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Vodafone has become the first Australian telco to announce availability of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet, with pre-orders for the device opening today at 4pm on both 12 and 24 month contract plans.
Samsung has finally won the right to officially sell its Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet in Australia, following the Federal Court of Australia's decision to reject Apple's request to appeal today.
The Federal Court of Australia has today overturned the preliminary injunction against the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, paving the way for the banned tablet to be officially sold Down Under.
Samsung has postponed its media launch for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 next week, following a federal court decision that prevents the tablet from going on sale in Australia until a patent lawsuit with Apple is resolved.
Apple has sensationally won a federal court decision that prevents Samsung's latest Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet from going on sale in Australia until a patent lawsuit is resolved.
Samsung will unveil its hotly anticipated Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet in Australia early next month, following an invitation sent to the media for the launch of the 'exciting new tablet' on 11 August.
Most Android tablets currently on the market appear to scream "me too". Samsung appears to be trying to change these similarities with its upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Vodafone today announced that its latest tablet device, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, has been delayed until May 4 in Australia.
Samsung today announced that its latest tablet device, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, will be available exclusively through Vodafone in Australia from "mid-April" for $729 -- but for a "limited time only."
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People aiming to "buy American" this Fourth of July may encounter difficulty purchasing fireworks manufactured in the United States. About 99% of the bottle rockets, roman candles and other fireworks on sale across the country are imported, the vast majority from China. In fact, China accounted for $268 million of U.S. fireworks imports last year, nearly 96 percent of total fireworks imports, according to website ValuePenguin.
With nearly 14,000 fireworks displays taking place in the U.S. every Fourth of July, the rockets are big business. The most important figure behind the fireworks flow across the Pacific is a Chinese businessman named Ding Yan Zhong, also known as "Mr. Ding". Approximately 70 percent of the fireworks entering the U.S. are controlled by Mr. Ding and on average, 72 of his pyrotechnic-filled containers are imported every single day.
While China accounts for the lion's share of the pyrotechnic trade, the U.S. does count on some other sources for its imports. Even though shipments from Spain are miniscule compared to China, imports still amounted to more than $5 million last year. Total U.S. fireworks imports in 2017 came to approximately $280 million while exports came to just under $7 million.
*Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)

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In today’s digital age, random cyber-attacks like ransomware, worms, or trojan are making big news all over the world. We will discuss in this article how you can protect yourself from cyber-attacks and cybercrime in general. In 2007, a wild scale cyber-attack hit at least 200,000 people all over the world. Over 150 countries have been a victim of attacks, with the UK’s NHS being the most affected.
At least 12 Scottish health boards, including ambulance services, became a victim of cyber-attack. Because of this event, it causes fear and panic in the internet security world across the country. One month after the cyber-attack, another global ransomware attack caused panic for companies all over the world. Just like what happened a month ago, a virus hit computers, and demand users to pay a random amount using cryptocurrency, Bitcoin.
(To know more about the cyber-attack on UK’s NHS, visit https://www.nao.org.uk/report/investigation-wannacry-cyber-attack-and-the-nhs.)
How can you protect yourself from these attacks?
These cyber-attacks have wreaked havoc and made people worried, thinking they could be the next target. If companies with dedicated IT department have been a victim of these attacks, there is no reason their computers will be the next target of these hackers. Although home-users have a lower risk of being a target, a lot of users are still vulnerable to getting caught out by the viruses, cyber-attacks, and internet scams.
Should people pay the hackers a ransom if they infected their computers? The answer is a big NO! Do not pay the ransom. Giving into the hacker’s demands will only give them more reason to make the attack again. You need to remember that these people are criminals, thieves, there’s no guarantee that they will provide you with your files back once you paid them.
The good news is, until now, only a handful of people has surrendered to the demands of the hackers. The best way to protect your computers from this malware is to use a virtual private network or VPN. The best UK VPN available in the market today may be a bit expensive, but it can mask your IP address to potential hackers and cyber-criminals
What is ransomware?
Ransomware or Computer image 906px wide Ransomware is a malicious program that locks or blocks the access to the computer data or files until the owner of the files will pay the amount or ransom set by the hackers. Once these programs infected the computer, the user’s access to the data is diminished, and a message on the computer will notify the user every detail on how they can pay for the recovery.
During the latest worldwide cyber-attack, it was done through “WannaCry” malware, which can easily infect vulnerable units within their network. Once the computer is hijacked, the hackers demanded at least $300 or £230 worth of crypto-currency Bitcoin, with threats that if the ransom is not paid in one week, all their data will be lost forever.
Always prioritize the security of your computer.
You have to install the latest updates of your malware protection and anti-virus in your computer. It’s a little bit annoying to be bombarded by updates in your phone and your computer, it is imperative to run these malware and anti-virus updates to your operating system to patch any holes in your security.
In these last cases of hacking and cybercrime, the malware spread fast from device to device by taking advantage of the loophole in the computer’s security system of Microsoft’s Windows OS’ older version. The malware should have been prevented if the user updated the latest version of Windows.
Backup your files regularly
If push comes to shove and this cyber-attack targeted your computer, you can quickly get access to your data safely stored anywhere. Devices like an external hard drive and portable USB flash drives with enough memory to store all your files are now cheaper compared before. It can save you a lot of money and sleepless nights in the long run.
(Click here to know more about how to back up your computer files properly.)
Be careful with the emails you are clicking.
The easiest way a virus or a malware can catch people is by clicking the links in unexpected emails or downloading infected attachments. Hackers can easily do infected links, and they appeal to people’s interest, that’s why it is easy to bait innocent users. It is called phishing. It may be safe and honest looking site, but the consequences are very catastrophic for your computer’s security system.
Let’s make it simple, don’t click any emails with hyperlinks or download an attachment if you don’t know the sender. Do not give out personal information like name, address, phone numbers, birthday and social security number of unsolicited emails. Some hackers trick unsuspecting victims into thinking that they are clicking a legitimate website and entering their details into the site.
Instead, they are sending all the necessary information to the scammers who can use it to steal their identity and steal their money. Legit senders like phone companies, banks, or credit card company will not ask their clients for any security details or transfer money into other accounts using emails. You need to make sure that the anti-virus product on your computer is up to date.
You also need to run a complete scan of your computer at least once every other day. If you don’t have the full version of the malware protection or anti-virus product, you can install the trial version for free from a respectable and known vendor.


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Country music power couple Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are giving their fans the perfect Christmas gift: their own holiday album! The pair announced the collaboration, titled Christmas Together, via Facebook live video, where they also revealed the album’s cozy cover photo.
“It was fun. It was an absolute joy to get to go with this woman into the studio and sing. [I] really, really enjoy this record and very proud of this record,” Brooks said.
“When you’re making an album yourself, it’s hard enough to find those songs that you like yourself. When you’re doing a duet album you double that because both of you have to love the songs equally,” Yearwood said of creating the album. “When it comes to Christmas, there’s so many traditional songs to choose from. I like to mix it up…Garth wrote some things for this record. So it’s a mix of things you know and things you’ve never heard before.”
This will be the couple’s first joint album, though they have often collaborated on singles, including successful duets “Love Will Always Win” and “Squeeze Me In.” Yearwood has also joined her husband on the road this year to perform their hits in one of the best-selling concert tours of 2016.
The pair is familiar with holiday records, as each has released their own festive albums as solo artists prior to their marriage in 2005. Christmas Together will be Brooks’ fourth holiday album and Yearwood’s second.
The record is set to release on Nov. 11, the same day Brooks’ latest compilation box set, The Ultimate Collection, is released exclusively at Target. Pick it up as the perfect stocking stuffer for the country fan in your life!


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It started as an underground project of a person (or persons) whose identity we still have not figured out. Bitcoin sprung out right after the 2008 world economic crisis, at a perfect time for a new and subversive idea. But the subversive element of this story is long gone now when the value of a single bitcoin rose to almost 11.000 dollars.
So far, most of the money, time and work which fuel the value of bitcoin had come from computer enthusiasts, nerds and fans. However, the rising value of this cryptocurrency with global ambitions attracts more and more large investors and, of course, speculators. This fuels the bitcoin craze even more, but where is the limit of this growth? What will bitcoin turn out to become?
What do the experts have to say?
Many economists and business experts compare bitcoin’s rise to stardom to some of the famous economic bubbles from the past, like the tulip craze in The Netherlands or the dot.com bubble in the late 90s. Their main argument is that the currency has on intrinsic value whatsoever, other than the value ascribed to it by the owners themselves. This is a great danger, according to most of the commentators, because the fall would be very hard once the owners realize that the emperor is naked.
Furthermore, all of the experts point out the extreme volatility and instability of bitcoin. According to statistical data, the value of bitcoin is now at six times the historical average. Just in the last week, the price of bitcoin rose by 10%, and the fell by almost 20%.
On the other side of the story are the fans and defenders of bitcoin. They say that this idea will (if it hasn`t by now) revolutionize the monetary system and bring about a completely new way of how we look at money and finance. Most of the bitcoin enthusiasts still hold on to it, saying that the value will grow constantly. They also like to point out that the dot.com bubble burst when the value of the stocks reach about $3tn. Right now, bitcoin’s market cap is at about $170bn, leaving room for the bubble to grow.
Bitcoin in the future
Leading economists and high-powered figures of the financial world like Joseph Stiglitz and Lloyd Blankfein have expressed their negative sentiment towards this cryptocurrency. They went so far to say that there is no social benefit of bitcoin and that it is a fertile ground for speculators and fraudsters.
More and more people keep pumping money into the bitcoin, fueling its growth. How long will this keep going on, nobody can say with certainty? Will it keep growing or will it plunge into oblivion, we will see. But nobody can claim that there is a logical, rational and scientific explanation which can explain the future success or downfall of bitcoin. All we can rely on is our intuition, which most people would call a gamble.


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On Thursday, the company unveiled a series of apps and services, including one that's created to let Windows-based developers test iOS apps from their PCs. - With Timeline, you'll be able to pick a time, say last Wednesday morning, and see what files , apps and sites you had opened, allowing you to easily jump back to what you were doing.
Assuming the app is supported, you can pick up exactly where you left off on your PC with your Smartphone. In addition, the company will alter the look of the browser so that it is more in keeping with its new Fluent Design System . Be it a photo, map link, paragraph, or even an animated gif, you can copy all these from the desktop and paste on a phone, as the familiar Clipboard is now cloud-powered.
The pernicious new form of "ransomware" that rapidly spread across the globe reportedly demanded payments of as much as US$600 (NZ$874) to restore access and scrambling data. Still, the news prompted security teams at large financial services firms and businesses around the world to review their plans for defending against ransomware attacks, according to executives with private cyber security firms.
School officials have said they chose to share the video with police even though the connection between the incident and the boy's death remains unclear. In a statement, the boy's mother said, "Gabriel was a shining light to everyone who knew and loved him". But as the school has so far declined to release the video, precisely what it shows is in dispute.
They have NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC on-board as well as their local affiliates. The more items you watch on Hulu with Live TV, the more personalized the suggestions will get. Want to watch TV, delivered live and on-demand, over the web, for about $ 40 a month? That means Hulu's paid TV bundle is one of the more comprehensive packages on the market.
The two leaders agreed to exchange special envoys "at an early date" and Moon proposed sending a separate delegation to Beijing that will "exclusively discuss the THAAD and the North's nuclear issues", Yoon said. Moon, 64, is expected to have his first conversation with Trump in a phone call Wednesday, Yonhap news agency said, citing unnamed Seoul diplomats.
The Spanish telecommunications giant Telefonica had its systems brought down by ransomware that showed a ransom screen identical to those hitting English hospitals. It won't be able to exploit the vulnerability targetted by Wanna Crypt because it is singularly targetted towards the unsupported Windows versions. XP support, for instance, ended more than three years ago .
The same report mentions that Microsoft has explained how Cortana would be able to actually leverage this feature. Belfiore also discussed Windows Timeline, which he said will be the "easiest way to get back to whetever you were working on".
According to The Wall Street Journal, the malware believed to be behind the attacks encrypts data on infected computers and essentially holds it for ransom. "Everyone's vulnerable right now because you're only as strong as your weakest link within your organisation from a cyber-perspective". A massive ransomware campaign appears to have infected a number of organisations around the world.
The country has withdrawn from this year's Song Contest due to a dispute over its singer. Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey present the Top 40 songs from Eurovision's 60 year history as voted by Australia's Eurovision fans via the SBS Eurovision website.
Microsoft Surface boss Panos Panay said the new laptop weighed 1.25kg (2.76lb) - lighter than the Macbook Air. While Microsoft will have inbuilt support for most drivers, users might be unable to install drivers for which there is no inbuilt support.
With their back to the gamer, we can see them wielding a bow and arrow. The text found in the image , "Assassinate the Crocodile" - "Follow Shadya to Khenut's villa" also confirms the ancient Egypt setting, as Khenut was a Queen of Egypt.
The next game from the developer of Tropico is Surviving Mars , a new management game due out in 2018 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac and Linux. What we will say is that Surviving Mars is a hardcore survival city-builder, where players will be tasked with creating a livable colony in the harsh, hostile environs of Mars, floating far removed from any help.
Tapping on the Street View image opens it up full-screen, properly facing the direction you're going on the route. We reached out to Google for further confirmation, and the company said the feature has been widely available since early in May, and is now offered to Android users worldwide.
If Star Wars Battlefront 2 can provide a compelling, interesting experience that meets and even exceeds gamer expectations, EA shouldn't have any trouble matching or beating the success of Star Wars Battlefront . The newest Star Wars Battlefront game will implement certain elements of fan feedback, containing a new story, new game modes, characters, locations and vehicles.
Security software maker Avast said it had observed more than 57,000 infections in 99 countries. Russia's interior ministry said it had "localised the virus" following an "attack on personal computers using Windows operating system". The statement said antivirus systems are working to destroy it. On Wednesday, hackers disputed the websites of several French media companies and aerospace giant Airbus.
Hospitals across England have been hit by a large-scale cyber-attack, the National Health Service (NHS) said, which has locked staff out of their computers and forced many trusts to divert emergency patients. The emergencies ministry told Russian news agencies it had repelled the cyber attacks while Sberbank said its cyber security systems had prevented viruses from entering its systems.
A hacking group released details on the exploit in April when they published a collection of spy tools allegedly used by the National Security Agency online. Other health-care centers, meanwhile, turned off their computers to avoid potential infiltration. "At this stage we do not have any evidence that patient data has been accessed".
In Frederick County Maryland, The Habitat for Humanity has teamed up with Lowe's to celebrate National Women Build Week in a special way, building a home from the ground up. "Now we're moving into more health and safety stuff inside and outside the house". "A lot of women are a little bit scared, maybe they never lifted a hammer before, or never used power tools, so this is a safe zone, were ready to teach you what you're doing, we promise the house isn't going to fall on you", says Boudreaux.
Stade Français: 15 Hugo Bonneval, 14 Waisea Vuidarvuwalu, 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Djibril Camara, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Will Genia, 1 Heinke van der Merwe, 2 Remi Bonfils, 3 Rabah Slimani, 4 Hugh Pyle, 5 Paul Gabrillagues, 6 Antoine Burban, 7 Jonathan Ross, 8 Sergio Parisse.
Dozens of countries were hit with a huge cyberextortion attack Friday that locked up computers and held users' files for ransom at a multitude of hospitals, companies and government agencies. Pictures posted on social media showed screens of NHS computers with images demanding payment of $300 worth of the online currency Bitcoin, saying: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!" "It had a countdown clock ticking down, stating that all data would be deleted unless a payment was received within ...
For developers with Visual Studio 2017 on their PCs, Microsoft released an update (version 15.2) that includes the return of the Python and Data Science workloads and support for TypeScript 2.2, Guthrie announced. Microsoft acquired Xamarin in March 2016, and integrated it with its app development platform, Visual Studio. But Xamarin lets developers write an application one time and port it to multiple OSes, including iOS, Google Android, Windows and macOS.
However, the build doesn't yet include any of the brand-new features built into the OS that Microsoft previewed during Build today. This is also good news for Microsoft as the company has been looking to add some of the more popular applications to the Windows 10 Store.
In an airfreight market that remained challenging with fast-changing demand patterns, Emirates' cargo division reported a revenue of Dh10.6 billion ($2.8 billion), a decline of 5 per cent over a year ago, while tonnage carried slightly increased by 3 per cent to reach 2.6 million tonnes.
IT security firms Kaspersky Lab and Avast said they had identified the malware behind the attack in upward of 70 countries, although both said the attack had hit Russian Federation hardest. As similar widespread ransomware attacks were reported in Spain, Romania and elsewhere, experts warned that online extortion attempts by hackers are a growing menace.
Ransomware does not traditionally aim to steal personal or sensitive data held on a computer or system, instead focusing on blocking access to and threatening to delete files. We would hope that the hospitals that have been hit have already devised and implemented a comprehensive backup recovery plan that will allow them to recover all encrypted files with minimal effort.
Microsoft made an announcement at its Build developer conference. " Microsoft has grown and matured in its use of and contributions to open source technology", said Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of The Linux Foundation then. The biggest problem however, is the fact that Windows 10 S only allows apps from the Windows Store. If Microsoft can really convince users and developers alike to take another chance and embrace the Windows Store, it could change Windows as we know it.
While speculation about Microsoft's plans to release new hardware has mounted for months, perhaps the biggest surprise was the launch of Windows 10 S , a version of the operating system optimized for classroom environment. That said, the Edge browser is constantly improving and has been noticed to be faster as well as power efficient on Windows 10 mobile devices like notebooks and laptops.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc Chairman Warren Buffett fumed Saturday that health care costs are eating away at the US economy like "tapeworm" and said the Republican approach to overhaul Obamacare is a tax cut for the rich. "It was huge what they did on cutting taxes for the rich", he said. Berkshire and 3G control Kraft Heinz Co KHC.O and recently tried to merge it with Unilever NV ULVR.L UNc.AS for $143 billion, but was rebuffed.
The news, which Cook disclosed in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, indicates that Apple's executive leadership is intent on heading off any potential conflicts between the company and President Trump, who has promised to bring jobs back and pressure corporations to invest more domestically.
Dubbed Windows S , it's meant to be cheaper and less resource intensive than Windows 10 Home or Pro by having fewer programs running in the background, while being easier to manage and secure since you can only install apps from Microsoft's Windows Store.
The Tizen OS powered device will be made available in Black, Gold, and Silver colour variants depending on the market. Samsung has launched a new smartphone in their Z series and this new one is called the Z4. The convenient features include Quick Torch, Quick Talk, Quick Launch of the camera or Quick Switch without returning to the home screen. It is backed by a 2,050mAh battery .
Cardiogram, a startup working on algorithms to make the Apple Watch's heart rate data clinically actionable, announced some results today from its mRhythm Study . The Apple Watch launched with quite a bit of fanfare, but the device never exactly became the revolutionary and game-changing product that some analysts were expecting and hoping for.
Currently, the most expensive iPhone Apple sells is the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus for $969. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.76, for a total transaction of $10,041,300.00. To snap better photos from a unique angle, for example, Apple recommends tilting the iPhone 7, looking straight up, or getting low on a subject before snapping the picture.
The White House is facing criticism for a possible security breach after it allowed a Russian news service photographer into the Oval Office to take photos of U.S. Meeting Lavrov the next day was considered a questionable move, and it has been suggested it wasn't one the White House wanted to publicize. We discussed Syria and Ukraine.
If the digital industry grows at this phenomenal rate, in a few years digital games will dominate the industry as being the number one source of gaming being preferred over physical copies, and many keen eyed observers will tell you that the transition is already in effect.
Amazon will work with Mary's Place to temporarily move the families to another former hotel across the street as it builds the new, permanent home . The hotel will be demolished, and rather than kick out the nonprofit that runs the shelter housed there, Amazon will spend tens of millions to construct a permanent shelter in the building that will eventually replace it, according to the Times .
Opera Reborn comes with Facebook Messenger, Telegram and Whatsapp access direct from the browser sidebar, with shortcuts allowing users to instantly switch between messengers. As well as the messaging sidebar, Opera Reborn debuts a redesigned UI, offering animated icons, colorful themes, and a dedicated dark mode. Now the regular Opera implements one of its best features - pinning messengers in the desktop browser .
The fact that a large case manufacturer like Urban Armor is taking the possibility of a 10.5-inch iPad seriously lends weight to the rumors about the device's existence. It will also be water-resistant with features such as an A10x processor that is set to deliver a fast performance, super thin bezels, new Apple pencil, Touch bar feature, Touch ID sensor, and a 12 MP camera with a True Tone Flash.
China's rising brand, Oppo R9s was in third place with almost nine-million sold, followed by Samsung's Galaxy J3 with a bit over six-million. OPPO is wildly popular in China and growing rapidly across India. Mid-range smartphone segment in India has seen a major growth of over 158 percent in the past year, thanks to many Chinese companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, Motorola and Lenovo, the mid-range segment is flooded with tons of smartphones.
Hospitals across England reported the cyber attack was causing huge problems to their services and the public in areas affected were being advised to only seek medical care for emergencies. Spain's national cryptology centre, a division of the country's intelligence services, said the ransomware used in the attacks was of the WannaCry type which locks targeted files with a secret encryption algorithm.
While it is claimed that " Injustice 2 " for the mobile gets improved combat and story mode, some players are still seeing the lack of detail despite being a mobile game. Developed by NetherRealm Studios, Injustice 2 is a DC-themed action game that provides its players with the opportunity to control their favorite DC superheroes and supervillains and take out some less beloved characters controlled by other players or the game's AI.
The company detailed the operating system at an education-focused event in NY. Saying it was inspired by students and teachers and is "the best Windows ever for schools", the company argued that Windows 10 S "is ideal for people who have everything they need in the Windows Store and prefer the peace of mind that comes with removing the risk of downloading apps from other places".
The end result could look quite different from what narrowly cleared the House of Representatives Thursday. In recent days, Cassidy has discussed ways his proposal could improve upon the House bill. They pass a bill through the House. And at the same time, the Republicans had begun to show that perhaps they can come together and govern the country now that they control Washington in full.
Ruling that Uber is a transport service is likely to affect its operations in Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, and Finland. In a statement, Uber said it would await the final ruling later this year, but added it wouldn't change how it is already regulated in most European Union countries.
But left out the essential Google Play Store. Basically, Google classifies the Android apps and grants those apps permissions , but there is only a Normal level and unsafe level. FalseGuide and Skinner discovered on Google Play are two recent examples. Now, Google has confirmed that the company is not going to fix the Android permissions issues until the release of Android O , which is the next operating system.
This competitor has been finally launched in India and it's none other than Isuzu MU-X 2017. The big diesel engine is connected to a sequential shift automatic gearbox, in 4 x 4 as well as 4 x 2 configuration. The mu-X is also nearly like a personal air-conditioned theatre on wheels as it has in the rear roof-mounted 10-inch DVD entertainment monitor with great surround sound.
Starting with its now traditional E3 2017 video presentation - now dubbed Nintendo Spotlight as opposed to its traditional "Direct" format - the platform holder will be showing off new details of its big holiday title, Super Mario Odyssey, as well as other Nintendo Switch games launching this year.
Weeks also pointed out that Apple's long-standing partnership has helped Corning create 1,000 jobs in US. Apple's $200 million investment in the glass maker will "support Corning's R&D, capital equipment needs, and state-of-the-art glass processing".
In terms of features, there are a lot of new things coming with the Fall Creators Update but Microsoft showed off some of the main headline features at Build . This is Microsoft's new design language, meant to deliver an "intuitive, harmonious, responsive and inclusive cross-device experiences and interactions".


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Personal note: More nonsence being uttered by an increasingly desperate palm oil industry.
Indonesia, Malaysia may stop palm oil exports to EU&US
Monday, March 22, 2010 16:59 WIB Economic & Business
Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to stop exports of crude palm oil (CPO) to Europe and the United States if negative campaigns against their commodity continue.
The European Union and the United States have accused Indonesia and Malaysia, which account for 85 per cent of the world\'s production of CPO, of destroying forests to make space for oil palm plantations.
Indonesian Agriculture Minister Suswono said a delegation will visit the European Union in May to explain the Indonesian position and counter the allegation. \"We (Indonesia and Malaysia) would see what would come afterward before deciding to stop exports,\" he said.
Business in Asia Today - March.22, 2010
published by Asia Pulse
COPYRIGHT © 2010


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New York — Samsung held its annual star-studded Hope for Children Gala Tuesday night, raising $1.5 million to benefit children's health, education and sustainability programs, and honored Tony Bennett and John Legend.
The event, which drew more than 700 guests to Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, honored Samsung's guests and partners who have helped to improve children's lives across the U.S.
Additional celebrity partners at the gala included Chelsea Clinton, Drew Brees, Jimmie Johnson, Boomer Esiason, Robin Thicke, Rob Thomas, Estelle and host Sherri Shepherd.
Samsung Hope for Children, the company's global corporate social-responsibility platform, brings together the company; its retail partners, which included executive from hhgregg, P.C. Richard & Son, and distributor Ingram Micro Consumer Electronics, among others; and a network of charitable organizations associated with public figures.
Over the course of its 12-year history, Samsung Hope for Children has raised more than $30 million through the gala, which has helped more than 500 schools, hospitals and community-based foundations throughout the U.S.
Samsung executive VP Joe Stinziano, Drew Brees, Jimmie Johnson, Marisol Thomas,
One hundred percent of the gala proceeds and additional funds raised by Samsung throughout the year under its Hope for Children platform go directly to the charities.
The New York City gala featured special performances by Matchbox Twenty, Robin Thicke and Estelle. Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America, presented the Samsung Hope for Children Ambassador Award to John Legend for his work with the Show Me Campaign.
Former President Bill Clinton joined his daughter, Chelsea, via video to present Tony Bennett with the Samsung Hope for Children Lifetime Ambassador Award for his work with Exploring the Arts, a nonprofit organization founded by Bennett and his wife, Susan Benedetto.
To learn more about the Samsung Hope for Children initiative, visit Samsung.com/Hope.


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A Los Angeles consumer has filed a $5 million-plus class-action lawsuit against Spanish retailer giant Zara maintaining that U.S. consumers are being charged incorrectly for Zara merchandise priced in euros.
Louis Verdad is heading to New York to host a fashion installation at New York Fashion Week featuring the launch of his new Verdad collection.
Last week kids contemporary brand me.n.u opened a Beverly Hills pop-up shop.
This year is the 100th anniversary of America’s National Park Service. To celebrate, Ugg has teamed up with Pendleton Woolen Mills to create a men’s and women’s footwear collection featuring Uggs stylings and Pendleton’s National Park Stripe design.
The latest brand to join the shopping district at New York’s One World Trade Center is Manhattan Beach, Calif.–based footwear label Skechers USA.
Objects Without Meaning. You have to take notice of the name. The L.A. based line opened its first pop-up shop Aug. 18.
Chinese girl sells stuffed animals to raise money to send poor girls to elementary school.
J.Jill is opening its first store in Santa Monica this fall.
Sole Technology Inc., the Orange County, Calif., manufacturer of action-sports footwear and apparel for brands such as Etnies, Altamont, És, Emerica and ThirtyTwo recently named Esmail Mawjee as the interim president of the 30-year-old company.
American Apparel has a “For Sale” sign up just six months after exiting bankruptcy, according to sources close to the company.
The venerable Waterman’s Ball has been the backdrop to a wild style of surf looks for much of its 26-year history. But in 2016, it changed venues and took on an informal look.
Swim Collective returned to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach, Calif., for an Aug. 8–10 run that drew a sizeable crowd and an expanded exhibitor base.
Active Collective had its “most successful show to date” with a 25 percent increase in buyer attendance and 20 percent more resources than ever before at the Aug. 11–12 edition at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach, Calif., according to Shannon Leggett, executive show director.
Los Angeles–headquartered Apolis Holdings LLC helped pioneer the city’s Arts District, where it opened a flagship in 2011.
In 2011, Fraser Ross hired Chris Lee to turn the Kitson chain of boutiques into a global brand.
Vegas Trade Shows
our months after MAGIC parent company UBM purchased BJI Fashions’ trio of Las Vegas shows—MRket, Stitch and Accessories The Show—buyers returned to Las Vegas to find a newly shuffled layout during the Aug. 15-18 run of the apparel, accessories and sourcing trade shows.
Maybe it was you cheering your lungs out when Guns N’ Roses performed their hits like “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Welcome to the Jungle” in 1987. OK, if it wasn’t you, John Varvatos will give you a chance to look like you were at there at the beginning.
New off-price show in New York will keep up for shoppers' demands for cheaper items.
Ah, to be young, talented…and to be branching out into new gigs.
Beyond the Label is hoping to turn an exchange into lasting change. The organization, founded by Taryn Hipwell, an educator and chief executive officer of EcoDivas, hosts a series of TEDx LA events and social experiments “dedicated to shifting awareness of sustainable fashion in Los Angeles and beyond.”


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By Miyoung Kim
SEOUL | Tue Mar 15, 2011 4:27am EDT
(Reuters) - Prices for key technology components extended gains on Tuesday, as damage at Japanese plants and infrastructure caused by Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami threatens to disrupt the global manufacturing chain longer than many had expected.
Dozens of Japanese firms from component makers to electronics firms and automakers are keeping their plants shuttered, while damage to infrastructure including power, roads, rails and ports will take months to repair.
The prospect of prolonged supply disruptions sent global companies scrambling for alternative sources of high-tech components in particular, a sector where Japan is still a dominant player.
Research firm IHS iSuppli said the quake and its aftermath could result in significant shortages of some electronic parts and lead to big price hikes.
"While there are few reports of actual damage at electronic production facilities, impacts on the transportation and power infrastructure will result in disruptions of supply, resulting in the short supply and rising prices," iSuppli said.
"Components impacted will include NAND flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), microcontrollers, standard logic, liquid-crystal display (LCD) panels, and LCD parts and materials."
Spot prices of NAND flash chips extended their gains on Tuesday, rising nearly 3 percent after a 20 percent jump on Monday, while DRAM memory chip prices gained 0.2 percent on top of a 7 percent on Monday, according to price tracker DRAMeXchange.
Japan accounts for one-fifth of the world's semiconductor production, including about 40 percent of flash memory chips used in everything from smartphones, tablets to computers.
Even if shipments of semiconductor parts affected by the quake were disrupted for only two weeks, shortages and their price impact were likely to linger until the third quarter, iSuppli said.
TOSHIBA, SONY, CANON PLANTS DOWN
Demand for NAND flash memory chips has been surging, led by mobile devices and tablets such as Apple Inc's iPad 2, which is estimated to have sold almost 1 million units during its weekend debut.
Toshiba Corp, which supplies about one-third of the world's NAND flash memory chips, said it was still inspecting its System LSI factory in Iwate, the only one halted by the quake and tsunami and could not say when it might re-open.
The factory produces microprocessors and image sensors.
Fellow chipmaker Texas Instruments on Monday warned its two suspended plants would take until July to return to full production, though it had managed to re-direct 60 percent of their output to other sites.
Canon Inc said it may not be able to resume production at three factories making office equipment and lenses used in audio-visual players this week.
Sony Corp also said its eight factories making equipment ranging from optical devices, IC cards, blu ray discs, chip equipment and lithium batteries remained closed, with no guarantees on resuming date.
Taiwan's Wintek, which makes the touch module for the iPad 2, said it had more than two weeks of inventory left and the short-term impact was limited. However, a source at the company said it was using Japanese components and was looking for secondary suppliers.
"There are alternative sources for Japanese raw materials and Taiwan is also capable of producing many of the components that we are currently importing from Japan," said Luo Huai-jia, vice president of Taiwan's electrical and electronic manufacturer's association.
"We also have other sources such as France that we can tap if inventories tighten."
Raj Kumar, general manager of Singapore GLOBALFOUNDRIES, said most of the company's Japanese suppliers had alternative sources outside the country.
"We are not pushing them for updates, we have enough inventories," he said. "Japanese people have the best record in bouncing back and we expect them to bounce back."
Hynix Semiconductor Inc, the world's No.2 memory chipmaker, said it had around two months of wafer inventory but a prolonged disruption in supplies of wafers by major producers such as Shin-Etsu may interrupt its production schedule.
Shin-Etsu said on Tuesday it had restarted one factory near Tokyo, but two plants near the worst-hit areas remained closed and the company was unable to say when production will resume at the sites. It is trying to boost production elsewhere to make up the shortfall caused by the shutdown.
Analysts estimate Shin-Etsu is the biggest supplier for Hynix, offering more than 50 percent of the South Korean firm's wafer requirement.
"Since we have enough inventory, there'll be no short-term impact but as the situation gets worse and prolonged, it could have a wide-ranging impact to the overall industry because Japan is a major wafer supplier. We are diversifying supply sources to non-Japanese firms including Korean firms," said a Hynix spokesman.
Unlisted LG Siltron is a major silicon wafer supplier based in South Korea.
Chinese chipmaker SMIC said it saw minimal short-term impact from the disaster in Japan but was monitoring the supply situation.
STEEL TO SUFFER AS AUTO PRODUCTION SHUTS
Initial concerns that up to 20 percent of Japanese steelmaking capacity had been affected appeared overblown and steelmakers were instead likely to face major hits to demand as automakers shuttered production for days.
Toyota Motor, Honda Motor and Nissan Motor have closed dozens of plants in Japan.
Toyota plants in Thailand had also cut overtime production as it checked on the supply of parts, a spokesman at the world's top auto maker said.
Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries said the steel supply situation was better than market initially feared.
"We expect the steel plate supply to get back to normal within one month. Sumitomo, one of our Japanese suppliers, has the biggest problem among them, given bad logistics and part of production halt," a spokesman said.
"We already made an arrangement with local steelmakers for additional orders for emergencies. And we do have steel plate backlogs for two to four weeks."
Renault-Samsung, which produces Nissan-badged cars such as the Sunny and Almera sedans, said a protracted disruption in Japan could hit its sales, as Japanese parts account for around 10 percent of its total components imports.
"We have an inventory of two to three weeks. So far we are doing fine but should the crisis be prolonged, it would cause an emergency," a Renault-Samsung spokesman said. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL, Isabel Reynolds and Tim Kelly in TOKYO, Clare Jim in TAIPEI, Melanie Lee in SHANGHAI and Ploy Ten Kate in BANGKOK; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Anshuman Daga and Vinu Pilakkott)


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SLCC Consumer Panel publishes data on who makes complaints
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission’s independent Consumer Panel has published data on who made complaints about lawyers and legal services in 2021-22.
The report is based on analysis of the anonymous demographic information which the SLCC collects from individual complainers. This includes data on complainers’ age, gender and ethnic group, as well as whether they have a disability.
Gillian Fyfe, Chair of the SLCC Consumer Panel said:
"The Panel has a keen interest in ensuring that everyone who uses legal services is aware of their right to complain about that service and has access to the SLCC’s complaints process.
“We want consumers across Scotland to know that if they are dissatisfied, they can make a complaint about a lawyer or the legal service they’ve received. The SLCC can help them to make their complaint and to receive redress where services fall below adequate standards.
“We are particularly concerned that certain groups may be less likely to make a complaint. Where this data demonstrates a gap, for example in the small numbers of complaints made by children and young people, or lower numbers of people than expected reporting a disability, we have suggested that the SLCC considers what action it can take to remove barriers and improve accessibility, and to reach out to those groups or communities.
“Panel members look forward to working with the SLCC to help ensure that anyone who might have a complaint to raise can access their services.”
The SLCC Consumer Panel is an independent advisory panel set up to assist the SLCC in understanding and taking account of the interests of consumers of legal services.


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The standard iPhone 6 has outsold the iPhone 6S Plus by a huge margin, uSwitch Tech data reveals, in a sign of that Apple could have dramatically misjudged demand for an iDevice that blurred the line between iPhones and iPads.
Sales data from the launch of the iPhone 6 show that the standard 4.7-inch model has sold more than seven times as many units as the iPhone 6 Plus on uSwitch. And while we wouldn't claim to represent the whole market, as a mainstream technology site it's fair to assume our data offers a pretty accurate representation of smartphone sales across the UK.
The iPhone 6 Plus is priced the best part of £100 more than the iPhone 6. Or around £8-10 per month more on contracts.
However even taking into account the 6 Plus' higher asking price, the sheer size of the gap in sales is surprising and suggests that something else may have scared off would-be buyers.
It’s not crystal-clear what this is. But it’s quite likely that iPhone faithful considered a 5.5-inch smartphone too big to be comfortable to use, despite Apple’s implementation of the Reachability mode.
This brought features at the top of the screen closer to the bottom of the display when users lightly tapped the home button.
Interestingly, unlike the iPhone 5C which overcame a slow start to become something of a sleeper hit, it seems the 6 Plus is still struggling to pick up buyers with just months to go until the next-gen iPhone 6S is set to launch.
The 6 Plus’s relative underperformance suggests that the current-gen model could be the last time Apple brings to market a handset featuring its 5.5-inch form factor.
That's in contrast to speculation that we're in line for an iPhone 6S Plus that's doing the [rounds on tech blogs right now]((/mobiles/news/2015/05/iphone6sandiphone6splusrumoursspecspricereleasedateroundup/).
Conversely, it adds ballast to rumours that the iPhone 6S could be accompanied by a smaller handset, dubbed the iPhone 6C. Most likely with similar dimensions and build as the four-inch, polycarbonate iPhone 5C.


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EA fits gaming’s acquisition landscape
With high-profile titles built around the likes of Star Wars and the NFL, EA could find itself in the crosshairs of a potential acquisition.Electronic Arts
In a world where the entertainment industry looks to create and diversify new content areas while heading into the future of cloud streaming services, video game companies have become the acquisition targets of choice. That, coupled with seemingly being insulated from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, has Trip Hawkins, the founder and first CEO of Electronic Arts, believing his former company may be next.
And why not? According to game data firm Newzoo, in 2022 the video game market will have over 3 billion players and generate more than $203 billion in revenue. Esports will be a $1 billion market.
“There are really two major themes sparking consolidation and acquisitions,” Hawkins said. “One of them is the concept of being the Netflix of games. And what you have to remember about Netflix is that they made Hollywood very jealous. The success of Netflix and their ability to generate a business that is now worth a couple hundred billion dollars, and all they’re really doing is essentially a new form of distribution by cloud-streaming films and TV shows.”
EA founder Trip Hawkins says Amazon and Apple lead his list of top-tier suitors, but he sees potential dark horse candidates emerging as well.San Francisco Business Journal
The other area Hawkins and big companies are watching is the metaverse, especially with how competitors and potential acquisition targets are approaching and interacting with it.
Hawkins said the metaverse “is going to be an even better immersive experience and even better 3D graphics with a stronger social benefit and various other things. If you’re Microsoft and you’re acquiring Activision, and you’re getting brands like Call of Duty and others, that’s going to help you grow a business in esports, it’s going to help you sell more triple-A games, and it’s basically establishing a leading cloud-streaming ‘Netflix of game services’ along with game engines and brands that are going to be important in the metaverse.”
For the past couple of years, Hawkins and those watching the space have seen a frenzy of merger and acquisition moves, such as Microsoft’s near-$70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard (still pending) and $8.1 billion takeover of ZeniMax; Take-Two’s absorption of Zynga ($17.7 billion); Tencent’s $8.6 billion stake in Supercell; and smaller deals from the likes of the Embracer Group and others. This doesn’t even count Microsoft’s string of acquisitions before the pandemic.
But what about Electronic Arts, which has a market cap of $39.36 billion? Who could be in line to gobble up the company known for Madden NFL, FIFA, The Sims, Apex Legends, and Star Wars? Even with EA and FIFA going their separate ways due to a licensing dispute, Hawkins maintains there are still top-tier suitors. Some may be a natural fit; others may be more surprising.
On the top of Hawkins’ list is an obvious choice: Amazon, which has already made its way into the world of cloud gaming with Luna. It looks like a natural fit, as the company has a strong backend (Amazon Web Services) for bringing cash cows like Madden to cloud gaming beyond Xbox’s xCloud tech. The other top suitor, Hawkins said, is Apple.
“Apple doesn’t really believe they can keep growing its hardware revenue. It’s been a while since they’ve invented a new class of hardware,” Hawkins said. “They [Apple] should have gotten into the car business back when Tesla did, but they missed that one.”
However, now Hawkins believes he has seen a shift in the company, one that it needs to make to find new areas of growth.
“Apple has been agnostic about making lots of applications for most of their history,” said Hawkins. “And now suddenly it’s OK. Now they recognize that they must organize applications and make a lot of money off applications, whether they’re Apple’s or somebody else’s. You’re going to see them be aggressive. They’ll look at the gaming space and think, even if we spend $100 billion on acquisitions, these are good operating businesses.”
While Amazon and Apple certainly make sense, Hawkins believes some dark horse candidates may also be looking into companies such as Electronic Arts. That would include PayPal, as EA’s microtransaction-heavy lineup would work well with a payments company.
Hawkins is unabashed in his belief that Electronic Arts is a high priority target for more than a few companies: “The chess board will now become a little more frenzied” with fewer top-tier companies available.
And while aggressive buyers can afford to make bold moves, the game industry has fewer targets like Electronic Arts. A few factors may be holding back offers. Electronic Arts must solve problems such as getting ahead of new platform waves in mobile, free-to-play and social gaming, as well as virtual economies and Web3 tech.
But with EA being one of the last big pillars in the industry left standing (along with the likes of Ubisoft) after the recent acquisition rush, someone with deep pockets is likely to come along soon.


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Published on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Orbitz for Business, the corporate travel group of Orbitz Worldwide, has formed a partnership with UK-based GlobalStar Travel Management.
The move takes Orbitz for Business into 75 new countries across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia (including China and India) and the Pacific Rim.
GlobalStar operates a partner network that comprises more than 80 agencies in 75 countries, with 3,500 office locations, 14,000 employees, and $13 billion in annual travel sales.
Orbitz for Business, mainly based in North America and Europe, claims it will benefit from GlobalStar's local market expertise, innovative technology platform, consolidated data management system, and global account structure.
Orbitz for Business president Frank Petito said: "After considering a variety of alternatives, we were confident that GlobalStar aligned most closely with Orbitz for Business in a few critical areas.”
By Bev Fearis
Move scroll bar (above) left to right for more videos!


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Bloomingdale’s, a luxury department store brand founded in 1861 in the United States, has unveiled its second metaverse venture.
This time, the project entails the development of a Christmas-themed virtual department store in collaboration with Emperia, a leading company in metaverse retail and virtual experiences.
The virtual space will feature luxury and well-known brands such as Chanel and Ralph Lauren.
Other non-fashion brands, such as Nespresso with its Parisian Cafe, will also be a part of the experience.
There will also be a spa room, a party room, and a gifting experience.
Visitors will be able to visit any brand within the space by using an elevator.
This project builds on Bloomingdale’s Web3 adventure and partnership with Emperia. The first initiative began in September, during New York Fashion Week, with the launch of a virtual store. The shop was created to celebrate Bloomingdale’s 150th anniversary, and it included unique collections from companies including Polo Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, David Yurman, MCM, Byredo, Baccarat, and many more.


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April 08, 2016
Russia is the first partner country for transport logistic
This year, Russia will act as the partner country for the trade fair transport logistic China which will take place in Shanghai from June 14 to 16, 2016. As China’s largest trading partner, Russia will be represented by a joint stand. Maxim Sokolov, the Russian Minister of Transport, will also attend the trade fair accompanied by a delegation of Russian entrepreneurs.
“In June 2016, we will welcome an official partner country for the first time in the history of transport logistic China. It is a pleasure and an honor for us that Russia accepted the invitation to become the official partner country and will be represented by both a joint stand and the Russian Minister of Transport Maxim Sokolov,” said Gerhard Gerritzen, member of the Board of Management of Messe München GmbH, which has been organizing transport logistic China since 2004. By deciding to have a partner country, the logistics trade fair is now supplementing the key topics by a country-specific focus and is therefore paying closer attention to current developments.
The Russian flag will be seen everywhere during transport logistic China. Economic relations between Russia and China have become much closer -‑ not least due to the sanctions imposed by the west. The increased cooperation between Russia and China is reflected by higher investments and the expansion of the “new Silk Road” between the two countries.
“We have been playing an active role in transport logistic China for many years. The Russian Ministry of Transport therefore decided to become the official partner country of the trade fair this year,” said the Russian Transport Minister Solokov.
The conference program will also examine the current topics which are affecting China and Russia. The “new Silk Road”, which runs from China to Europe via Kazakhstan and Russia, as well as the high-speed transport corridor between Moscow and Beijing are just two of the numerous topics which will be discussed during the supporting program.
Logistics providers along the international value-added chain will have various opportunities to help shape the good relations between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, contribute their own know-how and profit from the developments.


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It’s expensive being a woman, literally. At least according to a new study that found women will spend thousands of dollars more than men over the course of their lives on products that are effectively the same. [More]
On the hunt for the best iPhone 4 plan price he could find, Josh says he found plans to be much cheaper on the AT&T site than through Apple. Unless his findings were some sort of fluke it seems like a no-brainer that prospective customers should visit the former rather than the latter.


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This will come with little surprise to our regular readers, but Verizon COO John Stratton told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that Motorola 4G LTE phones are on the horizon. No product details were revealed, but we know the Motorola Etna is likely to be one of the first 4G LTE phones on Verizon.
Etna is the codename for the Motorola Tegra 2 phone we started calling Terminator back in October. The same device is also headed to AT&T with the codename Olympus. Several leaks have shown us the phone looks like a mix between the Droid X and the Defy, but this phone packs a dual-core processor which Motorola has been teasing as skipping a generation.
Motorola has already finalized the hardware, but is still working on the software. Test units are running Android 2.2 with Motoblur, but we have heard Motorola is already working on Android 2.3.
Given that the target release date for these phones is late January to February, I suspect Motorola will launch them with Android 2.2 and then update them over the air to Android 2.3 at a later date.
We shouldn’t have to wait much longer, because Verizon already said LTE devices will be showcased at CES next month. Our team will be at both the Motorola and Verizon media events, so check back soon for further details.


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Shop Local -Shelter Cove Harbour
Author: Linda S. Hopkins | Photographer: Photography by Anne
Whether you are a resident or a visitor from out of town, if you love Hilton Head Island, there is something you can do to help our community thrive, and that is to spend your money in locally-owned businesses such as those at Shelter Cove Harbour. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, locally-owned independent business returns approximately 80 percent of each dollar back to the community. And it has a multiplier effect. One dollar spent at a locally-owned business will return five times that amount within the community through school funding, social services, and contributions to local charities.
With the current availability of almost anything from almost anywhere, thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to lose sight of what we have right here on Hilton Head Island. Local businesses not only add to the character of our community, which attracts 2.5 million visitors every year, they offer personalized attention and superb customer service every day.
The merchants at Shelter Cove Harbour are local residents. Most have lived here for at least a decade, and many have been in business for a quarter of a century or more. They have strong ties to the community and strong opinions about the importance of doing business locally.
According to Scott Laskowitz, owner of San Miguel’s Mexican Café, in business at Shelter Cove Harbour for 25 years, it’s important to patronize local businesses because the money earned here stays here and doesn’t get funneled out to a large corporation out of state.
In addition to spending more of the revenue back into the local economy compared to chains and national companies, local businesses create more jobs and provide better wages, added Simon Mikhail, owner of Mediterranean Harbour Bar and Grill.
Earl Nightingale of Ela’s Blu Water Grill, a family-owned business, points out many ways in which his restaurant gives back to the community, from serving local produce and fresh local fish to purchasing products from other local vendors and hiring local musicians. “In a highly seasonal resort market like Hilton Head Island, we must support each other as we grow our businesses,” Nightingale said.
These are also the businesses that roll out the welcome mat for our annual visitors. “We take pride in serving our local community, and because we are local, we give 110 percent all year long,” said Kelly Montgomery, owner of Tradewinds Trinkets and Treasures, who opened in 1988 at the Mall at Shelter Cove and moved to Shelter Cove Harbour in 2012. “We care about our customers, and many return to visit us every year.”
“The bottom line is that local businesses enable the experiences that inspire the demand for individuals to visit, live in, enjoy and grow a community,” said Daniel Moskowitz, Dunes Real Estate’s director of sales and marketing. “Local community activities promote local economic growth, which, in turn, helps drive new homeowners to our area and provides opportunities for those already here.”
Cecile Eck, owner of Trident Villa Rentals, in business at Shelter Cove Harbour since 1984, agrees. “Small businesses are the backbone of Hilton Head Island, and their success is critical to the overall economic state of the island,” she said. “We are raising our families here and care deeply about the island and the people who live here.”
Local businesses are also known for their generous support of area charities and non-profits. All of the Shelter Cove Harbour businesses contribute dollars, services and time to community fundraisers throughout the year that directly benefit area non-profits such as the Island Rec Center, Deep Well, the Boys and Girls Club, The Children’s Center, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry and many more. During the holiday season, Dunes Real Estate is supporting a local soup kitchen by collecting food, clothing and toys for our community members in need. They invite you to drop off non-perishable food, unwrapped toys or new clothing items at their Shelter Cove office.
Saturday, November 29 is Small Business Saturday so be sure to get out and Shop Local!
Shelter Cove Harbour will be hosting a special celebration on Black Friday, November 28, that includes shopping, dining and entertainment for the whole family. Decked out for the holidays, stores will be offering discounts, refreshments and other bonuses throughout the day. Be sure to register for the drawing at Nash Gallery to win a piece of American artwork; stop by San Miguel’s for a “Wrap It” lunch special for $7.95; pick up a $100 gift card at Mediterranean Harbour and get an additional $25 gift card free; and save 10 percent on all merchandise in the Ship’s Store. If you’re ready to purchase a home here, Dunes Real Estate is offering a free home warranty on property purchased from one of their buyer’s agents Nov. 28-30.
Lynn Alexander, owner of Nash Gallery, in business here for 24 years, encourages all shoppers to come out for the festivities on Friday, November 28. If you can’t make it then, consider dropping by on Small Business Saturday®, sponsored by American Express, on November 29, she suggests.
While most of us embrace the idea of distinctive businesses, we often forget that their survival depends on our patronage. Be aware of the impact of your dollars and give the gift that gives back to our community. This holiday season, take time to rediscover the unique shops, restaurants and other businesses at Shelter Cove Harbour.
For a complete listing of shops and restaurants at Shelter Cove Harbour, visit palmettodunes.com.
SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
Kick off the holiday season on Friday, November 28 at Shelter Cove Harbour, where you’ll find unique gifts for everyone on your list. In addition to holiday sales and specials at all the shops and restaurants, enjoy music, refreshments and a variety of children’s activities (moon bounce, train rides, Santa’s first stop on Hilton Head Island and more). Stores open at 10 a.m. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. with Santa arriving at noon aboard a Hilton Head Island Fire Department fire truck.


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BUHARI BIRTHDAY A WORTHY CELEBRATION – COMRADE ISSA AREMU, MNI
On behalf of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the National union of Textile, Garment & Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the generality of our members, we hereby congratulate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari as he attained 75 years of age on Sunday December 17, 2017.
Celebration of life assumes special importance for President Buhari who with the grace of God and global solidarity recently triumphed over health challenges.
The recovery of President Buhari and marking of birthday at 75th is total pleasure for textile union and labour movement in general. President Buhari commendably made the revival of textile industry and manufacturing sector his cardinal campaign programme. We bear witness that through the activist facilitation of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo and Honourable Ministers of Trade and Investment namely, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah and Aisha Abubakar, Buhari administration has initiated a number of measures aimed at industry revival. Of particular significance was the unprecedented signing of Executive Orders by Vice President Osibanjo in line with the promise of President Buhari on the ease of doing business. Of special importance to textile industry is the order mandating Government agencies to spend more of their budgets on locally produced goods. This singular order would help in the recovery of the textile and garment industry. The challenge is to ensure that the agencies make the executive orders a reality in patronizing locally produced textiles. The police and Customs department should stop buying officers uniforms from Bangladesh and China, when the surviving textile factories can produce at home. The point cannot be overstated; Nigeria currently spends over US$4 billion annually importing textiles and readymade clothing when it has the potential to produce for the local market and even export to the ECOWAS market of over 175 million people, as well as to the developed world (e.g. the United States under AGOA and EU GSP scheme which Kenya, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar and a number of African countries are already exploiting).
CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER
On the occasion of his birthday, we also salute President Buhari Federal administration for the implementation of its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) payments in nine pilot States that include Borno, Kwara, Bauchi, Cross River, Niger, Kogi, Oyo, Ogun and Ekiti. State governments should emulate the Federal government and build a kinder caring states. CCT should be universal and made a right not passing interventionist fad. Both the Federal governments and States should also make the cash transfer to the poor as a matter of right not charity. This will be consistent with the 1999 constitution which says the primary purpose of governance is the security and welfare of the citizens. There should be an annual increase of public expenditure on social protection to cover cash transfers to students in forms of bursaries and scholarships and cash for widows. Lack of social protection leaves many Nigerians vulnerable to ill-health, poverty, inequality and social exclusion throughout their lifecycle.
One again we felicitate with President Muhammadu Buhari at 75 and wish him more years of service to Nigeria, Africa and humanity in general.
Comrade Issa Aremu, mni
NEC MEMBER, NLC
GENERAL SECRETARY, NUTGTWN
VICE PRESIDENT, INDUSTRIALL GLOBAL UNION
BOARD MEMBER, NATIONAL SALARIES, INCOMES AND WAGES COMMISSION (NSIWC)


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With transaction values down in the first half of the year, master developers are increasingly offering rent-to-own schemes to entice buyers who might not otherwise have the large down payment needed.
For developers, it makes sense to offer their available finished stock on rent-to-own schemes as it’s a win-win for both parties: developers get to sell their current stock and end-users can afford to buy where they couldn’t before due to lack of down payment funds.
There is a new option on the table for aspiring property owners: rent-to own.
Each rent-to-own scheme is unique, but in most traditional cases the rent is a little higher than the same property not on a rent-to-own scheme. However, the higher rent is justified, as this amount is put towards the down payment and purchase of the property.
An advantage of the scheme is that it offers the same protections to consumers set up by the Dubai Land Department for developers and developer sales, assurring property seekers of the legitimacy of their contract.
Rent-to-own gives the end user an option to buy when they don’t have the down payment needed to buy. Today, around 70% of expats rent, many due to lack of a down payment to purchase a property or uncertainty on how long they plan on staying in Dubai, says Lynnette Abad, Director of Data & Research at Propertyfinder Group.
The scheme works well in Dubai due to the high down payment needed to purchase a property and the amount of empty stock that is available in the market. Since 2016, Dubai had over 33,000 units delivered into the market with an additional 7,839 delivered in H1 this year, and another 8,000 expected to be delivered by end of year.
Large developers like Nakheel and smaller set-ups like 21st Century Property are using RTO schemes to address the hurdles of large down payments and huge fees that may have otherwise kept UAE residents away from making a property purchase, and there are such deals to be had in places like Jumeirah Village Circle, Palm Jumeirah, and Sports City.
“To purchase a mortgaged property that is less than five million UAE dirhams, one would need to have 25 percent of the property value plus approximately eight percent in fees,” Abad said in an interview with Thomson Reuters Projects.
While rent-to-own isn’t in the mainstream of Dubai real estate just yet, it’s proof that developers are willing to get creative to occupy their units — and it is in the interest of assisting more UAE residents to have a foot on the property ladder.
Fees to Register for a Rent to Own Contract*
1- Seller (typically a developer): 2% of the sale price
2- Buyer: 2% of the sale price, in addition to the following:
3- 250 Dirhams as Title Deed issuance fees
4- Map Issuance Fees (based on the type of real property)
5- 0.25% of the rent amount
6- Knowledge Dirham Fee of 10 Dirhams (added to each fee)
• 4,000 Dirhams if the real estate property price equals or exceeds 500,000 Dirhams
• 2,000 Dirhams if the real property price is less than 500,000 Dirhams
*Source: Dubai Land Department


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Rappler's latest stories on physical fitness
For many, to be fat means to be unattractive, undesirable, unhealthy, and lazy. But some people want to turn that around.
We know, a home workout is not the gym – but for those of us staying at home, it can have a massive effect on our wellbeing
Make working out more exciting with these fitness challenges you can do with your friends
Here are a few things that have helped this recovering couch potato get started on a healthy lifestyle
Here are few tried and tested (yet easy) exercises which, when combined with a broadly healthy lifestyle, are likely to improve fitness levels, maybe shed a little excess weight – and will make you feel at home in the gym
Several Philippine call centers are investing in their workers health to boost productivity and profits


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Diesel ‘til I Die
That might be the clarion call of truckers, but as Dylan said — the times, they are a changin’. Innovative entrepreneurs Bevan Doley and Lex Forsyth of Janus Electric in Australia have pioneered an amazing business to convert diesel trucks to electric and bring many benefits to the blue singlet brigade, including a reduction in noise, vibration, and fumes.
A diesel engine on average needs to be reconditioned every 10 years or 1.3 million kilometers. Instead of rebuilding an old diesel, Janus argues that it is cost-effective to replace it with an electric motor. Especially if you factor in the fuel savings (estimated at 50%) and the resale value of the used motor. And it can be done in a week.
Janus has thought through the issues in the trucking industry — time is money. You don’t have to wait for the truck to be charged, with swapping stations placed near trucking rest stops and timed to the drivers’ mandatory fatigue breaks, a battery can be swapped out conveniently. It takes 20 minutes to fuel up a big diesel. But it only takes 3 minutes to swap out the battery.
For example: a forklift slots the giant lithium battery into its slot under the hood of a Kenworth T403, then puts the battery on to charge at the most economical charging rate. Tap it into the grid. Three more class 8 prototype trucks, including a new Kenworth T610, are being prepared and will be tested on the busy route from Brisbane to Sydney during the rest of 2021. That’s 1000 km.
Janus has four change & charge stations between Brisbane and Sydney because current battery packs will only take a loaded B double 400–500 km. The current batteries are expected to last 8 years.
Battery technology is changing rapidly, so Janus rents the batteries to the trucking companies for $140 per 24 hours. This future-proofs the business without tying down the trucking company to outdated technology.
“Eventually we’ll have batteries that’ll do 1000km, batteries that will do 1500km. The driver will pull up and say ‘I’m going to Melbourne [from Brisbane], give me an 1800km battery. They’ll have that flexibility of choice.”
Janus expects to have its first commercially available electric vehicles on the road next year, and by 2030, the goal is that 50% of the Australian road transport fleet will be electric.
Image courtesy of Janus Electric
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LaSalle College Surabaya Participated in the Ciputra World Fashion Week 2015 event with the theme of The Portrait Of Love.
An annual event which was held by Ciputra World Mall in Surabaya, namely Ciputra World Fashion Week 2015 lasts for 4 days started from 16th – 20th September 2015. This event is always followed by many well-known Indonesian and international designers and fashion schools, especially in Surabaya region. The theme of LaSalle College Surabaya was The Portrait of Love by Frida Kahlo, not many people knew who the Frida Kahlo is, Frida Kahlo was a Mexican Painter who is best known for her self-portraits. Self-portraits were a dominant motif and then she had a love story with Diego Rivera. Kahlo once said “I paint myself Because I am so Often alone and Because I am the subject I know best”.
12 students were involved in this project, with a variety of designs and characters were formed, so that to produce the best work of LaSalle College Surabaya. Fashion show from LaSalle College Surabaya held on Thursday 17 September 2015 at 19:00. Almost all of the students and the LaSalle’s teachers who are still active and also alumni contributed to this event, as a form of appreciation for the work of students of LaSalle College Surabaya. Not only fashion show which was shown by LaSalle College Surabaya, but we also had a booth that could be a place to share information about LaSalle College Surabaya. In the booth was also students brand from the fashion business program to sell and promote their brand. Through this event, LaSalle College Surabaya proves its existence and quality can compete with other fashion brands, which will in the future will always produce the best designers for Indonesia.


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Amy McKeever is a freelance writer in Philadelphia. She has written for Eater, Travel + Leisure, BonAppétit.com, National Geographic Traveler, Pacific Standard, The Awl, and more.
Downtown Birmingham is poised to get a new grocery store and sleek food hub. Could they reverse the neighborhood’s status as a food desert?


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Holly Harris bought an Apple Watch this past August, a Series 3 product currently selling at $369 to $499.
Just 20 days later, she had a frightening problem.
While watching TV, she reached across her watch to press a button to check data. The screen was raised and she tried to put it back in.
“As I did, the glass started to break into smithereens. I cut my hand,” she says.
Harris, a former elementary school principal who lives in Mississauga, went back to the Apple Store, hoping to get a new watch.
Instead, the store manager said she must have banged the screen, causing it to break. She would have to pay $299 to get it repaired.
“I was shocked,” she says. “Two hours before this happened, I had taken my watch off to shower and the screen was fine when I put it back on.
“I told them I had not banged the watch and showed them there wasn’t even a scratch on the watch. If I had broken the screen, I would have paid to have it repaired.”
After doing some online research, she found complaints about screens popping up on Apple smart watches, starting in the first generation launched in 2015 and continuing in the second and third generations. Apple recently introduced a Series 4 watch, starting at $519.
She also found a class-action suit filed by a Colorado man in a northern California court last June. It alleged that every model through the Series 3 has a defect, “causing the screens on the watches to crack, shatter or detach from the body of the watch, through no fault of the wearer, oftentimes only days or weeks after purchase.”
Apple has not acknowledged a problem, and when confronted with the defect, its conduct “indicates that its internal policy is to deny the existence of the defect, claim the defect is the result of ‘accidental damage’ caused by consumers, and then refuse to honor its limited warranty on those grounds,” lawyers for plaintiff Kenneth Sciacca argued.
“Without limited warranty coverage, consumers are forced to incur the significant expense of repairing or replacing their defective watch.”
The class-action suit has not been certified by a court. It seeks only $5 million in damages — a small amount that would cover repairs or replacements for only a small percentage of current watch owners.
Holly Harris wrote to the lawyer handling the U.S. class-action suit, Kolin Tang, to see if she could join it. He said the proposed class only covered purchasers in the U.S.
Then she turned to me for help with her quandary. Apple’s policies did not support her and she didn’t want to go to court on her own.
“If your screen cracks due to a manufacturing defect, it’s covered by the Apple warranty,” the company says on its watch service and repair page.
But since Apple has not confirmed it has a manufacturing defect and does not cover accidental damage to the watch screen, her only option was to pay an out-of-warranty fee of $299.
I forwarded her complaint to Tara Hendela, an Apple Canada spokesperson, on Nov. 7.
“I can’t believe how fast Apple responded,” Harris said the next day, adding that she was instructed to take pictures of her watch and send them to the head office in Cupertino, Calif.
On Nov. 9, she had to go to her local Apple store to have more pictures taken.
“They sure knew I was coming. Staff were overly polite and couldn’t do enough to make sure I was served quickly,” she said of her visit to the Square One Mall store in Mississauga.
By Nov. 28, Harris was getting impatient. Her Apple contact in Cupertino was calling each week, extending the deadline for a decision.
On Dec. 3, she got the answer she had been waiting to hear.
“Great news. My contact just phoned and said Apple would repair (or replace if necessary) my watch at no cost to me. She said it was a one-time exception,” Harris said.
Companies often make exceptions, or goodwill gestures, on behalf of a single customer, based on personal circumstances, when the media get involved.
Harris had a good case, since she’s a senior citizen who doesn’t participate in extreme sports. Moreover, she was diagnosed a few years ago with osteoporosis (weak or porous bones that may break easily).
“A blow hard enough to break the watch screen would also have shattered my wrist,” she told me.
Tara Hendela was not available for comment. But Apple seems to be open to helping other watch buyers with shattered screens.
Personal disclosure: I get few complaints about Apple products. I asked Star readers for comments on its customer service and wrote about their reactions in April 2017.
Most people raved about friendly staff and Apple’s willingness to sort out problems at the head office. But some talked about poor battery performance and fragile devices. “The company doesn’t design products for longevity,” one reader said.
Is the U.S. class-action suit on the right track? If you have an Apple Watch, please let me know about any experiences you had with a broken screen and how you were treated when you reported it.


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Physical and nutritional programs range from on-site boot camp classes to weekly farmers market grocery delivery to employees’ worksites and homes.
Cincinnati-based Total Quality Logistics has announced another new office.
Memphis will be third Tennessee location for the Ohio-based company.
Good morning, Cincinnati! Here are the five most important things you need to know today.
Total Quality Logistics is opening its first non-sales division outside of its corporate headquarters in Cincinnati to create its second national office.
Cincinnati-based Total Quality Logistics is growing rapidly in Tampa's urban core.
Here are the five most important things you need to know to help start your busy business day.
A logistics brokerage wants to hire dozens of sales representatives for its Broward County office.
Total Quality Logistics, a Cincinnati-based transportation company, has bold goals to double in size by 2017. Here's how that will impact Nashville.
Total Quality Logistics is expanding its reach for the third time this year with the opening of its new office in Las Vegas.
Cincinnati has been noticeably absent from the flood of IPOs that have lately hit the national market.
Good morning, Cincinnati! Here are the five most important things you need to know to help start your busy business day.
Total Quality Logistics, Greater Cincinnati’s largest private company, is opening an office in Knoxville, Tenn.
A Greater Cincinnati startup is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a new West Coast office.


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Thanks to a new cross-country EV charging network, you can soon drive your electric vehicle from Singapore to Penang.
Yes, once borders reopen, hopping into an electric car for a cross-border romp will be made easy and convenient.
The new high performance cross-country EV charging network, Southeast Asia’s first, has been set up by Shell and Porsche Asia Pacific. The partnership has now made road trips in electric vehicles between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang a possibility.
Charging Up Road Trips
Range anxiety, a common fear that most EV owners have, will soon be a thing of the past. With extended range capabilities and fast charging technologies, EVs have now become a viable mode of everyday transport. Coupled with the implementation of a charging infrastructure, it is now allowing for an emission-free future for transport.
The jointly announced implementation of Southeast Asia’s first cross-border high performance charging (HPC) network is proof of that. The Porsche and Shell partnership demonstrates the brands’ shared commitment to drive the future of electric mobility in the region.
Via the new cross-country EV charging network, EVs can now travel smoothly and conveniently between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang. The HPC will spearhead connectivity between the two countries, which handle one of the world’s busiest international land border crossings at the Sultan Iskandar Building and Woodlands Checkpoint.
The cross-country EV charging network consists of 12 charge points at six Shell stations strategically located along Malaysia’s North-South highway. According to Matthias Becker, Vice President Region Overseas and Emerging Markets of Porsche AG, the HPC will serve as a lighthouse project for other countries to follow.
High Charge Capacity
Through this partnership, six Shell stations will be equipped with 180 kW direct-current (DC) chargers, offering the highest charging capacity across Singapore and Malaysia. The chargers come with two CCS Type 2 charging connectors.
This will allow a single vehicle to be charged at up to 180 kW, or two vehicles to charge simultaneously at up to 90 kW each. The offering will be rolled out in stages with four stations to be ready in the second half of 2021. Two additional stations are also due to be completed by the first half of 2022.
The sites will be integrated in the existing Shell charging networks. These currently comprise 18 Shell Recharge 50kW fast charge points at Shell stations and 87 Greenlots public charge points in Singapore as well as 18 “Reserve + Shell Recharge” charge points in Malaysia.
Furthermore, they will complement the established 175kW high performance chargers available at all Porsche Centres in Malaysia, as well as support the growing “Porsche Destination Charging” network at selected hotels, airports, sports clubs, and other lifestyle venues.
The chargers will be available for all EVs utilising the CCS Type 2 charging connector widely used across both countries. Naturally, with Porsche a major partner, owners will enjoy special rates at Shell Recharge as well as advance reservation option.
Shell’s new 180kW high performance chargers can charge the Porsche Taycan from zero to 80 percent capacity in around 30 minutes. This will provide up to 390km of extra travel distance. The Taycan has a combined WLTP-rated range of between 354 to 431 km.


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Pepe’s Bosque adds Mexican pizza to restaurant menu
Taco Bell broke America’s heart when the fast food chain removed the iconic Mexican pizza from its menus at the end of 2020.
But residents of the coast now have the chance to try a new Mexican pizza at a local favorite.
Pepe’s Bosque, a Mexican restaurant in D’Iberville, now offers a version of Mexican pizza, the company announced Monday on its Facebook page.
The pizza, made with tostada shells and topped with cheese and a few fresh tomatoes, costs $7 and is on the restaurant’s “secret menu” which is not yet in print, owner Lilian Perez-Gollott said on Facebook. .
Pepe’s Bosque captioned the photo with a heart-eyes emoji.
“This version of Mexican pizza is giving us all the heat,” said the post, which has been shared dozens of times.
If you want to feel (and taste) the nostalgia for yourself, diners can order Pepe’s Mexican Pizza during regular business hours, dine-in or take-out, Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Most towns on the coast saw a huge increase in restaurant and bar traffic in 2021, including D’Iberville.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 5:50 a.m.


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Depending on who you ask, 'hipster-ism' is a phenomenon that crested years ago and may even be dead. So why are car companies still marketing to this millennial niche?
Even if hipster-dom was still in its prime, its non-conformist members are more likely to be seen atop a fixed-gear bike than inside a shiny new car. Yet auto makers continue to pump out ads dripping with hipster iconography: beards; skinny jeans; toques; scarves and lots of plaid.
It's been that way for more than a decade. Remember that 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse ad with the mod girl dancing in the passenger seat that spawned a thousand parodies?
More recent efforts have tried to recapture that same vibe, but in a slightly less annoying way. Last year, a Jeep Renegade spot replaced the dancing girl with a guitar-playing dude in a hipster-lite version.
Toronto DJ Gunnarolla and hip-hop duo Side Pony Nation pull off similar dance moves in a test-drive ad for Chevrolet's "Best Cruze Ever" social media campaign ahead of the vehicle's 2016 launch this spring.
That marketing effort was led by Jason Easton, GM Canada's head of sales and marketing for the Greater Toronto Area, who filmed the bit last December in the hipster-laden Queen Street West neighbourhood.
Easton, a millennial himself, remains hesitant to embrace it as hipster marketing per se: "We targeted that stretch for many reasons, but one is because the type of people who congregate in that area are much more of that hipster-type of vibe."
The Cruze has become popular with millennials and, since its 2005 launch, is now GM's top-selling car in Canada.
"To the extent to which millennials consume media or brand messaging through hipster-type channels, yes, we are there," says Easton, adding: "Our challenge is in positioning the vehicle within their world in a way that makes sense."
But car marketers go there at their own peril, as hipsters embody the Groucho Marx sentiment of not wanting to belong to any club that would have them as a member.
Easton says it's about "brand genuine-ness" – appealing to millennials in an authentic way that doesn't offend. "Everyone struggles to say 'hipster' because if you are self-describing yourself as a hipster, are you really one?"
The hard reality is that cars have lost some of their relevance for younger generations. New car sales among the under-34 set have declined from their pre-recession levels as a combination of tougher economic conditions and changing mores have hurt ownership. Not only are young people not buying as many cars, they also aren't getting their licences – a right of passage for their parents and grandparents.
"Millennials don't hate cars, they just don't see them as the universal status symbol that the baby boomer generation did," Ford futurist Sheryl Connelly says. Previous generations had a more defined road to maturity: go to college; get a job; fall in love; move to the city; settle down; move to the suburbs; and start a family.
"For millennials, there is no path," she says.
Connelly, who oversees publication of Ford's annual trends book, says cars must fit into the lifestyles of young people and not vice versa. That means an increased emphasis on quality, versatility, durability and technology.
"They want to be behind the wheel of their iPhone as opposed to the wheel of an automobile," Connelly says. "We think that the sport-utility vehicles will speak to them particularly with the data point that says they want to hold onto this vehicle for a decade. We're betting big on millennials."
For the survival of the industry, this is a wager that has to pay off. There are more millennials than any other generation – nearly 100 million in the United States and Canada alone. They represent nearly 30 per cent of the population and are expected to wield more than $200-billion in buying power by 2017, when the oldest members hit their mid-30s.
And while hipsters comprise a small subset of millennials, they hit above their weight financially.
"If you buy into the idea that this demographic doesn't give a crap about cars, and you're a higher up in the car industry, if we don't fix this, we're all sunk," says Laurance Yap, director of marketing at Pfaff Automotive Partners, an Ontario-based automotive dealer group that retails Audi, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen brands.
Ahead of the North American launch of its 2015 A3 sedan, Audi issued a 64-page guide to help its dealerships throw hipster-esque parties, without ever specifically using the term. The directive was to throw these bashes in studios or warehouses, to feature locally sourced food and craft beer and to have DJs only spin tracks that had "obvious cool factor."
Last fall, Mercedes-Benz introduced the Vision Tokyo, a concept car geared to "young, urban trendsetters" that would allow its passengers to be ferried about on soft leather seats in a self-driven electric car, while connecting holographically with friends via social media.
It's what they see future hipsters driving, but would this veritable lounge on wheels actually fly?
"It's ridiculous," says Andrew Tyne, 32, a reluctant member of hipster nation, despite his passion for technology, music, beards, suspenders, bow ties and craft beer – stereotypical hipster iconography. "It's just kind of like, 'What do we have left in the tank?'"
Most car companies want desperately to be viewed as "cool" and have a vision of who they want to be seen driving their cars, even if the reality is far different, says Mark Lantz, founder of Detroit-based marketing agency Factory Detroit Inc.
He adds hipsters are "the hot button of the moment" and a convenient "handle to mean cool, educated, socially and politically left-leaning, urban white people."
As more young people migrate to large cities, car companies are forced to try to appeal to them where they live.
"Young urbanites, regardless of their taste in music and facial hair choices, are very much driving the big product development decisions at all of the car manufacturers," says Yap, who disputes the notion this generation doesn't care about cars.
"Young people are still engaged by cool cars," he says, pointing anecdotally to the long lines of kids he sees waiting to get posters at auto shows. But Yap admits tastes have changed: "Buyers of today care more about whether they can stream their music over Bluetooth than how fast they get from zero to 60. That is a pretty seismic shift."
For Yap, the biggest concern is the cost of owning a car, especially in a Canadian market that features punishingly high insurance rates for anyone younger than 30.
In this way, Tyne is a good case study for car makers to understand what millennials, and more specifically hipsters, want from them. Up until last summer, the Dartmouth, N.S., event planner made it to work in a Mazda 3 – one of a matching sky blue pair he bought new with his wife in 2011. When he looked at the cost, however, Tyne swapped his ride for a hybrid bike.
"You felt a little sick when you realized what you were paying for the bloody thing," he says, noting he'll save about $7,000 this year not having to pay his loan, insurance, parking, gas, upkeep and other "ancillary" costs. "We got a car because we assumed we needed a car, and we didn't really challenge that assumption."
Tyne, who has two smartphones but no TV, represents a further challenge for car marketers, who have relied heavily on television ads. Like most of his ilk, he finds marketing disingenuous.
"If I already want your stuff, I don't have to see your commercials," he says.
The conundrum: how do you hook someone who doesn't want to be hooked?
"Whether we're talking about automotive, or we're talking about jeans, or we're talking about something else, no one wants to feel that they're targeted to," says Max Mancuso, a strategy director at Toronto-based marketing firm Padulox, who has Mercedes as a client. "Even using the term targeting feels a bit yucky."
Mancuso knows a thing or two about hipsters, employing certain mustachioed, man-bun sporting "coffee enthusiasts" at his The Good Neighbour espresso joint in the city's trendy Junction area.
He says car marketing has shifted, becoming less about the "rich smell of mahogany and fine leather" to being more about the experience you get when you drive the vehicle.
The car brands that will win the day, Mancuso says, will be the "ones that align themselves with the core values of each generation that come up."
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