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REDWOOD CITY, CA (BRAIN)—Road bikes, cyclocrossers and fixie riders need to make room for pedestrian commuter content on Roadbikereview.com.
The popular Web site debuted its commuter forum and Commuter Resource guide two months ago and it already is one of the site's more popular destinations.
“Watching commuting bikes become more important at the Handmade Bike Show and at Interbike, as well as getting many emails from our community requesting commuter content motivated the change,” said Francis Cebedo, founder of Consumerreview.com, the parent company of Roadbikereview.com and Mtbr.com.
Thien Dinh was recently hired to be the channel manager for Roadbike Review, which has helped the site keep more current with bike and product tests. Dinh also oversees the Commuter Resource guide, which is Roadbike Review’s online magazine presenting commuting specific product reviews as well as general articles on commuting.
Cebedo notes that many questions posed in the Components Wrenching forum are about adapting a bike to commuting, but similar questions crop up in Mtbr.com’s technical forums. While the number of riders interested in commuting related topics is large, Cebedo says it’s hard to pin down how many people interested in commuting topics are across the two sites.


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Benchmark confirmed that it has invested* in Tinder, a rumor we reported in August. No details were given about the deal, except that IAC continues to own "a controlling stake," deterring other venture capitalists buzzing around the popular hookup app. *Update: Recode says no money has changed hands, it's a "sweat equity" arrangement:
Venture capital firms have been sniffing around Tinder, the Los Angeles-based dating app, since at least last spring. But according to one Valleywag source, Benchmark's Matt Cohler may soon sign one of Silicon Valley's most coveted term sheets. (On Sand Hill Road, it seems, fast growth is forever, while sexual harassment and discrimination suits can disappear.)
Forever is a mighty long time. Just ask Prince. But that's the lifespan that Quora thinks it scored by accepting $140 million in venture capital. According to Re/code, the Series C round values the 4-year-old, revenue-less Q&A site at $900 million, more than double the $400 million it was "worth" in 2012.
Perhaps "secret bank vaults deep in the earth" can save Bitcoin. Benchmark just invested $20 million in Xapo, which stores bitcoin code on computer drives. If the vault is breached, Xapo says it will fully insure all deposits. A guarantee that you won't lose your shirt in cryptocurrency? How innovative!
Yesterday, I ordered both breakfast and dinner from Seamless. I didn't consume lunch since that would have involved leaving my laptop and walking across the street. Because I am disgusting, Grubhub, Inc.—the food delivery monster created after former arch enemies Seamless and GrubHub merged in 2013—is going public.
Insiders are not wrong when they insist this tech bubble is nothing like the last one. For one, the corporate war chests of Google, Yahoo, and Facebook—and the need to compete against them—have financed soft landings and acqui-hires for stalled out companies as far as the eye can see. But here's a new twist: not letting a moribund startup die.

domain: news


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August 4, 2008
Tax-Free Weekend Creates a Run on Computers, School Supplies
By Jonathan Cribbs, The Beaufort Gazette, S.C.
Aug. 2--You could not see Best Buy's computers unless you saw Chris Dunston first.He stood next to the "Tax-Free PC Table" laden with stacks of questionnaires and pamphlets Friday morning. He was in charge of a retractable belt barrier limiting the number of people who could look at the computers.
"We'll sell out this weekend," said Dunston, product process manager at the Beaufort store. "Let's just put it that way."
Since midnight Thursday, South Carolina stopped charging its six percent sales tax on clothing, school supplies, computers and dozens of other items. Local taxes, including Beaufort County's 1 percent sales tax for road projects, also aren't being charged through midnight Sunday.
While falling well short of Black Friday madness, shoppers across Beaufort took advantage of the savings, mostly to buy computers, clothing and school supplies. Brandy Hardin, 27, of Laurel Bay took her two children to Wal-Mart. Colored pencils, markers, glue and scissors among other items had been tossed into her cart.
"I hit it every year," she said of the tax holiday. "For a military family on a strict budget, (savings) can be anywhere between $10 or $100 if I have to buy school supplies."
Tonya Mays, 33, of Beaufort, a single mother, was searching Kmart for deals. She said she expects to spend about $200 for school uniforms and between $400 and $500 on everything else, including supplies for her four children.
"It'd be hard if they didn't have the tax-free (holiday) going on," she said. "It's important to me that my kids have what they need to go to school."
Teachers in need of extra school supplies also were taking advantage of the holiday. Marsha White, a first-grade teacher at Ridgeland Elementary School, stocked up on crayons, markers and scissors for her 18 students. She said she expects to spend about $200 on school supplies for which the school district likely will not reimburse her.
"I like having extra things," she said. The savings "is not a whole lot, but it does help."
Brenda O'Connor, a math teacher at A.C. Flora High School in Columbia, took time from a weekend visit to the beach to shop for school supplies. She navigated Wal-Mart with a cart carrying several cases of spiral notebooks. She also would likely not be reimbursed by her district, she said.
"I have no choice," she said.
South Carolina has been holding a sales tax holiday since 2000. Georgia and North Carolina also are having sales tax holidays this weekend.
State Revenue Department spokeswoman Adrienne Fairwell says the state typically loses just under $3 million in sales tax during the weekend.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
To see more of The Beaufort Gazette or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.beaufortgazette.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Beaufort Gazette, S.C.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.


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Fiat spots opportunities for affordable EV
Fiat is working towards an electric supermini priced in line with petrol or diesel models, seeing a role for itself in making the technology more accessible – just as the original 500 made Italians mobile during the 1950s and 60s.
Head of Fiat and Abarth brands for EMEA region, Luca Napolitano, said the newcomer will build on ongoing range development into two product groups; design-led, aspirational models such as the 500, 500L and 500X, and affordable, practical family-movers like the Tipo and Panda, recognising that these are the two growing areas of the market. It’s a similar approach to Citroen and DS, but both will be offered under the Fiat brand.
The aim is to offer electric vehicles under both ‘families’. An all-new electric 500 is due next year, likely to be priced as a premium product just as combustion-engine versions have been, and work is already underway to put supporting services in place ready for launch. However, Napolitano said the company also sees a longer-term opportunity for an accessible electric city car positioned within the other half of its line-up.
Customer clinics with the Centoventi concept – an electric city car with design cues from the 1980s Panda – had been very positive, he said. “What we are trying to do is attack the electric offer from two sides; one from the [low cost side] with Centoventi, because we want an electric car for a normal B-segment price. With the 500 electric, we will cover the aspirational side of the segment.”
However, he stressed, they won’t arrive simultaneously: “Centoventi is a concept, but [the electric] 500 is something that is happening tomorrow.”
Both EVs will play a role in Fiat’s ongoing plans to extend its sales footprint outside Italy, particularly in markets such as the UK which have CO2-based incentives. In the meantime, the wider range is steadily driving growth in fleet, building on the popularity of the 500. Napolitano said the 500X still has opportunities to grow, while the Tipo is helping to build relationships with larger fleets.
“These are the two cars we want to attack the fleet market [with],” he said. ”Tipo is doing well on the private channel. In fleet we are entering the market, it is much more difficult than private for us because we don’t have the car parc – we entered the C-segment in 2016-17 with the sedan, hatch and station wagon.
“We are developing and improving our relationships with [larger fleets], it is a longer way to work and we are working hard on this to allow us to grow slowly and gradually every year in the fleet channel.”


text: This is a keynote session and will be co-presented by Google & Temasek. The Internet economy in SEA reached a new record level in 2019. This growth is being powered by fundamental changes in consumer behavior. The mobile Internet is now an intrinsic part of the lives of Southeast Asians. This can be seen most clearly in the widespread usage of ride-hailing and e-commerce apps. Business opportunities in the tech sector abound. As the access to the mobile Internet grows beyond the metro areas, we see huge opportunities in tapping on consumers in smaller cities. There is also promising potential to expand digital financial services to more people. Despite global headwinds, the funding into the region continued to grow at a healthy pace. Investors indeed have good reason to be excited about the region.


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The Dr Pepper Museum, alongside the Free Enterprise Institute, has announced the creation of the Free Enterprise Hall of Fame.
It will reside on the third floor of the Dr Pepper Museum’s original building, at 300 S 5th St.
The initiative aims to honor leaders in the free enterprise economic system by establishing them as members of a prestigious group, to better merit recognition for their business contributions.
Eligible nominees for induction are individuals who started an enterprise which created jobs, products, services or legacy for the people of Waco and other communities.
The Hall of Fame will also give consideration to nominees that are known advocates of a competitive, free enterprise economy.
Any entrepreneur, living or deceased, is eligible for nomination.
The public is encouraged to submit their nominations through the online form, address listed below, through Wednesday, Feb. 15. A banquet honoring the inductees will be held in October.
You can find the online form here: http://drpeppermuseum.com/free-enterprise-hall-of-fame.aspx
Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.


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There’s a new 10-minute gameplay video showing off content from Blue Protocol. Bandai Namco’s upcoming MMORPG will be heading for release in the West in the second half of 2023, and it looks like more peeks will continue coming. There’s even a way to sign up for updates on beta and eventual release.
As for the newly released gameplay video, it’s a variety of what you might expect from MMO play, like battles, abilities, monsters, and a look at different zone types and even bosses. However, if you’ve paid any attention to Blue Protocol, or even if you haven’t, the visuals will stand out. There’s a familiar anime-inspired style and, at times, fast pace and even some colorful transitions and powers, but the environments shown off range from fields to caves, to indoor areas. Giant creatures slam their arms down. Another boss seals off a circular arena with purple fire. Attacking a giant armored boss with power. These can all be described, but seeing them is another thing entirely.
The video is just all types of gameplay and isn’t too structured, so a boss fight could switch into footage of a party riding mounts on the road, running into a new area, into a city with lit signs, then back to mounts in a field, points of interest, cute creatures, and towns. Aside from this, you get an idea of what Regnas might be like. The 10-minute gameplay video is simply meant to show off the beauty of Blue Protocol, as well as some of what it might look like in action. There is also a quick look at character creation.
Amazon Game Studios will publish Blue Protocol, and they’re already taking signups for updates and closed beta on the new English language site for the game. Of course, with release set for the second half of 2023, it will be a while before there's any real news of a closed beta, but log in with an Amazon account and they'll send you updates along the way. There will be a test for Japanese residents pretty soon.


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Create a free IEA account to download our reports or subcribe to a paid service. In the face of this threat, investments like bitcoin are being consider a store of value. The maximum number of bitcoin that will ever exist is set at 21 million , and there are already about 18.5 million in circulation. A sound alternative to Blockfolio is Delta’s free apps for iOS and Android. Likewise to Blockfolio, Delta has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating on Google Play Store . However, it has a comparatively higher rating than Blockfolio on the App Store, with 4.8 out of 5 stars . One major difference between Blockfolio and Delta is that the latter is also available on desktops. Delta is praised for its aesthetically-pleasing UI and its active development team, who regularly update the apps based on user feedback.
An old article from the Guardian in 2011 regarding Bitcoin:
"The value of Bitcoins has dropped dramatically since June 2011 when they peaked at $33: now they are between $1 and $2."
This chart looks like history repeated itself, but at a MUCH higher price.https://t.co/lyQyOCZsBB pic.twitter.com/zep1EKaoll
— Lynx Art Collection (@LynxCollection) January 11, 2019
Earlier in August,Bitcoinist reported that Bitcoin has been settling more transaction volume than gold ever since Q2 2017. The chart compares the performance of gold in the last 43 years and that of Bitcoin since its inception. It was originally posted by Tweeter user Nunya Bizniz, who described the charts as having an “uncanny” resemblance. Bitcoin is secured using the SHA-256 algorithm, which falls to the SHA-2 family of hashing algorithms, and is also used by its fork Bitcoin Cash , along with several other cryptocurrencies.
buy The Rumor, Sell The News
Dollar cost averaging is one of the most practical approaches to take when buying BTC. This isn’t an approach exclusive to buying bitcoin, nor cryptocurrency in general, however. Dollar cost averaging is a popular investment technique that has been used well before the advent of cryptocurrencies. At the time of this article’s first publication , 17,237,100 bitcoins have already been mined. That being said, Bitcoin leads all other cryptocurrencies in the number of merchants that accept it as a form of payment. This is in part due to its first-mover status, as highlighted above, but also because of its very nature as a digital currency . If you’ve been following Bitcoin price changes with a sharp eye, you would have recognized the substantial impact that regulation laws can have on its price. Regulations impact BTC’s price in a more quantifiable way than many other factors as they either limit or expand citizens’ access to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
Bitcoin was first released as version 0.1 in January 2009, by Satoshi and was published on SourceForge, an online collaboration platform for developers. Anyone could download the source code and run it to join the network. Satoshi continued to write the Bitcoin code until 2010 and then handed it over to the open source community. The smallest unit of a Bitcoin is called a Satoshi after its founder and represents one-hundred-millionth of a Bitcoin. The first Bitcoin was created when Satoshi mined the first block of the chain, known as the genesis block. It’s short history if full of interesting facts and events which must be known by everyone who is dealing with it. Each and every trade of Bitcoin is tracked and publicly disclosed, with each participant’s digital signature attached to the Bitcoin blockchain as a confirmation. In March 2020, Bitcoin fell from around $10,000 to below $4,000, in one of its biggest crashes of all time. The plunge coincided with a rapid worsening of the COVID-19 outbreak, which also saw the stock market tumble soon after. Read more about ETH exchange here. There are custodial services for those who wish to entrust a third party with safeguarding their funds, but otherwise, the user is solely responsible.
Bitcoin In 2011: Up And Up And Then Down
Trades were made Over-the-Counter between users on BitcoinTalk and other forums who saw Bitcoin’s value as a decentralized currency. Investors who have their bitcoin on exchanges or wallets that support the new currency will soon see their holdings double, with one unit in bitcoin cash added for every bitcoin. But that doesn’t mean the value of investors’ holdings will double. To be sure, only a minority of bitcoin miners and bitcoin exchanges have said they will support the new currency.
With reduced confidence and substantial losses, the price of bitcoin dropped the $500 range, before recovering to the $600 to $700 range. As Bitcoin’s price and popularity rose, a small, unregulated industry became increasingly involved in facilitating transactions and trading. Bitcoin’s price was often significantly affected as these markets and exchanges were hacked, closed, or regulated. Some hacked exchanges held substantial Bitcoin supplies, causing significant price shocks and a lack of market confidence.
What Determines The Price Of 1 Bitcoin?
Mt. Gox suspended withdrawals on February 14, 2014, leading to an approximately 20% decrease in Bitcoin’s price to around $680 after trading at $850 for most of the week. Increasing mainstream adoption from large companies can trigger rallies in Bitcoin’s price. Ethereum to Dollar Paypal, Square, Visa, and Mastercard have all shown some support for cryptocurrencies, giving investors confidence. The withdrawal of support can also trigger selloffs, such as Elon Musk’s announcement on May 17, 2021, of Tesla halting Bitcoin payments.
- The on-going U.S. government shutdown has forced the withdrawal of a closely-watched proposal to list a bitcoin exchange-traded fund on the Cboe BZX Exchange.
- A hard fork is a protocol upgrade that is not backward compatible.
- If you would like to know where to buy Bitcoin, the top cryptocurrency exchanges for trading in Bitcoin stock are currently Binance, Mandala Exchange, OKEx, CoinTiger, and Upbit.
- Starting in 2017, when Bitcoin garnered mainstream attention, regulatory developments have had an outsized impact on its price because it extends the cryptocurrency’s reach.
- Although some are spared the warnings, the uncertain regulatory environment holds some prominent loopholes that virtually all Chinese exchanges quickly adopt.
In October 2020, PayPal announced that it would allow its users to buy and sell bitcoin on its platform, although not to deposit or withdraw bitcoins. In September 2014 TeraExchange, LLC, received approval from the U.S.Commodity Futures Trading Commission “CFTC” to begin listing an over-the-counter swap product based on the price of a bitcoin. The CFTC swap product approval marks the first time a U.S. regulatory agency approved a bitcoin financial product. In October 2012, BitPay reported having over 1,000 merchants accepting bitcoin under its payment processing service. In the early days, Nakamoto is estimated to have mined 1 million bitcoins. A soft fork is a change to the Bitcoin protocol wherein only previously valid blocks/transactions are made invalid.
CryptoDataDownload was one of the first to offer free historical cryptocurrency data in an easy to download format all in one place. Many have compared Bitcoin to gold with some even referring to the former as “digital gold.” As it turns out, the historical performance of both assets reveals notable similarities. WazirX is secure wallet that hosts crypto to crypto trade More than 100 different cryptocurrencies available. Binance is secure wallet that hosts crypto to crypto trade More than 100 different cryptocurrencies available.
U S Regulator Demands Trading Data From Bitcoin Exchanges In Manipulation Probe
The investment in Bitcoin will represent 0.04% of the general investment account of nearly $235 billion as of Sept. 30, MassMutual said. Bitcoin reached its previous all time high of ~$20,000 on December 18, 2017. That price rally is attributed mainly to speculation and the ICO craze that was going around at the time. “Bitcoin exchange BitFloor suspends operations after $250,000 theft”. Dotson, Kyt “Third Largest Bitcoin Exchange Bitomat Lost Their Wallet, Over 17,000 Bitcoins Missing”. “Bitcoin, the nationless electronic cash beloved by hackers, bursts into financial mainstream”. In August 2013, the German Finance Ministry characterized bitcoin as a unit of account, usable in multilateral clearing circles and subject to capital gains tax if held less than one year.
Satoshi Cycle is a crypto theory that denotes to the high correlation between the price of Bitcoin and Internet search for Bitcoin. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. Bitcoin reached an all-time high price of $68,521 on Nov. 5, 2021. The value of one bitcoin was effectively worth $0 when it was first introduced in 2009. In the cycle’s structure, speculative bubbles are necessary to provide funding and drive a new technology’s evolution.
Because the blockchain record is immutable and cannot feasibly be hacked or altered, it is essentially impossible to counterfeit Bitcoin. Bitcoin has a strong use case as an alternative to government-backed fiat currency when it comes to making digital payments. E-commerce merchants often accept Bitcoin as well as currencies like the US dollar, and you can use Bitcoin to invest in gold and silver. This can happen if the project fails, a critical software bug is found, or there are newer more innovative digital currencies that would take over its place. If you recall Bitcoin was worth nearly $20,000 in 16th December 2017. But in 17th December 2018, the price of Bitcoin was at its low of about $3,200. Bitcoin is a highly volatile asset class and requires a high risk appetite. It has a circulating supply of 19 Million BTC coins and a total supply of 21 Million.
— SUPERHEX (@superhexwin) June 11, 2021
Bitcoins can be transferred from a bitcoin exchanges to one of many bitcoin wallets, ranging from online options to ‘cold storage’. Bitcoin is a digital currency, which allows transactions to be made without the interference of a central authority. The cryptocurrency system is a peer-to-peer open-source software, meaning computers are part of a mining process for coins. But even for those who don’t discover using their own high-powered computers, anyone can buy and sell bitcoins at the bitcoin price they want, typically through online exchanges like Coinbase or LocalBitcoins. Regulators started to scrutinize China’s initial coin offerings as announced by a local outlet. Caixin reported that a notice, issued by a working committee that oversees risk in the country’s internet finance sector, said new projects raising cash or other virtual currencies through cryptocurrencies are banned.
The policy change prohibits any financial institution to trade, insure, or otherwise offer services related to Bitcoin. Over the following weeks, further restrictions slowly strangle the Chinese cryptocurrency markets, as exchanges repeatedly try to find innovative, lasting ways to stay in operation, and prices around the globe sink dramatically. Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, announces a proposed set of regulations for businesses that interact with Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. The goal of the new regulations, according to Lawsky, are to help “protect consumers and root out illegal activity – without stifling beneficial innovation”. Affected entities would be exchanges, mining pools, bulk Bitcoin sellers, and altcoin software creators based in New York state, or that have customers in New York state. News of these regulations are generally rebuked by the cryptocurrency community. Chinese authorities have ordered Beijing-based cryptocurrency exchanges to cease trading and immediately notify users of their closure, signaling a widening crackdown by authorities on the industry to contain financial risks.
In November 2013, the University of Nicosia announced that it would be accepting bitcoin as payment for tuition fees, with the university’s chief financial officer calling it the “gold of tomorrow”. During November 2013, the China-based bitcoin exchange BTC China overtook the Japan-based Mt. Gox and the Europe-based Bitstamp to become the largest bitcoin trading exchange by trade volume. Conversion rates are based on CoinDesk’s Bitcoin Price Index and the price indexes of other digital assets. World currency prices are based on rates obtained via Open Exchange Rates. Industry developments are the third major influence on Bitcoin’s price. Bitcoin’s unique underpinnings, which span tech and finance, mean that these developments pertain to both industries. Bitcoin halving events, in which the total supply of Bitcoin available in the market declines due to a reduction in miner rewards because of an algorithmic change, have also catalyzed price increases. The price of Bitcoin since the May 2020 halving has seen an increase of nearly 300%. Previous halving events in 2012 and 2016 produced significantly larger price gains of 8,000% and 600% respectively. Among many factors, the halving in the reward given to miners that also doubles the asset’s stock-to-flow ratio seems to have a significant effect on Bitcoin’s price.
Superintendent of New York State Department of Financial Services, Benjamin Lawsky, released a set of customized rules meant to regulate Bitcoin and digital currency businesses that serve customers located in New York state. These regulations are the first ever directly targeted at digital currency businesses. Others in the Bitcoin community accused Hearn of purposely attacking Bitcoin in order to promote his new employer, R3 CEV, a startup focused on using blockchain technology to improve the operations of the global banking industry. The popular gaming platform Steam began accepting Bitcoin as payment for video games and other online media. Valve, the company that owns Steam, enlisted Bitpay as the payment processor to facilitate Bitcoin payments and help target international customers where credit card payments weren’t as ubiquitous. The price of Bitcoin plunged nearly 20% to $480 USD that day before beginning a gradual recovery.


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Whenever New York's Cuban comfort food chain Havana Central tries out a new computer system or application, founder Jeremy Merrin does a test run on the technology in its newest location.
"It costs too much to change everything in the [flagship] location," he tells us, and in the newest establishment, "the staff isn't as familiar with the default system as the ones at the older locations."
Ultimately this saves time and money retraining employees.
"As you grow, it's very expensive to change things, so you test out the new stuff in one store, and decide if you want to expand it to the rest of your locations. We spend a lot of time analyzing this."
But he prefers to introduce new items on the menu — or any changes that don't require a tech team — at the flagship location, so the most experienced staff and loyal customers can offer feedback.
Havana recently changed its Point Of Sale system to a software called "Digital Dining," which Merrin tells us is a "very big deal" for restaurants. The kitchen also recently adopted a new display system that tells the cooks exactly when to start preparing entrees, so that the different items will be finished at the same time without anything sitting in the kitchen for too long. The company tested this out in its newest location.
But whatever changes are being made, it's important to continue updating customers, says Merrin, so that they feel in the loop: "That's how you retain them."
The first Havana Central restaurant opened in Manhattan's Union Square nearly a decade ago, and Merrin knew then that he wanted to create a national brand.
Restaurants in Times Square, Manhattan's uptown and Yonkers, New York eventually followed.
But in the next few years, he wants to expand rapidly, which means two or three new locations every year — focusing on the Northeastern U.S. area for now.
When connecting with customers online, Merrin says not to come off as if you're trying to make a sale.
"You don't want to sell online. You have to mean more to your social media followers than just a promotional agency," he tells us. "You want to to throw out content that isn't sales-related. We'll throw out recipes, interviews we do, discuss summer bar-be-ques we're hosting and feature bands who play at our restaurants."
Merrin hired a social media director to maintain the restaurant's blog, post pictures, interact with customers and announce deals or specials.
The restaurant currently has an email list of more than 30,000 people and heavily uses its Facebook and Twitter accounts.
"It's very important to establish a conversation with your customers, and that's possible with technology now," Merrin says. It's important because "most neighborhood restaurants can't survive solely on walk-in customers. Instead, they need regular clientele."
"There has to be a conversation for people to come back and that's why technology is so important for the restaurant industry these days. They have to feel as if you're directly talking to them."


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What's this, more DDR3 dual-channel memory kits? Yes, but with a twist. The new HyperX bundles Kingston announced earlier this morning are rated for operation at only 1.65V, and they'll start shipping in September.
As you might recall, Intel defines 1.65V as the limit beyond which users may damage the memory controllers inside Core i7 processors. Current Core i7 chips take triple-channel memory, of course, but recent reports suggest Intel is on the brink of releasing its Lynnfield processors, which are based on the same Nehalem architecture yet only support two memory channels.
Put two and two together, and you shouldn't have any trouble guessing why Kingston is announcing these kits now—or what the September time frame implies.
Kingston says it's prepping "a complete line" of 1.65V HyperX DDR3 dual-channel kits, too. You can look forward to a flagship model rated for operation at a whopping 2,133MHz with a CL8 latency setting, plus other offerings with speeds as low as 1,333MHz. Kingston has yet to divulge capacities or prices, though.
|Oculus unveils new VR headset prototype||2|
|Friday night topic: Conspiracy theories||226|
|GeForce 344.11 WHQL drivers support new cards, new games, G-Sync||7|
|The SSD Endurance Experiment: Only two remain after 1.5PB||66|
|Deal of the week: A 23'' IPS monitor for $150, a 200-mm fan for free, and more||24|
|GeForce GTX 970, 980 cards already widely available||31|
|Curved VA panel powers 27'' Samsung monitor||25|


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You Can Now Get Android 14 Beta On OnePlus, Xiaomi, Nothing, And A Host Of Other Devices
Last night, Google gave us many announcements of all the products and services it is currently working on. Shortly after the main keynote ended, the Android 14 Beta 2 started rolling out to all supported Pixel devices. Today, we have a list of all the smartphones that can actually go ahead and look forward to the update.
Over 10 devices from different OEMs can now install the Android 14 beta version with ease
Companies such as Nothing, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and more have announced support for Android 14 beta, while some names like Asus, Nokia, and Samsung are missing. Samsung, we know, is currently internally testing the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 , and it could hit the stable channel by the end of this year.
Here is a list of all the devices that can now go ahead and install Android 14 beta:
Lenovo Tab Extreme
Nothing Phone 1
Oppo Find N2 Flip
Realme GT 2 Pro
Tecno Camon 20
Vivo X90 Pro
Xiaomi 12T, Xiaomi 13, and Xiaomi 13 Pro
You can see that Android 14 is now available on a number of devices. I am surprised that Lenovo has decided to bring the update to a tablet of all devices, but considering how the company is not really indulging in smartphones all that much, it does make sense. As mentioned before, some other prominent names are missing from the list, but that does not mean we won't be seeing updates from them.
For those wondering, Android 14 will not bring many changes as far as the visuals are concerned. However, you can expect a lot of under-the-hood improvements and a lot of features that AI drives. Another thing to note here is that although the visual changes will be limited at best, you will still get some enhancements, including support for more granular theming.
Android 14 should be out for all supported Pixel devices by October, with the rest of the OEMs to follow. As far as Samsung is concerned, we should have the One UI 6.0 update sometime in November and December, and considering Samsung's history, the rollout is going to be swift.
Written by Furqan Shahid


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Apple was already granted a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet by a German court, under the concept of infringement of a registered design. That ruling did not pertain to the Netherlands however, which does not offer the same legal protections over product designs as German law does.
Apple's initial injunction originally applied to all of Europe apart from the Netherlands, but was later limited to Samsung's German subsidiary by the court after it said it was not sure if it had the jurisdiction to apply the ban to a Korean company.
Apple's new, parallel filing in the Netherlands pertains to patent infringement rather than just copying design elements, and goes far beyond the German filing in both scope and intent. While the German ban only applies to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, and only prevents Samsung's German subsidiary from importing new models, it did not prevent existing inventories from being sold.
However, Apple's new filing demands an injunction against sales of essentially all of Samsung's Android-based smartphones, including the Galaxy Ace, Galaxy S and Galaxy SII, as well as the original Galaxy Tab 7 and new 10.1 tablets, according to a report by Computerworld.
It also extends to other related models, such as the Google-branded Nexus S, and the Samsung Gio, Europa, Appolo, and Mini, of which Apple says, "It is expected that these devices are also covered by one or more of the patent rights invoked."
An attack on the channel
Further, rather than just banning new imports, Apple calls for a complete recall of all stocks of affected Samsung devices from European distributors and resellers, and an legal injunction against "manufacturing, stocking, importing, distributing, trading or selling" by Samsung Korea and its Dutch subsidiaries, which include Samsung Logistics BV and Samsung Overseas BV.
Apple also demands that Samsung be compelled to notify all of its channel clients of a recall of all infringing products, and that it offer compensation for retail stock value and the return transportation of the devices. Apple also wants Samsung to warn its resellers that "by storing, offering and/or selling of the above mentioned Galaxy smartphones [and tablets], you commit infringement of the intellectual property rights of Apple."
Canalys analyst Alastair Edwards stated that if the injunction is granted, it could have significant implications for the European market, noting that "this is a very big threat to Samsung, because basically their whole European supply chain will be broken."
While pointing out that Samsung is currently ahead of Apple in sales of smartphones in the the Europe, Middle East and African market, "this could mean it's almost game over for Samsung in Europe."
The Hague court will rule on the injunction September 15, but judge Edger Brinkman has stated that any injunction wouldn't be granted until at least October 13. However, the threat of an injunction and the disruption it might cause resellers as their inventories are returned to Samsung may prevent them from taking new inventory. "Distributors and resellers now have to think hard whether to keep Galaxy products in stock," Edwards stated.
Apple takes up patent protections for iPhone
Apple promised to enforce its patented innovations related to the iPhone when it first appeared, but did not take immediate action against every rival that appeared. Apple spent no efforts pursuing legal action against the Palm Pre for example, which barely made a dent in smartphone sales. However, Samsung is the largest Android licensee and has produced a new line of Galaxy branded mobile devices that are closely pattered after Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Apple's original complaint filed in Germany indicated that the company tried to negotiate with Samsung last fall, but was rebuffed by its component partner and rival. Samsung subsequently began bringing its Galaxy models to market around a number of jurisdictions, complicating Apple's efforts to stop it.
At the same time, Google's announced acquisition of Motorola Mobility has sent Samsung's executives into action to shore up support for Bada, the company's own hedge against Android. Apple's legal action against Samsung applies both to hardware designs (potentially affecting both Android and Bada-based phones) and software elements related to Android.


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Making rubber bands in the U.S. takes a lot of flexibility these days.
Companies in Thailand and China, benefiting from lower labor costs, have grabbed much of the U.S. market for rubber bands. Meanwhile, some of the biggest traditional uses for the product—such as holding together newspapers and bundles of mail for home delivery—are withering away.
More in Unleashing Innovation: Manufacturing
One of the few remaining U.S. makers, Alliance Rubber Co., based in Hot Springs, Ark., has survived by finding new uses for loops of rubber, as well as by investing in more-sophisticated equipment.
Expanding the Portfolio
The family-owned company, which employs about 150 people, now is headed by one of the founder's daughters, Bonnie Swayze, 60 years old. She says sales exceed $35 million a year—higher than ever and up from $26 million a decade ago—and are growing about 5% annually.
Today, the bulk of Alliance's products are spinoffs from the original rubber-band concept, including bands used for stretching exercises, holding together bunches of produce or flowers, organizing electrical cables or strapping down bundles of almost anything. Alliance's Slip-On Grips are designed for helping people twist off bottle caps or hold tools more firmly.
Alliance also sells wristbands, including some infused with fragrances that it says relieve stress. Wristbands also can be imprinted with images, brand names or slogans. The company's Eraselets are wristbands that can be used as erasers.
As You Like It
Employees can earn a $1,000 bonus by suggesting an idea that turns into a product for Alliance. Despite those efforts, "we've actually been scooped a couple of times," says Jason Risner, strategic marketing manager. One was the fad for the type of wristbands made popular by cyclist Lance Armstrong a decade ago to raise funds for cancer research. The second was the craze among schoolchildren five years ago for Silly Bandz—wristbands that come in a wide variety of colors and shapes.
But Alliance leapt into the current boom in colorful interwoven bracelets made from rubber bands. The company is supplying bands for a bracelet-making product called the Wonder Loom.
In recent years, Alliance has invested in automated equipment to mix the rubbery, dough-like material that is flattened and then sliced into rubber bands. It also has bought digital-imaging equipment so it can make more customized products, including ones with color photos.
"We're the Starbucks of the industry," Ms. Swayze says. "You don't like that color? You don't like that size? Give us about five minutes and we'll come up with something that suits your purpose."
Mr. Hagerty is a Wall Street Journal news editor in Pittsburgh. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Sungevity has partnered with PlugShare, the #1 ranked EV charging station locator app in the App Store, to help you power your electric car with sunshine.
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) today announced it has selected Sungevity as its official solar energy partner for the next decade. This partnership underscores the university’s commitment to sustainability and to a brighter future for all.
Elan's mom Natalie entered on a whim with a photo of Elan wearing his new organic shirt from zulily (“He was so excited to look like Daddy!”), so was floored when she heard the news that her 5-year-old had been selected...
In a new nationwide survey of U.S. parents commissioned by Sungevity, 81% of parents plan to live in a solar-powered home and the majority (67%) want solar to be the world’s primary energy source when their children grow up.
Meet Sungevity's new educational vehicles that are hitting the road to spread solar facts and fun across the USA.
Sungevity And Sonnenbatterie Announce Partnership To Offer Home Energy Storage To Customers In The U.S. And Europe
Sungevity just announced a new partnership with Sonnenbatterie, Europe’s leading smart energy storage provider. Through the partnership, Sungevity will offer Sonnenbatterie smart energy storage systems to its network of customers in the U.S. and Europe, starting in the second half of...


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Ernst and Young says QuadrigaCX “inadvertently” transferred 103 bitcoins valued at $468,675 to so-called cold wallets, which the company is now unable to access.
“The monitor is working with management to retrieve this cryptocurrency from the various cold wallets, if possible,” the report says. “The monitor has made arrangements to transfer the remaining cryptocurrency into a cold wallet which will be retained by the monitor.”
About 115,000 QuadrigaCX customers are owed about $70 million in cash and $190 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The Vancouver-based exchange was shut down Jan. 28, more than a month after its CEO and sole director — Nova Scotia resident Gerald Cotten — died while travelling in India, leaving his company without access to much of its cryptocurrency.
His widow, Jennifer Robertson, has said in court documents that Cotten was the only person with access to his laptop, which is thought to contain the digital keys to the cold wallets.
Cold wallets are offline storage devices protected by encryption technology. Cryptocurrency exchanges typically use them to store the bulk of their digital assets, which puts them beyond the reach of online hackers.
Hot wallets are online sites that store smaller amounts of cryptocurrencies, making them readily available for trading — a practice akin to using a currency float in a cash register.
The latest twist in the QuadrigaCX case is sure to feed rampant online speculation about the company’s dealings. Court documents have pointed to persistent rumours about Cotten’s death and threats aimed at his widow, who lived with Cotten just outside of Halifax.


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Listen to the article
2021 Mercedes GLA launched in India at Rs 42.10 lakh. It goes up to Rs 57.3 lakh for the performance-focused AMG GLA 35 4Matic. These prices are set to increase by Rs 1.5 lakh from July 1, 2021. The car was supposed to be launching earlier this year, however, the launch had to be delayed due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the launch got delayed.
The pricing table has been mentioned below, for a better overview-
|GLA 200 Progressive Line||Rs 42.10 lakh|
|GLA 220d Progressive Line||Rs 43.70 lakh|
|GLA 220d 4Matic AMG Line||Rs 46.70 lakh|
|AMG GLA 35 4Matic||Rs 57.30 lakh|
The 2021 Mercedes GLA gets new outside styling and has smoother and more streaming lines than the more older model. It anyway is a piece visually bigger as the new GLA is 104mm taller and has a 30mm longer wheelbase than the past age. This has brought about more inside space, particularly at the back – something the past model needed.
As for features, it gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen MBUX infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support as well as the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice prompt, a wireless charger, powered front seats with memory, 64 colour ambient lighting and more.
The powertrain now is accessible with both petrol and diesel motor choices. First, the petrol motor is a 1.3-litre, four-chamber turbocharged unit creating 163hp and 250Nm. It comes matched to a 7-speed double grasp programmed gearbox and is just offered in the front-wheel-drive format. Whereas, the diesel unit offered with the new GLA is a 2.0-litre, four-chamber turbocharged motor that creates 190hp and 400Nm. It accompanies an 8-speed double grasp programmed gearbox and can be had in both FWD design or Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive format. Mercedes is also offering the new GLA with an 8-year warranty on engine and transmission.
Well with that said, do let us know your opinions on this post-2021 Mercedes GLA launched in India at Rs 42.10 lakh by dropping a comment down below.


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Who needs a paper trail in the digital age? It's certainly a question in health care, an industry synonymous with paperwork and manila folders. It's estimated that 95 percent of U.S. physician practices still store years' worth of patient records that way.
There's a huge market waiting for entrepreneurs who can help medical professionals convert paper to pixels while complying with HIPAA regulations. "It's a red-hot area," says Monte Regier, 40, president of Infomedx Inc., a 22-employee Seattle start-up that helps hospitals and physician practices store medical records electronically. "The patient chart is the most valuable thing a doctor has," he explains. It's also expensive: The health-care industry spends $1.2 billion annually on file storage alone.
|COMPANY: Infomedx Inc.|
PRESIDENT: Monte Regier, 40
NICHE: Helps hospitals and physician practices store medical records electronically
2001 SALES: $1.5 million
Infomedx's service, iRetrieve, lets doctors create electronic patient charts that are stored on a protected server. Doctors can use computers to retrieve, send and share digital or scanned images of patient documents. The product is also HIPAA-compliant, and Infomedx maintains the system so doctors don't have to worry about software updates. They might also save some money. Physicians' offices can pay $8 to $15 for delivery of a file stored off-site, while Infomedx will scan them for $6 to $7, Regier says.
To date, Infomedx has signed 35 practices in three states and one large Seattle hospital. Sales were $1.5 million last year, and the company hopes to grow 300 percent over the next few years. Regier's future plans include offering digital diagnostic chart services as well as a special e-mail package for physicians--an important step, because doctors are prohibited from using everyday e-mail to transmit patient information.
"There's a huge market waiting for entrepreneurs who can help medical professionals convert paper to pixels."
If you've got a health-care technology idea, be aware doctors can be a hard sell. "Doctors haven't embraced technology because it hasn't solved their problems," Regier says.
Sales within the medical community also tend to occur through word-of-mouth, which can make the time to profitability longer. Infomedx took in $2.5 million in investments before it made its first sale.
Understand the industry, know how your product or service will help potential clients, and start small, suggests Regier. "There are offices everywhere that are willing to try [new] things," he says. "Build your first customer. He'll bring you the next three."


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Apple will swap faulty batteries in some of its smartphones, it has emerged.
iPhone 6s handsets have been found to "unexpectedly shut down," the US tech firm confirmed.
Apple is asking any owners of the device who have encountered the issue to visit an Apple Store or one of the company's official service providers to have their battery examined.
The company also confirmed replacements will be provided for free if found to be eligible.
Apple said in a statement the fault was not a safety issue and only affected a "very small number" of iPhone handsets.
"Apple has determined that a very small number of iPhone 6s devices may unexpectedly shut down. This is not a safety issue and only affects devices within a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015, " the company said in a statement.
The company added: "If you have experienced this issue, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider and have your device's serial number checked to confirm eligibility for a battery replacement, free of charge."
Apple warned users that any iPhone handsets found to be eligible would need to have any cracked screens repaired before the firm could go ahead with the battery replacement.
The announcement comes just weeks after Samsung was forced to recall and then discontinue their Note7 smartphone after multiple incidents of devices catching fire and exploding.
The issue that was initially linked to battery manufacturing, but the Korean firm is still investigating to determine the cause.
The iPhone 6s was launched in September 2015 and was the first iPhone to feature a pressure sensitive screen, known as 3D Touch.
The battery replacement comes just days after Apple announced a similar scheme to fix a fault in their iPhone 6 Plus that causes the screen to become less responsive over time - an issue known as "touch disease".
However that fix comes with a service price of £146.


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“To establish a significant Chinese brand, you have to discover its roots and culture.” Chai Xing Tong, the founder of CHAI’S, said. He noticed that what lack in current Chinese society are cultural inheritance and innovation, not the existing materialism. Chai has spent a lot of time discovering what’s necessary for a brand to withstand the test of time, and he found the answer within the traditional art of Chinese ethnic minority groups He established a design brand aiming to deliver humanistic values and to connect traditional craft with mainstream society, opening more opportunities for last-established artefacts.
As textile art is facing a decline in the mountain areas of Guizhou, CHAI’S established a platform that enables such artistic skills to carry on its legacy.
In the past few years, Chai has witnessed the rise and fall of many commercial brands. Many of them failed due to putting too much attention in expansion without focusing on establishing brand values. Therefore, Chai decided to start a long-lasting brand that delivers a strong emphasis on skills and craftsmanship.
There are more than fifty minority ethnic groups in Guizhou. The unique folk arts and crafts there has attracted designers from around the world. Among them was Japanese designer Issey Miyake, who got inspired by Miao people's daily wear pleated skirts when he visited Guizhou in the 1970s, and created his world-famous pleating fashion collections.
After several research trips, Chai found that many tribes remain poor even though they have exceptional craftsmanship in textile art. However, there are the elderly over eighty years old who still weave every day, feeling happy and content to engage in such cultural legacy. Textile art is an important cultural asset for them, and the value is passed down from generation to generation. The weaving process is an embodiment of perseverance. They hope that young people will continue to carry on such craftsmanship, but a complex skill like this is facing a generation gap because of the lack of commercial value.
Their story has touched the CHAI'S team. Therefore, they built a high-quality brand of textile art by establishing a base in Guizhou and production factories Guangzhou. They want to teach the locals about design mindsets. The ultimate goal is to build a bridge between traditional and modern values through fabric design. If their initiatives can reflect commercial value, it means that more young people are willing to invest in their time to inherit the industry. Moreover, they think that the brand should not do any harm to the environment and preserve the surroundings for future generations. Every inch of the fabric is handmade and not mass-produced, and CHAI’S chooses natural dyes to reduce environmental damage.
CHAI'S adds modern design into traditional craftsmanship to present cultural significance in products such as handmade bags, furniture, and clothing to the public, and strives for opportunities of a global exposure. Recently, CHAI'S has strengthened cooperation with different organisations and educational institutions, opened exhibitions and participated in the completion of the library of folk art design. CHAI'S hopes to establish a traditional handicraft base and foundation that can further promote traditional arts and culture.
In the process of traditional craft innovation, it is necessary to put emphasis on the concept of cultural inheritance. Business development is merely a small part of the process. What is more important is to reflect the value of the brand. Chai sees that traditional textile art is gradually recognised by the public. Through the cooperation of local government and women’s organisation in Guizhou, traditional textile craftsmanship is gaining more support among the locals. Young people begin to dedicate more time and turn the page for the textile art industry. Chai said: "Chinese design industry needs more time to explore its originality, but every step taken is an important attempt.”
Over the past five years, CHAI'S has collected and developed over two hundred textile designs that form an extensive archive, and they are inviting designers and artists around the world to collaborate and further explore the possibilities of these delicate and beautiful fabric. If you are interested in this project, please contact us for more information.
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Tomorrow, Saturday, August 13, the Bardstown Road Farmers Market in the parking lot of the Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church at 1722 Bardstown Rd., will celebrate its 25th anniversary. To help celebrate that occasion, the market will hold a Grand Watermelon Tasting Challenge, among other celebratory events.
Long-time Bardstown Road market farmer/purveyor Charles Hambley of Hambley Farms, who claims he grows the best watermelon in town, has issued a challenge to all farmers in Louisville. Any farmer is invited to enter a watermelon into a tasting contest, to be judged by a celebrity panel and by popular vote. There will also be a watermelon spitting contest for all kids.
Among the other notable events Saturday will be a press conference announcing the distribution of grant money from Community Farm Alliance to four farmers markets in Louisville. This money goes into the Double Dollars program, which the markets will use to double the purchases of SNAP recipients. For instance, if someone uses a SNAP card to make a $5 purchase, this fund will match that $5, giving a total of $10 to spend on fresh produce. The participating markets are Bardstown Road, Phoenix Hill, Gray Street, and the new South Points Farmers Market. The press conference is set for 10 a.m.
There will also be music, kids’ face painting, and all kids will receive a $5 voucher to spend on fresh produce of their choosing.


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A Filipino shipping agent has been fined and sentenced to home detention after customs found more than 225,000 un-taxed cigarettes in a container she arranged to have imported.
Lita Lee Christiansen, 66, has also gone by the names Lita Lee Zaragoza, Lita Lee, Lita Jao Lee, and has used the name "Alicia" to avoid debtors, customs says.
She faced charges of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, using forged documents, possession of unauthorised goods, making a false or misleading statement, disposing of risk goods, defrauding customs of revenue, making erroneous or defective import entries, and disposing of customs goods.
Christiansen admitted to all of the offending and supplied investigators with considerable evidence when her home was raided in September 2017.
She was sentenced to 12 months' home detention in the Auckland District Court, was ordered to pay MPI and customs $250 each at $10 per week, and was banned from undertaking any work for a period of 18 months - especially import work - when she appeared for sentencing in November.
Dozens of people told Fair Go in 2016 that they were ripped off by Christiansen after they paid her to import or export items. Many said their items never arrived, or that they attracted unexpected fees during shipping.
Customs has confirmed she never held a broker licence, and instead "utilised the unsuspecting customs brokers by providing false information to them."
Court documents obtained by 1 NEWS detail a "premeditated and sophisticated" scheme run by Christiansen between 2013 and 2017, where she used the identities of un-knowing Kiwi Filipinos to avoid customs fees and MPI inspections - while also unwittingly allowing high-risk and un-taxed items into the country.
Christiansen operated an unregistered business - 'L&L International' - where she took money from New Zealand Filipino residents to arrange the import of 'Alisbayan' boxes from the Philippines, and also exported items.
'Alisbayan' boxes are crates sent from the Philippines to Filipinos who have moved to another country.
She arranged her clients through informal Filipino community message boards and Facebook groups, and charged clients between $150 and $280 for each box they imported.
The Crown estimated she received about $296,670 from customers for importing 1586 boxes between 2013 and 2017.
In May 2017, customs officials inspected a shipping container in Christchurch which was arranged to be brought into the country by Christiansen under another Kiwi Filipino's name.
The person whose name was on the container later told customs they had no idea their details were being used in this way, and that they had never signed any of the related documents or declarations themselves. The documents had been forged by Christiansen.
The container was declared as being filled with "unaccompanied personal baggage" items belonging to a single person - clothing, household items and other personal effects - but inspectors found boxes inside addressed to multiple people.
The boxes containing cigarettes were addressed to two Filipino shops in New Zealand - the Filipino Dairy Store in Ashburton, and the Filipino Mart in Addington, Christchurch - and never reached their destination.
Christiansen was using the identities of recently-arrived Kiwi Filipinos to exploit a Customs and Excise Act clause which waives fees for new residents who import personal possessions. Christiansen made a profit in this way.
Two crates containing 225,180 cigarettes were found inside the container - 11,259 packets - as well as undeclared animal products like pork crackling, with an unpaid duty and GST value of $201,900.
Christiansen arranged for the importation of 16 containers under various Kiwi Filipinos' names between 2013 and 2017, but only one of those containers was ever intercepted. Customs believed it was likely the other containers also had restricted or un-taxed items inside.
Christiansen admitted during interviews that she had no idea what was actually inside the boxes, and charges were brought against her by both customs and the Ministry of Primary Industries in 2017.<>
In sentencing on November 30 last year, Judge P A Cunningham described the offending as "premeditated and sophisticated in nature" and added that "there was a blatant disregard for the risk that any or some of these items may have presented in terms of the New Zealand economy".
The judge said given health issues and the fact she wasn't working, Christiansen was unlikely to reoffend.
Christiansen threatened TVNZ with court action if her sentencing was reported.
Customs Investigations Manager Bruce Berry warned people to only arrange shipping through commercial customs broker services.
"This was a premediated and deliberate act of non-compliance over an extended period of time, which has impacted on a number of innocent parties," Mr Berry said.
"Ms Lee showed no regard for the individuals and was motivated by greed."
Mr Berry said there are a number of export consignments handled by Ms Lee which are still being held by freight forwarding companies - some several years old.
"Customs would encourage those individuals whose goods were handled by Ms Lee but who have not received notice their goods have been shipped to contact us by email on email@example.com or call 09 9285410 and leave a message ... an investigator will then contact you."
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS


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Marc Jacobs, the man as well as the company, is living in a post-Louis Vuitton world. It’s a pre-IPO world, if all goes according to plan for Jacobs and his business partner, Robert Duffy.
The first means to that end is revamping Marc by Marc Jacobs, the revenue engine of the brand. According to Duffy, Marc by Marc Jacobs accounts for 70 percent of the entire business, which stood at $750 million in net sales last year and is on track to hit the billion-dollar mark “soon,” said Duffy.
“In the big picture of this new Marc Jacobs company, Marc by Marc Jacobs probably plays the biggest role,” said Duffy earlier this week. “It’s the most profitable part of our business. The sky’s the limit. We’re really going to pull out all the stops for Marc by Marc Jacobs, which we haven’t in the past.” By Duffy’s own admission, he and Jacobs had “dropped the ball” when it came to the contemporary line, losing market share to the stiff competition in a category they once owned. When Marc by Marc launched in 2000, there was no Rag & Bone, Alexander Wang, etc. A new showroom has now been designed. There are plans for new packaging, new advertising, new store concepts, including an uptown flagship in New York City, and potentially a new name for the collection. With the exception of the showroom, all of the above can be filed under “in discussion.”
In the meantime: the clothes. The real suggestion of a concrete business strategy — the company has traditionally operated on an instinctual basis — came in May with the hires of Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley to the roles of Marc by Marc Jacobs creative director and design director, respectively. Their mission is to reestablish the line as a real fashion collection, reflective of the original attitude that drew a tribe of loyal followers. Their vision will go public Tuesday at the women’s-only runway show.
“We decided who we wanted the girl to be again based on her a long time ago versus now,” said Hillier during a preview. “It’s not her then, it’s her now.” Hillier, who has overseen handbags and accessories for Marc by Marc for more than 10 years, is focused on strengthening its commercial offering. She noted that a lot of the washed twill and canvas pieces that were a core product a decade ago are back. She also pointed out the range of Breton-stripe shirts and Ts with graphics done by Palace Skateboards artist Fergus Purcell. Believe it or not, T-shirts are a new addition to the line. “When you think about the way Marc designs stuff, it’s always the most perfect shape of something,” said Hillier. “It’s like, ‘Well, it’s just a T-shirt,’ but we didn’t have any classic, perfect T-shirts. We put a lot of energy into the basic stuff in the beginning.”
Hillier is also in charge of bridging the runway and the store, where lately there’s a been a disconnect. She brought on Bartley to define the collection’s editorial point of view, which this season has to do with ninjas, samurais and BMX biker chicks. Many of the looks are styled with big obi belts, colorful sneakers with thick gridlike soles, and all manner of new bags, watches and jewelry for “festooning,” as Hillier said. “I started with Power Rangers,” said Bartley. “That was a bit silly, but I wanted to get across this youthful but strong attitude. It’s important to get her across as a girl with character and independence from other girls.”
As for Jacobs’ involvement, he met with Hillier and Bartley in London, where they’re both based, for ideas and approval. Longtime collaborator Venetia Scott is still styling the collection, so there’s consistency there. But the new Marc by Marc does appear to be a sovereign entity within the new republic of Marc. “The collection needs to stand on its own,” said Bartley. “It’s special because it’s [Marc Jacobs] but we can also make it stand out in its own right.”
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
Not only does #TheProfit return to CNBC tonight, but @marcuslemonis has launched @shopmarcus, a new shopping and lifestyle retail experience in Aspen and Chicago, with more locations to come. The retail stores offer in-store stylists and a variety of contemporary womenswear selections.
“It’s life, I’m going to face it,” @mingxi11 sighed. “I fell, but you know, I think the most important thing is that I get back up. I had the love, the help from my sister — the girl next to me Gizele [Oliveira] — she’s so nice. When I went backstage everybody was trying to comfort me like ‘Oh Ming, it’s OK.’ I’m really, really touched. I think it’s them who gave me the courage to go back on stage for the finale,” Xi told WWD of her fall at the @victoriassecret fashion show. (📷: David Fisher) #wwdfashion #vsfashionshow #victoriassecret
@louisvuitton tapped @therealpeterlindbergh for its latest city-centric photo book, which is part of a series called Fashion Eye. The primarily black and white book captures the spirit of Berlin in 57 images shot between 1989 and 2019. “Berlin is an inspiration for me, more than a city. I mean @millajovovich is simply Berlin!” said Lindbergh. #wwdfashion
“You know, I think audiences expect a certain performance so I have to deliver to them what they’re expecting to a certain degree. But I’m also a different actor and a different person, I have my own spin on the character,” says @noahegalvin of his takeover of the leading role in “Dear Evan Hansen” following the departure of @bensplatt, who originated the role. Read WWD’s interview with the 23-year-old actor on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
For pre-fall 2018, @etro created richly-colored wonderland, using tapestries, textiles and wallpapers from the Eastern world at large. The line featured floral and graphic prints and jacquard motifs, like this two-piece look featured here. #wwdfashion (📷: Giovanna Pavesi)
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)


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News and Articles About Customer Service
When traveling on business, you can sometimes turn an inconvenience into valuable business insights. Here are four from a recent lousy trip.
Not convinced your business should provide customer service via social media? Turns out, social media users spend more when they receive great service.
Customers always have questions, and often they are very bizarre. Here are tips on how to make sure you address them effectively.
Some well-known retailers are not responding adequately to customer-service complaints online. Your business should not do the same.
Here are three tips for how you can prepare for a sudden surge in sales.
Tello notifies business owners when customer service reviews are posted.
As smartphone usage increases, bricks-and-mortar retailers could see their revenue drop. Here's how to stay ahead of the curve.
When customer service goes wrong, I am irate. Here's how to keep angry customers like me from storming out of your real or virtual store, never to return.
A look at the most helpful advice for entrepreneurs from the celebrated billionaire.
MyCyberTwin offers businesses a chatty bot to keep customers company.
How do the big companies stay on top? Take a look at some of the new customer-service ideas Amazon, USPS and Starbucks have in store.
This online platform lets consumers more easily connect with nearby small businesses.
Entrepreneurs share their best strategies for turning existing clients into the most loyal ones.
Here is a collection of next year's top trends for marketing, retailing, service businesses, mobile, social media and more.
Seven ways to build relationships with prospects that lead to more sales.
Jim Sinegal, the CEO of the third-largest U.S. retailer is retiring next year. Here are five key lessons entrepreneurs can take away from his legacy.
When a deal is going sour, try these savvy strategies to turn it around.
Finbarr O'Neill, who led Hyundai through its U.S. turnaround, discusses the car maker's strategic comeback. He's now president of J.D. Power and Associates and he spoke with Bryan Elliot for 'Behind the Brand.'
Looking for more and better input on your products or services? Consider these ideas -- and skip those annoying pop-up surveys.
Where is the line between being responsive to customers' needs, and simply letting customers call the shots?
'Cake Boss' Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bakery shows why his business is a success. No matter how weird the request, his customers are always right.
From star-studded boutique hotels to a small business near you, using social media as a customer service tool is a no-brainer.
Customers were downright irate when Netflix announced it would separate its DVD and streaming offerings. Here are some lessons to take away from that business bungle.
Two-thirds of American consumers have walked out of a store due to bad customer service. Here's how you can prevent pushing customers away.
How three immigrant entrepreneurs found U.S. success in launching Zendesk.
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Avon is preparing to launch a virtual try-on online (VTO) shopping experience in nine of its initial markets, including the United Kingdom, through a collaboration with artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) beauty and fashion technology provider Perfect Corp.
The new feature will allow Avon customers to try on around 400 makeup products, from lips, eyes and face categories, through their mobile camera or desktop webcam, with in-person Avon reps on hand to advise customers using the tech.
“This type of beauty technology isn’t widely available in the mass beauty market. Until now, it has only been prestige brands offering this type of brand experience” Alex Long, head of omnichannel global marketing at Avon said in an official press release.
“We’re really excited about the potential of this technology to help Avon by enhancing the shopping experience. Whether shopping online or through a beauty advisor, customers can get a truly personalised experience and be confident in their purchase.”
“At Avon we have millions of customers around the world and are constantly re-evaluating the ways we can best serve them and drive confidence in their product choices.
“We are proud of being an early adopter of beauty technology and understand the important role it has for the modern beauty shopper.”


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Vivo India committed “heinous” economic offence, says ED to Delhi High Court
Vivo India has been accused of committing heinous economic offence with the money laundering case. Here are all the details.
It seems that troubles for Vivo India are not going to end anytime soon! The case between the Enforcement Directorate and Vivo have been going related to a money laundering issue. As part of the latest update on the scene, the Enforcement Directorate has told the Delhi High Court that the investigation it carried out against Vivo India was strictly in accordance with the provisions of PMLA. Additionally, the ED also says that the offence relates to a money laundering case, which is a heinous economic offence.
The ED says in an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court says the “commercial engagements of the petitioner and its reputation and goodwill are not a relevant consideration during the investigation into the offence of money laundering by the respondent.” Additionally, it also says that Vivo India employees along with some Chinese nationals did not cooperate with the search proceedings. The ED says it also "had tried to abscond, remove and hide digital devices which were retrieved by the search teams".
ED not happy with Vivo India conduct
Prior to this, the ED had frozen all bank accounts of the company in India after conducting its investigation a few weeks ago. However, Vivo India had appealed to the court to let the company access its bank accounts in order to make payments to all its stakeholders.
Vivo is, however, not the only one in troubled waters over issues related to tax evasion. Xiaomi and Huawei have also been accused of conducting similar habits, wherein they managed to evade their taxes.
These cases are coming up at a time when the Indian market is gearing up for the upcoming festive season in the country. Vivo's sub-brand iQOO is preparing to launch the iQOO 9T in India as the flagship model for India and at the same time, the company has been silently adding new models to its affordable Y series range. The iQOO 9T will debut the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset in India.
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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FIFA 18 World Cup
EA Sports have confirmed that FIFA 18 gamers will be able to download an add-on to play the World Cup mode on May 29.
Previous tournaments have seen the release of standalone games, but fans will be delighted to know they can access the new features for FREE.
An official statement read: "The 2018 FIFA World Cup update will deliver a complete and official tournament experience through official including authentic teams, stadiums, kits, badges, official match ball and the official winner’s trophy."
Players will be able to conquer the world with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or attempt to win it all with the underdogs of Panama.
Online friendlies, online tournament and custom tournament game modes will be available, while FIFA Ultimate Team will feature new chemistry specifications.
Take a look through the gallery to reveal the first stunning pictures of FIFA 18 World Cup mode.


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China cosmetics market set to out-grow US
staggering growth in the market for cosmetic and toiletries
products that could see it become the world's biggest by 2009,
spelling yet more opportunities for Western players.
The market is estimated to have grown by 17 per cent in 2005, to reach $2.2bn by the end of 2006, growth that is predicted to be sustained over the next two years, according to a new report from TNS. The market research company estimates that, if economic growth is sustained, the market for cosmetics should witness growth of between 15 - 20 per cent from this year until 2009. Furthermore, if the market experiences the top-end growth predictions, this kind should see it eclipse the US as the world's largest market for cosmetic and toiletry products. Top end growth would mean that by 2008 the market would be valued at $3.8bn, eclipsing the relatively stagnant US market, which was valued at $3.6bn at the end of 2006. TNS's latest report on the China market indicates that a number of reasons are responsible for the strong growth, including an increasing fixation on anti-aging products, last year's relaxation of direct sales laws - allowing big US names like Avon and Mary Kay to expand, and consumers' trading up to more expensive products. In testimony to consumers plumping for more expensive products, the research company's data shows that the average price increase for makeup in 2006 was 15.7 per cent compared to 2005. Likewise, TNS estimates that the spend on makeup brought from direct sales channels rose by 92 per cent in 2006, whereas sales of skin care products rose by 82 per cent in the same period. Likewise, prices for facial cleanser and skin moisturizer rose by 9.7 per cent and 8.4 per cent respectively. "We don't know for sure when China's cosmetics market will eclipse the US, but it will happen sooner than we think - the year 2009 is likely," said Jason Yu, account director for TNS Worldpanel, based in Shanghai. "Growth in 2006 over 2005 in the US cosmetics market was flat. If that continues in the next three years, China is likely to overtake the US. Even if we see growth of 2 per cent in the US for the next three years, China will still be vying with the US market in 2009 and would probably take the lead the year after." What has been feeding the spending rush has been a sustained GDP well into double figures over the past three years, providing jobs and incomes that many Chinese nationals could only have dreamed of just a few years ago. As the population discovers its spending power, consumers are introducing themselves to vanities and luxuries that until now have been both impossible to get hold of, not to mention being far too expensive. "This is an exciting market for cosmetics brands from the US and Europe with the promise of growth followed by yet more growth in the next few years," Yu added. "China clearly stands out from its neighbors in this respect, with average spend per household at the end of 2006 in urban areas of just $26, far lower than the $191 level seen in Korea and $176 in Taiwan. The average spend on cosmetics per trip in China - at just US$7 - compared to US$31 in Korea and US$26 in Taiwan further underlines the opportunity for overseas brands to sell more products." Whichever piece of data we look at, we see the same promise of room to grow in China's cosmetics sector."


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For Volkswagen dealers, successfully navigating the last five years has required different strategies, a recognition of their place in the industry and a belief in each other.
Early on, Volkswagen dealers were lining up to sue the manufacturer for what it had done, and some did. Factory-dealer relations were frustratingly poor, exacerbated by years of feeling ignored or dictated to by Germany, and franchise values were at rock bottom.
"We used to be lower than whale shit, or whatever the lowest thing on Earth is," Luciano said. But the crisis changed Volkswagen, convinced the company to listen to its U.S. dealers and invested those dealers in their shared survival.
One reason relations improved was economic: Volkswagen subsidized its dealer network heavily during the buyback period to keep its franchises alive. It also was able to resell many of the turbodiesels that its dealers had repurchased after repairs.
With its diesel customers, Volkswagen offered generous premiums during the buyback period — often 130 or 140 percent of the vehicle's value. It didn't convince most to stay — the majority of consumers didn't purchase another Volkswagen with the proceeds — but the offers did lay the groundwork for their potential return to the brand, Luciano said.
"When this first hit the news, a lot of people thought their car was going to be worth $1," he said. "Once we bought the first few cars back, and those deals were so strong, it eased customers' minds. It was a smart play. It was the right play."
Some dealers, such as Church, found success in reselling the fixed turbodiesels that once were parked in lots across the country, such as the one in Baltimore. It required a "pivot" in her store's strategy, she said, to focus on remarketing the TDIs, but it was made easier because Volkswagen again opened its checkbook, offering unlimited-mile warranties and generous financing terms.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen of America concentrated on changing its culture.
"We are a much better company now, by far," Luciano said. "What was created and where we are is a product of our surroundings, of the TDI crisis and our history. The transparency, the concern for each other, trying to be a much better company, like Toyota or Honda — it all changed."


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Thursday, 29 September 2016
The Jungle Book. Beauty and the Beast. Disney is on a streak of remakes of its own classic animations, and it's not planning on slowing down.
The company has just announced that it will be making a new "reimagining" of The Lion King, set to be directed by The Jungle Book's Jon Favreau. Yes, really.
Disney has not specified whether it will be animated, though following The Jungle Book's CGI, it wouldn't be surprising if this new take on the Lion King story followed similar lines.
And yes, the movie ... Read more
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2017 Nissan Titan Diesel Cummins
2017 Nissan Titan is the new truck product by Nissan that has the great performance and appearance. The company will launch this new truck product with some touches and improvements. Some touches and improvements will be gotten in power train, redesign concept, and the new platform. The best competitor in automotive industry will be presented by 2017 Titan.
2017 Nissan Titan Design
Now, we talk about thing that can captivate of people to possess this new Nissan Titan series. For the exterior side, this car will get minor refreshment in bumper, headlights, fender, and grille. While for the interior side, the 2017 Nissan Titan will have classic design and standard features. The refreshment will be gotten in the entertainment systems, safety systems, and cabin inside. The features inside are a small bump with automatic climate control, satellite navigation and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
2017 Nissan Titan Engine
In connection with the high performance, it can be definite that the engine performance of this car has the high quality. Nevertheless, there is no decision definitely about the specification of the engine under the hood. Based on the rumor, the 2017 Nissan Titan will get the similar power train with the previous series. It has 5.0 liter Cummins diesel engine V8. This engine can produce 300 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque, but the manufacturer estimate that this new truck can generate more than 50 lb-ft of torque. The other rumor said that the new Nissan Titan would get V6 engine. The weakness of this new truck series is the fuel economy. This car is still far from the fuel efficiency because the Nissan Titan has 15 mpg.
2017 Nissan Titan Release Date and Price
2017 Nissan Titan will be the best unique car a challenge for the competitors in the global auto market. Unfortunately, there are no some information by the company about the release date and price of this car definitely. According to the rumors, the new Nissan Titan series will be launched in the market around at the first quarter of 2016. While the price tag of this car probably will start from $46.000. Meanwhile, the other people hope that the new Nissan Titan has similar price with the current series as well $29.000 to $32.000. For the car lovers have to be patient for waiting for the next information in the next year.


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Challenges ahead, but three major deployments have consortium feeling it is in right place at right time with right ideas
We’ve had the PC, and the smartphone, and then the tablet. Now we are entering a new era, that of the wearable. And Microsoft’s sudden and rather dramatic entrance into the market with the Band is set to be a game changer.
Microsoft, Google and Apple are all looking to aggregate your health data, launch wearables and crunch your information in the cloud. How much does being an enterprise class cloud provider matter?
Worldwide tablet shipments have grown by 11.5 percent in the third quarter of 2014, which signals growth, but at a much slower pace when compared to the tablet industry's heyday.
Keyboard makers are busy updating their products to fit the iPad Air 2. Here are some keyboards tested extensively with the iPad Air that should be good options for iPad Air 2 owners.
The Internet of Things will complicate security, redefine privacy, and require new laws. Both business and government must rise to the challenge -- and they need to get started right now.
Systems integration giant Accenture said it is stepping up its efforts around Workday to accelerate deployments.
Planning to sell or give away your old iPhone or iPad? Then you'll need to wipe your data off it securely. Here's how to do it without losing any data.
If you're in the US and were hoping to get your hands on a Nexus 6, you're out of luck.
It might be time for a pivot to save the troubled venture...
Hewlett-Packard isn't the only software giant planting the seeds for a 3D printing ecosystem this week.
A new global CIO study from Deloitte sheds light on why CIOs and IT have a tough time. The data offers lessons on how to fix the problem.
The next phase of the government's £150m investment in free wi-fi is rolling out, with the scheme on track to be completed "as soon as March 2015".
The inclusion of the Motorola brand and devices has propelled Lenovo to being one of the largest smartphone makers worldwide.
Our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Policy describes the steps your employees must take when connecting personal devices to the organization's systems and networks. The purpose of the BYOD Policy is...
The next Project Ara prototype gives developers more space to work with when creating blocks for Google's modular phone.
The 'Highly Critical' vulnerability revealed two weeks ago was widely exploited just hours after it was announced. But there's no evidence yet of actual, widespread attacks.
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Can't find what you want or have a tip? Tell us about it and we will endeavour to cover this topic. Drop us a line


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The dip added to significant short-term losses for the former Wall Street darling, which is now down about 20% since the start of the year.
Shares were pressured last month by a few investment-bank downgrades, including one from an analyst at Piper Jaffray, who cut his price target on the stock from $260 to $210 per share. The cosmetics industry is likely to see slowing growth and increased competition, the analyst predicted.
There's no evidence of these trends hurting Ulta's results yet. In fact, the retailer's latest numbers included soaring e-commerce sales, rising customer traffic, and increased spending per customer. Following that report, CEO Mary Dillon and her team raised their full-year outlook for the second time this year.
Ulta is set to post its third-quarter results in late November, with comparable-store sales predicted to rise by between 9% and 11% on top of a 17% spike in the prior-year period. If the retailer continues meeting, or exceeding, its aggressive targets, investors are bound to once again turn optimistic about this quickly growing business.


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Late last week, Sezmi, a low-cost, multichannel service that promised to “challenge the status quo in home entertainment and bring a new level of innovation to the television viewing experience at the most affordable price,” turned off its “Select Plus” tier of service of 23 cable networks delivered via leased broadcast digital spectrum in the Los Angeles market. At $20 a month, Select Plus tier was shut down on Dec. 28 due to an apparent lack of consumer adoption.
Going forward, Sezmi said it would focus on its “Select” service, which includes local broadcast signals and access to online video via a “personalized” interface and DVR for just $4.95 per month. Sezmi said it plans to enhance the Select service “through new features and a partnership.”
The company is now offering the Select service in 36 U.S. markets. Subscribers must first buy a special set-top DVR with user interface software and a TV antenna. Best Buy is selling the unit for $149. As a private company, Sezmi has never announced how many subscribers it has.
Despite the change in strategy, the company said it will “stay true to our vision of delivering a compelling alternative to traditional cable and satellite services.”
To provide the Select service, Sezmi has leased digital spectrum from several stations in Los Angeles. KDOC-TV — in an FCC filing — said it received more than $900,000 from Sezmi in the one-year period ending Nov. 30, 2010.
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Dixons Carphone plans to cut 800 jobs as part of an overhaul of its store management structure
and live on Freeview channel 276
The company, which sells mobile phones, tablets and white household goods, said that it had started consultations with the affected employees.
It has 24,000 employees in the UK.
Also: Hays Travel owners 'devastated' as they are forced to axe almost 900 jobsThe parent company of Currys PC World said the changes would see it remove assistant manager, team leader and retail manager roles, while introducing new sales manager, customer experience manager and operational excellence manager positions in stores.
The company has already started to consult with the affected staff.
The news comes just months after it permanently shut down all 531 of its standalone Carphone Warehouse stores, which saw almost 3,000 people made redundant.
Also: More than 1,000 jobs at risk as Pizza Express looks to close 67 restaurantsDixons Carphone chief operating officer Mark Allsop said: "We remain committed to our stores as part of an omnichannel future, where we offer the best of online and stores to our customers,” Dixons Carphone chief operating officer Mark Allsop said.
“This proposal will ensure in-store roles are focused on giving a seamless customer experience and exceptional service across all our customer channels, whether online or in-store.
“Sadly, this proposal means we have now entered into consultation with some of our store colleagues.
“This was not an easy decision and we’ll do everything possible to look after those colleagues we can’t find new roles for, financially and otherwise."


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ATLANTA – Hair enthusiasts from across the country have descended on Atlanta for the mid-winter Bronner Bros. International Hair Show.
The show, infamous for its colorful display of wacky and outlandish hairstyles, is expected to attract at least 30,000 visitors by the end of the four-day convention, which ends on Tuesday February 19th.
For those in the business, the event at the Georgia World Congress Center is the place to be for new developments in Afro hair products and styling techniques.
Attendees are able to participate in over 100 classes and seminars and around 300 exhibitors showcase their products and services.
Now in its 66th year, the biannual convention has established itself as the largest beauty and trade show of its kind in the world.
Follow Kunbi Tinuoye on Twitter at @Kunbiti
All photos provided by Jerome Dorn.


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PICTURED: Inside Bray’s new automatic staff-less hotel which is the first of its kind in Ireland
This is the new ‘automatic 18-bedroom hotel with no staff which has opened on Bray’s Main Street.
As exclusively revealed by WicklowNow.ie in December, the hotel is called Firefly and is part of the group behind The Martello, The Harbour and Platform Pizza.
According to its website, Firefly is “the first automatic hotel accommodation of its kind in Ireland, Firefly is the no-delay place to stay to make the most of even the shortest getaway break.
“Without staff on site, this innovative secure self-check-in ensures efficiency, with no waiting in queues to collect or drop off keys.”
Firefly is also cashless hotel with payment for services taken from a credit or debit card 48 hours before check-in then 24 hours before arrival, a virtual key is sent the person’s smartphone which allows them to gain entry to the building.


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» BIZ BEAT: Fuyao workers’ class action suit is settled
“Minor jobs we can usually limp by on and get people driveable and keep them to where they’re safe to drive on the road until we can get the remainder of the parts in at a later date,” he said. “The non-driveables are the ones that are a problem.”
On Sept. 15, about 46,000 UAW members went on strike against GM nationwide. Talks have continued, but any evident progress has been slow.
So far, the strike has cost GM at least $1.13 billion in profits, according to a new report by Anderson Economic Group, based in East Lansing, Mich.
“It’s a very significant impact,” said Brian Peterson, director of public policy and economic analysis for Anderson.
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Peterson said Monday that workers for both GM and suppliers have also lost wages. In total, Anderson estimates GM and supplier workers have lost $624 million in wages nationwide.
“I think that’s a major concern, and a large consideration in these negotiations,” Peterson said.
It’s more than a simple lack of production of parts, Trimbach said. Even auto parts warehouses are running out of components and are unable to obtain new parts.
“The dealers, their parts departments, they’re scrambling, trying to fill orders the best they can,” Trimbach said. “If we have a crisis part that we’re in dire need of, they’re trying to run them on what we call ‘locators’ around the country, to see if we can have them shipped in.”
Several Dayton-area dealers declined to comment for this story. One dealer explained that acknowledging a shortage of crucial parts could impact customer foot traffic.
Scott Hennigan, who co-owns Maine’s Collision Repair & Body Shop, said parts for GM associated vehicles have become hard to find. He said most area dealerships that are affiliated with GM, that provide parts to his shop, are running out of inventory.
The shortage in parts have caused businesses like Hennigan’s unable to repair cars that require GM parts. Though he is able to take on other clients in the meantime, he estimated that half the cars that come to his shop in a given week are GM brands.
“We have had insurance companies that had to total out due to a lack of parts,” Hennigan said. “Most customers are waiting for parts to become available.”
The strike has had wide ripple effects. Moraine truck engine producer DMAX — which makes diesel engines for GM heavy-duty trucks — has about 550 workers on temporary layoff due to the strike, which has halted production at more than 50 GM plants in 10 states. Navistar in Springfield has been affected, as well.
• Local Gordman’s stores looking for seasonal workers
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Dealers and those who rely on an inventory of GM parts have been down this road before. After a 1998 strike by two metal stamping plants in Flint, Mich., GM lost more than $3 billion.
“That was the last major GM strike,” Peterson said.
That 1998 strike inspired GM to adjust its supply chain so that it was less reliant on UAW-represented parts plants. The automaker spun off its parts-making arm, Delphi, to corporate independence in 1999, and in 2005, Delphi collapsed into a painful four-year bankruptcy saga.
Today, GM is a more global company that relies on a more independent and varied network of parts suppliers.
But any strike that involves nearly 50,000 workers, as this one does, is bound to have a strong impact on parts availability.
Leaders of GM likely suspected this strike was a possibility, and the company tried to build a “healthy” inventory of vehicles in preparation, Peterson said.
“But, you know, after five weeks, there are obviously declining inventories,” he added.
Any tentative agreement reached in bargaining will have to be presented to UAW members for a vote. The soonest Peterson sees the strike ending would be Oct. 21, he said Monday.
By the numbers
46K: UAW members on strike
$1.13B: GM profits loss since strike
$624M: Lost wages by GM workers