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Pastelitos and cafecitos could break into new markets through Medley-based Cuban bakery
chain Vicky Bakery.
Founded nearly 50 years ago, Vicky Bakery kept its 15-store footprint contained to just Miami-
Dade and Broward counties. Now, co-owners Pedro Cao, Fernando Oramas and Alex
Santiago aim to open 50 locations of the family-owned brand across the U.S. over the next five years, the Business Journal has learned.
Cao, who helped found the company along with his father in 1972, said some of the new
locations will be company-owned, but the biggest batch will open through licensing partnerships.
He said the chain already has between 150 and 200 interested potential licensees.
The brand has grown mostly through licensing agreements over the last 10 years, with a majority
of its locations in the last decade opening through outside partners. Santiago said the company
purposefully slowed its expansion as they built up manufacturing capabilities at the warehouse in
Medley, just west of Hialeah.
They are currently in the process of developing a training program for new locations, which
stalled the company’s growth plans until now, he said.
“We quickly reached the point where the three of us can’t handle it all,” Santiago said. “To be
able to achieve the standards that we uphold to, we needed help.”
Once the training program is in place, the next step would be national shipping and distribution.
He said shipping could be ready to launch early next year. Frozen versions of iconic Vicky Bakery
products will be available for purchase online for consumers to reheat at home.
Vicky Bakery’s online expansion will allow the company to see where physical store locations in
other markets in the U.S. could do well. One such market that the company already plans to
break into is North Carolina, where Oramas will move to and help facilitate new openings there.
Oramas said he expects to open the first Vicky Bakery outside of Florida in 2020 or 2021.
Part of the company’s plan for success in new markets is an updated store design. The company
partnered with a new design team to create a more modern, updated Vicky Bakery look, Santiago
“We’ve locked in that 80-year-old Cuban demographic,” he joked. “Now we’re trying to bring in
and be accessible to my daughters.”
The company doesn’t plan to remodel already-established locations, as those perform well with
the “old school” aesthetic, Cao said. However, all new stores will carry the updated design.
South Florida won’t miss out on the beloved brand’s expansion. There are plans to open new
Vicky bakeries in Palmetto Bay, Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, Cao said.
Santiago likened Vicky Bakery’s expansion path to a game of the board game Risk.
“We started on this peninsula, and we’re going to work our way up until we take over all of North
America,” he joked.


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Japanese membership-based Internet services company Rakuten, is planning to enter the Indian market and launch services within eight months, reports Mint. Rakuten is looking at setting up operations in travel and hospitality sector, apart from considering an acquisition for setting up back-end solutions such as logistics, according to sources who spoke to the publication. Rakuten spokesperson Minori Nakayama however, refused to confirm or deny the news.
The company’s travel booking services has over 1.8 million room nights booked per month. It has access to more than 20,000 domestic and 15,000 international hotels and has a presence in South Korea and China.
In India, Rakuten will compete against services such as MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Cleartrip and GoIbibo; all travel websites that have started pushing hospitality related services off late to increase revenues. Even bus booking service such as Naspers-owned redBus had also added a hotels section last week. In our Outlook14 report on travel industry in India, almost all players had stressed on the importance of hotels business for increasing revenues.
In the e-commerce space, Rakuten will be competing against Indian companies such as Flipkart and Snapdeal, apart from foreign companies such as Amazon and eBay. The company could look at Amazon on how to set up an e-commerce business in India and expand it rapidly.
Rakuten had acquired internet telephony and messaging company Viber, for $900 million earlier this year. The company had said that it will integrate the messaging services to other offerings by the company. Viber India head Anubhav Nayyar had said in an interview that the app has 17 million users in India, without disclosing how many of them were active users.
The company had also launched its eBook reader Kobo in India, last year in partnership with Crossword bookstores, WHSmith and Croma chain of electronic stores. It is not clear how many devices the company has sold in the country till now.
Financials: Rakuten reported revenues of $5.09 billion and net profit of $427 million for 2013, with more than half of the revenue coming from its Internet finance business. The company has 90 million users for its services in Japan and 60 million around the world, of which 18 million are users of the Canadian e-reader Kobo (which it acquired in 2012).
The company had reported revenues of $86.65 million from its travel business in Q4 2013 and $339 million annually. It had also reported an operating income of $34.72 million for the last quarter of 2013 and $127 million for the whole year. Overall, Rakuten reported a 15.2% year-on-year increase in gross transaction value from the travels business in 2013.

domain: news


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“The Gray Man” is here.
Reviews are bad, as expected. They’re running about 50/50 on Rotten Tomatoes right now, with the so called fresh reviews containing a lot of negative comments.
Preview shows for tonight are not selling tickets. At most of the theaters where “The Gray Man” is playing, there are six or seven seats sold. In Manhattan, the movie starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans is playing at the Paris Theater — which Netflix leases for their own films — and the Cinepolis on West 23rd St. The movie is in limited release for a week until it hits the Netflix streaming platform next Friday.
“The Gray Man” is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, of “Avengers” fame. It cost at least $200 million to make, maybe more. It’s the most expensive movie Netflix has ever produced and comes at a time when the streamer is losing subscribers despite having hits with TV series like “Stranger Things.”
We will never know how much or little “The Gray Man” makes during its short, limited release because Netflix doesn’t release figures or report Box office.


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!ŚCommon Script Code , install it on all pages. -->
26 September 2019
Amazon has launched its Prime service in the Chinese market. The free shipping service that is already available to customers in markets such as the UK and the US, will focus on enabling Chinese customers to purchase from abroad. However, unlike its American equivalent, the Chinese Amazon Prime service expects to take between five and nine days to deliver goods to buyers, whilst the subscription won't include any digital video services either. Another issue that Chinese customers may find off-putting is that goods worth over 2,000 Yuan, or 295 US dollars, will require even longer delivery. Named as the top internet retailer in world for 2016, Amazon is looking to make headway in the Chinese market against the established market leader, Alibaba, but has previously struggled to impact the 80% market share it holds in the country.


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Aug 21, 2022
Buying Darknet Drugs
Ondon's violent crime epidemic is being fuelled as a rapidly growing proportion of recreational users shun street dealers to buy drugs on the. Australiais said to have one of the highest rates of dark web drug deals per capita in the world, second only to the Netherlands. Since 2022, the internet has facilitated countless illicit drug transactions, when the year-old Adamflowers marketplace moved onto the darknet. Darknet drug sales have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, she said, because more people are turning to it for buying drugs. By T Calis 2022 Cited by 1 Selling and buying drugs via these online markets have become increasingly popular over the past years. The most popular market in 2022, Silk. 2022 Amendment No-1 : eTender for supply of DRUGS to BPPI Our shop works directly with trusted Darknet markets and buys products. A laptop running a program designed to do nothing else but randomly buy items off of the Dark Web site Agora has finally been returned to. In total, darknet markets facilitate several hundred million dollars in illegal transactions each year, including not only illicit drugs but. Drug dealers believe advances in technology can hide their illicit dealings in the dark web and by using cryptocurrency to further their.
More than 1 in 10 purchases were made on the darknet. Of these purchases, 13 had not previously used the darknet to buy drugs, and over a quarter of the. Buying drugs online and through social media or on the dark web can be extremely dangerous with fatal consequences. The strength of drugs. The anonymity of the dark web, which requires specialized software to access, allowed the buyers to purchase the drugs in secret. What the drug. Illegal drug sales on the dark web are common, hard to detect and are fueling America's opioid epidemic, a University of Texas study reveals. A laptop running a program designed to do nothing else but randomly buy items off of the Dark Web site Agora has finally been returned to. Where previously most drug users would be forced to meet in person to make a transaction, people can now buy illicit substances darknet search online. Anyone can log into a specialized browser, search for "drug marketplaces" on the dark web, and with a few clicks, buy an illicit product. Recent law enforcement reporting has revealed that an increasing number of people are moving to purchasing illicit substances via the dark web. The latest Global Drug Survey found that almost in 1 in 10 participants (buying darknet drugs) reported ever buying drugs off the dark-net with those reporting last year.
Evolution, the biggest and baddest deep web marketplace for drugs, The warning signs it was impossible to buy anything on the Versus market dark net. The gram of marijuana Forbes bought with bitcoins on the Silk Road black market. Researcher Sarah.... In the deep web, site owners, vendors and buyers are able to remain at the Silk Road to understand the perceived benefits of purchasing drugs online and. Deep Web Drug Store 2022-04-11 Empire Market Empire Darknet Markets Empire Dark Web You can find sites for buying drugs and guns. By now, the playbook for taking down dark web drug dealers is pretty well If you are wondering how to buy drugs on the dark web, the following dark web. Illegal drug buying in Ireland is increasingly happening on the 'darknet'. Customer buying darknet drugs reviews and order tracking make it feel like a normal. In the past year, dozens of similar sites -- so-called "darknet" markets have sprung up in Silk Road's place. Just before it was shut down. VICE News analysis shows darknet drug markets are emerging from gaining bookmark if you are frequently buying drugs on the darknet. Just like any trader, criminals who sell their drugs on the secret cyber marketplace depend on positive customer feedback and good ratings.
And, while many people would be alarmed at the prospect of their teenagers buying drugs online, darknet search engine Silk Road was a whole lot more professional. When trusted platforms are taken down, vendors and buyers can switch to other you should bookmark if you are frequently buying drugs on the darknet. BigpharmaSwiss is one of the vendor shops you should bookmark if you are frequently buying drugs on the darknet. including reliability. The anonymity of the dark web, which requires specialized software to access, allowed the buyers to purchase the drugs in secret. What the drug. Illegal drug sales on the dark web are common, hard to detect and are fueling America's opioid epidemic, a University of Texas study reveals. A college student who imported cannabis from the United States after purchasing it online using the dark web will be discharged from the. How easy is it to buy drugs on the dark web? We talk to dark web experts about illegal drug markets on the dark web and how drug dealing. By buying their gear from dark web marketplaces, so the argument goes, narcotics enthusiasts are less likely to be ripped off, sold dodgy drugs. Street users are still probably using methamphetamines, bought on the street, but for recreational users wanting drugs, the dark web is pretty nice.
Just like any trader, criminals who sell their drugs on the secret cyber marketplace depend on positive customer feedback and good ratings. Buyers and vendors who'd become used to reliable darknet markets the Tor, or any another sophisticated software to buy drugs online. By D Rhumorbarbe 2022 Cited by 106 Buying drugs on a Darknet market: A better deal? Studying the online illicit darknet search engine url drug market through the analysis of digital, physical and chemical data. Drugs aren't just being bought, sold, and fought over in the terrestrial world. In recent years, illegal drug sales have flourished on the. There are currently 54,361 drugs and chemicals for sale on AlphaBay. It's one of the well-known online marketplaces accessible through the DarkNet but. They connect on RAMP, the Russian Anonymous Marketplace, the best-known market on the dark web. They send an anonymous payment with bitcoin or. The market is so huge, in fact, that online drug sales average at about 300,000 500,000 per day, meaning that thousands of people are purchasing illegal. Top Darknet Markets to Buy Drugs Online in June 2022 AlphaBay ASAP Market Abacus Market Tor2Door Market Bohemia Market. More than 1 in 10 purchases were made on the darknet. Of these purchases, 13 had not previously used the darknet to buy drugs, and over a quarter of the.
Using the estimates of return to honesty, we can determine a lower bound to a seller's time preference. Tech giants and large media organizations have very little influence on the dark web as of 2020. Non-fungibility means that a specific asset is distinguishable or unique from another asset that is similar in buying darknet drugs nature. The description of the drugs is given in Table 1. You can also call, email, text or live chat with them for advice. DeepDotWeb reports (personal communication) that at the beginning of 2013, a small Israeli buyer of multiple drugs off SR1 (unknown seller) was arrested & sentenced to six months. To this, the authors qualitatively study product descriptions and images to expand the knowledge on price formation. Stillstand bis zum Boden reichen, wahrend der Fahrt aber maximal mit 90 Grad angewinkelt auf der Fu? There are imbalances in the relationship between supply and demand of digital work, with the vast majority of buyers located in high-income countries (pictured).
On the surface, dark websites look pretty much like any other. In diesem abgeschiedenen Teil des Internets hatten die Betreiber von Alphabay eine buying darknet drugs enorme Vertriebsstruktur aufgebaut. Law enforcement has been ramping up operations against cyber threat actors in 2021.
Distributed by Seb, LLC.


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Decoding Warren Buffett's Choice: Why He Opted Out of Investing in Elon Musk's TeslaDec. 05, 2023 07:14 AM
- 1. Warren Buffett doubts that any carmaker, including Tesla, will be able to hold a dominant position in the auto industry.
- 2. Buffett's skepticism about investing in Tesla is rooted in his belief that the auto industry is a tough business with worldwide competitors.
- 3. Buffett and his business partner, Charlie Munger, prefer to identify easy investment opportunities rather than take on huge capital costs and risks.
- 4. Elon Musk has hinted at Berkshire Hathaway's potential investment in Tesla, noting the significant returns it could have yielded.
- 5. Buffett's decision regarding Tesla is based on his cautious approach to the auto industry and his preference for industries where he feels more comfortable.
Warren Buffett, the 93-year-old billionaire and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is known for his successful investments and long-term approach to the stock market. However, there is one company that Buffett has not invested in, and that is Elon Musk's Tesla.
While Buffett has expressed admiration for Musk and his dedication to solving the impossible, he has not been convinced to invest in the electric vehicle (EV) maker.
The Buffet Thoughts
During Berkshire Hathaway's annual conference earlier this year, Buffett shared his thoughts on EVs and the auto industry. While he believes that EVs will bring significant changes to the auto market, he doubts that any carmaker will be able to hold a dominant position. Buffett stated, "You will see a change in the vehicles, but you won't see anybody that owns the market because they changed the vehicle."
Buffett's skepticism about investing in Tesla is rooted in his belief that the auto industry is a tough business with worldwide competitors that are not going away. He sees winners in the industry at any given time, but he does not believe that it guarantees a permanent place. Buffett and his long-time business partner, Charlie Munger, are cautious investors who prefer to identify easy jobs rather than take on huge capital costs and risks.
Interestingly, Elon Musk himself has hinted at Berkshire Hathaway's potential investment in Tesla. In a tweet earlier this year, Musk noted that Berkshire Hathaway could have invested in Tesla at a valuation of around $200 million back in 2008. Today, Tesla's market cap stands at approximately $530 billion, indicating the significant returns that an early investment could have yielded.
Why Warren Buffett Has Not Invested in Tesla
While Buffett has expressed regret for not investing in companies like Google and Amazon, his decision regarding Tesla seems to be based on his cautious approach to the auto industry and his belief that no carmaker will dominate the market. Despite his admiration for Musk's dedication and achievements, Buffett prefers to stick to his own investment strategy and the industries he feels more comfortable with.
In conclusion, Warren Buffett's decision not to invest in Tesla is rooted in his skepticism about the auto industry and his belief that no carmaker will be able to hold a dominant position. While he admires Elon Musk's dedication, Buffett prefers to focus on industries where he feels more confident and can identify easy investment opportunities.
Warren Buffett Donates Berkshire Shares to Charity and Prepares for the Future
Warren Buffett, the legendary investor, has donated $866 million worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares to charity. As he prepares for the future, the question arises: What will happen to Berkshire Hathaway after his departure? The financial world eagerly awaits the transition to new leadership in this significant event.
5 months ago


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THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) is hoping to start imposing a creditable withholding tax on partner-merchants of online platforms before the start of December, an official said.
“The process could be shorter, and we might just come up with it before the start of December. It will not be unreasonable to expect it before the start of December,” BIR Assistant Commissioner Jethro M. Sabariaga told reporters on the sidelines of the SGV Tax Symposium last week.
“The longer you withhold this release, you’re hobbling a significant portion of today’s economic transactions,” he added.
The BIR last week released the final draft of the amendments to Revenue Regulation No. 2-98 which currently does not cover income payments by online platform providers.
Under the final draft, the BIR would impose a withholding tax of 1% on one half of the gross remittances by domestic e-marketplace operators to the online merchants for the goods or services sold through their facility.
However, the withholding tax will not apply if annual total gross remittances to an online merchant for the past taxable year has not exceeded P250,000, or if the cumulative gross remittances to an online merchant in a taxable year has not yet exceeded P250,000.
Also exempted are online merchants who are part of a cooperative duly registered with the BIR with a valid Certificate of Tax Exemption.
Mr. Sabariaga said the BIR took note of the suggestions and objections to the draft rules raised by affected sectors. The BIR’s deadline for comments from stakeholders on the final draft ended on Oct. 27.
“This will all be taken into consideration and then be studied and then the final draft will be released and exposed,” he said.
Under the final draft, the BIR defined an electronic marketplace as a digital platform whose business is “to connect online consumers with online merchants, facilitate and conclude the sales, process the payment of the products, goods or services through platform, or facilitate the shipment of goods or provide logistics services and post-purchase support within such platforms, and otherwise retains oversight over the consummation of the transaction.”
These would cover marketplaces for online shopping; food delivery platforms; platforms for booking accommodations at a resort, hotel, motel and inn; and other service or product marketplaces.
The BIR had first introduced its proposal to implement a withholding tax on online sellers in April.
Since then, Mr. Sabariaga said the agency consulted with various industries to come up with the latest version of the draft.
“It’s the first exposition of the draft, you have to consider the various industries, the applicability of the withholding (tax) on the various industries, the rates, the economic provisions of it,” he added
The BIR has been seeking ways to tax the digital economy, particularly as e-commerce surged during the pandemic.
In 2022, the digital economy contributed P2.08 trillion, equivalent to 9.4% of gross domestic product. Of this, e-commerce had the highest growth at 26.5%, with its share to the economy reaching 20% or P416.12 billion.
Aside from the withholding tax on online sellers, the Marcos administration has also proposed a value-added tax on digital services.
In November 2022, the House of Representatives approved the measure seeking to impose the 12% value-added tax (VAT) on nonresident digital service providers. A similar measure is still pending before a Senate committee.
If passed into law, a 12% VAT will be imposed on the digital sale of services like online advertising, video-on-demand subscriptions, and the supply of other services which are delivered through online marketplaces, webcasts and mobile applications, among others. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson


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According to research conducted by Unisfair, 60 percent of marketers say they intend to increase the amount of money they’re spending on virtual events in 2011. CA Technologies is hosting what it says is the longest virtual trade show ever, a month-long event that will include more than 150 presentations and 25 virtual booths. We spoke with the company behind this virtual trade show, ON24, about how companies can host their own Web events.
Foreign Policy Group is looking for a Marketing Manager. next job PR Agency with a specialty in Health and Beauty is looking for a Senior AE for Beauty PR Agency. next job Child's Play Communications is looking for a Public Relations Account Executive. next job Free Agent Media, Inc. is looking for a Advertising, Marketing, Sales, Editorial Assistant. next job True North Custom is looking for a Creative Marketing Writer. next job The Mount Sinai Health System is looking for a Freelance Web Marketing Manager (WMM). next job Skoll Foundation is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager. next job WebMD Health Corporation is looking for a Sr Manager, Program Marketing. next job Metropolis magazine is looking for a Advertising & Marketing Junior Designer. next job CareerMD.com is looking for a Sales, Marketing & Promotion (Entry Level). see all


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Almost missed this, but we’re going with it even we’re late a bit. Huawei unveiled a new mid-to-high end device last week – Ascend G600, which packs quite a bang for the buck — though we’re not really sure how much it will cost. Then again, we do know Ascend for their “value for money” proposition and it’s safe to assume this
little big fella’ will be more affordable than its closest competitors coming from the companies like HTC and Samsung.
Specs wise, the Ascend G600 sports a large 4.5-inch IPS qHD (540×960 pixels) touchscreen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel BSI camera, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, double speakers with DTS surround sound, NFC, GPS, DLNA, Bluetooth and a solid 1930mAh Li-Polymer battery. Of course, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is running the show.
When it comes to availability, the HUAWEI Ascend G600 will start selling in selected markets from September 2012. Price, as we’ve told you, wasn’t unveiled…


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'The Gaming Bed' Is A Thing, And It Is Yikes
Look, we like to highlight the rare times that the gaming industry steps up and caters to anyone except the default gamer, be it someone not served by a traditional controller or who can't or won't spend 14 hours slouched over a desk doing a single World of Warcraft raid. And in the spirit of that, we should celebrate Bauhutte's gaming bed, a revolutionary new piece of gaming furniture that allow players of all physiques to relax and game with dign--
Is that lube?
In what has to be the most horrific example of accidental synergy with the coronavirus outbreak, Japanese nerd-themed furniture company Buahutte has unveiled its gaming bed, a rig designed for those unable/unwilling to remain upright for too long but want to keep on gitting gud. The gaming bed is assembled from the company's many other gamer-focused furniture, not unlike a Voltron that still lives with their Voltron parents. The design itself, according to the website, is supposed to feel like a "cockpit" ideal for "single player" experiences -- emphasis on "single" and "pit," not on "player" or any kind of sex parts.
Again, despite it looking like your average Ikea lifehack and missing several key accessibility features of a hospital bed, the gaming bed (or cot, if you really look at the base item) could relieve a lot of physical strain for gamers unable or unwilling to stay vertical for too long. But hoo boy, between the black-and-red motif, the body pillow that's just one special edition print away from becoming someone's significant other and, again, the lube, this feels a lot like the racing car bed for people who consider racing car game players not to be true gamers.
If you're interested in more weird tangents or buying a third-hand race car bed, do follow Cedric on Twitter.


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Though the Toyota Prius may not be the sexiest green car, and it certainly isn’t the fastest, it is by far the most popular and best-known hybrid in the world. For years now, Toyota has been hinting that production of the Prius could move to America, where manufacturing costs are cheaper. Top executives are now hinting that Prius production will move to the places where they are “popular”; is an American-made Prius coming soon?
Browsing the "Toyota Prius 2012" Tag
The Toyota Prius remains the best-selling hybrid by a wide margin. Yet despite its once-lofty lead in the battle of mpgs, automakers like Ford have narrowed the gap substantially. So it is good to hear that Toyota is planning some drastic changes for the next Prius, including all-wheel drive, more mpgs, and a drastic design change.
While the Toyota Prius hybrid is by far the most popular and fuel efficient car for sale in the U.S., you won’t find many people who buy it because of the way it looks. But it seems that the powers-that-be are considering ditching the Prii and its practical wedge-shaped design for something more aesthetically pleasing.


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Chrysler’s ad, “Halftime in America” starring Clint Eastwood, stood out among this year’s Super Bowl lineup.
Beautifully filmed and powerfully written, it stars one of Hollywood’s most-famous (and, truth be told, most-liberal) Republicans. And its big-tent, we’re-all-in-this-together tone can’t be missed.
Chrysler traded the attitude of last year’s Eminem ad for the political, something I’ve never seen from a car company before. Watching it, I couldn’t help but think that the spot was swinging big at Mitt Romney, a native son of Michigan. His father, Gov. George Romney, who is buried in Brighton, was an auto industry executive at American Motors Corp. Was Chrysler’s ad inspired in part by Mitt’s opposition to the federal bailout of the auto industry, the backbone of this state?
As Romney leads the pack to become the GOP’s presidential nominee in November, he struggles to overcome a series of gaffes, and connect with regular folks — like the ones in Chrysler’s ad. Romney now must battle the Chrysler ad’s populist message, which came through loud and clear: We prop each other up and bail each other out when times get tough; we’re Americans, and Americans don’t let Americans fail flat-out.
But fail is precisely what Romney said he would have let the auto industry do.
Time shows us that bailing out the carmakers was the right thing to do. As well as protecting an important industry, it showed respect and compassion for millions of U.S. auto workers who would have found themselves gasping for breath had the industry gone bankrupt, like Romney would have preferred.
“We all rallied around what was right and acted as one because that’s what we do,” Clint Eastwood says in the ad. “We find a way through tough times and if we can’t find a way then we make one. All that matters now is what’s ahead.
“Detroit’s showing that it can be done, and what’s true about them is true about all of us. This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again, and when we do, the world’s gonna hear the roar of our engines.”
While Chrysler’s ad gives voice to Detroit’s mettle, it also champions the thought that there are times when it takes a government to raise an industry.


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By NorCal Press
Darius Allen, CEO of Siam Smartphone announced today that a strategic alliance was formed with Michael Boczek, President and CEO of Descartes Biometrics.
By PR Artistry
Us, the new name for Pinsecure, iPadsecure, CubeByte and Autosafe, previews the latest developments in physical security for Retail at RBTE 2013. Retail Business Technology Expo, 12 – 13 March 2013, Earls Court, London Stand No: 430
e-ternity Executive and Co-Founder Michael Aaron will be speaking at The Law Office Management Association (TLOMA) Leaders@Work 24th Annual Conference at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario on October 26, 2012.
Uppidy executive explores the volume and sensitivity of enterprise data that is being stored on mobile devices and its explosion in recent years – especially as smart-phone and tablet technology continues to evolve.
By Bat Blue Corporation
The First Mobile Threat Management and Data Leakage Prevention Offering
By Blackbay Ltd
In order to meet the growing demand for reliable and secure real-time enterprise mobility solutions, Blackbay today announced that it has chosen SOTI Inc as its preferred mobile device management partner.


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Since the clash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has taken steps such as banning some Chinese mobile phone apps and tightening the requirements for Chinese investment and participation in government tenders.
The statement does not provide any details on the timing of the raid or the type of ‘entities’ described.
The statement said that Chinese individuals, their associates and some bank employees were involved in money laundering through a chain of shell companies.
The statement said, “The search action showed that at the behest of Chinese individuals, more than 40 bank accounts were created in various dummy entities with credits of over 10 billion rupees ($ 134.03 million) during the period. Were registered in
Authorities found evidence of transactions involving Hong Kong and the US dollar during the raid.
The statement said that one of the Chinese company’s subsidiaries and its related concerns took more than 1 billion Indian rupees ($ 13.4 million) in fake advances from shell entities to open a “retail showroom” in India.
The statement does not mention the names of companies or Chinese individuals involved in money laundering and “hawala” money transactions, which allow customers to carry large amounts of money across borders without scrutiny from regulators.
“Further investigation is going on,” he said.
($ 1 = 74.6100 Indian rupees)
Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Bernadette Bom


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PRA embarks on major restructure as profits dive
restructure as Q4 profits took a 55 per cent dive.
PRA said it will close down two of its North American facilities - located in Eatontown, New Jersey and Ottawa, Canada - as a result of the restructuring. The firm said this move was aimed at boosting its operating profits, and was driven by the desire of its managers and lead clinical research associates (CRAs) to work from home. "There is a growing trend for higher level clinical researchers to be home-based. This is due to the fact that they don't need to spend a lot of time in a centralised office a they tend to travel a lot and spend high amounts of time with clients," John Lewis, PRA's spokesperson told Outsourcing-Pharma.com. He added that reducing the number of offices would be beneficial for the company in terms of cost savings. The company also said it expected no overall reduction in staff. Meanwhile, PRA has decided to revamp its business structure to focus on three basic service areas: Early Development, Product Registration, and Scientific & Medical Affairs, in a bid to make the business more efficient and profitable in the long-term. "It is a practical simplification of our structure that will allow us to focus on our core competencies, on areas where we have the highest level of expertise," said Lewis. He said that his company has picked three areas with higher growth rates - the Early Development unit is expected to grow 20 per cent annually, while the Production Registration business and the Scientific & Medical Affairs segment are hoped to achieve 12 per cent and 20 per cent growth respectively. The decision comes at a time when PRA reported a 55 per cent dive in operating income for the quarter ending 31 December 2006 to $6.9m, from $12.7m in the year-ago quarter. Its income before tax also fell 55 per cent to $6.9m in the same period. As a result, operating margins also suffered and made a dip from a healthy 16.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 7.1 per cent in the same quarter this year. Lewis said this poor performance was partly due to a decline in sales in the company's Product Registration segment - which represents almost 80 per cent of the firm's revenue - which was driven by a high number of unexpected product cancellations. "Because a big part of our business comes from biotech clients, contracts tend to be less predictable" said Lewis, although this has also been pinpointed as the reason for the disappointing results the company recorded in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the charge related with the restructuring is expected to be about $9m (€7.5m), and likely to be expensed in the first two quarters of 2007, with annual savings expected to be about $4m, the contract research organisation (CRO) said. On a more positive note, PRA recorded sales up to $92.5m - a 21 per cent jump from the compared quarter - despite a 69 per cent fall in new business awards. The company attributed this plunge to the staffing issues it experienced last year as it implemented a different approach to selling within its sales team. "It took us a lot of time to ramp up our sales teams, get new staff and train people who were new to PRA. We now have 11 teams who are focusing on our core therapeutic areas," said Lewis. Looking forward, the company said that although 2007 is a "rebuilding year", it is optimistic about achieving better growth in 2008 and beyond.


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Amazon to Sell Part of Its Cloud Business in China
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Amazon.com said it would sell computing equipment used for its cloud services in China to its local partner, Beijing Sinnet Technology.
Airbnb Aims to Placate Paris Regulators With Rental Cap
Airbnb will start automatically capping the number days a year that hosts can rent out dwellings in parts of central Paris, expanding its bid to placate regulators in the U.S. and Europe.
Vodafone Raises Guidance
Vodafone said it was raising its outlook for fiscal 2018, following a strong performance in the first half of the year.
Continue Reading Below
Tesco Merger with Booker Provisionally Cleared
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority provisionally cleared a merger between Tesco and wholesaler Booker, noting that the two companies don't compete head-to-head in most of their activities.
Digital Pills That Talk to Your Doctor Are Here
U.S. authorities approved an antipsychotic pill that signals smartphones when it reaches the gut so doctors can track whether patients are taking their medication.
Russia-Backed Network RT Denies Kremlin Influence, Demurs on Ownership
The Kremlin-backed television network RT submitted foreign agent filings to the U.S. Department of Justice in which its U.S.-based general manager claimed not to know who owns the channel and said the network doesn't try to influence anyone's views.
Weinstein Co. Directors Dispute Lawyer Boies's Role
Star lawyer David Boies fended off concerns of Weinstein Co. directors about Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual harassment and assault without alerting them he was in business with Weinstein Co., according to two board members.
French Insurer AXA Files for IPO of U.S. Unit
French insurance company AXA SA has filed preliminary documents for an initial public offering of its U.S. life-insurance operations.
Roark Capital Makes Offer to Buy Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has received a takeover bid valued at more than $2.3 billion from private-equity firm Roark Capital Group, according to people familiar with the matter.
New CFO as Bank of New York Mellon's CEO Makes Changes
The bank reshuffled its management Monday as a first step in new Chief Executive Charles Scharf's bid to put his stamp on the custody bank.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 14, 2017 05:15 ET (10:15 GMT)


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LAS VEGAS -- CES is often the launching pad where top-name television companies make their biggest announcements for their latest product lines. CES 2014 is no different, with all of the big names have press events that show off their latest wares, including Sony, Panasonic, LG, Toshiba, and many others.
LG's core LCD lineup will have eight new LED LCDs and 25 new models overall, with more than half of them using WebOS, the interface it bought from Hewlett-Packard that it is touting for its simplified features this year.
LG's top 1080p LCD televisions for the coming year are the LB7100 and LB7200 series, which feature all of the company's best LCD technologies. These include local dimming, private listening via your phone, and an upgraded Magic Remote.
Samsung is whole-hog into curved TVs at CES 2014, introducing two series of concave TVs you'll be able to buy this year.
But its new concept "bendable" TV takes it a step further. Press a button on the remote control and small servos behind the screen spring into action, bending the edges out into that soon-to-be-familiar curved shape. A second button-press and the process reverses, flattening the screen into the same shape as your current HDTV.
TV makers routinely boast about picture quality, but when a claim like "Best TV in the World" comes from a company like Vizio -- best known for its bargain boob tubes -- it seems especially far-fetched.
The television in question is the Vizio Reference Series 120, all-new for 2014. The company is announcing 65- and 120-inch versions at CES 2014. The latter is the largest shipping TV announced this year, beating out Samsung's 110-inch S9.
Sony's 4K resolution XBR-X950B series, available only in 65- and 85-inch varieties, packs the company's premiere LCD picture quality enhancements.
We're fans of the effect of local dimming, an LED LCD backlight technology that dims particular parts of the screen to improve contrast, the single most important picture quality factor. The X950B series promises some of the best dimming technology around.
It’s a lonely year for plasma in 2014 with only Samsung and LG producing models after Panasonic announced it was withdrawing to concentrate on LCD.
The PN6900 may be LG’s best plasma but is far from top of the range. For example, the PN6900 is one of only three models which will feature the company’s older Netcast smart technology now that LG has now moved on to webOS . The other two are the PB6600 plasma and the LB5800 LCD. It also appears the television misses out on a magic motion remote which would also limit its flexibility.


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Why Did Betsey Johnson Make a Barbie Hat?
Betsey Johnson designed some Mad-Hatter-worthy toppers for the Kentucky Derby, and two are being auctioned off for charity! The hats will be unveiled at the Kentucky Derby on May 6th and 7th, and Johnson, a breast cancer survivor, is donating the proceeds to The National Breast Cancer Coalition andGilda's Club of Louisville. One of the hats up for grabs is the Barbie Hat, pictured, which Johnson says is “so much fun.” It will be auctioned off at Gilda's Club. The other hat, a Rose Hat, includes “whimsical looking spiders and bugs” Johnson told WWD, and will be auctioned from April 26th to May 7th at BiddingforGood.com. Exact rules have not been finalized for either sale, but check the sites closer to Derby Day. Happy bidding!


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Asda is launching a new service for all those parents who worry about what their student children do with their monthly allowance.
In an attempt to prevent students going hungry in order to finance their drinking habits, the retailer is giving parents more control over their kids budgets.
The new Student Shopper Card scheme allows parents to top-up an Asda store card with money that can only be spent at the supermarket.
Amanda Farrell, Product Manager for Gift Cards at Asda, said: “After conducting several focus groups with students and parents, we found that our student card concept could be a great way of providing reassurance to parents that their child has enough to eat when they go back to college.”
Scheme participants will receive two cards, one for the student and one for the parent. When the parent adds money to their card in Asda, the student’s card will automatically be topped-up with credit.
Students will be able to spend the cards in store much like a loyalty card and will have access to competitions, offers and exclusive offers online.
Farrell continued: “The Student Shopper Card helps parents support their children through university without holding their hand or imposing too much.
“It’s an easy and quick way for parents to help their children to budget without their cash just going into an overdrawn bank account and lets parents see transaction dates, location and amounts their kids are spending.”


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Thursday, September 29, 2011
Boyne Berries Launched in Trim
Poet and publisher, Peter Fallon, launched Boyne Berries 10 in Trim tonight, Thursday 29 September. Available for purchase in Antonia's bookshop, Trim and Spar, Trim. Galway launch Friday 30 September, 6.00pm Charlie Byrne's bookshop. also can be purchased online here.


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On Tuesday, Hero MotoCorp announced a distribution agreement for the Indian market with Harley-Davidson, through which Hero will sell and support Harley motorcycles in the region. The Harley-Davidson-Hero MotorCorp agreement will also see Hero MotoCorp selling parts, accessories, and general merchandise through a brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers network and Hero’s established distributor network in India, including riding gear and apparel.
As per a license agreement, under the Harley-Davidson brand name, Hero MotoCorp will also produce and market a range of luxury motorcycles. In a joint statement, the agreement is mutually beneficial for both businesses and riders in India, Harley-Davidson and Hero MotoCorp said.
Harley-Davidson announced last month that it would halt sales and manufacturing in India. The move was part of the ‘Rewire’ policy of the premium two-wheeler maker in which the company plans to concentrate more on approximately 50 markets, mostly in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia Pacific. Under the new approach, Harley-Davidson will continue to operate in the top 36 potential markets, thus converting its operation into a more cost-effective distributor model in 17 markets, including India. The company would leave 39 markets entirely.
Earlier this year, Hero MotoCorp ‘s chairman, Pawan Munjal, also suggested an agreement with Harley Davidson for the manufacture and sale of luxury motorcycles in India. Harley-Davidson Motor Co. agreed to abandon India in September, its exit lowering the curtain on a troubled stint in a lucrative two-wheelers market. After 11 years of India’s activities, Harley said it was part of the global discontinuation of sales and development operations in India.
As Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz attempts to cut costs and raise margins on a smaller sales base paid off in the third quarter, Harley-Davidson stock soared as much as 13 percent in premarket trade on better-than-expected earnings. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Harley-Davidson announced a 9.8 percent decline in quarterly sales as global motorcycle demand has yet to rebound from the COVID-19 triggered lockdowns hitting the company.
Harley-Davidson can help to make comparatively cheap and low-capacity motorcycles in India by partnering with Hero MotoCorp. A 750 cc motor currently powers the entry-level Harley bike in the country. It is noteworthy that H-D has been involved for a while in manufacturing mid-capacity bikes and has already collaborated with Qianjiang Motorcycle to build bikes from 350cc to 500cc. Between Hero and Harley in India, we should expect a similar thing.


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ModCloth Says No To Photoshop
Fashion retailer ModCloth is objecting to the idea of unrealistic body image standards by vowing to no longer use Photoshop on their models.
As the first retailer to the sign the “Anti-Photoshop Pledge,” the vintage-inspired clothing company promises not to alter the shape, size, color or proportion of its models bodies in photos, as well as to not remove or enhance any physical features of the models post-production.
The move is a celebration for not just women everywhere, but for activists behind the Truth in Advertising Act, which is a bill that calls for government regulation of what many might consider deceptive advertising.
ModCloth disappointed in fashion industry
In an open statement addressing the decision to ban Photoshop from the production process, ModCloth says it has “always been a champion of depicting real women rather than idealized, unhealthy, Phtoshopped versions of what women ‘should’ look like.”
According to ModCLoth’s CMO, Nancy Ramamurthi, signing the Anti-Photoshop Pledge was a “no-brainer,” and the movement is a call to action for changing the fashion industry as a whole.
“It‘s easy for us to sign on to something celebrating real people,” Ramamurthi said. “When you see in the public this kind of change in attitude of embracing a company that does what’s right, companies will make the shift.”
Source: Forbes, NEDA
Image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat/FreeDigitalPhotos.net


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VANCOUVER — White Spot has announced a new kids’ program launching Feb. 13, which features 3D augmented reality technology for an interactive Pirate Pak adventure. The new program includes a new cast of animated characters and revised treasure maps, in addition to the new W.S. Legendary pirate ship.
The Pirate Pak — featuring such characters as the brave captain Beak Rogers and quick-witted buccaneer Penny Poulet under the title of the Cluckeneers — utilizes the free W.S. Kids app on iOS and Android devices to offer kids games, music, stories and interactive videos.
“Since 1928, we have been committed to providing a family-friendly dining experience that’s unmatched by any other restaurant,” says Warren Erhart, president of White Spot. “The Pirate Pak is a central part of that dining experience for kids, so we’re excited to sail our iconic ship into the digital age.”
White Spot’s new Pirate Pak utilizes 3D augmented reality to bring its treasure maps and character videos to life, requiring no internet access after the app has been downloaded. A printable version of the interactive map is available for download, here.
White Spot first introduced Pirate Paks in 1968 when its founder Nat Bailey decided to create a dining experience tailored for kids. Since then, the restaurant chain has sold more than 25 million Pirate Paks. Its latest W.S. Legendary ship has also experienced tremendous success since its introduction.
“Our guests have always had a special place in their hearts for Pirate Paks,” says Cathy Tostenson, White Spot’s VP of Marketing and Menu Development. “In creating this program, we wanted to stay true to our brand while providing kids with new entertainment that’s both fun and engaging for the whole family, just like our founder Nat Bailey would have wanted. The Cluckaneers represents the harmonization of food and technology, and showcases our ability to stay current.”


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Statistics Canada announced on Tuesday that Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1.3 per cent from July to September as the easing of COVID-19 restrictions allowed for more consumer spending.
The total value of all goods and services was C$2.093 trillion in the third quarter, with 14 per cent more spending on semi-durable goods and six per cent more on services. Preliminary data also showed that the economy grew by 0.8 per cent in October alone.
While businesses continue to struggle with the aftermath of the pandemic, the data show households in strong financial shape to lead the recovery.
Consumer spending jumped by an annualized 18% in the three months that ended in September, the second biggest increase going back to the early 1960s, except for last year’s spike. Most of that spending was on services, many of which had been closed to many Canadians earlier in the year.


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Significant biosimilar activities this week include
05 Oct 20 | Medicure announced it has entered a License, Manufacture and Supply Agreement with Reliance Life Sciences for a cardiovascular biosimilar product for EU, US and Canada. Medicure is responsible for the regulatory approval process for that product.
06 Oct 20 | Onco’Zine reported a new study released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Care Symposium indicates that Sandoz’s Zarxio® (biosimilar filgrastim) is not only safe and effective, but is cost effective in treating chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in early-stage breast cancer patients.
06 Oct 20 | EU | Samsung Bioepis and Biogen announced the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review its Marketing Authorisation Application for SB11 (proposed ranibizumab biosimilar).
08 Oct 20 | Korea Biomedical Review reported Celltrion has received approval for Ph III trials of CT-P39 (proposed omalizumab biosimilar).


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THY to contribute $3 bln to Turkish economy this year
Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) forecasts a turnover of some $6 billion this year, almost half of which will be direct contributions to Turkey's economy, the company's CEO, Temel Kotil, said on Wednesday. Speaking at a conference organized by the Canakkale Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTSO), Kotil laid out key elements of THY's corporate success during last year's economic difficulties. "Since 2006, THY has been profitable by adding new flight destinations," he said. "2009 was a year of crisis but thanks to our investments, we were able to continuously advance and so weren't so affected by the crisis. As for 2010, we're targeting a turnover of $6 billion. Of this amount, 44 percent directly goes to domestic companies selling services to us and to salaries, while 10 percent is profits. In short, over 40 percent of our turnover benefits Turkey. We will contribute a net $3 billion this year to the country." THY's sales rose 15 percent to TL 7 billion in 2009 from TL 6.1 billion the previous year. The airline, Europe's fourth-largest carrier, has recently added 24 new destinations to its overseas network, boosting the number of its overseas destinations to 94. THY has also ordered 90 new aircraft, including 12 long-haul Boeing 777s to expand its fleet, Kotil said, adding that this acquisition will increase THY's cargo capacity.


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It’s been a few months since the first of Fortnites new clothing-optional fashion shows have been announced, and we’ve been waiting for a glimpse at what’s coming to the series’ fashion shows.
Today, we finally got that glimpse: the first trailer.
It’s a fun, funny, and occasionally sad take on the game’s fashion shows: one that shows off the latest clothing and accessories from the Fortnets and Fortnivre outfits that players can choose to dress up as.
We’re all just waiting for the other clips to appear.
Fortnite is currently looking to be released in early 2018.
We’ll keep you posted as the series continues.


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The Inflation Reduction Act is the most important piece of legislation for skiers and every ski area and skier on the planet should be publicly advocating for it.
Europe’s record-breaking heat wave claims another glacier as Zermatt announces a temporary closure until cooler temps return.
Ranking resorts based on five climate-based criteria, the Savills Ski Resilience Index sheds light on climate change’s impact on our sport.
Check out Eric Smith's author page.
Yes, we all use fossil fuels. But we don’t want to. Here’s what really matters.
Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, POWDR, and Vail Resorts form the Climate Collaborative Charter to combat the greatest threat to their business and the planet
A new study measuring snowmelt rather than snowfall totals paints an alarming picture of how climate change is shortening our ski seasons.
How the pro ski mountaineer, Instagram influencer, and environmental activist fights global warming while pursuing her passions.
The Plastic Impact Alliance brings brands together to protest the use of single-use plastics at the Outdoor Retailer summer trade show.
The grants, valued at a total of $40,000, are awarded to four U.S. ski areas.
Known for their ski porns, Teton Gravity Research has released an award-winning new film about climate change's impact on skiing. We spoke to producer Steve Jones about the simple things you can do to cut your carbon emissions and what TGR is doing to offset all that heli time.


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Organised by the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), International Poultry Expo-2019 was held from 13-15th of September 2019 at Expo Centre, Lahore, Pakistan with the participation of thousands of farmers and feed milers from all over Pakistan. Attended by thousands of poultry entrepreneurs, researchers, veterinarians, consumers, students, and investors, many local and international companies displayed their products and services at the exhibition.
Many farmers & Feed millers showed their interest in Zagro products
during the event. Zagro wishes to express our gratitude to all our
guests, visitors and customers who visited our booth during the event.


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Over the years, Hasbro has unveiled numerous pop culture editions of its classic board game Monopoly, including Game of Thrones, Pokémon, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Disney.
Now, in celebration of the movie’s 25th anniversary, Hasbro is releasing a brand new edition of Monopoly specifically based on Disney’s The Lion King. Armed with so many intricate details, including six detailed playing pieces of Mufasa, Scar, Simba, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa, The Lion King Monopoly is set to be a must have for any fan of the iconic film.
Instead of the usual properties which are available to purchase, the ones on The Lion King edition are a mixture of classic locations and moments from the film. Beetles and grubs replace the standard hotels and houses, whilst the railroads are based on four animal herds: Rhino, Elephant, Antelope, and Wildebeest.
The two utility spaces have been replaced by Advisor properties featuring Rafiki or Zazu on them, whilst the Chance and Community Chest cards have been swapped out by 32 Destiny cards based on scenes from the film. Our favourite Destiny card is one with Scar’s iconic “Life’s Not Fair, Is It?” line on it, which leads to the player paying 50 Monopoly dollars to the banker.
If all of that wasn’t amazing enough, the game also includes a musical compact rendition of Pride Rock which, when pressed, plays ‘The Circle of Life’. It requires 2x AAA batteries, but the good news is that they’re already included so you can get playing straight away.
Speaking to INSIDER, senior director of global brand strategy and marketing at Hasbro, Jen Boswinkel said: “We know fans love pop culture integrations with their favorite games and with the 25th anniversary of the original motion picture and the release of the live-action film in July, fans will be clamoring for ways to celebrate the classic movie.”
Monopoly’s The Lion King Edition will be available Monday, April 22 at Walmart for $39.99 for ages eight and up and can be pre-ordered now. The game will be available at other retailers in June.
The new live-action remake of The Lion King will make its way to cinemas on July 19. A new full-length trailer was recently released, which you can check out below.
Will you be buying The Lion King edition of Monopoly? Excited for the movie? Let us know in the comments below.


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Chevy's ad for their new 'Sonic' vehicle gave viewers a glimpse of all sorts of things that people probably shouldn't do in cars. The Super Bowl commercial showed a Sonic bungee jumping, sky diving and doing a kick flip, among other activities. Interestingly, one aspect of the ad may live on longer than the commercial itself, and that is OK Go's new music video for the song "Needing/Getting," which they filmed on a closed course inside the car. If you aren't one of the 5 million views the video has received on Youtube, it's worth checking out below:
CLICK HERE to see the rest of the 2012 Super Bowl commercials as well as all of the best, worst and most memorable from years past.
For years, viewers have tuned into the NFL's Super Bowl as much to see what the advertisers roll out as how the two teams vying for the sport's top prize perform. This year was no different. Each time that NBC cut away from Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and New England Patriots a hush came over most Super Bowl parties as everyone -- and not just the diehard sports fans with a rooting (or betting) interest -- focused entirely on the ads.
How does this Super Bowl ad stack up?


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Do you love the look of Apple's Mac Pro but can't stand the fact that it's a Mac (or that it's bloody expensive)? You're in luck as Cryorig has announced a new PC chassis that closely resembles Apple's unique case.
The cylindrical, brushed aluminum chassis in question is called the Ola. Cryorig says it will support a mini-ITX motherboard, 100-watt TDP Core i7 chips and a video card measuring up to 280mm in length. There's also room for a single 3.5-inch drive, up to two 2.5-inch drives and a SFX power supply.
As for the chassis itself, Cryorig tells us it'll feature modular front and back panels with multiple textured options to choose from. A single 140mm fan at the top pulls air up and out of the case and is aided by dual shark gill-like side air ducts that run along the length of the case. That's not a ton of active cooling and may be something to keep an eye on, especially during intense gaming sessions.
Cryorig says the Ola is still a work-in-progress which unfortunately means it won't be ready until the second quarter of next year. That said, the company plans to demo functioning units at Computex in addition to static models with brushed aluminum and wood veneer alternate panels. No word yet on how much Cryorig plans to charge for the Ola.
If you're not up to building your own PC, there's always MSI's Vortex PC.


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Published on: 17.12.08
Source: Press release of the European Commission
The EU will have a new Safer Internet Programme as of 1 January 2009. Following the overwhelmingly positive vote on 23 October in which the European Parliament expressed its support for the new Safer Internet Programme, the Council of Ministers has adopted the new Programme on December 9, 2008. The new Safer Internet Programme covering the period 2009-2013 had been proposed by the European Commission on 28 February 2008 to protect children in the ever more sophisticated online world and empower them to safely use web services like social networking, blogging and instant messaging. While 75% of children (aged between 6 and 17 years) are already online and 50% of 10-year-olds have a mobile phone, a new Eurobarometer survey published today shows that 60% of European parents are worried that their child might become a victim of online grooming (when an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse) and 54% that their children could be bullied online (harassed on internet sites or via mobile messages).
The new Safer Internet Programme will fight grooming and bullying by making online software and mobile technologies more sophisticated and secure. From 2009-2013, the EU will spend € 55 million to make the Internet a safer place.
Get more information from this website:


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Video does not show Zara clothes thrown out in US amid boycott calls
Vestiaire Collective campaign video went viral with misleading claim
Claim: A video shows American citizens protesting against Zara’s new campaign by throwing clothes outside the company’s outlet.
Fact: The claim is misleading because the original video Vestiaire Collective created the video for their campaign “Fast Fashion Ban” urging consumers to think before buying from brands and promoting sustainable fashion practices. It was launched a month before Zara’s new campaign.
On 15 December 2023, Bol News published a since-deleted reel (archive) on Instagram with an Urdu caption,
غزہ جنگ کے بارے میں توہین آمیز اشتہار دینے کے بعد امریکی عوام نے “زارا” برانڈ کے تمام کپڑے کمپنی کے سامنے پھینک دیے
Translated [The American citizens threw all the clothes of the brand ‘ZARA’ in front of the company’s outlet after it made an insulting ad about the war in Gaza.]
On 7 December 2023, the fast-fashion retailer Zara launched a campaign that sparked criticism around the world. People called it insensitive, saying the imagery is reminiscent of scenes from the Israel-Hamas War and asked for a boycott. Later, Zara removed the ad from the website and posted on Instagram that the campaign was designed in July and shot in September, long before the 7 October attack and the Israel-Hamas war.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check observed the video closely and noticed that the clothes could be seen falling from the top and not thrown by people. This shows that the video was created using artificial intelligence. The text, “Vestiaire Collective”, is visible on an electronic billboard in the background of the video.
To investigate this, Soch Fact Check searched for Vestiaire Collective on Google and found an Instagram account with the same name. According to the bio of the page, it promotes pre-loved clothes and sustainable fashion practices.
The same video as that of the viral post was posted by Vestiaire Collective on 16 November 2023. The caption of the video reads that it is part of the Fast Fashion Ban campaign, which was launched a month before Zara’s new ad campaign. The vision of the Fast Fashion Ban was to encourage consumers to be more thoughtful about their purchases and refrain from buying brands like Zara, Uniqlo and Mango.
Thus, it is clear that the viral video is not related to the boycott call after Zara’s recent campaign.
Conclusion: The video showing piles of clothes thrown outside Zara’s outlet is unrelated to the recent calls for a boycott of the brand following their latest campaign. The video is a month old and was launched by a pre-loved clothing retail company as a part of their campaign called Fast Fashion Ban.
Background image in cover photo: ZARA
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org


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Nexar which specializes in technical data and driving data has joined a consortium of researchers, faculty and companies that will shape the future of driving by developing new technologies... Read more
There are no upcoming events at this time.
The all-new BMW 2 Series Coupé
Al Tayer Motors Delivers the First Ford Bronco Units in the Middle East
New BMW M4 Factory-fitted with Tires from Continental
Premio Oberhausen meets JMS and Barracuda
LG Energy, Hyundai battery partnership will boost Indonesia strategic presence in EV market
© 2017 Morjan Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Aug 22 (Reuters) - Lowe’s Cos Inc missed estimates for quarterly same-store sales on Wednesday as the home improvement retailer bore the brunt of a slowdown in the U.S. housing market, sending its shares down 4 percent.
Sales at stores open at least a year rose 5.2 percent, below the average analyst estimate of a 5.34 percent increase, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net income rose to $1.52 billion, or $1.86 per share, in the second quarter ended Aug. 3 from $1.42 billion, or $1.68 per share, a year earlier.
Under new Chief Executive Marvin Ellison, net sales of the company rose 7 percent to $20.89 billion from $19.50 billion in the quarter. (Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Ring, Connected Doorbell Startup, Raises $109M in Series D Funding Round
Jan 30 2017
On January 25th, Ring closed its series D round of funding with $109 million. The round was led by DFJ Growth, Goldman Sachs, and Qualcomm Ventures.
Ring is a home security system that allows users to see and talk to anyone who rings their doorbell from anywhere in the world via their mobile devices.
Though the company’s core product is still its unique video doorbell, Ring has expanded to a series of motion activated cameras that can be placed anywhere on your property, floodlights, and cloud video storage that allows entire neighborhoods to become aware of suspicious activity immediately.
In the past year and a half, Ring has expanded to customers in over 100 companies and its products are available in 15,000 retail locations.
“There’s stuff coming out this year that I’ve been working on for four years, so the lag time of that, and getting all these different pieces together and then supporting them and the international expansion and all this stuff together,” said CEO Jamie Siminoff when asked how the company will use the newly invested funds.
+ Ring was originally known as “Doorbot,” but rebranded and began offering a wider variety of products and features.
+ Ring has raised $209 million of funding since its founding in 2012.
+ In 2013, Ring attempted to gain $700,000 in funding from the investors on the television show “Shark Tank,” but failed.


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Most attention directed towards bitcoin is focused on price but there are plenty of other metrics to ponder. One sign of growing adoption and usage is BTC transactions which are higher this year than ever before.
Bitcoin Transactions Keep Climbing
While the price has retreated almost 30% from its 2019 high, bitcoin transactions are constantly rising and are on track to make this year the highest in its history. The chart was plotted by Canadian bitcoin trading portal, Shakepay, noting that total daily transactions are now over 350k.
Bitcoin is on pace to do more transactions in 2019…
Author: Martin Young


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Dating app TrulyMadly on Tuesday said it has raised Rs 16 crore (USD 2.1 million) in funding from Venture Catalysts, 9 Unicorns, Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and others.
Early stage investor advisor Jana K Balan, Neil Bahal from Negen Capital, angel investor Ruchi Sihare and existing investors -- Inflection Point Ventures, The Chennai Angels and AngelList also participated in the pre-series A round, a statement said.
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, InMobi co-founders Abhay Singhal and Piyush Shah, Nodwin Gaming founder Akshat Rathee and Dr Vaidya's founder and CEO Arjun Vaidya also joined the round, it added.
TrulyMadly will deploy the capital to build new product offerings, expand to new geographies and boost its technology by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered platform features and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, it said.
The fund raise follows an overall revenue growth by 4X, and a 10X growth being registered from tier II and III cities like Bhubaneswar, Gwalior, Kanpur, Patna, Rajkot, Varanasi and Vijayawada.
Registered as Crescere Technologies, TrulyMadly was set up in 2018, by Snehil Khanor and Amit Gupta. The platform currently has over 85 lakhs users.
Last year, TrulyMadly had raised Rs 8.1 crore (USD 1.1 million) from Inflection Point Ventures, The Chennai Angels and AngelList along with prolific angel investors including Aakrit Vaish, Dr Ritesh Malik, Gaurav Munjal and Miten Sampat.
'The strong growth is backed by our mission of removing stigma associated with dating and dating apps in India. The 4X growth in revenue over last year is reflective of the value our proprietary technology has brought to young millennials with serious intent towards relationships,' TrulyMadly CEO and co-founder Snehil Khanor said.
The next stage of growth will be led by further developing the technology platform to enhance experience and increasing reach in tier II and III cities, Khanor added.
'In the next 6 months, we are slated to launch some amazing new product features catered specifically to the Indian way of dating,” he said.


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“At an event in New York tomorrow, Apple will announce a set of tools that make it easier to publish interactive textbooks and other digital educational content, said two people with knowledge of the announcement, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly,” Satariano and Burrows report. “The plans, to be unveiled by Apple Internet software chief Eddy Cue, are aimed at broadening the educational materials available for the iPad, especially for students in kindergarten to 12th grade, the people said.”
Satariano and Burrows report, “By setting its sights on the $10 billion-a-year textbook industry, Apple is using the tablet to encourage students to shun costly tomes that weigh down backpacks in favor of less-expensive, interactive digital books that can be updated anywhere via the Web… Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had focused on the textbook business before his death in October. He told biographer Walter Isaacson that the industry was ripe for a digital disruption because of the interactive capabilities made possible by the iPad. Jobs had held meetings with publishers, including Pearson Education Inc., about teaming up with Apple, according to Issacson’s book, ‘Steve Jobs,’ published last year. Jobs wanted to create electronic texts and curriculum material for the iPad.”
Read more in the full article here.


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SAN RAFAEL -- Central Payment, a San Rafael-based transaction processing service, said more than 11,000 merchants have become new customers since it began offering the First National Merchant Solutions processing platform service in December 2009.
Central Payment provides transaction and other electronic technology solutions, personal service and pricing to more than 35,000 businesses across the country. It annually processes in excess of $2.5 billion in transactions.
“First National Merchant Solutions is a premier service provider with more than 50 years of world-class support. Working with First National Merchant Solutions is a critical component of our ongoing growth,” said Zach Hyman, the firm’s co-managing partner.
The company was established in 2005 by twin brothers Zachary and Matthew Hyman.
Since working with First National, the company has hired about 20 people, bringing the total employees up to 120 people, Mr. Hyman said.
The company has roughly 750 employees across the country and plans to add another 20 people in Marin over the next year.
“First National is the leader in the bankcard acquired services,” Mr. Hyman said.
He said it has helped leverage in the recruiting process for new customers. For instance, he said, “We are now tapped into the petroleum gas industry.”
He said Central Payment’s previous partner bank could only service small to medium-sized businesses.
“Now we can work with any size business,” he said.
Through its arrangement with First National Bank of Omaha, sponsoring bank of First National Merchant Solutions, Central Payment now offers debit and credit card processing to all companies who accept transaction cards for payment.
“Central Payment has quickly demonstrated its acumen in implementing our technology and in successfully attracting merchants. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with the company, which is rapidly becoming a leader in the industry,” said Diana Mehochko, president of First National Merchant Solutions.
First National Merchant Solutions is a payment processor providing service and solutions to businesses across North America for more than 50 years. It is considered among the top 10 companies in its industry.
Mr. Hyman said that in addition to the local hiring, Central Payment will continue bringing in sales partners across the country as needed.
“There is room for growth,” he said.


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A year ago, Swype launched a new way to type on a touchscreen phone at TechCrunch50. Swype was created by the inventor of the T9 predictive typing system used on most phones today because he felt that new text input methods for small touchscreens are sorely needed. Today, the startup announced the first phone to use the technology will be the Samsung Omnia II on Verizon. Subscribe to TechCrunch http://goo.gl/TQxw7 for the latest tech video and read more at http://goo.gl/K6cLD
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LG to take its LG G3 smartphone to UK.
South Korean giant LG Electronics has announced the new official launch date of the its LG G3 smartphone for the UK market. The device will hit UK markets on June 26, 2014.
The company has stated that it has so far got a good response from the South Korean market and are looking forward to the UK launch. LG also said that it will launch the handset on June 27, 2014 in the global market which will include the countires like Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines and other regions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East will follow in the month of July.
The President and CEO of LG’s mobile arm, Dr. Jong-seok Park commented that early indications gives them a reason to be optimistic that the G3 will be as successful globally as it has been in Korea. The CEO added that the G3 has been created with the help of solid feedback from the customers.
The new G3’s USP will be its design and hardware that has undergone of research.


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The calculus of living paycheck to paycheck in America is getting harder. What used to last four days might last half that long now. Pay the gas bill, but skip breakfast. Eat less for lunch so the kids can have a healthy dinner.
Across the nation, Americans are increasingly unable to stretch their dollars to the next payday as they juggle higher rent, food and energy bills. It’s starting to affect middle-income working families as well as the poor, and has reached the point of affecting day-to-day calculations of merchants like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) (WMT), 7-Eleven Inc. and Family Dollar Stores Inc. (FDO) (FDO)
Food pantries, which distribute foodstuffs to the needy, are reporting severe shortages and reduced government funding at the very time that they are seeing a surge of new people seeking their help.
While economists debate whether the country is headed for a recession, some say the financial stress is already the worst since the last downturn at the start of this decade.
(AP) Marcia Watkis, far left, a volunteer at the Bedstuy Campaign Against Hunger, a food pantry that…
From Family Dollar to Wal-Mart, merchants have adjusted their product mix and pricing accordingly. Sales data show a marked and more prolonged drop in spending in the days before shoppers get their paychecks, when they buy only the barest essentials before splurging around payday.
“It’s pretty pronounced,” said Kiley Rawlins, a spokeswoman at Family Dollar. “It seems like to us, customers are running out of food products, paper towels sooner in the month.”
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said the imbalance in spending before and after payday in July was the biggest it has ever seen, though the drop-off wasn’t as steep in August.
And 7-Eleven says its grocery sales have jumped 12-13 percent over the past year, compared with only slight increases for non-necessities like gloves and toys. Shoppers can’t afford to load up at the supermarket and are going to the most convenient places to buy emergency food items like milk and eggs.
“It even costs more to get the basics like soap and laundry detergent,” said Michelle Grassia, who lives with her husband and three teenage children in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, N.Y.
(AP) Marta Zepeda an employee at a 7-Eleven store stocks the shelves at the store in downtown Los…
Her husband’s check from his job at a grocery store used to last four days. “Now, it lasts only two,” she said.
To make up the difference, Grassia buys one gallon of milk a week instead of three. She sometimes skips breakfast and lunch to make sure there’s enough food for her children. She cooks with a hot plate because gas is too expensive. And she depends more than ever on the bags of free vegetables and powdered milk from a local food pantry.
I know this situation upclose and personal. There have been times, especially when being on disability on and off from heart surgeries and recovering from epileptic seizures in recent years. In the good ol’ USA anymore when counties are cutting back on services to the poor, companies moving overseas to pay slave wages and remaining companies telling employees “take what we pay ya, or hit the streets” ( except for executives of course), living paycheck to paycheck is definitely a challenge. The working poor and lower-middle class in this country aren’t running an increasing debt load just to buy extra “goodies” like stereos, HDTVs, computers and iPods. They’re running a debt just to pay the bills and eat. And I’m not even touching on expenses like car repairs, car insurance or any of that sh*t.
The proof is in the pudding of this article. Bu$hco has almost singlehandedly destroyed the greatest republic in Western History in just seven short years. Once this nation is destroyed economically, the path will be cleared for the neoliberal agenda of creation of the North American Union.
Thus the next phase of the NWO plan of Global Dominance will be complete.


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Less than a week before its MWC 2016 keynote event, LG G5 has been leaked in its full glory. The handset has been leaked in three images, and has supposedly been seen by a tipster Evan Blass. The handset’s ‘Lite’ version is also said to have passed GFXBench benchmarking website.
A user is apparently trying to sell the alleged LG G5 before its actual launch in Dubai via an e-commerce website called Dubizzle. The seller has also uploaded three images showing the smartphone’s front and back panel. The post adds that the handset comes with a valid IMEI and is in its original packing. The G5 is listed with a price tag of AED 2,500 (roughly Rs. 46,500).
The images (seen above) and the handset they show still however remain questionable. The LG G5 in the images seems to sport an all-metal body like rumoured before. Interestingly, the back panel now has a different layout. A dual-camera setup is seen positioned horizontally, with LED flash and other sensors placed in between. A fingerprint sensor is also positioned right below the camera setup. At the bottom, the ‘G5’ logo is clearly visible.
At the front, the LG G5 is seen sporting a greater screen-to-body ratio than before. The front-facing camera along with the speaker grille is visible on top, while the company logo is placed at the bottom.
Tipster Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) also posted on Twitter that he’s seen the LG G5 smartphone and can confirm the inclusion of a secondary display. Although the details of the secondary display are scarce at the moment, it is likely to feature the same ticker display we saw in the LG V10 handset. The ticker display was however, not recognisable in the aforementioned image leaks. Additionally, Blass confirms that the handset will house the same wide-angle dual-lens camera setup, which was seen in the images posted by the seller we mentioned above. He adds that the same setup is present with the LG X cam smartphone, which has been launched ahead of MWC 2016.
It is being assumed that such camera setup can house features such as object removal from picture, extra zoom-in functionality, and more.
A separate report suggests the existence of a ‘Lite’ version of the LG G5, with the smartphone reportedly passing the GFXBench benchmarking website. Codenamed LG H840, the smartphone as per the results will be running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and will feature a 5.3-inch QHD display. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm processor clocked at 1.8GHz, the LG G5 Lite will house 3GB of RAM along with Adreno 510 GPU. Other features included are 32GB inbuilt storage, and a 7-megapixel rear and front-facing camera. The LG G5 is set to be launched at the company’s pre-MWC 2016 keynote event on February 21.


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Presenting CompuServe's ancient online "mall" as an example of Precambian prior art, Newegg successfully defeated Soverain Software's supposed patent claim to what is essentially the modern day shopping cart. If Soverain had won the verdict, there's a good chance nearly every website with a shopping cart would owe the firm one percent of all future revenue plus a potentially enormous, retroactive payout.
Although Newegg eventually proved Soverain is little more than a patent troll in a federal court, the firm's claim to have invented the shopping cart had already landed it numerous favorable verdicts and hugely lucrative payouts.
Some instances of Soverain flexing its purported shopping cart patents date back nearly a decade – one such example being Amazon's $40 million out-of-court setttlement with the firm over its "one-click" shopping back in 2005. After losing their own legal battles, Victoria's Secret and Avon had both (pdf) been condemned to pay seemingly absurd awards of roughly $9 million each plus a one percent royalty on all future web sales. JCPenney and others had also lost to the firm. Zappos, TigerDirect, CDW and several others chose to "settle" with Soverain while numerous lawsuits against many major retailers/e-tailers still remain pending.
In a troublesome turn of events, Newegg also lost its initial trial – the popular electronics e-tailer attempted to invoke patent "obviousness" in hopes of invalidating Soverain's case, but the presiding judge removed the question of "obviousness" from the jury, stating: "I don't think there's sufficient testimony to present an obviousness case to the jury. I think it would be very confusing to them." Subsequently, the court upheld the jury's decision and ordered Newegg to pay up $2.5 million in damages for its supposed unlicensed use of Soverain's shopping cart technology.
Thankfully though, Newegg's legal team appealed the ruling and won. The original verdict of $2.5 million in damages was repealed.
"We conclude that the prior art CompuServe Mall system, by clear and convincing evidence, rendered obvious the 'shopping cart' claims," the verdict reads (pdf). "These claims are invalid; the district court's contrary ruling is reversed." The ruling continues, "and therefore the judgments of infringement and damages are vacated".
The federal appellate court's ruling sets an ostensibly positive precedent for the health of global e-commerce. Online retailers – particularly those who've recently lost against Soverain – may now look to Newegg's victory to defend themselves against present and future shopping cart patent claims.


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Verklin speaks: ‘We’re entering the golden age of commercial persuasion!’
On a promo tour for his new book, the CEO of Carat Americas dropped a few predictions on innovation in Toronto yesterday. He believes media pros may have a bright future - no more advertising dog food to cat owners.
Moments after his intro at an Audit Bureau of Circulations event in Toronto yesterday, Carat Americas CEO David Verklin stepped into the crowd and started grilling the assembled with questions.
How many cell phones are there in China? (Answer: 400 million, more the total US population.) When are the most emails opened? (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 am to 2 pm) What’s the redemption rate for coupons in newspapers versus those doled out online? (1% for print, 15% for electronic.) E-coupons, he says, are gonna be huge by 2010.
Tying his mobile-minded stats to measurable marketing tools, Verklin launched into a tale about ‘Adrian.’ Adrian gets on the subway, sees a digital OOH video ad for Spiderman 4 with a web link at the end, whips out his mobile to key it in, and instantly gets access to a bunch of exclusive content. Then he gets to the grocery store, hears an announcement about a Spiderman cereal promo and… You get the point. The beauty of mobile, says Verklin, is that nobody yet rules the space. It’s wide open for the taking.
Promoting his new book Watch This, Listen Up, Click Here, Verklin told the ABC crowd that the old way is gone. No more separate silos for the creatives and the media buyers – they’ve got to work together to innovate across platforms.
‘We have the opportunity to create a new model in the advertising business,’ he explained. ‘This is the concept of the powered buy – a creative agency powered by a media services partner. I don’t believe we should return to the old way. The new way is Leo Burnett powered by Starcom, Chiat/Day powered by OMD, the Mariott powered by McGarryBowen and Carat.
‘The original role of the media department was to simply truck the message to the appropriate outlet,’ Verklin continued. ‘We were a conduit to the customer. Our job in media was done once the ad was printed or aired. We bought time and space, delivered the ad, and then repeated the process with other clients. The powered buy is a metaphor for what I see as the new media services role in a new content and media collaboration in the agency process.
‘The media planning process has evolved because there are simply too many TV stations, too many websites, too many radio stations, too many publications, and too many mobile phones. A single creative idea can not possibly fit into all of those channels successfully.’
Verklin was quick to point out several companies and marketing signs to watch for over the next nine months. Pay attention to the gaming industry, he said. In November 2004, Halo was released for Microsoft Xbox. Three weeks before its release, more than 1.5 million copies had been ordered. On its first day, it sold 2.38 million copies worldwide – totalling more than $125 million in sales, and exceeding Hollywood’s best opening weekend in history.
Halo 2 sold more than seven million copies. Later this year, Halo 3 is coming in three different editions. Pre-sales began in late March, and it’s already one of the 10 best-selling games for Xbox – and it hasn’t even been released yet.
And then there’s the iPhone, which will be the product that bridges the gap between online and mobile content consumption, in Verklin’s opinion. And (even if it scares you), watch TiVo and Joost.com – because they’re on the leading edge of connecting the web and TV as content platforms. Watch Veoh.com, because it’s an online indie collaborative that’s designed to learn about consumers by what they’re watching. And – just for fun – log on to Gather.com, the MySpace for grown-ups.
In closing, Verklin told the ABC crowd that the golden age of persuasion has arrived, and he borrowed the term ‘database of intentions’ from tech writer John Battelle. ‘The database of intentions is simply this: the aggregate result of every search ever entered, every result list ever tendered, every path ever taken online as a result.
‘It lives in many places, but three or four of them hold the database of intentions, and a massive amount of this data – MSN, Google, Yahoo! and AOL,’ he added. ‘We have a history of every click, every action taken on the web from the time the web began. This information represents a placeholder for the intentions of humankind, a massive database of desires, wants, needs, and likes that can be discovered, subpoena’d, archived, tracked and exploited for all kinds of ends. Such a beast has never existed before in the history of our culture.’
So, put it to use, Verklin advised. Does a brand build its own Google, its own database of intentions? Carat created a database of intentions for Coca Cola in China called iCoke – an online portal with mobile tie-ins that allows consumers to engage with the brand. You buy a Coke, pull off the bottle top, key in a secret code at iCoke’s website and you get merchandise, downloads for your phone and different Coke experiences. As of today, he noted, iCoke has more than 32 million registered users – 25% of the Chinese internet population.
‘Can you imagine the data that affords Coke? Coke will literally know what its customers want before they do,’ Verklin concluded. ‘Based on the customers’ interaction on the site, Coke will have all or most of the market research they need.’


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Intel hasn't been very fortunate in the smartphone chipset business. Despite dominating the personal computing semiconductor space, the company failed to gain traction in mobile in time and struggled to catch up afterward despite trying to crack the entry code from different angles: wearables, IoT, tablets, phones, and so on. Eventually, Intel sort of threw in the towel and decided to close its Atom business and take its time to regroup and think of other ways to tackle the issue.
Its foundry business seems to be the key. See, aside from offering platforms and architectures for chipsets, Intel also has a small side business, Intel Custom Foundry, which produces chipsets for other chipmakers. Read More
The dream is to have smartphone batteries that can last days upon days of use. The reality is that the more power-efficient our smartphones become, the more demanding we are, perpetuating the status quo of lousy battery life. The band-aid solution so far seems to be the speeding of charge times. Qualcomm has its Quick Charge technology, Oppo has its Super VOOC, ASUS has BoostMaster, and MediaTek has Pump Express. The latter just received a boost to version 3.0, marking the first time it uses USB Type-C Power Delivery instead of VBUS current modulation.
The first benefit of Pump Express 3.0 is that it significantly reduces overheating while charging by bypassing all circuitry inside the phone. Read More
The Snapdragon 820 is far from a secret, but today marked the official "launch" of the upcoming chipset from Qualcomm in New York. The 820 is a huge bet for Qualcomm on the future of its high-end SoC business, marrying the latest technologies across the board for what it hopes will be the ultimate mobile processor.
The 820's full specification sheet, such as it is, is below.
The 820 will be manufactured on a 14nm FinFet process, sporting four brand-new Kryo CPU cores designed by Qualcomm. This marks a departure from the ARM reference cores Qualcomm has used exclusively on its 2015 lineup and which have arguably been a source of woe for the company this year. Read More
NVIDIA has been the first few pebbles of the landslide that is CES for the last few years, and 2015 is no different. To kick off the world's biggest consumer tech show, CEO Jen-Hsun Huang started with mobile. The company announced its successor to the Tegra K1 mobile processor, the Tegra X1. This chip includes an octa-core 64-bit CPU married to a 256-core GPU. And that second chip is the killer: it's based on the same architecture as the latest full-sized NVIDIA desktop graphics cards, Maxwell.
While Huang was quick to point out the chip's fantastic graphical capabilities (without going into extreme detail), he also wanted to show off its video rendering prowess. Read More
Though the hardware was mildly refreshed back in June, Google Glass has been running on much the same internals for the better part of two years. With the rise of Android Wear, at least some of us were wondering whether Google still intended to bring its head-mounted wearable system to retail at all. According to the latest report from the Wall Street Journal, Google is indeed planning at least one more version of Glass, this time running on an Intel chipset. The new hardware will reportedly be released next year.
The original and current Glass models use Texas Instruments processors. Read More
At the moment, mobile platforms are vastly dominated by the ARM architecture, licensed to pretty much every major chip/phone maker out there. That isn't stopping Intel from pushing forward with its x86 mobile chips. The latest taker for the Atom line is Chinese manufacturer ZTE, with the oh-so-appropriately-named ZTE GEEK. The 5-inch smartphone was announced at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing.
The GEEK is built around the Atom Z2580 chip, a 2.0Ghz dual-core processor that uses Intel's 32 nanometer fabrication process. (It's even got the familiar "Intel Inside" badge on the back.) It's only the second commercial phone announced that uses the CloverTrail+ series of chips, behind the Lenovo K900. Read More
At ARM TechCon today, the titular purveyor of semiconductors announced its Cortex-A50 series, dubbed "the world's most energy-efficient 64-bit processors." Based on the ARMv8 architecture, the line will launch with the Cortex-A53 and A57 processors, allowing not only for significantly more energy-efficient processing, but SoC scalability that makes the line applicable to devices from smartphones to high-performance servers. The A57 is geared toward high-performance, while the A53 is lauded by ARM as its most power-efficient. Both chips also support 32-bit and 64-bit ARM code, and according to ARM, the A53 can live up to the performance of the Cortex A9 at 60% the die area. Read More
Before we get too far into this, let's point out that this rumor is coming from an Israeli newspaper, so it is easy enough for a company to disavow stories like these. With that disclaimer out of the way: Amazon may be looking into buying Texas Instrument's OMAP business. As we already know, TI has expressed interest in getting out of the mobile game. Not to say they'll stop making processors, but that the focus would be less on tablets and phones, and more on embedded SoCs for a variety of applications (such as automotive, vision, and robotics).
Of course, Amazon uses TI's mobile processors for its Kindle Fire line, which runs a very heavily modified version of Android. Read More
Remember last month when Intel CEO Paul Otellini said that they were actively working on porting Honeycomb to x86 processors with hopes of providing us with Intel powered Honeycomb tablets within the year? Well, it turns out that Acer may unveil the first tablet of the bunch at Computex this year: a 10.1 inch, Oak Trail sporting beast, according to Digitimes.
It's rumored that we could see this yet-unnamed tablet on the streets as early as July, but we'll just have to wait and see how that pans out.
That's really all that's know at this point, but I have a feeling that we should get a lot more info when Computex starts one week from today. Read More
There have been rumors for sometime now that chipset manufacturer Intel has been looking to get into the Android tablet market, and it turns out those rumors are indeed true. Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini stated that they have received the Honeycomb source code from Google and are actively working on porting it now, with hopes of making several Honeycomb-based tablets available this year.
The current lineup of top-notch Android tablets is fairly cookie-cutter in spec, so it's nice to see that a new platform is coming along to mix things up.
This doesn't just bring good news for tablets, either - Intel is planning to support phones as well. Read More


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Doug Parker of Cruise Radio recently took an Alaska cruise and participated in an Alaska Beer Tasting while onboard.
Today marks a huge milestone for the Panama Canal — the centennial anniversary of its opening. Construction began in 1904, and the passageway opened 10 years later on Aug. 15, 1914, as the first ship came through.
Doug Parker, host of Cruise Radio, recently took an Alaska cruise aboard Westerdam. While it wasn’t his first time in Alaska, every time Doug visits the Last Frontier it still strikes him with awe and wonder.
They’re at it again! The glamorous dancers and stars of the “Dancing With the Stars: At Sea” theme cruises are currently underway on ms Westerdam in Alaska and have been sharing the scenery both onboard and ashore via social media.
It’s hard to say what is more exciting, the beginning of the Alaska season or the first “Dancing with the Stars: at Sea” theme cruise of 2014! Luckily we don’t have to choose as they came together onboard Zuiderdam.
Today is “Day of the Seafarer,” and it’s a day to celebrate the hardworking crew members you meet on every cruise. It is the fourth year that the International Maritime Organization has celebrated this campaign.
On every Holland America Line cruise to Alaska, guests get to meet and mingle with enthusiastic Glacier Bay park rangers who have a passion not only for the region, but also what they do.
From a traditional Mexican fiesta to ziplining through a lush canopy of trees, the 2014-15 Mexico season has exciting itineraries that showcase seven ports along the Mexican Riviera.