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“It was a noisy quarter all around,” said Libsyn President and Chief Operating Officer Laurie Sims on Monday. And while it may have been quiet on the search for a new CEO – Libysn offered no update on the process to succeed Christopher Spencer who resigned in August – the company did talk about how there have been some silver linings to the COVID-19 pandemic, when its new podcast hosting platform could be widely released, and even hinted an advertising alliance could be in the works. Here are five takeaways from the quarter call with investors.
Highs And Lows of COVID Era
Even as revenue has grown, Sims said the pandemic hangs over everything. “The path to recovery from COVID-19 remains unclear,” she said. Sims said they have seenboth the good and bad. “Listening habits were disrupted, as commute times consumption fell. But podcast creation exploded.” During April, Libysn had the second-highest month of signs-up ever and a record month for episode creation. “In recent months we have seen a trend back towards normal podcast download levels, but it has not fully recovered,” she said. “While we have seen episode creation continue with new sign-ups on Libysn and Libsyn Pro.” She said the company now hosts more than 75,000 podcasts. And Libsyn’s churn rate was less than three percent during Q3.
Advertising Remains Challenged
Ad sales continues to be a weak spot for Libsyn, with advertising revenue down 22% during third quarter compared to a year agoand down 31% during the first three quarters of 2020. Sims said the pandemic and the economic uncertainty has softened sales. The company had been working on a new advertising platform, but she instead hinted that an ad rep deal or new advertising alliance could be in the works.
“The company is evaluating all strategic initiatives within the podcast ecosystem, and advertising is certainly one of those,” said Sims. “We have several initiatives under way for advertising that are being considered.”
The company reported Monday that its third quarter revenue grew five percent compared to a year ago with total revenue of $6.5 million during the quarter.
Libsyn 5 Rollout Coming In 2021
The rollout of Libsyn’s new podcast hosting platform, what it is calling Libsyn 5 has begun with a beta-test among a group of users. Sims said they are rolling the feedback and testing from those customers into the process. “The engagement and feedback have so far been very positive,” she said. But Sims was unable to say when it will be widely available beyond announcing it would come in 2021. “This is a critical undertaking to modernize the look and feel of the platform,” she said. “Changing the look and workflow for over 75,000 podcast producers that use our system requires an enormous effort and is no small feat.”
Libysn Isn’t Selling Pair Networks
Podcasting has become Libsyn’s core business, representing nearly two-thirds of company revenue during third quarter. The remaining 37% came from the internet hosting services Pair Networks business, which posted an eight percent year-to-year decrease in sales. “We have no plans to divest Pair,” said Sims. “While it represents a smaller portion of revenue contribution, it still does represent a good portion of that. And it generates cash to support the growth strategy.” Even though the two businesses operate independently, Sims said the podcast and web hosting businesses are complementary.
Nasdaq Listing On Horizon
Libsyn is currently traded on an Over The Counter (OTC) exchange. But the company is looking at making the leap at moving onto the higher-profile Nasdaq in the coming year. While that could bring additional investor interest in the company, CFO Richard Heyse said Libsyn will need to take several steps first to meet the Nasdaq requirements. They include additional internal financial controls. Heyse said they expect to begin taking the first steps needed during the first quarter of 2021. “And as that moves forward, we’ll start looking at the Nasdaq uplisting,” he said.


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Nintendo has confirmed that all of the upcoming 3DS games will be available in both digital and boxed copies on the stores. What do you think? Would you want a digital copy or a boxed copy?
Finally, let’s talk about the games. We’ve got a massive list of AAA content on the way from all of the biggest names in gaming that are all proven franchises, all exclusive to our platform, and all coming to stores both in physical and digital formats in the second half of 2012.

domain: news


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Target’s ads and in-store displays featuring the movie “Annie” are in the center of a controversy because some feature a white model as Annie instead of an black model similar to Quvenzhané Wallis, the actress who plays the character in the 2014 remake released for the holidays.
The pushback stems from a Change.org petition started by L’Sean Rinique Shelton of Bear, DE calling on Target to remove the Annie ads and issue Wallis an apology.
“[My daughter] saw the ad and said to me, ‘That’s not what Annie looks like. How come the new black Annie isn’t good enough? Does that mean I’m not good enough?’” Rinique Shelton said in a report from Yahoo News.
Follow Breitbart.tv on Twitter @BreitbartVideo


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AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
With a new Impala not set to debut for several more years, the already stale model is in serious danger of becoming as relevant as an ’80s music montage. To help combat the car’s sinking appeal, Chevrolet will debut a restyled version for 2012 with some important changes that are more than skin deep.
With a new front and rear fascia, as well as an upgraded interior with a new woodgrain trim, the biggest update comes under the hood with the addition of a new 3.6-liter V6 engine. The same powerplant found in cars like the Chevy Camaro, the engine gets variable valve timing and will replace both the old base 3.5 and the optional 3.9-liter V6.
Power is estimated to be rated at 287-hp, with 258 lb-ft of torque available from 4400 rpm. That is a significant jump from the current base car’s 211-hp output, and is also a leap forward from the LTZ’s 224-hp. In addition, that engine will come mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, (the current car still relies on a 4-speed auto-box), which is certain to deliver much-improved fuel economy.
Concept model foreshadows new 2011 Aveo to compete directly with Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit
Ahead of it’s debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week, Chevrolet is giving us a good look at the Aveo RS Show Car, which foreshadows the production 2011 Aveo. And we have to say: Bravo GM!
The sub-compact segment is heating up and while Ford has garnered a lot of publicity with the upcoming Fiesta, if the production Aveo is anything close to this concept, GM may just have hit a home run. Along with aggressive styling and an all-new chassis that is longer, wider and with more interior room than the current model, the Aveo RS Show Car is powered by the 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec motor as found in the new Chevy Cruze. That being said, it makes 138-hp (plenty for a sub-compact and far more than any current production sub-compact offers). GM hasn’t released fuel economy numbers, but with the Cruze capable of 40 mpg on the highway, the Aveo should be able to match that. Better still, enthusiasts will appreciate the six-speed manual transmission.
Inside there’s plenty in the way of high-tech goodies and the interior is simply stunning in both its design and use of materials.
We’ll be sure to bring you more details on the Aveo RS Show Car, as well as news about the production model, with live coverage of the Detroit Auto Show starting January 11th. The all-new Aveo will go into production at GM’s Orion, Michigan plant in late 2010 as a 2011 model.
GALLERY: Chevrolet Aveo RS Show Car
More on the Aveo RS Show Car after the jump:
When the new Camaro came out, General Motors explained the very careful two-pronged approach for the car, with the high-volume V6 models appealing to lifestyle consumers, while the high-powered and more expensive V8 version selling to the limited enthusiast crowd. So imagine the surprise in the marketing and product planning departments upon learning that two out of three Camaros sold come equipped with a V8 engine.
GM even went to great lengths to make the V6 models attractive, equipping them with a 29 mpg highway rating, more than 300-hp and a starting price of just $23,530.
This news is a bit of a double-edged-sword for GM. The down side is that high sales of V8-powered SS models will hurt the company’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rating. The up-side, however, is that with V6 an V8 models costing almost the same to produce, the profit margins on SS models is much higher.
As unlikely as it seems, Cadillac may be preparing to launch a high-performance V version of the CTS SportWagon.
The rumors of a 556hp CTS wagon re-emerged when an Autoblog reader reportedly had an email exchange with GM’s product boss Bob Lutz where he asked Lutz if a manual transmission version of a CTS-V wagon were to be built, then he would buy one. Lutz is reported to have responded saying, “Since we do market the V with a 6-speed manual, and since the V-wagon is in the plan, we’ll be selling you a car in one year!”
When asked about this conversation, Cadillac spokesperson David Caldwell responded that, “There’s not been an ‘official’ or announced change in the status of this car. It’s certainly a car we’re thinking of, and one we know how to do. I can’t really speak to what’s inside your reader’s email account. I don’t doubt him… not would I doubt Bob Lutz.”
We still have our doubts about the V-Wagon, and after Lutz’s comments about the Pontiac G8 living on turned out to be false, we’ll take his comments with a grain of salt.
There is still hope, however, as the arguments for why most European automakers don’t bring over their high-powered wagons doesn’t hold up with GM. BMW has never offered its M5 wagon here and neither has Audi offered its RS6 Avant. The issue with those cars, however, is their price. Already extremely expensive overseas, cars like the RS6 are prohibitively priced for the U.S. market, with the twin-turbo V10 wagon commanding 110,000 Euros, or $160,000. With the CTS-V and CTS SportWagon already both existing, and priced significantly less than European competitors, the price issue wouldn’t be nearly as big a factor. Demand for the car still remains a big question mark.


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There is real potential for technology entrepreneurs to be game-changers in solving development challenges in Africa provided there is a supportive high impact tech innovation ecosystem to help growth and scale.
Much has been written on the African tech scene; many referring to the Silicon Savannah as the beacon of hope with others more sceptical of the hype. The African continent has the lowest levels of human and social development and struggles with age-old problems, with large parts of the population living in poverty, facing unemployment, and inequality. Access to basic infrastructure is still extremely low. 75% of the continent’s population lack access to grid electricity and internet; 48% of Africans live in extreme poverty today; and 40% lack access to clean drinking water. Yet, entrepreneurs have found innovative ways to address many challenges leveraging technology as an enabler. For example, innovations such as Peek, a smart-phone based portable eye examination kit for comprehensive eye examinations in even the remotest of settings, Bitland which registers land titles in Ghana to a public blockchain enabling banks to lend against these previously unregistered titles and Nigeria-based Hello Tractor leverages IoT to provide farmers with the opportunity to rent a tractor on demand.
Millions of Africans have simply bypassed traditional infrastructure stages such as landlines and branch banking, skipping straight to cellular telephones and mobile money. Smartphone connections in Africa forecasted to increase to 720m by the end of 2020, more than twice the number projected in North America illustrates the potential case for technology to solve development challenges.
The case for Technology
There are three reasons to be optimistic about the case for technology with a caveat that an enabling digital ecosystem is required to truly reap the benefits for technology to solve Africa’s development challenges.
- Exponential rate of technological change: The pace of technological change is exponential. Looking at how quickly things have changed in the last decade with wireless internet, social media sites and smartphones supports Ray Kurzweil’s prediction that we will not experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century but more like 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate. Looking at the impact of technologies such nanotechnology, robotics and AI, today’s unsolvable problems may very well be easily overcome though technology.
- Technology works notwithstanding infrastructure: Lack of infrastructure has led to various innovations. High penetration of mobile money in Kenya was due to the lack of bank accounts and banking infrastructure. In Rwanda, poor road infrastructure and the time required for blood deliveries to reach hospitals paved the way for Zipline drones to deliver blood supplies to hospitals. As such, Africa’s challenges can be its opportunities. For example, taking the poor African connectivity. Global corporate such as Google’s Project Loon, and Facebook’s org as SpaceX are looking at planet-wide constellations of low-earth orbit microsatellites to beam continuous internet across the planet. Tech enterprises are also looking at the challenges. goTenna Mesh, Tuse and Village Telco have already started to provide connectivity using mesh networks. Kenya-based BRCK provide a hardware solution that provides connectivity in rural and remote locations.
- Strong Entrepreneurship Culture: Africa has the youngest population in the world with a strong entrepreneurship culture of using innovative technologies to solve challenges. Taking 3D printing for example. A Togolese inventor Afate Gnikou built a 3D printer from electronic waste which cost $100; a Ugandan 3 year old received a prosthetic and socket costing $250 a fraction of the normal $5000 price tag; a Zambian scientist is working on a project to create a 3D printed device that enhances the capabilities of existing malaria testing technology. Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence is another example. In addition to corporates such as IBM with Watson or Africa equivalent Lucy, startups are also utilising these technologies. East-Africa based Tala, for example, is a data science and mobile technology company gathering information about a customer from over 10,000 data points to form a financial identity with a credit score within five seconds. SophieBot, is Kenya’s Siri for sexual and reproductive health information and South Africa-based Obami provides customized education through a platform solution that facilitates communication between learners, teachers, parents, and educational administrators.
Whilst these examples are encouraging, in order to truly reap the benefits and use technology to solve development challenges an enabling environment is required. Intellecap’s report: Imagine Africa 2030: Technologies that will shape Africa’s tomorrow: analysed around 100 enterprises across Africa using emerging technology such as robotics, 3d printing, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Block-Chain and identified the need to create a high impact tech innovation ecosystem for enterprises. What was clear is that technology itself was not enough. Innovations are also required to drive technology adoption through business model and process innovation and awareness building. For widescale- adoption in Africa, clear tangible benefits such as affordability, improved access and income enhancement from the tech-enabled products and services is needed. Without a high impact tech innovation ecosystem it will be difficult for tech entrepreneurs to scale and create impact.
Creating a High Impact Tech Innovation Ecosystem in Africa
Three opportunities for creating a high impact tech innovation ecosystem in Africa are apparent:
- Risk- Taking Capital: High risk-taking innovation capital is a gap. Tech investors who understand the potential of technologies are unfamiliar with the African context, while local investors often lack the appetite for technology investments. Philanthropic capital, donor and government funding hence can play a particularly critical role in filling the proof-of-concept funding gap in the short term. In the medium term, intermediary organizations can help build knowledge around the investment needs for tech entrepreneurs and increase tech savviness of investors. Networks of experienced tech investors in other markets such as US or Europe can help crowding in such investors into the African market. In addition, new financing structures such as blended financing structures are needed that can reduce risks and crowd in private funders.
- New forms of Collaborations: Many technology innovators are developing solutions in R&D labs, but often outside the African continent and far away from the context in which those solutions need to be applied for creating maximum impact. Local, real world test-beds that enable quick prototyping and getting instant user feedback are required. Partnerships between corporates, research labs and innovators are required as well as open source data platforms and communities that enable knowledge sharing between local and international communities shortening learning cycles and reduce the risk of failure or making mistakes others have gone through before.
- Business Model Support: Pure technology companies in Africa, for example, local social networks, have had limited success as poor enabling environments have hindered scalability and rapid distribution. Companies which use technology as an enabler that significantly reduces the cost of service delivery and/or improve access to goods and services are more likely to be successful. However, these companies need more than just innovative technology, they require robust business models, revenue streams and process innovations. As such, unlike their Silicon Valley counterparts, these companies require longer time to scale, require more support and capital to scale.
Technology.. Not a silver bullet
To conclude, technology can prove to be game changer in solving development challenges in Africa but it is not a silver bullet. Along with the technology, innovations to drive technology adoption and raise awareness are required. A high impact tech innovation system attracting risk taking capital, enabling new forms of collaboration and providing more business model support can help technology entrepreneurs to grow and scale and truly deliver impact which can be game-changing for Africa’s development challenges.
“Tech entrepreneurship”, “Africa,” ” entrepreneurship for development,”


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September 2, 2019
Related Articles (117)
Google this week released the first preview of its Android Things Console, the tool it hopes developers will use to create and manage internet-of-things devices and services. Google has lots of guidance concerning how it expects things will best proceed. Here's what you need to know.
Zootle, UK based hosted CRM provider, offers most of its features through the SalesSystemCRM API. From prospecting to order processing, the API allows developers to integrate an entire ecommerce solution with its existing website and apps. The SalesSystemCRM app suite already focused and tailored to budgets in the SME space. However, an API makes the CRM provider even more attractive to businesses strapped for IT resources.
Seventeen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Customer Relationship Management, Music, and Transportation. Highlights include the Google Cloud Healthcare API and an API for space launch information. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.


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Churchill Insurance Group is to review its £12.6m media planning and buying account, held by Carat, following the financial group’s £1.1bn acquisition by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) last week. The account is expected to be awarded to RBS’s roster media agency, MediaCom, without a formal pitch.
RBS has a strategy of maintaining separate brands with their own creative agencies, but all media buying and planning for the group’s businesses is centralised through MediaCom. An RBS spokeswoman confirms that she expects Churchill’s media work to move to MediaCom.
Following the announcement of the purchase of Churchill – from Credit Suisse Group – last week, RBS group chief executive Fred Goodwin confirmed that job losses would run into the hundreds but not thousands. RBS says it is too early to say whether this will include marketing redundancies. RBS already owns Direct Line, a key competitor of Churchill. It has indicated that the administrative functions of the two brands will be combined.
The combination of Churchill and Direct Line, two of the country’s best known insurance brands, makes RBS the UK’s third-largest general insurer, behind Norwich Union and Royal & Sun Alliance. Churchill has greater strength in home insurance, while Direct Line is the market leader in motor insurance.
This week, Churchill launches its first e-mail marketing drive in a campaign devised by AWA3D.


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It was recently confirmed that those who pre-order Mortal Kombat 11 would gain access to the game’s closed beta before its launch- but if you’re pre-ordering it on a system other than the PS4 and the Xbox One, that’s not going to happen.
On the official FAQ section over at the game’s official support website, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has confirmed that the Mortal Kombat 11 beta will only be available on PS4 and Xbox One. If you’re looking to try out the game before its launch on PC or Nintendo Switch, you’re not going to be able to do that.
For PC players in particular, this might be a bit concerning. Games made by NeatherRealm studios have had a patchy recent record as far as PC optimization and support is concerned, and though they’ve assured fans that they’re going to make sure that Mortal Kombat 11 doesn’t suffer a similar fate, the lack of a beta is bound to be concerning.
A final date for the beta hasn’t been announced yet, but the game itself launches on April 23 for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. NeatherRealm Studios recently unveiled plenty of new stuff from Mortal Kombat 11, from gameplay, to new characters, to story details, and a lot else. Check it all out through the links.


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MINSK, 25 September (BelTA) – Companies under the umbrella of the Industry Ministry export about 70% of their output, with shipments made to more than 100 countries worldwide, First Deputy Industry Minister Gennady Svidersky told a press conference on 25 September, BelTA has learned.
“These companies manufactured more than Br9 billion of products and generated over Br300 million in profits. Most of the output is shipped to Russia and other CIS member states, as well as faraway countries. A foreign trade surplus was achieved,” Gennady Svidersky said.
In January-July 2019, more than $2.5 billion worth of goods went on sale abroad. About $3 billion is expected in January-August, or 92% as against the same period a year before. According to the first deputy minister, the slowdown is attributed to the devaluation of the Russian ruble, because exports are calculated in dollar equivalent. “The export was nearly 100% in physical terms. We have not reached the target yet, but we are undertaking extra measures to beat the target,” Gennady Svidersky said.
In addition to currency fluctuations, a lot depends on global prices. For example, at present prices for metallurgy products are falling. A market share is a more objective indicator. In this regard, enterprises manufacturing metallurgy products, tractors and vehicles have maintained their positions on the market.
When asked about prospects on the EU market, Gennady Svidersky answered that there are some technical and economic barriers. Indeed, automotive industry companies (like MTZ, MAZ) should have their own spare parts depots in the territory of the European Union in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of vehicles. This is done through offices in the EU. Another requirement has to do with environmental standards. “Belarusian companies are working on it,” Gennady Svidersky said.
In addition to that, domestic producers seek to diversify the assortment of exports. For example, the Saleo holding company launched hydraulics that used to be purchased abroad. The products were such a success that they were named import-substituting products for the Union State in Russia. “Our ultimate goal is to scale up manufacturing cooperation in the Union State and to gain a competitive edge on external markets by means of the low prime cost and the high quality of products,” he said.
Belarus' mechanical engineering industry employs over 150,000 people and encompasses about 200 enterprises. The product range is extensive: from microchips and heart valves to the world's biggest dump trucks.
Non-CIS states accounted for 30% of the exports. Shipments to the Eurasian Economic Union went up on the back of increased supplies to Kazakhstan and Armenia. Exports to Africa rose 1.4 times over the same period in 2018. Trial batches of products were shipped to nine countries where the ministry did not export in January-July 2018. Among them are Lebanon, Benin, Chile, Togo, and Uganda.


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Asia-Pacific region across the world is going to be a forerunner to use the Internet of Things by the beginning of 2023. Moreover, this would account for more than 48% of the global spending concerning technology. IoT would help the organizations to operate much more efficiently & improve decision making.
According to Ecosystm, a research technology & advisory firm, the global Internet of Things spending would grow with regards to the compound yearly of 7% from 2018 to 2023. The statistics suggest that the yearly growth rate would reach $394 billion.
The staggering growth is going to be led by China in the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, this would make China the global center for the Internet of Things solutions. In the long run, China would deal with 23% of the entire Internet of Things market all on its own.
Undoubtedly, China is on the path of becoming the largest country to power the Internet of Things solutions. Predictions also say that China would also leave the United States behind in adoption and implementation of the Internet of Things devices and sensors in the smart cities, alongside manufacturing sectors and energy.
The manufacturing firms across the world are the massive adopters of Internet of Things. Moreover, the spending will lead to a 7.6% CAGR growth to account the closing of $69 Billion by the year 2023.
Mostly 5G connectivity technology will play a key role in offering IoT. Additionally, software management, along with service management, is going to drive the overall market. Most of the Internet of Things data-based services are often innovated, created, and delivered, based on Ecosystm. These devices are accounted for more than 57% of the entire Internet of Things technology market.
With, the ultimate hype of IoT, the attention is turning to the analytics. And that’s why overlooking at basics of the potential of IoT, and smart devices possess hold cannot be taken for granted.
**This post was published on https://www.computerweekly.com
A post graduate and gold medalist in English literature with a great passion for writing. I am an avid blogger and love to write technical and nontechnical Articles, Blogs, e-books, the latest platform of global interest. I firmly believe in the healing power of writing and how it works fantastically to improve one’s creativity as well as personality. Life is too short to express yourself so, keep writing and enjoying.
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By Becky Olson
The spending habits of medical cannabis patients can vary greatly by state, with the average purchase amount at dispensaries ranging from $60 in some markets to more than $100 in others, according to a survey of business owners conducted for the 2015 Marijuana Business Factbook.
The amount of money patients spend depends on several factors, including how often they visit a dispensary, the proximity of such businesses to big cities, possession limits, individual preferences, tax rates, size of the caregiver market and, of course, prices.
Many states on the East Coast have strict medical marijuana programs that significantly limit the number of medical dispensaries permitted to operate. A fair share of patients in these markets don’t live close to one of the few operating dispensaries and are therefore more likely to purchase larger quantities, driving up the average spend per visit.
In Maine, for example, only eight dispensaries are allowed under the law. Many of the state’s estimated 15,000 patients live in rural areas, mirroring the population distribution in general.
A lot of patients have to drive somewhat far to visit a dispensary, so they tend to stock up.
Those are just a couple of reasons the average amount Maine patients spend per visit to a dispensary is one of the highest in the nation, at over $100 per purchase.
In addition to quantity, price is another big factor. In general, reported wholesale and retail prices for medical marijuana are higher out east than they are in the west.
That’s in part because the MMJ programs in states like Colorado, New Mexico and Washington State aren’t as restrictive, meaning dispensaries are more numerous. Competition helps drive down prices, and patients typically live closer to a dispensary and don’t purchase as much during each visit.
The typical amount spent by patients per visit in these states is about $70, according to the survey.
The differences are less dramatic in the recreational marijuana market. Colorado rec shops report average transaction amount around $72, while stores in Washington State average around $66.
Interestingly, those numbers are about 10% lower than the average medical marijuana patient spends per transaction in each state.
Taxes are higher on recreational marijuana than medical in both states – making adult-use cannabis more costly. So conventional wisdom says rec customers would spend more each visit.
But many recreational consumers are tourists who are typically buying smaller quantities that last just a day or two versus a medical marijuana patient whose needs are more centered around maintaining an adequate, consistent supply and therefore might buy enough for two weeks or more at a time.
Patient and consumer spending amounts can also vary greatly within a state, with dispensaries in one city sometimes reporting much higher average transaction amounts than those in another area.
Sooner or later, most markets and states will reach some form of general equilibrium.
However, early data suggests that differences in consumer spending habits will persist as long as states are forced to operate in siloed bubbles of the larger industry.
Becky Olson can be reached at email@example.com


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Business mogul Kevin O’Leary wants to invest in a US refinery, says fossil fuels will stick around
April 13, 2023
PHOTO CREDITS: WIRED
The newest security camera from Ring is a drone that flies around inside your house, according to The Verge.
The new Always Home Cam is an autonomous drone that can fly around inside your home to give you a view of any room you want when you are not home. After it’s flight, the Always Home Cam returns to its dock to charge it’s better. The expected price is $249.99 and it will be available next year. Jamie Siminoff, Ring’s founder and “chief inventor,” says the idea behind the Always Home Cam is to provide multiple viewpoints throughout the home without requiring the use of multiple cameras. In an interview ahead of the announcement, he said the company has spent the past two years on focused development of the device, and that it is an “obvious product that is very hard to build.” Thanks to advancements in drone technology, the company is able to make a product like this and have it work as desired.
The Always Home Cam is fully autonomous, but owners can tell it what path it can take and where it can go. When you first get the device, you build a map of your home for it to follow, which allows you to ask it for specific viewpoints such as the kitchen or bedroom. The drone can be commanded to fly on demand or programmed to fly when a disturbance is detected by a linked Ring Alarm system. The charging dock blocks the camera’s view, and the camera only records when it is in flight. Ring says the drone makes an audible noise when flying so it is obvious when footage is being recorded.
Ring says the camera can be used for simple things like checking if a stove was left on or a window left open, or if a door is locked when you’re away from the home. It features obstacle avoidance technology to allow it to avoid objects in its path and its shrouded propellers prevent damage to property or hurting a pet or person that might collide with the drone.
ARTICLE: CONNOR KMIECIK


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“It can seem unapproachable from the street, but a lot of people are happy to have come up through this little Narnia corridor,” said co-founder Jason Marqusee of the shop’s out of the way location in a small studio on the second floor of 1520 11th Ave, above Purr.
Brandon Waterman, a designer by trade, and Marqusee, who works at Porchlight Coffee and Records in addition to Good Weather, have had the shop open for about a month now.
The two say Marqusee’s connections from serving hundreds of people coffee every week at Porchlight have been a boon for drumming up business for the shop. While much of their current business is through appointments booked by friends and acquaintances, the shop also gets a daily dose of one or two walk-ins from strangers whose curiosity about the small wooden sign on the sidewalk led them to venture upstairs.
In addition to tune-ups and small fixes, the shop has built a handful of custom bikes since its opening. A custom built bike will cost you, though: Waterman says each bike has run around $1,500 to $1,700.
Marqusee and Waterman said they also hope to grow a biking community around the shop and plan to hold monthly promotional and community building events in the space. In June they threw a party offering deals on bike helmets that brought around 100 people in the door, and the two are planning a bike light party for July 29. Marqusee also wants to hold weekly community bike rides to acclimate newer riders with the smartest, safest routes for cycling in Seattle, and ways to avoid notorious hazards like Rainier Ave or the streetcar tracks.
Good Weather joins a small but hearty bike shop scene on Capitol Hill. In November, Metier opened its massive, 12,500 square-foot gym, cafe, cycling shop, and company headquarters on E Union. A month later, a crew that gathered around Seattle’s bike polo scene opened Peloton bicycle cafe and repair shop on E Jefferson just off 12th Ave.
In the long term, Waterman and Marqusee say they would be interested in expanding into a storefront where they could add a cafe element to the bike repair shop, but for now both say they are happy working to establish Good Weather as a repair shop.
Good Weather is open from 1-7 PM every day except Wednesday and Sunday, which are by appointment only. You can learn more at goodweatherinseattle.com.


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News Release: TPD
On Saturday, April 26th, 2014, the Tallahassee Police Department and Shred-it, a local document shredding company, will join forces to reduce the potential for identity theft in the Capital City from 9 a.m. to Noon.
Identity theft and financial crimes are an ever-increasing issue facing law enforcement and the public. Identity theft is usually perpetrated to facilitate other crimes, such as credit card fraud or check fraud. The thief is cunning and uses a variety of methods to obtain the victims personal information, such as rummaging through discarded trash that may contain a social security number or other information. The more brazen criminals will commit a home or vehicle burglary to obtain personal information to facilitate a wide variety of fraud.
SATURDAY April 26th, 2014
TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
234 EAST 7TH AVE, TALLAHASSEE
FREE- PLEASE NO MORE THAN 5 BOXES OF MATERIAL
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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Worldwide shipments of wearable devices reached 153.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 (4Q20), a year-over-year increase of 27.2% according to new data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker. And Apple continues to rule.
Shipments of wearable devices for the full year grew 28.4% to 444.7 million units, according to IDC. The research group says that, while the holiday quarter was largely driven by new devices and lower prices, the broader trend for 2020 was the surge in consumer spending for electronics as disposable income was reallocated from leisure activities during the pandemic.
Apple led the market once again with 36.2% share of quarter four 2020 shipments. Apple Watch shipments rose 45.6% thanks to the appeal of three models with different price points (Series 6, Watch SE, Series 3).
Hearables shipments also surged during the quarter although year-over-year growth slowed to 22%, down from 28% and 29% in the previous two quarters. The slowing growth reflect the huge amount of adoption that the market has seen in recent quarters, according to IDC.


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Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), an Indian battery materials company, announced that it would build a $650 million graphite anode manufacturing plant in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
The company says that the 1.5 million-square-foot facility, which breaks ground in 2024 and is supposed to start operations in 2026, will create about 500 new jobs. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in a statement noted that the jobs will be in “clean energy.”
Anodes are positively charged electrodes that are used in storage batteries and other devices that use a pair of charged electrodes (the negative one is the cathode) to operate.
“We’re proud to have North Carolina at the focal point of our U.S. manufacturing strategy,” said EAM Managing Director Vikram Handa in prepared remarks. “With its favorable geographical location, business supportive policies and availability of a skilled talent pool, we are confident that the investment in the state is a major step towards creating sustainable energy transportation alternatives,”
There was a time that western companies would have almost certainly, in an almost reflex action, would outsource such basic items to contract factories in China and other parts of Asia.
But this particular announcement shows a shift in dynamics. One, India is a technology power — has been for years, truth be told. The IT consulting firms have been sending people over to U.S. companies that were looking for consultants to take over in-house tech operations at a discount.
Now they are following the older practice of Japanese companies building factories in the U.S. to make entire cars or, now, parts for batteries that will be in high demand as U.S. auto and truck manufacturers push toward pivoting their businesses to electric vehicles.
“Establishing a manufacturing plant in Brunswick County, North Carolina, offers strategic advantages, such as proximity to the Wilmington port, automotive suppliers, Southeastern vehicle manufacturing facilities and the local community college,” the company said. “The location also streamlines logistics, reduces costs and provides access to the growing electric vehicle market. The skilled local workforce, with support from the community college, and potential economic incentives enhance the business environment, while geographic features offer resilience and sustainability.”
Last year, LG Energy Solution from South Korea and General Motors were planning to spend $2.1 billion on an EV battery plant, as Reuters reported at the time.


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(MENAFN) China and Brazil have enjoyed a strong economic partnership for many years, with China being Brazil's largest trade partner for 14 consecutive years. The two countries are highly complementary in economic cooperation, with Chinese demand for staple products from Brazil increasing in recent years. Before the first batch of Brazilian corn was imported into China via bulk ship in January, Brazilian agricultural products like soybeans, chicken, and sugar had already gained popularity among Chinese consumers. Brazilian beef, coffee, and propolis also attracted many visitors to the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in 2021.
According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, the trade volume between China and Brazil stood at 171.35 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. China imported 54.4 million tonnes of soybeans and 1.11 million tonnes of frozen beef from Brazil, accounting for 59.72 percent and 41 percent of their total import amount, respectively. Brazil is also the first Latin American country to hit a trading volume of over 100 billion U.S. dollars with China.
Wang Cheng'an, a senior expert on Portuguese-speaking countries at the University of International Business and Economics, noted that Chinese demand for Brazilian agricultural products, minerals, and petroleum has been increasing. These industries have been pillars in the economic and trade cooperation between China and Brazil. Zhou Zhiwei, executive director of the Center for Brazilian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, also emphasized the importance of these industries in the two countries' economic partnership.
On Feb. 7, the People's Bank of China signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Central Bank of Brazil to establish renminbi (RMB) clearing arrangements in Brazil. This move is expected to improve bilateral trade efficiency and defuse external risks, providing an effective safeguard mechanism for trade between China and Brazil. Additionally, investment from China in infrastructure and projects for the public good has benefited Brazilians.
Overall, the economic cooperation between China and Brazil has strengthened over the years, with both countries benefiting from their complementary industries and trade relationships. As China's demand for Brazilian products continues to increase, and bilateral trade agreements become more efficient, the economic partnership between the two countries is expected to continue to thrive.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


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Norwegian telecom firm Telenor's Indian venture in collaboration with the Unitech Group, Uninor, today announced the launch of data services on GPRS for its pre-paid subscribers across the nine states of UP, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh from today.
The limited-period free trial offer for internet browsing will be available till 6 May.
Subsequently, data services will be available through a base plan with tariff of 10p per 10kb. Customers will also be able to access the service through two products – myconnect 9 priced at Rs9 that's valid for three days and allows free browsing upto 60MB and myconnect 90 priced at Rs90 that's valid for 30 days with 3GB of free browsing.
For both plans, usage beyond free data will be charged at 10p per 10kb. Both plans also allow customers free access to popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In.
''We had stated earlier that a lot can be done using the opportunities already available on 2G platforms to offer a good quality data experience and services. We make that start today,'' said David Meneghello, executive vice president, marketing, at Uninor.
Keeping it simple, getting data started will be a single-step process. Customers will not need to search and download GPRS settings. All that is done automatically for most handsets, by Uninor's automatic device setting server, as soon as a Uninor SIM is inserted into the phone.


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BY PET PRODUCT NEWS STAFF
Millennials, which have a projected income of $3.39 trillion this year, are the primary pet-owning demographic, with 35 percent of pets owned by this generation, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). As the primary pet-owning demographic in the U.S., millennials are crucial to the bottom line of pet specialty retailers nationwide.
A recent survey from e-commerce retailer zulily, uncovered how millennial pet owners shop for their pets, what they are purchasing and how their relationship with their pet is impacting every aspect of their life—including work, family and relationships.
Zulily’s The Millennialization of the Pet Industry – Retail’s Opportunity to Reach the Pet-Obsessed Report found that millennial pet owners would find it more stressful to be separated for a week from their pet (65 percent) than their cell phone. Employed millennial pet owners are so attached to their pets that 71 percent would take a pay cut if it meant they could bring their pet(s) to work every day. And, more than 1 in 5 (21 percent) would sacrifice a whopping 20 percent or more of their pay to make every day “bring your pet to work day.”
Millennials’ relationships with their pets is not the only way the demographic think differently about their pets.
While shopping for their pets, millennials are likely to add to cart something for themselves. Eighty-three percent of millennial pet owners have purchased dog- or cat-themed merchandise, according to the survey.
The most popular pet-themed products are calendars (43 percent), clothing, such as T-shirts or hoodies (42 percent), cups or travel mugs (37 percent), door signs or welcome mats (33 percent), and wall art such as paintings or posters (32 percent).
Older millennials (26-36) are more likely than younger millennials (18-25) to showcase their pet parent status (85 percent to 78 percent). When it comes to showing pet pride, men are more likely to buy merchandise, with 86 percent purchasing pet-related merchandise compared to 79 percent of women. Some millennials are taking it one step further and going beyond the T-shirts with cute sayings and are wearing their pets.
While millennials are more apt to purchase something for themselves while shopping for their pets, those surveyed by zulily did not feel like a trip to the pet store provides enough additional education. Nearly 2 in 3 (63 percent) millennial pet owners believe they know more about cats and/or dogs than pet store employees do.
Online retailers continue to find their niche in the pet products market, and 77 percent of millennial pet owners prefer to buy certain items online rather than a brick-and-mortar retailer and top purchases include toys (40 percent), accessories (32 percent) and pet food (31 percent).
When it comes to treats (23 percent), bedding (24 percent) and clothing (24 percent), millennials prefer to shop for these in-person. For millennial pet owners, there are some items they prefer to shop for in-person at smaller, locally-owned pet shops. Treats (59 percent) top the list, followed by toys (58 percent), pet food (55 percent), accessories (e.g., collars) (39 percent) and grooming items (e.g., brushes) (34 percent).
“Younger shoppers are quite discerning when it comes to the products they consider good enough for their pets,” said Nathan Richter, senior partner at Wakefield Research, which conducted the research for Zulily. “Whether it’s food or clothing and accessories, their preferences differ depending on whether they are shopping at large versus small retailers, or online versus in-person. This is not the generation that is looking for one-stop-shop convenience, so retailers need to be sure they have an optimal mix of high quality and specialty products.”


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Wal-Mart taps 30-year employee as CEO (Video)
McMillon, 47, will replace Mike Duke, who is retiring on Feb. 1. He will be the fifth CEO for the retail giant since it became a publicly-traded company in 1970.
McMillon started out as a worker in a Wal-Mart warehouse almost 30 years ago and has worked his way up to senior-level executive positions in the U.S. and overseas.
Burt Flickinger, managing director at Strategic Resource Group, a retail consulting firm, says McMillon’s main challenge will be reversing an underinvestment in stores that has resulted in inadequately stocked shelves and poor customer service.
“(McMillon) knows how to do it because he spent most of his Wal-Mart life in retail operations and buying,” Flickinger says. “The stores have suffered from a lack of investment in people and adequate stocking levels.”
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has 15 stores in the San Antonio area.
Mike W. Thomas covers technology/telecom, military, finance, regulatory issues as well as nonprofits/education.
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There's a new Doritos taco in town and it's a real chicken.
Taco Bell has just announced Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos will be available on Thursday, May 1, for a limited time.
This is the fourth in a line of Doritos Locos tacos, the first being the Nacho Cheese, which catapulted the Mexican fast food chain to unprecedented success after its launch in 2012.
See also: Taco Bell Breakfast Is Here (Photos)
The idea behind the new taco actually came from the trenches. The company started noticing customers customizing Doritos Loco tacos but substituting out chicken for the standard ground beef filling.
The announcement was made last night through a live Snapchat Stories film, which promoted Taco Bell fans to follow the restaurant on Snapchat at @TacoBell for a special announcement.
The regular Taco Bell Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch Doritos Locos taco will sell form $1.59 and the supreme will cost $1.89.


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|Consumer Prices Rise Modestly|
|Subject||Consumer Price Index|
|Topic||Output, Income, and the Price Level|
|Key Words||Inflation, Deflation, Consumer Price Index, and Cost of Living Adjustments|
On October 16, the Labor Department announced the latest reading of the Consumer Price Index, which indicated that consumer prices rose by only 0.3 percent in September. Leaving out food and energy prices, which tend to vary greatly from month to month, core consumer prices rose by only 0.1 percent for the second month in a row.
The Consumer Price Index is one of the government's most closely monitored reports. The most recent report should serve to ease the Federal Reserve policy maker's recent fears about deflation, a potentially dangerous and widespread weakness in prices. Most analysts view the modest increase in prices as a sign of economic recovery, but not enough to spur the Fed into increasing rates to fight inflation.
Considering the 12 month period ending in September, consumer prices rose 2.3 percent, compared with a rise of 0.4 percent for all of last year. Leaving out food and energy, core prices went up 1.2 percent to record the smallest increase since 1966. The Social Security Administration has determined that benefit recipients will get a 2.1 percent cost-of-living increase next year based on inflationary trends.
The CPI report from the Labor Department, a related report on jobless benefits indicated that new claims for unemployment insurance are dropping; and a productivity report from the Fed that indicated factory output increases of 0.7 percent in September all serve to depict an economy that is on the mend in terms of growth while enjoying a stable price climate.
(Updated November, 2003)
|Source||Associated Press, "Consumer Price Index Up 0.3%, Mostly Because of Gasoline," The New York Time Online, October 17, 2003.|
Return to the Output, Income, and the Price
©1998-2003 South-Western. All Rights Reserved webmaster | DISCLAIMER


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TURKISH MARITIME NEWS
- Amphibious Assault Ship USS Bonhomme Richard Is On Fire At Naval Base San Diego
- Cargo ship aground, crew evacuated, South China sea
- Seafarers in crisis and the support from Maritime Charities
- Brave Tern arrives in Taiwan
- Maersk sells giant containership for green recycling in Turkey
- The World’s Cruise Ships Can’t Sail. Now, What to Do With Them?
- Governments Pledge Actions for Seafarers and Crew Change at UK Summit
- American Boxship Rescues Three Sailors Off Hawaii
- Unlocking Improved Safety and Standards for Dry Bulk Shipping
- Pilot Program Test Blockchain Technology to Improve Container Handling
- Two Chinese Fishing Vessels Detained After Body Found on Board
- TUI Completes Sale of Hapag-Lloyd to Royal Caribbean Joint Venture
- North Sea Port Reports Strong Declines in Seabourne and Inland Volumes
- Germany Cruises Set to Resume While British Advise Against Cruising
- New House Bill Would Provide Relief for U.S. Ports, Maritime Operators
Digitization Takes Another Step Forward With DP World and TradeLens
The push towards digitization in the shipping industry took another step forward with the announcement by ports operator DP World that it has completed the early stages of integration with TradeLens, a blockchain-based digital container logistics platform
This news is a total 251 time has been read
Unlocking Improved Safety and Standards for Dry Bulk ShippingThe shipping industry is facing a truly unprecedented challenge with COVID-19; a challenge that nobody could have possibly anticipated.
Swire Bulk to be separated from China Navigation CoSwire is splitting its bulk shipping activities away from China Navigation Company (CNCo) into a new entity Swire Bulk.
d’Amico to pocket $16m in cash from sale of two elderly MRsItaly’s d’Amico International Shipping (DIS) has signed a memorandum of agreement to sell two of its oldest MR product tankers for a total of $25.9m.
Moody's Downgrades its Outlook for ShippingThe ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its forecast for the deep-sea shipping industry this year, and it now expects that earnings will contract by as much as 18 percent compared with 2019.
Cosco Shipping and Alibaba Latest Efforts Using Blockchain in ShippingCosco Shipping Group, the Chinese state-run shipping company, is the latest to join the growing momentum in digitization through the use of blockchain technology.
- Philippine Coast Guard Takes Possession Of “Gabriela Silang”
- Carnival Cruise Line Names Newest Vista-Class Ship
- Simorgh drone joining Iran’s Navy


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Trade Me, The Warehouse and GrabOne lead online shopping
New Zealanders are hooked to online shopping, according to new research from Nielsen NZ, with cyberspace providing limitless options.
GrabOne: Kiwis cash in on wining and dining deals this Christmas
Food and wine lovers rejoice: casual dining is among the most popular items for Kiwi online deal purchasers heading into Christmas.
GrabOne launches Kiwi booking site
Booking activities and attractions around New Zealand has just become easier with GrabOne’s new website, GoBook.
Kiwis grabbing gifts online this xmas
GrabOne predicts online retailers will profit this Christmas as more New Zealanders purchase gifts online.
GrabOne ready for Xmas with Wish List
Newest feature makes gift buying easier in time for Christmas.
GrabOne goes with Apple's new Passbook
Daily deal operator becomes first Kiwi company to have its coupons integrated with Apple’s new iOS6 Passbook.
Do you forget your daily deal purchases?
If you’re a fan of so-called ‘daily deal’ sites, chances are you’ve experienced the frustration of paying for a deal.
US deal site brings 'escapes' to NZ
LivingSocial launches travel deal site just in time for kiwis looking to take a second summer break.
GrabOne launches instant deals
Technology enables merchants to tailor deals in real time, depending on whether premises are full or empty.
Mobile 'grabbing' on the rise
GrabOne marketing director says one in four GrabOne purchases will be made via mobile by September.
GrabOne partners with Kidsline
Daily deal site keen to raise cash for teen/tween support service.
GrabOne keeps it in the family
Latest addition to daily deal site allows parents and guardians to hunt for bargains.
GrabOne Facebook app plays on trading card craze
Daily deal site GrabOne has launched a Facebook app allowing users to collect and trade virtual cards.
GrabOne launches goods store
Online discount site GrabOne has opened the virtual doors toits product-centred arm, GrabOne Store.


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(BPRW) Business enterprise Wire and Black PR Wire present: The Condition of Black Media 2022
Free celebration on 2/24 – Sign up on the net at https://bwnews.pr/StateofBlackMediaWebinar
(Black PR Wire) Miami, FL – When it arrives to reaching and activating Black audiences, Black-owned publications just take the guide. Blending breaking news, own impact tales, and historic context, Black audience-focused media stores publish up to 6 times extra protection than mainstream media on major issues these types of as racism, health care, and community policy. *
On February 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM (PT)/2:00 PM (ET), Small business Wire and Black PR Wire will bring jointly media leaders to evaluate the state of Black media.
This pro panel will explore:
- Changes in publishing and information usage
- Frequent and well-known content material subjects
- Most effective methods to construct associations with Black media
- Turning Black Background Month PR outreach into a yr-prolonged plan
Panelists for this dynamic function consist of:
Black Media Initiative Director, Center for Neighborhood Media/CCM Craig Newmark Graduate University of Journalism at CUNY
In her job as Black Media Initiative Director for the Heart for Community Media at the Newmark J-College, Cheryl Thompson-Morton functions to assistance Black media retailers via schooling, investigation, convenings, and connecting them to economic methods.
Government Producer at the Black Information Channel
Chloe Jones is an Executive Producer at the Black Information Channel. She is a verified newsroom leader with a enthusiasm for exploring younger expertise and constructing various information environments. Compiling 15+ several years of practical experience, she has served newsrooms at MSNBC, FOX News Channel, Fox Organization Community, CNN, and now BNC. Her know-how incorporates storytelling, production, studio functions, field logistics, program development, and crew creating. A happy indigenous of New York, Chloe enjoys art exhibits, museums, and theatre. Enjoyment point: Chloe is a thrill enthusiast…you can capture her highway biking, jet-snowboarding, or on an ATV for an off-highway experience.
CEO and Founder, M•I•A MEDIA Team
Dexter A. Bridgeman is the CEO and founder of M•I•A Media Team LLC, 1 of the nation’s biggest Black media publishers. Set up in 2004, his corporation has more than just one million audience bimonthly and publishes Legacy Miami, Legacy South Florida, and M•I•A journals. He is a graduate of Hofstra University and is a very pleased member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Included.
The session will be moderated by Bernadette Morris
CEO and Founder, Black PR Wire/Sonshine Communications
Bernadette Morris is a dedicated neighborhood leader and successful business owner/government. Bernadette owns three businesses: Sonshine Communications, established in 1993 Black PR Wire, Inc., founded in 2000 and Gals Grow Sturdy, established in 2007. Black PR Wire is an on the web newswire distribution company delivering vital news and details to Black media in the U.S. and the Caribbean 24/7.
Enterprise Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in press launch distribution and regulatory disclosure. Investor relations, community relations, community policy and internet marketing pros count on Organization Wire for protected and accurate distribution of sector-shifting news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted resource for information businesses, journalists, financial investment industry experts and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial units and leading on the net news resources by using its multi-patented NX Community. Enterprise Wire has 18 newsrooms throughout the world to meet the requirements of communications pros and news media.
Black PR Wire delivers its clients’ press releases, video and audio information releases, and newsletters to critical reporters, writers, and influential grassroots, social and civic group leaders during the country. Black PR Wire also provides specialised providers including immediate media phone calls and product or service placement pitching as very well as audio, video and e-e-newsletter enhancement and distribution. The company’s assistance heart has compiled and owns a extensive and constantly updated database of Black media and businesses throughout the place and the Caribbean, and has direct contacts with hundreds of Black and minority media stores, neighborhood, social and civic groups and affiliate marketers nationwide. The company’s databases holds a extensive listing of around 1,200 Black-owned publications and media and consists of a thorough listing of critical Black journalists throughout the United States and the Caribbean.
Black PR Wire delivers to the really main and pulse of the Black community. It is focused to offering support that is second to none with its state-of-the-art wire transmission approach and know-how, its expert media planners, and its dedication to good quality, substance and fashion that guides every part of its shopper company philosophy.
The Webinar is free and open to the community. For more info on Black PR Wire and to register for “The Point out of the Black Media,” Webinar, stop by https://bwnews.pr/StateofBlackMediaWebinar or contact 877-BLACKPR.
*Why Black Media Matters Now, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the Town College of New York
# # #
The content and viewpoints expressed inside this press release are individuals of the creator(s) and/or represented businesses, and are not necessarily shared by Black PR Wire. The creator(s) and/or represented companies are only responsible for the facts and the precision of the written content of this Push launch. Black PR Wire reserves the ideal to reject a press release if, in the see of Black PR Wire, the material of the launch is unsuitable for distribution.


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WASHINGTON, DC — To say the past few years have been a tumultuous period for American politics would certainly be an understatement. Our political division as its widest since the Reagan Administration, and even following America’s flirtation with fascism and an attempted insurrection, the road to becoming united once again is long, perilous, and becoming more of an impossibility.
No other figure has stoked the fires of hatred and discontent more than Marjorie Taylor Greene. The self-proclaimed Christian nationalist who advocates for white supremacy has continuously been in the news regarding her extreme views and positions. For the potential owners of the 2023 Toyota RAV4, it appears she has them directly in her crosshairs, along with the Japanese automaker. If you were considering a new Toyota RAV4 for sale, you might be in for a rude surprise if America’s most toxic politician gets her way.
While Capitol Hill has been no stranger to controversy, Greene’s newest legislation proposes that sales of all Japanese automobiles be outlawed, specifically naming Toyota. While there has been a long-standing partnership between Toyota and the United States, Greene addressed Congress recently in hopes of terminating this partnership altogether.
“We mustn’t forget what the Japanese did to us at Pearl Harbor… For years, they’ve been gradually undermining the American infrastructure by raking in profits at the expense of our blue-collar workers… Toyota is the biggest criminal in this concern.”
Greene proposed a three-part bill that would not just eliminate the ability of Toyota to manufacture and sell their vehicles in the United States but would alter the models currently on the road.
Part 1: Elimination of Sale and Distribution. — All Toyota dealerships will be closed immediately, and their inventories will be sent back to Japan. All vehicles currently being leased and paid for with the aid of financing will be repossessed and returned, with full refunds given to American drivers who are at least three-fifths Caucasian.
Part 2: Toyota Models Owned Outright Will Be Retrofitted With American Powertrains. — Greene says it would be unethical to rob those Americans who have already paid for their vehicles in full of their transportation. The second part of her proposed bill would retrofit all Toyota models currently on the road with domestically-made powertrains and combustion engines; this includes hybrid vehicles such as the Prius. This is part of Greene’s plan to eliminate the EV segment altogether by 2030, as she claims that these designs have damaged federal infrastructure “by edradicating [sic] the gas station from the American way of life.”
Part 3: Scrap Heap Tax Break. — Greene referred to this as “the patriot incentive.” Essentially, a financial incentive will be put into place for those Toyota owners who have purchased their vehicles in full but don’t wish to have them retrofitted with new powertrains. This will involve the owner of the vehicle signing over ownership to several designated processing centers that will reduce their cars into reusable scrap. The previous owner will receive a tax credit similar to the incentive given currently to drivers purchasing EVs.
Does this new legislation have a chance of being signed into law? President Biden has already stated that he will veto any bill of this kind even if it passes the House and Senate with bipartisan support; however, he says this outcome is “highly unlikely.” The President also noted that Toyota came to the aid of American drivers during the energy crisis and fulfilled their need for fuel-efficient vehicles and that his administration would honor their past deeds.
We’ll keep you informed about this legislation as it makes its way through Congress.


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Rumours of a remake of Naughty Dog's classic title are now confirmed. Last of Us Part I is nearing the end of development for the PS5 version, which will be released on September 2, 2022. The remake is expected to contain significant improvements, both in the technical and gameplay aspects, and it's quite possible that the script has been tweaked (hopefully for the better).
However, the news that interests us is that the game is being developed for PC at the same time, which marks another break in the exclusivity of a historic title in the Sony ecosystem. It's currently unknown when the PC version will be released, though our guess is that it's very unlikely we'll see it this year, especially since we're (still) waiting for Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection and Marvel's Spider-Man.
Therefore, early/mid 2023 is the most likely scenario. Until then, you can watch the announcement trailer here:


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On Tuesday, July 26th, guests joined Gabriel Cosmetics founder, Gabriel De Santino, at The Mondrian West Hollywood for a sneak peek at the Fall/Winter 2016 Mythology and Mariposa collection. Attendees included host and celebrity makeup artist Mai Qunyh, actresses Ashley Dyke (12 years a Slave), Jeanine Mason (ABC Family's Bunheads), Teressa Liane (Vampire Diaries), Alexis Nolan (iCarly), country singer Laura Bryna, and more.
Guests mingled while enjoying delicious drinks and light bites, as on-hand makeup artists offered complimentary makeup and touch-ups using the new collection. To cap off the night, Gabriel did a surprise monarch butterfly release as an environmental act, raising awareness for the monarch butterfly migration and their declining population.
For more information about Gabriel Cosmetic's Fall/Winter 2016 collection, please visit gabrielcosmeticsinc.com.


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During the third week of October, Amazon Inc. (AMZN) stock was on a rebound. Compared to the trends of week 1 and week 2 of the month, the third-week patterns were somewhat different. From October 14 to October 18, Amazon stock almost hit the $1,800 mark. AMZN opened on Monday at $1,728.91. The stock was at a weekly high of $1,798.85 on Thursday.
Finally, it closed at $1,757.51. During the week, the stock gained around 1.6%, from the market open on Monday to market close on Friday. Amazon will release its third-quarter 2019 results on October 24. Although many analysts believe that the online retailer could post a YoY (year over year) revenue growth above 21%, the earnings could still take a beating. So, what moved the Amazon stock this week?
Amazon stock on Monday, Oct 14, and Tuesday, Oct 15
The stock showed little to no volatility on Monday. The stock was at its weekly low of $1,722 on this day. However, it gained momentum during the day and closed at $1,736.43.
On Tuesday, the stock opened on a positive note at $1,742.14. It rose to a daily high of $1,776.45 to finally close at $1,767.38 at the end of the trading session. During the day, Amazon’s Great Indian Sale was under the radar of the Indian regulators.
After a complaint by CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders), the Indian government is looking to the hefty discounts offered by the online retailer. They will decide whether the company violated any FDI (foreign direct investment) rules.
Wednesday: Old Mutual partners with AWS
The upward momentum continued on Wednesday, October 16. The stock reached a daily high of $1,776.45. However, the stock was less volatile on Wednesday and closed at $1,767.38. On Wednesday, Amazon announced that Old Mutual Limited, one of the pan-African financial services company, will partner with AWS (Amazon Web Services). Old Mutual will move its digital customer platforms, core insurance applications, and product administration systems to AWS.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the UK Regulator CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) is looking into the company’s investments in Deliveroo. Amazon invested in $575 million in the food delivery startup Deliveroo in May 2019. Amazon closed its food delivery in the UK in 2018. Also, Deliveroo and UberEats were Amazon’s competitors at the time.
Thursday: AMZN is close to $1,800 per share
On Thursday, the stock was at its weekly high. It seemed that the stock would cross $1,800. Although it did not, it reached $1,798.85. Amazon stock closed at $1,787.48. There was news about Amazon supporting Ford’s initiative for electric cars. Ford is creating the largest network of electric car charging stations across North America. Also, Ford’s new cars can be charged at home. Amazon will provide the expertise for creating the home charging mechanism. In 2018, Amazon worked on a similar project with Audi AG (AUDVF).
On the same day, there was news that Amazon Prime Video could face censorship on its video streaming platform for the Indian audiences. Currently, there no specific laws for censoring streaming content in India. Hotstar and Netflix signed a self-regulatory code for the content. However, Amazon did not make a decision. The company said that the “current laws are adequate.”
On Friday, Oct 18, Amazon stock sees a dip
Although Amazon stock opened at $1,787.80, the price started to lower until midday. Eventually, it fell below the $1,750 threshold. In the second half of the trading session, the stock was much more stable. By the end of the trading session, the stock closed at $1,757.51. During the day the stock fell by -1.68%.


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The developing country, Africa, introduces a fully automated plastic bag production process...
Plastic bag factories in developing countries are also moving towards fully automated plastic bag production
The industrial direction of developed countries around the world is toward full automation production...
Dipo Plastic Machinery Factory has been working from Taiwan plastic machinery industry to design......
American and Colombian plastics industry, in-depth understanding of the full automation of the plastics industry.
Central South America and the United States have the largest trading advantage in plastic products...
Plastic bag machinery is also moving towards a new milestone in African countries with low wage costs...
From the pressure of China's low-cost supply chain of manufactured goods...
The business manager of Dipo Plastic Machinery Factory made a special trip to customers to understand their demand.
The business manager of Dipo Plastic Machinery Factory made a special trip to customers to understand their demand...
As Taiwan was on Chinese New Year holidays, at the mean time, Indonesian plastic bag factory was still processing the bag making...


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19th December 2012
Milestone's Bébé Cadum Case study in Private Equity Magazine.
After the winning sale of Cadum International SA ("Cadum") to L'OREAL, Private Equity Magazine come back to the challenges, the key development stages, and the teams behind the success.
10th December 2012
Milestone Capital backed Compre agrees Norwegian run-off deal with Sparebank 1
Milestone Capital Partners LLP (“Milestone”) investee company, Compre Holdings Limited (“Compre”), has signed transaction agreements to provide finality for the insurance and reinsurance run-off businesses of Sparebank 1 Gruppen AS (“SB1”) in Norway.
01st November 2012
Milestone Capital wins the 2012 Private Equity International award for operational excellence
Milestone Capital has won the 2012 Private Equity International Operational Excellence Award in the EMEA retail and consumer category for its investment in Coffee Nation which generated a return of 3.7x return on its initial investment.


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With everyone buzzing about the new iPhone 6, The Gadgetista wanted to talk about some rumors of what’s in store. Read on to see what you need to know about the latest development from Apple!
Want to get the best performance out of your devices? The Gadgetista has some battery-saving tips to help all your technological gear remain fully charged and ready to run.
July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month, so The Gadgetista has some tips for how to stay courteous and polite while using your phone in public. Here’s her tips
We live in an age where people either want to share what they are doing or thinking or know what their peeps are doing or thinking. For this reason, naturally, social media is all the rage but there is a new black and it’s called “crowdsourcing.” It’s rather brilliant, really!
On June 2nd, Apple made the big announcement that iOS8 will be available this fall and it will be sporting some really great features (albeit most have already been part of Android’s OS, some for years).


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Business Jet Midwest will buy 'substantially all' of the airline's planes and parts
A bankruptcy judge approved a deal May 30 that will allow Jet Midwest Inc., a Kansas City company, to buy the inactive operations of Evergreen International Airlines for nearly $4.3 million. Evergreen trustee Alfred Giuliano sought the sale of what he called substantially all of Evergreens assets.
Judge Mary Walrath of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court where Evergreen filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Dec. 31 approved the sale, which was being disputed by numerous creditors seeking more than $500 million in debt.
The United States Trustee, which oversees bankruptcy proceedings, also objected to the sale, as well as Multnomah County, which filed a document stating Evergreen still owes $4.6 million in back property taxes and demanding payment from the sale proceeds.
The sale includes five Boeing 747 airplanes, 11 engines and thousands of airplane parts.


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In news that shouldn't necessarily be surprising, considering the trends and precedents set by others, Renegade Kid has announced that it'll be launching a Kickstarter campaign for a console game on 2nd April, starting a countdown on its website and no doubt intriguing fans in the process.
It's a developer and publisher that's likely to be familiar to plenty of Nintendo download gamers, with its most successful title — Mutant Mudds — also arriving on Sony consoles as well as PC last year. Its been prolific on the 3DS eShop — in North America in particular — with titles such as ATV Wild Ride 3D and Bomb Monkey, in addition to Mutant Mudds Deluxe on the Wii U eShop. None of those three titles have made it to Europe, with the blame being attributed to the ratings processes in Europe and Australia, in particular.
The studio is particularly busy, however, with the episodic Moon Chronicles and Treasurenauts on the way as well as previously announced but undated projects such as Mutant Mudds 2 and Cult County on the 3DS; oh, there's also contract work with the company producing Razor Global Domination Pro Tour for the Wii U and other home consoles.
WayForward, of course, is a familiar and experienced developer that previously utilised Kickstarter to fund Shantae: Half-Genie Hero for home console platforms, and it'll be intriguing to see which project Renegade Kid is launching in this way.
What do you think this campaign will be in aid of, or what do you want it to promote? Let us know in the comments below.


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The New York local phone giant posted solid first-quarter financials Tuesday morning, driving its stock up around 2% in midday trading. Yet while bulls continue to see the company as the most stable bet in a teetering business, there are those who saw evidence that Verizon and its lush profit margins are being sucked into a sickly industry's price-cutting morass.
The most pressing concerns at Verizon center on the company's growth engine, its healthy wireless business. Though Verizon Wireless posted strong revenue growth in the latest period and continues to add subscribers at an impressive clip, the last quarter saw the average monthly wireless bill fall short of estimates. That could mean subscribers aren't taking the company up on its newer and more lucrative service offerings.
Moreover, the shortfall comes as the rest of the flagging telecom industry wages a battle of attrition at the low end of the price scale. And as the past few years have shown, the telecom market is only as strong as its weakest link. Cutthroat pricing and stingy customers have a way of draining everyone's spirits.
"As competition increases, it will be difficult for Verizon to sustain those margins," says a New York hedge fund analyst with no position in the stock. Verizon recently rose 47 cents, to $33.64.
In the wake of
lame results Monday, and with big phone peers
due to report their latest struggles Wednesday, Verizon fans can be forgiven for fretting about the industry's suspect stamina.
Now that Verizon has been forced to
take the low road and play by the rules of its rivals by offering flat-rate calling plans, many industry observers say that high-margin per-minute customers are likely to flock to cheaper plans.
So far, Verizon's cash-flow margin has remained relatively flat compared with last year's, at 42%. And Verizon executives on an earnings call with analysts Tuesday said they are happy with the margins on their bundled services, which include flat-rate plans.
But if many of Verizon's big-ticket per-minute customers opt for cheaper flat-rate plans such as MCI's neighborhood offer, those creamy margins may yet thin out.
Bill Me Later
Another troubling development was lodged within an otherwise sterling performance by Verizon's wireless unit. In the first quarter, the average monthly bill for Verizon's wireless customers grew by $1.19, or 3%, to $47.20. But that was $1 less than investors were expecting.
To some observers this means one or two things: In keeping with these belt-tightening times, customers are increasingly staying within their calling-time allocations to avoid higher charges. Or, disturbingly, the big investments in Verizon's wireless data network have yet to reap rich returns as subscribers shun the new services.
Investors are keen on the topic of average monthly revenues after
on Monday noted a sudden drop in the closely followed so-called ARPU figure, to $59 in the first quarter from the $62 in the fourth quarter and $60 for the same period a year ago.
But again, it's early, and to be sure, the rest of the wireless business results gave investors something to cheer. Revenue jumped 15% to $5.1 billion as total customers rose 12.6% to 33.3 million. The company had 833,000 net additions in the quarter.
As long as Verizon can ride on the fresh legs of its profitable wireless group, questions about its stamina will likely be muted.


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Same-store sales rose 1.1% at Pollo Tropical in the first quarter ended April 1, according to preliminary results that parent company Fiesta Restaurant Group released this week, as the Caribbean chicken chain shows signs of recovery after a two-year downturn.
Sister company Taco Cabana, meanwhile, reported a 1.7% decline in same-store sales in the period. The company reported an 11.3% decline in transactions, along with a 9.8% increase in average check, as the company focused on a more “high-quality” menu and a shift away from deep discounting.
“We are encouraged by the improving sales trajectory across our two brands,” CEO Richard Stockinger said in a statement.
Pollo Tropical’s same-store sales included a 2.3% decrease in transactions, but a 3.4% increase in average check.
Still, it was the chain’s first quarter of positive same-store sales since 2015, a period in which the chain shut down stores and abandoned its effort to build out the Texas market.
In 2017, Pollo Tropical’s system sales declined 11.2% and its unit count declined 15.4%, according to Technomic's Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Taco Cabana’s system sales declined 8.3%.
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Experts have termed the fall in Bitcoin’s price as an “expected healthy correction,” urging investors to stay calm and, if possible, use the crash as an opportunity to add to their portfolio.
The cryptocurrency market looks like it is in the doldrums at this point. For the past one week, we have seen the prices of the two largest cryptos, Bitcoin and Ethereum, fall off a cliff, leading to widespread panic among investors.
A Tumultuous Week
The market crash has wiped out nearly $350 billion over the last two days. After setting its all-time high price of $64,863 on April 14, 2021, Bitcoin is currently trading at $39,720. The cryptocurrency has tumbled nearly 22% over the past seven days.
Similarly, Ethereum, after reaching its all-time high price of $4362 just eight days ago, is not trading at $2638. Over the past seven days, Ethereum’s value has fallen by 33%, and this is the trend currently prevailing all over the cryptocurrency market.
What Triggered The Collapse?
Many experts have been pinning the blame on China’s 18th May announcement that it is banning financial institutions, banks, and companies from trading from providing cryptocurrency services.
However, the markets were already rattled after Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla would not be accepting Bitcoin as payment. Musk’s tweets caused considerable confusion given the fact that Tesla had just bought Bitcoin holdings worth $1.5 billion. China’s announcement was the straw that broke the camel’s back and triggered the sell-off.
An Opportunity To Buy
Several analysts and experts have moved quickly to allay any unfounded fears about the cryptocurrency market. According to analysts, volatility is embedded in the cryptocurrency market, and a price drop is nothing to worry about. Most experts have called last week’s collapse a healthy correction that opens up the market for investors to buy and add to their portfolio.
Siddharth Menon, Co-Founder of WazirX, believes that the fall was along expected lines, going on to say that in the crypto market, we have seen price movements over 50% in a single day. According to Menon, Bitcoin is still in the “bull run” phase, and he does not see the currency falling below $24,000. He further stated,
“It is a healthy correction because $28,000 is a very good support level, and $38,000 was Fibonacci support level earlier. The price is still within limits. The danger zone will be if it breaches the $19,000 zone, which seems unlikely.”
A Positive Outlook
Some like Prateek Singh, Founder of LearnApp, believe that the price correction will see some investors back out of the market. However, there will be investors who will continue to hold and use the opportunity to buy more in the hope that they will recover and scale even more incredible highs. If the experience from 2017 is anything to go by, this scenario is highly likely.
Chances Of Bitcoin ETF Still High
Head of Ark Investment, Cathie Wood, is still hopeful that the Bitcoin ETF will be approved at some point later this year, even though regulators seemed a little uncertain after their comments on the matter. Wood believes that the fall in price could be a blessing in disguise for the approval stating,
“The odds are going up now that we have had this correction,”
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.


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Walgreens Settles Lawsuit With Theranos for Less Than $30M
Theranos Inc. has tentatively agreed to pay Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. less than $30 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged the health tech startup breached the companies’ contract. Walgreens once hosted about 40 Theranos blood-testing centers inside its stores, allowing Theranos to get in front of many of Walgreens customers. In the suit, Walgreens had sought to recover the full $140 million it invested in the Theranos partnership, including a $40 million convertible-debt note and a separate payment as part of an effort to expand the partnership.
Total Retail’s Take: Walgreens relationship with Theranos dates back to 2010. When Theranos became the subject of criticism in 2015 due its lab practices, Walgreens ended the partnership agreement. The drug store chain was suing Theranos to get all of its money back, but will have to settle for getting less than a quarter of the $140 million it invested. While Walgreens was undoubtedly hoping that it would receive the full $140 million, at this point it has to be happy to put this situation behind it. Meanwhile, Theranos still faces a civil investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and a criminal investigation by the Justice Department, according to court filings. Regulators found problems in early 2016 with Theranos’ lab practices, which regulators said put patients in danger.


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A 38-year-old office worker was arrested for sneaking into a ramen shop in Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture, and trying to steal sales money from a ticket vending machine. The office worker hinted that he had sneaked into more than 10 other ramen shops, and police are investigating the details.
The suspect arrested was Shunsuke Igusa (38), an office worker from Miyashiro Town, Saitama Prefecture.
According to the police, in the early morning of the 11th of this month, he sneaked into a ramen shop in Kuki City and tried to steal sales money from a ticket vending machine, and is suspected of attempted theft.
The store did not leave cash in the store after opening as a crime prevention measure.
It was found from the security camera footage of the store that the suspect was suspected of being involved in the incident, and in response to the investigation, he admitted to the charge, saying, "I was in debt for gambling and needed money."
According to the investigation so far, the suspect has hinted that he has sneaked into more than 10 other ramen shops, and the police are investigating the details.
The inside of the store at the time of the incident
A security camera inside the ramen shop recorded a suspect wearing a black hat and a mask heading in the direction of the ticket vending machine through the chubo after hearing a sound that sounded like a door breaking at around 11:3 a.m. on the 50th of this month.
After that, I searched for the bunches again and walked out of the store in less than a minute.
As a crime prevention measure, this store keeps the front of the ticket vending machine open after business so that it can be seen that there is no money inside, and it seems that the suspect gave up immediately.
The shopkeeper said, "I am relieved that the suspect has been arrested, and I would like to take measures to prevent this from happening again."


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Dentsu, Japan’s largest advertising agency released a new Android app for wannabe students, Lucky Senkou(=selection).
The app has only a single feature, to let students draw a lottery for the platinum slots of the 2012 internship program at Dentsu. You just need to click the button and wait Dentsu’s contact.
The app description begins with the Japanese proverb “Un mo jitsuryoku no uchi”(Luck is also your talent.). Dentsu might need young people with luck.
Internship, sometimes executed as a cheaper labor, has been becoming popular recently in Japan, where big, stable, well-known enterprises have huge advantages against newly graduating students, who may not get their ideal jobs even after taking hundreds of job interviews. Dentsu is always ranked at the top companies for the students.
Gree, [J] in the opening stage of a business partnership with Dentsu Inc., is starting corporate branding advertisements in airports from this April.
Both companies have announced [J] their comprehensive business partnership towards global enterprise on March 21st. In this first stage they will start a corporate branding project with airport advertising, and in Japan they are developing this from April 1st at Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport International Terminal. As for airport advertising, GREE has announced 9 cities (Tokyo, San Francisco, London, Singapore, Seoul, Beijing, Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, Dubai) from a global standpoint as being registered. (*Sao Paulo and Dubai are planned to be opened sequentially)
Translation authorized by VSMedia
Tokyo-based Dentsu, one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world, today announced [JP, PDF] it has acquired 15.06% of Kakaku.com, Japan’s largest price comparison site and community (all Kakaku-related articles on Asiajin, my very early review of the site from 2007).
The eponymous company behind the service is currently listed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange with a US$1.6 billion market cap. Culture Convenience Club (CCC) , the operator of the Tsutaya DVD and CD store chain, is the main shareholder.
While the price comparison site is still the core asset (after almost 15 years in business), kakaku.com rolled out a number of other web services in the last few years that now Dentsu has a foot in, i.e. movie portal eiga.com, 4travel, or hotel reservation service yoyaQ.com.
The biggest hit Kakaku.com landed after establishing online price comparison in Japan is tabelog, a wildly popular restaurant guide that is similar to Yelp in the US. Last month, tabelog alone saw 712 million page views (kakaku.com: 877 million).
All sites of the group racked up a combined 1.7 billion page views in the same time frame, coming from 77 million unique users – and this reach is exactly what Dentsu is after.
Kakaku.com’s stats can be accessed here [PDF].
Gree announced today [J] that it and Dentsu, Japan’s advertising agency giant, agreed on business cooperation around Gree’s global business. The business partnership includes the worldwide promotion of Gree social networking service, acquiring of contents and start-up investment.
Japan’s largest mobile marketing and advertising firm, D2 Communications (D2C), has acquired a 0.9% stake in Tokyo-based Ubiqituous Entertainment (UEI). D2C acquired a total of 400 UEI shares – other financial details of the deal, which was officially announced [JP] today, weren’t disclosed.
In April last year, the two companies started a program called 9leap [JP] for young game smartphone game designers (our previous coverage).
With the capital partnership, D2C and UEI plan to continue the program, co-develop HTML5-based web services and mobile ad solutions, and use the latter company’s knowhow in the gaming field to create new applications and content.
Founded in 2000, D2C is said to be not only Japan’s largest but also oldest mobile advertising company. D2C’s parent company is the country’s biggest mobile carrier NTT Docomo – other shareholders are Dentsu, Dentsu Digital, and NTT Advertsing.


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When most people are scarfing down a double cheeseburger, they probably aren't thinking of turning a happy meal box into a hat. But a McDonald's in Miami Beach recently held an entire fashion show for its grand opening, equipped with happy meal hats, skirts made from McChicken wrappers, and take out bag accessories. Seriously.
A group of Miami International University of Art and Design students were happy to use the skills they learned all semester and put on a fashion show at their local McDonald's over the weekend. The students could only use McDonald's packaging and paper products to design the outfits and 15 percent of all proceeds from the event went to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Some of the outfits looked like they came straight from Jeremy Scott's debut collection for Moschino.
Is fast food entering the fashion realm? Do those two even make sense as co-mingling? Even though Cara Delevingne is a fan, it doesn't seem like too many fashion heads are scarfing down Big Macs and McFlurrys. But with this and the stunt Subway pulled at SXSW, it looks like fast food chains might be making a slight push to get in on the fashion action.
[via Miami New Times]


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4/20 Too High To Post
Japanese contemporary fashion brand SOPHNET. has rolled out their X-146 Hard Damaged Paint Denim Pants for the upcoming season.
BAPE board shorts >
HUF and Skate Mental have collaborated on a water pipe.
Alexander McQueen 3D Skull Ring
n an effort to fight against the madness brought on by certain sneaker releases, Nike has implemented a Twitter RSVP system aimed at bringing that type of hysteria to a stop. Nike has set up this new system with Nike stores across the United States. We have also heard that Nike has taken other measures such as banning midnight in-store releases and pre-orders.
Dior homie? na Dior Homme


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Iconic fashion designer Dapper Dan is set to make history as the first Black designer to win the CFDA lifetime achievement award without hosting a traditional fashion show.
In an announcement Wednesday, The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) named Dapper Dan to be awarded the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 CFDA ceremony.
I love that Dapper Dan is receiving the CFDA’s Geoffrey Beene lifetime achievement award — He’s the first designer to have never had a fashion show to win this honor, rightfully so because look at the material. No show needed! The impact is felt + seen 💅🏽 pic.twitter.com/YzMPHYiISy
— Shelby Ivey Christie (@bronze_bombSHEL) September 15, 2021
In an Instagram post, the designer comments on his latest achievement by stating, “Isn’t it ironic how the fashion world says that Dapper Dan won the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, without ever having a runway show?” he wrote. “The streets of Harlem have been my runway for 35 years. Isn’t that where the major luxury brands got their inspiration from? Maybe logo-mania is an illusion. Thank you Harlem, I love you!”
Although this may be true, this does not disqualify Dapper Dan as one of the most influential designers in fashion. It was the streets of Harlem and his customizing streetwear that made him a staple of his own. Hip-Hop artists such as Salt-N-Pepa and LL Cool J flocked to his designs; which eventually turned into Hip-Hop fashion statements.
The 2021 CDFA Awards will take place on November 10 at The Pool Room in New York City. There Dapper Dan will finally get the flowers he deserves by welcoming streetwear into fashion.


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Standard Chartered
the U.K.-listed Asia-focused bank, said first half performance is in line with prior guidance, with strong growth in customer income, expenses rising "broadly" in line with income, consumer loan loss charges growing with assets, and wholesale banking charges benefiting from a good credit environment. Net interest margins in most markets have remained broadly stable, despite
significant margin pressure in India and Singapore, it said. The integration of Korea First Bank is ahead of schedule, and KFB is on track to meet targets. Shares were last down 0.4% in London.