular heart rate notifications appeared first on 9to5Mac.


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Owlcat Games’ Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous launched for PC almost a year and a half back, which has been followed by releases for consoles and, more recently, an enhanced edition launch. The RPG has been on the receiving end of plenty of praise from critics and audiences alike in the time that it’s been around, and that has reflected in its sales as well.
Owlcat Games has announced that Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has sold over 1 million units worldwide across all platforms since releasing in September 2021. Meanwhile, the developer has also confirmed that the first of three DLCs in its second season will be launching in March.
Titled The Last Sarkorians, the DLC will bring new story content, a new playable class with the shift, a new party character, region, enemies, and more. Check out its reveal teaser below.
The Last Sarkorians will launch for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 7. A cloud version will arrive for the Nintendo Switch at a later date.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and as a cloud-exclusive release on the Switch. Read our review of the game through here.


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Sikov - stock.adobe.com
With ambitious roll-out plans from operators and strong consumer demand for new services, the US and Canada are among the global leaders in terms of 5G adoption, yet following extensive 5G network buildout in recent years, spending is set to begin to trend downwards as operators turn their attention to generating a return on investment, according to GSMA research.
The study by the global mobile industry’s trade association, to be released just as its MWC Las Vegas event gets under way, highlighted the trends shaping the mobile ecosystem in the present day and beyond, noting that the main focus of the market over the next few years would be on improving 5G coverage in less densely populated areas while also ramping up investment to support the growing momentum behind use cases enabled by 5G standalone (SA) and 5G-Advanced.
There is a great reason for doing so. The report showed clearly how 5G connectivity is already proving to be a powerful driver of GDP growth, with 5G’s contribution to GDP in North America expected to surpass $200bn in 2030, 16% of the overall annual economic impact of mobile in the region.
Beyond its contribution to GDP, the GSMA said the mobile ecosystem also supports 2.1 million jobs, directly and indirectly, and makes a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with $130bn raised through taxation in 2022. This economic contribution, said the GSMA, underlined the importance of stakeholders taking the right steps to sustain the impact of mobile services on the digital economy, with spectrum availability a key driver of affordable 5G for all.
And as 5G adoption grows, the monetisation imperative will escalate. GSMA’s research showed a rise in the mobile average revenue per unit in the US and Canada in the 12 months after launching 5G. The technology was also having a positive impact on revenue growth for North American operators beyond mobile services, as highlighted by fixed wireless access (FWA) momentum in the region.
Looking forward, the GSMA said the enterprise sector was expected to be the main growth driver for operators. 5G SA brings a host of new capabilities that will be crucial to monetising 5G investments, including improved support for network slicing. There are also synergies between 5G SA and private wireless networks, opening up new opportunities for mobile operators.
In terms of specific industries where the report highlighted particular growth, the GSMA observed significant opportunities from a fintech sector with surging demand. The survey data showed that between 2020 and 2022, the share of 4G/5G smartphone users in the US using their devices for financial services on a daily basis had grown by four percentage points on average across mobile banking, online shopping, paying bills and contactless payments.
This reflected growing momentum behind digital financial services as the competition heats up in the fintech market, said the GSMA. As an example, it cited Apple launching a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service, which it expected to contribute to a boost in e-commerce transactions. Apple has also launched a high-yield savings account, through a partnership with Goldman Sachs, which reportedly brought in $990m in deposits over its first four days. By the end of the first week, around 240,000 accounts were said to have been opened.
In terms of technologies to note, the report, not surprisingly, noted the rise of generative AI, which it said was pushing the envelope on AI capabilities and thrusting AI technology into boardroom conversations globally. The report added that with generative AI tools, operators could attempt to automate more complex customer service functions that require a better understanding of context, improved ability to follow a conversation and advanced synthesis of information.
The report also said eSIM momentum was building, with the past few years crucial for development and commercialisation, highlighted by Apple’s launch of eSIM-only smartphones in September 2022 in the US and Canada.
The report noted the acceleration in operator eSIM deployments and commercial launches since, even though it felt eSIM awareness among consumers remained limited. As the main contact points with users, operators and smartphone manufacturers were said to have a key role to play in accelerating consumer awareness and adoption.
Additionally, eSIM technology has long been seen as a major enabler and accelerator of internet of things (IoT) deployments across multiple sectors.
Read more about 5G
- Satellite 5G networks to gain lucrative orbit over next seven years: Study predicts huge spike in additional revenue for satellite services operators for 5G comms to 2030, and outlined prospects for 6G networks, including coverage and throughput capabilities.
- Texas A&M University deploys IP Wave optical solutions for private 5G network: Leading US applied research facility university deploys optical technology in private 5G network to support advanced experimentation, technology development, testing and evaluation across a range of disciplines.
- Cash injection of £88m announced for UK 5G mobile network R&D: Latest part of UK government plan to boost mobile services sees funding awarded to 19 projects through the Open Networks Ecosystem (ONE) competition designed to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of open 5G connectivity.


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In celebration of Whole Foods Market’s Beauty Week, the Austin, Texas-based grocer’s Trends Council has unveiled its annual list of the top five clean beauty trends for the year. Whole Foods is likely to have the destination departments in which to feature these products, as the grocer’s recent store openings suggest it’s paying attention to pretty store-within-a-store wellness and beauty sections in new locations. From beauty products that cut back on water to those that do double-duty, the pattern is clear: Consumers will continue to simplify in 2021 and beyond, says Whole Foods' Trends Council. Which beauty trends made the top five?
1. Beauty Goes Waterless
More beauty products are being packaged in solid, waterless formats to help minimize the use of plastic packaging, says Whole Foods. When a product isn’t in liquid form, brands can use materials such as recyclable boxes or metal tins, and the product is generally smaller, reducing the amount of packaging needed and the shipping weight. Expect to see shampoo and conditioner bars that leave hair fresh and clean with less packaging, and toothpaste tablets that whiten, brush away plaque and do some good for the environment, say Whole Foods trend watchers.
2. Multitasking Balms
A recent online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Whole Foods Market found that 85% of consumers who simplified their beauty routines over the past year plan to continue their new practices. Tapping into products that multitask is one way to simplify. Balms are being reimagined to do it all, from lips to cheeks to cuticles.
3. Juiced-Up Skin Care
Whole Foods predicts shoppers’ favorite superfoods in the produce aisle will now play starring roles in new beauty products. From celery and mushrooms to blueberries, fruits and veggies will now play a role in skin and self-care, says the Trends Council.
4. Upcycled Beauty
Whole Foods, which predicted more upcycled products in its 2021 Food Trends, is also seeing repurposed ingredients pop up in beauty products. “Think quality coffee grounds, discarded apricot stones, leftover argan shells—all ingredients that support your skin while giving what would have been food waste, new life,” says the company.
“The beauty industry has seen significant consumer shifts this year due to COVID-19, and our trends are a true reflection of these changes,” said Amy Jargo, global beauty buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Customers are looking to streamline their beauty routines, while also seeking out brands that align with their values like those that limit their environmental impact with waterless and upcycled products.”
5. Stressed Skin, Meet Ramped-Up Remedies
Between pandemic stress and mask wearing, many a complexion reflects the rigors of the last year. Fear not. Clean beauty remedies have come to the rescue, says Whole Foods, and in new formats such as masks and serums with soothing ingredients like tea tree oil and witch hazel extract.
During Whole Foods’ annual Beauty Week, which takes place March 10-16, the company will offer its full range of beauty products at 25% off, with an extra 10% off for Prime Members. Whole Foods Beauty Bags featuring assorted mini and full-size products also will be available for $20 ($135 value) starting March 12.


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You may need a stiff drink to believe this. Last October, a new record was set: a cask of Macallan 1991 whisky sold for a cool $2.33m. At least this was an entire cask of premium liquor: earlier last year, a luxury case of 30-year-old Irish malt featuring a gold Fabergé egg was auctioned off for $2m, only slightly more than a single bottle of scotch at the end of 2019.
Is whisky really worth 2m big ones? As any economist will tell you, the value of something is determined by how much someone is prepared to pay for it, and all that money sloshing around at the top has to go somewhere. The crises of our time have been kind to the uber-rich: while British workers have suffered a near unprecedented squeeze in their wages, the richest 1,000 people saw their fortunes double in the first seven years after the financial crash. Covid has proved little different: Britain produced a record number of new billionaires in the pandemic, while their US counterparts enjoyed almost a two-thirds jump in their wealth during the first 18 months of the crisis. At $4.8tn, the combined fortunes of US billionaires are almost equivalent to the size of the entire Japanese economy.
It’s not just expensive bottles of whisky attracting the wallets of the thriving mega-rich. When the Chinese billionaire Cheung Chung-kiu snapped up a 62,000 sq ft mansion in Hyde Park for a cool $275m back in 2020, he understandably wanted to make sure it was just right, so last year he commenced a renovation estimated to cost nearly as much as the original asking price. Last year, 11 Picassos were auctioned off in Las Vegas for $100m, while a 1958 Ferrari found a new home in exchange for $6m.
Perhaps such ludicrously expensive items will provoke baffled shrugs.Wealthy people splash their seemingly limitless fortunes on frivolous items with extortionate price tags – so what? Sure, it’s a symptom of the growth in wealth inequality since the 1980s, encouraged by the decline in progressive taxation, the deregulation of finance, the shattered power of trade unions, diluted antitrust legislation, and the rise of large quasi-monopolistic businesses such as Facebook and Amazon. No, a hyperactive work ethic and dazzling entrepreneurial acumen does not explain the explosion in billionaires’ wealth during the pandemic: no-strings government help for businesses and quantitative easing policies that drove up asset prices are more plausible explanations. And, yes, watching the wealth collectively produced by the hard graft of billions of people hoovered up by a select few is undoubtedly a moral affront. But does it matter?
The simple answer is yes. Buying whisky for $2m doesn’t simply underline an inverse correlation between money and sense on the part of the super-rich: it represents the red lights flashing on the dashboard of an entire economic model. Gary Stevenson should know: formerly Citibank’s most profitable trader, he made millions betting against economic recovery after Lehman Brothers detonated in the heart of the financial sector. Among the bigwigs of big finance, the consensus was that near-zero interest rates were an extraordinary measure that would be soon reversed as the…


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Suggesting that current profit declines would lead to long-term gains, officials of Giant Food Inc. predicted yesterday that the company would rebound from a recent 24-week profit drop of 38 percent.
"I think we've hit the bottom," said David B. Sykes, Giant's senior vice president for finance. "I think we're going to go up." Sykes assesment came as Giant held its annual stockholders meeting at the supermarket chain's Grocery Distribution Center in Jessup, Md.
Despite the grim figures for Giant's fiscal 24-week period ended Aug. 9, Israil Cohen, Giant's chairman and chief executive officer, told stockholders that the company plans to continue its expansion program in the Washington and Baltimore areas.
"If there is any pessimism around, it's not with Giant," Cohen said. "We are optimistic." Further, the company officials predicted that sales at Giant -- already the nation's 40th-largest retail store chain -- would hit the $2 billion mark within five years. In the company's 1980 fiscal year, sales stood at $1.2 billion.
In addition, the company plans to spend about $33 million for store remodeling this year and also has contracted for three new "mini-mall" shopping center facilities. Company officials, in a video presentation, also stressed that the company performs many of its own services such as printing and construction to cut its costs.
Nevertheless, Sykes said that in light of inflation and the uncertain national and local economic picture, the company could not forecast full-year results. Sykes also noted after the meeting that as a result of a new contract signed with Local 400 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, the company's labor costs would rise by about 25 percent over the next three years.
Under questioning from stockholders, Cohen repeatedly praised the company's "warehouse store" concept. Giant recently opened the Clinton, Md., warehouse facility, in which a product's price is not marked on each unit. Two more such stores are planned for suburban Baltimore.
Cohen said the only thing the popular unit pricing adds for consumers is higher food prices. Unit pricing "doesn't add to the intrinsic value of the item itself," Cohen noted.
Cohen reiterated Giant's longstanding lack of interest either in making acquisitions or being acquired by another firm. He also insisted that Giant has no intention of moving outside the mid-Atlantic region.


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Nicole Millar is coming to Melbourne to perform an intimate show at a secret venue in the CBD on Monday 23rd April.
The completely free gig will give fans the opportunity to see Nicole perform some of the new songs from her debut album Excuse Me, which drops on 1st June.
Nicole is making waves in the Australian music scene, following her breakthrough as the voice of Peking Duk's ARIA-winning, three times platinum hit 'High' in 2014. Her debut EP release, Tremble, went Gold in Australia and amassed a huge 8 million streams on Spotify. She's since been on tour with Troye Sivan, supported SZA and played sets at Splendour in the Grass.
To celebrate the launch of her debut album tour, smartphone brand OPPO is giving customers and fans the opportunity to get a preview of some of the songs off the new album, as well as tracks Nicole hasn't ever performed before. The event will be held at an intimate rooftop location and is fully catered!
"Getting to give away tickets to my own private gig is an amazing experience and I can't wait to have some fun performing my new tracks at the event. I've definitely had a lot of fun making them and can't wait to finally perform them to a crowd," said Millar.
This isn't the first time Nicole has performed with OPPO, having opened its launch event earlier this year, following the announcement she was to be the new brand ambassador for the smartphone brand.
"Being an ambassador for OPPO has been a whole new experience for me. It's really exciting to be supported by one of the world's largest smartphone brands and it is giving me new ways to interact with my fans. I'm looking forward to doing a lot more with OPPO moving forwards, watch this space!" she said.
It will be a night you definitely don't want to miss! Live music, DJ sets, food and drink - all for free - in one of Melbourne's most stylish laneway venues.
How do I score a ticket?
Both Nicole and OPPO will be giving away tickets across Instagram over the coming days.
Or, if you're fortunate enough to own an OPPO device or know somebody who does, you can get in there early with VIP access, for you and a mate. Just head over to www.oppopresents.com to register.