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Renowned political analysts Charlie Cook and Stuart Rothenberg will be keynote speakers at the upcoming ABA Government Relations Summit, March 14-16 in Washington, D.C.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) fell one point to 61 in December, marking the second consecutive monthly decline in the index after a 10-year high in October. All three index components posted losses for the month. Current sales conditions fell one point to 66, while the indices for buyer
The Consumer Price Index was unchanged in November, but increased 0.4 percent over the last 12 months, before seasonal adjustment. This is the largest 12-month increase since the 12-month period ending December 2014. The energy index fell 1.3 percent after increasing by 0.3 percent in October. Prices for gasoline fell by 2.4 percent on the month
There were $448.1 billion of retail and food service sales in November (after adjustment for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes), a monthly increase of 0.2 percent according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Retail sales increased 1.4 percent from November 2014. Core retail sales – excluding automobile and parts
Producer prices increased 0.3 percent in November, seasonally adjusted, after decreasing 0.4 percent in October according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. November’s increase was attributable to an increase in prices for final demand services. Prices for final demand goods fell 0.1 percent, the fifth consecutive month of decreases. Over 90 percent of the
Household net worth fell $1.2 trillion during the third quarter of 2015 to $85.2 trillion, a 1.4 percent decrease from the previous quarter but a 2.9 percent increase from a year ago. Household holdings of nonfinancial assets increased during the third quarter, growing 1.8 percent. The majority of this increase came from real estate holdings,
Credit risk for both retail and commercial loan products has increased over the past three years as and is expected to continue rising in 2016, according to the OCC’s annual Survey of Credit Underwriting Practices.
Following three months of no-significant change, the NFIB Small Business Optimism fell 1.3 points to 94.8 in November. Only one of the ten index components posted a gain on the month, while six components posted losses. Labor market conditions remained consistent during the month of November, as 55 percent of business owners reported hiring or
Consumer credit increased in October at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.5 percent, rising to $3.51 trillion. Revolving credit rose at an annual rate of 0.2 percent to $924 billion, and non-revolving credit increased at an annual rate of 7.4 percent to $2.59 trillion. Total outstanding consumer credit increased $16.0 billion, down from last
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Business Index fell to 55.9 in November, 3.2 points below October’s reading. Despite the drop, November marked the 76th consecutive month of growth, as indicated by readings over 50. Twelve non-manufacturing industries reported growth in November, while 6 reported contraction. The Business Activity Index fell 4.8 points to 58.2, yet still registered


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Everything old is new again — especially in retail.
Toys "R" Us marked its triumphant return to the US on Wednesday by opening its first new store at a location in Paramus, New Jersey.
This year, Black Friday is more than just the starting gun for the all-important holiday shopping season (or the day you elbow your neighbor out of the way to score a TV). For retail's struggling players, shopping's mega-day is crucial.
Two of Disney's most successful movie franchises are about to hit theaters again, and toymaker Hasbro needs people to buy as many related toys, figurines and games as they can to gain lost ground this holiday season.
Toys "R" Us is returning to select malls in major metropolitan areas this holiday season with what it hopes is an innovative retail plan that could upend how stores sell toys.
Target is bringing Toys
Toys "R" Us stores are coming back this year.
Retailers like Toys
The new owners of Toys "R" Us want to bring the brand back to the United States. But they can't say when it will happen.
Toys R Us fans in the U.S. will see the iconic brand re-emerge in some form by this holiday season.
You may have never heard of Ollie's Bargain Outlet. But this eccentric discount chain wants to open hundreds of new stores across the country.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are still shopping bonanzas for retailers.
The holiday shopping season got off to a hot start as consumers flooded into stores and logged onto e-commerce sites in search of deals.
Target, Walmart, Amazon, and a spate of big retailers are pouncing on the first holiday shopping season in decades without Toys 'R' Us.
Two of the former owners of Toys "R" Us have agreed to pay $20 million to help laid-off employees.

domain: news


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Vietnam Stocks: Vietcombank, Saigon Fuel, Telecom Industry
Shares of the following companies had unusual moves in Vietnam trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are as of the 11 a.m. local-time close.
The VN Index, the benchmark measure of the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, was little changed at 409.39.
Joint-Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB VN), the country’s biggest listed bank by market value, lost 2.1 percent to 27,400 dong. Vietcombank, as the Hanoi-based lender is known, reported unconsolidated after-tax profit, which doesn’t take into account income from its units, fell 8.3 percent to 947.9 billion dong ($46 million) in the second quarter, according to a statement on its website.
Saigon Fuel Joint-Stock Co. (SFC VN), which sells gasoline and other petroleum products, climbed 4.9 percent to 23,500 dong, the biggest gain since June 30. The Ho Chi Minh City-based company reported its second-quarter profit jumped 85 percent to 7.99 billion dong, according to an exchange statement.
Telecommunications Industry Electronics Joint-Stock Co. (TIE VN), which produces and distributes process components and products for information technology and telecommunication industries, dropped 4.4 percent to 8,700 dong, the steepest loss since June 15. The company’s second-quarter profit dropped 91 percent to 778 million dong, it said in an exchange filing.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Darren Boey at firstname.lastname@example.org


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UK developer Introversion has reiterated that it plans to chart a path to consoles sometime in the near future.
"I think you'll be seeing some console titles coming out from Introversion over the next twelve months or so," director Mark Morris told Next-gen.biz.
Morris was echoing comments made to Eurogamer last year, when spokesperson Vicky Arundel admitted that the company was in talks with Microsoft and Sony about various options.
Since then the company's games, including Darwinia, Uplink and Defcon, have found greater exposure thanks to digital distribution systems including Steam and MSN.co.uk, but there's still no official confirmation of console offerings.
The small UK independent is known to be working on a game called Subversion at the moment though, feeding the occasional detail into its blog. So keep an eye out.


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“While we’ve seen dummy units and mockups dozens of times at this point, however, we’ve yet to see a real iPhone 7 that’s actually powered on… until now,” Zach Epstein reports for BGR.
“These dummy units are assembled either from actual iPhone 7 parts stolen from Apple’s manufacturing partners like Foxconn, or they’re buil[t] in other factories using actual iPhone 7 schematics (which were also stolen from Apple’s manufacturing partners). While the devices pictured in these cases aren’t real iPhone 7 units, they are most likely near-perfect replicas of the iPhone 7 Apple plans to launch in September,” Epstein reports. “Of course, there’s nothing quite like the real thing.”
“And now, photos of what may be an actual iPhone 7 with the power turned on have been published for the first time,” Epstein reports. “The images in question appear to show a rose gold iPhone 7. They were originally posted to Weibo and then republished by anonymous Twitter user The Malignant.”
— The Malignant (@the_malignant) July 20, 2016
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Very likely close to the real deal. Let’s see the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7 Pro, please!


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Jordan Brand plans to end Carmelo Anthony's signature shoe line after 13 models, according to a report from ESPN's Nick DePaula.
DePaula reports that industry sources say Jordan plans to make last year's Melo M13 the final shoe in the line and that the former SU superstar will wear several different Jordan Brand sneakers this season.
From the jump.January 2, 2017
According to DePaula, Anthony denied the line was ending after the Thunder's preseason game Tuesday.
"I don't read into false news," Anthony said.
The company also told SBNation that no decisions have been made.
DePaula reports that this ends the fifth-longest signature shoe line in NBA history with only Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Allen Iverson having longer runs.
Anthony will also reportedly continue to have a large role with the brand after signing a new long-term deal in January.
Jordan Brand reiterated Anthony's role with the company in a statement to Bleacher Report Tuesday night:
"Melo is a long-time and respected member of the Jordan family. As is the case with all Jordan family athletes, we work together with Melo on a footwear plan each year, and no decisions have been finalized about future models. Any decision made will be a collaborative one between Melo and Jordan Brand."
SBNation speculates that one reason Jordan could be moving away from Anthony is that its three biggest stars -- Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler -- don't have signature deals of their own.
Earlier this year, Westbrook reportedly signed the largest deal in Jordan Brand history when he signed a 10-year extension.
Westbrook had previously signed a five-year deal with Jordan in 2013.


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HP poaches former Nokia MeeGo chief for its Windows tablet division
0. phoneArena 20 Aug 2012, 05:30 posted on
Hewlett-Packard has been weeble-wobbling its way into mobile first with Palm and webOS, which just recently got restructured into the Gram division, and now it’s…
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
1. maethorechannen (Posts: 1; Member since: 20 Aug 2012)
"Hewlett-Packard has been weeble-wobbling its way into mobile first with Palm and webOS"
That's flat out wrong. HP had a range of mobile devices since at least the late 90s, with both their own Jornada range of devices and Compaq's iPaq range after they bought Compaq. They even had what passed for smartphones at the time.


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Retailer Sport Chalet announced today that it has amended its credit agreement, adding more than 20 percent and an additional 10-million dollars to its line. The company also said it is expecting a fourth quarter loss in the range of $10.4 million to $11.0 million, or 73 cents to 76 cents per diluted share, compared to a loss of $2.8 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, in the prior year’s fourth quarter.
Here’s the release:
Amendment of Credit Facility
Under the terms of the amended credit agreement, the company’s availability increases by up to an additional $10.0 million until Oct. 1, 2010. The amendment effectively increases the revolver limit by more than 20% to $55.0 million from Jan. 1 of each year until Aug. 31 and also allows for seasonal advances up to $75.0 million from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.
Craig Levra, Chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet, stated, “We are very pleased to have successfully amended and expanded our credit facility with Bank of America, particularly given the current market conditions… We are gratified by the support of all of our stakeholders, including our vendors and landlords, and we consider this expanded facility to be a strong indication of our lenders’ confidence in our improved performance and the long-term opportunities for the business.”
John Mostofi, Bank of America Business Capital West Division Executive, stated, “We are pleased to see that the initiatives that Sport Chalet’s management team has undertaken to improve the business are beginning to demonstrate results. This financing should give the Company the liquidity to continue to execute its business strategy. We hope to continue to play a key role in our client’s future capital markets needs.”
Fiscal 2009 Business Update
Sport Chalet also provided a business update for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 29, 2009.
Craig Levra, Chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet, stated, “As expected, our fiscal 2009 financial results reflect the difficult macro environment that began in the Western markets in which we operate. However, we anticipated challenges earlier in the year and swiftly took a number of actions to protect our business. We implemented a significant expense reduction plan which continues to gain traction. Additionally, through our team’s strong execution and our enhanced systems, we were able to manage our aged inventory and maintain fresh inventory levels throughout our stores. We started fiscal 2009 with our new SAP system in place and we began to realize the benefits of this system as the year progressed.”
The company currently expects to report fourth quarter net sales of approximately $84.5 million compared to $96.8 million in the same period of the prior year. Comparable store sales for the fourth quarter declined approximately 18% from the same period a year ago. Sport Chalet anticipates a fourth quarter loss in the range of $10.4 million to $11.0 million, or 73 cents to 76 cents per diluted share, compared to a loss of $2.8 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, in the prior year’s fourth quarter.
For fiscal 2009, the company expects to report net sales of approximately $372.5 million compared to $402.5 million in the prior year. Comparable sales for the full year declined approximately 13% from fiscal 2008. Sport Chalet anticipates a fiscal 2009 loss in the range of $51.5 million to $52.1 million, or $3.58 to $3.61 per diluted share. Excluding a non-cash impairment charge and tax provision recorded in the third quarter, Sport Chalet anticipates a fiscal 2009 loss in the range of $34.7 million to $35.4 million, or $2.41 to $2.45 per diluted share. This compares to a net loss of $2.1 million, or 15 cents per diluted share, in the prior year, which excludes a non-cash impairment charge recorded in the third quarter of fiscal 2008.
To date in fiscal 2010, the company’s sales trends have improved compared to those in the last half of fiscal 2009. Sport Chalet’s sales and operating margin are exceeding its plan established with its lenders.
Craig Levra, Chairman and CEO of Sport Chalet, continued, “While our fiscal 2009 results reflect the challenging environment in which we continue to operate, we have made substantial progress in improving our business. We continue to prudently manage every aspect of our operations and we are seeing results from our efforts to reduce costs and operate more efficiently. We are very pleased to have the strong support of our lenders, which is demonstrated by our expanded credit facility. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with our vendors and landlords as we navigate through the current environment and work to position Sport Chalet for when the economy improves. We have been encouraged by our most recent performance during the month of April as sales trends have improved versus what we experienced in fiscal 2009. We are confident that the steps we are taking today will enable us to generate improved results.”


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Prices of new license plates in Shanghai hit a new record high in May as demand for private cars in the city has been growing despite local government controls on vehicle registration.
In the monthly auction ending at noon on Saturday, the average bid for a plate was 64,367 yuan ($10,000), about 2,700 yuan higher than the April average, according to official data. The previous record was 9380 USD set in March.
The lowest individual bid was 64,000 yuan, 3,000 yuan higher than last month’s equivalent.
Auction records had been broken more than 10 times since the beginning of 2011. The average plate price has increased by more than 2,000 yuan every month since the beginning of this year.
In an effort to curb the rising prices, the government released 9,300 new license plates in May, also a record high and 800 more than in April.
However, the increase in the number of plates released has not matched rising demand for cars.
A total of 24,230 individuals registered in the auction this month, and only 38.3 percent got a license plate.
China is now the world’s largest auto market and many of its big cities are struggling with recurring gridlock and other traffic-related problems.
Shanghai is the only Chinese city to use an auction to control plate supply. Beijing has imposed a cap on the number of plates issued each month and introduced a lottery system to distribute them among aspirant buyers.


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Millionaire investors in TV series Dragons’ Den have a penchant for backing food and drink businesses, according to new research.
UK sales of organic red meat are on a high, boosted by a belief that it is healthier than conventionally produced meat, according to the Soil Association.
Researchers have investigated the mechanisms of action behind carbs and weight gain, pointing to hormone levels that regulate fat.
Post-Brexit raw material costs, portion control and re-sealable bags are key concerns in the current confectionery market climate, according to Scottish private label confectioner Aldomak.
The nutritional quality of a mother’s diet during pregnancy has a huge say in determining offspring attributes, such as weight and even susceptibility to chronic conditions, a UK study has speculated.
Koninklijke Zeelandia Groep is selling its bakery machinery division to Everbake as it focuses its business on ingredients supply.
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The French government’s planned palm oil tax was withdrawn in the National Assembly in June as part of the revision of the biodiversity bill. The removal of the tax led to protests from Greens, but was supported by the palm oil sector. In my opinion removing the tax was the right thing to do.


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Burton had only been CEO since February 2007 and served as acting CEO since February 2006. She has been on the company's board since 2003. Just as her replacement Neal Goldberg, Burton had an extensive retailing background. At the time she had been appointed as permanent CEO, Richard C. Marcus who was the Chairman of the Board said,
"Betsy has done a superb job running the Company since February. Under her leadership, we are moving forward with a customer-centric strategy that leverages our fundamental strengths to regain market share, improve profitability and create value for shareholders. Betsy is an experienced executive with an outstanding record of leadership and a deep knowledge of Zale. Along with the strong management team we have put in place in recent months, Zale now has the right leadership to realize our long-term growth potential."Burton went on to shift the focus of the firm back to its more original retail strategy. According to the Dallas Morning News, Burton while interim CEO was quoted saying,
...the company believes the plan adopted by Leonard and former Zale CEO Mary Forte, who quit January 30, to market to higher-income customers and try to get product direct from foreign suppliers had not worked, and the company would go back to targeting average-income Americans.Since Marcus's announcement on the appointment of Burton, a new Chairman, John B. Lowe Jr., has taken over and numerous management changes have occurred and yet, the company has continued to under-perform. In today's announcement, the new Chairman, John B. Lowe Jr., said Goldberg,
"has a unique combination of retail experience, leadership and team-building skills, and talent to move the company forward, building on the progress that has already been achieved."Different Chairman same sentiments as when Burton was appointed. While Goldberg appears to have the right background and experience, he is coming from another retailer that recently has been under the gun (check the blog). The real question for me is what do the activist shareholders, who hold over 18% of the stock, plan to do? Zale has been floundering for a long time despite continuing efforts to turn itself around.
Stay tuned and make sure to watch both Goldberg and the outside activist investors (Breeden, Citadel and SAC).
For more see:
Dallas Morning News
Diamond Intelligence Briefs
Gerson Lehrman Group
Streetinsider.com 13D Tracker


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Target cuts first-quarter profit forecast; weather and Canadian operations take a bite
Target Corp. said first-quarter profit will be less than it previously expected as cold weather hampered sales of spring merchandise.
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Target Corp. has joined what analysts say is a growing list of North American retailers blaming poor weather for a drop in earnings in the first quarter of 2013.
The Minneapolis-based Target, which opened 24 stores in Ontario in March, issued a release on Tuesday telling investors to expect reduced earnings in the first quarter of 2013, due to poor sales, particularly in seasonal and weather-sensitive categories.
The company now expects its first-quarter 2013 comparable-store sales growth will be approximately flat, according to the release.
As a result, adjusted EPS in the quarter (Feb. 3-May 4) will be less than the low end of its forecasted range of $1.10 to $1.20 a share (all figures U.S.). For fiscal 2013, Target continues to expect adjusted EPS consistent with the previous guidance of $4.85 to $5.05.
Bloomberg Industries senior retail analyst Poonam Goyal said the Target guidance is not a big surprise, given the cold weather.
“You probably will see other retailers blame weather for a shortfall in earnings,” she said.
As previously reported, Canadian operations are expected to dilute Target first quarter GAAP EPS by about 23 cents, and by 45 cents for the fiscal year, which runs Feb. 3 to Feb. 1, 2014.
The losses will be offset by other items, including net accounting gains of about 29 cents for the year from the sale of Target’s entire consumer credit card receivables portfolio to TD Bank Group.
“Target’s warning is just another example amongst many who have guided first-quarter earnings lower, and I would expect to see more,” said Ken Perkins, president of researcher Retail Metrics, based in Swampscott, Massachusetts.
Retailers in Canada and the U.S. are facing increased competition as they seek out new markets for their products and consumers burdened by debt in an uncertain economic climate.
While the weather often serves as an excuse for disappointing sales, retailers have a legitimate claim this year as temperatures have been colder than usual following an abnormally warm spring last year, Perkins said.
“It has been tough for Target to get off to a good start because it has been so cold in the Midwest and Northeast,” Perkins said.
Last week, HBC blamed poor sales at Lord and Taylor stores in the U.S. on store closures due to Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Family Dollar Stores Inc. cut its profit forecast for this year earlier this month, saying cold temperatures and shoppers holding back on purchases had hurt results.
With files from Bloomberg.
- NEW War correspondents report from the battlefields, 100 years later
- Police to subpoena Mayor Rob Ford in Sandro Lisi’s extortion case
- Updated 27 Palestinians killed, Israeli soldier feared abducted; ceasefire unravels
- NEW All you need to know to begin Friday: news, weather, events
- Poll puts John Tory in first place in mayoral race
- Fake teacher worked at five TDSB schools, police say
- Peter MacKay's Mother’s Day and Father’s Day messages sent staff scrambling
- Impaired driving charge laid in crash that shut down QEW
Entrepreneur James Sbrolla, who filed the winning bid in a court-ordered auction, doesn’t yet have a plan for what to do with the floating restaurant, which must be moved from its slip by Aug. 22.


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Amidst the past week’s breach reports, The New York Times reports on the increase in demand for cyberinsurance policies—up 21 percent from 2012 to 2013. Breaches like the recent one that hit eBay “have become a reality of the business world,” the report states. However, “companies say it is difficult to get as much coverage as they need, leaving them vulnerable to uncertain losses,” the report states, citing the struggle to quantify losses from “intangible” damages such as loss of brand reputation or sales and for underwriters to find “data they need to figure out how likely it is that an attack will occur, or what it will cost … because most breaches go unnoticed or are never publicly reported.” Meanwhile, Reuters reports cybersecurity experts believe “companies are unlikely to be able to stop their systems being breached. The best defense may simply be either to reduce the data they hold or encrypt it so well that if stolen it will remain useless.” And Business Insurance reports when a major breach occurs, businesses “should be prepared for directors and officers liability-related litigation that is certain to follow.” (Registration may be required to access this report.)
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Solix Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of Enterprise Data Management (EDM) solutions, has announced the Solix Big Data Suite, a next-generation Enterprise Archiving and Enterprise Data Lake application platform for Apache Hadoop.
Collibra, named a leader in the recent Forrester Wave on Data Governance Tools, announced its award-winning platform has been further optimized with the launch of advanced platform version 4.3.
Eighty percent of consumers have privacy concerns with wearable Internet of Things (IoT) connected technologies, according to the 2014 State of the Internet of Things Study. But half of those same consumers said they would be willing to share personal data collected by such devices with third-party retailers when presented with compensation such as a coupon or discount.
Seattle-based start-up Algorithmia is a new marketplace for algorithms. Developers can turn algorithms into scalable web services with a single click. Companies and application developers can integrate algorithms into their own applications with under 10 lines of code by accessing the Algorithmia universal API.
With today’s big data industry, it’s all about consumers doling out their personal data and companies gladly scooping them up to push them through advanced machine learning algorithms in an attempt to understand every last nuance about you – whether you like it or not. With today’s beta launch of the new Private.me search engine, the playing field has changed.
Intel’s White Paper, “Architecting a High-Performance Storage System,” shows you the step-by-step process in the design of a Lustre file system. It is available for download at insideBIGDATA White Paper Library. “Although a good system is well-balanced, designing it is not straight forward. Fitting components together and making the adjustments needed for peak performance is challenging. The process begins with a requirement analysis followed by a design structure (a common structure was selected for the paper) and component choices.”


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National FFA week kicks off next Monday for many area students, and program advisors aim to honor the event by engaging in unique activities.
Belfield students involved in Future Farmers of America will have something fun to do every school day next week.
Thirteen-year-old Kjersten Stegner, a member of the New England FFA, kneels near a pen and evaluates a group of market hogs on Saturday during the Roughrider Judging Contest held at the Dickinson State University indoor arena.
View your ad here! Cost effective targeted advertising. Contextual advertising starting as low as $79/month. This includes targeted ad delivery and search results! Add your business to the Marketplace »


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The Great American Beer Festival 2021 winners…Read More.
Many other businesses are opening up for their business season, especially beer companies who are celebrating American Craft Beer Week, which runs from May 10-16. The Brewer’s Association of America is urging beer lovers to shop local this year, and there are three great local spots to support who are offering American Craft Beer Week …
Throughout the past year, restaurant commerce platform GoTab has helped hospitality businesses of all types and sizes pivot and transform their operations. GoTab’s technology has proven particularly effective for breweries across the US. Beyond boosting sales, GoTab brewery operators are delivering the hospitality their guests crave while also managing current labor shortages…..Read More.


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A couple years old but still a vaulable read on the state of our food system:
Identifying the cause of an outbreak is much simpler than trying to stop one. Once officials have traced the contamination to a food producer, the responsibility to curb the problem falls to the U.S.D.A.’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, or F.S.I.S. In the summer of 2013, as the outbreak spread, F.S.I.S. officials shared the C.D.C.’s conclusion that Foster Farms meat was behind the outbreak, but they had no power to force a recall of the tainted chicken. Federal law permits a certain level of salmonella contamination in raw meat. But when federal limits are breached, and officials believe that a recall is necessary, their only option is to ask the producer to remove the product voluntarily. Even then, officials may only request a recall when they have proof that the meat is already making customers sick.


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Last month, the Indian smartphone manufacturer launched Micromax Evok Power and Evok Note. Now the company launched Micromax Canvas 2 2017 for the Indian users at Rs. 11999.
The device Micromax Canvas 2 2017 with a shiny polycarbonate back cover comes with 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 3GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, which can be further expanded up to 64GB via microSD card slot. It is powered by 1.3GHz Quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit Processor with Mali T720 MP1 GPU and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat). It has Dual- SIM functionality. It has a fingerprint sensor on the front.
It has a rear camera of 13MP with LED Flash and a front-facing camera of 5MP.
Connectivity wise, it features 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and supports 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio. It is powered by 3050mAh battery.
The device Micromax Canvas 2 2017 will be available in Black color at Rs. 11,999. The users can get the device through offline stores, and also will get free 1GB 4G data per day and unlimited calling to any network in India for one year for Airtel users and 1 Year of screen replacement.
Go ahead with us for more information.


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adidas Originals has released a plethora of editions of the Stan Smith sneaker this year, including a perforated version and a metallic silver edition designed by Raf Simons. But the brand has just announced a brand new pack of Stan Smiths to commemorate the 2016 Roland Garros Tennis Open. The sneaker giant teamed with French textile […]
Street Style is an ongoing series shot by Highsnobiety. See more here. Name: Mairo Nawaz Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Occupation: Patta Soundsystem DJ Brands: The Hundreds, Patta, G-STAR, adidas x Raf Simons Photography: Lukas Korschan Keep up with the discussion through #HSstreetstyle.
On October 22, 2015, Raf Simons announced that he would be parting ways with Christian Dior, the Parisian house he helmed for three and a half years. “It is a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive […]
Restructuring at Calvin Klein has led to the departure of Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli as the label’s womenswear and menswear creative directors, respectively. According to Calvin Klein CEO Steve Shiffman, their exit is part of...Show More Summary
After getting strapped-up a few months back, Raf Simons is back with his latest take on adidas’ Stan Smith silhouette. Yet another spring/summer colorway, this time the iconic shoe’s premium leather upper gets drenched in metallic silver. Boasting the typical Raf Simons x adidas branding throughout, this most recent release also boasts a tonal midsole. If […]
Read the article here. Photo by Willy Vanderperre.
Raf Simons will be joining guest designers Gosha Rubchinskiy, Visvim and Fausto Puglisi in June at this year’s Pitti Uomo in Florence, where he will be showing his Spring 2017 collection. This move means that Raf will not be attending Paris Fashion Week—but expect his Pitti Uomo exhibition to be a spectacle, per usual. “Florence holds a […]
Legendary Belgian designer Raf Simons recently sat down with The Telegraph, discussing a variety of topics, including his abrupt exit from Parisian luxury house Dior, the increasing speed of the high fashion system and his latest collaboration with Danish fabric manufacturer Kvadrat. Show More Summary
'Will all that stuff still be relevant 30 years from now? I don’t think so.'
This past week PacSun officially filed for bankruptcy, FILA collaborated with NYC’s Sweet Chick, Chance the Rapper released the video for “Angels,” and Kendall Jenner previewed a new adidas YEEZY Boost 350. Below you’ll find a roundup of our favorite comments from the week, spanning the aforementioned posts and a few others. Please be sure […]
A decade from now people will remember mid-2010s fashion by the creations of Raf Simons, in the same way the mid-noughties were defined by the kitsch conjured up by Christian Audigier. Thankfully, Simons’ work will no doubt age better than Audigier’s, and this oversized chain backpack by the Belgian designer might go down as a bit of a […]
Men’s retailer oki-ni shares the latest installment of its STYLED series, taken directly from its latest printed outing. Model Max Townsend is front and center for the occasion. Linking up with photographer Lou Rolley and stylist Lucy Ellis, Max is pictured in mono-designer looks. Show More Summary
First Raf Simons leaves Dior, then came Alber Elbaz's departure at Lanvin, and now the latest brand to lose its creative director is Salvatore Ferragamo. While the name Massimiliano Giornetti isn't as familiar as the other two, he's been at the helm of the label since 2011. WWD reports that Ferragamo quietly... More »
Our latest editorial heads to the Barbican cultural center on the edge of Central London’s financial district. Juxtaposed against a stark concrete setting, the spread, dubbed “The Rebel Sibling,” flaunts some of SS16’s finest garms, including key pieces by Raf Simons, Acne, Rick Owens, Our Legacy and more. Check out the shoot above and also peep our […]
In a short three-and-a-half years, Raf Simons was able to deconstruct and then renew the feeling of Dior in its entirety, aging out ceremony while energizing the marque with an artistic rebellion that took the form of new-age luxury with a sci-fi slant, and – the Belgian designer’s most powerful material – emotion. Under his creative […]
When he’s not shooting Willow Smith for the cover of W or helming campaigns for Jil Sander and Dior Homme, photographer Willy Vanderperre has been sorting through his archives. The photographer is releasing a $1,450 boxed edition of ten images from his longtime collaboration with his countryman and close friend... More »
Another week and we’re back with the highlights from Highsnobiety’s new shopping channel, What Drops Now. Every day we trawl countless online stores to bring you a curated selection of the latest and best in streetwear, sneakers, fashion...Show More Summary
Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat and designer Raf Simons introduce their 2016 collection of upholstery textiles, drawing inspiration from Italian architect and designer Franco Albini’s iconic chairlift seat. A range of models consider...Show More Summary
With legions of devoted fans keeping an eye on their every move, musicians have long been tastemakers when it comes to style. To keep you au courant with what looks and brands your favorite artists are currently vibing, we’ve trawled through Instagram to round up some of this week’s best looks. Peep them all on […]
Evidently the first round of the Raf Simons x adidas Ozweego 2 collection was popular enough to warrant a re-release, albeit in three new colorways. Leave it to Simons to turn an unflattering silhouette into a street style favorite. For the second drop, the ’90s running sneaker adopts a wealth of luxurious features, including lush […]


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According to CBS News, Dollar General is the #1 retailer for opening stores in 2019! On September 28, 2019 Dollar General opened store # 16,000 in Panama City, FL! At this year’s Vendor Summit, DG executives announced plans to open 1,000 new stores and remodel 1,500 stores in 2020. Currently under construction are new stores in Washington and Wyoming. When completed, this will expand the Company’s presence to 46 states. Along with store expansion also comes the addition of new Distribution Centers. Their 17th Distribution Center is scheduled to open in Q1, 2020 in Amsterdam, NY, and orders to fill this new Distribution Center are in the pipeline now.
In 2013, Walmart announced that they were committed to helping boost job creation and U.S. manufacturing by buying $250 billion in products Made in the USA by 2023. One of the ways that they support this commitment is through their annual Open Call event.
Open Call 2019 was a huge success, with over 100 companies, representing 44 different states, moving on to the next step with product placement. If you have a product Made in the USA and want to be part of Walmart’s 2020 Open Call event, watch for applications to be opened in Spring, 2020 or talk with your Sales Representative. The Jobs in US Manufacturing Portal can be found at
https://engage.walmart-jump.com and will provide more Open Call 2020 information.
Fred’s Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
On September 9, 2019, Fred’s, Inc. filed petition in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware seeking relief under chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code, closing its stores and leaving many of our clients with unpaid invoices. The Case # is 19-11984, and the Main Case Docket can be accessed through the website http://www.deb.uscourts.gov. Another good resource for filing claims is the Epiq Global website https://dm.epiq11.com . Here you can find a Proof of Claim form and file a claim from their website. You can also request a claim form from your Sales Team member. Fred’s expects to complete liquidation sales at their retail locations by mid-November.
“Despite our team’s best efforts, we were not able to avoid this outcome,” said CEO Joe Anto. “I want to thank all of our employees for their hard work and continued support of the Company as we wind-down our operations.”


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It has been reported that the Apple iPhone 14 series might feature punch hole displays according to Korean news outlet TheElec.
The iPhone 14 series Pro models are said to come with a 48MP punch-hole selfie camera. The Pro and Pro Max are expected to feature 6.06-inch and 6.7-inch panels, respectively. Additionally, they are said to feature an LG LTPO 120Hz OLED display and will be the only models that will have said features.
Lastly, additional reports say that the Apple iPhone 14 non-Pro variants will also have 6.06-inch and 6.7-inch displays, minus the higher refresh rate and OLED panel.
It is also expected that Apple will revise the SE models in 2022 keeping the same design but adding 5G connectivity.
Started his freelancing adventure in 2018 and began doing freelance Audio Engineering work and then started freelance writing a few years later.
Currently he writes for Gadget Pilipinas and formerly wrote for Grit.PH.
He is also a musician, foody, gamer, and PC enthusiast.


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Royal Caribbean has cancelled its May 31st Grandeur of the Seas cruise to allow for repairs after a fire aboard the ship caused damage early Monday morning.
Guests who booked the May 31st cruise from Baltimore will receive a full refund and a future cruise certificate with 50 percent of the fare paid. In addition, guests who booked airfare through Royal Caribbean will receive a full refund. Royal Caribbean will also pay for any airline change fees for guests who purchased airfare on their own.
According to Sandy Fenton, a cruise/travel expert who hosts “Let’s Talk Travel with AAA” broadcast on WHP580 Saturdays at 3 p.m. and writes a weekly travel column for The Patriot-News, those who have booked a Grandeur of the Seas cruise for the second week of June will likely find the ship ready to sail.
“Royal Caribbean will work very quickly to repair the area of the ship and get it back to working order,” she said. “I suspect that after the next week the ship will be up and running.”
During the past year and a half, a handful of incidents have provided negative publicity to the cruise ship industry, the most serious being the tragic deaths of 32 people when the Italian ship Costa Concordia capsized in January 2012. In February, a fire in the Carnival Triumph's engine room and a loss of power on the Carnival Dream in March also caused headlines.
Fenton advised people not to base their decision on whether to go on a cruise on any individual incident.
“Talk to your travel agent if you feel you need to and project your concerns,” Fenton said. “The safety features onboard for the cruise industry are very strict. Just attend all mandatory safety drills and listen carefully to all instructions. Read the safety information.”
Guests of either the May 31st cruise or who were cruising aboard the Grandeur when the fire occurred can call Fenton’s hotline dedicated to the two sailings at 1-888-824-0012.


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Equities research analysts expect that Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS) will post sales of $3.88 billion for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Two analysts have provided estimates for Vipshop’s earnings. Vipshop posted sales of $3.41 billion in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 13.8%. The firm is scheduled to announce its next earnings report on Friday, November 12th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Vipshop will report full-year sales of $18.74 billion for the current financial year, with estimates ranging from $18.59 billion to $18.83 billion. For the next financial year, analysts forecast that the firm will report sales of $20.73 billion, with estimates ranging from $19.88 billion to $21.56 billion. Zacks’ sales averages are a mean average based on a survey of research analysts that cover Vipshop.
Vipshop (NYSE:VIPS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 17th. The technology company reported $2.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.30 by $1.80. Vipshop had a return on equity of 21.13% and a net margin of 5.40%. The company had revenue of $29.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $29.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.92 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 22.8% on a year-over-year basis.
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quadrant Capital Group LLC increased its position in Vipshop by 36.1% during the first quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 2,026 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 537 shares during the last quarter. Infusive Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Vipshop by 13.6% during the first quarter. Infusive Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,747 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $142,000 after acquiring an additional 568 shares during the last quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in Vipshop by 52.5% during the second quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,278 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $66,000 after acquiring an additional 1,128 shares during the last quarter. Profund Advisors LLC increased its position in Vipshop by 5.7% during the first quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 21,635 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,168 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TownSquare Capital LLC grew its holdings in Vipshop by 15.0% during the first quarter. TownSquare Capital LLC now owns 9,362 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $280,000 after purchasing an additional 1,218 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 47.36% of the company’s stock.
NYSE:VIPS traded down $0.38 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $13.11. 360,379 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 12,820,433. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $16.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.30 and a beta of 0.56. Vipshop has a 1 year low of $13.02 and a 1 year high of $46.00.
VipShop Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of online products sales and distributions services. It offers womenswear; menswear; footwear; accessories; handbags; apparel for children; sportswear and sporting goods; cosmetic goods; home and lifestyle products; luxury goods; and gifts and miscellaneous.
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Pitched Q&A and completed for FLARE.com.
Trinidad-born, Mississauga-raised Shivani Persad—a model, blogger and activist—gets honest about the modelling industry’s diversity issues and why the All Woman Project is so necessary.
Cellulite and stretch marks are about as welcome at a photo shoot as deep dish pizza but two body-positive models were determined to celebrate the female form in all of its un-Photoshopped glory.
Clémentine Desseaux and Charli Howard are the creators of the All Woman Project, a film and editorial campaign that showcases subjects of all shapes, sizes and colours.
“This project started because we both genuinely believe that huge brands can be more diverse in their choice of models and body shapes,” says Howard, a size-2 model who was once fired from a modelling agency for being “out of shape.”
“Rather than Photoshopping our bodies and our ‘flaws’, we’ve chosen to highlight and embrace them,” says Desseaux. “This campaign is designed to unify women around the globe, proving that we are all woman, regardless of how society and the media often makes us feel.”
In addition to Desseaux and Howard, other campaign stars include gender fluid model Elliott Sailors, girl boss advocate and singer Leaf, the star of F in FabulousKamie Crawford and the lone Canadian—model, blogger and diversity activist Shivani Persad. The Trinidad-born Mississauga-raised beauty gave us the inside scoop on how the viral #IAmAllWoman campaign is shaking up the industry’s beauty ideals.


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Arab Bank Announces Winners of First Fintech Bootcamp in Egypt
Targeting early stage Egyptian startups, the bootcamp offers promising entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their solutions to ‘AB Accelerator’, the Arab Bank’s innovation hub.
As part of the Arab Bank’s strategy to stay ahead of the curve and capitalise on the latest trends in the financial sector, Arab Bank Egypt has concluded the first edition of its fintech bootcamp. Targeting early-stage Egyptian startups, the bootcamp offers promising entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their solutions to ‘AB Accelerator’, the Arab Bank’s innovation hub. The winning solutions will be integrated within the bank’s financial infrastructure.
Three winners were announced and received cash rewards to help fund their ideas. ‘Fawateerak’ was awarded the first place prize of EGP 100,000. Coming in second is ‘F-Mail’, taking home a second-place prize of EGP 75,000. Clinching third place is ‘Vlens’ winning EGP 50,000.
The fintech-focused corporate accelerator invests globally with the EMEA region as its primary focal point. By supporting promising regional startups, the accelerator is driving the adoption of emerging technologies that have the potential to disrupt or expand the financial services industry.
Following an intensive one-week bootcamp where the shortlisted startups developed and refined their ideas with expert-led guidance, the bootcamp concluded with a demo day, showcasing all the solutions to a panel of judges from the Arab Bank senior management and independent investors.
- Previous Article ‘Mulid El-Magnoun’ EP by Yunis Explores Sufism & the Egyptian Wedding
- Next Article Lazareeta Brings Alexandria's Street Food to Maadi


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A Stockholm-based startup has developed a speaking AI assistant with a face.
Furhat combines digital assistant technology similar to Alexa or Siri and humanoid robots such as SoftBank & Peppers to create a device that is eerily lifelike.
It is essentially a body without a body that can be adjusted with different faces – even characters from the science fiction film Avatar.
Scroll down for video
WHAT IS FURF?
Furhat is a social robot made by the Stockholm-based startup Furhat Robotics.
It weighs just over 7lbs and is essentially a body without a body with a projected face on it.
With AI, the device can speak, respond and respond to users, while a camera allows it to maintain eye contact.
Furhat can speak more than 30 languages and users can adjust their face by exchanging animations.
The device is currently being marketed for companies and organizations.
Furhat was first unveiled earlier this year, but Furhat Robotics debuted Tuesday about the latest version of its AI assistant during the Web Summit conference.
A wide-angle projection system is built into the device, allowing it to display animated faces on the head.
Each face has its own personalities and peculiarities & # 39; like a real person & # 39 ;, says Furhat Robotics.
Furhat is a social robot that communicates with us people as we do – by talking, listening, showing emotions and maintaining eye contact, & # 39; explained the company.
It can serve customers, provide company, train employees or learn a language. & # 39;
Furhat comes with a series of pre-selected expressions and gestures that can be customized by users.
This is how when people interact with Furhat, it is able to respond and interact, just as a person would.
Furhat comes with a series of pre-selected expressions and gestures that can be customized by users. When people deal with Furhat, it reacts and reacts as a person would
Furhat was first unveiled earlier this year, but Furhat Robotics debuted Tuesday about the latest version of its AI assistant during the Web Summit conference. It is unclear how much the device costs
Ordinary faces can be projected on the head, but Furhat Robotics said it also allows users to choose from animal faces and characters.
The robot listens, speaks and responds all while maintaining eye contact with the user, thanks to a camera integrated into the device.
Furhat's eyebrows move up and down or in confusion, while his mouth is able to shoot in a smile or a grimace.
A wide-angle, hi-fi camera and beamforming stereo microphones give Furhat an excellent situational awareness, & # 39; said Furhat Robotics.
Furhat listens, speaks and reacts, while maintaining eye contact with the user. His eyebrows move up and down or in confusion, while his mouth ignites in a smile or a grimace
Two hi-fi speakers are located under Furhat's head to amplify his voice. It uses AI to understand natural language and speak more than 30 languages thanks to text-to-speech technology
Two hi-fi speakers are located under Furhat's head to amplify his voice.
It can speak more than 30 languages thanks to text-to-speech technology.
In addition, users can record their own voice and automatically run Furhat lip sync, the company commented.
Furhat uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language and to respond.
"This is the result of many years of dedicated research and development, both internally and through collaboration with industry and technology partners," Samer Al Moubayed, CEO of Furhat Robotics, told New Atlas.
Users can record their own voice and automatically execute Furhat lip sync. Furhat uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language and to respond
& # 39; From the beginning at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) we have brought Furhat so far that social robots are no longer a hope for the future, but a reality of today. & # 39;
It is unclear how much the device will cost and the average consumer can not yet buy Furhat via the company's website.
For now Furhat Robotics advertises the social robot as a device for companies and organizations.
The company said it is working with Disney, Honda, Intel and Merck to bring Furhat to the workplace.
WHO IS SOPHIA THE ROBOT?
In October 2017, Sophia received citizenship in Saudi Arabia
Sophia first emerged in 2016 as a super-intelligent human head with a realistic face that could blink, look from one side to the other and talk.
The humanoid robot, made by Hanson robotics from Hong Kong, can chat, laugh mischievously and even tell jokes.
The robot made history in October 2017 when it was legally a citizen of Saudi Arabia.
The stunt has made Sophia the first robot in the world to acquire legal citizenship.
Although Sophia has a number of impressive abilities, she has no consciousness yet.
Hanson Robotics claims that fully sensitive machines could be created within a few years.
Sophia herself has insisted that & # 39; the pro & # 39; s outweigh the drawbacks & # 39; when it comes to artificial intelligence.
• Elders will have more company, autistic children will have patient teachers, & # 39; Sophia said.


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Samsung recently launched two new smartphones Galaxy A50s and Galaxy A30s in the Indian market. In which 4,000 mAh battery and triple rear camera setup has been given. At the same time, there is news that the company can launch another new smartphone in the A series, the Galaxy A70s, which will have a 64-megapixel rear camera setup. Amidst the news of the launch, this smartphone has gone live on the Samsung India support page where information about some of its features is also included. Let's know in full detail
According to media reports, the Samsung India support page is listed on the Galaxy A70s model number SM-A707F / DSM with dual SIM support. However, apart from Dual SIM, no other information related to the specifications of this phone has been revealed. But recently, this phone was listed on GeekBench according to which it can be offered on Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor.
Apart from this, it will be based on Android 9 Pie OS. On GeekBench it has been rated 2365 in single-core test and 6372 in multi-core test. 6GB RAM will be available in the phone. Apart from this, according to other leaked news so far, the 64-megapixel rear camera will be provided for photography in the Galaxy A70s, which will have the ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor. ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor technology was launched by the company in May this year. The ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor uses 0.8µm pixel size. However, through pixel-merging tetracell technology, the phone's camera merges 4 pixels into a single camera. This allows low-light shots to be brighter. It is expected that the company can launch the Galaxy A70s by the end of this month but its launch date has not been officially revealed.


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“Out with the old, in with the new” seems to be Victoria’s Secret’s latest M.O. Shortly after hiring its first transgender model for a VS PINK campaign, the lingerie label’s parent company, L Brands, has announced that chief marketing officer Ed Razek is retiring. Razek entered the public eye last November for his controversial comments about “transsexuals,” stating that the brand does not consider trans women to be part of its “fantasy.” The comments drove a further wedge between Victoria’s Secret and its supposed customer base—it's previously come to light that the brand is struggling, presumably in part because its target women no longer subscribe to the company’s hypersexualized, male-gazey image.
The announcement also comes in the wake of the scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, who considered himself a mentor to L Brands CEO Leslie H. Wexner. Epstein even reportedly attempted to position himself as a VS recruiter, using the brand’s name as a pretense to lure a model into his hotel room. As Victoria’s Secret seeks to distance itself from Epstein and land on the other side of the #MeToo movement (and the right side of history), the question becomes whether the underwear purveyor can update itself fast enough after years of regressive marketing. Its fashion show’s viewership has been on the decline since 2015, with last year’s numbers being the lowest in the broadcast’s history. This year, the company announced they would not be broadcasting (or even holding) the fashion show at all, citing rebranding efforts.
Wexner gave news of Razek’s retirement via an employee note, in which he commented on his colleague’s “passion and talent” in the industry. Razek joined the company in 1983, helping to launch the careers of Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks in an era that prized unattainable glamour and overt sexuality. While companies like Aerie shift towards more natural, less airbrushed looks and hop on the body-positive, anti-Photoshop countermovement, Victoria’s Secret has stayed behind to preserve the “fantasy.” As senior vice president Ed Wolf and vice president of creative Bob Campbell absorb Razek's responsibilities, it remains unclear how much the brand’s image will change with new leadership.
Wexner included a note from Razek in his employee memo.
“With the exception of Les, I’ve been with L Brands longer than anyone,” Razek stated in his farewell. “But all good things must and do, inevitably, come to an end.”


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Brumby’s Bakery has teamed up with cricket legend Matthew Hayden (pictured) to endorse the company’s locally-made, preservative-free bread range.
Matthew, who was named Brumby’s bread ambassador at Retail Food Group’s 2013 Evolve Franchisee Conference, said he is proud to support a brand that bakes fresh bread in-store.
“I’ve grown up with Brumby’s, just like most Aussies have. After almost 40 years in the baking business, they still bake all their bread fresh in store daily using traditional scratch baking methods and they only use wheat grown and produced by Australian farmers,” he said.
“As a dad, I want my kids to grow up knowing where their food comes from and at Brumby’s you know the bread is baked from scratch, has no preservatives and is made from 100 per cent Aussie wheat.”
The collaboration came to life after the retired cricketer-turned-cookbook author embarked on a journey to rediscover sustainable, family-orientated and healthy living.
“Since retiring from cricket, I’ve dedicated my life to encouraging everyone to enjoy the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle,” Matthew said.
“Making good food choices are just one aspect of living a healthy lifestyle, but one of the most important.”
Brumby’s managing director Kevin Waite said Matthew’s food ideals are integral to the brand’s identity.
“We couldn’t be happier to be in partnership with a proud and successful Australian like Matthew Hayden, who shares the Brumby’s values of family, community and sustainability,” he said.


text: The Police Department has received a $10,000 state grant to combat underage drinking, and will be using the money for the next five months to monitor retail stores, bars, and restaurants that sell alcohol. Undercover officers will be assigned to retailers to deter the purchase of alcohol by minors, according to an announcement by the department. Officers will also be conducting compliance checks of businesses licensed to sell alcohol. The money will “substantially increase enforcement” through September, according to police. Newton’s department is among 25 police agencies across the state that received a grant under the program.


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With the launch of the 7th gen Core processors for all desktop and mobile form factor systems, it was time for Intel to refresh its NUC system kits. Thanks to the new processors, all of the new NUC systems are a perfect shoe-in for use as a media center to stream 4K premium content.
When it comes to Computex, there’s probably no bigger player than Intel who’s at the forefront of driving innovation and enabling scores of ODMs and OEMs to design amazing products around them. Trust us when we say Intel has its mind set on powering just about anything you can imagine. We show you why.
Intel has revealed more details about its Skull Canyon NUC at GDC 2016, including the fact that it will work with the Razer Core external graphics dock. It may be small, but it pretty much has everything it needs to become a high-performance gaming PC.
Intel has announced upcoming Skylake-based NUC kits with Thunderbolt 3 support. In the meantime, the company has released four other new kits to whet your appetite. Read on to find out the new specifications of these space-saving mini desktops!
Amazon and Newegg have updated listings for the Windows and Linux versions of the Intel Compute Stick, an ultra-portable flash drive-sized PC that turns any HDMI-equipped display into a computer. Hit the link for more details.
Intel has unveiled a new entry-level Atom-powered NUC kit aimed at 'thin client applications' at its Global Solutions Summit. Appropriately codenamed Thin Canyon, the new NUC kit will be powered by a Bay Trail E3815 1.46GHz processor and will be priced much lower than existing NUC kits.
The Zotac ZBOX Nano ID65 takes Intel’s NUC concept to the next level by packaging a more powerful processor and offering more connectivity options. We find out if this is the mini-PC that we can actually recommend people to buy.


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Efforts so far to increase the price has been stonewalled by the government
After over three years, the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) is likely to increase selling price of Nandini milk by ₹3 a litre.
While a decision on this was taken at the KMF’s annual general body meeting here on Friday, its date of implementation, however, is yet to be confirmed as any hike in price has to be approved by the State government. It is learnt that the KMF has decided to pass on the entire hike amount of ₹3 to farmers.
The development comes ahead of the monsoon session of the State legislature where the issue could come up for discussion.
Currently, a litre of Nandini milk is sold at ₹37 in Karnataka. Milk Unions have pointed out that the cost of milk is around ₹50 a litre in neighbouring States, and that the milk producers have been affected owing to rise in input cost for the dairy industry.
Sources close to KMF chairman Balachandra Jarkiholi said that the decision to hike the selling price by ₹3 was cleared by the general body unanimously after pressure came from all the 14 district milk unions. “Though pressure has been building up to raise the milk price, all efforts by the chairman has been stymied by the government in the last eight months,” sources said, adding that it was felt that the increase was necessary to keep the milk industry financially viable.
So far, despite multiple appeals to increase the price, the government has resisted the moves, and the latest proposal comes amid th decision of milk producers in Mandya, Kolar, Ramanagaram, and Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts deciding to take out a rally in Bengaluru on September 22 seeking increase in milk price by ₹5 a litre.
Bengaluru Milk Union Ltd. president Narasimhamurthy confirmed that the KMF general body had unanimously passed a resolution to increase the price by ₹3. “We are hopeful that it will be given effect soon and benefit farmers for whom animal husbandry had become less lucrative.”
Experts feel that milk production may not be financially viable if the farmers do not get higher procurement price which now stands at ₹27 a litre.


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There is no doubt that technology is driving the tourism and hospitality industry to previously unknown heights. That is not something you need to tell officials at TUI UK & Ireland, as evidenced by an announcement that the company plans to launch a new in-flight iPad programme later this year with its Thomson Airways subsidiary. The trial programme will begin using aircraft based at the company's terminal at Luton Airport.
TUI UK & Ireland has been busily working on launching a new, state-of-the-art technology programme across its entire European network. It has already spent millions of pounds on technologies that make the company more efficient, more lean, and more responsive to customer needs. The iPad project is just the next step of that programme.
A New Level of Service
The focus of the iPad project is to offer a new level of service to guests using TUI travel services. When the system is fully functional, cabin crews on Thomson Airways flights will have access to each customer's individual destination in order to make recommendations about dining, sightseeing, group excursions and more. All of the consumer data will be stored so that returning guests can be offered a more personalised experience every time they travel.
TUI has named the initiative TUInnovate, taking advantage of the idea that technological innovation is what will drive the tourism industry forward. The innovation of the iPad programme is evident in the fact that it goes well beyond information made available to cabin crews. While in flight, crews will also be able to directly contact travel advisors on the ground to let them know individual passengers will be arriving. The travel advisors will use the same data to pick up right where the cabin crews leave off.
The company has already received an excellent response from guests and employees relating to the parts of the technology programme already in place. It is expecting an equally positive response from the iPad project. Assuming the company is correct, it plans to expand the programme to cover all of their airport bases in the UK.
Officials at TUI have come to the conclusion that the tourism industry is now focusing heavily on personalised service for each individual guest. In order for them to continue being a European leader in travel and tourism, they need to find new ways to meet those expectations. The iPad programme is just one of the innovations they are working on. Others are sure to follow in the near future.
As for the UK traveller, a more personalised experience should make for a considerably more enjoyable holiday. Personalised service gives all of us an opportunity to feel like royalty, even if only for 10 to 14 days out of a year. Moreover, when it is done correctly, the personalised service tourism companies offer is capable of building loyal relationships that are hard to break. Companies that do it best, like TUI UK & Ireland, stand to be the market leaders for years to come.
- Travel News UK – http://www.travel-news.co.uk/9707/2014/06/tui-to-launch-in-flight-ipad-trials-this-summer/


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Country Recording Artist Launches Fourth Annual Pet Remembrance Day With New Tune On Pet Loss I
A popular country rock recording artist is releasing a new track dedicated to the pain of pet loss – just in time for Pet Remembrance Day (5th July); a special day of remembrance that has commemorated beloved companion animals since 2015.
John Scargall, who has breakthrough tunes on SoundCloud, Amazon and Apple Music, wrote about the pain of losing his beloved dog Tobey just three days before he got married in the track ‘Send My Fur Angel’.
A special preview of the poignant tune is available at: https://soundcloud.com/johnscargall/send-my-fur-angel-not-released/s-3XgpM
On Pet Remembrance Day on Friday 5th July, people across the UK will remember beloved companion animals that have died. The commemorative day, launched by 3D pet sculpture specialists Arty Lobster in 2015, provides an opportunity for people to celebrate the lives of pets and the increasing number of ways in which we can celebrate their lives.
John Scargall says: “Grieving the loss of a pet is like losing a close family member. When Tobey passed, my wife and I were devastated. Creating the song "Send My Fur Angel" was part of the grieving process, and it was the hardest song I've ever written, with literal tears smudging the ink on the page as I wrote. I'm just glad that we can honor Tobey and all of our fur angels with this song, because they truly are family forever."
To celebrate the day, pet lovers can nominate pets on social media using the hashtag #PetRemembranceDay to be immortalised in 3D by Arty Lobster. One will be chosen to have their likeness fashioned into a bespoke pet sculpture.
Lars B. Andersen, Founder and CEO of Arty Lobster (https://artylobster.com), said: “Losing a pet is a sad and difficult time for any pet owner. Many people now see their beloved pets, quite rightly, as integral members of their families.
“In our giveaway for Pet Remembrance Day, we’re offering pet owners the chance to have their animals immortalised in 3D. The sculptures can be used as memorials to a pet, which many people will treasure.”
A Twitter chat will also take place on 5th July using the hashtag #PetRemembranceDay for people to show their support and share thoughts and photos of deceased companion animals.
More from Arty Lobster
- New Petition Calls for Genuine 'One-Pet' Cremations
- 'Crufts Breeders' Must Put Health Over 'Beauty', Says New Dog Breed Standards Panel
- Countdown to National Pet Remembrance Day Begins
- 3D Pet Sculpture Business Goes from Strength to Strength!
- World-renowned 3D Artist Joins Arty Lobster


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- April 6, 2016 / 3 min readThe manufacturing units can make supply to other states by using digital lock and GPS system in the vehicles.
There will be no more sale of liquor in Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced the state as a ‘dry state’ from Tuesday.
The government has decided to completely ban the sale and consumption of alcohol, including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect.
The government has already banned the manufacturing, trade and consumption of country/spiced liquor in the state from 1st April. On November 19 last year, the government announced that it would enforce prohibition in phases. On Tuesday, the state Cabinet cleared the proposal for total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state."Bihar has become a dry state from today," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced after the end of state cabinet meeting.
The announcement came as a surprise as the state government had earlier asked the Bihar State Beverage Corporation (BSBCL) to own limited number of IMFL shops in the state. With final decision, the state government would not issue any licenses for sale and consumption of liquor.
It has also banned the sale of wholesale or retail of IMFL in Bihar.
"With the announcement of total prohibition, there is ban on the sale and consumption of IMFL in big restaurants, hotels and clubs with immediate effect," stated the release issued by the state government.
The order has made it clear that it would not affect the Army's canteen. According to the release, anti-liquor campaign undertaken by the CM Nitish Kumar received a good response from the people across the state. Under the new Excise Policy, about 4,900 persons were arrested recently.
BSBCL has a stock of about 36,000 seized IMFL and the government has authorised the excise department to dispose it. There would be no ban on manufacturing units of IMFL in Bihar. The ban is only on the sale of IMFL. The manufacturing units can make supply to other states by using digital lock and GPS system in the vehicles. Nitish Kumar has described his government's decision to ban the alcohol as "a foundation of social change".Trending ArticleDaily UpdatesWhich is the highest format preference of Fun-Seeker?
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“Alexa, how do I get rid of a stain?”
Normally, Alexa wouldn’t know the answer. But under a new initiative demonstrated April 25, Alexa will be able to hand off that question to a source with vested interest in the answer.
“Here is Tide Stain Remover,” Alexa will say.
The Q&A is a new feature touted to make Alexa smarter, but could double as Amazon’s foray into voice advertising, allowing the ecommerce giant to potentially sell ads to companies like Procter & Gamble, which makes Tide laundry detergent. Amazon could conceivably charge companies to supply branded answers to common consumer questions. It isn’t charging companies for the answers—yet.
Amazon has already released tools for developers to monetize their third-party Alexa skills, but has not discussed how it could earn recurring revenue from its market dominance in smart speakers. With the ability to link searches to skills—and therefore brands—Amazon could become a competitor to digital advertising companies like Google, whose entire business model is to find what people are searching for, and sell premium billing.
Ruhi Sarikaya, the Amazon executive that announced the new Alexa capability, says that the feature is currently in beta and will gradually be rolled out to US users.


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The war for the TV is on. Everyone from Google to Apple and Microsoft want their slice of your TV time.
Google just jumped ahead of the competition with a new product: Chromecast. The $35 device turns any HD TV into a light Smart TV capable of watching everything from YouTube videos to Netflix’s streaming movies and digital content. Simply plug Chromecast in any available HDMI port and voilà - you're the proud owner of a Smart TV.
Why this changes the game
Smart TVs retail at price points $2-300 higher than your average HDTV. With added costs comes added functionality as a Smart TV is really just a TV with a cheap, low-power computer built in.
Google undermined recent developments and the war for the TV with the new Chromecast product. For just $35, customers can watch streaming videos, access chrome apps, and control their streaming content with a mobile device (tablet, mobile phone, or laptop computer). It even has cross-platform functionality, meaning Apple users will get just as much use from Chromecast as Android and Windows users.
At the $35 price point, customers also receive three free months of Netflix streaming service, a $23.85 value, making the device itself cost only $11.15. It will soon appear online at Amazon and Best Buy shelves around the country.
Chromecast’s only deficiency is that it cannot be used to stream local content. Thus, files downloaded to your computer that are not available for public streaming won’t be playable from day one. However, speculation is growing that an army of third-party app developers will have a solution available in a matter of days to fix this minor disadvantage.
Who it affects
A new Chromecast comes as Apple and Microsoft are making major moves to merge mobile and laptop products with home media centers. Apple is rumored to have investigated its own full-capability smart TV while Microsoft is betting big on entertainment on the new Xbox One.
Microsoft has much to lose from the widespread adoption of Chromecast. The company generates substantial revenue from Xbox Live Gold memberships, which are required for streaming content from Hulu and Netflix via the Xbox hardware. Chromecast’s adjusted price of $11.15 (to reflect the free Netflix subscription) is a much cheaper alternative than the $50 per year price point for Xbox Gold. Customers who renew only to continue to stream content via their game console would naturally favor a one-time payment for Chromecast.
Likewise, Apple loses out on an avenue for growth. Apple TV, a $99.00 product that allows you to stream content from an Apple device to a connected TV, is substantially similar. Apple TV doesn’t have cross-platform support, however, which means you’ll need an iDevice to use it. If it's simple streaming you're after, the Chromecast is a much more compelling value than Apple TV.
Apple may be down, but it isn’t out. The company could launch its own line of fully-functional Smart TVs that rely on its mobile iOS. However, a higher price point may be difficult to justify given that many of the features inherent in a smart TV are now available at an add-on price of $35 with Google’s new product. Chromepass will demand that Apple forgo its industry leading margins if it wants to grab a meaningful share of the Smart TV market.
How Google wins big
The new Chromecast is huge for Google’s video monetization strategy, especially on YouTube. Google servers will easily recognize the device, perhaps commanding higher ad rates for displays on TVs across the country. It also affords Google the ability to sell highly-targeted online video campaigns on TVs in chosen local markets. Google’s YouTube just became a local cable company in the most asset-light way imaginable.
The device also propels Google to the top of the race for control over the TV. Chromecast requires the use of Google’s Chrome browser, locking in the company’s share of browser use and in-browser web search.
Finally, the company now has a new mechanism through which it can sell TV episodes and movies for a flat-fee for 24 hour streaming via Google Play.
Other winners include Netflix, which have come under concerns of increasing pricing pressure. A partnership between Google and Netflix suggests that the search engine company is likely to stick to pay-per-view TV and movie sales rather than seek part of Netflix’s unlimited streaming model. The device puts Netflix subscriptions on store shelves around the country in a format that will be wildly popular with budget-conscious consumers. Terms of the partnership between the two tech giants are unavailable, so it’s unknown how this may affect Netflix’s forward profitability and per-user revenue numbers.
It’s difficult to see how this won’t play out in Google’s favor. At a price of $35 for the device plus three free months of Netflix service, it’s a no-brainer for anyone wanting a quick and dirty way to get their own Smart TV.
The television landscape is changing quickly, with new entrants like Netflix and Amazon.com disrupting traditional networks. The Motley Fool's new free report "Who Will Own the Future of Television?" details the risks and opportunities in TV. Click here to read the full report!
Jordan Wathen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Google, and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!
The article The War for TVs originally appeared on Fool.com.
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ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) is urging extreme caution to those who may be purchasing marijuana within the county.
On Tuesday, Nov. 21, OCHD reported that there was fentanyl present in synthetic marijuana being sold in the county, and there’s been a spike in the sales of this marijuana.
“Synthetic marijuana is a chemical mixture used to mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in naturally grown marijuana. The products are sold in many locations, including convenience stores and gas stations,” said the OCHD.
With that being said, the health department adds that they are illegal and have unpredictable and harmful effects.
“Synthetic marijuana products often contain harmful substances. Now that we have received reports of fentanyl in some of these products being sold locally, residents must exercise extreme caution as the substances could cause overdose or even death,” said Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Kathryn Anderson. “If you witness someone experiencing an overdose, please call 911 and administer naloxone as soon as possible.”
Warning signs of a Fentanyl overdose:
- Loss of consciousness
- Slow or shallow breathing
- Extreme drowsiness or difficulty waking up
- Inability to speak or be awakened
- Blue or gray lips and nails
- Pinpoint pupils
You can find synthetic marijuana in a variety of names and packaging. The products are also reportedly being marketed as naturally grown marijuana, says OCHD.
“With the noted presence of fentanyl in synthetic marijuana and other substances like cocaine and counterfeit prescription pills made to look like Xanax, Adderall, Oxycodone, etc., it is incredibly important that the public exercises caution when using substances,” said the OCHD.
OCHD urges those who use substances to test their drugs using fentanyl testing strips (FTS).
By testing with an FTS, the person using drugs can make an informed choice about their use by:
- Potentially choosing to use a different batch
- Using less of the current batch
- Using in the presence of others
- Making sure naloxone is on hand
Strips don’t identify the exact amount of fentanyl, but testing can provide enough space, time, and information for a person to consider options.
The holidays can be a time of great joy or the hardest time of the year for some people. People often turn to substance use in celebration or to cope with difficult emotions and situations such as family conflict, financial strain, loneliness, grief, and seasonal affective disorder.
Onondaga County Health Department
If you or someone in your life needs naloxone or fentanyl test strips, they are available at no cost by calling or texting OCHD’s confidential Narcan and Test Strip Request Line at 315-418-5365. Learn more about opioids and overdose prevention here.
Powered by News Channel 9.


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February 24, 2021
Rinnai Launches New Building Management System
The Rinnai® BMS Gateway creates a unique solution for hot water management
Get the latest news from Rinnai and stay up-to-date on our products, our services, and our people.
August 25, 2020
Rinnai Corporation, manufacturer of the number-one selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in North America, announced that Bill Sullivan has been promoted to Vice President of Information Technology.
August 12, 2020
Rinnai Corporation announced the new factory in Griffin, Georgia. The building construction will begin in August with an expected opening date late in 2021.


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Bud Light's corn syrup Super Bowl commercial a 'gift' for Coors, which launches #ToastToFarmers
After farmers took issue with a Bud Light Super Bowl ad attacking Coors Light and Miller Lite for using corn syrup as an ingredient, Coors is launching a "toast to farmers" campaign.
Anheuser-Busch InBev "didn’t just attack our flagship brands, they attacked hardworking American farmers who grow our great ingredients,” Ryan Reis, vice president-Coors family of brands, said in a note Sunday night to MillerCoors employees and distributors. “We’re standing up for our beers, our ingredients and the farmers who grow them.”
Sugar, from corn or other sources, is necessary for fermentation.
The Bud Light ad was a gift to Miller Coors, the Chicago-based company's top executive Gavin Hattersley told the Milwaukee Business Journal.
"Our distributors are proud. They are fiercely competitive, and they like nothing more than a good fight," he said.
Hattersley added that he was disappointed Anheuser-Busch made a commercial that cast the beer industry in a negative light and was "disparaging American farmers and natural ingredients that most brewers, including themselves, I might add, use quite extensively," he said.
Busch Beer's Twitter account posted that "everyone should toast to the amazing American farmers for all that they do to support our country and, of course, for the crops they grow that go into our beers." The label is part of Anheuser-Busch.
Busch pledged $5 for Farm Rescue for every reweet of its own toast to farmers tweet. The program helps with planting, haying, harvesting and livestock tending when farm families have a major injury, illness or natural disaster.
The tweet had more than 34,000 retweets mid-day Friday.
While Montana is only 39th among states for corn produced, Miller Coors and Anheuser-Busch combined have bought nearly two-thirds of the barley grown in northcentral Montana in some years.
For the past year, talk has circulated that Anheuser-Busch was selling its Fairfield elevator, but a spokesman for the company said it's not for sale. Instead, Malteurop, which has a Great Falls plant, is renting excess space "which will allow us to fully utilize the elevator."
In 2018, American farmers harvested 1.978 million acres of barley, down from 3.16 million in 2015 and 4.7 million acres in 2003, according to the USDA.
North Dakota bull brings in record $1.5 million
ST. ANTHONY, N.D. — An Angus bull named SAV America 8018 sold for a record $1.51 million at auction recently, nearly double the previous high for a beef bull.
This was the third year in a row that Schaff Angus Valley, which sold the bull to Herbster Angus Farms of Falls City, Neb., has broken its own record for the highest-selling bull, the Grand Forks Herald reported, with $800,000 last year and $750,000 the year before.
Bison, back in Indiana for first time in 200 years, making an impact
MOROCCO, IND. — The Nature Conservancy is celebrating a 20-year project converting 7,000 acres of farmland back into prairie grassland.
The Kankakee Sands Nature Preserve is home to the first free-range bison in Indiana for 200 years. The Nature Conservancy introduced them from a preserve in South Dakota.
“When bison graze grass, it gives a competitive advantage to all the neighbors of that plant, such as native wildflowers,” site manager Ted Anchor said.
McFaul: US tariffs helping Russian ag gain in China
Two consequences of recent trade wars between the United States and China are improved relations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping and gains for Russian agricultural products in world market, according to the author of the new book "Cold War to Hot Peace."
“I think that there were some legitimate concerns that the Trump Administration raised about Chinese theft or improper acquisition of American intellectual property, but I think the solution to that should be focusing on preventing that, not punishing American farmers," Michael McFaul, a Glasgow native and former ambassador to Russia, told the Glasgow Courier.
McFaul said he's skeptical about Putin's plans for agriculture. Russia has made significant investments in agricultural development, but corruption means there is generally a low return on investments.


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A Warm Welcome to Readers Old and New
Good day to all gambling industry leaders, thinkers and operators.
Welcome aboard the iGF express and the brand new refit of our www.iGamingFuture.com website.
After 15-months online, the new, updated, iGF.com is now packed with more tools and features, news and analysis, from the top minds in iGaming, to help our industry navigate and anticipate the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Our very name—iGamingFuture—embodies our spirit and core mission: To help our industry be forward-looking, progressive, equal, safe and sustainable.
When we launched in April, 2020—in the midst of the pandemic lockdown—we promised: “iGF will provide its gaming community with tools to be proactive and agile, to minimise risk and maximise opportunity.
“By looking forward we can anticipate the challenges that will impact our way of working and aim to future-proof our businesses — in the most pragmatic way possible.”
Since then online betting, with traditional retail, casinos and bookies shuttered against Covid, has surged and profited from a massive switch to Internet-based action around the world.
Everywhere, the gambling industry has been transformed.
Profits and revenue streams have been saved and boosted by new iGaming offerings, innovative ways of taking the “craic” and pleasure of traditional casino and card games online, the booming international sportsbook market.
These, abetted and powered by a surge in M&A action, are just some of the examples.
From launch, iGF has covered the big breaking stories in-depth — and ridden the thrilling wave of change.
In November we were rewarded for our work and vision by winning the top “Media of the Year” prize at the SiGMA Europe Gaming Awards in Malta for “creating a positive impact on the gaming industry” during 2021.
Accepting the “Media of the Year” trophy, iGF Head of Publishing Rory Niblock-Stuart said: “Of course I’m delighted and very honoured.
“We’ve got a dream team. And although we only been publishing for a little over a year, we’ve beaten out some very tough competitors and good friends.”
Today, at the start of a new year, we hope our fresh new site–with its simple, yet advanced, user experience–makes it even easier for you to connect with fellow leaders and navigate the future of the gaming industry.
We want to make our high-level thought leadership more accessible and inclusive, for everyone in our industry.
Quite simply, as a media leader, we also believe that we are your media servant.


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Next Ferrari Enzo will be hybrid
When it comes to the successor for the Ferrari Enzo we’ve heard all kinds of rumors. However, we can now clear some of those up as Ferrari S.p.A. Chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, himself not only talks about the future car, but also about the company’s future.
The next Enzo will be revealed in 2012 and it "will incorporate the state of the art of our knowledge in terms of increasing performances while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. It will then influence all Ferraris that appear after it." Under the hood there will be the same gasoline-hybrid technology that is found in the Vettura Laboratorio HY-KERS concept that was unveiled in March at the Geneva Auto Show. As for the car’s design language, it was previewed in 2007 by the Millechili concept.
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo also confirmed that Ferrari will be about "fast cars and fast trains – and no politics", and that despite his 63 years of experience in life, he will continue working for Ferrari: "I want to shape the next product cycle at Ferrari to assure a bright future at a company that has been inextricably intertwined with my life."
Source: Automotive News


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A car crept up on me the other day. More accurately, it was a van, a bright yellow and green delivery van. It didn’t make a sound. It turns out it was a fully electric DHL delivery van, supplied by BYD, the vehicle company that takes its initials from the words “build your dream”. It was quite fun to watch as the one-person team quietly made a few deliveries.
In speaking with the driver, we found that they seem to have quite a bit of pride in their being the first to use this new type of vehicle so widely in the Philippines. The DHL driver took the time to explain how easy it was to drive, “just like a smooth automatic,” he explained. In reality fully electric cars rarely have shifting gearboxes. So it was really just the usual smoothness and efficiency benefits of an electric motor system. The drivers are trained at the new facility of BYD.
It seems that range anxiety and charging issues for them are actually non-issues. They just pick it up in the morning and return it when they’re done. The van was a brand new vehicle so everything was crisp and clean. The driver was proud to show off the ports for charging and so on. He also pointed out that the car was running the air conditioner the whole time, as it always does, which makes it much more comfortable for him. This is much appreciated even by those who aren’t driving the car, when you realize that so many diesel vehicles still leave the engine running just for the air conditioning.
We spoke with the Philippine BYD head, Solar Transport Corp. Managing Director Mark Tieng, about seeing his vehicles on the road. He explained that many companies in such situations are finding the value in going fully electric. In the case of DHL since they return to the same place every night it makes charging systematic and accessible. Other BYD products that are full electrics include forklifts which are also taken up quite well by the industry, although they are not as visible, of course. BYD is actually at the forefront of electric vehicle technology, which is no surprise because it is a Chinese company and China companies get support from infrastructure and government, even though BYD itself is an entrepreneurial company as opposed to a state-funded one.
One of the advantages of having an electric vehicle for delivery is that there is a lot more space and flexibility for cargo or people that can be adjusted and used. Additionally, new technologies for batteries that BYD is bringing in to the market will allow more space saving and structurally supported layouts. Advantages of weight and usability of space will become even more evident soon, especially in road cars.
An interesting thing to note is that for many of these large multinational companies the decision to go with an electric fleet has as much to do with their vision of where the future should be, as it does with the efficiencies and economics of using electrical power as opposed to fluctuating fuel prices.
One of the earlier road vehicle adopters of BYD was the power company Meralco, but of course there are obvious advantages for an electric company to use electric cars. The fact that a private delivery company like DHL, whose trucks should be in constant use, has taken this step is indicative of the fact that the future is already being adopted by the mainstream.
Nowadays during the pandemic, deliveries are a point of excitement for many households, almost like Mail Call in the old movies. It is a nice thing to see these big yellow and green vans pull up so quietly and cleanly in your neighborhood.
IN PHOTO: From left, DHL Operations Director Promod George; DHL Express Philippines Country Manager Nigel Lockett; Solar Transport Corp. Managing Director Mark Andrew Tieng; and Solar Transport Corp. Sales Manager Jet Milan


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NEW ZEALAND - For a country that markets itself using the slogan "100 per cent Pure", New Zealand's environmental credentials are not as impeccable as many might think.
The majority of its rivers are too polluted to swim in. Its record of preserving natural environments is among the worst in the world on a per-capita basis.
Dairy giant Fonterra's discovery of bacteria that can cause potentially fatal food poisoning in ingredients sold to eight countries exposes the fragility of New Zealand's clean and green image.
"It was only a matter of time before our dirty little secret came out," said Ms Jill Brinsdon, brand strategist at Radiation, a brand agency in Auckland.
"Fonterra is our largest exporter, it's completely intertwined with New Zealand's image and it's the absolute biggest benefactor of the '100 per cent Pure' brand.
"When you're coming out with something that presents itself as fact, or 100 per cent pure, then you have to be 100 per cent pure, and we've proven that we're not."
New Zealand's primary sector, which includes fishing and forestry, accounts for some 60 per cent of exports and 18 per cent of the country's US$160-billion (S$203-billion) gross domestic product. Tourism makes up about another 10 per cent of GDP.
The country has touted itself as "100 per cent Pure" in print and TV ads, drawing millions of visitors each year to experience its national parks, beaches and lakes.
But the marketing overlooks a dark side to the country's environmental credentials.
More than 60 per cent of New Zealand rivers monitored by the Environment Ministry had "poor" or "very poor" water quality, and were rated as unsafe for swimming due to pollution.
Dairy farming - which has a lot riding on New Zealand's strong environmental reputation - has been a significant cause of poor river quality, due to fertiliser and effluent run-off.
"Because we've had a lack of regulation on farm waste for 20 years, it's been a free-for-all, so farmers have done what they can to produce more milk - which is to put more cows on pastures," said Dr Mike Joy, an ecology and environmental-sustainability scientist at Massey University.
Prime Minister John Key said New Zealand would always be reliant on dairying, due to the country's natural competitive advantage amid rising global demand.
"The right answer is not for New Zealand to sell less dairy. The right answer is for New Zealand to be absolutely sure that safety standards are met," he said yesterday.
The country's food-safety record isn't impeccable.
Until the late 2000s, New Zealand had the highest rate in the developed world of foodborne campylobacteriosis, a sometimes-deadly disease caused by bacteria often found in uncooked chicken.
As of 2011, New Zealand still reported incidents of the disease at more than double the rate of nearby Australia and 12 times the rate of the United States, according to the University of Otago.
The botulism scare at Fonterra was the company's second contamination issue this year; it earlier found traces of dicyandiamde, a potentially toxic chemical, in some products.
Even so, the country has one of the most stringent food-safety regimes in the world, and the recent dairy-product scares only turned up thanks to the sophisticated and sensitive testing available.
Fonterra expects the current contamination issue to be resolved within days.
A protracted, major animal-health incident, rather than a localised contamination issue, could wreak havoc on the New Zealand economy.
Still, "we've got to wake up and look more closely at our green credentials, and work harder to create a pristine environment so consumers can get a product which matches the story", said a consultant to New Zealand companies operating in Asia.