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The pair plan to aggressively target consumer categories including automotive, consumer electronics and entertainment.
BREAKING THE ICE
"I think the ice has already been broken," said Mr. Burstein, who takes the new post of senior VP-consumer advertising, representing the company's 19 business and consumer technology titles as well as its Internet publications.
Mr. Spanfeller will be publisher at one of the newer consumer titles, Yahoo! Internet Life, a 100,000 circulation every-other-monthly.
So far, Ziff-Davis has picked up only a handful of non-computer advertisers. Flagship PC Magazine and PC Computing have run a few ads for imported autos.
Even its consumer titles have been more reliant on computer-related ads. Of the 88 advertisers in the July/August issue of FamilyPC, there were only a half-dozen mainstream marketers, including Toyota Motor Sales USA, Virgin Records and Sears, Roebuck & Co. Of the 33 advertisers in the July/August issue of Yahoo! Internet Life, Eastman Kodak Co. was the only non-endemic advertiser.
Jack Edmonston, editor of the Computer Advertisers Media Advisor, said one hurdle facing Ziff-Davis is that costs per thousand are generally higher for computer magazines than for consumer titles.
CPM DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
"The good news about being in the computer publishing business is that you can charge advertisers who are trying to reach a technical audience a higher price," Mr. Edmonston said. "The bad news is that when you're trying to sell to mainstream advertisers who don't care about the technical expertise of the audience, they can get a better buy elsewhere."
In another hire of an executive with a consumer publishing background, Ziff named Alexandra Penney, former editor in chief of Self, creative director-at-large.
Mr. Spanfeller will be reunited with Editor in Chief Barry Golson; the two worked together at Playboy several years ago.


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By Sarah Gain
Oman is being tipped to top the list of tourism destinations in the Gulf in coming years as the country’s travel industry goes from strength to strength with more five-star hotels and tourism activities
|~|Oman-L.jpg|~|Oman is the place to get in touch with nature and discover the beauty of Arabia, according to Tony Zamora, general manager of the Al Bustan Palace in Muscat (above).|~|The efforts of the Sultanate of Oman’s ministry of tourism to triple tourism in the country by 2010 have not been in vain. The country is rapidly coming to be regarded by many to be one of the most prominent emerging markets in the GCC and the surge in the Sultanate’s popularity in recent years has raised hopes within the tourism sector that the next few years will be a boom time for Oman.
“Here in Oman we are witnessing a transition period where there is a greater interest in visiting the country than ever before,” says Tony Zamora, director of operations for Oman at the InterContinental Hotels Group and general manager of the group’s Al Bustan Palace in Muscat.
Since its inception in 2004, the Omani ministry of tourism has been proactive in driving what Zamora refers to as the country’s “transition”. Relaxed visa regulations now make it easier for travellers from 76 nations to visit the country, and the government has been working towards updating the country’s tourism strategy as part of its current five-year plan.
While public and private investment in the tourism sector over the last decade exceeded RO200 million (US $5.2 million), preliminary estimates are that the investment in this sector is set to double in the next five years.
There are on-going projects to improve the transportation infrastructure and communications systems within the Sultanate, and the construction of a new terminal at Oman International Airport is due for completion this year. Tourism-sector specific infrastructure, comprising hotels, restaurants and the entertainment sector, also continues to show strong growth as major hotel chains seek to capitalise on the country’s unique potential for attracting both leisure and business travel clientele.
“With stunning year-round weather, Oman is the ideal place for a holiday. It is just the place to relax, get in touch with nature and discover the beauty of Arabia in a tranquil setting. But because of the stunning environment, it is also becoming a hot spot for business and MICE travellers,” confirms Zamora.
Traditionally, Oman has always been a favourite destination with travellers from GCC countries, and indeed the country still receives around 50% of its visitors from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, hotel chain Shangri-La is hoping to help diversify the country’s visitor profile with its new Barr Al Jassah Resort & Spa. After months of eager anticipation two of the resort’s hotels are now open for business and the third is scheduled to be up and running by April this year. Russell Loughland, director of sales and marketing for the Shangri-La, is hopeful the new luxury resort will pique the interest of tourists globally, particularly from Europe, bringing both business and leisure travellers to Oman.
“The resort targets mainly the GCC and European markets, principally the UK and Germany. However, from the guest profiles we have received since the opening of Al Waha and Al Bandar, we can see that in reality we have succeeded in attracting an impressive combination of client sources, covering the Asia Pacific region as well,” he says.
The five-star Al Waha hotel opened in January, offering 302 bedrooms, with a room size from 37m² including balcony or patio, and facilities including a kids’ club, children’s pools, and babysitting facilities to target the family holiday market.
The second of the resort’s hotels, the 198-room Al Bandar, opened in February and targets the business and corporate market, promoting itself as a retreat for meetings and banquets. The five-star deluxe property is the focal point of the entire resort as it is home to the majority of the restaurants and bars, a souvenir souq, ten conference and meetings rooms, and the 700-seater Barr Al Jissah Ballroom.
The final hotel in the resort, the Al Husn hotel, is a six-star deluxe property with 180 bedrooms. Rich in Arabic design and Omani feel, the hotel will open in April, appealing to the luxury travel market with its private beach and gymnasium facilities for guests, a 500m² royal suite, and high-class bars and restaurants. The resort, as a whole, has boosted the total five-star inventory in the Omani market by 60% according Shangri-La’s Loughland. “The new resort offers amazing groundbreaking possibilities, and with facilities such as the Chi spa, the 1000-seat outdoor amphitheatre, and the marina and dive centre, we hope to be able to really put Oman on the map,” Loughland says.
Chris Pike, general manager of the Radisson SAS in Muscat, says that he, for one, has already noticed a significant growth in the awareness of Oman as a high-end tourism brand, not just within the GCC, but also throughout Europe.
“More inbound tour operators are setting up here, regional airlines are looking at increasing flights and international hotel chains are also opening new properties. These are clearly positive signs for Oman’s tourism industry,” he says. Pike adds that in 2005, hoteliers in particular enjoyed a strong, profitable year with high occupancy rates, and he expects the trend to continue.
“Our occupancy increased about 17% in 2005 and our house-rates have also gone up by about 30%. Demand has grown from all ends of the market. We saw an increase in the number of GCC business travellers and a rise in European leisure guests. MICE business has also grown strongly and we averaged 95% occupancy in 2005,” he says.
The Radisson was not alone in its success last year. The performance of the Middle East’s first design-led boutique/lifestyle hotel, The Chedi Muscat, exceeded all expectations in 2005, according to Lore Koenig, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. The 161-room hotel receives the majority of its guests from the UK, Germany and the GCC, and Koenig attributes its solid growth in 2005 to collaboration between the hotel, a global network of travel agents and tour operators, and the Omani ministry of tourism.
“We are working closely with our partners, tour operators from all over the world, to ensure that The Chedi Muscat is featured prominently, and our regional sales offices and representatives are doing a wonderful job in terms of publicising [the property] to travel agents, media and tour operators within their respective countries,” Koenig explains. “In addition, we join the ministry of tourism at all major trade exhibitions held on a yearly basis to support their efforts in promoting the Sultanate of Oman [and] the hotels the country has to offer to its tourists.”
Ejabyah, a destination management company based in Muscat, is also working in conjunction with the ministry of tourism to grow its international client base. Together with the ministry’s system of market-based representatives, which promote Oman through various activities and promotional campaigns in countries across Europe, Ejabyah is helping to build awareness of Oman, particularly with customers in the UK, Germany, France and Italy.
“We have built up a sizeable network of agents to attract these main markets and are in regular contact with them,” adds Michael Crawley, managing director of Ejabyah.
“We are now seeing an increase in enquiries from Russia. Perhaps most significantly, however, is the fact that we have seen twin centre Dubai-Oman holidays, which previously tended to stop for four nights in Dubai and only one or two nights in Oman, start to change their itineraries in order to offer three nights in Dubai and three nights in Oman,” he notes.
Crawley has also noticed an increase not only in arrival numbers, but also in terms of per-person spending, a trend that has been apparent at a number of Oman’s hotels throughout 2005. “Business this year has been much better than in previous years — more guests have been accommodated, and they have been dining in all our restaurants and taking advantage of all the activity packages we have on offer,” confirms Pinky Cayabyab, sales and marketing manager at the Al Sawadi Beach hotel.
In light of the increased interest in all aspects of its facilities, the 100-room, chalet-style hotel has carried out a host of upgrades and improvements. The Al Sawadi Beach has replaced furniture and fixtures in its guest rooms, and upgraded the equipment of its PADI licensed dive centre, acquiring an additional boat to transport the ever-growing number of divers to the Dimaniyat islands. Two new restaurants have also been opened to better cater to the different tastes of its customers, with The Fire & Spice serving Far Eastern and Asian cuisines and the Al Khanjar serving traditional Omani dishes. Finally, the hotel has introduced better value for money with its all-inclusive packages, with and without diving.
As with many of Oman’s hotels, the Al Sawadi Beach found that with improved facilities came a more diverse range of visitors during 2005. “Our main markets are Italians, Austrians and Germans. Recently, however, cruises from the US, Germany and France have also started coming to Muscat as part of their itinerary,” Cayabyab says.
Although this type of leisure travel may be Oman’s primary revenue stream at present, a rise in the number of properties offering conferencing facilities has resulted in a growth in the number of business travellers entering the country over the last 12 months.“With the improvements in the development in Oman as a whole, [and] our change in positioning the hotel more toward the corporate business sector, our occupancy and average rates have increased, which reflects a positive increase in our business,” says Paul Diab, general manager and director of operations at the Golden Tulip Seeb in Muscat.
With four different hotels in its Oman portfolio, Golden Tulip is well positioned to target all possible market segments in the country. While the 177-room hotel in Muscat caters primarily to corporate, airline and tourist business, the Khasab, Nizwa, and the recently acquired 50-room property in Dibba, allow Golden Tulip to also tap the leisure, incentive and tour operator business. The hotel group has also signed an agreement to open the Golden Tulip Hotel and Resort at Mirbat in Salahlah’s Dohfar region in the first quarter of 2007.
Another ambitious tourism plan in the Sultanate is the development of the $800 million resort complex known as The Wave. Built on reclaimed land along the Seeb seafront, the wave will stretch along 7.3km of beachfront west of Muscat and is scheduled to open in 2009. The resort will include three hotels, a golf course, a marina with yacht club and upscale real estate.
“The Wave is designed to contribute to the experience of Oman, a country with fascinating heritage and astonishing natural beauty,” says Mohsin bin Khamis Al-Balushi, Oman’s undersecretary of tourism. “We have a clear vision for The Wave, which will be a fully integrated premium tourism and residential resort in Oman.”
The western edge of The Wave will accommodate a five-star, 200-room beachfront hotel and spa. A 300-room golf and conference resort nearby will accommodate guests wishing to play at the newly constructed 18-hole golf course, and an additional 505 residential villas will overlook the golf course and the ocean.
Further expansion of Oman’s tourism industry comes in the form the RO119 million ($308 million) Al Sawadi Tourism project. It is hoped that the resort will provide a strong stand-alone destination for European guests as well as a must-see attraction for tourists from the GCC countries.
Located on approximately 34km² of land within Oman’s Barka region, the Al Sawadi resort will form the first high class traditional Omani-style resort. When completed in 2009, the resort will include various luxury hotels, two 18-hole golf courses, a golf and country club, a family water park, private villas and a multitude of leisure, entertainment and sports facilities.
“The diversification of tourism products is one of the main points of the tourism strategy, as it attracts a large number of tourists and boosts competitiveness regionally and globally,” says Rajha Bint Abdullameer Bin Ali, Oman Minister of Tourism.
“[We have] programmes to renovate forts and castles. There are also plans to develop caves to promote adventure tourism. Another project aims at building routes in mountainous areas in the Muscat Governorate and Shariqiyah and Dakhilia regions. Maritime tourism is catching on [and] the ministry’s plan includes a project of [cruise liners],” she continues.
With such wide and varied plans in the pipeline, the future certainly looks bright for one of the Middle East’s more traditional tourist destinations. The ministry of tourism’s commitment to developing the country’s natural resources, and its concerted efforts to promote Oman’s reputation in Europe and further a field, will continue to improve visitor numbers and encourage further investment from international hotel chains. This will no doubt help Oman to secure its place at the heart of the Middle East’s tourism industry in the not-too-distant future. ||**||

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(WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y.) – Just in time for the holidays, Rembrandt Charms has added three new charm styles to its collection.
Two new tag style charms, Merry Christmas and Naughty/Nice, both feature colors of the season with festive red and green paint. Rembrandt’s stylish new Nutcracker charm is highly detailed and has a traditional feel with a modern update. All three charms are engravable and can be customized with a date or personal holiday sentiment on back.
“The new styles make a great addition to our hugely popular holiday collection,” states Melanie Busch, Marketing Director, Rembrandt Charms. “We offer something for everyone, from candy canes to menorahs. With thousands of charms in silver and gold, Rembrandt Charms makes gift giving easy.”
“Over the last year, we have continued our commitment to regularly releasing new charms,” states Eric Lux, Vice President, Rembrandt. “This includes a few for the holiday season. It is very important for us to answer the needs of our retailers, especially with the largest selling season of the year upon us.”
For more information, visit RembrandtCharms.com or call 800-828-7840.


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Nigerian singer Wizkid has inked down an ambassadorial deal with CIROC ultra-premium vodka.
CIROC, promoted by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, is one of the world’s most exclusive vodka brands.
The singer, real name Ayo Balogun, had on Sunday tweeted that he would make a big announcement come Monday night, leaving many fans and industry pundits guessing.
In an Instagram post, the singer shared a video in which he introduces himself as a brand ambassador for the vodka brand.
“Movement, my people. Starboy for Africa. Ciroc Boy. Officially. Don’t do drugs, do Ciroc,” he said.
Since Diddy, rapper/hip-hop mogul, appeared in a video with the Nigerian singer, many had been expecting a collaboration of sorts from the duo.
Diddy has overseen the marketing and promotion of CIROC since 2007 in an equal-share venture, with profits from the brand being split between the Revolt TV owner and Diageo, the manufacturing partner.


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What is that position? If Oxman’s tone is indicative of his organization’s stance, it appears to be cautious optimism.
We are in, without question, the single most important period of innovation since the invention of the magnetic strip. It is truly a revolutionary time for payments,” Mr. Oxman said, noting that the magnetic strip, the base technology for credit and debit cards, was created 50 years ago.
Although the popular view of bitcoin holds that decentralized cryptocurrency will be hugely disruptive for old guard payment methods like Visa and MasterCard, the reality is a little more complex. In fact, traditional payment systems stand to benefit from bitcoin’s innovations at least as much, if not more, than the average user. Payment providers currently experience huge losses due to middleman fees and fraud.
Oxman noted that while the payment industry is “paying attention” to bitcoin’s development, the infrastructure and ecosystem is not yet developed to the point that ETA members would “feel comfortable deploying that kind of solution.”
That said, the ETA is clearly anticipating a time in the near future where bitcoin, or at least bitcoin-like systems, will be in use by its members. As Oxman explained:
ETA’s position on bitcoin and alternative currencies today is that they have a right to exist and they should comply with whatever laws are regulations apply to payment companies that offer services akin to kin to what they are offering.”


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After signing a professional partnership agreement, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and Jadran-galenski laboratorij (JGL) commenced a study whose goal is to achieve more successful sports results. This cooperation started when the World Cup in Qatar connected two internationally successful and recognized Croatian brands – the Croatian national football team and Aqua Maris – and by starting this study, that connection will grow even stronger.
To begin with, members of the Croatian nation futsal team will participate in the study, who were given the details of the study today in the hotel Aristos by representatives of the JGL team. This study will allow them to improve their sports capabilities in a natural way.
“Physical activity is one of the key recommendations of experts for living a healthy life. For top athletes, intense physical activity is part of everyday life and in competitions, even the smallest advantage may mean the difference between victory and defeat”, said JGL CEO Mislav Vučić and added that he looked forward to the first study results.
“The Croatian Football Federation entered into a partnership with JGL to start just such a project – research which might lead to the improved performance of our players. We believe in our partners at JGL and their scientists and we share the desire to potentially find a natural way to improve physical performance by using authentic Croatian products through these studies”, stated HNS President Marijan Kustić.
Aqua Maris, an original Croatian product for treating breathing problems that boosts the body’s defence against the common cold and flu, is currently available in over 30 countries and is trusted by more than a hundred million consumers worldwide. Up until now, 220 million Aqua Maris packages were sold worldwide. Furthermore, JGL is a leading company in the world when it comes to using natural seawater for medical purposes and Aqua Maris is the first medical product in the world which carries the approved label “Clean Adriatic seawater, without microplastics”.


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Digital Marketing Assistant
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Let the right one in
Should you open your doors to all and sundry or handpick the brands...
When it comes to insurance, it’s easy to be wise after the event....
Organiser Interview: ITE Group
With further investment in Asia and a thriving business in emerging...
SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR EXHIBITION NEWS AWARDS 2013
posted on: 2013-02-26 09:45:45
The highly-anticipated shortlist for the Exhibition News Awards 2013 has been announced.
UBM LOOKING FOR FACILITIES SHOW VISITOR GROWTH
posted on: 2013-02-22 09:58:44
UBM’s Facilities Show is anticipating nearly 14,000 visitors and more than 350 exhibitors ahead of its 2013 edition.
SPRING FAIR ADDS TO STRONG 2013 START FOR I2I
posted on: 2013-02-21 09:36:47
An estimated £2bn forecast of deals are expected from i2i’s latest Spring Fair show held at The NEC.
NEC CREATES VENUE MARKETING DIRECTOR ROLE
posted on: 2013-02-15 11:56:17
The NEC has appointed a venue marketing director, a new role created to reflect the needs of the business to deliver commercial goals and objectives.
EMERGENCY SERVICES SHOW RELOCATES TO THE NEC
posted on: 2013-02-14 10:44:52
The Emergency Services Show will be moving to The NEC, Birmingham, and also changing dates to take advantage of longer daylight hours.
CLARION EVENTS LAUNCHES NEW SECURITY SHOW AT THE NEC
posted on: 2013-02-13 09:37:27
Clarion Events has announced the launch of a new installer and channel facing event, Security Technology Live, which will be held at The NEC, Birmingham in May 2014.
Showing 169 to 174 of 566 News for "The NEC"
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The trade war between US–China entered a new phase this Sunday which will hit the consumer wallets. As per the official announcement done by the Federal Register, trump administration is going to increase the tariffs on the imports from china. Due to this when a company will import smart speaker, drone, or TV from china it will be liable to pay a tax of 15% to the U.S government starting September 1. According to Bronwyn Flores who is a spokeswoman for CTA, this will result in raising the prices on the gadgets and various other products for U.S people.
The leading companies are also not safe from the tariffs. The fight of apple towards the tariffs so that their products remain unaffected shows what other electronic companies are navigating the process and what they are going through. Apple looks vulnerable to tariffs just like every other electronic company as most of the final assembly of apple’s products is done in china.
On Sunday, both Apple watch and AirPods were hit by 15% tariff. These gadgets come under the category of products which are fastest growing. Other products that will be affected by this are iMac desktop and HomePod speaker. As per CTA, List 4b for December is scheduled and will be affecting consumer technology products by $115 billion which will include high prices items (BTI). Smartphones, tablets, video-games consoles and laptops are included in this category.
The goods of this batch were earlier scheduled to become a part of September 1 tariff, but many goods were delayed by USTR to December. Trump said that the tariffs were delayed over Christmas shopping as some tariffs might affect the U.S customers. Other companies and apple can avoid tariffs by applying for exclusion. It means other companies and apple has one more chance to prevent tariffs on their products.


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F1 2014 – Season Finale Trailer
The 2014 season is coming to an end, so here’s a new showcase trailer.
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Chain Coffee Shopstarbucks(Starbucks) filed a lawsuit in the United States, accusing many of its fruit drinks of not containing fruit. Starbucks requested that the lawsuit be dismissed, but the judge ruled that Starbucks would have to stand trial.
Reuters reported that Starbucks requested that nine of the 11 claims in the proposed class action be dismissed, but U.S. District Judge John Cronan in Manhattan rejected the request, saying “a significant number of reasonable consumers “Wants their drinks to have their names on them. mentioned fruits.
Consumers complained that Starbucks’ Mango Pitaya, Mango Pitaya Lime Juice, Pineapple Passion Fruit, Pineapple Passion Fruit Lime Juice, StrawberrybrazilAs advertised, neither the Berry nor the Strawberry Açaí Lemonade drinks contain mango, passion fruit or açaí berry.
The plaintiffs are Joan Cominis of Astoria, New York;CaliforniaJason McAllister of Fairfield. He said that the main ingredients of these Starbucks drinks are water, concentrated grape juice and sugar, and that Starbucks misleadingly stated that they contained fruit, resulting in higher prices. The plaintiffs argued that this violated state consumer protection laws.
Starbucks said drinks describe flavors rather than ingredients and promote those flavors accurately in their drink catalogs. The company also said that reasonable consumers will not be misled, and if consumers have questions, its employees can explain to consumers and clear up confusion.
However, Judge Cronan noted that unlike vanilla, words such as mango and passion fruit are not generally considered to represent flavor and are generally understood to mean fruit.
Cronan said it’s understandable that customers would be confused because other Starbucks products contain the ingredients in their names, such as the matcha and honey in the Iced Matcha Latte and the honey and mint in the Citrus Mint Tea.
However, the judge dismissed allegations of fraud and unjust enrichment in 11 claims filed by the plaintiffs, finding that there was no evidence that Starbucks knowingly deceived consumers.


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Emojis, those little cartoons you use in text messages when words simply won’t do, have been rising in popularity since it’s creation in Japan by Shigetaka Kurita. However, since it’s introduction, it hasn’t seen that much diversity in terms of racial and cultural representation. In fact, only two people of color – both Asian – are featured as symbols.
And it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
There is currently an online petition asking Apple to add more diversity to their emoji line up. “Of the 800+ Emojis, only two are people of color,” the petition reads. “Tell Apple that minorities deserve representation in Emojis: SIGN and share this petition!”
But of the more than 800 Emojis, the only two resembling people of color are a guy who looks vaguely Asian and another in a turban. There’s a white boy, girl, man, woman, elderly man, elderly woman, blonde boy, blonde girl and, we’re pretty sure, Princess Peach. But when it comes to faces outside of yellow smileys, there’s a staggering lack of minority representation.
Apple has been one of the biggest pioneers of Emojis, from offering them as full-color images to introducing them to the American market in the first place. And, the company has already taken steps to make Emojis more inclusive: iOS6 debuted same-sex couple Emojis.
That’s why we’re asking Apple to take the lead again and diversify their Emoji typeface, recognizing people of color as people…and Emojis. Everyone deserves to feel visible and represented.
MTV Act reached out to Apple regarding the issue and received a response from Katie Cotton, vice president of worldwide corporate communications.
Here’s her reply:
“Tim forwarded your email to me. We agree with you. Our emoji characters are based on the Unicode standard, which is necessary for them to be displayed properly across many platforms. There needs to be more diversity in the emoji character set, and we have been working closely with the Unicode Consortium in an effort to update the standard.”
So will we see an update any time soon? Only time will tell. Currently, there are no specified dates or concrete plans. The last major update came in 2012, when Apple added gay and lesbian couples as part of iOS 6, according to The Verge.
At the time of publication, the online petition has 4,175 signatures out of 10,000.


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The Campus Bookstore is marking down USB flash drives sporting the University of Windsor logo as its True Savings Thursday feature.
“Call ’em jump drives, call ’em memory sticks, call ’em external storage devices, we got ’em,” says marketing coordinator Martin Deck. “And now for cheap!”
The devices hold 8 GB of data and are on sale February 11, priced at $8.50 from the regular price of $10.95.
The Campus Bookstore is located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.


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Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. has named George Condos as its new chief operating officer, months after Wendy's Co. WEN, +0.18% sold most of its stake in the restaurant chain.
Condos has more than 30 years experience in the restaurant industry, primarily with Dunkin Brands Group Inc. DNKN, -1.35% He previously served as Dunkin Brands's vice president of marketing, development and operations and also as senior vice president and brand officer of Dunkin Donuts. Condos also served as the chief executive of Friendly's Ice Cream, leading the sale of the company to Sun Capital Partners in 2007. In 2010, he served as the interim CEO of Bar Louie Restaurants.
"George's proven success in the restaurant industry, including his expertise in franchising, makes him ideal to join the Arby's leadership team," said Arby's President Hala Moddelmog.
In June, the former Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. agreed to sell most of its struggling Arby's chain for $130 million in cash to a group led by private-equity firm Roark Capital Group in a deal that leaves it with an 18.5% ownership stake in the fast-food restaurant.
Wendy's/Arby's turnaround efforts at Arby's have helped improve sales in 2011 following the announcement of its intention to "explore strategic alternatives" for the sandwich chain last January. Wendy's/Arby's had been under pressure to sell Arby's because its performance had been lagging throughout the recession.


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Carmelo Anthony Beats LeBron James as Knicks Top NBA Retail ListDex McLuskey
Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks has the best-selling jersey in National Basketball Association retail outlets, while his team’s branded merchandise remains the most popular choice among fans.
Anthony’s No. 7 shirt has outsold the No. 6 jersey of the Miami Heat’s LeBron James since November at the NBA’s store on Fifth Avenue in New York and its online outlet, the league said in an e-mailed statement. It didn’t list sales figures.
It’s the first time a Knicks player has led the ranking since it was first released in the 2001-02 season, the NBA said. James, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has led four times.
Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is third on the list, followed by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.
Anthony, a six-time All-Star, leads the league with a 28.4-points-per-game scoring average this season. He moved ahead of Durant two days ago by scoring 36 points in a 125-120 road win over the Thunder.
The Heat are the second-most popular team in merchandise sales, followed by the Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Bulls, the league said.


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The Federal Trade Commission has prepared some new rules aimed at preventing telephone sales fraud and is asking for public comment.
The agency said last week it wants to issue the telemarketing rules by Aug. 16, to take effect by mid-September.
The planned regulations would:
Require sales callers to reveal the name of the selling business, the fact that it is a sales call, the nature of the goods or services offered and, if a prize is offered, advise that no purchase is necessary to win.
Insist that the caller clearly explain the total costs and any restrictions on the purchase. Any mention of a refund, exchange or repurchase would have to be fully explained.
Prohibit any misrepresentation of the goods or services offered, including the odds of winning a prize and the performance of investment opportunities.
Limit sales calls to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Ban calls to consumers who have indicated they don’t want sales calls.
Ban threats, intimidation, profane language and repeated calling.
Prohibit false or misleading statements to induce a consumer to pay for goods.
The Commission is seeking public comments on its proposed rule until June 30.
Comments can be sent to FTC, Office of the Secretary, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20580.
Own a Share campaign
The National Association of Individual Investors and dozens of corporations will conduct their “Own Your Own Share of America” campaign throughout June.
NAIC spokeswoman Kathy Loehrig said the goal is increased awareness of individual investment in stocks using an approach that stresses a buy-and-hold approach rather than short-term trading.
In its first three years, she said, the campaign has boosted the number of investors buying stocks for themselves, as well as nearly doubling NAIC membership.
An “Own Your Own Share of America” day is set for June 15.
Information about the campaign, NAIC and how to buy stocks can be obtained by calling 1-800-230-NAIC, or by writing: NAIC; P.O. Box 220; Royal Oak, MI.; 48068.
Ready for Russia? Then consider Petersburg Long Distance Inc., the only pure ex-Soviet play on a U.S. stock exchange.
It’s actually a Toronto-based holding company whose main asset provides local and international phone service in St. Petersburg, which someday (who knows?) may be the Hong Kong of the Baltic.
Petersburg hasn’t made a profit, and the stock is 50 percent off its 1994 high, but here’s some comfort: Shareholders include Citicorp and T. Rowe Price, and Adrian Day, a risk-averse newsletter writer, likes the stock.
Washington Mutual ranked
Money magazine named Washington Mutual the best bank in Washington state in its June issue.
To achieve best bank status, institutions included in a survey of 428 banks needed a high safety rating from Veribanc, a firm that analyzes financial institutions.
In addition, the magazine used the following criteria to rate the banks: the attractiveness of their consumer accounts and services; low-cost checking accounts; 24-hour telephone line staffed with live representatives; low fees for services such as money orders; access to automated teller machines; high yields and low minimum investment requirements on one-year certificates of deposit; weekend and/ or evening banking hours; home computer banking; lending record; and availability of home equity loans.
USAA Federal Savings Bank of San Antonio, Texas, was considered the nation’s best bank.


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A new partnership between Impossible Objects and Ricoh 3D will make strong and lightweight printed composite parts available to Ricoh 3D’s customers in Europe for the first time.
Displaying 1-10 of 25 results for
Two attorneys explain why a strong sales contract is a necessity in the metals industry.
BLM GROUP USA has added more processing power to its LS5 and LC5 flat sheet laser cutters with the new option of a 10kW fiber laser source.
Felsomat USA will host Innovation Day on June 10 at its U.S. headquarters in Schaumburg.
While it is typically up to the design engineers or the customer to specify the materials needed for a part, sometimes even materials within specs seem just a little more difficult to machine.
There are more applications of semiconductors in hybrid and electric vehicles which are now growing significantly, with more than 1 million EVs added in the last year globally.
San Jose, Calif., company Sakuu Corp. is preparing to make its own batteries of ceramic and pure lithium and sell its AM technology later this year.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, AMADA demonstrated its proven equipment at the show.
Aluminum and its alloys are highly popular in the machining industry for many reasons. Did you know it is the most abundant metal on Earth?
The newly developed metal powder materials DPLA (Dual Phase Low Alloy) and FSLA (Free Sintering Low Alloy are aimed at automotive and industrial applications


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The "Changing Mission of Marketing Data" paper reports results of in-person, phone and online surveys of more than 175 marketers, agency executives, data compilers and technology developers, and also includes quantitative and qualitative research from Winterberry and independent industry studies.
In 2009, purely online-derived data represented $410 million -- or just 5.3% -- of U.S. companies' total $7.8 billion investment in marketing data and associated services (including hosting, hygiene, analytics and other functions), estimate the researchers. Between now and 2012, the total per-annum investment is projected to stay at about $7.8 billion, but the portion devoted to digital sources/applications is expected to jump to $840 million, or 10.8%.
Still, that means that despite a doubling of digital data/services spend, and a 6.4% decline in spending on direct mail-related data/ services over the three years, direct mail will still account for nearly 90% of annual data investments.
That speaks to the continuing effectiveness of direct mail for acquisition targeting on a large scale (despite rising postal costs and other challenges), and to online data's role as a complement to it, rather than a replacement, says Winterberry Managing Director Bruce Biegel. "The real power lies in the combining offline and online data" and becoming smarter about optimizing data from each of the data channels, including the burgeoning number of online channels, in order to achieve one-to-one targeted marketing, he says.
The first set of challenges to achieving and leveraging integrated data on a large, actionable scale are based in technology and infrastructure, the report concludes. Whereas existing marketing databases were built around the concept of customer records (a customer name and associated transactions and other known data about that customer), much of the data being generated through Internet channels (such as video and image views) are unstructured, meaning not tied to a specific customer or organizational pattern.
Making unstructured data useful within a "formulaic" marketing environment will require unified platforms that compile, standardize and segment digital and traditional sources to make them appropriately actionable in near real-time -- all of which will require process controls, storage technologies and segmentation algorithms that can efficiently manage high data volumes and progressively "learn" from past performance, the paper points out. In other words, the industry will need a new, cross-channel structure "marked by key competencies in analytics and technological integration" that supports data deployment across media and can enable executing campaigns in "milliseconds" instead of days or months.
Organizational structures and changing priorities can pose obstacles to such integration efforts. Given the tendency to lock marketing budgets into traditional media and C-level management's tendency to shift resources fleetingly to spur testing/innovation tied to specific goals, integration technology and analytics platforms, while showing advancement, "still have to prove their ability to generate results across different kinds of campaigns in full 'roll-out' mode, rather than sporadic tests," the researchers state. Furthermore, scale remains a paramount issue: a true "digital transformation" demands the availability of enough information to drive large-scale programs across broad audiences, they stress.
At the same time, the industry will need to tackle challenge #2: data quality across channels. "Today, even the most savvy digital marketers struggle with conflicting collection methods that degrade the usefulness of their digital data sets," the paper points out. "The problem is compounded by the absence of universal 'best practices' to inform the collection of visitor-provided insights (i.e., ensuring that Web visitors provide truthful information) or guarantee that inferred data falls within generally accepted confidence levels."
However, in many respects, privacy issues -- specifically, the "still-unsettled question of what standards count as 'responsible' with respect to data security, transparency and consumer choice" -- represent the most difficult challenges to realizing the potential of integrating offline and online data, the research concludes.
While marketers "overwhelmingly" indicate they want to abide by a set of universal data collection and use best practices, "rapid technological proliferation and the continuing threat of regulation are raising concerns about their ability to collect and use virtually any online data, especially when that information is embedded with personally identifiable elements," the paper points out.
Sheila Colclasure, public policy and privacy officer for Acxiom, Americas, says that Acxiom views the keys online, as well as offline, as adhering to the fundamentals of transparency and choice -- as well as value -- for the consumer.
But since understanding how data may be used is a critical prerequisite to integrating it effectively across channels, that objective will be thwarted to some extent until the various constituencies involved -- including publishers and e-commerce vendors, agencies, advertisers, data exchanges and audience management platform providers, as well as consumers and the government -- can come to terms on under what circumstances data on audiences, behaviors and transactions can be collected, used and disclosed.
One result of these challenges and needs will be a shakeup within data-driven service providers, predict the researchers. While the already bewildering array of vendors -- including online data compilers and exchange platforms, database management vendors, publishers/e-commerce platforms and technology-focused "performance optimization" providers -- looks like it will become even more fragmented, the "winning" providers are likely to be those driven by "deeply entrenched customer relationships" as well as integration of new and established targeting technologies, they point out.


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Ok, it is true.
Some people miss the excitement of World Cup that took place this past summer. Almost all of us do not miss though the low drone of thousands of vuvuzelas on every tv.
Fortunately Matt Blitz and Shaun McCormack hated vuvuzelas before even the World Cup began. Let’s make a difference, not just noise, they thought and WoZela emerged.
WoZela is a recent competition where individuals were asked to send their ideas for recycling of vuvuzelas. Now that the contest has wrapped, the organizers envision that local artisans can recreate all the designs and sell them to benefit the community.
The winner has just been announced and this colorful pair of earrings has proven to be a favorite. . Other bright ideas that came out of the competition are a table, a light fixture, a pot for plants and a vuvu shovel.


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KUALA LUMPUR: Boustead Plantations Bhd swung into the red with a net loss of RM16.20 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 (Q1 2019), dragged down by lower palm product prices and higher interest expenses.
The company registered a net profit of RM5.26 million in the same period last year.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Boustead Plantations said its revenue also slipped to RM134.91 million from RM154.60 million previously as the group continued to be affected by significantly lower palm product prices during the quarter under review.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the company said average crude palm oil (CPO) selling price in Q1 2019 was RM2,017 per tonne, down 19% compared with the same quarter last year, and the average palm kernel price declined by 41% year-on-year to RM1,300 per tonne.
“Fresh fruit bunches production in Q1 2019 grew to 258,996 tonnes, 14% higher than the previous year’s corresponding quarter, the average oil extraction rate increased to 21.4%, while average kernel extraction rate was stable at 4.5%,” it said.
Despite the challenging period for the group, a company spokesperson said in the statement that the board of directors still declared a single tier interim dividend of one sen per share for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2019.
“The dividend will be paid on June 28, 2019 to shareholders registered as at June 11, 2019,” he said.
Moving forward, the spokesperson said the group remained optimistic on long-term prospects, as demand for palm oil was projected to grow on the back of insufficient supplies of other edible oils, increased imports by China and higher biodiesel blending mandates in Indonesia.
“Although price recovery will continue to be capped by high palm oil inventories, CPO prices are expected to be supported in the near-term by the upcoming festive season, coupled with increased exports to India due to a reduction in import duties,” he added.


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Southern California boasts more manufacturing than any other region in the United States, which remains the world’s largest manufacturing economy, according to a report issued Tuesday.
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.’s study, “Manufacturing: Still a Force in Southern California,” concludes that it is a myth that manufacturing is disappearing from the region and that all operations are moving to countries with low-cost labor.
“Industrial restructuring has intensified, making U.S. manufacturing more competitive than ever,” said LAEDC Chief Economist Nancy D. Sidhu, the report’s author. “The U.S. share of global manufacturing has remained at or above 20 percent for most of the past two decades.”
The United States is the world’s largest manufacturing economy, generating $1.6 trillion of output, 11 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Productivity in the sector is also very high, with manufacturing jobs often paying premium wages and benefits, the LAEDC reports.
In Los Angeles County, manufacturing employed 389,300 people in 2009 and the value of manufacturing shipments in the county was $153 billion in 2007, the last year for which data was available.
Manufacturing is what the economic development group calls a “high-multiplier” activity because it creates jobs for suppliers and other local businesses in areas like energy, freight transportation and business and professional services.
The top five industries in the county, based on 2007 dollar revenues, were petroleum refining, computer and electronic products, food products, aerospace and fabricated metal products. Fifty-six percent of the county’s manufacturing workers produced durable goods, such as computers, transportation equipment and metal products. The other 44 percent made non-durable goods like apparel and food.
The largest industry is computer and electronic products, with 51,323 jobs, though the sector has also suffered some of the largest declines in employment over the past


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Red Hat® Summit 2021 is expanding to fit your open source journey by featuring an all-new flexible approach. Designed to be more accessible than ever before, these events will provide a mix of innovation, collaboration, and learning opportunities.Register now
April 27-28, 2021
Join us to get the latest news and announcements, ask the experts your technology questions, and learn how open source is innovating the future of the enterprise.Read more
June 15-16, 2021
Gain insights from breakout sessions and technical content geared toward the topics most relevant to your career. You can also interact live with Red Hat professionals.Read more
Hear from executives, thought leaders, and innovative customers as they open their perspectives on opportunities, experiences, and challenges in open source technology at Red Hat Summit 2021 Virtual Experience. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements as the event approaches.
On April 27–28, Red Hat Summit 2021 kicks off by sharing content tailored to attendees from North America and Latin America (NA/LATAM); Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and Asia Pacific (APAC). Our no-cost sessions will be aired live, then made available as part of our on-demand options immediately afterward.
Our Red Hat thought leaders, global customers, and partners address the current climate of open source and speak on the latest technology topics.
Ask the experts
Red Hatters share their experiences and answer questions on the topics most important to attendees.
Check out virtual demos that offer more in-depth, technical explorations of our products and technology.
Customer and partner spotlights
Red Hat customers and partners share examples of how open source technology and software has helped address business challenges.
Vision sessions [NEW]
Our partners, customers, and experts help attendees prepare for the future of open source technology.
Fundamental sessions [NEW]
Red Hatters provide the building blocks of open source technology for those looking to expand their knowledge base.
With an interactive guest speaker, live music, and health and wellness offerings, Red Hat Summit Virtual Experience balances digital learning with fun networking opportunities.
April 27 10:00 am - 2:30 pm ET
April 28 10:00 am - 1:30 pm ET
April 27 4:00 pm - 8:30 pm CET
April 28 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm CET
April 28 10:00 am - 5:00 pm CET
April 28 10:30 am - 4:00 pm SGT
Red Hat Summit 2020 Virtual Experience and Red Hat Summit Virtual Experience: Open House featured keynotes, breakout sessions, and collaboration opportunities designed to inspire and engage a global audience. Our experts were on hand to discuss the latest developments in open source, hybrid cloud, cloud-native development, automation, and so much more.
You can still access our virtual conference programming on demand. As we prepare for our 2021 event, relive the moments that helped all of us move forward and unlock our potential.Watch last year's content
Red Hat Summit gives us the opportunity to recognize innovative individuals and companies that lead by example.
Congratulations to Fabrice Harbulot, the 2020 Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year.
Congratulations to Vodafone Idea Limited, the 2020 Red Hat Innovator of the Year.


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HyunA transformed into a fashionable New Yorker wearing staple “Rebecca Minkoff” pieces for the November issue of “ELLE.”
The photoshoot took place last month when HyunA was in New York City as she received an invitation from designer Rebecca Minkoff to attend New York Fashion Week. Styled in various leather pieces such as a pink leather jacket and printed leather skirt, HyunA exudes her sexy and alluring charms. HyunA also is seen posing dramatically as she fixed her gaze onto the camera wearing casual, and street-like outfits. ...
Hyuna is named as the new generation sexy diva.
She displays powerful dance and amazing stage presence promoting as a member of 4Minute as well as a solo singer, she managed to capture fans” hearts with her feminine charm too.
Check out her top 10 sexiest moments below:
Hyuna reveal the BTS video of her recemt photoshoot in New York, check out the video below as she pose professionally.
4Minute members Gayoon and HyunA‘s activities for October 19 and October 20 have been cancelled after the tragic accident that occurred during their performance in Pangyo.
As Seoul Fashion Week is currently underway, Gayoon was scheduled to appear at the photo wall for the Lucky Chouette 2015 S/S fashion show on October 19, and HyunA was supposed to attend the photo wall for Steve J & Yoni P‘s 2015 S/S fashion show on October 20. ...
4minute“s Gayoon and HyunA have cancelled their fashion show schedules.
On the 17th, 4minute was performing at “The 1st Pangyo Techno Valley Festival” on October 17, when a ventilation grate underneath concertgoers collapsed, causing the death of 16 and injuring 11 more.
Gayoon and HyunA originally had fashion show attendances scheduled for the 19th and 20th. Gayoon was scheduled stand at the photowall for Lucky Chouette“s 2015 S/S collection at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel”s Grand Ballroom on the 19th, and HyunA was scheduled to be at the photowall for the Stevie K & Yoni P Dongdaemoon Design Plaza on the 20th. ...
Hyuna shows off her amazing dancing ability through new Instagram videos, check out her Wildabeast practice videos below:
HyunA revealed her dance practice for her Willdabeast cover via Instagram.
As usual, the sexy queen lays it all out on the floor as she whips her hair, twerks, and more to the catchy beat with the help of another dancer. If you”ve been missing her signature dance moves and charisma, you can check out the video below!
Although she”s taking a break at the moment since solo promotions, she is also preparing for activities with 4minute, so wait a little longer! ...
Tony Moly releases the raw cut of their newest CF for their “BCDation All Master” product featuring Hyuna.
Wearing black and white simply-cut dress, with her hair tied up in a ponytail and bun, Hyuna”s simple look is very captivating. Her cute smile and sexy appearance in between takes are very attractive as well.
Check it out below:
Welcome to this week”s Get That K-Pop Look, where we showcase an original K-Pop outfit and give you tips on putting together your own similarly styled, affordable outfit.
It”s Fashion Week in New York City, and HyunA of 4Minute is on the scene. She joined top international celebrities and designers at the city”s annual ode to fashion, attending the Rebecca Minkoff along with stars like Victoria Justice and Anna Sophia Robb.
(Photo : Tumblr)
4minute”s HyunA took on opposite looks for cosmetics brand “Tony Moly“.
HyunA modeled makeup that showed a sexy, night look as well as a dewy, fresh day look, but her skin was glowing in both. A rep from Tony Moly said, “We found a lot of HyunA”s unseen charms through the photo shoot. HyunA was able to pull off sexy, innocent, and cute concepts, and we expect that her various charms will be the perfect fit for the brand”s image.”
In related news, HyunA recently attended Rebecca Minkoff“s show at “New York Fashion Week“. ...


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It's home to more than 2.5 million lights, and uses enough electricity to power several neighborhoods in the Brazos Valley.
Santa's Wonderland has become a staple in the area but as you might imagine, those beautiful lights come with a pretty hefty price tag. So this year the winter wonderland, is going green and saving some green.
"A lot of people say wow, we can really see these lights from like three to four miles away," Scott Medlin said.
Scott Medlin has been lighting up the Brazos Valley with Santa's Wonderland, for more than a decade. It's a big job, that comes with an even bigger utility bill.
"We got millions of lights, and so the electric bill has always been a huge deal," Medlin said.
So this year, Medlin and others set out to find a better, more efficient alternative.
"What this is, is actually LED lighting," Medlin said. "It lasts for about 100,000 hours typically, where as incandescent will last about 6,000."
And it's about 10 times brighter....
More than a half a million of the new lights are now scattered throughout the entire park.
In fact, every colored bulb you see, is now the greener alternative.
"There's about 35 to 40 trees out here, each one of these trees has about 2,000 LED lights on them," Medlin said.
Although there's still some white lights of Christmas past still visible, Scott hopes Christmas present at Santa's Wonderland ushers in a new era sparkle.
"It's a trend, something we want to go further into. We would like to replace all our incandescent lights with LED lighting," Medlin said.
If you want to see the new and improved lights for yourself, Santa's Wonderland is open every night from now until the end of December.
For more information click on the link below:


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Ambiq Micro, a University of Michigan-based developer of generation energy-efficient microcontrollers that have the potential to extend the battery life of wireless devices, has received an initial funding of undisclosed amount from the Ross School of Business’ Frankel Commercialization Fund.
The company’s technology could be used in smart credit cards, sensors that control temperature or detect motion in smart homes and buildings, and a variety of medical and mobile devices.
The company recently received a $250,000 prize by Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) and Cisco as part of their co-sponsored Global Business Plan Competition for university and business school students. The Frankel Fund investment, along with the DFJ/Cisco investment, will be used to support early product development and customer evaluation activities.
Ambiq Micro also received support from the University of Michigan’s Office of Technology Transfer.


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Businesses will continue to rely on fixed-line telephone services, despite a predicted drop in the cost of mobile phone calls.
According to analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, by 2007 the decreasing cost of mobile calls will eat into the fixed-line consumer rental market, with the price premium on mobile usage set to drop from its current 100 per cent to just 42 per cent.
But although consumers will swap from fixed to mobile services, businesses will continue to rely on their fixed networks, claimed Jan ten Sythoff, research analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
"Voice over IP [VoIP] allows fixed carriers, especially broadband ones, to offer a different way of pricing services," he said.
Resellers are finding that firms are more willing to look at alternative technologies to lower the cost of fixed-line calls.
Steve Hook, director of VAR React Technologies, said: "Businesses find that most of their calls are made to their own national or international branch offices. When you can make those calls for virtually nothing, it's a compelling offer."
Competition is set to intensify in the voice market, with increasingly sophisticated pricing models. Mobile operators are moving towards bundled minutes and location-based pricing to reduce costs, Sythoff said.
The fixed-line operators will combat this with services, such as BT's Project Bluephone, that offer seamless movement between mobile and fixed environments.
"Firms are already looking at offering integrated solutions using mobile VPNs, location- based billing and voice over wireless LANs," Sythoff said.
Frost & Sullivan also reported that system integrators are set to cash in on the burgeoning mobile application market. It predicted that firms will use mobile networks increasingly for data as well as voice, and sees system integrators as the only way to take mobile applications to market.
Security firm set to become part of acquisitive Shearwater Group
Distributor merges three northern sites into one new hub in Warrington
Activist investor puts forward five director candidates as turmoil continues at security giant
Nima Green asks what is driving public cloud uptake in Germany


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“Consumers angry about what they say is the iPod nano screen’s tendency to scratch easily have filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple Computer, saying they want their money back plus a share of the company’s profits on the music player’s sales,” Red Herring reports. “The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California in San Jose on Wednesday, essentially brings complaints about the ultra-slim device that have been festering on blogs and message boards into the courts.”
“The lawsuit was filed on behalf of nano owner Jason Tomczak and others who have purchased the device. The lawsuit alleges Mr. Tomczak rubbed a paper towel on his nano’s face and ‘that alone left significant scratches.’ The lawsuit charges screens on the tiny flash-based digital audio players ‘scratch excessively during normal usage, rendering the screen on the Nanos [sic] unreadable, and violating state consumer protection statutes… and causing Plaintiff class members to incur loss of use and monetary damages,'” Red Herring reports.
Full article here.
Advertisement: Apple iPod nano. 1,000 songs. Impossibly small. From $199. Free shipping.
There is no substitute for common sense. Unfortunately, America faces a dramatic shortage of common sense which they’ve dubiously attempted to replace with lawyers. We’re just not seeing nanos that scratch any more easily than any other iPod model. Black plastic shows scratches more than white. That’s not to say there aren’t any hyper-sensitive-to-scratching iPod nanos in existence. If there was a defective batch of nano units that scratch by being rubbed with nothing more than a paper towel, then, by all means, Apple should replace those defective units immediately.
PC Mag’s Ulanoff on iPod nano scratches: ‘I could see a jealous competitor planting the story’ – October 06, 2005
Mossberg: Apple iPod nano scratches easily, get a case to protect it – October 06, 2005
Apple iPods have always been far too scratchable, protective cases required to keep iPods pristine – September 30, 2005
invisibleSHIELD offers rugged, clear protection for Apple iPod nano and other iPod models – September 30, 2005
Got some nano scratches? Restore your iPod nano to new condition with a $4 can of Brasso – September 29, 2005
The Motley Fool: Apple did the right thing in quickly addressing cracked iPod nano screens – September 28, 2005
iPod nano ‘screen issues’ really just FUD? – September 26, 2005
Apple responds to iPod nano screen issues – September 27, 2005


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Bundaberg Ginger Beer’s huge surprise success in US
Bundaberg Ginger Beer is the latest Australian company to become a huge success in the United States.
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks is traditionally known for its ginger beer but also produces and sells a large variety of other soft drink flavours.
According to a Nine News report, Bundaberg Ginger Beer is now the highest selling ginger beer in California.
The company, which is still based in Bundaberg, Queensland, sold 15 million bottles of its drink in 2016, and the tremendous growth in its American sales is continuing unabated.
Bundaberg Ginger Beer took its first steps into the US a few years ago, selling just approximately 150, 000 bottles in its first year.
Bundaberg drinks are being sold in American supermarkets and bars. Part of the drinks success has been attributed to the rise in popularity of the Moscow Mule in the US over the past few years.
The Moscow Mule is a cocktail consisting of vodka, lime juice and ginger beer. They are being served in a copper mug which has had instant appeal to Americans.
The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks company was established in 1960 by Keith Nielson but was purchased by the Flemming Family in 1968.
The company has been exporting its beverages overseas since 2006, but the US is now its biggest overseas market. It exports to 31 other overseas countries, and the whole world now seems to be its oyster.
The Bundaberg Barrel in Bundaberg is also a growing tourist attraction for international tourists as the fame of its drinks is spreading. The tourists are able to learn about the company’s brewing process and to taste and buy the full-range of its drinks.
Watch the video here http://bit.ly/2oMonn1
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Here's why growers say vegetable prices could soar next year.


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- ALSO READ
The rising pace of credit offtake continued in May, with sectors clocking year-on-year (YoY) growth between 8.7 per cent and 16.4 per cent.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed that credit to industry grew 8.7 per cent in May (0.2 per cent in May 2021). The YoY growth in May was higher than 7.1 per cent YoY in March 2022.
Size-wise, credit to medium industries grew 49.3 per cent in May against 47.9 per cent in the year-ago month. The credit growth to micro and small industries rose to 33 per cent from 8.9 per cent a year ago. The large industries segment also grew 1.9 per cent against a contraction of 3.1 per cent in May 2021.
Bankers said besides the rise in economic activity, higher working capital limits due to rising input costs and some shift to bank loans from costly market borrowing has led to an uptick in the credit demand from industry.
The retail loans segment maintained its uptrend and grew 16.4 per cent in May 2022 vis-a-vis 12.8 per cent in the same month in 2021, primarily driven by housing and vehicle loans segments. The retail credit grew YoY at 12.4 per cent in March 2022.
The credit growth to services sector grew by 12.9 per cent in May 2022 (3.4 per cent a year ago), mainly due to improved offtake by NBFCs, professional services, and transport operators. The YoY growth in loans to services sector was 8.9 per cent in March 2022.
Data on sectoral deployment of bank credit for May was collected from select 40 scheduled commercial banks. These lenders account for about 93 per cent of the total non-food credit deployed by scheduled commercial banks. The non-food bank credit grew 12.6 per cent in May 2022 against 4.9 per cent a year ago.
First Published: Thu, June 30 2022. 20:47 IST


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As the nine-day Eid holiday began on Friday for government employees, tens of thousands of people flew out the country for a short holiday, while many more arrived in the UAE to take their vacations here.
Eid holidays travel boom takes off in the UAE
ABU DHABI // Tens of thousands of people began to leave the UAE for more clement climes as the nine-day Eid Al Fitr holiday began for government employees yesterday.
Airports were expecting a busy few days, with passengers either jetting off to foreign destinations or arriving from overseas to spend their Eid vacations here.
Airlines had a flurry of extra bookings after the five-day holiday was announced last week. But it wasn’t just overseas travel companies there were doing a roaring trade.
Hotels and tour package operators in the UAE said demand shot up from those opting for staycations and visitors from other countries.
Bus stations were also crowded on Friday morning as people headed off to other emirates for their breaks.
Ayman Ashor, general manager at Tilal Liwa Hotel in the Western Region, said Eid would be a busier than usual time for staff.
“Our Eid packages are selling well. So far our occupancy is 79 per cent but we expect to have a full house before Eid ends,” Mr Ashor said.
Daniel Mathew, general manager of Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai, said: “The hotel is expected to be at full occupancy during the days of Eid.”
A spokesman for Desert Safari Dubai said there had been an increase in bookings for safaris after the Eid holidays were announced.
“We are expecting to be busy from the start of this weekend and through the Eid holiday,” he said. “I would say we have an almost even split between UAE residents and tourists wanting to go on safaris.
“The holidays are quite long so a lot of people are choosing to spend a night or two in the desert. We are getting families as well as groups of friends choosing to spend at least part of their Eid holiday on a safari.”
Airlines said the holiday was one of the peak periods of the year.
“The airline is expecting high volumes of traffic through Abu Dhabi during Eid Al Fitr holidays with guests heading for many destinations including London, Istanbul, Paris and Munich, as well as Medina and Jeddah closer to home,” a spokesman for Etihad Airways said.
A flydubai spokesman agreed: “Eid Al Fitr is a popular time of year for our passengers. We are witnessing an increase in passenger numbers both inbound and outbound across our network.”
Those who had been given the whole week off work were looking forward to the extended break.
Helen Whitworth, 33, an Australian accountant who lives in Dubai, was preparing for a camping trip.
“We’ve been allowed the week off as of Sunday so we’re just getting away locally this Eid,” she said. “Dubai is always so busy during Eid so it’s nice to go and have some peace and quiet.”
Rizwan Fancy, a welfare worker at the Pakistan Association in Dubai, and his family would fly to Pakistan tomorrow to celebrate Eid there.
“Celebrating Eid back home is always a different experience as we meet and greet our all relatives and friends,” said Mr Fancy, who has lived in the UAE for 25 years.
“This is time when our children have their summer vacations, so we mostly travel home.”
But private sector workers had to curtail their travel plans after being only given two days off work.
Osama Saeed, an Emirati project control engineer, works for a semi-government company.
“I am not that happy as I got only two days off,” he said.
He said he would take a holiday to India and Europe after Eid, but had to use his annual leave for the trip.
Krishna Kumar, an Indian engineer, was also unexcited about his two-day break. “I sent my family a week back and I’ll be travelling to India on Tuesday after Eid,” he said.


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Zespri’s Season Launch Provides Consumers with a Healthy Fruit Option to Support Immunity
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Zespri is excited to announce the early start of its kiwi season from the beginning of May following an excellent growing season. Zespri’s goal is to support retailers as shoppers look for fruits with a lot of vitamin C, which is known to support immunity. Shoppers are looking for options during these unprecedented times as online searches for Vitamin C and related combinations including food, fruits, and supplements continue to increase.
“We are glad that our season is starting so we can provide consumers with a healthy fruit option,” explains Sarah Deaton, Shopper Marketing Manager. “We are dedicated and working hard to get our fruit to the market. Serving to serving, our SunGold Kiwifruit has more vitamin C than an orange and the same amount of potassium as a banana. Because of its sweet, tropical flavor, kids love the taste so that helps parents fuel themselves and their children with a nutrient-rich fruit to help support their immune system.”
In addition to delivering SunGold Kiwifruit to stores, Zespri is offering retailers a 360-degree approach to services, which help consumers locate SunGold and also reinforces sell-through with an extensive consumer digital campaign that includes social media, email campaigns, coupons, online videos, and display advertising. The marketing initiatives will begin rolling out at the start of the season.
“We are increasing our consumer messaging through a variety of vehicles to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits and unique flavor of Zespri SunGold,” states Deaton. “We are continuing our successful ‘Let Your Taste Wander’ campaign that we launched last year. Consumers enjoy the excitement of the promotional offers and the eye-catching graphics and animation. Consumers in our test market enjoyed the sense of escape the campaign offers during these trying times.
The SunGold Kiwifruit has been a growth engine for retailers, delivering 112 percent dollar sales growth over the past two years and early indications from retailers and consumers indicate strong growth to continue in 2020. Additionally, the SunGold is packaged in a new 1-lb custom-designed clamshell that sits vertically on the display for greater shopper visibility and purchase. The plastic clamshell also encourages sales because products enclosed in packaging tend to sell better than open product at this time.
Zespri is committed to strict standards that produce the best-tasting kiwifruit that is consistently sweet, nutritious, and delicious. To ensure exceptional quality and safety measures, Zespri has developed a comprehensive, multi-stage process to ensure that only the highest standards are met. The over 2,500 growers worldwide supply retailers with the perfect kiwifruit maintained with a secure supply chain with numerous checks and best-practices food safety measures. The same measures are used for all Zespri fruit including the Organic SunGold that will be in stores mid-May followed by Zespri Green at the end of May.


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FreshBox Farms is going big by focusing on harvests, not proprietary growing systems.
As the indoor farming industry has taken off in the last several years–over the next 10 years, indoor farming is expected to account for 50% of leafy green production, and grow to a $42 billion industry–it’s become apparent that it’s as much about technology as it is about agriculture. Bowery, a new startup operating out of an old warehouse building in Kearney, New Jersey, developed a sensor-based proprietary technology, called FarmOS, specifically to support the venture by determining necessary nutrient levels, as well as when crops are ready for harvesting. And in South San Francisco, Plenty is growing produce via a tech-supported vertical farming model that has already received $26 million from tech investors like Bezos Expeditions and Innovation Endeavors.
Read Full Story


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BBB Warns Holiday Shoppers Could Be Targeted Via Social Media
WESLACO – Thieves could target holiday shoppers via social media, according to the Better Business Bureau.
The BBB explains "Secret Sister" and "Holiday Wine Exchange" seems harmless but are in fact pyramid schemes.
The social media post promises 36 gifts to those who send a $10 gift.
According to the U.S. Postal Service, those types of gift exchanges are considered illegal gambling.
BBB says if you see this, report it to Facebook immediately.
Watch the video above for more information.
Former bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville dies at 87
First & Goal: Highlights from Sept. 24, 2021
Valley mother looking for answers after police chase ends with suspect colliding...
City of McAllen discusses proposed tax rate
New anti-smuggling law won’t deter human traffickers, STC professor says


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Aug. 29, 2020
WW has collaborated with Amazon for the launch of Amazon Halo, a health and wellness membership and wearable device that uses technology to provide personal wellness insights.
The Amazon collaboration will provide consumers with the latest in personal health and wellness technology, demonstrating our shared commitment to offering consumers science-backed, cutting edge tools. To enhance what already exists within WW’s tech-enabled ecosystem, Amazon Halo will provide the Body feature, which allows members to get a highly accurate measurement of their body composition from the comfort and privacy of their own home. This tool, when used in conjunction with weight measurement, provides a more comprehensive understanding of overall health and wellness.
In addition to the Body feature, Amazon Halo members will have access to Labs, one-to-four week challenges or experiments within the Amazon Halo app that help members discover the healthy habits that work best for them. Labs include audio and video content that dive into wellness pillars such as activity, nutrition, sleep and more. At launch, members will be able to use more than a dozen labs provided by WW, bringing Amazon Halo members WW’s behavioral science-backed recommendations.
As part of the collaboration with Amazon Halo, WW members have the option to link their Amazon Halo and WW accounts to share activity data from Halo, which WW will convert to FitPoints.
WW will soon announce a variety of promotional offers. You can visit http://ww.com/us/amazon to learn more about Amazon Halo and WW.


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Bandai Namco held a new Blue Protocol information
One of the main features introduced in this stream is the ability for players to perform Joint Gestures. Players of the online game will be able to coordinate their movements and produce multi-character gestures. The character’s head and facial expressions will also automatically adjust to the situation and the other character’s height.
The Blue Protocol developers revealed two examples of Joint Gestures: holding hands and rock-paper-scissors game. For the latter, the game will show a menu that lets each player choose their hand before performing the game in unison.
The stream also revealed the fifth class called Heavy Smasher. The big hammer-wielding class will only be available when the online game has officially launched. We previously only learned of four classes: Aegis Fighter, Twin Striker, Blast Archer, and Spell Caster. These classes have been available since the closed beta test in April 2020. The developers confirmed that you will be able to test each class’s actions with an in-game training dummy.
Before this reveal, the last time Bandai Namco held a Blue Protocol stream was in October 2020. It showed more improvements made to the character creation system. It also introduced Jake as the first ally NPC who can accompany the player. The latest stream also confirmed Feste as an ally NPC.
Blue Protocol is currently under development for PCs. Bandai Namco has yet to announce an official launch window for the new online game.


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In an uncharacteristic move this week, Apple responded to news reports that the company was tracking where iPhone and iPad customers had been. In the form of a Q&A, Apple stated there was a distinction between what news outlets said it tracks and the information it really collects.
“The iPhone is not logging your location,” according to Apple’s statement. “Rather, it’s maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested.”
The statement also includes something akin to an apology, in which Apple states, “The creators of this new technology (including Apple) have not provided enough education about these issues to date.”


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Twitter Blue – the paid social media subscription where you can enjoy exclusive features such as the ability to undo a tweet just sent or choose themes for the app – is now getting a price increase, reports 9to5Mac. This is the first time the price has risen since the service was launched.
Twitter Blue gets a hefty 66% price increase
The subscription service was launched last June. And now, for the first time, the price is being increased – from $2.99 per month, Twitter Blue now costs $4.99, which is a 66% price increase. This change will affect new subscribers who have not yet subscribed first, while people who have already subscribed to Twitter Blue will be able to enjoy the lower price until October of this year. Early Twitter Blue subscribers (basically those with an already active subscription) will receive another notification 30 days before the price increase takes effect.
The information, discovered by Matt Navara, comes from an email sent to Twitter Blue subscribers. In the email, the social media platform underlined that this price increase will help them continue to build some of the features people have been asking for, as well as support Twitter Blue’s mission to support journalism. In short, the increased price does not bring you any new features so far.
There are no other details as to why Twitter Blue is getting a price increase just a year after the service is officially launched.
Twitter Blue: Now what you get $4.99 a month
Let’s see what the current Twitter Blue features are.
First up, we have the long-awaited and most talked-about feature of the paid subscription: the “Undo Tweet” option. This feature allows Twitter Blue subscribers to preview and edit tweets before sending them. It basically gives you some time to make changes to your Tweet while it’s being sent. The Undo Tweet option is available on iOS, Android, and Twitter on the web.
In addition, subscribers get access to Reader, a view that turns long discussions in a Twitter conversation into an easier-to-read view. Reader also allows you to change the text size within the view, so you can enjoy the most comfortable tweet convo catching up experience. Again, this feature is available for iOS, Android, and Twitter.com.
Twitter Blue subscribers (on all platforms) can enjoy a Top Articles section in the app. This feature makes it easy to see the most shared articles in your network from the last 24 hours, so you can easily know what’s important in your Twitter community.
In addition, users are given the opportunity to enjoy ad-free articles. This feature is also due to the fact that a portion of Twitter Blue’s revenue is spent on supporting publishers and free press, and in this way Twitter’s publishing partners can earn more than they could earn from ad-supported articles. And, of course, the change improves the experience for readers, while also giving them the chance to support journalism.
On the other hand, Twitter Blue gives you more options to customize your experience. Bookmark folders and now custom app icons are available for Android and iOS. Custom Navigation lets you customize the navigation bar for quick access to the places on Twitter you’d visit most often. A (for now) reserved feature for iOS is Themes.
In short, as you can see, you get quite a few useful features. And now you get them for $4.99 a month.


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Leading London-based conference and events venue experts make first foray into the U.S. with 45,000-square-foot space at 360 Madison Avenue
May 21, 2019 (New York, NY) – etc.venues, a London-based global leader in dynamic conference and events, announced today that it is expanding internationally with plans to open its first conference venue in New York City. The 45,000-square-foot venue located at 360 Madison Avenue in Manhattan will be etc.venues first move into the U.S. market and is a cornerstone of the company’s ambitious expansion plan.
“We believe the New York conference market is ripe for disruption and we’re very excited to open our first U.S. conference venue in New York – it is one of the premier meeting markets in the world,” said Alastair Stewart, Managing Director of etc.venues. “We’re the largest urban day conference venue provider in London and we want to create that dominance in New York as well.”
Known in London for its mouth-watering dishes, frictionless tech offerings, and thoughtful services, etc.venues is focused on providing a superior experience to those meetings planners, companies, and innovators, seeking urban-based locations to hold events and conferences.
Set in Midtown Manhattan, a few steps from Grand Central, the 360 Madison Avenue location, will be the first of its kind of three spaces etc.venues plans to open in New York City in the next twelve months. The two additional pipeline properties will be in highly accessible locations across the city. The 360 Madison venue will have 45,000 square feet across two interconnecting floors and 10 rooms. All 10 spaces will include etc.venues design hallmarks that boast art installations, natural light, high ceilings and spacious layouts for natural collaboration and connection.
Anchor Collection is now representing one of the UK’s most prestigious and bespoke hotel groups, Iconic Luxury Hotels, announced Cherryl Brazier, president and founder of the hotel, destination and venue representation company. “Iconic Luxury Hotels comprises four historic and atmospheric properties located in legendary settings that offer an extraordinary range of meeting, incentive and event sites and immersive experiences,” explained Brazier. The four Iconic Luxury Hotels are Cliveden House & Spa, in Taplow, Berkshire, England; The Lygon Arms in Broadway, Worcestershire, England; Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, in the New Forest, Hampshire, England; and 11 Cadogan Gardens, in Chelsea, London.
Read the full article here: Anchor Collection Announces Representation of UK’s Iconic Luxury Hotels Group
Drawing upon a quarter century of international executive experience in group, meeting and incentive sales, Cherryl Brazier has founded Anchor Collection – a hotel, destination and venue representation company.
“Anchor Collection specializes in the outbound meeting and incentive market, offering targeted representation based on the very strong relationships and connections I have built over 25 years with companies who book group travel worldwide,” Brazier said.
She has launched her boutique representation company with her first client, Pacific World, a destination management company operating in 38 countries and more than 100 destinations.
Prior to founding Anchor Collection, Brazier was with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group for eight years as director-global sales, where she oversaw meeting and incentive sales for a collection of 400 hotels worldwide.
Previous positions include global director of group and incentive sales with Millennium Hotels and Resorts; director of group, meeting and incentive Sales at Thistle Hotels; and senior marketing executive with the British Tourist Authority in Los Angeles.
Based in Redondo Beach, California, Anchor Collection conducts sales across the U.S., with particular emphasis on the West Coast. “I am getting the word out about Anchor Collection to clients and companies I have worked with in the past, generating a lot of excitement for my new venture,” Brazier said.
A member of SITE since 1996, she has served on the organization’s International Board of Directors including as vice president, the Southern California Board of Directors and, in 2007 as chair of SITE’s International Conference. She has also been a member of MPI since 1996 and has served on the U.K. Board of Directors. She attended the Leeds Polytechnic School of Hospitality Management in the U.K., achieved the SITE Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS) certification and was awarded the Sustainable Event Professional Certification from the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC).
Contact Cherryl Brazier and Anchor Collection:


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Vietnam's Gold Import Ban: Implications
Source: Reuters, Ngo Thi Ngoc Chau (10/7/10)
"Questions and answers on gold in Vietnam and the ban's implications."
Here are some questions and answers about gold in Vietnam and the ban on imports.
How Are Vietnam's Gold Imports Regulated?
Vietnam imports 95% of the gold it consumes and these imports are regulated by the State Bank of Vietnam. At times when the central bank is not granting licenses, the official channel for imports is cut.
Why Are Gold Imports so Tightly Regulated?
The central bank stopped granting gold import licenses in May 2008 in a move to contain the trade deficit, cool inflationary pressure and support efforts to stabilize the economy. The trade deficit had hit a record high of $11.1 billion in the period from January to April 2008 and in April annual inflation had hit 21%.
The central bank has since eased the ban several times with limited quotas, letting businesses import as domestic prices have surged.
What's the Link Between Gold and the Dong?
When a gap develops between gold prices onshore and those on the world market, speculators rush to buy dollars to smuggle gold in, which puts downward pressure on the dong VND=VN.
Surging gold prices make dong savings less attractive, which drives people to convert dong deposits into gold. This may intensify inflationary pressures.
What Has Been the Effect of the Gold Ban?
The gold import ban has allowed the central bank to restrict the amount of foreign exchange used for imports, but it has created a scarcity, or at least the perception of it, which has pushed domestic prices higher than world prices.
Vietnamese hold more gold per dollar of income than anyone else in the world, underlining the lack of confidence in the local currency, the Asian Development Bank says.


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Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has been bragging about the popularity of his country’s Chivo Bitcoin (BTC) software and wallet, stating that it has “almost half a million users,” or roughly 8% of the country’s total population, according to a recent report. He also acknowledged that technological difficulties had hampered the launch, despite the fact that some critics believe Chivo has truly failed.
The next day, Bukele stated in a series of Twitter posts that a number of technical-related difficulties had been “95 percent handled,” and that any remaining issues will be sorted out “over the next few days.”
His statement also stated that the 200 Chivo ATMs in El Salvador and an additional 50 ATMs in the United States were “completely operational” at the time of the statement.
He pointed out that Chivo ATMs were operational in major American cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston, as well as in other countries across the world.
In his acceptance speech, the President acknowledged that there had been more than a few teething problems with the app, as well as the possibility of having taken on a little more than he could chew.
“We set ourselves too big of a challenge (to launch everything in three months) and we made mistakes. But we are already correcting them and hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans can already use their Chivo wallets without any problems.”
He went on to say that some people will “have to wait” to use the Chivo wallet, but that the wait “will be worth it.” He concluded by reminding people that using the Chivo wallet was “voluntary.”
Another piece of “positive news” came from him when he wrote that the government would scrap its USD 5 minimum transaction limit for transfers to other wallets, claiming that the new minimum transaction limit would instead be set at USD 0.01. He went on to say that “credit and debit card top-up functionality” would be “available as of tomorrow [Wednesday September 15],” and he previewed new “benefits” that would be offered to merchants who take Bitcoin as payment.
Bukele, on the other hand, acknowledged that some “user profiles” had been blocked “because they had encountered registration difficulties.” His letter stated that these people will have their profiles “removed in order for them to be able to register afresh.”
The company’s CEO, Bukele, also acknowledged that some customers had “had difficulties with balance transfers to bank accounts or payments,” and stated that these individuals “would be contacted by our technical team” after the problems had been “fixed.”
He wrote that the process would take “a day or two,” and that all “balances” would be guaranteed as a result of his efforts.
Major publications, the vast majority of which are hostile to Bukele and his bitcoin adoption plans, ran stories of angry shopkeepers who had little good to say about Chivo, bitcoin, or the government, according to the stories.
A report in El Diario de Hoy quoted two business owners who spoke on the condition of anonymity and claimed that they had lost money in “all of the transfers that customers have made to them,” receiving between “USD 0.02 and USD 0.50 less than the sale price” in most transactions, with one transaction seeing them “lose USD 18.01.”
An anonymous tattoo artist, on the other hand, was quoted as saying that transactions were taking too long to process and that Chivo was “unnecessary.” He believes that once the USD 30 worth of Bitcoin they were given by the government as an inducement to download the software has been spent, “nobody would utilize the Chivo wallet.”
Employees at a hair salon and a clothes store who did not want to be identified said they had witnessed occasions where transactions for consumers using the app had failed. According to the clothes store vendor, in one occasion, a customer attempted to pay for an item in bitcoins twice, with the transaction failing in both instances each time. According to the dealer, the buyer finally gave up and went empty-handed after several attempts.
It was also covered by the same media outlet, which included criticism from a globe-trotting American YouTuber named Marc Falzon, who claimed that Chivo had had “less of a debut, and more of a collapse,” according to a video interview with the newspaper.
The YouTuber also expressed concern that the government was aiming to inject features of centralization into the Bitcoin ecosystem through the use of solutions such as the Chivo app.
A spokesperson for Falzon stated that “several of the ATMs are empty,” and another stated that a member of his team “went to an ATM in order to withdraw monies that I had transferred him” and “had to wait for more than an hour.”


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Leftovers is our look at a few of the product ideas popping up everywhere. Some are intriguing, some sound amazing and some are the kinds of ideas we would never dream of. We can’t write about everything that we get pitched, so here are some leftovers pulled from our inboxes.
Claussen takes pickles into spritz
The Kraft Heinz-owned pickle brand is debuting a cocktail containing pickle flavor. The Spritz Society Pickle wine cocktail is the first time Claussen has brought a beverage product to retail.
The beverage contains 6% alcohol by volume, and features a “refreshing, crisp, pickle flavored” taste, made using white wine with fruity flavors, according to the brand. It first teased the idea in a 2022 April Fools’ Day joke before deciding to manufacture it, Claussen said in the press release.
“With pickle being such a craveable food, we are excited to hear the response from our pickle lovers and think everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the unique, refreshing taste of a pickle-flavored sparkling wine cocktail,” Lizzy Goodman, Claussen’s brand manager, said in the press release.
According to 2019 sales data, Claussen has been the best-selling pickle brand in the U.S.
While a relatively novel idea, other brands have tapped the flavor for alcoholic beverages. San Antonio brewery Martin House debuted a pickle-flavored IPA last year.
— Chris Casey
Tombstone raises the bar
Born in a Wisconsin bar 65 years ago, Tombstone pizza is going back to its roots.
The Nestlé-owned brand is paying homage to its founding with a pizza it describes as an “unapologetic, over-the-top bold flavor experience” that features bar snack favorites all on one buttery, crispy crust.
The Tombstone Bar Snacks pizza is topped with mozzarella sticks, fried pickles and fried onions before it’s finished with spicy jalapeno slices and nacho cheese sauce.
To get a slice of the unique pizza and celebrate International Beer Day on August 4, Tombstone is giving away a select number of Bar Snacks Pizzas to consumers who enter online for a chance to win.
"We're doubling down on our born-in-a-bar heritage with this pizza," Neil Morrissey, Nestlé’s marketing brand manager, said in a statement. "The Bar Snacks Pizza uniquely captures the spirit of everyone's favorite bar in a way that only Tombstone Pizza can deliver."
Nestlé is no stranger to taking one of its popular pizza brands and rolling out a limited-time twist as it does frequently under its popular DiGiorno brand.
Last year, DiGiorno offered up ice cream cones made from its Croissant Crust, a bestselling variety with a base of the buttery pastry that debuted in 2020.
It also debuted the DiGiornut, a doughnut stuffed with mozzarella cheese, topped with signature DiGiorno sauce and more cheese, and decked out with favorite pizza toppings.
— Christopher Doering
Applegate expands into the breakfast category
Applegate digs into its natural and organic roots and enters the handheld frozen breakfast category.
The New Jersey-based natural and organic meat brand has entered the breakfast arena, with the launch of frittata bites, which will be the U.S.’s first and only certified humane frozen egg bites, according to the company.
The new product is part of an exclusive launch with Sprouts and will be available in the frozen aisle of the grocery store.
“As we looked at the egg bite category, we noticed a 100% natural egg bite didn't exist that met our high standards, so we set out to create it ourselves," said Joseph O'Connor, President of Applegate in the company release.
Nearly 40% of US shoppers find the frozen breakfast category “too processed”, according to Mintel’s 2022 research on frozen breakfast in the U.S., and Applegate is looking to shift that sentiment.
The high protein breakfast on the go will come in two flavors — true to Applegate’s roots — uncured bacon and chicken sausage, red pepper and onion. "What goes better with bacon and breakfast sausage than eggs?” said O’Connor.
The bites will come in a box of four bites and retail for $9.99.
The company said that this launch represents a shift for them. Having previously “led food movements including organic and meat raised without antibiotics,” the company is looking to bring that same sentiment to this new space in the breakfast category,the company said.
— Elizabeth Flood