text:
Sony has confirmed that the PSN is currently down for some users
PSN DOWN UPDATE 7: The PlayStation service status page now lists all online service as being back up and working properly, following a long period of downtime for many users in the UK and North America.
Gaming and social, PlayStation Now and the PlayStation Store have all gone green, meaning most gamers on the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita will have normal service resumed within the hour.
There has been no official update from the PlayStation support team on Twitter but it would seem whatever problems were affecting the service have now been corrected by Sony engineers.
July has been blighted for many by the instability of the PlayStation Network, which has been offline several times over the past weeks.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 6: The past hour has seen many users in the UK regain connection to the PSN.
There are numerous reports from gamers using the PS4 from across the country revealing they are back up and running on titles such as Destiny and Elder Scrolls Online.
The PlayStation Store, however is still down and is currently giving users a E-820001F7 error message.
PSN users have been looking forward to the release of Rocket League on PS Plus, but many have not been able to complete a download the game since the PSN's downtime.
Users in North America are also reporting a return to service, following a downtime of around seven hours for some.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 5: Today's PSN outage has reached the six-hour mark, leaving many in the UK unable to play online most of the evening.
Connection retention, especially when trying to join multiplayer games, seems to be the main issues for many users, some who are now reporting that they are slowly regaining access to the PSN.
Gamers are reporting on Twitter that they are seeing a return of sorts to key features, although it's unclear how widespread the return to service is for many in the UK and North America.
"I would like to download rocket league BUT the PSN is apparently under maintenance. Can't even play any games online," one US-based PS4 user tweeted.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 4: Several online services are now back online, according to Sony.
Account management on both the PS4 and PS3 are now listed as being operational again, while PlayStation Video and PlayStation Vue have also been given green status.
It still leaves the PS Store, gaming, social and PlayStation Now as being offline.
One user given an update from the UK writes: "Still down in Plymouth (20:55) managed to get onto a game after try about 50 times though."
Users who were logged in before the current issues hit online services remain unaffected, according to several reports.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 3: The PSN service status page now lists account management as down, leaving only one Sony feature unaffected by today's outage.
PlayStation Vue is the only accessible service left listed by Sony, with sign in issues now being felt by those on PS4, PS3 and other devices.
"You may be experiencing issues related to signing in or creating an account on PlayStation Network."
The listed problems for account management includes:
- Sign In
- Create Account
No further updates have been posted by the PlayStation support team on Twitter, who confirmed that Sony engineers were investigating the problems over two hours ago.
It is unclear whether today's issues are connected with the update of the PS Store which is also confirmed to be happening over the next couple of hours.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 2: The PlayStation Now service has been added to the list of services currently being affected by connectivity issues.
"You may be experiencing issues related to accessing content from PlayStation Now. We appreciate your patience while we address this."
The services currently listed by Sony as currently affected includes:
- Gaming and Social on PS4
- PlayStation Now on PS4, PS3 and Other
- PlayStation Store on PS4
The PlayStation Store has also been updated to show that all of the features it provides are now down in their entirety, including:
- Redeeming Vouchers
Sony say that the Store is currently being updated and once completed, will be posted on the PlayStation blog.
July has already seen several outages affecting the two Sony consoles, with some lasting hours while others have been sorted in much shorter periods.
Gamers on the PlayStation platforms have had problems accessing key online features since around 4pm today, UK time.
PSN DOWN UPDATE 1: The PlayStation support team have confirmed that Sony engineers are currently looking at the problem affecting key console services.
"Engineers are investigating issues with the PSN connectivity; thanks for your patience," the PlayStation support mesaage reads.
One user detailed the problems they were facing using their PlayStation 4 tonight in the UK, commenting: "Can't access the store or play online .
"It says it is down for maintenance but the official Sony site has no mention of it at all."
ORIGINAL:Gamers are currently struggling to play multiplayer titles online, while the PS Store has also been confirmed to be down.
Purchasing and downloading game is currently an issues affecting the Store, according to Sony.
"You may be experiencing issues related to features on PlayStation Store," a message from the support team reads.
"We appreciate your patience while we address this."
This is the third time this month that users have reported a mass outage affecting both the UK and North America.
It is unclear if it a simple server error is causing the issue or if a DDOS attack sin progress.


text:
Lululemon Athletica’s 2Q16 results: Revenue analysis
Lululemon Athletica (LULU), which declares its 2Q16 results on September 10, is expecting sales in the range of $440 million to $445 million in the quarter. That’s 12.6% to 13.9% higher than its levels in 2Q15. Same-store sales growth is projected in the high single digits in constant-currency terms.
Competitors L Brands (LB) and The Gap (GPS) have posted mixed results in their last respective reported quarters. LB reported 4% comps growth in the 13 weeks that ended on August 1. The Gap, in contrast, reported a 2% decline in store comps in the second quarter.
In June, LULU recalled over 300,000 women’s tops with drawcords in the United States and Canada,[1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission] The hard tip at the end of the drawcord could snap back on the wearer’s face upon pulling and cause injury. Most of these tops sold prior to 2014, according to a notice by LULU.
Implications of a recall
This was LULU’s second product recall. It came after the infamous black Luon pants recall in 2013. In March 2013, the company was forced to recall its black Luon pants due to the fabric being too sheer. This resulted in lower sales and surplus inventory and millions of dollars of losses to the company. The issue affected about 17% of all bottoms stocked for women. Same-store sales grew just 2% in fiscal 2014 compared to 13% in fiscal 2013.
And while the current recall may not affect the company’s financials to the same extent, frequent recalls may dilute the brand’s equity in the face of ever-increasing competition.
That being said, LULU’s sales performance was particularly strong in 1Q16. The next article of this series discusses these results.

domain: news


text:
Trying to find the details within the U.K-EU Brexit deal is more difficult than finding evidence of a Yeti. The negotiating team secrecy is inherent to the way the elites within the European systems work. Essentially the “betters” rule the proles by hiding the details and relying upon the electorate to “trust” the outlined framework of their elected superiors.
Hiding details is a feature within the European system and the way the government looks at their role.
That said, tomorrow British members of parliament will begin debating the deal for the UK to exit the EU. The deal was modified by Boris Johnson. A backgrounder:
Farage is concerned, rightly, about how the framework of the EU customs union is constructed to influence the UK after Brexit. From what can be determined there’s a triggering mechanism where the UK and EU begin a lengthy process to construct a UK trade agreement with the EU after Brexit takes place.
Within that post-Brexit automatic trade-framework is where the European Union is seeking to retain their influence over the United Kingdom. However, it is not accurate to overlay EU influence too heavily, and here’s why….
Within the current framework there’s a customs union design similar to a Venn diagram, that consists of Northern Ireland remaining attached to EU tariff rules, and yet the UK is not subject to the same parameters. So there’s three different sets of trade rules in place.
One set between the EU and Northern Ireland; one set between Northern Ireland and the UK; and one set between the EU and the UK. All of this is designed to stop the UK from having independent trade wealth that is beyond the reach of the EU to control.
However, here’s the aspect you won’t find discussed.
Within the agreement as it appears the EU can, likely would, punish the UK for having more favorable trade agreements with other nations. Meaning if the UK gives better deals to others than it does the EU, the EU will increase tariffs against the UK intended to punish the UK by restricting access to the EU market for UK products. But that’s the limit of what the EU will be able to do….
Meaning, the EU cannot stop the UK from entering a trade deal with North America (think USMCA). And there’s every visible likelihood President Trump is constructing a U.S.-U.K trade agreement with that in mind…. Meaning the U.K. will have preferential access to North America, and the USMCA countries (Mexico, U.S. and Canada) will in turn have preferential treatment in trade with the U.K.
This is important. The EU will not be able to influence the U.S-U.K. trade agreement beyond imposing tariffs on Britain as punishment. This is where the importance of Donald Trump comes in…. Trump can, I would say: likely will, give preferential treatment to exports from the U.K., so long as PM Boris Johnson is reciprocal toward the U.S.
Simultaneously, President Trump can hit the EU much harder than the EU can hit Great Britain. If, say, the EU hits the UK with a 25% tariff as punishment for a better trade deal with the U.S. on any individual segment, Trump can hit the EU with a 25% tariff back on the EU.
The EU needs access to the $20 Trillion U.S. market much more than the EU needs access to the newly freed U.K. market. Brexiteers should remember this. President Trump and PM Johnson can work together to leverage this trade situation to both of their benefits. The EU will want to keep selling their stuff into the U.K. (less important); but the EU *has to* keep selling their stuff into the U.S. (very important) in order to survive.
Trump and Johnson can work on a U.S-U.K. trade superhighway. Our research already sees this construct in the discussions. Simultaneously, Trump can pummel the EU with tariffs. [Keep in mind the U.S. just won a WTO ruling for $7.5 billion a year in countervailing duties the EU cannot legally try and counteract.]
Combine the $7.5 billion WTO ruling with the potential for President Trump to hammer additional duties against the EU for adverse trade action within the Brexit customs authority, and what you see is an EU that can threaten action, but has limited recourse (just like China).
President Trump is itching to trigger more tariffs against the EU and looking for any economic excuse to do so. Brexit provides just that excuse.
This is why, despite the flaws inherent within the UK-EU Brexit agreement, it would be in the best interests of the U.K. to vote in support of the current deal and get out.
Once out, President Trump can then provide trade incentives for EU products that come from the U.K. that do not come from the EU itself. No U.S. tariffs on Great Britain, while Trump puts heavy U.S. tariffs on the EU.
The result of this process would push EU manufacturers and suppliers into the U.K. as a trade hub for access to North America, specifically the United States. Simultaneously, EU companies wanting to avoid the U.S. tariffs against the EU could distribute their products through operations within the U.K.
As described this trade network provides PM Boris Johnson with the ability to pick and choose the EU entities that he would permit to operate in the U.K. In essence, this provides Prime Minister Boris Johnson with leverage against the EU for “other issues” of importance.
It’s all about the economics.
Without money to finance their ideology, everything stops.
All of the above stated, this is another reason why Nancy Pelosi and the ideological leftists are trying to stall the USMCA. The North American Trade agreement is the trade fulcrum for a massive global economic reset.
The corporate multinational profit schemes to use China/Asia, and the political ideology behind the socialists/leftists that align with the EU (ie. “share the wealth”), are both weakened by a North American trade alliance, USMCA, that relocates the best return on international investment.
At the center of this realignment is “America First“.


text:
New Delhi: The 10-day nationwide strike of farmers, united under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, will begin from today, June 1 and continue till June 10.
Demanding better prices of produce, the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana has launched the “Gaon Bandh” (village blockade) agitation and stop supplies of milk and vegetables to cities, as a part of the strike.
The strike has been launched to turn the government’s attention towards their demands of minimum income guarantee scheme, implementation of Swaminathan Commission report and waiver of loans.
During the period, no eatables would be supplied from villages to cities in the state. Although the state government has made arrangements to minimise the impact of agitation, cities are set to see a shortage of items like vegetables and milk. The farmers in the state of Maharashtra, on the other hand, have called for a strike for a day (June 1).


text:
- Alison Roman's recipe for Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric has taken over the internet.
- Roman's stew was first featured in New York Times Food in late November 2018, where the cook and best-selling author of "Dining In" has a biweekly column.
- To make "The Stew," you'll need 13 ingredients including chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, and fresh mint leaves, to name a few.
- Speaking to INSIDER, Roman said she wanted to make her stew recipe "pantry-based," affordable, and "vegetarian but substantial."
- The author also said she feels "very grateful that the thing [she] set out to do, which is to get people cooking, is actually working."
In the past two months, thousands of people have made Alison Roman's Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric. If you haven't heard of it, chances are you've already seen a couple photos of the dish, which amass in colorful rows when you search #TheStew on Instagram.
Roman's recipe first graced New York Times Food in late November last year, where the cook and best-selling author of "Dining In" has a biweekly column. By mid-December, "The Stew" was a viral sensation, featured in the highlights section of New York Times Cooking's Instagram, as well as numerous food and lifestyle blogs.
With a creamy yellow base, leafy greens, and fresh mint garnish, the now-famous stew is as eye-catching as it is delicious, according to its five-star rating — averaged across 3,586 reviews at the time of writing — on NYT Cooking.
To make "The Stew," you'll only need 13 ingredients: chickpeas; full-fat coconut milk; vegetable or chicken stock; Swiss chard, kale, or collard greens; olive oil; ground turmeric; fresh garlic cloves; yellow onion; ginger; Kosher salt; black pepper; red pepper flake; and fresh mint leaves.
Following Roman's recipe, you can also serve "The Stew" with yogurt and toasted pita or some other flatbread, though both are optional.
Speaking to INSIDER, the "Dining In" author said she wanted to create something "pantry-based" and affordable to make, using ingredients people probably already have at home. She also wanted something that was vegetarian but substantial, "like comfort food that happens to be vegan," but not "intentionally healthy."
"The things I do are pretty approachable," she added. "That's how I make recipes across the board."
If you're thinking about tweaking the recipe, there are two changes Roman advises against making: not using chickpeas and not using coconut milk. Otherwise, the author told INSIDER, her recipe is "pretty riffable."
Roman, who often interacts with her followers on Instagram, said she's seen people add roasted sweet potatoes or squash to her stew recipe. Others have added lime. Some have used cilantro instead of mint. Sour cream instead of yogurt. Three cans of chickpeas instead of two.
The cook has also compiled her answers to several frequently asked questions about "The Stew" — like whether you can freeze it — in a "Stew Q&A" highlight on her Instagram.
Roman, of course, is no stranger to virality. Her recipe for Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread cookies from "Dining In" famously went mega-viral in early 2018, so much so that like her stew, they became known simply as "The Cookies" online.
Still, the cook was surprised when "The Stew" started to take off, especially when she's made recipes with similar ingredients before.
"It's a pretty funny thing to go viral," Roman said. "The fact that this many people are talking about one specific stew is truly remarkable and I've never seen anything like it."
"I don't know if it would have happened without 'The Cookies' having happened first," she added.
Roman does think, however, that the stew became so popular in part because it's beautiful."Everyone's [stew] looks pretty much the same, which is really nice," the writer said. "You can make something in your own home that looks like what everyone else is making."
"But also attention begets attention and the fact that people were talking about it made people want to talk about it," the cook added.
Regardless of how "The Stew" took off, Roman said she's just "flattered" that it happened and "happy people are cooking."
"The fact I now have two recipes that people know me for is very exciting to me," said the author, whose early career saw her as a pastry chef at Milk Bar and then a senior food editor at Bon Appétit (where she's currently a contributor). "I feel like if you like 'The Stew,' you'll like other things that I do because they're not more challenging or more difficult."
"If you make a recipe that works, that's easy to execute, that's pretty affordable to make, and looks beautiful, people are going to want to make it," Roman added. "And I feel very grateful that the thing I set out to do, which is to get people cooking, is actually working."
See Roman's full recipe for Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric here. To see more from Roman, follow her on Instagram and check out her column for New York Times Food.
Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.


text:
Hugo Boss's new CEO is now on-board
He said his ambition is to grow Hugo Boss “in a fast but sustainable way and to unlock our brands' full potential in the years to come, together with our teams around the globe”.
Grieder has been appointed by the Supervisory Board for a period of five years.
Grieder worked for Tommy Hilfiger for more than 20 years and “was largely responsible for the successful establishment of the brand in the European market”. He became its CEO in 2008 and after the integration of the business into the Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) Corporation, he became CEO and president of Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe in 2014.
His appointment comes at a time when Hugo Boss is bouncing back from the pandemic that affected demand for one of its core product areas, formalwear. In recent periods it has worked to introduce more casual clothing into its line-up.
It has also been the subject of much speculation lately over the intentions of major shareholder Frasers Group, which has denied that it’s to make a full bid for the firm. Reports have also suggested that LVMH could be interested in a Hugo Boss takeover.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


text:
eBrevia’s newest solution, eBrevia Bespoke, is now available. It is the latest in the company’s line of software products applying machine learning to contract review and management. With eBrevia Bespoke, clients can identify and extract specific contractual terms unique to their industry, domain, or project.
“Since we launched our software, clients have requested the ability to search a set of terms customized to their specific industries and projects,” said CEO Ned Gannon. “We wanted to meet this demand by tailoring the core machine learning technology of our product to help expedite the expensive and time-consuming process of data extraction from contracts, leases and other documents.”


text:
Welcome to another end-of-the-week round-up of Android games that are on sale right now. This week’s list is made up of a lot of leftovers from last week, all of which are good games, as well as some new additions of some pretty solid titles you’ll want to check out and possibly snag a copy of while they are on sale.
Day: October 25, 2013
When the Xbox One and the Playstation 4 were announced this year there was a heavy focus on second-screen experiences as well as social features that both consoles would be coming having integrated into them. The Playstation 4 seemed to have more of a foothold on the whole thing, pushing the second-screen experiences and social features a lot more during their presentation and upcoming games.
Ouya said, back before the console launched, that their Android-powered console would see new versions of it being released with updated hardware on a regular basis. The company did warn everyone that this would basically mean that a new console would be released every year or pretty much every year as long as their is a substantial upgrade in hardware to do.
MOGA has been working on a new controller that is vastly different from their current offerings. While the company’s previous controllers look and act more like console controllers, the new MOGA Ace Power is a lot different and looks similar to that of Phonejoy’s controller that is just hitting the market.
Activision has decided to come out of left field and release a Call of Duty game onto Android called Call of Duty: Strike Team. This particular game is a blend of first-person and third-person squad-based tactical gameplay where you’ll be controlling your squad of soldiers, positioning them in strategic places before switching to a first-person perspective and laying out a few clips of ammo onto your enemies.
When Blizzard announced their new game, which ended up being a TCG called Hearthstone, it was also announced for iOS gamers to play on the iPad. However other mobile platforms were left behind like our beloved Android platform. New evidence is pointing towards the possibility that an Android and Windows Phone version of Hearthstone could be arriving soon.


text:
Ford fined and offers compensation over Kugas
Motorists affected by the burning Ford Kuga SUVs will be offered compensation in terms of a settlement agreement between the National Consumer Commission and Ford SA. TimesLIVE says the company has agreed to pay a R35m fine while consumers have three options; a cash settlement, dispute resolution or to fight a claim in court. The first option is that Ford (FMCSA) will pay R50 000 each to those consumers who were owners of, or in lawful possession of, a Kuga FMCSA vehicle which combusted. If they accept it, the payment will be 'in full and final settlement of all claims that the consumer may have against FMCSA as a result of the damaged or recalled Kuga vehicles', said the commission. Consumers who want more than the offered compensation may submit a claim against FMCSA in terms of section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act. This is the second option, but the commission cautioned against it as 'arguing damages claims in court can be costly'. As a result, it said it was agreed that Advocate Terry Motau SC would provide alternate dispute resolution services as contemplated by section 70(1)(c) of the CPA. Option three is if a consumer chooses to reject both the cash settlement and dispute resolution in favour of proceeding to prove damages in court. The Sunday Times reported in September that the consumer commission had done an about-turn on its stated intention to prosecute Ford.
The commission believes the settlement agreement it reached with Ford SA is 'fair and equitable', notes a second TimesLIVE report. It brings to an end a two-year investigation which the commission undertook after it received more than 160 complaints from Kuga owners. The fine is payable within 30 days of the Consumer Tribunal making it an order. Thezi Mabuza, acting Commissioner of the commission, said of the settlement: 'It brings an end to a long investigation which began in 2017. It is a good agreement which has seen the largest fine paid ever in the commission's history.' Mabuza said: 'The investigation showed that Ford was involved in prohibitive behaviour under the Act. Ford has agreed to this. Owners of these vehicles will be helped. We achieved what the law empowers us to do, and that is to protect the South African consumer.'


text:
In CCO this month, Seth Dotterer (VP of Marketing at Conductor / @Conductor) brought up some good points on social search and video search with his article YouTube is a Search Engine – here are the sound-bite highlights;
- “…video is expected to account for 79 percent of all consumer internet traffic by 2018.”
- “Facebook serves more than 1 billion searches per day, and Pinterest – consistently ranked in comScore’s top 50 digital media properties – launched guided search this summer. (Pinterest says it wants to be the place where people search for inspiration.)”
- “…with a little in-house talent, a decent camera and some editing software, any brand can produce video its audiences want to watch. Here are some ideas;”
- How-to (RZ: these keywords also tend to draw massive search volume as well)
- List (RZ: pick the most video-friendly topics from your editorial calendar)
- Unboxing (RZ: if you enjoy unwrapping a gift, you’ll totally understand this one)
Other top video trends to align with your brand and demand (keyword search volume) can be found on YouTube’s Trends Dashboard.


text:
General => General => Topic started by: 02JEEPX on January 17, 2012, 01:47:34 PM
Nearly 350 grassroots racers - from a 10-year-old Tiger Sprint Kart driver to 30-year veterans of dirt and asphalt tracks - have submitted video entries to Champion\'s \"Search for a Champion\" motorsports sponsorship contest.
The Federal-Mogul brand of spark plugs, automotive filters, wipers and chemical additives is using the promotion to “connect a new generation of consumers.”
The “Search for a Champion” contest will award five $10,000 sponsorships and one $50,000 grand prize sponsorship to qualifying entrants whose videos best demonstrate their ability to dominate the action in engine-driven racing series in 2012 while using Champion products.
Winners of the five $10,000 sponsorships will be determined in part by online voting running now through Feb. 5 at alwaysachampion.com, and the winners will be announced during the upcoming Daytona 500.
Online voting for the $50,000 sponsorship will run Feb. 22 through March 21, and the grand prize will be awarded on April 2.
“Our contest participants cover virtually every area of the U.S. and Canada, every type of engine-driven racing and an incredible range of ages and backgrounds,” said Jessica Wynn, Federal-Mogul manager of brand strategy. “We’ve had racers display the Champion ‘bow tie’ logo on their cars, sleds, boats, and fire suits, in their garages and on their websites and Facebook pages. One participant’s entry recently ended up on television in a major midwestern city. This contest has underscored the fact that Champion is one of the world’s most powerful and appealing brands.”


text:
A Night of Hispanic Style
The Hispanic Designers Gala Wednesday night was very international: One could hear English with a Spanish accent, Portuguese with a French accent, and Midwestern with a Mexican accent.
More than 500 people attended the 15th annual dinner and fashion show at the J.W. Marriott, where a combination of cultural pride and high fashion was on display.
"This is a wonderful initiative to promote our Hispanic designers from both sides of the Atlantic," Spanish Ambassador Antonio de Oyarzabal said.
But it's getting so complicated. Designer Ocimar Versolato, for example, was born in Brazil, lives in Paris and designs for women all around the world. Versolato, who was the evening's fashion honoree, said that "the sensuality in the clothes . . . owes a lot to where I was born."
This side of the Atlantic was represented by Eduardo Lucero--born in Mexico, grew up on a farm in Illinois, now lives in Los Angeles. So how does that figure in his designs? "It doesn't necessarily influence it directly," he said, "but it influences it on a deep-down-roots area."
The bottom line, however, is probably the bottom line. "I am extremely proud of my heritage," said Oscar de la Renta, recipient of the gala's first award in 1985, who attended a benefit luncheon earlier for Casa del Nino, his pet project in the Dominican Republic. "But when it comes to fashion--being such a global business--I don't think a designer can rely on his roots to make it."
Then it comes down to simply beautiful clothes. Guests nibbled on chocolate truffles as models slinked down the runway in various combinations of fur, leather, ball gowns and stilettos. Actress Sonia Braga hammed for the cameras. Penny Harrison, president of Hispanic Designers, received a huge floral bouquet for raising $100,000 for scholarships.
That translates to "nice job" in any language.
Marianne Gingrich's Gain
The joke running through the Capital Hilton ballroom Tuesday night was that Marianne Gingrich "lost 280 pounds: Newt." Truth be told, the soon-to-be ex of the ex-speaker looked svelte, sexy and fabulous. Gingrich, below with Shane Riley, returned to Washington to help chair the 11th annual Children's Inn gala, a bipartisan effort headed by congressional spouses and attended by the likes of HHS Secretary Donna Shalala and Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Tex.). Said a beaming Gingrich, who received a standing ovation from the audience, "These are my friends, and friends are always wonderful."
The Rotary Club's Good Deed
The Rotary Club of Tysons Corner held its 10th annual gala Friday night, and while there was no smoke in the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton, the evening was a mortgage-burning party of sorts. The annual gala, along with a golf tournament, raised $100,000, enough to pay off the deed for Kaleidoscope House, a home for abused children in Northern Virginia. "We are so grateful just for people who care," said Judith Dittman Moore, below, the home's executive director.


text:
Buy real stuff from the HuffPost store: All purchases support our journalism.
HuffPost Finds Partner
"The most unrealistic part of spy movies is everyone's ability to insert the USB drive on the first attempt."
With his project "Dead Drops," Berlin-based artist Aram Bartholl wants to change the way people exchange information and who has control over it.
Most people tend to know about USB, or at least heard about it. But USB comes in a wide variety of incarnations. There are USB-A plugs, and USB-B plugs. And micro-USB, and even still some mini-USB hanging around, though they're largely faded out. And a lot more.
"USB Killer" is a device, which can literally fry your computer. The device was hand-made by a Russian hacker, nicknamed as Dark Purple.
Unfortunately, in this world of mobile devices, we must face one harsh reality -- all of them need to be recharged. With that in mind, we took a look at several items that can make that task a bit easier.
From the moment this wacky animated Jii cigarette lighter arises from the scientist's lab in this Japanese commercial, we're
With employees increasingly shuttling their hardware between home and office, businesses need to be sharper at ensuring they're covering the accompanying security risks.
I credit Steve Jobs creating crowd excitement that borders on hysteria about technological stuff. Heck, the lines around
Sure, the iPad looks cool, it looks hip, it looks "Apple." But the shear lack of features, many of which we all were "expecting" to have on a mobile device, boggles the mind. Let's examine.
In theory, gadgets are suppose to make our lives easier, simpler. But sometimes technology just complicates, making way for
Apple Reportedly Pitching $30/month Apple TV Subscription: MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer November 3, 2009
Marvell, the chip maker not the entertainment company, announced that it is set to enter the eReader world. the company will
Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer a daily show featuring news you can use about


text:
Judge Posner Dismisses Apple-Motorola Case Again, Blasts Apple
June 25, 2012 1:44 PM
Judge took issue with Apple's refusal to assign a reasonable licensing value to patents
Apple, Inc. (
) had a dream. In its dream it no longer had to compete with Google Inc.'s (
). Instead it
resorted to "thermonuclear war"
with Android, gaining sales bans and suing Android device makers with damage claims so exorbitant that licensing was a non-option.
But it's looking increasingly like Apple's dream is but a fantasy, as the U.S. federal court system, like its peers, are growing tired of the company's legal crusade.
I. Great Expectations for Apple
Judge Richard A. Posner
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
judge who moonlighted in the
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
(Chicago), tossed Apple and Motorola Mobility's (a Google Inc. (
suits/countersuits out of court
"with prejudice" during the first week of June. He was upset about both companies' refusal to place realistic evaluations of their patents' worth (both companies reportedly lofted astronomical figures).
It was Motorola who originally initiated this suit, but it was essentially just committing to a preemptive strike after CEO Steve Jobs and Apple lawyers verbally threatened to sue it in late 2010. During the month of October 2010 Motorola dropped the hammer and
Apple followed in suit
with its promised infringement lawsuit.
The legal war was waged in Chicago court. [Image Source: Flickr/
By 2011, Apple was growing eager with anticipation. Motorola was facing scrutiny, as its lawsuit was founded on
fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) standards patents
. Motorola's decision to sue using FRAND IP had already provoked
complaints from Apple and Microsoft
By contrast, Apple's patents were non-FRAND and carried fewer licensing restrictions.
Apple perceived this as an opportunity to demand essentially infinite damages, leading to
a complete ban on current handset models
and forcing Motorola,
to scrap key features that seemingly overlapped with Apple's massive software patent portfolio. Paid critics of Google,
such as Florian Mueller
, eagerly salivated at Android's impending doom after it was "neutered" by Apple patent lawsuits.
Motorola's lawyers fought fire with fire, also requesting massive damages, despite realizing that their patents FRAND status made those damages even more risky.
II. Case Dismissed, Again
In the end Judge Posner rebuked both companies for this approach, dismissing the case. The dismissal was a blow to Google's defense efforts, but was a far bigger blow to Apple's offensive efforts. For that reason it was Apple who petitioned Judge Posner to reconsider, pleading for additional hearings to present revised arguments.
But those hearings came and went and Judge Posner has yet again dismissed the case with stinging words for Apple.
He comments in his ruling, "No more can Apple be permitted to force a trial in federal court the sole outcome of which would be an award of $1."
Judge Richard Posner was not happy with Apple. [Image Source: Abel Uribe, Chicago Tribune]
There would be no injunctions he added -- for either side. They would simply have to compete on the free market, seeing as they could not be reasonable with their requests in court.
He comments, "Both parties have deep pockets. And neither has acknowledged that damages for the infringement of its patents could not be estimated with tolerable certainty."
III. Begrudging Apple Forced to Compete
Apple has seen its anti-Android legal blitzkrieg sputter to a crawl in recent months. HTC Corp. (
implemented a workaround
its handsets to skirt
based on "data-tapping" -- converting phone numbers or addresses to actionable links.
efforts to ban
Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd.'s (
Galaxy S III
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
(San Jose/San Francisco).
Judge Lucy Koh
, like Judge Posner, admonished Apple's zealous legal team. She accused them of trying to monopolize her time, commenting, "I cannot be a [full time] Apple v. Samsung judge."
In the Chicago Motorola case part of Judge Posner's frustration stemmed from the fact that Apple
complained at virtually every single stage
-- even after he had
handed them apparent victories
. Apple now is stuck between a rock and a hard place, as if it tries to appeal the ruling, the appeal will likely go to the same circuit appeals court that Judge Posner sits on.
Motorola's Razr MAXX will face no sales bans. [Image Source: Verizon Wireless]
The failure of its lawsuits is a very dangerous dilemma for Apple. A sales ban could help preserve Apple's strong position amid a period where it has made no bold or decisive moves.
death of Steve Jobs
in 2011, Apple's iPhones have seen slipping release schedules. The iPhone 4S did not land
until October 2011
, while this year's
sixth generation model
has yet to be even announced. This slippage stands in contrast to the reign of Jobs in which an iPhone was announced like clockwork each June and launched by late June (with the exception of the iPhone 3GS which launched in early July).
Likewise, after bold steps in terms of interface in early builds, Apple has since stalled.
suffered from bugs
in test builds and lags behind
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Windows Phone 8
in GUI design. Apple is trying to spin its lack of refinements as sticking with "simplicity", but amid these attractive competitors it's looking increasingly demure and dated.
Product progress at Apple has slowed following the passing of Apple CEO/co-founder Steve Jobs
David Paul Morris/Getty Images
In short, the trainwreck of its legal efforts against Android couldn't come at a worse possible time for the iPhone's market hopes.
"The whole principle [of censorship] is wrong. It's like demanding that grown men live on skim milk because the baby can't have steak." -- Robert Heinlein
Microsoft Announces Windows Phone 8, Won't Support Current Handsets
June 20, 2012, 12:35 PM
Quick Note: Apple's Maps App Flunks at Geography, Navigation
June 13, 2012, 3:53 PM
Apple Plays Wile E. Coyote, Sees Galaxy S III Ban Attempt Foiled
June 13, 2012, 1:43 PM
WWDC: Apple Announces iOS 6, Shows Off In-house Maps App
June 11, 2012, 2:45 PM
Samsung Sues Aussie Patent Office; Prospect of U.S. Galaxy S III Ban Grow
June 8, 2012, 3:23 PM
Are You in the Market for Earphones?
March 24, 2017, 7:35 AM
Samsung Galaxy S8, Rumored Launch Date!
March 18, 2017, 6:45 AM
How about Leica Cameras
March 13, 2017, 6:30 AM
Nokia has ditched this camera technology in its new smartphones
March 7, 2017, 8:45 AM
A Baseball Cap With Camera
March 3, 2017, 7:00 AM
Nokia 3310 with longer battery life
February 28, 2017, 7:05 AM
Most Popular Articles
Apple iPad – New Faster Processor and More Fun
March 22, 2017, 7:25 AM
OnePlus 3T – 5.5” Optic AMOLED and Dash Charging Technology
March 23, 2017, 8:45 AM
Comparison – Samsung Galaxy TabPro S Vs Microsoft Surface Pro 4
March 21, 2017, 7:40 AM
Huawei P8 Lite 2017 – Android 7 Nougat Smartphone with Octa-Core Processor
March 8, 2017, 7:03 AM
Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming G1 – Intel Thunderbolt 3 Certified Motherboard
March 9, 2017, 6:25 AM
Latest Blog Posts
More Apps From Google
Mar 28, 2017, 7:15 AM
Are you thinking of performance and speed? Intel claims:
Mar 25, 2017, 7:45 AM
Apple buys an automation app called Workflow. The deal was completed today and brings the app along with its developers.
Mar 23, 2017, 7:35 AM
Apple Announces new color for iPhones and iPads
Mar 22, 2017, 7:45 AM
Instagram: You Can Now Save Live Videos For Later
Mar 21, 2017, 7:49 AM
Samsung Galaxy S8 to Get New Color Scheme
Mar 20, 2017, 7:45 AM
What else to worry about?
Mar 17, 2017, 6:45 AM
Icon of the Day: Intel/ NVIDIA or Mobileye
Mar 16, 2017, 6:15 AM
JUST IN - Twitter Hijacked : High-Profile Account Accesses
Mar 15, 2017, 7:07 AM
Mar 14, 2017, 7:30 AM
News and Tips
Mar 13, 2017, 6:30 AM
iPhone 8 – May Not Get Curved Screen
Mar 11, 2017, 8:00 AM
California paves way to self-driving car tests without humans
Mar 11, 2017, 7:18 AM
Smart Machines V hackers
Mar 10, 2017, 7:00 AM
Uber Can Resume Autonomous Car Testing in California
Mar 9, 2017, 6:50 AM
Mar 8, 2017, 7:09 AM
Mar 7, 2017, 8:45 AM
World news 3-6
Mar 6, 2017, 5:40 AM
Mar 4, 2017, 7:40 AM
Mixed News of the Day
Mar 4, 2017, 6:32 AM
Jaguar Land Rover invests in ride-sharing
Mar 3, 2017, 7:00 AM
Mixed News of The World:
Mar 2, 2017, 7:02 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2017 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


text:
Asos launches lingerie line to support refugees
Katharine Hamnett, the British designer best known for her political T-shirts, has teamed up with Help Refugees, one of the biggest non-profit organizations supporting refugees and asylum seekers across Europe and the Middle East. The designer is launching a new lingerie line, titled “Choose Love”, exclusively at Asos. All profits will be donated to the NGO.
"At Asos, we believe that fashion can be a force for good”, said the e-tailer in a statement. “We believe in engaging with our customers about issues we know they care about and providing them with the opportunity to do something about it”. Last month, Asos launched an adaptive jumpsuit that can also be worn by people in wheelchairs .
With prices ranging from 6 pounds to 22 pounds, the collection was launched at Asos today. All pieces are made from organic cotton.
There are 25.4 million refugees around the world, more than half of them under the age of 18, according to Help Refugees. A record number of deaths (1322) were registered in 2017 among refugees trying to reach the UK by boat, added the joint statement.


text:
LG Honored With GM’s ‘Supplier of the Year’ Award
Recognized for LG’s Outstanding Contributions as a
Top Supplier in 2022 for Infotainment and Telematics Category
SEOUL, March 27, 2023 — LG Electronics (LG) has been recognized by General Motors (GM) as an excellent supplier for its achievements in the areas of infotainment and telematics at GM’s 31st Annual Supplier of the Year Award. This year’s ceremony, which took place this week in Texas, USA, centered on the theme of ‘Momentum’.
For nearly two decades, LG and GM have been teaming up to bring new innovations to the automotive industry. GM selected LG’s telematics control module for its OnStar service in 2006, and in 2016, based on an electric vehicle project carried out in partnership with LG. LG also provided the world’s first digital cockpit with P-OLED automotive displays for the groundbreaking 2021 New Cadillac Escalade, helping to raise the advanced in-vehicle experience and human-machine interface (HMI) design to new heights.
During the recent pandemic, LG continued to furnish GM with high-quality auto parts without any interruption, despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing global semiconductor shortage. Last year, LG also received the Supply Chain Guarantee Award from SAIC General Motors (SAIC-GM), the joint venture between GM and China’s largest automaker, SAIC Motor. Since 2014, GM has named LG a trustworthy supplier six times.
Through an extensive research and development program, and based on digitalization and the use of its advanced core technologies, LG is focusing on delivering new in-car experiences and greater value to its automaker partners. As part of this, LG is creating an innovative HMI for software-defined vehicles (SDV) that will integrate various vehicle components, collecting and analyzing real-time environmental data. The information displayed through the new HMI will support drivers to make better on-road decisions and help enhance the comfort and safety of all driving occupants.
“We are thrilled to recognize these outstanding suppliers after yet another challenging year in the automotive industry,” said Jeff Morrison, GM vice president of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “They overcame countless obstacles and exemplified what it means to be resilient, resourceful and determined. Beyond that, these suppliers demonstrated their commitment to sustainable innovation and to driving advanced solutions in collaboration with the GM team.”
“As our steady and solid partnership with GM suggests, LG has become a trusted and respected innovative partner to leading players in the automotive industry,” said Eun Seok-hyun, president of LG Vehicle component Solutions (VS) Company. “Moving forward, LG will continue to collaborate, create and contribute to the realization of the future mobility era.”
# # #


text:
Shane, Dave and James from NAS spent three days in Bali this week at an APAC Distributor Meeting hosted by dBTechnologies.
Held at a resort in sunny Badung, the three-day event brought together representatives from a number of dBTechnologies distributors who flew in from Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, China, Singapore, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, French Polynesia, Japan and more.
dBTech took the opportunity to present its guests with an articulate summary of the company’s exponential growth in the APAC region over the last 10 years — sales have grown an astonishing twelve-fold in the past five years. With products like DVA and Vio wooing the mid-range rental and installation markets with a near-irresistible value proposition, it’s not hard to see why. And of course, dB’s bread and butter range of active loudspeakers such as the Opera and BH Series keep selling like hotcakes.
After the sales reports, the new product introductions began. Some offerings, like the new flagship Vio L212 dual 12-inch line array system, will be available in Australia in the near future. Others are still in R&D to be released closer to 2020. Though we can’t talk about the details yet, we can assure you of some exciting additions that cater to several segments of the market.
On Wednesday night, everyone was shuttled to a different venue for the official APAC launch of the Vio L212. Two hangs of 12-a-side with 18 S218 subwoofers were more than sufficient to get the party started at this picturesque location near the beach. Here, NAS was also presented with the dBTechnologies award for Best Technical Partner, 2017. We’re grateful and humbled by this act of recognition and say a big thank you to dBTechnologies for a fantastic event.
The APAC Distributor Meeting shows that dBTechnologies is charging full steam ahead with its eyes firmly set on the future. That means you, our customers, can look forward to more innovative and affordable audio solutions for all your PA needs.
NAS is proud to have distributed dBTechnologies in Australia since 2013. For more information on the dBTechnologies range, you can head to the brand page on our website or visit www.dbtechnologies.com.


text:
Frostbite Gourmet Ice Cream is turning 2 this year, and owner John Clopton is throwing a birthday bash from 7 to 9pm on Fri., April 13, to celebrate.
The party – Frostbowl – will take place at the Palm Room at Flamingo Bowl.
There will be free samples of Frostbite’s 12 signature ice cream flavors, appetizers, a cash bar, open bowling (including bowling and shoes) and the debut of a new product line along with the Frostbite Ice Cream Trike.
Visit Frostbite’s Facebook page for more information.
Frostbowl at Flamingo Bowl, 1117 Washington Ave., Downtown, flamingobowl.net


text:
Rejoice, people who want iPhones with big screens! Apple is finally ready to join the rest of the world’s smartphone makers by making a bigger iPhone.
The Wall Street Journal says Apple is making an iPhone with a screen that’s larger than 4.5-inches. It’s also working on a second iPhone with a screen that’s bigger than 5-inches. Right now, Apple’s iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have 4-inch screens. The iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch screen.
Additionally, the Journal says Apple is scrapping the iPhone 5C’s plastic style. The new phones are going to be metal like the iPhone 5S.
Leave a Reply


text:
Estimated reading time: 7 minute(s)
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, (ARCON) is beginning a clampdown on unapproved advertisements exposed in the traditional or online media with characters in the advert in military, police, or paramilitary uniforms.
Lekan Fadolapo, director-general of ARCON, said this recently in Lagos at the engagement and education of operators in the digital space on the importance of vetting adverts before publication.
According to him, “military, police, or NYSC uniforms will not be allowed to be used for advertisement purposes. “For us to use them there must be approval by the paramilitary, military involved.”
Fadolapo warned that if any advert violates these guidelines, ARCON and the respective law enforcement organ will go after the agency or media house.
“It is basically to sanitise the advertising space as all manner of advertisements including indecent, nude, untruthful and unethical adverts are exposed to Nigerian audience, it is not also an attempt by the Federal Government to regulate freedom of speech in social media.
“We are not regulating comedy nor Online space. What we are saying is that if any online platform is involved in the advertising space, those advertising activities will be regulated. Whatever advertising you are exposing on your platform, whether self-created or third-party creation must have Advertising Standard Panel approval,” he stressed.
The director general of the advertising regulatory body said henceforth, ARCON will impose the law on any advertisement in the online space that is not vetted before exposure.
He, however, said obituary and vacancy advertisements are exempted but where they are not truthful, ARCON will go after them.
Also speaking at the forum, Charles Odenigbo, a legal practitioner, recommends that all materials should be endorsed by a registered advertising practitioner before vetting and subsequent exposure or publication.
He said the laws and regulations of advertising require practitioners and media to be diligent in ensuring compliance at all times as ignorance of the law is no excuse.
The ARCON Act 2022 empowers the council to regulate and control advertising, advertisement and marketing communication in all its aspects and ramifications directed at or exposed to the Nigerian market. It is also to prevent and eliminate harmful and offensive advertisements from being exposed to or directed at the Nigerian market.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
FOOTNOTE: Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 or email: email@example.com


text:
Facebook’s recent metaverse talks have created major buzz, but how will this new world change consumer behavior, and how can businesses use marketing to keep up?
The newest frontier of online creation – but what is it?
While it may seem like something of the distant future, early versions of metaverses have existed in some capacity for quite a while, forming from the continuous evolution of open-world video games. For example, video games such as Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Fortnite have all utilized online virtual hub-worlds for players to interact, explore, and socialize – a rudimentary form of what future metaverses could be.
Although these worlds are only used by more limited demographics than other platforms, digital marketers and brands have already jumped on these opportunities to innovate the ways in which they reach consumers; Clothing brands such as Teddy Fresh created in-game custom outfits for players to download and use for free in Animal Crossings, and Fortnite has found extreme success hosting virtual events and concerts on their platform – featuring mainstream artists such as Travis Scott and Arianna Grande, in which digital versions of the respective artists take on a virtual stage and perform an intricately choreographed and animated show for players to freely move around in and view.
Additionally, Epic Games (the studio behind Fortnite) have made even more strides in this space by partnering with the band RadioHead to create a standalone dedicated virtual experience for players to buy and watch – thus removing the ‘video-game’ element entirely and fully committing to this virtual hub experience.
While these are the most notable, there are many other cases of promoting a brand in a virtual world; other major examples include premium brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton selling clothing items and ‘skins’ in popular video games such as Roblox and League of Legends, respectfully.
On top of these adaptations of existing games, several technologies that have been under development for many years are beginning to converge and reach a point where they could facilitate a sci-fi virtual future.
These technologies include the rise of AR (Augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) – both originally developed for other niche purposes, but can act as perfect building blocks to realize an elaborate metaverse that is accessible to the average consumer. These technologies have fostered early-stage metaverses of their own, such as VR Chat, a platform in which people connect to a hub represented by a chosen avatar, and socialize with other users in a virtual reality space.
While this platform lacks any other features or activities, its success demonstrates the consumer-bases willingness to engage in virtual environments.
Facebook also announced earlier this year that they hope to transition from being a social media company to a metaverse company, and have continued to make major developments in this area. After acquiring the VR technology company Oculus, Facebook has been working on integrating this technology into a social (and accessible) setting, going as far as connecting users’ Facebook profiles and likeness with their digital avatars, a far cry from VR-chats garish and bombastic anonymous avatar selection pictured above.
However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has openly discussed that he sees the metaverse not necessarily as a futuristic video game, but rather an extension and evolution of current social media and online interaction, with the intention not being to increase internet engagement, but rather to ‘be engaged more naturally’. As such, Facebook seems to be spearheading this transition, with the hopes of having a fully functioning and utilised metaverse by the end of the decade.
Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic broke a barrier that may have been the hardest to overcome – with everyone stuck in their homes for so long, it kicked off a massive cultural shift in favor of more online interaction instead of physical (whether it be for shopping, socializing, etc), bringing it further into the mainstream. The widespread adoption of platforms such as Zoom have made people more comfortable with interacting in a virtual space, a norm that may have been difficult to establish pre-pandemic.
How does this change the marketing landscape?
All this metaverse talk leaves businesses and digital marketers in an interesting position – What can they do to prepare for this transition, and what should they expect on the other side?
The reality is, it is very difficult at this stage to determine exactly how the metaverse will reach the mainstream, and how much it will have developed and changed before it gets there.
The nuances of this new virtual world are impossible to predict with complete certainty, so digital marketers will need to spend lots of time and resources educating and readapting to this new landscape – keeping eyes and ears open to study any new information and development as it grows and evolves. Considering the insane dominance of the internet, marketers have a useful case-study to see how quickly and powerfully things can change and be adopted – given this history, it is likely that many businesses will be looking to hit the ground running and become early adopters of these platforms to get their foot in the door and establish themselves and their brands.
However, it isn’t all a guessing game. The aforementioned games and platforms, while not as open and complex as future metaverses promise to be, are good microcosms to study and see exactly how people interact with virtual worlds and spaces – and thus how these worlds can most optimally be marketed in, and are hence a good place to start.
Similar to how businesses currently need to optimize themselves to be the most visible on google, the same will need to be done for the metaverse.
Brands will need to focus on finding a community, platform, or world that matches their demographic and message. Marketers will have a whole new landscape to research – presumably, people will not act as they do in real life in the metaverse, as it may be some hybrid between reality and in-game interactions, meaning they will have to study the ways people communicate. How people shop, view, and explore could potentially be extremely different to how they do in real life, meaning a whole new set of rules will have to be applied.
This means much more market research for a whole new realm. Additionally, people will not be exploring this world alone. Relationship dynamics between other users, as well as NPC’s (non playable characters) will also be crucial to study and understand for marketers. Furthermore, brands will need to put much more time and development into how they are represented in this new world, as rather than simply messaging a brand on social media, users may simply find and interact with a 3D representation of the business. This means brands may need to be given a unified voice, style, and appearance to effectively communicate with consumers. On top of this, given that it is a virtual space, there is much more potential in what can be achieved – brands can utilize AR technology to integrate a potential customer into their product or service; this could mean trying on a pair of virtual shoes, visiting a virtual replica of a restaurant to see their ambience and aesthetic, etc.
This paradigm shift could make advertising less of ‘being the most visible’ and more ‘having the most captivating digital experience’.
The metaverse holds great potential for innovation, and seems to be a playground for digital marketers. With Facebooks full support and dedication, it’s likely to become a reality sooner than we may expect, bringing its social community with it. Whether it be a billboard, an interactive ad, a video, an experience, or anything else Ð this new platform allows for seemingly infinite ways to communicate and connect with consumers.
Ryan Gustini is a Bachelor of Commerce Graduate from The University of Melbourne, majoring in Marketing and Management. Ryan utilises his passion for technology and modern digital interaction to investigate the dynamics of modern social media, video gaming, and metaverse platforms, with particular focus on how these will influence the way we communicate and engage with each other.


text:
Banks get a hard time from many consumers, yet they are a facility we all need for saving money and paying bills. Some people do manage to operate with cash alone, but it is not very easy and consumers using cash never get the best deals.
So I was interested in this new survey from the consultancy firm Accenture that suggests British consumers are becoming more satisfied with their bank, are less likely to complain about service at the bank, and the numbers of customers switching bank are on the decline.
However, when asked if they thought that their bank was transparent and fair and good value for money, fewer than half agreed.
In my view there are a few different factors at play. The wider banking industry has been endlessly criticised since the economic collapse of 2008, yet most people are still fairly happy with their own high street bank and the service they get on a day-to-day basis.
Also, there is an anomaly in the UK when compared to most other countries – British people expect banking to be free. However, instead of charging fixed fees openly for an account (like in Australia for example where $5 per month would be normal) the British banks have various ‘hidden’ fees and surprise penalty charges – which could also explain why people feel they are not very transparent.
It is an interesting time right now for retail banking in the UK and customer service could be at the heart of a change in every high street. Just this month, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin group started rebranding branches of Northern Rock to their new ‘Virgin Money’ identity.
If people think that banks are not open and transparent then maybe the Virgin approach will excite many customers and those figures for people switching account may start increasing in Virgin’s favour?


text:
Is the publishing industry finally settling down, after years of chaos and disruption?
As nice as it might be to believe that, Bo Sacks says it’s not true.
“As I sit here in the industry analyst’s seat, I see the following: a hopeful expectation that the chaos will finally settle into a period of stasis — not quite a period of inactivity, but more of equilibrium,”Bob “BoSacks” Sacks writes in Publishing Executive. “I must report to you that isn’t going to happen any time soon for the magazine media industry. Expect continued disruption for the foreseeable future.”
If that’s the case – and I believe he’s right – what does that mean for publishers in the near term? Bo Sacks believes the key is to stay focused on your own business and stop trying to adjust your business around the industry itself.
“Look at Condé Nast vs. Hearst to get a clear picture. Hearst revenue grew 4% to $11.4 billion in 2018 and Condé Nast reportedly lost $120 million. Same industry and somewhat similar large publishing companies with different executions and results,” he writes.
“All magazines once ran on cookie cutter business plans. Large or small the publishing plans were more similar then they were different. Now it is the opposite with most publishers creating a media model as different as fingerprints,” Bo Sacks continues.
It’s far too easy to be distracted by industry news like the big layoffs announced recently, but BoSacks takes a deeper view there as well.
“The news of last week’s layoffs where more than 1,000 media jobs were lost in one day is not in my opinion indicative of the entire industry, especially as most of the layoffs come from a single failed company,” he writes. “As bad and as horrifying as the Oath (now Verizon Media) layoffs sound, they shouldn’t have been unexpected to anyone. Verizon Media is expected to cut roughly 800 jobs, or 7% of its global workforce. But this isn’t really news. It was/is a failed attempt to reach digital scale from the still failing AOL-Yahoo/Verizon merger. Clearly bigger isn’t always better.”
“There are a few I can name that are outperforming their own expectations, such as Our State Magazine of North Carolina or feisty W42ST, a New York City magazine that just hit its stride with its 50th issue,” he notes.
(Side note – one of my team is a huge fan of Our State; it’s everything a regional magazine should be. And she discovered it not online, but in print at the checkout counter of the local grocery store in North Carolina, right where all the tourists line up to stock their beach house pantries. It’s almost a no-brainer to toss it in the cart.)
The difference between success and struggle in our industry can’t be pinned down to a “do this, don’t do this” approach. Rather, know that we remain in a period of continuous change; in fact, it’s probably the new normal. Like me, Bo Sacks believes that this is the new Golden Age of Publishing, with huge opportunity if we only see it, seize it and act intelligently on it. There are plenty of brands out there going about their business and making a profit.
“A few years ago, I suggested that this is a great time to rethink the unthinkable. That this is a unique and historic period where the unthinkable has never been more possible,” Bo Sacks says. We live in a period of experimentation, innovation, and entrepreneurism that the world has never seen before. There is no choice, we must embrace it, not fear it.”
“The only time to panic is when people stop reading,” he concludes.


text:
With greater investments in workforce development, and proposed federal tax relief for corporations and pass-through employers, California’s overall economy is positioned to grow substantially this year. Even inner cities are positioned to grow as people continue to move back downtown, start businesses, and make greater investments in private redevelopment projects.
But for California’s middle-class, the anticipated benefits are a coin toss as they are often bypassed by state and federal policies in efforts to relieve stress off corporations and the poor. This is evident as both middle-class income and spending have only grown marginally since the end of the recession.
According to the IRS, between 2012 and 2015, middle-class incomes, those at the 25-28% federal tax rate, grew by 12%. During this same time, retail spending grew by 11%. Before the recession, 2003-2006, middle-class incomes grew by 20% and retail spending grew by 19%.
“For many in the middle-class, as good jobs have become increasingly difficult to find or keep, it feels as though the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening,” said Mark Bryson, an economic analyst with MuniServices, one of the nation’s leading tax auditors for cities and counties. “This could be a problem in the years ahead as cities and counties rely on growth in middle-class incomes and spending to pay for increased demands in essential services.”
The U.S. Department of Labor reports a significant shift in consumer spending, with increases in service-related expenditures, including healthcare, transportation and education. Kiplinger’s most-recent forecast on retail sales reports rapid growth in online sales counteracted by reduced in-store sales due to key department store closures.
“This isn’t new news, but it is a cautionary tale that local governments need to be prepared for volatile income and spending habits, especially among the middle-class,” said Bryson. “Our economy has changed. In turn, spending and savings habits have changed.”
In a recent economic forecast titled California Futures: Money, Weed, and War!, Jerry Nickelsburg, a senior economist and adjunct professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, writes that while California is nearly at full employment, and personal income is expected to grow by 3.7% this year, the number of those whose income is dependent on the profitability and value of their companies is increasing. This includes both retirees and those currently in the workforce.
“Cities and counties need to be cautiously optimistic. They should plan for income and spending growth in 2017, but not rely too heavily on expected increases in sales tax,” said Bryson. “Income growth and discretionary money may be offset by cost increases in consumer products that are not subject to sales tax.”
The Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the Western Region was up 2.3 percent in November. Big price increases in housing (up 4.6%), household energy (up 4.7%), and medical care (up 3.2%) reduce the amount of remaining disposable income available to families. In addition, rising interest rates will also leave families with less disposable income.
While the middle-class has proven to be extremely resilient, future federal and state policies could impact their spending habits in spite of gains in employment and income. For California’s cities and counties, this could translate into underwhelming growth in sales tax revenue.
“I think that even in the places in California where growth is going to be very good this year, sales tax revenue is going to grow at a much slower rate, if at all,” said Bryson. “However, it is important to remember that the overall economy is growing despite sales tax revenues not following the same trend.”


text:
Four social innovators have won a total of Rwf30 million in the Tigo Digital Changemakers 2016 competition that ended yesterday. Erick Joseph, Julien Daniel Mitali, Emile Babu, and Auxilia Ndamage were announced by the telecom firm and its partner, Reach for Change, a non-profit organisation at the Seedstar Africa, a two-day regional summit, which brought together the best entrepreneurs from across the continent in Kigali.
The four beat other two finalists. The 2016 edition had attracted over 100 applicants, according to a statement from Tigo. Each of the four winners will receive Rwf7.5 million, Pierre Kayitana, the telecom firm’s corporate responsibility manager, said.
Kayitana noted, “The winning ventures illustrate focus on digital innovation and financial inclusion.
“From a family wallet to a digitised value chain for farmers, an inclusive online marketplace and a digital platform to supplement the national curriculum, these inventions will improve the lives of many people throughout Rwanda.”
“I feel excited to be among the winners of this competition; this is a vote of confidence in our platform.
“We shall use this prize money to further develop our business. We are confident that our platform will provide a larger market place for the informal sector and therefore increase digital inclusion,” said Babu, one of the winners.
The fifth edition of the Tigo Digital Changemakers competition, launched in October, aimed at identifying and supporting four social entrepreneurs who utilised digital technology to improve society and positively-impact future generations. In addition to the Rwf7.5 million cash prize, each of the four winners will receive business training and access to a global network of other social entrepreneurs under the Reach for Change incubator programme.
Family Wallet by Erick Joseph is a digital application that helps informal workers save a portion of their earnings.
It also tracks their income and expenses to help them build credit, access loans and create a better life for themselves and their families through access to financial services.
Mimschak Star Ltd developed by Julien Daniel Mitali seeks to help high school students assess their understanding of academic subjects to enable them prepare well for their school and national examinations through a digital platform that connects them to learning materials, career development and specialised teachers.
iSOKO, an app by Emile Babu, is a virtual marketplace that aims to enable the informal sector to sell the products and services online. Currently 64 per cent of Rwanda’s economic output is unaccounted for due to informality. iSOKO aims to solve this problem by using mobile technology to formalize this sector and providing them with tools for financial inclusion and empowerment.
Auxilia Ndamage is working to include Rwanda’s farmers in the financial system by digitising the agriculture value chain through her AfroVector app. The innovation will also ease access to information on financial services, like savings products, loans and pensions by farmers so that they can plan for their families future.


text:
SIESTA KEY, Fla. (FOX 13) - At Spearfish Siesta Grille at the Siesta Key Marina, it's not just the fresh fish that's catching customers' attention. It's the way they're serving it up.
"Just because you put it in a trash can doesn't just mean it vanishes," offered Chef James Woffard.
Chef Woffard said the Siesta Key restaurant has worked to make sure a majority of their restaurant items are sustainable.
"These are all naturally fallen palm leaves like off of your regular palm tree. Flatware is actually made out of bamboo. Straws are made out of a paper product. These are a cellulose product these are completely based in corn," Woffard said, showing off the wares.
Woffard and just about all of his employees grew up in the area and on the water. They feel like it's their job to keep Siesta Key as clean as they can.
"We want to do what we can to make sure all of that will break down and degrade and compost naturally and not be a plight on the nature out here. We make our living off of how beautiful it is out here and we are lucky," said Woffard.
The unique utensils turn into their own talking point. "It's kind of hitting a home run for me," said Robin Draper.
Draper has seen paper straws, but palm leaf plates and bamboo forks are something new.
"I think everyone is getting much more conscious of it. I know I am. I think it adds to the whole experience and you feel a lot better," she said.
It's their hope that customers leave with a full stomach -- and an open mind on sustainability.
"Not only is it good to see we are able to help, but it’s cool to have that conversation starter as well," added Woffard.


text:
We’ve lost count of the number of Telewest/NTL merger stories we’ve run over the past few months, but now it’s finally happened. NTL is set to acquire Telewest for about $6 billion, paying close to $24 a share – both companies operate in the UK but are listed in New York. The deal includes Telewest’s Flextech digital TV business (Bravo, Living TV, Trouble and Challenge) which Telewest had put up for sale earlier in the year.
It’s hoped the deal will create a single strong cable company that can compete more effectively with satellite’s BSkyB. NTL’s chief executive Simon Duffy is to become CEO of the combined company and Telewest’s acting CEO Barry Elson is expected to stand down reports Reuters.


text:
March 28, 2006
AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s market for emerging international companies, saw one of its largest IPOs Tuesday as Playtech made its public debut, valuing the software maker for online casinos at nearly $1 billion.
Based in the British Virgin Islands, but with roots and a tech team in the Baltic nation of Estonia, seven-year-old Playtech began trading at $4.50 per share, raising $55.6 million. Brisk trading reflects investor confidence in the rapidly growing online casino market and marks Estonia as one of the few countries to emerge from the old Soviet bloc with a vibrant IT economy.
Online gambling is estimated to be a $700-billion market worldwide, according to Terrie C Walker Consulting in Atlanta, and Playtech has enjoyed its share of the profits. In 2001, the company had only two licensees for its software. That figure has grown to 39 licensees serving 94 online casinos, 15 online poker sites, and 15 online bingo sites. Playtech’s profits have grown to $35.6 million in 2005 from $8.3 million in 2003.
Internet gambling sites like PartyGaming, which debuted on the LSE last June at a value of $8.46 billion, have watched profits soar as broadband access grows in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
In 2004, PartyGaming had an average daily revenue of $1.7 million. That number rose to almost $3 million in 2005: And this despite a murky regulatory environment that makes online gambling officially illegal in some countries including in the United States.
With a population of 1.3 million and a per capita gross domestic product of $17,672—the highest of the Baltic states—Estonia is building a name for itself as an island of IT in an otherwise depressed region. Although it is owned by eBay and headquartered in Luxembourg, Internet phone company Skype also has its origins in Estonia.
While Playtech has joined the rest of the online gambling community and incorporated on a balmy island with favorable tax laws and no prohibitions against online wagering, the company got its start in Estonia. Playtech now counts Bet365, SportsInterAction, and land-based Intercontinental Casinos as customers.
The IPO was also good news for AIM. Startups raised $4.02 billion on AIM in 2004, up from $1.83 billion in 2003
RED HERRING – The Business of Technology – March 28, 2006


text:
In order to avoid far-reaching subway cuts that would eliminate the M and W lines and cause trains to become less frequent and more crowded, the MTA needs about $18 million—the same amount a deadbeat advertising company owes the transit agency. An MTA audit revealed that Titan Outdoor Holdings has come up short on its monthly payments for almost a year, but the MTA is afraid that recouping the money might bankrupt the company, causing the agency to net even less revenue.
According to the Daily News, Titan's contract promises the MTA 72 percent of gross revenues or $5.4 million a month, whichever is greater. Though that rate is the highest in the industry, the company hit the mark in 2007 and 2008. But since the recession hit, business at Titan has gone downhill. Since February 2009, Titan has only given the agency about $4 million per month, and an MTA audit revealed the company has filed financial statements late and under-reported revenue, demonstrating a "continued pattern of noncompliance with its financial reporting."
But right now, as the MTA considers "Doomsday" service cuts and faces another budget shortfall next year, officials worry that if they fire Titan, it's unlikely another ad company would sign on to pay the same rate. That means, the MTA might turn out renegotiating its contract with Titan to accept lower payments. An MTA spokesman told the paper: "We're exploring all of our options."


text:
Gallaher Tobacco, the maker of such cigarette brands as Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut, has conducted a press campaign, which aimed to make the case against plain cigarette packaging, banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.
A national press advertisement, produced by Big Al’s Creative Emporium, highlighted an unmarked cigarette packet.
The text said: “Why make it easier for criminals to make a packet? In the current economic climate, the black market in tobacco is booming. Standardizing packs will make them easier to fake and cost taxpayers millions more than the £3 billion lost in unpaid duty last year.”
Another ad with identical images mentioned: “The black market in tobacco is booming. Last year it cost the Treasury £3bn in unpaid duty.”
The ASA obtained one issue from Cancer Research reasoning that the claim that “the black market in tobacco is booming” was confusing. The charity indicated to an HMRC survey from 2011 which explained that “the illicit tobacco market had been reduced significantly over the last decade”. Cancer Research also suggested that the “£3bn lost in unpaid duty” was exaggerated.
The ASA decided that saying the tobacco market as “booming” would result consumers in believe that the black market was on the raise but as there was no proof to confirm this, the body came to the conclusion that the statement were likely to confused.
It also observed that Gallaher had taken upper reports to show the £3bn figure and that this also involved income losses for HRT products. In terms of this, the ASA upheld the complaints and said that both advertisements could not be demonstrated once more.
Paul Williams, the corporate affairs director of Gallaher Tobacco-owner Japan Tobacco, said: “The figure of £3bn has been broadly used by numerous parties, including HMRC officials, to explain the loss in income to Authorities. Whatever word or figure is used to explain the scale of the issue, it is a big challenge which should be a problem to all.
“While we will not post this advertisement once more, we don’t agree with those who want finish this question by challenging the semantics of our statements, rather than the substance,” Williams completed.
Gallaher is the third largest of the three major British tobacco groups; the other two are British American Tobacco, the maker of Lucky Strike and Kent cigarettes, and Imperial Tobacco, the producer of Davidoff and Gauloises brands.


text:
Labuan International Business and Financial Centre's (Labuan IBFC) is championing the digital revolution and enabling an "innovative digital business to take root in Labuan," Labuan Financial Services Authority's (Labuan FSA) director-general, Danial Mah Abdullah (pictured) said at the inaugural Connecting Digital Ecosystems in Asia 2019 conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
Speaking at the conference, Mah said: "To this extent, the centre has used legacy licenses like money broker, credit token licenses to provide the regulatory umbrella for the digital business to be carried out. That is innovation by itself. The centre has a "toolbox" of solutions to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding digital industry, whether from the supply or demand side".
He went on to add that the digital business model must be legitimate, meeting international standards of compliance, transparency and prudential requirements.
[Labuan International Business and Financial Centre] has used legacy licenses like money broker and credit token licenses to provide the regulatory umbrella for the digital business to be carried out."
Labuan IBFC's digital journey began in 2017, with eight licenses up to 2018 and 2019 has seen an exponential growth in the number of players in the centre with more than 30 licenses approved to operate as digital entities.
These businesses range from financial services such as digital banking and insurtech to digital intermediaries such as robo-advisory, digital asset exchanges, crypto trading platforms, blockchain tokens as well as e-payment systems.
"Our bespoke and curated approach is an ideal match to the demands of a fast-evolving digital marketplace," said Farah Jaafar-Crossby, CEO of Labuan IBFC, the jurisdiction's market development agency. She added Labuan IBFC's tax neutrality and currency agnosticism adds to the appeal as a digital hub, especially since the digital marketplace is inherently borderless in its application.
"We have seen a significant increase in interest of our digital "toolbox" from regional and also international entities," she said and cited MoUs signed between Labuan IBFC with China Construction Bank, Labuan as well as Huobi Group of China, both in relation to the advancement and development of Labuan IBFC's digital ecosystem.
She added the fast-growing ecosystem in the jurisdiction had also prompted the establishment of an industry-led Labuan Fintech Association, which is open to any party interested in participating and contributing to Labuan IBFC's growing "digital family".
Labuan IBFC which will celebrate its 30th year of establishment in 2020, is home to more than 6,000 active companies which includes top-ranked financial institutions comprising 55 banks, 217 insurance companies, 61 corporate service providers, more than 300 leasing companies and 43 commodity trading companies. Labuan IBFC entities employ more than 6,000 people, making the IBFC the largest employer compared to other industries in Labuan.
The Connecting Digital Ecosystems in Asia conference was attended by more than 250 delegates and featured a line-up of regional industry players and subject matter experts, discussing topics catered towards developing a holistic digital ecosystem in the region.


text:
Seafood industry supply chains are notorious for being long and opaque. Not for oyster growers, said Monica Jain, founder of the sustainable seafood investment competition Fish 2.0, who sees oysters as one of the most promising sectors represented in this year’s applicant pool.
“Most people [growers] are selling them direct,” Jain told Undercurrent News. She connects with oyster companies regularly through her biennial competition. This year, 161 entered for the chance to become one of the 40 finalists to present their sustainable seafood business ideas to a room of 300 attendees, including investors, at the finals in November.
At this point, "of the 80 contestants moving on to this year’s competition’s final rounds, more than a dozen are oyster companies", Jain said.
Restaurants are beginning to tell the story of oyster varietals’ origins and encouraging customers to master the flavor profiles of various seeds. This marketing is similar to the strategies restaurants use for wine, where discussing the product is part of the lure of the product itself. Restaurants that buy direct can educate consumers on these points more easily, since they are already in contact with those who know everything about the product’s origin. This strategy seems to be working with consumers, Jain said.
“Restaurants actually don’t make a lot of money on [oysters], but they want them on the menu because it drives traffic,” Jain said. “People really look for places that have oysters on the menu, especially fresh oysters. [Restaurants] are excited about it because it brings people in.”
For example, In Carmel, California, there are several places that do a wine and oyster pairing to bring customers in. Regardless of how much restaurants make on these sales alone, they have a big impact when many of those customers decide to stay for dinner, said Jain, who is based in California.


text:
- Motorola will launch the Edge 50 Pro on April 3.
- The phone features a 144Hz display, a 50MP primary camera, and several new AI features.
- The device could be called the Motorola Edge Plus (2024) in the US and is expected to feature the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor.
Motorola is getting ready to announce its next flagship phone — the Motorola Edge 50 Pro — on April 3. The company has confirmed that it will bring the phone to India first. We don’t yet know what plans Motorola has for the device’s global launch.
In the US, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro should come as the Motorola Edge Plus (2024), succeeding the impressive Motorola Edge Plus (2023). While in China, the phone is expected to go by the Motorola X50 Ultra moniker.
Nevertheless, we now know a lot about the upcoming flagship thanks to its official listing page on Indian e-commerce website Flipkart and Motorola’s teasers on X (formerly Twitter). Below are some key specs and features of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro that we’d like to highlight.
- According to its Flipkart listing, the new Motorola flagship has a 6.7-inch pOLED 1.5K display with a 144Hz refresh rate.
- It promises a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and claims to be the world’s first Pantone-validated display.
- The phone also features a triple rear camera setup led by a 50MP primary shooter, and Motorola claims the camera setup is also Pantone-validated.
If you’re wondering what “Pantone-validated” means, it essentially refers to the Pantone Matching System — a standardized color reproduction system used by artists, manufacturers, and printers to select, specify, and match colors. Its presence on the Motorola Edge 50 Pro comes with a promise of true-to-life colors on the display and images captured with the phone’s camera.
Motorola Edge 50 Pro AI features
Motorola is marketing several new AI features for the Edge 50 Pro. One of them is a Pixel 8-and-Galaxy S24-like AI wallpaper feature that the company says will allow users to generate “unique” wallpapers using AI.
Moto is also pumping AI into the camera system that now promises “AI Enhanced Images.” You also get “AI Adaptive Stabilization” that touts “shake-free outputs & the highest clarity in 50x Hybrid Zoom.”
Auto-focus tracking and a new Tilt Mode are also part of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro’s AI-enhanced camera system.
We’ll have to wait for the Motorola Edge 50 Pro’s official announcement to know more about exactly how these AI features function.
Other expected specs
While there’s no word on the phone’s chipset from the company, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro was expected to get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. However, Motorola has confirmed that the phone’s possible Chinese counterpart — the X50 Ultra — will feature the newly announced Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor. That means the X50 Pro would also likely feature the new Qualcomm chip.
Elsewhere, tipster Abhishek Yadav suggests the phone will get a 13MP ultrawide camera at the back, a 4,500mAh battery, 125W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the display.


text:
Intel showcases its Gaudi3 AI processor that will quadruple performance compared to Gaudi2.
No plans, no reports, no clear hierarchy: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shares his management style.
Nvidia and Broadcom are exploring silicon photonics to boost their AI and HPC datacenter platform.
Intel quietly launches cut-down Gaudi 2 for Chinese market that meets U.S. export rules.
Due to high demand for AI and HPC GPUs, TSMC is accelerating pace of its expansion of advanced packaging facilities.
We hope none of the shortage issues which hampered Wi-Fi 6E rollout will be seen. Current plans indicate the first Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) devices will arrive approx one year from now.
Stay on the Cutting Edge
Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.


text:
Hajj 2015 Final Selected Candidates Name Online Check
Final selected candidates of Hajj 2015 Pilgrims has been Announced 14/05/2015 Thursday. Draw result of Hajj 2015 can be check from this page. The link is given below to check Hajj Pilgrims 2015 selected candidates.
The policy was announced in a press conference here in Islamabad by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said that 1,43,368 people will offer Hajj this year under the government and private scheme.
“Applications can be submitted from April 27th till May 8th. The lucky draw will be held on 14th May”, he said.
He also said that the package has been priced at Rs. 2,64,971 which is cheaper than last year. He added that the facilities of offering Hajj for free will not be provided this time around.
Yousuf added that the pilgrims will have to pay Rs. 14,210 for animal sacrifice ritual.
“The accommodation has been arranged according to the laws in Saudi Arabia whereas food will be provided to the pilgrims for free”, Yousuf said.
National Bank of Pakistan Hajis Final List 2015 Habib Bank Hajis Final List 201 Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) hajis Final List 2015 Dubai Islamic Bank Hajj Info Guide ZTBL Bank Hajj Packages Information Faisal Bank Limited Hajj Information United Bank Limited Hajj Information Guide First Women Bank Hajjcomplete Guide Bank of Punjab HAjj Applicatoin Forms Allied Bank hajis Final List 2015..
Download Hajj 2015 Final List Online – Link 1
Download Hajj 2015 Final List Online – Link 2
Download Hajj 2015 Final List Online – Link 3
Total Pakistani’s candidaets’ will Performs Hajj in 2015 :: 143,000
(i) Governement Hajj Scheme :: 71,500
(ii) Under Private Scheme :: 71,500
Total Application’s Recieved :: 247,000 ( Govt Hajj Scheme )


text:
Future Generation Update 2 has definitely been aired dwell in NBA 2K21! What complied with was brand new face treatment scans, unique shots, and also a lot more. NBA 2K21 has definitely reached its additional huge revise! It made changes to The City, provided customization selections for Shot Meters, and also readjusted MyCAREER, MyNBA, The W, and also contact dunk.
In every one of NBA realms, the ongoing enhancement of the Lower Pot capability handles the uncommon hang when loading face checks in the MyNBA2K application. A brand new benefactor stretch has definitely been added to the Boston Celtics jersey. The The big apple Flexibility logo has definitely been improved with the latest design, diminishing the impressions on the glasses and also bus and also participant eye protections, strengthening the hair top quality of feminine professional dancers, and also fixing the tail challenge of the Atlanta Hawks mascot.
By making it easy for a brand new collection of face treatment scanning features in the latest next-generation revise, participant parallel has definitely been substantially boosted in NBA 2K21. The parallel of the abiding by players/coaches has definitely been improved:
Jimmy Butler, Dangelo Russell, Jayson Tatum, Trey Burke, Phil Jackson, Christine Material, Michael Mulder (Mychal Mulder), Mfiondu Kabengele, lots of brand new players in the NBA Draft
New options have actually been included that make it possible for you to adjust the color of the actinometer, the repetition of contact dunks and also pathways has definitely been reduced, multiple renovations in activities, including utilize computer animation, v-cut, sprint first step and also dribble, and also three times menace computer animation Different renovations have actually been made to the production habits and also AI layup variety when approaching the basket. After activation, the environment-friendly equipment badge will certainly currently be showcased properly in the HUD. Some adjustments have actually been made to avoid the little alley from being blanketed behind the backboard and also the free throw percentage. Increased total
The primary huge activity mode enhancement in the next-generation revise of NBA 2K21 relates to The City. These include the following:
Boost the functionality of the city, particularly when playing activities, strengthen and also supplement several buildings/objects/landscapes/ lighting effects in the city, the gaming generation on the union area can currently advise you, in your personal union area The variety of repeatings brought in by activities played beyond the nation has been reduced by 50%, fixed the issue that the progression can not be kept in The Rec when all consumers of the war team stopped, and also the issue that might just create gamers to become invisible in Pro-Am has been dealt with. Pals playing NBA 2K21 are going to be displayed on the phone, and also the all new knob can invite gamers directly from the friend's lineup on the phone.
Increased city map
Addressed several complications with the inappropriate procedure of the try-on capability in some shops. A all new storefront has been added to the New Evenness shop in The big apple City. The uncommon accident that might just develop when waiting in the Pro-Am corridor from Rec has been solved and also repaired. Some positioning troubles with reasonable biking. After the Pro-Am gaming is over, the attacker's power reward is currently showcased in rundown. The socks in Pro-Am are going to currently the right way adhere to the span of the sock set up by the player and also be repaired when numerous gamers have indeed been entailed. The issue of the garage ring strike gaming. When making a team for the garage, gamers are going to never be extruded of the gaming if they are idle– dealt with the issue that the player might just disappear altogether after the garage ring and also Gatorade rental court gaming.
MyCAREER is an vital part of the current NBA 2K21 stretch. The observing alterations have actually been made with this revise:
Difficulty benefits for VC and also MyPOINTS/badge progression are currently displayed the right way in the post-game evaluation display of MyCAREER activities. When moving upwards from 95-99 OVR, the physical features are going to currently be the right way strengthened, fixed the gaming up-date hangs to attempt The uncommon hang that might just develop when stacking MyCAREER rescues, repaired a few of the complications connected to interested academies in the “Prolonged Cover” high school. In MyCAREER, the post-match audience was strengthened at the end of the NBA gaming. When returning to MyCAREER to log in, Quit playing 2K Tops tunes that have indeed been disabled by consumers
Solved the issue of team control when getting in G League in MyNBA. You are going to currently be given the VC honor for playing G Game in MyNBA. Solved the issue of releasing 2 two-way gamers to rugged individualists currently designated to G Game. The capital punishment addresses the hang that might just develop when making an effort to look at a particular notification on the principal list. Right now you can pick groups from the “Team Information” and also “Guv Information” pages while developing MyNBA/MyWNBA. Be sure that the “Sacrament” and also “Banner Display” segments are going to always play the right way, repair the hang that might just develop in the “Game player Training” list when editing the player's concentration; WNBA playoffs mode are going to currently launch the right way in 2021; a lot of various other sturdiness renovations and also alterations to strengthen the overall experience.
The W has remedied a uncommon trouble that might just make your MyPLAYER invisible in The W. Right now, when you comprehensive The W Online gaming, the popularity will certainly raise accordingly Stock up. Deal with the issue that some animations have incorrect default settings and also Problems that can not be evaluated in the course of the option technique. The body fee troubles around “The big apple City” have indeed been reduced, and also players have indeed discovered it much simpler to invite their close friends to the park after today's next-generation NBA 2K21 revise.
Participants report that the Xbox network today released a all new next-generation NBA 2K21 up-date. According to reports, on Xbox Series X and also other next-generation gadgets, the item examines about 5GB, however, no official spot notes pertaining to the alterations have indeed been shown. Up until now, the web content provided admirers seems to suggest that the gameplay troubles connected to the “intermittent” of the park might just have been removed, which is a massive glory for players.
The patch notes likewise showed that specific portion of the gaming bunch speedier, as well as solutions for complications obtaining user-generated web content. Elsewhere, Boodles of The City provides all new Black Lives Matter masks. When 2K spoke of its primary up-date to the next-generation edition previously this month, it guaranteed to supply additional areas in the future and also informed players: “Currently for professionals and also all new gamers around the world, this is an impressive The time– the future generation of NBA 2K21 is currently readily available on PlayStation 5 and also Xbox Series X |S!