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SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A win for breweries, distilleries, and wineries. Starting March 13, California will be easing restrictions allowing for outdoor services without food and limited indoor services.
On Thursday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated public health guidance. Here are the rules:
Beginning March 13, breweries, wineries and distilleries that do not serve meals may open outdoors only with modifications in the Purple (widespread) and Red (substantial) tiers. The modifications include ensuring that patrons have reservations and patrons observe a 90-minute time limit. Service for on-site consumption must end by 8 p.m. (Previously, and through March 12, breweries and distilleries not serving meals were closed in the Purple and Red tiers).
In the Orange (moderate) Tier, indoor operations may begin with 25 percent of maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. In the Yellow (minimal) tier, indoor operations may increase to 50 percent of maximum capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer.
The updated guidance does not apply to breweries, wineries and distilleries that provide meals. Those establishments should continue to follow the restaurant guidance.
INTERACTIVE: Here's the reopening status of every Bay Area county
Beginning March 13, bars that do not serve meals remain closed in the Purple (widespread) and Red (substantial) tiers. In the Orange (moderate) tier, bars may begin outdoor operations with modifications. In the Yellow (minimal) tier, bars may begin indoor operations with modifications of 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
Strike Brewing Co. in Campbell has been able to serve these drinks outside, with the help of a food partner like Spicy Roy's Caribbean Grill. While they've loved the arrangement, they're also happy to get back to their regular business.
"It's going to be really handy for us that we're not going to have to depend on the food to serve beer outside like we've been doing," said Drew Ehrlich, Co-Founder of Strike Brewing Co. "We can open a little earlier and maybe we can stay open a little later or after they've had their dinner and they're walking home and I'd like to have a beer."
At 10th St. Distillery in San Jose, the smell of whisky mixing with signs of hope that they will be next to open.
"We looked at the ruling that's come out and it's an exciting ruling, it's a step in the right direction," said owner Virag Saksena.
Another good sign, San Mateo County is prepping to go orange as early as next week.
"It's not just about us, it's about the whole community, when we launched the whisky we had people who supported us from the bartenders and the businesses in the Bay Area," said Saksena.
Cache Bouren, the owner of San Jose's Haberdasher's Cocktails, wants partners like 10th St. to get back to business too, so they can start working together again.
"Knowing that the restrictions are slowly being lifted is really a light at the end of the tunnel," said Bouren.
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Mercury Insurance Names the Most Affordable Used Vehicles to Insure
Today, consumers have many more types and options of vehicles to choose from than ever before, and there’s a lot of used car inventory available for those who want to upgrade but also want to save money on the purchase price.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (November 18, 2020) – Consumers have flocked to used vehicles this year, mostly because of a tightening supply of new vehicles along with prices climbing to record highs due to strong consumer demand. Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY), a leading auto insurer in California and provider of auto insurance in 10 other states, has put together lists of the most affordable used vehicles for various segments and fuel types to help value car-shoppers find a vehicle that will save them money on insurance.
Mercury’s research and development team examined 2016 to 2019 model year (MY) coupes, convertibles, sedans, SUVs, vans, trucks and fuel efficient vehicles – including pure electric vehicles (EVs) – to compile these lists.
“Today, consumers have many more types and options of vehicles to choose from than ever before, and there’s a lot of used car inventory available for those who want to upgrade but also want to save money on the purchase price,” said Chong Gao, director of product management R&D for Mercury Insurance. “Used vehicles tend to have lower insurance costs in general because of the vehicle’s value, and knowing the cost to insure the vehicle you want ahead of time is another way to help keep ownership costs low and save money. Mercury scanned the industry to put together these lists as a guide for consumers to consider in terms of insurance costs.”
Here is the top-ten list for used coupes, convertibles and sedans, beginning with the most affordable make and model to insure.
- 2016-19 Chevrolet Spark (tied for first)
- 2016-2019 Chevrolet Sonic (tied for first)
- 2016-19 Fiat 500
- 2017-19 Fiat 124
- 2016-17 Chrysler 200
- 2016-17 Buick Verano
- 2016-18 Honda Fit
- 2016-18 Hyundai Elantra
- 2016-17 Hyundai Veloster
- 2016-17 VW Golf
Here is the top-ten list for used SUVs, vans and trucks, beginning with the most affordable make and model to insure.
- 2016-19 Chevrolet Express
- 2016-19 GMC Savana
- 2016 Dodge Ram
- 2016-18 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2016-18 Honda Pilot
- 2016-17 Mazda CX-9
- 2016 Kia Sportage
- 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2016 Honda CR-V (tied for ninth)
- 2016 Honda HR-V (tied for ninth)
Here is the top-ten list for used green and EVs, beginning with the most affordable make and model to insure.
- 2016-17 Chevrolet Spark EV
- 2016-19 Fiat 500 Electric
- 2016-19 Kia Soul EV
- 2016-19 Nissan Leaf
- 2016-19 VW E-Golf
- 2016-19 Smart Fortwo
- 2016-18 Ford Focus
- 2017-19 Hyundai Ioniq
- 2016-19 BMW i3
- 2016-17 Mitsubishi I MIEV
About Mercury Insurance
Mercury Insurance (MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly offering personal automobile, homeowners and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Since 1962, Mercury has specialized in offering quality insurance at affordable prices. For more information visit or and follow the company on .
 Mercury Insurance developed the list based on full coverage premium (BI, PD, COMP, COLL, MP, UMBI and UMPD) for a hypothetical driver with average factors for each rating element.

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Year-on-year, upward price pressures came from tobacco (+3.5 percent), other services (+2.1 percent), actual rentals and services for dwellings (+1.4 percent) and clothing and footwear (+0.5 percent). In contrast, consumers paid less for petroleum products (-4.8 percent), medical products (-2.9 percent), fresh food (-2.1 percent), medical products (-2.9 percent), food excluding fresh products (-0.4 percent) and other manufactured products (-0.4 percent)
On a monthly basis, the consumer prices index fell 0.4 percent in September of 2014, down from a 0.4 percent increase in August. The steepest price decreases in the month came from transport and communication services (-4.0 percent), other services (-1.8 percent) and petroleum products (-0.3 percent).
In September, annual core inflation was recorded at 0.0 percent, slowing from 0.4 percent increase in Augustus.
The harmonized index of consumer prices increased 0.4 percent year-on-year but went down 0.4 percent month-over-month.


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By Louise Greenwood
BBC Radio 4's Money Box
Debenhams card customers could see their card change
The UK's biggest store card operator is considering converting them into full-blown credit cards, the BBC has discovered.
In late September 2003, GE Capital began a pilot scheme, sending upgraded store cards with a credit card facility to a selected group of Debenhams' two million card holders.
Marks & Spencer was also carrying out a similar exercise.
But the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) was unhappy that customers were being sent credit cards they had not asked for.
It demanded that both GE and Marks & Spencer spell out more clearly that customers did not have to accept the new cards.
John Vickers, Director of Fair Trading at the OFT, told BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme:
"The consumer who did nothing might find themselves with a credit card instead of a store card. We believe that it should be the consumer making a conscious choice."
In January - after being cautioned - GE Capital began a separate exercise, sending new terms and conditions to the majority of its Debenhams store card holders.
It stated in the small print that it has the right to upgrade all store cards to credit cards.
GE Capital, which declined to be interviewed by Money Box, described the change as a "housekeeping exercise" and said that when customers are issued with the new card they will have the opportunity to cancel it.
But observers of the credit card market say this alteration of the small print could pave the way for a fundamental change.
Martin Lewis from Moneysaving Expert says many customers may not even realise they are being given a credit card.
"It is offering people - who do not really understand how it works - a lot more credit that can be spent in a lot more places.
"It is very subtly being slid through the door and people have got it without knowing."
GE Capital insisted it does have the right to vary its terms and conditions, but the OFT said that the law in this area is "unclear".
However, while the company's actions are not illegal, George Mudie MP, a member of the treasury select committee which has been examining store cards, told the programme he is unhappy:
"I really would like the OFT to speak very seriously to Debenhams about this.
"To obtain a credit card, it should be a conscious thought-out decision by the consumer, and this one takes part of the decision-making process away from the consumer."
GE Capital told the programme it would never knowingly operate in a manner which contravened any laws or regulations, and stressed customers can cancel the cards at any time.
But it did admit it may make similar changes to the terms of its many other store cards. And that would release hundreds of millions of pounds of consumer credit onto the market.
Jonathan Charley, a banking analyst at Unisys said there is a clear business reason for them getting a foothold in the market:
"Going into credit cards makes an awful lot of sense for them. Credit cards are highly profitable and also expand their ability beyond the store that they are operating in as a card.
"Secondly, it gives them a greater opportunity for cross-selling into other financial services products."
BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 27 March, 2004, at 1204 GMT.
The programme was repeated on Sunday, 28 March, at 2102 BST.


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North Kickapoo block party Saturday downtown
A block party welcoming a new downtown business will be held from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday in the 100 Block of North Kickapoo Street in Lincoln.
Prairie Years, Abe’s Carmelcorn and Sir Renna Tea, a new tea and gift shop, have partnered to host the Route 66 Block Party outside their businesses, located on the downtown stretch of Kickapoo Street between Broadway and Pekin Streets.
Prairie Years Assistant Manager Kathy Schmidt said in a news release this week, "It is great to see a new business on the block. The 100 block of Kickapoo has a lot of great things to offer our community, what a better way to say ‘welcome’ than with a party?"
During the event, Abe’s Carmelcorn, in partnership with Brady Realty, will offer a coupon for 10 percent off of any purchase. The Central Bark Dog Park Committee, a group of eight local citizens hoping to have a dog park built on Eighth Street, will receive 10 percent of the proceeds from coupon purchases. Treat bags for dogs and humans will be given to the first 100 participants.
Participating stores will also hold a drawing for a free gift from each shop, with a grand prize gift basket sponsored by all three stores.
Hand painted Christmas ornaments by local artist Michelle Schneider will be available at the event, as well as a holiday photo opportunity for pets. Integrity Data will hold a drawing for two wreaths from Three Roses.
The event will also include life-sized kids games and a performance by the Lincoln College Jazz Trio.
The event is free and open to the public.


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Cars still difficult to afford as high demand, higher interest rates drive up prices
As the Federal Reserve considers raising interest rates Wednesday, the auto industry is keeping a close eye. For many Americans, owning a car is a necessity, but with high price tags fueled by strong demand and rising interest rates, it has become difficult for many to afford one.
Although prices have dipped slightly from historic levels, the average price of a new car is still close to $50,000. Used cars cost about $28,000 on average.
Additionally, high annual percentage rates, which can be as much as 11%, are helping make monthly payments skyrocket.
According to the car shopping website Edmunds, the average monthly payment for a new vehicle is $731. For a used one, it's $551. This marks an increase of up to 32% from pre-pandemic levels.
Adam Lee, the owner of 16 car dealerships in Maine, said the average price of a car at his dealerships is about $50,000. He said business has been especially good the past three years, but senses a change.
"We're still seeing very strong demand, but ... you can feel it — that it's slowing down," Lee said.
One in six people who recently financed a new car committed to monthly payments of $1,000 or more, which is the highest on record, according to Edmunds.
Lee said that if interest rates keep increasing, it could result in a lockup of the industry.
"Most dealers borrow money to pay for their cars. And at some point, that will start to have an impact. If rates keep going up and people can't buy cars, it means we won't order more cars," he said.
While inventory has improved recently, production of new vehicles has favored higher-priced models with lots of amenities.
Demetrius Thrasher, who depends on his vehicle for food deliveries outside Atlanta, had to purchase a new car for about $25,000 more than he initially planned. His previous car was totaled in a crash last summer, and he found out that his options for a new car were limited.
"I called around to the other dealerships and throughout the state of Georgia, and they were like, 'We got nothing,'" Thrasher said.
He now pays around $1,000 per month for his car and has had to defer payments twice.
This is becoming more common. According to data from Cox Automotive, delinquencies for auto loans that are 60 days or more past due have increased by 20.4% compared to last year.
According to Jessica Caldwell, who analyzes auto transactions for Edmunds, consumers are facing a "double whammy" as both car prices and interest rates are high. But she said automakers are offering incentives for shoppers, which could help those struggling to find an affordable option.
Caldwell suggests looking for auto loans that offer favorable interest rates and terms, and also keeping in mind the trade-in value of a car in the long run.
"If you do go to trade in your vehicle and you overpaid, chances are you could be in a situation where there's a big difference between what your vehicle is worth and how much you have to pay off on your loan. And that's where it becomes scary," she said.
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European Union officials hinted today that the union might put off retaliating against United States steel tariffs until next year, signaling that Washington may have bought itself some time by greatly narrowing the scope of the disputed tariffs.
The European Commission, the executive body of the union, said today that it welcomed a decision by the Bush administration, announced on Thursday, to exempt 178 more product categories from the protective tariffs it imposed in March, bringing the total number of exempted products to 727.
More than half the European steel exports to the United States originally covered by the tariffs, which will last three years and range from 8 percent to 30 percent, have now been exempted, the commission said.
Pascal Lamy, the European commissioner responsible for trade, urged today that the remaining tariffs be withdrawn ''soonest, and in any event immediately after the decision of the panel condemning the U.S. measures.'' He referred to a World Trade Organization panel that is evaluating whether the United States tariffs are permissible under global trade rules. The panel, acting on complaints from the union and from other affected nations including Brazil and South Korea, is widely expected to reject the tariffs sometime next year.Continue reading the main story
''The decision to exclude many E.U. products from the U.S. safeguard measures will help both E.U. exports and those many industries in the U.S. which need high-quality imports from Europe,'' Mr. Lamy said. ''Let us hope that the next step will be action to restructure that part of the U.S. steel industry which has traditionally been behind the adoption of protectionist measures.''
Government ministers of the union's 15 member nations are scheduled to decide next month whether to go through with short-term retaliatory tariffs they have threatened to impose on United States goods including textiles from the Carolinas and citrus fruit from Florida -- a list chosen for domestic political effect in the United States. The union has postponed the decision several times to allow Washington more time to address its concerns.
Officially, the union is still pursuing retaliation under the trade organization's rules. But trade experts took Mr. Lamy's remarks today as a hint that the union and the United States had reached a deal to avert rapid sanctions.
''It sounds like he is saying that they are not going to happen,'' said Richard Weiner, a trade specialist in the Brussels office of the Hogan & Hartson law firm. ''It would be hard to imagine the ministers disagreeing with the trade commissioner.'' Though the remaining steel tariffs still hinder free trade, he said, the latest round of exemptions ''have taken the sting out of them.''
European steel producers take a dimmer view. The British-Dutch steel maker Corus urged the union to move ahead with measures against the United States. ''We see no reason for the E.U. to change its stance,'' said Mike Hitchcock, a Corus spokesman. About 824,000 tons of Corus steel exports would have been affected by the original tariffs this year, Mr. Hitchcock said; exemptions announced since then gave relief for only 231,000 tons, or 28 percent. Mr. Hitchcock called the latest round of exemptions disappointing.
For Arcelor, the top European steel exporter to the United States, the latest round of exemptions gave relief for 70,000 tons a year, bringing the exempted total to about 23 percent of the one million tons originally affected.
''Previous exclusions in recent months have been far from enough,'' said an Arcelor official in Luxembourg, where the company is based. ''I imagine our official line would be unchanged after the latest offering from Washington.''
United States officials said these would be the last exemptions offered this year, though a new round will be considered between November and next March. ''We will press our customers in the United States to push for further exclusions for our products the next time around,'' Mr. Hitchcock of Corus said. --------------------
Japan Applauds Exclusions
TOKYO, Aug. 23 (AP) -- Japanese officials applauded the decision by the United States to exclude more steel imports from protective tariffs, but they said Japan would continue to pursue its complaint against the tariffs at a World Trade Organization meeting next month.
The Japanese government had said that it would decide by the end of this month whether to retaliate over the steel tariffs, but trade ministry officials said today that the government would probably need more time to consult with Japanese steel makers first.
After the latest exemptions, only about one-third of the 2.2 million tons of annual Japanese steel exports to the United States are covered by the tariffs, trade ministry figures show.Continue reading the main story


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Google has announced on its blog that it will allow Android users in Europe to choose their browser and search engine by default.
This announcement comes after last year decision in which the company was fined with $5 billion by the European Commission due to the practice of pre-installing Google apps on third-party phones.
“This involves asking users of new and current Android devices in Europe what browser and search application they prefer to use” the company explained.
Gizchina News of the week
It is not clear if this will apply only during the initial configuration process or if all current smartphones will receive an update that will require users to be asked about this point.
A few months ago Google has also announced new licensing modes for its apps on third-party smartphones, including three separate agreements for Chrome, Play Store and Search. This means that manufacturers can include Play Store without being forced to include Chrome and Search.


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There are ways around high ticket prices, as nearly every pro team offers some sort of discount or fan incentive to maximize the experience.
It took only eight months, but the NFL season is here, and Chad Ochocinco's reality TV show is finally giving way to real, interesting sports news. Now is also time to think about the most cringe-inducing part of football season (aside from Ochocinco): astonishingly overpriced tickets, food and parking.
In a monumental example of upselling, 18 of 32 teams in the league raised single-game ticket prices this year, some as much as 7%. Season tickets are also out of the question for many families, considered a luxury on par with Learjets and caviar.
Yet an NFL game is something to experience live at least once, and price gouging shouldn't keep you from the tailgate or game. There are several ways around these fares, as nearly every pro team offers some sort of discount or fan incentive to maximize your experience, even outside the stadium.
The federal government is proposing stricter rules for financial aid at for-profit colleges.
The economy has brought new emphasis to a debate that has long plagued education circles: Are students paying too much for college educations that don't lead to good jobs?
A recent Department of Education report looked at student loan repayment rates for each institution, including for-profit colleges that often emphasize career opportunities in their advertising.
The report found that students of many for-profit colleges were the least likely to pay their student loans.
When the emotional and rational parts of the brain square off, guess which one is liable to win?
Back in the '60s, it was apparently OK to torture little kids. Just kidding, but one study came close.
Here's the gist. Stanford economists took 4-year-olds one at a time and put them in a room with a single marshmallow sitting on a table. The experimenter told them that he had to leave for a short errand, but if they waited without eating the marshmallow, they would get an extra one upon his return.
Seventy percent of the kids caved, on average lasting three minutes before eating it. The rest of the kids were visibly frustrated as they tried to wait. Some turned away from the table so they wouldn't see the marshmallow. Some covered their eyes.
Decades later, the researchers asked the kids (now adults) for their SAT scores. The patient kids scored better.
Since then, the study has been replicated a number of ways. But just a few years ago, scientists took it to a new level.
More outlets are going online. What savvy shoppers need to know.
Finding deals at outlets used to require serious effort: a lengthy drive to the nearest outlet mall, followed by hours spent combing through racks, item by item, and waiting in long lines behind like-minded bargain hunters. Now, it often takes just a few clicks from home.
- Quick quiz: Estimate your credit score
Camera manufacturer Nikon launched an online outlet store last week, and J. Crew plans to make its outlet store clothing available online this month. The two join a host of retailers with an online outlet presence, including J.C. Penney, Crate & Barrel, Dell, Zales, Sears and The Disney Store.
Because a frugal person focuses on the maximization of value, sometimes it's easy to fall into the trap of keeping too much stuff.
The other night, I watched a couple episodes of the A&E documentary series "Hoarders." For those of you who haven't seen it, "Hoarders" focuses on the struggles of people who suffer from compulsive hoarding.
One thing that struck me over and over again was that people were saying things along the lines of "I can't get rid of this stuff because I might have a use for it someday." Of course, they were making this statement in a home that was so full of stuff that they had difficulty even walking through their home.
Frugal people live on an interesting spectrum between minimalism and excessive accumulation of stuff.
New study shows that more than a third of the unemployed who've found new jobs are working for less pay.
Just how hard has the recession been on American workers? A new Pew Research Center report offers some stark numbers:
- 26% of the 139 million working Americans were jobless at least once since the recession officially began in December 2007. (These folks are referred to as the "re-employed.") The report adds:
And for some workers, finding a new job was a short-lived victory over hard times. According to the survey, more than a third have suffered two or more spells of unemployment during the recession, including 16% who have been out of work three or more times.
More homeowners are making extra cash by renting their properties to vacationers. But it may not be legal where you live.
The next time you travel, consider a setting that's unique and potentially more comfortable than a hotel: renting a home from a private homeowner.
The idea is simple: Instead of cramming yourself into a tiny hotel room, rent an entire house. You win by getting a lot more space and amenities for a similar price. The homeowner wins by bringing in extra cash.
The online retailer is enlisting help from customers to pressure manufacturers to use packaging that's easier to open.
For the last two years, online retailer Amazon.com has been on a mission to persuade manufacturers to make product packages that are easier for consumers to open. The results so far have been less than stellar.
- Quick quiz: Estimate your credit score
According to The New York Times, Amazon has been able to persuade manufacturers to make easier-to-open packages for only about 600 of the millions of products Amazon sells. Traditional retailers like products in large cases and multiple layers of plastic because it's believed to deter theft. Amazon says someone ordering online shouldn't have to deal with the frustration involved in liberating products from their packages.
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
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New Delhi, Jun 25 (UNI) Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) in a meeting today approved guidelines for commercial utilisation of natural gas under New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).
According to the guidelines, contractors would sell gas from NELP to consumers in accordance with the marketing priorities and pricing formula determined by the Government.
The marketing priority does not entail any 'reservation' of gas. So, consumers belonging to any of the priority sectors should be in a position to actually consume gas as and when it becomes available.
If consumers in a particular sector, which is higher in priority, are not in a position to take gas when it becomes available, it would go to the sector which is next in order of priority, an official statement said.
In case of default by a consumer under a particular priority sector and further in the event of alternative consumers not being available in the same sector, the gas will be offered by contractor to other consumers in the next order of priority.
The guidelines also say that the priority for supply of gas from a particular source would be applicable only amongst those customers who are connected to existing and available pipeline network connected to the source.
The priority would not impact the process of price discovery whenever it is undertaken, as all the customers would participate in the price discovery process and would be eligible for utilising natural gas subject to priority.
Since the supply situation is expected to increase substantially in the near future in view of increased availability from domestic sources and imported gas (LNG/transnational pipelines), the guidelines would be applicable for the next five years after which they would be reviewed.
The EGoM has also issued guidelines for gas distribution by Reliance Industries.
UNI SR PDT UCS1945


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Adnan Lapamuk, 36
A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Adnan LaPamuk attended Kent State University in Ohio and started making money on the internet as a grad student.
When he looked for a place to settle down, a Google search revealed the appealing oasis of Palm Springs. Here he has grown his brand-building business into a multispecialty marketing and communications company called Konsist. (He rebranded from the original OnTableMedia to better reflect the company’s clientele.)
He also met his wife, Athalie, here, giving him another reason to plant roots in the desert.
VIDEO: Adnan LaPamuk talks about the creation of Konsist and their small business partnerships.


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Outrage at the conditions sustained by employees at the Indian factory making Beyonc’s clothes line neglects more complicated facts about the regional economy.”>
With her arms left and crossed hip thrust to one side, Beyonc stands in the center of a basketball court in the rain, her lips curled in a sultry, lets-play-ball smile.
So goes the start of a discount video for her brand-new physical fitness endeavor, Ivy Park , and the start of a Business Beyonc blitzkrieg which saw the HBO-televised release of her visual album, Lemonade , and the pop comet start her Formation World Tour.
The video sees Beyonc extending, running, dancing, swimming, cycling in different logo design bodysuits, basketball-mesh ops, and other pieces from her joint athleisure clothes endeavor with Topshop.
Speaking with Elle publication , her very first significant interview in 3 years, Beyonc discussed that Ivy Park wasnt simply a physical fitness line however a women-empowering values to commemorate the body and every female shes in while aiming to be much better.
However, Ivy Parks message of empowerment backfired previously today, when The Sun reported that poverty-stricken seamstresses working at a Sri Lankan factory where Beyoncs brand-new clothes line is made make 4.30 ($8.47) a day.
A confidential 22-year-old female informed the British tabloid she might hardly make it through on her month-to-month wage of 18,500 rupees ($380), which exceeds the nations regular monthly base pay of 13,500 rupees ($202).
She explained unpleasant working conditions: stitching clothing in confined quarters for almost 10 hours a day, Monday through Friday, with a 30-minute lunch break.
The female stated she likewise works Saturdays and overtime throughout the week, and shares a 10-by-10-foot space with her sis in a close-by boarding home. All we do is work, sleep, work, sleep, she stated.
Its the type of story that sends out Westerners into paroxysms of self-flagellation and subsequent ethical righteousness about the oppression of all of it: greedy international corporations making billions of dollars in earnings while the labor-intensive, low-wage garment factories they use make use of kids and females.
The paradox that these oppressed females are producing clothing for a brand name that declares to empower females is the cherry on top of corrupt international capital.
To challengers of globalization and anti-sweatshop advocates, these stories represent everything incorrect with the Wests style and home entertainment industriesnamely, fat-cat services and unaware celeb designers sitting quite in their high towers, making billions from a system that oppresses employees in establishing business.
But the system is not that white and black, and the ethical lines aren’t that clear.
The Sun remains in business of providing mind-blowing stories to its readers, a number of whom most likely do not know just how much $380 a month deserves to females in Sri Lanka , or that living incomes are tough to measure and lucrative options are substantially even worse than factory tasks (ladies wouldnt opt to operate in factories if they had much better alternatives).
Those annoyed by the story must think about that establishing nations can just take on First World markets due to the fact that they provide inexpensive labor; that taking on those markets leads to financial and commercial development; and so on.
Ever given that the lethal 2013 collapse of Rana Plaza , which eliminated more than 1,100 garment factory employees in Bangladesh, weve seen efforts in the West and in Third World nations to secure employee rights and ensure factories pass regular security examinations.


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TXT Group eyes Africa
VALUE ADDED SERVICES| Nov. 21, 2011, 11:11 a.m.
By Lukas Ajanaku, Lagos, Nigeria
Africa continues to be the attraction of European telecoms investors, with the latest arrival TXT Europe, the European operation of TXT Group, a leading mobile and internet services provider.
TXT is set to enter the African market with the launch the group’s flagship product, Casual Work Market, in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya.
The product will also be launched in parts of before an eventual global roll out.
Casual Work Market is a social commerce platform designed to facilitate the seamless listing, discovery and engagement of people looking to give or offering to do small jobs and services.
It acts as a digital notice-board for the listing of job offers and facilitates discovery of jobs within varying work types - from putting up shelving, fixing a leak in the shower, to doing domestic work such as baby sitting, pet-walking, cleaning or cooking.
The platform allows people to effortlessly search for job seekers based on their unique criteria.
Speaking on the development, Nii Laryea, CEO of TXT Group Africa, expressed excitement at the introduction of the service.
“The mobile internet has empowered our generation to do things differently, creating waves of change and positive disruptions across all industries and it’s that same thinking that has been applied to the problem of unemployment or under-employment and matching causal or professional abilities to one time small job offers and identifiable opportunities.”
“The socio-economic benefits of the platform cannot be overlooked, allowing individuals to establish a secondary source of income by offering to work within their casual or professional abilities and convenience,” he said.
In ensuring that the platform becomes the preferred destination for micro-entrepreneurs, opportunity seekers and givers alike, Laryea confirmed that TXT Group has taken steps to establish strategic partnerships and relationships with the security, social welfare and social security agencies of all countries as well as key cultural organisations, such as community groups, its leadership and religious groups and bodies.
This is to ensure the safety of all parties and to further and more importantly ensure that Casual Work Market plays a key role within these communities.
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The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has denied directing foreign-based athletes going to the Olympic Games in Rio to buy their own air tickets.
Mr. Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youth and Sports stated this in a statement following a purported mail asking athletes to buy their tickets to the Olympics and which was said to have originated from the Ministry.
The Minister stated that the Director, High Performance Angie Taylor has been saddled with the responsibility of arranging for the flights and movement of the foreign based athletes to and from Rio.
“We did not write any mail asking athletes to pay their way to Rio. As the overseers of sports in the country, it is our duty to take care of all our athletes.
“The letter did not come from us and we will investigate the writer of that letter. It does not represent our stand concerning the movement of athletes to Rio and the writer or anybody asking athletes to buy their tickets to Rio will be investigated.
“We ask Nigerians and athletes in particular to disregard the mail,” Dalung’s Media Aide, Nneka Anibeze, quoted him as saying.
The minister however regretted the embarrassment caused by the letter and asked athletes to remain focused on their build-up to the Rio games.


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KJM reports 13% Q1 Growth 2016
Hampshire installer and home improvement specialist KJM Group has reported significant growth in the first half of this year following on from its record year last year.
Having reported turnover of £3.9m for the 2015/16 financial year, the Hampshire based retailer has reported that its 13 per cent up on its Q1 performance this year.
The window, door and conservatory specialist said that growth was driven by homeowner specification of higher-end premium finish and performance products.
Managing Director, Mark Pearce, said: “We offer a wide range of products from your entry level energy efficient windows and doors through to triple glazed windows and glazed home extensions.
“In the last six months, while we’re continuing to sell a lot of windows and doors across the board we’re seeing home owners specify foiled woodgrain-effect PVC-U products, aluminium bi-folding doors and premium composite door ranges.”
Now employing over 30 people including 10 fitting teams and one service engineer, this follows specific focus by the national home improvement G15 Awards Installer of the Year finalist, to build its range of heritage products.
This has included the addition of the Beaumont range from Dempsey Dyer and Residence 9 from Glazerite and Styleline from Sternfenster, to meet new consumer demand for flush casement and traditionally jointed windows in a low maintenance PVC-U window.
Mark continued: “The manual jointing used in Beaumont and Residence 9 ranges give the product a really strong traditional-timber aesthetic in a PVC-U window.
“What you’re getting as the end-user are all the benefits of PVC-U – low maintenance and energy efficiency – alongside a traditional timber aesthetic. This is driving a steady growth in but notably among owners of character and period properties.”
In addition to Beaumont and Residence 9, KJM also caries Veka and Profile 22 uPVC window systems, wooden windows and doors, including vertical sliding and flush casement windows from Dempsey Dyer and aluminium products from Smart and Sapa.
For more information on KJM Group’s range of energy efficient windows and doors call or email the sales team on 01264 359355 or email@example.com.


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This sure sounds like a fun new event. The San Francisco Brewers Guild along with City Beer Store and The Bay Bridged is putting on a beer festival and a music festival called The Bay Brewed, which is scheduled to take place on December 3, from 2-7 p.m. at San Francisco’s Verdi Club, located at 2424 Mariposa Street. Here’s some more info from the press release:
Presented in partnership with the City Beer Store and the SF Brewers Guild, a ticket to The Bay Brewed includes unlimited beer tastings from San Francisco Bay Area breweries including 21st Amendment, Anchor Stream, Beach Chalet, Lagunitas, Magnolia, Social Kitchen & Brewery, and Speakeasy, and musical performances from four excellent San Francisco bands: Weekend, Sleepy Sun, Extra Classic, and Terry Malts. Food will be available for purchase courtesy of Rosamunde Sausage Grill.
Christian Cunningham, General Manager of The Bay Bridged, explained the desire to create an event pairing local bands and local craft beers: “San Francisco’s music and beer scenes are both unbeatable when it comes to the talent and creativity of the people involved. The Bay Brewed is our way of bringing together people who like great music and people who like great beer for a unique event that couldn’t happen anywhere but San Francisco.”
Ticket prices are $45 and can be purchased online, or buy them at the door for $55. According to the ticket page, “[y]our ticket purchase includes performances by four great local rock bands — Weekend, Sleepy Sun, Extra Classic, and Terry Malts — and a commemorative mug that gets you unlimited beer tastings all day long from an array of awesome local breweries. In partnership with the City Beer Store and the SF Brewers Guild, you’ll be sampling beer from and meeting the brewers behind 21st Amendment, Anchor Stream, Beach Chalet, Lagunitas, Magnolia, Social Kitchen & Brewery, and Speakeasy, with more still to come.”


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The METRICH Enforcement Unit this week conducted alcohol and tobacco compliance checks throughout various businesses in Richland County.
Of the 94 businesses in Richland County, a total of 8 businesses sold to an underage person. 7 of them were for selling alcohol to someone under the age of 21 and the other was for selling tobacco products to a person under the age of 18,
The businesses that sold alcoholic beverages to underage person were:
The businesses that sold tobacco products to underage persons were:
1. Marion Ave Drive Thru, 289 Marion Ave., Mansfield
The Ohio Investigative Unit will review the alcoholic beverage related cases and further charges may be filed on the liquor permit holder of each business. Those individuals that were cited will be required to appear in the appropriate court where the violation occurred.


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We Happy Few Dev Reveals New Information About Next Game With Microsoft And Xbox
It's going to be a third-person narrative-driven game.
Xbox-owned studio Compulsion Games has revealed some new information about its upcoming title. In an interview with Xbox Squad (translated from French by VGC), community developer Nalia Hadjas said that production on the game started only a few months after We Happy Few's full release in 2018.
We Happy Few's last DLC, We All Fall Down, launched at the end of 2019, and a few months later the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. However, Compulsion Games has managed to roughly double its workforce to 80 people during the time. The studio still prefers to work discreetly and stay out of the spotlight. The new game is now in full development.
Hadjas mentions that it is a third-person narrative-driven title, and as a result is unlikely to launch on Xbox Game Preview because of its structure. We Happy Few went through the game preview process because it was a rogue-like survival title and the developers sought feedback regarding its mechanics and balance.
"We Happy Few has evolved a lot. At the beginning, it was rogue-like and then we added a story because people loved the world, and the characters," said Hadjas. "So we said, 'OK, we're going to make a real game with an end and a story.' The next game is a story, we know where we're going."
We Happy Few was developed with Unreal Engine 4 but Hadjas wouldn't divulge what engine Compulsion's next game would be using. However, colleagues over at The Coalition have confirmed earlier this year that the Gears studio has two projects underway utilizing Unreal Engine 5.
This is Compulsion's first game under Xbox Games Studios since it was acquired by Microsoft back in 2018. Hadjas said, "I think we give ourselves a little time to learn. It's our first game with Microsoft and we're learning a lot. We have doubled the workforce and we are adapting to it."
When asked whether the new game could possibly be revealed by the end of the year, she laughed, "I have no idea." Despite the lack of information so far, the game will presumably be exclusive to Microsoft's ecosystem, including PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.


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The Social Network drama is yet to get over. Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, the twin brothers who had already sued Facebook, claiming that Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for a social network, when they were in Harvard, are now suing Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg again.
The earlier Facebook suit had made the Winklevoss twins get richer by $65 million, after the judgement ended in their favor, but now the twins allege that Zuckerberg lied to them about the value of Facebook and is guilty of securities fraud, demanding an unspecified amount of money on top of $65 million which they had won in 2008.
Facebook is disputing the Winklevosses’ claims and says their original settlement, reached in 2008, is enforceable. The company says the twins are faulting Facebook for not offering a more recent – and Facebook claims, lower – valuation of different company stock.
Their fraud claim is based on omission: they fault Facebook for not volunteering a more recent – and, they claim, lower – valuation of different Facebook stock. They insist that their sworn enemy had some special duty to open its books and volunteer any information that bears on the value of this closely held company.
There isn’t much to talk about this particular lawsuit. On the outside, Winklevoss twins seem to have a tough case to win, but you never know, they might actually end up getting more $$ from Facebook!


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When Microsoft launched the latest Windows 10 Mobile insider version, build 14342, the company also rolled out a big redesign for the Windows Store. Unfortunately, the new UI was only available on mobile phones, but that’s changing as of now with the redesign finally reaching desktops as well.
Originally, the new Store was also supposed to show up on the desktop build of Windows 10 for insiders on the Fast ring, but a bug in the update package kept it from installing. The Microsoft team went to work on creating a new app package that would install correctly, and that update seems to now be rolling out to users around the world.
There are numerous changes to the Store’s interface with this latest update, refining everything from the main page, to app detail screens, to a new download indicator. It’s also easier to hide apps, and see the ones you’ve already purchased.
All in all this is a useful and much-desired update for the Windows 10 Store, and you can get it by checking for updates in the Store app. In case the update still fails to install it means you’ll have to wait a bit more until the new package spreads across all the update servers.
New Store image courtesy of Richard Hay


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By Paul Pannone
35 people were reported fired at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia with upwards of 60 more to follow before the end of the year. Included in the layoffs was Courtney Kern that wrote the following to her friends on Face Book:
“After 4 amazing years at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia the company is continuing to downsize. I had been lucky enough to keep making the cut until now. Officially Monday morning I will be reporting to myself! Yup that’s right Events Beyond is off and running!! I will be continuing to do light business consulting for those we are in need of spicing up their marketing, PR or social media channels. I will also continue to consult for those who are starting a business.”
Sources familiar with the story say the downsizing dates back to the start of the economic collapse and recession when 100 employees were laid off in 2008 including Kiki Paris. According to a story in Fishbowl NY citing an annual performance evaluation from Body + Soul, written by Merritt;
“Kiki is a phenomenal sales person and a star on our team. Her efforts over the past year have completely changed the advertising make up of our publication and the way we are perceived by Madison Ave.”
Yet Paris lost her job after an accident prevented her from returning to work. A discussion with Gary Phelan, attorney for the case, indicated the matter was resolved but could not provide any further details.
News of the layoffs come despite postings on the company’s website seeking employees that could be interpreted as a healthy business atmosphere.
eWedNewz is investigating reports that say Martha Stewart and other wedding publications are looking to get out of the wedding business, as the industry suffers a decline in the number of weddings and associated advertising revenue by vendors. Included in the retreat are Get Married, reported to be up for sale and the Knot that shifted focus away from dependency on the wedding business.


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Personal computer sales are going from bad to worse. Since 2012, sales of PC manufacturers have declined every year with one exception: Apple. The company behind the Mac has escaped much of the misery engulfing the global PC market. Since 2007, there was only one year when Apple failed to sell more Macs than the year previously. In 2015, Apple's personal computer sales increased by four percent while PC manufacturers saw their sales fall eight percent.
This chart shows the sales development of personal computers (percent change on previous year).


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Oshawa business owner praises improved police responses, but blasts follow-up after third break-in since 2018
Published October 14, 2021 at 2:33 pm
Longtime north Oshawa video game retailer G.A.M.E.S. suffered yet another overnight break-in on Thanksgiving Day when the store was robbed for the third time since 2018.
Police say two men shattered the Simcoe Street store’s display window after several attempts, inflicting significant damage to the surrounding frame around 3:30 a.m. on October 12. They then squeezed between two large display cabinets to enter the store and made a beeline to the retro video games section.
The thieves made off with potentially thousands of dollars worth of NES, Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 cartridges, according to store owner Jesse Manchen, but didn’t touch the till.
Manchen says this is typical of break-ins, a lesson he’s had to learn only recently. “The first ten years I was in business, there was only one or two. In the last couple of years, my glass has been shattered four times. Three of them were attempted robberies.”
G.A.M.E.S. opened in 2007, becoming a centre of Oshawa’s video and card gaming community in the years since.
In November 2018 numerous games were stolen during a break-and-enter. The more recent robbery happened in March 2019 when thieves made off with nearly $20,000 worth of Magic the Gathering cards.
After each event Manchen says he’s not once been impressed with the police response. “I have had really bad situations where they just don’t show up,” he says, “For the first break-in it took over an hour for someone to show up and I had to flag down somebody.”
This time though police arrived within a few minutes, a marked improvement according to Manchen. “Because they were really pathetically poor years ago, I’ve noticed significant improvement,” he said, adding that he’s glad to see quicker response times from local police. “That being said, I see almost no results.”
Manchen says some of the games taken in a previous robbery were offered to A&C Games in Toronto. While A&C declined to buy, they took the sellers’ information, including his name and phone number, and reported it to Manchen. He in turn told police, but said “I still never heard anything back. Ever.”
Durham Police is asking Durham Region for more resources to hire more frontline officers in the 2022 budget. But Manchen doesn’t believe this initiative would help much. “There’s something missing in the legal system to actually put these criminals to the damn wall,” he said.
There has been a rash of similar break-ins in recent months. Durham Police put out a warning to residents after five B&E’s in Whitby over the long weekend. Manchen called 20 similar businesses to warn them of his missing stock. He says each one told him they were adding security measures after incidents like this, including one two weeks ago in Hamilton.
G.A.M.E.S. remains open for business, but may not see repairs for up to eight weeks. Manchen says he will be barring his windows in the future.insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies


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ALTOONA, Pa. -- Sheetz Inc. introduced a new Pump First card yesterday in the Hagerstown/Fredrick, Md., and Martinsburg, W. Va., markets. Under the program, customers wishing to pay for gasoline with cash or check no longer have to pre-pay, and can swipe their Pump First card to start the pumps themselves, then go into the store to pay, the company stated.
"The cost of gasoline continues to rise and unfortunately, so do the resulting drive-offs by a few dishonest individuals," Louis Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing for Sheetz, said in a statement. "Our increasing losses from these individuals who do not pay have forced us to go to pre-pay as a solution to control theft. While this change will help relieve the pressure of gasoline theft, we also know that it could cause loyal, honest customers to feel unjustly penalized."
The free, plastic Pump First card is linked to the customer's driver's license and can be obtained at any designated Sheetz store. The card is a method of identification that activates a gasoline pump, and is not a method of payment. In the event that a customer uses the card to turn on a pump and then drives away without paying, Sheetz can identify the card and deactivate it, according to the company.
"We are pleased that we don't have to inconvenience our loyal customers. Pump First offers a solution to help us control gasoline theft and still maintain a high level of convenience for our customers," said Sheetz. "Future plans include adding other benefits for our Pump First customers, including exclusive coupon offers and even reward programs."
Subsequent to the program launch, Sheetz made all its convenience stores in the Hagerstown/Fredrick, Md., and Martinsburg, W. Va., areas to pre-payment for gas.


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Owners of electronics and appliances are being reminded of thinking twice before throwing their devices into the garbage.
Marg Evans, Executive Director with the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society in Williams Lake, says it is important to know that they are recyclable.
“If you just think back a just few years how many people have computers nowadays compared to in the old days, cellphones; everything is a lot more electronic and there are a lot more people.”
“Rather than having to keep manufacture these we can use what we’ve got. They make kayaks out of old plastic and reusable things.”
“It’s a great way to go.”
Evans says appliances and electronics can be dropped off anytime, free of charge at B-Line Courier on Mackenzie Avenue South in Williams Lake.
A United Nations study released this month discovered that 41.8 million tonnes of e-waste (any device with an electronic cord or battery) were dumped around the globe last year.
The value of the discarded materials which contained many precious metals such as gold, silver, iron, and copper, was worth about $52 billion.


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The striking new Belize 54 Daybridge from Riviera Australia will make her New Zealand debut at the Auckland On Water Boat Show held from September 26 to 29.
Showcasing the latest in luxury, design and technology, an impressive line-up of Riviera's most popular models will impress New Zealand boating enthusiasts with a stunning display of boats over 50 feet, including the Riviera 63 Enclosed Flybridge, the Riviera 5000 Sport Yacht and the Belize 54 Daybridge.
In its 15th year, the Auckland On Water Boat Show (formerly the Auckland International Boat Show) is New Zealand's largest on-water boat show held over four days in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, formerly home to the America's Cup.
Riviera has been building boats for the past 33 years and has exported boats to New Zealand for the past 26 years. There are now over 400 Riviera luxury cruisers in New Zealand, which is home to more larger Riviera boats over 58 feet than any other country in the world.
Riviera's dealer relationship manager Peter Welch said Riviera was proud to have some of its newest and most popular models on display at the Auckland On Water Boat Show.
We are excited about the New Zealand release of our new Belize 54 Daybridge, which has been extremely well received in both Australia and the United States, Mr Welch said.
This award-winning new model was named the â€˜most innovative new builder' at the inaugural AIM (Active Interest Media) Marine Group Editors' Choice Awards in Florida.
We are also pleased to welcome back to our New Zealand dealership one of our highly regarded and long serving sales professionals, Liam Power, who will be at the R Marine JDC stand along with Dean Horgan and the JDC team for the duration of the show.
Mr Power said he was excited about rejoining the R Marine team and working with the Riviera and Belize brands and showcasing three new models at the Auckland On Water Boat Show.
R Marine JDC is firmly focused on Riviera and Belize Motoryachts' exciting future in New Zealand and we are looking forward to introducing new owner initiatives and services, as well as showcasing the exciting new models that will be on display at the show which opens on Thursday, Mr Power said.
The Riviera Australia owned bespoke Belize Motoryacht line is inspired by classic timeless style, incorporating tradition with Australian practicality and features the latest technology and performance with twin Cummins Zeus 600hp diesel engines and pod drives delivering a speed of 28-30 knots and a range at cruise speed of approximately 448nm with the installation of the optional long range fuel tank.
We are also pleased to showcase the stunning new shaft drive 63 Enclosed Flybridge, which has ticked all the right boxes for the discerning larger boat buyer, Mr Welch said.
A huge cockpit, large mezzanine, aft galley, master stateroom with large hull port light window and luxuriously appointed â€˜sky lounge' enclosed flybridge featuring sumptuous leather lounges, full wet bar and optional electric sunroof makes the 63 the ideal boat for extended stays aboard.
The 63 features a range of engineering and design innovations with many popular design cues taken from the fleet's prestigious flagship, the Riviera 75, which is the largest semi-production flybridge boat built in Australia.
Continuing Riviera's commitment to innovation, the 5000 Sport Yacht offers owners the option of two accommodation layouts to further personalise this vessel: a three cabin and two bathroom design or two cabins and two bathrooms plus a below-deck open lounge area. The large full-beam aft stateroom offers options of an athwartships double bed and single portside bed or three singles. This elegant vessel maintains and expands on the single-level lifestyle design of the Riviera Sport Yacht line, including an aft galley and stainless steel pillarless aft bulkhead door and fold-up awning window that opens the saloon right out into the cockpit.
To experience these truly world-class luxury boats, the Riviera and Belize display will be located at the 2013 Auckland On Water Boat Show held at Viaduct Harbour, Auckland from September 26 to 29.
Riviera offers 15 different models from 36 to 75 feet across three model series Flybridge, Sport Yacht and the new SUV collection.
In 2012 Riviera celebrated the launch of its 5000th boat, the 445 SUV, a significant achievement in the company's rich 33-year history.
Riviera also offers the bespoke Belize Motoryachts. Inspired by classic luxury details and timeless style, Belize Motoryachts has recently released the new 54 foot Sedan and Daybridge models.
57 Enclosed Flybridge with IPS
|Length:||18.5 m (60' 8")||Beam:||5.13 m (16' 10")|
|Draft:||1.58 m (5' 2")||Standard Power x 2:||662 kW (900 hp each)|
|Range:||379 nm @ 28.4 knt||Sleeping Capacity:||6 persons|


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Google will be launching Google Home in Germany soon. A newly published video on Google Germany's YouTube channel reveals that the company's smart speaker will be hitting German retailers on August 8th, expanding the reach of the device and adding more potential users to the already growing list of people who have adopted the technology and invited it into their homes. With the confirmation of Google Home coming to Germany on August 8th, this will be the second European country to gain access to the smart speaker next month, as Google confirmed that Google Home would be landing in France beginning August 3rd.
Google's video doesn't mention which retailers will be selling the product once the launch date hits, though it will be available through the Google Store in Germany at the very least. Presumably, it will also hit other retailers likely both online and in physical shops where products of this type are sold, so long as those retailers carry other Google products. In addition to skipping over any details which list where customers will be able to buy Google Home there is also a lack of cost mentioned, but chances are it will end up being the same cost as it is in France which is set at €149. That said, the cost of Google Home in Germany isn't guaranteed to be the same cost as it is in France as Google doesn't seem to have confirmed it, and a quick look at the Google Store Germany reveals it's not listed on the page yet.
Google Home has had a few improvements over the last few months which have made the speaker more useful, thanks to Google's inclusion of new features, some heavily requested such as the multi-user accounts, and since features like this are already available in the U.S., there is a good chance they will be supported in Germany at launch, though consumers who are interested in picking this up in the region will want to make sure it's an available feature before buying if multiple people in the home are planning on using the device. In addition to multi-user accounts, Google Home also recently gained the ability to stream music from Google Play Music user libraries and songs/albums that were purchased through the service.


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ESCONDIDO — Starting at 7 a.m., more than 100 people stood in line braving the drizzle to get their number and pick up baby chicks.
In its 15th year, the Hawthorne Country Store’s annual Chick Day drew people from all walks of life. Whether customers were looking to live more sustainably or to beef up their numbers on a farm, store owners Heather and Terry Thelen had one of their best events ever.
This year, about 1,500 chicks were sold, while last year 2,000 chicks were purchased in 24 hours. The chicks cost between $4 and $50 each.
“You can raise your own food on a small scale,” Heather Thelen said. “We teach classes with two chickens and a tomato plant. It doesn’t have to be a large operation. It’s pets with benefits.”
The line to enter the store had about a 45-minute wait, but the masses were more than willing to brave the cold temperatures to get their hands on baby chicks. The store provides more than 100 different breeds, with a variety of color patterns, egg sizes and temperaments. The two most popular, Heather Thelen said, are Silkie’s and Orpington’s.
For Alec Roach and Mikki Geier, both 25, this was their first time buying chicks (they bought seven). They peppered the staff with dozens of questions, and were met with answers to guide them through the buying process to raising the chicks in their first few months.
Roach and Geier live outside Escondido city limits and have a property they rent through Airbnb. They want to provide fresh eggs to their guests, while also living a more sustainable lifestyle.
“The idea was to have a more sustainable life at home,” Geier said. “We got white Silkie’s. We’re thinking of sticking with the seven for the first year and see how it goes. People say after four months, their chicks lay an egg a day, so that’s seven eggs a day.”
Chick Day began as a display contest through some feed companies, and the Thelens won the contest the first six years. The event was dropped, but the Thelens realized the potential and kept it alive.
The event draws people from all over San Diego County and the Thelens are aided by their employees and volunteers, who are trained on the differences between breeds, food intake, care and protecting the birds once they move to a coop. In addition, the night before Chick Day, the Thelens host a “Peep Show,” which is a preview of the chicks.
“It just kept getting more and more popular,” Heather Thelen said. “Four years ago, there were people here early in the morning and they all came in at once. People were mad and upset … so we started the number system and people line up and get their number in the morning.”
As for feed, there has a been change in how and what the animals are fed. Six years ago, Heather Thelen said, there was no organic feed for the birds. But the explosion and popularity of organic food among people has branched into pet stores.
Cities in San Diego County and around the state and country have begun developing and instituting ordinances and laws permitting a limited amount of chickens, although roosters are not allowed in many municipalities.
“We have a giant line of organic feed now,” Terry Thelen added. “Now, it’s huge.”


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Get ready for mouth-watering baby-back ribs, Carolina pulled-pork, and chicken smothered with barbeque sauce. Dallas BBQ’s has opened its first Bronx location at West Fordham Road and the Major Deegan Expressway. It promises a great family dinning experience at a first-class, full-service restaurant.
Dallas BBQ’s has seven other locations around New York City, and its expansion into the Bronx has many excited. The new restaurant offers an option to the many fast-food restaurants lining Fordham Road.
The BBQ restaurant at 281 W. Fordham Road offers a full menu of world-class appetizers like crabcakes and southern fried chicken tenders. Main courses include delicacies like taco salads, BBQ burgers, Texas hot dogs, and crispy jumbo shrimp.
“We have seven other restaurants and saw this new one as natural expansion serving the Bronx market,” said Eric Levine, spokesman for Dallas BBQ. “We put millions of dollars into the new restaurant and created about 200 jobs. We are trying to really make the whole area good for business, community, and families.”
The new Dallas BBQ is in a building that once housed the X-bar nightclub and Jimmy’s Bronx Café. According to Levine, the community has already embraced the restaurant.
“The clientele is great and the restaurant has been well received by families,” Levine said. “We are proud of the volume that we are doing at our Bronx location.”
Community Board 7 district manager Fernando Tirado said that Dallas BBQ’s was good for the area because it allows families interested in dinning together the option of spending their money close to home.
“We need more of these family-friendly restaurants where we can enjoy ourselves because more money goes out of the Bronx than comes into it in terms of the buying power of our citizens,” Tirado said. “Dallas BBQ reached out to the board last June to ask about the perception this restaurant would have in the community. We told them that the board is excited to have them here.”
Daniel Bernstein, deputy director of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District, said that he thinks the restaurant will be beneficial to the BID in helping it attract more top-notch eateries. The BID extends from Third to Jerome avenues on E. Fordham Road. The restaurant is just beyond its boundaries.
“I think that it is a great thing for Fordham Road because we haven’t had a place where people can sit down and eat a meal,” Bernstein stated. “We are loaded with fast food options. There has been a big push recently to attract more full-service restaurants.”
For more information on Dallas BBQ’s Bronx location, call (718) 220–2822. For their menu, visit www.bbqnyc.com.


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India is midway through its demographic dividend – a period of time when demography gives economic growth a boost by expanding the working-age share of the population
To exploit this dividend and meet the growing aspirations of those entering the labour force, India’s economy needs to create enough “good jobs” – jobs that are safe and pay well, and encourage firms and workers to improve skills and productivity.
between 1989 and 20101. Two things are notable. First, informal firms account for most employment growth and nearly all the increase in the number of establishments since 19892
Second, trends seem somewhat different after 2000: informal sector establishment counts flatten and employment actually falls, while formal sector employment picks up. This might be related to the increasing use of contract labour
“regulatory cholesterol” and the rIse of contract labour fIrms
medium-sized formal sector manufacturing firms reported labour regulations to be a significant barrier to growth, and specifically “dismissal norms under the Industrial Disputes Act”4 and “the cumbersome nature of compliance with labour regulations in general”
The slow pace of labour reform has encouraged firms to resort to other strategies to negotiate “regulatory cholesterol”
popular strategy is to hire contract workers, which has two key benefits:
the firm essentially subcontracts the work of following regulations and “managing” inspectors to the contract labour firm.
Second, because contract workers are the employees of the contractor and are not considered workmen in the firm, the firm stays small enough to be exempt from some labour law.
Contract labour use has grown throughout the world over the last few decades, and India is no exception.
With private investment lagging (see chapter 1), states are under pressure to be seen as attractive destinations for investments that will create jobs and boost economic growth.
Several states, such as Rajasthan, have responded by amending their labour laws with the goal of attracting large employers and high growth industries to their state, and other states like Gujarat and Maharashtra are considering steps in this direction.
Moreover, the benefits of the entry of a large manufacturing company to a state can go beyond scale, depending on the kind of products they manufacture. Recent economic research argues that “what you export matters”, because exporting develops a country’s local know-how and supply chain networks, bringing it closer to the global frontier for the exported good12.
what a country manufactures today matters not just because it affects employment and growth today, but also because it shapes the set of products a country can profitably produce tomorrow.
There may be a possibility of competitive federalism becoming “too competitive”,
Apparel is an industry in which India should be performing well. It is labourintensive, with 30 per cent of costs from wages.
Only 2-3 per cent of costs are due to capital-intensive inputs like power
And yet India is ceding market share in the global apparel industry to countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam
that productivity could be substantially improved by reallocating capital from less-productive to more-productive firms.
Formal sector apparel firms are about 15 times more productive than their informal sector counterparts
Yet Figure 9 shows that India’s apparel sector is dominated by 13 The labour productivity of formal sector apparel firms is about R430,000 per worker compared to the informal apparel sector’s R28,800 per worker. informal firms: approximately 2.0 million establishments employing about 3.3 million workers (average size 1.5 workers), dwarfing the formal apparel sector’s 2800 firms which employ 330,000 workers (average size 118 workers).
apparel firms now make up the largest share of establishments in the informal sector.
some formal sector apparel manufacturers are adopting—relocating in second- and third-tier towns and cities
This business model of moving factories to workers has a number of commercial and social advantages—it involves spreading economic development to underdeveloped
areas, reduces spatial mismatch in the labour market and can improve competitiveness by raising firms’ access to lower cost labour
The apparel industry typically employs many female workers: for instance about 70 per cent of the employees of India’s largest apparel exporter are women.
apparel manufacturers locating in rural areas can help address the low rates of female labour force participation that prevent India from achieving its full economic potential.
Most explanations of low labour force participation in India focus on supplyside factors like cultural norms that frown on women working outside the home
Less attention has been given to demand-side explanations, which essentially emphasise that a key determinant of female labour force participation (LFP) is the availability of suitable jobs
It is a striking fact that the areas in India that have seen the greatest decline in female labour force participation in the last decade are those villages that have rapidly urbanised and are now part of towns and small cities.
Farming jobs in these areas are no longer available, but women-friendly service sector jobs are yet to take their place.
female LFP can be expected to depend on the availability of ‘suitable jobs’, which are flexible and located close to home
recent research suggests that more than half of the decline in female LFPR is explained by a deficit of suitable jobs at the local level.
India’s GDP would grow by an additional 1.4 per cent every year if women were to participate as much as men in the economy
In addition to higher economic growth, gainful work by women—and especially paid employment—is correlated with a host of positive outcomes, including more agency at the household level and in society more broadly, and greater investments in children’s health and education18
the centre’s role In creatIng “good Jobs”—ensurIng Worker centrIc labour regulatIon
First, there is a significant wedge between gross and takehome pay for lower earners—45 per cent if one counts employer contributions and deductions from employees’ pay.
Second, the equivalent wedge is much smaller for higher earners—only 5 per cent owing both to fewer mandatory employer contributions and fewer mandatory deductions from gross pay.
Of course, higher earners may still voluntarily contribute from their own take-home salaries to, say, the EPF—but lower earners have no such choice.
India’s most pressing labour market challenge going forward will be to generate a large number of good jobs.
Two obstacles to formal sector job creation are regulation-induced taxes on formal workers and spatial mismatch between workers and jobs


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Remember Have got has got? It feels like we were just talking about it, but in reality, it’s actually been a few years now since we got a proper update about the upcoming Switch release.
If you have wondered what’s up with this Pokémon-inspired creature collection and battle game, it seems Spanish developer Crema has finally taken its first steps towards the Switch release – sending in the first, preemptive build to Nintendo for certification:
“…certification is a series of processes where the platform holder reviews our game and evaluates its current status to check its adequacy to release on said platform. This is just a first step in the process of getting the game set for the platform, and we’ll have to undergo further certification in the future, when the game is closer to launching, but we’re trying to anticipate and prepare for any possible hiccups by starting out early.”
Crema goes on to mention how the “biggest challenge” so far is how visually heavy Temtem is – noting how it’s working hard on optimisation:
“While this Switch build that we’ve just sent is not yet ready to be enjoyed by you, our players, we hope to clear this certification step right away so we can continue focusing on improving the game for the platform. Temtem, although some people won’t believe us, is visually heavy, and this is the biggest challenge in our path. We’re working hard on optimization to fit both visual excellence and good performance levels on the handheld, and once we polish and perfect any sector of the game we will make sure to share a video so you can see for yourself.”
So, there you go – Temtem is getting closer to a Switch release. The developer also plans to keep fans in the loop by posting about future milestones.
Still excited about playing Temtem on Switch? Tell us below.


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2020 has finally come to an end, and much of the general public is looking forward to more prospects and opportunities in 2021. But even though a new year can signify a fresh start for a lot of individuals and businesses that want to restart business ventures, the COVID-19 pandemic is still in full swing and will continue affecting numerous industries. In fact, multi-billion industries like the airline industry have lost billions of dollars in revenue during the opening months of the pandemic.
But even though most businesses have been encountering problems throughout much of the year, the show must still go on for some industries. In fact, a good percentage of companies that don’t necessarily need to interact with customers and clients physically have migrated towards digital platforms as a means of tapping into a larger audience.
Content Marketing in 2021
With even more businesses and industries switching to a more digital means of operating, the demand for digital services has also skyrocketed in popularity. This is where content marketing comes in: being able to have a strong online presence is key in tapping into a larger market.
When you’re in marketing, you have to predict the ebb and flow of the social climate. What’s a great way of knowing who to target and what type of content needs to be created? Focusing on what’s currently trending is a great way of knowing the direction of marketing campaigns while also increasing organic engagements.
So what will 2021 look like for content marketing firms? Will there be changes in trends? We’ll be answering some important questions regarding the marketing industry.
Competition Will Always Be There
Even in the “new normal,” competition between thousands of businesses will still rage on. There is one unspoken rule in the business world: if you don’t have any online presence, you practically don’t exist in the eyes of the public.
Since a good majority of industries have moved to online platforms, it’s important that your business should start migrating digitally. In 2021, there’s bound to be even more businesses that will start placing millions of dollars on digital marketing as a means of funneling engagements and converting them into leads. After all, the name of the game is getting your content noticed.
When it comes to getting an edge over your competition, information, and data on what your competitors are doing can give you the necessary advantage. Usually, domains and businesses will look for keywords and strategies that competitors will be using.
If you’re not quite sure what type of keywords and data that you’ll need to focus on, you can always commission the services of professional SEO service providers. Having professional help and supervision in search engine optimization can ensure that your business and domain is optimized in the digital realm.
Still, the best strategy out there when it comes to creating content is being creative and flexible with your works. After all, you want to add something “fresh” to the table.
People are Relying on Content More
Throughout the past few years, much of the general public have been using content in the form of reviews, articles, and blog posts as a means of guiding themselves throughout much of their situation. That said, there’s bound to be even more engagements for domains and sites that like discussing products since the content is definitely part of the buyer’s journey.
Video Streaming is on the Rise
Have to attend an event that’s halfway across the world but can’t be there physically? You don’t have to be there since video conferencing platforms have seen a steady increase in activities. Virtual events and online conferences are becoming even more common. This is an effective way of engaging influencers that are from niche industries, generating leads, and creating more methods of income.
Compared to other forms of marketing, this is known for being one of the easiest ways of executing a marketing campaign. ; This has become even more popular among companies that have a remote workforce.
There are a variety of trends that might become true this year. Compared to other industries out there, content and digital marketing will still be one of the most lucrative businesses out there. Not only does it help businesses through tumultuous times, but it’s one of the best ways of improving customer experience.
It’s important to note that we are still in times of uncertainty, and the socio-economic climate could change at any given moment, depending on what’s happening around the world. In reality, only time will tell what will be key trends. However, there’s a good chance that these predictions might come true in the next few months. Since we’re potentially at the tail-end of the pandemic, it’s safe to say that things could go back to normal this year.


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NAGOYA – Consumers in Aichi Prefecture have been warned not to buy Coco Ichibanya brand beef cutlets after it emerged that some 5,000 pieces due for disposal were instead illegally sold to two supermarkets.
Ichibanya, which operates Curry House Coco Ichibanya restaurants, said Wednesday that it had asked local waste disposal firm Daiko to dump 40,000 frozen cutlets after it was learned that one might contain a piece of plastic up to 8 mm long.
The cutlets were manufactured last September and given to Inazawa-based Daiko in October.
The Gifu Prefectural Government said Daiko asked noodle manufacturing firm Minori Fuzu, in the city of Hashima, to sell some of the cutlets to individuals and two supermarkets in the prefecture.
Some 5,405 are said to have been sold to the supermarkets, which have been identified only as being located in the city of Tsushima and in Nagoya.
When the prefectural officials inspected the noodle manufacturer, they found 800 empty cardboard boxes with the name Ichibanya.
Separately, a Coco Ichibanya worker noticed this week that some of the firm’s beef cutlets, normally used only as toppings in the restaurant’s dishes, were being sold at one of the supermarkets.
Ichibanya had contracted Daiko to dispose of its waste since 2001. Daiko officials declined comment.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


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Question: How many people use Amazon?
Answer: Tooooooo many if you are a competitor of any kind.
Amazon’s domination of the retail and now B2B distribution industry is as well known as Jeff Bezos’ badass quotes. One of particular significance to this blog posts is this:
“What we need to do is always lean into the future; when the world changes around you and when it changes against you. What used to be a tail wind is now a headwind – you have to lean into that and figure out what to do because complaining isn’t a strategy.”
Amazon continues to innovate and drive next-generation services for today’s consumer, including its recent launch of ‘try before you buy’ fashion in the UK, a feature that allows subscription members to try up to eight items before they commit to the purchase, once again changing the game for online B2C shopping.
It’s advances like this that have been forcing retail and ecommerce companies to re-evaluate their business operations in order to deliver on the consumer expectations Amazon has created for years.
But what about the business-to-business world? Perhaps less well known, but equally as prevailing, is Amazon’s recent move to B2B with the launch of the Amazon Business platform, a B2B marketplace where “more than half of Britain’s biggest listed companies” are buying their everyday office supplies according to a recent article in The Telegraph, and it is expanding rapidly across key territories in Europe. This evolution in Amazon’s portfolio is putting the same pressure on wholesale distribution and manufacturing businesses that retailers are now well accustomed to.
Launched in 2015, Amazon Business is already generating over $10bn in annual revenue. It hit $1bn in its first year alone in the US, and within its first year in the UK it had more than 100,000 customers. Check out this fascinating infographic by Oracle NetSuite charting the path to date. In 2017, Amazon Business in Germany was reported to have more than 50,000 business customers and 10,000 sellers, just one year after launch. It is undoubtedly a platform to be reckoned with. Wholesale distributors and manufacturers must pay attention if they are to effectively compete in this new age of B2B selling, or risk losing customers to Amazon.
What can wholesale and manufacturing companies do to compete?
Amazon attributes the success of Amazon Business to “the way it responds to customer needs” according to the UK Head of Amazon Business, in a recent article on The Telegraph. It is this sentiment that wholesale and manufacturing businesses must adopt if they are to compete in this new era. The customer is, and always has been, at the core of everything Amazon delivers. Using data to deliver a personalised experience, reacting to changing customer demands, influencing customer behaviour, and putting the customer experience first is what has propelled Amazon to the top of the retail world. And there is no doubt this ethos will be carried through to its B2B business.
If wholesale and manufacturing companies are going to stay in the race, they must give their customer base the same treatment, enabling the business to deliver on the needs of today’s B2B buyer. Technology is at the very foundation of this. Without the right systems in place, wholesalers and manufacturers will struggle to deliver the same level of service that Amazon Business can offer, and will expose themselves to a potential migration of customers to Amazon. To deliver the Amazon experience and respond positively to the Amazon Effect, manufacturers and wholesale distributors need improved business visibility of both customer behaviour and the business operations, strong inventory and order management and the ability to deliver personalised marketing campaigns. This should all be tied together with one integrated system that allows real-time visibility and enhanced business intelligence that will support continued growth and enable them to deliver on the expectations of the B2B buyer.


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Lots of camera makers are having big anniversaries at the moment, but each of them seems to be celebrating in a different way. It seems Lumix will be marking its 20th anniversary on 27 October with a Panasonic GH6 reveal. Hasselblad, meanwhile, launched a limited-edition camera, the Hasselblad 07X Anniversary Edition, when it turned the ripe old age of 80 last month.
Sigma, in turn, is celebrating its 60th birthday this fall – and it seems to have prompted a bout of generosity. So the Japanese camera manufacturer, which was founded in 1961, has launched a competition to give away $60,000 worth of scholarships to budding photographers and filmmakers.


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Success is thumbs up for chipmaker
Star Wars is cleaning up the pre-Christmas theatre but it appears that behind the scenes the dark side is cheering.
Bye-bye VLIW5 and VLIW4 architectures
AMD has said that that video cards based on the company’s architectures have been moved to legacy status.
Reworked Nvidia support
The new stable Linux kernel is out there supporting Intel’s Skylake and a reworked open source support platform for Nvidia graphics cards.
Now AMD has the full set
The last of the console makers is ready to sign up to AMD chips, according to the latest rumour
Made by Robots
Asus has come up with a new fully automated graphics card production method.
Energy efficient ones
Enter the Scorpius
Review: Silent, OCed card with extra headroom
Wants it hastily replaced with GTX 660, 650


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Amazon will buy out the remaining shares of Europe’s online video rental service Lovefilm. Having already owned 42% of the stock, the deal is not surprising and should be completed by the first quarter of the year. Amazon is leveraging Lovefilm to further challenge Netflix in the on-demand rental arena. Read the full article at engadget.com
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.